Not all international borders are uncomplicated, straight lines dividing one country from another. In reality, a political map shows what a mess these boundaries—often invisible, but occasionally obvious—can be.
You’ll find countries surrounded on all sides by other countries, and countries scattered in pieces throughout other countries.
There are borders expressed as painted lines that divide villages—the line between Belgium and the Netherlands even goes right through homes and cafés—and those that rise up 29,029 feet above sea level.
Scroll down to see some of the most interesting international borders you might encounter around the world.
RUSSIA AND USA
Two and a half miles separate the islands of Little Diomede and Big Diomede. The latter is Russian, and entirely uninhabited, while the former belongs to the United States and has approximately 150 very hardy residents. The space between the two Diomedes doubles as an unusual international border and the International Date Line. According to Mental Floss, locals on Little Diomede can spend their Fridays expectantly watching the weekend wash over Big Diomede.
KOREAN DEMILITARIZED ZONE
Between North Korea and South Korea is a buffer, known as the Korean Demilitarized Zone. More than half a century after its creation in 1953, this 2.5 mile-wide and 155-mile-long stretch has become something of a nature reserve. Both countries have cooperated to protect the rare wildlife that his flourished in this undeveloped corridor. NBC News reported that endangered cranes and even rare Siberian tigers have emerged here, in addition to roe deer, gorals, and wild boar.
NEPAL AND CHINA IN MOUNT EVEREST
To trace the international border separating Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region—a part of China—you’ll have to climb the world’s tallest mountain. This border splits Mount Everest at its summit: more than 29,000 feet above sea level.
INDIA INSIDE BANGLADESH INSIDE INDIA INSIDE BANGLADESH
Until August 2015, the Indian enclave of Dahala Khagrabi was surrounded by a Bangladeshi enclave, which was surrounded by an Indian enclave inside Bangladesh. As interesting as these cartographic oddities are, they can be a nightmare for those living inside of them. After all, you may need to enter a foreign country just to visit the market. A land swap in 2015, reported by the Washington Post, ended the world’s only third-order enclave by allowing citizens to accept new citizenship or keep their original citizenship and relocate.
FINLAND AND SWEDEN ZIGZAG BORDER
Märket Island, suspended between Finland and Sweden is a peculiar island. Märket Island (Swedish for “border marker”) was meant to be split clean down the middle. But a Finnish lighthouse, erected on the Swedish side of Märket (when Finland was controlled by Russia) violated the border. To correct the mistake, the border across Market now zigs and zags wildly.
Source : Travel and Leisure
