The borders of Canada include:
- To the south and west: An international boundary with the United States, forming the longest shared border in the world, 8,893 km (5,526 mi);[2] (Informally referred as the 49th parallel north which makes up the boundary at parts.)
- To the east: A maritime boundary with the Kingdom of Denmark, at the autonomous island country of Greenland; and a smaller land-based border on divided Hans Island.
- To the southeast: A short maritime border with France, at the overseas islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
- To the north: The far northern situated areas of the Queen Elizabeth Islands extend well into the Arctic and form portions of the basis of historical Canadian sovereignty claims into the Arctic region. More recent Canadian claims (as of 2022) reportedly extend to a portion of the Russian Federation.
With the United States
8 out of 13 provinces and territories of Canada share borders with the United States. Except for Prince Edward Island, all provinces and territories that do not share a border with the US share a provincial border with at least one that does.
Yukon Territory
The border of Yukon begins at the Beaufort Sea at 69°39′N 141°00′W / 69.650°N 141.000°W and proceeds southwards along the 141st meridian west. At 60°18′N, the border proceeds away from the 141st meridian west in a southeastward direction, following the St. Elias Mountains. South of the 60th parallel north, the border continues into British Columbia. The entire Canada–U.S. border in Yukon is shared with the U.S. state of Alaska.
British Columbia
British Columbia has two international borders with the United States: with the state of Alaska along BC's northwest, and with the contiguous United States along the southern edge of the province.
The former, continuing from the Yukon-Alaska border, proceeds through the St. Elias Mountains, followed by Mt. Fairweather at 58°54′N 137°31′W / 58.900°N 137.517°W, where the border heads northwestward towards the Coast Mountains. At 59°48′N 135°28′W / 59.800°N 135.467°W, the border begins a general southeastward direction along the Coast Mountains. The border eventually reaches the Portland Canal and follows it outward to the Dixon Entrance, which takes the border down and out into the Pacific Ocean, terminating it upon reaching international waters.
BC's border along the contiguous US begins southwest of Vancouver Island and northwest of the Olympic Peninsula, at the terminus of international waters in the Pacific Ocean. It follows the Strait of Juan de Fuca eastward, turning northeastward to enter Haro Strait. The border follows the strait in a northward direction, but turns sharply eastward through Boundary Pass, separating the Canadian Gulf Islands from the American San Juan Islands. Upon reaching the Strait of Georgia, the border turns due north and then towards the northwest, bisecting the strait until the 49th parallel north. After making a sharp turn eastbound, the border follows this parallel across the Tsawwassen Peninsula, separating Point Roberts, Washington from Delta, British Columbia, and continues into Alberta. From west to east, BC's southern border is shared with the U.S. states of Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
Alberta
The entire Canada–U.S. border in the Canadian province of Alberta lies on the 49th parallel north. From west to east, this border is shared only with the U.S. state of Montana.
Saskatchewan
The entire Canada–U.S. border in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan lies on the 49th parallel north. From west to east, this border is shared with the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota.
Manitoba
Nearly the entire Canada–U.S. border in the province of Manitoba lies on the 49th parallel north. At the province's eastern end, however, the border briefly enters the Lake of the Woods, turning north at 48°59′N 95°09′W / 48.983°N 95.150°W where it continues into land along the western end of Minnesota's Northwest Angle, reaching Ontario at 49°23′N 95°09′W / 49.383°N 95.150°W. From west to east, this border is shared with the U.S. states of North Dakota and Minnesota.
Ontario
The Ontario border begins at the northwesternmost point of Minnesota's Northwest Angle (49°23′N 95°09′W / 49.383°N 95.150°W), from where it proceeds eastward through the Angle Inlet into the Lake of the Woods. At 41°19′N 94°48′W / 41.317°N 94.800°W into the Lake, the border turns southward where it continues into the Rainy River. The border follows the River to Rainy Lake, then subsequently through various smaller lakes, including Namakan Lake, Lac la Croix, and Sea Gull Lake, until it reaches the Pigeon River, which leads it out into Lake Superior. The border continues through Lake Superior and Whitefish Bay, into the St. Mary's River then the North Channel. At 45°59′N 83°26′W / 45.983°N 83.433°W, the border turns southward into the False Detour Channel, from which it reaches Lake Huron. Through the Lake, the border heads southward until reaching the St. Clair River, leading it to Lake St. Clair. The border proceeds through Lake St. Clair, reaching the Detroit River, which leads it to Lake Erie. From Lake Erie the border is lead into the Niagara River, which takes it into Lake Ontario. From here, the boundary heads northwestward until it reaches 43°27′N 79°12′W / 43.450°N 79.200°W, where it makes a sharp turn towards the northeast. The border then reaches the St. Lawrence River, proceeding through it until finally, at 45°00′N 74°40′E / 45.000°N 74.667°E, the border splits from the River and continues into Quebec. From west to east, this border is shared with the U.S. states of Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Quebec
The Quebec border begins where the Ontario-New York border end in the St. Lawrence River at the 45th parallel north. The border heads inland towards the east, remaining on or near the parallel. At 45°00′N 71°30′W / 45.000°N 71.500°W, the border begins to follow various natural features of the Appalachian Mountains, continuing to do so until 46°25′N 70°03′W / 46.417°N 70.050°W, where it begins to head northbound, then northeastward at 46°41′N 69°59′W / 46.683°N 69.983°W. Finally, at 47°27′N 69°13′E / 47.450°N 69.217°E, the border heads toward Beau Lake, going through it and continuing into New Brunswick. From west to east, this border is shared with the U.S. states of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
New Brunswick
The New Brunswick border begins at the southern tip of Beau Lake at 47°18′N 69°03′W / 47.300°N 69.050°W and proceeds to the Saint John River. The border moves through the River until 47°04′N 67°47′W / 47.067°N 67.783°W, where it splits from the river and heads southward into the Chiputneticook Lakes at 45°56′N 67°47′W / 45.933°N 67.783°W, which subsequently leads the border to the St. Croix River. The border proceeds through the St. Croix to Passamaquoddy Bay, which then leads it to Grand Manan Island into the middle of the Bay of Fundy. Here, the border turns towards the south and terminates upon reaching international waters. This border is shared entirely with the U.S. state of Maine.
See also
References
- ↑ "Alaska-Yukon boundary". Library of Congress.
- ↑ "Field Listing: Land Boundaries". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 31 May 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-06-13.