Karachi was classified as the least livable fourth city in the world, according to the intimate index 2025 published Tuesday by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a research branch of The Economist Band.
Placed 170th out of 173 cities evaluated worldwide, Karachi was the only Pakistani city included in the index. He ranked just above Dacca (Bangladesh), Tripoli (Libya) and Damascus (Syria), which has kept the lower position.
The EIU viability index assesses cities in five categories – stability, health care, culture and environment, education and infrastructure – using more than 30 indicators to reach the final scores.
Copenhagen was named the most livable city in the world, gaining scores almost perfect in stability, education and infrastructure, with a global score of 98 out of 100.
Learn more: Karachi ranks again among the least habitable cities in Global Survey
He replaced the chief of last year, Vienna, who fell in second place due to two thwarted terrorist attacks which had an impact on his stability score. Zurich equaled to Vienna in second place, while Geneva completed the first five, stressing the domination of the cities of Western Europe in the index.
Melbourne, with a score of 97, was the only non -European city to enter the top five, ranking fourth. Other cities in the southern hemisphere were prominently in the top ten, notably Sydney (6th), Osaka (7th), Auckland (8th) and Adelaide (9th). Vancouver (10th) was the only representative in North America in the upper level.
Several cities of the United Kingdom – including London, Manchester and Edinburgh – have seen a drop in their positions, attributed to generalized civilian disorders and the rise in roaming. London and New York were ranked 54th and 69th respectively, with threats of congestion, crime and terrorism weighing down their scores.
Canadian cities have also dropped in the ranking, largely due to the drop in health scores in all areas.
The report noted that the Middle East has shown the most significant improvement, driven by improvements in health care and education in Saudi Arabia and water.
In South Asia, most cities have been poorly classified, the EIU citing high levels of pollution, extreme temperatures and regional tensions. The ongoing military confrontations along the cashmere border contributed to the decline in stability scores for several Indian cities.
Damascus remained at the bottom of the list. However, the EIU suggested that the situation could improve in Futures editions, following the eviction of Bashar al-Assad in December and the subsequent relaxation of American sanctions.
The report concludes that if inflationary pressures had somewhat reduced, increasing geopolitical tensions posed new risks to urban stability and the quality of global life in many regions.
