Written by Josh Enojo in Europe
Viewed by 1,169 readers since 01-13-2009
Europe has been one of the favored continents for immigrants and a haven for travelers. Despite some drastic development in some regions and states of Europe which caused major effects to the environment and citizens’ way of living and how they socialize, there are still a few good places to live and enjoy life. In an edition released by Forbes Magazine way back in 2008, they discussed ten (10) suitable destinations to live in entire Europe.
From more than 50 states of Europe, six (6) out of the ten (10) best places to live in the continent are shared by Switzerland and Germany. The other four (4) regions were earned by Austria, Belgium, Denmark, and The Netherlands. Surprisingly, a few critics were puzzled why not a single British city was able to make it to the list.
The study was conducted by Mercer Consulting, a New York based HR consulting firm, based on factors including politics, crime rate, education, economy, housing, health, environment, recreation, and consumer goods. Several popular cities were not included in the list such as London and Paris because factors like crime rate and consumer goods affected their status, leaving no spot for them on the list.
Here is the list of “10 Best Places to Live in Europe”:
Zurich, Switzerland- The largest city in Switzerland is home to 376,815 citizens by the end of 2007 and has received several recognitions since 2006- 2008 for being the world’s best place to live and the wealthiest city in entire Europe beating large cities in France and Germany.
Vienna, Austria and Geneva, Switzerland shared the number two spot with a tie. Vienna, the state where former Nazi leader Adolf Hitler spent his adulthood, is among the most progressive state in Europe. Vienna topped other states with its high quality education and highly developed infrastructures. With an average population of 1.7 million, the state is the largest in Austria and 10th largest among the states in the European Union in terms of population.
Geneva, Switzerland is home to millions of foreigners including diplomats and other passport holders. Received a score of 107.9 from the survey, Geneva continues to contribute much to the world’s development by housing international agencies such as the UN. No wonder why foreigners prefer to stay in Geneva than other places in Europe.
The fourth slot was earned by Dusseldorf, Germany with a survey score of 107.2. Located in the delta of the Rhine River, Dusseldorf is one of Germany’s economic centers. The Telecommunications industry is also progressing in the state with 18 internet service providers, two of which are Germany’s giant mobile phone providers.
The next fifth and sixth positions on the list are shared by another two of Germany’s states. These are Munich, being the third largest city in Germany, and Frankfurt which has earned the reputation as Germany’s financial centre. With three states making it to the list of best places to live in Europe, Germany is proud to cater foreigners to their lands.
The other European states that were able to make to the list include Bern, Switzerland, Copenhagen, Denmark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Brussels, Belgium. These are four of Europe’s promising states.
Of course there are plenty of sanctuaries in Europe. Iceland and The Netherlands are two of the most favored places by many Europeans. The Netherlands is surrounded by international schools influencing the study of several languages including English, Japanese, French, and German.
So, if you have future plans of relocating in Europe, think of the places that you and your family will benefit most. Way and cost of living should be the first priority and education for your children must never be set aside.
