(CNSNews.com) - A new global poll reinforces the perception that Americans, as a whole, are far more religious than Europeans. The Associated Press teaming up with Washington, D.C., firm Ipsos-Public Affairs, found that 86 percent of Americans and Mexicans consider religion to be "important" in their lives, but that only 43 percent of residents in the United Kingdom and 37 percent of those in France have a similar attitude.

The survey involved 1,000 respondents from ten countries -- Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Nearly 20 percent of Frenchmen and South Koreans said they do not believe in God while 70 percent of Americans indicated that they "know" God exists and have "no doubts" about it. Only Mexico - at 80 percent -- topped the U.S. in that category.

Forty-one percent of South Koreans and 31 percent of Germans indicated there was no religion in their lives - the two highest totals for that category. The U.S. joined Mexico and Italy in having less than 10 percent of its population claiming no religion.

Robert Boston, spokesman for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, told Cybercast News Service that he was not surprised by the results of the poll.

The poll was "in line with past polls, which showed that the United States is more religious than Western Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and other countries ... Religion retains a pretty strong hold on the people" of the United States, Boston said.

Thirty percent of Americans identifying themselves as religious said they belonged to a Protestant denomination, while 26 percent identified themselves as Catholics. However, more people - 31 percent of the Americans polled - said they belonged in the category of "other religion."

Michael Gross, research manager for Ipsos-Public Affairs, told Cybercast News Service that the "other" category was "about in line with what we normally see," but that Protestantism was "a little off ... from what we would normally expect."

Americans were also the most likely - 37 percent -- to favor religious leaders trying to "influence government decisions." However, "that means the majority felt the other way," Boston said. "I think it is interesting that a large number of people indicated that they had some qualms about religious leaders having too much influence in government."

The questionnaire also included the question, "If the election were held today, would you vote for the Democratic candidate for President or the Republican candidate for President?"

Forty-five percent said they would vote for the Democratic candidate while 29 percent said their preference would be for the Republican. Fifteen percent said it "depends." Democratic respondents outnumbered Republicans 483-391.

Michele Combs, communications director for the Christian Coalition, told Cybercast News Service that she thinks America is more religious because of its unprecedented freedom of religion. "You don't feel like you have to practice religion; it's an honor. It's a choice," she said.

Combs added that religion does have a place in politics. "I don't know necessarily if religious leaders should have an impact on our government, [but] we should elect men and women who have our morals and our values."

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