A period of relative stability has put the Iranian capital No1 on the list of world cities that have achieved biggest improvements in liveability over the past five years, as calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The “most improved” top 10 contains some unexpected names. So, eg, the fourth place: Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Latest ranking: 128; Ranking five years ago: 131; Five-year index movement: 3.8%. Here: A supporter of Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara campaigns in a market in the city’s Koumassi quarter. (Photo by Sia Kambou/AFP Photo)

Fans dressed as Darth Vader and Chewbacca take a boat trip to the Skelligs on May 4, 2018 in Portmagee, Ireland. The first ever Star Wars festival is taking place against the backdrop of the famous Skellig Michael island which was used extensively in Episode VII and Episode VIII of the popular science fiction saga. The small fishing village of Portmagee, which is closest to the location, has seen a boom in tourism following the latest films. The vilage will host a Star Wars drive-in and a Star Wars themed Irish dancing competition over the weekend. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

A donkey is seen before the start of the procession of the “Virgem da Atalaia” during Holy Week at Alcochete, near Lisbon April 5, 2015. Women ride donkeys during the “Virgem da Atalaia” procession, that has been held annually for about 400 years. In the past, only single women rode the donkeys to ask for help from the Virgin to find a husband. (Photo by Rafael Marchante/Reuters)

Women wearing face-kini masks lie on a beach to rest in Qingdao, Shandong province, China, June 3, 2015. A pale complexion is highly prized as delicate and feminine in China while dark skin suggests tanning caused by farming the fields or other lowly, outdoor work. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)

“A Balinese man shows off his pride and joy, a fighting cock, while on a cigarette break after a morning’s work in nearby fields”. (Photo by Coltrane Koh/The Guardian)

People dressed in fifties-style outfits dance during the 23rd Rockin' Race Jamboree International Festival in downtown Torremolinos, near Malaga, southern Spain February 4, 2017. (Photo by Jon Nazca/Reuters)

Runner-up. “The City of London, looking towards the Royal Exchange and the Bank of England. The ever-changing London skyline provides many excellent opportunities for cityscape photography, none more exciting than the ebb and flow of traffic at night”. (Photo by Mark Caldon/The Guardian)

Juri Mitomi, 20, holds a cigarette after a Coming of Age Day celebration ceremony at an amusement park in Tokyo January 12, 2015. According to a government announcement, more than 1.2 million men and women who were born in 1994 marked the coming of age this year, an increase of approximately 50,000 from last year. The increase is also the first since 1995. (Photo by Yuya Shino/Reuters)