The Best Places in the World to Live During 2008

Each year, Mercer Consulting releases its Quality of Living Survey. The New York-based company examines 215 cities around the world and ranks them on factors like economic and political stability, health, education, recreation and public transportation. In 2008, three European cities topped the list.

Zurich

• Zurich, Switzerland, tops the list in the Mercer report. zurich image by rachid amrous-spleen from Fotolia.com

  With more than 350,000 residents, Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland. The majority work in the service industry. More than 100 banks from around the world call Zurich home.

Vienna

• Vienna, Austria, is tied for second place. vienna landsape image by diabola from Fotolia.com

  1.7 million people make their home in Vienna, Austria. The city sits on the banks of the Danube River and Vienna's downtown core has been designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations.

Geneva

• Geneva, Switzerland, rounds out the top three. Geneva image by VeraDat from Fotolia.com

  Geneva is Switzerland's second largest city with a population of more than 175,000. Most people work in banking, tourism and technology. The worldwide web

  was developed in Geneva. The city is close to the Alps, making it a popular starting point for people looking for outdoor fun.

Best Cities in America

• Honolulu was rated the best American city. View of Honolulu image by Katja Sucker from Fotolia.com

  In 2008, Honolulu was the top ranked city in America ranked at number 28, followed by San Francisco in 29th place. Boston was 37th on list and Chicago came in at number 44.