The wealthiest countries in the world are not always the most generous, as the World Giving Index by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) found. For the 10th edition of the ranking, the UK-based nonprofit organisation asked 1.3 million people in 128 countries between 2009 and 2018 about their acts of generosity in three areas – helping a stranger, donating money and volunteering time to charity. Based on the findings, here we count down the 30 most generous countries in the world.

More than half of the Swedish population (55%) has consistently donated money to charity, which is why the Scandinavian country is ranked 14th in this category and among the 30 most generous countries in the world overall. Sweden is also the world’s number one in donating development aid, an OECD report found. In 2018 the country gave away 1.04% of its national income, which is well ahead of the internationally-agreed UN donor target of 0.7%.

Luxembourg’s charitable giving is also particularly strong in the area of donating money. The small European nation is ranked 17th in the world in this category. The country is the second most generous development aid donor behind Sweden, having given away 0.98% of its national income in 2018 according to the OECD.

Although Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, with a GDP per capita of only $870 (£660) in 2018 according to the World Bank, and was devastated severely by an earthquake in 2010, its population is among the most generous in the world. Haitians are particularly kind in donating money, a category in which they are ranked 23rd in the world. Haiti is also one of the biggest risers of the ranking, having improved its score over the past decade.

The most generous Latin American country, Guatemala scores highly thanks to a strong engagement in volunteering, in which it is ranked 15th in the world. More than a third (34%) of Guatemalans dedicate their time for good causes. Donating money, in which the Central American country is ranked only 42nd, is not as popular in Latin America. This is partly due to the region’s history of dependency and distrust during colonisation according to the Global Fund.

Finland is the happiest country in the world, according to the 2019 World Happiness Report, and it is generous too. More than half of the Finns (52%) have helped a stranger, 42% have donated money to charity and nearly a third of the population (28%) has volunteered for good causes, the World Giving Index found.

Uzbekistan is one a few former Soviet countries among the 30 most generous countries in the world. Most of these states feature near the bottom of the World Giving Index, which is most likely due to "a complex mixture of cultural and economic factors", as the CAF found. In Uzbekistan however, 41% of the population has engaged in being good samaritans, with more than half (54%) of all people having helped a stranger.

In Cyprus 41% of the country’s population has given back over the past 10 years, mostly by helping a stranger (53%). While 44% have donated money to charity, and a quarter have engaged in volunteering. The Mediterranean country, which is divided into a Turkish north and Greek south, has been found to be more generous than neighbouring Greece, which is ranked at the bottom of the World Giving Index sharing a score of only 16% with China.

Perhaps surprisingly to Westerners, Iran, which is often criticised for human rights violations and known for an anti-Western sentiment, is ranked better in charitable giving than many Western countries. Over the past decade, more than half (56%) of the Iranian population said they had helped a stranger and 48% had donated money for charity, while 20% had volunteered for good causes.

Expressing compassion and humanity is at the heart of most African cultures, which is perhaps why Nigeria – a poor country dealing with separatist aspirations, terrorism and other ethnic conflicts – is so generous in charitable giving. Over the last decade, 66% of the country’s population has helped a stranger, the CAF reports, boosting Nigeria to place 22 of the world’s most generous countries.

Thailand is ranked 21st thanks to its high score in donating money to charity, which has been scored as high as 71% meaning that the country ranks forth in the world for donations. The CAF links this practice to religion, the Theravada branch of Buddhism to be more specific, in which open-hearted giving is practised.

Much like other African countries, helping a stranger is a common giving behaviour in Sierra Leone. Over the past decade 74% of the people surveyed said that they had helped someone they didn’t know – meaning the country takes second place in this category.

Despite its gas wealth, most of Turkmenistan’s population is impoverished. However, in terms of volunteering the country comes in second place. Not only that, but over the past decade 43% of the population has donated time for charity. This is mostly due to the widespread – but sometimes mandatory – practice of giving up a Saturday for unpaid labour, called 'subbotnik' inherited from its time as an annexe of the Soviet Union.

In 2019, fewer people in Germany donated money to charity compared to the previous year, a recent report by the German Spendenverband revealed, however, the amounts they donate are higher. According to the World Giving Index, nearly half (49%) of the people surveyed said they had donated money, while 56% had helped a stranger and 26% had volunteered time for charity. Despite being one of the richest countries, Germany's overall score of 43% is outpaced by 17 other nations.

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The country most likely to help a stranger is Liberia. Over the past decade, 77% of the population has offered their help to a person they didn’t know. The African nation is also among the most engaged in volunteering for charity (4th) in the world, despite being a poor country with rising corruption, a weak economy and health issues.

More than half (58%) of Denmark’s population has shown charitable giving over the past 10 years. While the World Giving Index ranks Denmark 16th overall, in 2018 the country donated 0.72% of its national income in foreign aid, more than the UN target of 0.7%.

In Austria donating money and helping strangers both score 53%, while volunteering time for charity reaches 27%. In 2019 Austrians donated €700 million ($783m/£596m) to charity, the equivalent of €78 ($87/£66) per person, which is twice as much as 10 years ago, according to the Fundraising Verband Austria.

Charitable giving is becoming more and more common in the United Arab Emirates, as the CAF figures suggest. The country is among the biggest risers in the World Giving Index and has improved its ranking considerably over the past decade. Over the last 10 years, the country has achieved an overall score of 45% for its generosity, with helping strangers (63%) being the most common way to give back.

In Switzerland donating money is the most common way of being generous to others. Over the past decade, more than half (56%) of the population has given money to charity. In 2018 Swiss charity organisations received donations worth 1.8 billion Swiss francs ($1.9bn/£1.4bn), according to the Zewo foundation.

Malta is one of Europe’s most religious countries, hence donating money is very common, according to the CAF. The country is ranked third in this category when looked at over the past decade. The country's lowest performance relates to volunteering, where only 24% donated time over the past 10 years, meaning that Malta is only 43rd in the world for the activity.

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Kenya is the most generous country in Africa and also one of the biggest risers in the World Giving Index, having increased its score continuously over the past decade. Helping a stranger is the most common practice of giving, with 68% of the population reported as doing so. As in other African countries, expressing compassion and humanity as part of everyday life is a common practice, according to the CAF.

Indonesia is the only top 10 country to have improved its one year scores significantly over recent years, while other nations are following a downward trend, according to the CAF. The country’s generosity was ranked 50^th place in 2010 (36%), climbing steadily to number one in 2018 with a score of 59%. Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population and faith-related donations are common. The researchers link the country’s increasing giving behaviour to a paradigm shift in the Islamic practice of ‘zakat’ focusing on more sustainable giving.

While seven of the 10 most generous countries are among the wealthiest in the world, three – including Indonesia – are less affluent. Classified by the UN as lower-middle-income country, Sri Lanka has been the ninth most charitable nation over the past decade. Compared to other countries, volunteering time for charity is particularly popular in Sri Lanka, for which it is ranked number one out of all countries.

The Netherlands is among the three most generous European countries over the past 10 years, achieving a score of 53%. The country’s generosity peaked at 56% in 2015 but has since been in decline. The Dutch are particularly generous with donating money to charity, which is likely to be due to religious giving, according to the CAF.

The second most generous European country, the United Kingdom is also one of the kindest in donating, taking second place in that category. Over the past decade, 71% of people surveyed had given money to charity in the four weeks before being interviewed. According to the CAF, the giving behaviour reflects the country’s long philanthropic tradition. In 2018, people in the UK on average donated £45 ($59.20) per month, which adds up to £540 ($710) per year.

Canada’s high overall 10-year score in the World Giving Index is thanks to its strong performance in the first five years. The country’s generosity peaked at 60% in 2014 and 2015 but has since followed a downward trend. Canadians have been particularly generous with offering help to others (64%) and donating money to charity (63%).

Ireland is the most generous European country, even though its giving behaviour has fluctuated over the years. While the country’s score peaked at 60% in 2012 and 2014, its lowest score of 53% was reached in 2017 – similar to the UK and the Netherlands. Over the past decade, more than half (56%) of the Irish population has helped others or donated money or time to charity.

In the first ever World Giving Index in 2010 Australia and New Zealand shared the first place with a score of 57%. Ten years on, Australia’s score has increased to 59% but other countries have overtaken the country’s generosity. Still, the last decade it is one of the highest performing countries in terms of generosity, and takes fourth place.

The third most generous country in the world, New Zealand is the only country to feature in the top 10 of all three giving categories. In fact, 64% of the people said to have helped strangers (10th), 65% donated money (9th) and 41% volunteered for charity (6th). Over the last 10 years, New Zealand and neighbouring Australia have also been the most consistent with their generosity.

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Myanmar takes first place when it comes to donating money to charity – over the past decade 81% of the people surveyed said they had done so. However, as the political and social crisis in the country has become more and more difficult in recent years, with hundreds of thousands of the Rohingya minority being persecuted, the number of people who donated money has dropped significantly. The CAF links the high number of practising Buddhists in Myanmar to its population’s generosity.

The United States has been the most generous country in the world over the last decade, reaching an overall score of 58% in the World Giving Index. Despite a downward trend in recent years, consistently high numbers of Americans have helped a stranger (72%), donated money (61%) or volunteered time (42%), ensuring the country’s top position. A 2019 Giving USA report found that Americans donated $427.7 billion (£325.4bn) to charity in 2018 alone.

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