Britain has dropped to 25th place on a list of the best places in the world to live – behind countries such as the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Uruguay. While France tops the poll for the fifth year running, the UK’s climate, crime rate, cost of living, congested roads and overcrowded cities have pushed it even further down from last year’s ranking at 20. The Quality of Life Index, published by International Living magazine for the 30th year, says the French live life to the full, while Britons are over-worked. dolce In all, 194 countries are surveyed on nine criteria, including the cost of living, culture and leisure, environment, safety, culture and weather. Australia is placed second after France, followed by Switzerland, Germany and New Zealand. Even former communist countries where unemployment is still rife are considered better places to settle down in than Britain, with Lithuania and the Czech Republic coming in at 22nd and 24th place respectively. The magazine says the French enjoy everything from Riviera beaches and Alpine ski resorts to what it describes as ‘the best health service in the world’. Cars near high-rise flats in Vilnius, […]