16 Countries With Longest Coastlines In The World

A coastline can be defined when any country shares its border with an ocean or sea, so, if a coastline is zero the country will be termed landlocked. The ocean and coastlines are important parts of nature and geography in the world. The measurement of the coastline will have to be a fractal meaning it will be different at different scale intervals and it will also depend on the distance between points on the coastline at which measurements are taken. Here is the list of the countries with the longest coastlines,

Countries With Longest Coastlines

1. Canada- 202,080 KM (125566 Miles)

Canada is the country with the longest coastline with an estimated length of 202,080 kilometers and the U.S. / Canada Border is the longest international border in the world.
It is one of the most beautiful northern parts of North America and is also listed as the world’s second-largest country by land area.
The country has been divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories. The main languages spoken in Canada are English and French.
The capital of the country is Ottawa and other major cities include Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary.
Canada has the largest number of lakes in the world with 31,752 lakes larger than 3 square kilometers and there is a numerous unknown number lakes.
Canada is rich in animal species and the country has some of the rare species in the world such as the caribou, the moose, the wolverine, the musk ox, Canada lynx, and the North American beaver. All of them are major symbols of Canada.

Also Read: Top 10 Largest Islands in the World by Land Area

2. Norway- 83,281 KM (51748 Miles)

Norway is officially known as the Kingdom of Norway.
It was originally known as Nordweg which means the “Northern Way.”
The country is known for its majestic fjords and mountainous terrain. The most famous fjords are Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord are on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
There are atleast 450,000 freshwater lakes in Norway.
The coastline of the country is formed along the Skagerrak, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, and the Barents Sea.
Norway’s wealth is attached to its long coastlines such as the petroleum industry, maritime transport, fishing, and fish farming.

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3.Indonesia- 54,716 KM (33998 Miles)

Indonesia is a beautiful country made up of thousands of volcanic islands and is officially known as the Republic of Indonesia.
The capital city of the country is Jakarta which is also the most populous city in Indonesia. The geography of the country is based on or dominated by volcanoes that are formed due to subduction zones
It is an archipelagic island country in Southeast Asia that lies between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
Indonesia is one of the countries with the longest coastlines which is 54,716 km and it is the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.

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4. Russia- 37,653 KM (23396 Miles)

Russia is the world’s largest country by land area that shares its border with European and Asian countries as well as the Pacific and Arctic oceans.
Officially it is known as the Russian Federation and shares its border with countries such as Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia and Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, North Korea, and China.
The capital of the country is Moscow which is also the 6th largest city in the world. The other major cities include Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and Novosibirsk.
The highest point of Russia is Mount Elbrus with a hieght of 5642 meters (18,510 feet). The largest freshwater lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake in the world.
It is also one of the countries with the longest coastlines where entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.

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5. Philippines- 36,289 KM (22548 Miles)

The Philippines is a sovereign island country in Southeast Asia officially known as the Republic of the Philippines.
Filipino and English are the two major languages spoken in the country.
The Philippines has approximately 7,107 islands that can be categorized into three main geographical divisions from north to south such as Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The country has 36,289 kilometers of coastline which makes it the 5th longest coastline country in the world.
The coastline of the country is irregular that includes bays, gulfs, and islets. The busiest commercial hub of the country is Manila Bay which is a sheltered harbor.
The bad news is that urbanization has damaged the coastal habitats and estuaries which is directly impacting the grounds of many economically important fishes.

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philippines coastline — Philippines coastline

6. Japan- 29,751 KM (18486 Miles)

Japan is one of the most beautiful countries in East Asia. It is located in the Pacific Ocean which lies between the eastern coast of the Asian continent and the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea in the south.
The country has five main islands Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Okinawa which make up approximately 97% percent of Japan’s land area.
The capital of the country is Tokyo Metropolis which is also the most populous city in Japan and the highest point of Japan is Mount Fuji at an elevation of 3,776 meters (12,388 feet) above sea level.
Japan is also one of teh countries with the longest coastline with extensive marine life and mineral resources in the ocean.
The most scenic places in Japan include Rikuzen no Matsushima, Tango no Amanohashidate, and Aki no Miyajima.

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7. Australia- 25,760 KM (16006 Miles)

Australia is one the largest countries in the world by land area and its name comes from the Latin word ‘australis’, meaning southern.
Australian indigenous people are known as Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.
The highest point of the country is Mt Kosciuszko with an elevation of 2228 meters (7310 feet) above sea level.
The best-known Australian natural landmark is Uluru and the best-known animals are the kangaroo, koala, echidna, dingo, platypus, wallaby, and wombat.
The most popular destination in Australia is the world’s largest reef system, the Great Barrier Reef, situated on the north-eastern coast of Australia.
The coastline of the country includes the coasts of mainland Australia and Tasmania.
Australia’s coastal resources are largely the responsibility of the States and Northern Territory, but the Australian Government also has responsibilities for many coastal issues.

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australia coastline — Australia coastline

8. United States- 19,924 KM (12380 Miles)

The United States of America (USA) is also known as the United States of America is a country in North America. The country is made up of 50 states, a federal district, and five territories.
The country shares its border with the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, Canada to the north, and Mexico to the south.
The capital of the country is Washington, D.C, however, the largest city is New York City and other major cities include Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Houston, Atlanta, and Miami.
The highest point of the country is Denali which is also known as Mount McKinley at an elevation of 6,190 meters (20,310 feet) above sea level.
The United States of America (USA) is one of the countries with the longest coastline that includes shoreline includes measurements of the coastal states and outlying U.S. territories and possessions.

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Image Source: Wikimedia

9. New Zealand- 15,134 KM (9403 Miles)

New Zealand is the south-western Pacific Ocean and has two main islands such as the North Island and the South Island.
The country was first discovered by Europeans in 1642 when Dutch sailor Abel Tasman arrived.
The capital of teh country is Wellington but the largest city is Auckland and other major cities include Christchurch, Hamilton, and Dunedin.
New Zealand is one of the countries with the longest coastlines and shares its border with the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The northern and southernmost points of the coastline on the two main islands are Surville Cliffs and Slope Point respectively.
The geography of the country is varied where it has sandy beaches there are rugged, remote, and cliff-lined sections typified by the Fiordland area.

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10. China- 14,500 KM (9009 Miles)

China is a sovereign state in East Asia and is officially known as the People’s Republic of China.
The country shares its border with Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Laos, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Tajikistan, North Korea, and Bhutan.
The official language of the country is Standard Mandarin and China is the most populous country with more than 1.38 billion people.
The capital of the country is Beijing and it is the second-largest city after Shanghai.
The geography of the country is highly diverse, with hills, plains, and river deltas in the east and deserts, high plateaus, and mountains in the west.
The China coast includes the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and the South China Sea.

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11. Greece- 13,676 KM (8500 Miles)

Greece is one of the beautiful countries officially known as the Hellenic Republic.
The country is popular as a birthplace of Western civilization and the capital city, Athens has ancient landmarks that include the fifth century BC Acropolis citadel and Parthenon temple.
The major cities of the country apart from Athens are Thessaloniki, Patras, and Heraklion.
One of the countries with the longest coastlines has approximately 6.000 islands in total that are scattered between the Aegean and Ionian Seas. Out of all islands, 227 are inhabited.

12. United Kingdom- 12,429 KM (7723 Miles)

The United Kingdom is the name given to Great Britain and Northern Ireland together is a sovereign country situated in north-western Europe.
Britain is the largest island in Europe surrounded by around one thousand smaller islands within the Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, Irish Sea, Celtic Sea, and the English Channel.
The United Kingdom consists of four countries such as England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The name “Britain” originates from the Common Brittonic term *Pritanī and is one of the oldest known names for Great Britain.

13. Mexico- 9,330 (5797 Miles)

Mexico is a beautiful country between the U.S. and Central America officially known as the United Mexican States.
The federal republic consists of 32 federal entities that include 1 state and a capital city known as Mexico City.
The Pico de Orizaba is the highest point in Mexico at an elevation of 5,636 meters (18,491 feet) above sea level.
The country is popular across the globe beacause of its most gorgeous beaches in the world.

14. Italy- 7,600 KM (4722 Miles)

Italy is a beautiful country officially known as the Italian Republic.
The country shares its border with Austria, France, Vatican City, San Marino, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
Italy has two independent states with boundaries known as Vatican City and San Marino.
The capital city is Rome popular for its influential art, architecture, and cultural display.

15. Brazil- 7,491 KM (4654 Miles)

Brazil is the largest country between both South America and Latin America officially known as the Federative Republic of Brazil.
Brasília is the capital city of the country since 1960 and is popular for its modern architecture designed by Oscar Niemeyer.
The largest city in Brazil is Sao Paulo and other major cities include Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Fortaleza.
The highest point of Brazil is Pico da Neblina at an elevation of 2,995.3 meters (9,827 feet) above sea level.

16. Denmark- 7,314 KM (4544 Miles)

Denmark officially known as the Kingdom of Denmark is one of the countries with the longest coastlines with an area covering 7,314 km.
The country shares its borders with Sweden, Germany, the North Sea, and the Baltic Sea.
Copenhagen is the country’s capital that is located between the coastal islands of Zealand and Amager.
Møllehøj is the highest natural point in Denmark at an elevation of 170 meters (558 feet).