Ranked: The World’s Most and Least Liked Countries
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Key Takeaways
- Switzerland and Canada have the world’s highest net perception scores, both at +36.
- The United States ranks among the five worst-perceived countries, with a score of -16.
- Israel records the lowest score globally at -24, followed by Afghanistan and North Korea at -19.
How a country is viewed abroad can influence everything from tourism and investment to diplomacy and soft power. While countries such as Switzerland, Canada, and Japan enjoy strongly positive global reputations, others face much more negative perceptions.
This graphic ranks 65 countries by their average net perception score, calculated by subtracting negative views from positive views.
The data comes from the Democracy Perception Index 2026, which surveyed more than 46,000 respondents across 85 countries.
Nice Perceptions of the North Atlantic
Switzerland and Canada top the global rankings with net perception scores of +36, followed closely by Japan (+34) and Sweden (+33).
Of the top 15 best-perceived countries, over two-thirds are located in Europe. Member countries of the European Union, meanwhile, average out to around +26. This average is brought down substantially by France’s relatively low +11 score, which it shares with the United Kingdom.
This data table lists countries based on their net perception globally.
| Rank | Country | Average Net Perception Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Switzerland |
36 |
| 2 |  Canada |
36 |
| 3 |  Japan |
34 |
| 4 |  Sweden |
33 |
| 5 |  Italy |
32 |
| 6 |  Norway |
32 |
| 7 |  Spain |
31 |
| 8 |  Australia |
30 |
| 9 |  Denmark |
30 |
| 10 |  New Zealand |
30 |
| 11 |  Finland |
30 |
| 12 |  Netherlands |
29 |
| 13 |  Ireland |
28 |
| 14 |  Portugal |
26 |
| 15 |  Austria |
25 |
| 16 |  Greece |
24 |
| 17 |  Belgium |
24 |
| 18 |  Singapore |
21 |
| 19 |  South Korea |
21 |
| 20 |  Germany |
21 |
| 21 |  Poland |
19 |
| 22 |  Taiwan |
17 |
| 23 |  Hong Kong |
16 |
| 24 |  Thailand |
14 |
| 25 |  Brazil |
14 |
| 26 |  Malaysia |
13 |
| 27 |  Indonesia |
12 |
| 28 |  France |
11 |
| 29 |  Argentina |
11 |
| 30 |  UK |
11 |
| 31 |  Philippines |
9 |
| 32 |  Egypt |
9 |
| 33 |  South Africa |
9 |
| 34 |  Vietnam |
9 |
| 35 |  Ukraine |
9 |
| 36 |  Turkey |
8 |
| 37 |  China |
7 |
| 38 |  Hungary |
7 |
| 39 |  Morocco |
7 |
| 40 |  Qatar |
6 |
| 41 |  UAE |
4 |
| 42 |  Serbia |
4 |
| 43 |  Kenya |
4 |
| 44 |  Mexico |
2 |
| 45 |  Ethiopia |
0 |
| 46 |  Saudi Arabia |
-1 |
| 47 |  India |
-2 |
| 48 |  Colombia |
-2 |
| 49 |  Yemen |
-3 |
| 50 |  Bangladesh |
-3 |
| 51 |  Lebanon |
-3 |
| 52 |  Cuba |
-3 |
| 53 |  Nigeria |
-3 |
| 54 |  Venezuela |
-5 |
| 55 |  Myanmar |
-5 |
| 56 |  Belarus |
-5 |
| 57 |  Pakistan |
-9 |
| 58 |  Syria |
-10 |
| 59 |  Russia |
-11 |
| 60 |  Iraq |
-13 |
| 61 |  USA |
-16 |
| 62 |  Iran |
-17 |
| 63 |  Afghanistan |
-19 |
| 64 |  North Korea |
-19 |
| 65 |  Israel |
-24 |
The positive global perception of Canada and European countries like Switzerland and Italy (+32) may reflect a mix of factors, including domestic stability, quality of life, diplomatic positioning, and relatively open societies.
Positive perceptions also extend to other developed countries beyond the North Atlantic, including Australia and New Zealand (both +30), as well as major Asian economies such as Singapore and South Korea (both +21).
The Decline of American Soft Power
The United States stands out as a major outlier in the rankings. Despite being the world’s largest economy and one of its most influential countries, it receives a net perception score of -16, placing it among the five lowest-ranked nations in the survey.
While the global view of the U.S. has always been complex, shaped by immigration, culture, and foreign policy, it has deteriorated notably over the last decade. Under the Donald Trump administrations (2017-2021, 2025-present), surveys have consistently reflected a worsening of global public opinion of, and trust in, the United States.
As of 2026, the U.S. does not find itself in the company of peers like Germany, Japan, or even the United Kingdom. Instead, it ranks near countries such as Iran (-17) and Iraq (-13), both of which have long-standing geopolitical tensions with the U.S.
The Worst-Perceived Countries Worldwide
The U.S. is not alone in netting a negative perception score. India (-2) and Pakistan (-9) both received more negative responses than positive, as did Nigeria (-3), Russia (-11), and Saudi Arabia (-1).
No country fares worse than Israel, which has a -24 net perception score. Controversy around the country has grown in recent years owing to its conflicts in Gaza as well as Lebanon, Syria, and most notably Iran.
As a result, Israel records the lowest net perception score in the survey. It ranks below every other country evaluated, including Afghanistan and North Korea (both -19), underscoring how sharply global opinion has shifted in recent years.
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