There are 9 countries that officially start with the letter L: Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, and Luxembourg. Below you'll find each one broken down by continent, along with key facts, population figures, and a few memory tricks that make them easy to tell apart.
Full List by Continent
Asia
- Laos — A landlocked Southeast Asian country bordered by Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and China, known for its French colonial architecture, Buddhist temples, and the Mekong River running through its length.
- Lebanon — A Middle Eastern country on the Mediterranean coast, historically called the "Switzerland of the Middle East" for its former banking prominence, and home to the ancient city of Byblos, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Europe
- Latvia — One of the three Baltic states, located on the Baltic Sea, known for its capital Riga and its well-preserved medieval old town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Liechtenstein — A tiny microstate between Switzerland and Austria, one of the smallest countries in the world by land area (comparable to Vatican City, which you can find in our guide to countries starting with H), and one of only two doubly landlocked countries on Earth (surrounded entirely by other landlocked countries).
- Lithuania — The southernmost and largest of the three Baltic states, the first Soviet republic to declare independence in 1990, sparking the eventual dissolution of the USSR.
- Luxembourg — A small, wealthy Western European country and one of the six founding members of the European Union, with one of the highest GDP-per-capita figures in the world, with more information available on the official Luxembourg Portal.
Africa
- Lesotho — A landlocked country entirely surrounded by South Africa, sometimes called the "Kingdom in the Sky" due to its high average elevation, making it the only country in the world located entirely above 1,000 meters.
- Liberia — A West African country founded in the 19th century by freed American slaves and free-born African Americans, making its history and flag design (closely resembling the US flag) distinct from every other African nation.
- Libya — A North African country on the Mediterranean coast, largely covered by the Sahara Desert, holding some of the largest proven oil reserves on the continent.
Quick Reference Table
| Country | Continent | Capital | Approx. Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laos | Asia | Vientiane | 7.6 million |
| Latvia | Europe | Riga | 1.8 million |
| Lebanon | Asia | Beirut | 5.5 million |
| Lesotho | Africa | Maseru | 2.3 million |
| Liberia | Africa | Monrovia | 5.3 million |
| Libya | Africa | Tripoli | 7 million |
| Liechtenstein | Europe | Vaduz | 39,000 |
| Lithuania | Europe | Vilnius | 2.7 million |
| Luxembourg | Europe | Luxembourg City | 660,000 |
How to Remember Them
A simple trick: three of these countries are Baltic neighbors (Latvia, Lithuania, and their neighbor Estonia, which doesn't start with L but is featured in our guide to countries starting with E), and three are in Africa (Lesotho, Liberia, Libya) — grouping them geographically makes them far easier to recall than memorizing an alphabetical list. Another trick: Liechtenstein and Luxembourg are both tiny, wealthy European countries, so pairing them mentally as "the two rich micro-states" helps keep them distinct from the larger Baltic and African entries.
Countries That Are Sometimes Mistakenly Included
A few names are commonly, but incorrectly, assumed to start with L:
- "Loas" is simply a misspelling of Laos — the correct spelling has the "a" before the "o."
- Sri Lanka starts with "Sri," not "L," despite "Lanka" appearing in the name.
- Estonia and Latvia are frequently confused with each other due to their similar-sounding Baltic names, even though only Latvia starts with L.
Country-by-letter lists like this one are commonly used in geography classes, trivia games, and word-based puzzles. Because L produces a manageable list of nine countries spanning three different continents, it's considered one of the more "balanced" letters for geography quizzes — neither too easy (like S) nor as rare as countries starting with V.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a country called "Lichtenstein" or "Liechtenstein"?
The correct spelling is Liechtenstein — a common typo drops the second "e," but the country's actual official name includes it, and it is named after the House of Liechtenstein, the princely family that has ruled it since the 17th century.
Which L country is the smallest?
Liechtenstein, at roughly 160 square kilometers, making it one of the smallest sovereign states in the world — smaller than most major cities.
Which L country has the largest population?
Laos, with a population of around 7.6 million, is the most populous country on this list, narrowly ahead of Libya.
Are there any L countries in the Americas?
No — currently there are no sovereign nations starting with L located in North or South America, which is somewhat unusual since most letters have at least one representative in the Americas.
Do any L countries share a border with each other?
No — none of the nine L-countries are geographically adjacent to one another, since they're spread across three separate continents (Asia, Europe, and Africa).
💡 The Takeaway
Grouping the nine L-countries by continent — two in Asia, four in Europe, three in Africa — makes them far easier to memorize than a flat alphabetical list.
Curious about more country trivia by letter? Browse our full library of guides, or check out our directory of the best AI tools.