Top world cities

If you're making travel plans, consider visiting some of these global hotspots and less-visited geographical gems, ranked at the top by Bing.

Houston

Houston, the fourth-largest city in the nation (map), is home to the Astros, the Rockets and a NASA hub, so it's no wonder the town touts an out-of-this-world nickname.

Singapore

Singapore, the Malay Peninsula city-state (where in the world?) is a multicultural metropolis that also goes by a kingly moniker.

Orlando, Fla

Tourists flock to this sunny central Florida city (map) for dolphins and Disney, but what was Orlando's former claim to fame?

Paris

France's capital city (map) has captured hearts around the world, thanks to must-see attractions for history buffs, foodies, art lovers and fashion fans.

Stockholm

The capital of Sweden (map) is a financial and cultural hub as well as the seat of royalty. See photos of the palace and the royal family.

Savannah, Ga

The Georgia seaport of Savannah (map) boasts a nickname that exudes as much charm as its most affable resident (watch her in action).

Venice

Don't wait too long to visit Venice -- it's sinking! Once every two years, the art world flocks to this northern Italian city (map). What's the main attraction? That event draws film fanatics, too -- find out why.

Austin, Texas

The capital city of the Lone Star State (map) offers thrills for live music fans, football tailgaters and foodies (vegetarians and meat lovers alike).

Santa Barbara, Calif

Santa Barbara, home of the Gauchos (who?), stretches from the beach to the mountains, with plenty of California history in between

Rome Italy

The ancient Italian city of Rome (map) houses some of the grandest historical structures -- from an ages-old amphitheater to one of the world's most famous fountains (photos).

Vancouver, B.C

The British Columbia city of Vancouver (map) has a new feather in its cap: What is its impressive title? This Canadian metropolis offers snow-capped mountains (photos), sandy beaches and one of the continent's largest urban parks.

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Utah tops our fifth annual ranking, knocking longtime leader Virginia from the top spot.When voters in 37 states select their governors next month, the overriding issue will be, of course, the economy.

No. 1 Utah

2009 Rank: 3
Business Costs Rank: 8
Labor Supply Rank: 5
Regulatory Environment: 6
Economic Climate: 1
Growth Prospects: 20
Quality of Life: 18

No. 2 Virginia

2009 Rank: 1
Business Costs Rank: 24
Labor Supply Rank: 3
Regulatory Environment: 2
Economic Climate: 4
Growth Prospects: 14
Quality of Life: 6

No. 3 North Carolina

2009 Rank: 5
Business Costs Rank: 3
Labor Supply Rank: 15
Regulatory Environment: 3
Economic Climate: 18
Growth Prospects: 9
Quality of Life: 32

No. 4 Colorado

2009 Rank: 4
Business Costs Rank: 33
Labor Supply Rank: 1
Regulatory Environment: 15
Economic Climate: 6
Growth Prospects: 6
Quality of Life: 9

No. 5 Washington

2009 Rank: 2
Business Costs Rank: 28
Labor Supply Rank: 2
Regulatory Environment: 5
Economic Climate: 11
Growth Prospects: 4
Quality of Life: 29

No. 6 Oregon

2009 Rank: 10
Business Costs Rank: 18
Labor Supply Rank: 4
Regulatory Environment: 34
Economic Climate: 14
Growth Prospects: 12
Quality of Life: 21

No. 7 Texas

2009 Rank: 8
Business Costs Rank: 26
Labor Supply Rank: 21
Regulatory Environment: 17
Economic Climate: 2
Growth Prospects: 1
Quality of Life: 38

No. 8 Georgia

2009 Rank: 6
Business Costs Rank: 31
Labor Supply Rank: 7
Regulatory Environment: 1
Economic Climate: 30
Growth Prospects: 7
Quality of Life: 35

No. 9 Nebraska

2009 Rank: 9
Business Costs Rank: 6
Labor Supply Rank: 23
Regulatory Environment: 28
Economic Climate: 12
Growth Prospects: 40
Quality of Life: 14

No. 10 Kansas

2009 Rank: 15
Business Costs Rank: 23
Labor Supply Rank: 18
Regulatory Environment: 11
Economic Climate: 13
Growth Prospects: 30
Quality of Life: 27

No. 11 North Dakota

2009 Rank: 7
Business Costs Rank: 4
Labor Supply Rank: 37
Regulatory Environment: 25
Economic Climate: 3
Growth Prospects: 33
Quality of Life: 23

No. 12 Idaho

2009 Rank: 11
Business Costs Rank: 17
Labor Supply Rank: 19
Regulatory Environment: 29
Economic Climate: 20
Growth Prospects: 19
Quality of Life: 20

No. 13 Iowa

2009 Rank: 14
Business Costs Rank: 7
Labor Supply Rank: 40
Regulatory Environment: 19
Economic Climate: 17
Growth Prospects: 39
Quality of Life: 13

No. 14 Maryland

2009 Rank: 12
Business Costs Rank: 49
Labor Supply Rank: 8
Regulatory Environment: 9
Economic Climate: 19
Growth Prospects: 29
Quality of Life: 8

No. 15 Minnesota

2009 Rank: 17
Business Costs Rank: 30
Labor Supply Rank: 8
Regulatory Environment: 32
Economic Climate: 37
Growth Prospects: 13
Quality of Life: 4

No. 16 Massachusetts

2009 Rank: 34
Business Costs Rank: 50
Labor Supply Rank: 10
Regulatory Environment: 13
Economic Climate: 22
Growth Prospects: 28
Quality of Life: 1

No. 17 South Dakota

2009 Rank: 16
Business Costs Rank: 1
Labor Supply Rank: 32
Regulatory Environment: 37
Economic Climate: 5
Growth Prospects: 46
Quality of Life: 25

No. 18 Missouri

2009 Rank: 29
Business Costs Rank: 15
Labor Supply Rank: 39
Regulatory Environment: 7
Economic Climate: 26
Growth Prospects: 36
Quality of Life: 26

No. 19 New Hampshire

2009 Rank: 19
Business Costs Rank: 40
Labor Supply Rank: 6
Regulatory Environment: 47
Economic Climate: 32
Growth Prospects: 5
Quality of Life: 2

No. 20 Delaware

2009 Rank: 21
Business Costs Rank: 12
Labor Supply Rank: 13
Regulatory Environment: 31
Economic Climate: 47
Growth Prospects: 16
Quality of Life: 36

No. 21 New York

2009 Rank: 32
Business Costs Rank: 43
Labor Supply Rank: 29
Regulatory Environment: 23
Economic Climate: 9
Growth Prospects: 22
Quality of Life: 11

No. 22 Tennessee

2009 Rank: 23
Business Costs Rank: 10
Labor Supply Rank: 38
Regulatory Environment: 4
Economic Climate: 44
Growth Prospects: 23
Quality of Life: 43

No. 23 Arizona

2009 Rank: 36
Business Costs Rank: 36
Labor Supply Rank: 12
Regulatory Environment: 38
Economic Climate: 15
Growth Prospects: 7
Quality of Life: 37

No. 24 Montana

2009 Rank: 13
Business Costs Rank: 19
Labor Supply Rank: 11
Regulatory Environment: 40
Economic Climate: 10
Growth Prospects: 42
Quality of Life: 34

No. 25 Alabama

2009 Rank: 28
Business Costs Rank: 21
Labor Supply Rank: 42
Regulatory Environment: 10
Economic Climate: 29
Growth Prospects: 10
Quality of Life: 46

No. 26 Florida

2009 Rank: 18
Business Costs Rank: 37
Labor Supply Rank: 14
Regulatory Environment: 22
Economic Climate: 36
Growth Prospects: 3
Quality of Life: 39

No. 27 Wyoming

2009 Rank: 22
Business Costs Rank: 2
Labor Supply Rank: 24
Regulatory Environment: 49
Economic Climate: 8
Growth Prospects: 48
Quality of Life: 31

No. 28 Nevada

2009 Rank: 31
Business Costs Rank: 13
Labor Supply Rank: 27
Regulatory Environment: 33
Economic Climate: 24
Growth Prospects: 17
Quality of Life: 47

No. 29 Indiana

2009 Rank: 30
Business Costs Rank: 10
Labor Supply Rank: 43
Regulatory Environment: 16
Economic Climate: 48
Growth Prospects: 32
Quality of Life: 19

No. 30 Pennsylvania

2009 Rank: 33
Business Costs Rank: 34
Labor Supply Rank: 34
Regulatory Environment: 21
Economic Climate: 16
Growth Prospects: 43
Quality of Life: 7

No. 31 Kentucky

2009 Rank: 43
Business Costs Rank: 8
Labor Supply Rank: 45
Regulatory Environment: 26
Economic Climate: 40
Growth Prospects: 15
Quality of Life: 33

No. 32 Arkansas

2009 Rank: 26
Business Costs Rank: 14
Labor Supply Rank: 44
Regulatory Environment: 24
Economic Climate: 25
Growth Prospects: 21
Quality of Life: 44

No. 33 Oklahoma

2009 Rank: 20
Business Costs Rank: 16
Labor Supply Rank: 41
Regulatory Environment: 20
Economic Climate: 7
Growth Prospects: 50
Quality of Life: 41

No. 34 South Carolina

2009 Rank: 25
Business Costs Rank: 26
Labor Supply Rank: 28
Regulatory Environment: 8
Economic Climate: 43
Growth Prospects: 26
Quality of Life: 45

No. 35 New Mexico

2009 Rank: 27
Business Costs Rank: 22
Labor Supply Rank: 32
Regulatory Environment: 35
Economic Climate: 31
Growth Prospects: 2
Quality of Life: 49

No. 36 Connecticut

2009 Rank: 35
Business Costs Rank: 45
Labor Supply Rank: 17
Regulatory Environment: 39
Economic Climate: 23
Growth Prospects: 35
Quality of Life: 3

No. 37 Illinois

2009 Rank: 24
Business Costs Rank: 39
Labor Supply Rank: 30
Regulatory Environment: 18
Economic Climate: 34
Growth Prospects: 38
Quality of Life: 24

No. 38 Ohio

2009 Rank: 37
Business Costs Rank: 32
Labor Supply Rank: 47
Regulatory Environment: 12
Economic Climate: 46
Growth Prospects: 37
Quality of Life: 12

No. 39 California

2009 Rank: 38
Business Costs Rank: 44
Labor Supply Rank: 25
Regulatory Environment: 43
Economic Climate: 28
Growth Prospects: 11
Quality of Life: 22

No. 40 New Jersey

2009 Rank: 45
Business Costs Rank: 46
Labor Supply Rank: 20
Regulatory Environment: 41
Economic Climate: 33
Growth Prospects: 33
Quality of Life: 5

No. 41 West Virginia

2009 Rank: 46
Business Costs Rank: 5
Labor Supply Rank: 48
Regulatory Environment: 46
Economic Climate: 38
Growth Prospects: 23
Quality of Life: 40

No. 42 Alaska

2009 Rank: 42
Business Costs Rank: 29
Labor Supply Rank: 31
Regulatory Environment: 42
Economic Climate: 27
Growth Prospects: 27
Quality of Life: 42

No. 43 Wisconsin

2009 Rank: 48
Business Costs Rank: 35
Labor Supply Rank: 36
Regulatory Environment: 36
Economic Climate: 34
Growth Prospects: 47
Quality of Life: 10

No. 44 Louisiana

2009 Rank: 44
Business Costs Rank: 25
Labor Supply Rank: 50
Regulatory Environment: 27
Economic Climate: 41
Growth Prospects: 18
Quality of Life: 50

No. 45 Vermont

2009 Rank: 47
Business Costs Rank: 42
Labor Supply Rank: 16
Regulatory Environment: 45
Economic Climate: 39
Growth Prospects: 45
Quality of Life: 15

No. 46 Hawaii

2009 Rank: 39
Business Costs Rank: 47
Labor Supply Rank: 21
Regulatory Environment: 44
Economic Climate: 21
Growth Prospects: 41
Quality of Life: 28

No. 47 Michigan

2009 Rank: 49
Business Costs Rank: 38
Labor Supply Rank: 46
Regulatory Environment: 14
Economic Climate: 42
Growth Prospects: 49
Quality of Life: 30

No. 48 Mississippi

2009 Rank: 40
Business Costs Rank: 20
Labor Supply Rank: 49
Regulatory Environment: 30
Economic Climate: 49
Growth Prospects: 31
Quality of Life: 48

No. 49 Rhode Island

2009 Rank: 50
Business Costs Rank: 41
Labor Supply Rank: 34
Regulatory Environment: 50
Economic Climate: 50
Growth Prospects: 23
Quality of Life: 17

No. 50 Maine

2009 Rank: 41
Business Costs Rank: 47
Labor Supply Rank: 26
Regulatory Environment: 48
Economic Climate: 45
Growth Prospects: 44
Quality of Life: 16

Mega Tribune

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Top world cities