The Most Complex International Borders in the World - Part 4

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In this 4th episode of the Most Complex International borders, I look at the surprising complications in Lake Malawi, then look at parts of Europe that are part of two countries, and finish by looking at the dispute between Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Links to previous episodes:
Part 1 - • The Most Complex Inter...
Part 2 - • The Most Complex Inter...
Part 3 - • The Most Complex Inter...
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Music by Epidemic Sound: nebula.tv/epidemic

[@WonderWhy]

A belated Merry Christmas to everyone! Hope it was a good one, and all the best for 2024! After more than 6 years since the previous episode, Complex Border has returned with a 4th part. Here are links to the previous episodes if you haven't seen them: Part 1 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/naWvqY2fntqUjtU Part 2 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYvHnKSnn9Smea8 Part 3 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJbEmqyQrLt2Zs0 For a limited time during this festive period, Nebula is offering a lifetime membership! Pay once, and have access for life. Check it out here: go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=wonderwhy If that's not for you, the annual plan might be a better suit, with a 40% discount using my link: go.nebula.tv/wonderwhy Thanks for watching! See you next year!

[@chlorophyllphile]

Merry Christmas! I love this series, I really wish you'll continue it. It was especially the interesting to learn that the Nicaragua Costa Rica story was much older and more complicated than the news articles made it seem.

[@Great_White_Shork]

How about a video about Medieval borders and how they worked? Oh, and Merry Christmas to you too.

[@SkyTheHusky]

You actually can visit Pheasant Island. I don't see why you would, but you can. The Tim Traveller made a video visiting it with a friend of his.

[@Dinoco400Studios]

The Brazil - Uruguay Border dispute on Brazil Island

[@Ballamizan]

It is not belated, 26th is still Christmas! Merry Christmas for you too! :)

[@johngabrielsalazar5030]

Nothing is more complex than WonderWhy’s upload schedule

[@jovan-noble-guy749]

Tbh, I don 't really watch Wonder Why, so I don 't watch him very often.

[@IncognitoUndercover0]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@rebelli65]

The feelings mutual, seems like 😅

[@chlorophyllphile]

@@jovan-noble-guy749 You don't? I wonder why

[@ComradeCardinal]

This is definitely a comment of time

[@pas1033]

This series (especially the first episode) was literally a part of my childhood, I used to watch it multiple times and it's a core memory of mine. Now I'm nearly 20, that truly explains WonderWhy's upload schedule

[@curiosity5697]

same although im a little younger this made me jump out my seat

[@DdumbaStyle]

@@curiosity5697you sound like a nerdy verjen hahaha

[@marshallgould1042]

I'm 20 too. Exactly the same for me.

[@hongkonger885]

I'm 14, and same! I can't find any words better than "core memory" to describe those.

[@yxseen.szn_]

I'm 18 and I remember watching WonderWhy's first video on how many countries there are in the world when I was 7. I can't say for 100% certain but that video all the way back in 2013 essentially birthed my love and interest in history and geopolitics. Kinda crazy.

[@serotonin-deprived]

i swear to god this series' release schedule rivals rockstar's. i was 10 years old when part 1 was first uploaded, and here i am now 20 years old with part 4 being released just a few minutes ago. jesus.

[@Sporcle1]

this is absolutely wild to think about, I remember being 13 when I first watched the first part and here we are eight years later

[@nguyenlamanh2919]

Make me feel old

[@bladedcrews]

i was 2 when i watched the first video now i’m 32

[@serotonin-deprived]

@@bladedcrews so true king

[@gnnascarfan2410]

I was 13 years old when part 1 came out and was in 7th grade. Now I am 23 years old, graduated from college 6 months ago. Insane how time flies...

[@deleted-something]

Can’t wait for part 5 in 9 years

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Another complex border in Africa is the Congo Pedicle, the piece of the DR Congo that juts into Zambia. Basically when the Congo Free State was drawn, the Belgians and British debated over the southeast Katanga border because of the lack of an obvious geographical feature for the border to follow, as the Congo-Zambezi watershed and the Luapula do not meet as there is a 70-150 km gap between them. The British wanted a southwest to northeast line from the watershed to the Luapula, but the Belgians hoped for access to the Bangweulu Wetlands and pressed for the borders to stick to the river and watershed. The king of Italy was called in, and he drew a longitudinal line through a point on the map where the Luapula was thought to exit from the Lake Bangweulu swamps, which gave birth to the Pedicle At the time the Congo Pedicle wasn't a problem, though it would be a problem for Zambia when it got its independence as the Pedicle cuts off the Luapula Province and the western part of the Northern Province from the Copperbelt which is the country's big industrial hub. For most of the 20th century, there was no road built through it due to lack of resources available and the swampy geography. As well as affecting communication for about one-quarter of the country with the center and west, it potentially exposes a greater part of Zambia to conflict in Katanga.

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Two weird enclaves of the US within Canada are Northwest Angle and Point Roberts. Northwest Angle is a part of Minnesota and exists because of a misunderstanding. During the 1783 Treaty of Paris, the border drawn between the US and what was then British territory was designed to cut through the Lake of the Woods area at a northwest angle, but the map they used misrepresented the lake's location. Hence the name! The majority of the land is held in trust by the Red Lake Indian Reservation (Ojibwa). The Northwest Angle heavily relies on walleye fishing as their industry, and when Canadian laws restricted non-resident fishing, this led to a conflict but Canada ended up dropping the fishing laws. Point Roberts exists because of the Oregon Treaty. When the 49th Parallel was defined as the boundary, it cut off Point Roberts from Canada. Point Roberts purchases raw water from the Greater Vancouver Water District. Many of the area's businesses serve weekend and recreational visitors from Greater Vancouver. Many Canadians visited its bars and nightclubs on Sundays until Sunday drinking was legalized in British Columbia in 1986. The local post office and several private companies rent many post office boxes to individuals and businesses from Greater Vancouver, who find it a convenient and fast way to receive mail and parcels from the US without paying for cross-border shipping costs.

[@robert9016]

Dang Kim you know your stuff

[@CubicCreeper7914]

Every time I think WonderWhy has quit KZbin for good, he surprises us with a new upload and it's an awesome gift each time :D

[@snuffysam]

It’s only been a month lol

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

An interesting condominium that used to exist is New Hebrides, or what's now Vanuatu. This condominium lasted from 1906 to 1980. The islands were named by Captain James Cook in 1774 and subsequently colonized by both the British and the French. Thus, the two would sign an agreement making the islands an Anglo-French condominium. Under the condominium there were three separate governments, one French, one British, and one joint administration that was partially elected after 1975. The French and British governments were called residencies, each headed by a resident appointed by their main governments. There was an equal number of French and British representatives, bureaucrats and administrators. Local people could choose whether to be tried under the English common law or the French civil law. Nationals of one country could set up corporations under the laws of the other. In addition to these two legal systems, a third Native Court existed to handle cases involving Melanesian customary law. The condominium was not beneficial for Ni-Vanuatu, as they were effectively stateless. Like how to travel abroad, they needed an identifying document signed by both the British and the French resident commissioners. This would lead to discontent and eventually many revolutionary groups advocating for self-government and independence. Today, the use of English or French as the formal language is split along political lines

[@normanclatcher]

Sounds like Quebec, but worse. That's quite the accomplishment.

[@m4r756]

i remember being 12 and watching part 1 on repeat bc i was fascinated by maps. now i’m 20 and i draw my own complex borders for fun. that’s crazy bro

[@JSGRanks]

I swear whenever two countries start to get along with each other, oil gets discovered and then they become worst enemies

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

An interesting island on the US-Canada border is Campobello. The island was originally settled by the Passamaquoddy Nation, who called it Ebaghuit. The first Europeans were from the French expedition of Pierre Dugua de Mons and Samuel de Champlain. Following the War of the Spanish Succession, under terms of the Peace of Utrecht in 1713, the island became part of the British colony of Nova Scotia. In the 1880s the island was developed as a resort summer colony for wealthy Canadians and Americans. From 1883, the Roosevelt family made Campobello Island their summer home. The island is home to Roosevelt Campobello International Park, and it is an affiliated area of both Parks Canada and of the US National Park Service. The island is Canadian and part of New Brunswick, but it's cut off from Canada in winter. The island's only highway, Route 774, is connected by the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge to Lubec, Maine, the easternmost town in the continental United States. The only transportation link with the rest of Canada is a seasonal ferry service to Deer Island. But for those on the island during wintertime, they'd have to drive through Maine to reach Canada.

[@AZYchannel1]

It's always a good day when you post. I love borders and this has to be one of my favorite series that you have done, glad to see a new episode!

[@siegristmanuel]

Love Lake Malawi/Nyasa. We used to holiday on the Tanzanian shores (Matema) dozens of times

[@Larzh220469]

If the river border between Germany and Luxembourg belongs to both countries simultaneously, this means that the combined area of the two countries (or indeed the total area of the EU) is slightly overestimated, with the area of the river being counted twice. A scandal.

[@GeographyNow]

Lol You watched my shorts recently didn't you? Love your channel man.

[@beastdork19]

Why does this have no likes or comments yet?! (Love your videos btw)

[@WonderWhy]

Cheers Barbs, right back at ya!

[@DirectVia]

Really love how you explained the history behind these borders much more in depth than previous episodes

[@albertodelangelduran9640]

For suggestions, the Guyana-Venezuela territorial dispute may be fairly interresting, also Clipperton island has some history.

[@alveolate]

according to RLL, this one might flare up into a war soon... wonderwhy will have to cover this before the conflict gets real bad i guess?

[@Mimi.1001]

@@alveolate I suppose the conflict cooled down somewhat, since both presidents met to discuss the issue 1-2 weeks ago. While they didn't settle the dispute, they at least pledged not to use any military means, so no war, hopefully. A British Navy ship was sent (or will be send?) to the region two days ago, which could further deter any potential Venezuelan aggression. The aforementioned meeting will be followed by another one in Brazil in a few months, with Brazilian president Lula acting as a potential arbitrator. The International Court of Justice might also take on the issue.

[@alveolate]

@@Mimi.1001oh dayum, that's good news! thanks for the update! lula sounds like a good mediator as well, things look a little more hopeful there than the other major conflicts at least. on that note... RLL should really post an update with that.

[@Shadow_Drip]

Kinda forgot of Clipperton's weird history, but this reminded me. Definitely an interesting one that would be nice to see here

[@_pis-of1vy]

started watching this series when i was grade 6 and now im 18.cant believe it still had sequel.insane! anyways,really ty 4 ur help to my geographic enlightenment.

[@corgimations]

When the world needed him most, he returned, gracing us with the gift of complicated borders.

[@Fiddling_while_Rome_burns]

2 international border disputes are Cambodia and Thailand, which nearly led to a war 10 years ago, and the Thailand and Lao disputes, which did lead to 2 conflicts in the 1980s.

[@sparkxrl5163]

Around the time the first episode of this series released, I received my first world map as a Christmas gift. With the release of this video, I got a new map this Christmas to replace that map from 10 years ago!

[@elitettelbach4247]

Omg what a delightful holiday surprise indeed! Another excellent entry into this series!

[@calvinheath5398]

The border between the states of South Australia and Victoria is a good one, especially their river tripoint with New South Wales, could be one to discuss in future!

[@user-pw8le8jk1n]

That’s an interesting one because the NSW/Vic border is on the Victorian bank, but the SA/Vic border is mid river. So the tripoint is the only place where NSW/Vic boundary is not on land.

[@zakuraiyadesu]

Love the videos, man. Keep it up!!!

[@johnchessant3012]

4 episodes in over 10 years ... love it

[@U.M.A.]

I had just watched the previous parts yesterday and now there's part 4 holy cow

[@austinreed5805]

This definitely takes me back to when WonderWhy did his first Complex International Borders video. I’m glad that we were able to get another one.

[@frankines]

love the new vid! Haven't see this series in a while so

[@ivaneurope]

Complex international border and WonderWhy making a video on such topic - a match made in heaven

[@ryandriver9478]

I get genuinely excited when I get the notification that Wonder Why posted. See everyone again in a few months

[@brambora]

What a nice gift. Thank you

[@user-pw8le8jk1n]

While not a current border dispute, the Australian/East Timor border history is interesting. Prior to ET independence from Indonesia, Australia and Indonesia set a maritime border, with a gap between ET and Australia of no legal border but shared revenue from oil extraction. After ET independence, new negotiations of a border in the gap were made with the new nation, where the legal border was defined, but oil revenues were adjusted so that some oil from Australia’s side was given to ET(so effectively a second border). When it was later found that Australia had bugged ET’s cabinet during the negotiations, ET insisted on a new set of negotiations. This led to the legal border staying as is, but the oil revenue border being adjusted in ET’s favour.

[@soleilvert3978]

Thanks for your great work: if you searching ideas, northern border between canadian province of Quebec ( maybe an independant contry some day) and nuvavut, on the shore, varies with tide… difficult port building problems

[@yetzt]

I believe the Vatican has a border dispute with Italy about Ricciolo d'Italia, a long and narrow strip north of St. Peters square.

[@ahmeder6370]

Nothing screams more South America than 2 countries disputing 2-3 feet of uninhabeted jungle in the middle of nowhere.

[@mohammedimran3670]

What happens if bigfoot lives isn't that something worth fighting for?

[@Zarugoza5969]

Nicaragua and Costa Rica are both in North America, not South...

[@coucoubrandy1079]

Wrong, both are in Central America

[@Zarugoza5969]

@@coucoubrandy1079 Assuming this is also for me, Central America is a region in North America

[@TheSpiritombsableye]

@@coucoubrandy1079, that's not a continent. That's like calling the Balkans a continent.

[@aholiabtegar3036]

Love this series!

[@KevinJGamez]

Waited an eternity for this awesome series

[@howdymynameishow6582]

thank you for making this long awaited sequel

[@Rory626]

Biggest throwback of 2023 seeing a sequel to this series

[@LafayetteSunsetMusic]

Love hearing WonderWhy say the words “actually… is,” staple of the channel. Love the videos

[@peterschinkel]

Thank you for this interesting video :)

[@cabbo5101]

Welcome back omg!!

[@narway]

New WonderWhy upload 🔥🔥🔥

[@flyingkeyframes]

great stuff, please do a part 5, lots more interesting border disputes to cover like Guyana!

[@AJGeeTV]

Brill, mate! Really great video....

[@RyantheSillyWilly]

I've always been a fan of this series. It just shows how odd this really is!

[@jeffreybernath6627]

When you were talking about condominiums in Europe, I thought you would mention Lake Constance (Bodensee), which borders on Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. What I find most interesting about that one is that the three states involved have different opinions on the nature of the borders. Austria treats the lake as a condominium, Switzerland believes the border runs down the middle of the lake, and no one seems to know what Germany thinks. The wikipedia article on the lake notes that there have been some legal disputes regarding smaller matters such as fishing rights and the mooring of houseboats.

[@Ruddpocalypse]

If you end up making another part, please cover the Australia-East Timor EEZ Border

[@phoenix___fan8080]

I would be interested in covering the sovereignty of belize. On Google Maps the boarders of belize are dotted

[@normanclatcher]

Guatemala would also be interested in covering the sovereignty of Belize... 👀

[@lioneldemun6033]

What could be interesting is a video on the disputed Paracel and Spratly islands

[@tisho91]

Hello, We in Bulgaria have a somewhat complex border with Romania in that, while we don't have any ongoing territorial disputes with them, neither country claims the islands on the Danube as entirely theirs. While technically the border is split in the middle of the river, most islands are / remain uninhabited and I believe, both countries are policing them. Some of the small islands are closer to Romania, others - to Bulgaria. Although, I do believe that most islands, with very few exceptions fall into Romania's sovereignty and control, but am not sure which. The second complex border (although not disputed) is with Serbia. Mount Ruy is located within the territory in both countries. But in order to climb the top of Mt. Ruy from the Bulgarian side, you would have to cross into Serbia for some 50-100 m, between the border pyramids 351 and 352 (peak acts as the border). This came as a result of the 1919 Neuille treaty where Bulgaria lost to Serbia a fair piece of land as a direct consequence of the losses for Bulgaria, sustained in WW1. There has not been a political decision from either country, so tourists get to sneak into Serbia for a very small fraction without a passport check. There is one similar occasion on Mount Belasitsa (which is shared with both Greece and N.Macedonia). Whoever wants to climb Peak Tumba, they would have to cross into Greece for some 50 meters, a little before they reach the peak as the demarcation of the tourist route has the same issue as the example with Mount Ruy from above.

[@Plfd]

finally a part 4

[@leonardmccoy4797]

It’s so crazy as a 27 year old cause I remember when I was 17 and the first vid came out and so much has happened in the world since then. I’m curious on how he tackles the whole Crimea conflict, as well as the other major global conflicts going on rn

[@corro202]

Great video.

[@mokyiuhei]

I think the best way to deal with river borders that could change easily is both sides agree to dredge a artificial river trench, and use the medium line after the dredge.

[@Charmeleon64letsplayer]

You should definitely make a video on the border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana.

[@faesk]

Part 4 after 6 years ☠️

[@endo_kun_da]

The shared island between Canada and Denmark is pretty interesting. For a period of time each military would pay a visit to the island and leave alcohol for the opposing countries military when they would come make their own visit to the island. Point Roberts is an interesting exclave of the US in Canada and I think there is a disputed island between Maine and New Brunswick. Oh, and the border between Quebec and Labrador is still disputed.

[@sp_ce.]

“But does the border in the lake didn’t really matter?” “It’s oil isn’t it.” “O I L”

[@juliusnepos6013]

Wow! Great Christmas gift

[@cardenasr.2898]

I'd make a wish after seeing Wonder Why's uploaded but it's already been granted

[@darkbrightnorth]

This is the best Christmas present of them all

[@Tardi-Greybeep]

Yay! It’s back!!!

[@gvogas]

Benin and Ghana coastline panhandles and Papua New Guinea small twist in an otherwise straight border are good candidates for part V.

[@Mici]

There could be an episode just about China, there's so many disputes they have.

[@lioneldemun6033]

Actually I ve seen a small part of the Eastern border of Bhutan with China is dotted.

[@GreenEggAndSAM2]

I was a freshman in high school during part 1… this makes me feel old

[@HeawyMedal]

Likoma is an amazing place, I fully recommend going if you can

[@killercaos123]

Basically: Malawi is jealous of Tanzania and Mozambiques access to open ocean. So as a “compromise” Malawi 🇲🇼 is asking for the entire lake

[@IK_MK]

It's not our fault the *only official* document demarcating the border says the whole part of that lake is ours 😂🤷🏾‍♂️🔥🇲🇼

[@lutufyodixon9997]

​@@IK_MK Deluded citizens 😂😂...

[@telvinphiri1620]

Tanzania is always stubborn and greedy. Thieves.

[@riyadadam215]

Im Mozambican 🇲🇿

[@LeoMarchyok-od5by]

6 years worth the wait

[@arimedium]

best Chrismas gift was a part 4 in this series, I remember being in 7th grade obsessed with geography watching all of these vids, and now I'm in my second year of college

[@factweb6911]

You could do the complex and unknown borders of Australia such as the land border of mainland state of Victoria and the Island state of Tasmania as well as a few others

[@bluemym1nd]

Best Christmas present

[@bw-leftturnracing7779]

When the world needed him most, he returned

[@zachryder3150]

*Return of the King*

[@ZwiebelDude]

the next episode could be about borders of maybe cities or subdivisions and not just country borders.

[@tomzyrone3915]

HE’S BACK!

[@Kassano345]

As a Malawian I want to guarantee you I have never heard of the cathedral you speak of. Likoma is known as a tourist destination with sandy beaches.. but thank you for shining a light on what is quite a serious conflict between us and Tanzania

[@lutufyodixon9997]

Do u think ancestors had these conflicts...?

[@chishibanyembele7673]

do a video on zambia and congo drc on the border lines of the katanga region

[@nstemania]

going from a single digit age to finishing my sweet sixteen with this series is consistentcy

[@danthelatch]

Oh hell yeah Merry Christmas indeed 😎😎😎

[@ForzaStiinta64]

So it's a Merry Christmas after all with him posting.

[@danielpeter3834]

Slovenia and Croatia have two border disputes if you see closely on the border line there's two dotted lines in two different parts of the border between those two countries. Brazil and Uruguay also have two border disputes which you can also see by following the border on Google Maps and see that famous double dotted lines. I've been telling you about this two cases for a really long time, please tell me that you're gonna talk about them later in a video.

[@Cheetosmapping]

BROO I WAITED FOR THIS 6 YEARS

[@76ludlow]

I would suggest that you take a look at the much discussed Irish border, with particular attention given to the stretch between County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland and County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. Looking closely you will see neither an enclave nor an exclave but a rather peculiar anomaly of the border twisting around a small area of land belonging to the Republic, almost fully enclosed within Northern Ireland, but with a very narrow entrance which keeps it fully connected to the Republic. The peculiarity of this anomaly is best experienced by taking the N54 roadway that runs through the Republic from the south-west, into Northern Ireland where it becomes the A3, back into the Republic (N54 again), then back into Northern Ireland, (A3 again) before finally back into the Republic in the north-east where once again it is the N54..

[@-Dayton-]

if you do make another one of these look at the paraguay/argentina border its kind weird looking

[@NeoArashi]

It's not exactly a complicated border situation, but I always thought the Hans Island situation (including the rather famous "Whisky war" to be fascinating. This over 40 yeats long "war" between Canada and Denmark resulted in the two countries sharing the island, giving both Canada and Denmark a 2nd land border (as they both previously had a single country they shared a land border before)

[@BallTheRascal]

Have u mentioned the congo river,point roberts or hans Island yet

[@somerandomgayguy]

IT HAS RETURNED

[@tacolands]

Maybe you can cover complex internal borders between states and provinces

[@SwordQuake2]

WonderWhy uploads? It must be Christmas!

[@buurmeisje]

You could maybe look into the border between the Netherlands and Germany along the Dollart bay and Ems river. Due to changing coastlines and river paths, the Netherlands claims the border goes through the middle of the current path of the estuary of the Ems, while Germany claims the entire river as its territory. There have been nagotiations between the two countries, but no agreement has ever been reached. In 1960 they signed a treaty to agree to disagree and it still remains desputed today.

[@dashietheplushcat]

Holy heck it's back! I remember watching those old ones a long time ago!

[@parabolaaaaa4919]

guyana has disputes with venezuela and suriname you should cover that

[@Rhye_]

I actually once treated a patient from Jungholz, his accent was very interesting. He was demented and would refuse to believe he was in germany.

[@kuni2330]

BRO I was literally just watching one of your last videos from a decade ago, and now you suddenly make a new one? Unreal.

[@RobertNewstrand]

You can talk about permanent DST and its use in Russia and Iceland. Also, there are border anomalies in the US and Canada, such as the NW Angle in Minnesota, as well as the Navajo and Hopi Reservations in Arizona (causing the time zone anomalies).

[@Jack-496]

Can’t believe I was a child when this series started

[@IFlyinBaconI]

Omg the age of empires 2 music at the end 😅

[@viktoriatheskinnynerd2674]

It might not be the most interesting topic for a video, but a small one i recommend mentioning in a possible future part is the border between the swedish Kommuner (cities/counties) Falköping and Skövde. Despite the 2 cities being roughly 35KM apart, Falköping kommun is only about 1-2KM away from Skövde city.