The Most Complex International Borders in the World

WonderWhy · 7.9M views · 2013 · 11:54

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Geopolitics & foreign policyWorld historyexplainer

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN points to it as a visual explainer of enclaves, exclaves and counter-enclaves, especially in threads on the India-Bangladesh exchange.

What it is

WonderWhy surveys complex international borders, including enclaves like Vatican City, San Marino and Lesotho, the enclave-within-enclave town of Baarle, and the India-Bangladesh Cooch Behar region.

Recommended by 2 HN commenters across 2 different months, 2015 to 2018.

What Hacker News said

Recommends TimFogarty · 2015-08 · on “India and Bangladesh have begun the exchange of over 160 enclaves”

For a great explanation of the enclaves and exclaves described in the article, you might like to check out this youtube video: [this video] The visual aids definitely help.

Recommends bchallenor · 2018-12 · on “DDR Type 2 Short-wave spy transmitter”

There's a fascinating YouTube series called "The Most Complex International Borders in the World" about enclaves and exclaves. [1] There are even some "counter-enclaves", e.g. a part of the Netherlands inside Belgium inside the Netherlands. [2] [1] [this video] [2] [LINK]

Cites vacri · 2016-07 · on “The rectangularness of countries”

Until this past year, the India/Bangladesh border was similar - there was even a triple-deep enclave (india inside bangladesh inside india inside bangladesh... I think...). They just recently did a land swap to make the border more sane, and also easier on the inhabitants, who didn't have freedom of movement between the parts. [this video]

Cites stephengoodwin · 2016-07 · on “The rectangularness of countries”

The YouTube channel WonderWhy has a video ( [this video] ) on complex international borders wrt enclaves and exclaves.