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France–Spain border

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The France–Spain border (French: Frontière entre l'Espagne et la France; Spanish: Frontera entre España y Francia) was formally defined in 1659. It separates the two countries from Hendaye and Irun in the west, running through the Pyrenees to Cerbère and Portbou on the Mediterranean Sea. It runs roughly along the drainage divide defined by the Pyrenees, though with several exceptions.

France–Spain border
The border, as seen on the map
Characteristics
Entities• France
• Spain
Length623 km (387 miles)
Enclave and exclaves1
History
TreatiesTreaty of the Pyrenees, 1659

Features

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Main border

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The border between France and Spain in Portalet d'Aneu
 
Marker indicating the border between France and Spain, in the towns of Llivia (Girona) and Angoustrine-Villeneuve-des-Escaldes (Pyrénées-Orientales)

The Franco-Spanish border runs for 656.3 kilometres (407.8 mi) between southwestern France and northeastern Spain. It begins in the west on the Bay of Biscay at the French city of Hendaye and the Spanish city of Irun (43°22′32″N 01°47′31″W / 43.37556°N 1.79194°W / 43.37556; -1.79194). The border continues eastward along the Pyrenees to the sovereign nation of Andorra (42°36′13″N 1°26′30″E / 42.60361°N 1.44167°E / 42.60361; 1.44167). At this point, the small country interrupts the border between Spain and France for 63.7 kilometres (39.6 mi) on the Spanish side and 56 kilometres (35 mi) on the French side. Then the border continues eastward (42°30′09″N 01°43′34″E / 42.50250°N 1.72611°E / 42.50250; 1.72611) to the Mediterranean Sea at Cerbère in France and Portbou in Spain (42°26′09″N 03°10′26″E / 42.43583°N 3.17389°E / 42.43583; 3.17389).

From west to east, crossing the border:

Spain
France

Llívia

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Spain has an exclave in France, Llívia, in the Pyrénées-Orientales.

Pheasant Island

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Near the western end of the border, following the course of the river Bidasoa, Pheasant Island (located in the middle of the river) has an unusual border regime: the island is a condominium whose sovereignty is shared between the two countries: one country in January–June each year, and the other country in July–December.[1]

History

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Border pass for Spanish farmers to access their fields on the French side. As agreed in the Bayonne treaties 1856 and 1862. Type shown introduced 1949, issued 1965.

Background

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The formal layout of the Franco-Spanish border dates back to the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees between the kingdoms of Spain and France in 1659. This was followed by the Treaty of Llivia the following year, which transferred to France the sovereignty of several villages in the valley of Querol.

Later there were some further agreements covering specific areas:

Bayonne Treaties

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The final definition, which for the most part is still in force, is set out in the Bayonne Treaties between 1856 and 1868. During the mandates[clarification needed] of Queen Isabel II and the French emperor Napoleon III ,several agreements were signed between the two countries by which the border was established:[4]

  • The treaty of 1856, establishing the boundary between the provinces of Guipuzcoa is demarcated and Navarre.
  • The treaty of 1862, which marked the boundaries in the provinces of Huesca and Lleida.
  • The treaty of 1866, which did the same from the valley of Andorra to the Mediterranean Sea.
  • Final Act of borders, signed in 1868.

Subsequent amendments

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Later both countries concluded agreements under the same point.[clarification needed] In 1980 an agreement was signed to define the border into[clarification needed] the Bielsa-Aragnouet tunnel,[5] and 1984, during the construction of the road linking the Roncal Valley with Arette, a mutual transfer of land of 2710 m2 (29,170 sq ft) was agreed.[6]

In 1995, with the entry into force of the Schengen Agreement, border controls for people and goods were abolished, thus ensuring freedom of movement across the border.

Marking

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A border marker between Vera de Bidasoa and Biriatou

Following the provisions of the treaties of Bayonne, the border is physically marked on the ground by 602 cairns showing the division between the two countries. These markers are numbered from west to east: the first located on the Bidasoa and the last in Cap Cerbère, marked with consecutive numbers and letters.

Another 45 cairns mark the border around Llivia; they are numbered anticlockwise from the number 1 at the entrance of the French road RD-68 into the enclave. Maintaining this signaling runs[clarification needed] either on behalf of both states.[4][6]

Crossings

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Poster entry to Spain
 
Poster entry to France

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Borders of France-Spain.
  1. ^ Internet, Unidad Editorial. "España asume la jurisdicción de la isla de los Faisanes, la más pequeña del mundo". Elmundo.es. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  2. ^ Cantillo, Alejandro del (1843). Tratados, convenios y declaraciones de paz y de comercio: que han hecho con las potencias estranjeras los monarcas españoles de la casa de Borbon : desde el año de 1700 hasta el dia. Alegria y Charlain. Retrieved 22 January 2019 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ^ Cantillo, Alejandro del (1843). Tratados, convenios y declaraciones de paz y de comercio: que han hecho con las potencias estranjeras los monarcas españoles de la casa de Borbon : desde el año de 1700 hasta el dia. Alegria y Charlain. Retrieved 22 January 2019 – via Internet Archive.
  4. ^ a b Treaties of Bayonne of 1856, 1862, 1866 and 1868 Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine, Fama2.us.es
  5. ^ "Convenio de 25 de abril de 1980 entre España y Francia para fijar la delimitación de la frontera en el interior del túnel transpirenaico Bielsa Aragnouet, hecho en París". Noticias Jurídicas. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  6. ^ a b "United Nations - Office of Legal Affairs". Legal.un.org. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
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