Borders are generally defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain , or by political entities such as governments , sovereign states , federated states , and other subnational entities . Political borders can be established through warfare , colonization , or mutual agreements between the political entities that reside in those areas.
126-560: Some borders—such as most states' internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area —are open and completely unguarded. Most external political borders are partially or fully controlled, and may be crossed legally only at designated border checkpoints ; adjacent border zones may also be controlled. For the purposes of border control , airports and seaports are also classed as borders. Most countries have some form of border control to regulate or limit
252-408: A conceptual artistic practice , however, opens up the possibility for artists to explore similar concerns of identity and national origin(s) but whose location is not specific to the U.S-Mexico border. A border can be a division, dividing groups of people and families. Borders can include but are not limited to language, culture, social and economic class, religion, and national identity. In addition to
378-768: A DMZ unexposed to human influence and thus developed into a natural border or wildlife preserve, such as on the Korean Demilitarized Zone , the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone , and the Green Line in Cyprus . Borders undermine economic activity and development by reducing trade activity. The presence of borders often fosters certain economic features or anomalies. Wherever two jurisdictions come into contact, special economic opportunities arise for border trade . Smuggling provides
504-554: A beach. Minnesota and Ontario both offer state-sanctioned parks and campsites, which can be located through the respective governments. Backcountry campers can locate a prospective campsite on Lake of the Woods by boat, landing and examine the site in person. There is abundant wildlife even on the small islands on the lake. Numerous marinas and resorts on the lake provide accommodation and dining, houseboat rentals, nautical charts, camping and fishing advice, and knowledge on how to most enjoy
630-554: A border may be a de facto military ceasefire line. In much of Europe, controls on persons were abolished by the 1985 Schengen Agreement and subsequent European Union legislation. Since the Treaty of Amsterdam , the competence to pass laws on crossing internal and external borders within the European Union and the associated Schengen Area states ( Iceland , Norway , Switzerland , and Liechtenstein ) lies exclusively within
756-630: A border often requires the payment of excise tax , often collected by customs officials. Animals (and occasionally humans) moving across borders may need to go into quarantine to prevent the spread of exotic infectious diseases. Most countries prohibit carrying illegal drugs or endangered animals across their borders. Moving goods, animals, or people illegally across a border, without declaring them or seeking permission, or deliberately evading official inspection, constitutes smuggling . Controls on car liability insurance validity and other formalities may also take place. A border may have been: In addition,
882-520: A canal (Turtle Portage 49°11′50″N 94°07′26″W / 49.1972528°N 94.1239568°W / 49.1972528; -94.1239568 ) was cut through at this point, effectively making the Aulneau an island. The canal has now been filled back in. A manually run portage for small- to medium-sized boats is in its place. The Aulneau is approximately twenty miles long (32 km) and ten miles (16 km) wide. It contains within it over eighty lakes,
1008-516: A cease-fire line, an LoC was first created with the Simla Agreement between India and Pakistan . Similar to a cease-fire line, an LoC is typically the result of war, military stalemates and unresolved land ownership conflict. A maritime border is a division enclosing an area in the ocean where a nation has exclusive rights over the mineral and biological resources, encompassing maritime features, limits and zones. Maritime borders represent
1134-477: A classic case; contrariwise, a border region may flourish on the provision of excise or of import – export services — legal or quasi-legal, corrupt or legitimate. Different regulations on either side of a border may encourage services to position themselves at or near that border: thus the provision of pornography , of prostitution , of alcohol , fireworks , and/or of narcotics may cluster around borders, city limits, county lines, ports and airports . In
1260-429: A combination of mediums). They may at once be artists and activists , existing in multiple social roles at once. Many border artists defy easy classifications in their artistic practice and work. [REDACTED] Media related to Borders at Wikimedia Commons Schengen Area The Schengen Area ( English: / ˈ ʃ ɛ ŋ ən / SHENG -ən , Luxembourgish: [ˈʃæŋən] )
1386-469: A decision). Fiat boundaries are typically the product of human demarcation, such as in demarcating electoral districts or postal districts. A relic border is a former boundary, which may no longer be a legal boundary at all. However, the former presence of the boundary can still be seen in the landscape. For instance, the boundary between East and West Germany is no longer an international boundary, but it can still be seen because of historical markers on
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#17327732161271512-538: A division, a border can also conceive a borderland area that can create a cohesive community separate from the mainstream cultures and identities portrayed in the communities away from the borders, such as the Tijuana-San Diego border between Mexico and the United States. Border art can be defined as an art that is created in reference to any number of physical or imagined boundaries. This art can but
1638-606: A huge tribulation on a daily basis for the Turkish Cypriots " of Northern Cyprus , and it is unclear if this control is possible before the resolution of the dispute. The British Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia , a British Overseas Territory which is outside the EU, also needs "other handling and mechanisms". Akrotiri and Dhekelia has no border control to Cyprus, but has its own border control at its air base. As of 2018 no date has been fixed for implementation of
1764-407: A more planned and official context, Special Economic Zones (SEZs) often tend to cluster near borders or ports. Even if the goods are not perceived to be undesirable, states will still seek to document and regulate the cross-border trade in order to collect tariffs and benefit from foreign currency exchange revenues. Thus, there is the concept unofficial trade in goods otherwise legal; for example,
1890-567: A parliamentary question regarding "what obstacles remain in the path of Romanian accession to the Schengen area 15 years after joining the EU" as fulfilment of the accession criteria was recognised on 9 June 2011. A second attempt for Romania's accession to Schengen was to be established in the Justice and Home Affairs Council from 8–9 December 2022, with the EC announcing the topics on the agenda of
2016-580: A part of the Schengen agreement, often for the sake of liaising over law enforcement. In 2020, the UK declared its intent to withdraw from these arrangements at the end of its transition period , and did so on 31 December 2020. In contrast, while Ireland initially submitted a request to participate in the Schengen acquis in 2002, which was approved by the Council of the European Union, that decision took nearly eighteen years to be put into effect. In February 2010
2142-598: A particular state of mind for human activity. As such frontiers have been applied to borderlands identifying and claiming them as terra nullius , such as Marie Byrd Land in West Antarctica , the only territory in Antarctica unclaimed by any sovereign nation. In places where smuggling, migration, and infiltration are a problem, many countries fortify borders with fences and barriers , and institute formal border control procedures. These can extend inland, as in
2268-475: A questionnaire and visits by EU experts to selected institutions and workplaces in the country under assessment. Notes The procedure to enter the Schengen Area is that European Commission evaluates certain criteria. These criteria include border control legislation, infrastructure and organisation, personal data protection, visas, deportations, police cooperation and more. After a positive evaluation
2394-468: A result, the border between Svalbard and the rest of Norway is largely treated like any other external Schengen border. A Schengen visa must be multiple entry to allow returning to Norway. There is no welfare or asylum system for immigrants on Svalbard, and people incapable of supporting themselves may be sent away. The Danish territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland are neither part of
2520-528: A separate visa system from the European part of the Netherlands and people travelling between these islands and the Schengen Area are subjected to full border checks, with a passport being required even for EU/Schengen citizens, including Dutch (national ID cards are not accepted). Svalbard is part of Norway and has a special status under international law . It is not part of the Schengen Area. There
2646-517: A value of €2.8 trillion. The decrease in the cost of trade due to Schengen varies from 0.42% to 1.59% depending on geography, trade partners, and other factors. Countries outside of the Schengen Area also benefit. States in the Schengen Area have strengthened border controls with non-Schengen countries. Before the First World War , most countries of the world, including Europe, had lax border policies, facilitating such educational trips as
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#17327732161272772-454: A visa either upon arrival or in transit. While Bulgaria and Romania, which joined the EU on 1 January 2007, were legally bound to join the Schengen Area, implementation had been delayed. On 15 October 2010, Bulgaria and Romania joined SIS II for law enforcement cooperation. On 9 June 2011, the Council of Ministers concluded that the evaluation process had been completed successfully and that
2898-436: A visa to enter the Schengen Area need a multiple-entry visa to visit Andorra, because entering Andorra means leaving the Schengen Area, and re-entering France or Spain is considered a new entry into the Schengen Area. Andorran citizens do not receive a passport stamp when they enter and leave the Schengen Area. Andorra's ambassador to Spain, Jaume Gaytán, has said that he hopes that the agreement will include provisions to make
3024-579: Is a general agreement of vertical airspace ending at the point of the Kármán line . The Kármán line is a peak point at the altitude of 62 mi (100 km) above the Earth's surface, setting a boundary between the atmosphere (airspace) and outer space (which is governed by space law ). The frontier is a border that is open-ended to one side, identifying an expanding borderland to one side. This type of border can be fairly abstract and has been identified as
3150-681: Is adjacent to the Lake of the Woods and is the source for the City of Winnipeg drinking water via the Greater Winnipeg Water District Aqueduct , so the administration of the lake is of continuing interest to the governments of Winnipeg and Manitoba. The largest land feature in Lake of the Woods is the Aulneau Peninsula. It is connected to the mainland with a tiny neck of land at its southeast corner, but
3276-524: Is also valid for the French side. France also has several territories which are neither part of the EU nor the Schengen Area. These are: French Polynesia , French Southern and Antarctic Lands , New Caledonia , Saint Barthélemy , Saint-Pierre and Miquelon , and Wallis and Futuna . Only the Netherlands' European territory is part of the Schengen Area. Six Dutch territories in the Caribbean are outside
3402-462: Is an area encompassing 29 European countries that have officially abolished border controls at their mutual borders. Being an element within the wider area of freedom, security and justice policy of the European Union (EU), it mostly functions as a single jurisdiction under a common visa policy for international travel purposes. The area is named after the 1985 Schengen Agreement and
3528-452: Is explained by an array of factors, some of which illustrate regional problems. Airspace is the atmosphere located within a country's controlled international and maritime borders. All sovereign countries hold the right to regulate and protect air space under the international law of Air sovereignty . The horizontal boundaries of airspace are similar to the policies of " high seas " in maritime law. Airspace extends 12 nautical miles from
3654-593: Is fed by the Rainy River , Shoal Lake , Kakagi Lake and other smaller rivers. The lake drains into the Winnipeg River and then into Lake Winnipeg . Ultimately, its outflow goes north through the Nelson River to Hudson Bay . Lake of the Woods is also the sixth largest freshwater lake located (at least partially) in the United States, after the five Great Lakes , and the 36th largest lake in
3780-469: Is legally obliged to join in the future, while Ireland maintains an opt-out and operates its own visa policy . Denmark also maintains an opt-out from the wider AFSJ policy area, but has adopted the Schengen acquis on an intergovernmental basis. Denmark does not have voting powers for introductions and revocations of measures applied to the Schengen area as a result of this opt-out. In addition to
3906-411: Is less controversial from a migrant control perspective, because airlines are already required to check identity documents before boarding. Due to anti-terrorism legislation, this has long been common practice, even for routes within the same country. On 22 November 2024, Austria agreed to lift its veto on Bulgaria and Romania's full accession. The final decision is expected at a meeting of the Council of
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4032-475: Is no visa regime in existence for Svalbard either for entry, residence or work, but it is difficult to visit Svalbard without travelling through the Schengen Area, although there are charter flights from Russia. Since 2011, the Norwegian government has imposed systematic border checks on individuals wishing to enter and leave Svalbard, requiring a passport or national identity card for non-Norwegian citizens. As
4158-479: Is not limited to social , political , physical, emotional and/or nationalist issues. Border art is not confined to one particular medium . Border art/artists often address the forced politicization of human bodies and physical land and the arbitrary, yet incredibly harmful, separations that are created by these borders and boundaries. These artists are often "border crossers" themselves. They may cross borders of traditional art-making (through performance, video, or
4284-621: The 38th Parallel (between North and South Korea), Western Sahara conflict , and Kashmir region conflicts between India and Pakistan. A border conflict can occur due to several reasons. Most commonly, territorial disputes can result in border conflicts, as it is the case with the Kashmir conflict. Borders have sometimes been significantly shaped by physical border constructions and openings. From border crossings, over border markers to border barriers these constructions fulfill many different functions. Such as also providing crossover. Even
4410-610: The British Nationality Act 1981 , Gibraltarians had been counted as British nationals for the purposes of Community law, and as such they had enjoyed full free movement within the European Economic Area and Switzerland . During the Brexit transition period until 31 December 2020, Gibraltar was still for most purposes treated as an EU territory. On 31 December 2020, the governments of Spain and of
4536-614: The Council of the European Union authorised the opening of negotiations for agreements between the European Union and Andorra and San Marino, respectively, in order to create a legal basis for the absence of border controls between these countries and the Schengen area. Andorra is landlocked and does not have an airport or seaport, but there are several heliports. Visitors to the country can gain access only by road or helicopter through Schengen members France or Spain. Andorra has no border controls with either France or Spain. Border control points exist and border controls may be carried out in
4662-581: The EC structures , but led to the creation of the Schengen Area on 26 March 1995. As more EU member states signed the Schengen Agreement, consensus was reached on absorbing it into the procedures of the EU. The Agreement and its related conventions were incorporated into the mainstream of European Union law by the Amsterdam Treaty in 1997, which came into effect in 1999. A consequence of
4788-532: The European Communities (EC), the predecessor of the EU, was established in the 1950s for economic cooperation, though it did not deal with border control issues. The first move towards the abolition of border controls between EC member states took place on 14 June 1985 with the signing of the Schengen Agreement by five EEC members - the Benelux countries as well as France and West Germany - of
4914-482: The European Union provides financial support to cross-border regions via its Interreg programme. The Council of Europe has issued the Outline Convention on Transfrontier Co-operation , providing a legal framework for cross-border co-operation even though it is in practice rarely used by Euroregions. There has been a renaissance in the study of borders starting with the end of the 1990s, partially from
5040-519: The French Revolution or in Europe since the 1940s, de-emphasizes border-based economic activity and fosters free trade . Euroregions are similar official structures built around commuting across boundary. Political borders have a variety of meanings for those whom they affect. Many borders in the world have checkpoints where border control agents inspect persons and/or goods crossing
5166-557: The Grand Tour amongst the upper classes. Visas became commonplace during the interwar period , as did border controls. After the Second World War , however, customs unions arose between various European countries. The Nordic countries allowed free movement and residence between them in 1954 , and the countries of Benelux abolished their mutual borders in 1960. This reflected a greater trend towards European integration;
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5292-553: The Middle East . The Canada–United States border follows the 49th parallel for roughly 2,175 miles (3,500 km) from Lake of the Woods ( Ontario and Minnesota ) west to the Pacific Ocean . A generalization of the idea of geometric borders is the idea of fiat boundaries by which is meant any sort of boundary that does not track an underlying bona fide physical discontinuity ( fiat , Latin for "let it be done",
5418-750: The Schengen Information System (SIS) (participation in the SIS allows for cooperation on crime, immigration and other security-related matters within the Schengen Area). In October 2023, the Commission was to "verify that the necessary conditions for the application of the Schengen acquis in the field of the Schengen Information System have been met". As a result of Brexit , Gibraltar ceased to be part of
5544-491: The Vatican City — are not officially part of the Schengen Area, but are considered de facto within the Schengen Area, as they have open or semi-open borders and do not conduct systematic border controls with the Schengen countries that surround them. Some national laws have the text "countries against which border control is not performed based on the Schengen Agreement and the 562/2006 EU regulation", which then includes
5670-411: The juxtaposed controls at Eurostar stations, although he admitted the situation there is slightly different. On 31 December 2020, Spain's foreign minister, Arancha González Laya said that she anticipated that it would take about six months to negotiate and conclude a treaty but that in the meantime Spain would work to ensure that mobility at the border would be "as fluid as possible". Apart from
5796-420: The 1990 Schengen Convention , both signed in Schengen, Luxembourg . Of the 27 EU member states , 25 are members of the Schengen Area. Bulgaria and Romania , the newest members, have had air and maritime borders open since March 2024, with land border controls expected to be lifted no earlier than 1 July 2025. The only EU member states that are not part of the Schengen Area are Cyprus and Ireland . Cyprus
5922-715: The 3,600 km (2,200 mi) US-Mexico border is probably "the world's longest boundary between a First World and Third World country". Historic borders such as the Great Wall of China , the Maginot Line , and Hadrian's Wall have played a great many roles and been marked in different ways. While the stone walls , the Great Wall of China and the Roman Hadrian's Wall in Britain had military functions,
6048-619: The African Borderlands Research Network and the founding of smaller border research centres at Nijmegen and Queen's University Belfast . Border art is a contemporary art practice rooted in the socio-political experience(s), such as of those on the U.S.-Mexico borderlands , or frontera . Since its conception in the mid-1980s, this artistic practice has assisted in the development of questions surrounding homeland , borders, surveillance , identity, race , ethnicity , and national origin (s). Border art as
6174-620: The Agreement being part of European law is that any amendment or regulation is made within its processes, in which the non-EU members are not participants. The UK, the Crown Dependencies, and the Republic of Ireland have operated a Common Travel Area (CTA) since 1923 (with passport-free travel and freedom of movement with each other), but the UK would not abolish border controls with any other countries and therefore opted out of
6300-568: The Agreement. While not signing the Schengen Treaty, the Republic of Ireland has always looked more favourably on joining, but has not done so in order to maintain the CTA and its open border with Northern Ireland . The common visa policy allows nationals of certain countries to enter the Schengen Area via air, land or sea without a visa for stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Nationals of certain other countries are required to have
6426-599: The Area. Three of these territories – Bonaire , Sint Eustatius and Saba (collectively known as the BES islands ) – are special municipalities within the Netherlands proper. The other three – Aruba , Curaçao and Sint Maarten – are autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. All islands retain their status as Overseas countries and territories and are thus not part of the European Union . The six territories have
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#17327732161276552-509: The Common Travel Area and not join the Schengen Area for the foreseeable future , because it wants to keep open its land border with the UK . In 1999, the UK formally requested participation in certain provisions of the Schengen acquis – Title III relating to Police Security and Judicial Cooperation, and this request was approved by the Council of the European Union on 29 May 2000. The United Kingdom's formal participation in
6678-463: The EU apply, but each territory operates its own visa regime for non- European Economic Area (EEA), non-Swiss nationals. While a visa valid for one of these territories will be valid for all, visa exemption lists differ. A Schengen visa, even one issued by France, is not valid for these territories. A visa for Sint Maarten (which is valid for travelling to the Dutch side of the island of Saint Martin )
6804-532: The EU by the Treaty of Amsterdam , Ireland and the United Kingdom were the only member states that had not signed the Agreement. The UK did not want to join and Ireland wished to maintain its Common Travel Area with the United Kingdom and associated islands , an arrangement that would be incompatible with Schengen membership while the UK remained out. As a result, both negotiated an opt-out from
6930-426: The European Union and NAFTA, have spurred the establishment of cross-border regions. These are initiatives driven by local or regional authorities, aimed at dealing with local border-transcending problems such as transport and environmental degradation. Many cross-border regions are also active in encouraging intercultural communication and dialogue as well as cross-border economic development strategies. In Europe ,
7056-400: The European Union nor part of the Schengen Area, and visas to Denmark are not automatically valid in these territories. However, both of these territories lack border controls on arrivals from the Schengen Area, and the air or sea carriers are responsible for carrying out document checks before boarding, as is common for travel inside the Schengen Area. Citizens of EU/EFTA countries can travel to
7182-421: The European Union on 12 December 2024, potentially enabling Bulgaria and Romania to become full members of the Schengen Area on 1 January 2025. However, land borders controls between Hungary and Romania and between Romania and Bulgaria will be maintained for at least for six more months. The Schengen Area consists of 29 countries, including four which are not members of the European Union (EU). Two of
7308-510: The European Union on 31 January 2020, although for most purposes it was treated as part of it during the transition phase until 31 December 2020. Like the United Kingdom, it had not been part of the Schengen Area but, unlike the United Kingdom, Gibraltar had also been outside of the EU customs union . Owing to a declaration lodged by the United Kingdom with the EEC in 1982, in view of the entry into force of
7434-466: The Faroes and back using a passport or a national ID card and to Greenland using a passport only, while citizens of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway or Sweden can use any acceptable identification (such as driving licences or bank ID cards; although this is advised against since aircraft might be diverted to Scotland in bad weather). When EU states were negotiating subsuming the Schengen Agreement into
7560-463: The Irish Minister for Justice, in response to a parliamentary question, said that: "The measures which will enable Ireland to meet its Schengen requirements are currently being progressed". Ireland joined the law enforcement aspect of SIS II on 1 January 2021 with plans to have "full operational capacity" two months later. Four European microstates — Andorra , Monaco , San Marino and
7686-632: The LWCB now has one member appointed by Canada, two appointed by Ontario, and one appointed by Manitoba. Following the IJC recommendations of 1917, discussions between the federal governments of Canada and the United States resulted in the 1925 Canada/USA Convention and Protocol regarding Lake of the Woods. This treaty established the water level operating range on Lake of the Woods, defined the purpose and general mode of operation, and provided for two boards to control regulation. The previously established Canadian LWCB
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#17327732161277812-738: The Lake of the Woods Control Board (LWCB), was established by Canadian Order-in-Council in 1919. Two additional acts provided statutory establishment of the LWCB, defined its jurisdiction and powers, and provided for board members appointed by Canada and Ontario: the Lake of the Woods Control Board Act , Canada, 1921, the Lake of the Woods Control Board Act , Ontario, 1922. In 1922, the Canada-Ontario-Manitoba Tripartite Agreement
7938-535: The Lake of the Woods outlets in present-day Kenora in the late 19th century led to concerns over high and low water levels on the lake early in the 20th century. The federal governments of Canada and the United States referred the matter to the International Joint Commission (IJC) in 1912. In 1917 the IJC recommended the creation of control boards and the operating conditions they would apply to lake level management. The first of these boards,
8064-574: The Schengen Agreement. The only areas of Schengen member states located in Europe but excluded are the Faroe Islands and Svalbard. The French overseas departments of French Guiana , Guadeloupe , Martinique , Mayotte and Réunion , and the overseas collectivity of Saint Martin are part of the European Union but do not form part of the Schengen Area; so one cannot travel there with a French Schengen Visa. The freedom of movement provisions of
8190-471: The Schengen Area also includes four European micro-states – Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican City ;– that maintain open or semi-open borders with other Schengen member countries. One EU member state – Ireland – negotiated opt-outs from Schengen and continues to operate border controls with other EU member states, while at
8316-546: The Schengen Area due to their small size and difficulty of maintaining active border controls. The Schengen Area has a population of more than 450 million people and an area of 4,595,131 square kilometres (1,774,190 sq mi). About 1.7 million people commute to work across an internal European border each day, and in some regions these people constitute up to a third of the workforce. In 2015, there were 1.3 billion crossings of Schengen borders in total. Fifty-seven million crossings were due to transport of goods by road, with
8442-558: The Schengen Area in 2023, with border control-free travel by air planned for October 2023, followed by the abolition of land border controls by 1 January 2024. In a resolution, which members of the European Parliament called on the Council to approve Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen free-travel area by the end of 2023, adopted on 12 July with 526 votes in favour, 57 votes against, and 42 abstaining, Parliament stresses that "both countries have already fulfilled
8568-499: The Schengen Area. UK citizens who are not residents of Gibraltar will be subjected to third-country national checks when they enter Gibraltar through the Gibraltar port or airport. It is anticipated that the third-country national check will entail two controls, one by Gibraltar's Borders and Coastguard Agency , giving entry into Gibraltar, and one by Frontex , giving entry into the Schengen Area. Picardo likened this arrangement to
8694-442: The Schengen Area. Liechtenstein does not issue visas and as such recommends visitors apply for a visa in another Schengen country, e.g. Switzerland. Monaco has an open border with France. Schengen laws are administered as if it were part of the EU as a result of bilateral agreements with France, and Schengen visas are accepted. Both French and Monégasque authorities carry out checks at Monaco's seaport and heliport. Lake of
8820-493: The Schengen members of the Council of the European Union decides unanimously together with the European Parliament to accept the new member. Although Cyprus , which joined the EU on 1 May 2004, is legally bound to join the Schengen Area, implementation has been delayed because of the Cyprus dispute . According to former Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Lillikas , "strict and full control based on Schengen will create
8946-485: The Schengen rules by Cyprus. Cyprus has less potential benefit from an implementation of Schengen, for it has no land border with another EU member; air travel or around 12 hours of sea travel is needed to the nearest EU member. In November 2019, Cyprus's Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Christodoulides revealed that Cyprus formally began the process of joining the Schengen Area in September. In July 2023, Cyprus joined
9072-744: The United Kingdom (advised by the Government of Gibraltar ) came to an agreement in principle on a framework for a UK-EU treaty on aspects of Gibraltar's future relationship with the European Union. Both Spain and the Head of the UK Mission to the European Union subsequently indicated with the European Commission their desire that such an agreement be negotiated and that the EU should seek a mandate for that purpose. Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo stated that he anticipates that
9198-859: The United States where the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service has jurisdiction to operate up to 100 miles from any land or sea boundary. On the other hand, some borders are merely signposted. This is common in countries within the European Schengen Area and on rural sections of the Canada–United States border . Borders may even be completely unmarked, typically in remote or forested regions; such borders are often described as "porous". Migration within territorial borders, and outside of them, represented an old and established pattern of movement in African countries, in seeking work and food, and to maintain ties with kin who had moved across
9324-545: The Woods Lake of the Woods ( French : Lac des Bois ; Ojibwe : Pikwedina Sagainan , lit. '"inland lake of the sand hills"') is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota . Lake of the Woods is over 70 miles (110 km) long and wide, containing more than 14,552 islands and 65,000 miles (105,000 km) of shoreline. It
9450-468: The Woods Control Board, however, is not a board created by the IJC. The board's members (one American and one Canadian) are appointed by the respective federal governments. Notably, at no point in this process were local Indigenous populations consulted, despite the environmental impacts of the dams on nearby communities on the Winnipeg River, such as Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation . Shoal Lake
9576-627: The accession of Bulgaria. In Romania, the Austrian veto caused strong indignation. As a result of the veto, relations between the two states were reduced following the withdrawal of Romania's ambassador to Austria from Vienna . A boycott against Austria by Romanian companies, entrepreneurs, museums and universities also began, and anti-Austrian inscriptions also appeared in branches of Austrian banks in Romania. According to Euractiv , European institutions prepared to admit Bulgaria and Romania in
9702-473: The arrangement, which will apply for an initial period of four years, will make Gibraltar's port and airport entry points to the Schengen Area. These entry points will be managed by a Frontex operation. Spain, as the neighbouring Schengen member state, will be responsible as regards the European Union for the implementation of the Schengen acquis. Residents of Gibraltar, regardless of their nationality, are anticipated to enjoy maximised and unrestricted mobility to
9828-465: The border's bounds. A DMZ can act as a war boundary, ceasefire line, wildlife preserve , or a de facto international border. An example of a demilitarized international border is the 38th parallel between North and South Korea . Other notable DMZ zones include Antarctica and outer space (consisting of all space 100 miles away from the earth's surface), both are preserved for world research and exploration. The prohibition of control by nations can make
9954-516: The borderland's natural geography and its building requires tremendous human labour and financial investment. Geometric boundaries are formed by straight lines (such as lines of latitude or longitude), or occasionally arcs (Pennsylvania/Delaware), regardless of the physical and cultural features of the area. Such political boundaries are often found around the states that developed out of colonial holdings, such as in North America , Africa and
10080-457: The borders separating said territories. They occur when one party constructs identities or interests related to the border which are incompatible with the other party's identities and interests. Border conflicts or the potential of such are the reason why many borders feature fortifications and zoning like no man's lands , demilitarized zones , demarcation lines and buffer zones . Examples of border conflicts include skirmishes and wars, such as
10206-494: The boundary itself, the area around the border is called the frontier . In the pre-modern world, the term border was vague and could refer to either side of the boundary, thus it was necessary to specify part of it with borderline or borderland . During the medieval period the government's control frequently diminished the further people got from the capital . Therefore borderland (especially impassable terrain) attracted many outlaws , as they often found sympathizers. In
10332-413: The boundary. Some borders require presentation of legal paperwork like passports and visas , or other identity documents , for persons to cross borders. To stay or work within a country's borders aliens (foreign persons) may need special immigration documents or permits ; but possession of such documents does not guarantee that the person should be allowed to cross the border. Moving goods across
10458-399: The coast of a country and it holds responsibility for protecting its own airspace unless under NATO peacetime protection. With international agreement a country can assume the responsibility of protecting or controlling the atmosphere over International Airspaces such as the Pacific Ocean . The vertical boundaries of airspace are not officially set or regulated internationally. However, there
10584-741: The creation of a counter-narrative to the discourse about the world becoming a borderless and deterritorialized place, which has accompanied theories about globalization . Examples of recent initiatives are the Border Regions in Transition network of scholars, the International Boundaries Research Unit at the University of Durham , the Association for Borderlands Studies based in North America ,
10710-555: The cross-border trade in livestock by pastoralists in the Horn of Africa . Ethiopia sells an estimated $ 250 to $ 300 million of livestock to Somalia , Kenya and Djibouti every year unofficially, over 100 times the official estimate. Human economic traffic across borders (apart from kidnapping ) may involve mass commuting between workplaces and residential settlements. The removal of internal barriers to commerce , as in France after
10836-423: The eleventh century. Such a border is political in the sense that it is human-demarcated, usually through a treaty . However, a landscape border is not demarcated by fences and walls but instead landscape features such as forests, mountains, and water bodies. It is different from a natural border, however, in the sense that the border landscape is not natural but human-engineered. Such a landscape usually differs from
10962-435: The entire length of the world's international boundaries. Natural borders are geographical features that present natural obstacles to communication and transport. Existing political borders are often a formalization of such historical, natural obstacles. Some geographical features that often constitute natural borders are: Throughout history, technological advances have reduced the costs of transport and communication across
11088-619: The entirety of the Roman borders were very porous, which encouraged Roman economic activity with neighbors. On the other hand, a border like the Maginot Line was entirely military and was meant to prevent any access in what was to be World War II to France by its neighbor, Germany; Germany ended up going around the Maginot Line through Belgium just as it had done in World War I . Border conflicts are disputes between territories that occur at
11214-482: The freedom of internal movement of its citizens, as for example in the former USSR. However, only a handful of nations have deregulated open borders with other nations, an example of this being European countries under the Schengen Agreement or the open Belarus-Russia border . Open borders used to be very common amongst all nations, however this became less common after the First World War , which led to
11340-402: The international border. The lake's islands provide nesting habitats for the piping plover and large numbers of American white pelicans and as recently as the early 20th century also provided calving habitat to boreal woodland caribou . There are also several hundred nesting pairs of bald eagles in this area. Lake of the Woods, a translation of the original French name Lac des Bois ,
11466-552: The jurisdiction of the European Union, except where states have used a specific right to opt out (United Kingdom and Ireland , which maintain the Common Travel Area amongst themselves). The United States has notably increased measures taken in border control on the Canada–United States border and the United States–Mexico border during its War on Terrorism (See Shantz 2010). One American writer has said that
11592-643: The jurisdictional borders of a maritime nation and are recognized by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea . Maritime borders exist in the context of territorial waters , contiguous zones , and exclusive economic zones ; however, the terminology does not encompass lake or river boundaries, which are considered within the context of land boundaries. Some maritime borders have remained indeterminate despite efforts to clarify them. This
11718-475: The lake and in the surrounding countryside. Much of the lake is fairly remote, but resorts and equipment outfitters offer options for those who do not have access to their own boats and equipment. Several parks are located in and on the lake, including: Minnesota's Zippel Bay State Park offers a wide variety of services including campsites, toilet facilities, a marina with access to the Zippel River, and
11844-408: The lake. Lake of the Woods is home to walleye , northern pike , perch , sauger , crappie , panfish, smallmouth bass , largemouth bass , lake trout , lake sturgeon , and muskellunge . Lake of the Woods is nicknamed the "Walleye capital of the world". The lake is the host of year-round fishing, with ice fishing being a popular recreation activity on the lake. Lake of the Woods is also home to
11970-530: The landscape; it remains a cultural and economic demarcation in Germany . Other examples include the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Vietnam (defunct since 1975) and the border between North and South Yemen (defunct since 1990). Occasionally a relic border is reconstituted in some form, for example the border between British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland ceased to exist when
12096-610: The largest of which is Arrow Lake, with thirteen islands in it. The Aulneau Peninsula was named after the Jesuit Father Jean-Pierre Aulneau , a French Catholic priest , who was killed by natives on 8 June 1736 on Lake of the Woods. The Catholic Church in Warroad, Minnesota , is named Father Aulneau Memorial Church in his honour. Tourism is a large part of the local economy of Lake of the Woods, and there are many recreational opportunities available on
12222-527: The many islands found in the northern half of the lake. The other name (2) Lac des Bois, or Lake of the Woods, seems to have been a mistranslation of the Indian [sic] name (Anishinaabe) by which the Lake was known. One of the names currently used in Anishinaabe for this lake is Babiikwaawangaa-zaagaʼigan meaning "Lake with Uneven Sand" referring to the lake's sand dunes. The construction of dams at
12348-422: The meeting, which failed following opposition by Austria, as officials considered Bulgaria and Romania to be a transit route for most immigrants to the country . Romania disputes that assessment, and had unsuccessfully attempted to convince the Austrian government to vote for Romania's accession to Schengen. Despite having declared support for Romania, the Netherlands also voted against due to its opposition for
12474-487: The member states of the European Union, all member states of the European Free Trade Association , namely Iceland , Liechtenstein , Norway and Switzerland , have signed association agreements with the EU to be part of the Schengen Area. Moreover, the territory of four microstates – Andorra , Monaco , San Marino and Vatican City – is de facto included in
12600-519: The microstates and other non-EU areas with open borders. The three microstates cannot issue Schengen visas and with the exception of Monaco, are not formally part of the Schengen Area. As of 2015 , Andorra, Monaco and San Marino were negotiating an Association Agreement with the EU. Monaco left the negotiations in 2023, while an agreement for Andorra and San Marino is expected to be concluded in 2024. The agreement only concerns free movement of people and not border control issues. However, on 30 May 2024,
12726-699: The most fortified borders reserve specific places to allow crossing. The many forms of borders have different ways of enabling and controlling passage. Borders can have a significant impact on and function for movement. It can enable and stop movement, across as well as along borders. The permeability of borders depends on its construction, availability of crossings, regulation and types or scope of activity. The permeability can vary, borders can be barriers for humans, but also for animal migration or types of pollution . Borders facilitate or block hybrids like border overlap and cooperation beyond mere encounter and exchange. Macro-regional integration initiatives, such as
12852-764: The most regulated borders in the world include: Australia , the United States , Israel , Canada , the United Kingdom , and the United Arab Emirates . These nations have government-controlled border agencies and organizations that enforce border regulation policies on and within their borders. An open border is the deregulation and or lack of regulation on the movement of persons between nations and jurisdictions. This definition does not apply to trade or movement between privately owned land areas. Most nations have open borders for travel within their nation of travel, though more authoritarian states may limit
12978-416: The movement of people, animals, and goods into and out of the country. Under international law, each country is generally permitted to legislate the conditions that have to be met in order to cross its borders, and to prevent people from crossing its borders in violation of those laws. Buffer zones may be set up on borders between belligerent entities to lower the risk of escalation. While border refers to
13104-522: The movement of persons and trade between nations and jurisdictions . Most industrialized nations have regulations on entry and require one or more of the following procedures: visa check, passport check or customs checks. Most regulated borders have regulations on immigration, types of wildlife and plants, and illegal objects such as drugs or weapons. Overall border regulations are placed by national and local governments and can vary depending on nation and current political or economic conditions. Some of
13230-489: The natural borders. That has reduced the significance of natural borders over time. As a result, political borders that have been formalized more recently, such as those in Africa or Americas, typically conform less to natural borders than very old borders, such as those in Europe or Asia, do. A landscape border is a mixture of political and natural borders. One example is the defensive forest created by China's Song dynasty in
13356-584: The necessary requirements to be admitted into Schengen". However, in September 2023 Austria reiterated its objection to admitting the countries to the Schengen Area. In response, Romania threatened to challenge Austria's veto at the European Court of Justice to claim financial compensation. On 30 December 2023, an agreement was reached for Bulgaria and Romania to join the Schengen Area for air and sea travel on 31 March 2024, with land borders to be discussed later that year. Lifting air and sea borders
13482-582: The non-EU members – Iceland and Norway – are part of the Nordic Passport Union and are officially classified as states associated with the Schengen activities of the EU. Switzerland was allowed to participate in the same manner in 2008, and Liechtenstein in 2011. Bulgaria and Romania , the newest members of the Schengen Area, have had air and maritime borders open since March 2024, with land border controls expected to be lifted on 1 January 2025. De facto ,
13608-435: The other direction, but these are more focused on customs control ( Andorra has considerably lower taxes than its neighbours, with for example a standard VAT rate of just 4.5% ). Andorra does not have any visa requirements. Citizens of EU countries need either a national identity card or passport to enter Andorra, while anyone else requires a passport or equivalent. Schengen visas are accepted, but those travellers who need
13734-444: The part of the treaty which was to incorporate the Schengen rules (or acquis ) into EU Law when it came into effect on 1 May 1999. Under the relevant protocol, either may request to participate in aspects of the Schengen acquis but this is subject to the approval of the Schengen states. On 31 January 2020, the United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union and the protocol ceased to apply to it. Ireland will continue to operate
13860-582: The past, many borders were not clearly defined lines; instead there were often intervening areas often claimed and fought over by both sides, sometimes called marchlands . Special cases in modern times were the Saudi Arabian–Iraqi neutral zone from 1922 to 1991 and the Saudi Arabian–Kuwaiti neutral zone from 1922 until 1970. In modern times, marchlands have been replaced by clearly defined and demarcated borders. Political borders are imposed on
13986-445: The previously approved areas of cooperation was put into effect by a 2004 Council decision that came into effect on 1 January 2005. Although the United Kingdom was not part of the Schengen passport-free area, it still used the Schengen Information System , a governmental database used by European countries to store and disseminate information on individuals and property. This allowed the UK to exchange information with countries that are
14112-578: The previously porous borders of their homelands. When the colonial frontiers were drawn, Western countries attempted to obtain a monopoly on the recruitment of labor in many African countries, which altered the practical and institutional context in which the old migration patterns had been followed, and some might argue, are still followed today. The frontiers were particularly porous for the physical movement of migrants, and people living in borderlands easily maintained transnational cultural and social networks. Regulated borders have varying degrees of control on
14238-407: The regulation of open borders, making them less common and no longer feasible for most industrialized nations . An example of Open orders include the Schengen Area where 29 European nations mutually abolished their border control. A demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a border separating two or more nations, groups or militaries that have agreed to prohibit the use of military activity or force within
14364-620: The same time being part of the open-border Common Travel Area with the United Kingdom (a former EU member that had held a similar opt-out) and the Crown Dependencies . The remaining EU member state – Cyprus – is obliged by its Treaties of Accession to join the Schengen Area eventually. However, before fully implementing the Schengen rules, the state must have its preparedness assessed in four areas: air borders , visas , police cooperation, and personal data protection . This evaluation process involves
14490-493: The states associate members of the Schengen Agreement . As of June 2024, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that Andorra has a de facto open border with Spain and France. Liechtenstein is landlocked and does not have an international airport. It has been a member of the Schengen Area since 2011. It does not have a border check at Balzers heliport, as flights to and from Balzers must be to or from
14616-499: The then ten EEC member states. These five countries entered into Schengen Agreement separately from the European Communities , because consensus could not be reached among all EEC member states. The Agreement was supplemented in 1990 by the Schengen Convention, which proposed the abolition of internal border controls and a common visa policy. The Agreements and the rules adopted under them continued to be separate from
14742-484: The two colonies merged to form the independent state of Somalia in 1960, however when the former British Somaliland declared independence in 1991 it claimed the former British-Italian line as its eastern border. A line of control (LoC) refers to a militarized buffer border between two or more nations that has yet to achieve permanent border status. LoC borders are typically under military control and are not recognized as an official international border. Formally known as
14868-594: The two countries can become part of the Schengen Area and stop systematic border checks with neighbouring EU countries must be taken unanimously by all sides of the European Council ." On 11 December 2018, the European Parliament voted for the resolution in favour of accepting both countries, requiring the Council of the European Union to "act swiftly" on the matter. On 3 March 2022, Romanian MEP Eugen Tomac officially requested an answer through
14994-459: The two countries fulfilled all technical accession criteria. Bulgaria's and Romania's bids to join the Schengen Area were approved by the European Parliament in June 2011 but rejected by the Council of Ministers in September 2011, with the Dutch and Finnish governments citing concerns about shortcomings in anti-corruption measures and in the fight against organised crime. Although the original plan
15120-814: The unrestricted mobility of persons, the negotiations will also seek to address maximised and unrestricted mobility of goods between Gibraltar and the European Union, and consider matters related to the environment, the level playing field, social security coordination, citizens’ rights, data, and matters related to continued document recognition. On 6 October 2021, the EU agreed to open formal negotiations with UK anticipating an agreement on Gibraltar, and negotiations started soon after. They were ongoing as of February 2022; hopes were they would finish during spring 2022. As of December 2022 , negotiations were continuing, but appeared to be deadlocked over policing of passport control at Gibraltar airport. Notes There are territories of Schengen member states that are exempted from
15246-424: The world by area . It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States . The Northwest Angle and the town of Angle Township can be reached from the rest of Minnesota only by crossing the lake or by traveling through Canada . The Northwest Angle is the northernmost part of the contiguous United States . Its " northwesternmost point " served as a problematic landmark in treaties defining
15372-421: The world through human agency. That means that although a political border may follow a river or mountain range, such a feature does not automatically define the political border, even though it may be a major physical barrier to crossing. Political borders are often classified by whether or not they follow conspicuous physical features on the earth. William Miles said that Britain and France traced close to 40% of
15498-481: Was for the Schengen Area to open its air and sea borders with Bulgaria and Romania by March 2012, and its land borders by July 2012, continued opposition from Germany, Finland and the Netherlands has delayed the two countries' entry to the Schengen Area. On 4 October 2017, the European Parliament voted for access of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen Information System , on which they gained full access on 1 August 2018. Moreover, "the final political decision whether
15624-484: Was signed by the respective governments. Initially, only Canada and Ontario appointed members to the board as, at that time, natural resources in Manitoba were administered by Canada. In 1958, having gained control over its natural resources, Manitoba passed its own Lake of the Woods Control Board Act . That same year, Canada and Ontario amended their original versions of the acts. As a result of these legislative changes,
15750-481: Was so named from its wooded setting. However, it may have been a mistranslation of the Anishinaabe name. The earliest name we find the lake known by is that given by Verendrye in his journey in 1731. He says it was called Lake Minitic ( Cree : ministik ; Ojibwe : minitig ) or Des Bois. (1) The former of these names, Minitic, seems to be Anishinaabe, and to mean "Islands in a River", probably referring to
15876-427: Was to regulate the lake on an ongoing basis, but its decisions were to be subject to approval by an International Lake of the Woods Control Board (ILWCB) whenever lake levels rose above or fell below certain limits. In cases where agreement could not be reached between Canadian and American members of the international board, the disputed matter would be referred to the IJC for the final decision. The International Lake of
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