Best Countries to Make Friends
- New study shows that the best country to make friends is Canada, with a score of 99.6, which reflects high friendliness as well as many lonely and single people looking to connect.
- New Zealand ranks second with the highest loneliness rate at 42%.
- Spain stands out as a country that spends the most time on leisure, with 15.9 hours a week.
A recent study by CasinooftheKings identified the best countries to make friends. The study takes into account happiness, quality of life, friendliness, adventure and safety indexes as well as average hours spent on leisure, number of single people and loneliness rates by country. All data was collected from the reports by The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Numbeo, World Population Review and USNews. The final score takes into account all the mentioned criteria.
| Country | Happiness index | Safety index | Hours spent on leisure and personal care | Quality of Life Index | Single people | Loneliness Rate | Adventure Index | Friendliness Index | Final Score |
| Canada | 6.9 | 54.5 | 14.41 | 161.3 | 45.60% | 31% | 54.5 | 94.3 | 99.6 |
| New Zealand | 7.03 | 52.1 | 14.87 | 184.4 | 35.20% | 42% | 77.7 | 97.9 | 99.0 |
| Italy | 6.32 | 52.9 | 14.89 | 145.6 | 44.7% | 41% | 97.1 | 93.7 | 98.9 |
| Portugal | 6.03 | 68.8 | 14.89 | 167.5 | 43.50% | 18.70% | 78.2 | 92.5 | 98.1 |
| Spain | 6.42 | 64.2 | 15.93 | 180.8 | 29.80% | 27% | 93.0 | 98.2 | 97.8 |
| Ireland | 6.84 | 53.2 | 15.28 | 161.3 | 42.60% | 35% | 59.4 | 91.3 | 97.7 |
| Australia | 7.06 | 52.8 | 14.35 | 185.5 | 24% | 30% | 76.6 | 100 | 97.6 |
| Finland | 7.74 | 73.8 | 15.17 | 199.9 | 44% | 14.40% | 48.9 | 89.2 | 97.5 |
| Sweden | 7.34 | 51.7 | 15.18 | 186.7 | 52% | 25% | 51.3 | 82.6 | 96.3 |
| Switzerland | 7.06 | 73.9 | 15.02 | 204 | 53.20% | 12% | 63.6 | 81.0 | 95.8 |
The best country to make friends is Canada, with a score of 99.6 which reflects high friendliness as well as a large number of lonely and single people looking to connect. Almost a third of the country’s population is lonely, which makes ample opportunities for people to make friends. Canada also has a high happiness index, making it a perfect country to forge new bonds.
New Zealand ranks second in the list of the countries to make friends, with a score of 99. People here spend more time on leisure than in Canada and prefer a more adventurous lifestyle. When it comes to loneliness, it affects 42% of the population, with many people searching for new friends.
Italy follows closely with third place and a score of 98.9, just 0.1 behind New Zealand. Italians have the highest adventure index and spend more on leisure than Canada or New Zealand. Italy also has the third-highest number of single people in the ranking at 44.7%, showing high potential for new connections.
Portugal takes fourth place, getting a score of 98.1. The country has both high friendliness and happiness indexes, showing a good ground for social encounters. People in Portugal spend the same amount of time on leisure as in Italy, with 14.8 hours.
Spain is fifth in the ranking of the best countries to make friends, scoring 97.8. Spain has a high safety index of 64.2 and its residents spend the most time on leisure activities, almost 16 hours in a week, which gives a lot of opportunities for meeting new people. People in Spain also prefer an adventurous lifestyle, being second only to Italians.
Ireland holds sixth place, with a score of 97.7. People in Ireland also spend over 15 hours on leisure and personal care weekly, being second only to Spain. Number of single people in Ireland is similar to Portugal but loneliness affects almost twice as many people at 35%, encouraging people to forge new friendships.
In seventh place is Australia, getting a score of 97.6. The country has a high happiness index at 7.06, higher than in Canada and New Zealand. Australia is the most friendly country with an index of 100. Loneliness still affects around 30% of the population, showing that many residents are open to more social activities.
Finland takes eighth place, with a score of 97.5. The country also has the highest happiness index in the ranking but the adventure score is low, showing that Finland residents prefer quiet life. The country has one of the highest safety scores, making it easier to look for new friends.
Sweden is ninth, scoring 96.3. People here enjoy high quality of life and safety, making it a great place for meeting new people. More than half of the population of Sweden is single at 52% but loneliness affects only 25%, two percent less than in Spain, showing that the population can balance their relationships well.Switzerland closes the ranking of the best countries to make friends with tenth place and a score of 95.8. The country has the highest safety index, with 73.9. Loneliness affects the Swiss population the least, only with 12% of residents, but a high friendliness score shows that people here are open to new friendships. Just as in Sweden, more than half of the population is single, totalling 53.2%, the highest rate in the top-10.