A border town is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

close to the boundary between two

countries A country is a distinct part of the Earth, world, such as a state (polity), state, nation, or other polity, political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, List of states with limited r ...

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

s, or regions. Usually the term implies that the nearness to the border is one of the things the place is most famous for. With close proximities to a different country, diverse cultural traditions can have certain influence to the place. Border towns can have highly cosmopolitan communities, a feature they share with port cities, as traveling and trading often go through the town. They can also be flashpoints for international conflicts, especially when the two countries have

territorial dispute A territorial dispute or boundary dispute is a disagreement over the possession (law), possession or control of territories (land, maritime territory, water or airspace) between two or more political entities. Context and definitions Territorial ...

Transcontinental

List of international border towns and cities

Africa

Asia

Europe

Disputed City

North America

Oceania

South America

List of internal border towns and cities

Australia

Canada

Colombia

United Kingdom

United States

{, class="wikitable" , - ! Border towns!! Bordering states and territories , - , Ardmore and Ardmore, , / , - , Lanett and

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

, , / , - , Flomaton and

Century A century is a period of 100 years or 10 decades. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages. The word ''century'' comes from the Latin ''centum'', meaning ''one hundred''. ''Century'' is sometimes abbreviated as c. ...

, , rowspan="2" , / / , - , Florala and Paxton , - , Phenix City and Columbus, , / , - , Bluewater and Bluewater, , / , - , Bullhead City and Laughlin, , / , - , Colorado City and Hildale, , / , - , Ehrenberg and Blythe , , / , - , Fort Defiance, , / , - , Fredonia and Kanab, , / , - , Mohave Valley and Needles , , / , - , Oljato-Monument Valley, , / , - , Parker, , / , - , Teec Nos Pos, , rowspan="2" , / , - , Window Rock , - , Yuma and Winterhaven, , / , - , Fort Smith and Arkoma , , / , - ,

Texarkana The Texarkana metropolitan statistical area (MSA), as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, is a two-county region anchored by the Twin cities (geographical proximity), twin cities of Texarkana, Texas (population 37,33 ...

and

, , / , - , West Memphis, Southaven and Memphis, , / / , - , Kings Beach and Incline Village, , / , - , New Pine Creek and New Pine Creek, , / , - , South Lake Tahoe and Stateline , , / , - , Tulelake, , / , - , Verdi and Verdi , , / , - , Julesburg , , / , - ,

Greenwich Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...

and

Port Chester Port Chester is a administrative divisions of New York#Village, village in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and the largest part of the town of Rye (town), New York, Rye in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County by populati ...

, , / , - , Pawcatuck and Westerly , , / , - , Delmar and Delmar, , rowspan="2" , / , - , Marydel and Marydel , - ,

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, Oxon Hill, and

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

, , // / , - , Chattahoochee, , / , - , Esto, , / , - ,

Jennings Jennings is a surname of early medieval English origin (also the Anglicised version of the Irish surnames Mac Sheóinín or MacJonin). Notable people with the surname include: *Jennings (Swedish noble family) A–G *Adam Jennings (born 1982), A ...

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Pensacola Pensacola ( ) is a city in the Florida panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only city in Escambia County. The population was 54,312 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Pensacola metropolitan area, which ha ...

, , / , - , Augusta and North Augusta, , / , - , Rossville and

Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the south. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, it is Tennessee ...

, , / , - , St. Marys, , / , - , Fruitland and

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, , / , - , Lewiston and Clarkston, , rowspan="4" , / , - ,

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

and Pullman , - , Oldtown and Newport , - , Post Falls and Liberty Lake , - , Payette, , rowspan="2" , / , - , Weiser , - ,

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

and Hammond, , / , - , East St. Louis and

St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...

, , / , - , The

Quad Cities The Quad Cities is a region of five cities (originally Tri-Cities, later four, see #History, History) in the U.S. states of Iowa and Illinois: Davenport, Iowa, Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, Bettendorf (the fifth to be included) in southeaster ...

Rock Islands The Rock Islands of Palau, also called ''Chelbacheb'', are a collection of several hundred small limestone or coral uprises in the Southern Lagoon of Palau between Koror and Peleliu, now an incorporated part of Koror State. There are between ...

, Moline, East Moline, Davenport, and Bettendorf , , / , - , Jeffersonville and

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...

, / , - , Michiana Shores and

Michiana Michiana ( ) is a region in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan centered on the city of South Bend, Indiana. The Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County, Indiana defines Michiana as St. Joseph County and "counties that contribute at ...

, / , - , New Albany and

Louisville Louisville is the most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeast, and the 27th-most-populous city in the United States. By land area, it is the country's 24th-largest city; however, by populatio ...

, / , - , Union City and Union City , / , - ,

Council Bluffs Council Bluffs is a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The population was 62,799 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the state's List of cities in Iowa, te ...

and

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

, / , - ,

Dubuque Dubuque (, ) is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 59,667 at the 2020 United States census. The city lies along the Mississippi River at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a region ...

and East Dubuques , / , - , Sioux City, South Sioux City, and North Sioux City , / / , - ,

Overland Park Overland Park ( ) is the largest city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States, and the second-most populous city in the state of Kansas. It is one of four principal cities in the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the pop ...

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...

(KCK), Leawood, Prairie Village, Mission Hills, Westwood, Westwood Hills, Mission Woods and

, / , - , Covington and

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

, / , - ,

Fort Campbell Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky–Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee (post address is located in Kentucky). Fort Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Div ...

and Clarksville, , / , - , Fulton and South Fulton, , / , - , Vidalia and Natchez, , / , - , Kittery and

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

,, , / , - ,

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is an area of North West England which was historically a county. The county was bordered by Northumberland to the north-east, County Durham to the east, Westmorland to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Scottish ...

and Ridgeley, , rowspan="2" , / , - ,

Knoxville Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...

and Harper's Ferry , - , Fall River and North Tiverton, , rowspan="2" , / , - , South Attleboro and Pawtucket , - ,

Ironwood Ironwood is a common name for many woods that have a reputation for hardness, or specifically a wood density that is denser than water (approximately 1000 kg/m3, or 62 pounds per cubic foot), although usage of the name ironwood in English ma ...

and Hurley, , / , - , Lambertville and Toledo, , rowspan="2" , / , - , Lost Peninsula and Toledo , - , St. Vincent and Pembina, , rowspan="2" , / , - , Breckenridge and Wahpeton , - ,

Duluth Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...

and Superior, , / , - , East Grand Forks and Grand Forks, , / , - , La Crescent and La Crosse, , rowspan="2" , / , - , Lakeland and Hudson , - , Moorhead and Fargo, , rowspan="2" , / , - , St. Vincent and Pembina , - , Winona , / , - , Fairview , / , - , Westby , / , - , Henry , / , - , Whiteclay and Pine Ridge , / , - , Denio , / , - , Jackpot , / , - , McDermitt , / , - ,

Mesquite Mesquite is a common name for some plants in the genera ''Neltuma'' and '' Strombocarpa'', which contain over 50 species of spiny, deep-rooted leguminous shrubs and small trees. They are native to dry areas in the Americas. Until 2022, these ge ...

, / , - , Owyhee , / , - , Primm , / , - , West Wendover and Wendover , / , - , Nashua , / , - , Camden and

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, / , - , Carteret and

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, rowspan="7" , / , - , Edgewater and

, - , Elizabeth and

, - , Englewood Cliffs and

, - , Guttenberg and

, - , Hoboken and

, - ,

Jersey City Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous

and

, - , Lambertville and New Hope , / , - , Linden and

, rowspan="3" , / , - , North Bergen and

, - , Perth Amboy and

, - , Phillipsburg and Easton , rowspan="2" , / , - , Trenton and Morrisville , - ,

Weehawken Weehawken is a Township (New Jersey), township in the North Hudson, New Jersey, northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located on the Hudson Waterfront and Hudson Palisades overlooking ...

and

, rowspan="3" , / , - , West New York and

, - , Woodbridge Township and

, - , Anthony and Anthony, , rowspan="3" , / , - , Sunland Park and

El Paso El Paso (; ; or ) is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States. The 2020 United States census, 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the List of ...

, - , Texico and Farwell , - , Waverly and South Waverly , / , - , Charlotte and Fort Mill , / , - ,

Bridgeport Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnock River on Long Is ...

and Wheeling , rowspan="2" , / , - , Proctorville and Huntington , - , Pocola , rowspan="2" , / , - , Rock Island , - , Hood River and White Salmon , / , - , Jordan Valley , / , - , Milton-Freewater and Walla Walla , / , - , Nyssa , / , - , Portland and

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

, rowspan="3" , / , - , The Dalles and Dallesport , - , Umatilla , - , Point Marion and Morgantown , / , - , Lemmon , / , - , Yankton , / , - ,

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

and

, , / , - , Canutillo, , rowspan="2" , / , - ,

, - , Orange, , / , - , Cornish, , / , - ,

Cove A cove is a small bay or coastal inlet. They usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often situated within a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creek (tidal), creeks, or recesses in a coast ...

, , rowspan="2" , / , - , Lewiston , - ,

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

, , / , - ,

Portage Portage or portaging ( CA: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a '' ...

, , / , - ,

St. George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...

, , / , - , Bluefield and Bluefield, , / , - , Weirton and Stuebenville, , / , - , Asotin, , / , - , Beloit and South Beloits, , / , - , Pine Bluffs, , / {{flag, Nebraska

Transcontinental

List of international border towns and cities

Africa

Asia

Europe

Disputed City

North America

Oceania

South America

List of internal border towns and cities

Australia

Canada

Colombia

United Kingdom

United States

See also