Manila is One of the World’s ‘Most Youthful Cities’

 

There’s a reason why Manila is always buzzing with life. According to Toronto-based youth research and consultancy firm Decode, Manila is one of the world’s most youthful cities.

Manila was ranked 46th in the 2015 Youthful Cities Index, an index that lists down 55 countries based on diversity, travel, digital access, food and nightlife, creative arts, and fashion. It also considers affordability, health, employment, education, civic engagement, and entrepreneurship. The index was gathered from 10,000 young people aged 15 to 29.

Manila was behind other Southeast Asian countries like Hong Kong (19th), Singapore (39th), Jakarta (41st), and Bangkok (45th), but it was ahead of cities like Durban (South Africa), Cairo (Egypt), Lagos (Nigeria), Dubai, Nairobi (Kenya), Beirut (Lebanon), Dar Es Salaam (Africa), Caracas (Venezuela), and Accra (Ghana).

New York topped the list of the world’s most youthful cities, followed by London and Berlin. The most youthful city in Asia is Tokyo, which was ranked 12th on the overall list.

The list was compiled between September 2014 and April 2015, and uses information from 2013 to 2014.

According to Youthful Cities co-founder Sonja Miokovic:

 

Half of the world’s population is under 30 years old and half now live in cities. Youth and cities–especially the largest ones–will together shape the future of the planet.

This index creates a wealth of comparable knowledge based on what is important to youth. This understanding is critical for city leaders and urban designers committed to making smarter choices that attract and enable young people to fulfill their ambitions

 

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