15 Countries That Love Americans (Is the Feeling Mutual?)

What do people around the world think about the United States? A majority of Americans assume foreigners don’t like the U.S. And truthfully, it’s not hard to find that opinion online. Foreigners often stereotype Americans as brash, uncultured, obese, and narrow-minded. Yet at the same time, many people who have negative views of American culture in general find that they like many of the Americans they’ve met in person. Many of the countries that love Americans are those that have had opportunities to interact with thousands of Americans in real life.

So, which countries are most pro-American? We’ve listed the top 15, according to the Pew Research Center, along with the percentage of citizens who hold a favorable view of the United States. What do you think about these countries? Are the positive vibes mutual?

15. Singapore (51%)

Singapore is a city-state of 5.5 million people at the strategic southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It benefits from its location at a chokepoint for sea trade between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Today, it has one of the highest standards of living in the world. Over 30,000 Americans live there, and 4,000 Singaporeans study in the United States. Likely due to this close contact, more than half of Singapore’s citizens have a favorable view of the U.S.

14. Australia (54%)

There are a lot of similarities between Australians and Americans. Both were colonized by the British and both expanded across their respective continents. Culturally, both built more egalitarian societies than the British, breaking down rigid social class distinctions. Americans feel comfortable with Australians’ casual, chill approach to life best summed up in the Australian expression “no worries.”

13. Belgium (56%)

Belgium is a small country that has played an outsized role in world affairs. A key battleground in both World Wars, Belgium is the headquarters of the European Union. As a NATO ally, Belgium trains its military alongside American troops in missions around the continent. Young Belgians are particularly attracted to American music, movies, slang, and other aspects of pop culture.

12. France (57%)

The French capital, Paris, has the dubious distinction of being the most-visited tourist destination in the world. A city of just over two million people, it welcomes a whopping 44 million tourists a year! Because most visitors to France go only to the capital, they may get an unfair impression of the French as rude and unfriendly. This is not true in places that are not totally burned out with droves of tourists, however. American visitors to less-crowded places often find the French to be warm, hospitable, and more than willing to communicate with a combination of French and English. For their part, Americans think of France as the epitome of romantic love and high culture.

11. Netherlands (60%)

The Dutch sometimes remark negatively about American political positions or the entitled attitude of some of the tourists and students who travel abroad to live there. By and large, however, most Dutch people see Americans a sincere, generous, and friendly.

10. Spain (60%)

Although most Americans do not have a fluent command of a second language, those who have studied another language often chose Spanish. This helps overcome some of the language barriers for tourists, students, and businesspeople visiting Spain. Spanish people tend to be curious about Americans and open to friendships with them. More often than not, those contacts make good impressions.

9. Italy (61%)

An estimated 17.8 million Americans trace their ancestry to Italy. It’s no wonder, then, that Italians and Americans feel like family. Something else that helps bond the two cultures is that Americans have learned quite a bit about the Roman Empire and are fascinated by it (there’s a whole meme about this phenomenon). This attitude of cultural appreciation goes a long way to fostering mutual respect and admiration.

8. Canada (63%)

When asked what foreign country they would move to, if they had to, most Americans immediately say “Canada.” The two have a great many cultural similarities and an enormous amount of cross-border commerce and tourism. Though Canadians sometimes feel overwhelmed or ignored by the United States, this doesn’t prevent them from having a high opinion of the country and its people.

7. Germany (63%)

The World Wars were over 80 years ago but still hang like a shadow over Germany. Nowadays, for younger people especially, that seems like ancient history. Germans are more usually appreciated for their high-quality cars, machinery, beer, and avant-garde art. Politically, Germans appreciate their firm postwar alliance with the United States, which contributed to the reunification of their country in 1990. They are also more than willing to adopt aspects of American pop culture. They are not as concerned as the French about the loss of their own culture.

6. United Kingdom (64%)

A fascinating aspect of history is that the U.S. tends to become fast friends with its enemies after defeating them. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the special relationship between the United States and Britain, the former mother country. Despite fighting two wars against one another, being on the same side in every war since has created deep trust between the two societies. British people often admire Americans’ friendliness and some of their cultural products, as well as the security of the NATO defense partnership. Americans often find British accents delightful and consider visiting the U.K. an ultimate bucket list achievement.

5. Sweden (66%)

Sweden ended 200 years of official neutrality in 2023 with its decision to join the NATO alliance. Once approved, this will obligate the United States to come to Sweden’s defense in the event of an attack. Once unthinkable, that possibility seems much more real to Swedish people since nearby Russia’s aggressive invasion of Ukraine and threats to the Baltic States. Swedes enjoy American music and film, while Americans often admire the Swedish lifestyle, aesthetics, and social system.

4. Japan (70%)

Japan is one of the closest allies of the United States despite their bitter rivalry in World War II, which ended with two devastating atomic bombs. During the subsequent American occupation, Japanese society was restructured in line with democratic and free market principles. In the following decades, American culture became popular with the younger generation. Many Japanese people study English and visit the States. And the influence is mutual. Japanese anime has a devoted following among many American youth.

3. Israel (83%)

About 140,000 Jewish Americans have immigrated to Israel, and nearly a million American tourists visit a year. Many people there have families in the United States. The two countries share similar commitments to democracy and free market economics. American support is costly, both financially and in the increased tension it creates with Islamic countries. This fact is not lost on Israelis, who consider their friendship with the United States crucial to the survival of their country.

2. South Korea (89%)

The love between South Korea and the United States goes back to World War II and the Korean War. The American-led allies’ victory over Japan, and later North Korea, made South Korea’s continued existence possible. A large U.S. troop presence in the country, as well as international businesspeople, students, and tourists, have placed ordinary people from both countries in friendly contact. And it appears the feeling is mutual. K-pop and K-drama are hugely popular with young Americans.

1. Poland (91%)

The country that loves the United States most is Poland. Poland has had a rough history. With militarily stronger and more aggressive powers to its east and west, it has been overrun and partitioned many times. After enduring a half-century of Russian-imposed communism, it’s now a NATO ally of the United States. Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine has made Poland more nervous than ever, and more attached to the United States.

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