List of Landlocked Countries and Territories in the World

Complete List of Landlocked Countries and Their Territories in the World – A landlocked country is a sovereign state entirely enclosed by land, or whose only coastlines lie on closed seas. There are currently 49 such countries, including five partially recognised states.

Disadvantages of a Landlocked Country

Landlocked Countries has several disadvantages. They are

• It cuts a nation off from important sea resources such as fishing
• Prevents direct access to seaborne trade, a crucial component of economic and social advance.
• Landlocked developing countries have significantly higher costs of international cargo transportation compared to coastal developing countries.

Paul Collier in his book The Bottom Billion argues that being landlocked in a poor geographic neighborhood is one of four major development “traps” by which a country can be held back. He states, “If you are coastal, you serve the world; if you are landlocked, you serve your neighbors.”

What is a Double Landlocked Country?

A country is “doubly landlocked” or “double-landlocked” when it is surrounded entirely by one or more landlocked countries (requiring the crossing of at least two national borders to reach a coastline).

• Liechtenstein in Central Europe, surrounded by Switzerland and Austria.
• Uzbekistan in Central Asia, surrounded by Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

Landlocked Countries and Their Territories in the World

Facts about Landlocked Countries in the World

• The largest landlocked country is Kazakhstan in Central Asia with a land area of over 2.7 million kilometers.
• The smallest landlocked country is the city-state of Vatican City with an area of just 44 hectares (109 acres).
•  Only two countries – Bolivia and Paraguay in South America, lie outside Afro-Eurasia (the Old World).
• Countries that are landlocked by a single country are known as enclave countries.

Explore More Interesting Topics from Static GK