International borders: 10 remarkable limits
International borders: 10 remarkable limits
from mountains to libraries we take a look at some of the most extraordinary international boundaries that can be found all over the world
In recent years we have seen an impressive collection of new websites, blogs and social media accounts that devote themselves to “travel porn”. They are filled with large, extensive images of fairy tale landing and dangerous abysses.
Sometimes, as in this incredible piece about the architectural density in Hong Kong, they show urban decay or suffocating poverty - always gilded by the photographer's lens.
at Atlas & Boots we always wanted to find the right balance between travel porn and more profound content; The type that provided some previously unknown knowledge or insights.
We use the current downtime to update some old content and have reached this article about unusual international borders from all over the world. First published in 2014, we find that it is just as impressive today.
1. Nepal / China
This list would not be complete without mentioning Mount Everest. The international border between Nepal and China runs all the way across this iconic mountain and over the exact peak, which makes it the highest international border in the world.
Alt = “Eight-thousand-end-Everest”> Dream time The Everest massif on the border between Nepal and China
Everest can be climbed from both sides, but is more often tackled from the Nepalese side, which has better infrastructure and more experienced Sherpas to support prospective summit strikers.
2. Haiti / Dominican Republic
In the colonial era, Haiti had a seven times higher population than its neighbor. Today the two countries are more or less on paralyzing (10 million in Haiti compared to 9 million in the Dominican Republic), but half as large as its neighbor, Haiti has a much higher population density.
In combination with low precipitation and sparse laws, this led to a quick stake on the Haitian side.
alt = “Defriative on the border between Haiti (left) and the Dominican Republic (right)”> NASA/CC 2.0 Deforestation at the border between Haiti (left) and the Dominican Republic (right)
In 2014, the Haitian government promised to double the country's forest area until 2016, currently 2 %of precarious, one of the lowest rates in the world. Despite some skepticism, the hopes are high that the campaign will turn the leaf over the centuries of humiliation.
3. USA / Canada
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House is located in Stanstead, Quebec (Canada) and Derby Line, Vermont (USA). A large black line cuts through in the middle and marks one of the most unusual international boundaries between countries.
Alt = “Borderline of the Haskell library”> CC 2.0 The Haskell Free Library and Opera House is located in both Canada and the USA
The library built in 1904 was deliberately built by the American sawmill owner Carlos Haskell and his Canadian wife Martha Stewart Haskell to ensure availability for customers of both nationalities.
There are three streets that cross the border. Although security was tightened after September 11th, the residents can still exceed international borders by visiting the library.
4. Alaska / Russia
The apo-Ryphe quote from Sarah Palin ("I can see Russia from my house") was most likely inspired by the Diomede Islands. What the unfortunate Republican actually said was: "You are our direct neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from ... an island in Alaska."
Incidentally,is right. The Diomede Islands-only 3.8 km (2.4 miles) apart-are on both sides of the border between the USA and Russia. The large diomede island belongs to Russia while the little one belongs to the American state of Alaska.
Alt = “Alaska-Russland internationale Border”> NASA/Public Domain The distance between the two countries is only 3.8 km
The most interesting thing is that the border coincides with the international date limit. So when Americans look over to the neighboring island, they don't just look into another country, they look into the future. Despite the short distance, when it is 9 a.m. on Little Diomede on Saturday, it will be at Big Diomede on Sunday 6 a.m.
5. Ethiopia / Somaliland
This flimsy piece rope marks the border between Ethiopia and Somaliland, an autonomous region of Somalia. The dilapidated barrier in the village of Wado Makhil has a rather relaxed handling of customs, archetypal for several remote African border posts.
alt = "International border between Ethiopia and Somaliland"> Adam Pervez/Fair Use A piece of rope marks the border between Ethiopia and Somaliland
Peter, who crossed the international border between Tanzania and Kenya in 2010, told me that he had a similar experience on the way back from Kili: "I arrived by bus on a dusty outpost and simply strolled into the no man's land between the two countries before I had entered Kenya and was simply stamped with" Peter ", without" Peter " Any other details. “
6. North Korea / South Korea
This satellite image clearly shows the international boundaries between South Korea and its isolated neighbor. North Korea is in the dark, its capital Pyongyang one of the few places with electricity.
alt = "The Korean international border from space"> NASA/Public Domain The Korean international border from space
The lights in the picture represent cities in China, while the bright line in the middle marks the DMZ (demilitarized zone). It is said that night lighting is an indicator of economic prosperity.
Accordingly, the North Koreans live in practical poverty. After the Arab Spring, South Koreans reported that balloons reported across the border to inform their suffering neighbors about the protests. One hopes for a similar revolution, but in one of the most militarized countries in the world, this is most likely impossible.
7. Sweden / Norway
One of the few couples in this list that really like themselves, Sweden and Norway are shared by this breathtaking international border. With snow -covered trees on both sides, the route extends over 1,000 miles and is therefore the longest border in both countries.
alt = “Norway Sweden international border”> haverd dalgrav snowmobile driver at the Swedish-norwegian border
Photographer Havard Dalgrav posted a similar picture on Reddit in 2012 and received over 1,000 comments. He says in the thread: “The funny part is that driving a snowmobile for fun in Norway is illegal, but is legal in Sweden.
From a distance, Papua New Guinea-Indonesia has a striking effect in its simplicity: a straight line that runs directly from north to south. Take a closer look and you will notice what a small bite track from Indonesia looks like. alt = “International border between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia”> Google Maps Not so easy This bite point is a bend of the Fly River, which deviates to the west before settling back into a straight line. It is said that the anomaly is the result of headhunting (and not from the LinkedIn variant). 1893 the area of real head hunt was flooded. The British, which controlled the southeastern quarter, struggled to act due to the then unclear border. The problem was solved by an agreement that relocated the border to the east and enabled the British powers to patrol much further without having to exceed international boundaries. The change is all the more remarkable than it has become of the continental border between Asia and Oceania. The border between Mexico and the USA usually wakes up pictures of desperate Mexicans who climb over a fence to start a better life in a wealthy country. Or worse, pictures by Donald Trump! Alt = "International borders of Mexico-USA on the Pacific coast"> Rosarito TV/Shutterstock The Mexican-American border on the beach of Tijuana What we less often imagine are the gentle waters in which the border ends. This barrier, embedded between Imperial Beach in California and Tijuana Beach in Mexico, is intended to prevent potential migrants from entering the USA at low tide. It extends 90 meters into the Pacific Ocean and is occasionally used as a fence in friendly games of international beach volleyball. If you saw this picture of a ship a few years ago that ships shipping ships, you may be able to process it more easily: Daala Khagrabari is an Indian enclave in an Indian enclave in Bangladesh. alt = “border Daala Khagrabari”> CC 2.0 Say goodbye to one of the strangest international borders With 7,000 square meters, it is the only counter-enlave in the world, which means if you drive directly through Bangladesh, India, Bangladesh, India, Bangladesh, India, Bangladesh. According to legend, the enclaves are the result of a series of chess areas between the MaharaScha of Cooch Behah and the Faujdar von Rangpur, which villages played instead of money. Academics say that it is the result of peace treaties in 1711 and 1713 between the Kingdom of Cooch Beha.
The moving at the area is that the enclaves were left behind with little access to public services in a state of abandonment. The residents cannot go because they have neither passes nor the means to get them, and the two governments have so far decided to avoid the logistical swamp despite their vows. Update: 2015 Dahala Khagrabari was ceded to Bangladesh. alt = “> 8. Papua New Guinea / Indonesia
9. Mexico / USA
10. Bangladesh / India
main picture: Rosarito TV/Shutterstock
.