Nearly 60 percent of Beijingers felt happy to live in the city last year, a figure similar to the 2006 findings,  while 67.2 percent felt affected by pollution, according to a report on the living index of Beijing residents.

The report was released on Friday by the Capital University of Economics and Business.

Among the findings, it revealed youth below 15 and seniors above 60 have a stronger sense of happiness than those aged between 15 and 60. Women felt it is easier to obtain a sense of happiness from family, while men get their sense of happiness through higher income and personal-value fulfillment.

The report showed 67.2 percent of residents felt affected by environmental pollution to different degrees. They regarded air pollution as their biggest headache. Car emissions were blamed as the major source for air pollution.

The report indicated most Beijingers felt safe, while 22.2 percent felt unsafe, similar to the 2006 figures.

Other findings revealed 43 percent felt "economically not safe" as they worried they might be laid off or their income would slide.

Although the Beijing Municipal Government implemented a variety of policies to boost public transport, such as cutting metro fares, residents' satisfaction index on transport failed to reach the 60 percent mark, down 11.1 percent from the previous year. Most complained they spent longer time on the road due to traffic in 2007.

(Xinhua News Agency January 21, 2008)