UPSC Prelims 2024 Q79: Geography – World Political Geography & Borders
- (a) Canada and the United States of America
- (b) Chile and Argentina
- (c) China and India
- (d) Kazakhstan and Russian Federation
Answer: (a) Canada and the United States of America
Explanation
Longest International Border in the World
| Border | Countries | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada-USA | Canada and United States | 8,891 km | World's longest international border - includes the contiguous border plus the border between Alaska and Yukon/BC |
| Russia-Kazakhstan | Russia and Kazakhstan | ~7,644 km | Second longest international land border |
| Chile-Argentina | Chile and Argentina | ~5,300 km | Longest border in South America |
| China-India | India and China | ~3,488 km | Not among the top 3 longest |
Canada-USA border facts:
- Runs along the 49th parallel (for most of the contiguous US-Canada border)
- Includes the border between Alaska (USA) and Yukon/BC (Canada)
- Mostly unfortified - known as the 'world's longest undefended border'
- Managed by International Boundary Commission (est. 1908)
Answer: (a) Canada and the United States of America.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. The border between Canada and the United States of America is the world's longest international border at approximately 8,891 km, including the Alaska-Canada border.
- (b) Incorrect. The Chile-Argentina border (approximately 5,300 km) is the longest in South America but not the world. The Canada-USA border is significantly longer.
- (c) Incorrect. The China-India border (approximately 3,488 km) is among the longer land borders but is far shorter than the Canada-USA border.
- (d) Incorrect. The Kazakhstan-Russia border (approximately 7,644 km) is the second longest international land border in the world, but the Canada-USA border is still longer.
Key point
World's longest international border: Canada-USA = approximately 8,891 km. Known as the 'world's longest undefended border.' Second longest: Russia-Kazakhstan (~7,644 km).
Remember
The world's longest international border is between Canada and the United States of America at approximately 8,891 km, often called the 'world's longest undefended border.'
Common mistakes
- Thinking the Russia-Kazakhstan border is the longest - it is the second longest (~7,644 km) but shorter than Canada-USA (~8,891 km).
- Underestimating the Canada-USA border by not counting the Alaska portion - the Alaska-Canada border adds about 2,500 km to the total.
- Confusing land borders with maritime borders - the question asks about land borders between two countries specifically.
Exam tip
World border length ranking: 1st = Canada-USA (~8,891 km), 2nd = Russia-Kazakhstan (~7,644 km), 3rd = Argentina-Chile (~5,300 km). For India: longest land border = Bangladesh (~4,156 km), followed by China (~3,488 km).
Sources
- International Boundary Commission (Canada-USA)
- NCERT Class 12 Geography - Chapter 7: World Political Geography