WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Barack Obama makes history Monday when he becomes the first sitting U.S. president to visit Myanmar. This is also his chance to make an impression on the many Myanmar residents who do not have an opinion of U.S. leadership. The 67% of Myanmar residents who don't know whether they approve or disapprove of U.S. leadership is lower than the 30% in Cambodia and 26% in Thailand -- the two other stops on the president's trip to Asia -- who say the same.
That the large majority of Myanmar residents have no opinion of U.S. leadership makes sense given the country's long period of isolation from the outside world during decades under oppressive military rule. In fact, the country's ban on international websites was lifted last year.
Still, those who have an opinion are more likely to approve than disapprove of U.S. leadership. And majorities of residents in the two other countries the president is visiting, Thailand and Cambodia, approve of U.S. leadership -- as has been the case for the past several years.
It is certainly possible that after Obama's visit to Myanmar, more residents will begin to formulate an opinion of U.S. leadership. Whether that opinion will be positive or negative will likely hinge on how successful and fast its transition to democracy is -- and the role the U.S. plays in helping it get there.
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Survey Methods
Results for Myanmar are based on face-to-face interviews with approximately 1,020 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted in September and October 2012. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3.4 percentage point.
Results for Thailand are based on face-to-face interviews with approximately 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted June and July 2012. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3.9 percentage points.
Results for Cambodia are based on face-to-face interviews with approximately 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted April and May 2012. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3.9 percentage points.
The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
For more complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review .
