The Americans love us

Everyone likes to be liked and, boy, do our southern neighbours like us. A recent Pew Research Center survey reveals that of all the countries in the world, we are the Americans' favourite. Eighty-one per cent have a favourable opinion of us.

Oddly, Americans are not so well disposed toward their other neighbour. Only 39 per cent have a favourable opinion of Mexico. Yet Americans visit Mexico far more than any other country, over two million visits a year compared to second-choice Canada with 12.5- million visits. Another surprising result of the survey was that both Germany and Japan are much more popular with Americans than Israel, one of their closest friends. As might be expected, it is more of a favourite with Republicans than Democrats.

Not surprising, only a third of Americans look favourably upon China and Russia although, fortunately, only a small minority see them as adversaries. One country that is not much liked at all is Saudi Arabia. Despite its excessive influence with the U.S. government, barely a quarter of Americans have a positive view of that unpleasant dictatorship.

But they love us. Kind of makes you feel all warm and fuzzy doesn't it?