Determining the European 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.
Armenia is at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Geographically it is technically in Asia, but it is generally considered geopolitically European. According to the Index, it is the most similar European country to Central Asia. On the other end of the spectrum, United Kingdom has the least amount of traits in common with Central Asia.
(Central Asian countries defined as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan)
Armenia‘s geography is extremely similar to what is typical found in Central Asia. Furthermore, there are some aspects of its infrastructure and culture that have a lot in common with Central Asia as well.
Culture
Armenia is predominately Christian and speaks an unrelated language compared to most Central Asian countries. Still, they have many aspects in common. Many people in these nations speak Russian, since they were once part of the Soviet Union. Wrestling and weightlifting are extremely popular in Armenia and Central Asia. Furthermore, their food is similar. They have a tradition of baking flatbreads. Dumplings are popular across the region, although there is some variation. Both areas have a tradition of barbecuing kebabs.
Infrastructure
Since both Armenia and much of Central Asia were once part of the Soviet Union, their infrastructure is similar. They both use Russian broad gauge railroad tracks. They also have Type C, F electrical outlets. Much of their military equipment is manufactured in Russia too. The planning and development of water infrastructure, including irrigation systems and reservoirs, during the Soviet era have left a common imprint on these countries.
Geography
Despite Armenia being geopolitically European, it is considered to be part of the Asian continent. Like most Central Asian countries, Armenia is landlocked. Furthermore, Armenia features significant mountainous terrain, like many Central Asian countries. The region is known for its dry climate, where vast steppes dominate the landscape. As a result, Armenia and Central Asia have little forest cover.
The Most Similar Central Asian Country to Armenia
The Country Similarity Index suggests that Kyrgyzstan is the most similar Central Asian country to Armenia. Its geography is extremely similar to Armenia, despite being over 2,000 km away from it. Both are very mountainous and landlocked. They also have similar flora and fauna. In addition, their agricultural areas grow a lot of wheat and barley. Furthermore, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia are also both democratic countries, unlike many other countries that were once part of the USSR, which have authoritarian governments.
