World Giving Index: US Ranked Most Charitable Country On Earth (SLIDESHOW)

The United States climbed from fifth place to the rank of most generous country in the world, according to a recent global study.

In its second annual study of 153 countries, the Charity Aid Foundation concluded that the U.S. has demonstrated "strong" behavior across all three criteria measured -- volunteering, helping strangers and donating money. The U.S. has increased its charity by 3 percentage points this year, up to $212 billion.

"The point to leave with American leaders is the world really needs America; it needs its generosity, its resource and spirit, and though times are really hard, this is the time we need to keep giving as much as we possibly can," Richard Harrison, director of research at the UK-based Charities Aid Foundation told The NonProfit Times.

Ireland and Australia trailed behind the U.S. in giving, but the study noted that the most affluent countries aren't necessarily the most philanthropic. Only five of the countries featured in the World Bank's top 20 GDP made to the Charity Aid Foundation's top 20 list.

But when it came to measuring volunteering, the age demographic came into play. The number of people who volunteered among the 50 and over age group increased 2 percentage points from last year.

"More people gave their time to help others over the last year...a compelling and inspiring reminder of human kindness," wrote John Low, chief executive of the Charity Aid Foundation. "The fact that donations became less frequent in many countries is one of the real tragedies of the financial crisis."

SLIDESHOW:

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• #1 United States

• #2 Ireland

• #3 Australia

• #4 New Zealand

• #5 United Kingdom

• #6 Netherlands

• #7 Canada

• #8 Sri Lanka

• #9 Thailand

• #10 Laos

Comments

[ToddZan]

03:46 PM on 12/06/2012

OK Huff, let me be nicer. I don't know if I should be sad or proud of our US contributions supporting worldy "Pan Handlers". Oh and a "Shout Out" to "mrpell" , do me a favor, put your head between your legs, open our eyes, tell me what your see.

[mrpell]

12:55 PM on 12/23/2011

Too bad the facts get in the way of you liberal America haters out there. Another fact: the most giving Americans are conservatives - by a wide margin. I would wish you a Merry Christmas but, you don't believe in that either.

[cheechazteca]

12:57 PM on 12/22/2011

The time for honoring thyself will soon come to an end.

[SAdams1987]

09:23 PM on 12/21/2011

Based on the arguments made by some in this country, one would expect the most redistributive countries to rank at the top.

[benjycompson]

08:40 AM on 12/21/2011

For all the naysayers about not helping out, luckily it seems many more Americans than usual volunteered to help their neighbor. I remember once as a young lad we were in tough times due to my dad being unemployed. At the annual baseball game, a son wanted this shirt while his dad looked heartbroken as he said we couldn't afford it. My dad took our food money and bought the shirt. I asked why? Cause they needed it more. That kid will be happy. That has lived with me and it lives with many Americans.

[Tammy Tyler Palmisano]

04:34 AM on 12/21/2011

why dont we clean our own backyard before we try to clean our neighbors yard...i am all for helping anyone/country who needs help but on the other hand i am not gonna go down the street and pay my neighbors bill when i have disconnect notices in my hand regarding my own bills...we cant fix broken if we are broken...

[tarzan322]

08:02 PM on 12/20/2011

It's good to help others, but people need to realize we can't help everyone, and trying too will only put us farther into debt. With our economy in the toilet, we should not be giving away so much money, especially when we can't take care of the problems we have in our own country.

[Julia Bailey]

12:03 PM on 12/21/2011

People have the right to give away their own money to whomever they want. I doubt anyone goes into debt for charity.
You do understand this is personal giving and not the government?

[mrpell]

12:56 PM on 12/23/2011

This is personal giving - not tax dollars.

[bradsknn]

07:16 PM on 12/20/2011

We're broke and we give away what we don't have. I'm sorry, I'm all for helping folks out but you don't feed your neighbor's kids and let your own go hungry. All foriegn aid needs to stop until we get out own financial situation under control.

[Bumble Bee]

07:27 PM on 12/20/2011

This is charity, not government spending. This is individual people giving time and money as they choose and of their own free will. Unless they are funding terrorists or a drug cartel, it's their money and their business what they do with it.

[bradsknn]

07:31 PM on 12/20/2011

Oops, I was so ready for a rant I missed it. My bad....

[mrpell]

12:57 PM on 12/23/2011

Personal giving - not government give aways.

[bob40wil]

05:52 PM on 12/20/2011

Reading through the posts I see the usual group of nay sayers, they can't except anything decent this Country does and be happy.

[ontariogirl]

05:24 PM on 12/20/2011

Not really sure how accurate this is. A lot of people do not donate through charity. Some do simple acts of kindness so it goes undetected. To all those around the world that give in any way they can I say thank you.

[Mucklow Justencase]

06:26 PM on 12/20/2011

Of Course that includes the U.S.A, lots of americans do simple acts of kindness which go undetected. The ranking wasn't some unfair competition the U.S. entered with something to gain.

[ohslimgoody]

05:19 PM on 12/20/2011

I wonder why we take every and anything that is thrown our way and we give to every country, thats why we are in the shape we are in school grants for illegals, medical care , money homes hey why not come to America.

[deluk]

05:19 PM on 12/20/2011

I hereby apologise to the lady from the USA who I slammed for declaring that Americans "are the worlds most giving people" on here, only a few days ago. I was obviously using last years figures.

so there.

[Tammy Tyler Palmisano]

04:41 AM on 12/21/2011

kudos to you...

[deluk]

11:31 AM on 12/21/2011

Thanks Tammy!!

[badeal]

04:41 PM on 12/20/2011

And for this the world hates us. We are the proof that "No good deed goes unpunished"!

[deluk]

05:20 PM on 12/20/2011

trouble is, that in the case of the USA so much of it is linked to religion and proselytising.....

[pbftmb]

06:23 PM on 12/20/2011

So if your religion teaches you to give to the hungry and you do, that's wrong. Better to let the person starve than have to listen to a Bible thumper. I don't believe it is mandatory for any one to convert in order to get a bowl of soup from some of these charities. Mother Theresa worked all her life in India so one would think all those whom she helped would be Catholic. Believe most Indians are still Hindu.

[Mucklow Justencase]

06:31 PM on 12/20/2011

Yes, at least now we know what the trouble is in the case of the USA and the millions it gives to other countries and charities. Wonder what the trouble would be if the U.S.A. was not so generous?

[Tammy Tyler Palmisano]

04:48 AM on 12/21/2011

i dont think the ones who hate us hate us for charity or no charity, it probably has more to do with our contradictions, our control issues and trying to force our beliefs upon them you know us trying to dictate to the world our way or no way...i dont think the entire world hates us and i dont think all people in countries that do hate us hate us, just like not all people of countries that say they like us really like us..

[powerage]

04:36 PM on 12/20/2011

Despite all the things that may be wrong in this country thank God that at least we do have SOMETHING RIGHT!!!

[Mucklow Justencase]

04:25 PM on 12/20/2011

Saudi Arabia is the richest country on earth and do they rank at all for charitable contributions?
Do any of the Muslim countries make charitable contributions?

[miniegranie]

05:47 PM on 12/20/2011

I read that Saudi Arabia ranks 23.
I think it was on Wikipedia.

[Mucklow Justencase]

06:13 PM on 12/20/2011

Wikipedia gives three different types of GDP rankings. Depends which one you look at, Qatar $179,000 per gdp which borders Saudi Arabia.
Qatar ranked twice in two of the lists including the CIA as number one. My main question still was which if any of the Islaimc countries, particularly the rich Islamic countries, give charitable contributions. How do they rank at all.

[Karma2U]

07:37 PM on 12/20/2011

Where's China?

[Tammy Tyler Palmisano]

05:03 AM on 12/21/2011

muslims? what does religion have to do with this, the us has lots of giving people who are not religious at all, the article is not counting what the country gives in aide its about what the individual citizens of these countries give to charity