Lagos is the second least livable city in the world for the year 2021. This is according to the most recent annual ranking put together by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

The EIU survey ranked 140 cities based on stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.

The top five most livable cities on the EIU list are Auckland, New Zealand; Osaka, Japan; Adelaide, Australia; Wellington, New Zealand and Tokyo, Japan.

The top five least livable cities on the EIU list are Damascus, Syria; Lagos, Nigeria; Port Moresby, PNG; Dhaka, Bangladesh and Algiers, Algeria.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (The EIU) is the research and analysis division of The Economist Group, the sister company to The Economist newspaper.

Data for the EIU livability survey was collected from February 22 to March 21 2021.

Some of the key findings include:

The overall global average livability score has fallen by seven points, as compared with the average pre-pandemic score. The extent to which cities were sheltered by strong border closures, their ability to handle the health crisis and the pace at which they rolled out vaccination campaigns drove significant changes in the rankings.

Auckland, in New Zealand, is at the top of The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Livability rankings, owing to the city’s ability to contain the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic faster and thus lift restrictions earlier, unlike others around the world.

Six of the top ten cities in the March 2021 survey are in New Zealand or Australia, where tight border controls have allowed residents to live relatively normal lives.

Many European and Canadian cities have fallen down the rankings, having battled a second Covid-19 wave by restricting cultural and sporting events, and closing schools and restaurants.

Here is the list of the top 10 most livable cities for 2021:

Auckland, New Zealand

Osaka, Japan

Adelaide, Australia

Wellington, New Zealand

Tokyo, Japan

Perth, Australia

Zurich, Switzerland

Geneva, Switzerland

Melbourne, Australia

Brisbane, Australia

The 10 least livable cities for 2021 are:

Damascus, Syria

Lagos, Nigeria

Port Moresby, PNG

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Algiers, Algeria

Tripoli, Libya

Karachi, Pakistan

Harare, Zimbabwe

Douala, Cameroon

Caracas, Venezuela

(Nigerian Tribune)

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