Canada–United States border

Canada–United States border
ThePeace Archat the border betweenSurrey, British Columbia,andBlaine, Washington
Characteristics
Entities	Canada United States
Length	8,891 km (5,525 mi)
History
Established	September 3, 1783 Signing of theTreaty of Parisat the end of theAmerican War of Independence
Current shape	April 11, 1908 Treaty of 1908
Treaties	Treaty of Paris Jay Treaty Treaty of 1818 Webster–Ashburton Treaty Oregon Treaty
Notes	See list of current disputes

Canada–United States border
Arctic Ocean Beaufort Sea Continental Divide Arctic Basin Pacific Basin Porcupine River Arctic Circle Yukon River Poker Creek–Little Gold Creek Alcan–Beaver Creek Yukon British Columbia Dalton Cache–Pleasant Camp Skagway–Fraser White Pass and Yukon Route Hyder–Stewart Ketchikan(AMH) Portland Canal Alaska Marine Highway Dixon Entrance Alaska,United States British Columbia,Canada Prince Rupert(AMH) British Columbia,Canada Washington,United States Strait of Juan de Fuca Port Angeles–VictoriaFerry Puget Sound Seattle–VictoriaFerry Haro Strait Friday Harbor–SidneyFerry Anacortes–SidneyFerry Boundary Pass Bellingham(AMH) Strait of Georgia Point Roberts–Boundary Bay Boundary Bay AmtrakCascades Peace Arch Border Crossing Pacific Highway Border Crossing Lynden–Aldergrove Sumas–Huntingdon Nighthawk–Chopaka Ross Lake Silver Skagit Road Pacific Crest Trail Pasayten River Oroville–Osoyoos Osoyoos Lake Ferry–Midway Danville–Carson Laurier–Cascade Frontier–Paterson Columbia River Boundary–Waneta Pend Oreille River Metaline Falls–Nelway Washington Idaho Kootenay River Porthill-Rykerts Eastport–Kingsgate Idaho Montana Lake Koocanusa Eureka–Roosville North Fork Flathead River Continental Divide Pacific Basin|British Columbia Hudson Bay Basin|Alberta Continental Divide Trail Waterton Lake Chief Mountain Border Crossing Piegan–Carway St. Mary River Laurentian Divide Hudson Bay Basin Gulf of Mexico Basin Del Bonita Border Crossing Milk River Sweetgrass–Coutts Whitlash–Aden Milk River Wild Horse Border Crossing Alberta Saskatchewan Willow Creek Border Crossing Turner–Climax Morgan–Monchy Opheim–West Poplar River Scobey–Coronach Raymond–Regway Montana North Dakota Fortuna–Oungre Laurentian Divide Gulf of Mexico Basin Hudson Bay Basin Ambrose–Torquay Noonan–Estevan Highway Portal–North Portal Northgate Border Crossing Souris River Sherwood–Carievale Saskatchewan Manitoba Antler–Lyleton Westhope–Coulter Souris River Carbury–Goodlands Dunseith–Boissevain St. John–Lena Hansboro–Cartwright Sarles–Crystal City Hannah–Snowflake Maida–Windygates Walhalla–Winkler Neche–Gretna Pembina–Emerson Red River of the North North Dakota Minnesota Lancaster–Tolstoi Pinecreek–Piney Roseau–South Junction Warroad–Sprague Lake of the Woods Northwest Angle Manitoba Ontario Rainy River Baudette–Rainy River International Falls–Fort Frances Rainy Lake Kettle Falls Dam Namakan Lake Sand Point Lake Little Vermillion Lake Loon River Loon Lake Lac La Croix Bottle River Bottle Lake Iron Lake Crooked Lake Basswood River Basswood Lake Sucker Lake Birch Lake Carp Lake Knife River Knife Lake Ottertrack Lake Monument Portage Swamp Lake Saganaga Lake Maraboeuf Lake Gneiss Lake Granite River Clove Lake Pine River Magnetic Lake Gunflint Lake Little Gunflint Lake Little North Lake North Lake Height of Land Portage over theLaurentian Divide Hudson Bay Basin St. Lawrence Basin South Lake Rat Lake Rose Lake Arrow River Rove Lake Watap Lake Watap Portage Mountain Lake Pigeon River Moose Lake Fowl Lake Pigeon River Grand Portage–Pigeon River Lake Superior Minnesota Michigan St. Marys River Sault Sainte Marie Border Crossing Soo Locks Lake Huron St. Clair River Port Huron–Sarnia Walpole–Algonac Ferry Lake St. Clair Detroit River Detroit–Windsor tunnel Ambassador Bridge Detroit–Windsor Truck Ferry Lake Erie Michigan Ohio Sandusky–PeleeFerry Ohio Pennsylvania Pennsylvania New York Niagara River Peace Bridge Horseshoe Falls(Niagara Falls) Rainbow Bridge Whirlpool Rapids Bridge Maple Leaf Lewiston–Queenston Bridge Lake Ontario Cape Vincent–Wolfe IslandFerry St. Lawrence River Thousand Islands Border Crossing Ogdensburg–Prescott Three Nations Crossing Ontario Quebec Fort Covington–Dundee Trout River Border Crossing Chateaugay–Herdman Churubusco–Franklin Centre Cannon Corners–Covey Hill Mooers–Hemmingford Champlain–St. Bernard de Lacolle Overton Corners–Lacolle 221 Adirondack Rouses Point–Lacolle 223 Lake Champlain New York Vermont Alburgh–Noyan Montrealer Discontinued /Proposed Alburg Springs–Clarenceville Missisquoi Bay Highgate Springs– St. Armand/Philipsburg Morses Line Border Crossing West Berkshire–Frelighsburg Pinnacle Road–East Pinnacle Richford–Abercorn East Richford–Glen Sutton North Troy–Highwater Lake Memphremagog Beebe Plain–Beebe Derby Line–Stanstead Derby Line–Rock Island Norton–Stanhope St. Lawrence River Divide St. Lawrence Basin Atlantic Basin Canaan–Hereford Road Beecher Falls–East Hereford Halls Stream Vermont New Hampshire Pittsburg–Chartierville New Hampshire Maine Coburn Gore–Woburn Armstrong–Jackman St. Zacharie Border Crossing Little Saint John Lake Southwest Branch Saint John River St. Aurelie Maine–St. Aurelie Saint Just de Bretenières– St. Juste Maine Saint Pamphile Border Crossing Estcourt Station–Pohénégamook Saint Francis River Quebec New Brunswick Saint John River Fort Kent–Clair Madawaska–Edmundston Van Buren–St. Leonard Hamlin–Grand Falls Limestone - Gillespie Portage Four Falls Border Crossing Aroostook River Fort Fairfield–Andover Easton–River de Chute Bridgewater–Centreville Monticello–Bloomfield Houlton–Woodstock Monument Brook North Lake North Lake Thoroughfare Grand Lake Orient–Fosterville Forest City Stream Forest City Border Crossing Mud Lake Mud Lake Stream Spednic Lake St. Croix River Vanceboro–St. Croix Grand Falls Dam Woodland Dam International Avenue Border Crossing Calais–Milltown Ferry Point Border Crossing Passamaquoddy Bay Western Passage Eastport–Deer IslandFerry Lubec Narrows Lubec–Campobello Grand Manan Channel Bay of Fundy New Brunswick Nova Scotia Bar Harbor–Yarmouth Ferry Gulf of Maine Atlantic Ocean

TheCanada–United States borderis the longest internationalborderin the world.The boundary (including boundaries in theGreat Lakes,Atlantic, and Pacific coasts) is 8,891 km (5,525 mi) long. The land border has two sections:Canada's border with thecontiguous United Statesto its south, and with the U.S. state ofAlaskato its west. The bi-nationalInternational Boundary Commissiondeals with matters relating to marking and maintaining the boundary, and theInternational Joint Commissiondeals with issues concerning boundary waters. The agencies responsible for facilitating legal passage through the international boundary are theCanada Border Services Agency(CBSA) andU.S. Customs and Border Protection(CBP).

US and Canadian border security working together.

History

18th century

The45th parallel(marked in red) was established as a border between theProvince of Quebecand the United States in theTreaty of Paris

TheTreaty of Paris of 1783ended theAmerican Revolutionary WarbetweenGreat Britainand the United States. In the second article of the Treaty, the parties agreed on all boundaries of the United States, including, but not limited to, the boundary to the north along what was thenBritish North America.The agreed-upon boundary included the line from the northwest angle ofNova Scotiato the northwesternmost head of theConnecticut Riverand proceeded down along the middle of the river to the45th parallel of north latitude.

The parallel had been established in the 1760s as the boundary between the provinces ofQuebecandNew York(including what would later become theState of Vermont). It wassurveyed and marked by John Collins and Thomas Valentinefrom 1771 to 1773.

TheSt. Lawrence Riverand the Great Lakes became the boundary further west, between the United States and what is nowOntario.Northwest ofLake Superior,the boundary followed rivers to theLake of the Woods.From thenorthwesternmost point of the Lake of the Woods,the boundary was agreed to go straight west until it met theMississippi River.That line never meets the river sincethe river's sourceis farther south.

Jay Treaty (1794)

TheJay Treatyof 1794 (effective 1796) created theInternational Boundary Commission,which was charged with surveying and mapping the boundary. It also provided for the removal of British forces fromDetroit,as well as other frontier outposts on the U.S. side. The Jay Treaty was superseded by theTreaty of Ghent(effective 1815) concluding theWar of 1812,which included pre-war boundaries.

19th century

Signing of theTreaty of Ghentin 1814, which ended theWar of 1812and returned the border to its pre-war state. Subsequent treaties agreed upon saw the border demilitarized, and most boundary disputes resolved.

Signed in December 1814, the Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812, returning the boundaries of British North America and the United States to the state they were before the war. In the following decades, the United States and the United Kingdom concluded several treaties that settled the major boundary disputes between the two, enabling the border to bedemilitarized.TheRush–Bagot Treatyof 1817 provided a plan for demilitarizing the two combatant sides in the War of 1812 and also laid out preliminary principles for drawing a border between British North America and the United States.

London Convention (1818)

TheTreaty of 1818saw the expansion of both British North America and the United States, with their boundary extending westward along the49th parallel,from theNorthwest Angleat Lake of the Woods to theRocky Mountains.While theLaurentian Dividehad previously been agreed to as a border, the flatness of the terrain made it difficult to locate this line.The treaty extinguished British claims to the south of the 49th in theRed River Valley,which was part ofRupert's Land.The treaty also extinguished U.S. claims to land north of the 49th in the watershed of theMissouri River,which was part of theLouisiana Purchase.Along the 49th parallel, the border vista is theoretically straight, but in practice follows the 19th-century surveyed border markers and varies by several hundred feet in spots.

Webster–Ashburton Treaty (1842)

Disputed territory betweenBritish North AmericaandMainemarked in pink. The dispute was settled in theWebster–Ashburton Treatyin 1842. The green line on the map marks the final border.

Disputes over the interpretation of the border treaties and mistakes in surveying required additional negotiations, which resulted in theWebster–Ashburton Treatyof 1842. The treaty resolved theAroostook War,a dispute over the boundary betweenMaine,New Brunswick,and theProvince of Canada.The treaty redefined the border betweenNew Hampshire,Vermont, and New York on the one hand, and the Province of Canada on the other, resolving theIndian Streamdispute and theFort Blunderdilemma at the outlet toLake Champlain.

The part of the 45th parallel that separates Quebec from the U.S. states of Vermont and New York had first been surveyed from 1771 to 1773 after it had been declared the boundary between New York (including what later became Vermont) and Quebec. It was surveyed again after the War of 1812. The U.S. federal government began to construct fortifications just south of the border atRouses Point, New York,on Lake Champlain. After a significant portion of the construction was completed, measurements revealed that at that point, the actual 45th parallel was three-quarters of a mile (1.2 km) south of the surveyed line. The fort, which became known as "Fort Blunder",was in Canada, which created a dilemma for the U.S. that was not resolved until a provision of the treaty left the border on the meandering line as surveyed. The border along theBoundary Watersin present-day Ontario andMinnesotabetween Lake Superior and the Northwest Angle was also redefined.

Oregon Treaty (1846)

Main article:Oregon Treaty

Map of the disputedOregon Country,with the American and British claims marked. The dispute was settled in the Oregon Treaty, placing the boundary along the49th parallel,excludingVancouver Island.

An1844 boundary disputeduring thePresidency of James K. Polkled to a call for the northern boundary of the U.S. west of the Rockies to be54°40′Nrelated to the southern boundary of Russia'sAlaska Territory.However, Great Britain wanted a border that followed theColumbia Riverto the Pacific Ocean. The dispute was resolved in theOregon Treatyof 1846, which established the 49th parallel as the boundary through the Rockies.

Boundary surveys (mid–19th century)

The Northwest Boundary Survey (1857–1861) laid out the land boundary. However, the water boundary was not settled for some time. After thePig Warin 1859, arbitration in 1872 established the border between theGulf Islandsand theSan Juan Islands.

TheInternational Boundary Survey(or, the "Northern Boundary Survey" in the U.S.) began in 1872.Its mandate was to establish the border as agreed to in the Treaty of 1818. Archibald Campbell led the way for the United States, while Donald Cameron, supported by chief astronomerSamuel Anderson,headed the British team. This survey focused on the border from the Lake of the Woods to the summit of the Rocky Mountains.

20th century

An International Boundary Commission reference monument at thePigeon River

In 1903, following a dispute that arose because of theKlondike Gold Rush,a joint United Kingdom–Canada–U.S. tribunal established theboundary of southeast Alaska.

On April 11, 1908, the United Kingdom and the United States agreed, under Article IV of the Treaty of 1908 "concerning the boundary between the United States and the Dominion of Canada from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean", to survey and delimit the boundary between Canada and the U.S. through the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes, by modern surveying techniques, and thus accomplished several changes to the border.In 1925, the International Boundary Commission's temporary mission became permanent for maintaining the survey and mapping of the border; maintaining boundary monuments and buoys; and keeping the border clear of brush and vegetation for 6 m (20 ft). This "border vista"extends for 3 m (9.8 ft) on each side of the line.

In 1909, under theBoundary Waters Treaty,theInternational Joint Commissionwas established for Canada and the U.S. to investigate and approve projects that affect the waters and waterways along the border.

21st century

As a result of the 2001September 11 attacks,the Canada–U.S. border was shut without any warning, and no goods or people were allowed to cross. In the wake of the impromptu border closure, procedures were jointly developed to ensure that commercial traffic could cross the border even if people were restricted from crossing. These procedures were later used for a border closure caused by theCOVID-19 pandemicin 2020.

2020–2021 closure

ThePoker Creek–Little Gold Creek Border Crossingat the Alaska–Yukon border closed as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic.

In response to theCOVID-19 pandemic in Canadaandthe United States,the governments of Canada and the United States agreed to close the border to "non-essential" travel on March 21, 2020, for an initial period of 30 days. The closure was extended 15 times. In mid-June 2021, the Canadian government announced it would ease some entry requirements for fully vaccinated Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and foreign nationals starting on July 5. The closure finally expired on July 21. In mid-July, the Canadian government announced that fully vaccinated American citizens and permanent residents could visit Canada starting August 9. The American government reopened its land border to fully vaccinated Canadian citizens effective November 8. The 2020–21 closure was reportedly the first long-term blanket closure of the border since the War of 1812.

Business advocacy groups, noting the substantial economic impact of the closure on both sides of the border, called for more nuanced restrictions in place of the blanket ban on non-essential travel.The Northern Border Caucus, a group in theU.S. Congresscomposed of members from border communities, made similar suggestions to the governments of both countries.Beyond the closure itself, US PresidentDonald Trumpalso initially suggested the idea of deploying United States military personnel near the border with Canada in connection with the pandemic. He later abandoned the idea following vocal opposition from Canadian officials.

Security

Law enforcement approach

The International Boundary is commonly said to be the world's "longest undefended border", though this is true only in the military sense, as civilian law enforcement is present.It is illegal to cross the border outside border controls, as anyone crossing the border must be checked per immigrationand customs laws.The relatively low level of security measures stands in contrast to that of theUnited States–Mexico border(which is one-third the length of the Canada–U.S. border), which is actively patrolled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel to preventillegal migrationanddrug trafficking.

U.S. counties(or county equivalents) sharing a land or water border with Canada

Land border

Water border only

Parts of the International Boundary cross through mountainous terrain or heavily forested areas, but significant portions also cross remote prairie farmland and the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence River, in addition to the maritime components of the boundary at theAtlantic,Pacific,andArcticoceans. The border also runs through the middle of theAkwesasne Nationand even divides some buildings found in communities in New England and Quebec.

TheUS Customs and Border Protectionidentifies the chief issues along the border as domestic and international terrorism; drug smuggling and smuggling of products (such astobacco) to evade customs duties; and illegal immigration.A June 2019 U.S.Government Accountability Officereport identified specific staffing and resource shortfalls faced by the CBP on the Northern border that adversely affect enforcement actions; the U.S. Border Patrol "identified an insufficient number of agents that limited patrol missions along the northern border" whileCBP Air and Marine Operations"identified an insufficient number of agents along the northern border, which limited the number and frequency of air and maritime missions."

There are eightU.S. Border Patrolsectors based on the Canada–U.S. border, each covering a designated "area of responsibility"; the sectors are (from west to east) based inBlaine, Washington;Spokane, Washington;Havre, Montana;Grand Forks, North Dakota;Detroit, Michigan;Buffalo, New York;Swanton, Vermont;andHoulton, Maine.

Following theSeptember 11 attacksin the United States, security along the border was dramatically tightened by the two countries in both populated and rural areas. Both nations are also actively involved in detailed and extensive tactical and strategic intelligence sharing.

In December 2010, Canada and the United States were negotiating an agreement titled "Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Competitiveness" which would give the U.S. more influence over Canada's border security and immigration controls, and more information would be shared by Canada with the U.S.

Security measures

Canadian border crossing sign with lights to alert those crossing to report to customs remotely. Remote customs exist in areas where staffed border crossings are unavailable.

Residents of both nations who own property adjacent to the border are forbidden to build within the 6-metre-wide (20 ft) boundary vista without permission from the International Boundary Commission. They are required to report such construction to their respective governments.

All persons crossing the border are required to report to the customs agency of the country they have entered. Where necessary, fences or vehicle blockades are used. In remote areas, where staffed border crossings are not available, there are hiddensensorson roads, trails, railways, and wooded areas, which are located near crossing points.There is noborder zone;the U.S. Customs and Border Protection routinely sets up checkpoints as far as 100 miles (160 km) into U.S. territory.

In August 2020, the United States constructed 3.8 km (2.4 mi) of short cable fencing along the border betweenAbbotsford, British Columbia,andWhatcom County, Washington.

Identification

See also:American entry into Canada by landandWestern Hemisphere Travel Initiative

Canada Border Services AgencyandU.S. Customs and Border Protectionagents reviewing identification. Valid identification is required for crossing the border.

Before 2007, American and Canadian citizens were only required to produce a birth certificate and driver's license/government-issued identification card when crossing the Canada–United States border.

However, in late 2006, theU.S. Department of Homeland Security(DHS) announced the final rule of theWestern Hemisphere Travel Initiative(WHTI), which pertained to new identification requirements for travelers entering the United States. This rule, which marked the first phase of the initiative, was implemented on January 23, 2007, specifying six forms of identification acceptable for crossing the U.S. border (depending on mode):

• a validpassport—required to enter by air;
• aUnited States passport card;
• anenhanced driver's license—issued by the U.S. States ofMichigan,Minnesota,New York,Vermont,andWashington,as well as the Canadian Provinces ofBritish Columbia,Manitoba,Ontario,andQuebec;
• a trusted traveler program card (i.e.NEXUS,FAST,orSENTRI);
• a validMerchant Mariner Credential—to be used when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; and
• a valid U.S.military identification card—to be used when traveling on official orders.

The requirement of a passport or an enhanced form of identification to enter the United States by air went into effect in January 2007; and went into effect for those entering the U.S. by land and sea in January 2008.Although the new requirements for land and sea entry went into legal effect in January 2008, its enforcement did not begin until June 2009.Since June 2009, every traveler arriving via a land or sea port-of-entry (includingferries) has been required to present one of the above forms of identification to enter the United States.

A plaque attached to the rail of a bridge on theMaineandNew Brunswickborder crossing.

Conversely, to cross into Canada, a traveler must also carry identification, as well as a valid visa (if necessary) when crossing the border.Forms of identification include a valid passport, a Canadian Emergency Travel Document, an enhanced driver's license issued by a Canadian province or territory, or an enhanced identification/photo card issued by a Canadian province or territory.Several other documents may be used by Canadians to identify their citizenship at the border, although the use of such documents requires it to be supported with additional photo identification.

American and Canadian citizens who are members of a trusted traveler program such as FAST or NEXUS, may present their FAST or NEXUS card as an alternate form of identification when crossing the international boundary by land or sea, or when arriving by air from only Canada or the United States.Although permanent residents of Canada and the United States are eligible for FAST or NEXUS, they are required to travel with a passport and proof of permanent residency upon arrival at the Canadian border.American permanent residents who are NEXUS members also require Electronic Travel Authorization when crossing the Canadian border.

Security issues

Smuggling

AUnited States Border Patrolagent tracking someone in harsh winter conditions on the northern border

US customs officers boarding a ship at the border

Smuggling ofalcoholic beverages("rum running") was widespread during the 1920s, whenProhibitionwas in effect nationally in theUnited Statesand parts ofCanada.

In more recent years, Canadian officials have brought attention todrug,cigarette,andfirearmsmuggling from the United States, while U.S. officials have made complaints of drug smuggling via Canada. In July 2005, law enforcement personnel arrested three men who had built a 110-metre (360 ft) tunnel under the border between British Columbia andWashington,intended for the use of smugglingmarijuana,the first such tunnel known on this border.From 2007 to 2010, 147 people were arrested for smuggling marijuana on the property of abed-and-breakfastin Blaine, Washington, but agents estimate that they caught only about 5% of smugglers.

Because of its location,Cornwall, Ontario,experiences ongoing smuggling—mostly of tobacco and firearms from the United States. The neighboringMohawkterritory of Akwesasne straddles the Ontario–Quebec–New York borders, where itsFirst Nationssovereignty preventsOntario Provincial Police,Sûreté du Québec,Royal Canadian Mounted Police,Canada Border Services Agency,Canadian Coast Guard,United States Border Patrol,United States Coast Guard,andNew York State Policefrom exercising jurisdiction over exchanges taking place within the territory.

2009 border occupation

In May 2009, the Mohawk people of Akwesasne occupied the area around theCanada Border Services Agencyport of entry building to protest the Canadian government's decision to arm its border agents while operating on Mohawk territory. The north span of theSeaway International Bridgeand the CBSA inspection facilities were closed. During this occupation, the Canadian flag was replaced with the flag of the Mohawk people. Although U.S. Customs remained open to southbound traffic, northbound traffic was blocked on the U.S. side by both American and Canadian officials. The Canadian border at this crossing remained closed for six weeks. On July 13, 2009, the CBSA opened a temporary inspection station at the north end of the north span of the bridge in the city of Cornwall, allowing traffic to once again flow in both directions.

The Mohawk people of Akwesasne have staged ongoing protests at this border. In 2014, they objected to a process that made their crossing more tedious, believing it violated their treaty rights of free passage. When traveling from the U.S. toCornwall Island,they must first cross a second bridge into Canada, for inspection at the new Canadian border station. Discussions between inter-governmental agencies were being pursued on the feasibility of relocating the Canadian border inspection facilities on the U.S. side of the border.

2017 border crossing crisis

Members of theRoyal Canadian Mounted Policewaiting for migrants to cross atRoxham Roadin August 2017

In August 2017, the border between Quebec and New York saw an influx of up to 500 irregular crossings each day, by individuals seeking asylum in Canada.As a result, Canada increased border security and immigration staffing in the area, reiterating the fact that crossing the border irregularly did not affect one's asylum status.

From the beginning of January 2017 up until the end of March 2018, the RCMP intercepted 25,645 people crossing the border into Canada from an unauthorized point of entry.Public Safety Canadaestimates another 2,500 came across in April 2018 for a total of just over 28,000.

Border lengths and regions

Canadian and American boundary markers

The length of the terrestrial boundary is 8,891 km (5,525 mi), of which 6,416 km (3,987 mi) is against thecontiguous 48 states,and 2,475 km (1,538 mi) againstAlaska.Eight out of thirteenprovinces and territories of Canadaand thirteen out of fiftyU.S. statesare located along this international boundary.

Rank	State	Length of border with Canada		Rank	Province/territory	Length of border with the U.S.
1	Alaska	2,475 km (1,538 mi)		1	Ontario	2,727 km (1,682 mi)
2	Michigan	1,160 km (721 mi)		2	British Columbia	2,168 km (1,347 mi)
3	Maine	983 km (611 mi)		3	Yukon	1,244 km (786 mi)
4	Minnesota	880 km (547 mi)		4	Quebec	813 km (505 mi)
5	Montana	877 km (545 mi)		5	Saskatchewan	632 km (393 mi)
6	New York	716 km (445 mi)		6	New Brunswick	513 km (318 mi)
7	Washington	687 km (427 mi)		7	Manitoba	497 km (309 mi)
8	North Dakota	499 km (310 mi)		8	Alberta	298 km (185 mi)
9	Ohio	235 km (146 mi)
10	Vermont	145 km (90 mi)
11	New Hampshire	93 km (58 mi)
12	Idaho	72 km (45 mi)
13	Pennsylvania	68 km (42 mi)

Yukon

TheCanadian territoryofYukonshares its entire western border with the U.S. state ofAlaska,beginning at theBeaufort Seaat69°39′N141°00′Wand proceeding southwards along the141st meridian west.At 60°18′N, the border proceeds away from the 141st meridian west in a southeastward direction, following theSt. Elias Mountains.South of the60th parallel north,the border continues into British Columbia.

British Columbia

0 Avenueon the Canadian side and the border marker

British Columbiahas two international borders with the United States: with the state of Alaska along BC's northwest, and with thecontiguous United Statesalong the southern edge of the province, including (west to east)Washington,Idaho,andMontana.

BC's Alaskan border, continuing from Yukon's, proceeds through theSaint Elias Mountains,followed byMount Fairweatherat58°54′N137°31′W(near theFairweather Glacier), where the border heads northwestward towards theCoast Mountains.At59°48′N135°28′W(nearSkagway, Alaska), the border begins a general southeastward direction along the Coast Mountains. The border eventually reaches thePortland Canaland follows it outward to theDixon Entrance,which takes the border down and out into the Pacific Ocean, terminating it upon reachinginternational waters.

BC's border along the contiguous U.S. begins southwest ofVancouver Islandand northwest of theOlympic Peninsula,at the terminus of international waters in the Pacific Ocean and the northwest corner of the American state ofWashington.It follows theStrait of Juan de Fucaeastward, turning northeastward to enterHaro Strait.The border follows the strait in a northward direction, but turns sharply eastward throughBoundary Pass,separating the CanadianGulf Islandsfrom the AmericanSan Juan Islands.Upon reaching theStrait 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 theTsawwassen Peninsula,separatingPoint Roberts, Washington,fromDelta, British Columbia,and continues into Alberta.

Prairies

Boundary markers and a 25 foot (7.6 m) swath cut into the forest marking the Alberta-Montana border.

The entire Canada–U.S. border in the provinces of both Alberta and Saskatchewan lies along the 49th parallel north.Both provinces share borders with the state ofMontana,while, farther east, Saskatchewan also shares a border withNorth Dakota.On the American side, the states of Montana,North Dakota,andMinnesotaall lie on the straight part of the border.

Along with the U.S. states of North Dakota and Minnesota (west to east), nearly the entire Canada–U.S. border inManitobalies along the 49th parallel north.At the province's eastern end, however, the border briefly enters the Lake of the Woods, turning north at48°59′N95°09′Wwhere it continues into the land along the western end of Minnesota'sNorthwest Angle,the only part of the United States besides the state ofAlaskathat is north of the 49th parallel. The border reaches Ontario at49°23′N95°09′W.

Ontario

TheHorseshoe Fallsand theNiagara Rivermarks the Ontario-New York border. Lakes and waterways make up most of Ontario's borders with the United States.

The province of Ontario shares its border (west to east) with the U.S. states of Minnesota,Michigan,Ohio,Pennsylvania,andNew York.The largest provincial international border, most of the border is a water boundary. It begins at the north-westernmost point of Minnesota's Northwest Angle (49°23′N95°09′W). From here, it proceeds eastward through the Angle Inlet into theLake of the Woods,turning southward at49°19′N94°48′W(nearDawson Township, Ontario) where it continues into theRainy River.The border follows the River toRainy Lake,then subsequently through various smaller lakes, including Namakan Lake,Lac la Croix,andSea Gull Lake.The border then crosses theHeight of Land Portageover the divide between theHudson Baydrainage basin, and that of the Great Lakes. The boundary then follows thePigeon River,which leads it out into Lake Superior. The border continues through Lake Superior andWhitefish Bay,into theSt. Mary's Riverthen theNorth Channel.At45°59′N83°26′W(betweenDrummond Township, Michiganto the west andCockburn Island (Ontario)to the east), the border turns southward into theFalse Detour Channel,from which it reachesLake Huron.Through the Lake, the border heads southward until reaching theSt. Clair River,leading it toLake St. Clair.The border proceeds through Lake St. Clair, reaching theDetroit River,which leads it toLake Erie,where it begins turning northeast. From Lake Erie, the border is led into theNiagara River,which takes it intoLake Ontario.From here, the boundary heads northwestward until it reaches43°27′N79°12′W,where it makes a sharp turn towards the northeast. The border then reaches the St. Lawrence River, proceeding through it until finally, at45°00′N74°40′W(betweenMassena, New YorkandCornwall, Ontario), the border splits from the river and continues into Quebec.

Quebec

The province of Quebec borders (west to east) the U.S. states of New York,Vermont,New Hampshire,andMaine,beginning where the Ontario-New York border ends in the St. Lawrence River at the45th parallel north.The Quebec-New York border heads inland towards the east, remaining on or near the parallel, becoming the border ofVermont.At45°00′N71°30′W(the tripoint of Vermont,New Hampshire,and Quebec), the border begins to follow various natural features of theAppalachian Mountainsas it turns into the border of Maine. It continues to do so until46°25′N70°03′W(nearSaint-Camille-de-Lellis, Quebecon the Canadian side, and unorganized territory on the American side), where it heads north, then northeastward at46°41′N69°59′W(nearLac-Frontière, Quebec). Finally, at47°27′N69°13′W(nearPohénégamook,Quebec), the border heads towardBeau Lake,going through it and continuing into New Brunswick.

New Brunswick

The entire border of New Brunswick is shared with the U.S. state of Maine, beginning at the southern tip of Beau Lake at47°18′N69°03′W(betweenRivière-Bleue,Quebec andSaint-François Parish, New Brunswick), subsequently proceeding to theSaint John River.The border moves through the River until47°04′N67°47′W(betweenHamlin, MaineandGrand Falls, New Brunswick), where it splits from the river. It heads southward to45°56′N67°47′W(nearAmity, Maine), from whence it follows theMonument Brookfurther south into theChiputneticook Lakes,which subsequently leads the border to theSt. Croix River.The border proceeds through the St. Croix toPassamaquoddy Bay,which then leads it toGrand Manan Islandinto the middle of theBay of Fundy.Here, the border turns towards the south and terminates upon reaching international waters.

Crossings and border straddling

Main article:List of Canada–United States border crossings

Airports

Entrance to a U.S. pre-clearance area atVancouver International Airport.Pre-clearance areas are situated in several Canadian airports to help expedite the customs process.

The U.S. maintainspre-clearance facilities(i.e. immigration offices) at eight Canadian airports with international air service to the United States:Calgary;Edmonton;Halifax Stanfield;Montreal–Trudeau;Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier;Toronto Island Airport (Billy Bishop Airport),Toronto–Pearson,Vancouver;andWinnipeg James Armstrong Richardson.These procedures expedite travel by allowing flights originating in Canada to land at a U.S. airport without being processed as an international arrival. Canada does not maintain equivalent personnel at U.S. airports due to the sheer number of Canada-bound flights from numerous U.S. departure locations.

Cross-border airports

One curiosity on the Canada–U.S. border is the presence of six airports and elevenseaplane baseswhose runways straddle the borderline. Such airports were built before theU.S. entry into World War IIas a way to legally transfer U.S.-built aircraft, such as theLockheed Hudson,to Canada under the provisions of theLend-Lease Act.In the interest of maintaining neutrality, U.S. military pilots were forbidden to deliver combat aircraft to Canada. As a result, the aircraft were flown to the border, where they landed, and then were towed on their wheels over the border by tractors or horses overnight. The next day, the planes were crewed byRCAFpilots and flown to other locations, typically airbases inEastern CanadaandNewfoundland,from where they were flown to theUnited Kingdomand deployed in theBattle of Britain.

Ramp facilities at Piney Pinecreek Border Airport. The left-hand building and ramp are north of the border in Canada; those on the right are in the United States.

Piney Pinecreek Border Airportis located inPiney, Manitoba,andPinecreek, Minnesota.The northwest–southeast-oriented runway straddles the border, and there are two ramps: one in the U.S. and one in Canada. The airport is owned by theMinnesota Department of Transportation.

International Peace Garden Airportis located inBoissevain, Manitoba,andDunseith, North Dakota,adjacent to theInternational Peace Garden.The runway is entirely within North Dakota, but a ramp extends across the border to allow aircraft to access Canadian customs. While not jointly owned, it is operated as an international facility for customs clearance as part of the Peace Garden.

Coronach/Scobey Border Station Airport(or East Poplar Airport) is located inCoronach, Saskatchewan,andScobey, Montana.The airport is jointly owned by the Canadian and U.S. governments, with its east-west runway sited exactly on the borderline.

Coutts/Ross International Airportis located in Alberta and Montana. Like Coronach/Scobey, the east-west runway is sited exactly on the border. The airport is owned entirely by theMontana Department of Transportation(DOT) Aeronautics Division.

Del Bonita/Whetstone International Airport,located inDel Bonita, Alberta,andDel Bonita, Montana,has an east-west runway sited exactly on the border, similar to Coutts/Ross. The airport is officially owned by the state of Montana and run by the state's DOT Aeronautics Division, thus it has been assigned a U.S.identifieronly. The facility is set up for both the general public (15 passengers maximum per plane) as well as theAmerican military.

Avey Field State Airportis located in Washington and British Columbia. The privately owned airfield is mostly in the U.S., but several hundred feet of the north-south runway extend into Canada. As such, both Canadian and U.S. customs are available. It is assigned a U.S. identifier but does not have a Canadian one.

Several seaplane bases have water runways that cross the border, though the extent to which they do may be difficult to ascertain. The land-based facilities for the bases are all contained within one country or the other, however, leading to multiple situations where twin seaplane bases may share the same body of water. The following seaplane facilities exist on the border:

• Rouses Point SPB(New York / Quebec)
• Van Buren SPB(Maine / New Brunswick)
• Sault Ste Marie SPBandSault Ste. Marie Water Aerodrome(Michigan / Ontario)
• Sand Point Lake Water Aerodrome(Minnesota / Ontario)
• International Falls SPBandFort Frances Water Aerodrome(Minnesota / Ontario)
• Baudette International AirportandRainy River Water Aerodrome(Minnesota / Ontario)
• Hyder Seaplane BaseandStewart Water Aerodrome(Alaska / British Columbia)

Land border crossings

Ambassador Bridgeis asuspension bridgethat connectsDetroit, Michigan,withWindsor, Ontario.The bridge is North America's busiest international crossing in terms of trade volume, carrying more than one-quarter of all merchandise trade between Canada and the United States.

Currently, there are 119 legal land border crossings between the United States and Canada, 26 of which take place at a bridge or tunnel. Only 2 of the 119 crossings are one-way: theChurubusco–Franklin Centre Border Crossing,where travelers may enter only the United States; and theFour Falls Border Crossing,where travelers may enter only Canada.

Six roads haveunstaffed road crossings,and do not have border inspection services in one or both directions, where travelers are legally allowed to cross the border. Those who cross are required to report to customs, which are stationed farther within.

Trail crossings

TheFourth Connecticut Lake Trail(New Hampshire/Quebec) crosses several times while following the border vista before heading back to the United States.

ThePacific Crest Trailcrosses intoE. C. Manning Provincial Parkin the remoteNorth Cascadesmountains. Hikers can only legally cross into Canada from the U.S. and not vice-versa, requiring an advance permit.

Rail crossings

There are 39railroadsthat cross the U.S.–Canada border, nine of which are no longer in use. Eleven of these railroads cross the border at a bridge or tunnel.

Only three international rail lines currently carry passengers between the U.S. and Canada. At Vancouver'sPacific Central Station,passengers are required to pass through U.S. partial pre-clearance and pass their baggage through anX-ray machinebefore being allowed to board theSeattle-boundAmtrakCascadestrain, which makes no further stops before crossing the border atBlaine, Washington,where the train stops for another CBP inspection.Pre-clearance facilities are not available for the popularAdirondack(New York City to Montreal) orMaple Leaf(New York City to Toronto) trains, since these lines have stops between Montreal or Toronto and the border. Instead, passengers must clear customs at a stop located at the actual border.

Seaports

A ferry departingWolfe Island,Ontario forCape Vincent,New York

There are 13 internationalferry crossingsoperating between the U.S. and Canada. Two of them carry passengers only and one carries only rail cars. Four of the ferries operate only on a seasonal basis.

Similar to the pre-clearance facilities at Canadian airports, arrangements exist at major Canadianseaportsthat handle sealed direct import shipments into the U.S. Along the East Coast, ferry services operate between the province of New Brunswick and the state of Maine, while on the West coast, they operate between British Columbia and the states of Washington and Alaska. There are also several ferry services in the Great Lakes operating between the province of Ontario and the states of Michigan, New York, and Ohio. The ferry between Maine and Nova Scotia ended its operations in 2009, resuming again in 2014.

Seasonal vessel inspection stations are operated at tourist destinations such asHeart Island,New York, andRockport, Ontario.At landings unmanned by border personnel, telephoning the appropriate border agency may be sufficient to meet legal requirements.

Cross-border buildings

TheHaskell Librarysits on the international boundary, with the boundary marked by a black line on the floor of its reading room

Aline houseis a building located so that an international boundary passes through it. Several such buildings exist along the U.S.–Canada border:

• TheHaskell Free Library and Opera Housestraddles the border inDerby Line, Vermont,andStanstead, Quebec.
• Private homes divided by the boundary line betweenEstcourt Station, Maine,andPohénégamook, Quebec.
• Private homes divided betweenBeebe Plain, QuebecandBeebe Plain, Vermont;
• A seasonal home divided at the intersection of Matthias Lane inAlburgh, Vermont,and Chemin au Bord de l'Eau inNoyan, Quebec;
• A house divided betweenRichford, Vermont,andAbercorn, Quebec.
• The Halfway House (also known as Taillon's International Hotel) is a tavern, built-in 1820 before the border was surveyed,that straddles the border betweenDundee, Quebec,andFort Covington, New York.

The Maine–New Brunswick border divides theAroostook Valley Country Club.

Boundary divisions

Practical exclaves

To be a true internationalexclave,allpotential paths of travel from the exclave to the home country must cross over only the territory of a different country or countries. Like exclaves, practical exclaves are not contiguous with thelandof the home country and havelandaccess only through another country or countries. Unlike exclaves, they are notentirelysurrounded by foreign territory. Hence, they are exclavesfor practical purposes,without meeting the strict definition.

The termpene-exclave,also known as a "functional" or "practical" exclave,was defined by G. W. S. Robinson (1959) as "parts of the territory of one country that can be approached conveniently — in particular by wheeled traffic — only through the territory of another country."Thus, a pene-exclave has land borders with other territories but is not surrounded by the other's land or territorial waters.Catudal (1974) and Vinokurov (2007)provide examples to further elaborate, includingPoint Roberts, Washington:"Although physical connections by water with Point Roberts are entirely within the sovereignty of the United States, land access is only possible through Canada."Practical exclaves can exhibit continuity of state territory across territorial waters but a discontinuity on land, such as in the case of Point Roberts.

Practical exclaves of Canada

Campobello Islandis a practical exclave of Canada, with land access to the mainland being only to Maine

The Quebec western portion of the Akwesasne reserve is a practical exclave of Canada because of the St. Lawrence River to the north, theSt. Regis Riverto the east, New York State, U.S. to the south. To travel by land to elsewhere in Canada, one must drive through New York State.

Campobello Islandis another practical exclave located at the entrance toPassamaquoddy Bay,adjacent to the entrance toCobscook Bay,and within theBay of Fundy.The island is part ofCharlotte County, New Brunswick,but is physically connected by theFranklin Delano Roosevelt BridgewithLubec, Maine,the easternmost tip of the continental United States.

Premier, British Columbia is an abandoned mining site accessible only through Hyder, Alaska.

Practical exclaves of the United States

See also:Contiguous United States § Non-contiguous areas within the contiguous United States

The U.S. portion of this lake peninsula has a land border with Canada, making land access to it possible only through Canada. Image by U.S. Geological Survey.48°59′54″N99°52′44″W

Alaska is a non-contiguous U.S. state bounded by theBering Sea;theArcticand Pacific oceans; and Canada'sBritish ColumbiaandYukon Territory.Additionally, because of the terrain, several municipalities insoutheast Alaska(the "Panhandle" ) are inaccessible by road, except via Canada. Specifically, the town ofHyder, Alaska,is accessible only throughStewart, British Columbia,or by floatplane. Moreover,HainesandSkagwayare accessible by road only through Canada, although there are car ferries that connect them to other Alaskan places.

Point Roberts, Washingtonis bounded by British Columbia, the Strait of Georgia, andBoundary Bay.

In Minnesota,Elm Point,two small pieces of land to its west (Buffalo Bay Point), and theNorthwest Angleare bounded by the province ofManitobaandLake of the Woods.

In Vermont, theAlburgh Tongue,as well asProvince Point,which is the small end of a peninsula east ofAlburgh,are bounded by Quebec and Lake Champlain.

Split features

Between Quebec and Vermont,Province Islandis a piece of land that primarily lies in Canada, though a small portion of the island is situated in the U.S. state, lying south of the45th parallelwith a border vista marking the international boundary.

Canusa Streetin Beebe Plain, VT is the only portion of the Canada–United States border split down the middle of a street.

BetweenNorth Dakotaand Manitoba, the international border splits a peninsula within a lake on the border ofRolette County, North Dakota,and theWakopa Wildlife Management Area,MB.Likewise,Lake Metigoshe,lying in theTownship of Roland,borders the municipality ofWinchester, Manitoba.The border splits a shoreline, putting Canadian cabins on one side and the beach and boat docks for those cabins on the U.S. side, while land access is only through Canada.

Remaining boundary disputes

Main article:List of areas disputed by Canada and the United States

Map ofAlaskaand theBeaufort Sea.The cross-hatched region marks the disputed maritime boundary between Canada and the U.S.

• Machias Seal IslandandNorth Rock(Maine/New Brunswick)
• Dixon Entrance(Alaska/British Columbia)
• Beaufort Sea(Alaska /Yukon)
• Strait of Juan de Fuca(Washington/ British Columbia)

See also

• Canada Border Services Agency
• United States Customs and Border Protection
  • United States Border Patrol interior checkpoints
• Canada–United States relations
• Illegal immigration to Canada
• Illegal immigration to the United States
• Indian barrier state,British plans to set up a new country in theOld Northwest
• John Lewis Tiarks,a British surveyor of the border
• Joseph Smith Harris' account of the Northwest Boundary Survey
• Mexico–United States border
• Mobile Passport,a means of pre-submitting passport information to customs for this border

References

Further reading

• Ackleson, Jason. 2009. "From 'thin' to 'thick' (and back again?): the politics and policies of the contemporary US–Canada border."American Review of Canadian Studies9.4 (2009): 336-351.

• Anderson, Christopher G. 2012.Canadian Liberalism and the Politics of Border Control, 1867–1967.Vancouver:University of British Columbia Press.Studies pivotal episodes in Canadian immigration policy that shed light on more restrictive approaches today.

• Andreas, Peter. 2005. "The Mexicanization of the US-Canada border: Asymmetric interdependence in a changing security context."International Journal60.2 (2005): 449-462.
• Côté-Boucher, Karine, Luna Vives, and Louis-Philippe Jannard. 2023. "Chronicle of a 'Crisis' Foretold: Asylum seekers and the case of Roxham Road on the Canada-US border."Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space41.2 (2023): 408-426.online

• Hunt, Courtney.2008.Frozen River.edited by Kate Williams. US:Sony Pictures Classics.A feature film about smuggling across the border
• Leuprecht, Christian; Hataley, Todd S., eds.Security. Cooperation. Governance.: The Canada-United States Open Border Paradox(University of Michigan Press, 2023)online review of this book

• Lybecker, Donna L., et al. 2018. "The social construction of a border: The US–Canada border."Journal of Borderlands Studies33.4 (2018): 529-547.
• McCallum, John. 1995. "National borders matter Canada-US regional trade patterns."American Economic Review85.3 (1995): 615-623.
• Moens, Alexander, and Nachum Gabler. 2012. "Measuring the costs of the Canada-US border." (Fraser Institute,Studies in Canada-US Relations(2012).online

• Nicol, Heather N. 2012. "The wall, the fence, and the gate: Reflexive metaphors along the Canada–US border."Journal of Borderlands Studies27.2 (2012): 139-165.
• Nicol, Heather. 2005. "Resiliency or Change? The Contemporary Canada—US Border."Geopolitics10.4 (2005): 767-790.

• Paulus, Jeremy, and Ali Asgary. 2010. "Enhancing Border Security: Local Values and Preferences at the Blue Water Bridge (Point Edward, Canada)."Journal of Homeland Security and EmergencyManagement7(1): article 77.

• Salter, Mark B., and Geneviève Piché. 2011. "The securitization of the US–Canada border in American political discourse."Canadian Journal of Political Science/Revue canadienne de science politique44.4 (2011): 929-951.online

• Von Hlatky, Stéfanie, and Jessica N. Trisko. 2012. "Sharing the Burden of the Border: Layered Security Co-operation and the Canada–US Frontier."Canadian Journal of Political Science/Revue canadienne de science politique45.1 (2012): 63-88.online

External links

• University of Kent.2015.Culture and the Canada–US Border,funded byLeverhulme Trust.An international research network dedicated to studying cultural representation, production, and exchange on and around the Canada–US border.

External links

• International Boundary Commission