Landlocked countries in Asia

What does landlocked mean?

A landlocked country has no direct territorial access to the open sea. It can still have rivers, lakes and ports on inland water. For a country-grid clue, distinguish an ocean coast from a shoreline on a lake or inland sea. The UN overview of landlocked developing countries explains this lack of direct sea access.

The 12 countries, grouped by region

The country list follows UN ESCAP's Asian landlocked-country list. The regional labels below follow UN M49, which places Armenia and Azerbaijan in Western Asia. Naming the convention matters when comparing lists that divide Europe and Asia differently.

Why do countries on the Caspian Sea count?

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan border the Caspian Sea and are still on the landlocked list. The Caspian is an inland body of water; its name does not give those countries an ocean coastline. The UN description of the Caspian identifies its five surrounding countries and its inland setting.

Use the list in a country grid

For an In Asia × Landlocked Country practice example, Mongolia satisfies both conditions. Japan satisfies the continent clue but fails the landlocked clue. Reading only one label is enough to turn a familiar country into a wrong answer.

1. Start with the intersection of the two clues, rather than every country you remember.
2. Keep more than one candidate in mind. If another cell has fewer options, reserve a country it needs.
3. Check whether you have already used your chosen country. GeoRiddle allows each country only once per board.

This list is a geography reference, not an answer key for today's puzzle. GeoRiddle's saved puzzle answers may reflect older data. For a particular date, consult its archive answer list; see the worked strategy guide for choosing between overlapping answers.

Check your understanding

Next, compare countries with crosses on their flags, or try another country grid.