According to Pew Global Attitudes Project and the 2009 Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index The world's most liked nation is......... The United States of America.

The U.S. claims the top spot in a global survey of culture, tourism, governance and residents.

Chicago was dropped from hosting the Olympics in the first round of decisions last week. And stateside, Barack Obama's average approval rating last month was 52%, according to Gallup. That's compared to spring numbers in the mid-60s.

But two recent reports show that globally, positive opinion of the U.S. has blossomed. Approval of America among the French rose to 75% this year, from 42% in 2008. In Britain, those numbers are 69% and 53%, respectively, according to this year's Pew Global Attitudes Project. The 2009 Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index, released Monday, also supports this notion.

For the first time since 2005 when Simon Anholt--an independent policy adviser to 20 national, regional and city governments--started conducting the survey, the U.S. has been named the most admired country in the world, climbing six spots in the rankings from 2008. Rounding out the top five are other beloved countries like France, Germany, the U.K. and Japan.

Anholt attributed the U.S.' rank to global confidence in Obama. He also believes that former president George W. Bush's incredibly unpopular foreign policy pulled the country down in terms of image. After he left office this year, the only way for the U.S. to go was up. "The country's position was artificially depressed by Bush," says Anholt.

Take a bow southern brothers. You're #1.

I like how all a country has to do is change a figurehead and suddenly global opinion flips.

Ridiculous.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
I like how all a country has to do is change a figurehead and suddenly global opinion flips.

Ridiculous.

You have a problem with being liked?

Great find Intrepid. Correct me if I'm wrong though, but isn't this a measure of 50 countries and not the "entire" world? Yes, I'm feeling pedantic today!

While I find the trend encouraging, opinion is fickle and uninformed. In my country "America" is still a romantisized fiction where the streets are paved with gold, and Obama is something of a moral pope.

You have a problem with being liked?

No, but I believe it's not covering the truth at all.

It's pure propaganda, nothing more.

I think you miss the point.
I'll leave your "figurehead' remark alone!
The USA represents excitement, wealth, freedom and you name it to most of the world. i know thats unfashionable on ATS, the site where spoiled AMERICANS can whine endlessly about everything.
Fact is much of the worlds population would love to live here

Doubt the results would be the same if the rioting developes.Not too surprised,the states werent popular during vietnam years either.

Originally posted by intrepid
After he left office this year, the only way for the U.S. to go was up. "The country's position was artificially depressed by Bush," says Anholt.

Yet, the Obama administration has proved to be a disturbingly scary version of Bush on steroids.

Was Bush not doing it big enough?

I dont know...I think it's pretty simple if you ask me. You come to a party and act like an A-hole(GWB) no one will like you. You come to the party and act civil and polite, treating people with respect and people will like you.(Obama)
Same principle except on a larger scale. People are people no matter if they are world leaders or not.

[edit on 10/9/2009 by CaptGizmo]

Hollywood will make a film stating that america, saves the world, while in reality they torture and kill, and people will love it.

I'm not too surprised, even during Bush, when we had other countries voicing their opinions on how much they dislike us "fat Americans" I didn't see any drop in tourism or immigration. America is still the destination of choice for anyone looking for freedom and the opportunity to make something of yourself.

Europeans may act smug but I see plenty of them around my city every year on vacation. They still watch our movies and buy our clothes, copy our fashion and music. Why do you think it's so ridiculous when I hear a foreigner complaining about America, I always want to say "Then why are you here?"

I should be complaining about them gumming up the works since they don't know how to buy a fare on the subway, they can't read the subway maps, they don't understand how to use the bus, they walk five abreast down the street causing people to dodge out of the way and they get mad when they can't get a busy street to stop so they can take a picture.

New Yorkers don't care where you're from, just get out of the way!!

Haha between this and Obama getting that joke award (Nobel Peace Prize) I think Ive filled my morning quota of laughs. I call utter and complete bull on such notions as the US being the most liked country. People burn effigies of our leaders, talk of wiping us out and delight in referring to us as the Great Satan among other terms, yet some poll claims we are the most liked. The world over hates our foreign policies, despises our global military presence and generally like to think the worst of us so pardon me if I think this poll was engineered from top to bottom and is about as useful as wet toilet paper in the outhouse.

Originally posted by intrepid
Yet, the Obama administration has proved to be a disturbingly scary version of Bush on steroids.

Yep. And yet now the world likes it. It's all a matter of the package that it comes in and how people can't see through what is right in front of them.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by intrepid
Yet, the Obama administration has proved to be a disturbingly scary version of Bush on steroids.

Yep. And yet now the world likes it. It's all a matter of the package that it comes in and how people can't see through what is right in front of them.

I did not say that. I was quoting another member. Please don't misrepresent my words.

It doesn't shock me. Maybe a little surprised. I think these things tend to be driven by the way the questions are asked. Globally, not very many were big fans of Bush, and I'm sure that was reflected in opinions of America. After all, a majority of us voted him in twice. (Okay once - let's not rehash that one).

It wasn't too long ago there was a show on here in the US (maybe 20/20 or Dateline, one of those news magazine type shows) that had an American couple go to France and be as obnoxious as they could possibly be, both in appearance and behavior. Since the conventional wisdom is that the French are rude and snotty to tourists and American tourists specifically, the show did a hidden camera thing to see what happened.

Surprisingly, the French people (waiters included) were as gracious as could be. The only blowback the couple ever got was from other US tourists who were appalled at the way these people were behaving "reresenting" America.

As I recall, the guy was wearing a Dallas Cowboys shirt, so he was probably given a big mulligan under the circumstances.