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Length of coastline

What this indicator measures

The length of a country's coast, meaning the line between land and sea. A landlocked country (with no access to the sea) has a coastline of 0. Islands and countries with very jagged shores often have a very long coastline compared with their size.

How to read this?

The bigger the number, the more coast the country has; 0 means the country has no access to the sea.

Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest

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227countries with data
202.1K kmmaximum · Canada
402 kmmedian
0 kmminimum · Zimbabwe
2026data year(s)

In brief

Length of coastline: across 227 countries and territories, values range from 0 km (Zimbabwe) to 202.1K km (Canada), with a world median of 402 km. Data: 2026. The top 10% of countries exceed 5,216 km, while the bottom 10% stay below 0 km. By continent, the median is highest in South America (2,237 km) and lowest in Europe (225 km).

Median by continent

Lower Higher
  • South America 2,237 km (13)
  • Oceania 774 km (24)
  • Asia 563 km (49)
  • North America 362 km (37)
  • Africa 350 km (51)
  • Europe 225 km (49)

Why this indicator matters

This indicator gives the length of a country's coastline. It helps in understanding its access to the sea, its ports, fishing, beach tourism and maritime borders. It also identifies landlocked countries.

What makes this indicator vary

It depends on geography: archipelagos, peninsulas and highly indented coasts have a long coastline. A large country with a regular coast can have a short coastline. Landlocked countries have no coast at all. The measurement method can also change the result.

Reading precautions

The length of a coast depends on measurement precision: the more finely you follow the coves and islands, the larger the figure. CIA World Factbook data are estimates. A high value says nothing about the quality of beaches or ports.

Full ranking

ranked from highest to lowest

RankCountryValueYear
1er🇨🇦 Canada202,080 km2026
2e🇮🇩 Indonesia54,716 km2026
3e🇬🇱 Greenland44,087 km2026
4e🇷🇺 Russia37,653 km2026
5e🇵🇭 Philippines36,289 km2026
6e🇯🇵 Japan29,751 km2026
7e🇦🇺 Australia25,760 km2026
8e🇳🇴 Norway25,148 km2026
9e🇺🇸 United States19,924 km2026
10e🇳🇿 New Zealand15,134 km2026
11e🇨🇳 China14,500 km2026
12e🇬🇷 Greece13,676 km2026
13e🇬🇧 United Kingdom12,429 km2026
14e🇲🇽 Mexico9,330 km2026
15e🇮🇹 Italy7,600 km2026
16e🇧🇷 Brazil7,491 km2026
17e🇩🇰 Denmark7,314 km2026
18e🇹🇷 Türkiye7,200 km2026
19e🇮🇳 India7,000 km2026
20e🇨🇱 Chile6,435 km2026
21e🇫🇲 Micronesia6,112 km2026
22e🇭🇷 Croatia5,835 km2026
23e🇸🇧 Solomon Islands5,313 km2026
24e🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea5,152 km2026
25e🇦🇷 Argentina4,989 km2026
26e🇮🇸 Iceland4,970 km2026
27e🇪🇸 Spain4,964 km2026
28e🇫🇷 France4,853 km2026
29e🇲🇬 Madagascar4,828 km2026
30e🇲🇾 Malaysia4,675 km2026
31e🇪🇪 Estonia3,794 km2026
32e🇨🇺 Cuba3,735 km2026
33e🇧🇸 Bahamas3,542 km2026
34e🇻🇳 Vietnam3,444 km2026
35e🇹🇭 Thailand3,219 km2026
36e🇸🇪 Sweden3,218 km2026
37e🇨🇴 Colombia3,208 km2026
38e🇸🇴 Somalia3,025 km2026
39e🇲🇦 Morocco2,945 km2026
40e🇻🇪 Venezuela2,800 km2026
41e🇿🇦 South Africa2,798 km2026
42e🇺🇦 Ukraine2,782 km2026
43e🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia2,640 km2026
44e🇻🇺 Vanuatu2,528 km2026
45e🇵🇫 French Polynesia2,525 km2026
46e🇰🇵 North Korea2,495 km2026
47e🇵🇦 Panama2,490 km2026
48e🇲🇿 Mozambique2,470 km2026
49e🇪🇬 Egypt2,450 km2026
50e🇮🇷 Iran2,440 km2026
51e🇵🇪 Peru2,414 km2026
52e🇰🇷 South Korea2,413 km2026
53e🇩🇪 Germany2,389 km2026
54e🇳🇨 New Caledonia2,254 km2026
55e🇪🇨 Ecuador2,237 km2026
56e🇪🇷 Eritrea2,234 km2026
57e🇴🇲 Oman2,092 km2026
58e🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma)1,930 km2026
59e🇾🇪 Yemen1,906 km2026
60e🇵🇹 Portugal1,793 km2026
61e🇭🇹 Haiti1,771 km2026
62e🇱🇾 Libya1,770 km2026
63e🇦🇴 Angola1,600 km2026
64e🇳🇦 Namibia1,572 km2026
65e🇹🇼 Taiwan1,566 km2026
66e🇵🇼 Palau1,519 km2026
67e🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands1,482 km2026
68e🇮🇪 Ireland1,448 km2026
69e🇹🇿 Tanzania1,424 km2026
70e🇱🇰 Sri Lanka1,340 km2026
71e🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates1,318 km2026
72e🇨🇷 Costa Rica1,290 km2026
73e🇩🇴 Dominican Republic1,288 km2026
73e🇫🇰 Falkland Islands1,288 km2026
75e🇫🇮 Finland1,250 km2026
76e🇹🇳 Tunisia1,148 km2026
77e🇰🇮 Kiribati1,143 km2026
78e🇫🇯 Fiji1,129 km2026
79e🇫🇴 Faroe Islands1,117 km2026
80e🇵🇰 Pakistan1,046 km2026
81e🇯🇲 Jamaica1,022 km2026
82e🇩🇿 Algeria998 km2026
83e🇨🇻 Cape Verde965 km2026
84e🇳🇮 Nicaragua910 km2026
85e🇬🇦 Gabon885 km2026
86e🇳🇬 Nigeria853 km2026
86e🇸🇩 Sudan853 km2026
88e🇭🇳 Honduras823 km2026
89e🇲🇷 Mauritania754 km2026
90e🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China733 km2026
91e🇹🇱 Timor-Leste706 km2026
92e🇮🇴 British Indian Ocean Territory698 km2026
93e🇺🇾 Uruguay660 km2026
94e🇨🇾 Cyprus648 km2026
95e🇲🇻 Maldives644 km2026
96e🇧🇩 Bangladesh580 km2026
97e🇱🇷 Liberia579 km2026
98e🇶🇦 Qatar563 km2026
99e🇬🇭 Ghana539 km2026
100e🇰🇪 Kenya536 km2026
101e🇸🇳 Senegal531 km2026
102e🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire515 km2026
103e🇵🇷 Puerto Rico501 km2026
104e🇰🇼 Kuwait499 km2026
105e🇱🇻 Latvia498 km2026
106e🇸🇨 Seychelles491 km2026
107e🇬🇾 Guyana459 km2026
108e🇳🇱 Netherlands451 km2026
109e🇰🇭 Cambodia443 km2026
110e🇵🇱 Poland440 km2026
111e🇹🇴 Tonga419 km2026
112e🇼🇸 Samoa403 km2026
113e🇨🇲 Cameroon402 km2026
113e🇸🇱 Sierra Leone402 km2026
115e🇬🇹 Guatemala400 km2026
116e🇹🇨 Turks & Caicos Islands389 km2026
117e🇧🇿 Belize386 km2026
117e🇸🇷 Suriname386 km2026
119e🇲🇭 Marshall Islands370 km2026
120e🇨🇼 Curaçao364 km2026
121e🇦🇱 Albania362 km2026
121e🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago362 km2026
123e🇧🇬 Bulgaria354 km2026
124e🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau350 km2026
125e🇰🇲 Comoros340 km2026
126e🇬🇳 Guinea320 km2026
127e🇩🇯 Djibouti314 km2026
128e🇬🇪 Georgia310 km2026
129e🇸🇻 El Salvador307 km2026
130e🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea296 km2026
131e🇲🇪 Montenegro294 km2026
132e🇮🇱 Israel273 km2026
133e🇱🇧 Lebanon225 km2026
133e🇷🇴 Romania225 km2026
135e🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe209 km2026
136e🇲🇹 Malta197 km2026
137e🇸🇬 Singapore193 km2026
137e🇸🇾 Syria193 km2026
139e🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands188 km2026
140e🇲🇺 Mauritius177 km2026
141e🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville169 km2026
142e🇧🇭 Bahrain161 km2026
142e🇧🇳 Brunei161 km2026
144e🇰🇾 Cayman Islands160 km2026
144e🇮🇲 Isle of Man160 km2026
146e🇱🇨 St. Lucia158 km2026
147e🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda153 km2026
148e🇩🇲 Dominica148 km2026
149e🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis135 km2026
150e🇼🇫 Wallis & Futuna129 km2026
151e🇬🇺 Guam126 km2026
152e🇧🇯 Benin121 km2026
152e🇬🇩 Grenada121 km2026
154e🇨🇰 Cook Islands120 km2026
154e🇵🇲 St. Pierre & Miquelon120 km2026
156e🇦🇸 American Samoa116 km2026
157e🇧🇲 Bermuda103 km2026
158e🇧🇧 Barbados97 km2026
159e🇱🇹 Lithuania90 km2026
160e🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines84 km2026
161e🇬🇲 Gambia80 km2026
161e🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands80 km2026
163e🇯🇪 Jersey70 km2026
164e🇦🇼 Aruba69 km2026
165e🇧🇪 Belgium67 km2026
166e🇳🇺 Niue64 km2026
167e🇦🇮 Anguilla61 km2026
168e🇲🇫 St. Martin59 km2026
168e🇸🇽 Sint Maarten59 km2026
170e🇮🇶 Iraq58 km2026
171e🇹🇬 Togo56 km2026
172e🇵🇳 Pitcairn Islands51 km2026
173e🇬🇬 Guernsey50 km2026
174e🇸🇮 Slovenia47 km2026
175e🇲🇴 Macao SAR China41 km2026
176e🇲🇸 Montserrat40 km2026
177e🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa37 km2026
178e🇳🇫 Norfolk Island32 km2026
179e🇳🇷 Nauru30 km2026
180e🇯🇴 Jordan26 km2026
181e🇹🇻 Tuvalu24 km2026
182e🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina20 km2026
183e🇲🇨 Monaco4 km2026
184e🇦🇫 Afghanistan0 km2026
184e🇦🇩 Andorra0 km2026
184e🇦🇲 Armenia0 km2026
184e🇦🇹 Austria0 km2026
184e🇦🇿 Azerbaijan0 km2026
184e🇧🇮 Burundi0 km2026
184e🇧🇫 Burkina Faso0 km2026
184e🇧🇾 Belarus0 km2026
184e🇧🇴 Bolivia0 km2026
184e🇧🇹 Bhutan0 km2026
184e🇧🇼 Botswana0 km2026
184e🇨🇫 Central African Republic0 km2026
184e🇨🇭 Switzerland0 km2026
184e🇨🇿 Czechia0 km2026
184e🇪🇹 Ethiopia0 km2026
184e🇭🇺 Hungary0 km2026
184e🇰🇿 Kazakhstan0 km2026
184e🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan0 km2026
184e🇱🇦 Laos0 km2026
184e🇱🇮 Liechtenstein0 km2026
184e🇱🇸 Lesotho0 km2026
184e🇱🇺 Luxembourg0 km2026
184e🇲🇩 Moldova0 km2026
184e🇲🇰 North Macedonia0 km2026
184e🇲🇱 Mali0 km2026
184e🇲🇳 Mongolia0 km2026
184e🇲🇼 Malawi0 km2026
184e🇳🇪 Niger0 km2026
184e🇳🇵 Nepal0 km2026
184e🇵🇾 Paraguay0 km2026
184e🇷🇼 Rwanda0 km2026
184e🇸🇲 San Marino0 km2026
184e🇷🇸 Serbia0 km2026
184e🇸🇰 Slovakia0 km2026
184e🇸🇿 Eswatini0 km2026
184e🇹🇩 Chad0 km2026
184e🇹🇯 Tajikistan0 km2026
184e🇹🇲 Turkmenistan0 km2026
184e🇺🇬 Uganda0 km2026
184e🇺🇿 Uzbekistan0 km2026
184e🇻🇦 Vatican City0 km2026
184e🇽🇰 Kosovo0 km2026
184e🇿🇲 Zambia0 km2026
184e🇿🇼 Zimbabwe0 km2026

Frequently asked questions

Which country has the highest value for "Length of coastline"?

The highest value is in Canada, at 202.1K km (2026).

Which country has the lowest value for "Length of coastline"?

The lowest value is in Zimbabwe, at 0 km (2026).

What is the world median value of "Length of coastline"?

The world median is 402 km, calculated across 227 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.

What is the value of "Length of coastline" for France?

France scores 4,853 km (2026), ranking 28 out of 227 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).

Where does the "Length of coastline" data come from?

It comes from CIA World Factbook (Geography). Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.

How is the length of a coastline measured?

The boundary between land and sea is traced on maps or satellite images. The result varies with precision: the more detail on coves and islands, the longer the coast appears.

What does a coastline of zero mean?

It means the country has no direct access to the sea or ocean. It is called a landlocked country. Its trade then depends on its neighbors' ports and roads.

Source and update

Source : CIA World Factbook (Geography). Site last updated: November 8, 2026.

Indicators in the same category : Territory & Borders