To describe a country we usually say where it is first, then what nature it has, and then what visitors can see. For location use is located in / lies in / is bordered by / shares a border with: Kazakhstan shares a long border with Uzbekistan. Landlocked means a country has no coast on an ocean; Uzbekistan is doubly landlocked, because every country around it is landlocked too. Geography terms: desert, valley, mountain range, plain, lake, region. To evaluate what you see you also need adjectives such as ancient, massive, handmade and spiritual. Present Simple is used for general facts and Past Simple for historical events.
Worked examples
The Kyzylkum is a large desert in the north-west of the country, while the Fergana Valley lies in the east.
Tourists admire the massive gates and the ancient walls of Khiva, and they buy handmade ceramics as souvenirs.
Class activity
“Geography bingo”: each student writes nine geography terms in a grid; the teacher reads definitions (“a very dry area with little rain”) and students cross out the matching word.
Practice
1
Choose the right word: Uzbekistan has no sea coast, so it is a ___ country. (landlocked / island)
landlocked
2
Complete with a preposition: Tashkent is located ___ the north-east of Uzbekistan. (in / on)
in
3
Write two sentences about the border of your region. Use shares a border with and is bordered by.
For example: Our region shares a border with another region to the east. It is bordered by mountains in the south.
4
Why is it harder for a doubly landlocked country to trade by sea?
Because goods must cross at least two borders before they reach a port, so transport takes longer and costs more.