People are beginning to value ecology more and more, take care of nature and the world around them. There are even special movements promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle. After all, the ecology and nature that surrounds us is the most valuable thing we have. If there is a bad environment, it will directly affect our health. Yes, it is already affecting. After all, our happiness depends on our health. It's hard to be happy when you're sick. No wonder Forbes magazine conducted its study and published a list of the 10 cleanest countries in the world. When compiling it, various factors were taken into account (there were 25 of them), including the number and purity of forests, water quality, the use of pesticides, the purity and quality of the atmosphere, and others.

Every person needs to pay attention to this list and strives to ensure that his country also begins to actively take care of the environment. In general, the most important thing is just not to pollute it. Then nature will cleanse itself. She has her own abilities and opportunities for this. The main thing is not to be too late. The least we can do is start living an eco-friendly lifestyle.

You can also look at this list as places of potential travel, or even better - as a place where you will permanently live.

The cleanest countries in the world (Top 10)

1. Switzerland

The cleanest country in the world is Switzerland. This title was determined by Forbes magazine. Out of 100 possible points, she scored 95.5. In this small Alpine country, which is home to just over seven and a half million people, there are all the necessary conditions to live a long and happy life. The cleanliness of Switzerland's ecology is due not only to the fact that it is located in the Alpine mountains and that 30 percent of its area is forests, but also because there are no large factories and plants that cause serious harm to the environment. In addition to being the cleanest country in the world, Switzerland is also the richest country in the world. Its wealth is associated with the presence of the most reliable banks in it. That is, we can say that Switzerland is an ideal place to live both in terms of cleanliness and wealth. The internal culture of behavior of the Swiss is also indicative. For example, despite the fact that each family has its own car, if they need to travel short distances, they use bicycles for this. Thus, every resident of Switzerland is also fighting for the purity of the atmosphere of his country.

2. Sweden

It is in this country, according to the conclusions of scientists, that the indicators of air pollution are the lowest, practically the cleanest water, since it is mainly extracted from natural sources, as well as a very low level of greenhouse gas emissions (significantly below the permissible level). The most important natural wealth of Sweden is the forests, which the locals take special care of, as well as all nature in general. Interestingly, forests occupy 63% of the area of ​​Sweden, and the terrain of this country is very changeable - from forests to the Scandinavian mountains.

3. Norway

Norway neighbors Sweden and in many ways the environmental situation in these two countries is the same. Only because of its oil industry, which emits greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, this country could not take an honorable second place in the list of the cleanest countries. Norway is located in the heart of the Scandinavian Mountains, among fading and already extinct volcanoes, has a harsh climate and has a very highly developed industry. At 90% it is provided with electricity generated by hydroelectric power plants. Norway boasts to many states of its excellent quality of water, air, sanitation (wastewater treatment is very efficient). Norwegians suffer the least from respiratory diseases.

4. Costa Rica

This eco-friendly country connects South and North America. Its purity is due to the huge number of forests, as well as the concern of the country's government to minimize carbon emissions into the air. The economy of Costa Rica relies on ecotourism, which is why it shows such a serious attention to caring for nature. This country avoids deforestation and out of 100 possible points in the field of forestry and clean air, it scored 97 points. Things are somewhat worse here with the marine environment.

5. Colombia

The country is famous for its high level of life expectancy (75 years on average), as well as for its fertile lands, the quality of which it carefully preserves. The main type of business in Colombia is very environmentally friendly - it is the cultivation of flowers and coffee.

6. New Zealand

A very clean and beautiful country. Sixth on the list because it pays careful attention to the protection of coastal waters and the richness of the natural environment, and also because it introduced a tax on carbon emitted into the air at the state level. Far ahead of other countries in the region in terms of cleanliness index due to air and water quality. The New Zealand government is striving to bring its state to the 1st place in the near future and become the cleanest country in the world. New Zealand is a sparsely populated country, and for tourists who love silence and not densely populated places, this place will seem like paradise.

7. Japan

It is impossible not to mention this country, since the life expectancy of the Japanese is very high - an average of 82 years. Japan achieved seventh place in the list of the cleanest countries mainly because of the ideal sanitary infrastructure, water purification technologies, and not just because of the data on the purity of nature. Although the condition of the forests here is highly valued, the condition of the water is very poor. Fish stocks in coastal waters are very seriously depleted, and this is reducing marine biodiversity.

8. Croatia

It is famous for its clean beaches and shores. It is they who raise Croatia to 8th place in our ranking. And this is despite the fact that the authorities and local residents are showing unsatisfactory work in caring for the nature of their country. The socialist past of Croatia affects the pollution of nature - the industry produced in those years continues to serve as a source of greenhouse gases.

9. Albania

There is very little industry in this country, and hence a very small amount of air emissions. It is not the industrialization of Albania that puts it in 9th place in the list of the cleanest countries. The indoor air pollution index had a serious impact on the overall rating. According to this index, Albania was assigned 47.7 points due to the fact that stove heating is predominantly used on its territory.

10 Israel

Israel closes the top ten most environmentally friendly countries. He takes care of his forests and waters, maintains a high level of sanitation. On average, residents live here for 81 years. The country's problem is the use of pesticides, which undoubtedly affect the state of food.

These are the most environmentally friendly countries that occupy the top 10 and show the rest of the countries what, at least, should be strived for.

Every year, the media and various organizations involved in health, protection of health and the environment publish ratings of the cleanest countries in the world. Criteria for determining the level of environmental cleanliness can be different factors, but the key among them are the state of the environment, water, sand, air, the state of rivers and lakes, urban space, streets, premises. Also, the impact of production on nature, the use of pesticides, the presence of trash cans, the level of exhaust gases, traffic jams are taken into account.

It is also important what place in the world a particular country occupies in terms of the number of green spaces, forests, parks and squares, how often people get sick, what diseases are common, whether there is a special environmental legislation in the state and a system of fines for violating cleanliness in public places, pollution of nature and air.

The well-being of the population, the level of comfortable and quality life depend on the cleanliness of the city and the country. It is always more pleasant to walk along clean streets, breathe freely, without fear of contracting diseases or harmful microbes.

Consider the 15 most environmentally friendly countries

1. Switzerland

For many years, no country in the world can challenge the leadership of this country in terms of cleanliness. The Swiss are proud of this status and try to live up to the high recognition. Internationally, this is confirmed by the large influx of tourists, millions of whom come here every year.

Foreigners are attracted here by the unique atmosphere, clean environment, peaceful and healthy life, and the sociability of local residents. Switzerland is unique in its pursuit of cleanliness, and this has a positive effect on the quality of life, which is why the Swiss live longer than other Europeans. It is not only beautiful, but also safe.

2. Luxembourg

Clean and healthy air, many mountains and forests - this is the hallmark of this tiny country on the European continent. Everything is constantly shining on the streets, which is connected with the reverent attitude of the population to their own country and its beauty. It is the locals who are directly involved in maintaining cleanliness and order in Luxembourg, organizing the cleaning of reservoirs, planting green spaces, and cycling rather than a car.

3. Australia

The unique nature and its purity are supported by both the citizens themselves and the government. The economy of Australia is considered one of the richest in the world, so huge funds are allocated to finance various environmental projects. It is not for nothing that the country is called the green continent, where deforestation is under state control and is prohibited in many regions. The movement by car is also limited here, so the population actively uses bicycles and walks a lot.

4. Singapore

The former leader of the country Lee Kuan Yew was engaged not only in the technological, scientific, economic and political development of the state. Since its creation after the Second World War, special attention has been paid to keeping the streets, water bodies, and air clean. Fines for abandoned garbage, environmental pollution were huge and remain so now. Therefore, Singapore is included in the TOP of the cleanest countries in the world.

5. Costa Rica

It was possible to get a clean environment thanks to the preservation of a large number of forests, the purification of reservoirs, sand and coastal areas. Eco-tourism is actively developing, aimed at reducing the level of carbon emissions.

6. Czech Republic

It is distinguished by a high level of environmental standards that allow the Czech Republic to develop ecotourism, eco-excursions, which will soon become one of the branches of the economy. Keeping the streets clean allows the mentality of the locals. It is also important that the entire industry is trying to maintain cleanliness in production processes.

7. Germany

The environmental legislation of this country is one of the most modern and perfect in the world. In addition, the Germans are trying to use bicycles more, refusing cars. Air and water are clean, but at the same time there is a large concentration of industrial firms and companies, vehicles.

8. New Zealand

If it were not for the locals, tourists and industry, then one could take the North and South Islands that make up New Zealand for a real paradise on Earth. The number of places where no human foot has yet set foot is enormous. Therefore, forests, mountains, plateaus, beaches and lowlands retain their original appearance.

9. Japan

The average life expectancy in the country is 82 years, which has been achieved by modern technologies for purifying water and air, reducing the level of use of chemicals. But the amount in coastal ocean waters is gradually being depleted, and the consequences of the Fukushima accident in 2011 still have a strong impact on the environment and the state of the air.

10. Spain

The hot temperament of the Spaniards is not reflected in the love of cleanliness and accuracy. In public places it is always perfectly clean, calm, there are pots of flowers and decorative trees on the streets. The government allocates huge finances to purify water, create windmills, and develop environmental projects.

11. Austria

The minimum crime rate, a calm atmosphere, clean air, a large number of cyclists - this is what makes Austria able to enter the rating of environmentally friendly countries in the world. Of key importance is the fact that the country has abandoned large industrial enterprises, which allows you to keep forests, rivers and mountains unpolluted.

12. Croatia

Many rivers, mountains, plains make the country an excellent place for recreation, life and tourism. Croatia is striving to clean up the Danube, Sava, Drava, and Mura rivers from pollution associated with industrial production and the consequences of military operations in the first half of the 1990s. Green and ecological tourism is actively developing, the number of national parks and protected areas is one of the largest in the world.

13. Sweden

Nature, water and air quality are impeccable, but the presence of mines, factories, small plants forces the government to spend money on the construction of modern purification plants and filters.

Industrial production is the main source of financing the economy, since tourism, especially ecological tourism, will not soon become the main sources of budget financing. But in many ways, Sweden wins - the use of alternative energy sources, the construction of windmills, the reduction in the number of road transport.

14. Norway

A successful and beautiful country, clean, calm, economically developed, where citizens are unusually friendly. There are high fines for pollution and garbage on the streets. But the industry, especially the oil industry, does not allow Norway to compete with Switzerland and Luxembourg.

15. Israel

European countries should learn from Israel about cleanliness, a reverent attitude towards green spaces, maintaining the life of every flower and tree. There are very few forests in the country, which is not surprising in such an arid climate, but their cutting is strictly prohibited. The duty of every inhabitant of the country is to water plants near houses and in public places, as well as to create comfortable conditions for their own lives. A huge problem for Israel for many years has been pesticides.

In the age of scientific and technological progress, residents are beginning to learn to appreciate the environment. And some people move to ecologically clean territories. Are there any left on the planet? So, the cleanest countries in the world.

It is worth noting that when compiling the rating from 140 countries, experts evaluated literally everything in the states. From water quality and air purity to pesticide use and biodiversity.

Colombia is in fifth place in terms of cleanliness. This country carefully takes care of its fertile land. On it, by the way, grow, in particular, flowers and coffee. The product provides a stable export income. And a clean environment is the key to a high life expectancy of 73 years.

Colombia is located in the northwest of South America. The state is washed by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The Andes stretch from north to south. And the main agricultural fields are located in the intermountain valleys, so the main part of the population of the state lives here.

Nature, and climate, are quite comfortable for residents. In the north, a subequatorial arid climate reigns. In this part of the country, the main resorts and main ports are located, which constantly attract foreign tourists. But the west coast, which is washed by the Pacific Ocean, is less popular, since rainfall and high tides are frequent there.

Costa Rica

The name of the Republic of Costa Rica is translated from Spanish as "rich coast". He is really rich in healthy people. And this is perhaps the smallest state in Central America. The narrow isthmus of the country between the two continents is washed by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Despite its piquant location, Costa Rica has a predominantly white population.

Costa Rica is the fourth cleanest country in the world. And this is due to attention to nature and the economy of the state, which depends on ecotourism. In general, by 2021, the country plans to achieve a zero balance of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Costa Rica has avoided the severe deforestation that threatens several other countries in Latin America. Therefore, that state received almost the maximum assessment of experts. So far, Costa Rica has not quite coped with the problems of preserving and protecting marine areas that need protection.

Norway

Norway is already in Northern Europe. Almost the entire territory of the kingdom is occupied by the Scandinavian mountains, which are heavily dissected by fjords and deep valleys. The mountains are covered with glaciers.

Norway is one of the cleanest countries in the world. And this despite the fact that it is highly developed from an industrial point of view. The latter fact determines the wealth of the state. Per capita accounts for more than 33 thousand dollars a year from the country's GDP. And the main source of income is oil and gas production, as well as fishing. However, electrochemistry, electrometallurgy, fish processing and pulp and paper industries are well developed, as well as shipbuilding and electrical engineering. Not the last place is occupied by agriculture. The country eats meat, milk and grain of its own production.

Sweden

The Kingdom of Sweden is located in the same Northern Europe. On the one hand, the country is washed by the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea, on the other - by the Danish Straits. In the north and west, there are mainly mountains with snowy peaks and plateaus, but in the south - lowlands and plains. A sufficient part of Sweden is occupied by lakes and forests, and quite clean. It is especially valuable that there are many national parks in the kingdom. The inhabitants did not neglect agriculture either, lands and pastures were located along the Gulf of Bothnia. The country has a very comfortable climate - it changes from maritime to continental. Sweden has a rather large extent, so in the north in winter, the thermometers can reach minus 14 degrees, and in the south it can reach zero. In summer, the temperature is stable from 10 degrees and above.

Switzerland is the cleanest country

Switzerland scored the maximum number of expert points. Therefore, it bears the proud title of "The cleanest country in the world." The state is located in Central Europe, neighboring Germany, France, Austria, Italy and Liechtenstein. Most of the country is located in the Alps. Therefore, the inhabitants here constantly breathe mountain air. A system of mountain ranges stretches from the southwest and northeast of Switzerland. Lepontine, Pennine, Rhaetian and Glarn Alps. They rise at the level of 3.5 thousand meters. Some peaks can reach up to 4 thousand meters. Well, the highest point of the state is Dufour Peak with a height of 4634 meters. Firn fields and glaciers are located in the mountains.

To the northwest of the Alps lies the Swiss Plateau. It is located at an altitude of 400-1200 meters and is famous for its hilly terrain and lakes. The climate in the country is humid and temperate. In winter, you can not wrap yourself in fur coats much here - the air warms up to zero degrees. But it's on the plateau. In summer, on average, about plus 19 degrees.

There are many rivers in the country, they are full of water and rapids. What is the Rhine with a tributary of the Aare, as well as the Rhone, Ticino, Inna. The state is also famous for its large picturesque lakes. These are Constance, Lago Maggiore, Geneva. Almost a third of Switzerland is occupied by forests, and almost half of the country's territory is allocated to agricultural land, and most of it is occupied not by arable land, but by hayfields and pastures. In the low mountains you can find orchards and vineyards, as well as broad-leaved forests of beech, oak, ash, maple, elm and linden, the higher up the mountains, the more often you can stumble upon spruce, fir, larch and pine. Well, even higher - subalpine and alpine meadows, as well as thickets of azaleas, rhododendrons and junipers. Well, on the tops of the mountains - rocks and glaciers.

The country has a huge number of reserves, in the valley of the Engadine River is the Swiss National Park.

Moreover, Switzerland is perhaps the richest in the world in terms of GDP per person. Therefore, it is not surprising that the country cares about the health and life expectancy of residents. It has everything for a long and comfortable life.
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Cleanliness is the key to health. We all heard this phrase in childhood and diligently washed our hands with soap. Then we grew up and began to teach our children to live in cleanliness and order. And what about our cities? Why do we treat them so carelessly and litter the environment without even thinking about the consequences? As it turned out, the most in the world is not so easy to choose. Unfortunately, the consciousness and level of development of human civilization have not yet reached the limit beyond which total concern for the preservation of the environment begins.

Environmental pollution: the scourge of the 21st century

A couple of centuries ago, people did not think about environmental pollution. Almost the entire population of the world lived in rural areas, and life in cities was the lot of the few who wanted to be in the center of events and world news. But literally in a hundred years, everything has changed in the most radical way - technological progress has led to the fact that more than seventy percent of the planet's inhabitants have chosen cities as their habitat.

This has led to an increase in pressure on these territories. What do we associate a big city with? Of course, with smoking chimneys of factories, dirt on the streets, unpleasant odors and eternal dullness. Bad picture, isn't it? But that's how most of us live. Although in recent years, the trend towards caring for the environment is beginning to gain momentum and is gradually capturing many cities around the world. Unfortunately, it is still too early to talk about the mass nature of this phenomenon. But if you look at the list of the cleanest cities in the world, you will see that it is still possible to live clean. The population of such cities says that it is necessary to start the changes with yourself.

City classification

First of all, all the cities of the world can be divided into four categories:

• Group 1 - the city administration is doing everything to stabilize the environment, and forms a responsible attitude towards the environment among citizens.
• Group 2 - the ecological situation in these cities is extremely difficult, but the administration is coming to an understanding of the need to take urgent measures to save the city's ecology.
• Group 3 - these cities do not have a polluting industry, so the population and sewage treatment plants contribute to the deterioration of the environmental situation.
• Group 4 - the most polluted cities that do not have budgetary funds for the creation of environmentally oriented programs.

Of course, it is difficult to identify which is the most in the world among such settlements with different levels of pollution, but for this there are world standards for the environmental situation of cities.

Clean City: Evaluation Criteria

To select the cleanest city in the world, it is necessary first of all to draw up a list of evaluation criteria, according to which the study will be conducted. What is included in the concept of a clean city? What points should be used to assess the cleanliness of cities, because they all have different levels of pollution and industrial potential?

Most often, six characteristics are involved in the assessment of the state of the environment of a settlement, which allows choosing the most environmentally friendly cities in the world. We now list them:

• the number of green zones in proportion to the area of ​​the city;
• availability of a program for the processing of household waste and the percentage of this processing to the total amount of city waste;
• air quality (determined by samples);
• water quality (also determined by samples);
• the percentage of budget funds allocated for the implementation of environmental programs;
• participation of citizens in maintaining the cleanliness of the city.

According to all these characteristics, we are ready to bring to your attention the top cleanest cities in the world.

Top 5 tourist centers

Probably, every tourist would like to see the cleanest city in the world and spend a vacation in it. Therefore, we decided to compile a list of the most environmentally friendly and popular tourist cities:

1. Singapore.

The cleanliness of this city delights many tourists. The most severe fines for smoking in public places or a candy wrapper thrown on the pavement have been introduced here. The average fine is approximately $500. This system turned out to be very effective; over time, the townspeople learned not to litter and actively maintain the cleanliness of their beloved city.

The capital of Austria, even at first glance, looks very clean and well-groomed. The population of the city is proud of its historical heritage and tries to preserve the unique city for their descendants.

3. Dresden.

This amazing city is not only a cultural but also an industrial center. But there are just legends about its cleanliness, German pedantry made the city literally perfect. Here it is impossible to find garbage on the streets or see the smoke from the factory chimneys.

4. Stockholm.

Not surprisingly, the Swedish city made it to the list of "The Cleanest City in the World". The government of the country pays special attention to ecology and care for the environment, so Stockholm appears to tourists in a surprisingly clean form. In addition, light pollution is minimized in this city.

5. Abu Dhabi.

The Emir of the city spends a lot of money on keeping the streets clean and implementing environmental programs. The most professional specialists in the field of environmental protection work here.

Of course, it is sad that not a single Russian city was included in this list. Russia still cannot boast of a responsible attitude to the environment.

World Health Organization: ranking of the cleanest cities

WHO annually compiles its lists of environmentally friendly capitals of the world. Most often, European cities fall into the top five. The ranking compiled in 2016 is as follows:

1. Sweden - Stockholm.
2. Scotland - Edinburgh.
3. Canada - Ottawa.
4. Australia - Canberra.
5. Wellington - New Zealand.

It is worth noting that Stockholm quite often falls into this list, occupying various positions in it.

Top 10 cleanest cities in the world: rating of alternative public organizations

Not only recognized organizations are engaged in assessing the cleanliness and pollution of the cities of the world, but also private organizations. Public interest in environmental protection is increasing every year, so alternative ratings appear:

1. Calgary (Canada).

This small town is located in a valley, two rivers pass through the city. Local residents claim that the water from these rivers can be drunk without harm to health.

2. Adelaide (Australia).

Here, waste processing is organized at a high level, more than eighty percent of the garbage is processed by special installations. The city has a large number of parks and squares.

3. Honolulu (Hawaii).

It is called the pearl of the tropics, where thousands of tourists from all over the world come with pleasure.

4. Minneapolis (USA).

Despite the fact that the population of the city has already exceeded three million people, it remains remarkably clean. This is facilitated by the high consciousness of residents and environmental programs.

5. Kobe (Japan).

Advanced Japanese technologies aimed at preserving the environment help make the country's cities the cleanest.

6. Copenhagen (Denmark).

7. Wellington (New Zealand).

This city managed to get a high score in almost all indicators.

8. Helsinki (Finland).

This city is the heart of Finland, and all its inhabitants make sure that their city is the cleanest and most comfortable.

9. Oslo (Norway).

In recent years, Oslo has made significant progress in the implementation of environmental programs. He has reduced emissions to the atmosphere and continues to work to keep the streets clean.

10. Freiburg (Germany).

The prefix "eco" is often used for this city. Freiburg is incredibly green and well-maintained, and the quality of life of its inhabitants has been at a high level for several years now.

The cleanest countries in the world

Do you know which countries have the most clean cities? Do not be surprised, such a rating also exists. The top 3 cleanest countries in the world look like this:

• Switzerland.
• Sweden.
• Norway.

Ecologists believe that the Nordic countries will lead this list for a long time to come, because their governments do not spare money for

Russia: rating of the cleanest cities

And what about Russia? What does our own ranking of the cleanest cities look like? In our country, unfortunately, there are no large public organizations that would monitor the ecology of Russian cities. Therefore, we compiled the top 5 cleanest cities in Russia by taking information from various sources. This list looks like this:

• Volgograd.
• Saransk.
• Vologda.
• Kursk.

Of course, these are very approximate data based on a set of estimates that correspond to generally accepted world standards.

Each person individually is responsible for the cleanliness of the surrounding world, because you should not wait for someone to start large-scale actions to clean up the city. You can just pick up a candy wrapper that has fallen on the asphalt and go out on a community work day to remove garbage from a nearby park. When absolutely all residents of megacities do this, the list of the cleanest cities in the world will definitely be replenished with new names.

It is only natural that we all want to live in a clean and healthy environment, but, unfortunately, our planet is slowly turning into a giant garbage dump. While the overall assessment is undoubtedly sad, the good news is that there are still a few places on the planet that are clean, tidy and unpolluted.

However, keeping your city clean and tidy usually takes a lot more than just a few government regulations and public announcements. It is also the duty of the local people to take part in this process and not harm the environment as much as possible.

To show you a few cities that have already succeeded in creating a clean environment, and their inhabitants have become happier and healthier, this list has been compiled with the cleanest cities in the world.

From spotlessly clean and green northern European cities like Stockholm and Reykjavik, to amazingly clean cities in Africa and Asia, here are 25 of the cleanest cities on the planet!

25. Zurich, Switzerland

Let's start this list with a city that is pretty much considered one of the cleanest and greenest cities in the world.

Home to almost 400,000 people, Zurich is known for its ongoing optimization and development of green public transport links, the expansion of the cycling network, research and renewable energy projects, motorway fencing and more.

24. Wellington, New Zealand


The capital and one of New Zealand's largest cities, Wellington has a reputation for being clean and tidy with a range of natural attractions that are well preserved and well maintained.

More than a third of local residents use public transport instead of private vehicles, which significantly reduces air pollution in the region.

23. Ifrane, Morocco


Of the few African cities that boast a clean environment, Ifrane is probably the most famous.

Located on the Middle Atlas mountain range at an altitude of 1665 meters above sea level, Ifrane has no industrial facilities, so locals and tourists can enjoy unpolluted air and water.

The city is also a popular ski resort, as it gets covered in snow during the winter.

22. Oslo, Norway


The capital of Norway is known as one of the most expensive cities in the world, but those who can afford to live here will enjoy fresh air and a completely clean environment.

Oslo is easy to get around with public transport or rental bikes. In 2007, Oslo even came in second on a list of the greenest and most livable cities, compiled by the popular American monthly family reading magazine Reader's Digest.

21. Hierro, Spain


Technically, Hierro is not a city, as it is one of the Canary Islands (belonging to Spain) that has attracted the attention of the whole world by building hydro and wind power plants that can provide residents with electricity all 24 hours a day.

Known for its dense ancient forests and volcanic rocks, the island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

20. Freiburg, Germany


Home to 220,000 people, Freiburg is known as the sunniest and warmest city in Germany. It is also valued for its beautiful parks, clean streets, fresh air and excellent environmental conditions.

Located in the heart of Baden's main wine region, it serves as the main starting point for tourists to the beauties of the picturesque Black Forest.

19. Toronto, Canada


Toronto is a stark proof that even a huge metropolis of over 2.6 million inhabitants can be kept clean and tidy.

Known for its environmental innovation, Toronto has been particularly successful in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The city also has a very efficient and comprehensive public transport system, which contributes greatly to maintaining a clean environment.

18. Amsterdam, Netherlands


With over 600,000 rental bikes across the city, Amsterdam is considered a cyclist's paradise, and it's this unusual practice that helps keep the city remarkably clean.

In 2012, Amsterdam was even ranked second in the Economist Intelligence Unit's list of best cities to live, and 12th in the list of best cities in terms of quality of life for environment and infrastructure, compiled by the international consulting company Mercer.

17. Brisbane, Australia


Most Australian cities boast a clean environment with relatively low levels of all types of pollution. However, Brisbane stands out for the fact that it is clean and tidy despite its size (it has a population of over 2.3 million). The city has several large parks, botanical gardens and other green recreation areas.

16. Portland, Oregon, USA


Referred to as the "City of Roses", Portland is often ranked as one of the most sustainable cities in the world due to its high walkability, large cycling community, farm-to-table traffic, extensive public transportation network, and more than 4,000 hectares of public parks.

15. Stockholm, Sweden


Considered one of the cleanest capitals in the world, Stockholm received the European Green Capital Award in 2010 from the European Commission, becoming Europe's first "green capital".

Applicants were assessed on several criteria such as climate change, local transportation, community green spaces, air quality, noise, waste, land use, biodiversity, and others.

14. Nottingham, UK


There are also several cities in the United Kingdom that boast an unpolluted environment and clean streets. One of them - Nottingham - is located in Central England.

The city has initiated many projects to address the problems with litter and graffiti, and even won the "Britain's Cleanest City" award in 2014.

13. Kobe, Japan


Known as the cleanest city in Japan, Kobe has implemented one of the most efficient waste disposal systems in the world. Since the locals are very concerned about the preservation of the environment, the streets are always clean.

Although the city is a huge metropolis with more than 1.5 million inhabitants, it has many beautiful green areas for recreation.

12. Luxembourg, Luxembourg


Referred to as the "Green Heart of Europe", Luxembourg is the capital of the State of Luxembourg (officially known as the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg). The city boasts a number of well-preserved ancient castles and green forests, and last year it was declared the third cleanest city in the world.

11. Calgary, Canada


Calgary has been consistently ranked among the cleanest cities in the world over the past few years, and there's a good reason for that. Local residents are trained in the five basic principles to follow in order to keep the environment clean and healthy. These 5 points are the quality of sewerage, the potability and availability of water, the removal and processing of garbage, traffic jams and air pollution.

10. Singapore


The only island-state in the world, Singapore is known for a number of strict regulations regarding environmental issues and the cleanliness of the city, including a ban on chewing gum. Almost 10% of Singapore's land is given over to parks and nature reserves.

The city has also launched several landscaping campaigns to plant trees to improve the quality of life.

9. Curitiba, Brazil


While Brazil is unlikely to ever be classified as a clean country, there is one exception - the city of Curitiba. Local governments encourage their residents to keep the city clean by allowing them to exchange bags of sorted garbage for food and bus tokens.

As a result, up to 70% of urban waste is recycled. Recycling paper, for example, saves the equivalent of 1,200 trees a day.

8. Geneva, Switzerland


Geneva is known as one of the richest, most expensive, livable and safest cities in the world, but the city stands out for something else: environmental efforts and cleanliness.

One of the cleanest cities in the world, Geneva is home to The Geneva Environment Network, a network of global organizations working in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development.

7. Vienna, Austria


The capital and largest city of Austria, Vienna has a population of around 1.8 million, yet the city regularly ranks among the cleanest cities in the world.

Over the past decades, Vienna has invested huge amounts of money in the waste management system, and now it is paying off. In addition, local residents are very concerned about environmental protection, so they help the authorities to keep their city spotlessly clean and tidy.

6. Reykjavik, Iceland


Located right next to the Arctic Circle, Iceland is one of the cleanest countries in the world, so it's not surprising to see its capital among the world's cleanest cities.

There was no urban development until the 19th century. Even now, Reykjavik remains one of the cleanest and greenest cities in the world, with virtually no air pollution.

5. Helsinki, Finland


Another Scandinavian city on this list, Helsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland. Residents are true believers in protecting the environment and keeping the streets clean and tidy.

In order to reduce the amount of electricity consumed to a minimum level, an integrated system has even been developed that allows heat to be generated using electricity.

4. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA


With a population of nearly 340,000, Honolulu is the most remote major city in the world, as its closest location on the mainland is the Point Arena Lighthouse in California, 3,800 kilometers away.

It is perhaps because of this extreme isolation that Honolulu (as well as the entire state of Hawaii) is one of the cleanest and greenest places in the world.

3. Copenhagen, Denmark


The capital of Denmark, Copenhagen, is recognized as one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world. Thanks to its commitment to high environmental standards, Copenhagen has been ranked highly for its green economy, becoming the world's greenest city for the second time in 2014, according to the Global Green Economy Index.

Thanks to significant investments in sewer upgrades, the quality of the water in the city's harbor has improved to the point that it is now possible to swim in it.

2. Chicago, Illinois, USA


With a population of over 2.7 million, Chicago is the third largest city in the US but has a reputation for being a very clean and environmentally friendly city.

Chicago has greened over 186,000 m² of rooftops throughout the city, turning them into gardens to improve air quality. The city also encourages its residents to use public transport in order to reduce harmful emissions.

1. Hamburg, Germany


The second largest city in Germany, Hamburg has been praised for its many years of environmental efforts.

The city has set a goal of reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. The city authorities have also released details of plans to develop a "Green Network", which will mean that people will no longer have to use their own vehicles to go to another point in the city.