Papers, please! Getting from one country to
another usually takes a lot of paperwork. But sometimes it also takes a sense of humor, because
those country lines don’t always make sense. Here are twenty-five of the weirdest
country borders in the world. #25. Diomede Islands Russia and the United States. They’ve been
allies and enemies over the centuries, even coming to the brink of nuclear war
before - but the one thing that’s always consistent is that they’ve always been on
different continents. That separation has helped to keep conflict at a low boil because
they’re not butting upon each other’s territory directly - right? Except that’s not actually
true - the two countries control territory only 2.4 miles away from each other in the middle
of the Bering Strait. The Diomede Islands are not only controlled by different countries, they’re
on opposite sides of the international dateline. And the history of how they got
there spans several centuries. Since the Russians explored
the Bering Strait in 1648, they controlled the islands. But
when the US purchased Alaska in 1867, they used the islands as a convenient place to set
the official boundary between the two countries. With Alaska and the tip of Siberia on the two
ends of the Pacific ocean, the two islands have taken very different paths. While Little
Diomede, belonging to the United States, has a small native Inupiat population of a little
over a hundred, Russia’s Big Diomede was evacuated and now only has Russian troops as residents
- making for a very intimidating neighbor. Sometimes, getting across the border
is a much bigger schlep than expected. #24. Jungholz, Austria Borders are a little less important in much
of Europe thanks to the Schengen Agreement, which eliminates the need for passports when
crossing the border of a group of 26 countries in the European Union. The Schengen
Area has a total of 420 million people, and life is easier for the people who can
just hop over the border - and in one case, save themselves a lot of trouble. If you’d
like to head to Jungholz, a village in the Austrian state of Tyrol, you’ll notice one very
odd thing - the town is completely isolated from the rest of Austria, without a single
road connection to the rest of the country. But not from other countries. The region is a tiny annex in the northwest
of Austria, sticking out into Germany, and to travel to the rest of Austria you’d
have to take a lengthy hike over the mountains. But thanks to the lack of bureaucracy, tourists
have another choice - get in their car, enter Germany, and take a leisurely drive
into that country and then back into Austria. This gives the region an odd in-between vibe, with
the locals using the German Mark as their currency instead of the Austrian Schilling
up until the Euro was introduced. But what about a town that held out
even as the borders changed around it? #23. Llivia, Spain The town of Llivia is a sleepy
Spanish village with a population of just under 1,600. It’s part
of the region of Catalonia, which is advocating for independence, but there’s
one unique thing about it - it’s in France! This strange little exclave exists about a mile
from the mainland border of France and Spain, but is recognized by both countries as part of
the Iberian nation. And the origins of this go back over five hundred years. When the Treaty
of the Pyrenees expanded France’s territory, Llivia was excluded because it was technically
considered a town and not a village. And that led to some awkward
situations over the years. Llivia became a flashpoint
in the Spanish Civil War, when its location in France could have made
it a haven for opponents of the Franco regime. But when France recognized Franco’s victory, it
became business as usual - although residents required special passes to get through the French
corridor to the rest of Spain. But since then, it’s been largely smooth sailing. A neutral road
allowed residents of Llivia to head to Spain, and the Schengen Agreement made it all
moot. But now, with Catalonia voting for independence in 2017, it’s possible the
site could become a source of conflict again… But some border markings are much smaller. #22. Hotel Arbez, Switzerland/France The tiny village of La Cure doesn’t look
like much, having only around 1200 people, but it’s been a major source of conflict between
France and Switzerland due to its location. Napoleon annexed it, Switzerland later had
it returned, then France wanted it back. A treaty in 1862 exchanged some territory
to essentially cut the village in half, leaving all buildings undisturbed. And one
enterprising businessman had a brainstorm. He bought a building containing a grocery store and
a pub that would now be right across the border. And he built perhaps the most
unique hotel in the world. The Hotel Arbez exists between the two countries,
meaning you can be sleeping with your head in France and your legs in Switzerland.
It’s become a huge tourist attraction, with the dining room being split as well. No
doubt a lot of kids ask their parents to pass the potatoes over to Switzerland from France. In
a clever touch, the bed in the honeymoon suite is placed to be perfectly divided between the
two countries. That means if the sweethearts have a fight, it’s never been easier to
storm off to another country to cool down. Now, are you ready to explore one of
the world’s most secure libraries? #21. Haskell Free Library
and Opera House, Canada/USA Not every country’s borders are as open as
Europe’s, even if the countries are friendly. Traveling to the US and Canada means you’d
better be prepared to show your papers and have your belongings searched. But at one place
in Vermont and Quebec, the two countries meet in the most neutral of locations - a library.
A Victorian-era building built in 1904, it doubles as an opera house and was built as a
bi-national project. But due to a location quirk, the opera seats are on the US side and the
library books and opera stage are in Canada. But getting there is more
complicated than the average library. The door is in the United States, which means
Canadian visitors have to use a special route around the building to get there from Canada.
Before you enter, it’s checked which country you’re from and the authorities make sure you get
back where you’re supposed to be when you’re done. A large black line marks the border
inside, but while you’re in the facility, you can travel freely between the two countries.
Run jointly between the two nations, it even briefly became a site for international family
reunions in 2017 to avoid US travel restrictions. Sometimes, which country you wind up
in is a split-second judgment call. #20. Musandam Governate, Oman In the Arabian peninsula, oil is king. The
region is largely ruled by powerful families who combine monarchies with massive business
empires. But in the country of Oman, one little exclave stands out from the rest - because most of
it exists in the neighboring United Arab Emirates. That means that the only way to reach this
region of Oman is through another country, usually with a ferry service. It became part of
Oman around the time the UAE became a country, and the residents supported becoming part of
the oil-rich country instead of the new UAE. After all, what was going to become
of the UAE, right? Probably nothing. Needless to say, fortunes have changed since
then. Today, the UAE has become one of the richest countries in the world. People jet there from
all over the world for business and recreation. Meanwhile in the Musandam Governate, the
population of 49,000 lives along a rugged coastline. While the peninsula isn’t
particularly lively, it’s critical to the government of Oman because it provides
them easier access to the Strait of Hormuz. Want to travel to France? On what continent? #19. New Caledonia, France It’s a long flight to Australia from most places,
but would you believe it only takes three hours to get from Sydney back to a European country?
No, we’re not putting you on a new super-sonic jet - but there’s a piece of France right off the
coast on the island of New Caledonia. But this border didn’t get there by accident - it happened
the way most borders shifted for most of history, through old-fashioned colonialism.
It was located by European explorer James Cook in 1774 and given its current
name, and the French took it over in 1853. So how have they been holding
on to it this whole time? When Nickel was found on the island, France
consolidated their control. Miners were brought in, the native population was displaced, and the
island became a military base in World War II. It would later be named a French overseas
territory, with the current population of 271,000 all being French citizens - whether they want
to be or not. While a majority of residents have voted to remain part of France, this number
is dwindling and tensions are high. But hey, at least Australians have a
decent place to get a croissant. But did you know the French also have
a beachhead on another continent? #18. French Guiana, South America Many European countries have territories
around the world, but few are as big as French Guiana - which frequently gets mistaken
for a South American country. Nestled next to Guyana and Suriname in the north of Brazil, it’s
over a seventh the size of France proper and is the European Union’s largest territory.
With almost three hundred thousand people, it’s covered by a thick rainforest and dominated
by a diverse mix of immigrant populations. If you want to visit the largest national park in
the European Union, book a trip to French Guiana. And it’s been in this strange
situation for a long time. France colonized the area starting in the
16th century, and fell back on it once it was largely ousted from North America. While it
has an increasing number of immigrants from the Caribbean, the region struggles with poverty due
to poor soil quality and a lack of manufacturing. It’s heavily influenced by Creole culture, and
while some activists advocate for an end to French colonization, it’s unlikely France will be giving
up its giant outpost to the south any time soon. But some outposts are far
more troublesome than others. #17. The Falkland Islands, United Kingdom Head to the southernmost point of South
America and you’ll find Tierra del Fuego. Head about 384 miles east, and you’ll find the
Falkland Islands. Or you’ll find Las Malvinas, depending on who you ask - and the odds are
whoever you ask will be very angry. Because this small island group of less than 3400
people is near Argentina - but it’s under the rule of the United Kingdom, and both
sides feel very strongly about their claim. But how it got there is a complex story. A complex series of expeditions by Britain,
France, and Spain in the 18th century eventually led to a conflict between Spain and Britain.
While Spain ruled it for several decades, they eventually left due to pressing domestic issues
and the islands were later claimed by Argentina - only for Britain to claim it had an existing
right to the islands. Most of the residents of the island today are British and fiercely loyal
to the crown, and an Argentine invasion in the 1980s led to a short and bloody war between
Argentina and the UK. While the conflict over Britain’s far-flung southern outpost has cooled
down, both sides are no closer to an agreement. Let’s head back to Europe for a very strange swim. #16. Lake Constance By all accounts, Lake Constance is a
pretty standard body of water - albeit a huge one. It’s one of the largest
bodies of water in mainland Europe, and is connected to massive rivers including
the Rhine at the base of the Alps. But Lake Constance is actually three connected bodies
of water - and each of the three comes from a different country. This humble lake is
where Austria, Switzerland, and Germany meet - and a distracted swimmer in an inner
tube could easily wake up in another country. But don’t let that distract you
from a nice day on the water. While in most places, drifting into
another country could be a disaster, in Lake Constance it’s no big deal.
All three countries are part of the European Union and allow free movement
between their borders. Additionally, all three of the nations speak German
as one of their official languages, so any lost tourist can probably converse and find
out exactly where the river’s taken them. This strange border has led to Lake Constance becoming
a hub for cultural activities and festivals. But we’re not done with
Europe’s weird borders yet. #15. Baarle-Hertog, Belgium/Netherlands Head to the north of Belgium, and you’ll find
a village of around 2,700 people with one thing setting it apart - you can take a wrong turn
down the street and wind up in the Netherlands! In fact, this Belgian village exists
almost entirely within its neighbor but not in one piece. While the largest part
of the village is on the border within Belgium, there are also twenty Belgian exclaves within the Netherlands. And seven of those Belgian
exclaves have Dutch exclaves within them! How the heck does anyone keep this straight? Well, the good thing is, they don’t need to. The
Schengen Treaty means borders are just random lines in most circumstances, and tourists can
freely wander from one to the other. But language and cultural barriers still exist, and the
origins of the town’s strange status dates back to Medieval treaties and weren’t settled until 1843.
This caused complications in the First World War, when the German army had to be careful not to
violate the Netherlands’ neutrality. Today, to know where you are, you’ve got to look down -
streets are often painted with the country’s flag. How do you maintain a strange border?
Sometimes, the answer is constant vigilance. #14. Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Spain It doesn’t look like much - a small, rocky
island off the Moroccan shore. A small sand bridge connects it to the mainland, and there
isn’t much on the island besides a large fort. The island isn’t regularly inhabited - but Spain
has a constant military delegation on the island to make sure no one takes it over. Because this
is a rare remaining outpost of Europe in Africa, and Spain has held it for hundreds of years.
In fact, it was a frequent source of conflict between Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and
the Ottoman Empire over the centuries. And today, Spain holds onto it with an iron grip. The island is governed directly by Spain, and
the easiest way to reach it is by helicopter. It might be possible to walk it, but the land is
unstable and a tidal surge could endanger anyone who tries. But much like Argentina and the
Falklands, it’s a point of pride for Morocco and they haven’t given up trying to reclaim it.
They last lived there regularly in 1564 when the Ottoman sultan handed it over to the Spaniards,
but as recently as 2012, a group of rebels tried to seize the fort - and were driven out by
both the Spaniards and the Moroccan government. And there is a much bigger Spanish
holding in Morocco as well. #13. Melilla and Ceuta, Spain Totaling more than 170,000 residents
on the Morocco-Spain Border, these two cities exist in a strange no-man’s
land between Africa and the European Union. The outposts used to be part of the various
Muslim empires that ruled North Africa, but were captured by Spain and Portugal in the 1400s.
While they were briefly taken back by an African Kingdom in 1554, that only lasted about ten years
and they’ve remained in Spanish hands ever since. So what’s it like living in
a Spanish city in Morocco? Pretty normal - except for that huge border fence.
The two cities are well-protected not just to keep a firm separation between Morocco and Spanish
territory, but to keep out would-be migrants. After all, if someone looking to get into the
European Union was to make it into Melilla or Ceuta, they could then enter into mainland
Europe with very little red tape. While Morocco has largely accepted Spain’s presence on their
land, they opened the border fence in 2021 during a diplomatic crisis - and more than six thousand
migrants quickly made their way onto Spanish land. Our next border was created
due to conflict over a rock. #12. Gibraltar, United Kingdom As if the territorial issues between Spain and
Morocco aren’t enough, Britain’s gotten involved - laying claim to a small strip of land at the
southern tip of the Iberian peninsula. It’s only about 2.6 square miles and is mostly dominated by
the massive Rock of Gibraltar - but at the base is a crowded town of 32,000 native Gibraltarians.
It’s been in British hands since 1713, and is key to Britain’s interests because it controls the
narrow access point to the Mediterranean sea. But Spain hasn’t given up that claim yet. While Spain believes Gibraltar to be
its territory, the two countries are allies and the movement to return it to
Spain hasn’t taken off. Referendums to turn Gibraltar over to Spain or to allow
And speaking of Russia…shared control have failed miserably at the ballot box. But this
became a much more complicated issue when the UK left the European Union in 2020 - and took
Gibraltar with it. Negotiations are ongoing to allow freer movement between its population
and mainland Europe - which is right next door. Let’s head over to North America
for some very odd directions. #11. The Northwest Angle Canada’s to the north, right? But if you’re in
Minnesota, there’s one place where America pokes up into its northern neighbor like a wacky
sitcom character popping in for a visit. In Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, this tiny
region is considered part of the US because…well, someone messed up! When negotiations over the
US/Canada border were ongoing in the late 1700s, surveyors misunderstood the source of the
Mississippi River and included a chunk of land well to the north in their survey of US land. And the result is some very strange features. Getting to the area from the rest of Minnesota
involves either crossing the nearby Lake of the Woods by boat or ice road in winter, or by
taking a highway, crossing over into Canada, and crossing back into the United States.
The biggest sticking point of relations over the little area is fishing rights, and those
tensions got bad enough that residents argued for joining Canada. But another group got involved
- the local Red Lake Indian Reservation, which controls most of the land. After that both sides
backed down and compromised on fishing rights. But it’s not the weirdest
point of the US/Canada border. #10. Point Roberts, USA/Canada Let’s head to the Pacific Ocean, where the US and
Canada meet at the junction of Washington State and British Columbia. But to get to the actual
northernmost point, you’ll have to head over to an inlet, navigate south, turn north, and find a spot
of land at exactly the 49th parallel - the border location agreed to between the US and Canada in
1846 with the Oregon Treaty. With a population of around 1200 people, this sleepy little town seems
like a normal Pacific-Northwest haven - except for it being at the hub of two countries. That’s made
it a popular tourist destination, with Canadians from the west visiting for cheap US goods. But
while Point Roberts is idyllic, it’s also very isolated. It requires two border crossings to
get there from the US, and amenities in the town are limited - they have exactly one grocery
store. But it being so hard to get in has led to some advantages like low crime - with it being
nicknamed the best gated community in the US. Other complicated borders, though,
come with much more conflict. #9. Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan/Armenia How does a mountainous region full of
forests within the borders of Azerbaijan become an international flashpoint? When the
residents decide they’d rather be independent. It all comes back to the thorny history of the
former USSR in Asia, when they absorbed a mass group of territories. When those countries
became independent in the early 1990s, a lot of issues were left unresolved - including the
status of this region of almost 150,000 people. There have been conflicts for several
decades, with a war breaking out almost immediately after the collapse of the USSR and
ending in 1994 with Azerbaijan taking control of the region. While a group calling itself the
Republic of Artsakh has declared independence, the world has not recognized this claim
yet - and a new brutal war broke out in 2020 between Azerbaijan and Armenia over
the region. The borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia are complex to put it lightly,
and they aren’t getting any simpler. It’s not the only region where
conflict led to some odd lines. #8. India/Bangladesh Border When India and Pakistan gained independence in
the 1940s, there was a mass population transfer that caused a lot of chaos and tragedy.
When Bangladesh followed soon after, many of the leaders were determined not to
repeat the same mistake - no matter how weird things got. The India and Bangladesh borders were
designed to prevent displacement and keep villages intact - which has led to a lot of spillover
between heavily Hindu India and majority-Muslim Bangladesh. There are currently 102 enclaves
of Indian territory within Bangladesh, and 71 Bangladeshi enclaves in India - and
several have counter-enclaves within them! With over fifty-thousand people in these
little towns, maintaining the border was complicated - until 2015, when a land agreement
was ratified, transferring most of the enclaves over to the countries they were in and
allowing the residents to stay. Today, only one enclave remains - Dahagram-Angarpota
in India, containing 17,000 hold-outs. And more often than not, when
territorial conflicts erupt, it’s the people in the middle who get screwed. #7. Vorukh, Tajikistan/Kyrgyzstan The borders in central Asia are rather strange,
largely caused by the carving of borders during Stalin’s era, and the ethnic lines never being
clear. But for the population of 30,000 people living in Vorukh, Tajikistan, things are
especially odd - because they’re located firmly in Kyrgyzstan! Tensions run high in the
region, with the territory being very isolated and resources like farmland and water being limited.
Both countries want to keep control of the land, which leads to an unfortunate situation for the
residents - they really can’t leave and Tajikistan doesn’t make it easy for them to get back to
the main part of the country. If they leave, Kyrgyzstan will see an opportunity and take over
the city. A dispute over a road bypassing the enclave led to a massive brawl with hundreds
of residents in 2013, and border skirmishes happen on a regular basis. Hard to believe one
of Stalin’s great ideas didn’t work out, right? And speaking of Russia… #6. Kaliningrad, Poland/Russia Where does Russia put a city? Wherever the largest
country in the world wants to put one - including a whopping three hundred miles away from the
rest of Russia in Poland. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union controlled most of
Eastern Europe through puppet regimes, and while the countries were nominally independent
they deferred to the Soviet military and had their territory taken for outposts regularly.
That led to the creation of Kaliningrad, a massive Soviet exclave of close to half a
million people. When the Soviet Union fell, Poland became independent - but Kaliningrad was
still Russian, and Poland didn’t have the power to make an even weakened Russia give it up. It
provides Russia a vital port in the Black Sea, where all of Russia’s other access points
are in the frozen north. But with all the nations bordering the enclave being
members of NATO, the presence of this city is causing increased tensions -
and could become a front in a future war. Outposts of a country within another country?
How about an entire country within a country? #5. San Marino Covering just 24 square miles, the country of
San Marino exists entirely within the borders of Italy on the northeastern side of the
Apennine Mountains. But it’s not some new city-state that gained independence from
a rebellion recently - it’s actually older than an independent Italy and claims to be the
oldest constitutional republic in the world. It’s an odd place, having joint heads
of state elected by its legislature, and is a hub of tourism and finance. One of the
wealthiest countries in the world, it maintains a small but strong military and holds to neutrality
- avoiding getting involved in the world wars, although it was invaded during world war
two and later liberated by the Allies. It has a cooperative agreement with Italy
that regulates some economic activities in exchange for an annual stipend of some goods
Italy has a monopoly on. And despite all its similarities with the larger country next door,
both sides seem pretty happy with the arrangement. But it’s not even the smallest
independent country within Italy. #4. Vatican City Probably the only country in the world
with a 100% population of one religion, Vatican City is more a home base for the Roman
Catholic Church than a country - its head of state is the Pope and it only has a population of
under a thousand. Existing over only 121 acres, it’s not only the smallest country in the world,
it’s a fraction of most cities. Located on the western coast of Italy, it’s considered an
observer state according to the United Nations. As it exists primarily as a religious state
and has little to no economy of its own, it functions largely as part of Italy but
governs its own affairs. Like with San Marino, everyone is mostly happy with this arrangement
- Italy is a primarily Catholic country, and having the Pope’s home base there is considered
an honor. And the people in the country are more than happy to give them a wide berth and
let the Cardinals run things as they see fit. These are more city-states, but one large
country exists entirely within another. #3. Lesotho/South Africa Border Located within the massive country of South
Africa is what looks like a small oval region. This is the country of Lesotho, a region of over
two million people almost entirely made up of the native Basotho people. How did it wind up separate
from South Africa? You guessed it - Colonialism. While South Africa was occupied by the British
until they gained independence in 1961, Lesotho was still in British hands. They
declared independence five years later and had their own distinct culture, so
they weren’t interested in reuniting. It’s a landlocked country - but landlocked
by only one country. For those who enter the region from South Africa, they’ll find a stunning
country known for waterfalls and ski resorts. While its relations with South Africa are
normalized today, during the Apartheid era they supported the Black activists and even gave
some of them refuge in their enclave nation. But north in Africa, border fans will find one
of the most fascinating locations anywhere. #2. The Kazungula Quadripoint Kazangula is a small town in Zambia, not notable
in any way - except for its location on the North bank of the Zambezi River. That makes it one
of the very few spots in the world where four countries' borders come up against each other.
While not technically a true quadripoint - it’s actually two different tripoints - It still
provides easy access between Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Botswana is the odd
man out in this riverbank meeting of nations, having less than five hundred feet of
access between Namibia and Zimbabwe. This geographic quirk has elevated the small
town to one of the most important in Africa, as they try to build infrastructure to make the
borders clearer and navigate conflicts between the four countries. While most of the people living
in the area are humble fishermen and traders, the site has become a major trade
route - as well as a popular site for tourists to take photos of them
trying to stand in multiple countries. And speaking of water conflicts, this final strange border is a
tale of the haves and have nots. #1. Neum, Croatia/Bosnia and Herzegovina You’re a resident of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
and you’d just like to go for a swim. Let’s head to the beach! Easy, right? Not quite - because
Croatia is hoarding all the beach real estate! It’s another one of those border conflicts that
comes out of the fall of communism in the early 90s. As the ethnic hodgepodge of Yugoslavia
split up into several smaller countries conflicts started over where the borders
should be drawn between ethnic groups. This led to the strange situation
of Croatia's borders leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina almost entirely
landlocked by a long strip of land. But is there any hope for Bosnian beachgoers? As it turns out, there is! Bosnia and
Herzegovina actually does have one tiny strip of beachfront territory in the municipality
of Neum, giving them about twelve miles of coastline. But this has caused conflict of its
own, as it separates Croatia’s own waterfront and causes issues getting goods from
one part of the country to another. The two countries have never had warm relations,
and this little municipality of 4600 people is right in the middle of a possible flashpoint.
A treaty to allow commercial activity through Neum for both countries was hashed
out - but remains unimplemented, meaning both countries will continue to enjoy
fun in the sun with a side of global conflict. Want to know more about modern border
conflicts? Check out “Insane Ways People Cross the Mexican-American Border
Illegally”, or watch this video instead!
