A new study of 4,600+ people by Remitly reveals the world’s most polite nations. South Africa has secured a top 10 spot, outranking Australia and the US.
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If you’ve ever touched down at OR Tambo, King Shaka or Cape Town International, you know that unmistakable feeling of a warm "howzit!" and a genuine smile from a stranger.
Now, a major global study has confirmed what locals have known all along: South Africa is officially one of the top 10 most polite nations on Earth.
Digital financial service provider Remitly recently surveyed over 4 600 people across 26 countries to find out which nations are the most polite and friendly.
The results show that for anyone looking to move or travel to a new home, South Africa is one of the places that offers a world-class welcome.
While Japan and Canada took the top two spots for global perception, South Africa secured a 10th-place finish.
Politeness isn't just about saying "please" and "thank you." According to the study, it’s about the small interactions that make a newcomer feel at home:
Patience with language barriers.
Offering help to those who look lost.
Basic courtesy in the workplace and on the street.
South Africans outperformed major travel hubs like Australia, the United States and Ireland in the global rankings for politeness.
The United Kingdom (UK), China, Germany, the Philippines, Sweden, Denmark and Finland were positioned between third and ninth.
The study also looked at self-perception, how much residents believe in their own good manners. South Africans are quite confident in their hospitality, ranking eighth in the world for self-politeness with a score of 9.33 out of 10.
Brazil took the first position, followed by Chile (2nd), India (3rd), Sweden (4th), France (5th), Mexico (6th), Spain (7th), the United States (9th) and Portugal (10th).
The study also measured friendliness, a key factor for anyone relocating to a new country.
South Africa once again made the global shortlist, ranking in the top 15 friendliest nations worldwide.
“Moving to a new country is made a lot easier by positive everyday interactions that share whether someone feels welcome or not," said Ryan Riley, vice president of Remitly.
"Small acts of courtesy, whether that’s patience over a language barrier, or giving up a seat on public transport, can have a real impact on someone who is starting over thousands of miles from their home."
He said that an interesting finding in the research was the gap between how nations see themselves and how the rest of the world sees them.
"Japan, for example, is widely viewed as the most polite country globally, yet its residents rate themselves among the least polite. That contrast highlights how cultural values like humility can shape self-perception.
"For anyone relocating abroad, understanding what politeness looks like locally, whether that’s direct communication, social warmth or quiet respect, can make settling in smoother and help build connections more quickly," ended Riley.
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