Anyone can be put off by shabby surroundings and roads, and tourists are bound to leave with an unfavorable opinion of the place. Nowadays, cleanliness is a major priority in the travel industry. As a result, the cleaner the city is, the more visitors it attracts.
There are many aspects that influence where people choose to live, but cleanliness is always near the top of the list. We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 cleanest cities in the world, in our survey and research. These communities provide inhabitants with an atmosphere that keeps them healthy and happy while also allowing them to provide for their families without having to worry about safety or living standards. We hope you appreciate our listing, and please let us know which city you think deserves to be number one!
Factors to determine the cleanest cities in the world
To be a clean city, you must address the issues that can contribute to filthy living circumstances and, as a result, ill-health. This primarily implies that garbage management must be well-organized, and the city must have a functioning waste system. Furthermore, transportation infrastructure has an effect on air quality and sanitation.
The cleanliness of a city is mostly determined by pollution. Pollution occurs when toxins are released into the air or environment, resulting in negative consequences. Air pollution causes lung cancer, cardiovascular illness, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other major health conditions, which harm both the environment and the human body.
Another reason why this city could be dubbed “the cleanest” is that public transportation operates without emitting any pollution from Monday to Friday, owing to hydrogen fuel cell buses, which are among the first in Germany.
Cities all across the world suffer from varying degrees of pollution due to a variety of circumstances. Cities have been working on green initiatives for numerous years in order to introduce greener modes of transportation and processes and reduce pollution levels. In the United States, Congress implemented multiple Clean Air Acts in an effort to enforce stronger pollution restrictions, which resulted in significant reductions in pollution levels such as carbon dioxide and particle emissions.
Best Life looked at 200 of the world’s most populous cities to see which ones were the cleanest. Air pollution levels (both PM10 and PM2.5), Mercer’s quality of life ranking, the country’s Environmental Performance Index, and if the city appeared in Monocle’s Quality of Life survey were all factored into the analysis. Mercer and Monocle do not rank all of the cities on the list.
List of the cleanest cities in the world
1. Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Stockholm, Sweden, is one of the beautiful and cleanest cities on the planet. It features a waste management system that recycles or reuses over 98 percent of its trash and produces no landfill waste! Residents can also take advantage of the city’s environmentally friendly public transit system, which includes train and bus networks. This aids in the reduction of air pollution caused by automobiles within city limits. Even better, Stockholm was just named one of the most livable cities in Europe by Mercer, ensuring that it will not break your bank account!
2. Japan’s Sapporo
Because it hosted the Winter Olympics in 1972, Sapporo is the cleanest city in Japan. It is one of the cleanest cities in the world, having been voted top by Keep America Beautiful for two years in a row (2004, 2005).
Sapporo is Japan’s most environmentally friendly city, with a recycling rate of more than 75%. There are many additional reasons why Sapporo is regarded as the ideal place to live, in addition to its natural beauty.
Because of the sea nearby and mountains all around, the climate in this location is mild: it never gets too hot or cold; this creates an ambiance that people from all over Asia find pleasant and revitalizing. At Shirao, the scenery includes tropical rainforests.
3. Calgary, Canada
Calgary, Canada, is widely regarded as the cleanest city on the planet. For two years in a row, it topped Keep America Beautiful ranking of “America’s Cleanest Cities” (2004, 2005). Calgary’s award-winning status is due to the fact that it has a recycling rate of over 75%, making it Japan’s most environmentally friendly city. There are numerous more reasons why many consider Calgary to be one of North America’s best locations to live, in addition to its natural beauty and climate appeal: from being close enough to ski destinations yet being warm enough for year-round golfing to having jobs accessible in both oil fields.
4. Wellington.
Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. While many cities throughout the world can boast about their cleanliness, not all of them are worth living in. So, how do you decide which ones to choose?
Because of its low air pollution and high-quality water supply, Lonely Planet has dubbed Wellington “the most liveable city.” The residents feel safe strolling home at night without fear of being followed. Wellington’s population density gives it a small-town feel, with plenty of green space on every corner, making it one of the world’s top 20 cleanest cities!
5. Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii is a city in the state of Hawaii. Honolulu is a tropical paradise that is also environmentally mindful. Plastic bags have been outlawed at retailers throughout the county, and inhabitants are committed to recycling. There’s even legislation that says you have to compost your food scraps.
Lonely Planet rated Honolulu one of the top 20 cleanest cities in the world because of its abundance of green space and trees, as well as development limitations around beaches and conservation zones, which help to preserve the city’s natural beauty. It’s no surprise that this worldwide attraction attracts so many visitors each year, making it one of North America’s cleanest cities!
6. Tallinn, Estonia.
Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, is renowned as the world’s cleanest city. It boasts a population of 430,000 inhabitants and is one of Europe’s most livable cities. Because of the capital’s high educational level, its streets are immaculate, and practically every household recycles waste paper to reduce landfill levels.
It also has the advantage of being free of large industries and significant pollution sources. Everyone who lives there recognizes the importance of being part-time environmentalists at home so that their lifestyles aren’t fractured when they’re out running errands! The European Travelers Association named the riverfront town “Europe’s Best Destination” (ETA).
7. Oslo, Norway.
Oslo is the capital of Norway. This is one of the most eye-catching areas to live. The air in this city is clean and fresh. It is a pollution-free environment with stunning natural beauty seen from all sides. The streets are clean because residents do not leave rubbish on the ground or hurl items out of car windows; instead, they utilize suitable trash cans. Due to all of the parks and green space available, you can take your dog for a walk without fear of getting tangled in leashes or being attacked by other animals while walking around this town, as there aren’t many stray dogs roaming around freely like those seen in other countries where they’re left unattended for long periods of time.
8. London, United Kingdom.
London, United Kingdom, is known as the cleanest city in the world because it serves as a model for other places. A cleaner environment, according to London’s mayor, promotes a higher quality of life and lowers crime rates. It gets its water from rivers and precipitation, not reservoirs or lakes, which are contaminated with bacteria from animal waste, sewage spills, agricultural runoff, and other sources.
During severe rains, the Thames Tideway Tunnel project will assist prevent sewer overflow by redirecting wastewater from overburdened sewers. In recent years, due to increased efforts toward sustainability and air pollution, Whitehall has been cleaned up with more cycling lanes on main roads and hundreds of trees planted along pavements.
9. Paris.
Paris is the capital of France. There are extremely few homeless individuals in Paris, which has a population of around 12 million people. With only four killings reported last year, it boasts one of the lowest crime rates in Europe. Because the city is virtually totally car-free, you can walk between most of the attractions (provided you time it right).
However, Paris isn’t simply clean; it also has a lot of other qualities that make it an ideal place to live. Many cities’ costs continue to climb, whereas they remain relatively stable here; France’s president was elected on a vow to keep them 20% below the European Union average by 2020. There are also numerous green spots to be found.
10. Madrid, Spain.
Madrid is the capital of Spain, is known as the world’s cleanest city. With a population of almost three million people, Spain’s capital also manages to maintain a high level of cleanliness. There are a variety of theories for this phenomenon: its proximity to the Manzanares River; its proud citizens; or even the fact that most people live with someone else (doubling up), resulting in less square footage per person than other cities on our list, which may affect how unclean they get. Whatever your reason, Madrid is one of the cleanest cities in the world—and we highly recommend sampling some authentic Spanish cuisine while you’re there!
11. Italy’s capital is Rome.
Rome, Italy’s capital, is also the country’s largest city. Because it has been under Roman administration for more than two millennia, one of the key factors contributing to its attractiveness as a tourist destination and cleanliness, in general, is that it has been under Roman rule for more than two millennia; some of the city’s landmarks trace back to ancient times. However, Rome still has remnants from when it was first colonized by the Ancient Greeks over 27 centuries ago, so there are many quintessentially Italian sites here, such as the Colosseum, which hosts concerts, and old churches like San Giovanni dei Fiorentini and Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri.
12. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark. According to research done by The Economist, Copenhagen ranks among the cleanest cities in the world. For the fourth year in a row, this Scandinavian capital has been chosen “most liveable.” It came out on top in a recent assessment of 140 cities across five continents, with an index score nearly double that of any other metropolis. It was also named the best-run and safest worldwide metropolis, so it’s no surprise that residents are so content.
The Danish capital takes such superb care of its surroundings that inhabitants claim they have to wait for something to go wrong before approaching their local council or mayor (Copenhageners show us how to take responsibility). Every day, the streets are washed at least three times.
13. Singapore, Singapore.
Singapore City is a city in Singapore. The culture in Singapore is a strong motivation for cleanliness. People in the country have a strong feeling of civic duty and public service, and they regard themselves as part of a vast family that looks out for one another. There is also an environmental conscience, with various green measures to encourage sustainability, such as the use of reclaimed water, efficient heat-pump systems, and the prohibition of plastics…
Singapore City came in first place on the list because it has been acknowledged by international organizations such as IHG (Intercontinental Hotels Group) and TripAdvisor surveyors for the past five years.
14. Helsinki, Finland.
Helsinki is a city in Finland. Finland’s capital city is known for its clean environment. It is one of the world’s most livable cities.
Every day from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., the city center features a dense network of pedestrian walkways, with stores and businesses on either side of small streets closed to cars.
Helsinki also has one of the strongest public transit networks in Europe, with roughly 80% of residents relying on bicycles or trams as their major mode of transportation! (Source: The Daily Beast, “Cities Ranked by Quality-of-Life Index”).
I’ve never seen so much trash before, and I didn’t even notice any graffiti. Unlike back home, there was no rubbish drifting about everywhere.” Quahteh Byrd noted.
15. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Brisbane is known as the “Sun, Sea, and Sand” city. The city sits on Australia’s east coast, in the subtropical region of southeastern Queensland. Brisbane is a city with a population of approximately two million people
Brisbane’s cleanliness starts with its citizens, who take pride in their communities and maintain them clean of rubbish, graffiti, weeds, and other detritus that might otherwise be found in an untidy urban environment. When residents come across litter on public streets or parks, they also clean up after themselves. There are no large-scale landfills for garbage disposal; instead, the majority of domestic waste is recycled into useable compost products or converted to gas that drives power plants.
16. Hamburg, Germany.
Hamburg is a city in Germany. Hamburg is Germany’s second-largest city. It has a population of about one million people and is located on the Elbe River. Due to its location on the bay, which provides many options for water-sport activities such as sailing and surfing, it is now one of Europe’s most popular tourist attractions.
Cleanest city in the world: Putting it all together
As we all know, many cities’ air can be difficult to breathe. Some of them are so dirty that they pose a health risk. Fortunately, there are a few areas on the planet where you don’t have to worry about inhaling hazardous gases or contracting cancer from everything. We took it upon ourselves to compile a list of the 10 cleanest and safest cities on the planet – ideal choices for anyone looking to escape the filth and pollution while remaining close enough for business trips! Take a look at the list below and start arranging your getaway right away.
My final SAY on the cleanest city in the world
London, in the United Kingdom, is the cleanest city on the planet. London receives a 74.94 overall clean city score and a 79.89 Environmental Performance Index score.
Paris and New York City are the next cities on the list. Many people may be surprised to learn that New York Metropolis is the most populated and densely inhabited city in the United States, with a population of over 8.3 million people and a population density of 27,755 people per square mile.
Keeping cities clean is a difficulty because they house nearly 55 percent of the world’s population, making them the densely populated locations on the planet. With urban populations predicted to increase to 68 percent of the global population in the next few decades, both governments and residents must work hard to maintain city cleanliness and quality.
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