Hall's context spectrum
Low-Context vs High-Context Countries
Use the map and country lists below to compare our derived context tendencies across countries. The index combines Hofstede's Individualism and Power Distance scores into a transparent 0-100 Context Score.
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Context Score by Country
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Country lists
Countries by Context Tendency
Countries are grouped by our calculated Context Score. Select any country to open its full Hall context profile, including source scores and the calculation details.
0-39 Context Score
Low-context countries
These countries score from 0 to 39 on our Context Index. Communication tends to rely more on explicit wording and clearly stated information.
| Country | Region | Context Score | IDV | PDI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Oceania | 17.8/100 | 90 | 36 |
| Great Britain | Western Europe | 18.2/100 | 89 | 35 |
| United States | North America | 18.3/100 | 91 | 40 |
| New Zealand | Oceania | 21.3/100 | 79 | 22 |
| Denmark | Scandinavia | 23.6/100 | 74 | 18 |
| Netherlands | Western Europe | 25.4/100 | 80 | 38 |
| Canada | North America | 25.7/100 | 80 | 39 |
| Hungary | Eastern Europe | 27.8/100 | 80 | 46 |
| Ireland | Western Europe | 29.4/100 | 70 | 28 |
| Switzerland (Ge) | Western Europe | 29.5/100 | 69 | 26 |
| Sweden | Scandinavia | 29.6/100 | 71 | 31 |
| Norway | Scandinavia | 31/100 | 69 | 31 |
| Italy | Western Europe | 31.8/100 | 76 | 50 |
| Switzerland | Western Europe | 32.6/100 | 68 | 34 |
| Germany | Western Europe | 33.6/100 | 67 | 35 |
| Belgium (Nl) | Western Europe | 33.7/100 | 78 | 61 |
| Latvia | Eastern Europe | 34.2/100 | 70 | 44 |
| Austria | Western Europe | 34.8/100 | 55 | 11 |
| Canada (Quebec) | North America | 35.1/100 | 73 | 54 |
| Finland | Scandinavia | 35.8/100 | 63 | 33 |
| Israel | Middle East | 36.1/100 | 54 | 13 |
| Belgium | Western Europe | 37/100 | 75 | 65 |
| Germany East | Western Europe | 38.5/100 | 60 | 35 |
40-59 Context Score
Intermediate-context countries
These countries score from 40 to 59. Their results sit near the middle, suggesting a blend of explicit and implicit communication tendencies.
| Country | Region | Context Score | IDV | PDI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Africa | 39.2/100 | 65 | 49 |
| Belgium (Fr) | Western Europe | 39.7/100 | 72 | 67 |
| Estonia | Eastern Europe | 40/100 | 60 | 40 |
| Luxembourg | Western Europe | 40/100 | 60 | 40 |
| Lithuania | Eastern Europe | 40.6/100 | 60 | 42 |
| France | Western Europe | 40.7/100 | 71 | 68 |
| Malta | Western Europe | 45.5/100 | 59 | 56 |
| Czech Republic | Eastern Europe | 46.5/100 | 58 | 57 |
| Poland | Eastern Europe | 48.4/100 | 60 | 68 |
| Spain | Western Europe | 51.4/100 | 51 | 57 |
| Argentina | Latin America | 52.5/100 | 46 | 49 |
| Japan | East Asia | 54/100 | 46 | 54 |
| Iceland | Scandinavia | 54.5/100 | 35 | 30 |
| Jamaica | Caribbean | 56.2/100 | 39 | 45 |
| Andorra | Western Europe | 57.5/100 | 35 | 40 |
| Cyprus | Western Europe | 57.5/100 | 35 | 40 |
| Liechtenstein | Western Europe | 57.5/100 | 35 | 40 |
| Monaco | Western Europe | 57.5/100 | 35 | 40 |
| San Marino | Western Europe | 57.5/100 | 35 | 40 |
| Vatican City | Western Europe | 57.5/100 | 35 | 40 |
| Iran | Middle East | 58.7/100 | 41 | 58 |
60-100 Context Score
High-context countries
These countries score from 60 to 100. Communication tends to place more weight on shared understanding, relationships, and cues beyond the words.
| Country | Region | Context Score | IDV | PDI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | South Asia | 59.5/100 | 48 | 77 |
| Suriname | Latin America | 62.6/100 | 47 | 85 |
| Kazakhstan | Central Asia | 63/100 | 40 | 70 |
| Tajikistan | Central Asia | 63/100 | 40 | 70 |
| Turkmenistan | Central Asia | 63/100 | 40 | 70 |
| Uzbekistan | Central Asia | 63/100 | 40 | 70 |
| Uruguay | Latin America | 63.1/100 | 36 | 61 |
| Greece | Western Europe | 63.5/100 | 35 | 60 |
| Turkey | Middle East | 63.9/100 | 37 | 66 |
| Brazil | Latin America | 64.1/100 | 38 | 69 |
| Slovakia | Eastern Europe | 64.8/100 | 52 | 104 |
| Fiji | Oceania | 65/100 | 35 | 65 |
| Kiribati | Oceania | 65/100 | 35 | 65 |
| Marshall Islands | Oceania | 65/100 | 35 | 65 |
| Micronesia | Oceania | 65/100 | 35 | 65 |
| Nauru | Oceania | 65/100 | 35 | 65 |
| Palau | Oceania | 65/100 | 35 | 65 |
| Papua New Guinea | Oceania | 65/100 | 35 | 65 |
| Samoa | Oceania | 65/100 | 35 | 65 |
| Solomon Islands | Oceania | 65/100 | 35 | 65 |
| Tonga | Oceania | 65/100 | 35 | 65 |
| Tuvalu | Oceania | 65/100 | 35 | 65 |
| Vanuatu | Oceania | 65/100 | 35 | 65 |
| Afghanistan | South Asia | 66/100 | 40 | 80 |
| Bhutan | South Asia | 66/100 | 40 | 80 |
| Maldives | South Asia | 66/100 | 40 | 80 |
| Nepal | South Asia | 66/100 | 40 | 80 |
| Sri Lanka | South Asia | 66/100 | 40 | 80 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Caribbean | 67/100 | 30 | 60 |
| Bahamas | Caribbean | 67/100 | 30 | 60 |
| Barbados | Caribbean | 67/100 | 30 | 60 |
| Belize | Latin America | 67/100 | 30 | 60 |
| Cuba | Caribbean | 67/100 | 30 | 60 |
| Dominica | Caribbean | 67/100 | 30 | 60 |
| Grenada | Caribbean | 67/100 | 30 | 60 |
| Guyana | Latin America | 67/100 | 30 | 60 |
| Haiti | Caribbean | 67/100 | 30 | 60 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Caribbean | 67/100 | 30 | 60 |
| Saint Lucia | Caribbean | 67/100 | 30 | 60 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Caribbean | 67/100 | 30 | 60 |
| Algeria | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Arab Countries | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Bahrain | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Egypt | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Iraq | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Jordan | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Kuwait | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Lebanon | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Libya | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Oman | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Qatar | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| State of Palestine | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Syria | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Tunisia | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Yemen | Middle East | 67.4/100 | 38 | 80 |
| Dominican Republic | Caribbean | 68.5/100 | 30 | 65 |
| Albania | Eastern Europe | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Armenia | Eastern Europe | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Azerbaijan | Eastern Europe | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Belarus | Eastern Europe | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Bosnia | Eastern Europe | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Brunei | Southeast Asia | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Bulgaria | Eastern Europe | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Cambodia | Southeast Asia | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Costa Rica | Latin America | 70/100 | 15 | 35 |
| Georgia | Eastern Europe | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Kyrgyzstan | Eastern Europe | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Laos | Southeast Asia | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Macedonia | Eastern Europe | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Moldova | Eastern Europe | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Montenegro | Eastern Europe | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Myanmar | Southeast Asia | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Portugal | Western Europe | 70/100 | 27 | 63 |
| Timor-Leste | Southeast Asia | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Ukraine | Eastern Europe | 70/100 | 30 | 70 |
| Djibouti | Africa | 70.3/100 | 27 | 64 |
| East Africa | Africa | 70.3/100 | 27 | 64 |
| Eritrea | Africa | 70.3/100 | 27 | 64 |
| Ethiopia | Africa | 70.3/100 | 27 | 64 |
| Kenya | Africa | 70.3/100 | 27 | 64 |
| Rwanda | Africa | 70.3/100 | 27 | 64 |
| Somalia | Africa | 70.3/100 | 27 | 64 |
| South Sudan | Africa | 70.3/100 | 27 | 64 |
| Sudan | Africa | 70.3/100 | 27 | 64 |
| Tanzania | Africa | 70.3/100 | 27 | 64 |
| Uganda | Africa | 70.3/100 | 27 | 64 |
| North Korea | East Asia | 70.5/100 | 25 | 60 |
| Russia | Eastern Europe | 70.6/100 | 39 | 93 |
| Bolivia | Latin America | 71.5/100 | 30 | 75 |
| Honduras | Latin America | 71.5/100 | 30 | 75 |
| Nicaragua | Latin America | 71.5/100 | 30 | 75 |
| Paraguay | Latin America | 71.5/100 | 30 | 75 |
| Chile | Latin America | 72.8/100 | 23 | 63 |
| Hong Kong | East Asia | 72.9/100 | 25 | 68 |
| Trinidad | Caribbean | 72.9/100 | 16 | 47 |
| Mexico | Latin America | 73.3/100 | 30 | 81 |
| Mongolia | East Asia | 73.5/100 | 25 | 70 |
| Thailand | Southeast Asia | 75.2/100 | 20 | 64 |
| South Korea | East Asia | 75.4/100 | 18 | 60 |
| Taiwan | East Asia | 75.5/100 | 17 | 58 |
| Philippines | Southeast Asia | 75.8/100 | 32 | 94 |
| Romania | Eastern Europe | 76/100 | 30 | 90 |
| El Salvador | Latin America | 76.5/100 | 19 | 66 |
| Pakistan | South Asia | 76.7/100 | 14 | 55 |
| Peru | Latin America | 78/100 | 16 | 64 |
| Singapore | Southeast Asia | 78.2/100 | 20 | 74 |
| Serbia | Eastern Europe | 78.3/100 | 25 | 86 |
| Angola | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Benin | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Botswana | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Burkina Faso | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Burundi | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Cabo Verde | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Cameroon | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Central African Republic | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Chad | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Comoros | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Cote d'Ivoire | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Equatorial Guinea | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Eswatini | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Gabon | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Gambia | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Ghana | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Guinea | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Guinea-Bissau | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Lesotho | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Liberia | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Madagascar | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Malawi | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Mali | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Mauritania | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Mauritius | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Mozambique | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Namibia | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Niger | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Nigeria | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Republic of the Congo | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Senegal | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Seychelles | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Sierra Leone | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Togo | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| West Africa | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Zambia | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Zimbabwe | Africa | 79.1/100 | 20 | 77 |
| Bangladesh | South Asia | 80/100 | 20 | 80 |
| China | East Asia | 80/100 | 20 | 80 |
| Colombia | Latin America | 81/100 | 13 | 67 |
| Malaysia | Southeast Asia | 83/100 | 26 | 104 |
| Indonesia | Southeast Asia | 83.6/100 | 14 | 78 |
| Venezuela | Latin America | 85.9/100 | 12 | 81 |
| Ecuador | Latin America | 87.8/100 | 8 | 78 |
| Panama | Latin America | 90.8/100 | 11 | 95 |
| Guatemala | Latin America | 94.3/100 | 6 | 95 |
Method and meaning
Questions About These Country Groups
How are countries grouped on this page?
Countries are grouped by our calculated Context Score: 0-39 is low-context, 40-59 is intermediate-context, and 60-100 is high-context.
How is the Context Score calculated?
The score uses Hofstede Individualism and Power Distance data: 0.70 x (100 - IDV) + 0.30 x PDI. Individualism receives the greater weight in this exploratory index.
Are these labels descriptions of every person in a country?
No. These are broad national-level tendencies derived from country data. Individual, regional, generational, and situational differences remain important.
Can I see the source scores for a country?
Yes. Select a country in the table or map to open its Hall context profile, where the source Hofstede scores and derived calculations are shown together.
