List of areas disputed by Canada and the United States

Although Canada and the United States share the longest non-militarized border between two countries, there is a long history of disputes about the border's demarcation.^[1]

Current disputes

• Machias Seal Island 44°30′10″N 67°06′10″W / 44.50278°N 67.10278°W / 44.50278; -67.10278 (Machias Seal Island) and North Rock 44°32′17″N 67°05′17″W / 44.53795°N 67.08805°W / 44.53795; -67.08805 (North Rock) (Maine / New Brunswick), also known as the "Grey Zone," is occupied by a Canadian lighthouse but claimed by the United States and visited by U.S. tour boats.
• Strait of Juan de Fuca 48°17′58″N 124°02′58″W / 48.29944°N 124.04944°W / 48.29944; -124.04944 (Strait of Juan de Fuca) (Washington / British Columbia) The middle-water line is the boundary, but the governments of both Canada and British Columbia disagree and support two differing boundary definitions that would extend the line into the Pacific Ocean to provide a more definite Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) boundary.
• Dixon Entrance 54°22′N 132°20′W / 54.367°N 132.333°W / 54.367; -132.333 (Dixon Entrance) (Alaska / British Columbia) is wholly administered by Canada as part of its territorial waters, but the US supports a middle-water line boundary, thereby providing the US more maritime waters. Canada claims that a 1903 treaty demarcation is the international maritime boundary, while the United States holds that the maritime boundary is an equidistant line between the islands that form the Dixon Entrance, extending as far east as the middle-water line with Hecate Strait to the south and Clarence Strait to the north.^[2]
• Yukon–Alaska dispute, Beaufort Sea 72°01′40″N 137°02′30″W / 72.02778°N 137.04167°W / 72.02778; -137.04167 (Beaufort Sea) (Alaska / Yukon) Canada supports an extension into the sea of the land boundary between Yukon and Alaska. The US does not, but instead supports an extended sea boundary into the Canadian portion of the Beaufort Sea. Such a demarcation means that a minor portion of Northwest Territories EEZ in the polar region is claimed by Alaska, because the EEZ boundary between Northwest Territories and Yukon follows a straight north-south line into the sea. US claims would create a triangular shaped EEZ for Yukon/Canada.^[3]
• Northwest Passage; Canada claims the passage as part of its "internal waters" belonging to Canada, while the United States regards it as an "international strait" (a strait accommodating open international traffic).

Historical disputes

• Alaska boundary dispute (Alaska / British Columbia and Yukon) lasted 1821 to 1903
  • Atlin District
  • Bering Sea Arbitration lasted 1881 to 1893.
• Aroostook War (Maine / New Brunswick) lasted 1838 to 1842 most of Maine's boundary was resolved except in the Grand Manan Archipelago.
  • Republic of Madawaska (Maine / New Brunswick) unrecognized state from 1827 to 1842. Given up by Maine and ceded to New Brunswick.
• Oregon boundary dispute (Columbia District and New Caledonia / Oregon Country)
  • Pig War (Colony of Vancouver Island / Washington Territory) took place in 1859
• Republic of Indian Stream (New Hampshire / Quebec) unrecognized state from 1832 to 1835. Now part of New Hampshire.

See also

• Colonial history of the United States
• Former colonies and territories in Canada
• Territorial evolution of Canada after 1867
• United States Declaration of Independence

References