Pew Research Names the Countries Most Proud of Their Culture

What makes a country worth being proud of? The answers, it turns out, depend heavily on where you live. A sweeping new global survey published by Pew Research Center on February 17, 2026 asked over 33,000 adults across 25 countries to describe, in their own words, what makes them proud of their nation. The results reveal a world where pride runs deep but takes very different shapes depending on history, lifestyle, food, and cultural identity.

The survey was conducted in the spring and summer of 2025 across Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Italy Leads the World in Cultural Pride

When it comes to pride in arts and culture, no country comes close to Italy. About 38% of Italians cited their national arts and culture as a source of pride, making it the top source of national identity among all 25 countries surveyed. Respondents spoke of architecture, paintings, sculpture, and the idea that Italy functions as an "open-air museum." One Italian man described the national tricolor flag as representing the blood of soldiers, democracy, and hope combined.

France followed at 26% and Mexico at 30%, with respondents pointing to everything from national monuments and cinema to indigenous traditions and ancient civilizations. In Mexico, a significant proportion of respondents mentioned pride in the Mayan heritage and the country's deep roots. One Mexican woman said she was proud of Mexican street food, locally known as antojitos.

Younger people are significantly more likely to express cultural pride than older generations. In Hungary, around a third of adults under 35 mentioned arts and culture as a source of national pride, compared to just 12% of those aged 50 and older. In France, the gap was nearly double, with younger adults far more likely to cite cultural identity as a reason for pride. Higher education also plays a role. In Mexico, almost half of those with at least an upper secondary education cited culture as a source of pride, compared to just 16% of those with lower levels of education.

Food is its own powerful category. In Italy, France, Mexico, and Spain, more than one in ten respondents specifically mentioned national cuisine as something they are proud of. Italian wines, French cheeses and the art of knowing how to enjoy them, Mexican street food, and Spanish paella all received mention. For many respondents, it was not just the food itself but the culture surrounding it. French respondents described the pleasure of sitting on a terrace with wine, while Japanese respondents mentioned their food and alcohol culture as a way of life worth celebrating.

South Korea stood out for a distinctly modern form of cultural pride. Many South Koreans specifically mentioned the global spread of K-pop, K-dramas, K-beauty, and Korean cuisine as sources of national pride. One Korean woman called South Korea a "powerhouse in cultural content." Japan, meanwhile, showed pride in both its traditional craftsmanship and in more contemporary forms like animation and video games.

Spain and Australia Are the Proudest of Their Lifestyles

When it came to overall lifestyle, Spain and Australia ranked highest among all countries surveyed, with 14% and 13% of respondents respectively citing their way of life as a reason for national pride.

Spaniards described a country where people go out, gather with family, enjoy the sun, and embrace the pleasure of simply being alive. Several respondents used phrases like "we know how to enjoy life" and "there is joy here." In Australia, the dominant theme was a relaxed, easygoing quality of life. Respondents described their lifestyle as "carefree," "laid-back," and "outdoor," with many citing it as a good place to raise children.

Italy and France also showed strong lifestyle pride. Italians praised what they called the lifestyle Italy allows, while the French referenced their well-known concept of savoir-vivre, which translates roughly to the art of living well. In the Netherlands and Sweden, respondents took pride in a more comparative sense, noting that people in their countries live comfortably relative to much of the rest of the world.

Greece Leads on Historical Pride While Some Countries Mourn the Present

Greece ranked highest on historical pride, with 37% of Greeks citing their country's history as a source of national pride. Respondents specifically mentioned ancient philosophers like Socrates and Aristotle, the democratic legacy of Pericles, and Greece's foundational role in Western civilization. Poland expressed similar historical pride, with respondents citing the resilience of their ancestors through centuries of hardship. Several Polish respondents also mentioned national icons like composer Frederic Chopin, scientist Marie Curie, and Pope John Paul II.

France pointed to the revolutionary legacy of 1789 and the country's Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. Germany showed pride in having confronted and overcome its fascist past, with several respondents mentioning reunification and economic recovery as achievements worth celebrating.

One striking pattern across multiple countries was a sense of historical pride combined with present-day disillusionment. A Greek woman said she was proud of "nothing anymore, only our history." An American man said he was proud of the United States because of its past, adding that he was "not so much" proud of the present. This tension between historical pride and current dissatisfaction appeared in countries ranging from Hungary to the United States, suggesting that national pride is often more connected to memory than to current reality.

The overall picture is one of a world where national identity is alive and deeply felt, but also complicated. Culture, food, lifestyle, and history each carry weight. The reasons people feel proud vary dramatically from one country to the next, but the underlying desire to belong to something meaningful appears to be universal.