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 North Dakota than the US
North Dakota is more rural, agricultural, and socially conservative than the United States overall. People in North Dakota tend to start families earlier and have more children. The state is relatively flat and landlocked, like all five countries on this list.
- Moldova has a lot in common with North Dakota. They have a similar continental climate and the vast majority of their terrain is flat and for used for agriculture. Both have banned smoking in public places, but also decriminalized marijuana. Furthermore, most of their people have European ancestry.
- Central African Republic and North Dakota have a low population density. Another trait that their people share is a similar rate of circumcision. In addition, religion is central to community identity, influencing family values and cultural norms. They have a high rate of suicide as well.
- Niger is another African country on this list. It is a nation with a largely rural population and many of their people work in agriculture. Both governments have passed conservative laws. However, one big difference is that Niger has a much drier climate than North Dakota.
- Turkmenistan and North Dakota are both dominated by wide, open plains. Agriculture and the the production of natural gas are central to their economies. They tend to be socially conservative as well. Both have a low population density, with small towns spread across vast stretches of land.
- Burundi shares with North Dakota a largely rural, agricultural character, with most of the population engaged in farming. Both societies place a strong emphasis on family and community, and religion is deeply woven into daily life. However, Burundi has a denser population and a hillier terrain.
- Lithuania, 7. Mali, 8. Paraguay, 9. Kyrgyzstan, 10. Burkina Faso
Top 10 Countries Less Similar to North Dakota than the US
North Dakota is rural and landlocked, so the countries least like it tend to have a lot of coastline and are more urbanized. However, the five least similar are spread across three different continents.
- Chile contrasts with North Dakota in many ways. It is a long, coastal nation with diverse geography, including deserts, mountains, and ocean coastline. Chile is also more urbanized and less socially conservative than North Dakota.
- Australia differs significantly from North Dakota. It is a massive island continent with a hot, dry climate in much of its territory, and coastal cities dominate its population. The country is much more socially liberal compared to North Dakota.
- Japan is is densely populated, heavily urbanized, and surrounded by the ocean. The country has an advanced industrial economy and a very different cultural and social structure. Family life, climate, and geography diverge sharply from North Dakota’s.
- Taiwan is another East Asian country with little in common with North Dakota. It is a small, densely populated island with a subtropical climate. Its economy is dominated by high-tech industry and global trade, while North Dakota is far more agricultural.
- Argentina has extensive coastlines, mountains, and temperate plains, as well as a far greater urban population concentrated in cities like Buenos Aires. Its social and cultural life is more cosmopolitan and less rural-focused than North Dakota’s.
- Spain, 7. United Arab Emirates, 8. Italy, 9. Malaysia, 10. Portugal
Full Ranking of Countries and Territories More Similar to North Dakota than the US
All data accurate as of 2025.
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