Landlocked States

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Not all countries benefit from access to the sea; those without it are classified as landlocked states. This geographical limitation significantly hampers their development and trade competitiveness. Landlocked countries, lacking a coastline, often rank among the world's poorest in various economic measures. Empirical evidence shows that being landlocked adversely affects socio-economic development, with about 15% of the global states falling into this category. This essay explores the challenges faced by landlocked nations due to their geographic disadvantages, which result in limited and costly access to global markets. The specific plight of each landlocked state varies based on its location, and notably, there are no high-income landlocked countries outside Europe. The Republic of Armenia exemplifies these challenges, as it not only faces the disadvantages of being landlocked but also suffers from a scarcity of natural resources and border blockages. This situation highlights the urgent need for focused study on the issues confronting Armenia, serving as a critical case for understanding the broader implications of landlockedness. The author’s conclusions on this topic are significant and merit attention.