London- US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama enjoys the support of large parts of the global population and is seen as preferable to his Republican rival, John McCain, a poll published by the BBC suggested Wednesday.

Backing for Obama is, not surprisingly, strongest in European countries, but otherwise ranges from just 9 per cent in India to 82 per cent in Kenya, where the 47-year-old Illinois senator was born.

The BBC survey, conducted by international polling institute GlobeScan, questioned 22,000 people in 22 countries around the world, and asked how an Obama presidency would change the US's relations with other countries.

On average, 49 per cent of those surveyed preferred Obama, compared with 12 per cent for McCain, to win the race for the White House.

An average of 46 per cent also believed that relations between the US and other nations would improve under Obama, compared with only 20 per cent expecting the same outcome from a McCain presidency.

The countries most optimistic about an Obama presidency included America's key NATO allies. Support in Canada was 69 per cent, in France 62 per cent, in Germany 61 per cent, in Britain 54 per cent and in Italy 64 per cent.

In Australia 62 per cent favoured Obama over McCain and in Africa, 71 per cent of Nigerians backed him while in Kenya, Obamas's country of birth, support stood at over
80 per cent.

A significant percentage of those surveyed in Russia, Turkey, Egypt - and other countries - did not express a preference between the candidates and expected little or no change in relations, the poll found.

The survey predates the Democratic and Republican parties' conventions and the nomination of Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate. (dpa)