Border 247613 222233498 2008-06-28T06:30:45Z 222.124.57.185 /* Border politics */ {{otheruses}} '''Borders''' define [[geography|geographic]] boundaries of [[political geography|political entities]] or legal jurisdictions, such as [[government]]s, [[state]]s or [[Subnational entity|subnational administrative divisions]]. They may foster the setting up of [[buffer zone]]s. Some borders are fully or partially controlled, and may be crossed legally only at designated crossing points. In the past many borders were not clearly defined lines, but were neutral zones called [[marches|marchlands]]. This has been reflected in recent times with the neutral zones that were set up along part of [[Saudi Arabia]]'s borders with [[Kuwait]] and [[Iraq]] (however, these zones no longer exist). In modern times the concept of a marchland has been replaced by that of the clearly defined and demarcated border. For the purposes of [[border control]], [[airport]]s and [[seaport]]s are also classed as borders. Most countries have some form of border control to restrict or limit the movement of people, animals, plants, and goods into or out of the country. Under international law, each country is generally permitted to define the conditions which have to be met by a person to legally cross its borders by its own laws, and to prevent persons from crossing its border when this happens in violation of those laws. In order to cross borders, the presentation of [[passport]]s and [[visa (document)|visa]]s or other appropriate forms of [[identity document]] is required by some legal orders. To stay or work within a country's borders [[alien (law)|aliens]] (foreign persons) may need special [[immigration]] documents or [[Work permit|permit]]s that authorise them to do so. Moving goods across a border often requires the payment of [[excise tax]], often collected by [[Customs (tax)|customs]] officials. Animals (and occasionally humans) moving across borders may need to go into [[quarantine]] to prevent the spread of exotic or 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, seeking permission, or deliberately evading official inspection constitutes [[smuggling]]. == Border economics == 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 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 corruption-free. Different regulations on either side of a border may encourage [[Service (economics)|services]] to position themselves at or near that border: thus the provision of [[pornography]], of [[prostitution]], of [[alcohol]] and/or of [[narcotics]] may cluster around borders, city limits, county lines, [[port]]s and [[airport]]s. In a more planned and official context, [[Special Economic Zone]]s (SEZs) often tend to cluster near borders or ports. 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 the [[French Revolution]] or in [[Europe]] since the 1940s, de-emphasises border-based economic activity and fosters [[free trade]]. ==Border politics== Political borders have a variety of meanings for those whom they affect. Many borders in the world have [[border checkpoint|checkpoints]] where [[border control]] agents inspect those crossing the boundary. In much of [[Europe]], such controls were abolished by the [[Schengen Agreement]] and subsequent [[European Union]] legislation. Since the [[Treaty of Amsterdam]], the competence to pass laws on crossing internal and external boders within the European Union and the associated Schengen States ([[Iceland]], [[Norway]], [[Switzerland]], and [[Liechtenstein]]) lies exclusively within the jurisdiction of the European Union, except where states have used a specific right to opt-out ([[United Kingdom]] and [[Ireland]], which maintain a common travel area amongst themselves). ''For details, see [[Schengen Agreement]].'' 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]]. The 3600-km (2000-mile) US-Mexico border is probably "the world's longest boundary between a [[First World]] and [[Third World]] country."<ref>Murphy, Cullen. ''Roman Empire: gold standard of immigration''. Los Angeles Times, June 16, 2007 (accessed [http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-murphy16jun16,0,7065340.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail here] June 20, 2007)</ref> 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 wall]]s, the Great Wall of China and the Roman Hadrian's Wall in Britain had military functions, the entirety of the Roman borders were very porous, a policy which encouraged Roman economic activity with its neighbors<ref>Murphy 2007</ref>. 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]]. == Image gallery == The following pictures show in how many different ways international and regional borders can be closed off, monitored, at least marked as such, or simply unremarkable. <center><gallery> Image:Tijuana-san diego border deaths.jpg|Border at Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego, USA Image:Frontera España-Marruecos, por Ceuta.jpg|[[Ceuta border fence]] between [[Spain]] and [[Morocco]]. Image:Berlinermauer.jpg|The [[Berlin Wall]] used to be one of the most famous guarded borders in the world. Image:Alabama the beautiful.JPG|A sign welcoming visitors to the U.S. state of [[Alabama]]. Image:US-border-notice.jpg|A warning marker at the [[Canada – United States border]] at [[Point Roberts, Washington|Point Roberts]], [[Washington]]. Image:Grenz%C3%BCberschreitender_Wanderweg.jpg|A sign at the [[Poland|Polish]]-[[Czech Republic|Czech]] border near the [[Králický Sněžník]], indicating that the crossing of the border is only permitted to citizens of the [[European Union]] and of five more states. When the [[Schengen Agreement|Schengen]] rules became applicable there in 2007, the sign became obsolete. Image:NicholasCountySignWV.jpg|Several markers designating the border between [[Nicholas County, West Virginia|Nicholas]] and [[Greenbrier County, West Virginia|Greenbrier]] counties in [[West Virginia]], [[USA]] along a secondary road. Notice the older stone survey markers a few meters behind the modern highway sign. Image:OffeneGrenzeNiederndorf-Oberaudorf.jpg|A typical [[Schengen Agreement|Schengen]] internal border (here near [[Kufstein]] between [[Germany]] and [[Austria]]): the traffic island marks the spot where a control post once stood; it was removed in 2000. Image:Border flower pot.jpg|Self-illuminating Border flower pot between [[Burghausen]], [[Salzach]] in [[Germany]] and [[Hochburg-Ach|Ach]] in [[Austria]]. Image:B1 Anfang Aachen 01.jpg|A border within a closely built-up area – here near [[Aachen]] between [[Germany]] and the [[Netherlands]]: Take the left lane in the Netherlands to actually turn left in Germany. Image:Baarle-Nassau frontière café.jpg|Border between the [[Netherlands]] and [[Belgium]] next to a street café. Image:Eurode-Business-Center.jpg|The border between the [[Netherlands]] and [[Germany]] crosses through this building of the ''Eurode Business Centre'' in [[Kerkrade]] and [[Herzogenrath]]. Image:Karigasniemi Finland Bridge over Inarijoki.jpg|The bridge over the [[Inari River]] in [[Karigasniemi]], on the border of [[Finland]] and [[Norway]]. Image:Border stone.JPG|Border stone at [[Passo San Giacomo]] between [[Val Formazza]] in [[Italy]] and [[Val Bedretto]] in [[Switzerland]]. Image:Atyrau Europe.JPG|The "Europe Sign" in [[Atyrau]], [[Kazakhstan]], after crossing the [[Ural River]] bridge west. Image:Atyrau Asia.JPG|The "Asia Sign" in [[Atyrau]], [[Kazakhstan]], after crossing the Ural River bridge east. </gallery></center> ==References== {{reflist}} == See also == {{wiktionary|border}} {{commons|Border}} *[http://www.borderstories.org Border Stories- a website devoted to stories from both sides of the U.S. Mexico Border] *[http://www.grenzen.150m.com/border.htm Collection of pictures of European borders, mainly intra-Schengen borders] *[[Geopolitics]] *[http://www.culture-routes.lu/php/fo_index.php?lng=en&back=%252Fphp%252Ffo_index.php%253Flng%253Den%2526dest%253Dbd_ac_lst&dest=bd_ac_det&id=00002600 Institut Européen des Itinéraires Culturels homepage] *[[List of countries that border only one other country]] *[[List of land border lengths]] *[[List of national border changes since World War I]] *[[List of national four-country border sets]] *[[Political geography]] *[[Political science]] *[http://www.qub.ac.uk/cibr/talkingborders.htm Talking Borders] Queen's University Belfast online audio archive [[Category:Borders]] [[ar:حدود]] [[an:Muga]] [[bs:Granica (politička geografija)]] [[de:Politische Grenze]] [[es:Frontera]] [[fr:Frontière]] [[hr:Državna granica]] [[ko:국경]] [[id:Perbatasan]] [[is:Landamæri]] [[it:Frontiera]] [[he:גבול]] [[nl:Grens]] [[ja:国境]] [[no:Grense]] [[pl:Granica (geografia)]] [[pt:Fronteira]] [[ro:Graniţă]] [[ru:Государственная граница]] [[sl:Državna meja]] [[tr:Sınır]] [[uk:Державний кордон]] [[yi:גרעניץ]] [[zh:国境]]