List of Sets of Four Countries That Border One Another - Near Misses

Near Misses

• The 40 km border between China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region and Russia's Altai Republic prevents Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and the People's Republic of China from forming a set of four countries that border one another.

• The short border between Sikkim in India and Tibet in the People's Republic of China prevents the group Bhutan, India, Nepal and the People's Republic of China from forming such a set.

• The 100 m border between Zambia and Botswana at Africa's four corners is all that prevents Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia from all touching each other. Depending on definition of a "border", this may or may not be considered a set of four countries that border one another.

• The same 100 m border prevents Botswana from being surrounded by Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, and creating a set.

If one includes states with limited recognition, the following near misses also exist:

• The 10 km wide Gulf of Aqaba between Egypt and Jordan prevents them from forming a set with Israel and the State of Palestine. The Palestinian territories border Egypt through the Gaza Strip and Jordan through the West Bank.

• Western Sahara is disputed between Morocco and the partly recognized Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, and each side controls part of the territory, separated by a berm. If one takes the berm to be an international border, then the 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) of SADR-controlled territory between Morocco and Mauritania (roughly halfway between the Moroccan-administered towns of Guelta Zemmur and Smara) are all that prevent Morocco, Mauritania, the SADR and Algeria from forming a set.