Typical Characteristics of the Anglo World

map of the anglo world

The Country Similarity Index groups the six English-speaking countries of United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, United States, Australia, and New Zealand into the Anglo World. It is one of the 27 world sub-regions identified by the Index. Here are some of the traits most of these countries share:

DEMOGRAPHICS
The majority of people in this region have Caucasian ancestry and speak English natively. However, this region tends to attract many immigrants from other racial groups as well. In general, the people in this region have a relatively high income. Furthermore, a large percentage of the people in these countries have a college education. A majority of the population works in the service sector. Most countries in this region have slightly more females than males. The population also tends to be heavier on average than in other regions.

photo by Nicole Sabilia

CULTURE
Since all of these countries were once territories of Great Britain, every country in this region primarily uses English in daily life. Most are Christian, although the people in this region are not especially religious. Except for Ireland, the only religious holidays that are official holidays are Christmas and Easter. The cuisine is also similar in these countries. Their diets are heavy in meat, especially in chicken and beef. Cheese is another ingredient that is popular. Potatoes and wheat are typical staple grains. Drug use is especially high in this region as well. In addition, these countries are especially good at the Olympics, although the sports they do well in vary. Every country in this region has qualified for the FIFA World Cup at least once.

photo by Domenico Convertini

GOVERNMENT
All the countries in this region are democracies. Their media has a great deal of freedom in reporting. Five of the six countries have a parliamentary style government. In fact, four of six countries have the same exact head of state, Queen Elizabeth II. All countries have a bicameral legislature, except for New Zealand. Two major parties typically dominate politics in these countries. Their legal systems are also very similar. They all use Common Law, where judges use past precedents to make their rulings. Unlike most countries, the use of jury trials is common in criminal cases. Except for the United Kingdom, all have supreme courts based on the American model. Except for the United States, all countries have outlawed the death penalty as well. All countries in the region legalized same sex marriage but criminalize polygamy. Abortion is for the most part unrestricted.

photo by the UK government

INFRASTRUCTURE
In general, the countries in this region have highly developed infrastructure. A high percentage of people have cars and many people take airplane flights. These countries tend to consume a lot of energy and water. All countries in the region have high-quality potable tap water. Most people have televisions and access to the internet. Their governments tend to spend a lot of money on healthcare, but also the military. However, their technological standards vary widely. North American countries drive on the right, while the rest drive on the left. Furthermore, they have different electrical outlets and also different voltages.

photo by Michigan DOT

GEOGRAPHY
The Anglo World spans three different continents, so geography is one category where these countries have less in common. While their climates vary widely, most people live within the temperate climate zones of these countries. With the exception of the United Kingdom, these countries are fairly sparsely populated. Their landscapes tend to have a mix of forests, farmlands, and grasslands. Wheat is one of the most common crops grown in their farmlands. Another trait that these countries share is that they have an ample amount of coastline.

photo by Jeswin Thomas

The Anglo World‘s Most Representative Country: New Zealand (75.0 regional average)

Most Similar Region to the Anglo World: Europe (1-B)

by Paul Macallan

List of countries by region

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