Which Country has the Longest Coastline?
A coastline is defined as a line that forms a boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Waves are a prominent feature of coastlines, and as the wind blows, the waves move to and fro, high and low, along the coastline. In this article, we will explore which country has the longest coastline, countries without coastlines and more.
Country with Longest Coastline
The country with the longest coastline is Canada. Canada’s coastline measures 243,042 km. Canada is surrounded by three oceans, the Atlantic Ocean on the east, the Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north. The coastline is home to a rich variety of marine life, including whales, seals, and numerous species of fish.
The Next 9 Countries with the Longest Coastline
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Indonesia
Indonesia’s coastline is nothing short of extraordinary. As the world’s largest archipelagic nation, Indonesia boasts of a staggering 95,000 km of coastline, ranking it second in the world. This immense figure translates to a shoreline that is constantly changing and brimming with diversity.
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Norway
Norway’s coastline is Europe’s longest coastline. It has a really long coastline, about 83,281 kilometers or 51,696 miles! It’s famous for its beautiful scenery, like deep fjords (which are like long, narrow inlets of water between cliffs), rocky shores, and cute little fishing villages. The coastline is full of amazing natural sights and is an important part of Norway’s history and culture.
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Russia
Russia lays claim to the world’s fourth-longest coastline, a staggering 37,653 kilometers. This massive distance stretches across three oceans, the frigid Arctic in the north, the vast Pacific in the east, and even a sliver of the Atlantic via the Barents Sea. Russia has coastlines on the Baltic, Caspian, and Black Seas. The landscape it encompasses is equally diverse, from the icy plains bordering the Arctic to the dramatic cliffs and long beaches of the Pacific.
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Philippines
The Philippines boasts the fifth-longest coastline in the world, stretching an impressive 36,289 kilometers. This incredible length is a result of the archipelago’s makeup – over 7,000 islands dotting the surrounding seas.
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Japan
Japan’s coastline is a sight to behold, stretching for an impressive length of around 34,000 kilometers, if you include all the twists and turns created by its many islands. Even excluding the smaller islands, Japan boasts the sixth-longest coastline globally. This intricate network of coastlines weaves around the country’s 6,852 islands! The long coastline is a result of Japan’s volcanic origins.
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Australia
Australia boasts a massive coastline, ranking 7th in the world at around 25,760 kilometers in length. This impressive stretch of coast touches three oceans, the Indian Ocean to the south and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the east.
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United States
The USA has the world’s eighth longest coastline. The country has coasts on the Atlantic Ocean in the east and the Pacific Ocean in the west. It also shares a coastline with the Arctic Ocean north of Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico in the south. Twenty-three states have their coastline a total of about 19,924 km of coastline which can be attributed to several factors including the mainland’s location between two oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the inclusion of Alaska, Hawaii, and various U.S. territories.
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New Zealand
New Zealand boasts a surprisingly long coastline for its size, stretching for roughly 15,134 kilometers bordering the Pacific Ocean and Tasmania Sea. This ranks it as the world’s ninth-longest coastline. Both the North and South Islands contribute significantly to the long coastline. The North Island, although smaller, has a more convoluted coastline due to inlets and bays. New Zealand’s many offshore islands also add to the overall length of the coastline.
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China
China boasts an impressive coastline stretching for over 14,500 kilometers, ranking it as the world’s 10th longest coastline. China borders three major bodies of water, the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Yellow Sea and East China Sea to the southeast, and the South China Sea to the south.
Countries without Coastlines
There are certain landlocked countries that do not have any ocean touching on their land sides. Below is the list of countries without coastlines:
- Afghanistan
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Austria
- Belarus
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Czech Republic
- Eswatini (Swaziland)
- Ethiopia
- Hungary
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lesotho
- Luxembourg
- Mali
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Nepal
- Niger
- Paraguay
- Rwanda
- San Marino
- Slovakia
- South Sudan
- Switzerland
- Tajikistan
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Vatican City
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
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