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List of countries and dependencies by length of coastline

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This article contains a list of countries and dependencies by length of coastline, in kilometers. Though the coastline paradox stipulates that coastlines do not have a well-defined length, there are various methods in use to measure coastlines through ratios and other metrics.[citation needed] A coastline of zero indicates that the country is landlocked.

Coastline paradox

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Image
Image
An example of the coastline paradox. If measured using an interval of 125 mi (200 km), the coast of Great Britain has a length of about 1,500 mi (2,400 km). Using an interval of 30 mi (50 km), the length is about 2,100 mi (3,400 km).

The coastline paradox states that a coastline does not have a well-defined length. Measurements of the length of a coastline behave like a fractal, being different at different scale intervals (distance between points on the coastline at which measurements are taken). The smaller the scale interval (meaning the more detailed the measurement), the longer the coastline will be.[a] This "magnifying" effect is greater for convoluted coastlines than for relatively smooth ones.

Data sources

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Data marked The World Factbook or TWF is derived from the book published by the Central Intelligence Agency and covers 198 countries and 55 territories. Note that the scales at which The World Factbook figures were measured are not stated, nor is it known whether the figures are all reported using the same scale, thus the figures are necessarily not comparable across different countries.

Data marked World Resources Institute or WRI covers 182 independent countries and 13 dependencies, based on data calculated in 2000 from the World Vector Shoreline, United States Defense Mapping Agency, 1989. It may include territories whose status have changed. According to their technical notes,

"Coastline length was derived from the World Vector Shoreline database at 1:250,000 scale. The estimates (...) were calculated using a Geographic Information System (GIS) and an underlying database consistent for the entire world. The methodology used to estimate length is based on the following: 1) A country's coastline is made up of individual lines, and an individual line has two or more vertices and/or nodes. 2) The length between two vertices is calculated on the surface of a sphere. 3) The sum of the lengths of the pairs of vertices is aggregated for each individual line, and 4) the sum of the lengths of individual lines was aggregated for a country. In general, the coastline length of islands that are part of a country, but are not overseas territories, are included in the coastline estimate for that country (e.g., Canary Islands are included in Spain). Coastline length for overseas territories and dependencies are listed separately. Disputed areas are not included in country or regional totals."[1]

In addition to coastline lengths, The World Factbook is the source of the land area used to calculate the "coast/area ratio" for both coastline measurements. This ratio measures how many metres of coastline correspond to every square kilometer of land area. The ratio illustrates the ease of accessibility to the country's coast from every point in its interior. Therefore, an island country like Maldives, or a country carved by the sea like Greece, is more likely to have a high ratio, while a landlocked country will have a ratio of zero.

List

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Data are from the CIA World Factbook[2][3] and the World Resources Institute.[1] Non-sovereign areas are listed in italics.

Location Coastline
(km)		 Land area
(km2)		 Coast/area
ratio
(m/km2)		 Note
(CIA) (WRI) (CIA) (WRI)
 World356,0001,634,701148,940,0002.3911.0 World total includes countries not listed and coastline for disputed areas.
Image Canada202,080265,5239,093,50722.229.2
Image Norway83,28153,199304,282274175 Includes coastline of outlying islands.
Image Indonesia54,71695,1811,811,56930.252.5
Image European Union53,5634,236,35112.6 The European Union is included because it has certain attributes associated with independent countries. However, the EU is not a federation in the strict sense.
Image Greenland (Denmark)44,0872,166,08620.4
Image Russia37,653110,31016,377,7422.306.74 Russia has an additional 850 km of coastline along the Caspian Sea, which is landlocked.
Image Philippines36,28933,900298,170122114
Image Japan29,75129,020364,48581.679.6
Image Australia25,76066,5307,682,3003.358.66
Image United States19,924133,3129,147,5932.1814.6
Image Antarctica (Disputed)17,96814,200,0001.27
Image New Zealand15,13417,209264,53757.265.1
Image China14,50030,0179,326,4101.553.22
Image Greece13,67615,147130,647105116 Includes coastline of outlying islands.
Image United Kingdom12,42919,717241,93051.481.5
Image India11,098[4]17,1813,287,2632.355.78
Image Mexico9,33023,7611,943,9454.8012.2
Image Italy7,6009,226294,14025.831.4
Image Denmark7,3145,31642,434179217
Image Brazil7,49133,3798,358,1400.8963.99
Image Turkey7,2008,140769,6329.3610.6
Image Chile6,43578,563743,8128.65106
Image Micronesia6,1121,2957028,7101,840
Image Croatia5,8355,66455,974112101 Includes coastline of outlying islands.
Image Solomon Islands5,3139,88027,986190353
Image Papua New Guinea5,15220,197452,86011.444.6
Image Argentina4,9898,3972,736,6901.823.07
Image Iceland4,9708,506100,25049.684.8
Image Spain4,9647,268498,9809.9514.6 Includes coastline length for the Canary Islands.
Image France4,8537,330640,4277.5811.4
Image Madagascar4,8289,935581,5408.3017.1
Image Malaysia4,6759,323328,65714.228.4
Image Estonia3,7942,95642,38889.569.7
Image Cuba3,73514,519109,82034.0132
Image Svalbard (Norway)3,58762,04557.8
Image Bahamas3,54211,23810,0103541,120
Image Vietnam3,44411,409310,07011.136.8 Excludes minor outlying islands.
Image Somalia3,3333,898627,3374.826.21
Image Thailand3,2197,066510,8906.3013.8
Image Sweden3,21826,384410,3357.8464.3
Image Colombia3,2085,8751,038,7003.095.66
Image Coral Sea Islands (Australia)3,095<3>1,000,000
Image French Southern and Antarctic Lands (France)2,948.47,667.6385 Does not include Saint Paul Island and the Crozet Islands (data unavailable) or the Adélie Land claim to Antarctica.
Image Morocco2,9452,009716,5502.562.80
Image Venezuela2,8006,762882,0503.177.67
Image South Africa2,7983,7511,214,4702.303.09
Image Ukraine2,7824,953603,6284.808.55
Image Saudi Arabia2,6407,5722,149,6901.233.52
Image Vanuatu2,5283,13212,189207257
Image French Polynesia (France)2,5255,8303,8276601,520
Image North Korea2,4954,009120,40820.733.3
Image Panama2,4905,63774,34033.575.8
Image Mozambique2,4706,942786,3803.148.83
Image Egypt2,4505,898995,4502.465.92
Image Iran2,4405,8911,648,1951.593.85 Includes coastline of outlying islands. Iran has an additional 740 km of coastline along the Caspian Sea, which is landlocked.
Image Peru2,4143,3621,279,9961.892.63
Image South Korea2,41312,47896,92024.9129
Image Germany2,3893,624348,6726.8510.4
Image New Caledonia (France)2,2543,62418,275123198
Image Ecuador2,2374,597276,8418.0816.6
Image Eritrea2,2343,446101,00022.134.1 Includes coastline of outlying islands.
Image Oman2,0922,810309,5006.769.08
Image Myanmar1,93014,708653,5082.9522.5
Image Yemen1,9063,149527,9683.615.96
Image Portugal1,7932,83091,47019.630.9
Image Haiti1,7711,97727,56064.371.7
Image Libya1,7702,0251,759,5401.011.15
Image Angola1,6002,2521,246,7001.281.81
Image Namibia1,5721,754823,2901.912.13
Image Taiwan1,566.32,00732,26048.662.2
Image Palau1,5194593,310
Image Northern Mariana Islands (United States)1,4824643,190
Image Ireland1,4486,43768,88321.093.4
Image Tanzania1,4243,461885,8001.613.91
Image Sri Lanka1,3402,82564,63020.743.7
Image United Arab Emirates1,3182,87183,60015.834.3
Image Costa Rica1,2902,06951,06025.340.5
Image Dominican Republic1,2881,61248,32026.733.4
Image Falkland Islands (United Kingdom)1,28812,173106
Image Finland1,25031,119303,8154.11102
Image Tunisia1,1481,927155,3607.3912.4
Image Kiribati1,1431,9618111,4102,420
Image Fiji1,1294,63818,27461.8254
Image Faroe Islands (Denmark)1,1171,393802
Image Pakistan1,0462,599770,8751.363.37
Image Jamaica1,02289510,83194.482.6
Image Algeria9981,5572,381,7400.4190.654
Image Cape Verde9651,1214,033239278
  Spratly Islands (Disputed)926<5>200,000
Image Nicaragua9101,915119,9907.5816.0
Image Gabon8852,019257,6673.437.84
Image Nigeria8533,122910,7680.9373.43
Image Sudan8532,2451,731,6710.4931.30
Image Honduras8321,878111,8907.4416.8 Includes coastline in the Gulf of Fonseca (163 km).
Image Mauritania7541,2681,030,7000.7321.23
Image Hong Kong (China)7339551,073683890
Image Timor-Leste70614,87447.5
Image British Indian Ocean Territory (United Kingdom)6986011,600
Image Uruguay6601,096175,0153.776.26
Image Cyprus6486719,24170.172.6
Image Maldives6442,0022982,1606,720
Image Bangladesh5803,306148,4704.4625.4
Image Liberia57984296,3206.018.74
Image Qatar56390911,58648.678.5
Image Ghana539758227,5332.373.33
Image Kenya5361,586569,1400.9422.79
Image Senegal5311,327192,5302.766.89
 Paracel Islands (Disputed)5187.7566,800
Image Ivory Coast515797318,0031.622.51
Image Puerto Rico (United States)5011,0948,95955.9122
Image Kuwait49975617,81828.042.4
Image Latvia49856662,2498.009.09
Image Seychelles4917474551,0801,640
Image Guyana4591,154196,8492.335.86
Image Netherlands4511,91433,89313.356.5 In 1900, the Dutch coastline measured approximately 1400 km. It has significantly been reduced by the closing of the Zuiderzee by the Afsluitdijk in 1932 (250 km) and the closing of several sea arms by the Delta Works (700 km).
Image Cambodia4431,127176,5152.516.38
Image Poland4401,032304,2551.453.39
Image Tonga4199097175841,270
Image Samoa4034632,821143164
Image Cameroon4021,799472,7100.8503.81
Image Sierra Leone4021,67771,6205.6123.4
Image Guatemala400445107,1593.734.15
Image Turks and Caicos Islands (United Kingdom)389948410
Image Belize3861,99622,80616.987.5
Image Suriname386620156,0002.473.97
Image Marshall Islands370.42,1061812,05011,600
Image Curaçao (Netherlands)364444820
Image Albania36264927,39813.223.7
Image Trinidad and Tobago3627045,12870.6137
Image Bulgaria354457108,4893.264.21
Image Guinea-Bissau3503,17628,12012.4113
Image Comoros3404692,235152210
Image Guinea3201,615245,7171.306.57
Image Djibouti31444323,18013.519.1
Image Georgia31037669,7004.455.39
Image El Salvador30775620,72114.836.5
Image Equatorial Guinea29660328,05110.621.5
Image Montenegro293.513,45221.82
Image Israel27320521,49712.79.54 Israel has an additional coastline along the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee (both landlocked), with a total length of 63 km.
Image Malta252.8198316800627
Image Lebanon22529410,23022.028.7
Image Romania225696229,8910.9793.03
Image São Tomé and Príncipe209269964217279
Image Singapore193268709.2272378
Image Syria193212185,8871.041.14
Image U.S. Virgin Islands (United States)1883903465431,130
Image Mauritius1774962,03087.2244
Image Congo, Republic of the169205341,5000.4950.600
Image Bahrain161255760212336
Image Brunei1612695,26530.651.1
Image Cayman Islands (United Kingdom)160264606
Image Isle of Man (United Kingdom)160572280
Image Saint Lucia158166606261274
Image Antigua and Barbuda153289442.6346653
Image Dominica148152751197202
Image Christmas Island (Australia)138.91351,030
Image Saint Kitts and Nevis135261517
Image Wallis and Futuna (France)129142908
Image Guam (United States)125.5544231
Image Jan Mayen (Norway)124.1377329
Image Benin121153110,6221.091.38
Image Grenada121252344352733
Image Cook Islands (New Zealand)120236508
Image Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France)120242496
Image American Samoa (United States)116224518
Image Bermuda (United Kingdom)103180541,9103,330
Image Heard Island and McDonald Islands (Australia)101.9412247
Image Tokelau (New Zealand)101128,420
Image Barbados9797430226226
Image Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (United Kingdom)94394239 Excluding Ascension Island (data unavailable).
Image Lithuania9025862,6801.444.12
Image United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges (United States)85.722.413,820 Includes Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, and Palmyra Atoll.
Image Saint Vincent and the Grenadines84264389216679
Image Akrotiri and Dhekelia (United Kingdom)83.8253.8330 Figure represents total area rather than land area.
Image British Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)80151530
Image Gambia8050310,1207.9149.7
Image Ashmore and Cartier Islands (Australia)74.1514,800
Image Jersey (United Kingdom)70116603
Image Aruba (Netherlands)68.5107180381594
Image Belgium66.57630,2782.202.51
Image Niue (New Zealand)64260246
Image Anguilla (United Kingdom)6191670
Image Saint Martin (Netherlands)58.954.41,080 Figure represents the coastline of the entire island, including Sint Maarten (administered by the Netherlands).
Image Iraq58105437,3670.1330.240
Image Togo565354,3851.030.975
Image Pitcairn Islands (United Kingdom)51471,090
Image Guernsey (United Kingdom)5078641
Image Slovenia46.64120,1512.312.03
Image Macau (China)413628.21,4501,280
Image Gaza Strip (Palestine)40360111
Image Montserrat (United Kingdom)40102392
Image Congo, Democratic Republic of the371772,267,0480.01630.0781
Image Norfolk Island (Australia)3236889
Image Nauru30211,430
Image Bouvet Island (Norway)29.649604
Image Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia)26141,860
Image Jordan262788,8020.2930.304 Jordan has an additional 50 km of coastline along the Dead Sea, which is landlocked.
Image Tuvalu2426923
Image Bosnia and Herzegovina202351,1870.3910.449
Image Wake Island (United States)19.36.52,970
Image Gibraltar (United Kingdom)126.51,850
Image Clipperton Island (France)11.161,850
Image Navassa Island (Disputed)85.41,480
Image Monaco4.122,050
Image Saint Barthélemy (France)NA25
Image Sint Maarten (Netherlands)NA340.0147 Coastline included in figure for Saint Martin (administered by France).
Image South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (United Kingdom)NA3,9030.000128
Image Kazakhstan04,5282,699,70001.68Kazakhstan has a coastline with the Caspian Sea, which is landlocked, with a total length of 1,894 km.
Image Turkmenistan01,289469,93002.74 Turkmenistan has a coastline with the Caspian Sea, which is landlocked, with a total length of 1,768 km.
Image Azerbaijan087182,629010.5 Azerbaijan has a 713-km coastline along the Caspian Sea, which is landlocked.
Image West Bank (Palestine)05,6400 The West Bank has a 40-km coastline along the Dead Sea, which is landlocked.
Image Afghanistan00652,23000
Image Andorra04680
Image Armenia0028,20300
Image Austria0082,44500
Image Belarus00202,90000
Image Bhutan0038,39400
Image Bolivia001,083,30100
Image Botswana00566,73000
Image Burkina Faso00273,80000
Image Burundi0025,68000
Image Central African Republic00622,98400
Image Chad001,259,20000
Image Czech Republic0077,24700
Image Ethiopia001,096,57000
Image Hungary0089,60800
Image Kosovo010,8870
Image Kyrgyzstan00191,80100
Image Laos00230,80000
Image Lesotho0030,35500
Image Liechtenstein01600
Image Luxembourg002,58600
Image Malawi0094,08000
Image Mali001,220,19000
Image Moldova0032,89100
Image Mongolia001,553,55600
Image   Nepal00143,35100
Image Niger001,266,70000
Image North Macedonia0025,43300
Image Paraguay00397,30200
Image Rwanda0024,66800
Image San Marino0610
Image Serbia077,4740
Image Slovakia0048,10500
Image South Sudan0644,3290 Figure represents total area rather than land area.
Image Swaziland0017,20400
Image  Switzerland0039,99700
Image Tajikistan00141,51000
Image Uganda00197,10000
Image Uzbekistan01,707425,40004.01
Image Vatican City00.440
Image Zambia00743,39800
Image Zimbabwe00386,84700
Image French Guiana (France)763
Image Guadeloupe (France)581
Image Martinique (France)369
Image Caribbean Netherlands (Netherlands)361
Image Réunion (France)219

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ The smaller the scale interval mathematically, the more detailed and the "greater the scale of the map", in common usage. See scale (map).

References

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  1. 1 2 "Coastal and Marine Ecosystems — Marine Jurisdictions: Coastline length". World Resources Institute. Archived from the original on 2012-04-19. Retrieved 2012-03-18.
  2. ↑ "Coastline - The World Factbook". www.cia.gov. Archived from the original on January 15, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Field Listing :: Area — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency". October 22, 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-10-22.
  4. ↑ "PIB India".

Further reading

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Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_length_of_coastline&oldid=1375913132"