They are probably the most fortunate people on the planet. Healthy, wealthy, and, thanks to an outstanding education system, wise. They enjoy a life that most can only dream of. For ease of reference we commonly refer to them as the Swiss.
According to a new survey of the quality of life enjoyed by people in 215 countries, Zurich is ranked as the best city in the world to live and Geneva is second. Bern, the capital, is sixth.
The findings are less good for Britain and for London, which is ranked 35th, behind Dublin, Oslo and Nuremberg.
While London's fortunes have improved compared with last year when it was 39th, a related study of health and sanitation in major world cities brings more bad news.
Using this criteria, London is ranked 59th behind Glasgow in 52nd place and Paris at 50th. Calgary in Canada is the healthiest place to be. Baku in Azerbaijan the unhealthiest. Helsinki is the healthiest city in western Europe while Athens is the unhealthiest.
Unsurprisingly, researchers from Mercer Human Resource Consulting conclude that Baghdad, with its security problems and shattered infrastructure, has the lowest quality of life in world.
A spokesman for Mercer Consulting said: "Geneva moves up from second place last year. This move takes account of Geneva's schools where standards of education, both in public and private schools, are now rated among the best in the world."
He said cities in Europe, New Zealand and Australia continued to dominate the top of the rankings.
The analysis was based on an evaluation of 39 quality of life criteria for each city, including political, social, economic and environmental factors, personal safety and health, education, transport and other public services.
Slagin Parakatil of Mercer said political and military upheaval had a profound effect on the tables. "The threat of terrorism in the Middle East and the political and economic turmoil in African countries has increased the disparity between cities at the top and the bottom end of the rankings.
"The top cities for health and sanitation have a combination of excellent hospital services and medical supplies and low levels of air pollution and infectious disease."
Athens fares particularly badly because of the high level of pollution in the city which has been identified as the cause of respiratory illnesses. Milan, Rome and Lisbon are also at the bottom end of the rankings.
Almost half of the world cities considered healthy are in western Europe. By contrast most eastern European cities are in the bottom half because of a shortage of hospitals and medical supplies.
Prague in the Czech Republic is the best in eastern Europe followed by Ljubljana in Slovenia and Budapest in Hungary. Russian cities such as Moscow, Kazan,
Novosibirsk and St Petersburg score lowest due to their poor waste removal and sewage systems.
The study was largely carried out in November and is updated to take account of changing circumstances. Researchers are monitoring the outbreak of bird flu in Asia and will alter the rankings if it spreads further.
Mercer conducts its analysis for purchase by governments and major companies planning to post employees abroad. Cities are ranked using New York as the base city.
Calgary
With a population of 953,000, Calgary is an attractive city situated on the banks of the Bow river, close to Alberta's Rocky mountains. It is often described as the "LA of the north". It staged the 1988 winter Olympics and has hosted the world petroleum congress and G8 summit.
The Calgary stampede is the city's best-known visitor attraction. Others including the Glenbow museum, Calgary tower, Canada Olympic park and Eau Claire market.
It has a well funded and universal healthcare system. Air quality is measured as "good" 97% of the time.
Athens
More than 772,000 people live in Athens and the enormous population increase and industrial development postwar have had a disastrous effect on the environment. A third of the Greek population, half the industry and more than half of its cars are crammed into the area of Greater Athens, resulting in one of the world's worst pollution problems.
A noxious brown cloud, trapped by the circle of mountains and aerial inversion layers, can hover over the city. Though the environment is improving, the level of pollution still aggravates acute respiratory diseases and contributes to the high death toll during the annual heatwaves. Anti-pollution measures have been aimed at restricting the use of private cars.
\Emergency treatment is free in Greek public hospitals but they are often overcrowded. Conditions are much better in private hospitals but they are expensive.
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Helsinki
Helsinki, which tops the EU list for health and sanitation, is known by the locals as the "Daughter of the Baltic". The city has half a million habitants, while the Helsinki region has just over a million.
Hailed as the place where west meets east, the city has been shaped by its Swedish roots and imperial Russian influence. Architecturally, the centre is seen as something of a miniature of St Petersburg.
Locals worry about pollution in the air and in the Baltic Sea.
Despite its ranking, Finland as a whole has long had one of the highest suicide rates in the world, double the EU average.
Glasgow
Scotland's biggest city, with a population of almost 612,000. After decades of decline, Glasgow has undergone urban renewal. In the past 12 years large areas of the centre have been regenerated, with Victorian and Edwardian buildings restored and new building blending past and present. Glasgow was 1990
European city of culture, the UK city of architecture and design in 1999 and last year's European capital of sport.
Though the city scores high on the health and sanitation criteria used for the latest research, there are deep concerns about the health of people who live there. Last year a survey by the Office for National Statistics suggested that they have the lowest life expectancy in Britain. As a result the Scottish executive is spending an additional £15m to tackle the country's health inequalities, £12m of which has been earmarked for Greater Glasgow.
According to a new survey of the quality of life enjoyed by people in 215 countries, Zurich is ranked as the best city in the world to live and Geneva is second. Bern, the capital, is sixth.
The findings are less good for Britain and for London, which is ranked 35th, behind Dublin, Oslo and Nuremberg.
While London's fortunes have improved compared with last year when it was 39th, a related study of health and sanitation in major world cities brings more bad news.
Using this criteria, London is ranked 59th behind Glasgow in 52nd place and Paris at 50th. Calgary in Canada is the healthiest place to be. Baku in Azerbaijan the unhealthiest. Helsinki is the healthiest city in western Europe while Athens is the unhealthiest.
Unsurprisingly, researchers from Mercer Human Resource Consulting conclude that Baghdad, with its security problems and shattered infrastructure, has the lowest quality of life in world.
A spokesman for Mercer Consulting said: "Geneva moves up from second place last year. This move takes account of Geneva's schools where standards of education, both in public and private schools, are now rated among the best in the world."
He said cities in Europe, New Zealand and Australia continued to dominate the top of the rankings.
The analysis was based on an evaluation of 39 quality of life criteria for each city, including political, social, economic and environmental factors, personal safety and health, education, transport and other public services.
Slagin Parakatil of Mercer said political and military upheaval had a profound effect on the tables. "The threat of terrorism in the Middle East and the political and economic turmoil in African countries has increased the disparity between cities at the top and the bottom end of the rankings.
"The top cities for health and sanitation have a combination of excellent hospital services and medical supplies and low levels of air pollution and infectious disease."
Athens fares particularly badly because of the high level of pollution in the city which has been identified as the cause of respiratory illnesses. Milan, Rome and Lisbon are also at the bottom end of the rankings.
Almost half of the world cities considered healthy are in western Europe. By contrast most eastern European cities are in the bottom half because of a shortage of hospitals and medical supplies.
Prague in the Czech Republic is the best in eastern Europe followed by Ljubljana in Slovenia and Budapest in Hungary. Russian cities such as Moscow, Kazan,
Novosibirsk and St Petersburg score lowest due to their poor waste removal and sewage systems.
The study was largely carried out in November and is updated to take account of changing circumstances. Researchers are monitoring the outbreak of bird flu in Asia and will alter the rankings if it spreads further.
Mercer conducts its analysis for purchase by governments and major companies planning to post employees abroad. Cities are ranked using New York as the base city.
Calgary
With a population of 953,000, Calgary is an attractive city situated on the banks of the Bow river, close to Alberta's Rocky mountains. It is often described as the "LA of the north". It staged the 1988 winter Olympics and has hosted the world petroleum congress and G8 summit.
The Calgary stampede is the city's best-known visitor attraction. Others including the Glenbow museum, Calgary tower, Canada Olympic park and Eau Claire market.
It has a well funded and universal healthcare system. Air quality is measured as "good" 97% of the time.
Athens
More than 772,000 people live in Athens and the enormous population increase and industrial development postwar have had a disastrous effect on the environment. A third of the Greek population, half the industry and more than half of its cars are crammed into the area of Greater Athens, resulting in one of the world's worst pollution problems.
A noxious brown cloud, trapped by the circle of mountains and aerial inversion layers, can hover over the city. Though the environment is improving, the level of pollution still aggravates acute respiratory diseases and contributes to the high death toll during the annual heatwaves. Anti-pollution measures have been aimed at restricting the use of private cars.
\Emergency treatment is free in Greek public hospitals but they are often overcrowded. Conditions are much better in private hospitals but they are expensive.
Advertisement
Helsinki
Helsinki, which tops the EU list for health and sanitation, is known by the locals as the "Daughter of the Baltic". The city has half a million habitants, while the Helsinki region has just over a million.
Hailed as the place where west meets east, the city has been shaped by its Swedish roots and imperial Russian influence. Architecturally, the centre is seen as something of a miniature of St Petersburg.
Locals worry about pollution in the air and in the Baltic Sea.
Despite its ranking, Finland as a whole has long had one of the highest suicide rates in the world, double the EU average.
Glasgow
Scotland's biggest city, with a population of almost 612,000. After decades of decline, Glasgow has undergone urban renewal. In the past 12 years large areas of the centre have been regenerated, with Victorian and Edwardian buildings restored and new building blending past and present. Glasgow was 1990
European city of culture, the UK city of architecture and design in 1999 and last year's European capital of sport.
Though the city scores high on the health and sanitation criteria used for the latest research, there are deep concerns about the health of people who live there. Last year a survey by the Office for National Statistics suggested that they have the lowest life expectancy in Britain. As a result the Scottish executive is spending an additional £15m to tackle the country's health inequalities, £12m of which has been earmarked for Greater Glasgow.
