MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Montevideo, best city in the region.

Montevideo is the second city in Latinamerica with the best quality of life according to William M. Mercer Consultant's annual ranking. Top of the list is San Juan, Puerto Rico.

For the ranking, 39 issues are taken into account, from the political, economic and social situation to health, education, housing, transport, commerce and leisure.

In the world ranking Zurich, Switzerland, has the best quality of life, and Brazzaville, Congo, figures as the worst out of a total 215 cities. Montevideo is number 73, followed closely by Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile. Mexico City is the least attractive of cities in Latinamerica.

New York figured in number 41, together with London, Washington, Boston, Chicago and Madrid.

"Even when world living conditions overall increased slightly in 2001, the difference in both extremes of the list keeps widening; hygiene and security are the main indicators, and are quiet often lacking in developing countries. Differences keeps widening when we take into account political and financial stability", is according to an extract from the report.

The ten top cities behind Zurich, include Vancouver, Vienna, Geneva, Sydney, Frankfort, Helsinki, Auckland, Copenhagen and Bern.