The Austrian capital Vienna has topped Mercer's index of most liveable cities for the 10th year in a row. Known by tourists for its imperial past, gilded palaces and classical music, the city of 1.9 million is one of the most beautiful in the world. Being medium-sized, safe and relatively green are some of the features helped to be at the first place again. Quality of living is determined by many factors, from access to public transport and traffic congestion levels, to the availability of housing and international schools, to a city's cultural scene.
The annual Mercer Quality of Living Survey compares 231 cities around the world, ranking them on factors such as crime, education, healthcare, public services, recreation, housing and personal freedom. The quality of living survey is conducted to help governments and major companies place employees on international assignments. The survey also identifies those cities with the highest personal safety ranking based upon internal stability, crime, effectiveness of law enforcement and relationships with other countries.
