10 Bizarre International Borders And Why They Exist

Every border that exists today is a made-up line that determines who controls whichever side

And because of this and human nature, we've ended up with a planet carved into somewhere around

200 separate sovereign countries. And these countries can sometimes have really weird borders

So here are the 10 most bizarre borders I could find and how they came to be

The villages of Barlhertog and Barl-Nassau create one of the world's most complex borders

with patches of Belgium and the Netherlands interwoven in a confusing mosaic of enclaves

and exclaves. This border situation is so intricate that some buildings and homes are

bisected by the international boundary, leading to peculiar situations where residents have

different nationalities depending on which room they're in. This convoluted arrangement dates back

to medieval land agreements between local dukes and noble families who owned interspersed plots

of land. Over time, shifting political landscapes solidified these boundaries resulting in today's

unique patchwork. Visitors to Barl are charmed by the unusual sight of dual flags and boundary

markers running through streets, homes, and businesses. It's a rare case where two countries

cooperate seamlessly to maintain public services and infrastructure across such a fragmented

landscape. The border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland has long been a

symbol of conflict. Separating the independent Republic of Ireland from Northern Ireland

a part of the United Kingdom, the border has a legacy rooted in the Irish War of Independence

and the division of Ireland in 1921. For most of the 20th century

this line was a heavily militarized border due to the Troubles, a violent conflict over Northern Ireland's status

that persisted until the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The agreement brought peace

and enabled free movement across the border, blending communities and creating economic ties

However, Brexit's introduction of a customs border with the EU has revived concerns

about potential disruptions. Instead of implementing a hard border on land, the UK and EU reached a compromise to maintain border-free trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland

effectively creating a customs border in the Irish Sea. This arrangement has caused political friction within the UK as Northern Ireland now operates under unique trade rules

But a hard border would be very complicated to implement, not only for geopolitical and trade reasons

but for the simple fact that Ireland and Northern Ireland are not all that separate anymore

The N-54 road, for example, will go from Ireland to Northern Ireland, then back to Ireland, back to Northern Ireland once again, before entering Ireland again over a 5 mile stretch

Can you imagine the border security that would be needed if this was a hard border once again

The Noim Corridor in Bosnia and Herzegovina slices through Croatia's coastline, interrupting its Adriatic coast and requiring travelers to cross a

foreign border to traverse the country by land. This unusual arrangement grants Bosnia and Herzegovina a small but significant access

point to the sea, though the coast remains largely undeveloped in this area

The corridor originated from the Treaty of Karlović in 1699, giving Bosnia and Herzegovina this strip of coastline as a buffer between the Venetian and Ottoman empires

When Yugoslavia dissolved in the 1990s the Neum Corridor remained Bosnia and Herzegovina only maritime outlet complicating Croatian transportation To ease travel Croatia recently completed the Pelyasac

Bridge, connecting its coastal regions without crossing through Bosnia and Herzegovina. The holidays are barreling towards us all like a freight train, and that means there's more to do

more to think about, and of course, more to buy. And that's stressful. That's why this holiday

season, I'm relying on HelloFresh more than ever. HelloFresh helps make mealtime manageable

saving you from needless grocery shopping. Just pick your meals and everything you need

is delivered right to your door. And of course, everything they send you is high quality

and sustainably sourced. My absolute favorite recipe this time of year has been the Thai

coconut curry tofu dish. It's both warm and savory. And during these colder months

It just hits the spot. So get 10 free meals at HelloFresh.com slash freegeography

Applied across seven boxes, new subscribers only, varies by plan. That's 10 free HelloFresh meals

Just go to HelloFresh.com slash freegeography. America's number one meal kit. Egypt and Sudan have a bit of a conundrum on their hands

At the same time, they're both claiming the same land and refusing to claim an area right next to it

The Halayb Triangle, a desolate area along the Red Sea, has been a point of contention between Egypt and Sudan for decades

Both countries claim this 20,000 square kilometer stretch of land, making it one of Africa's most enduring border disputes

The area is sparsely populated and of limited economic value, but both still want it

At the same time, and essentially right next to Halib, is Bir Tawil

a smaller, uninhabited area that has been left unclaimed by either Egypt or Sudan

This is largely due to the fact that if either country claimed Bir Tawil

it would then weaken its position to claim Halib, a much more attractive and lucrative plot of land

The conflict over the Halib triangle dates back to British colonial rule in the 19th century

While Egypt and Sudan were united as a British protectorate, discrepancies in boundary delineation left Halib's status ambiguous. Egypt and Sudan both claim it

based on differing interpretations of the 22nd parallel, the very same interpretations that have

left Bir Tawil as an unclaimed area. The Gambia, a narrow country that stretches along the Gambia

River, is almost entirely encircled by Senegal, save for a small Atlantic coastline. This creates

unusual dynamics for the Gambia with its surrounding neighbor. The border arrangement

can be cumbersome for trade and travel, with goods moving between different regulatory environments

despite the close proximity. The country is less than 50 kilometers wide at its widest point

Like with other African countries, this border owes its existence to European colonialism

When Britain and France divided the region, with Britain claiming Gambia and France taking control

of the surrounding area, today Senegal. This artificial division left Gambia as a long

thin territory, penetrating Senegal from the coast. Today, the two countries maintain generally

cooperative relations, but the border still presents economic and political challenges. Senegalese citizens often cross into the Gambia to travel across the region more efficiently and there have been discussions of a possible confederation However political and economic differences have prevented a full integration

Gambia's unique position inside Senegal remains an example of colonial borders' lingering effects on African countries

Namibia's Caprivi Strip, a narrow ribbon of land that extends nearly 450 kilometers eastward

creates one of Africa's oddest border configurations. This narrow strip is the result of European colonial ambitions

that have left lasting geographic oddities on the continent. Sandwiched among Angola, Zambia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe

the Caprivi Strip's geography resembles a handle protruding into central Africa, barely 32 kilometers wide at some points

The origin of this odd appendage dates to the 1890 Haligoland-Zanzibar Treaty

between Germany and the United Kingdom. Germany, then the colonial ruler of Namibia

negotiated for this land corridor. Germany's goal was to gain access to the Zambezi River

which was thought, at the time, to be a crucial link between its colonies in southwest Africa

today Namibia, and eastern Africa, today Tanzania. Unfortunately for the Germans, the Zambezi River was unnavigable due to Victoria Falls, one of the world's largest waterfalls

something the British already knew but intentionally hid from Germany as they wanted to sell the land

Today, the Caprivi Strip is a rich ecological zone home to diverse wildlife and communities that rely on the Zambezi River

which makes up its eastern border. But the strip also contributes to geopolitical tensions in the region

with its narrow border creating logistical and governance challenges for Namibia and its neighbors

Mata and Nawa are unique exclaves in the Middle East, where a piece of Oman, Mata

is surrounded by the United Arab Emirates, and within Mata lies Nawa, an exclave of the United

Arab Emirates. This creates a curious situation of an exclave within an exclave, a border oddity

that's both geographical and political. The origins of these exclaves trace back to local

tribal loyalties in the early 20th century. The tribes in Mata aligned with Oman, while Nawa

pledged loyalty to the United Arab Emirates. When the borders were drawn, these loyalties were

honored, leading to the establishment of the nested exclaves. Today, Mata and Nawa are peaceful

communities where residents navigate between Oman and the United Arab Emirates. This border

arrangement, while unusual, operates smoothly with road access and administrative arrangements provided by both countries. Mata and Nawa highlight the complexity of border arrangements

based on tribal affiliations, as well as the cooperation needed to maintain them

The Fergana Valley, nestled among Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, is home to some of

the world's most complicated borders, with multiple exclaves that create a web of territorial

complexity. This configuration has contributed to ethnic tensions and border disputes, in an area rich with fertile soil that's perfect for agriculture. This is especially important

given the overall aridity of the region. Having a fertile piece of land is very valuable. The

valley's complicated borders originated from Soviet-era policies intended to create administrative divisions along ethnic lines. However, the resulting patchwork has led to isolated communities

with limited access to their parent countries occasionally sparking conflicts over resources and governance Today residents of the Fergana Valley frequently cross borders for daily activities

complicating relations between the three countries given that border controls are challenging to

enforce. The Guatemala-Belize border stands as one of the more bizarre borders in the world due

to its straight-line shape and ongoing dispute. In fact, the village of Arenal was bisected by the

border and maintains access to its Guatemalan side only by first going through Belize or by walking

across a single suspension bridge across the nearby Mopan River. To this day, residents of Arenal

still aren't quite sure where the border actually is. But what makes this border stand out is the

fact that the entirety of it is disputed. Guatemala specifically doesn't recognize the border

at all. This dispute has led to diplomatic strains and occasional tensions along the boundary

although the two countries remain in overall peace. The disagreement stems from conflicting

interpretations of an 1859 treaty between Britain, then Belize's colonial ruler, and Guatemala

When Belize gained independence in 1981, Guatemala did not initially recognize its sovereignty

arguing that the treaty was violated due to Britain's failure to build a road connecting

the two territories. Over time, international mediation helped de-escalate tensions, but Guatemala has continued to assert its claim, seeking a resolution at the International

Court of Justice. Belizeans strongly identify as an independent nation and have resisted

any encroachment on their territory. The Venezuela-Gayana border dispute centers on the Essequibo region, a vast, resource-rich area spanning approximately 160,000 square kilometers

This territory, covering over two-thirds of Guyana, is claimed by Venezuela, which contends that the

boundary was unfairly imposed by a colonial treaty. The region includes rich mineral deposits

forests, and recent offshore oil discoveries, intensifying the dispute's significance. The origins of the dispute can be traced back to an 1899 arbitration in Paris, which awarded

the Essequibo region to British Guyana, now Guyana, following a dispute between Britain

and Venezuela over the area. Venezuela contested the ruling, asserting that the arbitration was biased in Britain's favor

Although both countries initially agreed to the ruling, Venezuela revived its claim in

the 1960s as Guyana approached independence, stating that the Paris decision was invalid

and calling for a re-examination of the boundary. The case to resolve the border is currently before the International Court of Justice

which Guyana has appealed to for a final resolution. Venezuela, however, has resisted any such declaration

arguing that the dispute should be resolved bilaterally. There are so many other weird border oddities out there

but there's one border specifically that I think is the weirdest border of them all

the United States-Canada border. So come back next week for an entire video dedicated to the weird US-Canada border

Borders are neat, huh? And you can get your very favorite border adorned on your wall

by buying one of these amazing maps. Every map you purchase helps support this channel

I hope you enjoyed learning all about the different international borders. This is something I've really started getting interested in

because they're all kind of weird. If you did enjoy it, please like the video and subscribe to the channel

If you want to watch more videos, click here. Otherwise, I'll see you next week