Photos Of International Borders That Don’t Play By The Usual Rules
When people cross national borders, they're often subject to large, fortified checkpoints where their business in the country they're about to visit is examined by uniformed guards with serious dispositions. Regardless of how the relations between neighboring nations are at a given time, that's generally how it works.
However, some countries take a different approach to the political lines dividing them than others. Whether it's because they're surprisingly lax or even more intense than usual, these borders feel like a world apart from what most people are used to. And they're curious enough to attract eyes from around the world.
India and Pakistan
According to the BBC, the village of Turtuk was originally a part of Pakistan after both this nation and India were released from British rule in 1947. However, it became an epicenter for dispute between India and Pakistan when the two nations went to war in 1971, at which point the village was annexed by India, and its surrounding province of Baltistan was split between them.
Although one might expect Turtuk to be beset by large military installations with this history of animosity in place, it's actually a remote, sleepy farming village known for having its own distinct language (Balti) and no Wifi signal. These conditions came as a result of the Indian military isolating the village even from other Indians, but that policy has since been reversed after locals made it clear for years at a time that they wanted to be more open to the world.
Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos
Although international borders are typically understood as existing between two nations, there's one region known as the Golden Triangle that's significant for serving as a central point between Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. According to the United Nations, the Southeast Asian nations are separated by the Mekong River, which hosts monuments outlining the unique geographical anomaly.
However, if the Golden Triangle seems like a happy hub of togetherness, the unfortunate reality is that this perception is far rosier than the truth. That's because the area has historically been infamous as a hotbed for drug production and the only way that's changed is that the area's suppliers are focusing on more synthetic narcotics than the opium that once dominated the area.
The United States and Russia
Although two-dimensional world maps often make it easy to forget this, there are only about 2.4 miles separating the United States from Russian territory. However, the peculiar political and temporal differences between the two islands that form their tenuous border might as well be worlds apart. According to Business Insider, the island known as Little Diomede Island (right) is the site of a town of about 82 people who can clearly see Russia from their front doors.
More specifically, they can see Russia's island counterpart to their town, Big Diomede Island. There sits a Russian military base whose guards are known to yell in English at any boat that ventures too close to their island. Due to the International Date Line, there's also a 21-hour difference between the islands despite their proximity.
Germany and Poland
Considering the complicated history shared between Germany and Poland after World War II and the Cold War, one would expect Usedom Island — which sits on the border between the two nations — to be the site of a strict security checkpoint no matter how idyllic its beaches look. However, a 2021 study in the Journal of Destination Marketing & Management suggested that this dividing line is more fluid and complex than it seems.
Since the Schengen Treaty of 1985 started a process of border loosening and free movement that would eventually blossom into the EU, the borders between Germany and Poland have become a little blurrier. Yet, since its unique location has made Usedom Island a popular tourist destination, monuments defining the lines between Germany and Poland have become more pronounced to satisfy the curiosity of visitors.
The Netherlands and Belgium
It's not typically feasible for someone to take a wrong turn and end up in an entirely different country, but that's a very real possibility in the Belgian town of Baarle-Hertog and the Dutch town of Baarle-Nassau. According to the BBC, Belgium's declaration of independence from the Netherlands was so geographically messy that the official borders between the two nations weren't finalized until 1995.
As a result, visitors to the area find that not only is it a cultural mishmash of Belgian and Dutch enclaves within enclaves but that its borders can cut unexpectedly through squares, streets, and even buildings. For instance, one could move between parts of this house and technically cross the border between Belgium and the Netherlands. It's one of the few places in the world where people can cross an international border without realizing it.
India and Bangladesh
As The Washington Post explained, a small but complicated web of enclaves in the Cooch Behar region encompassing eastern India and parts of Bangladesh was so confusing and overlapping in its territory that it made it difficult for those living there to tell where one country ended and the other began. For instance, the Dahala Khagrabari enclave was Indian territory that was surrounded by Bangladeshi territory, which was surrounded by Indian territory that was surrounded by Bangladeshi territory.
Due to the wild overlap, it was a common reality for citizens to need a visa that wasn't technically possible to legally obtain just to go to the local market. And while it would be an oversimplification to call this border crisis solved, a 2011 agreement that was ratified in 2015 has resulted in much clearer lines between the Asian nations.
Haiti and The Dominican Republic
Although the Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, that doesn't speak to as many similarities between the two nations as it may seem. Not only has AP News reported that political differences between them led to border disputes, armed standoffs, and closures, but NASA confirmed that even the lands themselves look different.
Unfortunately, the biggest and clearest difference in this area is the fact that Haiti is being severely affected by deforestation. And while NASA compared the difference in vegetation levels between Haiti and the Dominican Republic at the macro level, that's even evident at the border. Here, the lush greenery of the Dominican side can be compared with the more sparse Haitian side.
The United States And Canada
Although anyone who has crossed the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, can attest that the long border between the United States and Canada does have traditional border crossings, some of them are a little different. As the BBC reported, that is especially true of the Haskell Library and Opera House, which straddles the dividing line between Derby Line, Vermont, and Stanstead, Quebec.
As a result of its unique position, the librarians are fluent in English and French, and there's a strip of black tape running through the library that marks the official border between Canada and the United States. That line was made to be crossed and separates the library's facilities, as its bulletin board and children's reading section are in the U.S., and most of its collection and its reading room are in Canada.
France and Spain
The Bidasoa River is a natural border between France and Spain, and sitting in it is a 218-yard island known as Pheasant Island. According to the BBC, there aren't any pheasants on this island because its name is a mistranslation of the Basque word for "passage." However, that isn't the weirdest thing about the island by far.
Instead, what makes it an incredibly strange part of Franco-Spanish relations is the fact that ownership of the island is transferred between the two European nations every six months. This is because it was the site of the Treaty of the Pyrenees between France and Spain after the Thirty Years' War ended in 1648. Because Pheasant Island became so symbolically important to both countries as a result, the treaty stipulated that they would essentially have joint custody of it.
Australia
Considering the unique geographical location of the smallest continent, it seems strange to imagine Australia sharing a border with anyone. And while its government would likely agree with that sentiment, CNN reported that one man made that assertion a little confusing. That's because a farmer named Leonard Casley claimed to exploit a legal loophole to turn about 29 square miles of land in Western Australia into The Principality of Hutt River in 1970.
This micronation was one of many in Australia, but ambitious enough in its scope to assign passports, reportedly operate 13 foreign offices in ten different countries, and even declare war on Australia in 1977. Although this "war" only lasted a few days, Prince Casley continued the micro-nation until his passing, after which his son inherited his $2.15 million tax debt and surrendered the micronation's land back to Australia. Still, it had a border for decades, if not an official one.
North Korea and South Korea
According to CBS News, the demilitarized zone between North Korea and South Korea is a 148-mile strip of land that runs along the 38th parallel and encompasses much of the area in which the Korean War was fought. In the wake of that war, it has stood as the strip that divides the two nations since 1953.
Although the demilitarized zone is now a popular tourist destination, it isn't a place where people are supposed to cross, and heavily armed guards are posted on both sides. Since North Korea and South Korea have technically been in a state of war ever since the Korean War ended, the demilitarized zone remains as a means to uphold the 1953 armistice and keep the nations relatively peacefully separated.
Israel and Egypt
Although most border lines are drawn on world maps, even a topographical look at the border between Israel and Egypt shows a clear and distinct line between the two nations. And that's because there are some significant physical barriers keeping them apart.
According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, this was the result of a massive and technologically advanced Israeli border wall built in 2013, which Bloomberg reported has since been used to fight extremist groups operating in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. But while that might suggest Egypt is displeased with the border wall, the reality is that this government has also found it useful from a security perspective and cooperates with the Israeli government in maintaining its effectiveness.
Austria and Slovenia
Given the size of the border Austria shares with Slovenia, and how many nations are found throughout Europe, it's not necessarily that surprising that it would feature some unique geographical monuments. However, that region is also of some significant economic importance due to its natural energy resources.
First, it should be noted that the monument on the left signifies the point where Austria and Slovenia's borders connect with that of Italy, while the monument on the right indicates a similar intersection with Hungary's border. According to a 2008 study obtained by ResearchGate, this border region is also a key source of geothermal energy for the two nations, especially Slovenia.
The Gambia and Senegal
According to Atlas Obscura, The Gambia is a West African nation with some bizarre geography in that it's a long, narrow nation that's surrounded on three sides by Senegal, with only its western coast standing apart from the other African country. Although legend has it that the British created The Gambia by firing cannons up and down the Gambia River, the truth is a little more complicated.
That's because British colonial forces claimed the Gambia River and worked out some temporary borders with France after the French — who had colonial control over Senegal — recognized the British claim to the river. However, resistance from local rulers who didn't appreciate having their land divided by European nations stymied further attempts to redraw the two nations' borders beyond their current, odd circumstances.
Brazil and Argentina
Some countries can be said to have natural borders, and the one shared by Brazil and Argentina is one of the world's loveliest. According to UNESCO, the South American nations are separated by the exquisite Iguazú Falls, which are widely considered among the most beautiful waterfalls in the world.
But the importance of the Iguazú Falls to the region isn't purely aesthetic because they're surrounded by the remnants of the Atlantic Forest, which is one of the world's most critical conservation priorities. This is because this climate is home to over 2,000 species of plants as well as exotic wildlife like tapirs, howler monkeys, and jaguars.
China and Nepal
Although it's not uncommon for nations to be separated by natural landmarks, it's a matter of much grander significance when that landmark is the subject of global fascination and admiration. That happens to be the case for Nepal and China's autonomous region of Tibet, which borders on none other than the peak of Mount Everest.
Naturally, Mount Everest is credited as the highest point on Earth, with a height of about 29,035 feet. However, National Geographic explained that its summit also marks the central point between the territories that encompass Nepal and Tibet. And as long as Tibet remains a part of China, Nepal will share a border with the Asian superpower.
Spain and Portugal
Spain and Portugal are separated by the River Guadiana, but the levels of elevation between the two nations in that area have allowed for an opportunity that isn't available anywhere else. As the Limite Zero company behind this experience explained, it's actually possible to take a zipline from Spain to Portugal.
The journey sees riders travel about 787 yards at a minimum speed of 43 miles per hour, and when they land in Portugal, they find that time has gone backward by an hour. That's because Spain and Portugal exist in different time zones. Sadly, Portugal's lower elevation compared to Spain means travelers can't zipline back, but there's a ferry available instead.
The United Kingdom and Spain
Although the Iberian Peninsula encompasses the bulk of Portugal and Spain, that's not quite the only territory in the region. Indeed, the small territory of Gibraltar exists at the bottom tip of the peninsula, and Spain's southern coast is its northern border.
In technical terms, that border exists between Spain and the United Kingdom, as Gibraltar has been a British territory since 1704. According to the European Space Agency, it was captured by the British and Dutch during the War of the Spanish Succession before it was ceded to England as a result of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1714.
Denmark and Sweden
Given the body of water that exists between them, it seems odd to describe Sweden and Denmark as sharing a border at all. However, the BBC reported that since its inception in 1991, a land route between the two European nations has existed in the form of the Øresund Bridge, which connects Copenhagen, Denmark, with Malmo, Sweden.
Despite its name, the five-mile route isn't a typical bridge in that its construction had to be low enough not to interfere with passing planes but high enough not to interfere with shipping routes. As a result, the Øresund Bridge starts as a land bridge but transitions to an artificial island that holds an underground tunnel that lets travelers finish the journey.
Poland and Ukraine
Although the Polish-Ukrainian border became a vital lifeline for those fleeing Ukraine in the wake of Russia's invasion, it temporarily became a unique border crossing longer ago than that. According to the Smithsonian Magzine, that's because both governments commissioned an artist named Jaroslaw Koziara in 2011 to incorporate land from their respective countries into a sprawling design.
The purpose of this commission was to commemorate an annual Land Art Festival celebrating the blending of art and nature on both sides of the border. As shown here, Koziara planted various seeds to create a massive fish design, which he considered a symbol of unity between Poland and Ukraine. The farmland used for the design lies between the Polish village of Horodyszcze and the Ukrainian village of Warez.
Sweden, Finland, and Norway
Although it looks like a simple concrete buoy, the large Three-Country Cairn shown here carries a great deal of historical significance for the nations of Scandinavia. That's because it marks the exact point where the borders of Sweden, Norway, and Finland all connect.
And according to Visit Finland, it's a scenic spot where visitors can freely walk all over the territory of all three nations. From the sounds of it, this wandering can occur without any passport checks or other security checkpoints.
Colombia and Panama
According to The Guardian, the Darien Gap is a treacherous, swampy jungle that serves as the only land route connecting South America to Central America. It's also a practically lawless area that serves as an unofficial border between Colombia and Panama.
Its difficult terrain has prevented any serious mass transportation efforts in the region, which complicates the journey that over 520,000 migrants have risked everything to make on their way to the United States. If the natural challenges of the Darien Gap weren't enough, the fact that the jungle is effectively under the control of heavily armed narcotraffickers makes it particularly dangerous.
China and Macau
As Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings wrote for Condé Nast Traveler, Macau was a Portuguese colony for about 400 years and stood as the last European colony in Asia before it was handed back over to China in 1999. However, that period of time can change a place in significant ways, and the connecting bridge between the two places had to account for a logistically challenging one.
In Macau, people are expected to drive on the left side of the road, while those in China are expected to drive on the right side. Since that obviously complicates the act of traveling between those places, the Lotus Bridge shown here was built to provide an asymmetrical leaf pattern that allows drivers to loop underneath the expressway and change lanes as needed.
Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia
This triangular table has gained some viral attention as a place where Austrians, Hungarians, and Slovakians can eat together at the edge of their respective borders. Indeed, that concept underscores the themes of the park the table is found in and the triangular designs therein.
According to the Matador Network, the lunch table is in Szoborpark, a park full of sculptures created by international artists to celebrate unity between the three countries after the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1991. This unity is symbolized by triangular designs, which were incorporated as faithfully into the statue designs as they were into this table.
Italy and San Marino
From this photo, the border between Italy and San Marino looks fairly normal. There's a large stone monument marking where one country ends and the other begins, like most other border crossings, and there isn't a confusing web of territories involved.
However, the BBC noted that the borders themselves are the strange factor here because San Marino is entirely surrounded by Italy. Considered the world's oldest surviving republic, San Marino is a relic of the period of Italian history where the nation was once a college of city-states rather than a unified country.
Germany and the Czech Republic
When this photo is shared, it's often characterized as indicating a marked difference in how the German and Czech governments handle bark beetle infestations. However, there's a larger and more long-term reason why the trees on the Czech side of the German-Czech border often look so comparatively unhealthy.
As Simon Fraser wrote for the Science Photo Library, this area is prone to acid rain due to high concentrations of sulfur dioxide and various nitrogen oxides from Cold War-era industrial projects in the region. The part of the Czech Republic that lies closest to the German border is considered one of the most polluted areas in central Europe.
Pakistan and China
According to the BBC, the Karakoram Highway stretches about 807 miles and cuts through some of the world's most scenic rock faces. That's part of why it's sometimes called the "eighth wonder of the world," but it also has a unique status among international roads.
That's because the Karakoram Highway connects Hasan Abdal, Pakistan, to Kashgar, China. As such, it's considered the highest paved border crossing in the world since the mountainous terrain around it gives the road an elevation of about 15,420 feet.
The United States and Mexico
Although news images from the past few years may have given Americans a prevailing image of what their border with Mexico looks like, the truth is that it depends a lot on which part of the border the focus is on. Because the sophisticated metal fencing present at some portions of the border is completely absent from others.
According to CNN, this is especially true in parts of Texas, as the Rio Grande River is largely considered a natural barrier for any unauthorized immigration. Although Texas Governor Greg Abbott added these buoys to bolster that natural defense, a federal court order has seen to their removal due to the dangerous nets incorporated into their design.
Brazil and Bolivia
In this photo taken by Japan's ASTER Earth imaging technology aboard the spacecraft Terra, there is a clear difference between how the governments of Brazil and Bolivia treat their nation's natural resources. Specifically, it's a stark portrait of their attitudes toward rainforests.
While NASA noted that Bolivia has left a lot of the forestry at its border untouched, the same cannot be said for the government of Brazil. Since Brazil opened up more of its rainforest area to farming and settlement, the cutting pattern on the lighter side of the map is evidence of the effects of this decision.
Germany and Belgium
According to the BBC, the Vennbahn was once a railway line that connected Aachen, Germany, to Luxembourg and transported supplies during World War I. However, the railway and its tracks were transferred to Belgium in the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, which started a confusing border dispute that shaped what each nation's territory looks like in modern times.
That's because some of it has been ceded back to Germany, while other parts remain Belgian territory. This has not only resulted in a complicated web of Belgian and German enclaves in the area, but its current status as a bike path means that a cyclist can easily cross from Belgium to Germany and back again multiple times without realizing it.
Lithuania and Belarus
Since 2021, all nations that share borders with Belarus have enacted border fencing like this to limit crossings from migrants passing through the Eastern European nation. However, Reuters reported that Lithuania was the first nation to take this step, and the borders between them have only become stricter since.
In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the dynamics of mercenary group Wagner, and Belarus's alliance with Russia, Reuters reported that Lithuania has taken measures to close certain border crossings with its neighbor. Tensions that first arose in 2021 have only boiled over, if for different reasons.
Norway and Sweden
The BBC noted that Sweden and Norway have the longest land border in Europe. And while it's not entirely accurate to say that the border between them is completely open, it's reputed to feature one of the smoothest crossings in the world.
The average wait times for freight vehicles at the border is about eight minutes and some crossings seem as easy as crossing a line on a bridge or a scenic mountain road like this. Let's just say that Sweden and Norway have had a lot of time to get used to each other.
Russia and China
Although it's unclear whether this was due to anyone's deliberate action, the line between China and Russia's border is visible near the top right of this photo. However, that does not mean the two nations have always agreed on this border or that they agree on it today.
According to La Monde, the two eastern superpowers have disputed which nation holds Bolshoi Ussuriysky Island as its territory since Russia annexed it in 1929. Although the two nations came to an agreement that Russia would hold it in 2004, China quietly redrew its borders with neighboring nations in 2023, including an assertion that the island is now theirs.
Romania and Moldova
Although the Prut River (pictured) looks unassuming, Silva Marcu from the Spanish Council for Scientific Research noted that it's not only an important landmark for Romania and Moldova, but also for Europe at large. And that has a lot to do with where it's located.
Although it wasn't naturally selected this way (Moldova was annexed by the Soviet Union after World War II), the Prut River serves as the official border between Romania and Moldova. Moreover, Marcu outlined that it serves as the border between the European Union and most of Eastern Europe.
Azerbaijan, Turkey, Armenia, and Iran
According to the BBC, Nakhchivan is an autonomous exclave of Azerbaijan that exists in isolation from the rest of the nation and is landlocked between the territories of three other countries. It was also the first part of the Soviet Union to declare its independence before it incorporated into Azerbaijan.
It was perhaps this distinction that made its geographical borders so messy, as Armenia's land separates it from the rest of Azerbaijan. It also shares the nation's southern border with Iran, and a small part of its western territory borders Turkey.
Russia and Belarus
Although most nations that border Belarus have strict borders with the Eastern European nation, there is one major exception in the form of Russia. Indeed, The Moscow Times reported that since 1995, the two nations have had virtually no controls between their borders.
Although that border is clearly defined, it's been relaxed as a means of ensuring strong ties between Russia and its most steadfast ally. However, this general convention was changed in 2023 in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine as "temporary" checkpoints were set up to examine travelers coming from Russia.
France and Switzerland
According to Atlas Obscura, the village of La Cure was considered French until 1862, at which point it became the center of a border dispute between France and Switzerland. When the two nations resolved the dispute, they held that the newly agreed-upon lines would not budge even if they cut through buildings.
Indeed, they have, with the most bizarre example of this phenomenon being the Hotel Arbez. The left part of the hotel is in France, while the right building with the mural is in Switzerland. However, the break isn't quite that clean as one room's bathroom exists in Switzerland, while another has the national border split down the middle of a bed.
Brazil and Uruguay
One of the hardest parts of crossing the border between Chui, Brazil, and Chuy, Uruguay, is finding out where one town begins and the other ends. That's because they seem to exist as one continuous municipality. And it gets even more confusing for those who try to go through immigration.
According to the travel blog Correr Es Mi Destino, this is not only because the respective immigration offices are miles from either of the twin towns but because Brazil and Uruguay are in different time zones. So, not only is it easy for travelers to get disoriented and lose track of which country they're in, but also of what time it's supposed to be where they are.
Germany, The Netherlands, and Belgium
There are a few points in the world where three different countries can meet, but only one puts such a unique challenge in the way of reaching that exact location. According to Atlas Obscura, Drielanden Labyrinth is the southeasternmost and highest point in the Netherlands.
However, that is far from the maze's only distinguishing feature, as those who solve it will come to a raised hut shown here. Once someone climbs the steps in front of that hut, they will see parts of Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands as the three nations join together below their feet.
Estonia and Latvia
According to Atlas Obscura, Latvia and Estonia both declared their independence in 1918 and would go on to define the borders between them, but struggled to agree on who held the key railway in a town called Walk. Thanks to some intervention from the British diplomat Sir Stephen Tallents, the matter was resolved when Walk was split into Valga, Estonia, and Valka, Latvia.
But while borders that cut through a single town are always strange, Estonia and Latvia's shared history makes Valga/Valka's border particularly confusing. Since both states were part of the Soviet Union, declared their independence yet again, and then joined the European Union, that border has disappeared, reappeared, and then eroded at various points over the last century.
