Personal Space Distance by Country 2026

/ Country Stats, Culture & Society / By

The concept of personal space by country continues to reveal fascinating cultural insights across the world. While social norms, cultural etiquette, and even urban density influence how closely people are comfortable standing next to strangers, the differences from country to country can be striking. From Eastern Europe to Southeast Asia, average distances can reflect everything from trust levels to climate and historical customs.

To compile this dataset, researchers measured the preferred physical distance (in centimeters) that individuals from each country wanted to maintain from strangers during casual interactions in public spaces. The 2024-2025 data relied on social behavior surveys, observational studies, and academic anthropological research. This metric doesn’t reflect closeness with friends or family—it solely focuses on space between strangers in neutral public settings. Exceptions include countries where urban crowding or safety concerns distort typical preferences, so values may not reflect actual proximity in all real-life scenarios.

Countries with the Widest Personal Space Preferences (Top 10 Global Rankings)

  1. Romania: 139 cm
  2. Hungary: 130 cm
  3. Saudi Arabia: 126 cm
  4. Turkey: 123 cm
  5. Uganda: 121 cm
  6. Pakistan: 119 cm
  7. Estonia: 118 cm
  8. Colombia: 117 cm
  9. Hong Kong: 116 cm
  10. China: 115 cm

These Top 10 countries exhibit a strong cultural inclination toward maintaining personal boundaries, with distances often exceeding one meter. Romania leads the world, with an impressive 139 cm average—suggesting a highly individualistic or cautious interpersonal dynamic. Both Hungary and Saudi Arabia follow closely, underscoring their traditionally formal public behavior.

Notably, Pakistan and Uganda stand out as non-European countries in the list. China and Hong Kong also signal cultural respect for privacy despite high urban density. The inclusion of Estonia and Turkey points to their blend of Eastern and Western cultural influences, where respect for space often parallels interpersonal formality.

Full Global List of Personal Space Preferences in 2025

# Country Preferred Space between Strangers 2024 (cm)
1 Romania 139
2 Hungary 130
3 Saudi Arabia 126
4 Turkey 123
5 Uganda 121
6 Pakistan 119
7 Estonia 118
8 Colombia 117
9 Hong Kong 116
10 China 115
11 Germany 115
12 Japan 113
13 India 112
14 United Kingdom 99.4
15 France 99.2
16 Italy 99.1
17 Brazil 99.1
18 Canada 99
19 Mexico 98.9
20 South Korea 98.9
21 Australia 98.8
22 Indonesia 98.6
23 Netherlands 98.6
24 Switzerland 98.5
25 Poland 98.5
26 Taiwan 98.4
27 Belgium 98.3
28 Sweden 98.2
29 Ireland 98.1
30 Norway 98
31 Israel 98
32 Thailand 97.9
33 United Arab Emirates 97.7
34 Singapore 97.6
35 Bangladesh 97.5
36 Philippines 97.5
37 Vietnam 97.5
38 Malaysia 97.4
39 Denmark 97.4
40 Egypt 97.2
41 Nigeria 97.2
42 South Africa 97.2
43 Iran 97.1
44 Chile 97.1
45 Czech Republic 97
46 Finland 96.8
47 Iraq 96.7
48 Portugal 96.7
49 Kazakhstan 96.7
50 New Zealand 96.5
51 Qatar 96.5
52 Algeria 96.4
53 Kuwait 96.4
54 Ethiopia 96.4
55 Morocco 96.4
56 Dominican Republic 96.3
57 Ecuador 96.2
58 Kenya 96.2
59 Oman 96
60 Cuba 96
61 Guatemala 96
62 Angola 95.9
63 Venezuela 95.9
64 Uzbekistan 95.8
65 Luxembourg 95.7
66 Sri Lanka 95.7
67 Costa Rica 95.7
68 Tanzania 95.7
69 Panama 95.6
70 Turkmenistan 95.6
71 Croatia 95.5
72 Ivory Coast 95.4
73 Lithuania 95.4
74 United States 95.4
75 Azerbaijan 95.4
76 Ghana 95.3
77 Uruguay 95.3
78 Serbia 95.2
79 Myanmar 95.2
80 Belarus 95.2
81 Slovenia 95.1
82 DR Congo 95.1
83 Tunisia 95.1
84 Jordan 95.1
85 Cameroon 95
86 North Korea 95
87 Bolivia 95
88 Latvia 94.9
89 Bahrain 94.8
90 Paraguay 94.8
91 Nepal 94.7
92 Libya 94.7
93 Macao 94.6
94 Lebanon 94.5
95 El Salvador 94.5
96 Honduras 94.4
97 Zimbabwe 94.4
98 Cyprus 94.4
99 Papua New Guinea 94.3
100 Senegal 94.2
101 Cambodia 94.2
102 Iceland 94.2
103 Georgia 94.1
104 Zambia 94.1
105 Trinidad and Tobago 93.9
106 Bosnia and Herzegovina 93.9
107 Haiti 93.8
108 Sudan 93.8
109 Armenia 93.8
110 Guinea 93.6
111 Albania 93.6
112 Mozambique 93.5
113 Mali 93.5
114 Yemen 93.5
115 Burkina Faso 93.4
116 Botswana 93.3
117 Malta 93.3
118 Benin 93.3
119 Gabon 93.2
120 Mongolia 93.2
121 Jamaica 93.2
122 Palestine 93.1
123 Nicaragua 93.1
124 Niger 93.1
125 Guyana 93
126 Moldova 93
127 North Macedonia 93
128 Madagascar 92.9
129 Brunei 92.8
130 Afghanistan 92.8
131 Mauritius 92.7
132 Republic of the Congo 92.6
133 Laos 92.6
134 Rwanda 92.6
135 Bahamas 92.4
136 Malawi 92.4
137 Kyrgyzstan 92.4
138 Namibia 92.3
139 Chad 92.2
140 Tajikistan 92.1
141 Syria 92
142 Somalia 91.9
143 Mauritania 91.8
144 Equatorial Guinea 91.8
145 Togo 91.8
146 Monaco 91.8
147 Montenegro 91.7
148 Maldives 91.7
149 Liechtenstein 91.7
150 South Sudan 91.6
151 Barbados 91.6
152 Fiji 91.6
153 Eswatini 91.6
154 Liberia 91.5
155 Djibouti 91.5
156 Andorra 91.5
157 Suriname 91.4
158 Sierra Leone 91.4
159 Belize 91.3
160 Burundi 91.3
161 Greece 91.2
162 Central African Republic 91.2
163 Bhutan 91.2
164 Cabo Verde 91.1
165 Saint Lucia 91.1
166 Gambia 91
167 Lesotho 91
168 Eritrea 90.9
169 Seychelles 90.8
170 San Marino 90.7
171 Guinea Bissau 90.7
172 Antigua and Barbuda 90.7
173 Solomon Islands 90.6
174 Comoros 90.6
175 Grenada 90.6
176 Spain 90.5
177 Vanuatu 90.5
178 Saint Kitts and Nevis 90.5
179 St Vincent and Grenadines 90.5
180 Samoa 90.3
181 Dominica 90.3
182 Sao Tome and Principe 90.2
183 Tonga 90.2
184 Micronesia 90.2
185 Kiribati 90.1
186 Palau 90
187 Nauru 90
188 Tuvalu 90
189 Russia 89.1
190 Slovakia 88.8
191 Austria 88.1
192 Ukraine 85.5
193 Bulgaria 81.3
194 Peru 79.6
195 Argentina 76.5

Across the full dataset of nearly 200 countries, several patterns emerge. Asian countries like Japan (113 cm), India (112 cm), and South Korea (98.9 cm) prefer moderate distances—often balancing urban constraints with cultural restraint. European nations, in contrast, show a wider range. While Romania and Hungary are at the top, Austria (88.1 cm) and Ukraine (85.5 cm) sit near the bottom.

Latin American countries such as Argentina (76.5 cm) and Peru (79.6 cm) register the smallest preferred distances, revealing more contact-friendly cultures possibly shaped by expressive communication styles.

Meanwhile, the United States (95.4 cm) and Canada (99 cm) fall just under the 1-meter mark, reflecting moderate comfort with public proximity. African nations mostly cluster between 91 and 97 cm, with countries like Ethiopia (96.4 cm) and South Africa (97.2 cm) showing conservative but not extreme distances.

Cultural Significance of Personal Space

One important dimension of personal space is its link to cultural orientation—whether a society leans collectivist or individualist. Countries with collectivist cultures (e.g., Peru, Argentina, India) tend to have smaller space preferences, while more individualist cultures (Northern and Eastern Europe, North America) show larger distances.

Another relevant factor is urban density. Highly crowded countries like Japan and Singapore may desire space, but practical limitations reduce their ability to maintain it. This tension creates a visible contrast between desire vs. reality in public behavior.

The concept of personal space serves as a microcosm of how societies define comfort, respect, and interaction. As global mobility increases and digital communication expands, physical space preferences remain a deeply rooted part of cultural identity. Whether you’re planning international travel or cross-cultural collaborations, understanding these subtleties can improve interpersonal interactions and mutual respect across borders.

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