Canada has the world’s longest coastline, measured along its mainland and islands. Its shoreline borders the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans and extends around a vast archipelago in the north.
The exact figure varies because coastline length depends on measurement scale and mapping detail, but commonly cited estimates place Canada’s coastline at about 202,080 kilometres. Canada’s Arctic islands, including Baffin Island, Ellesmere Island, and Victoria Island, contribute greatly to the total.
Canada also contains the world’s longest coastline partly because its land area includes many islands and deeply indented shores. Russia has the second-longest national coastline in commonly used comparisons. Coastline rankings can change slightly between sources when researchers use different definitions, but Canada’s leading position is consistently recognized.