RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Only one in five Brazilians consider themselves satisfied with the country’s infrastructure, according to a survey by Ipsos – a research and market intelligence institute.
Of the 28 countries analyzed by the researchers, Brazil is the third least satisfied with the national infrastructure, which considers roads, railroads, internet, and public health services, such as energy, water, and basic sanitation.
The data from the survey, done with about 19,500 people aged 16 to 74, was collected online between July 23 and August 6.
The survey concluded that Italy has the population least satisfied with its infrastructure, registering only 18% satisfaction. Next comes Hungary, with 20%, and then Brazil and Colombia, tied with 21%.
The Chinese are the most satisfied with the local structure, 77% of them approve of its infrastructure. Saudi Arabia is second (75%), and Holland is third (74%).
Among the one thousand Brazilians interviewed, more than half (54%) say they are very or relatively dissatisfied, 22% are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, while another 4% could not answer.
Among the needs listed by the survey, needs and drinking water supply and basic sanitation should be considered government priorities, according to 66% of Brazilians.
After sanitation, other investments were chosen as priorities, such as housing supply, solutions against flooding, and solar and wind energy support.
According to the respondents from the 28 countries, the advance in infrastructure is directly linked to the development of the economic sector.
For 84% of Brazilians, investment in the structural sector will create jobs, boosting the country’s economy. When considering the global average, 74% of people agree with this statement.
Globally, the preference is for social actions, such as schools and hospitals, ahead of economic measures, such as road improvement, the internet, and energy. The nations also advocate that when decisions about improving infrastructure, the environmental impact should take precedence over the economic impact.
The survey also shows that Brazilians appear in second place among those who believe that the country does not do enough to meet local infrastructure needs. About 75% of them say that more measures could be taken to improve the situation in Brazil.
Only South Africa registers a higher percentage of dissatisfaction, with 79% of Africans assuring that the actions are not being carried out as they could be.
To overcome the lack of infrastructure, most Brazilians (68%) favor private investments if privatization means the country will have the structure it needs. The global average is similar, at 63%.
With information from CNN Brasil