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.
According to the Index, Albania is the most similar European country to South Asia. On the other end of the spectrum, Finland has the least amount of traits in common with South Asia.
(South Asian countries are defined as India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Pakistan could be considered as either Middle Eastern or South Asian, but is included as well)
In terms of demographics, infrastructure, and geography, Albania has some more traits in common with South Asia than other European countries.
Demographics
South Asia has a significantly younger population than Europe. Albania has the youngest population in the region. Its median age is around 33 years old. In contrast, Germany and Italy’s populations are around 47 years old.
Furthermore, among European countries, only Moldova and Ukraine have a lower GDP per capita than Albania. A large percentage of its people still work in the agriculture sector, in contrast to most European countries.
In addition, both South Asia and Albania have many Muslims. In fact, Bangladesh and Pakistan are predominately Muslim.
Infrastructure
Albania’s infrastructure is notably less developed compared to many other European nations. The country has one of the lowest rates of vehicles per capita on the continent. Albania also exhibits lower per capita electricity consumption compared to the majority of European nations.
Moreover, Albania’s healthcare infrastructure lags behind that of its European peers. The country grapples with shortages of healthcare professionals, including doctors and nurses, while healthcare facilities and equipment suffer from inadequate funding. Regrettably, these issues parallel the challenges faced by countries in South Asia.
Geography
Albania has one of the warmest climates in Europe, since it is located in Southern Europe and borders the Mediterranean Sea. Countries in South Asia tend to have warmer climates than European countries. Like many South Asian countries, Albania is quite mountainous.
The Most Similar South Asian Country to Albania
The Country Similarity Index suggests that Sri Lanka is the most similar South Asian country to Albania. Both Albania and Sri Lanka are mountainous and have a lot of coastline. Furthermore, Sri Lanka is one of the most developed countries in the region, so its infrastructure is more similar to Europe than other nations in South Asia.
