We recently compiled a list of the 30 Cities With The Longest Coastlines in the World and in this article we will look at the city with the longest coastline in the world.
The Unprecedented Growth of Coastal Cities Across the Globe
Coastal cities across the globe have undergone massive growth over the past few decades, especially regions in Africa and Asia. Coastal areas that were sparsely populated in the past century have grown into gigantic urban centers. Estimates by Coastal Wiki show that the number of people living in low-lying coastal cities went from 360 million to 500 million between 1990 and 2015, before growing to 197-347 million people in 2020. Around 59% of these low-lying coastal cities are located in tropical Asia, while 10% are in tropical Africa. It is estimated that the population of 570 coastal cities across the globe will grow to 800 million people by 2050, all of whom will be vulnerable to as much as a 0.5-meter increase in sea level.
However, these statistics are restricted to low-lying coastal areas. Since there is no universal definition of what makes a coastal area, population estimates of these regions and cities vary greatly, and typically cover regions located at 60-200 kilometers from coastlines. According to estimates by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), around 3 billion people live within approximately 200 kilometers of a coastline. This number translates to around half of the world’s population. In the United States alone, around 40% of the total population lives on the coast. Statistics by the Office for Coastal Management show that the coastal countries in the country house approximately 129 million people. In contrast, the country’s coast makes up less than 10% of its total mass, not including Alaska. Population in these coastal counties grew by 40.5 million people between 1970 and 2020, which translates to a 46% increase. For more insight, you can look at the 20 Countries With the Longest Coastlines in the World.
Threats to Coastal Cities: Ecosystem Degradation and Flooding
Similarly, in several other countries, populations in coastal cities are growing considerably faster than non-coastal regions; a trend that is raising serious concerns for coastal and marine ecosystems. The increasing use of fisheries has damaged endemic coastal fish stocks, reducing them to about 10% to 30% of their supply 30 years ago. Similarly, around 50% of the total wetlands across the globe disappeared in the 20th century alone. This includes 50% of the total mangroves and 60% of the amount of coral reefs across the globe.
In addition, the average population density in coastal areas stands at approximately 80 people per square kilometer, which is double the average population density in the world. Around 50% of the total population in countries like Bangladesh and North African nations reside in coastal areas, with the population density touching 500 to 1,000 people per square kilometer. Migration is another pivotal factor affecting coastal cities and regions, especially in Southeast Asia and China. Around 1,000 people migrate to large coastal cities in China every single day, with comparable statistics in the Philippines and Vietnam.
Recent studies by the United Nations Environment Program have found that 34% of the world’s coasts stand at a high degradation risk due to coastal development, with another 17% at a medium risk. 86% of Europe’s coastal ecosystems are the most vulnerable, while 69% of Asia’s coastal regions are highly threatened.
Degrading marine ecosystems and increasing population densities have inevitably resulted in an increase in flooding in coastal areas across the world. Flooding risks are not restricted to just low-lying coastal cities, as inland situated areas will also be affected as rising sea levels reduce the discharge capabilities of drainage canals and rivers that route storm and river water to the sea. Several flooding insurance companies are taking initiatives to combat the increasing risk of flooding across coastal and inland-situated areas, such as Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (OTC:ZURVY). Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (OTC:ZURVY) is a known multi-line insurer serving people and businesses in more than 215 countries and territories across the globe. The global insurance company has three internal business segments, including General Insurance, Global Life, and Farmers, employing more than 55,000 people. Other than providing flood insurance, the company offers prevention services to promote well-being and enhance climate resilience.
Last year, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (OTC:ZURVY) in the UK joined hands with Flood Re’s Build Back Better (BBB) scheme, enabling eligible insurers to attain up to £10,000 to install flood resilience measures in their houses during flood repairs after damage. These measures include installing flood-resistant doors, replacing wooden floors with waterproof grout and tiling, non-return valves, self-closing air bricks, and raised electrical sockets, among others. Since the annual cost of flood damage across the country comes up to around £700m, this partnership is helping UK residents deal with the emotional and financial cost of flood-related damages.
In addition, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (OTC:ZURVY) recently expanded its flood insurance and other services to India, one of the many countries under serious risk of flood-related damage and disaster. The company acquired a majority stake of 70% in Kotak Mahindra General Insurance from Kotak Mahindra Bank. The deal closed at $670 million, including a share purchase and fresh growth capital. According to the company, this transaction is the largest foreign investment in the general insurance sector in India to date. It is also the first foreign investment by an insurance company after India’s foreign direct investment cap was increased from 49% to 74% in 2021. The expansion into India runs on the objective of furthering the country’s insurance sector, allowing it to achieve its “Insurance for All” goal by 2047. India is one of the several countries threatened by the effects of degrading marine ecosystems. This is why Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (OTC:ZURVY)’s entry into the country has come at a critical time, allowing Indians, along with 215+ countries across the globe, to combat the life-altering effects of marine degradation and ecosystem destruction.
Copyright: jakobradlgruber / 123RF Stock Photo
Our Methodology
In order to compile a list of the 30 cities with the longest coastlines in the world, we first made a list of the 30 countries that had the world’s longest coastlines. We then searched for the coastal capitals of the respective countries, choosing the largest coastal city by area for countries that do not have a coastal capital. We ranked the cities in ascending order of the length of their country’s coastlines. The data for the countries with the longest coastlines in the world was sourced from the CIA World Factbook.
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The City With The Longest Coastline in the World
1. Sept-Îles, Canada
Length of Coastline: 202,080 km
Canada has the longest coastline in the world, spanning 1,764.13 sq km. Sept-Îles is its largest coastal city, located in Quebec’s North Shore right above the 50th parallel, in the center of the sprawling Duplessis region. The city is bordered by Gallix to the west, Moisie to the east, and the Laurentian Plateau to the north. The city’s coastline is sprawled over 2,182 sq km, making it the longest coastal city in the world.
Curious to learn about other cities with long coastlines? Check out our report on the 30 Cities With The Longest Coastlines in the World.
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