List of countries by length of coastline

This article contains a list of countries by length of coastline, in kilometers. A coastline of zero indicates that the country is landlocked.

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).

Overview

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.[Note 1] This "magnifying" effect is greater for convoluted coastlines than for relatively smooth ones.

  • Data marked The World Factbook or TWF covers 198 countries and 55 territories, from the book published by the Central Intelligence Agency. In addition to coastline lengths, this is the source of the land area used to calculate the "coast/area ratio" for both TWF and WRI (see below) coastline measurement. 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. 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 not necessarily 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, the "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]

List

Note: non-sovereign areas in italic.

Country The World Factbook[2] World Resources Institute[1] Land area
km2 (TWF)[3]
Coast/area ratio (m/km2)
Rank km Rank km (TWF) (WRI)
 World[Note 2]356,0001,634,701148,940,0002.3911.0
 Canada1202,0801265,5239,093,50722.229.2
 Norway283,281[4]753,199304,282274175
 Indonesia354,716495,1811,811,56930.252.5
 Russia437,653[Note 3]3110,31016,377,7422.306.74
 Philippines536,289833,900298,170122114
 Japan629,7511229,020364,48581.679.6
 Australia725,760666,5307,682,3003.358.66
 United States819,9242133,3129,147,5932.1814.6
 Antarctica17,96814,200,0001.27
 New Zealand915,1341717,209264,53757.265.1
 China1014,5001130,0179,326,4101.553.22
 Greece1113,6761915,147130,647105116
 United Kingdom1212,4291619,717241,93051.481.5
 Mexico139,3301423,7611,943,9454.8012.2
 Italy147,600289,226294,14025.831.4
 Brazil157,491933,3798,358,1400.8963.99
 Denmark167,314445,31642,434172126
 Turkey177,200318,140769,6329.3610.6
 India187,0001817,1812,973,1932.355.78
 Chile 196,435578,563743,8128.65106
 Micronesia, Federated States of206,112921,2957028,7101,840
 Croatia215,835[4]425,66455,974112101
 Solomon Islands225,313269,88027,986190353
 Papua New Guinea235,1521520,197452,86011.444.6
 Argentina244,989308,3972,736,6901.823.07
 Iceland254,970298,506100,25049.684.8
 Spain[Note 4]264,964347,268498,9809.9514.6
 France274,853337,330640,4277.5811.4
 Madagascar284,828259,935581,5408.3017.1
 Malaysia294,675279,323328,65714.228.4
 Estonia303,794612,95642,38889.569.7
 Cuba313,7352114,519109,82034.0132
 Svalbard3,58762,04557.8
 Bahamas, The323,5422411,23810,0103541,120
 Vietnam333,444[Note 5]2311,409310,07011.136.8
 Thailand343,219357,066510,8906.3013.8
 Sweden353,2181326,384410,3357.8464.3
 Colombia363,208415,8751,038,7003.095.66
 Coral Sea Islands3,095<3>1,000,000
 Somalia373,025503,898627,3374.826.21
 French Southern and Antarctic Lands2,948.4[Note 6]7,667.6385
 Venezuela382,800376,762882,0503.177.67
 South Africa392,798513,7511,214,4702.303.09
 Ukraine402,782454,953579,3304.808.55
 Saudi Arabia412,640327,5722,149,6901.233.52
 Vanuatu422,528593,13212,189207257
 French Polynesia2,5255,8303,8276601,520
 Korea, North432,495494,009120,40820.733.3
 Panama442,490435,63774,34033.575.8
 Mozambique452,470366,942786,3803.148.83
 Egypt462,450395,898995,4502.465.92
 Iran472,440[Note 7][4]405,8911,531,5951.593.85
 Peru482,414553,3621,279,9961.892.63
 Korea, South492,4132212,47896,92024.9129
 Germany502,389523,624348,6726.8510.4
 New Caledonia2,2543,62418,275123198
 Ecuador512,237474,597276,8418.0816.6
 Eritrea522,234[4]543,446101,00022.134.1
 Oman392,092652,810309,5006.769.08
 Myanmar541,9302014,708653,5082.9522.5
 Yemen551,906583,149527,9683.615.96
 Morocco561,835732,009446,3004.114.50
 Portugal571,793632,83091,47019.630.9
 Haiti581,771771,97727,56064.371.7
 Libya591,770712,0251,759,5401.011.15
 Angola601,600672,2521,246,7001.281.81
 Namibia611,572841,754823,2901.912.13
 Republic of China (Taiwan)621,566.3742,00732,26048.662.2
 Palau631,5194593,310
 Northern Mariana Islands1,4824643,190
 Republic of Ireland641,448386,43768,88321.093.4
 Tanzania651,424533,461885,8001.613.91
 Sri Lanka661,340642,82564,63020.743.7
 United Arab Emirates671,318622,87183,60015.834.3
 Costa Rica681,290702,06951,06025.340.5
 Dominican Republic691,288881,61248,32026.733.4
 Falkland Islands1,28812,173106
 Finland701,2501031,119303,8154.11102
 Tunisia711,148791,927155,3607.3912.4
 Kiribati721,143781,9618111,4102,420
 Fiji731,129464,63818,27461.8254
 Faroe Islands1,1171,393802
Western Sahara1,110266,0004.17
 Pakistan741,046662,599770,8751.363.37
 Jamaica751,02210289510,83194.482.6
 Algeria76998901,5572,381,7400.4190.654
 Cape Verde77965971,1214,033239278
  Spratly Islands 926<5>200,000
 Nicaragua78910801,915119,9907.5816.0
 Gabon79885722,019257,6673.437.84
 Nigeria80853603,122910,7680.9373.43
 Sudan80853682,2451,731,6710.4931.30
 Honduras82832[Note 8]821,878111,8907.4416.8
 Mauritania83754941,2681,030,7000.7321.23
 Hong Kong7339551,073683890
 Timor-Leste8470614,87447.5
 British Indian Ocean Territory6986011,600
 Uruguay85660981,096175,0153.776.26
 Cyprus866481126719,24170.172.6
 Maldives87644752,0022982,1606,720
 Bangladesh88580563,306130,1704.4625.4
 Liberia8957910484296,3206.018.74
 Qatar9056310090911,58648.678.5
 Ghana91539106758227,5332.373.33
 Kenya92536891,586569,1400.9422.79
 Senegal93531911,327192,5302.766.89
  Paracel Islands 5187.7566,800
 Côte d'Ivoire94515105797318,0031.622.51
 Puerto Rico5011,0948,95955.9122
 Kuwait9549910775617,81828.042.4
 Latvia9649811656662,2498.009.09
 Seychelles974911097474551,0801,640
 Guyana98459951,154196,8492.335.86
 Netherlands99451[Note 9]811,91433,89313.356.5
 Cambodia100443961,127176,5152.516.38
 Poland101440991,032304,2551.453.39
 Tonga1024191019097175841,270
 Samoa1034031204632,821143164
 Cameroon104402831,799472,7100.8503.81
 Sierra Leone104402861,67771,6205.6123.4
 Guatemala106400122445107,1593.734.15
 Turks and Caicos Islands389948410
 Belize107386761,99622,80616.987.5
 Suriname107386114620156,0002.473.97
 Marshall Islands109370.4692,1061812,05011,600
 Curaçao364444820
 Albania11036211364927,39813.223.7
 Trinidad and Tobago1103621107045,12870.6137
 Bulgaria112354121457108,4893.264.21
 Guinea-Bissau113350573,17628,12012.4113
 Comoros1143401194692,235152210
 Guinea115320871,615245,7171.306.57
 Djibouti11631412344323,18013.519.1
 Georgia11731012437669,7004.455.39
 El Salvador11830710875620,72114.836.5
 Equatorial Guinea11929611560328,05110.621.5
 Montenegro120293.513,45221.82
 Israel121273[Note 10]13620521,49712.79.54
 Malta122252.8137198316800627
 Lebanon12322512529410,23022.028.7
 Romania123225111696229,8910.9793.03
 São Tomé and Príncipe125209128269964217279
 Singapore126193129268709.2272378
 Syria126193134212185,8871.041.14
 U.S. Virgin Islands1883903465431,130
 Mauritius1281771184962,03087.2244
 Congo, Republic of the129169135205341,5000.4950.600
 Bahrain130161132255760212336
 Brunei1301611272695,26530.651.1
 Cayman Islands160264606
 Isle of Man160572280
 Saint Lucia132158139166606261274
 Antigua and Barbuda133153126289442.6346653
 Dominica134148141152751197202
 Christmas Island138.91351,030
 Saint Kitts and Nevis135135261517
 Wallis and Futuna129142908
 Guam125.5544231
 Jan Mayen124.1377329
 Benin136121140153110,6221.091.38
 Grenada136121133252344352733
 Cook Islands138120236508
 Saint Pierre and Miquelon120242496
 American Samoa116224518
 Bermuda103180541,9103,330
 Heard Island and McDonald Islands101.9412247
 Tokelau101128,420
 Barbados1399714397430226226
 Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha94[Note 11]394239
 Lithuania1409013125862,6801.444.12
 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges[Note 12]85.722.413,820
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines14184130264389216679
 Akrotiri and Dhekelia83.8253.8[5]330
 British Virgin Islands80151530
 Gambia1428011750310,1207.9149.7
 Ashmore and Cartier Islands74.1514,800
 Jersey70116603
 Aruba68.5107180381594
 Belgium14366.51447630,2782.202.51
 Niue14464260246
 Anguilla6191670
 Saint Martin58.9[Note 13]54.41,080
 Iraq14558142105437,3670.1330.240
 Togo146561455354,3851.030.975
 Pitcairn Islands51471,090
 Guernsey5078641
 Slovenia14746.61464120,1512.312.03
 Macau413628.21,4501,280
 Gaza Strip (Palestine)14940360111
 Montserrat40102392
 Congo, Democratic Republic of the148371381772,267,0480.01630.0781
 Norfolk Island3236889
 Nauru15030211,430
 Bouvet Island29.649604
 Cocos (Keeling) Islands26141,860
 Jordan15126[Note 14]1472788,8020.2930.304
 Tuvalu1522426923
 Bosnia and Herzegovina153201482351,1870.3910.449
 Wake Island19.36.52,970
 Gibraltar126.51,850
 Clipperton Island11.161,850
 Navassa Island85.41,480
 Monaco1544.122,050
 Saint BarthélemyNA25
 Sint MaartenNA[Note 15]340.0147
 South Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsNA3,9030.000128
 Kazakhstan1550[Note 16]484,5282,699,7001.68
 Turkmenistan1550[Note 17]931,289469,9302.74
 Azerbaijan1550[Note 18]10387182,62910.5
 West Bank (Palestine)1550[Note 19]5,640
 Afghanistan15501490652,230
 Andorra1550468
 Armenia1550149028,203
 Austria1550149082,445
 Belarus15501490202,900
 Bhutan1550149038,394
 Bolivia155014901,083,301
 Botswana15501490566,730
 Burkina Faso15501490273,800
 Burundi1550149025,680
 Central African Republic15501490622,984
 Chad155014901,259,200
 Czech Republic1550149077,247
 Ethiopia155014901,096,570
 Hungary1550149089,608
 Kosovo[Note 20]155010,887
 Kyrgyzstan15501490191,801
 Laos15501490230,800
 Lesotho1550149030,355
 Liechtenstein1550160
 Luxembourg155014902,586
 Malawi1550149094,080
 Mali155014901,220,190
 Moldova1550149032,891
 Mongolia155014901,553,556
   Nepal15501490143,351
 Niger155014901,266,700
 North Macedonia1550149025,433
 Paraguay15501490397,302
 Rwanda1550149024,668
 San Marino155061
 Serbia155077,474
 Slovakia1550149048,105
 South Sudan1550644,329[5]
 Swaziland1550149017,204
  Switzerland1550149039,997
 Tajikistan15501490141,510
 Uganda15501490197,100
 Uzbekistan1550851,707425,4004.01
  Vatican City15500.44
 Zambia15501490743,398
 Zimbabwe15501490386,847
 French Guiana763
 Guadeloupe581
 Martinique369
 Caribbean Netherlands361
 Réunion219

See also

Notes

  1. The smaller the scale interval mathematically, the more detailed and the "greater the scale of the map", in common usage. See scale (map).
  2. World total includes countries not listed and coastline for disputed areas.
  3. Russia has an additional 850 km of coastline along the Caspian Sea, which is landlocked.
  4. Includes coastline length for the Canary Islands.
  5. Excludes minor outlying islands.
  6. Does not include Île Saint-Paul and Îles Crozet (data unavailable) or Adelie Land claim to Antarctica.
  7. Iran has an additional 740 km of coastline along the Caspian Sea, which is landlocked.
  8. Includes coastline in the Gulf of Fonseca (163 km).
  9. 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).
  10. Israel has an additional coastline along the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee (both landlocked), with a total length of 63 km.
  11. Excluding Ascension Island (data unavailable).
  12. Includes Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, and Palmyra Atoll.
  13. Figure represents coastline of entire island, including Sint Maarten (administered by the Netherlands).
  14. Jordan has an additional 50 km of coastline along the Dead Sea, which is landlocked.
  15. Coastline included in figure for Saint Martin (administered by France).
  16. Kazakhstan has a coastline with the Caspian Sea, which is landlocked, with a total length of 1,894 km.
  17. Turkmenistan has a coastline with the Caspian Sea, which is landlocked, with a total length of 1,768 km.
  18. Azerbaijan has a 713-km coastline along the Caspian Sea, which is landlocked.
  19. The West Bank has a 40-km coastline along the Dead Sea, which is landlocked.
  20. Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia. The Republic of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on 17 February 2008. Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. The two governments began to normalise relations in 2013, as part of the 2013 Brussels Agreement. Kosovo is currently recognized as an independent state by 99 out of the 193 United Nations member states. In total, 113 UN member states recognized Kosovo at some point, of which 14 later withdrew their recognition.

References

  1. "Coastal and Marine Ecosystems — Marine Jurisdictions: Coastline length". World Resources Institute. Archived from the original on 2012-04-19. Retrieved 2012-03-18.
  2. CIA World Factbook: Coastline
  3. CIA World Factbook: Area (archived)
  4. Includes coastline of outlying islands.
  5. Figure represents total area rather than land area.

Further reading

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