Determining the Middle Eastern 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 Index suggests that Iran is the most similar country in the Middle East and North Africa to Central Asia. Afghanistan is sometimes considered part of Central Asia as well, but it has very unique characteristics as it is the crossroads between South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia. On the other end of the spectrum, the data suggests that Bahrain is the least similar.
(Central Asian countries defined as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan)
Central Asia and the Middle East are similar regions. In terms of culture, government, and geography, there are a few aspects which make Iran more similar to Central Asia than other countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
Culture
Historically, both Iran and Central Asia have had nomadic populations. The Silk Road facilitated the sharing of literary and artistic traditions between them. Central Asian countries share linguistic and ethnic ties with Iran. Persian, the official language of Iran, is related to Tajik, spoken in Tajikistan. Additionally, there are Turkic-speaking communities in both Iran and Central Asia. Furthermore, wrestling is an especially popular sport in these countries.
Government
Iran and several Central Asian countries share similarities in terms of their political systems. Both have governments with strong centralized power structures. The executive branch tends to have significant influence and control over state institutions. They have faced criticism for restrictions on political freedoms, limitations on freedom of the press, and concerns about human rights. In addition, Iran and Central Asian tend to have little rule of law.
Geography
Northern Iran borders the Caspian Sea, which is also bordered by several Central Asian countries. Both Iran and parts of Central Asia feature mountainous terrain. Large parts of both regions experience dry and continental climates with hot summers and cold winters. Wheat is the most commonly grown crop in Central Asia and Iran. These countries also have similar flora and fauna.
The Most Similar Central Asian Country to Iran
The Country Similarity Index suggests that Azerbaijan is the most similar Central Asian country to Iran. Azerbaijan is on Iran’s northern border. There is actually a large population of Azeris living in Iran. It is another country whose economy relies on the production of oil and natural gas. Both countries have authoritarian governments. In addition, most people in these countries are Shia Muslims.
