List of divided cities

A divided city is one which, as a consequence of political changes or border shifts, currently constitutes (or once constituted) two separate entities, or an urban area with a border running through it. Listed below are the localities and the state they belonged to at the time of division.

Especially notable examples of divided cities are divided capitals, including Nicosia (since 1974), Jerusalem (1948–1967; de jure ongoing since 1948), Berlin (1949–1990) and Beirut (1975–1990).

Border wall in Nicosia
West Bank barrier in Jerusalem

Former cities now divided

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Africa

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Joint Parts
Galkayo, Somalia North Galkayo (administered by Puntland) South Galkayo (administered by Galmudug)
Moyale, divided between Kenya and Ethiopia

Americas

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Joint Parts
Bristol, U.S. Bristol, Tennessee Bristol, Virginia
Carmen de Patagones, Argentina Carmen de Patagones, Buenos Aires Province Viedma, Río Negro Province
El Paso del Norte, Mexico (divided in 1848 after the Mexican–American War) El Paso, Texas, United States Ciudad Juárez, Mexico
Laredo, New Spain/Mexico Laredo, Texas Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
(The Mexican city was founded when the border was established, by people moving over the border from what had just become the US city)
Lloydminster, Canada, divided between Alberta and Saskatchewan, 1905–1930.
The community was founded in 1903 in what was then the Northwest Territories, and located on the Fourth Meridian of the Dominion Land Survey, which became the boundary between the newly created provinces two years later. In 1930, the community was reunited as a single town under the shared jurisdiction of both provinces, and reincorporated as a single city in 1958.
Nogales Nogales, Arizona, U.S. Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
Planaltina, Brazil when Federal District was set as the new national capital in 1960 Planaltina, Federal District Planaltina, Goiás
Texarkana, United States Texarkana, Texas Texarkana, Arkansas
Washington, DC, U.S., and suburbs Washington, DC Georgetown (Washington, D.C.)—originally in Maryland, moved to the District of Columbia
Alexandria, Virginia—originally in Virginia, moved to District of Columbia, moved back to Virginia

Asia

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Europe

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Oceania

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Cities that arose next to each other across a boundary line

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Africa

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Cross-border town Countries
Aflao and Lomé  Ghana /  Togo
Brazzaville and Kinshasa  Republic of the Congo /  Democratic Republic of the Congo
Um Dafuq and Am Dafok  Sudan/ Central African Republic

Asia

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Cross-border town Countries
Blagoveshchensk and Heihe  Russia /  China
Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali  India
Islamabad–Rawalpindi  Pakistan
Jaigaon and Phuntsholing  India /  Bhutan
Johor Bahru and Singapore  Malaysia /  Singapore
Kara-Suu and Qorasuv  Kyrgyzstan /  Uzbekistan
Korgas /Khorgos  Russia /  Kazakhstan
Shenzhen /Hong Kong  China /  Hong Kong
Tachileik and Mae Sai  Myanmar /  Thailand

Europe

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Cross-border town Countries
Como and Chiasso  Italy /   Switzerland
Konstanz and Kreuzlingen  Germany /   Switzerland
Monaco and Beausoleil, Alpes-Maritimes, Les Moneghetti, Saint-Antoine, Figuiera, Les Salines  Monaco /  France
Póvoa de Varzim and Vila do Conde  Portugal
Giurgiu and Ruse  Romania /  Bulgaria
Gdańsk and Gdynia  Poland
Zvornik, and Mali Zvornik  Bosnia and Herzegovina /  Serbia
Tornio and Haparanda  Finland /  Sweden

North America

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Cross-border town Countries
Derby Line, Vermont and Stanstead, Quebec  United States /  Canada
Detroit–Windsor  United States /  Canada
Ottawa and Gatineau  Canada
Niagara Falls, New York and Niagara Falls, Ontario  United States /  Canada
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey  United States
New York City and its neighbors (Jersey City, West New York, Hoboken, New Jersey, etc.) across the Hudson River  United States
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario  United States /  Canada
Texhoma, Oklahoma and Texhoma, Texas  United States
Union City, Indiana and Union City, Ohio  United States
Tegucigalpa and Comayagua  Honduras
San Diego-Tijuana  United States /  Mexico

South America

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Cross-border town Countries
Aceguá and Aceguá  Brazil /  Uruguay
Chuí and Chuy
Leticia and Tabatinga  Colombia /  Brazil
Rivera and Santana do Livramento  Uruguay /  Brazil

See also

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Notes and references

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Notes:

a. ^ There was international controversy on the status of Jerusalem in 1948 which has been further complicated since 1967. See positions on Jerusalem for further information.

References:

  1. ^ "World's great divided cities: The most enchanting cities split into two halves", Houston Chronicle, 03 March 2018 [1]
  2. ^ "World's great divided cities: The most enchanting cities split into two halves", Houston Chronicle, 3 March 2018