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Borders & Territories: fun facts and quiz
The essentials in 7 ideas, with fun facts, an illustrated story and a quiz to see how much you know.
The essentials
The Longest Border
The border between Canada and the United States runs about 8,900 km, the longest between any two countries.
Key fact
Much of it follows the 49th parallel.
Most Neighbours
China and Russia each border 14 countries, more than any other nation.
Key fact
Island nations like Japan have no land borders at all.
Countries Inside Countries
A few countries sit entirely inside another: Lesotho is surrounded by South Africa, and Vatican City and San Marino by Italy.
Key fact
These are called enclaved countries.
Natural Borders
Many borders follow rivers, mountains or lakes, like the Pyrenees between Spain and France. Others are straight lines drawn on maps.
Key fact
Many of Africa’s straight borders were drawn by colonial powers.
Strange Borders
In the town of Baarle, the Belgium–Netherlands border zigzags through streets and even buildings, creating dozens of tiny enclaves.
Key fact
In Baarle, a house’s front door decides which country it’s in.
Unclaimed & Shared Land
Antarctica is governed by a treaty that reserves it for peace and science. Bir Tawil, a patch of desert between Egypt and Sudan, is claimed by neither.
Key fact
The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959.
Borders at Sea
Countries control the sea up to 12 nautical miles from their coast, and have special rights to fish and resources up to 200 nautical miles out, in their exclusive economic zone.
Key fact
France has the largest exclusive economic zone, thanks to overseas territories.
Fun facts
Along much of the Canada–US border, a strip about 6 m wide is kept clear of trees. It’s called the Vista.
France’s longest land border is with Brazil, through its overseas region of French Guiana.
Lesotho is the only country lying entirely above 1,000 m.
Rivers move, so borders can too: the US–Mexico line has shifted as the Rio Grande changed course.
The US–Canada border runs through the Haskell Free Library: a black line on the floor marks where one country ends.
Antarctica has no permanent residents, yet about 11 babies have been born there.
The high seas, beyond any country’s zone, cover nearly half of Earth’s surface.
Story: The Pig War
The Pig War
1859, San Juan Island. The US–British border in the Pacific Northwest runs “through the channel”, but nobody agrees which channel. Both sides settle the island.
An American farmer finds a British company’s pig eating his potatoes, and shoots it. Soon hundreds of soldiers and several warships face off.
Nobody fired another shot. Both armies shared the island for 12 years, until Germany’s emperor, asked to decide, gave it to the US in 1872.
True or false?
Tap your answer to see if you got it, and why.
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Question 1 of 10
Canada and the USA share the world’s longest border.
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True. Including the border with Alaska.
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Question 2 of 10
Russia borders as many countries as China.
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True. They tie for the most.
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Question 3 of 10
Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa.
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True. A mountain kingdom inside South Africa.
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Question 4 of 10
The Pyrenees form much of the Spain–France border.
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True. A mountain wall between them.
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Question 5 of 10
In Baarle, the border runs through some buildings.
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True. Even through cafés and homes.
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Question 6 of 10
Bir Tawil is claimed by no country.
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True. A rare unclaimed patch of land.
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Question 7 of 10
France has the largest exclusive economic zone.
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True. Thanks to its overseas territories.
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Question 8 of 10
Much of the Canada–US border follows the equator.
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False. Much of it follows the 49th parallel.
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Question 9 of 10
Japan shares land borders with three countries.
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False. It has no land borders.
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Question 10 of 10
San Marino is surrounded by France.
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False. It’s surrounded by Italy.
Keep going in the app
KnowSoda learns what you know and brings back what you’re about to forget. Borders & Territories has 6 more ideas at the Advanced and Expert levels.
Sources
- International Boundary Commission (US–Canada)
- CIA World Factbook — Land boundaries
- Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty
- UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982)
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Baarle-Hertog, Bir Tawil, Kaliningrad
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Four Corners, Korean Demilitarized Zone, Schengen Agreement, Pheasant Island
- European Commission — Schengen Area
