Countries with the Most Borders
Some countries are hemmed in by a single neighbour; others touch a dozen at once. The number of land borders a country has is a surprisingly useful thing to know — it instantly tells you how central and connected a country is.
The most-bordered countries
Two countries are tied at the top with fourteen land neighbours each:
| Country | Land borders |
|---|---|
| China | 14 |
| Russia | 14 |
| Brazil | 10 |
| Germany | 9 |
| DR Congo | 9 |
| France | 8 (in Europe) |
| Austria | 8 |
| Serbia | 8 |
| Tanzania | 8 |
| Turkey | 8 |
China and Russia: tied at fourteen
China and Russia each share land borders with fourteen countries — the most of any nation. Both are continent-spanning giants, so it is no surprise they brush up against so many neighbours, from Central Asia to the Pacific.
Brazil dominates a continent
Brazil touches ten countries — every nation in South America except Chile and Ecuador. Because it is so central, Brazil is one of the best anchor countries to learn first when you tackle the continent.
Europe’s connectors
In Europe, Germany and France are the great connectors, each with eight or nine neighbours, which is exactly why they sit at the heart of the continent's history and trade. Austria and Serbia also border eight countries apiece.
Why it matters for learning the map
Memorising a country’s neighbours turns isolated dots into a connected web that is far harder to forget. If you know that Germany borders nine countries, you have a built-in checklist for half of Central Europe. Our Name a Neighbour game drills exactly this skill.