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Who Americans Consider Their Allies, Friends & Enemies

February 23, 2017 69 Comments

Who Americans Consider Their Allies, Friends & Enemies

Map created by reddit user ShilohShay

The map above shows which countries Americans consider their allies and friends and those they consider unfriendly or even their enemy.

The data is based off a YouGov poll conducted between January 28 – February 1, 2017, which asked 7,150 adults living in the United States the question:

“Do you consider the countries listed below to be a friend or an enemy of the United States?”

Reddit user ShilohShay explains that:

For the purpose of extrapolating more interesting data from the poll, I only added a country to “Don’t Know” in this map if 50% or more of Americans picked that option. Otherwise I went with the plurality opinion.

Top 10 US Allies were:

  1. Canada
  2. Australia
  3. UK
  4. France
  5. Italy
  6. Ireland
  7. Israel
  8. Norway
  9. Sweden
  10. Germany

Top 10 US Enemies were:

  1. North Korea
  2. Iran
  3. Syria
  4. Iraq
  5. Afghanistan
  6. Russia
  7. Libya
  8. Somalia
  9. Pakistan
  10. Palestine

While many of the enemies are the ones you’d expect, only 11% of Americans consider China their enemy and just 9% consider Cuba their enemy.

Want to read more on America’s allies and enemies? Then have a look at the following books:

  • The Unquiet Frontier: Rising Rivals, Vulnerable Allies, and the Crisis of American Power
  • A World in Disarray: American Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Old Order
  • America’s War for the Greater Middle East: A Military History
  • The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism
  • Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War

Enjoy this map? Please help us by sharing it:

Filed Under: World Maps Tagged With: military

Comments

  1. wolfram says

    February 24, 2017 at 3:40 pm

    Well that’s not too bad.

    Reply
    • Jonathan Rodriguez says

      March 6, 2019 at 6:36 am

      I admired our allies on this list.and yes this map is a great info for school projects.

      Reply
      • Cameron Fraser says

        January 20, 2020 at 5:23 pm

        The caveat being that this assessment is public opinion and does not represent American military or diplomatic policy, which is quite different in the case of some countries.

        Reply
    • DTrumpIV says

      January 30, 2020 at 6:09 am

      Friends/Allies close…..enemies/foe…..even closer.

      Reply
    • SamDaMan says

      April 15, 2021 at 6:38 pm

      My only issue with this map is that for some reason Japan, the country that is the USA biggest ally and the USA being Japans best ally. smh

      Reply
      • American Military Freak says

        October 6, 2021 at 8:08 am

        I agree, I dont understand why some of the usa’s main allies are only considered friendly on this map.

        Reply
        • Iron falcon says

          February 10, 2022 at 4:53 pm

          Hard agree, this map is pretty ignorant, almost all of the USA’s best allies are shaded as just “friendly” and they didn’t even include places like the Baltics as allies because most americans don’t even know what countries they are

          Reply
    • Joe says

      December 15, 2021 at 2:51 am

      Wrong almost everyone i talk to said russia , China then north Korea. Yall think these little taliban or isis can invade our homeland? No the bigger threats can. Don’t down play and submit to China. They’re actually #1 on enemy list..

      Reply
      • James young says

        January 25, 2022 at 2:09 pm

        How do you know that isis and these groups that you call small aren’t already here among us in the united states’of America even something small could be devastating

        Reply
      • Iron falcon says

        February 10, 2022 at 4:49 pm

        Just because a country is going to have a hard time invading you doesn’t mean they’re your best friends

        Reply
  2. multifarkukutya says

    March 21, 2017 at 9:39 am

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a9d6a501b56ee10fb0405d912008632ba929a42f1fd1ca72b496009f6d79ab64.jpg

    https://youtu.be/DyX_WPSPqyI

    Reply
  3. Clay C. says

    August 23, 2017 at 9:12 pm

    The above list apparently means Italy, Norway & Sweden all are perceived as closer/friendlier than Germany, but the map clearly shows them as less so — ?? If Germany is dark green on the map, shouldn’t all others above it on the list be colored likewise?

    Reply
    • Mr. Toast says

      October 14, 2020 at 8:23 am

      No, because more people voted for „friendly“. It is not a scale, but four options with the most popular one winning.

      Reply
  4. Makayla King says

    June 11, 2018 at 12:58 pm

    This was great info for a school project!

    Reply
  5. Paridon Williams says

    June 18, 2018 at 10:08 pm

    This may have changed because of President Obama because according to world census’s the Obama’s were the “Most Liked and Trusted” American President and First Family that America has ever had.

    Donald Trump may have reversed some because of his blatant hate and racist nature which can never be trusted even by White folks because racism is held together by Governments and the 1%!!

    ~Paridon

    Reply
    • Peggy says

      February 4, 2019 at 2:53 am

      I believe your statement is wrong. It was Obama that caused
      everything you stated

      Reply
      • anonymous says

        July 10, 2019 at 7:53 pm

        The above poster is correct and you are wrong but keep living in your bubble because you fear “others”. trump is a racist and has alienated us from some of our allies and you are okay with that? So sad for the country when we have those in our backyard who see this president as normal. Shame on you!

        Reply
        • Steele R.B says

          September 11, 2019 at 9:00 am

          Wake up this country went to shit with our last President.

          Reply
      • Scooper 55 says

        September 28, 2019 at 5:36 pm

        Thank you . Lol they don’t know what to say they don’t know the facts

        Reply
    • Matt says

      July 24, 2019 at 7:39 am

      Proof to what you’re saying??

      Reply
    • Anonymous candidate says

      August 21, 2019 at 5:48 pm

      Very untrue. Obama was only friendly with those specific countries because he was in the process of trade with them! Obama sold arms to iran, Pakistan, and many more enemy countries arming them to kill themselves; arming them to kill us, Letting people flood the united states that were undocumented. In addition to that, he also was very unclear in his first presidential debate on what he would do for america. It was more about how america was going to treat other countries and other people in those countries basically doing nothing for america and everything for other countries! Do you not want your country first?

      Reply
    • Shano says

      August 26, 2019 at 2:05 am

      Spreading the popular misguided narrative of the far left I see.

      Reply
      • Scooper 55 says

        September 28, 2019 at 5:39 pm

        They always do all they care is if they can make everyone think the way they do . With their pea sized leftist sheep brain consisting failure of a human . Hahah

        Reply
    • Dehejrne says

      November 3, 2019 at 3:26 pm

      Dude that’s so untrue

      Reply
    • Nicole says

      January 4, 2020 at 5:22 pm

      Why does Trump help black communities out and try to lift them up? Tell me how that’s racism? Did it ever cross your mind that it’s the mainstream media and people who scream racism and you’re hurting my feelings that keeps the fire burning. Perhaps if everyone who keeps bringing up racism stopped and focused on something productive their world would be a better place for all. Stop letting the Democratic Party beat you into submission.

      Reply
    • Jacob says

      January 8, 2020 at 4:43 pm

      How dare you pig!!!! Thats not history thats yours and its falling on closed ears and obama osama was the worst President in America we had a depression were many people lost there homes just so they filled there pockets just answer me this what have they done for you and our country in the last 12 years ….crap…..

      Reply
    • Man from Iran says

      January 10, 2020 at 8:00 pm

      This is very true. Before when Obama was your president we were chill. And the orange, corn dude in office is such an idiot.

      Reply
    • Laine says

      June 28, 2020 at 6:31 pm

      Paridon, you’re either exceedingly duped or you’re a liar. You’re entire
      racist statement is upside down, backwards. The Obamas have never been liked, respected nor trusted by any real patriotic Americans let alone foreigners. President Trump remains the most popular President nationally and world-wide since President Washington.
      Your revisionist attempt here will not effect current & historical fact.

      Reply
      • Preston says

        August 9, 2020 at 6:51 pm

        Sorry kid, you’re wrong, I would guess because you’ve never actually spoken to anyone from outside your Fox News bubble, let alone anyone from another country.
        Obama was pretty much universally respected around the world.
        By contrast, just about everyone is laughing at Trump because he is not only fundamentally stupid and ignorant, he is so incredibly stupid he has no idea just how stupid he is. He is just embarrassingly uniformed, but too arrogant to admit he is completely out of his depth.

        Reply
    • Joe tyuops says

      January 23, 2022 at 1:36 pm

      Peace through strength and tump don’t have a racist bone in his body speak truth

      Reply
    • Steve smith says

      February 21, 2022 at 6:05 am

      Lmao!?

      Reply
  6. Snow Wang says

    August 8, 2018 at 8:59 pm

    I do not like the key, I am from China.

    Reply
    • David Boyter says

      February 14, 2019 at 11:42 pm

      Go back if you don’t like it!

      Reply
      • Tim says

        March 9, 2019 at 3:59 pm

        That’s not helping.

        Reply
    • fake name says

      April 19, 2019 at 7:28 pm

      this is not even a fraction of america’s opinion i disagree, i like china

      Reply
      • cheese says

        October 11, 2019 at 10:05 am

        You think the chinese government, a brutal one-party dictatorship known for persecuting minorities in Tibet, Xinjiang and elsewhere is likeable?

        Reply
        • HM says

          November 11, 2019 at 12:18 am

          they also abuse the ughyur muslims like animals and make them mary athiest han men . china can burn.

          Reply
        • Fdc says

          May 15, 2021 at 5:52 am

          Wack!

          Reply
    • JT says

      September 12, 2019 at 1:51 am

      Well guess what China is still one of America’s enemies whether you live there or not!

      Reply
  7. Bob says

    January 11, 2019 at 6:51 pm

    Japan should definitely be listed as an ally.

    Reply
    • Anonymous says

      January 4, 2020 at 2:07 pm

      Japan is not an ally because the Japanese bombed our harbor in Hawaii. It was a terrorist attack on the U.S. Pearl Harbor Recognition Day is December 7th if im not mistaken.

      Reply
      • Anoymous says

        May 16, 2020 at 2:29 am

        Japan is an ally.They bought stuff from the USA. The USA is the reason why Japan is 3rd in GDP.

        Reply
      • Anonymous says

        June 7, 2020 at 5:17 am

        Wouldn’t Japan be orange or red? Japan is a trading partner of the USA. 85% of the Japanese like the US. The US is the reason why Japan has good technology.

        Reply
        • American Military Freak says

          October 6, 2021 at 8:15 am

          No, Japan is one of Americas best allies, since the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, As a condition of ending the Occupation and restoring its sovereignty, Japan was also required to sign the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty, which brought Japan into a military alliance with the United States.

          Reply
      • Danielle Walsh says

        January 22, 2022 at 12:13 am

        It was not a terrorist attack plus after the nukes they surrendered and became some really big allys.

        Reply
  8. Richard Garcia says

    March 4, 2019 at 8:29 am

    Why are some countries highlighted gray? What does gray mean?

    Reply
    • person12 says

      April 9, 2019 at 1:50 pm

      The gray means we have no tie with them i’m pretty sure.

      Reply
  9. Craig Michael Vandertie says

    May 4, 2019 at 9:17 am

    If you do not consider all predominantly islamic nation and Communist nation any enemy and a serious threat the the principles of which our Constitutional Republic are built then you are a delusional fool.

    Reply
    • Hadaf says

      May 16, 2019 at 12:42 pm

      That’s why your POTUS is so buddy buddy with Saudi Arabia, right boy?

      Reply
  10. Ryan Kim says

    May 31, 2019 at 8:44 pm

    I think the Afghan government likes us, I think Pakistan doesn’t mind us except that we also like India. Pakistan is a MNNA. Japan and New Zealand are also close. By the way Egypt is ally not friendly.

    Reply
  11. Dawana says

    October 1, 2019 at 4:33 pm

    Would somebody tell me why the U.S. is in a trades war with China. What good can come of it?

    Reply
  12. Trent BH says

    January 3, 2020 at 7:56 pm

    Beware the Nationalist nature of Extremely wealthy states. When the rich 1% get the working classes fighting amongst themselves and thus blurring the divisional lines between the extreme and the liberal then chaos remains and Dictatorships are born. History teaches us that only the poorer classes get slaughtered physically, mentally and spiritually. Learn to agree to disagree with respect and vote with all the facts before you in good conscience. Failing this flip a coin and tell no person of this ignorance to democracy. What can one person do anyway. Insert names if you must but check your facts about them first.

    Reply
  13. NYST Sgt. C. Monroe says

    January 8, 2020 at 4:21 am

    Hey, could we get an updated version for 2020? It’ll be a big help for what’s going on now with Iran and the US. Thanks!

    Reply
  14. k10se says

    January 9, 2020 at 4:52 am

    I fully agree. The question is what should we do with a country full of racist Trump supporters.

    Reply
    • Steve smith says

      February 21, 2022 at 6:09 am

      Trump supporters racist??lmao. Get a life. We will be the army that saves your liberal asses!!

      Reply
  15. Matteo says

    January 9, 2020 at 5:26 pm

    This isn’t helping with World War 3 about to happen.

    Reply
  16. anonymous says

    January 9, 2020 at 5:29 pm

    You are nothing but a democrat. You obviosly dont now what you are talking about.

    Reply
  17. Man from Iran says

    January 10, 2020 at 7:58 pm

    Just think what if you werent a US citizen.

    Reply
  18. anon says

    January 16, 2020 at 8:16 am

    Japan should be listed as an Ally. Japan and the US have a direct military alliance treaty since 1960. The US also has over 50,000 troops stationed in Japan, the most out of any foreign country.

    Reply
    • Aidan McDonald says

      April 17, 2020 at 7:29 pm

      Venezuela,Nicaragua,Laos,and Cambodia are actually unfriendly to the us and Rwanda,Afghanistan,and Pakistan are actually friendly to the us.

      Reply
      • laine says

        June 28, 2020 at 6:37 pm

        🤣😂

        Reply
  19. Anonyomous says

    August 23, 2020 at 5:46 am

    Shouldn’t ASEAN,Japan,New Zealand,NATO,Taiwan,and India be an ally because the USA gave money to them during the pandemic to recover

    Reply
    • American Military Freak says

      October 6, 2021 at 8:18 am

      Just because someone give money, does not make someone any ally.

      Reply
  20. NBD says

    October 14, 2020 at 3:10 pm

    On the map Ireland is “friendly,” but on the list Ireland is an “ally.” Can’t you people read your own maps?

    Reply
  21. Azmat says

    October 27, 2020 at 7:45 pm

    I think Pakistan is an all time ally of USA. During cold war as well post cold war. For example its 75000 peoples and more than 10000 forces persons died for US war on terror. It also suffered with economy loss of more then $220 billion from 2001 to 2020, due to US war against terror. I do not know any other US ally suffered in such a way.

    Reply
  22. Arvind says

    December 2, 2021 at 9:00 am

    That’s actually pretty accurate. Pakistan is actually a puppet\friendly country to the US but their people generally hate the US. Also, Japan is an official ally. Same for most NATO countries.

    Reply
  23. 013 says

    April 12, 2022 at 6:28 pm

    China should turn to a enemy soon due to their $1 trillion dollar debt to the United States

    Reply
  24. Ase Johnson says

    April 21, 2022 at 6:49 am

    this map is not accurate

    Reply
  25. AJ_2_swag says

    August 11, 2022 at 10:25 pm

    You stupid mf. SHAME ON YOU. All you are is democratic wos who gets hurt by everything. You shouldn’t factor in a personal judgement when it comes to the presidency. You fool, like literally. I bet you voted for Biden, and I bet you support abortions. Like hello? It’s not your body getting ripped apart. Oh and I also bet you support the new law that New York passed about ending the baby up to 28 days AFTER it is born. Trump wanted a wall. And gee I wonder why. Look at Russia and Ukraine. YOU are living in a bubble if you believe for one second Trump is the worst thing that happened to America. Maybe just maybe if you stopped talking about racism, and focused on bigger events and problems, it wouldn’t exist. Smh a 15 yro having to state facts.

    Reply

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