Determining the East Asian country most similar to Central Asia requires considering various social, cultural, economic, and political factors. One way to answer this complex question is by analyzing the data from the Country Similarity Index. The index attempts to quantify how similar countries are to each other relative to other countries, using a variety of statistics from five broad categories: demographics, culture, politics, infrastructure, and geography.
The data suggests that China is the most similar East Asian nation to Central Asia. On the other end of the spectrum, Japan has the least amount of traits in common with Central Asia. (Note that Mongolia is considered to part of the Central Asia region)
(Central Asian countries defined as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan)
Interestingly enough, China‘s Xinjiang Province is predominately Muslim, although less than 2 percent of the overall country in Muslim. However, China’s government and geography make the country especially stand out as having more characteristics of Central Asia than other East Asian countries.
Government
China and several Central Asian nations share certain similarities in their political governance. Both regions exhibit a tendency toward single-party systems. Most countries in Central Asia have limited political pluralism and control over dissent. Their governments actively participate in economic planning and development. These nations prioritize political stability and control, sometimes at the expense of individual freedoms and expression.
Geography
The Central Asia is known for its dry climate, where vast steppes, deserts, and mountain ranges that dominate the landscape. China is the only country in East Asia with a significant amount of desert or grassland, mostly located in its Northwest region. The Gobi Desert makes up a substantial portion of the country’s land area. Furthermore, China is the only East Asian country that borders Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
The Most Similar Central Asian Country to China
The Country Similarity Index suggests that Mongolia is the most similar Central Asian country to China. Mongolia was part of the Chinese Qing Dynasty. Unlike other Central Asian countries, a high percentage of Mongolians are Buddhists, so their religious beliefs are more similar to people in China. In addition, Mongolians have more ancestry in common with Chinese people than other Central Asian countries that have more of a Caucasian influence.
