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Countries Bordering Two or More Oceans

Name the countries that border two or more oceans.
External territories are excluded but external regions are included
If a country only borders an ocean via a marginal sea, we display that sea
Whiners will be made to walk the plank
Quiz by Akasnah
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Last updated: August 13, 2019
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First submittedFebruary 18, 2013
Times taken105,398
Average score81.8%
Rating4.17
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Oceans
Country
Arctic
Atlantic
Pacific
Canada
United States
Atlantic
Baltic Sea
Russia
Atlantic
Indian
France
Arctic
Barents Sea
Atlantic
Norwegian Sea
Norway
Atlantic
Indian
South Africa
Pacific
Straits of Magellan
Argentina
Atlantic
Caribbean Sea
Pacific
Colombia
Costa Rica
Guatemala
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Pacific
Gulf of Fonseca
Honduras
Oceans
Country
Atlantic
Mediterranean Sea
Indian
Gulf of Aqaba
Israel
Indian
Red Sea
Egypt
Atlantic
Straits of Magellan
Pacific
Chile
Indian
Pacific
Australia
Indonesia
Indian
Andaman Sea
Pacific
Gulf of Thailand
Thailand
Pacific
South China Sea
Malaysia
Indian
Timor Sea
Pacific
Flores Sea
East Timor
+1
Level 45
May 4, 2018
No European would ever consider the Mediteranean as part of the Atlantic. It has already been stated, but I just want to say it again, no Italian, Greek, you name it... would ever claim that they live on the Atlantic. So, if you want a quiz to be fun and doable, you need to include this.
+12
Level 48
Jan 19, 2019
What is the Mediterranean then?

It is either a sea which is part of an ocean, or else it is a big lake.

So you're saying it's just a big lake?

I think that would trigger Europeans just as equally.

+1
Level 76
Apr 23, 2019
A sea need not be part of an ocean.
+6
Level 75
Aug 24, 2019
Well, they're at sea level; they're salty; they engage in constant flows with the oceans. Unless you're talking about things called "Seas" such as the Caspian.
+2
Level 84
Jun 28, 2021
Ferbin: unless it's an inland sea (a salty lake) then, yes, every sea needs to be part of an ocean.
+1
Level 76
Feb 22, 2024
@tshalla and @sumguy The term "sea" is not really a scientific one. Putting the word in quotes or calling the Caspian a salty lake (while at the same time calling it *inland sea* ") is just taking a stance in the debate, but since it's not a clear cut issue, then no, a sea *need not* be a part of an ocean. Why? Cause your point of view of what constitutes a sea is not the only one. And since there's no objective definition, yours is only an opinion.
+16
Level 83
Aug 13, 2019
I'm European, I know geography and I now that the Mediterranean is part of the Atlantic. An ocean is a supercategory for a group of salt-water bodies that are interconnected directly. All seas, bays, gulfs etc., belong to one ocean. However, that does not mean they necessarily have the same properties. The Mediterranean is connected to the main Atlantic body of water by the Strait of Gibraltar and not to any other ocean, therefore it is part of the Atlantic. It is often refered to as Mediterranean and not Atlantic because of its large scale, such as the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean is. And even the Mediterranean itself has more subdivisions that locals use commonly. Venetians would often say they live at the Adriatic Sea, Athenians at the Aegean sea and so on. By your logic would those seas not be considered part of the Mediterranean?
+1
Level 84
Jun 28, 2021
Supersets are it exactly. It's equally true to say that Venice is in the Venetian Lagoon, the Gulf of Venice, the Adriatic Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. Even the oceans are part of the "global ocean" or "world sea".
+8
Level 73
Aug 13, 2019
I am Irish. When we talk about our Atlantic coast, we all know what part of the country that is - the coast from out North West to our South West. Dubliners they'll tell you the water between them and Liverpool is the Irish Sea. None of that alters the fact that we also know that Ireland is an island in the Atlantic.
+5
Level 50
Aug 25, 2019
Well, I'm European, and I consider the Mediterranean to be part of the Atlantic. True, I would never say that I was going to the Atlantic coast if travelling to Italy or Greece, but neither would anyone claim to be going to the Atlantic coast if travelling to the Caribbean, even though that is also part of the Atlantic. This is just because it helpful to name the specific sea for ease, but for this quiz the Mediterranean is definitely part of the Atlantic.
+2
Level 60
Jul 19, 2020
I am European and I do. So your argument is invalid.
+2
Level 68
Dec 18, 2020
As a European, I do consider the Mediterranean to be part of the Atlantic. I would agree that we don't commonly think about it this way, but once you understand that all seas are part of an Ocean, there's really no doubt which one the Mediterranean belongs to!
+1
Level 82
Jun 28, 2021
though if you go south through the Suez you end up in the Indian Ocean not the Atlantic, and if you swim up river along the Nile eventually you might get to Lake Victoria.. is that also part of the Atlantic? I know the definition of river is that it flows in one direction and what's upriver is different from what's downriver, but, there are other popular definitions being casually tossed aside for this quiz.
+1
Level 68
Oct 5, 2023
I don't understand your complaint. Bodies of water very often touch other bodies of water some way or another.
+1
Level 76
Feb 22, 2024
I believe his point is where the line is drawn is somewhat arbitrary.
+2
Level 41
Feb 2, 2022
and if you go north through the suez you end up in the mediterranean sea, part of the atlantic. this is a literal fact, idk why you're in these comments complaining so much about some quiz on some website like it affects your life.
+5
Level 58
Jan 20, 2019
I loved this quiz! The instructions are clear, and it made me really think about the geography in a different way (which is why I come to JetPunk in the first place) More like this, please!
+3
Level 85
Aug 12, 2019
I need someone to explain East Timor. clearly I'm missing something about the Timor Sea/Atlantic Ocean. easy to see how East Timor touches Pacific but I thought maybe the 2nd ocean would be Indian. please help. thanks
+3
Level 88
Aug 12, 2019
Its a mistake. Should be the Indian Ocean
+3
Level ∞
Aug 13, 2019
Fixed
+4
Level 75
Aug 12, 2019
Australia does not border the Atlantic (although 96% (!!!) seem to think it does)
+4
Level 84
Aug 13, 2019
Agreed, I got it because I figured it had two oceans, such a large land mass. I just think it should be Pacific, not Atlantic. Good quiz otherwise.
+7
Level ∞
Aug 13, 2019
Sorry. Gotta make some obvious mistakes so that people don't invent fake ones :) Fixed now.
+3
Level 90
Aug 13, 2019
Seems like you've got to count either Greenland (as a pre-filled item) or Denmark - Greenland seems to border both the Arctic and Atlantic, no matter how you designate it, but I don't believe it can be categorized as a territory the same way that Guam or Bermuda are territories.
+2
Level 59
Jan 30, 2020
Actually, it can be classified as a territory, but you're right, it can't be classified as a territory in the way that Guam and Bermuda are.
+6
Level 72
Aug 13, 2019
out of curiosity, how does France border the Indian and Pacific oceans? I'm assuming there are external regions that I don't know about.
+8
Level 66
Aug 13, 2019
Réunion & Mayotte, close to Madagascar in the Indian ocean are overseas regions.

Not sure which one counts for the Pacific, but either New Caledonia (special status) or French Polynesia and Wallis et Futuna (overseas collectivities) works.

Even without their mainland, France would still border the Atlantic (Caribbean sea) through, at least, French Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique (overseas regions).

+1
Level 62
Jun 28, 2021
And it would border the Atlantic via its own mainland anyway!
+1
Level 75
Aug 14, 2019
that one stumped me as well!
+4
Level 69
Oct 12, 2019
In that case, why isn't the UK included given it borders the Pacific (Pitcairn Islands), Atlantic and Indian Ocean (Indian Ocean Territory)?
+9
Level 67
Oct 12, 2019
I think it's because Reunion & Mayotte are French regions (comparable to US states, like Hawaii), whereas the Pitcairn Islands are UK territories (comparable to US territories like Guam). The overseas regions enjoy equal political status to France's domestic regions, but territories do not. It's not just about whether a country has land overseas, but how it regards that land and how the land participates in the government.
+1
Level 68
Dec 18, 2020
I got France as a last answer with just a couple of seconds left... and I live there! That's the sign of a good quiz: it forces you to think about stuff you know very well in a different way.
+2
Level 60
Aug 14, 2019
I seem to remember that the board game 10 Days in Asia considered Singapore to be on the Indian and Pacific Oceans... a brief Google search seems to support this (it touches the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean via the South China Sea). Great quiz though; I couldn't for the life of me figure out what country bordered the Pacific, Atlantic AND Indian Oceans ignoring marginal seas.
+1
Level 59
Jan 30, 2020
Yes this confused me too for a bit. I only got France because I remembered the status of some regions being like Hawaii, so I tried it.
+7
Level 86
Aug 15, 2019
In my opinion, only the regions/departments should be taken into account for France, so it wouldn't touch the pacific ocean.
+2
Level 75
Aug 23, 2019
D'oh, France and its stupid island territories
+1
Level 66
Aug 23, 2019
Same
+1
Level 60
Jan 3, 2022
Actually, they aren't territories, which is the point. They're overseas departments I think.
+1
Level 37
Aug 24, 2019
Love this quiz! Could you see your way clear to compose more of the same?
+1
Level 37
Aug 24, 2019
I loved this quiz!
+1
Level 47
Aug 31, 2019
Challenging quiz!
+1
Level 53
Oct 12, 2019
dang i always forget about french guiana, i spent the whole time thinking, how is it physically possible to border the pacific, atlantic, and indian at the same time?
+2
Level 70
Oct 12, 2019
Misleading quiz. France??
+2
Level 76
Oct 12, 2019
I don't understand why external 'territories' are excluded and external 'regions' are included. Sounds completely arbitrary to me.
+7
Level ∞
Oct 13, 2019
I think this analogy will help... French Guiana is to France as Hawaii is to the United States. Legally, it is just like any other part of France. But France also has territories that have a similar legal status to Puerto Rico in the United States. As an American, this helped me to understand the distinction which can seem trivial to an outsider. Hope this helps!
+4
Level 76
Oct 13, 2019
Thank you for your response! I honestly saw it as metropolitan France and 'the rest', so I learned something new. The 'overseas regions', namely Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Mayotte and Réunion are legally the same as the metropolitan territories. The last two are in the Indian Ocean, and the first three + metropolitan France are on the Atlantic.

But what 'external region' of France borders the Pacific? French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna are semi-autonomous 'overseas collectivities', New Caledonia is an 'autonomous territory' and no other French territory borders the Pacific. Surely these are France's Guams rather than Hawaiis?

+1
Level 68
Dec 18, 2020
Well, they are not exactly the same as the metropolitan regions (or indeed the same amongst themselves), but broadly speaking, quizmaster is correct!
+2
Level 36
Oct 12, 2019
Not a big fan of the external regions being included. Completely threw me off in a weird way. Just exclude all regions and territories.
+3
Level 59
Jan 30, 2020
That's like saying Hawaii is not part of the USA, French Guiana, and many other external regions have the same status in France as Hawaii has in the US. I think a few people would be mad if you said Hawaii was a territory.
+1
Level 71
Oct 12, 2019
Not complaining, but why aren't Argentina and Chile in the same group?
+2
Level 76
Oct 13, 2019
Because they are different groups: Chile borders the Pacific and touches the Atlantic through the Straits of Magellan. Argentina is the other way around.
+1
Level 32
Oct 12, 2019
Israel was an interesting one and hard to get but nevertheless got it all be it whilst cycling through random guesses, got all of em.
+1
Level 74
Oct 12, 2019
to be fair, if a country borders the Mediterranean and the Indian somewhere, one only really has to think from Egypt round to Turkey - about 5 countries? Agree with all the comments still remaining - great quiz and hope not many were forced to walk the plank ;-)
+1
Level 53
Oct 12, 2019
Can someone please tell me how France borders the Indian ocean?
+4
Level 85
Oct 12, 2019
Réunion and Mayotte.
+8
Level 85
Oct 12, 2019
France does not touch the Pacific ocean, only its overseas territories do. If overseas territories count, Denmark touches the Arctic, and Britannia rules all of the waves.
+8
Level 67
Oct 12, 2019
An overseas region is not the same as an overseas territory. It's the difference between Hawaii and Guam. Hawaii is far from the US mainland, but it has the same status as Nebraska among US states. It has senators, representatives, and its citizens vote in federal elections. It has access to the same federal programs and is subject to all the same federal laws. You couldn't exclude Hawaii or Alaska from a list of states just because of their distance from the mainland. It's the same with the French departments. They participate in the government, are bound by federal laws, and benefit from federal social programs. The same is not true for overseas territories like Guam, Denmark, and the Pitcairn Islands. They are regarded differently and function differently, so it makes more sense to exclude them from a list of states, just as you would exclude Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands when listing US states.
+3
Level ∞
Oct 13, 2019
This exactly.
+4
Level 76
Oct 13, 2019
I think SirGeorgington is right though. France has five 'external regions': Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion and Mayotte. None of them touch the Pacific.
+4
Level 63
Nov 19, 2019
France is quite complicated. The area in French Polynesia is neither an overseas territory nor a region. They call it overseas collective. The instructions don't include that but it's not excluded either.
+1
Level 78
Mar 19, 2020
@jmellor13, I think you meant Greenland instead of Denmark. I assume Denmark has full voting rights in the Danish Folketing.
+1
Level 44
May 4, 2020
French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis-and-Futuna are not overseas regions, but territories. France decided in 2003 to change the name "overseas territories" to "overseas collectivities", but it doesn't change the fact that they are actually territories according to the common definition.
+1
Level 20
Oct 12, 2019
Did the quiz maker know that the Arctic ocean and Atlantic ocean do not actually refer to the same thing?
+5
Level 39
Oct 13, 2019
Cheeky France and its 758 land borders.
+1
Level 45
Oct 14, 2019
Papua-New Guinea has shoreline west of Torres Strait, so it must be added as it is between Pacific and Indian Ocean.
+2
Level 53
Oct 16, 2019
Surprising that not a single country touches the Southern Ocean, I never realized how tight around Antarctica it was.
+3
Level 59
Jan 30, 2020
Very convenient because it avoids the controversy that some people don't think it exists, while many consider it as much and ocean as the other 4.
+2
Level 38
Dec 25, 2019
For Russia showing that it only borders Atlantic through Baltic sea is incorrest - both Black sea and sea of Azov exist, and both are also bordered by Russia. So it would be better to exclude mention of the sea from Russian answer block
+1
Level 59
Jan 30, 2020
The Baltic Sea is the most convenient to put because it is closest and does not go through another sea.
+1
Level 33
Jan 2, 2020
i came here to try to find out why France is touching the Indian ocean. but the comments were deleted, thank you it was really necessary and appreciated, your a hero...
+3
Level 59
Jan 30, 2020
I don't think the comments about that are what was deleted...
+1
Level 57
Nov 9, 2020
France has overseas territories in the Indian ocean.
+3
Level 60
Jan 3, 2022
Overseas territories aren't included. They have overseas departments, which are more comparable to a state for the U.S. like Hawaii.
+1
Level 38
Feb 22, 2020
Hi I watched Google Maps, and Honduras border, the Carribean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean as Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Mexico or Guatemala. Can you put it into the quiz?
+2
Level 60
Jul 19, 2023
It's in the quiz.
+1
Level 37
Sep 25, 2020
France??
+1
Level 46
Nov 28, 2020
Really fun quiz! You could have mentioned that overseas territories were included, but otherwise very enjoyable!
+1
Level 57
Apr 13, 2021
France wins
+2
Level 64
Jun 28, 2021
I don't understand why some countries, like Russia, only have one ocean as a hint. Why not write them all down, or am I missing something?
+1
Level 40
Jun 28, 2021
israel?????
+2
Level 84
Jun 28, 2021
Scroll up.
+2
Level 64
Jun 28, 2021
Not sure what all the fuss is about regarding whether the Med/Red sea form part of the oceans.

I always assumed this was the case and every Wikipedia article seems to confirm this as well.

Great quiz.

+1
Level 71
Jun 28, 2021
Great quiz! I honestly don't see any problems with it, seems well-researched and thought out and really made me think at some points. And I really enjoy that last caveat haha.
+4
Level 69
Jun 28, 2021
Petition to ban kalbahamut from Jetpunk
+1
Level 84
Jun 28, 2021
Ban me, too, if you're banning Kalbahamut.
+1
Level 60
Dec 4, 2021
no
+2
Level 57
Jun 28, 2021
I don't know if this has been said in one of the deleted comments, but does noone outside of Australia acknowledge the existence of the Southern Ocean?
+2
Level 82
Jun 28, 2021
I kind of expected an update based on the National Geographic Society recognizing the Southern Ocean as a thing earlier this month. But then it showed up on the front page again without an update, perhaps in defiance of the NGS? Odd. Perhaps the NGS doesn't recognize the Mediterranean as part of the Atlantic or the Red Sea as part of the Indian Ocean and this was calculated as a dominance display. Or perhaps it was scheduled to be on the front page again months ago and the Southern Ocean being in the news this month was just a coincidence.
+2
Level 60
Dec 4, 2021
I recognize the southern ocean. Idk why no one else does.
+2
Level 60
Jul 19, 2023
I was of the impression that the Southern Ocean was south of Australia.
+1
Level 43
Jun 29, 2021
Very hard indeed
+3
Level 52
Jul 2, 2021
France is always the mystery answer. Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans? Am I somehow unfamiliar with the largest country on Earth? Antarctica isn't a country. Oh wait, it's France. Duh.
+1
Level 78
Sep 7, 2021
Some people just love the attention.
+2
Level 82
Dec 4, 2021
Here's some for you then, if that's what you're here for.
+1
Level 30
Oct 8, 2021
i got france but i missed mexico
+1
Level 50
Oct 28, 2021
I completely forgot about all of those French islands everywhere
+1
Level 60
Jan 3, 2022
Wonderful quiz! I made a parody where you have to name the oceans as well :)
+2
Level 76
Apr 18, 2022
I don't think I'd like to be the expert who decides where the Indian ends and the Pacific begins for tiny Timor-Leste. Fun quiz.
+1
Level 67
Apr 20, 2023
Just missed France
+1
Level 53
May 21, 2023
Same, when I saw Atlantic and Indian Ocean I was confused, and I ran out of time so I just missed France.
+1
Level 76
Jul 19, 2023
All the angst from the comments can be solved by knowing the actual answer to the question: How many oceans are there?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgshFNbmor0#:~:text=there's%20only%20one%20oceans%20the,Antarctic%20Ocean%20as%20a%20fifth.

+1
Level 71
Aug 17, 2023
How does France border the Pacific Ocean with "external territories excluded?" French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, and New Caledonia are all clearly external territories, a totally different classification than the five external departments (none of which border the Pacific). If you are going to not include external territories, then you have to be consistent with it!
+3
Level 60
Oct 5, 2023
New Caledonia is a full region of france kind of like hawaii apparently
+1
Level 94
Oct 9, 2023
That's just not true, ooftown. New Caledonia is a special collectivity, not an overseas region (using your U.S. analogy, it's closer in status to Puerto Rico than Hawaii). In accordance with the caveat provided by the creator of the quiz, France's Pacific border should be removed.
+1
Level 60
Oct 5, 2023
Why is France included, and Singapore Excluded?
+1
Level 60
Oct 5, 2023
oh wait i got it but why is Singapore excluded?
+1
Level 32
Oct 5, 2023
Since you are including seas you are missing several countries like Spain, India and other
+1
Level 46
Oct 5, 2023
Got all except France, forgot about that lol
+1
Level 54
Oct 6, 2023
UK needs to be included. Atlantic (UK and British Virgin Islands), Indian (Diego Garcia) and Pacific (Pitcairn Islands)
+1
Level 94
Oct 9, 2023
1) Given that Greenland is equal in status to Denmark proper within the Kingdom of Denmark, Denmark borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean.

2) I know that the Timor Sea is included as part of the Indian Ocean in the 2002 draft of IHO's Limits of Oceans and Seas, but in the third edition (the one still in force) this is not the case and the Indian Ocean does not reach as far as Timor-Leste (and even if you choose to ignore this point you should at least fix TL's subscript, because TL does not border the Flores Sea).

3) While Argentina and Chile are both correct answers, the Straits of Magellan have nothing to do with it. Those are entirely Chilean and entirely Pacific, so they are neither Argentina's reason for bordering the Pacific nor Chile's reason for bordering the Atlantic. Argentina borders the Pacific thanks to the Beagle Channel, and Chile borders the Atlantic thanks to its territory east of Cape Horn.

+1
Level 44
Oct 9, 2023
Damn it, France.