In all, 66% of South Africans orgasmed almost every time they had sex, a figure equalled only by Spaniards, Mexicans and Italians and which beat Brazilians into second place at 65%.
"The survey shows that having a fulfilling sex life contributes to our overall sense of wellbeing and general health, and that orgasms can play an important part in achieving this," said Durex South Africa brand manager Byron Bekker in a statement.
People from Hong Kong and China were least likely to orgasm at 24%, followed by the Japanese at 27%.
87% who orgasmed 'happy with themselves'
The research was conducted among 26 000 people in 26 countries, and questioned aspects of people's sex lives, their health, general wellbeing, education, beliefs, sex and relationships, attitudes to sex and social circumstances.
According to the survey, 58% of all people who usually achieved orgasm were content with the emotional aspects of their sex life, compared with 29% of those who rarely climaxed.
In addition, eight out of 10 (77%) of those who frequently orgasmed felt close to their partners during sex, as opposed to 54% of those who had difficulty having orgasms.
In South Africa, nine out of 10 (87%) people who usually orgasmed felt at ease with themselves sexually and 60% were psychologically healthy compared with 50% of the British.
Although 83% of South African men almost always climaxed during sex, only 49% of women did.
The survey found that massage could be effective in improving the number and intensity of orgasms, as could spending more protected time with partners, and that sex toys could enhance the quality of women's orgasms, as could more foreplay. – (Sapa, October 2008)
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