Which Countries are Landlocked?
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According to the CIA World Factbook, there are 44 countries and other areas that are landlocked. In simplest terms, a landlocked country is one that is devoid of coastline. Landlocked status is critical for many nations because it prevents unfettered access to the open ocean which, in turn allows for trade with most of the countries in the world. Goods in a landlocked country, for example, must be transported through another country before they reach the ocean.
Is the status of being landlocked just a superficial aspect of a country? It appears not. Let us look, for example at average GDP (gross domestic product) per capita: the weighted world average of GDP per capita is approximately $18,000. Of the world's landlocked countries, only two (Switzerland and Austria) have higher GDPs per capita than this average. The weighted average of all landlocked countries is under $4000!
Two countries in the world are double landlocked, which means that they are surrounded only by other landlocked countries: Lichtenstein and Uzbekistan. The largest landlocked country is Kazakhstan. It is the ninth largest country in the world covering just over 1 million square miles (2.65 million square kilometers)!
Africa includes a total of 15 landlocked countries; Asia has 12; Europe has 15; and South America has 2. Here is a list of all landlocked countries organized by continent:
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Discuss this Article
Bolivia is not landlocked, it has a lake on the western border. Please change this it's inaccurate. Thank you.
- anon23044
Editor's reply: Actually, Bolivia is landlocked, because it doesn't have a coastline that gives it access to the open ocean.
How is Armenia considered a European country? Geographically speaking it's a bit overrated.
- anon18102
The above says that Lichtenstein and Uzbekistan are the world's only double land locked countries and that Kazakhstan is the world's largest land locked country.
Does the Caspian Sea not count as a sea? If so, then Kazakhstan is not land locked and Uzbekistan is not double land locked. This would leave
1) Lichtenstein as the world's only double land locked country.
2) Mongolia is the world's only landlocked country. - anon5874
Editor's reply: That is a good question! A landlocked country is generally defined as a country that is entirely or nearly entirely surrounded by other countries. if it is bordered by a landlocked sea, such as the Caspian Sea, it is still considered landlocked, mostly because it is restricted from sea trade. one important thing to note is that the Caspian Sea is also often categorized as a lake, and countries bordering it thus still classed as landlocked.
About the Western Bank: This list covers countries and areas. According to the World CIA Factbook, the source for this data, while the West Bank is not recognized as an independent country, it is generally referred to as an entity in some ways separate from Israel. The West Bank is therefore included in this list as a landlocked "area."
This list now shows 44 landlocked countries and areas. 42 of the names refer to recognized countries, while two, the West Bank and Vatican City, fall into the "area" category. The World CIA Factbook includes "a wide variety of dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, uninhabited islands, and other entities in addition to the traditional countries or independent states" to create this list of landlocked countries or areas. - lamaestra
Ok, so the CIA Factobook says 43 countries and areas. What does "areas" mean? The list on this site is only 41 countries. What are the other 2 areas?
- anon4643
How can the western bank be called a country?
- anon3711
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Source: CIA World Factbook 2002
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