For the first time, Singapore has surpassed Hong Kong in the annual global liveability ranking by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), as it snagged its highest-ever ranking at 35th place, reported Channel News Asia.
The survey attributed Singapore’s 11-place jump in ranking to its improving educational attainment.
“Singapore’s jump up the rankings can be attributed to consistent and impressive improvements in educational attainment, which has delivered a perfect score for education and pushed the overall score for the city-state above 90 per cent for the first time since the survey began,” said the editor of the survey Jon Copestake.
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“However it is worth remembering that, although ten ranking places now separate Hong Kong and Singapore, the difference between them is marginal at just 1.6 percent and both comfortably sit in the top tier of liveability where there are few, if any, challenges to lifestyle.”
Australia’s Melbourne retained its title as the most liveable city for the seventh consecutive year, with Vienna coming in as second. Rounding up the top five list are Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary.
Damascus in war-torn Syria, on the other hand, occupied the last spot.
In Asia, Bandar Seri Begawan, Shanghai, Colombo, Port Moresby and Phnom Penh also saw their rankings improve, thanks to broadening cultural availability and infrastructural improvements, showed the survey.
This article was edited by Denise Djong.
