Countries More Similar to Oklahoma than the US

_{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 Oklahoma than the US

Oklahoma is more rural, agricultural, and religious than most states. It is also relatively flat and is landlocked, like most countries on this list. The nations that resemble Oklahoma much more than the United States overall tend to be located in Sub-Saharan Africa.

1. Central African Republic is a nation with a very young and rural population, mirroring Oklahoma’s more traditional demographics. Central African Republic’s flat savanna landscape resembles Oklahoma’s plains. Furthermore, both are particularly religious as well. They have many restrictions on abortion.
2. Mali is another landlocked African country on this list. Like Oklahoma, it has a hot but also relatively dry climate, so they require a lot of irrigation for farming. In addition, they are quite rural and have a high percentage of children. Religion plays a dominant role in public and private life, though Mali is largely Muslim while Oklahoma is Christian.
3. Burkina Faso is located to the south of Mali, so it has many traits in common with it. It has a flat geography and savanna climate, much like Oklahoma’s central plains. Although both are landlocked, their water flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Traditional social values and tight-knit rural communities resemble those found in many Oklahoma counties.
4. Eswatini is a small, landlocked country in Southern Africa. Oklahoma and Eswatini both have a subtropical climate. They are mostly farmland, but have some forest cover as well. Their people are predominately Protestant Christian and quite religious as well. Both still allow corporal punishment, but do not allow same sex marriage.
5. Togo is yet another West African country on this list. The limited rural infrastructure in Togo with small cities surrounded by farmland, parallels challenges faced in Oklahoma’s more remote communities. Smoking in public places is not banned. However, the possession of marijuana is illegal in Togo and Oklahoma.
6. Niger, 7. Guinea, 8. Mauritania, 9. Paraguay, 10. Senegal

Top 10 Countries Less Similar to Oklahoma than the US

Interestingly enough, the five countries with significantly fewer similarities to Oklahoma than the United States overall have populations with European ancestry. These countries tend to have a lot of coastline and are more developed than Oklahoma as well. In addition, they are significantly less religious and their laws are less conservative.

1. Canada is a highly urbanized, developed country with strong public infrastructure and universal healthcare, in contrast to Oklahoma’s more rural and privatized systems. Its population is less religious and more socially liberal than Oklahoma’s, with broad support for progressive social policies. Furthermore, its climate is much colder than Oklahoma’s/
2. Germany is a densely populated, highly industrialized country with a strong welfare state and robust infrastructure, unlike Oklahoma’s more rural infrastructure focused on oil and gas extraction. It is one of the least religious countries in Europe, with secularism and liberal values that differ sharply from Oklahoma’s conservative, faith-based culture.
3. Netherlands is an extremely urban, coastal nation with some of the world’s most advanced infrastructure and social services, in stark contrast to rural Oklahoma. Dutch society is highly secular and socially liberal, embracing progressive views on issues like drug policy and LGBTQ rights.
4. Australia‘s interior resembles Oklahoma’s dryness, but Australia’s extensive coastline and unique ecosystems set it apart. Politically, Australia’s strict gun laws and universal healthcare further differentiate it from Oklahoma’s conservative politics.
5. New Zealand is a mountainous, and island nation in the Pacific Ocean. Its society is progressive with early adoption of same-sex marriage and strong social safety nets. Its focus on sustainability diverges from Oklahoma’s emphasis on the oil and gas industry.
6. Spain, 7. Switzerland, 8. Norway, 9. Sweden, 10. Singapore

Full Ranking of Countries and Territories More Similar to Oklahoma than the US

All data accurate as of 2025.