The flattest country in the world is the Maldives , with an average elevation of only about 1.5 meters (5 feet) above sea level. The country is composed of coral atolls and has no natural barriers such as cliffs or hills, making it extremely flat and vulnerable to rising sea levels and coastal erosion. Other very flat countries include Tuvalu and Kiribati, but the Maldives holds the distinction as the flattest overall.