The findings come from the U.K.-based nonprofit Charities Aid Foundation and defined generosity as helping a stranger, donating money to charity, or volunteering time.
At the top of the list were the U.S., Myanmar, and New Zealand. The countries that scored the lowest were Yemen, Greece and China.
The U.S. peaked on the World Giving Index in 2014, but has declined since then. The report authors called this a “worrying trend” that’s also happening in other developed countries.
The report also raises the question about whether the 2017 tax overhaul could affect Americans’ donations to charities, because many have stopped claiming tax deductions for their charitable donations.
The study found that charities in the U.S. took in more than $427 billion in 2018 — an increase in total dollars from the year before.
Authors of the report say “There is no one trait that points to a country’s generosity.”
While seven of the top 10 countries are among the wealthiest in the world, some are much less affluent: Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Indonesia are all classified by the United Nations as lower-middle-income countries.
A seperate study found that two out of three Americans donated to charity within the last year.
71% said their debt prevents them from donating as much as they’d like.