angelophile | Britain is the Best Country in the World... but also most boring

An international poll rated the UK the world's best country - but its people the most boring on the globe.

A survey of 25,000 people in 35 countries said that ''brand UK'' was the best. But while UK citizens were considered to be the most polite and best educated, they were also rated the most boring.

The French were seen as the rudest in the world and Americans the most ignorant and ambitious.

The UK's overall number one position came after it was voted first on investment, third on sports and cultural heritage, fourth for having "highly-skilled citizens" and eighth for tourism.

Second in the overall top brand list was Switzerland.

Opinions on the US were divided, with America coming near the top for product brands, popular culture, investment, technology, education and sport, but near the bottom for cultural heritage and governance.

The top 10 nation brands were:

1 UK
2. Switzerland
3 Canada
4 Italy
5 Sweden
6 Germany
7 Japan
8. France
9 Australia
10 United States