Asian countries with longest land borders

Many countries with land borders in Asia have long remained peaceful, others remain tense. Five Asian countries have no land border with other countries.

In a world of connected societies, border demarcation has been essential. When countries share a border, territorial disputes arise over tracts of land or water that are claimed by different independent countries.

China, the most populous nation on the planet, has 16 unique land neighbours, with 22,147km of land borders. It has border dispute with some of its neighbours including the biggest outstanding border conflict with India.

Both the countries have been involved in a stand-off along part of their 3,500km shared border. The two nations fought a war over the border in 1962 and disputes remain unresolved in several areas.

Since June this year both the countries are locked in a border confrontation after India opposed China's attempt to extend a border road through a plateau known as Doklam in India and Donglang in China. Bhutan, meanwhile, claims that Doklam is in its territory.

India has the second longest land border in Asia with a total land borders of 13,889 km and it shares borders with 7 countries.  Its biggest land border is with Bangladesh. However its border with Pakistan often remains tense. India-Pakistan border, particularly the line of Control which divides both countries in Kashmir, is one of the most heavily militarised frontiers in the world.

With 8082 km of land border, Mongolia's frontiers are relatively open and peaceful. Mongolia is followed by Pakistan (7,257 km), Myanmar (6,522 km), Laos (5,274 km) Thailand (5,673 km), Vietnam (4,616 km), Bangladesh (4,413 km) and Nepal (3,159 km) in having the longest land border.

Five Asian countries Japan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Taiwan have no land border with other countries.

Copyright: DataLEADS/ Asia News Network