WHY DO STRANGE BORDERS EXIST?

What is a border, really? In simple terms, a border is where one country ends and another country begins.

Many borders have quite obvious features. They may be rivers, mountain ranges, oceans, or any other substantial geographic barriers. But then there are very strange borders that at face value don't appear to make a lot of sense. Let's begin by talking about countries that are entirely — or almost entirely — surrounded by one single other country.

Lesotho: The Mountain Kingdom

The country of Lesotho is a strange oddity in our world. It's a little smaller than the US state of Maryland, is home to over two million people, and is a completely independent country with its own government and King.

Despite its legal independence, the whole country is completely surrounded by South Africa. This strange situation occurred over a century ago in 1910, when what is today modern South Africa was formed by the British out of four of their colonies: Cape Colony, Natal Colony, Transvaal Colony, and Orange River Colony. Notably absent from this list of colonies, that became part of the Union of South Africa, was what was then called Basutoland — modern day Lesotho.

Lesotho also happens to feature the Highest Altitude Pub in Africa, which is aptly named, as it is nearly 2,900 meters above sea level. Located at the beginning of Sani Pass, it is an ideal place for a cold brew with a view.

The British attempted to include Basutoland within South Africa, but they failed due to the reluctance of the people within the colony. Basutoland would remain a British controlled colony even after South Africa achieved full self- governance in 1931, awkwardly placing a piece of British administered territory right in the middle of a self-governing former colony.

Basutoland finally gained independence from Britain in 1966, but its geographic situation means that the country has been severely influenced by South Africa ever since. All trade that comes into Lesotho has to first gothrough South Africa. Lesotho is completely landlocked and literally surrounded by South African territory on all sides, so all transportation to or from Lesotho must first go through South Africa. Even air travel has to venture through South African airspace first before it can enter Lesotho, which means that developments in South Africa will inevitably lead to the same occurrences in Lesotho.

But Lesotho isn't the only landlocked country in the world that is entirely surrounded by another country. The next two happen to both be located in Italy.

Italian Frontiers

The first Italian border for discussion is Vatican City, which is a terribly complicated subject all on its own. Vatican City is the smallest internationally recognized, fully sovereign nation on Earth — smaller than Central Park in New York City at 110 acres and having a population around 1,000 citizens. Despite this, however, it's a fully legal, independent country inside the Italian city of Rome with its own borders, as well as its own police force, firefighters, and passports.

For centuries, the Papacy controlled their own country, known as the Papal States, which controlled a large territory in central Italy. The entire Italian peninsula was divided into dozens of small city-states and regional powers, but that reality began to change in the nineteenth century. Slowly but surely, a united Italian kingdom began to emerge and eventually it reached the point where all of Italy was united into the same kingdom, except for the stubborn Papal States and San Marino. The Kingdom of Italy ended up invading the Papal States in 1860, and then occupied and annexed the rest of the country in 1870, which essentially left the Pope a stateless entity. The Pope controlled no physical territory and, as a result, the relations between the Pope and the Italian government were openly hostile for the next sixty years.

This situation, dubbed "The Roman Question," was finally settled in the 1920's under Benito Mussolini's Fascist government. The Pope was to be granted an area within the city of Rome that would once again serve as hisown sovereign territory. The area became what is still today Vatican City and is the last remaining absolute monarchy within Europe. It is legally recognized within the borders of Rome and completely surrounded by modern day Italy.

The Most Serene Republic of San Marino, Italy

The other country completely surrounded by another country is also in Italy: San Marino. As legend has it, the country was founded in 301 AD by a Christian stonemason named Marinus. Its first constitution was written in 1600, making it one of the oldest in world history.

San Marino has a population of nearly 33,000 and is the world's fifth smallest country at 23.5 miles long. The capital? San Marino, of course, though the country's largest city is Dogbane. The country has its own stamp and coin systems — both of which are prized by international collectors.

The country must be doing something right in maintaining its independence from Italy, its adjacent border. It has a thriving tourism industry, receiving three million visitors a year. Best of all, the nation'saverage life expectancy is eighty-three years of age — the third best in the world behind Macau and Monaco.

Some Other Odd Border Facts

1. North and South Korea: It would be a grave understatement to say that these two nations do not get along. They have a long history of conflict, which we needn't get into here. While some of their borders are pretty heavily guarded, there is one location in Panmunjom where the countries aren't even separated by a street; they are in such close proximity that only a wooden plank is between them and their guarded blue building structures.

2. Ethiopia and Somalia: These two countries have a border that is separated by only a flimsy piece of string.

3. Canada and the United States: Most people think the Canadian and US border — the longest in the world, stretching over 5,500 miles — is pretty straightforward and peaceful, right? Think again. There are two points that remain in an unresolved state: Machias Seal Island and North Rock between Maine and New Brunswick.

4. The Mediterranean Sea bordering between Africa and Europe: This is perhaps the world's most dangerous border, as numerous refugee...