Maldivians hold the most favorable views of Saudi Arabia and China, and the least favorable of the United States, according to the latest opinion poll by the Baani Centre for International Policy.
Baani, a Maldivian based think tank, asked respondents to rate a shortlist of countries on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 indicating very positive feelings and 0 the opposite.
Saudi Arabia and China topped the list with an average score of 6.9 out of 10. India followed with 6.2.
Russia and Australia scored 5.2 and 4.9 respectively, while the United Kingdom received 4.3 and Ukraine 3.9. The United States ranked last with 3.5 out of 10.
However, the findings reveal sharp generational divides.
Maldivians aged 55 and above gave the US a score of 2.5 out of 10. By contrast, respondents aged 18 to 24 rated the US at 5 out of 10. Similar patterns were observed for Western countries and Russia, with younger Maldivians expressing more positive views than older respondents.
Saudi Arabia and China recorded broadly similar scores across age groups. India, meanwhile, was viewed more favorably by older respondents than younger ones.
Geography had also played a role in people's perceptions. Respondents across the country expressed positive views of Saudi Arabia and China. But when it came to Western countries, Maldivians in urban areas were more favorable than those living on other islands.
The telephone survey was conducted between 23 November and 1 December 2025 using randomized interviews. A total of 391 responses were collected with a 5 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level. Results were weighted to ensure a representative sample of voters.
