SA named the friendliest nation in the world
South Africa has been voted the friendliest and ‘most agreeable’ country in the world, according to a scientific study.
Whether you’re visiting a new country for the first time on your travels, or emigrating, the friendliness of its locals can make all the difference.
Warmth and hospitality go a long way in making one feel welcome in a foreign land, and apparently South Africa has this in bucketloads.
According to a scientific study conducted by Remitly, 3 000 participants from around the world provided answers using the Big 5 Personality Test.
Remitly is the largest independent digital money transmitter in the US, and participants were asked a series of questions from the ‘agreeableness’ section of this Test.
Mzansi ended up topping the list of friendliest nations, scoring an emphatic 36.43 out of 40.
THE BIG 5 PERSONALITY TEST
The five key personality traits according to the scientific ‘Big Five’ model are openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, and neuroticism.
Agreeableness is deemed the most effective way to gauge social harmony, and this is where South Africa shone.
Agreeableness also assesses traits like friendliness and a willingness to compromise. Respondents were asked how they feel about people from different nations in terms of concern for others, making time for people, and an ability to make people feel at ease.
Higher scores indicate greater warmth and friendliness, generosity, and general optimism about human nature.
It also makes these people potential friends for those seeking social connections, especially in a new country.
Greeks scored 33.71 on the test, making Greece the second-friendliest nation in the world. The UK ranked as the 18th friendliest nation (though perceived as the second-friendliest by residents of other countries.)
The top 10 friendliest nations in the world, according to the survey, are as follows:
- South Africa
- Greece
- Croatia
- Mexico
- Sweden
- Australia
- Canada
- Germany
- Estonia
- Belgium
SOUTH AFRICA HAS WINNING ATTRIBUTES
South Africa’s outstanding natural beauty, rich cultural diversity, high standard of living and affordabilty make it a popular destination.
Add the accolade of ‘friendliest nation’ and there are many compelling reasons to visit or move there. This is how Remitly interpreted South Africa’s winning score…
“Residents are known for being warm and welcoming, making it easy for travellers and visitors alike to feel at ease around them. It’s not uncommon to be greeted by polite strangers while walking down the street, and South Africans are generally happy to socialise, by engaging in conversations and showing off their good humour, making plenty of jokes. An added plus point is that there are eleven official languages spoken in South Africa (English, Afrikaans and nine indigenous languages), meaning that there are plentiful ways to communicate with the locals and make new friends.”