# Foreign countries - which US states do they resemble? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 27, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-countries-which-us-states-do-they-resemble/572808 "2011-02-27T17:09:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-countries-which-us-states-do-they-resemble/572808/41 "2015-01-30T00:41:30Z")
Other than farm country looking like farm country, I never thought that any European cities looked anything like American cities, with the possible exception of Geneva, which is a lot of concrete and modern buildings. Pretoria could pass for an American type city, but most African cities would not. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-countries-which-us-states-do-they-resemble/572808/42 "2015-01-30T01:59:13Z")
You know, the more I travel, the more I’m convinced that about 25% of the planet resembles Northern/Central California. ---
**Author:** ![analogqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@analogqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/analogqueen)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-countries-which-us-states-do-they-resemble/572808/43 "2015-01-30T07:03:52Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Israel is another place that somewhat resembles Southern California. Both have the sea to the west, and mountainous deserts a bit inland. Joshua trees exist only in So California and Israel Ive been TOLD not sure as fact. Agreed though on So Cal/Israel Malibu and Morocco similar in some ways W Va and…Scotland maybe-ish with the green hills and the people and hills ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-countries-which-us-states-do-they-resemble/572808/44 "2015-01-30T10:02:27Z")
> [@analogqueen](#): > > Joshua trees exist only in So California and Israel Ive been TOLD not sure as fact. Joshua trees aren’t native to Israel, AFAIK. The entire _Yucca_ genus is strictly a New World one. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-countries-which-us-states-do-they-resemble/572808/45 "2015-01-30T11:42:14Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Joshua trees aren’t native to Israel, AFAIK. The entire _Yucca_ genus is strictly a New World one. True, but another New World desert plant, the prickly pear - or as Israelis call it, the \*sabra \*- is very common in Israel. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-countries-which-us-states-do-they-resemble/572808/46 "2015-01-31T06:43:01Z")
The coastal area in Southern California around Santa Barbara has an east-west orientation resembling that of the Riviera. In general, there are enough Italian-inspired architecture in a lot of California coastal areas that they are enough to at least remind one of Italy. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-countries-which-us-states-do-they-resemble/572808/47 "2015-01-31T08:39:34Z")
> [@analogqueen](#): > > W Va and…Scotland maybe-ish with the green hills and the people and hills Bosnia is a good match for WV. Size, terrain and climate all match up pretty well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-countries-which-us-states-do-they-resemble/572808.md?page=2)