Top 20 Strangest Borders In The World Today
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| Top 20 strangest borders in the world |
| Table of Content |
Borders divide countries, or so we like to believe. Differentiated by human-made markings of flags, check-posts, and guards, the exit and entry points become vividly illustrative. Some believe borders create differences, others say that it merely reflects them.
“The border is a hopeful place as it has the potential for connection. It is at the border where two countries, two cultures and people can come together. And where there is coming together, there is hope.” For the uninitiated, Nimrod Danishman, the Israeli playwright and theatre personality quite aptly sums up how borders are an inevitable part of the global landscape.
Here are some of the most unusual and strangest borders around the world that will leave you in awe.
What Are Borders?
A border is a line that separates areas. Borders can be real or made up by people. Borders separate countries, states, provinces, counties, cities, and towns. A border defines the area that a government controls. The government of a region can only create and apply laws within its borders.
Borders change. Sometimes the people in one area take over another area. Sometimes land is traded or sold peacefully. Many times, land is divided among governments after a war.
Travel Between Countries
Sometimes borders fall along natural boundaries like rivers or mountain ranges. For example, the boundary between France and Spain follows the peak of the Pyrenees mountains. For part of its length, the boundary between the United States and Mexico follows a river called the Rio Grande.
Borders—especially borders for countries—affect travel. Borders also affect people moving from one country to another.
Countries with similar wealth and similar types of government are often more welcoming to each other. Such countries often keep their borders open, without members of the military watching over them.
Other parts of the world have very different rules. The Korean Demilitarized Zone is the border between North Korea and South Korea. It separates the two countries with fences, explosives and soldiers. Citizens of other countries must have a passport and permission to enter North Korea. However, North Koreans must also have permission from the government before they leave the country.
Every country has its own border rules. These rules are how a country decides who may travel, work and live within its borders.
Visas and work permits are government documents. They are issued to non-citizens. Visas and work permits limit the type of work or travel they may do in the country, and for how long. The United States issues "green cards," also known as permanent resident cards. Green cards allow people from other countries to live and work inside the borders of the U.S. and be protected by its laws.
Border Protection
Countries protect their borders for several reasons. This is especially true in areas where two or more countries have fought over the same land. Cambodia and Thailand are countries in Southeast Asia. They have disputed the territory of the Preah Vihear Temple for more than a century.
Sometimes, borders keep citizens from leaving a country. Nations like North Korea, Myanmar and Cuba rarely allow their residents to cross their borders.
Border Disputes
Many border disputes happen when people fight over natural resources. Natural resources are anything a person can use that comes from the natural environment. The countries of Sudan and Egypt have argued for years over a region called Hala'ib. Hala'ib is rich in the mineral manganese, a natural resource. Manganese is important for making iron and steel.
Borders often divide groups of people who have similar ways of life. The groups might believe in the same religion. They might follow the same traditions and speak the same language.
The nation of Germany was divided between East Germany and West Germany after Germany lost World War II. The border between the countries lasted from 1949 to 1989. Germany became one country again in 1990.
Many times, one ethnic group wishes to break off and form its own independent state. This can lead to civil war.
The area of southeastern Europe known as the Balkans has a long history of fighting over borders.
After World War II, a country called Yugoslavia adopted communism. Communism is a type of government where people can't own property because all property is considered shared. The government usually divides wealth equally among people or according to what people need. This does not always work very well, though.
After communism began to decline in the early 1990s, various groups started fighting for control in the Balkans. Yugoslavia was home to many different groups of people. Several groups fought to have their own countries. As a result, the area that used to be Yugoslavia is now seven separate countries.
Border problems often come up when people from other regions take over an area and create borders. During the 1800s and 1900s, European countries colonized much of Africa. In other words, outsiders from Europe moved into Africa. They took control of the people there. They took the land as their own. European colonists created the borders of most African countries. However, the borders they made often did not always consider the different groups living in an area.
By the late 1960s, most African nations had gained freedom from European colonists. After Belgian troops left Central Africa, two tribes, the Hutus and the Tutsis, began fighting. In 1962, two new countries were formed. Rwanda was led by Hutus. Burundi was led by Tutsis. In 1994, a genocide in Rwanda left hundreds of thousands of people dead.
Today, African leaders are working to create stable, peaceful borders. In January 2011, the citizens of southern Sudan voted to form their own nation. The president of Sudan accepted the vote.
Border disputes can also develop as communities seek to establish their own city. This process is called incorporation. Many rural or suburban residents resist incorporation. They prefer to be an unincorporated part of a county, instead of affiliated with a town or city. They say it will lead to more taxes and government rules.
Other residents support incorporation. They say incorporating as a town or city will give them more independence on issues like law enforcement and education.
What are the Weirdest Borders in the World?
1. Jungholz, Austria/Germany
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| Photo: Barry's Borderpoints |
Jungholz is a village in the district of Reutte in the Austrian state of Tyrol that is accessible only via Germany. The lack of a road connection to anywhere else in Austria led to Jungholz being included in the German customs area until Austria joined the EU in 1995. It also used the Deutsche Mark instead of the Austrian schilling as currency until 2002, when the euro took over. Letters to Jungholz can be addressed with either a German or an Austrian postal code.
Imagine traveling from a point to another in your country being easier by using another country’s roads! In order to reach Jungholz thru Austria, you should climb up the mountain, or simply take the road in Germany!
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| Photo: am proehl |
Jungholz forms a pene-exclave of Austria that is connected to the rest of Austria by a single point, which is the summit of the mountain Sorgschrofen (1,636 m, 5,367 ft). As well as housing border post number 110 on the normal international border between Tyrol and Bavaria, a second border starts and, having gone round Jungholz, ends there. There are thus borders extending in four directions from the summit, called a quadripoint. Two Austrian (Tyrolean, Reutte) and two German (Bavarian, Oberallgäu) municipalities meet at that point, starting with Jungholz and continuing clockwise:
Jungholz (Austrian, north)
Pfronten (German, east)
Schattwald (Austrian, south)
Bad Hindelang (German, west)
2. India – Pakistan Border From Space
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| Photo: NASA |
The India–Pakistan border, known locally as the International Border (IB), is the international boundary that separates India and Pakistan. At its northern end is the Line of Control, which separates India from Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and at its southern end is Sir Creek, a tidal estuary in the Rann of Kutch between the Indian state of Gujarat and the Pakistani province of Sindh.
The India–Pakistan border, known locally as the International Border (IB), is the international boundary that separates India and Pakistan. At its northern end is the Line of Control, which separates India from Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and at its southern end is Sir Creek, a tidal estuary in the Rann of Kutch between the Indian state of Gujarat and the Pakistani province of Sindh.
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this nighttime panorama while looking north across Pakistan’s Indus River valley. The port city of Karachi is the bright cluster of lights facing the Arabian Sea, which appears completely black. City lights and the dark color of dense agriculture closely track with the great curves of the Indus valley. For scale, the distance from Karachi to the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains is 1,160 kilometers (720 miles).
This photograph shows one of the few places on Earth where an international boundary can be seen at night. The winding border between Pakistan and India is lit by security lights that have a distinct orange tone. Another night image shows the border zone looking southeast from the Himalaya. A daylight view shows the vegetated bends of the Indus Valley winding through the otherwise desert country.
3. Diomede islands, Russia/America Border
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| Photo: AS USA |
You could feasibly swim the 3.8km between the rocky islands of Big Diomede and Little Diomede, located in the Bering Strait between Siberia and Alaska.
But if you did, you’d find yourself either transported back in time – or into the future, depending on which direction you went.
The Diomedes sit either side of the international date line, meaning although they’re only a stone’s throw from each other, Big Diomede (administered by Russia) is a full 21 hours ahead of Little Diomede (administered by the USA).
Understandably, they’ve picked up the nicknames Tomorrow Island (Big Diomede) and Yesterday Isle (Little Diomede).
The Diomede Islands, also known in Russia as Gvozdev Islands (Russian: острова́ Гво́здева, ostrová Gvozdjeva), consist of two rocky, mesa-like islands:
The Russian island of Big Diomede (part of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug), also known as Imaqłiq, Inaliq, Nunarbuk or Ratmanov Island
The U.S. island of Little Diomede (part of Alaska) or Iŋaliq, also known as Krusenstern Island.
The Diomede Islands are located in the middle of the Bering Strait between mainland Alaska and Siberia. To the north is the Chukchi Sea and to the south is the Bering Sea. Fairway Rock, 9.3 km (5.8 mi) to the southeast, is also Alaskan, but generally not considered part of the Diomede Islands. Because they are separated by the International Date Line, Big Diomede is almost a day ahead of Little Diomede, but not completely; due to locally defined time zones, Big Diomede is only 21 hours ahead of Little Diomede (20 in summer). Because of this, the islands are sometimes called Tomorrow Island (Big Diomede) and Yesterday Island (Little Diomede).
4. Norway – Sweden Border
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| Photo: The Conversation |
At a length of 1630 km, the boundary line between Sweden and Norway in most part follows the demarcation of waters in the Scandinavian Alps. It begins in the north at the "Treriksroset" tripoint, situated on the banks of the lake Goldajarvi, where a monument marks the crossing of the Swedish-Norwegian and Finnish-Norwegian borders. In the south the border comes to an end near the village of Sponvika in the municipality of Halden.
The border has undergone several modifications, notably as a result of armed conflicts. In 1645 the kingdom of Denmark-Norway ceded several provinces to Sweden under the terms of the Treaty of Bromsebro, subsequently also ceding the provinces of Trondelag and Bohuslan to Sweden in 1658. In 1660, the Treaty of Copenhagen confirmed the terms of the preceding treaties but required Sweden to return Trondelag.
In 1905, upon the dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden, Norway was forced to demolish several of its fortresses constructed along the border.
During the Second World War, many Norwegians left their country, then occupied by Germany, in order to settle in Sweden, a neutral country.
Having undergone few changes since the creation of the two states, this is therefore a well established border.
4. Two countries, once couch- Netherlands/Belgium
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| Photo: Wikipedia |
Understanding the mind-boggling complexities of the Netherlands/Belgium border located at the municipalities of Barrle-Nassau and Barrle-Hertog takes some time.
The Dutch side of the border contains 22 Belgian exclaves (legally part of Belgium, but enclosed entirely by Dutch land) while there are three other pieces of Belgian land which span the border between the two countries.
However, if only it were that simple.
There are also six Dutch exclaves located within the largest Belgian exclave and another located within the second-largest exclave. Exclaves within exclaves, if you will.
The borders are so elaborate that many houses and shops are split down the middle between the two countries. Residents wake up in one country and make their breakfast in another, due to rooms falling either side of the border.
The Belgium–Netherlands border separates Belgium and the Netherlands and is 450 km (280 mi) long.
Belgium and the Netherlands are part of the Schengen Area. This means there are no permanent border controls at this border.
On the Belgian side, the border is shared by four Flemish provinces (out of the five in the Flemish Region). From west to east: West Flanders, East Flanders, Antwerp and Limburg (Belgium). A small part is shared by the Walloon province of Liège, which also includes the German-speaking East Cantons. At the Dutch side, the border is shared by three provinces: Zeeland, North Brabant and Limburg.
Between Belgian and Dutch Limburg, the border is mostly formed by the Meuse (Maas) river. The other parts of the border is mostly on land. The city of Baarle-Hertog forms a Belgian exclave in the Netherlands. The border is complicated there, with Dutch exclaves inside it.
The eastern end point is the tripoint (together with Germany) at Vaalserberg.
5. No Man’s Land Bir Tawil- Egypt/Sudan border
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| Photo: Wikimedia Commons |
Since Sudan’s independence in 1956, its border relations with Egypt have been characterized more by mutual suspicion than by peaceful exchange. This legacy has been exacerbated over the decades by myriad obstacles and conflicts, particularly over the disputed Halayeb triangle, even if both sides did try to improve relations after Egypt’s uprising in 2011. Border communities, suffering from this reality, have pushed for improved ties, but mistrust has prevailed to the detriment of both countries.
Egypt and Sudan’s border is 1,276 kilometers long, making it Egypt’s longest land boundary. The border is also the most populated of Egyptian border regions, with some 2.2 million residents in the three southern governorates of Aswan, New Valley, and Red Sea.10 The border can be divided geographically into three sections. Its easternmost section, which begins on the Red Sea, includes the disputed Halayeb triangle, which is rich in minerals and gold. Living conditions in this region are difficult due to high levels of aridity in some areas, enhanced security measures, and a legacy of famines. The region is mainly inhabited by nomadic tribes such as the Ababda and the Basharya.
We’re all familiar with disputed regions, claimed by two opposing states for historical, cultural or geopolitical reasons.
But what about land that nation states actively shun?
Surprisingly, this also exists, as evidenced by the strange stalemate which exists between Egypt and Sudan.
Bir Tawil, a roadless patch of desert 2,000 square-kilometres in size, is uninhabited and unwanted due to both countries favouring their own historical boundary lines. Because their respective claims to land would be weakened by accepting Bir Tawil, it goes unclaimed.
In fact, the unique status of Bir Tawil (being both habitable and rejected by its surrounding states) means multiple organisations – and even individuals – have attempted to claim the land for their own, with little support from the international community.
6. Brazil - Uruguay Border, Two Sister Cities Known As The "border Of Piece" (Rivera And Santana)
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| Photo: Wikipedia |
The Brazil–Uruguay border is a strip of land located south of the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. It stretches for 985 km from the triple border Brazil-Argentina-Uruguay west to the mouth of Arroyo Chuí, the southernmost point in Brazil.
The western section of the border is marked by Quaraí River, a tributary of the Uruguay River and the "coxilhas of Santana." To the east, its border is marked by the Jaguarão River that flows into the Lagoa Mirim. The border then runs from southern portion of this lagoon to the Chui.
There are two disputed areas on the border between Brazil and Uruguay, which were the Brazilian Island and the Corner of Artigas (interfluve between the Quaraí River and the Arroyo Invernada). The two areas are administered by Brazil, yet are claimed for decades by Uruguay.
7. Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Morocco/Spain border
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| Photo: Reddit |
Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera is a disputed Spanish exclave and rocky tied island, in the western Mediterranean Sea, claimed by Morocco. The islet is connected to the Moroccan shore by a sandy isthmus. It is also connected to a smaller islet to the east, La Isleta, by a rocky isthmus. The tied island was named Hajar Badis (Rock of Badis) and was connected to the town of Badis.
Vélez de la Gomera, along with La Isleta, is a premodern overseas possession known as a plaza de soberanía. It is administered by the Spanish central government and has a population consisting only of a small number of Spanish military personnel.
Its border with Morocco is 80 meters (264 ft) long, making it the shortest international border in the world.
Portugal and Spain passed an agreement in 1496 in which they effectively established their zones of influence on the North African coast. As a result, Spain could occupy territory only east of Peñón de Vélez. This restriction ended with the Iberian Union of Portugal and Spain under Felipe II after the 1578 Battle of Alcácer Quibir, when Spain started to take direct actions in Morocco, as in the occupation of Larache.
In 1508, Spain launched a successful expedition under the command of Pedro Navarro to take the Peñón located near Badis, held by pirates who were constantly attacking and looting the coast of Southern Spain.
In 1522, Spain lost the Peñón to a Moroccan Berber attack that resulted in the deaths of the whole Spanish garrison. Ali Abu Hassun, the new Wattasid ruler of Morocco in 1554, then gave the Peñón to Ottoman troops who had assisted him in gaining the throne.
The Ottomans used it as a base for corsairs operating in the region of the Strait of Gibraltar. The Saadid sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib was alarmed by this activity, fearing that the Ottomans might use the town of Badis as a base from which to undertake the conquest of Morocco. In 1564, he forced the Moroccans to evacuate the town and the Peñón, which he handed over to the Spaniards. The Moroccan population retired to the kasbah of Senada.
In 2012, the territory was assaulted by a group of Moroccan activists belonging to the Committee for the Liberation of Ceuta and Melilla, whose leader was Yahya Yahya.
8. Gibraltar, UK/Spain
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| Photo: El Pais in English |
Gibraltar is a British territory, only having a land border with Spain. This small place has a fascinating history and a few amazing beaches to enjoy if you ever crave a sunny vacation, British style!
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. It has an area of 6.7 km2 (2.6 sq mi) and is bordered to the north by Spain. The landscape is dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar, at the foot of which is a densely populated town area, home to over 32,000 people, primarily Gibraltarians.
In 1704, Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar from Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession. The territory was ceded to Great Britain in perpetuity under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. It became an important base for the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars and World War II, as it controlled the narrow entrance and exit to the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar, which is only 14.3 km (8.9 mi) wide. This choke point remains strategically important, with half the world's seaborne trade passing through it. Gibraltar's economy is based largely on tourism, online gambling, financial services, and bunkering.
The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations, as Spain asserts a claim to the territory. Gibraltarians overwhelmingly rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty in a 1967 referendum, and for shared sovereignty in a 2002 referendum. Nevertheless, Gibraltar maintains close economic and cultural links with Spain, with many Gibraltarians speaking Spanish as well as a local dialect known as Llanito.
On 31 January 2020, the UK and Gibraltar left the European Union. In December 2020, the UK and Spain agreed in principle to a basis on which the UK and the EU might negotiate terms for Gibraltar to participate in aspects of the Schengen Agreement.
9. Lake Constance, Austria/Switzerland/Germany Border
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| Photo: Shwe Chan |
Lake Constance is located between Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. Its shorelines lie in the German states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, the Swiss cantons of St. Gallen, Thurgau, and Schaffhausen, and the Austrian state of Vorarlberg.
German is the lingua franca around the third-largest lake in central Europe, but on the question of watery jurisdiction all three nations agree to disagree. The borders of Austria, Switzerland and Germany arrive with precision at the lakeshore, only to dissolve when they hit the water.
No treaty agreement has ever been reached dividing the lake, so specific local issues such as fishing rights and boat licensing have to be settled by individual agreements.
This region is known for sightseeing, water-sports, winter-sports like Skiing, summer-sports like Swimming (sport), Sailing and recreation. It is also one of the few places where modern Zeppelin airships operate and 12–14 people can take a trip above the lake around various points of interests.
10. Haskell Free Library and Opera House, U.S./Canada Border
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| Photo: Library Road Trip |
Haskell Free Library and Opera House is a building right on the border between the U.S. state of Vermont, and the Canadian province of Quebec. You can enter the place from both sides but not allowed to exit from the other side of the border. Otherwise, you’ll get fined and might even get arrested.
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House (French: Bibliothèque et salle d'opéra Haskell) is a Victorian building that straddles the Canada–United States border, in Rock Island (now part of Stanstead), Quebec and Derby Line, Vermont, respectively. The Opera House opened on June 7, 1904, having deliberately been built on the international border. It was declared a heritage building by both countries in the 1970s and 1980s.
The library has two different addresses: 93 Caswell Avenue, Derby Line, Vermont, and 1 rue Church (Church Street), Stanstead, Quebec.
The library collection and the opera stage are located in Stanstead, but the main entrance and most opera seats are located in Derby Line. Because of this, the Haskell is sometimes called "the only library in the U.S.A. wand visitors must use the U.S. entrance to access the building. Patrons from Canada are permitted to enter the United States door without needing to report to customs by using a prescribed route through the sidewalk of rue Church (Church Street), provided that they return to Canada immediately upon leaving the building using the same route.
The library has a collection of more than 20,000 books in French and English, and is open to the public 38 hours a week.
The building is recognized as a historic site in both countries. In the United States, it has been registered in the National Register of Historic Places since 1976. In Canada, it was designated a National Historic Site in 1985 and has been a provincial heritage site since 1977.
Following the Trump travel ban, the library served as a site for international reunions, as it is partly in Canada and partly in the United States.
Related: Which Canadian Provinces Border With The United States?
11. Zipline Connects Spain And Portugal
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| Photo: Limitzero |
The first cross-border zip line in the world is located in Sanlúcar de Guadiana in Spain. Limite Zero connects Sanlúcar de Guadiana, Spain and Alcoutim, Portugal. It crosses the Guadiana River at 50 feet above sea level.
This brilliant experience is not only about getting from one country to another in less than one minute, it is also a form of time travel. The time zones of Spain and Portugal are different. If you start your journey on the coast of Spain at 4 pm, you will arrive in Portugal at 3 pm. This is a unique experience of crossing the border without queuing or passport controls.
You can observe beautiful landscapes during your trip on the zip line. There is no need to be trained to complete the journey as all instructions are provided on site. There will be people to help you at both the departure and arrival platform, so all you have to do is listen to the instructions and enjoy your adventure.
The operating season is approximately from late March to early December. July to mid-September are the busiest months when they operate daily. During this time, it is advised to book in advance. During the rest of the months, the zip line is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
12. Poland/ Ukraine Border
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| Photo: Wikipedia |
Poland–Ukraine border is the state border between Poland and Ukraine. It has a total length of 535 km (332 mi) or 529 km (329 mi).
The Poland–Ukraine border is the most often crossed eastern border of the EU.
Most of the border traffic is generated by Ukrainian citizens. Petty trade and shopping tourism were and still are driving much of the traffic, with migration for labor purposes being another significant factor.
The border is heavily policed, as it is a major smuggling route into the EU, both for goods and for illegal immigration.
Approximately 8 million people live in the border area, roughly equally divided between Poland and Ukraine.
13. Dominican Republic–Haiti border
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| Photo: Bored Panda |
The Dominican Republic–Haiti border is an international border between the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti on the island of Hispaniola. Extending from the Caribbean Sea in the south to the Atlantic Ocean in the north, the 391 km border was agreed upon in the 1929 Dominican-Haitian border treaty.
The island was first formally divided in 1697 as part of the Peace of Ryswick, under which Spain ceded to France the western portion it had seized by force earlier in the century. In 1621, England made an unsuccessful attempt to take over both sides of the island. In the early 20th century, the United States occupied both countries, and made numerous changes to the border. The Dominican Republic comprises approximately the eastern two-thirds of the island and the Republic of Haiti the western third.
The border starts in the north at the Boca del Río Dajabón where the Dajabón River (Rivière du Massacre) enters Manzanillo Bay, immediately west of the Dominican town of Pepillo Salcedo. The border then follows this river for a brief period southwards, before continuing southwards via a series of straight lines through the Laguna de Saladillo, rejoining the same river between Dajabón (DR) and Ouanaminthe (Haiti). The border then again follows the river southwards, where it is alternatively called the Río Capatillo/Bernar (Rivière de Capotille/Bernard), down to the Dominican village of Vara de Vaca. The border then proceeds overland to the west, turning sharply south-eastwards upon reaching the Libón River. It continues along the river down to the DR-45 road and then follows this road southwards for some distance through the mountains down to the Artibonite River. The border then follows the Artibonite to the south-west down to the confluence with the Macasía River, following this river eastwards. The border then proceeds overland south-eastwards and south via various straight-line segments, also briefly utilising the Rivière Carrizal. It then turns west in the vicinity of Granada, and then turns south-east to run parallel with the Etang Saumâtre lake, briefly cutting through it at one point. The border curves around the south-east corner of the lake before proceeding overland via straight lines to the south-east and then south-west, then utilising the Río Bonito southwards for a period, before eventually reaching the Pedernales river. It then follows this river southwards out to the Caribbean Sea.
14. USA - Mexico Border
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| Photo: CNN |
Out west, between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, there’s high double fencing to deter people from crossing illegally. Part of the fence goes right through the beach and continues into a section of the Pacific Ocean.
Further east, in Texas, there’s often no fencing at all. The Rio Grande and the rugged terrain around the river serve as a natural barrier.
In between, there’s an assortment of fences with different shapes, sizes and materials. These fences do not all connect to form one continuous line. There are some areas that have no fencing at all.
Related: Which Countries Border With The United States?
15. Ukraine & Slovakia (Uzhorod International Airport)
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| Photo: Bored Panda |
The Slovakia–Ukraine border is an internationally established boundary between Slovakia and Ukraine. Both countries inherited it from their previous respective state organizations, Ukraine from the Soviet Union and Slovakia from Czechoslovakia.
The current border was established after World War II and stretches for 97 km (60 mi). After the admission of Slovakia to the European Union, the border became the external border of the European Union.
16. The DMZ, North Korea/South Korea
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| Photo: Wkipedia |
The Korean Demilitarized Zone (Korean: 한반도 비무장 지대 / 韓半島非武裝地帶; Hanbando Bimujang Jidae) is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula near the 38th parallel north. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a border barrier that divides the peninsula roughly in half. It was established to serve as a buffer zone between the countries of North Korea and South Korea under the provisions of the Korean Armistice Agreement in 1953, an agreement between North Korea, China, and the United Nations Command.
The DMZ is 250 kilometers (160 mi) long and about 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) wide. There have been various incidents in and around the DMZ, with military and civilian casualties on both sides. Within the DMZ is a meeting point between the two nations, where negotiations take place: the small Joint Security Area (JSA) near the western end of the zone.
17. Estonia/ Russia Border
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| Russia (left) And Estonia (right). Photo: Bored Panda |
The Estonia–Russia border is the international border between Republic of Estonia (EU member) and the Russian Federation (CIS member). The border is 294 kilometres (183 mi) long. It emerged in 1918 after Estonia declared its independence from Russia. The border goes mostly along the national, administrative and ethnic boundaries that have gradually formed since the 13th century. The exact location of the border was a subject of Estonian–Russian dispute that was resolved with the signing of the Border Agreement, but neither Russia nor Estonia have completed its ratification yet. It is an external border of the European Union.
18. Vatican City, Vatican/Italy
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| The border between Italy and the Vatican City State, at St. Peter’s Square. Photo: Quora |
Vatican City, officially Vatican City State (Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano;) is the Holy See’s independent city-state. The geography of Vatican City is unique due to the country’s position as an urban, landlocked enclave of Rome, Italy. With an area of 49 hectares it is the world’s smallest independent state. Outside the Vatican City, thirteen buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope’s summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights. (One building, the Paul VI Audience Hall, straddles the border, but its Italian portion has extraterritorial rights.) The Vatican border is the World’s shortest entire boundary, only 3.2 km. The Vatican is often cited an an example of an Enclave, a territory that is completely surrounded by the territory of one other state, in this case Italy.
19. Hotel Arbez, France/Switzerland
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| Photo: Amusing Planet |
The Hotel Arbez, also called the Hôtel Arbez Franco-Suisse, is a hotel that straddles the international border between France and Switzerland in the tiny village of La Cure, which is itself divided by the boundary. Built by a private landowner and businessman specially to take advantage of an impending border adjustment between the two countries, the structure was originally used as a grocery store (its Swiss portion) and a pub (the French half). Today, the entire building houses a hotel, whose dining room, kitchen and several rooms are bisected by the boundary.
The unusual situation of the Hotel Arbez grew out of a dispute between France and Switzerland over possession of the Vallée des Dappes, just south and west of the tiny town of La Cure. Though the valley had little value as a territorial possession, it provided an accessible military route between France and Savoy. Annexed by Napoleonic France in 1802, it was returned to Switzerland by the Congress of Vienna, though the French continued to call for its retrocession. After several attempts to acquire the area were firmly rebuffed by the Swiss, France decided in 1862 to offer a nearby section of its own territory, comparable in size, in exchange. The Swiss agreed, and a treaty was accordingly signed in Bern by which slightly less than 8 square kilometres (3 sq mi) changed hands. While La Cure had previously been located entirely inside France, the new boundary was slated to cut the village—including some residences and a pub—in half. The treaty stipulated that any already-existing structure bisected by the border was to be left undisturbed, and this gave one local businessman an idea.
20. Llivia, Spain/France
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| Photo: Amusing Planet |
Llívia is a town in the comarca of Cerdanya, province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is a Spanish exclave surrounded by the French département of Pyrénées-Orientales. In 2009, the municipality of Llívia had a total population of 1,589. It is separated from the rest of Spain by a corridor about 1.6 km (1.0 mile) wide, which includes the French communes of Ur and Bourg-Madame.
Llivia is around eight square miles in area with a population somewhere in the vicinity of 1500. Much like Gibraltar, Llivia is a historical and cartographical anomaly.
Separated from Spain by a 2km corridor, which includes the French villages of Ur and Bourg-Madame, this enclave remains exclusively Spanish bar a few dealings with France.
While this may not sound so astounding for those who are familiar with slipping across borders for lunch in Europe, a cheeky indulgence we quite enjoy, the small village nature of this country within a country with no discernible border makes it quite unique.
Top 10 Countries with the Most Borders
1.Russia
Number of unique land neighbours: 14
Total length of borders: 20,017km
Neighbours: Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Ukraine.
2.Brazil
Number of unique land neighbours: 10
Total length of borders: 14,691km
Neighbours: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela.
3.Democratic Republic of the Congo
Number of unique land neighbours: 9
Total length of borders: 10,730km
Neighbours: Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia
4.Germany
Number of unique land neighbours: 9
Total length of borders: 3,621km
Neighbours: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland.
5.France
Number of unique land neighbours: 8
Total length of borders: 2,889km
Neighbours: Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, Switzerland
6.Austria
Number of unique land neighbours: 8
Total length of borders: 2,562km
Neighbours: Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland
7.Zambia
Number of unique land neighbours: 8
Total length of borders: 5,667km
Neighbours: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.
8.Turkey
Number of unique land neighbours: 8
Total length of borders: 2,648km
Neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Syria.
9.Tanzania
Number of unique land neighbours: 8
Total length of borders: 3,861km
Neighbours: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia
10.Serbia
Number of unique land neighbours: 8
Total length of borders: 2,027km
Neighbours: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania
The World's Longest Borders
The most populous nation on the planet has 16 unique land neighbours, with 22,147km of land borders (also a record).
They are: Afghanistan (76km), Bhutan (470km), Hong Kong (30km), India (3 borders totalling 3,380km), Kazakhstan (1,533km), North Korea (1,416km), Kyrgyzstan (858km), Laos (423km), Macau (0.34km), Mongolia (4,677km), Myanmar (2,185km), Nepal (1,236km), Pakistan (523km), Russia (2 borders totalling 3,645km), Tajikistan (414km) and Vietnam (1,281km).
Conclusion
When it comes to borders, many of us imagine images of barbed wire fences or soldiers standing guard on either side. However, as you know, besides these rigid borders, there are many strange and lovely borders in the world.
The borders connecting countries can be given by nature, or they can be created by man himself. But it must be admitted that they have really become a connecting thread, a gift for people between countries.
These unique and strange borders are always an attractive destination for residents around the planet. Try to discover once in your life these strange borders.
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