Talk:List of countries by westernmost point

Starting point
Why does the table start with the United States? I would have thought the country with the westernmost point, Tonga, would be the appropriate one to start with.- gadfium 05:06, 9 December 2008 (UTC)

Also, why is a point in the East marked as the most westerly point in the US and in Kiribati? Beeswaxcandle (talk) 05:44, 9 December 2008 (UTC)


 * The order not always reflects the approximity of the country's territory to the 180th meridian (in such a case there would be only 3 both the very westernmost and the very easternmost countries/territories, Russia, Fiji and Antarctica, as 180th meridian passes through them on land). Instead for countries like Russia and Fiji, US and Kiribati, which have territory on both sides of 180th meridian, the westernmost point of the country is given in the direction of travel. Russia and Fiji have most of their territory west of the 180th meridian, in the eastern hemisphere, so they are considered to belong to the easternmost countries with their territory stretching as far to the east as beyond the 180th meridian into the western hemisphere. On the opposite side, US and Kiribati have most of their territory east of the 180th meridian, in the western hemisphere, so they are considered to belong to the westernmost countries with their territory stretching as far to the west as beyond the 180th meridian into the eastern hemisphere. Greyhood (talk) 11:07, 9 December 2008 (UTC)

New Discussion
A discussion has been started at Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Countries/Lists of countries which could affect the inclusion criteria and title of this and other lists of countries. Editors are invited to participate. Pfainuk talk 12:17, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

Missing countries
Why are some countries like Palestine and Somaliland not included on the list?Terrorist96 (talk) 19:28, 6 January 2012 (UTC)
 * "Somaliland" is now called Somalia. 98.67.96.230 (talk) 01:51, 23 September 2012 (UTC)

And Palestine is disputed. Danleugers (talk) 18:47, 27 November 2018 (UTC)

What about Puerto Rico?
What about Puerto Rico? This is a semi-independent island with such things as its own Olympic Teams and other things separate from the United States. Furthermore, what about the extreme points of the permanent main body of the United States, which are now in the State of Maine on the east, in the State of Alaska on the west and on the north (Point Barrow), and in the State of Florida on the south (Key West). 98.67.96.230 (talk) 01:50, 23 September 2012 (UTC)

What about France?
Also, the extreme points of the main body of France - "Metropolitan France" - are very important. 98.67.96.230 (talk) 01:55, 23 September 2012 (UTC)

What about Taiwan (R.O.C.)?
What about Taiwan (R.O.C.)? Even though Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, it is still an important country economically and geographically. Also, Taiwan has other important international relationships, such as its own Olympic Teams and a strong defense relationship with the United States. 98.67.96.230 (talk) 02:00, 23 September 2012 (UTC)

missing countries
Iraq, South Sudan, Taiwan. 147.237.70.107 (talk) 09:09, 21 November 2012 (UTC)

Faroe Island
Faroe Islands missing as well. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 131.111.184.7 (talk) 20:38, 26 January 2014 (UTC)