the southernmost national capital in the world

Niger:
landlocked

Niue:
one of world's largest coral islands

Northern Mariana Islands:
strategic location in the North Pacific
Ocean

Norway:
about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much
indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air
routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines
in world; Norway is the only NATO member having a land boundary with
Russia

Oman:
strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of
Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

Pacific Ocean:
the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama
Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides
the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific
Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in
the southwestern Pacific Ocean

Pakistan:
controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion
routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

Palau:
includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and
world-famous rock islands; archipelago of six island groups totaling
over 200 islands in the Caroline chain

Palmyra Atoll:
about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation,
coconut trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall

Panama:
strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land
bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal
that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific
Ocean

Papua New Guinea:
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of
world's largest swamps along southwest coast

Paraguay:
landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil

Peru:
shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable
lake, with Bolivia

Poland:
historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain
and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

Portugal:
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations
along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Puerto Rico:
important location along the Mona Passage - a key
shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest
and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and
high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast
relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

Q