Edinburgh has been named as the 'most liveable' city in the world to live by global consultancy firm Arcadis.
Arcadis' 2018 Sustainable Cities Index looks at the three main pillars of sustainability - social, environmental and economic - to create a ranking of the world's leading cities.
It was the 'people' sector that Edinburgh really impressed the Arcadis team with, beating cities such as London and Paris.
Where a city ranks in the 'people' sector reflects the quality of life of the residents in the city.
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The Scottish capital scored highly thanks to its low crime rate, standard of education, health, income inequality, work-life balance, demographics and cultural offerings.
Edinburgh is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites with both the old and new town, and also has a lively arts and entertainment culture with the Edinburgh Fringe being held there each year.
Speaking about the news Leader of City of Edinburgh Council, Councillor Adam McVey, said: "This is great news for Scotland and testament to all of the hard work being done behind the scenes to make our cities sustainable and successful.
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"My aim as Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council is to make our Capital one of the most inclusive, fair and successful cities in the world with sustainability at its heart.
"Clearly, we're on the right track. We should all be proud that Edinburgh city sits comfortably within the top 5 cities in the world in this Index and particularly that is rated number one for People.
"Collaborative work through the Scottish Cities Alliance helps the whole country boost its sustainability. Scotland has a highly skilled, well-educated and adaptable workforce with five higher education institutes in the global top 200.
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"Pair this with a high quality of life, where healthcare and higher education are free and crime is low and this demonstrates just some of the strengths which make the country so desirable. All this combines to bring a high quality of life for our residents, something which Arcadis has recognised in this report.
"That the data is collected from the perspective of citizens is particularly significant and we will continue build on our potential so Scotland's cities remain at the forefront in the future."
Despite coming top in the 'people' category, Edinburgh came third overall behind Stockholm in second place and London in first.
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Edinburgh's overall placing was due to the rising cost of housing and an increase in traffic congestion.
Featured Image Credit: PixabayTopics: Life News