WASHINGTON, Sept 13: Roughly four out of 10 Americans _ 39 per cent to be precise _ say they have a favourable impression of Islam, according to a survey released this week by the Pew Research Center, a Washington think-tank.

But almost as many _ 37 per cent _ say they have an unfavorable view. The balance of opinion has not changed substantially in the past year _ 40 percent showed a favorable view in July last year.

A large number of Americans - 46 per cent _ believes that Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence among its believers, while 37 per cent say Islam does not encourage violence more than other religions.

This measure also is substantially unchanged from last year, when 44 per cent felt Islam was more likely to encourage violence. But last year's figure represented a substantial increase over the 25 per cent who expressed this view in March 2002.

The nation wide survey of 2,009 adults, conducted from July 8 to 18 by the Pew Research Center, also finds a small decrease over the past year in perceptions of anti-Americanism among Muslims around the world.

A slim number _ 44 per cent _ believes that "just a few" or "some" Muslims are anti-American. That compares with 42 per cent who say that about half or most Muslims are anti-American while 23 per cent say almost all Muslims around the world are anti-American.

In July last year, 49 per cent said about 50 per cent of Muslims world wide were anti-American. In March 2002, 36 per cent expressed that view. There continue to be significant demographic and political differences in public opinion toward Islam.

On balance, Americans under age 30 hold a more favorable view of Islam; older age groups are divided, with a relatively large minority of those age 65 and older _ 39 per cent _ expressing no opinion.

Among religious groups, secularists by two-to-one express a favorable opinion of Islam (50 percent-25 percent). A plurality of white Catholics also has a positive impression of Islam (43 percent favorable/34 percent unfavorable). But white evangelical Protestants, on balance, have a negative opinion of Islam (46 percent unfavorable/29 percent favorable).