The document provides results from a 2018 survey of over 19,000 people in 28 countries about perceptions of national infrastructure. Some key findings:
- Globally, 35% of respondents were very/fairly satisfied overall with their country's infrastructure, while 34% were very/fairly dissatisfied.
- Airports, digital infrastructure like broadband, and water supply/sewage received the highest ratings, while flood defenses and nuclear infrastructure received the lowest.
- In the US, satisfaction was lower than the global average, with only 33% very/fairly satisfied overall and ratings varying across sectors from 63% for airports to 31% for flood defenses.
2. 2
These are the findings of the third Global Infrastructure Index conducted via Ipsos’ Global @dvisor between August 24 –
September 7, 2018 in 28 countries around the world via the Ipsos Online Panel system and involving 19,786 participants:
Introduction
3. 3
28 countries, 19,786 participants:
Argentina, Australia*, Belgium, Brazil, Canada*, Chile, Colombia, France*, Germany*, Great Britain*, Hungary, India*, Italy*,
Japan*, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Serbia, Spain*, Sweden, Turkey and the
United States of America (1,000)* * denotes 1,000+ sample size
Independently of Global @dvisor, 500 participants were sampled in the Czech Republic. Results have been shown in
comparative tables but are not included in ‘global’ data.
Participants were adults aged 18-64 in the US and Canada, 18-65 in Czech Republic, and 16-64 in all other countries.
Results may not sum to 100% and combinations to their constituent %s (e.g. very/fairly satisfied) due to computer rounding.
The 2016 and 2017 surveys used the same methodology, but the profile of participating countries changed in both years. This
means that the global trend does not involve a like-for-like comparison. Please note that the survey was also undertaken in
the Czech Republic, but results for this country are not included in Global totals.
A selection of trends is included. Further information (with an American focus) is available:
https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/global-
infrastructure-index-2017 (2017)
https://www.ipsos.com/en/global-infrastructure-public-
satisfaction-and-priorities (2016)
Methodology
5. 5
32
28
33
37
39
37
33
36
35
Global
United States
G8
2018
2017
2016
Q. I now want you to
think about
[COUNTRY’S]
infrastructure.
By infrastructure I mean
things we rely on like
road, rail and air
networks, utilities such
as energy and water,
and broadband and
other communications.
Overall, how satisfied or
dissatisfied are you with
[COUNTRY’S] national
infrastructure?
% very/fairly satisfied
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
Base: 19,786 adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
Trends: Overall ratings
The 2016-18 surveys used the same methodology, but the profile of participating
countries changed between years. This means that the global and regional trends
do not always involve a strict like-for-like comparison.
6. 6
32
33
71
59
50
47
46
45
43
40
38
36
34
34
33
33
32
32
31
29
28
28
27
25
23
21
20
14
14
12
5
Global
G8
Saudi Arabia
India
Japan
Chile
Malaysia
Germany
Sweden
Czech Republic
France
South Korea
Australia
Mexico
Canada
Colombia
Poland
South Africa
Turkey
Great Britain
Argentina
US
Russia
Peru
Serbia
Belgium
Spain
Hungary
Italy
Brazil
Romania
Q. I now want you to
think about
[COUNTRY’S]
infrastructure.
By infrastructure I mean
things we rely on like
road, rail and air
networks, utilities such
as energy and water,
and broadband and
other communications.
Overall, how satisfied or
dissatisfied are you with
[COUNTRY’S] national
infrastructure?
% very/fairly satisfied
Base: 19,786 adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
Global: Overall
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
8. 8
34
32
30
30
29
26
31
32
27
Global
United States
G8
2018
2017
2016
Q. I now want you to
think about
[COUNTRY’S]
infrastructure.
By infrastructure I mean
things we rely on like
road, rail and air
networks, utilities such
as energy and water,
and broadband and
other communications.
Overall, how satisfied or
dissatisfied are you with
[COUNTRY’S] national
infrastructure?
% very/fairly dissatisfied
Base: 19,786 adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
Trends: Overall
The 2016-18 surveys used the same methodology, but the profile of participating countries changed
between years. This means that the global and regional trends do not always involve a strict like-
for-like comparison.
9. 9
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
UK [CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRAN…
[CELLRANGE]
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5
Base: 7,678 adults in G8 countries (online), Aug-Sept 2018Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
US and G8: Overall ratings v GCI
* Source: The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2017-2018. The chart shows the GCI rating (2.01) for
“infrastructure overall” (1-7 where 7=best).
GCI - Global Competitiveness Index
(2.01)*
% very/fairly
satisfied
overall
‘Over-performing’
re: public perception
‘Under-performing’
11. 11
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
US and G8: Overall ratings v average sector ratings
% very/fairly
good
- sector
average
% very/fairly satisfied - overall
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
Germany
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRA…
[CELLRANGE]
[CELLRANGE]
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Better at sector level
Better at overall level
Base: 7,678 adults in G8 countries (online), Aug-Sept 2018
12. 12
63%
56%
51%
49%
46%
43%
42%
41%
35%
31%
20%
18%
16%
24%
15%
25%
12%
25%
35%
24%
17%
26%
33%
27%
40%
32%
46%
34%
31%
46%
Airports
Digital infrastructure such as broadband…*
Water supply and sewage
New housing supply
Highways/major roads
Energy-generation infrastructure
Local road network
Rail infrastructure (track/stations)
Nuclear infrastructure to generate energy
Flood defenses
% Very/fairly good % Fairly/very poor
Q. These next questions
are about different
types of infrastructure.
Please indicate how
good or poor you rate
the current quality of
each one in
[COUNTRY]…
Base: 1,000 US adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
US: Sector ratings
Ranked by % very/fairly good
* Asked as ‘Digital infrastructure such as high speed
broadband’ in 2016 and 2017 and ‘Digital infrastructure such as
high speed broadband, full fibre networks (FTTP), 5G’ in 2018
13. 13
Q. These next questions
are about different
types of infrastructure.
Please indicate how
good or poor you rate
the current quality of
each one in
[COUNTRY]…
Base: 1,000 US adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
-1
-10
-9
-11
-6
-6
-7
-4
-6
+1
-6
+2
+3
-26
+1
0
+2
-2
-2
-7
Airports
Digital infrastructure such as broadband…*
Water supply and sewage
New housing supply
Highways/major roads
Energy-generation infrastructure
Local road network
Rail infrastructure (track/stations)
Nuclear infrastructure to generate energy
Flood defenses
% Very/fairly good % Fairly/very poor
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
US: Sector ratings – trends
Bars represent % very/fairly good/poor as previous slide
* Asked as ‘Digital infrastructure such as high speed
broadband’ in 2016 and 2017 and ‘Digital infrastructure such as
high speed broadband, full fibre networks (FTTP), 5G’ in 2018
(vs 2017)
14. 14
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
2016 2017 2018
Airports Highways/major roads Local road network
Rail infrastructure New housing supply Flood defenses
Energy generation Nuclear Digital
Water supply and sewage
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
US: Sector ratings – trends
% very/fairly
good
Base: 1,000 US adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
15. 15
Q. These next questions
are about different
types of infrastructure.
Please indicate how
good or poor you rate
the current quality of
each one in
[COUNTRY]…
Base: 1,000 US adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
63%
46%
42%
41%
49%
31%
43%
35%
56%
51%
64%
52%
49%
45%
60%
30%
49%
41%
66%
60%
65%
53%
48%
51%
60%
34%
48%
42%
68%
59%
Airports
Highways/major roads
Local road network
Rail infrastructure
New housing supply
Flood defenses
Energy generation
Nuclear
Digital
Water supply and
sewage
2018
2017
2016
% very/fairly good
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
US: Sector ratings – trends
Ranked by % very/fairly good (2018)
16. 16
67
65
83
82
80
78
78
74
73
72
72
72
71
71
69
67
67
67
67
65
65
65
63
63
61
60
59
57
48
47
33
Global
G8
India
Malaysia
South Africa
Saudi Arabia
South Korea
Turkey
Colombia
Argentina
Chile
Peru
Australia
Canada
Belgium
France
Great Britain
Russia
Sweden
Germany
Mexico
Serbia
Czech Republic
US
Poland
Italy
Japan
Spain
Brazil
Hungary
Romania
% very/fairly good
Q. These next questions
are about different
types of infrastructure.
Please indicate how
good or poor you rate
the current quality of
each one in
[COUNTRY]…
Airports
Airports
Base: 19,786 adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
19. 19
41
45
71
68
66
63
63
60
59
55
48
46
46
44
44
41
41
40
38
38
38
37
34
33
33
26
24
20
17
13
8
Global
G8
South Korea
Saudi Arabia
India
Czech Republic
Russia
Japan
Malaysia
Turkey
Germany
Australia
Chile
Canada
Spain
France
US
Poland
Argentina
Belgium
Sweden
Peru
Mexico
Great Britain
South Africa
Italy
Colombia
Hungary
Brazil
Serbia
Romania
% very/fairly good
Q. These next questions
are about different
types of infrastructure.
Please indicate how
good or poor you rate
the current quality of
each one in
[COUNTRY]…
Rail infrastructure
(track/stations)
Rail
Base: 19,786 adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
23. 23
31
37
66
61
59
55
49
43
40
39
36
35
32
31
31
30
30
29
28
27
27
26
26
21
20
20
19
19
15
14
12
Global
G8
India
Czech Republic
Russia
Saudi Arabia
France
South Korea
Sweden
Germany
Great Britain
US
Hungary
Argentina
Canada
Malaysia
Mexico
Japan
Chile
Peru
Turkey
Belgium
South Africa
Spain
Brazil
Colombia
Australia
Romania
Italy
Poland
Serbia
% very/fairly good
Q. These next questions
are about different
types of infrastructure.
Please indicate how
good or poor you rate
the current quality of
each one in
[COUNTRY]…
Nuclear infrastructure
to generate energy
Nuclear
Base: 19,786 adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
24. 24
54
51
78
70
69
68
66
65
64
62
62
60
60
57
56
56
55
55
52
52
50
50
48
44
43
42
40
37
35
34
31
Global
G8
South Korea
India
Saudi Arabia
Sweden
Russia
Serbia
Colombia
Czech Republic
Romania
Chile
Hungary
Poland
Japan
US
Belgium
Mexico
Canada
Great Britain
France
South Africa
Peru
Malaysia
Argentina
Turkey
Spain
Italy
Germany
Australia
Brazil
% very/fairly good
Q. These next questions
are about different
types of infrastructure.
Please indicate how
good or poor you rate
the current quality of
each one in
[COUNTRY]…
Digital infrastructure
such as high speed
broadband, full fibre
network (FTTP), 5G*
Digital
Base: 19,786 adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
* Asked as ‘Digital infrastructure such as high
speed broadband’ in 2016 and 2017
27. 27
43%
41%
31%
46%
21%
20%
36%
24%
18%
14%
46
36
35
33
31
31
29
29
13
11
The local road network
Highway/major road network
Flood defenses
Water supply and sewage
Rail infrastructure - track/stations
New housing supply
Energy-generating infrastructure
Digital infrastructure such as high speed broadband…*
Nuclear infrastructure to generate energy
Airports
% US
% G8
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
Base: 1,000 US adults / 7,678 adults in G8
countries (online), Aug-Sept 2018
US and G8: Priorities
* Asked as ‘Digital infrastructure such as high speed
broadband’ in 2016 and 2017 and ‘Digital infrastructure such as
high speed broadband, full fibre networks (FTTP), 5G’ in 2018
Ranked by % G8
Q. Which of these types
of infrastructure, if any,
do you think should be
made a priority for
investment for…
[COUNTRY]?
28. 28
21%
20%
43%
41%
31%
36%
24%
46%
18%
14%
27%
21%
42%
42%
45%
43%
26%
48%
24%
22%
24%
22%
44%
44%
39%
45%
22%
51%
24%
26%
Rail infrastructure - track/stations
New housing supply
The local road network
Highway/major road network
Flood defenses
Energy-generating infrastructure
Digital infrastructure - high speed broadband…*
Water supply and sewage
Nuclear infrastructure to generate energy
Airports
US 2018
US 2017
US 2016
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
Base: 1,000 US adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
Trends: Priorities – US
* Asked as ‘Digital infrastructure such as high speed
broadband’ in 2016 and 2017 and ‘Digital infrastructure such as
high speed broadband, full fibre networks (FTTP), 5G’ in 2018
Ranked by % 2018
Q. Which of these types
of infrastructure, if any,
do you think should be
made a priority for
investment for…
[COUNTRY]?
29. 29
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2016 2017 2018
Rail infrastructure - track/stations New housing supply
The local road network Highway/major road network
Flood defenses Energy-generating infrastructure
Digital infrastructure - high speed broadband…* Water supply and sewage
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
% priority
Trends: Priorities – US
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
Base: 1,000 US adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
31. 31
US: Attitudes
70%
61%
55%
57%
33%
26%
Investing in infrastructure is vital to US's
future economic growth
Local communities' views on plans for
infrastructure should be heard properly,
even if it means delays
As a country we don’t do enough to involve
people in decisions about which
infrastructure to invest in
As a country we are not doing enough to
meet our infrastructure needs
I'm fine with foreign investment in new
infrastructure in US if it means it gets built
more quickly
My local area gets its fair share of US’s
investment in infrastructure
% Strongly/tend to agree
Q. To what extent do
you agree or
disagree…?
Ranked by % strongly/tend to agree (global)
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
Base: 1,000 US adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
32. 32
Q. To what extent do
you agree or
disagree…?
As a country we are not
doing enough to meet
our infrastructure needs
24%
33%
22%
7%
2%
12%
% Strongly agree % Tend to agree % Neither/nor
% Tend to disagree % Strongly disagree % Don't know
Agree Disagree
62% 8%
Base: 1,000 US adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
2016:
Agree Disagree
66% 8%
2017:
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
Agree Disagree
57% 9%
2018:
US: Doing enough?
36. 36
Q. To what extent do you
agree or disagree…?
My local area gets its fair
share of [COUNTRY]’s
investment in
infrastructure 6%
20%
31%
14%
8%
21%
% Strongly agree % Tend to agree % Neither/nor
% Tend to disagree % Strongly disagree % Don't know
Agree Disagree
36% 20%
Base: 1,000 US adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
2017:
Agree Disagree
26% 22%
2018:
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
US: Fair share
38. 38
Q. To what extent do
you agree or
disagree…?
Local communities’
views on plans for
infrastructure should be
heard properly, even if
it means delays
20%
41%
23%
4%
1%
11%
% Strongly agree % Tend to agree % Neither/nor
% Tend to disagree % Strongly disagree % Don't know
Base: 1,000 US adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
2016:
Agree Disagree
68% 6%
Agree Disagree
61% 5%
2018:
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
US: Local communities
40. 40
Q. To what extent do
you agree or
disagree…?
I’m fine with foreign
investment in new
infrastructure in
[COUNTRY] if it means
it gets built more
quickly
9%
24%
28%
15%
10%
14%
% Strongly agree % Tend to agree % Neither/nor
% Tend to disagree % Strongly disagree % Don't know
Base: 1,000 US adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
2016:
Agree Disagree
33% 23%
Agree Disagree
33% 24%
2018:
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
US: Foreign investment
42. 42
Q. To what extent do
you agree or
disagree…?
As a country we don’t
do enough to involve
people in decisions
about which
infrastructure to invest
in
19%
37%
25%
6%
2%
12%
% Strongly agree % Tend to agree % Neither/nor
% Tend to disagree % Strongly disagree % Don't know
Base: 1,000 US adults (online), Aug-Sept 2018
2018:
Agree Disagree
55% 8%
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs
US: Involving people
45. 45
Key findings
Overall satisfaction with infrastructure has fallen eleven points in the United States
since 2017, more than shifts in sentiment globally (down five points) and within G8
nations (down four points).
Americans are least satisfied with the local road network and flood defenses, but
most satisfied with airports and the digital infrastructure such as broadband.
Ratings of rail infrastructure and new housing supply compare least favorably
internationally, while water supply and sewage compares best.
Water supply and sewage is the number one infrastructure priority for Americans.
The local road network and highways come in at second and third place respectively.
The majority of Americans agree that investing in infrastructure is vital to the country’s
future economy. However, most believe that the United States is not doing enough to
meet infrastructure needs.