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Cross-border town naming

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cross-border town naming occurs where towns or villages with the same or equivalent names are divided between two different countries. This does not necessarily imply that those towns or villages are located in geographic proximity or that they are located near a current border (divided cities). Reasons for this taking place may include the following:

  • The town or village existed before the border or even before the modern concept of a border. The border was added later (sometimes by war), dividing a community.
  • A community on one side of a border grows up to service the border and then takes the name of the adjacent community on the other side of the border.
  • Communities grow up on both sides of the border to service the border, taking the name of the border crossing.

Most places are in Europe, but there are also some examples in North America and Asia. In Europe, until the first half of the 20th century and again since the Schengen Agreement in the late 20th century, such divisions could be mostly ignored by the inhabitants.

Examples

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Note that this list includes only places with similar names that are in someway connected (by history, geography or otherwise) across modern-day international borders. Towns that have the same name but bear no relationship to each other are also very common but not particularly notable.

Africa

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Cross-border town Countries
Moyale and Moyale  Ethiopia /  Kenya
Mobaye and Mobayi-Mbongo  Central African Republic /  Democratic Republic of the Congo
Cocobeach and Cogo  Gabon /  Equatorial Guinea
Loukolela and Lukolela  Republic of the Congo /  Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mulanje and Milange  Malawi /  Mozambique
Chirundu and Chirundu  Zambia /  Zimbabwe
Mukumbura and Mucumbara  Zimbabwe /  Mozambique
Tin Zaouatine and Tinzaouaten  Algeria /  Mali

Asia

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Cross-border town Countries
Astara and Astara  Azerbaijan /  Iran
Julfa and Julfa
Biləsuvar and Bileh Savar
Luohu District and Lowu  China /  Hong Kong SAR
Shatoujiao Subdistrict and Sha Tau Kok
Khorgas and Khorgas  China /  Kazakhstan
Sarpi and Sarp  Georgia /  Turkey
Padang Besar and Padang Besar  Malaysia /  Thailand
Dibba /Al Buraimi-Al Ain  Oman /  UAE
Al-Mazyunah and Shahan District  Oman /  Yemen
Ishkoshim and Ishkashim  Tajikistan /  Afghanistan
Sarahs and Sarakhs  Turkmenistan /  Iran
Kara-Suu and Qorasuv  Uzbekistan /  Kyrgyzstan

Europe

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Cross-border town Countries
Helsingør and Helsingborg  Denmark /  Sweden
Rhederbrug, Rhederveld and Rhede  Netherlands /  Germany
Barnflair (Ter Apel) and Barnfleer
Veenebrugge and Vennebrügge
Zwillbroek and Zwillbrock
Ubach over Worms and Übach-Palenberg
Spijk and Spyck
Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog  Netherlands /  Belgium
Clinge and De Klinge
Koewacht and Koewacht
Putte and Putte
Lichtenbusch and Aachen-Lichtenbusch  Belgium /  Germany
Stubach and Stupbach
Obereisenbach, Untereisenbach and Übereisenbach  Luxembourg /  Germany
Wallendorf-Pont and Wallendorf
Bollendorf-Pont and Bollendorf
Echternach and Echternacherbrück
Wasserbillig and Wasserbilligerbrück
Comines-Warneton and Comines  Belgium /  France
Wervik and Wervicq-Sud
Quiévrain and Quiévrechain
Gœgnies-Chaussée and Gognies-Chaussée
Grand-Reng and Vieux-Reng
Mondorf-les-Bains and Mondorff  Luxembourg /  France
Leiding and Leidingen  France /  Germany
Petite-Rosselle and Großrosseln
Grosbliederstroff and Kleinblittersdorf
Obergailbach and Niedergailbach
Scheibenhard and Scheibenhardt
Lauterbourg and Neulauterburg
Neuf-Brisach and Breisach
Kembs and Klein Kembs
Huningue and Kleinhüningen  France /   Switzerland
Lucelle and Lucelle, Kleinlützel
Saint-Gingolph and Saint-Gingolph
Île des Faisans and Isla de los Faisanes (Konpantzia / Île de l’hôpital / Île de la Conférence)  France /  Spain
Rheinfelden-Baden (Badisch-Rhyfälde) and Rheinfelden (Rhyfälde)  Germany /   Switzerland
Laufenburg and Laufenburg
Reckingen (Küssaberg) [de] / Rekingen
Vorderriß and Hinterriß  Germany /  Austria
Bayerisch Gmain and Großgmain
Altwarp and Nowe Warpno  Germany /  Poland
Rosow and Rosówek
Hohenwutzen and Osinów Dolny (Niederwutzen)
Zäckericker Loose and Siekierki (Zäckerick)
Güstebieser Loose and Gozdowice (Güstebiese)
Altrüdnitzer Ausbau and Stara Rudnica (Altrüdnitz)
Neulietzegöricke and Stare Łysogórki (Altlietzegöricke)
Zelliner Loose and Czelin (Zellin)
Küstrin-Kietz and Kostrzyn nad Odrą (Küstrin)
Lebus and Nowy Lubusz (Neulebus)
Kunitzer Loose / Kunice (Kunitz)
Aurith and Urad (Aurith)
Guben and Gubin
Zelz and Siedlec (Zelz)
Klein Priebus and Przewóz (Priebus)
Görlitz and Zgorzelec
Altlandsberg and Gorzów ((Neu))Landsberg)
Altentreptow and Trzebiatów (Treptow)
Seifhennersdorf and Horní Jindřichův (Oberhennersdorf)  Germany /  Czech Republic
Zinnwald and Cínovec (Zinnwald)
Deutschgeorgenthal and Český Jiřetín (Georgendorf)
Deutscheinsiedel and Mníšek (Böhmisch Einsiedel)
Deutschneudorf and Nová Ves v Horách (Gebirgsneudorf)
Deutschkatharinenberg and Hora Svaté Kateřiny (Böhmisch Katherinenberg)
Hammerunterwiesenthal and České Hamry (Böhmisch Hammer)
Oberwiesenthal and Loučna (Böhmisch Wiesenthal)
Neualbenreuth and Mýtina (Altalbenreuth)
Bayerisch Eisenstein and Železná Ruda (Markt Eisenstein)
Pelhřimovy and Pielgrzymów  Czech Republic /  Poland
Opavice and Opawica
Krásné Loučky / Krasne Pole
Chomýž and Chomiąża
Český Těšín (Czeski Cieszyn) / Cieszyn
Horní Líštná and Leszna Górna
Dziewięcierz and Devyatyr (Дев'ятир)  Poland /  Ukraine
Uhrusk and Novouhruzke (Новоугрузьке)
Tokary and Tokary (Токари, Такары)  Poland /  Belarus
Usnarz Górny and Usnar-Dolnyy (Уснар-Дольный)
Minkowce and Minkovcy
Nowodziel and Novodel
Český Heršlák and Deutsch Hörschlag  Czech Republic /  Austria
České Velenice and Gmünd
Bad Radkersburg and Gornja Radgona  Austria /  Slovenia
Deutschfeistritz and Slovenska Bistrica (Windischfeistritz)
Graz and Slovenj Gradec
Deutschlandsberg and Podčetrtek (Windischlandsberg)
Oberdrauburg and Dravograd (Unterdrauburg)
Unterloibl and Podljubelj (Unterloibl)
Moncenisio and Lanslebourg-Mont-Cenis  Italy /  France
Briga Alta and La Brigue
Gorizia and Nova Gorica  Italy /  Slovenia
Lavena Ponte Tresa and Ponte Tresa  Italy /   Switzerland
Cremenaga and Ponte Cremenaga
Ponte Chiasso and Chiasso
Komárom and Komárno  Hungary /  Slovakia
Sátoraljaújhely and Slovenské Nové Mesto
Balassagyarmat and Slovenské Ďarmoty
Esztergom and Štúrovo
Nagylak and Nădlac  Hungary /  Romania
Újszalonta and Salonta
Kelebia and Kelebija  Hungary /  Serbia
Rio de Onor and Rihonor de Castilla  Portugal /  Spain
Karesuando and Kaaresuvanto  Sweden /  Finland
Kuttainen and Kuttanen
Katkesuando and Kätkäsuvanto
Muonionalusta and Muonio
Kihlangi and Kihlanki
Pello and Pello
Övertorneå and Ylitornio
Karungi and Karunki
Valga and Valka  Estonia /  Latvia
Hrvatska Kostajnica and Kostajnica  Croatia /  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Hrvatska Dubica and Kozarska Dubica
Stara Gradiška and Gradiška
Dolina and Donja Dolina, Gornja Dolina
Orubica and Orubica
Slavonski Kobaš and Kobaš
Dubočac and Bosanski Dubočac
Slavonski Brod and Brod
Svilaj and Donji Svilaj, Gornji Svilaj
Slavonski Šamac and Šamac
Bosanska Rača and Sremska Rača  Bosnia and Herzegovina /  Serbia
Zvornik and Mali Zvornik
Metaljka and Metaljka  Bosnia and Herzegovina /  Montenegro
Mali Žam and Jamu Mare  Serbia /  Romania
Požeženo and Pojejena
Veliki Gaj and Gaiu Mic
Chilia Veche and Kiliya  Romania /  Ukraine
Sculeni and Sculeni  Romania /  Moldova
Ungheni and Ungheni

North America

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Towns and cities listed have names of a common origin across an international boundary; matching pairs across provincial or state boundaries (such as Kansas City or Lloydminster) are common but are not listed here.

Cross-border town Countries
Beebe Plain, Quebec and Beebe Plain, Vermont  United States /  Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
North Portal, Saskatchewan and Portal, North Dakota
Madawaska County, New Brunswick and Madawaska, Maine
Calexico, California and Mexicali, Baja California  United States /  Mexico
Tecate, California and Tecate, Baja California
Naco, Arizona and Naco, Sonora
Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora
San Luis, Arizona and San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora
El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua (formerly El Paso del Norte, 1852–1888)
Boquillas, Texas and Boquillas del Carmen, Coahuila
Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
Progreso, Texas and Nuevo Progreso, Tamaulipas

South America

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Cross-border town Countries
Antofagasta de la Sierra and Antofagasta  Argentina /  Chile
Coquimbito and Coquimbo
San Sebastián
Foz do Iguaçu and Puerto Iguazú  Brazil /  Argentina
Guajará-Mirim and Guayaramerín  Brazil /  Bolivia
Oiapoque and Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock  Brazil /  French Guiana
Chuí and Chuy  Uruguay /  Brazil
Acegua and Aceguá

See also

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