Zurich is the most desirable place to live in the world, survey says

Zurich has beaten its fellow Swiss rival Geneva to become the most desirable place to live in the world, according to a survey released today measuring quality of life in more than 200 cities worldwide.

Each city was judged on factors such as personal safety, the environment and access to public services such as health, education and transport.

For the second year in a row living standards in Dublin were rated above those of London and Paris. The Irish capital came 24th in a survey of 215 cities compared to London which trailed 15 places behind on 39th, the same spot as last year, and Paris which came in at 33rd.

The continuing success of Dublin is largely due to economic growth that has spawned one of Europe's most successful emerging economies, often referred to as the "Celtic Tiger".

In a similar survey last year, the Economist magazine's intelligence unit rated Ireland top in its "quality of life" index rating of 111 countries citing "high GDP, low unemployment" and a society holding on, so far, to traditional values.

Glasgow and Birmingham, the only British cities apart from London to make it into the table, ranked joint 55th along with Los Angeles and Tsukuba in Japan.

Zurich beat Geneva into second place, while Vancouver in Canada was third. The British Columbian city is consistently voted as one of the most desirable cities in the world to live. Surrounded by water on three sides and overlooked by mountains, it is a diverse city with a high standard of living, relatively low crime and a mild climate.

The latest survey, by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, revealed almost half of the world's 30 most desirable cities for expatriates to live in are situated in western Europe. Germany and Switzerland dominate the table with three contenders each in the top 10. Zurich, Geneva, Bern, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Munich accounted for six of the top 10 entries alone.

The "quality of life" survey based its table on criteria ranging from political, social and economic factors, which aimed to establish the best and worst cities for expatriates.

Researchers also found a rise in living standards in the capitals of those eastern European states that recently joined the EU with Ljubljana, Vilnius and Tallinn all improving.

Slagin Parakatil, a senior researcher at Mercer said: "The standard of living in many eastern European cities is gradually improving as the countries that most recently joined the EU attract greater investment."

Not surprisingly, Baghdad was deemed the worst place to live in, closely followed by Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo, a city scarred by years of civil war where many houses are in ruins and electricity and water supplies are erratic.

Attractions

* Kunsthaus: The country's finest art gallery

* St Peter's Church: Oldest church in Zurich, first mentioned in 857AD

* Opera House: One of the Europe's leading stages

* Cabaret Voltaire: The birthplace of Dadaism

* Masoala Rainforest: Ecosystem similar to Eden Project in Cornwall

* National Museum: The country's proud heritage

* Bürkliterrasse: Lakeside park with view of the Alps

* Niederdorf: Winding streets lined with bars

* Fraumünster: Fine 13th-century gothic church

* Le Corbusier house: Dedicated to the famed Swiss architect