Landlocked Countries

What is a Landlocked Country?

A landlocked country, by definition, is an independent sovereign state that does not have direct access to the sea or an ocean. Other countries surround it, and its coastline lies solely on endorheic basins.

What Continents Have No Landlocked Countries?

Australia and North America are continents which have no landlocked countries, while Antarctica has no countries at all. Oceania (usually not considered a continent but a geographical region) also has no landlocked countries. Australia, considered both a continent and a country with an extensive coastline, has no landlocked countries within it. The continent of North America includes countries like Canada, the United States, and Mexico, all of which have coastlines.

Largest Landlocked Country

Kazakhstan is the world’s largest landlocked country. It is the ninth largest country in the world, covering about 1.03 million square miles (2.67 million km2). Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and the landlocked Caspian Sea border Kazakhstan.

Interesting Facts

• Kazakhstan has a coastline along the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest inland body of water.
• Kazakhstan has developed strategic partnerships and routes. Trans-Caspian International Transport Route is created to facilitate trade through neighboring countries to reach global markets.

List of Landlocked Countries

Approximately one-fifth of the world’s countries are landlocked. Forty-five landlocked countries do not have direct access to an ocean or ocean-accessible sea.

Landlocked Counties in Africa

Africa have 16 countries that have no access to the Ocean or Sea.

1. Botswana
2. Burkina Faso
3. Burundi
4. Central African Republic
5. Chad
6. Eswatini (Swaziland)
7. Ethiopia
8. Lesotho
9. Malawi
10. Mali
11. Niger
12. Rwanda
13. South Sudan
14. Uganda
15. Zambia
16. Zimbabwe

Landlocked Countries in Europe

The continent of Europe have 15.

1. Andorra
2. Austria
3. Belarus
4. Czech Republic
5. Hungary
6. Kosovo
7. Liechtenstein
8. Luxembourg
9. Moldova
10. North Macedonia
11. San Marino
12. Serbia
13. Slovakia
14. Switzerland
15. Vatican City

Landlocked Countries in Asia

Asia have 12. These countries are located across different regions of the continent, from Central Asia to South Asia.

1. Afghanistan
2. Armenia
3. Azerbaijan
4. Bhutan
5. Kazakhstan
6. Kyrgyzstan
7. Laos
8. Mongolia
9. Nepal
10. Tajikistan
11. Turkmenistan
12. Uzbekistan

Landlocked Countries in South America

South America have two. Both countries are located in the central part of the continent. The countries are:

1. Bolivia 
2. Paraguay

Related Links

• How Many Countries are there in the World?
• Countries on the Equator
• What are the Countries of Eastern Europe?