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 West Virginia than the US
West Virginia is more rural and religious than most states. It is also mountainous but densely forested. The nations that resemble West Virginia much more than the United States overall have many of these same characteristics.
- Samoa is a small island nation in the South Pacific, but it has some surprising similarities to West Virginia. Religion deeply woven into daily life, much like in Appalachia. Geographically, Samoa is quite mountainous and forested, like West Virginia. Furthermore, both of their populations have problems with obesity.
- Vanuatu, another Pacific island nation, mirrors many of West Virginia’s defining traits. Religion plays a central role in life, just as in West Virginia, and the majority of their people are Protestant Christian. Infrastructure is underdeveloped, like some of Appalachia’s isolated communities. Both are densely forested and mountainous as well.
- Central African Republic is a landlocked country in the middle of Africa. Both are densely forested. They also get a similar amount of rainfall. Infrastructure is minimal, with poor roads, limited electricity, and weak healthcare systems, which parallels West Virginia’s reputation as one of the least developed U.S. states.
- Bosnia‘s geography is similar to West Virginia. It is mountainous and densely forested. Furthermore, the majority of their people have European ancestry. The median age of their people is also much higher than average. Both have a relatively high rate of gun ownership. Coal power creates much of the electricity in Bosnia and West Virginia as well.
- Nepal is another mountainous and landlocked country on this list, although its mountains are much taller than West Virginia’s. Although Nepal is further to the south, its average temperature is similar to West Virginia’s. Infrastructure is weak, with many remote communities still without reliable electricity, roads, or healthcare.
- Bhutan, 7. Serbia, 8. Solomon Islands, 9. Lesotho, 10. Fiji
Top 10 Countries Less Similar to West Virginia than the US
The countries with significantly fewer similarities to West Virginia than the United States tend to have a lot of coastline and are more developed as well. In addition, their laws are significantly more liberal, with more protections for workers.
- Canada is a highly urbanized, developed country with strong public infrastructure and universal healthcare, in contrast to West Virginia. Its population is less religious and more socially liberal than West Virginia’s.
- Singapore is a densely populated tiny island, while West Virginia is sparsely populated and rural. Its demographics are highly diverse, with large Chinese, Malay, and Indian communities, compared to West Virginia’s overwhelmingly White population.
- Mexico has a large Catholic and Spanish speaking population. Compared to the rest of the United States, West Virginia’s Latino population is quite low. Furthermore, the vast majority of people in West Virginia are Protestant Christian.
- Australia‘s extensive coastline and dry climate make its geography far different from West Virginia. Politically, Australia’s strict gun laws and universal healthcare further differentiate it from West Virginia’s conservative politics.
- Spain‘s Mediterranean climate and long coastline contrast with West Virginia’s geography. Politically, Spain has strong labor protections and progressive social laws. Its modern infrastructure (high-speed rail and advanced healthcare) sets it further apart.
- Russia, 7. Chile, 8. United Arab Emirates, 9. Switzerland, 10. Taiwan
Full Ranking of Countries and Territories More Similar to West Virginia than the US
All data accurate as of 2025.