International Boundaries
The international boundary line is the dividing line or area which separates two sovereign countries. International boundary lines signify the difference between the two countries geographically by marking their territorial reach. Within that area, the national government exercises its authority. Though these boundaries are created to avoid land-related disputes, however, most of these boundaries become the bone of contention between two countries. These boundaries are given the specific names and boundary lines of India including the Radcliffe line, McMahon line, etc.
Length of the Border Countries
In this article, you will get to know about the important boundary lines of India, their prominent features and important details, the India borderline name list, and the important facts about these boundaries.
Our country India shares land borders with seven countries including Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Nepal, Jetx and Pakistan and maritime borders with Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia. India has 15,106.7 Km of land border and a coastline of 7,516.6 Km including island territories. The length of our land borders with neighbouring countries is as follows:
Name of the country | Length of the border (in Km) |
Bangladesh China Pakistan Nepal Myanmar Bhutan Afghanistan Total |
4,096.7 3,488 3,323 1,751 1,643 699 106 15,106.7 |
Bordering States of India
Let’s look at the seven land-bordering countries, and the names of states bordering them:
- India and Pakistan (3,233 kilometres) – Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat and UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh
- India and China (3,488 kilometres)- Sikkim. UT of Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
- India and Nepal (1770 kilometres) – Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Bihar and Sikkim
- India and Bhutan (699 kilometres) – West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh
- India and Myanmar (1643 kilometres)- Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram.
- India and Bangladesh (4,156 kilometres) – Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and West Bengal
- India and Afghanistan (106 kilometres)- UT of Ladakh
Maritime neighbours of India and the Indian States/Union Territories nearest to them:
- India and Sri Lanka – Tamil Nadu
- India and Maldives – Lakshadweep (UT)
- India and Indonesia – Andaman and Nicobar Islands
List of India Border Line
India shares its international borders with 7 different nations. Still, some of these boundary lines are more important and play a more significant role than others. Below you will get a deeper understanding of the scenario concerning the important boundary lines of India.
1. Radcliffe Line
- The Indo-Pakistan border, or the international boundary line between India and Pakistan, is called the Radcliffe Line.
- Established on 17 August 1947 and extended through Gujarat to the border of Jammu and Kashmir.
- The border between India and Pakistan that touches Jammu and Kashmir is called the Line of Control or LOC and is under military control.
- After the Simla Agreement was signed on July 3, 1972, the Ceasefire Line was renamed as the LOC.
2. McMahon Line
- The McMahon Line is the effective international boundary between India and China.
- It is named after Sir Henry McMahon and runs from the eastern border of Bhutan to the crest of the Himalayas till it reaches the bend in the Brahmaputra River.
- Historically, it was the frontier between Tibet and Assam in British India.
3. Durand Line
- The Boundary line between India and Afghanistan demarcated by Sir Mortimer Durand, a British diplomat in the year 1896 is known as the Durand Line.
- It separated British India and Afghanistan.
- After the partition, Pakistan inherited this line. However, a short section of the Afghanistan border is shared with the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
- It extends up to 2640 kilometres.
4. Line of Actual Control (LAC)
- The line of Actual Control is the demarcation line between India and China which separates the India-controlled territory from the China-controlled territory in the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
- In 1962, China attacked India and captured the Aksai Chin area.
- In 1963, There formed a ceasefire line is known as the LAC. This line is not actually recognised as an international boundary.
List of International Boundaries
The List of International Boundaries is a comprehensive list of the major international borders around the world. These boundaries are significant as they mark the limits of national territories and the end of one nation’s sovereignty and the beginning of another. Here is a list of some of the major international boundaries around the world:
Countries | International Boundary |
Afghanistan Pakistan Border | Durand Line |
India China Border | McMohan |
India Pakistan Border | Radcliffe Line |
Germany France Border | Siegfried Line |
North Vietnam South Vietnam | 17th Parallel |
Pakistan- India (Claimed Actual demarcation) | 24th Parallel |
Libya-Sudan Border | 20th Parallel North |
Egypt Sudan Border | 22nd Parallel North |
North Korea South Korea Border | 38th Parallel |
USA Canada Border | 49th Parallel |
France Germany Border | Maginot Line |
These borders have often been the site of historical and political conflicts, and they continue to shape international relations and diplomacy to this day. Overall, the List of International Boundaries is a useful reference for understanding the geopolitical landscape of the world and the complex relationships between nations.