A LEADING travel book has ranked York as among the 200 best cities to live in the entire world.

Lonely Planet's Cities Book says York is one of the most "interesting, attractive, liveable and challenging" places to live on the planet.

The book, which is compiled by travellers, authors and Lonely Planet staff, states: "York is a magical kind of place that makes you wish - if only for an instant - that the industrial revolution had never happened."

The rating is a further boost to the city following last week's reports that it had been labelled the "boom city of the north".

According to an independent 250-page report from the Office Of The Deputy Prime Minister, York's population is growing faster, its economic performance is stronger, its unemployment is lower and its residents' skills and qualifications are greater than almost any other city across the region.

Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of York Tourism Bureau, said she was "not surprised" by the rating.

"These are the sort of comments we get from visitors all the time," she said.

"Seventy eight per cent of our four million visitors come back, so in a way this is confirmation of what we already know.

"We're delighted because this sort of thing can only bring extra visitors to the city."

Nick Brown, vice-president of York Chamber of Trade and owner of Brown's department store, said the city's growing reputation for shopping would have been a factor in the guide's high rating. "It's quite sensational," he said. "We've seen an explosion in new shopping in York in the last six months which is quite exciting. We've got the marvellous museums and heritage and that is now matched by the quality of the shopping experience."

York was voted the second best English city behind London, but ahead of Manchester and Bath. Paris was named the best city in the world. In a previous Lonely Planet guide, York was labelled a city of "extraordinary cultural and historical wealth".

Updated: 10:14 Wednesday, March 15, 2006