CAF World Giving Index 2016: Myanmar Has the World’s Most Generous People

According to a recent research, Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has the world’s most generous people.

The CAF World Giving Index 2016 found that people in Iraq are the kindest to strangers, while Myanmar’s residents give the most away.

In the last month, eight in 10 Iraqis have helped someone they don’t know, with Libyans helping almost as many.

During the same period, 91% of those in Myanmar have given money to charity.

Image source Charities Aid Foundation

In comparison, 63% of Americans – the second most generous overall – have donated money, with 73% helping a stranger.

The annual ranking places Myanmar at the top of the list for the third year in a row, with more than half the population donating time and 63% helping a stranger.

The report said the generous giving reflected the practice of “Sangha Dana”, where Myanmar’s Theravada Buddhist majority donate to support those living a monastic lifestyle.

The overall table, which takes into account financial donations, help offered to strangers and volunteering, ranks the UK as the most generous place in Europe, the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East, Kenya in Africa and Guatemala in Latin America.

China is named as the least generous country.

However, the poll only takes into account the responses of 1,000 people on average in each of the 140 countries, and the Charities Aid Foundation acknowledges there is margin for error.

However, it is the kindness of Iraqis and Libyans to complete strangers in the face of years of conflict and terrible violence which stands out in the list.