Geography Rankings
Size, shape, and terrain. These rankings explore the physical world country by country. From land area and coastline length to elevation extremes, geography explains more than you might expect.
Countries by Coastline Length
Did you know Canada has the world's longest coastline—more than 10 times longer than the United States? Measuring coastlines is also far trickier than it sounds, thanks to the fractal nature of geography.
Countries by highest elevation
Did you know Bhutan's average elevation is higher than the tallest peak in most European countries? The world's rooftops are more extreme — and more ecologically critical — than most people realize.
Countries by land area
Did you know Russia is nearly twice the size of Antarctica and covers 11 time zones? The world's landmass is distributed far more unevenly than most people ever stop to consider.
Countries by lowest elevation
Did you know parts of the Netherlands sit nearly 7 meters below sea level, protected only by an elaborate system of dikes? As seas rise, low elevation is no longer just a geographic quirk — it's an existential risk.
Countries by land borders
Did you know China shares land borders with 14 different countries — more than almost any nation on Earth? The length and number of borders is a hidden driver of geopolitical risk and opportunity.