Personal Space by Country 2026
Preferred Space between Strangers 2024 (cm)
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
- Preferred space values are measured in centimeters (cm)
- Data are the result of a study, published in 2024, in which 650,000 individuals from 196 countries answered questions about how close two strangers should stand together.
When people talk about personal space, they are usually talking about the amount of space between them and the strangers around them. There are a few countries where people stand sorry far away from one another. For example, people who live in Romania, Hungary, and Saudi Arabia are known to stand relatively far away from the people around them. They like to give people more space to operate. Regarding the United States, Americans are somewhere in the middle. There are some locations where people in the United States tend to give a lot of space to strangers walking down the street, but there are other situations where Americans might feel more like sardines.
Which Country Gives the Least Amount of Personal Space?
There are some countries where people do not have a lot of personal space at all. For example, people who live in Bulgaria, Peru, and Argentina are known to stand very close to strangers. When people walk down the street in these countries, it is not unusual for people to stand right next to strangers as they walk. There are even some situations where they may bump into one another. When standing in line, people who live in these countries also do not give a lot of space between them and the person in front of them. There is not a lot of personal space available when people go to visit these countries.
What Dictates the Amount of Personal Space People Have?
There are a lot of factors involved in the amount of personal space someone has. In general, the more people who live in that country, the less the amount of personal space they will have. In particular, this has to do with population density. If there are a lot of people living in very tight quarters, then people will probably walk around in very tight spaces as well. For example, people who live in Europe tend not to have very large houses because the country is so crowded. Therefore, it is very difficult for someone to purchase a lot of space. Because people are used to living closer to one another, they might walk down the street in tight packs as well.
Do Cultural Factors Play a Role in Personal Space?
Yes, cultural factors can also play a role in the amount of personal space someone has as well. The reality is that some people like to stand very close to one another when they talk. On the other hand, some people like to stand relatively far away from one another when they talk. This is not necessarily a good or a bad thing, but it is a reflection of differences between cultures. For example, if someone goes to visit countries that do not have a lot of personal space, they might find themselves subconsciously backing away in the middle of a conversation. That is because people in that country tend to stand closer to each other when they talk.
