Tag: Borders
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Kazakhstan Is More European Than You Think
Kazakhstan is a Central Asian country. Open a map, however, and you will find that it does not fit entirely within Asia. The Ural River runs through western Kazakhstan and is commonly used as part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. By that definition, the land west of the river is European Kazakhstan. It…
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The Saudi Arabia–Jordan Land Swap: How Jordan Traded Desert for Red Sea Coastline
That shape is not accidental. In 1965, Jordan and Saudi Arabia redrew their border in one of the Middle East’s lesser-known territorial exchanges. Jordan gave up more land than it received, but what it gained was arguably much more strategically valuable: additional coastline around Aqaba. A border inherited from an earlier era The frontier between…
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Divided Islands: One Island, Two Worlds
Most islands are governed by a single country, but a handful of fascinating exceptions are divided between two or more nations. These islands offer a unique glimpse into history, politics, culture, and geography, where international borders cut across landscapes that might otherwise feel like a single destination. Why Are Some Islands Divided? Island borders are…