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Separation barrier

Overview

The term separation barrier is a wall or fence constructed to limit the movement of people across a certain line or border

Border

Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, states or subnational administrative divisions. They may foster the setting up of buffer zones...

, or to separate two populations. These structures vary in placement with regard to international borders and topography

Topography

Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...

. The most famous example of a separation barrier is probably the Great Wall of China

Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China or is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire from Xiongnu attacks during various successive dynasties. Since the...

, a series of barriers separating the Empire of China

China

China is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....

from nomadic powers to the north; the most prominent recent example was the Berlin Wall

Berlin Wall

|-||-||-||-||}The Berlin Wall was a physical barrier erected by the German Democratic Republic completely encircling West Berlin, separating it from East Germany, including East Berlin. The longer inner German border demarcated the border between East and West Germany...

that separated the enclave of West Berlin

West Berlin

West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors established in 1945. It was in many ways integrated with, although legally not a part of, West Germany...

from the rest of East Germany during most of the Cold War

Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state of political conflict, military tension, and economic competition existing after World War II , primarily between the USSR and its satellite states, and the powers of the Western world, including the United States...

era.

Note: The table can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically using the icon.

In January 2006, Afghanistan

Afghanistan

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...

's government decreed that the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace...

, the American embassy and other foreign organizations in Kabul

Kabul

Kabul , is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of over 2.5 million, and is located in the province of Greater Kabul...

must clear concrete security barriers that protect their buildings.

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Encyclopedia

The term separation barrier is a wall or fence constructed to limit the movement of people across a certain line or border

Border

, or to separate two populations. These structures vary in placement with regard to international borders and topography

Topography

Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...

. The most famous example of a separation barrier is probably the Great Wall of China

Great Wall of China

, a series of barriers separating the Empire of China

China

China is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....

from nomadic powers to the north; the most prominent recent example was the Berlin Wall

Berlin Wall

that separated the enclave of West Berlin

West Berlin

from the rest of East Germany during most of the Cold War

Cold War

era.

Current barriers

Note: The table can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically using the icon.

Name	Country	Built	Length (km)	Type
Baghdad Wall Baghdad Wall The Baghdad Wall is the name being given by some media outlets to a 5 km long separation barrier being built by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army around the predominantly Sunni district of Adhamiya in Baghdad, Iraq. Construction of the 3.6 m high ...	Adhamiya, Iraq Iraq Iraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , also known as Mesopotamia, is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.Iraq shares borders with Jordan to the west, Syria...	Under construction	5	Civil pacification
Belfast Peace Lines	United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands... (Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west... )	1970s -early	0.500 (average)	Civil pacification
Botswana/Zimbabwe	Botswana Botswana The Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Citizens of Botswana are called "Batswana" , regardless of ethnicity. Formerly a British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966... and Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Zimbabwe , is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers...	2003	500	Anti-illegal immigration
Brunei/Limbang	Brunei Brunei Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia... and Limbang Limbang Limbang is a border town and the capital of Limbang District in the Limbang Division of northern Sarawak, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. The division has an area of 3,978.1 square kilometers, and a population of 42,600...	2005	20	Anti-illegal immigration
Ceuta border fence Ceuta border fence The Ceuta border fence is a separation barrier between Morocco and Spain by Ceuta, a city in the North African coast. Constructed by Spain, its purpose to stop illegal immigration and smuggling....	Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...	2001	8	Anti-illegal immigration
China/Hong Kong	China China China is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....	1960s -early	32	Internal barrier
China/Macau	China China China is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....	1870	0.340	Internal barrier
China/North Korea	China China China is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia.... and North Korea North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , is a state in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer area between North Korea and South Korea...	Under construction	1,416	Anti-illegal immigration
Egypt/Gaza	Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia... and Gaza Gaza Gaza is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 410,000, making it the largest city under the control of the Palestinian National Authority....	1979	3.071	Anti-terrorism and anti-illegal immigration
Malaysia-Thailand border Malaysia-Thailand border The Malaysia-Thailand border consists of both a land boundary across the Malay Peninsula and maritime boundaries in the Straits of Malacca and the Gulf of Thailand/South China Sea. Malaysia lies to the south of the border while Thailand lies to the north...	Thailand Thailand The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma... and Malaysia Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia that consists of thirteen states and three Federal Territories, with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population stands at over 28 million inhabitants...	Proposed	650	Anti-terrorism
Melilla border fence Melilla border fence The Melilla border fence is a separation barrier between Morocco and the Spanish city of Melilla. Constructed by Spain, its stated purpose is to stop illegal immigration and smuggling.-Recent history:...	Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...	1998	11	Anti-illegal immigration
Indo-Bangladeshi barrier Indo-Bangladeshi Barrier The Indo-Bangladeshi barrier or Indo-Bangladeshi border fencing is a 4,000-kilometer fence that India is presently constructing to seal off the Indian-Bangladeshi international border to prevent smuggling of weapons and narcotics and to prevent Pakistani military intelligence from using Bangladesh...	India India India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...	Under construction	3,268	Anti-illegal immigration
Indo-Burma barrier Indo-Burma barrier The Indo-Burma barrier is a separation barrier that India is presently constructing to seal off its 1,624 kilometer -long border with Burma. India hopes to curtail cross-border crime, including goods, arms and counterfeit Indian currency smuggling, drug trafficking, and insurgency...	India India India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...	Under construction	1,624	Anti-drug smuggling and anti-terrorism
Indian Kashmir barrier	India India India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...	2004	550	Anti-terrorism (disputed territory)
Iran-Pakistan barrier Iran-Pakistan barrier The Iran-Pakistan barrier is a separation barrier which Iran has building along its border with Pakistan replacing an intermittent tattered border fence. The 3 ft thick and 10 ft high concrete wall, fortified with steel rods, will span the 700 km frontier stretching from Taftan to Mand. The...	Iran Iran Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia... and Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...	Under construction	700	Anti-drug smuggling
Israeli West Bank barrier Israeli West Bank barrier The Israeli West-Bank barrier is a barrier being constructed by the State of Israel, consisting of a network of fences with vehicle-barrier trenches surrounded by an on average 60 meters wide exclusion area and up to 8 meters high concrete walls...	Israel Israel Israel officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its... - West Bank West Bank The West Bank is a landlocked territory and is the eastern part of the Palestinian territories; on the west bank of the River Jordan in the Middle East. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel, which maintains the security of this area. To the east,...	Under construction	703	Anti-terrorism (disputed territory)
Kazakh-Uzbekistan barrier Kazakh-Uzbekistan barrier The Kazakhstan–Uzbekistan barrier is a 45km-long separation barrier built by Kazakhstan along part of its border with Uzbekistan. Construction began on October 19 2006...	Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a country situated in Eurasia that is ranked as the ninth largest country in the world. It is also the world's largest landlocked country. Its territory of 2,727,300 km² is greater than Western Europe... and Uzbekistan Uzbekistan Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan , is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia, formerly part of the Soviet Union...	2006	45	Anti-drug smuggling
Korean Wall	North Korea North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , is a state in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer area between North Korea and South Korea... and South Korea South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...	1953	248	Conflict zone
Kruger National Park Kruger National Park Kruger National Park is the largest game reserve in South Africa. It covers 18,989 square km and extends 350 km from north to south and 60 km from east to west....	South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern... and Mozambique Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest. It was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498...	1975	120	Anti-illegal immigration
Kuwait-Iraq barrier	Kuwait Kuwait The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab emirate bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west. The greatest distance from north to south is 200 km and from east to west 170 km . The name is a diminutive of an Arabic word meaning "fortress built near water." It has a... and Iraq Iraq Iraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , also known as Mesopotamia, is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.Iraq shares borders with Jordan to the west, Syria...	1991	193	Conflict zone
Pakistan-Afghanistan barrier	Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...	Proposed	2,400	Anti-terrorism
Russia/Chechnya	Chechnya Chechnya The Chechen Republic , or, informally, Chechnya , sometimes referred to as Ichkeria, Chechnia, Chechenia or Noxçiyn, is a federal subject of Russia... (Russia Russia Russia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... )	Proposed	700	Anti-terrorism (disputed territory)
Saudi-Yemen barrier Saudi-Yemen barrier The Saudi-Yemen barrier is a physical barrier constructed by Saudi Arabia along part of its 1,800 kilometer border with Yemen. It consists of a network of sandbags and pipelines, three metres high, filled with concrete and fitted with electronic detection equipment...	Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia , is an Arab country and the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south... and Yemen Yemen Yemen , officially the Republic of Yemen is a country located on the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia...	2004	75	Anti-illegal immigration
Sharm el-Sheikh Sharm el-Sheikh Sharm el-Sheikh , is a city situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in South Sinai Governorate, Egypt, on the coastal strip between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai with a population of approximately 35,000 ....	Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...	2005	20	Anti-terrorism
Turkmen-Uzbekistan barrier Turkmen-Uzbekistan barrier The Turkmen-Uzbekistan barrier is a separation barrier consisting of a barbed wire fence erected by Turkmenistan along its border with Uzbekistan....	Turkmenistan Turkmenistan Republic of Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic... and Uzbekistan Uzbekistan Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan , is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia, formerly part of the Soviet Union...	2001	1,700	Anti-illegal immigration
United Arab Emirates-Oman barrier United Arab Emirates-Oman barrier The United Arab Emirates-Oman barrier is a separation barrier constructed by United Arab Emirates along its border with Oman in an effort to curb the flow of illegal migrants, illicit drugs and terrorists into the country....	United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia. The UAE consists of seven states, termed emirates, which are Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras... and Oman Oman Oman , officially the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab country in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders the United Arab Emirates on the northwest, Saudi Arabia on the west and Yemen on the southwest....	Under construction	410	Anti-illegal immigration
United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus The United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus runs for more than 180 km along what is known as the Green Line and has an area of 346 km square...	Cyprus Cyprus Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon.... and Northern Cyprus	1974	300	Conflict zone
United States–Mexico barrier United States–Mexico barrier The Mexico – United States barrier -- also known in the United States as the border fence or border wall -- is actually several separation barriers designed to prevent illegal movement across the Mexico – United States border...	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	Under construction	3,360	Anti-illegal immigration and drug smuggling
Uzbek-Afghanistan barrier Uzbek-Afghanistan barrier The Uzbekistan–Afghanistan barrier is a separation barrier built by Uzbekistan along its 130-mile border with Afghanistan. It consists of a barbed wire fence and a second, taller, 380-volt electrified barbed-wire fence, land mines and a patrol of heavily-armed Uzbek soldiers...	Uzbekistan Uzbekistan Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan , is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia, formerly part of the Soviet Union... and Afghanistan Afghanistan The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...	2001	209	Anti-illegal immigration
Uzbek-Kyrgyzstan barrier Uzbek-Kyrgyzstan barrier The Uzbekistan–Kyrgyzstan barrier is a separation barrier built by Uzbekistan along its border with Kyrgyzstan to prevent terrorist infiltration. Constructing began in 1999 after bomb attacks in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent were blamed on Islamic terrorists originating from Kyrgyzstan...	Uzbekistan Uzbekistan Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan , is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia, formerly part of the Soviet Union... and Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a country in Central Asia. Landlocked and mountainous, it is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east....	1999	870	Conflict zone
Via Anelli Wall Via Anelli Wall The Via Anelli Wall was a three metre high wall built of steel with a length of eighty four metres, which encircled the Via Anelli quarter of Padua, northern Italy. It was built in 2006 and torn down in 2007...	Padua Padua Padua is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice , in the Padua-Venice Metropolitan Area, having a population of c... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...	2006	0.085	Internal barrier
Western Sahara, Berm of	Morocco Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 32 million and an area just under . Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the...	1987	2,700	Conflict zone (disputed territory)

Afghanistan

In January 2006, Afghanistan

Afghanistan

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...

's government decreed that the United Nations

United Nations

, the American embassy and other foreign organizations in Kabul

Kabul

Kabul , is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of over 2.5 million, and is located in the province of Greater Kabul...

must clear concrete security barriers that protect their buildings. Most Kabul streets are full of security barriers and large concrete anti-blast blocks aimed at protecting against the insurgent and terrorist attacks that have risen in the past four years since the fall of the Taliban regime. The decree follows pressure from the newly formed Afghan parliament

Politics of Afghanistan

In recent years the politics of Afghanistan have been dominated by the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, by the NATO forces and the subsequent efforts to stabilise and democratise the country. The nation's new constitution has been adopted and an executive president democratically elected in 2004...

and public complaints over the heavy traffic jams caused by the barriers. The foreign groups are expressing concern and saying that the security situation does not permit that. The United Nations is one of the organizations concerned by the Afghan government's

Politics of Afghanistan

order. UN

United Nations

chief spokesman in Kabul Adrian Edwards said that security barriers are still required. "We are in a difficult security environment which certainly hasn't improved during 2005", Edwards said. "There have been a number of suicide attacks. Within the UN here, I think none of us would wish to be behind these barricades, we would prefer things could be open as we are in some other countries. However, there have been necessary for our security, that's why they are there." The Afghan government has said it is determined to remove all the barricades. The directive of the government says that "blocking the footpaths, streets, and roads is illegal" and that no one has the right to create obstructions, the only exception being the presidential palace

Presidential Palace

A Presidential Palace is the official residence of the president in some countries. However, some countries do not call the official residence of a head of state a presidential palace.-List:* Presidential Palace, Accra in Ghana....

Botswana

In 2003, Botswana

Botswana

The Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Citizens of Botswana are called "Batswana" , regardless of ethnicity. Formerly a British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...

began building a 300-mile-long electric fence along its border with Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe , is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers...

. The official reason for the fence is to stop the spread of foot-and-mouth disease among livestock. Zimbabweans argue that the height of the fence is clearly intended to keep out people. Botswana has responded that the fence is designed to keep out cattle, and to ensure that entrants have their shoes disinfected at legal border crossings. Botswana also argued that the government continues to encourage legal movement into the country. Zimbabwe was unconvinced, and the barrier remains a source of tension between the two nations.

Brunei

Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...

is building a security fence along its 20-kilometer border with Limbang

Limbang

Limbang is a border town and the capital of Limbang District in the Limbang Division of northern Sarawak, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. The division has an area of 3,978.1 square kilometers, and a population of 42,600...

to stop the flow of irregular migrants and smuggled goods.

People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China

People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...

(PRC) has two Special Administrative Region

Special administrative region

A special administrative region, or SAR may be:People's Republic of China* Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, self-governing subnational entity in Hong Kong and Macau...

s, namely Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a highly autonomous territory of the People's Republic of China, facing Guangdong to the north and the South China Sea to the east, west and south...

and Macau

Macau

The Macau Special Administrative Region , commonly known as Macau or Macao , is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong...

on its southeastern coast. Both of them maintain controlled intra-national borders with the neighbouring Guangdong province

Guangdong

Guangdong is a province on the southern coast of People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...

in Mainland China

Mainland China

Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China , excluding Hong Kong and Macau, which are under the jurisdiction of the PRC but run on different economic and...

. An identity document

Identity document

An identity document is any document which may be used to verify aspects of a person's personal identity. If issued in the form of a small, mostly standard-sized card, it is usually called an identity card...

is inspected when one crosses the border.

Hong Kong was a Dependent Territory of the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...

until its sovereignty

Sovereignty

Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...

was handed over to the PRC in 1997

Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong

The transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, referred to as the Reunification by Chinese and the Handover by British press, took place on 1 July 1997...

, while Macau was a Special Territory of Portugal

Portugal

Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...

until its sovereignty was handed over to the PRC in 1999. Before the handover

Handover

Handover, in the political-historical sense, often refers to the transfer of power of former colonies to the local people...

s, the Hong Kong-Guangdong and Macau-Guangdong borders were regarded as international border

International Border

The India–Pakistan Border, known locally as the International Border , is the international boundary between India and Pakistan that demarcates the Indian states of Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat from the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh. Pakistan borders India in the east...

s.

Under the principle of "One Country, Two Systems

One country, two systems

"One country, two systems" is an idea originally proposed by Deng Xiaoping, then Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China , for the reunification of China during the early 1980s...

", the two Special Administrative Regions continue to maintain their own customs

Customs

Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country. Depending on local legislation and regulations, the import or export of...

and immigration

Immigration

Immigration is the arrival of new individuals into a habitat or population. It is a biological concept and is important in population ecology, differentiated from emigration and migration.-As a political term:...

policies, which are independent of those in Mainland China after the handovers. Due to differences in the policies between the special administrative regions and the Mainland, the Hong Kong-Guandgong and Macau-Guangdong borders have been maintained in operation after the handovers.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

has a border stretching 32 km with the Shenzhen

Shenzhen

Shenzhen is a city of sub-provincial administrative status in southern China's Guangdong province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong...

Special Economic Zone

A Special Economic Zone is a geographical region that has economic laws that are more liberal than a country's typical economic laws...

of Guangdong that features fences, thermal image sensors, lights and closed-circuit television

Closed-circuit television

Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors.It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point to point wireless links...

. The border is also patrolled regularly by police. Just south of Shenzhen River (the geographical delimitation of the border) is a strip of rural land with restricted access, the 28 km² Closed Area

Closed Area

The Frontier Closed Area is a 28 km² area in Hong Kong along the border with mainland China. It was gazetted and established in June 1951, and expanded to its current limit in 1962...

. Currently, the three road border crossings are located at Sha Tau Kok

Sha Tau Kok

Sha Tau Kok or Shataukok or Sathewkok is a town in the northeastern corner of Hong Kong. Located on the border with mainland China, there is another town of same Chinese name, Shatoujiao, romanized using pinyin, across Shum Chun River-defined border in Shenzhen.-Geography:The rural town Sha Tau...

, Man Kam To

Man Kam To

Man Kam To or Mankamto is a place in the North District, New Territories, Hong Kong near the border with Shenzhen.-Border:...

, and Lok Ma Chau

Lok Ma Chau

Lok Ma Chau or Lokmachau is a village in Hong Kong's New Territories and also a major pedestrian and road border crossing point between Hong Kong and mainland China. It lies just south of the Sham Chun River which forms the border between Hong Kong and mainland China...

, and a railway and traveller crossing is located at Lo Wu

Lo Wu

Lo Wu or Lowu is an area located in North District, New Territories in Hong Kong. It lies on the borders of the Luohu District within Hong Kong and the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong Province. Lo Wu is a primary port of entry to Hong Kong from Shenzhen....

. The residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region are required to have their Hong Kong ID Cards

Hong Kong Identity Card

The Hong Kong Identity Card is an official identity document issued by the Immigration Department of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card is a class of HKID issued to persons who have the right of abode in Hong Kong SAR...

inspected by the Hong Kong Immigration Department

Immigration Department

The Immigration Department of the Government of Hong Kong is responsible for immigration control of Hong Kong. After the People's Republic of China assumed sovereignty of the territory in July 1997, Hong Kong's immigration system remained largely unchanged from its British predecessor model...

and their Home Return Permit

Home Return Permit

A Home Return Permit , also referred to as a Home Visit Permit or China Back Home Pass, is the colloquial name for the national identity document officially known as the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macau Residents issued to PRC citizens who are residents of Hong Kong and Macau as the...

s inspected by the Public Security Bureau

Public Security Bureau

In the People's Republic of China, a public security bureau refers to the government offices present in each province and municipality that handles policing , public security, and social order, the...

of Guangdong when they cross the border.

Macau

Macau

The Macau Special Administrative Region , commonly known as Macau or Macao , is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong...

has been maintaining a 340-metre controlled border with Zhuhai City

Zhuhai

Zhuhai is a prefecture-level city on the southern coast of Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macau to the south...

in Guangdong with a crossing available at the Border Gate

Portas do Cerco

Portas do Cerco is an area on the Macao Peninsula , in the former Portuguese colony of Macau, now a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, near the border checkpoint with mainland China at Gongbei, Zhuhai...

(built in 1870). The border crossing is equipped with 54 counters for travelers and 8 for vehicular traffic. Opened in 1999, the Lotus Bridge

Transportation in Macau

Transport in Macau includes road, sea and air transport. Road transport is the primary mode of transport within Macau itself, as there are no railways at present. The main forms of public transport are buses and taxis...

in Macau

Macau

The Macau Special Administrative Region , commonly known as Macau or Macao , is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong...

supplemented what has been the only border crossing into mainland China through Border Gate. Both border crossings allow access into Zhuhai

Zhuhai

.

China, in October 2006, is also building a security barrier along its border with North Korea

North Korea

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , is a state in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer area between North Korea and South Korea...

to prevent the illegal immigrants from North Korea.

Cyprus

Since 1974

Turkish invasion of Cyprus

The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military operation in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus which had been staged by the Cypriot National Guard whose leaders deposed the Cypriot president and archbishop Makarios III and installed Nikos...

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...

has constructed and maintains a 300 km (187 mile) separation barrier along the 1974 Green Line (or ceasefire line) dividing the Republic of Cyprus into two parts, in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council Resolution

United Nations Security Council Resolution

A United Nations Security Council Resolution is a United Nations resolution voted on by the fifteen members of the United Nations Security Council; the United Nations organization charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of...

s; the de facto

De facto

De facto is a Latin expression that means "by [the] fact". In law, it is meant to mean "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but without being officially established"...

Turkish controlled northern one-third of the Republic and the remaining southern two-thirds of Cyprus

Cyprus

Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon....

to separate Turkish and Greek Cypriot populations.

United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus
United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus
The United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus runs for more than 180 km along what is known as the Green Line and has an area of 346 km square...

Egypt

A security fence around the Egyptian town of Sharm el-Sheik was constructed in response to a spate of terrorist attacks at the resort. Government officials say the fence, equipped with checkpoints to allow vehicles into the area, will deter terrorists. In addition South Sinai Governor Mustafa Afifi said the fence will help control the effect of heavy seasonal rains and will reduce the number of vehicle-camel crashes that occur on the Sharm el-Sheik highway.

The Rafah Border Crossing (Arabic: معبر رفح‎, Hebrew: מעבר רפיח‎) is an international border crossing between Egyptian and Palestinian-controlled Rafah. It was built by the Israeli and Egyptian governments after the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty and 1982 Israeli withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula, and was managed by the Israel Airports Authority until it was evacuated on 11 September 2005 as part of Israel's unilateral disengagement plan. It has since become the mission of the European Union Border Assistance Mission Rafah (EUBAM) to monitor the crossing.

India

Since the mid-1990s, India has been involved in the construction of some of the lengthiest separation barriers along its international borders. Six of the nine countries neighboring India are classified as Least Developed Countries

Least Developed Countries

Least Developed Countries are countries which according to the United Nations exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development, with the lowest Human Development Index ratings of all countries in the world...

. As a consequence, thousands of people from these countries, especially from Bangladesh

Bangladesh

, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a country in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...

, Nepal

Nepal

Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia and the world's youngest republic. It is bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

and Burma, illegally immigrate into India.

The Indo-Bangladeshi barrier

Indo-Bangladeshi Barrier

The Indo-Bangladeshi barrier or Indo-Bangladeshi border fencing is a 4,000-kilometer fence that India is presently constructing to seal off the Indian-Bangladeshi international border to prevent smuggling of weapons and narcotics and to prevent Pakistani military intelligence from using Bangladesh...

and Indo-Burma barrier

Indo-Burma barrier

The Indo-Burma barrier is a separation barrier that India is presently constructing to seal off its 1,624 kilometer -long border with Burma. India hopes to curtail cross-border crime, including goods, arms and counterfeit Indian currency smuggling, drug trafficking, and insurgency...

are being built to check smuggling, illegal immigration and possible infiltration by terrorists.

In addition, India completed the construction of the Indian Kashmir barrier which runs along the Line of Control

Line of Control

Specifically, the term Line of Control refers to the military control line between the Indian- and Pakistani-controlled parts of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir - a line which, still to this day, does not constitute a legally recognized international boundary but is the de-facto...

in Kashmir

Kashmir

Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent...

. The purpose of this barrier is to prevent infiltration by Pakistan-based militants and terrorists. The Indian government is also considering the construction of a barrier along the Indo-Pakistan border

International Border

Iraq

On 10 April 2007, the U.S. military began constructing a 5 km (3 mile) long, 3.6 metre (12 ft) high concrete wall

Baghdad Wall

The Baghdad Wall is the name being given by some media outlets to a 5 km long separation barrier being built by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army around the predominantly Sunni district of Adhamiya in Baghdad, Iraq. Construction of the 3.6 m high ...

around the predominantly Sunni district of Adhamiya in Baghdad

Baghdad

Baghdad is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest in the Arab World....

Baghdad Wall
Baghdad Wall
The Baghdad Wall is the name being given by some media outlets to a 5 km long separation barrier being built by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army around the predominantly Sunni district of Adhamiya in Baghdad, Iraq. Construction of the 3.6 m high ...

Israel

Due to Israel

Israel

Israel officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...

's specific situation of being at war and conflict with much of its Middle Eastern environment, separation barriers and walls have been and remain an issue of major military (and often also political) concern:

Jerusalem
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and its largest city in both population and area, with a population of 747,600 residents over an area of if disputed East Jerusalem is included...

: During the 1950s and 1960s a fortified separation barrier also divided much of Jerusalem to separate Jordanian
Jordanian
Jordanian may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Jordan, an Arab country in Southwest Asia* A person from Jordan, or of Jordanian descent. For information about the Jordanian people, see Demographics of Jordan and Culture of Jordan. For specific persons, see List of Jordanians.* Jordanian...

and Israel
Israel
Israel officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...

i-controlled sectors of the city. It was pulled down in the immediate aftermath of the 1967 Six Day War, when the eastern part of the city came under Israeli rule.
Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies...

and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south and Israel to the southwest....

: Israel's borders with Lebanon and Syria have sophisticated security barriers, including electronic surveillance and warning systems. The barrier along the Lebanese border follows the lines of the 1949 Armistice and was laid down in coordination with the UN, the government anxious to make clear that it had withdrawn completely from Lebanese territory (excepting the ongoing dispute on the Shaba Farms).
- The barrier on the Syrian border on the Golan Heights
  Golan Heights
  The Golan Heights is a strategic plateau and mountainous region at the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains and remains a highly contested land straddling the borders of Syria and Israel. Two-thirds of the area is currently governed by Israel...
  
  reflects the situation in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War
  Yom Kippur War
  The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to October 26, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of...
  
  , when Israeli retained the territory conquered in 1967 except for handing back the town of Kuneitra. The Syrian government has repeatedly demanded the return of the entire Golan, but has made no specific issue of Israel erecting a security barrier along the border as it presently stands.
Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...

: Israel saw no need to fortify the Sinai Desert border with Egypt after the 1979 Israeli-Egyptian Peace Treaty. The fence along that border was always more a marker than an effective barrier, and has become rusty and swamped by shifting sand dunes. The porous border has become the scene of extensive drug trafficking and the smuggling of women, typically from Third World and East European countries, who are subsequently forced into prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of engaging in sex acts for hire. In most cultures, prostitution is viewed by many as a deviant profession, either illegal or socially discouraged...

, as well as the entry of various refugees, asylum-seekers and illegal immigrants from various African countries, notably Sudan
Sudan
Sudan is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and in the Arab World, and tenth largest in the world by area...

ese fleeing the genocide
Genocide
Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group.While precise definition varies among genocide scholars, a legal definition is found in the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of...

in Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur which are coordinated by a Transitional Darfur Regional Authority...

. There were also isolated cases of infiltration by armed Palestinians, and apprehension that they would increase. In December 2005 the government of Israel proposed building a £200 million security barrier along the Egyptian border, but as of late 2007 the funds have not been actually allocated.
Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in Western Asia spanning the southern part of the Syrian Desert down to the Gulf of Aqaba. Jordan shares borders with Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, the Gulf of Aqaba to the southwest,...

: The border of Israel's territory with Jordan, mostly in the Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The indigenous Bedouin inhabitants of the region refer to the desert as al-Naqab . The origin of the word Negev is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...

Desert along the Arabah, is considered the most peaceful of the country's borders, due to traditional good relations with Jordan's Hashemite
Hashemite

Hashemite is the Latinate version of the and traditionally refers to those belonging to the Banu Hashim, or "clan of Hashim", a clan within the larger Quraish tribe...

Dynasty. In March 2004, Israel and Jordan commenced a joint project to build a desert science centre on their shared border. They have taken down a stretch of the border fence between the Red Sea
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked human eye...

and the Dead Sea for the campus.
- As well as the in the Negev, Israel also controls the West Bank
  West Bank
  The West Bank is a landlocked territory and is the eastern part of the Palestinian territories; on the west bank of the River Jordan in the Middle East. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel, which maintains the security of this area. To the east,...
  
  's border with Jordan in the Jordan Valley. Along this border there is a security barrier with a two-way aim, designed to stop both infiltration from Jordan into the Israeli-controlled territory and the passage of West Bank Palestinians, uncontrolled by Israeli officials, into Jordan.
Occupied Territories
Occupied territories
Occupied territory is territory under military occupation. Occupation is a term of art in international law; in accordance with Article 42 of the Laws and Customs of War on Land ; October 18, 1907, territory is considered occupied when it is actually placed under the authority of the hostile army...

: Israel's most critical and volatile relations are with its direct neighbors, the Palestinians, which are reflected in maintaining separation barriers between Israel proper and the Occupied Territories, with the declared aim of and subsequent success in preventing infiltration by suicide bombers.
- The Israeli Gaza Strip barrier
  Israeli Gaza Strip barrier
  The Israel-Gaza Strip barrier is a security or separation barrier between the Gaza Strip and Israel, first constructed by Israel in 1994, and the Gaza Strip and Egypt, built after 2004.The barrier runs along the entire land border of the Gaza Strip...
  
  involves a security barrier along Israel's 1949 Armistice lines
  1949 Armistice Agreements
  The 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and neighboring Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. The agreements ended the official hostilities of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and established armistice lines between Israel and the Jordanian-held West Bank,...
  
  . There is also the security barrier along the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt (see Philadelphi Route
  Philadelphi Route
  The Philadelphi Route was an IDF code name for the strip of land along the border between Egypt and Gaza Strip. Under the Oslo Accords, the portion in the Gaza Strip remained under direct Israeli military control...
  
  ), erected when Israel was in direct military control of the area. Though Israeli forces were withdrawn in 2005, the Government of Israel retains a declared interest in the area, especially due to alleged large-scale smuggling of arms from Sinai into the Strip, and insists upon the Egyptians and Palestinians maintaining intact the barrier between their respective territories - such insistence backed by sometimes open threats to otherwise resume direct Israeli military control. This has been cited by Palestinians and others who assert that the Gaza Strip remains an Occupied Territory despite the Israeli Disengagement from Gaza
  Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
  Israel's unilateral disengagement plan , also known as the "Disengagement plan", "Gaza expulsion plan", and "Hitnatkut") was a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adopted by the government on June 6, 2004 and enacted in August 2005, to evict...
  
  in 2005.
- The Israeli West Bank barrier
  Israeli West Bank barrier
  The Israeli West-Bank barrier is a barrier being constructed by the State of Israel, consisting of a network of fences with vehicle-barrier trenches surrounded by an on average 60 meters wide exclusion area and up to 8 meters high concrete walls...
  
  is being built as a fence with wide margins and sophisticated electronic surveillance in rural areas, and an eight-meter high wall in urban areas. Of all Israel's separation barriers, it the most controversial - between Israelis and Palestinians, internationally, and also inside the Israeli society itself. The controversy stems mainly from the government's decision not to follow Israel's 1949 Armistice lines
  1949 Armistice Agreements
  The 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and neighboring Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. The agreements ended the official hostilities of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and established armistice lines between Israel and the Jordanian-held West Bank,...
  
  (Green Line
  Green Line (Israel)
  The term Green Line is used to refer to the 1949 Armistice lines established between Israel and its neighbours after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
  
  ) but rather build the barrier within the West Bank
  West Bank
  The West Bank is a landlocked territory and is the eastern part of the Palestinian territories; on the west bank of the River Jordan in the Middle East. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel, which maintains the security of this area. To the east,...
  
  - in some stretches, deeply within. Opponents of the project (who usually call it "The Wall" rather than "Barrier" or "Fence") say that this proves its purpose is not to stop suicide bombers - which would been equally served by a fence along the Green Line - but by the intention to effectively annex parts of the West Bank, especially those where Israeli settlement
  Israeli settlement
  Israeli settlements are Israeli civilian communities in the Israeli-occupied territories . Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights...
  
  s have been established, as well as water sources - and define the future borders with Palestine unilaterally and ahead of negotiations. This position was supported by the International Court of Justice
  International Court of Justice
  The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
  
  at The Hague
  The Hague
  The Hague is the third largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam and Rotterdam, with a population of 485,818 and an area of approximately 100 km²...
  
  , which ruled that Israel had the right to fortify its own border but that building a barrier inside an Occupied Territory constituted a violation of International Law
  International law
  Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states, analogous entities, such as the Holy See, and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
  
  ; the government of Israel, however, disputes this interpretation and refuses to abide by this ruling. For its part, the Israeli Supreme Court held that building inside the West Bank is not illegal in itself, but ordered some changes to the route of the barrier where the judges considered the original route to cause severe damage to Palestinian daily life - especially in separating Palestinian villagers from their land. Some radical Israeli groups, such as Anarchists Against the Wall
  Anarchists Against the Wall
  Anarchists Against the Wall , sometimes called "Anarchists Against Fences" or "Jews Against Ghettos", is a direct action group comprised of Israeli anarchists and anti-authoritarians who oppose the construction of the Israeli Gaza Strip barrier and Israeli West Bank barrier. The AAtW calls the West...
  
  , actively participate in protests against the barrier together with the villagers. As of late 2007, the barrier - originally slated to be completed by the end of 2005 - is far from complete, and further construction was stopped, officially for lack of funds.

Korea

South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...

has constructed a separation barrier between its territory and North Korea

North Korea

to obstruct any southward movement by the army of North Korea.
The border features:

Panmunjeom
Panmunjeom
Panmunjom, in Gyeonggi province, is a village on the de facto border between North and South Korea, where the 1953 armistice that halted the Korean War was signed. The building where the armistice was signed still stands, though it is on the northern side of the Military Demarcation Line, which...
Military Demarcation Line
Military Demarcation Line (Korea)
The Military Demarcation Line, sometimes referred to as the Armistice Line, is the border between North Korea and South Korea. It was established as the ceasefire line at the end of Korean War hostilities in 1953...
Korean Demilitarized Zone
Korean Demilitarized Zone
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and...
Korean wall

Morocco

Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 32 million and an area just under . Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the...

has constructed a separation barrier in Western Sahara

Western Sahara

Western Sahara is a territory of North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly consisting of...

to keep the guerrilla fighters of Polisario out.

Border Wall (Western Sahara)

Northern Ireland

In Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and the largest city in Northern Ireland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It is the seat of devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly. It is the largest urban area in the province of Ulster, and the second largest city on the island of...

, Derry

Derry

Derry or Londonderry often called the Maiden City, is a city in Northern Ireland. It is the second largest city in Northern Ireland and fourth largest city in the island of Ireland...

and other settlements in Northern Ireland, barriers have been built to separate the nationalist

Irish nationalism

Irish nationalism comprises political and social movements and sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and a sense of pride in Ireland and the Irish people...

and unionist

Unionism in Ireland

Unionism in Ireland is an ideology that favours the maintenance or strengthening of the political and cultural ties between Ireland and Great Britain....

communities. These are euphemistically known as peace lines

Peace lines

The Peace Lines are a series of separation barriers ranging in length from a few hundred yards to over three miles , separating Catholic and Protestant neighbourhoods in Belfast, Derry and elsewhere in Northern Ireland...

. More have continued to be constructed and expanded since the Belfast Agreement

Belfast Agreement

The Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement or the Good Friday Agreement , and occasionally as the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process. It was signed in Belfast on 10 April 1998 by the British and Irish governments and endorsed by...

of 1998.

Pakistan

In September 2005, Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...

stated it has plans to build a 1,500-mile fence along its border with Afghanistan

Afghanistan

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...

to prevent Islamic insurgents and drug smugglers slipping between the two countries. Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf

Pervez Musharraf

General Pervez Musharraf , NI, TBt, was the 10th President of Pakistan and the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army,....

has subsequently offered to mine the border as well.

Russia

There is an electrionic security barrier (ex-"Iron Curtain") along the old Soviet border. Also, a security barrier is on the border of Russia with Norway, Finland, China, Mongolia and North Korea. There is no barrier on Russian territory along the border with Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, or Ukraine, but there are some barriers on Estonian, Latvian and Ukrainian territory along the Russian border.
It was reported in 2005 that the Russia

Russia

Russia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

n government was considering the construction of a security barrier along its border with Chechnya

Chechnya

The Chechen Republic , or, informally, Chechnya , sometimes referred to as Ichkeria, Chechnia, Chechenia or Noxçiyn, is a federal subject of Russia...

as part of its efforts to combat terrorism.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia , is an Arab country and the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south...

has begun construction of a separation barrier or fence between its territory and Yemen

Yemen

Yemen , officially the Republic of Yemen is a country located on the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia...

to prevent the unauthorized movement of people and goods into and out of the Kingdom.

Saudi-Yemen barrier
Saudi-Yemen barrier
The Saudi-Yemen barrier is a physical barrier constructed by Saudi Arabia along part of its 1,800 kilometer border with Yemen. It consists of a network of sandbags and pipelines, three metres high, filled with concrete and fitted with electronic detection equipment...

In 2006 Saudi Arabia proposed plans for the construction of a security fence along the entire length of its 560 mile (900km) desert border with Iraq in a multi-million dollar project to secure the Kingdom's borders in order to improve internal security, control illegal immigration

Immigration

and bolster its defences against external threats.

Saudi-Iraq barrier

As of July 2009 it was reported that Saudis will pay $3.5 billion for security fence.

South Africa

In 1975 a 75-mile (120-kilometer) high security fence was erected by South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...

to keep the violent revolution in Mozambique

Mozambique

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest. It was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498...

from spilling into Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is the largest game reserve in South Africa. It covers 18,989 square km and extends 350 km from north to south and 60 km from east to west....

. http://home.telkomsa.net/leveypa/Kruger/imagepages/Dsc00042.html
In 1990 it was reported:
A treaty signed on December 9, 2002 by the presidents of three countries - South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe allowed for the fence to be torn down in order to open the ancient elephant

Elephant

Elephants are large land mammals in two genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta. Three species of elephant are living today: the African Bush Elephant, the African Forest Elephant and the Asian Elephant...

migration route between South Africa and Mozambique which was disrupted by the fence. The 13,513-square mile (35,000 square kilometer) Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park

Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park

Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is a 35,000 km² peace park that is in the process of being formed. It will link the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, Kruger National Park in South Africa, Gonarezhou National Park, Manjinji Pan Sanctuary and Malipati Safari Area in Zimbabwe, as well as the area...

will connect the parks of three countries: South Africa's Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is the largest game reserve in South Africa. It covers 18,989 square km and extends 350 km from north to south and 60 km from east to west....

, Mozambique's Limpopo National Park

Limpopo National Park

The Limpopo National Park was born when the status of Coutada 16 Wildlife Utilisation Area in Gaza Province, Mozambique, was changed from a hunting concession to a protected area...

, and Zimbabwe's Gonarezhou National Park

Gonarezhou National Park

Gonarezhou National Park is a game reserve in south-eastern Zimbabwe. It is situated in a relatively remote corner of Masvingo Province, south of Chimanimani along the Mozambique border. The park is a lowveld region of baobabs, scrublands and sandstone cliffs....

.

In 2005 it was reported that only a relatively small portion of the high-security border fence separating South Africa's Kruger National Park with Zimbabwe's Gonarezhou Park has been removed. Security concerns, especially about illegal immigrants and the smuggling of weapons and four-wheel-drive vehicles, have been hindering the removal of more sections of the border fence between the Kruger and Limpopo parks.

Spain

The European Union

European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 Member States, located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community...

and Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...

have constructed barriers between the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta

Ceuta

Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain located on the North African side of the Strait of Gibraltar, on the Mediterranean, which separates it from the Spanish mainland. The area of Ceuta is approximately ....

and Melilla

Melilla

Melilla is an autonomous Spanish city located on the Mediterranean, on the north coast of North Africa. It was regarded as a part of Málaga province prior to 14 March 1995, when the city's Statute of Autonomy was passed.Melilla was a free port before Spain joined the European Union. As of 2008 it...

and Morocco

Morocco

to prevent illegal immigration and smuggling.

Ceuta border fence
Ceuta border fence
The Ceuta border fence is a separation barrier between Morocco and Spain by Ceuta, a city in the North African coast. Constructed by Spain, its purpose to stop illegal immigration and smuggling....
Melilla border fence
Melilla border fence
The Melilla border fence is a separation barrier between Morocco and the Spanish city of Melilla. Constructed by Spain, its stated purpose is to stop illegal immigration and smuggling.-Recent history:...

Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...

plans to build a concrete fence along parts of its border with Malaysia to keep Muslim militants and dual citizens from crossing Thailand's southern border with Malaysia

Malaysia

Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia that consists of thirteen states and three Federal Territories, with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population stands at over 28 million inhabitants...

Thai-Malay barrier

United Arab Emirates

The UAE is building a security barrier along its border with Oman

Oman

Oman , officially the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab country in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders the United Arab Emirates on the northwest, Saudi Arabia on the west and Yemen on the southwest....

United Arab Emirates-Oman barrier
United Arab Emirates-Oman barrier
The United Arab Emirates-Oman barrier is a separation barrier constructed by United Arab Emirates along its border with Oman in an effort to curb the flow of illegal migrants, illicit drugs and terrorists into the country....

United Nations

The United Nations

United Nations

has constructed a demilitarized zone to stop Iraq

Iraq

Iraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , also known as Mesopotamia, is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.Iraq shares borders with Jordan to the west, Syria...

from re-invading Kuwait

Kuwait

The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab emirate bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west. The greatest distance from north to south is 200 km and from east to west 170 km . The name is a diminutive of an Arabic word meaning "fortress built near water." It has a...

; Kuwait plans to install a new separation barrier as well.

Kuwait/Iraq Separation barrier
Kuwait/Iraq Separation barrier
The Kuwait-Iraq barrier is a separation barrier extending six miles into Iraq, three miles into Kuwait, and across the full length of their mutual border from Saudi Arabia to the Persian Gulf...

United States

The United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

has constructed a separation barrier along 130 kilometers of its border with Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

to prevent unauthorized immigration into the United States and to deter smuggling of contraband, particularly illegal drugs. There has been legislation in the U.S. Congress on lengthening the barrier, but progress has been slow, both from lobbying and lack of funding.

United States–Mexico barrier
United States–Mexico barrier
The Mexico – United States barrier -- also known in the United States as the border fence or border wall -- is actually several separation barriers designed to prevent illegal movement across the Mexico – United States border...

Uzbekistan

In 1999 Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan , is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia, formerly part of the Soviet Union...

began construction of a barbed wire fence to secure their border with Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a country in Central Asia. Landlocked and mountainous, it is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east....

Uzbek-Kyrgyzstan barrier
Uzbek-Kyrgyzstan barrier
The Uzbekistan–Kyrgyzstan barrier is a separation barrier built by Uzbekistan along its border with Kyrgyzstan to prevent terrorist infiltration. Constructing began in 1999 after bomb attacks in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent were blamed on Islamic terrorists originating from Kyrgyzstan...

In 2001 Uzbekistan fortified the border fence with Afghanistan

Afghanistan

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...

Uzbek-Afghanistan barrier
Uzbek-Afghanistan barrier
The Uzbekistan–Afghanistan barrier is a separation barrier built by Uzbekistan along its 130-mile border with Afghanistan. It consists of a barbed wire fence and a second, taller, 380-volt electrified barbed-wire fence, land mines and a patrol of heavily-armed Uzbek soldiers...