Applicants in Confucian scholar's attire are using a notebook computer to write modern poem in the digital Guageo (科擧) examination at Sungkyunkwan (成均館) in Myungryun-dong, Jeongro-gu, Seoul on June 12, 2005. Guageo (科擧) is the state examination for recruiting high-level government officials of the late Goryo Dynast (936-1391)and the Jeoseon Dynast (1392-1910). Sungkyunkwan (成均館) was the institute of highest learning during Goryo and and Jeoseon Dynast. Seonggiungwan is now located on the campus of Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul.

South Korea and its capital of Seoul have a long way on their road to become one of the world's most livable places according to a recent study.

South Korea was ranked world's 35th country and Seoul was found to be even worse — the 52nd city in the world according to the list of the world's most livable countries and cities released on Oct. 5, 2007 by Reader's Digest.

Finland and Stockholm were found to be world's best country and city, respectively as Scanadian countries have managed to take over the top four spots in the list.

The highest quality of life was found in Finland, followed by Iceland and Norway, and then Sweden in 4th place.

The results were based on the highest quality of life and most environmentally friendly countries and cities in the world.

A total of 141 countries and 72 world's major cities were investigated and ranked by the Reader's Digest study.

United States was ranked 23rd and England 25th, each while China was ranked 84th.

Norwegian capital of Oslo, Munich of Germany, and French capital of Paris each followed the capital of Sweden on the order of the world's most favored cities.

Germany was not ranked as one of the 10 most livable countries but four of its cities were included in the world's 10 most favored cities.

Japanese capital of Tokyo was ranked 20th whereas Chinese capital of Beijing was chosen as 72nd. The venue of next year's Summer Olympic was picked as the least favored city in the world because of its serious air polution.

New York and London were ranked the 15th and 27th, respectively.

The quality of life ranking published by Reader's Digest ranks the Scandinavian countries as the best places to live. The ranking was decided by environmental and social indicators based partially on the UN's Human Development Index and how countries care for their citizens.

Cities were rated according to quality of public transport, parks, air quality and waste recycling.

The following are the lists of rankings of the countries and cities published by Reader's Digest

Living Green: Full Country and City Rankings

We analyzed data from two top sources covering 141 nations to rank the world's greenest, most livable places. View the complete city and country rankings.

By Matthew E. Kahn, PhD, and Fran Lostys

Countries Overall

1. Finland

2. Iceland

3. Norway

4. Sweden

5. Austria

6. Switzerland

7. Ireland

8. Australia

9. Uruguay

10. Denmark

11. Canada

12. Japan

13. Israel

14. Italy

15. Slovenia

16. France

17. Netherlands

18. Portugal

19. New Zealand

20. Greece

21. Germany

22. Latvia

23. United States

24. Lithuania

25. United Kingdom

26. Belgium

27. Argentina

28. Croatia

29. Spain

30. Hungary

31. Albania

32. Estonia

33. Slovakia

34. Costa Rica

35. South Korea

36. Cuba

37. Belarus

38. Czech Republic

39. Bosnia and Herzegovina

40. Brazil

41. Panama

42. Armenia

43. Chile

44. Paraguay

45. United Arab Emirates

46. Macedonia

47. Bulgaria

48. Poland

49. Kuwait

50. Oman

51. Russia

52. Peru

53. Colombia

54. Malaysia

55. Guyana

56. Romania

57. Trinidad & Tobago

58. Georgia

59. Kazakhstan

60. Moldova

61. Thailand

62. Tunisia

63. Mexico

64. Libya

65. Ukraine

66. Sri Lanka

67. Lebanon

68. Venezuela

69. Ecuador

70. Turkey

71. Jordan

72. Algeria

73. Kyrgyzstan

74. Azerbaijan

75. Bolivia

76. Gabon

77. Dominican Republic

78. Syria

79. El Salvador

80. Saudi Arabia

81. Jamaica

82. Indonesia

83. Iran

84. China

85. Nicaragua

86. Namibia

87. Philippines

88. Egypt

89. Mongolia

90. Viet Nam

91. Myanmar

92. Honduras

93. Botswana

94. Turkmenistan

95. Tajikistan

96. South Africa

97. Guatemala

98. Cambodia

99. Uzbekistan

100. Bhutan

101. Laos

102. Morocco

103. Ghana

104. India

105. Congo

106. Cameroon

107. Uganda

108. Nepal

109. Papua New Guinea

110. Gambia

111. Bangladesh

112. Madagascar

113. Senegal

114. Togo

115. Pakistan

116. Kenya

117. Rwanda

118. Guinea

119. Zimbabwe

120. Zambia

121. Nigeria

122. Sudan

123. Tanzania

124. Benin

125. Central Africa Republic

126. Malawi

127. Mauritania

128. Yemen

129. Angola

130. Côte d'Ivoire

131. Democratic Republic of the Congo

132. Haiti

133. Mali

134. Guinea-Bissau

135. Mozambique

136. Burundi

137. Chad

138. Burkina Faso

139. Sierra Leone

140. Niger

141. Ethiopia

Cities Overall

1. Stockholm, Sweden

2. Oslo, Norway

3. Munich, Germany

4. Paris, France

5. Frankfurt, Germany

6. Stuttgart, Germany

7. Lyon, France

8. Dusseldorf, Germany

9. Nantes, France

10. Copenhagen, Denmark

11. Geneva, Switzerland

12. Zurich, Switzerland

13. Glasgow, United Kingdom

14. Barcelona, Spain

15. New York, United States

16. Brussels, Belgium

17. Hamburg, Germany

18. Hong Kong, PR China

19. Newcastle, United Kingdom

20. Tokyo, Japan

21. Helsinki, Finland

22. Washington, D.C., United States

23. Chicago, United States

24. Vancouver, Canada

25. Dortmund, Germany

26. San Francisco, United States

27. London, United Kingdom

28. Perth, Australia

29. Melbourne, Australia

30. Manchester, United Kingdom

31. Graz, Austria

32. Berlin, Germany

33. Ottawa, Canada

34. Wellington, New Zealand

35. Amsterdam, Netherlands

36. Atlanta, United States

37. Marseille, France

38. Vienna, Austria

39. Rome, Italy

40. Sydney, Australia

41. Prague, Czech Republic

42. Brisbane, Australia

43. Denver, United States

44. Berne, Switzerland

45. Singapore, Singapore

46. Houston, United States

47. Bologna, Italy

48. Montreal, Canada

49. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

50. Toronto, Canada

51. Cape Town, South Africa

52. Seoul, South Korea

53. Milan, Italy

54. Curitiba, Brazil

55. San Diego, United States

56. Madrid, Spain

57. Los Angeles, United States

58. Budapest, Hungary

59. Calgary, Canada

60. Phoenix, United States

61. Johannesburg, South Africa

62. Sao Paulo, Brazil

63. Athens, Greece

64. Tel Aviv, Israel

65. Chennai, India

66. Cracow, Poland

67. Taipei, Taiwan

68. Bangkok, Thailand

69. Guangzhou, PR China

70. Mumbai, India

71. Shanghai, PR China