Just because a country or place is environmentally “fit” doesn’t mean you’d want to spend your life there – think jungles or the Antarctic. But finding the perfect balance between what’s green and what’s livable could lead you to paradise. Aiming for that ideal, we researched the world’s greenest countries while also ensuring they were ones where people could thrive. Along the way, we also unearthed the worst places in the world to live.
We analysed data from top sources covering 141 nations to rank the planet’s greenest, most livable places.
How Countries Rate
1 Finland
2 Iceland
3 Norway
4 Sweden
5 Austria
8 Australia
19 New Zealand
23 USA
Bottom 5
137 Chad
138 Burkina Faso
139 Sierra Leone
140 Niger
141 Ethiopia
The world’s greenest, most livable cities
Using different data, we analysed 72 major international cities, ranking them in terms of being green and livable.
5 Best
1 Stockholm
2 Oslo
3 Munich
4 Paris
5 Frankfurt
5 Worst
68 Bangkok
69 Guangzhou
70 Mumbai
71 Shanghai
72 Beijing
How Australasia ranked
28 Perth
29 Melbourne
34 Wellington
40 Sydney
42 Brisbane
Countries Overall
1. Finland
2. Iceland
3. Norway
4. Sweden
5. Austria
6. Switzerland
7. Ireland
8. Australia
9. Uruguay
10. Denmark
11. Canada
12. Japan
13. Israel
14. Italy
15. Slovenia
16. France
17. Netherlands
18. Portugal
19. New Zealand
20. Greece
21. Germany
22. Latvia
23. United States
24. Lithuania
25. United Kingdom
26. Belgium
27. Argentina
28. Croatia
29. Spain
30. Hungary
31. Albania
32. Estonia
33. Slovakia
34. Costa Rica
35. South Korea
36. Cuba
37. Belarus
38. Czech Republic
39. Bosnia and Herzegovina
40. Brazil
41. Panama
42. Armenia
43. Chile
44. Paraguay
45. United Arab Emirates
46. Macedonia
47. Bulgaria
48. Poland
49. Kuwait
50. Oman
51. Russia
52. Peru
53. Colombia
54. Malaysia
55. Guyana
56. Romania
57. Trinidad & Tobago
58. Georgia
59. Kazakhstan
60. Moldova
61. Thailand
62. Tunisia
63. Mexico
64. Libya
65. Ukraine
66. Sri Lanka
67. Lebanon
68. Venezuela
69. Ecuador
70. Turkey
71. Jordan
72. Algeria
73. Kyrgyzstan
74. Azerbaijan
75. Bolivia
76. Gabon
77. Dominican Republic
78. Syria
79. El Salvador
80. Saudi Arabia
81. Jamaica
82. Indonesia
83. Iran
84. China
85. Nicaragua
86. Namibia
87. Philippines
88. Egypt
89. Mongolia
90. Viet Nam
91. Myanmar
92. Honduras
93. Botswana
94. Turkmenistan
95. Tajikistan
96. South Africa
97. Guatemala
98. Cambodia
99. Uzbekistan
100. Bhutan
101. Laos
102. Morocco
103. Ghana
104. India
105. Congo
106. Cameroon
107. Uganda
108. Nepal
109. Papua New Guinea
110. Gambia
111. Bangladesh
112. Madagascar
113. Senegal
114. Togo
115. Pakistan
116. Kenya
117. Rwanda
118. Guinea
119. Zimbabwe
120. Zambia
121. Nigeria
122. Sudan
123. Tanzania
124. Benin
125. Central Africa Republic
126. Malawi
127. Mauritania
128. Yemen
129. Angola
130. Côte d'Ivoire
131. Democratic Republic of the Congo
132. Haiti
133. Mali
134. Guinea-Bissau
135. Mozambique
136. Burundi
137. Chad
138. Burkina Faso
139. Sierra Leone
140. Niger
141. Ethiopia
Cities Overall
1. Stockholm, Sweden
2. Oslo, Norway
3. Munich, Germany
4. Paris, France
5. Frankfurt, Germany
6. Stuttgart, Germany
7. Lyon, France
8. Dusseldorf, Germany
9. Nantes, France
10. Copenhagen, Denmark
11. Geneva, Switzerland
12. Zurich, Switzerland
13. Glasgow, United Kingdom
14. Barcelona, Spain
15. New York, United States
16. Brussels, Belgium
17. Hamburg, Germany
18. Hong Kong, PR China
19. Newcastle, United Kingdom
20. Tokyo, Japan
21. Helsinki, Finland
22. Washington, D.C., United States
23. Chicago, United States
24. Vancouver, Canada
25. Dortmund, Germany
26. San Francisco, United States
27. London, United Kingdom
28. Perth, Australia
29. Melbourne, Australia
30. Manchester, United Kingdom
31. Graz, Austria
32. Berlin, Germany
33. Ottawa, Canada
34. Wellington, New Zealand
35. Amsterdam, Netherlands
36. Atlanta, United States
37. Marseille, France
38. Vienna, Austria
39. Rome, Italy
40. Sydney, Australia
41. Prague, Czech Republic
42. Brisbane, Australia
43. Denver, United States
44. Berne, Switzerland
45. Singapore, Singapore
46. Houston, United States
47. Bologna, Italy
48. Montreal, Canada
49. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
50. Toronto, Canada
51. Cape Town, South Africa
52. Seoul, South Korea
53. Milan, Italy
54. Curitiba, Brazil
55. San Diego, United States
56. Madrid, Spain
57. Los Angeles, United States
58. Budapest, Hungary
59. Calgary, Canada
60. Phoenix, United States
61. Johannesburg, South Africa
62. Sao Paulo, Brazil
63. Athens, Greece
64. Tel Aviv, Israel
65. Chennai, India
66. Cracow, Poland
67. Taipei, Taiwan
68. Bangkok, Thailand
69. Guangzhou, PR China
70. Mumbai, India
71. Shanghai, PR China
72. Beijing, PR China
We analysed data from top sources covering 141 nations to rank the planet’s greenest, most livable places.
How Countries Rate
1 Finland
2 Iceland
3 Norway
4 Sweden
5 Austria
8 Australia
19 New Zealand
23 USA
Bottom 5
137 Chad
138 Burkina Faso
139 Sierra Leone
140 Niger
141 Ethiopia
The world’s greenest, most livable cities
Using different data, we analysed 72 major international cities, ranking them in terms of being green and livable.
5 Best
1 Stockholm
2 Oslo
3 Munich
4 Paris
5 Frankfurt
5 Worst
68 Bangkok
69 Guangzhou
70 Mumbai
71 Shanghai
72 Beijing
How Australasia ranked
28 Perth
29 Melbourne
34 Wellington
40 Sydney
42 Brisbane
Countries Overall
1. Finland
2. Iceland
3. Norway
4. Sweden
5. Austria
6. Switzerland
7. Ireland
8. Australia
9. Uruguay
10. Denmark
11. Canada
12. Japan
13. Israel
14. Italy
15. Slovenia
16. France
17. Netherlands
18. Portugal
19. New Zealand
20. Greece
21. Germany
22. Latvia
23. United States
24. Lithuania
25. United Kingdom
26. Belgium
27. Argentina
28. Croatia
29. Spain
30. Hungary
31. Albania
32. Estonia
33. Slovakia
34. Costa Rica
35. South Korea
36. Cuba
37. Belarus
38. Czech Republic
39. Bosnia and Herzegovina
40. Brazil
41. Panama
42. Armenia
43. Chile
44. Paraguay
45. United Arab Emirates
46. Macedonia
47. Bulgaria
48. Poland
49. Kuwait
50. Oman
51. Russia
52. Peru
53. Colombia
54. Malaysia
55. Guyana
56. Romania
57. Trinidad & Tobago
58. Georgia
59. Kazakhstan
60. Moldova
61. Thailand
62. Tunisia
63. Mexico
64. Libya
65. Ukraine
66. Sri Lanka
67. Lebanon
68. Venezuela
69. Ecuador
70. Turkey
71. Jordan
72. Algeria
73. Kyrgyzstan
74. Azerbaijan
75. Bolivia
76. Gabon
77. Dominican Republic
78. Syria
79. El Salvador
80. Saudi Arabia
81. Jamaica
82. Indonesia
83. Iran
84. China
85. Nicaragua
86. Namibia
87. Philippines
88. Egypt
89. Mongolia
90. Viet Nam
91. Myanmar
92. Honduras
93. Botswana
94. Turkmenistan
95. Tajikistan
96. South Africa
97. Guatemala
98. Cambodia
99. Uzbekistan
100. Bhutan
101. Laos
102. Morocco
103. Ghana
104. India
105. Congo
106. Cameroon
107. Uganda
108. Nepal
109. Papua New Guinea
110. Gambia
111. Bangladesh
112. Madagascar
113. Senegal
114. Togo
115. Pakistan
116. Kenya
117. Rwanda
118. Guinea
119. Zimbabwe
120. Zambia
121. Nigeria
122. Sudan
123. Tanzania
124. Benin
125. Central Africa Republic
126. Malawi
127. Mauritania
128. Yemen
129. Angola
130. Côte d'Ivoire
131. Democratic Republic of the Congo
132. Haiti
133. Mali
134. Guinea-Bissau
135. Mozambique
136. Burundi
137. Chad
138. Burkina Faso
139. Sierra Leone
140. Niger
141. Ethiopia
Cities Overall
1. Stockholm, Sweden
2. Oslo, Norway
3. Munich, Germany
4. Paris, France
5. Frankfurt, Germany
6. Stuttgart, Germany
7. Lyon, France
8. Dusseldorf, Germany
9. Nantes, France
10. Copenhagen, Denmark
11. Geneva, Switzerland
12. Zurich, Switzerland
13. Glasgow, United Kingdom
14. Barcelona, Spain
15. New York, United States
16. Brussels, Belgium
17. Hamburg, Germany
18. Hong Kong, PR China
19. Newcastle, United Kingdom
20. Tokyo, Japan
21. Helsinki, Finland
22. Washington, D.C., United States
23. Chicago, United States
24. Vancouver, Canada
25. Dortmund, Germany
26. San Francisco, United States
27. London, United Kingdom
28. Perth, Australia
29. Melbourne, Australia
30. Manchester, United Kingdom
31. Graz, Austria
32. Berlin, Germany
33. Ottawa, Canada
34. Wellington, New Zealand
35. Amsterdam, Netherlands
36. Atlanta, United States
37. Marseille, France
38. Vienna, Austria
39. Rome, Italy
40. Sydney, Australia
41. Prague, Czech Republic
42. Brisbane, Australia
43. Denver, United States
44. Berne, Switzerland
45. Singapore, Singapore
46. Houston, United States
47. Bologna, Italy
48. Montreal, Canada
49. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
50. Toronto, Canada
51. Cape Town, South Africa
52. Seoul, South Korea
53. Milan, Italy
54. Curitiba, Brazil
55. San Diego, United States
56. Madrid, Spain
57. Los Angeles, United States
58. Budapest, Hungary
59. Calgary, Canada
60. Phoenix, United States
61. Johannesburg, South Africa
62. Sao Paulo, Brazil
63. Athens, Greece
64. Tel Aviv, Israel
65. Chennai, India
66. Cracow, Poland
67. Taipei, Taiwan
68. Bangkok, Thailand
69. Guangzhou, PR China
70. Mumbai, India
71. Shanghai, PR China
72. Beijing, PR China
