TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's capital has achieved a remarkable transformation in global livability rankings, surging from 46th to 8th position in the prestigious 2025 Happy City Index, according to local media reports released Thursday (May 8). The comprehensive assessment, published annually by the Institute for Quality of Life, evaluates urban centers worldwide across six critical domains including governance effectiveness, economic vitality, and environmental sustainability.
Copenhagen retained its dominance in the global rankings, accumulating an unprecedented 1,039 points and standing as the sole municipality to exceed the 1,000-point threshold in this year's assessment. Taipei demonstrated particular strength in three critical categories—securing 3rd place worldwide for transportation infrastructure, 5th for environmental initiatives, and an impressive 2nd place for governance quality. Despite these achievements, the report identified persistent obstacles for Taiwan's capital, specifically noting concerns regarding resident obesity levels and ongoing air pollution challenges.
The index included a total of eight Taiwanese municipalities, with the technology hub of Hsinchu placing 79th, the central agricultural center of Changhua ranking 87th, and southern port city Kaohsiung securing the 91st position. Five additional Taiwanese cities — industrial center Taichung, airport gateway Taoyuan, historic Tainan, southern Chiayi, and northern port Keelung — shared an identical 172nd ranking. Analysts noted the conspicuous absence of New Taipei City, Taiwan's most populous municipality which surrounds the capital, suggesting significant improvements by other Taiwanese urban centers in quality-of-life metrics. ★