A landlocked country is an independent sovereign state that does not have direct access to an ocean, such as the Atlantic, or to a sea that is not landlocked, such as the Mediterranean. There are currently 44 landlocked countries. The largest by area is Kazakhstan, in Central Asia, while the smallest is the Vatican, in Europe, surrounded by the capital of Italy, Rome. The most populous landlocked country is Ethiopia, in Africa, while the least populous one is the Vatican.

Source: Britannica