Boundaries
MSc. Final
What is a boundary line
Establishing Boundaries
Define: create legal description
Delimit: map
Demarcate: mark with fence, wall, etc.
Administrate: maintain, monitor crossing of people and goods
U.S. - Mexico Border
Types of International Boundaries
Geometric: based on a grid system
Physical-political (natural): based on natural features
Mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, deserts, etc.
Anthropographic (cultural): based on cultural features
Ethnicity, language, religion, etc.
Types of boundaries
A geometric boundary, or geometric border, is one that is formed by arcs or
straight lines irrespective of the physical and cultural features of the land it
passes through. Examples include the U.S.-Canada border and the borders of
some African states that evolved from colonial holdings.
Physical Boundary: A great example of a physical boundary is a mountain.
For example, the Pyrenees Mountains, which serve to separate France and
Spain, are a physical boundary; so are the Ural Mountains which separate
Europe and Asia.
Along with mountains, oceans, seas, even deserts are examples of physical
boundaries. For example, Africa is often referred to in terms of Saharan and
sub-Saharan Africa, as in part of the desert or south of the desert.
Types of boundaries
Although physical boundaries are not man-made, they are often used by man
to create logical political boundaries. Political boundaries are the officially
drawn dividing lines between nations, states, cities, and so on. Mississippi
River. Rio Grande separates the United States from Mexico.
Also called an ethnographic boundary, a cultural boundary is a boundary
line that runs along differences in ethnicity, such as language and religion.
When speaking of cultural boundaries based on language, a great example of
this is found within the country of Canada, where French is the official
language of Quebec.
Boundary Related Problems Often Arise
When International Boundaries Clash with
Cultural Boundaries
Geometric, Not Cultural Boundaries = Trouble
Boundary Related Problems Often Arise
When International Boundaries Clash with
Cultural Boundaries
Boundary Related Problems Often
Arise When International Boundaries
Clash with Cultural Boundaries
Additional Types of Boundaries
Antecedent Boundary: boundary established
before a region is populated
Subsequent Boundary: boundary established after
a region is populated, respects existing cultural
patterns
Superimposed boundary: boundary created by
outside force, typically by treaty, may not
respect existing cultural patterns
Relict Boundary: boundary no longer used but
signs of boundary still exist on cultural landscape
Fortified Boundary: boundary marked with
physical barrier (wall, fence, berms)
Common Types of Boundary Disputes
Definitional: dispute regarding legal description
Locational: dispute regarding delimiting and demarcation
Operational: dispute regarding strict or lenient administration of the
boundary
migration, smuggling, etc.
Allocational: dispute regarding resources that straddle the boundary
coal, natural gas, oil, water