Countries on Two Continents
Continents are a human convention, not a physical fact, so "how many countries are on two continents" has no single correct answer. What does have a clear answer is which countries straddle a conventional dividing line on land. Seven countries do this contiguously, meaning their own territory crosses the boundary, and that is the list quizzes almost always mean.
Contiguous Transcontinental Countries
7
Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Egypt and Panama
Countries Whose Own Territory Crosses a Continental Divide
| Country | Continents | The Dividing Line |
|---|---|---|
| Russia | Europe and Asia | The Ural Mountains and Ural River. About 77% of the land is in Asia, but roughly 75% of the population lives on the European side. |
| Turkey | Europe and Asia | The Bosphorus, Sea of Marmara and Dardanelles. European Thrace holds Istanbul’s western half; Anatolia is the Asian bulk. |
| Kazakhstan | Europe and Asia | The Ural River. A small western strip sits in Europe; the rest is Central Asia. |
| Azerbaijan | Europe and Asia | The Greater Caucasus watershed. Mostly Asian, with northern districts often placed in Europe. |
| Georgia | Europe and Asia | The Greater Caucasus watershed. Geographically mostly Asian, but treated as European in most political contexts. |
| Egypt | Africa and Asia | The Suez Canal and Isthmus of Suez. The Sinai Peninsula lies in Asia; the rest of Egypt is in Africa. |
| Panama | North and South America | The Darién Mountains watershed, or the Panama Canal, depending on the convention used. |
Russia
ContinentsEurope and AsiaThe Dividing Line
The Ural Mountains and Ural River. About 77% of the land is in Asia, but roughly 75% of the population lives on the European side.
Turkey
ContinentsEurope and AsiaThe Dividing Line
The Bosphorus, Sea of Marmara and Dardanelles. European Thrace holds Istanbul’s western half; Anatolia is the Asian bulk.
Kazakhstan
ContinentsEurope and AsiaThe Dividing Line
The Ural River. A small western strip sits in Europe; the rest is Central Asia.
Azerbaijan
ContinentsEurope and AsiaThe Dividing Line
The Greater Caucasus watershed. Mostly Asian, with northern districts often placed in Europe.
Georgia
ContinentsEurope and AsiaThe Dividing Line
The Greater Caucasus watershed. Geographically mostly Asian, but treated as European in most political contexts.
Egypt
ContinentsAfrica and AsiaThe Dividing Line
The Suez Canal and Isthmus of Suez. The Sinai Peninsula lies in Asia; the rest of Egypt is in Africa.
Panama
ContinentsNorth and South AmericaThe Dividing Line
The Darién Mountains watershed, or the Panama Canal, depending on the convention used.
A second, larger group is transcontinental only because of overseas territories. These countries have a compact home territory on one continent and possessions on others. Whether they belong on a "two continents" list is entirely a matter of how a given source defines the question.
Transcontinental Through Overseas Territories
| Country | Reaches | Via |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | Europe and North America | Greenland, which sits on the North American plate |
| Spain | Europe and Africa | The Canary Islands, plus Ceuta and Melilla on the North African mainland |
| Portugal | Europe and Africa | Madeira, geologically part of the African plate |
| France | Six continents | French Guiana, Réunion, Guadeloupe, New Caledonia, Adélie Land and more |
| United Kingdom | All seven continents | Overseas territories including the Falklands, Bermuda, Pitcairn and the British Antarctic Territory |
| United States | North America, Oceania and Asia | Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the western Aleutians |
| Netherlands | Europe, North America and South America | Caribbean municipalities including Bonaire and Saba |
| Chile | South America and Oceania | Easter Island (Rapa Nui) |
| Australia | Oceania and Asia | Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
Denmark
ReachesEurope and North AmericaVia
Greenland, which sits on the North American plate
Spain
ReachesEurope and AfricaVia
The Canary Islands, plus Ceuta and Melilla on the North African mainland
Portugal
ReachesEurope and AfricaVia
Madeira, geologically part of the African plate
France
ReachesSix continentsVia
French Guiana, Réunion, Guadeloupe, New Caledonia, Adélie Land and more
United Kingdom
ReachesAll seven continentsVia
Overseas territories including the Falklands, Bermuda, Pitcairn and the British Antarctic Territory
United States
ReachesNorth America, Oceania and AsiaVia
Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the western Aleutians
Netherlands
Reaches
Europe, North America and South America
Via
Caribbean municipalities including Bonaire and Saba
Chile
ReachesSouth America and OceaniaViaEaster Island (Rapa Nui)Australia
ReachesOceania and AsiaVia
Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
The practical takeaway for quizzes: if a question asks how many countries are on two continents, the expected answer is usually the contiguous seven, and very often just the classic three of Russia, Turkey and Egypt. If a source gives a much larger number, it is counting overseas territories.
Methodology and Sources
Continental boundaries follow the most widely taught conventions: the Ural Mountains and Ural River for the Europe to Asia divide in the north, the Greater Caucasus watershed in the Caucasus, the Bosphorus in Turkey, and the Isthmus of Suez between Africa and Asia. Other defensible conventions exist, particularly in the Caucasus, and they change which countries appear on this list.
Continents are conventions, maps are not
Wherever the dividing line falls, the shape on the map stays the same. Test whether you can find these countries without labels.
Play the World Map Quiz →Related Articles
Written by
Ziga Straus
I build and run Geography Games on my own, from the games and the artwork to these articles. Everything here is checked against published references, and each article lists its sources at the bottom so you can verify any figure yourself rather than taking my word for it.
