Except Switzerland why are all landlocked countries poor?

Answer 1

It's completely due to the lack of ports. That doesn't mean that any country with ports is necessarily rich, but it means that before the days of planes, the fastest way of travel between two countries was by sea. If you look at the the countries around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, they were all very wealthy well before the countries inland. Also, if you look at the Far East, it only started to develop because the countries opened their ports.

The reason for this is a basic concept - trade between countries is crucial to the development of both countries (look at China before and after the Open Door policy) and because planes and automobiles are relatively new innovations, ports were the only way to trade. Those countries with large ports (and somewhat stable governments) started their development early and today, have become among the wealthy countries. Those countries inland had no way of acquiring resources or goods. Ships could carry tremendous payloads while horses could only pull minimal goods. Add to that the competition between countries or city-states and you find that land-locked nations were at a huge disadvantage.

Today, even though there are automobiles and planes, the landlocked countries don't have the money and resources to pay for transportation of goods to their country. Unless they have rich natural resources, they're often ignored by the wealthier nations. Hence, even today, landlocked nations remain well behind, despite technological innovations that on the surface would appear to be able to allow them to catch up.

Answer 2

Poverty has got nothing to do with being landlocked. The main reason is that most of the landlocked countries are communist (specifically in europe) countries. And it is the direct cause, as known to everyone, of poverty.

The best example in this regard is Cuba (an island) and many south american countries with long sea shores. All of them are Communist countries and hence poor. And the former Russia is also a good example.

Answer 3

Mainly because of their geography; most landlocked countries are mountainous (Bolivia, Afghanistan, Laos) or have huge deserts (Chad, Mali, Mongolia). This means they are economically disadvantaged compared to states with large amounts of good farmland.

Also, consider Austria, Luxemburg, Czech Republic - which are all landlocked, but not that poor.

And I think the lack of ports and associated trade is also relevant.

Answer 4

I'm so mad I just wrote the best answer every to you're question. I swear it was like a page long, and then somehow the browser shut down and it's all lost. I'm so pissed. It was really good, but I don't feel like writing it over again, sorry.
*frustrated*

Answer 5

access to good trade routs in the begining and a lack of interdependence

Answer 6

My guess is that it has something to do with ports and trade.

Answer 7

They keep dumping money into their Navy.

Answer 8

Because they have no ports?