Israel is viewed in a more positive light than this time last year but is still one of the least popular countries in the world, according to an annual BBC poll.

Respondents to the BBC World Service Country Rating Poll gave Israel a 49 per cent negative rating, making the country among the globe’s four least liked nations.

The pollsters asked more than 28,000 people in 27 countries whether they believed each country had “a mainly positive or mainly negative influence in the world.” Israelis were not questioned.

Participants were asked about 16 countries and the European Union. Of them, Israel was considered to have a more positive influence than only Iran, North Korea and Pakistan.

But while all three became less popular over the last 12 months, Israel’s score from last year was boosted by two per cent. Overall, 21 per cent rated Israel as having a mainly positive influence.

Approval fell in the UK and the United States, while just five per cent of Egyptians rated Israel favourably, compared with 25 per cent of Chileans.

Germany was considered the most positive country in the poll, closely followed by the UK.