The countries where people are the most 'nature-connected', revealed: Nepal tops the list…while Britain is almost at the bottom of the rankings

A new study has uncovered the countries where people are the most connected to nature – and it’s bad news for green–fingered Brits.

Scientists from the University of Derby analysed data from 61 countries and nearly 57,000 people.

Their analysis revealed that people living in Nepal are the most connected to nature.

In contrast, the UK comes in a dismal 55th place, only ahead of the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan, and Spain.

According to Professor Miles Richardson, lead author of the study, the findings tell a ‘clear story’.

Writing in his blog, Finding Nature, he said: ‘The rankings below tell a clear story.

‘Countries like Nepal, Iran, and South Africa top the list for nature connectedness.

‘Meanwhile, many affluent nations—including Germany, Canada, Japan, and the UK—sit near the bottom. The UK ranks 55th out of 61.’

Your browser does not support iframes.

A new study has uncovered the countries where people are the most connected to nature – and it’s bad news for green–fingered Brits (stock image)

As the name suggests, ‘nature connectedness’ reflects your cognitive and emotional connection to nature.

‘Higher levels of nature connectedness are associated with improved human wellbeing and greater pro-environmental behaviours and positive attitudes towards nature,’ the researchers explained in their study, published in Ambio.

Until now, most studies have focused on nature connectedness on an individual level.

However, little has been known about how it varies across countries.

To get to the bottom of it, the researchers analysed data from 56,968 people from 61 countries.

The results revealed that ‘many nations are falling short’, according to Professor Richardson.

Nepal tops the list as the most nature-connected country, followed by Iran, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Nigeria.

At the other end of the scale, Spain is the least nature-connected country, followed by Japan, Israel, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, and the UK.

Nepal tops the list as the most nature-connected country, followed by Iran, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Nigeria. At the other end of the scale, Spain is the least nature-connected country, followed by Japan, Israel, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, and the UK (stock image)

To understand why this is the case, the researchers examined a wide range of factors, including urbanisation, biodiversity, spirituality, and attitudes towards science.

Their analysis suggests that urbanisation and ease of doing business are the strongest negative predictors of nature connectedness.

‘These factors reflect a societal orientation toward efficiency, growth, and infrastructure—often at the expense of nature contact and biodiversity,’ Professor Richardson explained in his blog.

In contrast, the strongest positive predictors were spirituality and a belief that society relies too heavily on science over faith.

‘These values suggest that nature connectedness flourishes where people seek deeper meaning and maintain a sense of reverence or emotional resonance with the natural world,’ Professor Richardson added.

As for why the UK is so far down the rankings, the experts highlight three key factors.

Firstly, high urbanisation means many people have limited access to wild spaces, while ease of doing business means the UK is geared towards economic efficiency over ecological balance.

Finally, culture values in Britain tend to favour science and rationality over spirituality and meaning.

‘The UK offers a stark example. Despite a rich tradition of nature writing and a strong conservation sector, the UK ranks near the bottom for nature connectedness,’ Professor Richardson added.