Countries That Only Border One Country
Countries that onlyborder one country are a fascinating subset of the world’s political map. These nations share a land boundary with just a single neighbor, which often shapes their history, economy, and foreign policy in unique ways. Understanding why such borders exist—and what they mean for the countries involved—offers insight into geography, colonial legacies, and regional dynamics. Below is a comprehensive look at every sovereign state that currently has only one neighboring country, organized by region, with explanations of how these singular borders came to be and what consequences they entail.
What Does “Bordering Only One Country” Mean?
When we say a country “borders only one country,” we refer exclusively to land borders. Maritime boundaries, exclaves, or borders defined by rivers or lakes are not counted unless they constitute a recognized international land frontier. For example, Denmark’s only land neighbor is Germany, even though it is connected to Sweden by a bridge and has maritime limits with several nations. Similarly, Canada’s sole land border is with the United States, despite its extensive coastline touching three oceans and its proximity to Russia across the Arctic.
List of Countries with a Single Land Border
Europe
| Country | Sole Neighbor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal | Spain | The Iberian Peninsula’s western edge; Portugal’s border with Spain stretches 1,214 km. |
| Ireland | United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) | The island’s only land frontier is the 499 km border with Northern Ireland. |
| Vatican City | Italy | The world’s smallest sovereign state, an enclave within Rome. |
| San Marino | Italy | A microstate completely surrounded by Italian territory. |
| Monaco | France | A tiny principality on the French Riviera, bordered solely by France. |
| Liechtenstein | Switzerland and Austria (two borders) – excluded | Not a single‑border country; included here for contrast. |
| Denmark | Germany | The Jutland peninsula’s only land connection is to Germany. |
| Belarus | Multiple – excluded | Shares borders with five countries. |
| Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania | Multiple – excluded | Each borders at least two neighbors. |
Africa
| Country | Sole Neighbor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lesotho | South Africa | An enclave completely surrounded by South Africa; often called the “Kingdom in the Sky.” |
| Eswatini (Swaziland) | South Africa and Mozambique (two borders) – excluded | Not a single‑border country. |
| The Gambia | Senegal | A narrow strip of land following the Gambia River, almost wholly enclosed by Senegal. |
| Botswana | Multiple – excluded | Borders Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. |
| Djibouti | Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia (multiple) – excluded | Has three land neighbors. |
Asia
| Country | Sole Neighbor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brunei | Malaysia | Divided into two non‑contiguous parts, both bordered only by the Malaysian state of Sarawak. |
| Timor‑Leste (East Timor) | Indonesia | Shares the island of Timor with Indonesia’s West Timor province. |
| Papua New Guinea | Indonesia and Australia (maritime only) – excluded | Land border only with Indonesia; maritime boundary with Australia. |
| Cyprus | None (land border with UK Sovereign Base Areas) – excluded | No sovereign land border; the island is divided. |
| South Korea | North Korea and (maritime) Japan/China – excluded | Only one land neighbor (North Korea). |
| North Korea | China, South Korea, Russia (three) – excluded | Has three land borders. |
Americas
| Country | Sole Neighbor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | United States | The longest international land border in the world (8,891 km). |
| United States | Canada and Mexico (two) – excluded | Borders two countries. |
| Mexico | United States and Guatemala/Belize (multiple) – excluded | Has three land neighbors. |
| Belize | Mexico and Guatemala (two) – excluded | Not a single‑border country. |
| Guatemala | Mexico, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador (four) – excluded | Multiple borders. |
| Panama | Costa Rica and Colombia (two) – excluded | Not a single‑border country. |
| Chile | Peru, Bolivia, Argentina (three) – excluded | Multiple borders. |
| Argentina | Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay (five) – excluded | Multiple borders. |
| Uruguay | Brazil and Argentina (two) – excluded | Not a single‑border country. |
| Paraguay | Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil (three) – excluded | Multiple borders. |
| Suriname | Brazil and Guyana (two) – excluded | Not a single‑border country. |
| Guyana | Brazil and Venezuela/Suriname (multiple) – excluded | Multiple borders. |
| French Guiana (overseas department of France) | Brazil and Suriname (two) – excluded | Not sovereign. |
| Ecuador | Colombia and Peru (two) – excluded | Not a single‑border country. |
| Peru | Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia (five) – excluded | Multiple borders. |
| Bolivia | Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Peru (five) – excluded | Multiple borders. |
| Costa Rica | Nicaragua and Panama (two) – excluded | Not a single‑border country. |
| Nicaragua | Honduras and Costa Rica (two) – excluded | Not a single‑border country. |
| Honduras | Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua (three) – excluded | Multiple borders. |
| El Salvador | Guatemala * |
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