Middle East & North Africa

A median of 68% across 19 countries think their country has done a good job dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, with majorities saying this in every country surveyed except Japan. However, most also believe the pandemic has created greater divisions in their societies and exposed weaknesses in their political systems – and these view are especially common in the U.S.

As President Joe Biden embarks on his first visit to Israel as president, he does so against an amicable backdrop: A majority of adults in both Israel and the United States have favorable views of the other country and the current state of bilateral relations, though Americans’ views on Israel differ sharply by party and age.

Most say U.S. is reliable partner, and ratings for Biden are mostly positive – although down significantly from last year.

Nearly 19,000 adults in publics ranging from the UK, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Germany, and the U.S., among others, share where they find meaning in their lives and what keeps them going.

Family is preeminent for most publics but work, material well-being and health also play a key role.

A median of 45% across 34 surveyed countries say it is necessary to believe in God to be moral and have good values. However, public opinion on this question, as well as the role of God, prayer and religion varies by country, region and economic development.

Majorities say the democratic principles tested on our survey are at least somewhat important. But often, underwhelming percentages describe democratic rights and institutions as very important.

President Trump and his policies continue to receive negative reviews from people worldwide, with a lack of confidence in his leadership especially common in Western Europe. While views of the U.S. are positive overall, they vary widely among some of its key allies.

Most live in Germany, the UK, Italy and France, and about half had arrived in Europe in recent years. Overall, these migrants account for less than 1% of Europe’s total population.

Worldwide, an estimated $625 billion (USD) was sent by migrants to individuals in their home countries in 2017, a 7% increase from 2016, when the amount was $586 billion, according to economists at the World Bank. This increase follows two consecutive years of decline.

More countries see climate change as a top international threat, but many people also name ISIS and cyberattacks as their top security concern.

A median of 53% in five Middle Eastern and North African countries also see Iran playing a more important role, but fewer say Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have gained influence.

In the last few years, the number of refugees annually resettled by the U.S. has not consistently grown in step with a worldwide refugee population that has expanded nearly 50% since 2013.

About half of those who applied for asylum in Europe during the refugee surge of 2015 and 2016 were still waiting to learn their fate as of the end of last year.

People around the world identify ISIS and climate change as the leading international threats. Many also name cyberattacks from other countries and the condition of the global economy as major challenges.

People around the world identify ISIS and climate change as leading international threats. Many also name cyberattacks from other countries and the condition of the global economy as major challenges.

Regional conflict and economic opportunity boost number of migrants from 25 million to 54 million.

The recent wave of asylum seekers to 28 EU countries, Norway and Switzerland accounts for one-in-ten asylum applications to the region since 1985.

Pope Francis, leader of the world’s nearly 1.1 billion Catholics, enjoys broad support across much of the world: a median of 60% across 43 nations have a favorable view of him. Only 11% see the pope unfavorably, and 28% give no rating.

People in emerging economies are considerably more satisfied with their lives today than they were in 2007.

With parliamentary elections approaching later this month, Tunisian support for democracy has declined steeply since the early days of the Arab Spring. Just 48% of Tunisians now say democracy is preferable to other kinds of government, down from 63% in a 2012 poll conducted only months after a popular uprising removed longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from office.

Most Pakistanis remain unhappy with the country’s direction, but the public mood is more positive than it has been in recent years. The share saying the economy is in good shape has doubled since last year, and nearly two-thirds view Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif favorably.

As Turkey prepares to vote for its first ever directly elected president, a new Pew Research Center survey finds the Turkish public is divided over the main contender for the office, current Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

As well-publicized bouts of violence, from civil war to suicide bombings, plague the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, concern about Islamic extremism is high among countries with substantial Muslim populations, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. And in the Middle East, concern is growing. Lebanese, Tunisians, Egyptians, Jordanians and Turks […]

As negotiations over its nuclear program continue this week in Vienna, a new Pew Research Center poll finds that Iran’s global image remains overwhelmingly negative. Moreover, ratings for Iran in several Middle Eastern nations have declined significantly in recent years. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who was elected just over one year ago, also receives poor […]

Nearly a year of tumult and violence has drained Egyptians of their optimism and battered the images of key players in the post-Mubarak era, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. As a controversial presidential election approaches, 72% of Egyptians are dissatisfied with their country’s direction, and although most still want democratic […]

Survey Report Each year, the world is reminded of Saudi Arabia’s influential status as the birthplace of Islam, as hundreds of thousands of Muslims from across the globe make the Hajj, or pilgrimage, to the city of Mecca. Perhaps owing to its pivotal role within the Islamic faith, Saudi Arabia tends to be viewed favorably […]

Overview In Tunisia, the euphoric Arab Spring has descended into a summer of discontent. Two years after launching the Arab Spring, setting in motion changes that have convulsed the Middle East and North Africa, worsening national conditions have soured Tunisians’ views of both their political leadership and many national institutions associated with the country’s democratic […]