Definitions of Canadian borders
Encyclopedia
Canada
is the world's second largest country by total area. Because of this, Canada has one of the longest international borders in the world, sharing a 5061 kilometre land border and a 3830 kilometre maritime border with the United States
alone. Canada also shares a large maritime boundary
with the Danish
territory of Greenland
, and a small ocean border with the French
overseas islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon.
at 69°39′N, 141°00′W and proceeds southwards along the 141st meridian west
. At 60°18′N, the border proceeds away from the 141st meridian west in a southeastwardly direction and follows the St. Elias Mountains. South of the 60th parallel north
, the border continues into British Columbia. The entire Canada–U.S. border in the Yukon
is shared with the U.S. state of Alaska
.
The former, continuing from the Yukon-Alaska border, proceeds through the St. Elias Mountains. Afterwards, at Mt. Fairweather at 58°54′N, 137°31′W, the border heads northwestwards towards the Coast Mountains
. Afterwards, at 59°48′N, 135°28′W, the border heads in a generally southeastwardly direction along the Coast Mountains. The border eventually reaches the Portland Canal
, and follows it outward to the Dixon Entrance
. The border then follows the Dixon Entrance out into the Pacific Ocean
, and terminates upon reaching international waters
.
The latter begins at the terminus of international waters in the Pacific Ocean southwest of Vancouver Island
and northwest of the Olympic Peninsula
. It follows the Strait of Juan de Fuca
eastward and then turns northeastward to enter Haro Strait
. The border follows this strait in a northerly direction and turns sharply in an easterly direction through Boundary Pass
, separating the Canadian Gulf Islands
from the American San Juan Islands
. Upon reaching the Strait of Georgia
, the border turns due north and then to a northwesterly direction, bisecting this strait until the 49th parallel north
. At this parallel, the border makes a sharp turn to a due eastbound direction, and follows the parallel into land, and continues into Alberta
. This border, going from west to east, is shared with the U.S. states of Washington, Idaho
, and Montana
.
lies on the 49th parallel north. This border, going from west to east, is shared with the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota
.
lies on the 49th parallel north. At the eastern end, however, the border briefly enters the Lake of the Woods
, turns north at 48°59′N, 95°09′W, continues into land along the western end of Minnesota's Northwest Angle
, and continues into Ontario at 49°23′N, 95°09′W. This border, going from west to east, is shared with the U.S. states of North Dakota and Minnesota
.
, then subsequently through a numerous amount of small lakes, including Lake Namakan, Lac la Croix, and Sea Gull Lake, until reaching the Pigeon River
, which leads it out into Lake Superior
. The border continues through Lake Superior and reaches Whitefish Bay
. The border then proceeds through Whitefish Bay into the St. Mary's River, then into Lake St. Mary's, into the North Channel
, then, at 45°59′N 83°26′N, turns to a southerly direction into the False Detour Channel
, and reaches Lake Huron
. The border then heads in a southerly direction through Lake Huron until reaching the St. Clair River
, which subsequently leads it to Lake St. Clair
. The border then proceeds through Lake St. Clair, reaching the Detroit River
, which leads it to Lake Erie
. The border then proceeds through Lake Erie into the Niagara River
, which subsequently leads in into Lake Ontario
. The border then proceeds in a northwesterly direction in Lake Ontario, then at 43°27′N, 79°12′W, the border makes a sharp turn to a north easterly direction. The border then reaches and proceeds through the St. Lawrence River. Finally, at 45°00′N, 74°40′E, the border splits from the St. Lawrence River and continues into Quebec
. This border, going from west to east, is shared with the U.S. states of Minnesota, Michigan
, Ohio
, Pennsylvania
, and New York
.
. It continues to do so until 46°25′N, 70°03′W, where it begins to follow a northerly direction, followed by a northeasterly direction at 46°41′N, 69°59′W. Afterwards, at 47°27′N, 69°13′E the border heads toward Beau Lake. Finally, after the border proceeds through Beau Lake, it continues into New Brunswick
. This border, going from west to east, is shared with the U.S. states of New York, Vermont
, New Hampshire
, and Maine
.
, which subsequently lead it to the St. Croix River. The border then proceeds through the St. Croix River to Passamaquoddy Bay
, which in turn leads it past Grand Manan Island into the middle of the Bay of Fundy
, where it turns in a southerly direction and then terminates upon reaching international waters. This border is shared entirely with the U.S. state of Maine.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
is the world's second largest country by total area. Because of this, Canada has one of the longest international borders in the world, sharing a 5061 kilometre land border and a 3830 kilometre maritime border with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alone. Canada also shares a large maritime boundary
Maritime boundary
Maritime boundary is a conceptual means of division of the water surface of the planet into maritime areas that are defined through surrounding physical geography or by human geography. As such it usually includes areas of exclusive national rights over the mineral and biological resources,...
with the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
territory of Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, and a small ocean border with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
overseas islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon.
International Borders
Subdivisions listed by geographical position by order of westernmost to easternmost.United States
Canada shares borders with the United States in 8 out of 13 provinces and territories. The provinces and territories that do not share a border with the United States share a provincial border with at least one that does.Yukon
The border begins at the Beaufort SeaBeaufort Sea
The Beaufort Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Alaska, west of Canada's Arctic islands. The sea is named after hydrographer Sir Francis Beaufort...
at 69°39′N, 141°00′W and proceeds southwards along the 141st meridian west
141st meridian west
The meridian 141° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
. At 60°18′N, the border proceeds away from the 141st meridian west in a southeastwardly direction and follows the St. Elias Mountains. South of the 60th parallel north
60th parallel north
The 60th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 60 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
, the border continues into British Columbia. The entire Canada–U.S. border in the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
is shared with the U.S. state of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.
British Columbia
British Columbia has two international borders with the United States; one with the state of Alaska, and one at the southern end with the northwestern continental United States.The former, continuing from the Yukon-Alaska border, proceeds through the St. Elias Mountains. Afterwards, at Mt. Fairweather at 58°54′N, 137°31′W, the border heads northwestwards towards the Coast Mountains
Coast Mountains
The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...
. Afterwards, at 59°48′N, 135°28′W, the border heads in a generally southeastwardly direction along the Coast Mountains. The border eventually reaches the Portland Canal
Portland Canal
The Portland Canal is an arm of Portland Inlet, one of the principal inlets of the British Columbia Coast. It is approximately long. The Portland Canal forms part of the border between southeastern Alaska and British Columbia. The name of the entire inlet in the Nisga'a language is K'alii...
, and follows it outward to the Dixon Entrance
Dixon Entrance
The Dixon Entrance is a strait about long and wide in the Pacific Ocean at the International Boundary between the U.S. state of Alaska and the province of British Columbia in Canada. It was named by Joseph Banks for Captain George Dixon, a Royal Navy officer, fur trader, and explorer, who...
. The border then follows the Dixon Entrance out into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, and terminates upon reaching international waters
International waters
The terms international waters or trans-boundary waters apply where any of the following types of bodies of water transcend international boundaries: oceans, large marine ecosystems, enclosed or semi-enclosed regional seas and estuaries, rivers, lakes, groundwater systems , and wetlands.Oceans,...
.
The latter begins at the terminus of international waters in the Pacific Ocean southwest of Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
and northwest of the Olympic Peninsula
Olympic Peninsula
The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington state of the USA, that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the east by Puget Sound. Cape Alava, the westernmost point in the contiguous...
. It follows the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Strait of Juan de Fuca
The Strait of Juan de Fuca is a large body of water about long that is the Salish Sea outlet to the Pacific Ocean...
eastward and then turns northeastward to enter Haro Strait
Haro Strait
Haro Strait, often referred to as the Haro Straits because it is really a series of straits, is one of the main channels connecting the Strait of Georgia to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, separating Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands in British Columbia, Canada from the San Juan Islands of...
. The border follows this strait in a northerly direction and turns sharply in an easterly direction through Boundary Pass
Boundary Pass
Boundary Pass is a strait that runs for about along the boundary between the U.S. state of Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia. It connects Haro Strait to the south with the Strait of Georgia to the north....
, separating the Canadian Gulf Islands
Gulf Islands
The Gulf Islands are the islands in the Strait of Georgia , between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, Canada....
from the American San Juan Islands
San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands are an archipelago in the northwest corner of the contiguous United States between the US mainland and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of the U.S...
. Upon reaching the Strait of Georgia
Strait of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is approximately long and varies in width from...
, the border turns due north and then to a northwesterly direction, bisecting this strait until the 49th parallel north
49th parallel north
The 49th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 49 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
. At this parallel, the border makes a sharp turn to a due eastbound direction, and follows the parallel into land, and continues into Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. This border, going from west to east, is shared with the U.S. states of Washington, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, and Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
.
Alberta
The entire Canada-U.S. border in the Canadian province of Alberta lies on the 49th parallel north. This border, going from west to east, is shared with the U.S. state of Montana.Saskatchewan
The entire Canada-U.S. border in the Canadian province of SaskatchewanSaskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
lies on the 49th parallel north. This border, going from west to east, is shared with the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
.
Manitoba
Nearly the entire Canada-U.S. border in the Canadian province of ManitobaManitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
lies on the 49th parallel north. At the eastern end, however, the border briefly enters the Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota. It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States. The Northwest Angle and the town of Angle Township can only be reached from the rest of...
, turns north at 48°59′N, 95°09′W, continues into land along the western end of Minnesota's Northwest Angle
Northwest Angle
The Northwest Angle, known simply as the Angle by locals, and coextensive with Angle Township, is a part of northern Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, and is the only place in the United States outside Alaska that is north of the 49th parallel...
, and continues into Ontario at 49°23′N, 95°09′W. This border, going from west to east, is shared with the U.S. states of North Dakota and Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
.
Ontario
The border begins at the northwesternmost point of Minnesota's Northwest Angle 49°23′N, 95°09′W, and proceeds in an easterly direction through the Angle Inlet into the Lake of the Woods. At 41°19′N, 94°48′W in the Lake of the Woods, the border turns to a southerly direction, and continues into the Rainy River. The border then follows the Rainy River to Rainy LakeRainy Lake
Rainy Lake is a relatively large freshwater lake that straddles the border between the United States and Canada. The Rainy River issues from the west side of the lake and is harnessed to make hydroelectricity for US and Canadian locations. The U.S...
, then subsequently through a numerous amount of small lakes, including Lake Namakan, Lac la Croix, and Sea Gull Lake, until reaching the Pigeon River
Pigeon River (Minnesota-Ontario)
The Pigeon River forms part of the US-Canada border between the State of Minnesota and the Province of Ontario west of Lake Superior. In pre-industrial times the river was a waterway of great importance for transportation and trade.-Geography:...
, which leads it out into Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
. The border continues through Lake Superior and reaches Whitefish Bay
Whitefish Bay
Whitefish Bay is a large bay on the eastern end of the southern shore of Lake Superior between Michigan and Ontario. It begins in the north and west at Whitefish Point in Michigan, about 10 miles north of Paradise, Michigan and ends at the St. Marys River at Sault Ste. Marie on the southeast...
. The border then proceeds through Whitefish Bay into the St. Mary's River, then into Lake St. Mary's, into the North Channel
North Channel (Ontario)
The North Channel is the body of water along the north shore of Lake Huron, in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is bordered on the east by Georgian Bay, on the west by the St. Marys River, to the north by the eastern Algoma District and to the south by the islands of Manitoulin, Cockburn,...
, then, at 45°59′N 83°26′N, turns to a southerly direction into the False Detour Channel
False Detour Channel
The False Detour Channel is a short channel in Lake Huron, connecting the main body of the lake to the North Channel. The Canada-United States border passes roughly through the middle of the channel, which separates Michigan's Drummond Island from Ontario's Cockburn Island ....
, and reaches Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
. The border then heads in a southerly direction through Lake Huron until reaching the St. Clair River
St. Clair River
The St. Clair River is a river in central North America which drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the international boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan...
, which subsequently leads it to Lake St. Clair
Lake Saint Clair (North America)
Lake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
. The border then proceeds through Lake St. Clair, reaching the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
, which leads it to Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. The border then proceeds through Lake Erie into the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
, which subsequently leads in into Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. The border then proceeds in a northwesterly direction in Lake Ontario, then at 43°27′N, 79°12′W, the border makes a sharp turn to a north easterly direction. The border then reaches and proceeds through the St. Lawrence River. Finally, at 45°00′N, 74°40′E, the border splits from the St. Lawrence River and continues into Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. This border, going from west to east, is shared with the U.S. states of Minnesota, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Quebec
The border begins in the St. Lawrence River, continuing from the Ontario-New York border, at the 45th parallel north, the border heads inland in an easterly direction, remaining on or near the parallel. At 45°00′N, 71°30′W, the border begins to follow various natural features of the Appalachian MountainsAppalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
. It continues to do so until 46°25′N, 70°03′W, where it begins to follow a northerly direction, followed by a northeasterly direction at 46°41′N, 69°59′W. Afterwards, at 47°27′N, 69°13′E the border heads toward Beau Lake. Finally, after the border proceeds through Beau Lake, it continues into New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. This border, going from west to east, is shared with the U.S. states of New York, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, and Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
.
New Brunswick
The border begins at the southern tip of Beau Lake at 47°18′N, 69°03′W and proceeds to the Saint John River. The border then proceeds through the Saint John River until 47°04′N, 67°47′W, where it splits from the river and heads southward. Then, at 45°56′N, 67°47′W heads into the Chiputneticook LakesChiputneticook Lakes
The Chipnuneticook Lakes are a group of several lakes along the International Boundary between Maine and New Brunswick.They are East Grand Lake, North Lake, Mud Lake, Spednic Lake, and Palfrey Lake.This lake system forms the head waters of the St...
, which subsequently lead it to the St. Croix River. The border then proceeds through the St. Croix River to Passamaquoddy Bay
Passamaquoddy Bay
Passamaquoddy Bay is an inlet of the Bay of Fundy, between the U.S. state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick, at the mouth of the St. Croix River. Most of the bay lies within Canada, with its western shore bounded by Washington County, Maine. The southernmost point is formed by...
, which in turn leads it past Grand Manan Island into the middle of the Bay of Fundy
Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine...
, where it turns in a southerly direction and then terminates upon reaching international waters. This border is shared entirely with the U.S. state of Maine.
See also
- Canada – United States relations
- Canada – United States border
- Canada–France Maritime Boundary CaseCanada–France Maritime Boundary CaseThe Canada–France Maritime Boundary Case was a 1992 dispute between Canada and France that was decided by a court of arbitration which was created by the parties to resolve the dispute...