Forbes has deemed Rio de Janeiro the World’s Happiest City. Do you agree or disagree? Post in comments below:
Ever since Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers appeared in the 1933 film Flying Down to Rio, the world has been fascinated with Rio de Janeiro. Popular perception of the city is infused with images of starry-eyed youngsters dancing into the dusk, backed by imposing mountains and dark sea.
That view has propelled Rio to the top of our list of the world’s happiest cities. Famous for its annual Carnaval festival (starting Feb. 13 next year), the second-largest metropolis in South America finished first among 50 cities in a recent survey conducted by policy advisor Simon Anholt and market researcher GfK Custom Research North America.
“Brazil is associated with all these qualities of good humor and good living and Carnaval,” says Anholt. “Carnaval is very important–it’s the classic image that people have of Rio, and it’s an image of happiness.” – from Forbes