World's Friendliest Countries

These nations are the most hospitable to expatriates, according to a new report.

Rank Country

1 Bahrain

2 Canada

3 Australia

4 Thailand

5 Malaysia

6 South Africa

7 Hong Kong

8 Singapore

9 Spain

10 United States

The survey was conducted among expatriates and was done by HSBC Bank.

Bahrain ranked first in one key measure of how easy it is for expatriates to set up a new life for their families. It received high marks from expats who like the country's easy access to modern health care, decent and affordable housing, and network of social groups that expatriates can join.

The United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom received some of the poorest scores on the integration scale. Foreign workers in England complained about the challenges of finding affordable housing.

Credibility of the result

It is possible that Bahrain's first-place finish is a fluke. Only 31 expats working in Bahrain participated in the survey, vs. more than 450 respondents from the United Kingdom.

For the Forbes chart, click here

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