Although the British were responsible for the early European settlement of both Australia and the United States, Australia is having much closer political and cultural links with Britain than the United States is having.


A. of both Australia and the United States, Australia is having much closer political and cultural links with Britain than the United States is having

B. in both Australia and the United States, they are closer in their political and cultural links in Australia than in the United States

C. of both nations, Australia has much closer political and cultural links to Britain than the United States has

D. in both nations, Australia is politically and culturally linked to Britain in a much closer fashion than the United States

E. of both Australia and the United States, they have much closer political and cultural links to it than the United States has

of both Australia and the United States, Australia is having much closer political and cultural links with Britain than the United States is having;--- ‘links with’ seems to be the right idiom. Must be the correct choice.

In both Australia and the United States, they are closer in their political and cultural links in Australia than in the United States – Obviously they refers to the distant ‘The British’; but ‘links in’ seems to be a wrong idiom

of both nations, Australia has much closer political and cultural links to Britain than the United States has – ‘links to’ Britain is awkward; further we have to stretch out to get that both nations refers to Australia and the United States.

in both nations, Australia is politically and culturally linked to Britain in a much closer fashion than the United States – linked to is wrong idiom; further when you say ‘linked to Britain’, you have to say than to the US

of both Australia and the United States, they have much closer political and cultural links to it than the United States has – terrible; wht do ‘they’ and ‘it’ refer to?
I will go with A
_________________

Idiomatically settlement "of" is correct. Therefore eliminate B and D.

A. 'is having' incorrect
E. convoluted pronouns and antecedent

C is correct, because both nations has clear antecedents Australia and the United States, and parallel verb structure 'has'

Two things I'm confused about between C and D:
1. What is the difference between "settlement OF both nations" and "settlement IN both nations"? Should this affect our decision when choosing between C and D?
2. In C, what is the difference between "...Australia has much closer political and cultural links to Britain than the United States HAS" vs "...Australia has much closer political and cultural links to Britain than the United States DOES"? When is it ok to use does and when is it ok to use has? (Please see example below)

Example:
I have much closer ties to my mom than my sister DOES.
and
I have had much closer ties to my mom than my sister HAS.

Any help is appreciated!