Top 10 Largest Landlocked Countries In The World by Land Area/Population

Liz Allen November 02, 2023 | 12:28

It has been observed that almost one-fourth of the world’s countries are landlocked sharing borders with other countries.

Top 10 Largest Landlocked Countries In The World by Land Area/Population

There are presently 49 landlocked countries of the World that have no access to open seas. Photo: KnowInsiders.com

Nearly 200 countries exist on the planet, with the majority of them having access to the world's oceans. Long before airplanes were invented, this helped them develop their economies through international trade carried across the sea.

However, nearly one-fifth of the world's countries (43 to be exact) are landlocked, which means they have no direct or indirect water access to an ocean, but many of these countries were able to trade, conquer, and expand their borders without seaports.

Here is a list of the top ten largest landlocked countries in the world, along with an estimate of their area and population.

What are the largest landlocked countries in the world?

1. Kazakhstan

Top 10 Largest Landlocked Countries In The World

Photo: Migola Travel

With a total area of 2.7 million square kilometers, Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world. It is also the ninth largest country in the world which is located in central Asia. It is bordered by China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The place has a population of around 1, 6372,000 people living in it.

2. Mongolia

Photo: Britannica

Mongolia is the second-largest landlocked country in the world. it is located in North Asia bordering 2 major countries, China and Russia. The population of this country extends up to 3 million and spreads over an area of 1,566,500 km square.

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3. Chad

Photo: Freedom House

Chad is situated in Central Africa which extends over a total area of 1,284,000 km square. It is the third-largest landlocked country among the list. The place holds a population of 10,329,208 people in it. The neighboring countries to Chad are Cameroon, Central African Republic, Libya, Niger, Nigeria, and Sudan.

4. Niger

Photo: Freedom House

The next fourth largest landlocked country in the world is Niger. It has a total area of 1,267,000 km square. Niger is mainly surrounded by 7 countries. Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali, and Nigeria. The has an existing population of 15, 306,252 and is expected to rise in the upcoming years.

5. Mali

Photo: Jasindo Logistics

Mali has a total area of 1,240,192 km square in total. It stands as the next largest fifth landlocked country in the world. The country has a total population of 14, 517,176 people in total. It is located in West Africa bordered by 7 countries some of which include Algeria, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

6. Ethiopia

Photo: BBC

Ethiopia is the sixth-largest landlocked country in the world. It is located in Eastern Africa and shares borders with 6 other countries including Sudan, Kenya, Eritrea, Djibouti, South Sudan, and Somalia. It covers a total area of 1,104,300 km square with a total population of 85,237,338 people in it.

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7. Bolivia

Photo: Pinterest

The seventh-largest landlocked country to top the list is Bolivia. It is bordered by five countries including, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru. It has a population of 1,098,581 km² and holds a population of 10,907,778 people overall.

8. Zambia

Photo: Culture Trip

Zambia is a South African country with a total area of 752,612 km square. It has 8 countries to its borders which include Zimbabwe, Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Malawi. It has a total population of 12,935,000 in it.

9. Afghanistan

Photo: ThoughtCo

Afghanistan shares its borders with 6 countries which include, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, China, and Iran. It has a total area of 647,500 km² and has a population of around 29,117,000 people living there.

>> How Many Countries Are There in Africa Today: List, Population, Richest and Smallest

10. The Central African Republic

Photo: tourHQ

The central African Republic is a country located in Africa. It is the 10th largest country among the list of largest landlocked countries with an area of 752,612 km square. It mainly shares its boundaries with 6 countries which also include Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, and Sudan. C.A.R has a total population of 422,000 people as per the recent study.

There are numerous benefits and drawbacks for landlocked nations. Due to their proximity to seas, these nations are comparatively protected from ocean-related natural disasters like hurricanes and tsunamis, and their borders allow for the easy monitoring of goods entering and leaving the nation. Countries that are landlocked are safe from maritime invasions. But these nations, particularly the developing ones, face difficulties in importing and exporting goods, which makes them dependent on their friendly neighbors. Landlocked nations incur high transportation and customs fees. Landlocked nations must keep cordial ties with coastal nations despite disagreements in order to gain access to their coastlines.

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