(MENAFN) Nepal has been ranked the most “nature-connected” country in the world, while Spain sits at the bottom of the list, according to a recent global study examining people’s emotional and psychological bonds with the natural environment.

The research, published in the journal Ambio, surveyed 57,000 participants from 61 countries, analyzing how cultural, social, economic, and geographic factors influence people’s attitudes toward nature.

Nepal secured the top spot, followed by Iran, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Nigeria. Croatia and Bulgaria were the only European nations in the top ten, while France ranked 19th. At the other end, Spain came last, with countries such as the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan, and the United Kingdom also scoring low.

The study, led by researchers from Britain and Austria, concluded that spirituality and religious belief were the strongest indicators of a deep connection with nature. Conversely, nations performing well in the World Bank’s “ease of doing business” index — which measures economic competitiveness — tended to show weaker ties to the natural world.

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