The hinterland's the land or district behind the borders of a coast or river. Specifically, by the doctrine of the hinterland, the word's applied to the inland region lying behind a port, claimed by the state that owns the coast. The area from which products are delivered to a port for shipping elsewhere's that port's hinterland. Contrast foreland, which's the places to which a port ships. Etymology and usage "Hinterland" was borrowed from German, where it means literally the land behind (a cit… (More on Hinterland)