African cities,worst places to be!

By Gael Masengi

The Economist has ranked Ten African Cities as the world worst liveable cities in its recently released 2012 Global “Liveability” Survey.

Lagos, Nigeria

According to the latest Economist Intelligence Unit global “liveability” study, which surveyed 140 cities around the world looks at various factors from a country’ stability, low population density, climate, health care coverage, culture, environment to quality education and functioning infrastructure, rate ten African cities among the bottom twenty worst places to live in. This may not surprise many as African countries are well known for their dusty dirty streets, lack of developed infrastructures, poverty and most of all political instability. 

Well, while most of the black continent’s cities don’t as always perform well but three of our own at least do okay with Tunis, Tunisia is occupying the 104^th place just before Mexico City (Mexico, 105^th), Manila (Philippines, 106^th), Quito (Ecuador, 107^th), Baku (Azerbaijan, 108^th), Istanbul (Turkey, 109^th) and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia, 110^th). Africa’s business heart Johannesburg and capital city Pretoria, both South Africa, haven’t move from their last year’s 92^nd and 96^thpositions respectively and technically making them two most liveable and highly ranked cities in Africa. 

 

Ranked first on the list as the best city to live in for the second consecutive year is Melbourne, Australia ahead of Vienna (Austria) and Vancouver (Canada), second and third respectively, Australia and Canada lead the top ten spots as they both have five and three cities, Helsinki (Finland) is the only European city to make the top ten list. Surprisingly the city of London is not even included among the top 20, despite organising the most successful and beautiful Olympics Games of our life time, England’s capital city has instead fallen two places and has been ranked 55^th before the big apple New York which comes 56^th.

“UK cities have seen a slight downgrade in liveability due to the mass outbreaks of civil unrest that took place last year.” Said Jon Copestake, the editor of the survey“Although hosting the Olympics has subsequently provided a definite boot for London’s profile, it was already among the world’s most vibrant cities, with plenty to see and do, so has had no impact on overall lifestyle.”-report Telegraph

Soweto, South Africa

Several African cities haven’t made much of a move, such as Lusaka (Zambia, 126^th), Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire, 131^st) and Doula in Cameroun which still has occupied its 133^rd position, however few have lost at least one place from their previous rankings, Egyptian capital city, Cairo has axed from being on 121^st to 122^nd due to last year’s Arab spring and numerous protests whereas some gains have been made as well, Tripoli, Libya which swaps positions with fellow Arab city of Karachi (Pakistan, 135^th) has gone to 134^th a remarkable gain comes from Harare, Zimbabwe though which has hopped from being the 140^th to 137^th this year.