The world’s most polite countries, according to global survey
For people moving abroad, everyday social interactions can shape how welcomed they feel. This could be as simple as a friendly greeting at their local coffee shop, patience with language barriers, or a simple smile on the street. These moments of politeness can make a big difference in helping someone feel at home in a new country, something we hear often from our customers who move overseas and send money home.
To explore how politeness is perceived around the world, we asked more than 4,600 people from 26 different countries to name the nations they believe are home to the most polite people, based on their personal experiences. We also asked them how polite they deem themselves to be, to explore how global perception compares with self-perception.
Because friendliness can play just as important a role in helping newcomers feel settled, we also asked survey participants to name the countries they believed to be home to the friendliest people.
Key findings
- Japan is viewed as the most polite country in the world, with more than a third of all survey participants globally saying so.
- Canada not only ranks as the second most polite nation in the world, but is also the country perceived as the world’s friendliest.
- The people of Brazil and Chile are the most confident in their own politeness.
The countries perceived as the most polite in the world
We asked people from across the globe to name the country they believe is home to the most polite people. The following list shows the top 25 countries mentioned most often by respondents. This list does not measure rudeness, the results simply reflect which nations people most associate with politeness.
More than a third of those surveyed consider the people of Japan to be the most polite, which is unsurprising given Japan’s reputation as a well-mannered and respectful nation. In fact, Japan’s lead is so strong that it is more than double the number of people who think the same of runner-up, Canada. Even the UK - another famously polite nation - was only perceived to be polite by about 6% of participants.
Let’s dive into the top five in more detail.
Politest countries in the world as voted by thousands
| Rank | Country | Most Polite Nations (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan | 35.15% |
| 2 | Canada | 13.35% |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 6.23% |
| 4 | China | 3.07% |
| 5 | Germany | 2.80% |
| 6 | Philippines | 2.30% |
| 7 | Sweden | 2.26% |
| 8 | Denmark | 2.07% |
| 9 | Finland | 1.92% |
| 10 | South Africa | 1.82% |
| =11 | Australia | 1.73% |
| =11 | Switzerland | 1.73% |
| 13 | United States | 1.57% |
| 14 | India | 1.53% |
| 15 | Ireland | 1.46% |
| 16 | New Zealand | 1.36% |
| 17 | Norway | 1.23% |
| 18 | Netherlands | 1.21% |
| =19 | Thailand | 1.15% |
| =19 | France | 1.15% |
| 21 | Brazil | 1.13% |
| 22 | Spain | 1.11% |
| 23 | Belgium | 1.04% |
| 24 | Italy | 1.02% |
| 25 | Austria | 0.96% |
- Japan
Japan leads the ranking of the world’s most polite nations, with an impressive 35.15% of those surveyed thinking so. Politeness plays a visible role in everyday life in Japan, and the country has long been associated with a culture of respect and social harmony. For example, bowing is not only used to greet people, but also as a sign of respect.1 Their language is also built around honorifics and polite speech, which further reinforces the importance of being considerate of others.
- Canada
Canada has long had a reputation for politeness and friendliness, so it may not come as a surprise that the country takes second place in our ranking, being named as polite by 13.35% of people. While Canadians are sometimes jokingly portrayed as apologising for things beyond their control, the stereotype2 is an oversimplification of a diverse society, with courtesy and consideration still playing an important role in everyday interactions.
A welcoming approach to newcomers, natural beauty, and strong job prospects all help make Canada a popular destination for people moving abroad, as revealed in our recent study of relocation habits.
- United Kingdom
Expectations around politeness from Brits are fairly similar to those of Canadians, with frequent apologies and the use of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ being key language behaviours. This helps explain why 6.23% of those asked perceive the UK to be home to the world’s most polite people. The country’s strong queuing culture is another sign of how politeness is woven into the fabric of everyday social interaction.
Another distinctive part of British culture, although one that perhaps isn’t always polite, is its humour. Often dry and self-deprecating, it can be surprising for newcomers at first, but it’s also one of the things that people moving to the UK love.
- China
In fourth place, we find China, being viewed as polite by 3.07% of survey participants. Politeness here is often rooted in traditions shaped by Confucian values, which emphasise respect, hierarchy, and social harmony. It’s shown in different ways, from respecting elders to avoiding direct confrontation and instead addressing disagreements more subtly. People value maintaining relationships and expressing courtesy in everyday social interactions.3 Planning a move? Consider using Remitly to send money to China.
- Germany
Rounding out the top five is Germany (perceived as polite by 2.80% of those surveyed), where there is a strong emphasis on politeness, direct communication, and privacy. It’s common to use a more formal tone in everyday interactions, though this often becomes more relaxed as relationships develop. Politeness is also reflected through punctuality, reliability, and being considerate of others, for example, by avoiding loud noises late at night or on Sundays (which is typically considered a ‘rest day’).
Which nations perceive themselves to be the most polite?
In addition to discovering who the world believes to be the most polite, we also wanted to explore how this matched perceptions nations have of their own politeness. We therefore asked respondents to reflect on their own behaviour to assess whether they would consider themselves to be polite and if they treat strangers with respect. Respondents received a score based on the extent to which they agreed with the statement, with a high score indicating a high level of politeness.
The findings were fascinating, especially regarding Japan. Perceived as the most polite nation by the residents of other countries, Japanese people’s views of themselves are much more modest, scoring second to last in the self-assessment. Funnily enough, their own scoring may reflect how humility and modesty are valued highly in Japanese culture.
Brazil leads the ranking with a score of 9.46 out of 10, suggesting that the majority of residents there see themselves as polite. Following very closely behind is Chile, with just a few decimal points separating it from the top spot. Both countries are often associated with warmth and hospitality, with a highly social culture where conversation and connection are an important part of everyday life. Rounding out the top three is India, where politeness is more implicit. Supporting friends and family is a social expectation, while saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ may not be.
It’s important to note that less than a point separates the top and bottom-scoring countries, indicating that overall, people across the world rate themselves as fairly polite.
Which countries think themselves as the most polite?
| Rank | Country | Politeness rating (out of 10) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | 9.46 |
| 2 | Chile | 9.46 |
| 3 | India | 9.41 |
| 4 | Sweden | 9.40 |
| 5 | France | 9.36 |
| 6 | Mexico | 9.35 |
| 7 | Spain | 9.34 |
| 8 | South Africa | 9.33 |
| 9 | USA | 9.30 |
| 10 | Portugal | 9.29 |
| 11 | Italy | 9.28 |
| 12 | Austria | 9.26 |
| 13 | Greece | 9.23 |
| 14 | Canada | 9.22 |
| 15 | Ireland | 9.19 |
| 16 | Belgium | 9.17 |
| 17 | Australia | 9.10 |
| 18 | UK | 9.09 |
| 19 | New Zealand | 9.09 |
| 20 | Netherlands | 9.06 |
| 21 | Germany | 8.95 |
| 22 | Philippines | 8.86 |
| 23 | Czech Republic | 8.85 |
| 24 | Hungary | 8.84 |
| 25 | Japan | 8.73 |
| 26 | Poland | 8.68 |
The countries perceived to be the friendliest in the world
Whether you’re moving to a new country or visiting somewhere for the first time, welcoming and friendly people can make a lasting impact on your experience. With this in mind, we also asked respondents which countries they believe are home to the friendliest people.
Canada tops the ranking of where people say the friendliest people live, with the biggest share (10.5%) of people surveyed being under this impression. Brazil follows in second place (7.96%), once again ranking highly, reflecting the country’s reputation for warmth, sociability, and strong community connections.
Australia rounds out the top three (5.10%). With a population known for its laid-back and friendly nature, it comes as no surprise that they’d be viewed as among the world’s friendliest nations. This helps explain why they have previously ranked among the world’s friendliest countries in our wider, friendliness-specific study.
Friendliest countries in the world as voted by thousands
| Rank | Country | Friendliest Nation (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 10.50% |
| 2 | Brazil | 7.96% |
| 3 | Australia | 5.10% |
| 4 | Japan | 4.94% |
| 5 | Spain | 4.90% |
| 6 | Mexico | 4.79% |
| 7 | Italy | 4.50% |
| 8 | Philippines | 4.16% |
| 9 | Ireland | 3.69% |
| 10 | India | 3.42% |
| 11 | Greece | 3.37% |
| 12 | New Zealand | 3.30% |
| 13 | United States | 3.21% |
| 14 | Portugal | 3.17% |
| 15 | South Africa | 3.06% |
| 16 | Thailand | 2.49% |
| 17 | United Kingdom | 2.11% |
| 18 | Netherlands | 1.66% |
| 19 | Sweden | 1.57% |
| 20 | Belgium | 1.55% |
| 21 | Denmark | 1.42% |
| 22 | Colombia | 1.39% |
| 23 | Poland | 1.35% |
| 24 | Finland | 1.33% |
| 25 | Germany | 1.30% |
Our research shows that perceptions of politeness and friendliness can vary widely across cultures. If you’re planning to start a new life in a different country, immersing yourself in the local culture and communities can help you feel settled. Even small gestures of kindness, like a friendly smile or a bow, can help turn unfamiliar places into welcoming communities.
Methodology
Using the surveying platform Prolific, we asked 4,697 participants from 26 countries around the world to name the country they believe has the most polite and friendliest people. We then calculated the total number of votes each country received and ranked them by the highest percentage share.
In addition, we asked them whether they consider themselves to be polite and if they treat strangers with respect. A maximum of 10 points was possible, with higher scores indicating a higher level of perceived politeness.
Note: The self-perception ranking includes only countries where sufficient local responses were collected.
All data is correct as of March 2026.
References
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