Αξιοβίωτες πόλεις, τόποι να ζεις!

Το βρετανικό περιοδικό Monocle κυκλοφόρησε την κατάταξη για το 2010, των καλύτερων παγκοσμίως πόλεων να ζει κανείς. Μεταξύ των κριτηρίων είναι και το εμβαδόν πρασίνου ανά κάτοικο, ο χρόνος απόκρισης των υπηρεσιών έκτακτης ανάγκης, η ευκολία έναρξης επιχείρησης και πολλά άλλα.

Πόλεις αξιοζήλευτες, οι οποίες ανταγωνίζονται κάθε χρόνο για τον τίτλο της πιο πράσινης, της πιο σύγχρονής, της πιο φιλικής για τα ποδήλατα, κτλ πόλης.

Αντιγράφουμε λοιπόν απευθείας από το περιοδικό, στα εγγλέζικα:

1 -> Munich

Munich claims the number 1 spot in the Quality of Life Survey for its balance between technology, green thinking, and the arts. And while the rest of the world is faced with a shrinking population, Munich is reporting an upswing in birth rate.

2 -> Copenhagen

After playing host to climate change conferences over the year, Copenhagen has set the standard for low-emission urban living and is continuously transforming itself into the eco-capital of the world.

3 -> Zürich

The recent financial turmoil has done the city good; more and more young people are flocking to the area and starting up their own businesses. Pair the new entrepreneurial spirit with stellar educational facilities, and the city has begun to boom.

4 -> Tokyo

Despite the bustling crowds and high-rise buildings, Japan’s capital remains clean and eco-conscious. By 2013 the city is expected to create 200 hectares of green space alongside with 200,000 new roadside trees.

5 -> Helsinki

This small city provides a welfare system that ensures a high quality of life, free education for everyone, and even free wifi. In addition, the city is connected to major cities – just 8 hour flights to both New York and Asia.

6 -> Stockholm

Stockholm boasts Europe’s cleanest air and provides areas where you can swim in clear waters and cross-country ski across forests. Recently, the redevelopment of its docks and new residential projects has helped the city to rank at number six.

7 -> Paris

Recent developments of reconnecting the city with its disenfranchised suburbs and taking back its place in the culinary world has leveraged Paris beyond its postcard-perfect streets and charming cafes.

8 -> Vienna

Vienna is home to top-ranking health care, a reliable public transportation network, acres of green space. On top of that, the Austrian capital continues its redevelopment efforts for its shorelines and sponsors numerous public cultural events.

9 -> Melbourne

Beyond its fun-loving cultural image, Melbourne means business. The state’s average economic growth is 3.3% and job growth is at 2.1%.

10 -> Madrid

The capital of Spain has taken on a new endeavor titled the Madrid Rio Project, which reclaims 8km of river parkland and urban beaches. Other ground breaking projects include the creation of 16,000 new homes and green space.

The rest of the 2010 Most Liveable Cities Ranking are as follows:

11 -> Berlin

12 -> Sydney

13 -> Honolulu

14 -> Fukuoka

15 -> Geneva

16 -> Vancouver

17 -> Barcelona

18 -> Oslo

19 -> Montréal

20 -> Auckland

21 -> Singapore

22 -> Portland

23 -> Kyoto

24 -> Hamburg

25 -> Lisbon

....

33.899 -> Ioannina

The capital of Epirus, birthplace of king Pyrrhus of Epirus and Olympia, the mother of great Alexander the Great.

Ioannina is also a modern city, an administrative center linked daily by bus with other large cities of the country and it claims the number 33.899 spot in the Quality of Life Survey for its classification for the third consecutive year, in five of the "golden tourist destinations"!