Landlocked Countries
A landlocked country is a sovereign state entirely enclosed by land, with no coastline or access to the open sea. There are currently 44 landlocked countries in the world, spread across Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Being landlocked presents unique economic challenges: these countries depend on their neighbors for access to maritime trade routes, often resulting in higher transportation costs and slower economic development. However, some landlocked nations — like Switzerland, Austria, and Luxembourg — have overcome these challenges to become among the wealthiest countries in the world. Africa has the most landlocked countries (16), followed by Europe (14) and Asia (12).
By continent
Complete list of landlocked countries
| Country | Population |
|---|---|
 Ethiopia | 111.65M |
 Uganda | 45.91M |
 Afghanistan | 43.84M |
 Uzbekistan | 37.86M |
 Nepal | 29.91M |
 Niger | 26.31M |
 Burkina Faso | 24.07M |
 Mali | 22.40M |
 Malawi | 20.73M |
 Kazakhstan | 20.43M |
 Zambia | 19.69M |
 Chad | 19.34M |
 Zimbabwe | 17.07M |
 South Sudan | 15.79M |
 Rwanda | 14.10M |
 Burundi | 12.33M |
 Jordan | 11.73M |
 Bolivia | 11.37M |
 Czechia | 10.88M |
 Tajikistan | 10.50M |
 Azerbaijan | 10.24M |
 Hungary | 9.54M |
 Austria | 9.20M |
 Belarus | 9.11M |
 Switzerland | 9.08M |
 Laos | 7.65M |
 Kyrgyzstan | 7.28M |
 Turkmenistan | 7.06M |
 Serbia | 6.57M |
 Central African Republic | 6.47M |
 Paraguay | 6.11M |
 Slovakia | 5.41M |
 Mongolia | 3.54M |
 Armenia | 3.08M |
 Moldova | 2.75M |
 Botswana | 2.36M |
 Lesotho | 2.12M |
 North Macedonia | 1.82M |
 Kosovo | 1.59M |
 Eswatini | 1.24M |
 Bhutan | 784.0K |
 Luxembourg | 682.0K |
 Andorra | 88.4K |
 Liechtenstein | 40.9K |
 San Marino | 34.1K |
 Vatican City | 882 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many landlocked countries are there in the world?
There are 44 landlocked countries in the world. Africa has the most (16), followed by Europe (14), Asia (12), and South America (2 — Bolivia and Paraguay).
Which is the largest landlocked country?
Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world by area, covering 2.7 million km². It is also the ninth largest country overall. Mongolia is the second largest landlocked country.
Are there any doubly landlocked countries?
Yes. A doubly landlocked country is surrounded entirely by other landlocked countries. There are only two: Liechtenstein (surrounded by Switzerland and Austria) and Uzbekistan (surrounded by five landlocked countries).
Which landlocked countries are the richest?
The wealthiest landlocked countries by GDP per capita include Luxembourg, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, and the Czech Republic. These European nations have overcome the disadvantages of being landlocked through strong service economies and central locations.
Does being landlocked affect economic development?
Yes. Studies show that landlocked developing countries face 50% higher trade costs on average. They depend on neighboring countries' infrastructure for trade access, which can be affected by political relations, conflict, or poor infrastructure in transit countries.