The United States represents perhaps the greatest paradox in the eyes of the world: it is the most feared country on the planet, while also being the most popular nation that people aspire to live in outside their own.

The latest Win/Gallup International’s Annual Global End of Year Survey revealed the United States was most often chosen as the greatest threat to world peace among all nations. Twenty-four percent of respondents chose the U.S., far more than Pakistan (8%), China (6%), North Korea, Israel and Iran (5%).

Even  respondents in the U.S.’s closest ally, the United Kingdom, found the U.S. to be the world’s greatest threat, ranking it on even par with Iran (15%)

In some countries, a majority or near majority of respondents fear the U.S. most as a threat. These include Russia (54%), China (49%) and Bosnia (49%).

Among Americans, Iran was selected as the most fearful threat to world peace, with 20%. Canadians are also of the same mind, with 17% choosing Iran.

But the U.S. is viewed as more than just a bully on the world stage. When asked which country they would most like to live in, 9% of respondents picked the U.S.  Australia and Canada came in second (7%), followed by Switzerland (6%), France, Germany and the United Kingdom at 4%.

Thirty-eight percent said they were happy where they were.

“These results show that although the US is widely regarded as posing the greatest threat to peace, it is, paradoxically, still the most desired country to live in. This could show that for many of the people surveyed across the globe it appears that the notion of the ‘American Dream’ is still alive,” Myra Imran wrote for The International News in Pakistan.

The Win/Gallup survey is based on responses from citizens in 65 countries.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Majority Believes US Major Threat to World Peace (by Myra Imran, Karachi International News)

Happy New Year? The World's Getting Slowly More Cheerful (BBC News)

End of Year Survey: Country Results (Worldwide Independent Network/Gallup)

As a Brand, United States Drops to 8th Place (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

U.S. Popularity Abroad Moves into Positive Territory  (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)