Canada has once again been crowned one of the most polite places on the entire planet, though another country claimed the top spot.
With the word “sorry” as common as “hello” for my fellow Canadians, this news might not come as a shock. According to a new global survey of over 4,600 people by Remitly, Canada has secured its spot as the second most polite nation in the world, and number one when it comes to friendliness.
While Japan took the top spot for politeness (thanks to a deep-rooted culture of respect and social harmony), Canada isn’t far behind. The study found that 13.35% of respondents globally associate Canadians with being exceptionally well-mannered. But where we truly shine is in the “Friendliest” category, where Canada beat out every other nation to take the gold.
“While Canadians are sometimes jokingly portrayed as apologising for things beyond their control, the stereotype is an oversimplification of a diverse society, with courtesy and consideration still playing an important role in everyday interactions,” notes the report.
The 10 Most Polite Countries In The World
According to the global survey, these are the most polite nations in the world:
- Japan (35.15%)
- Canada (13.35%)
- United Kingdom (6.23%)
- China (3.07%)
- Germany (2.80%)
- Philippines (2.30%)
- Sweden (2.26%)
- Denmark (2.07%)
- Finland (1.92%)
- South Africa (1.82%)
Interestingly, the study also looked at how countries view themselves. While the world thinks Japan is the height of politeness, Japanese respondents were actually quite modest about their own manners. Meanwhile, Canada ranked high in both categories, proving that we aren’t just polite because people expect us to be; it’s actually woven into the fabric of our everyday lives.
