Canada has the world’s longest coastline, stretching along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans.
Canada’s coastline is commonly measured at about 202,080 kilometers, though totals vary with the scale and method used to measure its many bays, inlets, islands, and peninsulas. The country borders the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Arctic Ocean to the north.
Its enormous coastal total is strongly influenced by the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, which includes thousands of islands. Baffin Island, Ellesmere Island, and Victoria Island are among the largest. Canada also has extensive freshwater shores around the Great Lakes, but those are not included in its ocean-coastline total.
Canada’s maritime geography affects climate, transportation, fisheries, Indigenous communities, and sovereignty in the Arctic. The country’s northern coastline is difficult to access and is affected by sea ice and rapid climate change. Russia has an enormous coastline as well, but Canada’s complex island-dotted shore gives it the longer commonly cited total.