Ranked: Countries With the Most Trust in Science

[Hamartia Antidote]

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/countries-most-trust-in-science/

Which Countries Have the Most Trust in Science?​

Key Takeaways:​

• Spain leads the world in trust in science, with 67.9% of respondents saying they trust science “a lot,” compared with just 5.8% in Togo.
• Europe accounts for 12 of the 16 countries where a majority of respondents express high trust in science.
• The United States ranks 13th globally at 52.5%.

Public trust in science varies dramatically worldwide, with some countries reporting more than 10 times the share of highly trusting respondents as others.

This visualization uses data from the Wellcome Global Monitor 2026, which surveyed more than 140,000 people across 140 countries in 2025.

Among the most surprising results are Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, which rank third and fourth globally, ahead of major scientific powers including the United States, United Kingdom, and France.

At the other end of the ranking, several countries report single-digit levels of high trust, highlighting substantial differences in public attitudes toward science worldwide.

Does Education Influence Trust in Science?​

Several highly educated and innovative economies rank among the countries with the greatest trust in science. Finland, Germany, and Sweden all make the top 10.

However, Uzbekistan (63.8%) and Tajikistan (60.7%) rank third and fourth globally, ahead of many wealthier nations with more established research institutions. This suggests that educational attainment and economic development alone cannot explain differences in public trust.

Wellcome’s researchers found little convincing evidence of a consistent relationship between trust in science and scientific literacy. They also found no clear country-level association between trust and average scientific literacy or government education spending.

What Role Does Religion Play?​

Religious belief does not necessarily translate into skepticism toward science. Muslim-majority Uzbekistan and Tajikistan rank among the world’s most trusting countries, while Pakistan (9.3%) ranks near the bottom, highlighting substantial differences even among countries sharing a predominant religion.

The relationship is similarly complex within scientific communities. Theos Think Tank found that 94% of surveyed scientists in India and 87% in Turkey identified with a religious tradition, compared with 40% in the United States and 36% in the United Kingdom. Separate Pew Research interviews suggest that many Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists view science and religion as compatible rather than inherently conflicting.

Ultimately, religious identity alone is a poor predictor of scientific trust. Cultural context, institutional confidence, and how religious communities interpret scientific findings can all shape public attitudes.

Global Trust in Science Has Fallen Since 2020​

Globally, 72% of respondents reported trusting science “some” or “a lot” in 2025, down from 80% in 2020, according to Wellcome. This represents an eight-percentage-point decline over five years.

A Harvard Global Health Institute discussion highlighted how distrust can reflect structural inequalities, institutional failures, misinformation, and political polarization, particularly among underrepresented populations.

These findings suggest that strengthening scientific trust requires more than scientific advancement. Economic inclusion, reliable institutions, and effective public communication also matter.

 

[mythbuster]

Trust in science....wth does it mean ?

 

[Leclerc]

Trust in science....wth does it mean ?

Believing that scientists and science as a whole can be trusted with their judgement.

The US being high on that list is a surprise to me given how deeply anti intellectual MAGA is.

 

[atmi_bum]

I'm surprised Australia is not up there with Canada, the EU, and the US. It's a Western country with an educated population.

Believing that scientists and science as a whole can be trusted with their judgement.

The US being high on that list is a surprise to me given how deeply anti intellectual MAGA is.

Yet we have people on the left who believe gender is a social construct and that trans women can compete in women's sports and give birth. I would say both the left and right have lost their minds when it comes to science.

 

[SolarWarden]

Believing that scientists and science as a whole can be trusted with their judgement.

The US being high on that list is a surprise to me given how deeply anti intellectual MAGA is.

Clearly that claim was pulled out of your.... Funny the french guy digging at Americans when his country burns by french intellectuals who are also looting.

 

[Leclerc]

I'm surprised Australia is not up there with Canada, the EU, and the US. It's a Western country with an educated population.


Yet we have people on the left who believe gender is a social construct and that trans women can compete in women's sports and give birth. I would say both the left and right have lost their minds when it comes to science.

How well do you understand the topic? Gender (not sex) being a social construct is a much more complex matter than the "men should wear dresses" strawman right wingers throw all the time.

In the US, it's the right wingers who lead in being anti science, global warming denial, anti vaxx BS, creationism etc. is their thing.

 

[gangsta_rap]

The US being high on that list is a surprise to me given how deeply anti intellectual MAGA is.

I was surprised as well. Pretty funny how that statement ended up pushing the buttons on a cisgendered white male like @SolarWarden

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

In the US, it's the right wingers who lead in being anti science, global warming denial, anti vaxx BS, creationism etc. is their thing.

Come on...stop being silly about this. It has more to do with "if i get diagnosed with something will the hospital help me", "will the water coming out of my faucet kill me", "does that aspirin on the shelf actually work", "Will the meat I bought at the supermarket give me food poisoning?", "is that overpass I'm driving over going to collapse", "are they lying about that snowstorm in 5 days"...

That's what is driving the chart.

 

[MH.Yang]

This ranking is similar to the "Global National Epidemic Prevention Capability Ranking" established by Western countries before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. I remember that China was also the bottom ranked country at that time, while the United States ranked among the top.

Nowadays, a country that believes in flat ground theory, has a literacy rate of only 70+%, and dislikes STEM subjects is far ahead in the "Believe in Science" list, while China, an atheist country that fervently loves STEM, ranks at the bottom of the list.

That's why we believe that the United States is becoming more and more like India. We can only deceive the world and ourselves with various fabricated rankings.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

This ranking is similar to the "Global National Epidemic Prevention Capability Ranking" established by Western countries before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. I remember that China was also the bottom ranked country at that time, while the United States ranked among the top.

No it isn't. Where do you see a correlation?


At only 13.7% of Chinese polled trusting Science are you saying the other 86.3% of Chinese people taking part in the poll think Science is nonsense simply because their own government for some weird reason intentionally has been selling them falsehoods that the science they see around them is bunk?

 

[MH.Yang]

No it isn't. Where do you see a correlation?

View attachment 220856
At only 13.7% of Chinese polled trusting Science are you saying the other 86.3% of Chinese people taking part in the poll think Science is nonsense simply because their own government for some weird reason intentionally has been selling them falsehoods that the science they see around them is bunk?

Well actually i can believe that.

BTW I'm posting articles from Statista because when China is on top nobody questions the data...but if China is not on top the cries of "nonsense and BS" quickly start appearing.

Firstly, we do not believe in virgin pregnancy. This is enough to make us stand out from the Western belief in science. Before you question the scientific literacy of Chinese people, it's best to first clean up the cult organizations spread throughout the United States, and then not rely on Chinese and Indian Americans to do science related work.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Firstly,

Ah so you do 100% agree that you were wrong and there isn't any correlation between this and the covid thing.

Thanks for clarifying to us all that your logic was flawed when trying to connect the two

Next...

 

[Panda_Hi]

BTW I'm posting articles from Statista because when China is on top nobody questions the data...but if China is not on top the cries of "nonsense and BS" quickly start appearing.

Someone’s logic is strange.

Does having once agreed with an article from Statista mean you can never question Statista from then on?
And Someone actually used this as the basis for an argument.

Musk once supported Trump’s policies when Trump ran for president, but after the election, he also opposed Trump’s policies multiple times.
These two things are both true at the same time. This is how an ordinary person would understand it.....

No it isn't. Where do you see a correlation?

View attachment 220856
At only 13.7% of Chinese polled trusting Science are you saying the other 86.3% of Chinese people taking part in the poll think Science is nonsense simply because their own government for some weird reason intentionally has been selling them falsehoods that the science they see around them is bunk?

Well actually i can believe that.

In fact, this ranking is hard to understand.
Japan is a major technological power, yet it ranks 102nd. Does this ranking reflect the actual situation in each country?

Besides measuring trust in science, this ranking also discusses the role and influence of religion in this regard.
Basically, science and religion are opposed to each other in many respects. And as everyone knows, China is often described as an atheist country.
According to this ranking, China has extremely little trust in science and also generally does not believe in religion. So I’m puzzled: what do Chinese people actually believe in?...

It is precisely because mainland China believes that science helps national development that it has long invested in science and technology education and trained large numbers of engineers in various fields. That is the real fact....

You are just happy to see mainland China ranked so low (122nd), so you posted this ranking to belittle mainland China, while hoping that everyone would agree with you and share your joy. Other than that, this ranking has little significance.

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If a ranking claims to measure how much people in each country trust science, but does not adequately consider people’s confidence in whether science and technology can improve human life, then what practical value does this ranking offer the world?

If we want to discuss which countries have the most trust in science-related fields, the ranking below is more worth discussing...▼▼▼...





93% Of Chinese Believe AI Will Mostly Help The People In Their Country, Compared To Just 36% Of Americans

https://officechai.com/ai/93-of-chi...eir-country-compared-to-just-36-of-americans/

A new survey shows a wide gap in how people in different countries see AI. In China, 93% of respondents say AI will mostly help people in their country. In the US, only 36% say the same. The US is one of the five most pessimistic countries in the study.





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[kankan326]

Say Indians trust science more than Chinese. Both India and USA are highly religious countries.

 

[Panda_Hi]

Say Indians trust science more than Chinese. Both India and USA are highly religious countries.

In this ranking, India really does rank higher than mainland China, Taiwan, and Japan.

How interesting....▼▼▼....