Determining the South Asian 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 shows that Sri Lanka is by far the most similar South Asian country to the South Pacific region. On the other end of the spectrum, Pakistan is the least similar.
(South Pacific countries defined as East Timor, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu)
Since Sri Lanka and South Pacific countries are located on islands, they have a lot of port infrastructure. Coconuts are abundant in these nations so they are often incorporated in their cuisines. In addition, all countries in the South Pacific region are predominately Christian. Of countries in South Asia, Sri Lanka has the highest percentage of Christians at over 5 percent.
However, geography is by far the biggest reason that Sri Lanka is similar to the countries in the South Pacific. Sri Lanka is a tropical island, so it resembles many countries in the South Pacific that are also tropical islands. Both areas have lush landscapes, coastal areas, and similar flora and fauna. Sri Lanka is also further to the south than India, so it is closer.
The Most Similar South Pacific Country to Sri Lanka
The Country Similarity Index suggests that Fiji is the most similar country in the South Pacific region to Sri Lanka. Both Fiji and Sri Lanka have diverse populations with significant ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity. In fact, a large percentage of people from Fiji have South Asian ancestry. Fiji and Sri Lanka may share some economic similarities, such as reliance on agriculture, tourism, and services sectors. Both countries have a mix of tropical forests and farmlands.
