2006-06-20 20:33:33 · 9 answers · asked by ~hoyo~ 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Depends on the country. In Europe most borders roughly follow ethnic and linguistic divisions, which exist because that's where the borders were drawn by peace treaties. In other areas, many borders were drawn by the colonial powers, often without regard to ethnic or linguistic divisions.
If a border is a straight line, it was probably drawn by a clerk in London or Paris and not by the locals.
However, in the final analysis, a border exists because of the agreement (voluntary or coerced) of the two countries on either side. Kuwait has a border with Iraq because when Iraq thought there should not be one, Iraq started a war which it lost. East Timor has a border with Indonesia because the UN forced Indonesia to give up East Timor. Western Sahara does not exist because Morocco did not recognize the border and no body has done anything much about it.
Two examples of non-borders: Kashmir is divided into Pakistani occupied and India occupied areas, which are divided by the "line of control", essentially the cease fire line from the last war.
The West Bank and Israel are divided by the "green line" which also was the cease fire line between Israel and Jordan in 1949.
2006-06-20 20:56:33 · answer #1 · answered by shoshidad 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Shoshidad has given the definitive answer...One interesting thing about this matter as it relates to the US is that Point Roberts is a small part of the US that can be reached on land only by first going into Canada, then driving over the "border" (and on return, you must first enter Canada and then drive through Canada to the US)...All because of the straight line decision that everything above the 49th parallel was Canada and everything below, the US (applies to the western parts of both countries).
2006-06-20 21:32:01 · answer #2 · answered by Pandak 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of the borders were created by the governments and ruling bodies through warfare, conquest, negotiations and treaties, although some countries have natural borders such as mountains, valleys, or bodies of water.
2006-06-20 20:36:19 · answer #3 · answered by Aingeal 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Determined after wars and agreements.
2006-06-20 20:37:38 · answer #4 · answered by kiho 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the leaders of each country by treaty or mutual recognition
2006-06-20 21:49:51 · answer #5 · answered by MP US Army 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Treaties, wars, agreements and historical influences.
2006-06-21 03:43:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Men with guns.
2006-06-20 21:33:14 · answer #7 · answered by Tom Jr 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it depends on the collusion of the states involved
2006-06-20 20:36:32 · answer #8 · answered by conel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
UNESCO.
2006-06-20 20:45:51 · answer #9 · answered by ask110 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋