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List of transcontinental countries

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A map of transcontinental countries, countries that control territory in more than

one continent.
Contiguous transcontinental countries.
Non-contiguous transcontinental countries.
Countries whose transcontinental status depends on either the legal status of
their claims or the definition of continental boundaries used.
This is a list of countries located on more than one continent, known as
transcontinental states or intercontinental states. While there are many countries
with non-contiguous overseas territories fitting this definition, only a limited
number of countries have territory straddling an overland continental boundary,
most commonly the line that separates Europe and Asia.

The boundary between Europe and Asia is purely conventional, and several
conventions remained in use well into the 20th century. However, the now-prevalent
convention, used for the purposes of this list, follows the Caucasus northern
chain, the Ural River and the Ural Mountains. It has been in use by some
cartographers since about 1850.[1] This convention results in several countries
finding themselves almost entirely in "Asia", with a few small enclaves or
districts technically in "Europe". Notwithstanding these anomalies, this list of
transcontinental or intercontinental states respects the convention that Europe and
Asia are full continents rather than subcontinents or component landmasses of the
larger Eurasian continent.[original research?]

Listed further below, separately, are countries with distant non-contiguous parts
(overseas territories) on separate continents.

Contents [hide]
1 Contiguous boundary
1.1 Africa and Asia
1.2 Asia and Europe
2 Non-contiguous
2.1 Asia and Europe
2.2 Europe and North America
2.3 Europe and South America
2.4 Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, and Africa
2.5 Africa and Europe
2.6 Asia and Africa
2.7 Asia and Oceania
2.8 North America, Oceania and Asia
2.9 North and South America
2.10 Other examples
2.11 Antarctica: claims
3 See also
4 References
5 External links
Contiguous boundary
Africa and Asia

African land part of Egypt

Asian land part of Egypt
The rest of Africa
The rest of Asia
For more details about the geographical border between Africa and Asia, see
boundaries between continents.
The modern convention for the land boundary between Asia and Africa runs along the
Isthmus of Suez and the Suez Canal in Egypt. The border continues through the Gulf
of Suez, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. In antiquity, Egypt had been considered part of
Asia, with the Catabathmus Magnus escarpment taken as the boundary with Africa
(Libya).

Two of 27 governorates of Egypt lie entirely on the Asian Sinai Peninsula and two
are transcontinental: Ismailia Governorate is nearly equally divided by the Suez
Canal, and Suez Governorate, which is coterminous with the "transcontinental city"
of Suez, has a small portion east of the Canal.
Asia and Europe
For more details about the geographical border between Europe and Asia, see
boundaries between continents Europe and Asia.
See also: Geographic criteria for EU membership

Conventions used for the boundary between Europe and Asia during the 18th and 19th
centuries. The red line shows the modern convention, in use since c.?1850.
Europe
Asia
historically placed in either continent
The conventional Europe-Asia boundary was subject to considerable variation during
the 18th and 19th centuries, indicated anywhere between the Don River and the
Caucasus to the south or the Ural Mountains to the east. Since the later 19th
century, the Caucasus-Urals boundary has become almost universally accepted.
According to this now-standard convention, the boundary follows the Aegean Sea, the
Turkish Straits, the Black Sea, along the watershed of the Greater Caucasus, the
northwestern portion of the Caspian Sea and along the Ural River and Ural Mountains
to the Arctic Ocean.[2][3]

According to this convention, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Turkey,

Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia have territory both in Europe and in Asia.

The Russian Federation includes substantial territory in Northern Asia,

historically incorporated into the Tsardom of Russia in the 17th century. European
Russia has a population of about 110 million, or some 75% of the country's total
population.
The territory of the Republic of Turkey is predominantly in Asia, with European
Turkey (East Thrace) accounting for about 11 million people, or some 14% of the
country's population. The territory of Turkey is a remnant of that of the Ottoman
Empire, which had replaced the transcontinental Byzantine Empire with the Sack of
Constantinople in 1453. The Turkish city Istanbul (ancient Constantinople) lies on
both sides of the Bosporus, making it a "transcontinental city". anakkale is also
a Turkish city situated on two continents.
Kazakhstan's physical, cultural, and geographic characteristics are Central Asian,
[4] but its West Kazakhstan and Atyrau provinces extend on either side of the Ural
River,[5] placing a population of less than one million (out of 15 million)
geographically in Europe.
Azerbaijan's Qusar, Shabran, Siazan, Khachmaz and Quba districts are north of the
Greater Caucasus watershed and thus geographically in Europe, placing a population
of about half a million (or ca. 5% of the country's total population) in Europe.
Georgia is in Transcaucasia, and thus geographically in Asia, except for a small
area in the upper reaches of the Terek River, corresponding to Kazbegi Municipality
(population 3,800 as of 2014, ca. 0.1% of the country's population).

Non-contiguous
Asia and Europe
For more details about the geographical border between Europe and Asia, see borders
of the continents.
Greece: The territory of Greece includes a number of islands just off the coast of
Asia Minor, such as Rhodes, Samos, Chios and Kastellorizo.
Europe and North America
Greenland: Greenland is a country within the Kingdom of Denmark, fully located on
the North American tectonic plate and close to the mainland, and is considered to
be geographically part of North America. Although it is politically associated with
Europe and internationally represented by a European country (including in the
Council of Europe), it is autonomous. Historically and ethnically, its native
population is of American tradition, although it also shares cultural links with
other native peoples bordering the Arctic Sea in Northern Europe and Asia (today in
Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia), as well as in North America (Alaska in the
U.S., Northwest Territories and Nunavut in Canada). Greenland was part of Danish
territory and within the territory of the European Union, but voted for more
autonomy and is now excluded from Union.
Portugal: Continental Portugal is in Europe, while the Azores archipelago (also
associated with Europe) has two islands (Corvo and Flores) that are part of the
North American plate. This might make Portugal a "tricontinental country" (with
Madeira on the African plate) except that continents, as already noted, are not
defined by tectonic plates.
Europe and South America
The Netherlands: Though most of the Kingdom of the Netherlands' land-mass is in
Europe, it also includes six island territories in the Lesser Antilles archipelago
of the Caribbean Sea: the Dutch Caribbean. Since the dissolution of the Dutch
Antilles in 2010, the sovereign Kingdom of the Netherlands has been
administratively divided into four non-sovereign constituent "countries": Aruba,
Curaao, Sint Maarten and The Netherlands the last of which includes the islands
of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (collectively known as the BES islands) in the
Caribbean area as "special municipalities", making it a non-sovereign
transcontinental country within the kingdom.
Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, and Africa
France: Metropolitan France is in Europe, while the five Overseas Departments and
six Overseas Collectivities are in other continents. Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-
Martin, Saint-Barthlemy, and Saint-Pierre and Miquelon are in North America,
French Guiana is in South America, Mayotte and Runion are in Africa, and New
Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis and Futuna are in Oceania. These Overseas
Departments and Collectivities are integral parts of France, as are the uninhabited
French Southern and Antarctic Lands, and Clipperton Island in North America.
Africa and Europe
For more details about the geographical border between Africa and Europe, see
borders of the continents.
Italy: Italy has a number of small islands south of Sicily which, geographically
can be considered part of the African continent, due to their proximity to Tunisia.
The closest land to Pantelleria and the Pelagie Islands (Lampedusa, Linosa and
Lampione) is Tunisia on the African mainland. Nevertheless, Pantelleria and Linosa
are considered part of Europe, Lampedusa and Lampione part of Africa.
Portugal: Continental Portugal is in Europe, while the archipelago of Madeira, an
autonomous region of Portugal (including Porto Santo Island, the Desertas Islands
and the Savage Islands), is associated with Africa. If we consider that the Azores
autonomous region of Portugal has two islands (Flores and Corvo) that are part of
North American tectonic plate (see Europe and North America section above),
Portugal would be a transcontinental country except for the fact these plates are
not defined as continents.
Spain: Although its mainland is in Europe, Spain has territory including two
provinces and two autonomous cities in Africa. Close to 5% of Spain's population
live on the African continent. Territories include the Canary Islands in the
Atlantic, the cities of Ceuta and Melilla on mainland North Africa and its Plazas
de soberana close to those cities) that are geographically part of Africa. The
Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla are three of the 19 autonomous communities and
cities that form Spain, while the Plazas de Soberana are under different military
status. The African Mediterranean island of Isla de Alborn belongs to the
transcontinental city of Almera and the transcontinental province of Almera.
Asia and Africa
Yemen: Although mainland Yemen is in the southern Arabian Peninsula and thus part
of Asia, and its Hanish Islands and Perim in the Red Sea are associated with Asia,
Yemen controls the archipelago of Socotra, which lies east of the horn of Somalia
and is much closer to Africa than to Asia. Socotra and the Hadramawt region
constitute the transcontinental Hadramawt Governorate.
Asia and Oceania
Australia: The Commonwealth of Australia consists of its namesake continent and
island possessions associated with Oceania, Asia, and Antarctica. Its Indian Ocean
island possessions of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are
associated with Asia. The majority of Australia's Asian island residents have Asian
ancestry and are Muslim or Buddhist.
Japan: All of Japan consists of Asian islands except for the remote Bonin Islands,
also known as the Ogasawara Islands, which are Pacific islands administered by
Ogasawara, Tokyo.
Papua New Guinea: Anthropologically Papua New Guinea is a part of Melanesia and is
sometimes included in the Malay Archipelago. It is an observer in ASEAN and has
contemplated full membership.[6]
The Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, East Timor, Brunei and Singapore comprise the
Malay Archipelago which lies on the border of Oceania and Asia. Depending on the
interpretation of the border, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia can be
considered transcontinental countries and East Timor, Brunei and Singapore can be
on either side.
North America, Oceania and Asia
United States: While the territory of the United States lies overwhelmingly in
North America, it includes the state of Hawaii in Oceania as well as other Oceanian
island possessions and Alaskan islands on NE Asia's continental shelf.
North and South America
Aruba, Bonaire, Curaao and Trinidad and Tobago: The sea islands division of South
America and North America is complicated. All Caribbean islands are often labeled
as North American, but the Kingdom of the Netherlands countries of Aruba and
Curaao, and the Dutch special municipality of Bonaire lie on the continental shelf
of South America, and can be considered South American as well. What complicates it
even further is that the islands of Trinidad and Tobago lie on two continental
shelves. The southern half of Trinidad lies in South America and the northern half
of Trinidad, and Tobago, lie on the Caribbean plate. All these islands have closer
cultural ties with North America.
Colombia: Mainland Colombia is in northwestern South America and Malpelo Island in
the Pacific Ocean is also associated with South America, but the nation also
controls the San Andrs and Providencia archipelago, 640 kilometres (400 mi) WNW of
Colombia's Caribbean coast, near the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. This archipelago
is coterminous with the department of the same name.
Venezuela: Mainland Venezuela is in South America, but Isla Aves are geographically
North American. Isla Aves is one of the federal dependencies of Venezuela under the
administration of the Ministry of Popular Power for Interior, Justice and Peace.
North American Caribbean islands belonging to South American countries:

San Andrs and Providencia

South American Caribbean islands:

Aruba

Curaao
Bonaire

Trinidad and Tobago

Other examples
Chile is mostly on the South American mainland and includes the Oceanian islands of
Easter Island and Sala y Gmez Island. They and the outlying South American Juan
Fernndez Islands and Desventuradas Islands are part of the Valparaso Region.
The Danish Realm includes Denmark as well as the North American island of Greenland
and the Faroe Islands associated with Europe. Greenland was integrated into the
Danish Realm in 1953 and home rule was granted in 1979.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands includes the constituent countries of Aruba,
Curaao, and Sint Maarten. In addition, after the split of the Netherlands Antilles
the Caribbean islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba became special
municipalities incorporated into the metropolitan Netherlands.
Antarctica: claims
Main article: Territorial claims in Antarctica
A number of nations claim ownership over portions of the continent of Antarctica.
Some, including Argentina and Chile, consider the Antarctic land they claim to be
integral parts of their national territory. Some nations also have sub-Antarctic
island possessions north of 60S latitude and thus recognized by international law
under the Antarctic Treaty System, which holds in abeyance land claims south of
60S latitude.

See also
Borders of the continents
Dependent territory
Historical powers
List of countries by continent
List of transcontinental empires and countries in history
Thalassocracy
References
Jump up ^ The question was treated as a "controversy" in British geographical
literature until at least the 1860s, with Douglas Freshfield advocating the
Caucasus crest boundary as the "best possible", citing support from various "modern
geographers" (Journey in the Caucasus, Proceedings of the Royal Geographical
Society, Volumes 13-14, 1869). In 1958, the Soviet Geographical Society formally
recommended that the boundary between Europe and Asia be drawn in textbooks from
Baydaratskaya Bay, on the Kara Sea, along the eastern foot of the Ural Mountains,
then the Ural River to the Mugodzhar Hills, the Emba River, and the KumaManych
Depression (i.e. passing well north of the Caucasus); "Do we live in Europe or in
Asia?" (in Russian).; Orlenok V. (1998). "Physical Geography" (in Russian).
Archived from the original on 2011-10-16.. Nevertheless, most Soviet-era
geographers continued to favour the boundary along the Caucasus crest. (E. M.
Moores, R. W. Fairbridge, Encyclopedia of European and Asian regional geology,
Springer, 1997, ISBN 978-0-412-74040-4, p. 34: "most Soviet geographers took the
watershed of the Main Range of the Greater Caucasus as the boundary between Europe
and Asia.")
Jump up ^ National Geographic Atlas of the World (9th ed.). Washington, DC:
National Geographic. 2011. ISBN 978-1-4262-0634-4. "Europe" (plate 59); "Asia"
(plate 74): "A commonly accepted division between Asia and Europe ... is formed by
the Ural Mountains, Ural River, Caspian Sea, Caucasus Mountains, and the Black Sea
with its outlets, the Bosporus and Dardanelles."
Jump up ^ World Factbook. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency.
Jump up ^ Encyclopadia Britannica, Kazakhstan, Retrieved: 8 May 2016
Jump up ^ World Factbook. Washington, D.C.: Central Intelligence Agency.
Kazakhstan: Geography
Jump up ^ "Papua New Guinea asks RP support for Asean membership bid". GMA News.
Retrieved 15 July 2014.
External links
Transcontinental states according to World Gazetteer at Archive.is (archived 2012-
12-18)
Categories: Lists of countries by geography
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