This country has the deepest connection with nature. This surprising ranking will help you plan your spiritual journey.
How connected do you feel to nature? A recent study reveals which countries have the deepest connection to nature, and the results are surprising. Spain landed at the bottom of the rankings. Number one is the Mecca of Buddhism.
Global reports typically measure GDP, innovation, and happiness. This time, scientists asked something much more primal: how connected we truly are to nature . The study, published in the scientific journal Ambio, surveyed over 55,000 people from 61 countries. It's also the first broad academic look at how social, cultural, and spiritual contexts translate into our emotional connection with nature. The conclusion? Nepal turned out to be the most "nature-connected" country in the world, with Spain landing at the bottom of the list.
Forest in the valley, Himalayas License: Raimond Klavins / UnsplashThe research team examined both external factors, such as climate, urbanization, and access to green spaces, and internal factors related to spirituality , religiosity , worldview, and social values. They found that these internal factors have the greatest impact on how we perceive nature.
People who were more spiritual and less dominated by materialistic values were more likely to declare a sense of "oneness with the natural world."
Top 3 countries most connected to nature - Nepal, Iran, South AfricaIt's no surprise that Nepal ranked first. It's a country where nature isn't the backdrop of life, but its centerpiece. The Himalayas , sacred rivers, mountainside monasteries, and deeply rooted Buddhism give contact with nature an almost mystical dimension.
Iran came in second, which may come as a surprise to many. However, Iranian culture , with its millennia-old tradition of poetry, mysticism, and natural philosophy, demonstrates that contact with nature can be incredibly spiritual. In Sufi literature, the garden—pairidaeza, from which the word "paradise" derives—symbolizes the perfect harmony between humanity, the earth, and the divine.
Small house nestled in the mountains, Iran License: Azin Javadzadeh / UnsplashSouth Africa rounds out the podium. South Africa is a country of exceptionally rich biodiversity, but also one of profound social contrasts. The culture of many South African communities embraces the concept of ubuntu — a philosophy of community and the interconnectedness between people, animals, and the land.
Ranking of countries most connected to nature 20251. Nepal 2. Iran 3. South Africa 4. Bangladesh 5. Nigeria 6. Chile 7. Croatia 8. Ghana 9. Bulgaria
10. Tunisia
