According to a new poll more than half the Americans believe leaders of other countries around the world respect the first black US president, a year after Barack Obama came to power.

According to a new Gallup poll for the first time in five years people also believe the US is seen favourably in the eyes of the world. Fifty-one percent now say the US is viewed favorably, up from 45 percent a year ago.

People's perception about Obama's image abroad is lower at 56 per cent than the soaring 67 percent who perceived this a year ago, shortly after Obama took office. But it continues to far outpace the levels received by Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton during most of their terms.

The pollster said," Not since April 2003 have a majority of Americans been satisfied with the United States' global position."

Only Bush achieved a similarly high percentage on this measure in the first few months after 9/11, but that quickly eroded as international criticism of him over the Iraq war mounted after 2002.

Similar to the 32 percent found last year at the start of the Obama administration, 35 percent are satisfied, and only slightly better than the 30 percent in the last year of the Bush administration. Not since April 2003 have a majority of Americans been satisfied with the United States' global position.

Broadly speaking, Americans' perceptions of how the US is viewed internationally and, in particular, how the president himself is viewed, have grown more positive since the end of the Bush administration, even with this year's drop in the percentage believing that world leaders view Obama favourably.

Gallup further added that neither those improved attitudes nor Obama's handling of foreign policy has elevated Americans' reported satisfaction with the US position in the world. (With Input from Agencies)