It's subjective and culturally dependent, but expat surveys often cite countries like Kuwait, Czechia, Austria, Norway, and Germany as challenging for making friends, while some lists mention Turkmenistan, Brunei, and Uzbekistan, often due to closed societies or limited tourism. However, many locals in these nations are described as reserved, valuing privacy, or having specific social norms, not inherently unfriendly, with differences often arising from cultural gaps.
The latest Expat Insider 2025 ranking reveals the world's least friendly countries for foreigners, with Kuwait once again taking the top spot. Expats cite challenges in making local friends, difficulties integrating into the culture, and a generally unwelcoming social environment.
The unfriendly countries and territories list (Russian: Список недружественных государств и территорий, romanized: Spisok nedruzhestvennykh gosudarstv i territoriy) is a list of countries and territories published by the Russian government that it says "commit unfriendly actions against Russia, Russian companies and ...
The Unfriendliest City in the World is in Germany
For Munich in particular, the last place in the 2024 index is “a new low,” as Internations writes. More than two out of five expats find it difficult to adapt to the local culture. They feel neither welcome nor at home.
Least Visited Countries in the World
🇨🇦 Canada ranked #1 most loved country in the world 🌍✨ Out of 48,000+ global respondents, Canada topped the international reputation list with a score of 78.1.
France is consistently ranked as the #1 tourist country in the world, welcoming over 100 million visitors in 2024, followed by Spain, the United States, and Italy, due to its rich culture, iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, diverse landscapes, and world-class cuisine. While France leads in arrivals, the United States often generates the highest tourism revenue.
According to Condé Nast Traveller's 2025 Readers' Choice Awards, one often-overlooked country has officially been crowned Europe's friendliest. Readers across the world shared their travel intel, and the surprise winner? Estonia.
Munich: No Bavarian hospitality for newcomers
The Bavarian capital received the lowest marks for local friendliness, with nearly half of respondents rating locals as unfriendly.
The Vatican City
Vatican City is not only the least populous country in the entire world but also the least populated in the entire European continent. According to statistics, Around 825 people live within the region that is called Vatican City.
The World's Friendliest Nations, According To Scientific Study
The "most controversial country" is subjective and depends on an individual's or group's geopolitical perspective, but countries frequently cited in global discussions for their controversial status include Israel, Russia, China, and the United States.
Iceland is consistently ranked as the #1 safest country in the world by the Global Peace Index (GPI), a position it has held for over a decade due to extremely low crime, no standing army, high social cohesion, and minimal conflict, though some other reports might place Switzerland or the Netherlands first based on different survey criteria.
Top 10 Least Racist Countries
FCDO advises against all travel
10 unhappiest countries in the world
During the week resting periods are traditionally between 1pm and 3pm (“Mittagsruhe” = ”midday peace”) and between 10pm and 6am or 7am (“Nachtruhe” = “night sleep”). However, specific regulations on resting periods depend on the state you are living in. But keep in mind, Germans are quite direct.
Which is the least friendly city in the world?
A Less than Welcoming Culture
Three in ten expats (30%) say that people in Germany are not friendly towards foreign residents (vs. 18% globally), and 55% find it difficult to make local friends (vs. 36% globally).
Still, there are areas of Europe that are more dangerous than others. Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus are obvious no-go areas right now, but political instability and the ever-present risk of crime are genuine causes for concern elsewhere.
The Most and Least Happy Countries in Europe 2025
Below, we show the happiness scores of European countries from the World Happiness Report 2025. Finland continues its reign as the happiest country in the world for its eighth consecutive year.
In a non-European Union context, the term E3 is commonly used to describe the three largest western European economies: France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
From our natural beauty to our global reputation for kindness, Canada just took the crown as the place people love most.
The number one tourist destination in the world by international arrivals is consistently France, attracting over 100 million visitors annually with Paris, the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, French Riviera, and rich culture being major draws, though the United States leads in tourism revenue and Spain is also a top contender.
Finland nabbed first place again in 2025. This makes it the happiest country in the world for the 8th year in a row. These countries ranked the best in 2025: Finland.