Determining the European country most similar to Southeast 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 Albania is the most similar European country to Southeast Asia. On the other end of the spectrum, the data suggests that Finland is the least similar European country to Southeast Asia.
(Southeast Asian countries are defined as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam)
Albania stands out as the most similar country in Europe to Southeast due to its demographics, infrastructure, and geography.
Demographics
In general, people in Southeast Asian countries are less wealthy than Europeans. Albania is one of the least wealthy countries in Europe. These countries have relatively youthful populations. In Europe, Albania has the youngest population. Its median age is around 33 years old. Furthermore, Albania has the highest percentage of Muslims in Europe. Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia are all predominately Muslim countries.
Infrastructure
Albania’s infrastructure is notably less developed compared to many other European nations, so it is more similar to Southeast Asia. The country has one of the lowest rates of vehicles per capita on the continent. Transportation in this region is not as well developed as the rest of Europe. Albania also consumes less electricity per capita than any European nation as well.
Geography
Albania is located in Southeastern Europe. It has one of the warmest climates in Europe. The country is mountainous and has a lot of coastline along the Mediterranean Sea, so many of its people live close to the sea. Therefore, its geography has many characteristics in common with the Southeast Asian region.
The Most Similar Southeast Asian Country to Albania
The Country Similarity Index suggests that Malaysia is the most similar Southeast Asian country to Albania. Both countries are predominately Muslim, but have many religious minorities as well. Their populations have a similar median age as well. These nations are also mountainous and have a lot of coastline.
