The Geography of Online Dating

One of the most popular aspects of Flirt.com is the way it provides users with access to potential partners anywhere in the world. You can engage with amorous Americans, frisky French, sexy South Africans and many other nationalities, all via the convenience of your web browser.

So with the entire dating world at your fingertips, which country’s residents proved to be the most attractive? To answer that question we thought it would be a worthwhile exercise to poll 10,000 Flirt.com members from UK and USA about their preferences. The question we asked was straightforward: which nationalities did they prefer to flirt with? The results were fascinating, providing as many intriguing replies as predictable responses.

Seeking intimate partners close to home

We found users from the UK tended to flirt with fellow Brits rather than looking for love with foreign contacts. The same was true when USA users. This can be readily explained by the fact that most of the people using Flirt.com do consider the possibility of eventually meeting the person they’ve been flirting with online. After establishing a rapport, the next step is to get their pluses racing even more with a face-to-face.

Aussie accents … an aphrodisiac to so many British people

For UK users, connecting with their antipodean counterparts came next in popularity (at 22%) with an even split between males chatting with females, and vice versa. The common language is key to seductive communication. But many users are likely drawn to flirting with a partner living near a Pacific beach, where palm trees nod and the sun basks over golden sands.

Eager to know why Americans are the center of trans-Atlantic flirting?

For UK users, flirting with Americans was marginally behind their taste for Australians, at 21%. Again, chatting in English is the major reason for all the intense interaction between UK and US users of Flirt.com. The interesting difference was that far more UK men were flirting with US women – about 70% – compared to UK women getting in touch with American males. Perhaps a lot of young British males are drawn to the notion of all those frisky cheerleaders! Also, the States are so cosmopolitan that flirting with an American may well equate with messaging someone whose cultural heritage could be from anywhere in the world. From New York to L.A., Seattle to Dallas, the options for meeting desirable partners are immense. UK women love might be drawn to the charm and banter of the guys frequenting Boston’s Irish pubs. UK men can easily become besotted with country and western-loving Dixie chicks.

In the opposite direction, the statistic for USA users flirting with UK counterparts was almost identical – 20% – but the gender split was evenly matched. Americans are exposed to English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh culture all the time, so it’s only natural that so many Brits find themselves the center of attention of amorous Americans.

Canadians … cool climate, red-hot passion

UK users interacting with Canadians accounted for 17% of the site’s foreign flirting, this time with more UK women stating a preference for males. You can see why Canada features so highly. Again, mostly English speaking, but the country itself is an inviting combination of rugged wintry wilderness – from ski slopes to Niagara Falls – and bustling modern cities with so much to see and do. Canadians love being messaged from lands near and far.

For Americans, hooking up with their northerly neighbors accounted for 31% of the connections on Flirt.com. In a similar way to UK users preferring to make friends with other Brits, USA users appreciate that Canada is certainly not that far away when it comes to taking flirting to the next level, especially if they hail from northern states like Washington, Minnesota or Maine. Being so close makes cross-border dating exciting, but also practical.

French … the international language of romance and some serious flirting

Next on the flirtation league table came Britain’s neighbors over the Channel, with French partners attracting 10% of UK users. France has long been associated with romantic adventures, whether it’s the delicious purring accent, the wondrous food and the mouth-watering wine, or the abundance of tourist traps. The very word Paris conjures tables set outside fabulous restaurants and cafes brimming with character, where your Gallic date and you can soak up the atmosphere against a backdrop of sensual violin music. The percentage of UK users being drawn to connect with French ones was evenly split between the genders, reflecting the universal allure.

For USA users there was a slight dip to 7%, although for those expressing this preference, French men and women were also equally popular.

Grabbing the attention of Mediterranean lovers

Fewer UK users were hooking up with Portuguese or Italians, the feedback placing the respective figures at 7% and 6%. These are fairly low percentages despite the reputation both countries have for brown-eyed beauties, sunny Med resorts and sumptuous cuisine. When it came to the former, far more UK women were connecting with Portuguese guys, undoubtedly drawn to their hot-blooded, dark-haired Latin charm.

Neither country featured among the preference of USA users – although, unlike UK users, 4% were keen on Swedish partners.

Love’s irresistible compass, far eastern flirting… sensual southern Africa

Among UK users the notion of enticing Hong Kong partners or South Africans were not as prevalent as flirting with Europeans or North Americans, at only 7% and 6% respectively, with similar statistics produced from USA users. Those who did choose to spice up their love lives by sending messages to the exotic Far East or sunny South Africa are probably delighted at the lack of competition!

Flirting – one of the most fun ways to communicate, right across the world

What this exercise proves is that flirting knows no international barriers, and Flirt.com provides a portal into the world beyond browsers, where a whole universe of exciting, interesting and sensual people is waiting to connect.

P.S. It was only beginning of our research. Stay tuned to learn more exciting facts about dating around the world on Flirt.com!