PRINCETON, N.J., March 24 (UPI) -- The United States has a higher global approval rating for leadership than China, Russia, Japan, France, Britain and Germany, Gallup said Thursday.
Gallup said its worldwide surveys document a noticeable shift in the U.S. global leadership position from 2007 and 2008, when the U.S. trailed other major powers. The increases the United States experienced in 2009 did not necessarily extend into 2010, the pollster said.
The United States earned a 47 percent approval rating, results indicated. China had a 31 percent approval rating. At 27 percent, Russia had the lowest approval rating among the world powers that were subject of the survey. France, Germany, Britain and Japan had global ratings ranging from the mid-30s to the low 40s.
Gallup asks respondents in more than 100 countries annually whether they approve or disapprove of the job performance of the leadership of the United States and six other major countries.
In many cases, a large number of respondents said they didn't know enough to rate the leadership of the country, indicating low approval does not necessarily signal high disapproval, the Princeton, N.J., pollster said.
The survey also indicated the United States remained the most desired destination for immigrants. Other countries listed as destinations were Canada, Britain, France, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and Australia.
Results are based on face-to-face and telephone interviews with approximately 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, depending on the country, Gallup said. The margin of error ranges from 1.7 percentage points to 5.7 percentage points.
