New sad record: Minsk the worst Europe’s city

• 10.06.2008, 15:10

Minsk is the lowest ranking European cities for living quality, the results of the survey of Mercer international company show.

The survey covers more than 200 world cities. Zurich has occupies the highest position for the second year, Vienna and Geneva share the second position. Among the Eastern European cities Prague (71) is heading the list. Vilnius is ranked 78, Warsaw – 85, Riga – 89. Minsk is ranked 183, the worst of the European cities, Radio Svaboda reports.

The next factors were taken into account when estimating the living quality:

* Political and social environment (political stability, crime, law enforcement, etc)

* Economic environment (currency exchange regulations, banking services, etc)

* Socio-cultural environment (censorship, limitations on personal freedom, etc)

* Health and sanitation (medical supplies and services, waste disposal, etc)

* Schools and education (standard and availability of international schools, etc)

* Public services and transportation (public transport, traffic congestion, etc)

* Recreation (restaurants, theatres, etc)

* Consumer goods (availability of food/daily consumption items, cars, etc)

* Housing ( furniture, maintenance services, etc)

* Natural environment (climate, record of natural disasters)

It should be reminded that Internet portal World Database of Happiness issued in May the results of the survey, ranking the most happy and unhappy world countries. The authoress researched 95 countries. Belarus is one of the unhappy countries.