Costa Rica outscored countries like Switzerland (4), Chile (6) and Denmark (7). Latin America scored well in the rankings, holding six of the top 10 spots.
Despite high crime, murder rates, persistent poverty and income inequality, Latin America and one of its most troubled regions, Central America, reported the highest levels of satisfaction in the world.
On U.S. leadership, Costa Rica had the second highest approval rating of any country surveyed in the region, behind only Haiti, according to a Gallup survey of 24 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.