Wednesday September 11 2024
Swindon & Wiltshire News
Bristol has been named the UK’s happiest city and the seventh happiest city in the world.
The accolade comes from the Institute for Quality of Life which looked at thousands of indicators before ranking the world’s cities in its Happy City Index 2024.
Each of the five main categories forming the index – including the health of the local economy – was measured against a resident’s quality of life and sense of happiness.
The institute analysed GDP and productivity, the activity of the innovative and creative enterprise sector, entrepreneurship and labour market flexibility, and the opportunity for life-long learning.
The Institute for Quality of Life says it conducts research on issues related to the quality of life. It monitors, analyses and studies the areas related to decision-making in communities, creation of social policies, implementation of public services and the effectiveness in responding to new challenges and crises that accompany developing communities.
The London-based institute also covers in its expertise the area of enterprise and business activity, involving employees in the processes of creating strategies, human-centred and inclusive management and care for wellbeing of people employed in different organisations.
The annual report named Aarhus, the second-largest city in Denmark, as the happiest city in the world.
Zurich in Switzerland claimed second place, while the German capital of Berlin came third.
Gothenburg, Amsterdam and Helsinki grabbed the next spots while Bristol ranked above Copenhagen, Geneva and Munich.
The top-ranked city outside Europe was Minneapolis in 18th place.
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