Have you ever wondered which U.S. states resemble countries more closely than others? The Country – US State Comparisons are designed to quantify just that — measuring how similar each U.S. state is to different countries around the world relative to the United States. This index provides a data-driven way to make those comparisons. It equally weights five major factors: demographics, culture, politics, technology, and geography. Over 1,000 different data points are used to generate the results.
Top 10 Countries More Similar to Arkansas than the US
Arkansas has less developed infrastructure and is more socially conservative than the United States overall. The five countries on the list that are more similar to Arkansas than the United States overall are all located in Africa.
- Central African Republic is a landlocked country located between Chad and Congo. Both have a low population density. In addition, Arkansas and Central African Republic have a diverse mix of Protestants and Catholics. Although Central African Republic’s climate is much hotter, they both have a mix of forests and farmlands.
- Mali resembles Arkansas in its agrarian roots and strong sense of traditional community life. Both regions are characterized by tight-knit, faith-oriented populations and slower rates of urbanization compared to their peers. Furthermore, Mali and Arkansas have a similar rate of homicide
- Burkina Faso, like Arkansas, has a largely rural population. Both governments have passed conservative laws banning same-sex marriage. They have conservative legal and cultural attitudes. Each has passed laws restricting same-sex marriage. They also still allow the death penalty and corporal punishment.
- Senegal is predominately Muslim, but it shares with Arkansas a deep faith in religion. Senegal’s mix of rural landscapes and growing urban centers somewhat parallels the economic divide between rural Arkansas and cities like Little Rock. In addition, both Senegal and Arkansas are dominated by one political party.
- Guinea’s economy and demographics reflect Arkansas’s profile in key ways: both are resource-rich but unevenly developed. Rural life dominates in both places, where community ties and traditional lifestyles remain central. Guinea and Arkansas do not have many restrictions on firearms as well.
- Eswatini, 7. Togo, 8. Gabon, 9. Ivory Coast, 10. Niger
Top 10 Countries Less Similar to Arkansas than the US
Interestingly enough, the five countries with the fewest similarities to Arkansas than the United States overall have populations that are primarily European in origin. Furthermore, their governments have far more liberal laws.
- Canada is much colder than Arkansas and more sparsely populated. It also has much more diverse geography that includes vast coastlines on three different oceans. Canada’s laws are more progressive than the laws in Arkansas too.
- Australia has a much hotter and drier climate than Arkansas and is more sparsely populated. In addition, Australia provides public healthcare and a broader welfare state, while Arkansas relies more on market forces and charity.
- New Zealand ranks high on global indexes of trust in quality of life. These traits align New Zealand more with progressive coastal states than Arkansas. In contrast to landlocked Arkansas, it is located on islands in the Pacific Ocean.
- Germany is a densely populated, highly industrialized country with a strong welfare state and robust infrastructure, unlike the more rural infrastructure in Arkansas. It is one of the least religious countries in Europe, with secularism and liberal values.
- Spain‘s Mediterranean climate and long coastline contrast with the geography of Arkansas. Politically, Spain has strong labor protections and progressive social laws. Its modern infrastructure (high-speed rail and advanced healthcare) sets it further apart.
- Netherlands, 7. Norway, 8. Switzerland, 9. Argentina, 10. Austria
Full Ranking of Countries and Territories More Similar to Arkansas than the US
All data accurate as of 2025.