The Largest Landlocked Countries In The World
Rank Country Continent Area (km²)
1 Kazakhstan Asia 2724900
2 Mongolia Asia 1566500
3 Chad Africa 1284000
4 Niger Africa 1267000
5 Mali Africa 1240192
6 Ethiopia Africa 1104300
7 Bolivia South America 1098581
8 Zambia Africa 752612
9 Afghanistan Asia 647500
10 Central African Republic Africa 622984
Landlocked country
here are currently 44 landlocked countries and 5 partially recognized landlocked states.[note 1][1].
Kazakhstan is the world's largest land-locked country.[2]
In 1990, there were only 30 landlocked countries in the world. The breakup of Yugoslavia, the
dissolutions of the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia, and the independence
referendums of Eritrea and South Sudan have created 15 new landlocked countries and 4 partially
recognized landlocked states while the former landlocked country of Czechoslovakia ceased to exist
on 1 January 1993.
Generally, being landlocked creates some political and economic handicaps that having access to
international waters would avoid. For this reason, nations large and small throughout history have
sought to gain access to open waters, even at great expense in wealth, bloodshed, and political
capital.
By degree
Landlocked countries may be bordered by a single country having direct access to the high seas,
two or more such countries, or be surrounded by other landlocked countries, making a country
doubly landlocked.
Landlocked by a single country
Three countries are landlocked by a single country (enclaved countries):
• Lesotho, a state surrounded by South Africa.
• San Marino, a state surrounded by Italy.
• Vatican City, a state surrounded by Rome, and thus surrounded by Italy.
Landlocked by two countries
Seven landlocked countries are surrounded by only two mutually bordering neighbours
(semienclaved countries):
• Andorra (between France and Spain)
• Bhutan (between China and India)
• Eswatini (between Mozambique and South Africa)
• Liechtenstein (one of the "doubly landlocked" countries, between Austria and Switzerland)
• Moldova (between Romania and Ukraine)
• Mongolia (between China and Russia)
• Nepal (between China and India)
To this group could be added three landlocked territories which are de facto states with no or limited
international recognition:[note 1]
• South Ossetia (between Georgia and Russia)
• Transnistria (between Moldova and Ukraine)
• West Bank (between Israel and Jordan)[15][16][17][18]
Doubly landlocked
A country is "doubly landlocked" or "double-landlocked" when it is surrounded only by landlocked
countries (requiring the crossing of at least two national borders to reach a coastline).[19][20] There are
two such countries:
• Liechtenstein in Western Europe, surrounded by Austria and Switzerland.[21]
• Uzbekistan in Central Asia, surrounded by Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and
Turkmenistan.[22]
After the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Württemberg became a doubly
landlocked state, bordering only Bavaria, Baden, and Switzerland. There were no doubly landlocked
countries from the unification of Germany in 1871 until the end of World War I. Liechtenstein
bordered the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which had an Adriatic coastline, and Uzbekistan was then
part of the Russian Empire, which had both ocean and sea access.
With the dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918 and creation of an independent, landlocked Austria,
Liechtenstein became the sole doubly landlocked country until 1938. In the Anschluss that year,
Austria was absorbed into Nazi Germany, which possessed a border on the Baltic Sea and the
North Sea. After World War II, Austria regained its independence and Liechtenstein once again
became doubly landlocked.
Uzbekistan, which had been part of the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union, gained its
independence with the dissolution of the latter in 1991 and became the second doubly landlocked
country.
However, Uzbekistan's doubly landlocked status depends on the Caspian Sea's status dispute:
some countries, especially Iran and Turkmenistan, claim that the Caspian Sea should be considered
as a real sea (mainly because this way they would have larger oil and gas fields), which would make
Uzbekistan only a simple landlocked country since its neighbours Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan
have access to the Caspian Sea.
List of landlocked countries and partially recognized landlocked
states
Area Popu Cont Subr Co
Country (km2 latio inen egio Surrounding countries un
) n t n t
Landlocked countries
Afgha 652,23 33,369, Souther China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Tur
Asia 6
nistan 0 945 n Asia kmenistan, and Uzbekistan
Souther
Andorr
468 84,082 Europe n France and Spain 2
a
Europe
Area Popu Cont Subr Co
Country (km2 latio inen egio Surrounding countries un
) n t n t
Landlocked countries
Arme 3,254,3 Wester Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, and 4 or
29,743 Asia
nia 00 n Asia Turkey 5[c]
Czech
Austri 8,823,0 Central Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy,
83,871 Europe 8
a 54 Europe L iechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia,
and Switzerland
Azerb 8,997,4 Wester Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Russia, and 5 or
86,600 Asia
aijan[a] 01 n Asia Turkey 6[c]
Belaru 207,60 9,484,3 Eastern Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia,
Europe 5
s 0 00 Europe and Ukraine
Bhuta Souther
38,394 691,141 Asia China and India 2
n n Asia
South
1,098,5 10,907, Americ Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay,
Americ 5
Bolivia 81 778 as and Peru
a
Botsw 582,00 1,990,8 Souther Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and
Africa 4
ana 0 76 n Africa Zimbabwe
Benin, Côte
Burkin 274,22 15,746, Wester
Africa d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, and 6
a Faso 2 232 n Africa
Togo
Burun 10,557, Eastern Democratic Republic of the
27,834 Africa 3
di 259 Africa Congo, Rwanda, and Tanzania
Area Popu Cont Co
Subr egio
Country (km2 latio inen Surrounding countries un
n
) n t t
Landlocked countries
Cameroon, Chad, Congo,
Centr
622,98 4,422,0 Middle the Democratic Republic of
al African Africa 6
4 00 Africa the Congo, South Sudan,
Republic
and Sudan
Cameroon, the Central African
1,284,0 13,670,
Chad Africa Middle Africa Republic, Libya, Niger, Nigeria, 6
00 084
and Sudan
Czech 10,674, Central Austria, Germany, Poland,
78,867 Europe 4
Republic 947 Europe and Slovakia
Eswat 1,185,0 Souther
17,364 Africa Mozambique and South Africa 2
ini 00 n Africa
Ethiop 1,104,3 101,853 Eastern Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia,
Africa 6
ia 00 ,268 Africa So uth Sudan, and Sudan
Austria, Croatia, Romania,
Hung 9,797,5 Central
93,028 Europe Serbia, Sl ovakia, Slovenia, and 7
ary 61 Europe
Ukraine
Kazak 2,724,9 16,372, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Asia Central Asia 5
hstan[a] 00 000 Turkmeni stan, and Uzbekistan
Kyrgy 199,95 5,482,0 China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan,
Asia Central Asia 4
zstan 1 00 and Uzbekistan
236,80 6,320,0 Southeastern Cambodia, China, Myanmar,
Laos Asia 5
0 00 Asia Thailan d, and Vietnam
Area Popu Cont Subr Co
Country (km2 latio inen egio Surrounding countries un
) n t n t
Landlocked countries
Lesot 2,067,0 Souther
30,355 Africa South Africa 1
ho[d] 00 n Africa
Liecht Central
160 35,789 Europe Austria and Switzerland 2
enstein Europe
Luxe Central
2,586 502,202 Europe Belgium, France, and Germany 3
mbourg Europe
Malaw 118,48 15,028, Eastern
Africa Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia 3
i 4 757 Africa
Algeria, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire,
1,240,1 14,517, Wester
Mali Africa Guinea, Mauritania, Niger, and 7
92 176 n Africa
Senegal
Moldo 3,559,5 Eastern 2 or
33,846 Europe Romania, Transnistria[c], and Ukraine
va 00 Europe 3[c]
Mong 1,566,5 2,892,8 Eastern
Asia China and Russia 2
olia 00 76 Asia
147,18 26,494, Souther
Asia China and India 2
1 504 n Asia
Nepal
1,267,0 15,306, Wester Algeria, Benin, Burkina
Africa 7
Niger 00 252 n Africa Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali, and Nigeria
Area Popu Cont Subr Co
Country (km2 latio inen egio Surrounding countries un
) n t n t
Landlocked countries
Souther
North 2,114,5 Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo[c], 4 or
25,713 Europe n
Macedonia 50 and Serbia 5[c]
Europe
South
Parag 406,75 6,349,0 Americ
Americ Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil 3
uay 2 00 as
a
Rwan 10,746, Eastern Burundi, the Democratic Republic of
26,338 Africa 4
da 311 Africa the Congo, Tanzania, and Uganda
Souther
San
61 31,716 Europe n Italy 1
Marino[d] Europe
Albania (via Kosovo and
Souther Metohija), Bosnia and
7,306,6
Serbia 88,361 Europe n Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hun 8
77
Europe gary, Kosovo[c], Montenegro, North
Macedonia, and Romania
Austria, the Czech
Slova 5,429,7 Central
49,035 Europe Republic, Hungary, Poland, and 5
kia 63 Europe
Ukraine
Central African Republic, the
South 619,74 8,260,4 Eastern Democratic Republic of the
Africa 6
Sudan 5 90 Africa Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan,
and Uganda
Area Popu Cont Subr Co
Country (km2 latio inen egio Surrounding countries un
) n t n t
Landlocked countries
Switze 8,401,1 Central Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and
41,284 Europe 5
rland 20 Europe Liechtenstein
Tajikis 143,10 7,349,1 Central Afghanistan, China, Kyrgyzstan, and
Asia 4
tan 0 45 Asia Uzbekistan
Turkm 488,10 5,110,0 Central Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and
Asia 4
enistan[a] 0 00 Asia Uzbekistan
Democratic Republic of the
Ugan 241,03 40,322, Eastern
Africa Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South 5
da 8 768 Africa
Sudan, and Tanzania
Uzbek 449,10 32,606, Central Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzsta
Asia 5
istan 0 007 Asia n, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan
Souther
Vatica
0.44 826 Europe n Italy 1
n City[d] Europe
Angola, Botswana, the Democratic
Zambi 752,61 12,935, Eastern Republic of the
Africa 8
a 2 000 Africa Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namib
ia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe
Zimba 390,75 12,521, Eastern Botswana, Mozambique, South
Africa 4
bwe 7 000 Africa Africa, and Zambia
Partially recognized landlocked states
Area Popu Cont Subr Co
Country (km2 latio inen egio Surrounding countries un
) n t n t
Landlocked countries
Artsak Wester
11,458 146,600 Asia Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran 3
h[c] n Asia
Souther
Kosov 1,804,8 Albania, Montenegro, North
10,908 Europe n 4
o[c] 38 Macedonia, and Serbia
Europe
South Wester
3,900 72,000 Asia Georgia and Russia 2
Ossetia[c] n Asia
Trans Eastern
4,163 505,153 Europe Moldova and Ukraine 2
nistria[c] Europe
West 2,862,4 Wester
5,655 Asia Israel and Jordan 2
Bank[b][e] 85 n Asia
14,776, 475,818
Total
228 ,737
N/A
Percentag 11.4% 6.9%
e of the
World
