Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
“Acts of God”
An “act of God” is a cataclysmic event that results in disagreement over the location of a border. The
most common (but hardly everyday) occurrence involves a boundary river that changes course fol-
lowing a major flood. The Mississippi River, for example, has changed course several times since it
was established as the boundary between Arkansas and Mississippi. As a result, some land that used
to be on the Arkansas side of the river is now on the Mississippi side, and vice versa. Similarly, a
small portion of Texas ended up on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande years ago following a freak
flood.
If a parcel of land “changes sides,” then is it in the same jurisdiction it was before, or in a different
one? Basically, it all depends on how the treaty was written. In any event, however, you can no doubt
appreciate the potential here for political intrigue.
Functional disputes
Functional disputes concern policy disagreements regarding immigration, trade, customs fees,
or some other matter(s) that apply to a particular boundary. Here are two contemporary ex-
amples.
United States-Mexico
Trade and daily exchanges across the U.S.-Mexican border are at an all-time high and have served
to bring the two countries closer together than ever before. At the same time, however, illegal im-
migration and drug trafficking have caused many Americans to advocate a “hardening” of this border
to make crossing more difficult. Thus, contrasting forces are respectively advocating a more open
boundary and a less open boundary. On the American side, border patrols have been increased and
physical barriers erected along some stretches. Critics view these physical barriers as virtual Berlin
Walls, while proponents view them as necessary steps to maintain national security. Mexicans tend to
view America's “hardening” policies as counterproductive to good relations and often contrast it to
the U.S.-Canadian border, which is very open and largely non-policed.
