On Tuesday, Gallup released the results of its 2014 World Affairs poll, which ranks Americans’ overall opinion of 22 foreign countries that are pre-selected by Gallup. Canada came out on top for the second year in a row, while North Korea brings up the rear with just 11% of respondents having a favorable view of the country.
North Korea took over the bottom spot from Iran, whose rating rose from 9% to 12% this year. North Korea's favorability has not exceeded 15% since 2002, consistently making it one of the lowest rated. But this is the first time since 2004 that it has been alone in last place.
The current data come from the 2014 update of Gallup's annual World Affairs survey, conducted Feb. 6-9. The poll was conducted shortly before the United Nations announced the results of a yearlong study concluding that North Korea has committed crimes against humanity, which could lead to the arrest of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as well as drive Americans' perceptions of the country even lower. Americans' opinions of the country fell sharply in 2002, when President George W. Bush labeled the country a member of the "axis of evil" in his State of the Union Address, and have not recovered.
On the flipside, Canada enjoys a 93% favorability rating. Great Britain, Germany, Japan, and France round out the top five. On radio this morning, Pat and Stu challenged Glenn to figure out what countries made the list.
“A Gallup poll came out of what countries… we have the most favorable opinion of,” Pat said.
“Let's see if I can name the top 10… I need a map so I don't forget anything,” Glenn responded. “I would say Canada would be number one. Got to be number one or England.”
While Israel comes in at number seven on the list with a 72% rating, the Palestinian Authority is 15th with a 19% approval.
“Have you been to the Palestinian authority,” Stu asked. “Interestingly enough, not a country. The Palestinian Authority is not a country yet listed under America's perception of foreign countries.”
Rounding out the bottom of the list is Libya, followed by Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and North Korea at the bottom.
“Iran climbed out of the basement,” Stu explained. “They were only 9% positive. They're up three points to be 12%. North Korea went from 12 down to 11. Syria fell a point from 14 to 13.”
“Just a point,” Pat asked. “I mean because, thank you very much, [they] only killed, what, 150,000 of their citizens.”
You can see the entire Gallup report HERE.
Front page image courtesy of the AP