Antipodeans crowned chattiest people

New Zealand is top of the League of Chattiest Nations according to new phone call data released today by Post Office Telecoms. With the average telephone call from the UK to New Zealand lasting over 17 minutes, it seems that the friendly Kiwi persona rings true.

Coming narrowly behind their antipodean neighbours, Australia is second in the league with an average call time of over 15 minutes. With many Aussies calling home to share in the excitement of the latest Ashes test, Australians could soon top the poll.

Our Eastern Europeans neighbours have lots to talk about too, with Poland coming in third place, closely followed by the Czech Republic in fourth.

Also dominating the table are the Scandinavian countries with Denmark, Sweden and Norway all appearing in the top ten. Americans and Italians are the least talkative on the phone, taking ninth and tenth place respectively.

Released to coincide with the new telephone package from Post Office HomePhone, which offers free weekend calls to landlines across 40 international destinations, the League of Chattiest Nations demonstrates that staying in-touch with our friends and family abroad is vital to many UK individuals.

Hugh Stacey, head of Post Office HomePhone, said: "We have found that one in five UK phone users (22 per cent) feel they don’t call their friends and family abroad as much as they would like to because of the perceived high-cost* which is why we now offer free weekend calls to 40 international destinations.

"It’s interesting to see how similar groups of countries have made it into the top ten in our ‘League of Chattiest Nations’. It will be fascinating to see if Australia can rise to the top of the table over the summer as conversations about The Ashes reach fever-pitch."

Read League of Chattiest Nations - Results

For more information on Post Office HomePhone or to apply for the new package, visit postoffice.co.uk.