Determining the Sub-Saharan African country most similar to the South Pacific region 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 Madagascar is by far the most similar Sub-Saharan African nation to the South Pacific region. In contrast, Eritrea has the least amount of traits in common with countries in the South Pacific.
(South Pacific countries defined as East Timor, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu)
Madagascar‘s demographics and geography have a lot in common with islands in the South Pacific. It is a unique African country, on an isolated island away from the rest of the continent. Interestingly enough, a large percentage of its population has origins in Asia.
Demographics
The people of Madagascar have mixed African and Asian origins. The Austronesian migration is believed to have reached Madagascar around 2,000 years ago. The Malagasy language and the indigenous languages spoken in most countries in the South Pacific belong to the Austronesian language family. As a result, their people have both genetic and linguistic similarities. In addition, the people in the South Pacific and Madagascar are mostly Christian.
Government
Most governments in the South Pacific region are democratic, like Madagascar. These countries tend to have a free press that operates without significant interference and little internet censorship. Furthermore, Madagascar and most countries in the South Pacific have outlawed the death penalty. The majority have criminalized polygamy and marijuana.
Geography
Madagascar is a tropical island nation located in the Indian Ocean. It is one of most eastern countries in Africa. Similarly, many countries in the South Pacific region, are located on islands. In addition, Madagascar and these countries are at similar latitudes. Both areas are isolated so they are hotspots of biodiversity, having unique flora and fauna.
The Most Similar South Pacific Country to Madagascar
The Country Similarity Index suggests that Vanuatu is the most similar country in the South Pacific to Madagascar. Both nations have a history of European colonial rule. Vanuatu was jointly administered by France and the United Kingdom. Madagascar, on the other hand, was a French colony. Therefore, French is one of the official languages in both countries. Subsistence farming and traditional agricultural practices are common in these nations, since their economies are not well developed.
