Double-landlocked countries

What is Double-landlocked and which countries are double-landlocked: Lichtenstein and Uzbekistan —explained with a map of Lichtenstein wholly surrounded by landlocked countries

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Growing up on the island of Great Britain, I took for granted that after a few hours of travel in most directions, I'd be looking out to sea. But that's not the case for many people.

If you were born in a landlocked country, there's no coastline, and you'd need to cross at least one other country to reach the ocean.

And there's a much rarer situation: being double-landlocked. Only two countries in the world have this unique distinction: Uzbekistan and Liechtenstein.

What Does Double-Landlocked Mean?

To be double-landlocked, a country must be surrounded entirely by landlocked neighbours. In other words, not only does the country itself lack access to the sea, but every country bordering it is also landlocked.

If you live in a double-landlocked country, you must cross at least two national borders before reaching a coastline connected to the oceans.

The World's Only Double-Landlocked Countries

There are just two double-landlocked countries in the world:

Uzbekistan

Located in Central Asia, Uzbekistan is surrounded entirely by other landlocked nations: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan. To reach the ocean, you'd need to cross at least one of these countries and then go through another country to its coastline.

For instance, you could cross through Kazakhstan (landlocked) and on through Russia to reach the Arctic Ocean. Or perhaps through Afghanistan and then Pakistan to reach the Indian Ocean.

Although Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea, the Caspian Sea isn't connected to the open oceans.

Liechtenstein

The tiny principality of Liechtenstein, sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria, is the other double-landlocked country.

Because Switzerland and Austria are landlocked, reaching the ocean involves crossing at least one of these countries and then travelling through a third—perhaps heading south through Switzerland to the Italian coastline for a nice trip.

Being double-landlocked adds complexity to trade and transport and a particular reliance on neighbours.

Are There Double-Landlocked States in the United States?

Landlocked and double-landlocked also applies to states in the US. 27 US States are considered landlocked to some degree.

16 states are singly landlocked—crossing one state boundary would give them access to the ocean.

10 states are double-landlocked because reaching the coastline requires crossing at least two other states. These are:

Utah
Wyoming
Colorado
South Dakota
Kansas
Iowa
Missouri
Wisconsin
Illinois
Indiana

And Nebraska is the only triple-landlocked state. To reach the ocean, Nebraskans must first cross a double-landlocked state, then a landlocked state.

More Geography Facts and Sketches

Double-landlocked countries, along with other fascinating facts about the world, features in my book Big Ideas Little Pictures.

Published 28 Oct 2017

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While travelling in Southeast Asia, I was in awe of the open-air kitchens of street-food restaurants. Just by wheeling out a few carefully stocked trolleys and some prepared ingredients, one person was able to run a bustling street-side restaurant serving a score of customers delicious, fresh-cooked food each night. It's a remarkable feat of ingenuity and efficiency. We had a delicious meal from an old lady in Vietnam who'd just carried her entire restaurant on a bamboo pole over her shoulder, with two large baskets at either end. The pole held everything necessary to cook, including several small stools to sit and eat on. What Makes Street Food Open-Air Restaurants Work? Some of the attributes I noticed about the best ones: Menus with Prices you can see from a Distance We made part of the decision about whether a place looked good to eat at as we approached a stand. A clear menu with large prices you can see as you walk up is a simple way to slow down the right customers before they've walked past. Fresh Ingredients on Display Seeing the fresh ingredients at the front of the stall builds trust in what you're about to eat and whets the appetite. Pre-chopped Ingredients and Giant Rice Cooker Having boxes of pre-chopped ingredients to throw in makes cooking super speedy, and as so many dishes were served with rice, a single giant rice cooker enabled preparing meals in moments. Trolleys on Wheels and Everything Within Reach Having everything on wheels allows quick and easy deployment and packing up, and a chef can adjust each unit to have everything in easy reach. Carefully Chosen Kit A single high-powered gas stove with a large wok cooks nearly all the dishes Trolleys stacked with plates, bowls, cups and utensils A waste bin handles scraps and excess liquids A multi-use towel wipes surfaces and hands Why Isn't Street Food Like This Everywhere? It helps to have the right kind of weather. A warm and generally dry climate means you don't need to rent indoor space, heat it or cover it. This enables so much creativity with food, reducing prices and barriers to entry and increasing selection. Alas, I'm in the UK for this one. It also suits food that is quick and simple to cook, often using pre-prepared, flavourful sauces and fresh ingredients that cook quickly, as opposed to dishes that require long preparation, ovens, or simmering times. Thai and Vietnamese food, in general, lend themselves well to this. It's remarkable how these simple yet effective setups can spin up a restaurant at the side of the street, turning a few trolleys, some carefully chosen gear and a talented chef into a culinary treat. Related Ideas Also see: Hedgehog a mango Cut an onion into teeny pieces Deseed a pomegranate Open a coconut Arrange kitchen storage to minimise excess travel Learn kind words first The kitchen working triangle 3 miscellaneous cooking tips And all sorts of other food and drink sketches…While travelling in Southeast Asia, I was in awe of the open-air kitchens of street-food restaurants. Just by wheeling out a few carefully stocked trolleys and some prepared ingredients, one person was able to run a bustling street-side restaurant serving a score of customers delicious, fresh-cooked food each night. It's a remarkable feat of ingenuity and efficiency. We had a delicious meal from an old lady in Vietnam who'd just carried her entire restaurant on a bamboo pole over her shoulder, with two large baskets at either end. The pole held everything necessary to cook, including several small stools to sit and eat on. What Makes Street Food Open-Air Restaurants Work? Some of the attributes I noticed about the best ones: Menus with Prices you can see from a Distance We made part of the decision about whether a place looked good to eat at as we approached a stand. A clear menu with large prices you can see as you walk up is a simple way to slow down the right customers before they've walked past. Fresh Ingredients on Display Seeing the fresh ingredients at the front of the stall builds trust in what you're about to eat and whets the appetite. Pre-chopped Ingredients and Giant Rice Cooker Having boxes of pre-chopped ingredients to throw in makes cooking super speedy, and as so many dishes were served with rice, a single giant rice cooker enabled preparing meals in moments. Trolleys on Wheels and Everything Within Reach Having everything on wheels allows quick and easy deployment and packing up, and a chef can adjust each unit to have everything in easy reach. Carefully Chosen Kit A single high-powered gas stove with a large wok cooks nearly all the dishes Trolleys stacked with plates, bowls, cups and utensils A waste bin handles scraps and excess liquids A multi-use towel wipes surfaces and hands Why Isn't Street Food Like This Everywhere? It helps to have the right kind of weather. A warm and generally dry climate means you don't need to rent indoor space, heat it or cover it. This enables so much creativity with food, reducing prices and barriers to entry and increasing selection. Alas, I'm in the UK for this one. It also suits food that is quick and simple to cook, often using pre-prepared, flavourful sauces and fresh ingredients that cook quickly, as opposed to dishes that require long preparation, ovens, or simmering times. Thai and Vietnamese food, in general, lend themselves well to this. It's remarkable how these simple yet effective setups can spin up a restaurant at the side of the street, turning a few trolleys, some carefully chosen gear and a talented chef into a culinary treat. Related Ideas Also see: Hedgehog a mango Cut an onion into teeny pieces Deseed a pomegranate Open a coconut Arrange kitchen storage to minimise excess travel Learn kind words first The kitchen working triangle 3 miscellaneous cooking tips And all sorts of other food and drink sketches

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