Canada has the world’s longest coastline, including its Arctic islands.
Canada’s coastline borders the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans and measures roughly 202,080 kilometers when its many islands are included. The exact figure can vary with measurement scale, but Canada remains the standard answer because its Arctic Archipelago contributes an enormous amount of intricate shoreline.
The country’s northern islands include Ellesmere Island, Baffin Island, Victoria Island, and Banks Island. Its eastern coastline also includes Newfoundland, while the Pacific coast is marked by fjords and islands around British Columbia. This geography creates an exceptionally complex coastal boundary.
Canada’s extensive coastline does not mean it has the largest population living on a coast or the most tropical beaches. Much of the northern shore is remote, cold, and seasonally covered by sea ice. Russia is second in commonly cited global coastline rankings, but Canada’s combined mainland and island shore is longer.