10 friendliest countries in the world

Remitly, an American digital financial services company, surveyed more than 3,000 people from around the world, using the Big 5 personality test to assess social harmony. Higher scores indicate that the respondent is "friendly, generous, and willing to compromise their interests for others." The results showed thatSouth Africaleading with a score of 34.46/40.

The Remitly team notes that South Africans are warm and welcoming, making visitors feel at ease around them. They are cheerful, love to tell jokes, and are always ready to greet strangers on the street. Another plus for South Africa is that there are 11 official languages ​​spoken, including English, Afrikaans, and nine national languages ​​- making it easier for visitors to make new friends.

Pictured are participants in The Color Run event, held in the town of Stellenbosch, about 50 km from Cape Town.

Greeceranked second with a score of 33.71. According to the survey, people in this country like to strike up conversations with strangers, hoping to build new friendships and relationships. In the Greek language, there is a word "philoxenia" which means "friendship with strangers" or "hospitality". This is a way of life practiced by the Greek people since ancient times, making tourists always want to return to this country.

In daily life, Greeks have a habit of inviting new acquaintances to their homes for a spitiko (home-cooked meal). According to Greek Reporter, people also often go to foreigners' homes and give them local products such as tomatoes, cheese, bread, and olive oil.

Pictured is the Greek town of Santorini.

Third on the list isCroatiawith a score of 33.5. According to Remitly, tourism is an important sector of the Croatian economy, so people are always polite and hospitable. Croatia has a vibrant coffee culture, which helps newcomers dispel feelings of loneliness and quickly make friends. In the photo, high school students jump into the sea to celebrate in Zadar on Norijada (crazy day), which is celebrated nationwide every year at the end of the school year.

Mexicoranked fourth on the list with a score of 33.47, is known as a happy country and has a strong sense of community. Multi-generational family groups often eat together on weekends, building social cohesion. With strangers and tourists, the people are always happy to share and introduce their culture. Visitors are always welcome to join in their festivals.

Pictured is Ik Kil Lake, a famous tourist destination in Mexico.

"Although a bit reserved at first, once you get to know them, you will find that Swedes are extremely friendly and cheerful, worthy of being the top choice for a lasting friendship," commented a Remitly representative.Sweden- The country ranked 5th with 33.3 points.

There is a Swedish proverb that literally translates to “where there is room for a heart, there is also room for a tail” – meaning “where there is friendship, there is always room for someone new”. This shows that Swedes are open to making friends. Pictured, Vaderoarna in Sweden.

Australiaranked sixth on the list with a score of 33.13, people always use the word "mate" as a greeting. Dr Tanya King, a senior lecturer in anthropology at Deakin University in Victoria, once shared that people come to Australia to start anew, to escape the deeply stratified class system in the UK. This is one of the reasons for the friendly culture.

Pictured is the Kangaroo Island area of ​​Australia.

8th place goes toVirtueWith a score of 32.66, it surpasses neighboring countries such as Belgium, France and the Netherlands. According to Remitly, small talk is not as common in the culture as in other European countries, but people are always enthusiastic to welcome visitors or new residents. Pictured is a fan cheering on the German team at Euro 2024.

Estoniain 9th place with 32.58 points. The report points out that Estonians are friendly and hospitable but also value personal space and privacy, which sometimes makes them appear reserved and introverted.

“Don’t hesitate to start a conversation because Estonians love to chat,” Remitly reports. Pictured is Tallinn, Estonia.

Number 10 on the friendliest list isBelgiumwith a score of 32.5. Belgium is famous for the world's best chocolate, impressive architecture and is a suitable place for those who want to move to Europe. Pictured is the Brussels Pride parade taking place in May 2023 in the capital Brussels to call for respect for basic rights for the LGBTQIA+ community.