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People walk across the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City on April 15. / AP-Yonhap News Agency.

A new survey released on Aug. 8 found that only about one in four Americans believes the United States is the greatest country in the world, while younger Americans place less importance on democracy than older generations.

The poll was conducted by Associated Press and the NORC at the University of Chicago between April 16 and 20. It surveyed 2,596 adults aged 18 and older across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Of the respondents, 2,461 completed the survey online and 135 by telephone. The margin of error was plus or minus 2.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

The survey found that only about 25% of respondents believe the United States is the greatest nation in the world. Another 44% said the country is one of the greatest nations, alongside others.

About 30% said they believe there are countries better than the United States. That figure has risen from roughly 19% in a similar survey conducted by the same organizations in June 2016.

Younger Americans were less likely than older generations to view the United States as exceptional.

Among adults under 30, about 44% said there are countries better than the United States. Among those aged 60 and older, the figure was about 22%.

The two age groups also showed a sharp divide on whether democracy is a core element of American identity.

Roughly 50% of respondents under 30 agreed that democracy is central to what it means to be American, compared with about 81% of respondents aged 60 and older.

The survey also highlighted growing skepticism about the idea of the "American Dream."

About 51% of respondents said the American Dream—the belief that hard work leads to success—may once have been achievable but is no longer realistic today. Around 34% said it remains true, while approximately 15% said it was never true in the first place.

                                                                                                             Kim Hyun-min