Landlocked countries tend to suffer from a range of problems. First of all, the process of selling finished products on the world market is becoming more complicated. Which modern states are deprived of access to the oceans and how does this affect their economy and well-being?
Country and Sea
The influence of various geographical factors on the economic development of the country was first described by Adam Smith in his famous work "The We alth of Nations". And it was access to the sea, that is, to the most important trade routes, that the scientist noted as the most important prerequisite for the success and prosperity of a particular state.
Of course, much has changed in the world since 1776 (when Smith's book came out). Significant development has been achieved by land transport, the appearance of railroads and pipelines, however, the transport of raw materials and goods across the ocean still plays a large role in world trade. Therefore, countries of foreign Europe with access to the sea (such as France, Germanyor the UK) get direct access to any global market.
In turn, isolated states in this respect face a number of economic and transport problems. In addition, they are also very vulnerable in military-strategic terms, because neighboring countries can easily "cut off" them from access to the ocean.
Landlocked countries on the planet map
To date, 44 states of the world are deprived of access to the ocean. It should be noted that this number does not include countries that are not recognized or partially recognized by the world community. All of them are marked in green on the next map.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that landlocked countries on three continents: in Africa, Eurasia and South America. But in North America there is not a single state without access to the ocean. Most landlocked countries are in Africa (16) and Europe (14). We are not talking about mainland Australia, since it is entirely occupied by the state of the same name.
Landlocked countries of the former USSR (at least most of them). And such modern states as Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are completely included in the drainless region of Eurasia.
Among the states isolated from the sea, Kazakhstan is the largest in terms of area, and Ethiopia in terms of population. This African country is home to over 90 million people who cannot boast of having a sea coast in their homeland.
On our planet there are countries thatdoubly lucky. So, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan are surrounded on all sides exclusively by states that are also deprived of access to the ocean.
Landlocked countries in Europe
On the territory of Europe there are 14 such states, plus two more unrecognized ones (Kosovo and the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic). So, landlocked countries in Europe:
- The so-called dwarf states (Andorra, Vatican, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and San Marino).
- Countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, Hungary).
- Balkan states (Serbia and Macedonia).
- Countries of the former USSR (Belarus and Moldova).
The Republic of Moldova is a classic example of a state isolated from the sea in Europe. The country is literally "squeezed" on both sides by two neighboring states - Romania (from the west) and Ukraine (from the north and east). It is separated from the Black Sea by at least forty kilometers.
The problems of landlocked countries
The main problem that all countries isolated from the sea face is the difficulty of delivering their goods to world markets. According to the World Bank, the cost of transporting cargo from such a country is almost twice as expensive as shipping from a coastal state. Of course, transport costs affect both the price of the product for the consumer and its competitiveness.
In addition, countries without direct access to the ocean are more vulnerable andin military and strategic terms. Thus, a neighboring state can simply block an isolated country's access to the open sea in the event of any regional or planetary armed conflict.
Part ten of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea guarantees any country access to the high seas. How does it translate into reality? By concluding special interstate agreements allowing transit traffic. That is why, for example, in the Polish port of Szczecin, you can see a ship flying the Czech flag. At the same time, ships of all inland states on the high seas enjoy the same rights as other ships.
In closing
So, there are 44 states on the planet that do not have a direct connection with the oceans. In Europe, landlocked countries: Andorra, Vatican City, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, San Marino, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, Belarus, Macedonia, Serbia and Moldova. True, many of these European states are quite successful and prosperous in their development.
