Dhaka slightly more liveable? Ranking improves in EIU’s Liveability Index 2022
Stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure 5 main factors the index considers
Bangladesh's capital Dhaka is 7th least liveable city in the world, according to Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Index for 2022.
Dhaka's ranking has improved three spots from last year. It was the 4th least livable city in the world, as per EIU's liveability index for 2021.
Pakistan's Karachi, Algeria's Algiers, and Libya's Tripoli were downgraded as Dhaka's position improved.
According to the EIU, the change was largely due to the lifting of pandemic restrictions.
On the Global Liveability Index for 2022, which was released today (June 23, 2022), Dhaka received a score of 39.2 out of 100 and was ranked 7th from the bottom among 173 cities. It received a 33.5 in the ranking for 2021.
Dhaka scored only 26.8, placing it last among the bottom 10 cities in terms of infrastructure.
Stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure are the five main factors that the EIU index considers.
Vienna snatched the top spot from Auckland, which tumbled down to 34th place due to the coronavirus pandemic related restrictions, according to the report.
The capital of war-torn Syria, Damascus, retained its place as least liveable city on the planet.
The Covid-19 pandemic derailed the EIU rankings, resulting in the cancellation of the 2020 index and changes to the 2021 rankings as lockdowns and social distancing measures affected scores for culture, education, and healthcare in cities all over the world.
As pandemic restrictions were lifted, scores on the index for 2022, however, began to normalise.
The top end of the rankings was largely dominated by cities in western Europe and Canada.
Position of cities in Germany, UK and France, which had slipped in last year's ranking, improved.
Frankfurt climbed 32 places to 7th, while Hamburg moved up 31 places to 16th.
The survey for Kyiv was cut short due to Russia's invasion, the EIU report said.
Meanwhile, the Russian capital of Moscow saw its liveability fall by 15 places while St Petersburg slipped by 13 due to increased censorship amid the conflict and additional restrictions on culture and environment due to Western sanctions.
Thirty-three new cities were added to the index this year, including 11 in China.