The Countries with the Least Similar Demographics

MAP OF COUNTRIES WITH THE LEAST SIMILAR demographics

Have you ever wondered which countries have the least similar demographics in the world?

According to the Country Similarity Index‘s demography category, Japan and Niger are the pair of countries with the least similar demographics in the world. The statistical analysis shows that their race ethnicity, and physical characteristics, as well as their average income, education, and age are especially different. Taiwan and Niger are another pair of countries that have very different demographics. This article explains the differences to highlight the vast differences in demographics around the world.

Japan & Niger

Japan is a densely populated archipelago in the North Pacific Ocean. In contrast, Niger is a sparsely populated landlocked country in the middle of Africa. Not only is their geography significantly different, but also their demographics.

While Japan has a largely homogenous population, Niger is comprised of various ethnic groups, including Hausa, Fulani, Tuareg, and Kanuri. Due to environmental factors, their people developed different physical features. Africans developed darker skin tones that provide greater protection against harmful UV rays. In contrast, regions with lower levels of sunlight, like Japan, have populations with lighter skin tones to allow for greater absorption of sunlight, to synthesize vitamin D.

Shintoism and Buddhism are the dominant religions in Japan. On the other hand, the people of Niger practice a religion with completely different origins. It is a predominantly Muslim country, with over 99% of the population adhering to Islam. Furthermore, the native languages in Japan and Niger are unrelated as well.

Socioeconomic indicators are also important in understanding demographic differences. Japan is a relatively wealthy country with a well-educated population. In contrast, Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, with low income levels, limited access to education, and high rates of poverty. In fact, less than 50% of Niger’s population is literate. Most people in Niger work in agriculture, while the vast majority of people in Japan work in either the service sector or industry.

Due to low birth rates and increased life expectancy, Japan has a high percentage of elderly individuals. In fact, it is the oldest country on average in the world. In Niger, the population is extremely young, since it has a high birth rate and low life expectancy. Its median age is just 16 years, compared to 48 in Japan. In addition, Japan has more females than males, while the reverse is true in Niger.

Taiwan & Niger

Like Japan, Taiwan is another East Asian island nation that has far different demographics compared to Niger. Taiwan is a highly developed country, with a predominantly ethnic Chinese population. On the other hand, Niger is comprised of various ethnic groups, including Hausa, Fulani, Tuareg, and Kanuri.

Taiwan is religiously diverse. Most of its people follow a combination of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism as their main religions. However, around 5% of people are Christian. In contrast, Niger is nearly 100% Muslim. Another difference is that most Taiwanese speak Mandarin Chinese, although some speak various dialects of Chinese, like Hokkien and Hakka. These Sino-Tibetan languages are unrelated to the Afro-Asiatic and Nilo-Saharan languages spoken in Niger.

Socioeconomic indicators also vary greatly between Taiwan and Niger. Taiwan has one of the highest percentage of college graduates in the world. As a result of its education, it is quite wealthy. In contrast, Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, with low income levels, and limited access to education.

The age structure of their populations is far different as well. While the median age in Taiwan is 8 years lower than in Japan, it also has an aging population, with low birth rates and increased life expectancy, resulting in a declining population growth rate. In contrast, most people in Niger are still children, since the country has a high birth rate. Their women typically have more than 6 children. However it is down from nearly 8 children in the 1980s.

The Least Similar Countries

The Countries with the Least Similar Demographics
The Countries with the Least Similar Culture
The Countries with the Least Similar Governments
The Countries with the Least Similar Infrastructure
The Countries with the Least Similar Geography

Leave a Reply