The United Kingdom's Charities Aid Foundation has just released the "World Giving Index" with Australia and New Zealand declared joint winners in global generosity.

The survey is the largest study ever carried out into charitable behaviour across the world.

The World Giving Index used a Gallup survey on the charitable behaviour of people in 153 countries representing 95 per cent of the world's population.

The survey asked people whether they had recently donated money or time to a charity or helped a stranger, and how happy they were.

Canada and Ireland tied for third place, Switzerland and the USA tied for fifth, followed by the Netherlands then the UK.

"Donating money to charity is something that is traditionally seen as being driven by how wealthy a person is," CAF Director of Research, Richard Harrison, said.

"The findings suggest a positive cycle where one person gives to charity, the charity improves the happiness of the individuals they support, and they in turn are more likely to give."