The railway journeys capable of crossing entire continents
By measuring the elevation distance—or elevation span—between a country's highest and lowest points, it's possible to average out how flat that country's terrain is. Countries with low topographic relief are considered flatter because there's little variation in elevation. But while some nations have consistently flat terrain, other countries have lower minimum elevations at some points. It's these variables that make this gallery so fascinating. It includes countries you might never have expected to be included in a list such as this!
Sadly, though, some of the lowest-lying nations are particularly susceptible to climate change-induced rising sea levels and coastal erosion. By referencing World Atlas and World Population Review, we've ranked the 30 countries with the lowest average elevations worldwide. Click through and find out how they level up.
Also known as St. Barts, this overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean has an elevation distance of 286 meters (938 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Guinea-Bissau, a country in West Africa, has an elevation distance of 262 meters (860 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Belarus has an elevation distance of 256 meters (840 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Malta, located in the Mediterranean Sea, has an elevation distance of 253 meters (830 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Palau is an island country in the western Pacific Ocean. It has an elevation distance of 242 meters (794 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Located in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean near the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Saint Pierre and Miquelon is also an overseas collectivity of France. It has an elevation distance of 240 meters (787 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Aruba, an island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands moored in the southern Caribbean Sea, has an elevation distance of 188 meters (617 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Demark has an elevation distance of 178 meters (584 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Macau, a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China, has an elevation distance of 172 meters (564 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Singapore has an elevation distance of 164 meters (537 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Monaco, the second-smallest sovereign state in the world, after Vatican City, has an elevation distance of 161 meters (528 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Isles. It has its own distinguishing civil and government institutions, and so it qualifies as a small nation or island country. The largest of the Channel Islands, it has an elevation distance of 136 meters (446 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Bahrain, situated on the Persian Gulf and comprising a small archipelago, has an elevation distance of 122 meters (400 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Guernsey, the second-largest island in the Channel Islands, has an elevation distance of 114 meters (374 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Qatar, set on on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, has an elevation distance of 103 meters (338 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Kiribati is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the central Pacific Ocean. It has an elevation distance of 81 meters (266 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Anchored in the North Atlantic Ocean, remote Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory. It has an elevation distance of 76 meters (249 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Anguilla is also a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It has an elevation distance of 73 meters (240 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Niue, a self-governing island country in free association with New Zealand, is situated in the South Pacific Ocean. It has an elevation distance of 68 meters (228 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Nauru, an island country and microstate in the South Pacific Ocean and the third-smallest country in the world, has an elevation distance of 65 meters (214 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Gambia is Africa's smallest non-island country. It has an elevation distance of 64 meters (210 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Set in the Atlantic Ocean, the Bahamas is an island country with an elevation distance of 63 meters (207 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
A British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean, has an elevation distance of 49 meters (161 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
A British Overseas Territory set in the Caribbean Sea, the Cayman Islands has an elevation distance of 46 meters (151 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
The sovereign state and city-state known as Vatican City has an elevation distance of 42 meters (138 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
The Netherlands is the flattest country in Europe. Over 50% of the country is less than one meter (3.3 ft) above sea level. It has an elevation span of 30 meters (98 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
The Marshall islands, a territory consisting of 29 coral atolls and five main islands located in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, has an elevation distance of 10 meters (33 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
A nation threatened by rising sea levels, Tokelau, a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean, has an elevation span of five meters (16 ft) between its highest and lowest points.
Tuvalu is an island country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. It also has an elevation distance of five meters (16 ft) between its highest and lowest points and is also extremely vulnerable to sea level rise due to climate change.
Likewise, the Maldives, a country and archipelagic state in the Indian Ocean, has an elevation distance of five meters (16 ft) between its highest and lowest points. But because the country’s terrain is consistently 1.5 meters (5 ft) above sea level, the Maldives is actually the flattest country in the world. This makes it among the world's most climate change-vulnerable nations.
Sources: (World Population Review) (WorldAtlas) (TheTravel)
See also: These cities may disappear by 2030 due to rising sea levels
The 30 flattest countries in the world
How do these flat countries level up?
TRAVEL Topography
By measuring the elevation distance—or elevation span—between a country's highest and lowest points, it's possible to average out how flat that country's terrain is. Countries with low topographic relief are considered flatter because there's little variation in elevation. But while some nations have consistently flat terrain, other countries have lower minimum elevations at some points. It's these variables that make this gallery so fascinating. It includes countries you might never have expected to be included in a list such as this!
Sadly, though, some of the lowest-lying nations are particularly susceptible to climate change-induced rising sea levels and coastal erosion. By referencing World Atlas and World Population Review, we've ranked the 30 countries with the lowest average elevations worldwide. Click through and find out how they level up.