5A What makes a city liveable?
5.1 Measuring liveability
Safety and stability
Safety and stability are two of the most important
factors linked to the liveability of a place. More than
most other things, people value feeling safe and
The liveability of a place is generally measured by surveys is conducted by an organisation called the stable in their homes. Australian cities are regarded as
a number of different factors relating to quality of Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), which publishes an some of the most liveable places in the world for this
life. People’s views about the liveability of a place annual list of rankings. They rank cities based on a set reason. Safety and stability are measured by taking
can vary depending on their age, income, cultural of criteria using objective factors. Other organisations, into account crime statistics and other information
background, lifestyle choices, values and beliefs. such as Mercer and the Organisation for Economic collected by the government. Many of the world’s least
Cooperation and Development (OECD), also liveable cities are found in war-torn countries such as
The factors that influence people’s ideas on
produce regular reports. Unlike the EIU, the OECD Iraq and Afghanistan, where crime rates are very high
liveability can be measured in two ways: by objective
incorporates more subjective factors into their surveys. and there are very few police to enforce the law. For
factors and subjective factors. Objective factors
this reason, many refugees flee to countries such as
are things that can be measured and expressed as
Australia in search of safety and stability.
numbers, such as the cost of housing, the climate, Objective factors
the number of hospitals and schools, the availability Assess to health care and education
There are many different objective factors that affect
T
of public transport, and the level of crime. Subjective
liveability. The most important are introduced briefly In general, people living in the world’s most liveable
factors are things that are personal, emotional and
below, then covered in more detail later in this cities have access to good health-care services,
spiritual, and that cannot be easily measured or Source 2 Safety and stability are two of the most important
section of the chapter. including doctors, public and private hospitals,
expressed as numbers. Examples of these factors factors affecting the liveability of a place. This photograph
specialist clinics and over-the-counter medication. shows two Syrian children running with balloons past heavily
AF
are people’s spiritual connections and sentimental
Climate They also have access to a range of schools and other damaged buildings in a neighbourhood of the Syrian capital
attachments to a place (see Source 1). of Damascus. A civil war broke out in Syria in 2011. In 2015,
Each year, a number of different companies review Climate is one of the most important factors education facilities, such as training centres and Damascus was declared the world’s least liveable city.
the liveability of cities around the world in terms of affecting the liveability of a place. Although different universities. In many of these cities, including those in
their objective factors, ranking them from the most people like different types of weather, most people Australia, a school education is not only compulsory
to the least liveable. The most well-known of these agree that a mild climate without extremes of heat but is also free. Cities in Canada, the USA, Australia Check your learning 5.1
or cold is ideal. Places with mild (temperate) climates and Western Europe generally rank highly in both
often score highly in terms of liveability. The amount health care and education. African cities are the lowest Remember and understand
LIVEABILITY
of rainfall is also key when it comes to climate. Too ranked in the world in terms of these services.
R
1 How do companies measure the liveability
Objective factors (measurable factors) little or too much rain has a negative effect on the
of places around the world?
Climate
liveability of a place. Subjective factors 2 What are the objective measures of liveability
Environmental quality for countries? Why are these important?
Unlike objective factors, subjective factors cannot be
3 What are subjective measures of liveability
easily measured and compared. They are linked to
Environmental quality
Infrastructure
D
The environment is another key factor that
determines how liveable a place is. Environmental
quality can refer to a number of characteristics
personal likes and dislikes, and feelings of connection
to family, friends and cultural groups. They are also
and how are they measured?
Apply and analyse
relating to the natural or built environment, such as linked to beliefs, traditions and spiritual connections
4 Safety is a key liveability measure in all
Safety and stability to places. Organisations such as the OECD are now
clean water and clean air. It can also be a measure of communities.
other things such as the level of pollution, rubbish or conducting life-satisfaction surveys in order to a What do you think are the most important
Access to health care and education take some of these subjective factors into account
noise in an environment. safety issues for people living in large
when rating the liveability of different places. These Australian cities?
Subjective factors (personal and emotional factors) Infrastructure surveys try to take into account how happy or sad b What do you think are the most important
Personal likes and dislikes The availability of services and facilities (such as people feel, and look for the factors in their lives safety issues for people living in Damascus
roads, public transport, emergency services, post and environments that cause these feelings. This (see Source 2).
Feelings of connection to friends and family offices, water, sewerage-treatment plants, airports, information is then taken into account alongside more c Which safety issues are similar and which
housing, sporting and entertainment facilites, objective measures in order to give a more complete are different?
Traditions and spiritual connections electricity and communications) helps make a place picture of liveability.
more or less liveable. Together these services and
Source 1 Liveability can be measured by objective
and subjective factors. facilities are referred to as infrastructure.
146 oxford big ideas humanities 7 victorian curriculum chapter 5 liveable cities 147
