Landlocked Countries of the World
Master World Geography for One Paper MCQs. Detailed facts about Landlocked, Semi-Landlocked, and Double-Landlocked states across Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America.
Important Facts: Landlocked Countries
Key definitions, statistics, and country lists for your exam preparation.
A landlocked country is one that has no direct access to the ocean or sea.
There are 44 fully landlocked countries in the world (UN-recognized).
A semi-landlocked country has a very short coastline or enclosed sea access; there are 8 such countries.
A double-landlocked country is surrounded by other landlocked countries. The only two are Uzbekistan and Liechtenstein.
The largest landlocked country by area is Kazakhstan (~2.7 million sq km).
Mongolia is the second-largest landlocked country in the world.
Afghanistan is Pakistan’s neighbor and is a landlocked country in South-Central Asia.
Uzbekistan is one of only two double-landlocked countries in the world.
Nepal and Bhutan in South Asia are both landlocked Himalayan states.
The only landlocked country in Southeast Asia is Laos.
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Kyrgyzstan are landlocked Asian republics.
In total, 12 countries in Asia are landlocked.
Africa has the highest number of landlocked countries, totaling 16 countries.
Chad is the third-largest landlocked country in the world.
Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are landlocked countries in East and Southern Africa.
Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, CAR, Burundi, Rwanda, and Malawi are landlocked African nations.
Swaziland (Eswatini) and Lesotho are landlocked countries within Southern Africa.
Democratic Republic of the Congo is semi-landlocked (37km coastline).
South Sudan became landlocked after independence in 2011.
Europe has 14 landlocked countries.
Switzerland, Austria, and Hungary are notable landlocked countries in Central Europe.
Belarus, Czech Republic, and Slovakia are also landlocked.
Serbia became landlocked on 28 June 2006 after the dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro.
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Andorra, and San Marino are landlocked microstates.
Switzerland is one of the most developed and economically prosperous landlocked countries.
South America has only two landlocked countries: Bolivia and Paraguay.
Bolivia lost its coastline to Chile during the War of the Pacific (1879-1884).
Paraguay relies on the Paraná-Paraguay River system for ocean access.
Continents with NO landlocked countries: North America, Australia, Antarctica.
North America has access to both Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Iraq, Jordan, and Bosnia & Herzegovina are semi-landlocked (very short coastline).
Croatia, though coastal, has complex inland borders, but is not landlocked.
Spain, Sudan, and Poland are not landlocked, as they have access to open seas.