Similarly, President Obama gets poor marks from Pakistanis – only 7% have confidence in him to do the right thing in world affairs. And key aspects of American foreign policy are widely unpopular. Most believe the U.S. acts unilaterally on the world stage, and there is widespread opposition to American anti-terrorism efforts.

A 74%-majority of Pakistanis see the U.S. as an enemy, and most think U.S.-Pakistani relations have failed to improve over the last few years. Moreover, for a growing number of Pakistanis, enhancing the relationship between the two countries is not an important priority.

Pakistanis express mixed views about American involvement in the fight against extremist groups. On balance, there is support for American financial and humanitarian aid to areas where these groups operate, as well as for U.S. intelligence and logistical assistance to the Pakistani military. Support for both, however, has declined in recent years. And few back American drone strikes.

Over the last decade, the U.S. has provided billions of dollars in aid to Pakistan in an effort to increase bilateral cooperation and improve its image. But these policies are not seen in a positive light by Pakistanis – many say that both American military and economic assistance are having a negative effect on the country.

Low Ratings for U.S., Obama

Fully 80% of Pakistanis have a negative opinion of the U.S., up seven percentage points from last year. This view has become more common over the course of the Obama era. In 2008, during President George W. Bush’s last year in office, 63% expressed a negative view of the U.S.

Throughout Obama’s presidency, few Pakistanis have held a positive view of the American leader. Today, six-in-ten say they have little or no confidence in him, down slightly from last year, but up from the 51% registered in 2009. Obama’s ratings are very similar to those received by President Bush in 2008, when 61% expressed a lack of confidence in the former president.

U.S. Foreign Policy Distrusted

Pakistanis continue to believe the U.S. acts unilaterally in world affairs. Almost two-thirds (65%) do not think the U.S. considers the interests of countries like Pakistan when it is making foreign policy decisions.

Although this has been the prevailing view among Pakistanis for a decade, the percentage who say the U.S. does not consider their interests is up nine points since last year, and is now higher than at any point since Pew began asking this question in 2002.

American anti-terrorism efforts have also been consistently unpopular in Pakistan over the last decade. In the current poll, 61% say they oppose U.S.-led efforts to combat terrorism, essentially unchanged from 62% last year.

Most Say U.S. an Enemy

Nearly three-in four Pakistanis (74%) consider the U.S. an enemy to their country, while just 8% say it is a partner. One-in-ten believe the U.S. is neither a partner nor an enemy, and 8% offer no opinion.

The percentage describing the U.S. as an enemy has grown steadily since 2010 and is currently at its highest point since 2008.

Those who live in the Punjab province are especially likely to think of the U.S. as an enemy (85%).

Pakistani views about their relationship with China are quite different. Nine-in-ten Pakistanis consider China a partner, while just 2% say it is more of an enemy.

Relations Not Improving

A shrinking minority of Pakistanis believe relations between their country and the U.S. are improving. Only 13% say the bilateral relationship has improved in recent years, while 58% disagree.

Assessments of U.S.-Pakistani relations have grown more negative over the last year, and have become considerably more negative since 2010, when the Pakistani public was almost evenly divided on this question. At that point, 36% said relations had improved and 39% said they had not.

Those who identify with the Tehreek-e-Insaf party – led by government critic Imran Khan – are particularly likely to say relations have not improved: 78% hold this view.

Overall, the goal of improving U.S-Pakistani relations is becoming less important to Pakistanis. Less than half (45%) say enhancing the relationship is important, down from 60% last year and 64% in 2010.

Limited Support for U.S. Help in Fighting Extremists

There is some support for cooperation between the U.S. and Pakistan in the fight against extremists. Half want the U.S. to provide financial and humanitarian aid to areas where extremist groups operate, while just one-in-five oppose this idea. Still, support has dropped significantly since 2009, when 72% favored these efforts.

Meanwhile, 37% support the U.S. providing intelligence and logistical assistance to Pakistani troops fighting these groups, while 25% are opposed. Again, support has declined since 2009, when 63% were in favor.

American drone attacks have been consistently unpopular, even if the attacks are coordinated with Pakistani authorities. Only 17% favor the U.S. conducting drone strikes in conjunction with the Pakistani government against leaders of extremist organizations, little changed from 23% in 2010, the first year the question was asked.

Supporters of the Tehreek-e-Insaf party are especially likely to express opposition to American aid and U.S. intelligence and logistical support.

Opposition to Drone Strikes

Just over half of Pakistanis (55%) say they have heard a lot or a little about drone attacks that target leaders of extremist groups. Awareness is considerably higher in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (87%), which borders the semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in northwest Pakistan where most drone attacks have taken place.

Among those who have heard a lot or a little, nearly all (97%) consider them a bad thing. Roughly seven-in-ten (69%) believe the U.S. government is conducting these strikes, while another 18% volunteer that they believe both the U.S. and Pakistan are responsible.

Those who are familiar with the drone campaign also overwhelmingly believe the attacks kill too many innocent people (94%). Nearly three-quarters (74%) say they are not necessary to defend Pakistan from extremist organizations.

Meanwhile, those who have heard about the strikes are somewhat divided over whether they are being done with or without approval from the Pakistani government.

U.S. Assistance Having Negative Impact

On balance, American aid efforts are seen in a negative light by Pakistanis. Around four-in-ten (38%) say U.S. economic aid is having a mostly negative impact on Pakistan, while just 12% believe it is mostly positive. Similarly, 40% think American military aid is having a mostly negative effect, while only 8% say it is largely positive.

Both forms of assistance are held in especially low regard by supporters of the Tehreek-e-Insaf party – 59% see U.S. economic aid negatively, and 61% believe American military assistance is having a detrimental impact on Pakistan.

There is no consensus in Pakistan about whether American assistance is largely military or largely designed to help Pakistan develop economically: 18% say it is mostly military; 17% believe it is mostly economic; 22% think it is both equally; and 43% do not know.

Global approval of President Barack Obama’s policies has declined significantly since he first took office, while overall confidence in him and attitudes toward the U.S. have slipped modestly as a consequence.

Europeans and Japanese remain largely confident in Obama, albeit somewhat less so than in 2009, while Muslim publics remain largely critical. A similar pattern characterizes overall ratings for the U.S. – in the EU and Japan, views are still positive, but the U.S. remains unpopular in nations such as Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Pakistan.

Meanwhile, support for Obama has waned significantly in China. Since 2009, confidence in the American president has declined by 24 percentage points and approval of his policies has fallen 30 points. Mexicans have also soured on his policies, and many fewer express confidence in him today.

The Obama era has coincided with major changes in international perceptions of American power – especially U.S. economic power. The global financial crisis and the steady rise of China have led many to declare China the world’s economic leader, and this trend is especially strong among some of America’s major European allies. Today, solid majorities in Germany (62%), Britain (58%), France (57%) and Spain (57%) name China as the world’s top economic power.

Even though many think American economic clout is in relative decline, publics around the world continue to worry about how the U.S. uses its power – in particular its military power – in international affairs.

There remains a widespread perception that the U.S. acts unilaterally and does not consider the interests of other countries. In predominantly Muslim nations, American anti-terrorism efforts are still widely unpopular. And in nearly all countries, there is considerable opposition to a major component of the Obama administration’s anti-terrorism policy: drone strikes. In 17 of 20 countries, more than half disapprove of U.S. drone attacks targeting extremist leaders and groups in nations such as Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia.

Americans are the clear outliers on this issue – 62% approve of the drone campaign, including most Republicans (74%), independents (60%) and Democrats (58%).

These are among the principal findings from a 21-nation survey conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project from March 17-April 20. The poll also finds that, despite disappointment with Obama’s policies, there is still considerable support for his re-election in many countries, especially in Europe. Roughly nine-in-ten in France (92%) and Germany (89%) would like to see him re-elected, as would large majorities in Britain (73%), Spain (71%), Italy (69%) and the Czech Republic (67%). Most Brazilians (72%) and Japanese (66%) agree. But in the Middle East there is little enthusiasm for a second term – majorities in Egypt (76%), Jordan (73%) and Lebanon (62%) oppose Obama’s re-election.

Overall Ratings for U.S. Mostly Positive

Majorities or pluralities in 12 countries express a favorable opinion of the United States, while the prevailing view is negative in only five nations. In three countries views are closely divided.

Attitudes toward the U.S. are generally more positive today than in 2008, the final year of the George W. Bush administration. The biggest improvements in America’s image have occurred among Europeans – in France, Spain, and Germany, the percentage of people with a positive view of the U.S. is at least 20 percentage points higher than in 2008.

However, some of the initial surge in pro-American sentiments that followed Obama’s election have waned in Western Europe, especially in Germany where 64% had a favorable opinion of the U.S. in 2009, compared with 52% today.

In Japan, 72% currently express a favorable opinion of the U.S., up from 50% four years ago. America’s image in Japan improved dramatically in 2011, due in part to American relief efforts following the devastating March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Fully 85% of Japanese respondents expressed a positive view of the U.S. in last year’s poll.

In a number of strategically important Muslim nations, America’s image has not improved during the Obama presidency. In fact, America’s already low 2008 ratings have slipped even further in Jordan and Pakistan.

Even in many nations where overall ratings for the U.S. remain low, however, certain aspects of American “soft power” are often well-regarded. For instance, the American way of doing business is especially popular in the Arab World – more than half in Lebanon (63%), Tunisia (59%), Jordan (59%) and Egypt (52%) say they like this element of America’s image.

Majorities or pluralities in 18 of 20 countries admire the U.S. for its science and technology, and most of the publics surveyed embrace American music, movies and television. Around the world, U.S. ideas about democracy and American ways of doing business have become more popular since Obama took office.

American soft power is often particularly appealing to young people. In particular, U.S. popular culture and American ideas about democracy are more popular among people under 30.

Still, even as they embrace certain features of American culture, people worry that it may crowd out their own cultures and traditions – majorities or pluralities in 17 of 20 countries say it is a bad thing that U.S. ideas and customs are spreading to their countries.

Disappointment With Obama’s Policies

While confidence in Obama has slipped, in many of the countries surveyed, people continue to express confidence in President Obama’s foreign policy leadership. In particular, he still gets extremely high ratings in much of Europe. More than seven-in-ten in Germany, France, Britain, the Czech Republic and Italy express confidence that Obama will do the right thing in world affairs. Big majorities in Japan and Brazil also hold this view.

There is little support for Obama, however, in the predominantly Muslim nations surveyed. Fewer than three-in-ten express confidence in him in Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey and Jordan. And roughly a year after he ordered the Abbottabad raid that killed Osama bin Laden, just 7% of Pakistanis have a positive view of Obama, the same percentage that voiced confidence in President George W. Bush during the final year of his administration.

Outside of Pakistan, however, Obama consistently receives higher ratings than Bush did in 2008. This is particularly true in Western Europe and Japan, but it is also true in several predominantly Muslim nations where Obama’s ratings – while not especially high – are nonetheless more positive than his predecessor’s.

In nearly every country where trends are available, support for Obama’s international policies has declined over the last three years. Even though most Europeans still endorse Obama’s policies, their enthusiasm has ebbed. Among the EU countries surveyed in both 2009 and 2012, a median of 78% approved of Obama’s policies in 2009, compared with 63% now. Among Muslim nations, the median has slipped from 34% to 15%. Major declines have also taken place in China, Japan, Russia and Mexico.

On a number of specific issues, there is a sense that Obama has not lived up to the expectations people had for him when he first took office. The 2009 Pew Global Attitudes survey found that many believed the new American president would act multilaterally, seek international approval before using military force, take a fair approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and make progress on climate change. As the current survey reveals, few now believe he has actually accomplished these things.

For instance, looking at the countries surveyed in both 2009 and 2012, a median of 56% in 2009 expected Obama to take significant steps to deal with climate change. Today, a median of just 22% think he has actually done this.

China’s Growing Economic Might

China’s image has slipped in several countries over the last year. The percentage of Japanese with a favorable opinion of China plummeted from 34% to 15%. In France, China’s favorability ratings dropped from 51% to 40%, and in Britain from 59% to 49%. And since last year, Americans have become less disposed to rate China positively (51% in 2011, 40% now).

However, perceptions of China’s economic power continue to grow. This is especially true in Europe, but the belief that China is the world’s top economy has become more common in the last year in other parts of the world as well, including Brazil, Japan, Turkey and Lebanon.

Views about the economic balance of power have shifted dramatically over time among the 14 countries surveyed each year from 2008 to 2012. In 2008, before the onset of the global financial crisis, a median of 45% named the U.S. as the world’s leading economic power, while just 22% said China. Today, only 36% say the U.S., while 42% believe China is in the top position.

Also of Note

• Global publics are much less interested in the 2012 U.S. presidential election than they were in the 2008 contest. For example, four years ago 56% of Germans were closely following the race, compared with just 36% now.
• Much like President Obama, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton receives largely positive marks in Western Europe, but is unpopular in the predominantly Muslim nations surveyed.
• German Chancellor Angela Merkel receives mostly favorable ratings in Europe – with the clear exception of Greece, where only 7% express confidence in her.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin is rated negatively in most of the countries surveyed, and Russia’s overall image has declined since last year in Western Europe and the U.S.

In most regions of the world, opinion of the United States continues to be more favorable than it was in the Bush years, but U.S. image now faces a new challenge: doubts about America’s superpower status. In 15 of 22 nations, the balance of opinion is that China either will replace or already has replaced the United States as the world’s leading superpower. This view is especially widespread in Western Europe, where at least six-in-ten in France (72%), Spain (67%), Britain (65%) and Germany (61%) see China overtaking the U.S.

Majorities in Pakistan, the Palestinian territories, Mexico and China itself also foresee China supplanting the U.S. as the world’s dominant power. In most countries for which there are trends, the view that China will overtake the U.S. has increased substantially over the past two years, including by 10 or more percentage points in Spain, France, Pakistan, Britain, Jordan, Israel, Poland and Germany. Among Americans, the percentage saying that China will eventually overshadow or has already overshadowed the U.S. has increased from 33% in 2009 to 46% in 2011.

At least some of this changed view of the global balance of power may reflect the fact that the U.S. is increasingly seen as trailing China economically. This is especially the case in Western Europe, where the percentage naming China as the top economic power has increased by double digits in Spain, Germany, Britain and France since 2009.

In other parts of the globe, fewer are convinced that China is the world’s leading economic power. Majorities or pluralities in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America still name the U.S. as the world’s dominant economic power. In the Middle East, Palestinians and Israelis agree that America continues to sit atop the global economy, while in Jordan and Lebanon more see China in this role. Notably, by an almost 2-to-1 margin the Chinese still believe the U.S. is the world’s dominant economic power.

These are among the key findings from a survey by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project, conducted March 18 to May 15.¹  The survey also finds that, in the U.S., France, Germany, Spain and Japan, those who see China as the world’s leading economic power believe this is a bad thing. By contrast, those who name the U.S. tend to think it is good that America is still the top global economy. In developing countries those who believe China has already overtaken the U.S. economically generally view this as a positive development. Meanwhile, in China, those who believe the U.S. is still the world’s leading economy tend to see this as a negative.

Compared with reaction to China’s economic rise, global opinion is more consistently negative when it comes to the prospect of China equaling the U.S. militarily. Besides the Chinese themselves, only in Pakistan, Jordan, the Palestinian territories and Kenya do majorities see an upside to China matching the U.S. in terms of military power. Meanwhile, the prevailing view in Japan and India is that it would not be in their country’s interest if China were to equal the U.S. militarily; majorities across Western and Eastern Europe, and in Turkey and Israel, share this view.

U.S. Image Largely Favorable

Despite the view in many countries that China either has or will surpass the U.S. as the leading superpower, opinion of America remains favorable, on balance. The median percentage offering a positive assessment of the U.S. is 60% among the 23 countries surveyed. The U.S. receives high marks in Western Europe, where at least six-in-ten in

France, Spain, Germany and Britain rate the U.S. positively. Opinion of the U.S. is also consistently favorable across Eastern Europe, as well as in Japan, Kenya, Israel, Brazil and Mexico.

As in years past, U.S. image continues to suffer among predominantly Muslim countries, with the exception of Indonesia, where a majority expresses positive views of the U.S. One-in-five or fewer in Egypt, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Pakistan and Turkey view America favorably. In Lebanon, opinion of the U.S. is split, reflecting a religious and sectarian divide; the country’s Shia community has overwhelmingly negative views of America, while Lebanese Sunnis and Christians are more positive.

Views of the U.S. in the Muslim world reflect, at least in part, opposition to the war in Afghanistan and U.S. efforts to fight terrorism. Moreover, few in predominantly Muslim countries say the U.S. takes a multilateral approach to foreign policy. Fewer than a quarter in Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey say the U.S. takes the interests of countries like theirs into account when making foreign policy decisions

In Western Europe, fewer than half in Britain (40%), France (32%) and Spain (19%) say the U.S. takes the interests of other countries into account when making foreign policy decisions. Only in Germany does a majority feel otherwise. In Eastern Europe, a third or less believe America acts multilaterally.

Interestingly, a majority of Chinese (57%) credit America with considering the interests of other nations, although last year more (76%) held this view. Elsewhere, majorities in Israel, India, Japan, Brazil and Kenya describe the U.S. as multilateral in its approach to foreign policy.

Majorities or pluralities in nearly every country surveyed say the U.S. and NATO should remove their troops from Afghanistan as soon as possible; the only exceptions are Spain, Israel, India, Japan and Kenya, where more say troops should remain in that country until the situation is stabilized than say they should be removed. However, in many parts of the world, there is strong support for the broader, American-led effort to combat terrorism. About seven-in-ten in France (71%), two-thirds in Germany, 59% in Britain and 58% in Spain back U.S. anti-terrorism efforts. Majorities in Eastern Europe also support the U.S.-led fight against terrorism, as do most in Israel and Kenya.

U.S. Viewed More Favorably Than China

Across the nations surveyed, the U.S. generally receives more favorable marks than China: the median percentage rating China favorably is 52%, eight points lower than the median percentage offering a positive assessment of the U.S.

However, the number of people expressing positive views of China has grown in a number of countries, including the four Western European countries surveyed. China’s image has also improved in Indonesia, Japan, Egypt and Poland. Opinion of China has worsened substantially in only two countries surveyed: Kenya (down 15 percentage points from last year) and Jordan (9 points lower than in 2010).

U.S. image, meanwhile, has declined in most countries for which there are trends. Compared with last year, favorable views of America are lower in Kenya (11 percentage points), Jordan (8 points), Turkey (7 points), Indonesia (5 points), Pakistan (5 points), Mexico (4 points), Poland (4 points) and Britain (4 points). However, the largest downward shift has occurred in China, where the number expressing a positive view of the U.S. has fallen 14 points – from 58% in 2010 to 44% today.

In Japan, by contrast, opinion of the U.S. has improved dramatically. A year ago, roughly two-thirds (66%) held a favorable view of America; today, more than eight-in-ten (85%) assess the U.S. favorably. This huge boost in U.S. image is attributable in part to America’s role in helping Japan respond to the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck the island nation’s northeast coast in March. A majority (57%) of Japanese say the U.S. has done a great deal to assist their country in responding to this dual disaste

Views of Obama

Assessments of President Obama track fairly closely with overall U.S. ratings. Obama is viewed most positively in Western Europe, where solid majorities say they have confidence in the U.S. president to do the right thing when it comes to world affairs. At least two-thirds in Kenya, Japan and Lithuania also express confidence in Obama, as do smaller majorities in Brazil, Indonesia and Poland.

As is the case with the overall U.S. image, Obama receives his most negative ratings among predominantly Muslim countries. In the Arab world, majorities in the Palestinian territories (84%), Jordan (68%), Egypt (64%) and Lebanon (57%) lack confidence in the president. Roughly seven-in-ten in Turkey (73%) and Pakistan (68%) say the same. Indonesians are the exception, with 62% saying they have confidence in Obama to do the right thing in world affairs.

Overall, the U.S. president continues to inspire more confidence than any of the other world leaders tested in the survey. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is next most trusted, at least in Europe and Israel. Majorities across Western Europe endorse the German leader’s handling of world affairs, as do most in Eastern Europe. In fact, in Russia and Ukraine she is more trusted than Obama; this is also the case in Israel.

Broad trust in Obama’s leadership does not mean foreign publics necessarily agree with the U.S. president’s policies. For example, in nearly every nation surveyed majorities or pluralities disapprove of Obama’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Many also disapprove of Obama’s handling of Iran and Afghanistan, while reactions to the way he has dealt with the recent calls for political change in the Middle East are mixed.

In general, Obama receives his highest marks for his handling of global economic problems. Majorities across Western Europe, for example, endorse Obama’s approach to economic issues, with the highest approval (68%) found in Germany. Large numbers in Kenya, Japan, Indonesia, Brazil and Lithuania also approve of how the U.S. president is dealing with the challenges facing the global economy.

Reactions to China’s Growing Power

Across the globe, public reactions to China’s growing economy are far more positive than opinions about the country’s growing military power. Positive assessments of China’s growing economy are most widespread in the Middle East, where majorities in the Arab countries surveyed, as well as Israel, agree that China’s economic growth benefits their country.

Most in Kenya, Pakistan, Indonesia, Japan, Britain, Brazil and Spain also say China’s growing economy is good for their country. Within Asia, only Indians offer negative views, with just 29% describing an expanding Chinese economy as a good thing and 40% saying it is a bad thing for their country.

When China’s emerging power is framed in military terms, publics in most surveyed nations react less favorably. Majorities or pluralities in all but four of the nations surveyed say China’s increasing military might is a bad thing for their country. This is especially the case in Japan, the U.S., Western Europe and Russia, where at least seven-in-ten have negative views of China’s growing military power.

In contrast, about seven-in-ten Pakistanis (72%) see China’s growing military might as a good thing for their country, as do 62% of Kenyans and Palestinians. Indonesians, by a slim margin (44% to 36%), concur with this view.

Economic Concerns

Opinions as to whether the U.S. or China is the world’s leading economic power, and whether China will supplant America as the dominant superpower, are taking shape against a backdrop of widespread uncertainty about the future and unhappiness with economic conditions at home. In most of the nations surveyed, people say their country’s economy is in bad shape and express dissatisfaction with the way things are going in their country. Moreover, few expect economic conditions to improve in the next year.

Frustration is especially intense in Pakistan, where roughly nine-in-ten say they are displeased with the way things are going in their country, but large majorities across the globe are also dissatisfied. For example, in Spain, dissatisfaction with the country’s direction is at its highest level (83%) since 2003. Meanwhile, the number of Americans who think their country is headed in the wrong direction has swelled from 62% to 73% over the past year.

Only in a handful of countries do more than half express satisfaction with their country’s direction. Among these exceptions are China, Brazil, and India – all dynamic, emerging economic powerhouses, regionally and globally. In Egypt, too, there is substantial satisfaction with the country’s direction (65%), likely reflecting renewed optimism about the country’s future, following the democratic uprising earlier this year

In many instances, levels of overall satisfaction are linked to assessments of the economy. In the U.S., France, Britain and Spain, eight-in-ten or more offer a negative assessment of the national economy, and majorities in these countries see rising prices and a lack of jobs as very big problems.

Inflation worries are especially pronounced outside the industrialized West. Overwhelming majorities in Pakistan, Kenya, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, India and Indonesia describe price increases as a major problem. In Spain, Britain and the U.S., unemployment weighs more heavily than rising prices on the minds of average citizens.

The Chinese public is the most upbeat about economic conditions, with nearly nine-in-ten describing the domestic economy as good. In Germany, two-thirds echo this view, while smaller majorities in India, Israel and Brazil favorably assess the economic situation in their country.

Inflation and a lack of job opportunities are also seen as less urgent issues among Chinese and German respondents. In Germany, for instance, only about a third of the public describes either price increases or unemployment as very big problems. In China, 37% say a lack of jobs is a major concern, while about half are worried about inflation.

Despite economic concerns, publics in all regions express substantial support for growing international trade and business ties with other countries. No fewer than two-thirds in each country say increased international trade is very or somewhat good for their country.

Also of Note:

• Among those who describe the economic situation in their country as bad, most place the primary blame on government. To a greater degree than others, Western Europeans fault banks and other financial institutions for economic troubles at home, with as many as 75% of those who say the economy is bad in Britain and Spain taking this view.
• Worldwide, people tend to blame outside forces, rather than individuals themselves for unemployment in their country. In Western Europe and the U.S., roughly seven-in-ten or more attribute unemployment to forces beyond the control of individuals.
• The United Nations generally receives positive marks among the 23 nations surveyed. However, opinion of the international body is negative in Israel (69%), the Palestinian territories (67%), Jordan (64%) and Turkey (61%).
• In most predominantly Muslim countries there is widespread opposition to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. Only in Pakistan does a majority (61%) support Iran’s nuclear ambitions, although significant numbers of Palestinians (38%) and Lebanese (34%) back Iran’s acquisition of a nuclear arsenal.

For the most part, opinions of the U.S. have changed little, if at all, in most countries for which trends are available. However, America’s image is far more negative than it was in 2010 in China, while the Japanese give the U.S. considerably higher marks. The rise in favorable views of the U.S. in Japan is undoubtedly driven in part by highly positive reactions to American relief efforts following the March 11th earthquake and tsunami in that country.

In most countries, there is a perception that the U.S. acts unilaterally in world affairs. Only in seven countries do majorities say the U.S. considers the interests of countries like theirs when making foreign policy decisions.

When asked whether their governments cooperate with the U.S. government too much, not enough, or the about the right amount, people in most countries say they are satisfied with the amount of cooperation. In most Muslim nations, however, many say their countries cooperate too much with the U.S.; this is also a common opinion in Britain and Mexico. Only in Poland and Kenya is there a desire for more cooperation with the U.S.

The survey also finds that, while there is support for U.S.-led efforts to fight terrorism in many parts of the world, the war in Afghanistan, a cornerstone of these efforts, remains unpopular. Majorities or pluralities in 17 of 22 countries believe the U.S. and NATO troops should remove troops from Afghanistan as soon as possible.

U.S. Image Remains Largely Positive In the Obama Years

Majorities in 14 of 23 countries have a very or somewhat favorable opinion of the United States. In Europe, at least seven-in-ten in France (75%), Lithuania (73%) and Poland (70%) give the U.S. high marks; 64% in Spain, 62% in Germany, 61% in Britain, 60% in Ukraine and 56% in Russia also express positive opinions.

America’s image is most positive in Japan, where more than eight-in-ten (85%) have a favorable view of the U.S. Favorable ratings for the U.S. have improved markedly since last year, when 66% of Japanese expressed a positive view. This improvement is due at least in part to American relief efforts following the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March; 57% in Japan say the U.S. has done a great deal to assist their country with the impact of the twin disasters. (For more on Japanese views of the effect of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, see “Japanese Resilient, but See Economic Challenges Ahead,” released June 1, 2011.)

In contrast, in China, the image of the U.S. is more negative than it was in 2010. Currently, Chinese respondents are nearly evenly split; 44% have a favorable view and 46% have an unfavorable opinion of the U.S. A year ago, Chinese opinion of the U.S. was decidedly positive, with 58% offering a favorable assessment and 37% giving the U.S. a negative rating.

The U.S. favorability rating is, on balance, positive in India. About four-in-ten (41%) offer a favorable assessment while just 10% have a negative view of the U.S.; however, 49% of Indians do not offer an opinion.

Kenyans continue to give the U.S. high marks, as was the case during George W. Bush’s presidency, although fewer now have a favorable opinion than did so a year ago. About eight-in-ten (83%) Kenyans give the U.S. a positive evaluation, compared with 94% in 2010. Ratings are also largely positive in Brazil, where about six-in-ten (62%) offer a favorable assessment of the U.S. A slim majority (52%) of Mexicans also express positive opinions of the U.S.; 41% have an unfavorable view.

The U.S. receives its most negative ratings in the predominantly Muslim countries surveyed. Only about one-in-ten in Turkey (10%) and Pakistan (12%) have a favorable opinion of the U.S.; 13% in Jordan, 18% in the Palestinian territories and 20% in Egypt offer positive assessments. Opinions of the U.S. are more positive in Indonesia, where 54% have a favorable view, and Lebanon, where about half (49%) give the U.S. high marks. (For a more detailed analysis of America’s image in predominantly Muslim countries, including religious and sectarian divisions in Lebanon, see “Arab Spring Fails to Improve U.S. Image,” released May 17, 2011.)

Rating the American People

The American people continue to receive positive ratings in most of the countries surveyed. Majorities in 14 of 22 countries say they have a favorable opinion of Americans, including at least eight-in-ten in Japan (87%) and Kenya (81%).

Attitudes toward Americans are also overwhelmingly positive in Europe. Nearly eight-in-ten (78%) in France and about three-quarters in Poland (74%), Britain (73%) and Lithuania (73%) view the American people favorably. Seven-in-ten in Germany, 68% in Ukraine, 64% in Spain and 63% in Russia also express positive opinions of Americans.

Majorities in Israel (75%), Lebanon (62%), Brazil (58%) and Indonesia (52%) give Americans favorable ratings; in India, a 49%-plurality shares this view.

In five of the seven predominantly Muslim countries surveyed, however, few express positive opinions of the American people. This is especially the case in Turkey and Pakistan, where only 12% have a favorable opinion of Americans; 24% of Palestinians, 36% of Egyptians and 37% of Jordanians hold a positive view.

U.S. Unilateralism

The perception that the U.S. does not take the interests of other countries into account when making foreign policy decisions remains widespread. Only in Kenya (74%), Israel (67%), India (57%), China (57%), Germany (56%), Japan (51%) and Brazil (51%) do majorities say the U.S. takes a multilateral approach.

Germans are more likely than they were a year ago to say the U.S. considers their interests; 47% said that was the case in 2010. In the other Western European countries surveyed, fewer than half currently say the U.S. takes a multilateral approach, although this opinion is now more common in Britain than it was in 2010. Four-in-ten British say the U.S. considers other countries’ interests, compared with 35% a year ago. About a third (32%) in France and just 19% in Spain share this view, virtually unchanged from 2010.

Eastern Europeans also give the U.S. low ratings on this issue, and this is especially true in Lithuania and Ukraine. Just 9% of Lithuanians and 15% of Ukrainians say the U.S. considers the interests of countries like theirs when making foreign policy decisions; about a quarter (23%) in Russia and one-third in Poland share this view. Russians and Poles were more likely to say the U.S. took a multilateral approach a year ago (30% and 38%, respectively); in Ukraine, 28% said the U.S. considered their interests in 2007, when the question was last asked in that country.

The opinion that the U.S. acts multilaterally when making foreign policy decisions is also far less widespread in China; 57% say the U.S. takes their interests into account, compared with 76% in 2010. In contrast, Japanese respondents are much more likely to say the U.S. considers the interests of other countries than they were a year ago, when just 31% said that was the case.

In the predominantly Muslim countries surveyed, fewer than a quarter in Lebanon (23%), Jordan (23%), Egypt (21%), Pakistan (20%) and Turkey (17%) say the U.S. takes into account the interests of other countries. The U.S. receives more positive marks in Indonesia; 43% believe the U.S. takes a multilateral approach, but about half (49%) say the U.S. does not consider the interests of other countries when making foreign policy decisions.

Americans offer a much different assessment of their country’s approach to foreign policy than any other public surveyed. About three-quarters (76%) say the U.S. considers the interests of other countries around the world a great deal or a fair amount.

Cooperation With the U.S.

Majorities or pluralities in 11 of 21 nations are satisfied with the amount of cooperation between their countries and the U.S. In six countries, more say their government cooperates too much than say it cooperates about the right amount or too little. Only in Poland and Kenya would pluralities like to see more cooperation with the U.S.

About seven-in-ten (72%) in Germany, 65% in France and 59% in Spain say their governments cooperate about the right amount with the U.S. government. In Britain, however, a 45%-plurality believes their country cooperates too much with the U.S.; another 40% are satisfied with the amount of cooperation between the two countries and 10% say the British government does not cooperate enough with the U.S.

Opinions about cooperation with the U.S. are more mixed across the Eastern European countries surveyed. While a 45%-plurality in Poland believes their government does not cooperate with the U.S. enough, pluralities in Russia (45%) and Lithuania (42%) say their countries cooperate about the right amount. In Ukraine, the same number express satisfaction with the amount of cooperation between their country and the U.S. as say Ukraine does not cooperate enough (35% each); 9% say their country cooperates too much with the U.S. government.

In Mexico, 44% say their country cooperates too much with their neighbor to the north, while about a quarter say Mexico does not cooperate enough (25%) or that it cooperates about the right amount (27%) with the U.S.

Majorities in Jordan (57%), Lebanon (54%) and Pakistan (52%) and a plurality (39%) in Egypt believe their countries cooperate too much with the U.S. In Indonesia, however, a majority (54%) is satisfied with the amount of cooperation between their country and the U.S. Views are more mixed in Turkey, where the same number say there is too much cooperation with the U.S. as say there is not enough (26% each); 32% say their country cooperates with the U.S. about the right amount.

Views of U.S. Anti-Terrorism Efforts

Majorities in 14 of 22 countries support U.S.-led efforts to fight terrorism. This is especially the case in Kenya, where about three-quarters (77%) favor American anti-terrorism policies, and in Israel, where 72% share this view.

About seven-in-ten (71%) in France and two-thirds in Germany say they favor U.S. anti-terrorism efforts, as do about six-in-ten in Britain (59%) and Spain (58%). In Eastern Europe, majorities in Lithuania (61%), Poland (60%), Ukraine (55%) and Russia (53%) express support for the American anti-terrorism campaign, but far fewer in Russia and Poland do so compared with a year ago; seven-in-ten Russians and Poles said they favored U.S.-led efforts to fight terrorism in 2010.

Support for American anti-terrorism efforts has also declined considerably in China. Currently, about a quarter (23%) favor and 60% oppose U.S. efforts to combat terrorism. In 2010, Chinese respondents were nearly evenly split, with 41% expressing support and 40% saying they opposed these efforts.

Publics in the predominantly Muslim countries surveyed continue to give the U.S.-led anti-terrorism campaign low marks. Just 9% in Jordan, 14% in Turkey and 16% in Pakistan say they favor American efforts to fight terrorism; 21% in Egypt and 35% in Lebanon share this view. Indonesia is the only Muslim country surveyed where a majority (55%) expresses support for these efforts; in 2010, two-thirds of Indonesians favored U.S.-led efforts to fight terrorism.

War in Afghanistan

The war in Afghanistan remains unpopular in most of the countries surveyed. Majorities or pluralities in 17 of 22 countries believe U.S. and NATO troops should be withdrawn from Afghanistan as soon as possible. Only in Kenya, Israel, Japan, Spain and India do more say that these troops should remain in Afghanistan until the situation is stabilized than say troops should be removed.

Support for the war is especially low in predominantly Muslim countries. Nearly nine-in-ten (87%) Jordanians and at least three-quarters of Egyptians (78%) and Turks (75%) say troops should leave Afghanistan as soon as possible; about seven-in-ten in Indonesia (71%), Lebanon (71%) and Pakistan (69%) share this view.

Chinese respondents are also overwhelmingly in favor of troop withdrawal; 65% say U.S. and NATO troops should be removed as soon as possible, while just 9% believe these troops should stay in Afghanistan.

In France and Britain, where support for the war rebounded somewhat between fall 2009 and spring 2010, the balance of opinion is once again on the side of troop withdrawal. Nearly six-in-ten (58%) in France say the U.S. and NATO should remove troops from Afghanistan as soon as possible, while 41% favor keeping troops there; in 2010, French opinion was more mixed, with 52% saying troops should be withdrawn and 47% expressing support for keeping them in Afghanistan.

In Britain, 51% now say troops should leave Afghanistan and 41% believe U.S. and NATO troops should stay in that country; a year ago, 45% wanted troops to leave Afghanistan while about half (49%) favored keeping them there. Nearly six-in-ten (58%) Germans favor troop withdrawal, unchanged from a year ago.

In Spain, however, support for the war is now more widespread than it was in 2010. About half (51%) of Spanish respondents believe troops should remain in Afghanistan until the situation is stabilized; 44% say the U.S. and NATO should remove their troops as soon as possible. A year ago, fewer in Spain said troops should stay in Afghanistan than said they should be removed (43% vs. 49%).

For the first time since 2007, when the Pew Research Center first asked this question, more Americans say the U.S. and NATO should remove its troops from Afghanistan as soon as possible than say military troops should remain in that country until the situation has stabilized (52% vs. 41%). A survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted just days before Obama’s speech announcing his policy for drawing down U.S. forces in Afghanistan, finds even more support for troop withdrawal; 56% say troops should be removed from Afghanistan as soon as possible, while 39% say they should stay in that country. (For a more detailed analysis of Americans’ opinions about the war in Afghanistan, see “Record Number Favors Removing U.S. Troops from Afghanistan,” released June 21, 2011, by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.)

Most Pakistanis disapprove of the U.S. military operation that killed Osama bin Laden, and although the al Qaeda leader has not been well-liked in recent years, a majority of Pakistanis describe his death as a bad thing. Only 14% say it is a good thing.

Moreover, many Pakistanis believe the U.S. raid on bin Laden’s compound – which was located about 35 miles from Islamabad – will have a negative impact on the already strained relations between the U.S. and their country.

However, the current survey, taken after the raid, showed no material change in opinion of the U.S., when compared with polling conducted immediately before it. In fact, prior to the raid favorable ratings of the U.S. had already fallen to a level not seen since 2002, following the invasion of neighboring Afghanistan.

Currently, just 12% express a positive view of the U.S. and only 8% have confidence in President Barack Obama to do the right thing in world affairs. Obama’s ratings are as low as former President George W. Bush’s were in 2008. Most Pakistanis see the U.S. as an enemy, consider it a potential military threat, and oppose American-led anti-terrorism efforts. All of these views were comparably negative both before and after the killing of bin Laden.

Pakistanis are uncertain about their own government’s role in the military operation that killed bin Laden. About three-in-ten (29%) believe the Pakistani government authorized the raid and 23% say it did not, but 49% say they do not know. Only 18% think the government knew bin Laden was hiding in Abbottabad and 29% do not think that was the case; again, roughly half (53%) offer no opinion.

Support for the Pakistani government’s military campaign against extremist groups has waned in recent years. Just 37% support using the Pakistani army to fight extremists in the country’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region (formerly the North-West Frontier Province). This level is significantly lower than it was two years ago, when, in a survey taken following conflict between government forces and Taliban-affiliated groups in the Swat Valley area, 53% endorsed using the army to battle these organizations.

Similarly, fears that extremists might take over Pakistan have declined since 2009. Currently, 55% are very or somewhat worried about this possibility – still a sizeable number, but substantially lower than the 69% expressing such concern two years ago.

While concerns about an extremist takeover and support for using military force against extremist groups may be slipping, the groups themselves remain widely unpopular. Just 12% of Pakistanis have a positive view of al Qaeda, down from 18% in 2010. Only 12% give the Taliban a favorable rating, and when asked more specifically about the Tehrik-i-Taliban (which is based in Pakistan) and the Afghan Taliban, Pakistanis give both groups similarly low levels of support.

There is somewhat more support for Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Kashmir-based group that has carried out numerous attacks against India. Currently, 27% have a positive opinion of the organization.

These are among the key findings from two face-to-face personal interview surveys conducted in Pakistan by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project. The first was conducted April 10-26 among 1,970 Pakistanis as part of the 23-nation spring 2011 Pew Global Attitudes poll. The second was a special survey conducted only in Pakistan May 8-15, among 1,251 Pakistanis, following the May 2 killing of Osama bin Laden by the U.S. military. This second survey included a new set of questions specifically about bin Laden’s death and repeated nearly all of the questions from the first survey. The samples for both surveys cover approximately 85% of the Pakistani population.¹ Throughout the report, results from the May survey are featured, although comparative data from the April survey are referenced on several questions of particular interest. In general, there are few notable differences between the results of the first and second surveys, suggesting that the death of bin Laden had little impact on Pakistani public opinion about the U.S. or about other issues included on the survey.

Disapproval of U.S. Foreign Policy and Opposition to Drone Strikes

Key features of U.S. foreign policy remain unpopular in Pakistan. Only one-in-five think the U.S. considers Pakistani interests when making foreign policy decisions. Almost seven-in-ten (69%) want U.S. and NATO troops out of neighboring Afghanistan. Roughly six-in-ten (62%) oppose U.S. anti-terrorism efforts.

And beyond the opposition to the raid on bin Laden’s compound, there are other signs that Pakistanis are concerned about issues related to sovereignty and the use of American military force within their country’s borders. Among those who are aware of U.S. drone strikes against extremists in Pakistan, these attacks are widely seen as unnecessary and as too costly in terms of innocent lives. Fears about U.S. military power are widespread – 69% believe the U.S. could be a military threat to Pakistan.

India Seen as Bigger Threat Than Taliban, al Qaeda

Pakistani views of traditional rival India have grown increasingly negative in recent years. Three-in-four express an unfavorable opinion of India, up from 50% five years ago.

When asked which is the biggest threat to their country, India, the Taliban, or al Qaeda, a majority of Pakistanis (57%) say India.

Still, roughly seven-in-ten say it is important to improve relations with India, believe increased trade with their neighbor would be a good thing, and support further talks to reduce tensions between the two countries.

Similarly, Indians express negative opinions of Pakistan; 65% have an unfavorable view of their traditional rival and more name Pakistan as India’s biggest threat (45%) than name Lashkar-e-Taiba (19%) or Naxalites (16%). Yet, like Pakistanis, Indians would like to see improved relations between the two countries and most support increased trade between India and Pakistan.

Grim Ratings for National Conditions and Zardari

Pakistanis continue to be highly dissatisfied with conditions in their country. Roughly nine-in-ten (92%) are dissatisfied with the country’s direction. Almost as many (85%) say the economic situation in Pakistan is bad. And optimism is scarce – 60% think the economy will worsen in the next 12 months; only 13% believe it will improve.

Pakistanis list a myriad of problems afflicting their nation – huge majorities say rising prices, a lack of jobs, crime, terrorism and political corruption are very big problems. Unsurprisingly, given these dismal assessments, ratings for President Asif Ali Zardari are overwhelmingly negative. Only 11% have a favorable view of him, down from 20% last year. His prime minister and fellow Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader, Yousaf Raza Gilani, receives a positive rating from 37% – a significant drop from 59% in 2010.

Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif fares better: 63% express a positive opinion of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leader, down from a year ago when 71% held this view. The most popular leader tested is former cricket star Imran Khan. Nearly seven-in-ten (68%) have a favorable view of the athlete turned politician, up from 52% in 2010.

On balance, Pakistanis continue to view Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry positively, although his ratings have fallen somewhat since last year (51% favorable in 2011; 61% in 2010).

Even though the Pakistani military has received some criticism since the U.S. raid that killed bin Laden, it remains overwhelmingly popular: 79% say it is having a good influence on the country. Ratings for military chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani have remained on balance positive – 52% give him a favorable and 21% an unfavorable rating. This represents a slight change from the April poll conducted prior to bin Laden’s death, when 57% rated him favorably and 18% unfavorably.

Also of Note

• In addition to the military, the media and religious leaders are also well-regarded; 76% of Pakistanis say the media are having a good influence on the way things are going in their country and 60% say the same about religious leaders. Few give the police and the national government positive ratings.
• Just 37% of Pakistanis say they followed news about the U.S. military raid that killed bin Laden very or somewhat closely, while 39% followed news about the raid not too closely or not at all closely.
• Most Pakistanis support the U.S. providing financial and humanitarian aid to areas where extremist groups operate, and many want the U.S. to provide intelligence and logistical support for Pakistani troops fighting extremists.
• Violence is the top concern among those who are worried about Islamic extremism in Pakistan; 40% say this, compared with 24% who are most concerned about the impact of extremism on the national economy, 16% who worry that it will lead to loss of freedoms, and 15% who fear extremism will divide the country.
• More than eight-in-ten (85%) Pakistanis say suicide bombing and other violent acts against civilians in defense of Islam are never justified. Far fewer (38%) said this was the case in 2002, when the Pew Research Center first asked this question.

In general, the U.S. military operation in Abbottabad has had little impact on attitudes toward the U.S. or its policies. On a range of indicators – from opinion of President Obama, to views of the U.S. as a partner, to support for U.S.-led efforts to combat terrorism – Pakistani opinion had already turned more negative prior to the deadly strike against bin Laden. The one exception is Pakistani awareness of U.S. aid, which actually increased in the wake of the May 2 operation.

Pakistanis have grown more skeptical of President Obama over time. Today, nearly seven-in-ten have little or no confidence in him, compared with 51% in 2009. Overall, Pakistani views of the U.S. and President Obama are among the most negative in the predominantly Muslim countries surveyed by the Pew Global Attitudes Project this year. (For a more detailed analysis of attitudes toward the United States in Muslim nations, see “Arab Spring Fails to Improve U.S. Image,” released May 17, 2011.)

Pakistanis worry about U.S. intentions toward their country: nearly seven-in-ten consider the U.S. to be more of an enemy, than a partner to their country. Meanwhile, a similar number say they are worried that the U.S. could pose a military threat to their country. In contrast, nearly nine-in-ten describe China as a partner to Pakistan.

In terms of world affairs, most Pakistanis continue to see the U.S. acting unilaterally. Only one-in-five says the U.S takes into account the interests of countries like Pakistan when making foreign policy decisions. Among the Pakistani public, roughly six-in-ten oppose U.S.-led efforts to combat terrorism, while nearly seven-in-ten think the U.S. and NATO should remove their troops from Afghanistan as soon as possible.

When it comes to U.S. foreign assistance, more than six-in-ten Pakistanis say the U.S. extends at least some financial aid to their country, although only about a third claim the U.S. provides “a lot” of financial assistance. Interestingly, the number acknowledging U.S. aid to their country is up from last year, and is still higher in the wake of the U.S. raid that killed bin Laden.

Among those who credit the U.S. with extending a helping hand to Pakistan, opinion is divided as to whether the amount of U.S. aid is increasing or decreasing. Those who believe the U.S. provides at least some aid to Pakistan also differ about the nature of the aid: more than a third say it is mainly intended to boost economic development, while about a fifth think it is primarily military-related.

U.S. Image and Confidence in Obama

Favorable opinion of the United States is near its lowest point in almost a decade in Pakistan. Currently, 12% express a favorable opinion of the U.S, down five percentage points from 2010. Polling before and after May 2 confirms that this latest decline in U.S. image actually preceded the U.S. raid that killed bin Laden.

President Obama receives extremely low marks in Pakistan. Only about one-in-ten (8%) express at least some confidence in the American president to do the right thing when it comes to world affairs. More than two-thirds (68%) of Pakistanis say they have little or no confidence in Obama, while roughly a quarter (24%) offer no definite opinion.

Overall, the percentage of Pakistanis saying they lack confidence in the American president has increased steadily since 2009, ticking up 8 percentage points in just the last year. Today, Obama’s ratings are as low as former President George W. Bush’s were in 2008. The recent U.S. strike against bin Laden did not substantially impact already waning confidence in President Obama.

U.S. Seen as Enemy

Many Pakistanis question U.S. intentions toward their country. Roughly seven-in-ten (69%) think America is more of an enemy than a partner to Pakistan – a view that gained traction even prior to the U.S. military operation in Abbottabad. In 2010, fewer (59%) described the U.S. as an enemy.

In contrast, a large majority of Pakistanis (87%) say China is a partner to their country. Virtually no one (1%) identifies it as an enemy. The notion that China is more of a partner than enemy has been the dominant view among the public since 2008.

A solid majority of Pakistanis (69%) are either very or somewhat worried that the U.S. could someday pose a threat to their homeland. Nearly half (47%) say they are very worried, up 10 percentage points from 2010 and five points since the April poll.

Concern about the threat posed by the U.S. is especially evident in Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab (81%). A smaller majority in Sindh (56%) say they are worried that America could pose a military threat some day, while fewer in Khyber Pahktunkhwa (48%) and Baluchistan (42%) express the same level of concern.

American Unilateralism

Just one-in-five Pakistanis believe the U.S. takes into account the interests of other countries when making international policy decisions. This assessment is virtually unchanged from last year, when 19% offered the same opinion.

Many Pakistanis oppose U.S. anti-terrorism efforts, as well as the presence of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan. Opposition to the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism notched up slightly over the past year – rising from 56% in 2010 to 62% in 2011. Notably, the U.S. raid that killed bin Laden did not substantially influence Pakistanis’ opinion about the U.S. approach to fighting terrorism.

Meanwhile, a clear majority of Pakistanis (69%) say the U.S. and NATO should withdraw their troops from Afghanistan as soon as possible, rather than wait for the situation to first stabilize. Support for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops has been consistently strong since 2007.

Pakistanis residing in the Punjab region voice greater opposition to U.S.-led anti-terrorism efforts (72%) than counterparts in either Sindh (56%), Khyber Pahktunkhwa (47%) or Baluchistan (22%) (74% in Baluchistan offer no opinion). In addition, those who identify with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are more opposed to the U.S. approach to combating terrorism than are supporters of President Asif Ali Zardari’s Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) (71% vs. 50%).

Opinion about the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from Afghanistan also varies by party affiliation, with 71% of PML-N backers saying troops should be removed immediately, compared with 54% of PPP supporters.

U.S. Aid to Pakistan

When asked how much financial aid the U.S. gives their country, 38% of Pakistanis say it gives a lot, 21% say it gives a little, and 13% say it gives hardly any financial assistance. Just 5% say America provides no assistance to their country, while about a quarter (24%) are uncertain how much aid Pakistan receives from the U.S.

The percentage of Pakistanis who say the U.S. provides a lot of aid to their country has increased substantially from a 2010 survey conducted prior to widespread flooding in Pakistan and the provision of significant humanitarian aid by the U.S.; just 23% credited America with giving Pakistan a lot of financial assistance in 2010.

Notably, the number of Pakistanis holding this view increased not only before the U.S. military operation in Abbottabad, but rose still further after the raid. This may be due to Pakistani media reporting more intensely on all aspects of U.S.-Pakistani relations after the strike that killed bin Laden.

Awareness of U.S. aid is most widespread in Sindh province, where more than eight-in-ten (84%) say the U.S. provides Pakistan with at least some financial assistance. Smaller majorities in Punjab (72%) and Khyber Pahktunkhwa (57%) also acknowledge that their country receives aid from the U.S., while just 29% in Baluchistan are aware of U.S. assistance.

Among those who credit the U.S. with extending a helping hand to Pakistan, opinion is divided as to whether the amount of U.S. aid is increasing or decreasing. Currently, 29% of Pakistanis believe the level of U.S. assistance to their country is increasing, compared with 38% who say it is decreasing and 22% who think it is staying the same. The number of Pakistanis who say U.S. aid is increasing is actually slightly lower than before the U.S. raid in Abbottabad, when 35% believed assistance to their country was on the rise.

Those who believe the U.S. provides at least some aid to Pakistan differ about the nature of the aid. Almost four-in-ten (37%) say it is mainly intended to boost economic development, up from 27% in 2010; 22% say it is primarily military-related. About a quarter (23%) believe U.S. aid is aimed at supporting both the economy and military, while 18% do not offer an opinion.

As President Obama prepares to make a major address on the tumultuous changes spreading throughout the Middle East, a new survey finds that the rise of pro-democracy movements has not led to an improvement in America’s image in the region. Instead, in key Arab nations and in other predominantly Muslim countries, views of the U.S. remain negative, as they have been for nearly a decade. Indeed, in Jordan, Turkey and Pakistan, views are even more negative than they were one year ago.

With the exception of Indonesia, Obama remains unpopular in the Muslim nations polled, and most disapprove of the way he has handled calls for political change roiling the Middle East. Moreover, many of the concerns that have driven animosity toward the U.S. in recent years are still present – a perception that the U.S. acts unilaterally, opposition to the war on terror, and fears of America as a military threat. And in countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Pakistan, most say their own governments cooperate too much with the U.S.

While the Arab Spring has not led to a change in America’s image, it has generated considerable interest and excitement, especially in the Arab nations surveyed. More than 85% in Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian territories, and Lebanon have followed news about political demonstrations in the region, and in Arab countries there is widespread optimism that the protests will lead to more democracy. Most Israelis have also followed the political upheaval in neighboring countries, but they are divided over whether it will produce more democratic societies.

The survey, conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project March 21-April 26, suggests the enthusiasm for democracy displayed by protestors in Tunisia, Egypt and elsewhere is consistent with public opinion in majority Muslim nations.¹ Democracy is widely seen as the best form of government, especially in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, where more than seven-in-ten hold this view. Moreover, people in the Muslim nations surveyed clearly value specific features of a democratic system, such as freedom of religion, free speech, and competitive elections. And publics in many Muslim countries increasingly believe that a democratic government, rather than a strong leader, is the best way to solve national problems.

Still, the embrace of democracy coexists with a strong desire for economic growth and political stability. Many prioritize a strong economy over a good democracy. And when they are asked about the key elements of a successful democracy, those in the surveyed nations place economic prosperity and political stability at the top of the list.

Ideas about the role of Islam in society vary across Muslim nations. In Pakistan, Jordan, and Egypt, solid majorities believe laws should be based strictly on the teachings of the Quran, while this is a minority viewpoint in Turkey, Lebanon, Indonesia, and the Palestinian territories. Views about Islamic fundamentalism also vary widely – in Pakistan for instance, Muslims tend to sympathize with fundamentalists, while Lebanese and Turkish Muslims favor those who disagree with fundamentalists.

The poll also highlights the extent to which extremism is rejected in Muslim nations, although there are notable levels of support for radical Islamist groups and suicide terrorism in some countries. Al Qaeda is rated negatively by majorities in all countries, but more than a quarter express a positive opinion of the terrorist group in the Palestinian territories. There is no country in which a majority rates the radical Palestinian organization Hamas positively – still, it receives considerable support in Jordan and Egypt. Among the Palestinians themselves, Hamas is less popular than Fatah, its more secular rival.

The militant Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah receives majority support only in the Palestinian territories. In Lebanon itself, views of Hezbollah reflect the sharp religious divisions within that society. While nearly nine-in-ten Lebanese Shia offer a positive view of Hezbollah, nine-in-ten Sunnis and three-quarters of Christians rate the organization negatively.

In recent years, Pew Global Attitudes surveys have documented a decline in support for suicide bombing in a number of countries, and today the percentage of Muslims who say this type of violence is often or sometimes justifiable stands at 10% or less in Indonesia, Turkey and Pakistan. Support for these acts is somewhat more common in Arab nations, although there have been steep declines over the last decade in Lebanon and Jordan.

Palestinian Muslims, however, remain an outlier on this question: 68% say suicide attacks in defense of Islam can often or sometimes be justified, a level of support essentially unchanged from 2007. And in Egypt, support for suicide bombing is actually on the rise – currently, 28% believe it can be justified, up from 8% in 2007.

U.S. President Barack Obama also receives low marks in largely Muslim countries. With the exception of Indonesia, majorities in the countries surveyed lack confidence in Obama to do the right thing in world affairs. And for the most part, Obama’s handling of issues in the Muslim world, including the recent uprisings in the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran and Afghanistan, are met with disapproval.

In general, attitudes toward the U.S. and Obama are more positive in Israel than in the other Middle Eastern countries surveyed and in the Muslim world more broadly. Yet, majorities of Israelis also disapprove of the way Obama is handling key issues in the Muslim world, especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On most measures, Israeli Arabs offer more negative assessments of the U.S. and Obama than do Israeli Jews.

U.S. Image Largely Negative

The United States receives negative ratings in most of the predominantly Muslim nations surveyed. This is especially the case in Turkey and Pakistan, where only about one-in-ten have a favorable opinion of the U.S. (10% and 11%, respectively). In Jordan, just 13% offer positive ratings, as do 18% in the Palestinian territories and 20% in Egypt.

America’s image is more positive in Lebanon and Indonesia. A majority of Indonesians (54%) have a favorable view of the U.S., while four-in-ten have an unfavorable opinion. In Lebanon, opinions about the U.S. are evenly divided – 49% have a positive view and 49% have a negative opinion.

Attitudes toward the U.S. are more negative than they were a year ago in four of the seven predominantly Muslim countries surveyed. In Jordan, favorable ratings are down eight percentage points, from 21% in 2010. Similar drops in U.S. favorability are evident in Turkey (7 percentage points), Pakistan (6 points) and Indonesia (5 points).

U.S. Seen as Unilateralist

Publics in the predominantly Muslim countries surveyed continue to say that the U. S. tends to act unilaterally in world affairs. Fewer than a quarter in Lebanon (23%), Jordan (23%), Egypt (21%), Pakistan (18%) and Turkey (17%) say the U.S. considers the interests of countries like theirs when making foreign policy decisions.

The U.S. receives more positive marks on this issue in Indonesia, where 43% believe the U.S. takes a multilateral approach. Still, about half (49%) in that country say the U.S. does not consider other countries’ interests when making foreign policy decisions.

In Turkey, Egypt and Lebanon, respondents are more likely than they were last year to say the U.S. takes other countries’ interests into account. In 2010, 9% of Turks, 15% of Egyptians and 19% of Lebanese said the U.S. acted multilaterally. In contrast, Indonesians are now less likely than they were a year ago to say the U.S. takes a multilateral approach; half said that was the case in 2010.

Cooperation With the U.S.

Majorities in Jordan (57%), Lebanon (54%) and Pakistan (54%) believe their countries’ governments cooperate too much with the U.S. government; a 39% plurality in Egypt shares this view.

Views about cooperation with the U.S. are more mixed in Turkey, where 26% say their government cooperates too much with the U.S. and the same percentage says the Turkish government does not cooperate with the U.S. enough; about a third (32%) of Turks say their country cooperates with the U.S. about the right amount.

Most Indonesians are satisfied with the amount of cooperation between their country and the U.S.; 54% say their government cooperates about the right amount, while 19% believe it cooperates too much and 18% say it does not cooperate enough with the U.S. government.

U.S. Still Seen as a Threat

Majorities in six of the seven predominantly Muslim countries surveyed say they are very or somewhat worried that the U.S. could become a military threat to their country someday. Concern about a potential U.S. threat is especially widespread in the Palestinian territories, where about nine-in-ten (91%) say it could pose a threat.

In Indonesia, where most view the U.S. favorably, 71% express concern that the U.S. could pose a military threat to their country someday. This view is shared by two-thirds in Pakistan, about six-in-ten in Lebanon (59%) and Turkey (59%) and 54% in Egypt.

Jordan is the only largely Muslim country surveyed where fewer than half express concern about a potential U.S. threat; 46% say they are worried, while 52% say they are not worried. A year ago, 52% of Jordanians were concerned that the U.S. could pose a military threat to their country and 47% were not worried.

Views of U.S. Anti-Terror Efforts and the War in Afghanistan

Support for U.S.-led efforts to fight terrorism remains low in most of the predominantly Muslim countries surveyed. Just 9% in Jordan and 14% in Turkey and Pakistan say they favor American anti-terrorism efforts; 21% of Egyptians and about one-third of Lebanese (35%) express support.

Indonesians offer more positive opinions of the U.S. on this issue than do publics in other largely Muslim countries. More than half (55%) in Indonesia favor U.S.-led efforts to fight terrorism, while one-third oppose such efforts.

The war in Afghanistan, a cornerstone of American anti-terrorism efforts, is unpopular in the Muslim world. At least two-thirds in the seven predominantly Muslim countries surveyed say U.S. and NATO troops should withdraw from Afghanistan as soon as possible.

Jordanians are especially inclined to favor withdrawal from Afghanistan; nearly nine-in-ten (87%) want troops to leave as soon as possible. About eight-in-ten (78%) in Egypt, three-quarters in Turkey and 71% in Indonesia and Lebanon also share this opinion, as do 68% in Pakistan.

Views of President Obama

Like the United States, President Obama receives low marks in most of the predominantly Muslim countries surveyed. Just about one-in-ten Pakistanis (10%) and Turks (12%) and 14% of Palestinians say they have at least some confidence in the American president to do the right thing in world affairs. Obama also gets negative ratings in Jordan and Egypt, where only 28% and 35%, respectively, say they have confidence in him.

Views of Obama are somewhat more positive in Lebanon; 43% in that country have at least some confidence in him. Still, nearly six-in-ten (57%) Lebanese say they have little or no confidence in the American president.

Indonesia is the only predominantly Muslim country surveyed where a majority expresses confidence in Obama to do the right things in world affairs. About six-in-ten (62%) Indonesians say they have confidence in Obama, while 35% do not.

Yet, confidence in Obama has declined somewhat among Indonesians since last year; two-thirds offered positive opinions of him in 2010. Positive ratings of Obama have declined even more in Turkey, where nearly a quarter (23%) said they had confidence in the U.S. president a year ago; and among Palestinians, favorable ratings of Obama have declined nine percentage points since 2009, when the Palestinian territories were last included in the survey.

Low Ratings for Obama’s Policies

Majorities or pluralities in nearly all of the predominantly Muslim countries surveyed disapprove of Obama’s handling of four important issues in the Muslim world – the calls for political change in the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the situation in Afghanistan, and Iran.

Obama receives his lowest marks for his performance on the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. At least eight-in-ten in Lebanon (85%), the Palestinians territories (84%), Egypt (82%) and Jordan (82%) disapprove of the way Obama is handling this issue.

About two-thirds in Turkey (68%) and 57% in Indonesia also disapprove of Obama’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The balance of opinion is also negative in Pakistan; 45% disapprove while just 6% approve of Obama’s handling of the conflict. About half (49%) of Pakistanis do not offer an opinion.

As is the case with his performance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ratings for Obama’s handling of Iran and the situation in Afghanistan are extremely low. At least 70% in five of the Muslim countries surveyed disapprove of the president’s performance on Afghanistan, with Jordanians and Palestinians expressing particularly negative opinions (87% and 81%, respectively, disapprove). And while Obama’s handling of Iran has the approval of four-in-ten Lebanese, a majority in that country (55%), as well as in Indonesia (56%), Turkey (68%), Egypt (68%), Jordan (77%) and the Palestinian territories (80%), disapprove.

Opinions about Obama’s handling of the recent uprisings in countries such as Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain and Libya are also negative, but considerable minorities in the Middle East approve of his job performance on this issue. This is especially the case in Egypt, where protests led to the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak earlier this year; 45% of Egyptians approve of Obama’s handling of calls for political change in the Middle East, while 52% disapprove. About four-in-ten (41%) in Lebanon, 33% in the Palestinian territories and 31% in Jordan also approve of Obama’s job performance on this issue; 52%, 63% and 65%, respectively, disapprove.

In the non-Arab countries surveyed, Obama also gets low marks for his handling of the Arab Spring, but many do not offer an opinion. For example, 65% in Turkey disapprove of Obama’s job performance on this issue and just 8% approve, but 27% say they do not know; in Pakistan, 40% disapprove of Obama’s handling of the uprisings in the Middle East, 5% approve, and a 55%-majority does not offer an opinion.

Religious and Sectarian Divide in Lebanon

Ratings of the United States and President Obama vary considerably across religious and sectarian groups in Lebanon. On nearly every measure, Shia Muslims in that country offer far more negative assessments of the U.S., its handling of foreign policy and its president. For example, seven-in-ten Lebanese Christians and 59% of Sunnis say they have a favorable opinion of the U.S.; in contrast, just 12% of Lebanese Shia rate the U.S. positively, while 88% give it an unfavorable rating.

Majorities of Lebanese Christians (57%) and Sunnis (55%) also express confidence in Obama to do the right thing in world affairs, compared with just 14% of Shia. And while majorities among the three groups say the U.S. acts unilaterally when making foreign policy decisions, about one-third of Christians (34%) and 30% of Sunnis say the U.S. takes the interests of countries like Lebanon into account, while just 4% of Shia Muslims say this is the case. Moreover, nine-in-ten Shia say their government cooperates too much with the U.S. government, far more than the percentage of Christians (38%) and Sunnis (39%) who share this view.

Lebanese Shia are also more critical of Obama’s handling of issues in the Muslim world, although Christians and Sunnis also often express disapproval. For example, at least three-quarters of Christians (76%) and Sunnis (81%) give Obama low marks for his handling of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, but Shia are unanimous in their disapproval of the president’s job performance on this issue.

Attitudes Toward the U.S. and Obama in Israel

Israelis continue to offer far more positive opinions of the U.S. and Obama than do their neighbors in the Middle East, but views in that country often divide along ethnic lines. About seven-in-ten (72%) Israelis, including 77% of Israeli Jews, have a favorable view of the U.S.; among Israeli Arabs, however, views of the U.S. are mostly negative, with 36% offering a positive opinion and nearly six-in-ten (58%) saying they have an unfavorable view.

Overall, Israeli opinions of Obama are more negative than ratings for the U.S. in that country. Nearly half (49%) of Israelis have at least some confidence in him to do the right thing in world affairs and about the same number (51%) do not have confidence in Obama; Israeli Jews are also about evenly divided in their opinion of the U.S. president. Among Israeli Arabs, however, Obama’s ratings match the negative views of the U.S.; 38% of Arabs have confidence in Obama, while 60% do not.

Arabs in Israel are also more likely than their Jewish counterparts to say their government cooperates with the U.S. too much; 40% of Arabs say this is the case, while 25% say Israel does not cooperate enough and 23% say it cooperates about the right amount with the U.S. Among Israeli Jews, 30% believe their government cooperates too much, 22% say it does not cooperate enough, and a 44%-plurality says it cooperates about the right amount with the U.S.

There is agreement between Israeli Arabs and Jews on some issues, however. Majorities among both groups say the U.S. takes the interests of countries like Israel into account when making foreign policy decisions, and Arabs are more likely than Jews to say this is the case (89% vs. 65%). Still, at least six-in-ten in each group disapprove of Obama’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (64% of Jews and 67% of Arabs) and Iran (61% of Jews and 66% of Arabs).

Israeli Jews are more critical than Arabs of Obama’s handling of the recent calls for political change in the Middle East. Among Jews, 36% approve and 52% disapprove of Obama’s job performance on this issue; nearly half (48%) of Israeli Arabs approve and 35% disapprove of Obama’s handling of the recent uprisings in the region.

When President Barack Obama travels to India next month, he will visit a country in which both he and the nation he leads are broadly popular.  More than seven-in-ten Indians have confidence in the American president and about two-thirds express a favorable opinion of the United States.  Indians are also feeling positive about their own country’s role in world affairs and they are optimistic about its economic future.

India has enjoyed impressive economic growth in recent years, and today nearly six-in-ten Indians (57%) say their nation’s economy is in good shape.  Among the 22 publics included in the spring 2010 Pew Global Attitudes survey, only the Chinese and Brazilians are more satisfied with their economic situation.  Still, Indians believe their country faces a number of major challenges, including crime and corruption.  And nearly two years after the deadly Mumbai attacks, 81% say terrorism is a very big problem.

Moreover, a plurality of Indians characterize Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group widely blamed for the Mumbai attacks, as the greatest threat facing their country.  One-third name Pakistan as the greatest threat – and overwhelmingly Indians believe there is a link between these two threats: 58% say the Pakistani government actively supports extremist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, while another 21% think it at least tolerates them.  And if these groups were to conduct another terrorist attack against India, most would support military action against them in Pakistan.

Overall, Indians take a dim view of their neighbor and longtime rival: 81% express a negative opinion of Pakistan.  Concern that the Pakistani state will be consumed by extremism is widespread: 78% are worried that extremists groups will take over Pakistan.

Despite these tensions and a history of hostility between the two nations, most want better relations and deeper economic ties with Pakistan.  More than eight-in-ten Indians (83%) say it is important that relations with Pakistan improve, while more than six-in-ten (63%) believe an increase in trade and business ties between the two countries would be good for India.  And 63% also favor further talks between India and Pakistan to reduce tensions.

These are the latest findings from a spring 2010 survey by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project.  Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 2,254 adults in India from April 9 to April 30, 2010.  The sample, which is disproportionately urban, represents approximately 61% of the adult population.¹ (India was surveyed as part of the Spring 2010 Pew Global Attitudes survey, which included 22 nations.  For more findings from this survey, see “Obama More Popular Abroad Than at Home, Global Image of U.S. Continues to Benefit,” released June 17, 2010, as well as other reports and analyses at pewglobal.org.)

U.S. Image Strong

The United States enjoys a largely positive image in India.  Nearly two-thirds (66%) express a favorable opinion of the U.S., although this is down from 76% last year.  By contrast, only 51% rate Russia favorably, and even fewer feel this way about the EU (36%) or China (34%).

While many publics around the world continue to believe the U.S. acts unilaterally in world affairs, Indians see a more multilateral America.  More than eight-in-ten (83%) say the U.S. takes the interests of countries like India into account when it makes foreign policy decisions – the highest percentage among the 21 nations surveyed outside the U.S.  This view has become increasingly common among Indians over the last eight years – in 2002, only 51% said the U.S. considered their interests.

U.S. President Barack Obama, who is scheduled to visit India and other Asian countries in November, is widely popular: 73% express confidence that Obama will do the right thing in world affairs.

India as a World Power

Indians express confident views about their country’s role in the international arena.  Almost four-in-ten (38%) think India is already one of the world’s leading powers and roughly half (49%) say it will be one eventually.  Only 8% believe it will never be a major power.

Indians also believe their country is well-regarded abroad; 87% say India is generally liked by people in other counties.  Among the 22 publics surveyed, only Indonesians (92%) are more likely to think their country enjoys international popularity.

However, India actually receives mixed ratings in other Asian countries.  On balance, Indonesians, Japanese, and South Koreans express positive views of India, but opinions toward India in China, and especially in Pakistan, are largely negative.

Most Say Economy Is Strong

Over the last several years, Indians have not shared the gloomy economic mood that has been pervasive across much of the globe.  Again this year, most Indians see their country’s economy in a positive light; 57% say the economy is in good shape, although this is down from 73% in 2009.

Overwhelmingly, Indians give their government high marks for its handling of the economy; 85% say it is doing a good job.  And most are optimistic about the future, with 64% saying the economy will improve over the next 12 months.

These ratings look even more positive when compared with other countries around the world, many of which are still struggling with the effects of the global economic downturn.

China (91%) and Brazil (62%) are the only countries surveyed in which a larger percentage of respondents describe their economic situation in a positive light.  China is the only nation in which the government gets higher marks for dealing with the economy (91% of Chinese approve of how their government has handled this issue).  And India ranks fourth out of 22 nations in terms of optimism about the near term economic future.

India also ranks fourth on overall satisfaction with national conditions.  Even so, only 45% of Indians say they are satisfied with the way things are going in their country, while 54% are dissatisfied.  In 2009, a majority (53%) had a positive view of national conditions and 46% offered a negative assessment.

Indians see a number of specific challenges facing their nation.  In particular, at least 80% say crime, terrorism and corruption are very big problems.  More than six-in-ten characterize the situation in Kashmir, pollution, and illegal drugs as very big problems.² And about two-thirds say this about economic problems, suggesting that Indians continue to confront economic challenges, even if they believe their country is generally on the right economic path.

Also of Note

• Prime Minister Manmohan Singh receives extremely positive ratings (87% favorable), as do Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi (87%) and her son Rahul Gandhi (85%).
• The Indian military also receives high marks: 92% say it is having a good influence on the nation, and 65% describe its influence as very good.
• Indians embrace key elements of economic globalization.  Nine-in-ten describe growing trade and business ties between India and other nations as a good thing; 79% believe most people are better off in a free market economy, even if that means some are rich while others are poor; and 72% think large foreign companies are having a positive impact in India.

Moreover, Indians assign higher ratings to the U.S. than to other leading powers.  About half (51%) have a positive opinion of Russia, while only 36% say the same about the EU.

Meanwhile, views toward China have turned sharply negative over the last year.  In 2009, 46% of Indians expressed a positive view of China, compared with just 34% this year.

Indians see their own country as a rising global power.  Nearly nine-in-ten Indians say their country already is (38%) or will eventually be (49%) one of the most powerful nations in the world.  Just 8% say India will never be one of the world’s leading powers.

Most Indians also think their country is popular abroad.  However, India actually receives mixed reviews from its Asian neighbors.

Positive Ratings for U.S.

America’s image in India has been generally positive in all Pew Global Attitudes surveys dating back to 2002, and this year roughly two-thirds (66%) of Indians have a favorable opinion of the U.S.; just 24% express an unfavorable view.  Still, positive ratings for the U.S. are less common now than in 2009, when 76% held a favorable view.

Indians with higher household incomes and higher levels of education are especially likely to express a positive view of the U.S.⁴ At least seven-in-ten high- (72%) and middle- (70%) income respondents give the U.S. favorable ratings, compared with 54% of those in the low-income group.

Similarly, Indians who have attended college (70%) and those with a high school education (68%) are more likely than those with five to nine years of schooling (47%) and those with four years or less (39%) to have a positive opinion of the U.S.  Nearly one-in-five (19%) low-income respondents do not offer an opinion about the U.S.; about three-in-ten of those with less than a high school education also do not offer an opinion.

About half of Indians (51%) consider the U.S. a partner to their country, down slightly from 56% last year, but considerably higher than the 40% observed in 2008.  Meanwhile, 24% regard the U.S. as an enemy, up from 9% in last year’s poll.  The percentage that sees the U.S. as neither a partner nor an enemy has dropped significantly over the last two years, falling from 38% in 2008 to 17% today.

A common complaint about American foreign policy in many countries is that the U.S. acts unilaterally in world affairs, failing to take into account the interests of other nations, but this is not the case in India.  Fully 83% of Indians think the U.S. takes into account the interests of countries like theirs when it is making foreign policy decisions – the highest percentage among the 21 countries surveyed outside the U.S.  The view that the U.S. considers India’s interests has become steadily more common since 2002, when only 51% held this view.

President Barack Obama also receives largely positive ratings in India.  Nearly three-in-four (73%) say they have a lot or some confidence in Obama to do the right thing in world affairs.  Just 15% have not too much or no confidence in the American president.

Most Say U.S.-India Relations Have Improved

Six-in-ten Indians think that relations between their country and the U.S. have improved in recent years, while 29% say they have not improved.  Indians are less likely to say the relationship is improving than was the case in 2009, when 70% held this view.

Indians are divided over whether relations between the U.S. and neighboring Pakistan have improved in recent years: 40% say they have improved, while 44% believe they have not.

A 38% plurality believes that U.S. policies toward India and Pakistan favor India too much, while 33% say they are fair and 14% say they favor Pakistan.

Looking at Pakistani public opinion on these same questions, 37% believe relations between the U.S. and India have improved in recent years, while 32% say they have not.  Pakistanis are also somewhat divided over whether relations between their own country and the U.S. have improved: 36% say yes, 39% no.  Regarding American policy in South Asia, nearly half of Pakistanis (47%) say the U.S. favors India too much; 13% believe U.S. policy is fair and just 6% say it favors Pakistan.

Declining Ratings for China

Indian views of China have grown significantly more negative over the last year.  Currently, just 34% hold a favorable opinion of China, while 52% have an unfavorable opinion.  In 2009, 46% expressed a positive and 39% a negative view.  As recently as five years ago, positive ratings of China outweighed negative ones by a 56% to 20% margin.

The percentage of Indians who consider China an enemy has almost doubled since last year’s poll.  Today, 44% hold this view, compared with 23% in 2009.  Roughly a third (32%) now label China a partner, down from 43% last year.

About four-in-ten Indians (42%) consider China a very serious threat to their country; another 28% say it is a somewhat serious threat.  Fewer than one-in-five think it is either a minor threat (11%) or no threat at all (8%).

Concerns about China’s economic power are also on the rise – 56% say China’s growing economy is a bad thing for India, up from 45% in 2008.

China’s expanding military might is viewed even more negatively.  More than six-in-ten (64%) believe that China’s growing military power is a bad thing for India; 27% consider it a good thing.  Opinions on this question have changed little since 2008, when 62% said it was bad for India and 24% believed it was good.

India’s International Image

Overwhelmingly, Indians believe that their own country is perceived positively abroad; 87% say India is generally liked around the world, while just 12% think people in other countries dislike India.  Of the 22 nations surveyed, only in Indonesia do more (92%) say their country is well-regarded.

However, India does not receive uniformly positive ratings from the five other Asian publics included in the survey.  Majorities in Indonesia (64%) and Japan (62%) offer favorable opinions; views of India are also, on balance, positive in South Korea, where half give the country a favorable rating and about a third (34%) give it an unfavorable rating.

In contrast, just one-in-five Pakistanis express positive views of their country’s longtime rival; seven-in-ten have a negative opinion of India.  Overall views of India are also negative in China – only about one-third of Chinese respondents (32%) have a favorable opinion and 51% have an unfavorable opinion of India.

In Indonesia, Japan and South Korea, ratings for India are higher than those for China, another major Asian power.  Just 38% in South Korea and even fewer (26%) in Japan give China a favorable rating, while majorities in both (56% and 69%, respectively) give it an unfavorable rating.  And while most Indonesians (58%) offer positive opinions of China, even more express favorable views of India.  Pakistanis, on the other hand, have far more positive views of China than they do of India; more than eight-in-ten (85%) in that country give China a favorable rating.

Views of India’s Economic Power

With the exception of Pakistan, majorities in all of the Asian countries surveyed see India’s growing economy as a good thing for their countries.  Views of India’s economic power are particularly positive in Japan and South Korea, where at least two-thirds consider it a good thing (76% and 68%, respectively).  Nearly six-in-ten in Indonesia (57%) also offer positive assessments of India’s growing economy.

Despite the fact that only about one-third of Chinese have a favorable overall opinion of India, six-in-ten say India’s growing economy is good for China.  Moreover, 53% of Chinese characterize the relationship between India and their country as one of cooperation; only 9% describe it as one of hostility; 23% say it is neither, while 15% have no opinion.

Just 27% of Pakistanis say India’s growing economic strength is good for their country; a majority (53%) considers India’s growing economy bad for Pakistan.  In contrast, about eight-in-ten (79%) Pakistanis offer positive views of China’s economic power.  Majorities in Japan and Indonesia (61% each) also consider China’s economic might a good thing for their countries, while South Koreans are divided – 45% say China’s growing economy is good and 49% say it is bad.