In a shocking turn of events, Portugal has emerged as the second "friendliest" country in the world, according to the Nation Brands Index 2023 by Ipsos. I mean, who knew friendliness could be measured, right? Move over Germany, Japan has snatched the crown for the country with the best brand image, leaving Germany in second place after a reign that started in 2016. It's like the Olympics of friendliness, but with more politeness and fewer medals.
This groundbreaking study, conducted through 60,000 interviews across 20 countries, aims to measure people's perceptions of 60 countries globally. And guess what? Portugal made its debut appearance at number 20 overall. It's like the Portugal hype train just arrived at the station, and everyone's hopping on board!
Now, when it comes to friendliness, Portugal is giving off some serious "Come Chill With Us" vibes, landing right behind New Zealand in the rankings. We imagine the Portuguese people must have smiled and offered warm pastries during the interviews, sealing the deal on their friendliness factor.
The Nation Brands Index evaluates countries based on six aspects of their identity: exports (because who doesn't love a good product origin story?), governance (judging governments like the ultimate reality show), culture, people (shoutout to Portugal's friendliness!), tourism and immigration, and investment (because, let's face it, who wouldn't want to study, work, or live in a country known for its friendliness?).
So, to sum it up, Portugal is not just about beautiful landscapes, historic sites, and delicious cuisine. It's also about having friendly neighbors who could probably win a gold medal in the "Being Nice to Strangers" category.
In the overall rankings, Japan snatched the gold for the best brand image in 2023, leaving us to wonder if their sushi has secret friendliness-boosting powers. Canada held onto its bronze status, proving that being nice is a national sport up north.
And just in case you were wondering, the United Kingdom moved up two places (probably due to extra doses of tea and politeness), Italy slipped down a spot, and the United States climbed two places (maybe because they started saying "sorry" as much as Canadians).
Switzerland maintained its position, France had a not-so-friendly dip down three places (someone pass them a baguette to cheer them up), and Australia and Sweden decided to switch places, keeping us all on our toes.
In conclusion, if you're looking for your next friendly adventure, pack your bags and head to Portugal – the second friendliest place on Earth.
