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Recipients of U.S. Foreign Aid

Name the countries that received the most foreign aid from the U.S. federal government in 2017.
Includes economic and military assistance
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: January 3, 2019
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First submittedNovember 3, 2015
Times taken17,469
Average score65.0%
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$
Country
5,730 mil
Afghanistan
3,712 mil
Iraq
3,191 mil
Israel
1,490 mil
Jordan
1,476 mil
Egypt
1,103 mil
Ethiopia
1,060 mil
Kenya
$
Country
924 mil
South Sudan
891 mil
Syria
852 mil
Nigeria
837 mil
Pakistan
741 mil
Uganda
627 mil
Tanzania
595 mil
Yemen
$
Country
584 mil
Somalia
581 mil
Mozambique
518 mil
Colombia
511 mil
South Africa
507 mil
Ukraine
494 mil
D.R. Congo
+4
Level 76
Nov 4, 2015
The US gave aid to Russia??? And Ukraine's not on the list? Those aren't the only weird numbers here. But most of all, it would be so interesting to see what the donee countries have spent all that money on.
+1
Level 77
Dec 16, 2015
This must be joke.
+3
Level 71
Jan 13, 2016
It is to help with the dismantling and safeguarding of nuclear warheads.
+2
Level 48
Feb 12, 2016
Well, it does say "received the most foreign aid from the U.S. federal government in 2013." I think the Ukraine crisis started at the end of 2013 (November if I recall correctly), so I guess that would make sense. Relations between Russia and the USA were quite okay under Medvedev, who became president in 2009.
+1
Level 41
Feb 12, 2016
I think Medvedev is prime minister of Russia, Putin is the president.
+1
Level 40
Feb 12, 2016
but at one point Medvedev was the president and Putin the prime minister (so that Putain could stay in power, but still).
+1
Level 48
Feb 15, 2016
Forgot to add "until Putin became president in 2012 again.."
+2
Level 41
Feb 12, 2016
I just can't believe that we are helping all of these dictatorships, some of which will later become our enemies.
+1
Level 68
Feb 12, 2016
I'd hardly classify Russia as a dictatorship. Politics are pretty transparent though: assault with one hand, rebuild with the other.
+2
Level 40
Feb 12, 2016
Look at the 20th century.
+3
Level 75
Feb 14, 2016
What's not to believe? Read history. The tragedy is not that they will become your enemies, it's what it's meant for people subject to the recipients. Heavy military support to Mubarak, successive Turkish regimes, the house of Saud, Israel, and the most consistently murderous government in Latin America (Colombia) - not to mention Suharto, Mobutu, the Duvaliers and a great many others; heavy direct and proxy attacks against anyone associated with any sort of nationalist project, regardless of political stripe. Nationalist projects, by the way, which are often rather popular: nationalizing oil and gas (Mossadegh, Morales); nationalizing unused banana lands in Guatemala (Arbenz); developing a tourist industry that aimed to keep more money in Grenada (Bishop); attempting to enforce the Geneva Conventions concerning the reunification of Vietnam (Ho). The list could go on.
+2
Level 82
Jan 24, 2019
The secular military dictatorships of Egypt kept the peace with Israel and kept Islamists and theocrats out of power. This is a positive thing for the people of Egypt. The AlSauds do the same. They pretend to be Islamists to appease the crazies in their own country but they are not. Thinking that if only democracy would flourish in a place like Saudi Arabia and magically it would transform into a peaceful, progressive paradise is SO naive. And the Americans have almost NOTHING to do with keeping the AlSauds in power, anyway. But of course ignorant people have to blame the US for EVERYTHING. If they topple one dictator the result is their fault. If they engage with another peacefully whatever that dictator does is their fault. Democracy is not always great. Being popular doesn't make you a good leader. See Trump, Sisi, Khomeini, Hitler, etc. Nationalism is horrible. See WW1, WW2, white nationalism, Armenian genocide, etc etc. Nationalizing legal foreign industries is theft. could go on
+1
Level 73
Mar 24, 2024
On the one hand, I agree. On the other hand, there is a well-documented history declassified straight from U.S. intelligence agencies showing that we have on several occasions propped up dictators in order to further U.S. business interests. And "legal foreign industries" have sometimes (though not always) been a continuation of colonial or neo-colonial projects. I'm not sure I'd characterize the nationalization of the Suez Canal or horrible, powerful Chiquita farms to amount to theft.

All that said, I absolutely agree that it's naive to think sending aid of ANY sort to a dictatorship is an endorsement of their actions or necessarily makes those actions our fault. And I absolutely agree that it's naive to think the world would be full of utopian democracies if only those damn Americans left. I've also seen the blaming of the US regardless of outcome like you mentioned.

+1
Level 71
Dec 24, 2016
When I was in Uganda four years ago they told me that Kony wasn't actually there anymore but actually had crossed the border into one of it's more lawless neighbours like Congo, South Sudan, or Central African Republic but they kept telling wealthier countries that he was so they could get more handouts to "deal with him".
+3
Level ∞
Jan 3, 2019
Russia is no longer on the list and the Ukraine is. But as @Andbest correctly stated (and everyone else ignored) the aid is to help improve the security of materials that can be used to make nuclear weapons. This is a good thing.
+2
Level 82
Jan 13, 2019
Vast majority if not all of this aid is for very specific projects, it's not just free cash for the government.
+1
Level 35
Jan 15, 2016
Missed Indonesia. Got Russia.
+1
Level 88
Jan 30, 2016
Spent ages typing every African country. Should've spent 1 second trying Russia.
+4
Level 51
Feb 9, 2016
Soo... the US spends years and years (and billions of dollars) tearing apart the Afghan nation and then gives them 4.5 BILLION DOLLARS? Wow. Wouldn't it have been easier to just NOT do any of it? And use our grown up words to TALK to each other instead?
+14
Level ∞
Feb 10, 2016
You do realize that Afghanistan was ruled by the Taliban in 2001, right?
+7
Level 74
Feb 12, 2016
And before that the Mujahideen. Both put there by foreign meddling. Najibullah was before them and, although arguably also put there by foreign meddling, the country looked very different under him - 40% of doctors and 60% of university students were women, for example. But Najibullah was a socialist, so...
+3
Level 77
Mar 12, 2021
It's amazing to see what Afghanistan looked like in the 1970s. They have gone so far backwards in such a short amount of time, it's incredible. They should be a warning for every nation regarding fundamentalism in general.
+4
Level 82
Feb 12, 2016
The US invaded Afghanistan to topple the Taleban and (ostensibly, though Bush said it wasn't a priority) go after bin Laden. They spend billions of dollars there to keep the Taleban from returning to power, to keep future bin Ladens from building more training camps or establishing a power base there, and, hopefully, to improve conditions in the country enough so that neither of those things would happen even without US involvement.

Though you may have a point that, purely from an economic standpoint, there may very well have been better approaches to doing this.

+5
Level 48
Feb 13, 2016
These things will continue to happen because the U.S. is always needing to mess around everywhere to ensure they remain hegemonic power.
+4
Level 82
Feb 13, 2016
If they didn't "mess around" things would be a whole hell of a lot worse. But of course it's popular amongst the extraordinarily naive to believe otherwise.
+2
Level 27
Jul 5, 2020
had the us not created taliban, the world would hav been a pecefull place
+2
Level 82
Aug 31, 2020
The US did not create the Taliban.
+2
Level 71
Jan 6, 2022
I fully support America's aid to Afghanistan, because it definitely has made a difference. That being said though, I think it's obvious now that this foreign aid didn't do anything to stop the Taliban or even help the Afghan army (which folded in less than a month without US support) to take over from us.

I don't think the aid is a waste because it definitely accomplished a lot, but it also made the Afghan government dependent on us while failing to address issues of corruption and dysfunction. And now, much of what has been accomplished could be lost. I guess what I'm trying to say is that foreign aid shouldn't be just about pumping as much money as possible into an economy--it also should have the goal of promoting self-sufficiency and stability, something we miserably failed at.

+3
Level 88
Feb 12, 2016
The taliban is still there. You can go and have a nice chat with them. You're best bet would be sunny Balochistan.
+3
Level 82
Feb 12, 2016
They're not still ruling the entire country from Kabul.
+1
Level 40
Feb 12, 2016
*your
+2
Level 88
Feb 14, 2016
Maybe Kabul, but at least not officially. On the other hand, anyone but Pakistan would acknowledge that Quetta is 100% taliban territory.

And thanks for the help cedo. I do realise it's "your", but English is not my first language (nor my second or third) and I don't and will not bother to spell and grammar check my posts on the average internet forum.

+1
Level 27
Jul 5, 2020
u r seriously mad? and for ur kind info im from quetta, and taliban hav never taken over any single part of balochistan
+2
Level 71
Jan 6, 2022
"They're not still ruling the entire country from Kabul"

Sadly, that comment aged very poorly :(

+2
Level 71
Feb 12, 2016
I would find it laughable if it wasn't so sad, that the USA gives so much to the countries that hate her most. Nearly all the mentioned countries would topple the USA if given the chance. ....... does nobody else find that sad?
+6
Level 57
Feb 12, 2016
It's mostly due to geopolitics, natural resources and corporate interests. 379 millions dollars to the DRC is not much if it helps gain access to their vast reserves of rare minerals.
+2
Level 84
Feb 12, 2016
Like WTF said, it's about power/influence and resources, not ideology.
+4
Level 82
Feb 12, 2016
This is going too far in the other direction. It's a bit of both. There are other large and powerful countries, like China for instance, that don't give a flip about foreign aid at all. And this is at least partially a reflection of different ideological approaches. Large amounts of foreign aid is both a tool for protecting and furthering US interests, AND compatible with American values.
+2
Level 40
Feb 12, 2016
It's a question of label. China just doesn't call it "foreign aid". But they do "help" all over Africa and beyond. For exemple building a road in Madagascar for free with the condition of making it pass by a mineral reserve they also invest in and run. That's more direct.
+2
Level 82
Feb 13, 2016
China really only aids themselves and their own industrial pursuits. Sometimes this has collateral benefits for local economies, but it's much more than a simple difference in labels. There's a difference in approach and mentality.
+3
Level 82
Feb 12, 2016
Foreign aid to these countries is not a present given to the people who love America the most.... it is an important geopolitical tool, as WTF pointed out, a way for the US to get its way with regimes that otherwise might not be so friendly; it's also a means by which the US supports certain governments that are supportive of US interests - often going against the will of the people in that country; of funding certain functions that the US wants carried out but is in effect delegating to these other governments (such as supporting the Afghan military in its efforts to suppress the Taleban); and finally it's an important tool for promoting economic development around the world which also is in the best interests of the United States.
+1
Level 41
Feb 12, 2016
have you never seen Black Hawk Down??

What about Somalia???

+1
Level 89
Feb 12, 2016
Somalia is behind Haiti by about $11.6 million.
+1
Level 89
Jan 24, 2019
And now three years later, Haiti has been replaced by Somalia.
+1
Level 41
Feb 12, 2016
If you are reading this in 2013, I come from the FUTURE! Please tell the government to stop giving aid to Russia and Syria. It will backfire on them. Also, you might want to stock up on some Ebola vaccines.
+5
Level 69
Feb 12, 2016
Backfire... Syria? Why would you stop giving aid to Syria?
+2
Level 80
Feb 17, 2017
Assad>>>>>Rebels
+1
Level 67
Jan 8, 2019
^ = refugees and opposition to Assad and rebels
+5
Level ∞
Jan 3, 2019
@Skamps. The aid to Russia is part of a long term program to ensure that nuclear material is secured. Unquestionably, this program was and is a huge positive for world peace.
+1
Level 60
Feb 12, 2016
Some of the uses of American money abroad: economic development, infrastructure (both maintenance and rebuilding), disaster relief, supporting the cost of holding democratic elections, preventing deforestation, training law enforcement to combat drug trafficking, HIV/AIDS prevention, malaria prevention and treatment... that is a lot of things, most of them very important. So, how much of the federal budget is allocated to foreign aid? Less than 1%. The Federal budget is over $4 trillion dollars. BTW - Ebola funding comes from the emergency assistance budget, not foreign aid.

http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/02/10/383875581/guess-how-much-of-uncle-sams-money-goes-to-foreign-aid-guess-again

+1
Level 67
Feb 12, 2016
This list leaves off the billions in indirect aid through funding the IMF, World Bank, UNICEF and other UN programs, etc.
+1
Level 40
Feb 12, 2016
This list is about "foreign aid" not the IMF program and else. So the list is fine like it is.
+1
Level 32
Feb 12, 2016
With the exception of a "few" countries, most are Muslim countries. They hate us, we know it but yet we continue to provide them aid. What's wrong with this picture here!?
+11
Level 89
Feb 12, 2016
Surely you don't assume that every person living in a country where Islam is the majority religion has a problem with the United States?
+5
Level 82
Feb 13, 2016
What's wrong is your understanding of what sorts of aid the US provides and why it provides it. See my comments above.
+2
Level 71
Feb 15, 2016
To Jacktheguy ........... not every person, there are always one or two who hope to get into movies.
+3
Level 69
Jan 6, 2019
And besides, what gives you the impression that, say, for instance, Indonesia and India hate us? Just the two of them alone make up nearly 25% of the world's population of Muslims. And how many of the following countries with over 50% Muslim populations do you think consider us mortal enemy infidels?: Malaysia, Turkey, Morocco, Bosnia, Kosovo, Jordan, the Maldives, The Gambia, Senegal, Nigeria, Albania?
+1
Level 65
Jan 24, 2019
It depends on whose point of view you are referring to, the citizens of these countries, or their governments? In some cases the citizens don't hate the US, but their government is hostile. In other cases, the government cooperates, but the citizens hate the US so much so that they can be seen carrying signs saying as much.
+1
Level 27
Jul 5, 2020
u created terrorism in them,now its ur DUTY to heal them
+1
Level 28
Feb 13, 2016
Don't really care about the "whats and whys" we are giving aid to so many of our enemies. We shouldn't have to always be the world's caretakers, period. The US actively works against its own citizens and shamelessly promotes its own globalist propaganda while we behave like good little serfs
+1
Level 82
Jan 24, 2019
You don't care about the "whats and whys" if the "why" is that it benefits the US? So... they should stop foreign aid even if they're shooting themselves in the foot by doing so.... just on principle or out of spite? Because fewer than 100% of the people in these countries like us?
+3
Level 50
Jun 7, 2016
Because Israel needs enough money to be placed second on the list...

And where is Somalia, India, Chad, C.A.R, Libya, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Angola, Mozambique, West Africa, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, Saharan States, Central Asian States and others?!? Don't they need more money than Israel?!?

+2
Level 84
Feb 27, 2017
Many of the countries you listed may need the cash, but that doesn't mean giving it to them will lead to it being used effectively. Why exactly would we trust the leadership in a state like Venezuela to actually help their citizens with any foreign aid? Far more likely that they just use it to consolidate their power.
+3
Level 80
Feb 17, 2017
Wouldn't it be great if we used this money to help Americans instead of giving it to corrupt governments who will squander it while the people in these countries I don't give a damn about stay poor.
+4
Level 82
Jan 24, 2019
most of the money given to corrupt individuals or entities by the US government goes to Americans. Foreign aid is actually a pretty good use of money by comparison. For example, the $4.6 billion in tax subsidies given to fossil fuel companies, which nets us nothing but the destruction of our planet, and costs us more than the aid to all but one of the countries on this list, or the GOP 2017 tax cut for the rich which in the long term only benefits the obscenely wealthy and will add over one TRILLION dollars to the deficit, and does nothing but accelerate the decline of American economic and political relevance by concentrating more wealth at the top echelons, meanwhile costing us more than the foreign aid the US gives to the entire rest of the world combined. 20x more.
+1
Level 71
Apr 17, 2018
Oh, this was before Trump. Thus Mexico.
+1
Level 26
Oct 22, 2018
Interesting to know that both Israel and Palestine are on the list.
+1
Level 82
Jan 24, 2019
Palestine seems to have slipped off the list. The source cites $399 million.
+2
Level 72
Jan 3, 2019
the more they bomb them, the more they aid them.
+1
Level 87
Jan 3, 2019
Really, we gave aid to SYRIA in 2017??? Or are we counting the value of drones and explosives used there?
+1
Level 76
Jan 4, 2019
I suspect the “aid” was given in military materials rather than cash, and officially priced by the US at an inflated non-competitive rate.
+1
Level 67
Jan 8, 2019
Aid was given to Syria, but not necessarily to the Syrian government. The United States gave aid to the opposition groups like the Free Syrian Army and the Kurdish armies.
+1
Level 82
Jan 24, 2019
probably a combination of humanitarian aid, some of which did flow through Damascus and some of which did not, and military and financial aid given to the peshmerga and others.
+3
Level 70
Jan 5, 2019
lol Israel
+1
Level 82
Jan 24, 2019
I know! Hilarious!

wait, what?

+2
Level 56
Jan 24, 2019
Who exactly is in charge in Somalia to collect our checks?
+1
Level 74
Jan 24, 2019
The current government cabinet of Premier Hassan Ali Khayre, elected in 2017.
+1
Level 90
Jan 24, 2019
Looks like Lebanon should be on the updated list. source showing 505.
+1
Level 71
Jan 24, 2019
Makes you wonder how self sufficient and effective Israel would be at tackling Muslim extremists without American support.
+2
Level 72
Jan 25, 2019
The fact that Afghanistan receives such a big amount of aid and hasn't lifted itself even a little bit is very ironic. It's like they throw them in the trashcan.
+1
Level 82
Jan 27, 2019
Afghanistan's HDI has increased a lot since 1990, and since the US invasion the increase has been accelerated. check it out. Facts > intuition.
+2
Level 48
Mar 4, 2019
Why do all these complainers think we are just "giving" aid away for nothing? We are getting something for it, whether you like those countries or not.
+1
Level 66
Jan 11, 2024
It would be interesting to see what would happen if foreign aid ceased for 3 years. I guess the largest argument against doing that, is China/India/Russia would step in.

It's hard to swallow sending billions of dollars to worthless areas of the world, or which work against US interests.

I'm not sure if "embarrassing" is the right word to use, when pointing to 3/4 of these countries... Afg, Iraq, Isr, S. Sud, Syr, Nig, Pak, Yemen... It sure isn't right.

At least trade for oil/mineral/natural resource contracts. The last 50-100 years has shown charity/bribery causes more problems than it solves. 20 years of Afghanistan showed that, yet nothing changes.

Just a list of corruption.