The country that holds the official Guinness World Record for the steepest road in the world in 2026 is New Zealand. Specifically, Baldwin Street in the city of Dunedin is the record-holder, featuring a maximum gradient of 34.8%. For a brief period between 2019 and 2020, the title was held by Ffordd Pen Llech in Harlech, Wales (United Kingdom), which was measured at 28.6%. However, after an extensive appeal and a change in measuring guidelines—requiring the gradient to be measured from the centerline of the road rather than the inner curve—the title was officially reinstated to Baldwin Street. The road is so steep that it is paved with concrete rather than asphalt to prevent the surface from melting and sliding down the hill on hot days, and it has become a major global tourist destination for "hill-climbing" enthusiasts.