These are the countries with the most positive influence on the world

(Statista/Ipsos MORI)

The United States' positive influence on the world is declining at a faster rate than any other country, according to a new study by Ipsos MORI.

The international research organisation surveyed 18,055 adults from 25 countries. It asked them which nations and international organisations (including the EU and UN) they perceived as having the most positive influence on the world, and the results are eye-opening.

Respondents saw Canada as having the most positive influence on world affairs, with 81% of them putting it at the top of their list.

"Canada enjoyed a positive image around the world even before the arrival of Justin Trudeau," Michael Clemence, Research Manager at Ipsos MORI told Business Insider. "So we would have expected to see it sitting at the top of the list of positive global influencers."

(Statista/Ipsos MORI (Statista/Ipsos MORI)

However, perhaps more surprising is the US's poor performance in the report. The country's score plummeted 24% -- more than any other over the past year. It now ranks behind China and only one place ahead of Russia.

Clemence said: "Even a few years ago it would have seemed highly unlikely that we'd see China ranking above the US as a positive global influence.

"Data from Pew Research Center, among others, suggests that the arrival of Donald Trump and his 'America First' focus in the White House has been an important factor in a fairly dramatic shift in the US's external image."

Most countries in the report are more positive about themselves than outsiders see them. However, this is particularly prevalent in the US, India, and Russia, where people view their country "far more positively than the rest of the world do."

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