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Metro
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
The world's funniest countries revealed — and Brits won't be happy
Laughter might be a universal language, but let's be honest, some people are just funnier than others. And, whether it's deadpan delivery, playful banter or self-deprecating sarcasm, each country has its own comedic signature. If your ideal holiday includes more than just lounging on the beach or ticking off tourist attractions, and you want a place where the locals make you laugh, you might want to listen up. A new global ranking has named the world's funniest countries. But Brits shouldn't get too cocky. We might be a nation of dry humour and relentless sarcasm, but the UK hasn't even made the top 10. In a survey by Remitly, over 6,000 people across 30 countries were asked to complete something called the Humour Styles Questionnaire. It's a psychological tool created in 2003 by researcher Rod Martin, designed to examine not just if someone is funny, but how they express their humour. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. The winner? Perhaps surprisingly, it was Czechia (formerly the Czech Republic). Scoring 72.33 out of a possible 112 on the questionnaire, the Czechs came out top thanks to their strength in self-defeating humour. They also scored high for aggressive humour, which Remitly describes as 'a potent mix of self-deprecation, razor-sharp irony, and expertly wielded sarcasm. The Czech humour isn't loud or performative; it's dry and operates on well-placed jabs and deadpan delivery. According to Remitly: 'Czechs have refined humour into a survival tool, using wit as psychological armour that has evolved into a defining national characteristic.' In second place was Portugal, scoring 71.42. Remitly says Portuguese humour leans more into affiliative and aggressive styles, leaving them with a sense of humour that blends warmth and wit. 'Known for quick-thinking jokes, they often use humour to charm, tease, and disarm,' it explains. Ireland took third place with 71.18 – a result that probably won't shock anyone who's ever been around someone from Ireland. According to Remitly, Ireland scored high for affiliative and self-enhancing humour. 'This may align with the Irish's reputation for friendliness and excellent storytelling. It's a great combination of humour styles, leading to citizens of Ireland being sharp, charming and relatable.' More Trending Belgium followed close behind (71.12), with Chile and Greece tied for fifth at 71.08. As for the UK? Eighteenth. Behind Canada and just ahead of South Africa. A ranking that may leave British comedy fans clutching their box sets of Peep Show and The Office in disbelief. Hey, at least we weren't in last place. Sorry, Norway, we hate to break it to you. Czechia Portugal Ireland Belgium Chile Greece Australia Poland Denmark Hungary Switzerland Netherlands France Mexico Austria Estonia Canada UK South Africa Norway. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: A new high-speed train is set to link three of Europe's coolest capital cities MORE: Prague hit by major power outage impacting thousands of people across Czech capital
Time Out
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
A study just named this European nation the world's funniest country
Are you a quick wit or a master of irony? Have you got good craic or enough comedic timing to get a laugh even out of the cringiest dad jokes? Chances are that you're a funny person. Humour is both universal and incredibly local. It varies enormously between generations, communities and across cultures, but you can bet every nation has its own comedic identity – even if that means not really having one at all. But, which nation is the funniest? Well, Remitly asked more than 6,000 people from 30 different countries to fill out the Humour Styles Questionnaire, which is a study developed back in 2003 by a guy called Rod Martin. It essentially helps researchers and psychologists understand how humour is used by different people in their day-to-day, not just if they're funny but also how they're funny. Recommended: The best comedy movies of all time, according to Time Out. So, was it the Brits, with their dry use of irony, or the Irish, famous for their good craic, who claimed the crown? The answer is neither – the title of the funniest country in the world was actually awarded to (slapstick drum roll, please) ... Czechia (aka the Czech Republic). Scoring 72.33 out of 100, Czechs apparently excel at self-defeating humour and also, according to the study, rank well for aggressive humour (this includes jokes that come at another person's expense, such as sarcasm or ridicule). Portugal came second with a score of 71.42. The Portuguese are characterised by affiliative humour – that's the kind of funny which is warm and helps people bond – and in a close third place was Ireland, which scored 71.18. These are the world's 20 funniest countries, according to Remitly Czech Republic Portugal Ireland Belgium Chile Greece Australia Poland Denmark Hungary Switzerland Netherlands France Mexico Austria Estonia Canada UK South Africa Norway Did you see that these are officially the best islands in the world to visit in 2025? Plus: The Italian city was crowned Europe's best by thousands of travellers.
Time Out
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
A scientific study just ranked Australia as the world's 7th funniest country – who beat us?
Around the world, Aussies are loved for their dry, sarcastic sense of humour that's pointed at everything from dodgy politicians and deadly animals to coffee snobs and interstate rivals. And while we might think we're the most entertaining bunch on the planet, a new study reckons we're only the seventh-funniest nation behind some unexpected contenders. Sense of humour is undeniably subjective, so the researchers at Remitly decided to take a scientific approach to the rankings (yep, no funny business here). They surveyed more than 6,000 participants from 30 countries using the Humour Styles Questionnaire, which measures four styles of humour: affiliative (friendly banter), self-enhancing (laughing through the pain), aggressive (roasting others) and self-defeating (laughing at yourself). The higher a country scored across the board, the funnier it was deemed by the rest of the world. Turns out, the Czech Republic is the world's funniest nation, excelling in both self-defeating and aggressive humour. 'Czech humour is legendarily dry, operating through deadpan delivery and subtle verbal jabs that can sometimes catch you off guard,' the researchers said. Coming in next were Portugal and Ireland, where humour tends to be affiliative – the kind that brings people together through shared laughs. Belgium, Chile and Greece also ranked highly, with Australia following as the seventh-funniest country in the world. We'll take it! Australians would likely hit it off with the Czechs, since our humour shares a love of both self-deprecating and cheeky roast styles – so while we love making fun of others, we're also happy to crack a joke at ourselves. Check out who's 'scientifically' funnier than us below. The 10 funniest countries in the world Czech Republic Portugal Ireland Belgium Chile Greece Australia Poland Denmark Hungary 🎤 Going out in your city makes you happier, according to new Australian research 😱 I've found the outback wellness capital of Australia
