Landlocked countries—those with no direct access to an ocean—often face economic challenges, but many are thriving and highly populous. The most populous landlocked country in the world is Ethiopia. Following the independence of Eritrea in 1993, Ethiopia lost its entire coastline on the Red Sea. Despite this, its population has exploded to over 120 million people. This makes it a geographical anomaly; it is a regional powerhouse with one of the fastest-growing economies, yet it relies entirely on neighboring countries like Djibouti for maritime trade. The second most populous landlocked country is Uganda, which is significantly smaller in population than Ethiopia.