Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Positional disputes concern disagreements over location of a border. One of three factors typ-
ically underlies the resulting tensions.
Poor definition
In some cases, disagreement arises between neighboring countries concerning borders (often inher-
ited from colonial times) that were poorly defined. Here are two examples:
Kashmir: At the end of the colonial era, a boundary commission sought to divide this
Himalayan region between Pakistan and India, taking into account ethnic divisions. National-
ists on both sides disagreed over the recommended partition of the region, which is also the
source of rivers that supply irrigation water to the countries' agricultural lowlands. Control of
Kashmir continues to be a major bone of contention in Indian-Pakistani relations.
The Southern Andes: During Spanish colonial administration, ridges and watersheds
were used to define what would become the long border between Argentina and Chile. The
area was poorly mapped, however, resulting in conflicting interpretations of boundary loca-
tions. Segment by segment, disputes over different parts of the boundary were resolved by
direct negotiations, third-party mediation, the International Court of Justice, or — in one par-
ticular case — the intervention of the Pope
Invisibility
In some cases, determining where a border is located is impossible. Such situations are potential
powder kegs. Here are two examples:
Amazonia: The periphery of the Amazon basin contains a couple of boundaries that pass
through trackless expanses of jungle and rainforest. Thus, while the line is plainly visible on
the map, no clue to its whereabouts can be found on the ground. The potential for trouble has
been highlighted by discovery of oil and natural gas in the region.
Arabian Peninsula: Because of the vast emptiness of the Arabian Desert, the boundaries
between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates have been approx-
imated but not delineated. Thus, on most detailed maps of Arabia, the borders are shown as
dashed lines accompanied by “boundary undefined” or words to that effect. So far the coun-
tries have felt no major ill effects, but situations like these have a way of turning nasty.
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