INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES IN LATIN AMERICA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T01018A000200090001-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 108
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 15, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 1, 1958
• Content Type: IR

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GEOGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE REPORT
INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES
IN
LATIN AMERICA
CIA/RR-G-20
March 1958
DCCUMNT No.
CLASS, CHANGED To: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW' DATE:
N? 125
NO CHANGE IN CtASS.
n DECLASSIFIED
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND REPORTS
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
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INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES
IN
LATIN AMERICA
CIA/RR-G-20
March 1958
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
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CONTENTS
Page
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
II. International Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A. Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean . . . 4
1. British Honduras-Guatemala . . . . . . . . . . 4
3. Canal Zone-Panama . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Colombia-Panama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5. Costa Rica-Nicaragua . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
6. Costa Rica-Panama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
7. Dominican Republic-Haiti . . . . . . . . . . 15
8. El Salvador-Guatemala . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
9. El Salvador-Honduras . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
B. South America
1. Argentina-Bolivia
2. Argentina-Brazil
3. Argentina-Chile
4. Argentina-Paraguay
5. Argentina-Uruguay
6. Bolivia-Brazil . .
.. .......... 25
.. .......... 28
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Page
7. Bolivia-Chile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
8. Bolivia-Paraguay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
9. Bolivia-Peru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
10. Brazil-British Guiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
11. Brazil-Colombia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
12. Brazil-French Guiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
13. Brazil-Paraguay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
14. Brazil-Peru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
15. Brazil-Uruguay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
16. Brazil-Surinam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
17. Brazil-Venezuela . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
18. British Guiana-Surinam . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
19. British Guiana-Venezuela . . . . . . . . . . . 81
20. Chile-Peru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
21. Colombia-Ecuador . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
22. Colombia-Panama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
23. Colombia-Peru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
24. Colombia-Venezuela . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
25. Ecuador-Peru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
26. French Guiana-Surinam . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
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Appendixes
Page
Gaps in Intelligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Source References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Map
Following page
Latin America -- Status of Boundaries (25936) . . . . . . . 101
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INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES IN LATIN AMERICA
Most of the international boundaries in Latin America are now
formally established, but for more than a hundred years boundary
problems played an outstanding role in international relations
throughout Latin America. The latter part of the nineteenth century
and first two decades of this one witnessed the definition of all
but a few of the borders between countries, and large boundary
segments were demarcated shortly thereafter. Permanent monuments
were erected along land segments by mixed boundary commissions; and,
where rivers were defined as the boundary, markers were often
established at outstanding landmarks or at the points where land
segments of the boundary began. Much of the demarcation work that
is still incomplete has not been finished because of difficulties
under which surveying parties must work in isolated areas of jungle
or mountains, where all equipment and food must be transported
through difficult terrain and where the seasonal conditions often
limit operations to only a few months of the year. It is remarkable
that boundary demarcation has progressed as far as it has, considering
the obstacles which have had to be overcome.
Large-scale maps showing the alignments of boundaries are
available for only a few areas. One of the common problems
confronting U.S. mapping agencies in depicting Latin American
international boundaries is the confusion that arises when official
source materials from the two countries involved differ in the
delineation of their common boundary. Usually, this is not because
of a difference of opinion about where the line should be on the
ground, but rather because of a difference in the presumed locations
of the various physical features by which the boundary is defined.
The lack of precise geodetic and topographic surveying throughout
large parts of Latin America has made it impossible to map accurately
much of the terrain through which international boundaries pass.
Hence, the best data available in different countries may result in
entirely different cartographic presentations of the same area.
Collaborative programs between individual countries and the Inter-
American Geodetic Survey, as well as the increasing use of aerial
photography and photogrammetric compilations in mapping, will
eventually correct these discrepancies.
Various methods have been used in defining boundaries in Latin
America. The simplest, in terms of cartographic presentation, is
the establishment of a straight line between geographic points. The
method that is probably used more often than any other, however, is
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the designation of rivers or segments of rivers as international
boundaries. Specific river features -- either bank, the thalweg
(main channel), or, less frequently, the median line -- may be
utilized in locating the boundary line. In some cases the boundary
along a river is defined in relation to the islands through which
it winds. Differences occur as to the future of boundaries along
rivers; in some instances the boundary is altered with any change
of course, whereas in others the boundary remains fixed regardless
of variations in the river. Usually, stipulations about alignments
likely to be affected by river variations are given in the boundary
treaty.
Choosing the water divide (divortium aquarum, or the separation
between drainage systems) as the boundary is a common device for
defining a boundary in hilly or mountainous terrain. The precise
placement of such a boundary line, however, requires the careful
work of surveyors. Many border disputes have arisen because of
different interpretations of the location of a divide. Another
device that often causes trouble is that of tracing the boundary
via the headwaters of a stream. A notable example of both of these
drainage-type problems exists today in the dispute between Ecuador
and Peru: (1) the "watershed between the Zamora and Santiago rivers"
actually contains two divides, and (2) "the Lagartococha ... upstream
to its sources" is complicated by the presence of two streams,
disputed as to which is the real source.
More unusual as boundary lines are old property divisions, used
for example in determining a section of the boundary between Bolivia
and Peru, or lines measured a certain distance from some other line --
such as the limits of the Panama Canal Zone which extend 5 miles on
either side of the canal itself.
This report endeavors to present the current status of the
international boundaries of all the Latin American republics and
the mainland possessions, together with statements on problem areas
wherever they exist. In addition, each boundary is described in the
exact terms of the treaties defining it (translated wherever necessary).
Maps at medium scale showing the alignment of the boundaries -- whenever
possible, official boundary commission maps -- are cited for reference
purposes. These maps have been selected primarily on the basis of
conformity to the verbal descriptions of the boundaries rather than
for topographic accuracy. A map, Latin America -- Status of Boundaries,
at 1:12,500,000, is included at the end of the report.*
The place names on this map (CIA Map No. 25936) do not always
agree with the quoted sections in the text, since different sources
vary in the forms used. For the same reason, spellings within the
text are not always consistent.
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It shows all boundaries according to sections demarcated, demarcation
in progress, delimited, delimitation in progress, undefined, and
disputed (or disputed territory).
In accordance with general usage of boundary terminology, the
major categories of boundary status are defined as follows:
(1) Demarcated boundaries are those which have been
monumented, and river or lake boundaries that
have been agreed upon by treaty.
(2) Delimited boundaries are those which have been
defined by treaty but have not been surveyed
on the ground and monumented.
(3) Undefined boundaries are those which have not been
described by treaty nor agreed to by the countries
concerned.
(4) Disputed boundaries or disputed areas are those
which are claimed by two or more countries.
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II. International Boundaries
A. Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean
1. British Honduras-Guatemala
Status of boundary: Entirely delimited; demarcated at two major
landmarks.
Problem areas: None. However, the entire area of British Honduras
is still claimed by Guatemala.
Description of boundary:
A treaty signed in Guatemala City 30 April 1859 set forth that:
Art. 1. It is agreed between Her Britannic
Majesty and the Republic of Guatemala, that the
boundary between the Republic and the British
Settlement and Possessions in the Bay of Honduras,
as they existed previous to and on the 1st day of
January, 1850, and have continued to exist up to
the present time, was and is as follows:
Beginning at the mouth of the river Sarstoon
in the Bay of Honduras, and proceeding up the mid-
channel thereof to Gracias a Dios Falls; then turn-
ing to the right and continuing by a line drawn
direct from Gracias a Dios Falls to Garbutt's Falls
on the river Belize, and from Garbutt's Falls due
north until it strikes the Mexican frontier.
It is agreed and declared between the High
Contracting Parties that all the territory to
the north and east of the line of boundary above
described, belongs to Her Britannic Majesty; and
that all the territory to the south and west of
the same belongs to the Republic of Guatemala. ...
Art. 6. It is further agreed that the channels
in the water-line of the boundary described in Article
1 of the present Convention shall be equally free and
open to the vessels and boats of both Parties; and
that any islands which may be found therein shall
belong to that party on whose side of the main navigable
channel they are situated.
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Art. 7. With the object of practically carrying
out the views set forth in the preamble of the present
Convention, for improving and perpetuating the friendly
relations which at present so happily exist between
the two High Contracting Parties, they mutually agree
conjointly to use their best efforts, by taking adequate
means for establishing the easiest communication [either
by means of a cart-road, or employing the rivers, or
both united, according to the opinion of the surveying
engineers], between the fittest place on the Atlantic
coast, near the settlement of Belize, and the capital
of Guatemala; whereby the commerce of England on the
one hand, and the material prosperity of the Republic
on the other, cannot fail to be sensibly increased,
at the same time that the limits of the two countries
being now clearly defined, all further encroachments
by either party on the territory of the other will be
effectually checked and prevented for the future. ,/M.
The Joint Commissioners met in 1861 and marked the terminal points
of the southern section of the boundary, Garbutt's Falls and Gracias
a Dios Falls, and erected 29 intermediate pyramids of stone. During
the next few years, numerous notes were exchanged regarding the meaning
of Article 7 of the 1859 treaty; but, in 1867, Great Britain notified
Guatemala that construction costs had increased so much that Great
Britain considered her obligations under Article 7 cancelled. Guatemala
protested, but there the matter rested for many years. In 1929, new
joint commissioners set up concrete monuments at Gracias a Dios 900
yards upstream from the mouth of the Chocon branch of the Rilo Sarstun,
and at Garbutt's Falls on the south side of the Belize River. The
monuments were accepted by both governments, but correspondence continued
regarding Great Britain's obligations under Article 7. In 1936, memoranda
were exchanged by Guatemala and Great Britain regarding Guatemalan
proposals for various transfers of territory combined with cash settle-
ments, but Great Britain refused to accept any of the proposals. The
disagreement was suspended during World War II; but Guatemala revived
the problem after the war and has continued its efforts to reclaim the
territory of British Honduras, arguing that the 1859 treaty was never
fulfilled and is therefore no longer in effect.
The 1859 treaty line follow only 3 courses: (1) 25 miles up
the Rio Sarstun to Gracias a' Dios, (2) 85 miles northward in a straight
line to Garbutt's Falls on the Belize River, and (3) another straight
*Numerical citations in the text refer to sources listed in
Appendix B. Parenthetical comments in the text that is quoted are
enclosed within vertical brackets; those by the author of this
report are enclosed within slanted brackets.
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line 55 miles long to the Mexican border (17?19'N) -- a total length
of 165 miles (265.5 kilometers). The two markers set up in 1929 are
the only permanent ones established, and the lack of detailed and
accurate maps of the area makes difficult the determination of local
segments of the border on the ground.
Maps depicting boundary:
British Honduras, 1:250,000; British Geographical Section of
the General Staff, No. 4767, 3 sheets; 1954. CIA Call No. 95104.
This map delineates the boundary clearly, but the major points
mentioned above are not named.
Map of British Honduras, 1:253,440; British Honduran Survey
Department, 6 sheets; 1936. CIA Call No. 71773.
The major boundary points are named on this map, but only a
photostat set of sheets is available.
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2. British Honduras-Mexico
Status of boundary: Demarcated (an unmonumented river boundary).
Problem areas: None. In the event that Guatemala ever progresses
with her claims to British Honduran territory,
Mexico will probably press claims for the area
north of 17?l9'N, in accordance with her treaty
with Guatemala signed in 1882.
Description of boundary:
According to a treaty concluded by the two nations in Mexico
City on 8 July 1893:
Art. 1. It is agreed between Her Britannic
Majesty and the Republic of Mexico that the boundary
between the Republic and the Colony of British Honduras
was and is as follows:
Beginning at Boca Bacalar Chica, the strait which
separates the State of Yucatan from Ambergris Cay and
its dependent isles, the boundary line runs in the
center of the channel between the above mentioned cay
and the mainland [southwestward to parallel 18?10'N;
then turning westward, across the adjoining bay west-
ward to meridian 88?02'W, then north to parallel 18?
25'N, again westward to meridian 88?181W, northward
along that meridian to latitude 18?28.5'N, in which
is situated the mouth of the river Hondo, which it
follows in its deepest channel, passing west of Albion
island] continuing up Blue creek ,Arroyo Azul 7 until
said creek crosses the meridian of Garbutt's Falls at
a point due north of the point where the boundary lines
of Mexico, Guatemala and British Honduras intersect;
and from that point it runs due south to latitude 17?
1.9'N, the boundary line between the Republics of Mexico
and Guatemala, leaving to the north, in Mexican territory,
the so-called river Snosha or Xnohha. J
Objections to this treaty arose on several points but particularly
because it cut off Mexico's water communication between the Bahia
Chetumal and Boca Bacalar Chico. In April 1897 a further convention
was signed in Mexico City with a new stipulation that provided:
Art. 3, bis. Her Britannic Majesty guarantees
to Mexican merchant vessels in perpetuity the absolute
liberty, as at present enjoyed, of navigating the
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Strait opening to the south of the Ambergris Cay,
otherwise known as the island of San Pedro, between
this cay and the mainland, as well as of navigating
the territorial waters of British Honduras. 3ga7
The treaty and additional article were ratified by both nations
in mid-1897. The boundary covers 105 miles (169 kilometers) on land
and 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) across the Bahia Chetumal. Occasional
claims by Mexico have been made in recent years, related in part to
Guatemala's recurrent claims to British Honduran territory, but no
definite action has ever crystallized. Future transfers of territory
seem unlikely, so that further justifiable claims will probably be
settled by compensatory payments unless the anticolonialism issue
brings about the actual removal of European powers from the Americas.
Map depicting boundary:
British Honduras, 1:250,000; British Geographical Section of
the General Staff, No. 4767, sheets 1 and 2; 1954. CIA Call No.
95104 .
Except for omitting the name of Blue Creek, this map is an
excellent presentation of the boundary.
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3. Canal Zone-Panama
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
According to a delimitation convention between Panama and the
United States in 1914, the boundary follows a line 5 miles on either
side of the center line of the canal from a point in the Caribbean
3 marine miles from the mean low watermark to a point in the Pacific
3 marine miles from the mean low watermark, but excluding the cities
and harbors of Panama, Ancon, and Colon. The United States controls
all islands within the limits of the zone and in addition the group
of small islands in the Bay of Panama named Perico, Naos, Culebra,
and Flamenco. :/ For the inland water areas, the boundary follows
the 100-foot contour around the shores of Gatun Lake and the 260-foot
contour around Madden Lake. The total length of the boundary is
124 miles (199.5 kilometers).
Map depicting boundary:
Canal Zone, Republic of Panama International Boundary, 1:197,500;
U.S. Army Caribbean; 1952. AMS Call No. 36E 1-2b-8451-197.
This map shows clearly the location of the boundary, along with
detailed specifications for the alignment at both ends of the Canal.
Geographic positions are given for selected points throughout the
area, with insets for the Atlantic and Pacific entrances.
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ii. Colombia-Panama
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
See Section B-22 (p. 86)
Maps depicting boundary:
See Section B-22 (p. 87)
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5. Costa Rica-Nicaragua
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
The Cahas-Juarez boundary treaty, signed in San Jose in April
1858, established that:
Art. 2. The dividing line of the two Republics,
starting from the North Sea, shall begin at the
extremity of Castilla Point, at the mouth of the San
Juan river, in Nicaragua, and shall continue along
the right bank of said River to a point 3 English
miles from El Castillo Viejo, measured from the exterior
fortifications; thence in a curve, with center in the
works of El Castillo and distant 3 English miles there-
from, to a point 2 miles from the river bank at the
waters above El Castillo; thence towards the Sapoa
river, which empties into Lake Nicaragua, in a course
distant always 2 miles from the right bank of the San
Juan river, with its turnings, to its origin in the
Lake and along the right shore of said Lake to the
aforesaid Sapoa river where this line parallel to the
said banks terminates; from the point where it meets
the Sapoa river, which as stated should be 2 miles
from the Lake, in an astronomically straight line to
the center point of Salinas Bay in the South Sea,
where the demarcation of territory of the two Republics
terminates.... 6/
A new treaty signed in 1883 provided substantially the same terms
as the 1858 treaty except that the first section was reworded to read
more clearly:
Art. 1. The boundary line between the Republics
of Costa Rica and Nicaragua begins on the right bank
of the river Colorado, at its point of emptying into
the Atlantic, and continues by said right bank to the
junction of that river with the San Juan, and in pro-
longation of the right bank of the San Juan river to
a point distant 3 English miles from El Castillo
Viejo, measured from the outside fortifications of
said Castillo; thence in a curve, whose center is
El Castillo and which is distant 3 English miles for
its whole length, to a point which is distant 2 miles
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from the river bank, at the waters above El Castillo;
thence toward the Sapoa river, which empties into Lake
Nicaragua, following a course which is always distant
2 miles as well from the San Juan river to its origin
in the Lake as from the Lake, thereafter to the junction
of said Sapoa river; thence from a point parallel to
the junction of the Sapoa and 2 miles from it, by an
astronomically straight line to the center point of
Salinas Bay, in the South Sea, where the line of de-
marcation terminates... d/
Provisions in both treaties granting common use by both countries
of the ports and waterways led to disagreements; several new treaties
with varying stipulations were proposed between 1858 and 1888 but none
was ratified. To further cloud the issue, the subject of an inter-
oceanic canal was introduced, adding new complications to the already
involved problem. In March of 1888, Grover Cleveland, then President
of the United States, handed down an arbitral award upholding the
treaty of 1858.
In 1896 a convention was signed providing for the appointment of a
demarcation commission to monument the line and the appointment of an
arbitrator to settle any disputes that might arise. During demarcation
five awards were handed down, three of which (the first, fourth and
fifth) were pertinent to the clarification of specific locational
problems. The first described
...the following initial line of the boundary:
its direction shall be northeast and southeast...
across the sandbank from the Caribbean Sea to the
waters of Laguna Harbor Head. At its closest point,
it shall pass 300 feet from the northwest side of a
small cabin now existing in that neighborhood. On
reaching the waters of Laguna Harbor Head, the line
shall turn to the left, that is, toward the southeast
and shall follow the shore around the harbor until it
reaches the river properly so-called by the first
channel that it meets. The line shall continue as
provided in the treaty, going up this channel and up
the river properly so called. ~/
in the question of the height of water in Lake
Nicaragua, that the boundary of the beach at the level
of 106 feet, according to the markers fixed by the
American Canal Commission, must be taken as the shore
of the said lake to which the treaty of 1858 refers.
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The fifth award fixed the position of the center of the Bahia
de Salinas at ll?3'47"N, 85?43'52"W.
A meeting of the Demarcation Commission on 24 July 1900 recorded
the completion of demarcation. The entire land and water boundary is
186 miles (299 kilometers) long.
Map depicting boundary:
Ma pa de la Republica de Costa Rica, [1:650,000]; ESSO Standard
Oil Company; 1950. CIA Call No. 7 4011.
Although lacking in detail, this map shows the correct alignment
of the border paralleling the south shore of the Lago de Nicaragua.
Many Costa Rican maps do not show this segment of the boundary
correctly.
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6. Costa Rica-Panama
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
The southern boundary of Costa Rica was determined in accordance
with the findings of Chief Justice White of the United States Supreme
Court in 1914; then modified in a treaty ratified in May 1941, by the
Costa Rican and Panamanian Governments. The present boundary is
described as follows:
From the mouth of the Sixaola River in the
Caribbean Sea, the boundary line follows the thalweg
of the Sixaola upstream until its junction with the
Rio Yorkin; from there it follows the thalweg of the
Rio Yorkin upstream to latitude 9?30'N; thence follows
a rhumb line 76037' west of south until the meridian
of longitude 82?56'10"W. is reached; thence follows
this meridian southward to the cordillera which separates
the waters running into the Atlantic Ocean from those
running into the Pacific Ocean; thence follows the
aforementioned cordillera to Cerro Pando, which is the
point of union of this cordillera with the spur which
separates the waters running into the Gulf of Dulce
from the waters running into the Bay of Charco Azul;
thence follows this spur and ends at Punta Burica on
the Pacific Ocean. 10/*
Costa Rica and Panama also agreed in May 1941 that the two countries
should have the right to free navigation on the Rio Yorkin from 9?30'N
to its confluence with the Rio Sixaola and down the Sixaola to its mouth.
Should either of these rivers change its course, the frontier line would
not be affected and both countries would continue to enjoy the navigation
rights granted by this treaty.
Map depicting boundary:
Plano General de la Frontera entre Costa Rica y Panama, 1:100,000;
probably by the Comisiones Demarcadoras de Limites; 1944. CIA Call No.
31363.
This official map showing the boundary alignment with locations
of survey markers, detailed drainage, and contours is an excellent
source.
*For the details of the exact location of the various boundary
markers, see the Costa Rican La Gaceta-Diario Oficial for 7 October
1944, p. 1849-51. - 14 -
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7. Dominican Republic-Haiti
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
A boundary treaty was signed at Santo Domingo on 21 January 1929,
which provided that:
Art. 1. The frontier line between the Dominican
Republic and the Republic of Haiti starts from the
thalweg of the mouth of the river Dajabon or Massacre,
in the Atlantic Ocean [Bay of Mancenille, north of
the island] and following the course of that river
until opposite the town of Dajabon, according to the
map, made in 1901 by the mixed Dominican-Haitian
Commission, of the frontier line in the extreme north.
Subd. 2. From Dajabon, it follows the course of
the river Dajabon or Massacre to its confluence with
the river Capotille or Bernard, according to the
studies of the said Commission, which are considered
as annexed to the present treaty;
Subd. 3. From said confluence it follows then
the course of the river Capotille or Bernard to its
source, on Mount Citadel or Height of Las Palomas;
from that point along the crest of the mountain chain
northwestward to the point where it meets a mount
covered with pines called Loma de los Pinos; along
this last mount following its crest, to a plain [Loma
Llana], whence it runs west to a bare peak; thence
southwest to the summit of a mountain called Pan de
Azucar but commonly known in the locality as Mount
Grime; thence to the source of the river Libon; thence
it follows the course of that river to the point where
that river crosses the road called royal highway
Camino Real, which goes from Banica to Restauration
Gourabe], following that road to the point where it
crosses the river Artibonite, opposite Banica. [Said
royal highway passes to the west of Miel and to the
east of Cerca-la-Source.] Where said frontier line
follows the road, it shall be traced in the middle of
said royal highway, which thus remains at the service
of both States. From where the said road crosses the
river Artibonite, opposite Banica, the frontier line
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follows [the Artibonite to its confluence with the
river Macasia; the Macasia to San Pedros along the
crest of the ridge in a straight line to Fort Cachiman;
through the center of said Fort and bending toward
the southeast, in a straight line to the river
Carrizal; up that river to its source; in a straight
line to Rancho de las Mujeres, leaving it to the east;
in a straight line to Canada Miguel; continuing
southwest to the Rfo de los Indios at a well defined
promontory; along that river to the road which leads
to Gobert; along that road, leaving Gobert and Carrefour
to the west and following the crest of the ridge in a
straight line to the south-eastern peak called Loma de
Fond Pitte (Bajada Grande); to Las Lajas following the
middle of the royal highway which leads towards Haiti;
to El Fondo, following the same road];
Subd. 4. From El Fondo to El Numero the frontier
line shall be that indicated [B-C-D-E] on the plan
which, accepted by both parties and signed by Mm.
Dejean and Troncoso de'la Concha is annexed to this
treaty, of which it forms a part.
Subd. 5. From El Numero to Minguette; to Tempe;
to Mare Citron; to Guasima; to the village of Bois
Tombe; to Gros Mare or Gros Mat; to a gorge between
Grande Savane and Sabana de Zumbi [formerly La
Descubierta]; to the source of the river Pedernales
[Cabeza de Caboguette]; along that river to the point
where its water submerges; along the dry bed of the
Pedernales to the point where the water reappears,
between Cabeza de Agua and 'f'ete-a-l'Eau; along the
course of that river to opposite Spanish or Banana
court; to the point where that crosses the present
road [royal highway] leading to Anse-a-Pitres and
Pedernales, through the pass called Cevart Pass; along
the middle of said road about 2.8 miles to Glace Pass;
from where the royal highway crosses the Pedernales
along the course of that river to the thalweg of its
mouth, in the Caribbean Sea, south of the island.
Art. 16. ...Although there has never existed
any controversy on the subject of ownership of the
adjacent islands to be found in the neighborhood of
the mouth of the river Dajabon or Massacre and of the
river Pedernales, it remains fixed in the present
treaty that the islands, islets and isles following:
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in the north, Siete Hermanos and Ia Cabra, in the
south, la Beata, Alta Vela, or Alto Velo and Los
Frailes are and always have been under the sovereignty
of the Dominican Republic.
The demarcation commission was duly appointed and went
to work, and during 1930 succeeded in marking by common
agreement the frontier line for over 80 percent of its
length from sea to sea. In five places disagreements
appeared, which the commission was unable to resolve.
On February 27, 1935, ...an agreement resolving the
five points of difference left by the demarcation
commission rreadJ as follows:
First. To fix as source or head of the river
Libon the point where the rivers Marigoyenne and
Tenebras unite to form thence downstream the river
Libon. The frontier, consequently, shall go in a
straight line from the marker No. 48 on Mont Grime to
said point.
Second. The course of the frontier from transit
station No. 805 on the road from Restauracion to
Banica to the river Artibonito was settled by the
Miel protocol.
Third. From the point SP1 marked by the Demarcation
Commission at San Pedro on the river Macasfas the line
shall follow the ridge of the hills, descending to
Tumba la Rosa, passing by Dame Jeanne Cassee and by
the cemetery established at Fort Cachiman; thence to
the river Carrizal, leaving the royal highway in Haitian
territory; up the waters of the river Carrizal to its
head.
Fourth. From the head of the Carrizal to Mare
Zephir [Rancho de las Mujeres] passing Maison Madame
Salomon; thence to Canada Miguel.
Fifth. The line shall run from Gros Mare to the
well-defined ravine at Mare Orange; thence to Bonite
spring, head of the river Pedernales, the intermediate
points to be located later....
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On March 9, 1936, a protocol of revision of the
treaty of January 21, 1929... provided:
Art. 1. The Dominican Republic consents to the
revision of Paragraph 2 of Article 1 of the Treaty
of Jan. 21, 1929 [to read]: a line from Passe Maguane
or the point marked 22 R.L. following the axis of the
river Lib6n to the pass called Tilori; thence the line
shall follow the axis of a highway belon~ing to the
two states to begin at the Pass of Tilori or Madame
Luchen, along the right bank of the river Libon, past
Juan de Paz, then crossing the stream Los Algodones,
across the stream La Guarana, along the right bank
of that stream, across La Mechora plain, past Cocoi,
along the skirts of Las Guaranas, past Hatillo, La
Tasajera, La Baria, La Diablesa and Los Carraos to
El Corte [Le Cour].
From El Corte [Le Cour] the highway shall follow
the existing road for a distance of 1500 meters towards
Guayacan, thence the highway shall be constructed
parallel to the course of the river Artibonito at a
maximum distance of from 800 to 1000 meters; thence
through the crossroads called Fundo Viejo [Croix Vieux
Fond], crossing the stream La Salle, then the brook
called Canada Bonita and on to the pass called Los
Cacaos, where it crosses the river Artibonito. At
this place shall be built the International Bridge of
Artibonito. From said International Bridge the
frontier line shall follow the axis of the river
Artibonito to opposite the town of Banica, whence it
shall continue along the axis of the river Artibonito,
in accordance with the boundary fixed in 1929.???
Art. 8. The Dominican Republic accepts the
revision of Paragraph 3 of Article 1 of the Treaty of
Jan. 21, 1929 [to read]: thence through the center of
Fort Cachiman and bending toward the southeast and at
15 meters from the axis, it follows a line parallel
to the present royal highway which goes to Comendador,
leaving that highway in Haitian territory, till it
reaches the stream Carrizal. 11
Map depicting boundary:
Plano General de la Linea de Fronteras Conforme al Tratado del
21 Enero-1929 y al Protocolo de 23 de Marzo de 1936, 1:100,000;
[Dominican 7 Instituto Geografico Militar; no date. CIA Call
No. 93908. -
The boundary is clearly shown on this fairly detailed map.
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8. El Salvador-Guatemala
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
The boundary between these two countries was never a matter of
serious conflict. A 1935 agreement to establish their boundaries
definitely led to the appointment of a joint commission to prepare
maps based on aerial photographs, to monument the frontier with
permanent markers, and to make topographical and trigonometrical
surveys and accurate maps. This commission met from February 1936
to January 1938. Field work began in October 1937. 12 The boundary
treaty signed in Guatemala City on 9 April 1938, provided that:
Art. 1. The territorial boundaries between
Salvador and Guatemala were and are as follows:
(a) In the zone extending from the summit of
the Montecristo ridge to the river Chingo, Coco or
Jerez, the existing boundary, which, with slight
technical modifications essential to demarcation, is
defined as follows: From the trifinial boundary-mark
on the summit of the Montecristo ridge where the
Republics of Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras meet
[westerly towards the head of the nearest ravine of
the river Negro, Frio, Brujo or Anguiatu; down the
median line of the ravine and then of the river to
Los Cedros ravine; then up the median line to the
head of the nearest tributary to the summit of the
Brujo ridge; straight to the triangular mark erected
by the Joint Frontier Commission at the summit of
said Brujo ridge; northerly to La Piedrona boundary-
mark at the edge of the river Negro, Frio, Brujo or
Anguiatu; down the median line of that river to its
confluence with the river Angue, Nejapa or Grande,
southeast of Valeriano village in Salvador; down the
median line of the river Angue to its confluence with
the Guayabillas ravine north of San Jeronimo hamlet;
up the Guayabillas ravine to where it joins a little
dry ravine which passes close by the Salitre Rancho
de Cuero boundary-mark; upstream by the said little
ravine to the Salitre Rancho de Cuero boundary-mark,
straight to the Loma Talpetatosa mark on the road
from Santa Barbara to La Canada; straight to the
summit of the Mamey ridge; straight to La Puerta
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boundary-mark, at the intersection of the road from
Pinuelas to El Shiste north of the Tecuan ridge with
El Shiste ravine; down the median line of El Shiste
ravine to a boundary-mark at the corner of the Estrada,
Bojorquez and Orellana estates; straight to the
Quebracho or Corral Falso boundary mark; straight to
El Barreal mark, on the more easterly of the two
Guacuco ravines; down the Guacuco stream to where it
empties into the Virgen or Capichul ravine; up the
median line of that ravine to la Frutera mark; straight
to El Jobo mark; straight to the summit of the Junquillo
ridge; to the Junquillo mark on the boundary of the
Amajaque and Ostua ranches; by the boundary of those
ranches through the Mora, Las Culebras ridge and the
rest of the marks on this boundary to the junction of
the two ravines which together form the Quebrada
Precipitada, down the median line of the said
Precipitada ravine to its junction with the river
0stua; down the median line of the course of the river
Ostua to where it now empties into Lake GUija; southerly
along the western edge of the peninsula which juts out
from north to south into Lake GUija to the end of said
peninsula or its most southerly point; straight across
Lake Guija to the most northerly point of the Tipa
Afuera peninsula, which juts into said Lake from south
to north; along the east side of said peninsula and
the edge of the Lake to where the river Cuxmapa now
empties; up the median line of the river Cuxmapa to
El Camposanto de Gamboa in the plains of Sunza;
straight to El Talpetate boundary mark; straight to
the summit of El Cerron hill, to the west of Portezuelo
de la Canada hamlet; straight to the triangular stone
erected on the central peak of the Campana ridge by
the Joint Frontier Commission; straight to the triangular
stone erected by said Commission near Amate and El Paso
de San Cristobal; straight towards the triangular mark
erected by the Joint Frontier Commission on the summit
of Islamatepeque ridge 1,250 meters from the triangular
mark at Amate de San Cristobal; changing direction
and straight towards the Ojo de Agua de El Naranjo;
from said Ojo de Agua de El Naranjo straight towards
the triangular mark erected by the Joint Frontier
Commission on the summit of the Chingo volcano;
straight to the summit of the little ridge known as
El Matadero on the southern slope of the Chingo
volcano; straight to the Cuatro Piedras boundary-mark
in the Seca del Palo de la Estrella ravine; down the
said Seca ravine to its junction with or entry into
the river Chingo, Coco or Jerez].
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(b) In the zone extending from the river Chingo
to the mouth of the river Paz on the Pacific Ocean,
with slight technical modifications essential to
demarcation, the territorial boundaries are defined
as follows: [from the junction of the Seca del Palo
de la Estrella ravine with the river Chingo, Coco or
Jerez; down the median line of said river to its
confluence with the river Pampe or Chalchuapa; down
the median line of said river to where the Los Sitios
or GUeveapa ravine runs into it; down the said river
GUeveapa, Pampe or Chalchuapa to its confluence with
the river Paz at Los Naranjos; down the course of the
river Paz till it empties in the Pacific Ocean,
passing through (1) the confluence of the rivers
Chalchuapa and Paz, (2) the confluence of the rivers
Paz and Pulula, (3) the confluence of the rivers Paz
and Tacuba, (4) point where an arm of the Paz leaves
the main stream near Salamar, and (5) mouth of the
river Paz, at 13?44'11"N latitude, 90?O8'W longitude].
Art. 2. No change in the bed of frontier rivers,
whether due to natural causes such as alluvium deposits,
landslides, freshets, etc., or to artificial causes
such as the construction of public works, the deepening
of channels for water-supply, etc., shall affect the
frontier as determined at the time of demarcation,
which shall continue to be the international boundary
even though a stream may have completely abandoned
its original bed.
Each Government reserves the right to utilize
half the volume of water in frontier rivers, either
for agricultural or industrial purposes; but in no
circumstances may concessions be granted to foreign
undertakings or companies.
Art. 4. The Joint Frontier Commission shall
proceed immediately to the physical marking and
tracing of the frontier on the spot ... and ...
shall also proceed immediately to construct posts
and marks to render the frontier visible and
permanent. 13/
No arbitration or diplomatic negotiations marred the successful
settlement of the boundary and it is assumed to be permanent.
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Map depicting boundary:
Frontera Internacional entre las Republicas de El Salvador y
Guatemala, 1:50,000; Comision Mixta de Limites El Salvador Guatemala,
5 sheets; 1940. CIA Call No. 10]A94
This excellently detailed map includes the location of numbered
boundary markers, and many names of places, rivers, and terrain
features.
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9. El Salvador-Honduras
Status of boundary: Undefined in the north; demarcated (an unmonumented
river boundary) in the east.
Problem areas: Disputes have occurred from time to time along the
border from the Rio Goascoran in the southeast to
Cerro Monte Cristo in the northwest at the junction
of the Guatemalan, Honduran, and Salvadoran borders.
Description of boundary:
No treaty has ever been successfully concluded delimiting the
entire boundary between El Salvador and Honduras. The boundaries
have long been understood to be those that separated the early
Provinces of Honduras and Salvador prior to independence. In the
east the Rio Goascoran is accepted as the border, but several sections
of the northern border have been open to dispute. Treaties signed in
1861 and 1869 settled problems in the area between Jocoara, Honduras,
and Arambala, Salvador. In 1889 a detailed description of the border
was published by Santiago y Barberena including:
...agreements and differences, for the northeast-
southwest boundary of 88.3 kilometers (51+.82 miles)
from the mouth of the river Guascoran in La Union bay
68.3 kilometers (1+2.1+ miles) up to the confluence of
the river Guajiniquil, up that river 19 kilometers
(11.8 miles) to its head, and 1 kilometer (0.62 mile)
to Ribita peak; and for 68 kilometers (1+2.2 miles) of
the northwest-southeast boundary from Ribita peak to
Lopez Hill, down the river Torola, up the river San
Antonio, up the Guaralape stream to its source at
Cerro Colorado, to Mal Paso de Similaton, a secondary
peak of Sapamanf, Sabaneta de la Montana de la Isla,
Cerro de la Ardilla, the foot of Napansapa Hill,
Olosicula Hill, and Chagualaca volcano, the end of the
Arambala-Perquin section. The length of the whole
line from Tigre Island to Brujo Cerro, at the corner
of Honduras, Salvador and Guatemala, is 378 kilometers
(235 miles). 11+
In conformance with an 1886 convention to maintain the status
quo, Honduras owns the islands of Esposici6n, Garrobo fCarabobo,,
GUegiiensi, Sacate Grande, Tigre, and Violin, in the Gulf of Fonseca;
and, in conformance with the same convention, Salvador owns the
islands of Blanca, Chuchito, Conthaguilla or ConchagUita, Conejo,
Coyote, Icla, Martin Perez (native, Nacaome), Mianguera, Mianguerita,
Perico, and Punta de Sacate. 15
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The many treaties and conventions made during the past century
have provided a sizeable body of material from which a Boundary
Commission is currently trying to determine the final boundary. An
area 20 kilometers wide on either side of the border is being surveyed;
and maps at 1:50,000, compiled from these surveys and recent aerial
photography, will be used in the solution of the disputed areas.
Maps depicting boundary area:
Ma pa General de la Republica de Honduras, 1:500,000; by Jesus
Aguilar Paz; 1954. CIA Call No. 93331?
Mapa Preliminar de El Salvador, 1:200,000;FSalvadoran7 Ministerio
de Obras Publicas, Direccion de Cartografia; 1951. CIA Call No. 76097.
Neither of these maps is an accurate source for studying the
boundary area but until the current boundary mapping program is
completed no more reliable materials will be available.
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10. Guatemala-Honduras
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
Boundary disputes between Guatemala and Honduras began as early
as 18+3, following the dissolution of the Federation of Central America.
Numerous attempts to reach an amicable settlement were made during the
next 90 years, but not until 23 January 1933 was any agreement reached,
at which time a Boundary Tribunal handed down an opinion and an award
based on the line of uti possidetis of 1821. The boundary was then
defined as follows:
... from the Salvadorean boundary at the point nearest
the summit of Cerro Montecristo, north straight to the
headwaters of the nearest stream tributary to the Frio
or Sesecapa river, northerly along the median line of
this tributary downstream to its confluence with the
FrIo or Sesecapa river, along the median line of that
river downstream to its confluence with the creek
called El Chaguiton, along the median line of that
creek upstream to its headwaters and continuing due
north on the summit of the water divide between the
drainage basins of the Atulapa and Frio or Sesecapa
rivers, easterly straight to the southernmost and
higher of the twin peaks of Cerro Tecomapa, easterly
straight about 400 meters to the confluence of two
small creeks forming a tributary of Tecomapa or Agua
Caliente creek, along the median line of that tributary
downstream easterly to its confluence with Tecomapa or
Agua Caliente creek, along the median line of Tecomapa
or Agua Caliente creek downstream northeasterly to its
confluence with the Olopa river, along the median line
of the Olopa river downstream to its confluence with
La Brea creek, along the median line of La Brea creek
upstream to a point 60 meters below the confluence of
that stream with El Incienso creek, easterly straight
[2 miles] to the highest point of Cerro Oscuro,
generally easterly along the continental water divide
to its junction with the water divide of the drainage
basin of the Blanco river, northerly along the water
divide between the drainage basins of the Chanmagua
and Blanco rivers to its junction with the water divide
of the drainage basin of La Raya or Pezote creek,
northerly straight to the headwaters of the nearest
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tributary of La Raya or Pezote creek, northerly
downstream along the median line of said tributary to
its confluence with la Raya or Pezote creek, northerly
downstream along the median line of that creek to its
confluence with the Playon river, upstream along the
median line of the Playon river to its confluence
with the Zanjon de Laguna Verde, northeasterly straight
to the confluence of the Templador and Sulay rivers,
northwesterly straight to the highest point of Cerro
Ojo de Agua del Amate, northerly straight to the summit
of Cerro San Crist6bal, northwesterly straight to the
summit of Cerro Sepulturas, northwesterly straight to
Bonete del Portillo, northerly straight to Cerro Jute,
northeasterly along the crest of the ridge on which
Cerro Jute is situated to the water divide between the
drainage basins of San Antonio and Tizamarte creeks,
northeasterly along the water divide between the
drainage basins of Sesesmiles creek and the Pexja
river to its junction with the water divide of the
drainage basin of the Managua river, northerly along
the water divide between the drainage basins of the
Pexja and Managua rivers to a point at the junction
of the secondary water divide in the Managua river
basin at the settlement called Palmichal, along this
secondary water divide in a northeasterly direction
to the Managua river, along the median line of the
Managua river downstream to the mouth of the first
creek north of the village of Aldea Nueva, north-
easterly straight [12 miles] to a point on the Morja
river due east of the southeast corner of La Francia
clearing, northeasterly straight [21+.4 miles] to a
point at the junction of the secondary water divide
between the Juyama and Encantado rivers with the main
water divide between the Motagua and Chamelecon
drainage basins, northeasterly straight [6.25 miles]
to a point at the junction of the secondary water
divide between the Bobos and Animas rivers with the
main water divide between the Motagua and Chamelecon
drainage basins, northeasterly straight to a point at
the junction of the secondary water divide between the
Animas and Negro rivers with the main water divide
between the Motagua and Chamelecon drainage basins,
northeasterly following the meanders of the main water
divide between the Motagua and Chamelecon drainage
basins to a point at its junction with the secondary
water divide between the two principal branches of the
Chiquito or Platanos river, northeasterly straight
[5.75 miles] to the highest point of the mountain
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called Cerro Escarpado near the junction of the secondary
water divides between the Chiquito or Platanos, the
Nuevo or Cacao and the Chachagualilla river basins,
northeasterly straight [11.2 miles] to a point at the
center of the Cuyamel Railroad bridge over the Santo
Tomas river, northeasterly straight to the southern-
most point on the right bank of the Tinto river which
flows out of the Laguna Tinta, along the right bank,
taken at mean high water mark, of the Tinto river
downstream to its point of discharge into the Motagua
river, along the right bank, taken at mean high water
mark, of the Motagua river downstream to its mouth on
the Gulf of Honduras. As thus described, the boundary
is established on the right banks of the Tinto and
Motagua rivers at mean high water mark, and in the
event of changes in these streams in the course of
time, whether due to accretion, erosion or avulsion,
the boundary shall follow the mean high water mark
upon the actual right banks of both rivers. 16
According to Ireland the actual demarcation of the line was
completed between 24 April 1933 and 7 September 1936 by a technical
commission, which erected 1,028 monuments along a boundary 158.8 miles
(255.6 kilometers) long. 17 Marchant quotes the Demarcation Commission
report as stating that 1,030 monuments were erected along 160 miles
(257.88 kilometers) of boundary. 18/
Map depicting boundary:
Guatemala-Honduras, Preliminary Map, 1:100,000; Special Boundary
Tribunal, 2 sheets; 1933. CIA Call No. 32067.
This map is sufficiently large scale to show all of the significant
features along the boundary line, which is indicated in red, following
the provisions of the award.
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11. Guatemala-Mexico
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
According to a treaty signed in Mexico City on 27 September 1882,
Art. 3. ...the boundaries of the two nations shall
be forever as follows: (1) The median line of the
river Suchiate from a point in the [Pacific] sea three
leagues from its mouth, upstream by the deepest channel
to the point at which said river cuts the vertical
plane which passes through the highest point of the
volcano of Tacana and is 25 meters distant from the
southernmost pillar of the customs post of Talquian,
so that such customs post remains in Guatemalan
territory. (2) The line determined by the vertical
plane previously defined, from its meeting with the
river Suchiate to its intersection with the vertical
plane which passes through the summits of Buenavista
and Ixbul. (3) The line determined by the vertical
plane which passes through the summit of Buenavista,
already astronomically fixed by the Mexican Scientific
Commission, and the summit of the mountain of Ixbul
from its intersection with the former plane to a point
4 kilometers [2.5 miles] beyond said mountain. (4) The
parallel of latitude which passes through this last
point, from such point eastward until it meets the
deepest channel of the river Usumacinta .... (5) the
median line of the deepest channel of the Usumacinta
... until the deepest channel of the Usumacinta meets
the parallel situated 25 kilometers [15.5 miles] south
of Tenosique in Tabasco, measured from the center of
the plaza of said town. (6) The parallel of latitude
just referred to from its intersection with the deepest
channel of the Usumacinta until.it meets the meridian
which passes at one third the distance between the
centers of the plazas of Tenosique and Sacluc, counting
such third part from Tenosique. (7) This meridian,
from its intersection with the previous parallel to
latitude 17?49'N. (8) The parallel of 17?49'N from
its intersection with the previous meridian indefinitely
eastward [120.5 miles to British Honduras]. /
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A further treaty signed in Mexico City on 1 April 1895 amplified
the treaty of 1882 to the effect that the boundary extended eastward
(from a point 4 kilometers beyond the mountain of Ixbul) to the Rio
Chixoy (Rfo Salinas) and followed the median line of the deepest
channel of the latter river to the Rio Usumacinta. By May 1899, the
boundary was monumented for its entire length of 597.4 miles (962
kilometers) and is considered permanently settled. 20
Map depicting boundary:
Map of Hispanic America, 1:1,000,000; American Geographical
Society; CIA Call No. 21793.
Sheets
ND-15,
Ciudad Guatemala
1935
NE-15,
Istmo de Tehuantepec
1938
NE-16,
Belize
1935
Although the map is small scale, these sheets are useful because
of hypsometric tinting and boundary marker symbols.
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12. Honduras-Nicaragua
Status of boundary: Demarcated from the Gulf of Fonseca to the
Portillo de Teotecacinte; disputed from
there to the Atlantic Ocean. Honduras
and Nicaragua are in dispute over the
validity of the arbitral award handed
down in 1906 by the King of Spain for
that segment.
Problem areas: Nicaragua claims extensive "Honduran" territory
north of the Rio Coco (Rio Segovia). Recommended
treatment on U.S. maps omits any indication of
these claims but instead uses a dashed or other
unconventional boundary symbol along the Rio Poteca
and Rio Coco, with the designation "Award of the
King of Spain, 1906."
Description of boundary:
By August 1904, a mixed boundary commission, which had been
working for 4 years, was able to agree on 3 sections of the line:
(1) between the Gulf of Fonseca and the Montana de la Botija;
(2) from the peak of Cerro Variador to Las Manos on the Dipilto
Cordillera; and (3) from Las Manos to the Portillo de Teotecacinte,
where the stream of La Zarzalosa and the Rio Limon, a tributary of
the Poteca, have their common origin. The commission drew up detailed
descriptions of the three sections agreed upon as follows:
(1) From the point known by the name of Amatillo,
in the lower part of the river Negro, the dividing
line is a straight line run toward the volcano of
Cosiguina in an astronomical direction S 86030'W,
36.8 kilometers [23 miles] to the middle point of the
bay of Fonseca, equidistant from the coasts of the
two Republics on this side; and from that point follows
the division of the waters of the bay along a line also
equidistant from the said coasts until it reaches the
middle of the distance lying between the northern part
of Cosiguina (Monypenny) Point and the southern part
of Tigre Island. From the said Amatillo [inland] the
line continues along the center of the said river Negro
upstream in a general east-northeast direction to its
confluence with the river Guasaule, about 10 kilometers
[6.21 miles]; from said confluence, the line runs in a
general north-northeast direction along the center of
the river Guasaule, also upstream, to its union with
the river Torondano, at a distance of 26 kilometers
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[16.15 miles]; from the meeting of these two rivers
the line continues along the center of the river
Torondano to its confluence with the Quebrada Grande;
along the bed of that ravine first and along that of
its affluent the Pena Blanca ravine afterwards, to
the head of the latter, at a pass situated 150 meters
east of Las Dantas rock on the ridge of La Botija
Cordillera, the general direction of this part being
northeast and its length 12 kilometers [7.5 miles].
From the said pass the line runs east-southeast along
the ridge of the said Cordillera, passing the height
of El Cedro and the Grande rock, to end on the peak
of El Variador hill, 5 kilometers [3.1 miles] away.
To fix permanently this section of the dividing line
there shall be erected two monuments, one at Amatillo,
on the right bank of the river Negro and the other in
the pass near Las Dantas rock.
(2) From the peak of El Variador hill [through
Jicote rock, Tigre cliff, El Roble, the monument at
Carrizal pass, the monument on the peak of El Mogote
de Caguasca, the monument of Isnaya, the monument of
La Estrechura de Azanda, the confluence of Licuala
and Las Palmas ravines, Las Palmas ravine to the
monument on its left bank, the southwest corner of
San Antonio del Despoblado in Nicaragua, the edge of
Las Lagunillas ravine, Los Araditos corner, the
monument at the corner of El Rodeo Grande, the rock
at the corner of El Higo, crossing the road from
Somoto to San Marcos near El Espino, El Gobernador
pass, the monument on the Plan of San Blas, crossing
the river Comal{ or San Marcos, above the Caulatos
wells, the monument on the right bank of Las Limas
ravine, Zapotillo hill, Rincon height at the northern
end of Oyocto plain, Yar{ pass, the monument at the
east end of La Lagunilla prairie, the monument at the
corner of Nuestra Senora de la Soledad de Duyure, the
monument of Sebana Larga on Hatos Viejos hill, the
monument of El Batidero, the peak of Canton or
Sepultura hill, passing Los Calpules valley, the
monument of El Divisadero, the right bank of the
river Zapotal 100 meters from the east side of the
river Grande, or Choluteca, parallel to the east bank
of the river Choluteca and 100 meters distant,
Samayaque corner, opposite the mouth of the river
Samayare, crossing Robles ravine, the monument of
Horno, along the north side of Santa Lucia del
Coyolar, Chinampa furnace, crossing the river Alauca
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Viejo or Algodonal to the monument on its right bank,
up the bed of the river Algodonal, the monument of
Soyatal on its right bank, the peak of the high hill
La Picona, and Las Manos pass in the Cordillera of
Dipilto]. Monuments shall be erected at the points
indicated on the plan.
(3) From Las Manos pass in the Cordillera of
Dipilto to the neighborhood of Jalapa and Teotecacinte
there has been as common boundary of the territory of
both Republics, since they were colonial provinces of
Spain, the ridge of said Cordillera ... and the line
which divides naturally the waters (of springs and
rains) on the backbone of said Cordillera, to wit, in
general: from Las Manos along the ridge of the
Cordillera of Dipilto or Jalapa towards the Portillo
de Teotecacinte, along the heights of Volcan de las
Barrancas, Las Trincheras, Filo de Dipilto, the highest
part of the mountain between Dipilto and Conchagua,
the peak of a sharp rock, the thick and very high peak
Mogoton, Mogote Segundo, Mogote Cortado, the pass
between the head of the river Horca in Nicaragua and
the Potrero Grande ravine, affluent of the river San
Francisco in Honduras, the pass between Las Vueltas
[Honduras] and Santa Barbara [Nicaragua] ravines, the
Malacate road, the edge which divides the Agua Caliente
[Nicaragua] and Ochoa [Honduras] ravines, the highest
part of Jalapa mountain, the throat in which rise the
Aguila ravine [Honduras] and the river Solonli which
flows toward Jalapa, and the pass through which goes
the Teotecacinte trail, chosen as the end of this third
section and conventionally designated for this purpose
as the Portillo de Teotecacinte, in which have their
common origin the Zarzaloza ravine [Honduras] and the
river Limon, affluent of the Poteca.
From the Portillo de Teotecacinte northeastward
to the Atlantic the commission could not agree, the
Hondurans proposing that the line should run: down
the Limon to the river Guineo, down that river and the
Poteca to the river Segovia, down the Segovia to a
point 20 geographic leagues at right angles from the
Atlantic Coast at about the confluence of the river
Trincara and the Segovia, southward on an astronomical
meridian to the parallel of latitude which passes
through the mouth of the river Arena and of the Lake
of Sandy Bay, and on that parallel to the Atlantic ...,
while the Nicaraguans insisted that the line should go,
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along the ridge of the Cordillera, following the line
or shed which divides the river waters on either side,
to the point in the Portillo whence springs the brook
which forms the river Frio, down the bed of said brook
and river until in the valley it joins the Guayambre
and then the Guayape, lower down called the Patuca,
along the middle of its waters until it meets the
meridian which passes through Cape Camar6n, and along
that meridian until it loses itself in the sea,
leaving to Nicaragua Swan Island.
The commission concluded definitely that it could
not reconcile these divergent views, nor even agree on
a common starting point on the Atlantic coast, and on
August 29, 1904, drew up and signed its report, and
dissolved .... 21/
In October 1904, both nations agreed to the appointment of the
King of Spain as arbiter and on 23 December 1906 King Alfonso XIII
handed down his decision, declaring that:
...the dividing line between the Republics of
Honduras and Nicaragua from the Atlantic to the
Portillo de Teotecacinte where the Mixed Boundary
Commission left it in 1901, not having been able to
agree upon its continuation in their later meetings,
shall be settled as follows:
The extreme common boundary point on the Atlantic
Coast shall be the mouth of the river Coco, Segovia
or Wanks in the sea, next to Cape Gracias a Dios,
considering as the mouth of the river that of its
principal branch between Hara and the island of San
Pio at the aforesaid Cape, leaving for Honduras the
islets or cays lying within such principal branch
before reaching the bar, and preserving for Nicaragua
the south bank of the aforesaid principal branch with
the aforesaid island of San Plo, with the bay and
settlement of Cape Gracias a Dios and the branch or
estuary called Gracias which runs to the bay of
Gracias a Dios between the Continent and the aforesaid
island of San Piro.
From the mouth of the Segovia or Coco, the
frontier line shall follow the thread or thalweg of
that river up without interruption to the point of
its confluence with the Poteca or Bodega, and from
that point the said frontier line shall abandon the
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river Segovia, continuing by the thread of the said
affluent Poteca or Bodega and following such waters
up to their meeting with the river Guineo or Namasli.
From that meeting the dividing line shall take
the direction which corresponds to the demarcation
of the settlement of Teotecacinte, according to the
bounds made in 1720, to end at the Portillo de
Teotecacinte so that such settlement shall remain
wholly within the jurisdiction of Nicaragua. 22/
Both countries initially accepted the decision, but the President
of Nicaragua soon requested clarification of some of the points. The
following years brought no amicable settlement to the ensuing dispute,
and Nicaragua has so consistently objected to any boundary treatment
which does not show her claims that Honduras began to lay claim to
territory south of the Rio Coco. A move on the part of Honduras in
1956 to incorporate part of the disputed area into its national
administrative organization led to mobilized action in areas near
the border. Subsequent investigation by the Organization of American
States may ultimately lead to some sort of settlement.
Map depicting boundary:
Ma pa General de la Republica de Honduras, 1:500,000; by Jesus
Aguilar Paz; 1954. CIA Call No. 93331.
No adequate map is available showing the Nicaraguan claims, but
this map covers the area under dispute.
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B. South America
1. Argentina-Bolivia
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
A treaty was signed at La Paz on 9 July 1925, in which:
...the boundary was fixed in Article 1 to start
from Zapaleri or Sapalegui hill and run north-northeast
to Brajma hill, then to Tinte, Negro, Vilama, Bayo,
Alcoak, and Panizos hills; thence by the Cumbrera
Chilena and Sierra de Hornillos to Limitajo hill;
thence by the peaks in chain to the north-northeast,
passing Cuevas and Panizos hills to the summit of La
Ramada; thence by a straight line to the confluence
of the San Antonio and the San Juan; thence by the
course of the San Juan to its union with the Mojinete;
thence by a straight line to the summit of Branqui
hill, then to the summit of Vaqueros and from there
to the summit of Grande hill; from the south side of
that peak by another line to the peak of Condor hill
in such manner that Sarcari remained within Bolivian
territory; from Condor hill to the east to Tablon
hill in the Altos de Piscuno, thence by a straight
line to the southeast to Post No. 1 of the Abra de
Huajra; thence by the posts already placed in the
ravines of Cuartel and La Quiaca, following the latter
to the mouth of Sansana ravine; thence by a straight
line to the west end of La Raya ravine, and descending
by that ravine to its union with the Yanalpa; thence
by another straight line from west to east to the
summit of Mecoya hill; thence descending to the sources
of the Mecoyita stream, following its course to the
Santa Rosa; thence down to its confluence with the
Santa Victoria, forming the Condado, and continuing
down the Condado to its point of emptying into the
Bermejo, more or less opposite the town of that name;
thence descending by the waters of the Bermejo to its
confluence with the Rio Grande de Tarija at the town
of Las Juntas de San Antonio; from Las Juntas up the
Tarija to the mouth of the Itau, and following its
course to 220 parallel, thence by that parallel to
San Roque stream; thence down that stream and by the
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Yacuiba stream to its confluence with the Pocitos
stream and ascending the course of the last to the
22? parallel so that the settlement of Yacuiba
remained within Bolivian sovereignty, in the triangular
zone formed by such streams and the 220 parallel; from
the point where the Pocitos stream crosses the 220
parallel the line to continue along that parallel, as
already traced, to the Pilcomayo, which is the northeast
boundary of Argentina in the Chaco. As soon as
ratifications of this treaty should be exchanged, a
mixed commission of Bolivian and Argentine technicians
was to proceed to fix on the land the agreed line and
to place permanent demarcation posts. 23
This plan was subsequently carried out and the boundary was
demarcated.
Map depicting boundary:
Ma pa General con el Trazado Definitivo del Limite entre Re ublicas
Argentina y de Bolivia, 1:400,000; 1942; bound in Informe Final de la
Comisi6n Mixta Demarcadora de Limites Argentina-Bolivia, [Argentine-
Institute Geografico Militar, 1953. AMS Call No. F2857 C73.
This map, signed by the Boundary Commission, shows the boundary
as demarcated, along with the triangulation net west of the Rio
Bermejo, and the locations of boundary markers and bench marks along
the entire boundary. Accompanying this map are several larger-scale
maps of specific sections along the boundary.
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2. Argentina-Brazil
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
According to the treaty of 6 October 1898, the boundary is defined
as follows:
...from the mouth of the Quarahim on the left or
Brazilian (east) bank of the Uruguay, continuing by
the thalweg of the Uruguay and the Pepiri-Guazu by the
highest land between its principal source and that of
the San Antonio and thence by the thalweg of the San
Antonio and the Iguazu to the confluence of the Iguazu
with the Parana, and assigning to Argentina twenty-nine
and to Brazil twenty-four of the small islands or
groups of islands in the Uruguay from the confluence
of the Quarahim to the mouth of the Pepiri-Guazu, and
to Argentina three and to Brazil two of the groups in
the Iguazu below the confluence of the San Antonio. 2)+/
Markers were placed along the boundary thus described between
1900 and 1904, and the work was approved by an act signed at Rio on
4 October 1910. On the same date a convention was signed at Buenos
Aires which specified that:
the line at the confluence of the Quarahim with
the Uruguay should pass between the right (west) bank
of the Uruguay and the Brazilian island of Quarahim,
thence by the median line of the Uruguay to opposite
the Argentine mouth of the Mirinay, and thence by the
thalweg of the Uruguay to the confluence of the Pepiri-
Guazu. 25
The islands given to each country were listed as follows:
Argentina: Tacuaras, Grande de Saudade, Chaparro,
Aguapey and Murcielagos, Cuai, Vargas, Tigre, and
Sarandi, Dino or Nao, Santa Ana, [upper] Santa Lucia,
San Mateo, Chafariz, Grande, San Lucas Grande, Cerrito,
one of the Islas del Piratini, some of the San Isidro
group and Ijuhy, Ytacaruare Chica, Pushe para atras,
Canal Tuerto and Chico Alferez, and Vado.
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Brazil received: Cuadrada, Yapeyu, La Cruz,
Palomas, Butuy, [lower] Santa Lucia, Burica, Mercedes,
Chica, Garruchos, Yacare, San Lucas Chica, Tacuaras
(arriba de Garruchos), Bigua, Bugre, two of the Islas
del Piratini, some of the San Isidro and San Javier
group, Santa Maria, Ytacaruare Grande, Larga or
Comprida, Cumandai group, Saltino and Roncador. 26/
Map depicting boundary:
Carta do Brasil, 1:500,000; [Brazilian 7 Conselho Nacional de
Geografia; CIA Call No. 27866.
Sheets
SH-21-S0,
Uruguaiana-SO,
1951
SH-21-NO,
Uruguaiana-NO,
1947
SH-21-NE,
Uruguaiana-NE,
1947
SG-22-SO,
Curitiba-SO,
1947
SG-22-N0,
Curitiba-NO,
1947
SG-21-NE,
Asuncion-NE,
1947
SG-21-SE,
Asuncion-SE,
1947
These sheets show the boundary accurately and with good detail.
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3. Argentina-Chile
Status of boundary: Demarcated, except in the Beagle Channel.
Problem areas: Currently a mixed boundary commission is working to
replace missing markers or to install intermediate
markers between those which originally were spaced
at such great intervals that disputes have arisen
about the boundary alignment between them. Although
minor problems have developed in local areas from
time to time, essentially the boundary has been
defined and agreed upon for 50 years, and all
differences should be reconcilable by technical
experts.
The only exception concerns sovereignty over
three islands in the eastern end of the Beagle
Channel -- Lennox, Picton, and Nueva -- the owner-
ship of which has never been finally determined.
For United States mapping purposes, recommended
treatment is an unconventional boundary symbol
shown on either side of these islands to denote
the claims of each country.
Description of the boundary:
According to the boundary treaty of 23 July 1881 -- on which
subsequent agreements were based -- the Argentinian-Chilean boundary
...from north to south to 52?S. lat. is the
Cordillera of the Andes. The boundary shall run by
the highest peaks of the said Cordillera that divide
the waters and shall pass between the slopes on both
sides....
In the southern part of the continent and north
of the Strait of Magellan, the boundary shall be a
line that, startin4 at Punta Dungeness, goes by land
to Monte Dinero; thence to the west following the
highest elevations of the chain of mountains as far
as Monte Ayamond; thence to the intersection of the
meridian of 70?W. long. with the parallel of 52?S. lat.
and thence to the west by this parallel to the divortia
aquarum of the Andes. In Tierra del Fuego the boundary
shall start at the Cabo del Espiritu Santo in 52?1+0'S.
lat. and go south by the meridian of 68?31+'W. long.
(Greenwich) to reach the Beagle Channel. 27/
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After the 1881 treaty, there were repeated efforts to demarcate
the boundary in the northern Andes but progress was constantly hampered
by varying interpretations of the terminology of the treaty, Argentina
arguing that the line should follow the highest peaks and Chile
claiming that it should follow the continental divide. An agreement
in 1896 divided work on the boundary into two major sections: (1) from
23?S to 26052'151'S, to be settled in cooperation with the Bolivian
Government; and (2) from 26052'15" to 52?S, to be arbitrated by the
Queen of England wherever necessary. Work then continued and, on
1 October 1898, Argentina and Chile agreed upon:
stretches of the boundary in the second major
section 7 from 27?2'50"S. to 10 6'1"S., from 10?9'39"S.
to 11012'18"S., from 18?53'10"S. to 50?38'10"S., and
from 52?S. to 51?56'S., leaving open for arbitration
only the four sections [identified as being 7 at the
mark in San Francisco Pass from 26052115"S. To 2702150"S.,
the region of Lake Lacar from 10?6'l1'S. to 10?9'39"S?,
the line from Perez Rosales Pass at 11?12'181'S. to
Monte Fitz-Roy near Lake Viedma at 18?53'10"S. and the
region northeast of the estuary of La Ultima Esperanza
from 50038'10"S. to 52?S. 28/
These sections were settled on 20 November 1902 when King Edward
VII of England handed down an award that established a compromise line
between those of the Argentinian and Chilean proposals. Between
January and March 1903, 88 markers were set up in the four disputed
stretches.
For the other major section of the boundary work (between 230S
and 26?52'15"S) a special commission determined on 21 March 1899 that
the boundary should be as follows: straight lines from 23?S, 67?W
to Cerro Rincon and from there to Socompa Volcano; a line following
the highest crests from Socompa Volcano to Cerro Aguas Blancas;
straight lines from Cerro Aguas Blancas to Cerro Colorado and from
there to Cerro Laguna Brava; further straight lines from there to
Sierra Nevada and from Sierra Nevada to 23?52'15"S.
For the section northward to Bolivia from 23?S, Argentina and
Chile agreed on 2 May 1901 that the boundary would be a straight
line to the highest peak of Zapaleri Hill. Thus the entire boundary
(with the exception of the Beagle Channel problem) was settled, and
by 1905 the demarcation had been completed along its entire length.
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Maps depicting boundary:
Carta Preliminar, 1:250,000; [Chilean 7 Instituto Geografico
Militar, 44 sheets; 1950-55. CIA Call No. 76122.
[Boundary maps 7, 1:50,000; Comision Mixta de Lmmites Chile-
Argentina, 20 sheets; 1951. AMS Call No. IJ 23-30-560-50.
The only completely authoritative maps available for any part
of the boundary are these by the Mixed Boundary Commission but the
area covered by these large-scale sheets is only a small sector
between 140 and )+6?S. For coverage of the entire boundary the
Chilean maps are the most recently compiled and the largest scale
maps available, but they differ in some details from the boundary
interpretation shown on official Argentinian maps.
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1.. Argentina-Paraguay
Status of boundary: Delimited; demarcated in part.
Problem areas: Demarcation is not complete between Horqueta and
Fortin Salto Palmar on the Rio Pilcomayo.
Description of boundary:
The boundary treaty of 3 February 1876, provided that:
(Article 1) Paraguay should be divided from
Argentina on the east and on the south by the mid-channel
of the main stream of the Parana from its confluence
with the Paraguay to the boundary of Brazil, on its
left (east) bank, the island of Apipe to belong to
Argentina and the island of Yesireta to Paraguay, as
declared in the Treaty of 1856; (Article 2) Paraguay
should be divided from Argentina on the west by the
mid-channel of the main stream of the Para y from
its confluence with the Parana, the Chaco belonging
to Argentina] as far as the main channel of the
Pilcomayo ...; (Article 3) the island of Atajo or
Cerrito should belong to Argentina and the remaining
permanent or temporary islands in either the Parana
or the Paraguay to Argentina or Paraguay according to
their [closer] position with reference to one or the
other republic ..., the channels between the islands,
including Cerrito, to be common to the navigation of
both states ... . 29/
On 5 July of 1939 a further protocol delimited the Rio Pilcomayo
boundary as follows:
Art. 1. Starting from the mouth of the Rio
Pilcomayo in the Rio Paraguay south of Cerro Lambare,
whose coordinates are 57?38'57.6"W. 25?22'55.2"S., the
boundary will go up the course of the Pilcomayo to the
bifurcation of the two arms in the Juntas de Fontana,
and from here it will follow the actual course of the
south arm as referred to in March 1909 ... to its
headwaters at a point called Salto Palmar.
From the point called Horqueta, situated approximately
5 kilometers east of the Argentinian fort of Nueva
Pilcomayo, the line will again follow the actual course
of the Rio Pilcomayo to the place called Esmeralda, on the
boundary between Bolivia and Paraguay.
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Art. 2. In order to determine the boundary
between Salto Palmar and Horqueta, in the zone
excluded in the preceding Article, it is decided to
create a mixed commission composed of Argentinian and
Paraguayan technicians to study the zone between the
following points; on the north, from Horqueta following
the esteros formed by the north arm of the Pilcomayo
to the Argentinian fort of Caracoles; on the south,
from the same point at Horqueta, continuing along the
dry course of the Pilcomayo to Fortin Zalazar and from
this point to Salto Palmar. On the east the line
between Fortin Caracoles and Salto Palmar. 30
In 191+5, an additional treaty was signed. It stipulated that:
Art. 1. The Republics of Argentina and Paraguay
agree to set a definite boundary between both countries
in the section included between the points called
Horqueta and Salto Palmar referred to in Art. II of
the complementary boundary treaty of 5 July 1939, in
the following form, from west to east:
a) Beginning from Punto Horqueta (latitude
23?52'22" South, and longitude 60050108" West of
Greenwich) the dividing line shall follow the course
of the waters of the Pilcomayo as they exist in the
dry season according to results of the aerial photo-
grammetric survey already made, and from the above-
mentioned Punta Horqueta, the line shall pass thru
Zanja de la China (lat. 21+?51'72"2 S. and long.
60?36'1+5"3 W), and from this point will pass
successively to the north of ex-Fortin Guemes, to the
north of Puerto la Palmita (lat. 21+?00'36"1+ S.
60?29'25"5 W), and to the north of ex-Punta General
Lavalle;
b) From this last-named point the dividing line
shall continue in a general easterly direction through
the banados flooded lands7 of the Rfo Pilcomayo which
pass to the north of Santa Ana (lat. 31+?06'09"8 S,
long. 60019125"5 W), to the south of Tap. B. Madrid
(lat. 24001123"2 S, long. 60?12'1+1+" W), and to the
north of Puerto Isleta (lat. 21+?01+'05"6 S, long.
60?07'53"8 W) to Laguna la Bella; it shall cross the
lake to the mouth of the principal outlet of the lake
at a point situated approximately 600 meters northwest
of ex-Fortin Zalazar;
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c) From this last-named point, the dividing line
shall follow an approximately straight line until it
reaches the Salto Palmar on the date of the exchange
of ratifications of this treaty. L/
Demarcation has yet to be completed.
Maps depicting boundary:
Carta Topografica Definitiva de la Zona del Rio Pilcomayo
Comprendida entre Salto Palmar Punta Hor ueta, 1:100,000;
Comision Mixta de L mites Argentino-Paraguaya; 1944. CIA Call No.
56881.
This map shows the critical area in excellent detail. For the
remainder of the border, see:
Carta Aeronautica de la Republica Argentina, 1:1,000,000;
[Argentine_7 Instituto Geografico Militar, Sheet 4 Asuncion, 1951.
CIA Call No. 70+88.
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5. Argentina-Uruguay
Status of boundary: Undefined; (delimited in an unratified treaty).
Problem areas: The boundary alignment between the islands in the
Uruguay River has never been finally settled, but
currently there are no major disputes except for
the perennial one concerning the island of Martin
Garcia at the river's mouth. Both countries claim
this island, and Argentina has established a radio
beacon on it. Another unsettled problem concerns
the extension of the boundary out into the Rio de
la Plata. Various possible solutions are indicated
on Inset C of Map 25936.
Description of boundary:
The preliminary convention of peace between the
United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata and the Emperor
of Brazil, signed at Rio de Janeiro on 27 August 1828,
provided for the independence of the province of
Montevideo or the Cisplatine province without reciting
any boundaries for Uruguay, but assumed (Article 12)
that troops on the right (south or west) bank of the
Plata or the Uruguay would be outside the territory of
the province of Montevideo. 32
In 1916, a treaty (which was signed but never ratified) established
the boundary along the thalweg of the Rio Uruguay from the mouth of the
Rio Cuareim to the mouth of the Uruguay in the estuary of the Rio de
la Plata. (The thalweg closely follows the median line upstream,
although it veers sharply toward Uruguay at the mouth.) The treaty
divided the islands of the Uruguay between the two parties in accordance
with their positions on either side of the thalweg.
According to Marchant, Argentina re^eived the following islands:
Correntinas, Itacumbu, Timboy (Fimboy), Pelada Chica, San Jose, Pospos,
(San Jose Pospos), Pepeagi (Pepeaji), Boca Chica, Hornos, Caridad,
Florida, Pelada Grande, Sin Nombre, Pequena (Sin Nombre Pequena), Del
Puerto, Cambacuu,Sin Nombre, Pequena (Sin Nombre Pequena), Del Tala,
Canario, Vilardebo', Sin Nombre, Montana, Dolores, Dos Hermanas, Centro
(Dos Hermanas Centro), San Miguel, Osumam (Osuma), Campichuelo
(Campichuela), San Genaro, Corazon, Colon Grande, Colon Chica, Tambor,
Cupalen, Volantin, Bonfiglio, Rica, De la Junta del Tigre (De la Jaula
del Tigre), Clavel, San Lorenzo, Juanico, Garcia, Filomena Chica,
Palma Chica, Filomena Grande, Bassi, Masones, Sin Nombre, Boca Chica,
Zauzal (Sauzal), Ines, and Sin Nombre.
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Uruguay received the following: Del Padre, Sapallo (Zapallo),
Rica, Carbonero, Misionera, Del Tigre, Guavillu (Guaviyu, Guabiyu),
Paredon de las Vacas (Paredon, de las Vacas), Gaspar, Belen, Saibal
(Ceibal), Herrera, Verdun, Francia, Sin Nombre Pequena, Redonda,
Salto Grande, Dos Lobos (Los Lobos), Del Medio, De Abajo, Dos Hermanos
Norte (Dos Hermanas Norte), Chapicuy Grande, Guabillu Chica (Guavillu
Chica, Guabiyu Chica), Guabillu Grande (Guavillu Grande, Guabiyu Grande),
Sombrerito, Las Mellizas, Del Queguay, San Francisco, Del Almiron,
Almeria, Sin Nombre Pequena, Otra Sin Nombre Pequena, Roman Chica,
Roman Grande, Sin Nombre, PingUino, Navarro, Sin Nombre, Del Chileno,
Basura, Del Burro, Sin Nombre, Naranjito, Santa Maria Chica, Santa
Maria Grande, Redonda Sur Redonda Sud), Zapatero, De la Caballada,
Caballo, Abrigo, Del Vizcaino, Yaguary (Yaguari), Lobos, Villete,
Sin Nombre, Santiago, Pepe Ladron, Del Medio, Sin Nombre, and
Juncal. 33/
In 1938, Argentina and Uruguay agreed to maintain the status quo
of the islands as of 1 January 1936, and to undertake a hydrographic
survey of the Rio Uruguay in order to establish definite jurisdiction
over the islands. No results have been reported, however, and final
settlement regarding sovereignty over the boundary waters is still
pending.
Map depicting boundary:
Carta Provisional de la Republica Argentina, 1:500,000; [Argentin7
Instituto Geografico Militar. CIA Call No. 64619.
Sheets
40,
Entre Rios Norte,
1939
41,
Monte Caseros,
1950
47,
Entre Rios Sur,
19+5
54, Buenos Aires,
1952
These sheets show the boundary area with considerable detail but
in some cases the actual boundary symbol is omitted among the islands,
pending final settlement of the treaty.
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6. Bolivia-Brazil
Status of boundary: Entirely delimited. Demarcated except for three
small sections.
Problem areas: These three sections still require demarcation by the
boundary commission:
(1) from 10035' to 110101S, and from 670110' to
68045'W -- the area between the Rio Rapirran
and the headwaters of the Arroyo Bahia.
(2) from 14030' to 15?10'S, and from 60?10' to
60?35'W -- the area between the headwaters of
the Rio Verde and the Marco Rio Tarvo.
(3) from 16015' to 17?35'S, and from 57?45' to
59?30'W -- the area between Laguna Uberaba
and Morro Buena Vista.
Description of boundary:
By a treaty signed ... at Petropolis on November
17, 1903, it was agreed that the boundary line between
Bolivia and Brazil should run (Sec. 1) from 2008'35"S.
opposite the outlet of the Bahia Negra into the Paraguay
up the Paraguay to a point on its right (west) bank
nine kilometers (5.6 miles) in a straight line from
[southwest ofJ the Fort of Coimbra, that is, at
approximately 19?58'5"S. 57?47'40"W., according to the
map of the frontier made by the mixed boundary
commission of 1875; thence on the right (west) bank of
the Paragua by a straight line ... [toward the
northwest] to a point more or less at 19?45'36.6"S.
5804'12.7"W., thence by the line [toward the Laguna
de Caceres fixed by the mixed commission of 1875 up
to 19?2'S., thence eastward along that parallel to the
Concepcion stream, down the Concepcion to its mouth on
the southern bank of the outlet of Lake Caceres, also
called the Tamengos; up this outlet to the meridian
which traverses the end of the Tamarinderia and
northward by that meridian to 18?51+'S.; thence
westward along that parallel to the existing frontier
[a strai t line between Laguna de Caceres and Laguna
Mandiore J; (Sec. 2) along the existing frontier to
18?14'S., thence eastward along that parallel to the
outlet of Lake Mandiore; up that outlet and across the
lake in a straight line to the point on the old
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frontier equidistant from the two existing marks;
thence by the old line to the mark on the northern
shore; cSec. 3) from the northern mark on Lake
Mandiore in a straight line in the same direction as
at present to 17049'S.; thence along that parallel to
the meridian at the southeast end of Lake Gahiba;
along that meridian to the lake and across the lake
in a straight line to the point on the old frontier
equidistant from the two existing marks; thence by
the old line to the entrance of the Pedro Segundo
Canal, also recently called the Pando; (Sec. 4) along
the boundary fixed by Article 2 of the Treaty of
March 27, 1867,* from the southern entrance of this
canal or the Pando to the confluence of the Beni and
Mamore; (Sec. 5) from that confluence down the Madeira
to the mouth of the Abuna, its affluent on the left
(west) bank, and up the Abuna to 10020'S.; thence
along that parallel westward to the Rapirran, and up
that river to its principal source; (Sec. 6) from the
principal source of the Ra irran along the parallel
of that source westward La segment that was revised
in 19287 to the Iquiry, up the I uiry to its source;
thence to the Bahia stream ...; (Sec. 7) from the
source of the Bahia stream down that stream to its
mouth on the right (south) bank of the Acre or
Aquiry ...; the line shall 5hen7 be the channel of
that river to the ... Peruvian frontier; fa-,t the
confluence of the Acre and the Rio Yaverij 7.... 31+
On 3 September 1925, a protocol signed in La Paz agreed that:
the boundary from the crest of the hill of Cuatro
Hermanos should run in the direction of the principal
source of the Verde, diverging only so far as necessary
to preserve to Brazil its historic possession of the
hamlets of Ramada, Cacimba, and Salinas.... 35
*According to Source 23, p. 40, the line is described as running:
"from the north end of Lake Uberaba ... to the south end of Corrixa-
Grande, preserving the towns on either side as they were; from the
end of Corrixa-Grande in a straight line to the Morro da Boa-Vista
and to Quatro Irmaos; thence in a straight line to the sources of
the Verde j5 segment that was revised in 192g; down the Verde to..
its confluence with the Guapore; through the middle of the Guapore
and of the Mamore as far as the Beni where the Madeira begins."
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This protocol was included in a treaty signed at Rio de Janeiro
on 25 December 1928 which also provided that:
(Article 1) the frontier between the principal
source of the Rapirran and the Bahia stream should
run from such principal source in a straight line to
the mouth of the Chipamanu; thence up the Chipamanu
to its principal source; thence in a straight line to
the source of the eastern arm of the Bahia stream;
thence down that eastern arm and the Bahia stream to
its mouth in the Acre; (Article 2) in the Madeira
zone, that is, from the confluence of the Beni and
the Mamore to the mouth of the Abuna, the frontier
shall run by the line equidistant from the banks
distributing thirteen small islands in the Madeira
to the country owning the nearer shore: seven to
Brazil (Anus or Confluencia, Marinha, Quinze de
Novembro, Misericordia, Sete de Setembro, Piriquitos
and Araras); and six to Bolivia (Bolivar, Sucre, Seis
de Agosto, Ribeirao, Amizade and Colombo. (Article
3 from the last point of the demarcation of 1877
Marco Rio TurvoJ where a mark was set up, the
frontier should run eastward by the parallel of such
mark until it should meet a straight line drawn
between the crest of the hill of Cuatro Hermanos and
the principal source of the Verde; thence by such
straight line northward to such source of the
Verde ... . 36/
Map depicting boundary:
Ma pa Aproximada de Bolivia en 58 hojas, 1:250,000; .olivian7
Instituto Geografico Militar, 1949. CIA Call No. 90250.
Carta do Brasil, 1:1,000,000; Sheets SC-19, SC-20, SD-20, SE-21;
1948-1951. LBrazilian7 Conselho Nacional de Geografia. CIA Call
No. 27868.
Fifteen sheets of the IGM map cover the entire Bolivia-Brazil
boundary area although they show no boundary alignment for the stretch
between Cuatro Hermanos and the source of the Rio Verde. The boundary
as shown on both of these maps between the northern end of Laguna
Uberaba and the Morra Buena Vista does not agree with the 1867 treaty,
which describes two straight lines; however, all map sources agree on
the inclusion of the area surrounding the town of San Matias within
Bolivia.
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7. Bolivia-Chile
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
A treaty signed at Santiago on 20 October 1901, provided that
the boundary from south to north between Bolivia and Chile should
run through 96 specified points as follows:
From the highest peak of the Cerro Zapaleri (1),
in a straight line to the highest point (2) of the
ridge going toward the south of the Cerro Guayaques
in the approximate latitude of 22051+'; from here
another straight line to the portezuelo L pass] of
Cajon (3), and following the divide of that ridge
which runs north by the peaks of the Cerro Juriques
(1+), Volcan Licancabur (5), Cerro ~Sairecabur (6) and
~Cerro_7 Curiquinca (7) and Volcan Putana o Jorjencal
8) From this point the boundary J follows by one
of the spurs in the direction of the Cerro de Pajonal
(9), and in a straight line to the southern peak of
the Cerros de Tocorpuri (10), from where it follows
again by the divide of the ridge of Panizo (11), and
Tatio mountain (12). It follows always to the north
by the divide of the Linzor ridge (13) and of the
Cerros de Silaguala (14+); from whose northern peak
(Volcan Apagado) (15) it goes by a spur to the Cerrito
de Silala (16) and then in a ,straight line to the
Cerro de Ynacaliri o del Cajon (17).
From this point it goes in a straight line to
the peak that seems to be in the center of the group
of the Cerros del Inca o Barrancane (18) and then
along the divide following northward by the ridge of
Cerro de Ascotan o del Jardin (19); from the peak of
this cerro it goes in a straight line to the peak of
Cerro Araral (20), and by another straight line to
the peak of the Volcan Ollagiie (21).
From here [the boundary goes in a straight
line to the highest peak of Cerro de Chipapa (22),
descending to the west by a ridge to the peak of
Cerro Cosca (23). From this point it follows the
divide along the ridge that connects with the Cerro
Alconcha (21-) and from here it goes to the Volcan
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Olca (25) by the highest divide. From this volcano
it follows by the ridge of cerros -- Millunu (26);
de la Laguna (27), Volcan Irruputuncu (28), Bofedal
(29) and Chela (30), and from a high point of cerros,
it arrives at Milliri (31) and then Huallcani (32).
From here it goes to the Cerro Caiti (33) and follows
by the divide to Cerro Mapa (34). From the peak of
this cerro it goes in a straight line to a point (35)
situated 10 kilometers to the south of the east peak
of Cerro Huailla (36), from where it goes in a
straight line to the height mentioned, doubling
back again to the east and following by a ridge of
the Cerros Laguna (37), Corregidor (38) and
Huaillaputunco (39) to the easternmost stones of
Sillillica (40), following along a ridge that goes
to the northwest to the peak of Cerro Piga (41).
From this cerro, it goes in a straight line to the
highest peak of Tres Cerritos (42) and follows in a
straight line to Cerro Challacollo (43) and to the
narrowest part of the fields of Sacaya (44), opposite
Vilacollo.
From Sacaya the boundary goes in a straight line
to the stones of Cueva Colorada (45) and Santaile
(46), where it follows to the northwest by the Cerros
de Irruputuncu (47) and Patalani (48).
From this peak it goes in a straight line to the
Cerrito de Chiarcollo (49), crossing the river Cancosa
(50) and from here also in a straight line to the
peak of Cerro Pintapintani (51), following from this
peak by the ridge of the Cerros Quiuri (52), Pumiri
(53) and Panantalla (54). From the height of
Panantalla, it goes in a straight line to Tolapacheta
(55), half the distance between Chapi and Rinconada,
and from this point in a straight line to the
portezuelo of Huailla (56); next it passes by the
peaks of the Cerros de Lacataya (57) and Salitral
(58). It returns to the north going in a straight
line to the Cerrito Tapacollo (59) in the Salar de
Coipasa, and in another straight line to the marker
of Quellaga (60) from which it follows in straight
lines to the Cerrito Prieto (61) to the north of the
field of Pisiga, Cerrito Toldo (62), markers of
Sicaya (63), Chapillicsa (64), Cabarray (65), Tres
Cruces (66), Jamachuma (67), Quimsachata (68) and
Chinchillani (69), and cutting across the Rio Todos
Santos (70) it goes by the landmarks of Payacollo (71)
and Carahuano (72) to the Cerro de Canasa (73) and the
Cerro Capitan (74).
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It then follows northward by the divide of the
ridge of the Cerros Lliscaya (75) and Quilhuiri (76)
and from the summit at this point it goes in a straight
line to the Cerro Puquintica (77).
To the north of this last point, Bolivia and
Chile agree to fix the following boundary: from the
Cerro Puquintica (77) it goes northward by the ridge
toward Macaya, crossing in this place the Rio Lauca
(78) and then following in a straight line to the
Cerro Chiliri (79); it continues northward by the
divide to the ortezuelo of Japu (80), the peak of
Quimasachata (61), the portezuelo of Tambo Quemado
(82), the Cerros de Quisiquisini (83), portezuelo of
Huacollo (84), peaks of the Cerros de Payachata 85
and 86), Cerro Larancahua (87), to the Pass of
Casiri (88).
From this point it goes to the Cerros de Condoriri
(89), that separate the waters of the Rios Sajama and
Achuta from those of the Caquena, and continues by
the ridge between those hills, and goes to the Cerro
Carbiri (91), passing by the portezuelo of Achuta (90);
from Cerro Carbiri, it descends to the narrows of the
Rio Caquena o Cosapilla (92) ...
It then follows the course of the Rio Caquena o
Cosapilla to the outlet (93) in the meadows of the
Estancia de Cosapilla, from where it goes in a
straight line to the marker of Visviri (94). From
here it goes in a straight line to the Santuario (95)
that is found north of the Maure, on the northwest of
the confluence of this river with another that comes
from the north, two kilometers north of the Maure
Posthouse; it continues northwest by the ridge that
leads to the marker on the Cerro Chipe o Tolacollo
(96), the last point on the frontier.
The boundary was entirely demarcated in 1906. According to a
Protocol of 1 May 1907, this boundary had been modified in two places:
,[First) between the Cerro Chipapa and the
Volcan Olca, rwhereJ the frontier line goes in a
straight line from the Cerra Chipapa already marked
to the northern peak of the Cerro Paroma, leaving in
every case inside Chilean territory a space of no
less than one kilometer between the most eastern point
of the Collahuasi railroad and the boundary; from the
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Cerro Paroma, it goes then by the crest that connects
this Cerro with the Volcan Olca. [Second) between
the Cerro of Patalani and Cerro of Panantalla, the
frontier line runs in a straight line from Cerro
Patalani to Cerro de Irpa Pueblo and from there in
a straight line to Cerro de Irpa; from here it follows
via the divide to the highest peak of the Cerros of
Sillajhuay and doubles to the north in order to follow
via the dividing ridge of the Cerros of Toroni to the
stones of Oje, and then via the divide to the Cerro
Armasaya. From this point it goes in a straight line
to the Tillujaya rocks and then in a straight line to
Alto de Panantalla, already marked.
Map depicting boundary:
Ma pa A roximado de Bolivia en 58 ho as, 1:250,000; fB-olivian,
Instituto Geogrdfico Militar, 1949. CIA Call No. 90250.
31, Corocoro-Charana
37, Arica-Carangas
11.3, Coipasa
49, Iquique
53, Ollagile
57, Sud Lipez
These detailed sheets show the boundary clearly, with markers
and names for most landmarks.
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8. Bolivia-Paraguay
Status of Boundar : Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
A treaty was signed on 10 October 1938 delimiting the boundary
as follows:
In the northern zone the line shall run from the
intersection of ... [61?56'57"W and 20005101"L7
(called 27 de Noviembre or Gabino Mendoza) to continue
in a straight line to the highest point of Cerro
Capiaan Ustares; thence in a straight line to the
intersection of the Ravello-Ingavi Road with the
southern limit of the Canada (ravine) del Palmar de
las Islas; from this point, also in a straight line,
to the intersection of the meridian of Fortin Paredes
with the parallel of Fortin Ravelo; thence in a
straight line to the highest point of Cerro Chovoreca;
thence it shall descend in a straight line to Cerrito
Jara; thence, also in a straight line, to the
intersection of parallel 19?19'1+0" latitude south with
the Negro or Otuquis River and following the thalweg
of the said river, the [line ~ shall end at the outlet
of the same into the Paraguay River at 20?09'58"
latitude south and 58?10'12.9" west of Greenwich. In
the western zone, the line shall run from the
intersection of meridian 61056'57" west of Greenwich,
and parallel 20005'01" latitude south ..., and shall
descend in a straight line in a south-southwesterly
direction to the place called Villazon, 15 kilometers
southwest of Irendague; thence in a straight line
southward to intercept the road from Estrella to
Capirenda (Captain Carreras-Saguier) at a point 10
kilometers west of Estrella; thence in a straight line
to end in the thalweg of the Pilcomayo River at
62?37'19" longitude west of Greenwich. 39
By May 1911 a demarcation commission had reported the establishment
of the Argentina-Bolivia-Paraguay triple point at la Esmeralda, and
other markers.
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Map depicting boundary:
Ma pa de la Republica de Bolivia, 1:1,500,000; Zemulzu y Cia.
19)+7. CIA Call No. 97 8.
The fairly uncomplicated alignment of the boundary is shown
clearly on this map.
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9. Bolivia-Peru
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None. Currently some surveying and resetting of
markers is underway, but there are no disagreements
about the boundary.
Description of boundary:
Long years of unsuccessful negotiations and various transfers of
territory along the Bolivia-Peru border took place before mutually
acceptable terms were finally reached, beginning with the Bolivian
and Peruvian Ministers signing
at La Paz on September 23, 1902, a treaty which
provided that (Article 1) demarcation of the frontier
should proceed from its intersection with the boundary
of the territories occupied by Chile under Article 3
of the treaty of peace of (Ancon) on October 20, 1883,
on the west to ... the place at which the line of the
existing frontier joined the river Suches, on the
east, taking care that in this region the terminal
point of the dividing line should be fixed in
conformity with the studies and reports of the
demarcation commission, ... (Article 2) the parties
also to proceed in accordance with the stipulations
of this treaty with the demarcation of the line which
separated the Peruvian provinces of Tacna and Arica
from the Bolivian province of Carangas ...; or the
remaining section of the boundar7 the same ministers
signed at La Paz on December 30, 1902, a treaty of
arbitration "juris" of the boundary question (Article
1) by the government of the Argentine Republic, to
obtain a final inappealable decision according to
which the whole territory which in 1810 belonged to
the jurisdiction or district of the old audencia of
Charcas, within the limits of the viceroyalty of
Buenos Aires, by acts of the former sovereign, should
belong to Bolivia, and all the territory which on the
same date and by acts from the same source belonged
to the viceroyalty of Lima should belong to Peru;...
Lfhe resultant award was not immediately acceptable
to the Bolivians but eventually ministers from
Bolivia and Peru! signed at La Paz two protocols, one
dated December 15, 1909, agreeing to accept the award,
and the other dated September 17, 1909, effecting
exchanges and cessions of territories which by mutual
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By
consent the countries considered necessary ???
this agreement the boundary line was to run from the
junction of the existing frontier with the Suches,
across lake Suches, and across the hills of Palomani
Tranca, Palomani Kunca, the summit of Palomani, and
the cordillera of Yaguayagua; thence along the
cordilleras of Huajra, Lurini, and Ichocorpa, follow-
ing the watershed between the Lanza and the Tambopata
as far as 11+?S.; thence along that parallel to the
Mosoj-Huaico or Lanza; thence along the Lanza to its
confluence with the Tambopata; from such confluence
to the western source of the Heath; thence down the
Heath to the Amarumayo or Madre de Dios; from the
confluence of the Heath and the Madre de Dios by a
geodesic line from the mouth of the Heath to the west
of Illampu barracks on the Manuripi, leaving that
place on the Bolivian side; thence to the confluence
of the Yaverija stream with the Acre; all the
territories to the east of these lines becoming
definitely and perpetually the property of Bolivia,
those lying west of the same lines definitely and
perpetually the property of Peru. 40/
Protocols for the demarcation commission were signed in 1911 and
1912 and work then progressed along the boundary north of the Rio
Suches. In 1925 a further protocol was signed, stipulating that a
mixed commission should demarcate the remainder of the frontier in
three sections: the first, from the point where the Arroyo Pachasili
joins the Rio Suches to the Bahia de Cocahui, south of Comina; the
second, from the Bahia de Cocahui, across Lake Titicaca, to the mouth
of the Rio Desaguadero; and the third, from the mouth of the Desaguadero
in Lake Titicaca to the confluence of the Rio Mauri with the Rio
Ancomarca. From this point the boundary goes in a straight line to
the Cerro Chipe (or Tolacollo) where Bolivian, Chilean, and Peruvian
as is described in detail in a
boundaries meet. The second section
protocol ratified 15 January 1932
Leaving the center of the markers No. 1 (Bolivia)
and No. 1 (Peru), located on the shore of the Rio
Desaguadero, ft-he boundary
7 proceeds north through the waters of Lago Titicaca, passes through a point
intermediate between the point of Taraco (Bolivia) and
of Zepita (Peru), which is approximately at 16026'111'S
and 68059'o4"W; proceeds northward and passes through
points intermediate between the islands of Taqueri
,/T_aquire7 (Bolivia) and Cano (Peru), which are at
approximately 16020'1+2"S and 68?1+8')+611W and at
16?19'00"S and 68?1+8'1+6"W; continues westward to pass
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through a point intermediate between the islands of
Yuspique and Limina, the island of Caana and the
extremity of Oje, the island of Iscaya and the extremity
of Huancallani in the community of Calata, from which
point it continues to the mouth of the Arroyo de
Sehuenca o Jocoyjahuira; continues through this creek
until it crosses the Parquipujio-Yunguyo road, where
it reaches Marker No. 2, at the place known as
Putu-huyo-pampa; continues through this creek until
it reaches the Parquipujio-Copacabana road, where it
reaches Marker No. 3, at the place known as Lumpicirca
o Jocoyjahuira; continues via the southern edge of the
Parquipujio-Copacabana road, passing Markers No. 4 at
Huilacollo, No. 5 at Belen-Cruz, and No. 6 at Piajaque-
Alto, from which point it continues along a line that
marks the boundary between the Guacuyo estate (Bolivia)
and the community of Sigualaya (Peru) to Marker No. 7
on the left bank of the Rio Piajaque; continues along
the boundary of the community of Ullaraya (Peru) with
the Guacuyo estate (Bolivia), passing through Markers
No. 8 at Pucara-huillque, and No. 9 at Cruz-circa;
continues in a straight line to Marker No. 10 at
Chuana-pata; continues in a straight line along the
boundary of the Guacuyo estate (Bolivia) and the
community of Ullaraya (Peru) to Marker No. 11 at
Piajaque-loma o Chiarjaquepata; continues along the
boundary between the community of Pajana and the
Guacuyo estate to Marker No. 12 on the left bank of
the Rio Callacame; continues in a straight line to
Marker No. 13 at Jalla-piza; continues along the line
of the summits through Markers No. 14 at Huilacollo 0
Jancocagua, No. 15 at Jichucollo, No. 16 at Guanacollo;
continues in a line to Marker No. 17 at Cara-circa;
continues in a straight line to Marker No. 18 at
Tara-calvario; continues in a straight line to Marker
No. 19 at Cruz-cala; continues in a straight line to
Marker No. 20 at Poco-cala; /Marker No. 21 not
mentione7; continues along the present boundary
between the communities of Loka (Bolivia) and Apillani
(Peru), passing through the southern arch of the
chapel of Kasani to Marker No. 22 at Punta de Kasani
o Kasani-huencalla; continues through the waters of
Lake Titicaca to a point intermediate between the
extremity of Pomata (Peru) and the southern extremity
of the Isla del Sol o Isla Titicaca (Bolivia), at
approximately 16008127"S and 69?1+'37"W, from which
point it continues in a straight line to a point
equidistant from the islands of Chiquipa (Bolivia)
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and De Soto (Peru), at approximately 15?41'31"S and
69?23'00"W, from which point it continues in a
straight line until it reaches Marker No. 1 of the
First Section, in Cocahui zcoccahu! Bay. 41
No detailed descriptions of the first and third sections were
included in the 1932 or subsequent protocols, but the boundary for
these two stretches is shown in detail on the Boundary Commission
maps cited below.
Maps depicting boundary:
Carta de la Frontera Demarcada entre El Peru y Bolivia desde
la Confluencia del Arroyo Pachasoli con el Rio Suches hasta el la o
Titicaca, 1:50,000; Signed by Members of the Boundary Commission;
1935. CIA Call No. 9496.
Frontera Peru-Boliviana, Plano de la Tercera Seccion, Boca Rio
Desaguadero-Cerro Anta ave, 1:50,000; figned by Members of the
Boundary Commission; 1930. CIA Call No. 49496.
Ma pa de la Republica de Bolivia., 1:1,500,000; Zemulzu y Cia.,
1947- CIA Call No. 497 66.
The Boundary Commission maps show two sections of the border
with excellent detail. The remainder of the boundary is shown on
the smaller scale map. The numerous place names on this map make
it a helpful aid in tracing the entire boundary.
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10. Brazil-British Guiana
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
A general boundary treaty was signed in London on 22 April 1926
which provided that:
(Article 1) the frontier should be finally fixed
as (Sec. 1) commencing on the heights of the Roraima
mountains between the headwaters of the Cotingo
(Kwating) and those of the Arapopo (Arabopo) at the
point of convergence of the frontier of the two
countries with that of Venezuela; thence down by the
northeastern part of such mountains between the Paikwa
fall to the north and the Cotin~o falls to the south;
thence as far as Mount Yakontipu along the watershed
between the Cotingo in Brazilian territory and the
Paikwa in British territory; (Sec. 2) from Mount
Yakontipu eastward along the watershed as far as the
source of the Mahu or Ireng; thence down that river
to its confluence with the Tacutu; thence up the
Tacutu to its source, situated not on Mount Vindaua
as was supposed but on Mount Wamuriaktawa about three
miles above toward the northeast in the same chain;
(Sec. 3) from the source of the Tacutu on Mount
Wamuriaktawa along the watershed between the Amazon
basin and the Essequibo and Corentyn basins as far
as the point of junction of the frontier of the two
countries with that of Dutch Guiana (Surinam) . . .
The second protocol of December 9, 1905, between
Brazil and Venezuela ran their boundary to the point
on Mount Roraima where the three frontiers of Brazil,
Venezuela, and British Guiana meet, thus adopting not
the terminus of the arbitral award of 1904, Mount
Yakontipu, but resting on the Roraima range thirty
miles farther westward, a difference to Venezuela's
disadvantage of which Brazil and Great Britain took
the benefits in this convention and treaty of 1926.
A protocol of instructions for the demarcation
commission, to finish its work within five years, was
signed at London, March 18, 19 0 , and the demarcation
has since been carried out. LDemarcation was completed
in May 1938_7 42/
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Map depicting boundary:
Map of the Boundary between British Guiana and Brazil, 1:1,000,000,
1939. CIA Call No. 3 4867.
This map was compiled and drawn by the Brazilian Boundary
Commission in 1938 from work of the British Guiana-Brazil Boundary
Commission in 1930-38, and was printed in 1939 by the Geographical
Section, General Staff of the War Department, Great Britain. It
shows representative boundary markers, with their numbers; pertinent
drainage; and larger scale insets of critical points along the
boundary.
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11. Brazil-Colombia
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
A treaty of boundaries and navigation signed at Bogota on 24
April 1907 provided that:
(Article 1) the frontier oetween Cucuhy rock on
the Negro and the confluence of the Apaporis on the
left (north) bank of the Yapura or Caqueta should be
(Sec. 1) from the island of San Jose opposite Cucuhy
rock westward from the right (west) bank of the Negro
at 1?13'51.76"N. 66?55'w.; thence by a straight line
to the head of the rivulet Macacuny (or Macapury), an
affluent wholly in Colombian territory on the right
(west) bank of the Negro or Guainia; (Sec. 2) thence
by the divo rrtium aquarum to pass between the head of
the Igarape Japery, an affluent of the Xie, and the
head of the Tomo, an affluent of the Guainia at
2?1'26.65"N. 67?43'W.; (Sec. 3) thence westward by
the crest of the winding ridge which separates the
waters which go to the north from those which go to
the south to Caparro hill; thence always by the crest
dividing the waters which go to the Guainia from those
which flow to the Cuiary (or Iquiare), to the principal
source of the Memachi, an affluent of the Naquieni,
which in turn is an affluent of the Guainia, at
2?1'27.03"N. 68?20'W.; (Sec. 4) thence along the crest
of the ridge to the principal head of the affluent of
the Cuiary which is nearest the head of the Memachi,
and down such affluent [here called the Arroyo Mayor
Pimentel and downstream the Rfo IanaJ to its confluence
with the Cuiary; (Sec. 5) thence by the thalweg of the
Cuiary to the place where the Pegua, an affluent on
the left (east) bank, enters, and from the confluence
of the Pegua and the Cuiary westward by the parallel
of such confluence to [the Rio Igana and thence
upstream toJ the meridian which passes through the
confluence of the Kerary (or Cairary) and the Vaupes;
(Sec. 6) thence down.that meridian to such confluence;
thence by the thalweg of the Vaupes to the mouth of
the Capury, an affluent on the right (south) bank of
the Vaupes near the Jauarite cascade; (Sec. 7) from
the mouth of the Capury west by the thalweg of the
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Capury to its source near 69?30'W. and down by the
meridian of such source to the Taraira; thence by the
thalweg of the Taraira to its confluence with the
Apaporis and by the thalweg of the Apaporis to its
mouth in the Yapura or Caqueta, where the part of the
frontier established by this treaty ended, thus
defining the line from Cucuhy rock to the mouth of
the Apaporis, the rest of the disputed frontier
remaining subject to later arrangement in case
Colombia should be favored in its other controversies
with Peru and Ecuador; ...*
rA treaty was] signed at Rio de Janeiro on
November 15, 1928, ... to complete the determination
of the common frontier southward from the mouth of
the Apaporis and to establish regulations for river
navigation to be reciprocally guaranteed forever free;
providing (Article 1) that the frontier from the mouth
of the Apaporis on the Yapura or Caqueta, at the end
of the line stipulated in the treaty of April 24, 1907,
should be a straight line from such mouth to the left
(west) bank of the Amazon [SolimoesJ (opposite) the
Brazilian town of Tabatinga; (Article 2) a mixed
commission should proceed within two years after the
exchange of ratifications to mark by durable posts
the frontier designated in the former treaty and in
this one; to erect in places where the frontier may
not be formed by sufficient natural features, such as
streams of water or ridges, stone or cement posts,
columns, or other durable signs so that the frontier
line might be exactly recognized at any time; ...
(Article 5) both parties recognized reciprocally
forever the right of free navigation in the Amazon,
Yapura or Caqueta', Ica or Putumayo, and all the
affluents or confluents of those rivers, subject to
fiscal and police regulations equal for the nationals
of both parties 43/
A mixed boundary commission completed demarcating the boundary
between 1931 and 1936. The boundary is 1,022 miles (1,6+5 kilometers)
long.
*The explanatory comments, enclosed in brackets under Sections
4 and 5, are based on information included in a report by the
Colombian Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Source 60, p. 52-53-
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Map depicting boundary:
Carta Geographica da Fronteira entre Brasil e Colombia contendo
Todos os Trabalhos da Commissao Mixta Demarcadora durante os Annos
1931-36, 1:1,000,000, authority not indicated. 1937. CIA Call No. 35113.
The boundary is shown clearly in relation to the drainage system;
coordinates are given for critical points along the boundary.
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12. Brazil-French Guiana
Status of boundary: Delimited; the Rio Oiapoque may be considered
as demarcated (an unmonumented river boundary)
except at its headwaters.
Problem areas: As yet no agreement has been reached as to which
stream constitutes the headwaters of the Rio
Oiapoque so that the location of the boundary
at the southernmost tip of French Guiana has not
been definitely established. Efforts are currently
underway to complete surveys in the area, the
results of which will help solve this problem as
well as the precise boundary alignment to the west
along the divide in the Tumuc-Humac region.
Description of boundary:
The arbitral award of the Swiss Federal Council in December 1900
decided that:
the Japoc or River of Vicente Pinson of article
8 of the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht is the Oyapoc which
enters the ocean immediately to the west of the Cap
d'Orange and that its thalweg forms the boundary.
From the principal source of the Oyapoc to the Surinam
boundary, the line follows. the division of waters of
the basin of the Amazon, which in this region is
constituted almost in its totality by the de facto
line of the Tumuc-Humac mountains. L
Maps depicting boundary:
Carta do Brasil, NA-22, Amapa, 1:1,000,000; Lrazilian Conselho
Nacional de Geografia, 1950. CIA Call No. 27868.
Carte de la Gu~ane Francaise au 500 000 Feuille Nord and Feuille
Sud, 1:500,000; [French) Institut Geographique National, 1950. CIA
Call No. 77113.
The two maps are in agreement except for the choice of the
headwater tributary of the Oiapoque.
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13. Brazil-Paraguay
Status of boundar : Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundar :
rA treaty was _7 signed at Asuncion on January 9,
1872, ... providing that (Article 1) the dividing
line should be the bed or channel of the Parana from
the beginning of the Brazilian possessions at the
mouth of the Iguazu to the Great Cataract of the Sete
Quedas on the Parana; thence by the ridge of the
Sierra of Maracayu to its end; thence by a straight
line, or a line as nearly straight as possible, by
the most elevated ground to the Sierra of Amambay;
thence by the highest ridge of this sierra to the
principal source of the Apa and down by the channel
of the Apa to its mouth on the east bank of the
Paraguay; all the slopes which incline north and east
to belong to Brazil, those which incline south and
west to Paraguay; the island of Fecho dos Morros to
belong to Brazil; ...
The Brazilian commissioner left for Asuncion on
July 16, 1872, and the work of demarcation was
finished November 14, 1871+. By a protocol signed at
Asuncion, January 7, 1871+, it was agreed that the
stream called Estrella was in fact the principal
source of the Apa, and that the frontier line should
pass through it.
The frontier being definitely established in the
portion from the mouth of the Iguazu in the Parana to
the mouth of the Apa in the Paraguay, ra complementary
boundary treaty was 7 signed at Rio de Janeiro on
May 21, 1927, ... which provided that (Article 1)
from the confluence of the Apa in the Paraguay to the
entrance or outlet of Bahia Negra the frontier should
be formed by the bed of the Paraguay, the left (east)
bank to belong to Brazil and the right (west) bank to
Paraguay; (Article 2) except for Fecho dos Morros,
which is Brazilian, the other islands situated on the
east or west side of the frontier line, determined by
the middle of the principal channel of the river, of
greatest depth and most easy and free for navigation,
as accepted at the time of demarcation and according
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to the studies made, should belong respectively to
Brazil or to Paraguay, islands formed in the future
to be adjudicated according to the same criterion; ...
A protocol of instructions for the demarcation
mixed commission was signed at Rio de Janeiro, May 9,
1930, ... [Demarcation along the land segments has
been completed- 2 45
Map depicting boundary:
Es uema da Fronteira, Brasil-Paraguai, [1:1,000,000 7;
authority not indicated; 1943. CIA Call No. 35115.
On this fairly detailed map, the boundary is shown clearly; it
is divided into segments according to the dates of demarcation.
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Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Description of boundary:
Representatives of Brazil and Peru
signed at Lima on October 23, 1851, a convention
of commerce and river navigation (with four separate
articles of the same date as to steam navigation
concessions) providing (Article 7) that, to prevent
doubts respecting the frontier, the parties accepted
the principle of uti possidetis as that according to
which the boundaries should be adjusted, and
consequently they recognized respectively as frontier
the town of Tabatinga and thence a straight line to
the north to the Yapura opposite its confluence with
the Apaporis, and from Tabatinga south the Javary
from its confluence with the Amazon; ... The first
[demarcation) commission, named in 1861, broke up
over the tracing of the line, and a second one met
in joint conference on September 13, 1865, and began
the demarcation on July 28, 1866. Some members of
the field party were massacred by the Indian savages
on the Javary in 1866. A masaranduba wooden post for
the northernmost mark on the right (south) bank of
the Yapura opposite the mouth of the Apaporis was set
up at 1031'29.5"S. 69?21'55.5"W. on August 25, 1872.
By a convention signed at Lima, February 11,
187+, reciting that the frontier line as traced from
the slopes of Igarape at Santo Antonio de Tabatinga
to the Yapura crossed a bend of the I5a or Putumayo
twice in a short distance between two specified marks,
it was agreed that between those marks the frontier
should follow the bed of the river between the Peruvian
and Brazilian islands, leaving the right (west) bank
to Peru and the left (east) bank to Brazil. ~+6
. On September 8, 1909, a treat of boundaries,
commerce, and navigation [was signed which provided
that (Article 1) the frontier already being marked,
in execution of Article 7 of the treaty of October 23,
1851, from the source of the Javary to the Caqueta or
Yapura, the boundary should be established from such
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source of the Javary southward (Sec. 1) by the
dividing line of the waters which flow to the Ucayali
from those which flow to the Yuru.a as far as 9?2'36"S.,
which is the parallel. of the mouth of the Breu, and
affluent on the right (east) bank of the Yurua; (Sec. 2)
thence eastward by that parallel to the confluence of
the Breu and up by the bed of that river to its
principal headwaters; (Sec. 3) thence southward by
the line which divides the waters which flow westward
to the upper Yurua from those which flow northward
to the same river, and passing between the headwaters
of the Tarahuaca and the Envira on the Brazilian side
and of the Piqueyaco and the Toroyuc on the Peruvian
side, by the divortium a uarum between the Envira
and the affluent on the left (northwest) bank of the
Purus called Curanja or Curumaba, whose basin should
belong to Peru, to the source of the Santa Rosa or
Curinaha, also an affluent on the left (northwest)
bank of the Purus; if the headwaters of the Tarahuaca
and the Envira should be south of the 100 parallel
the line should intersect those rivers following that
parallel of 10? and continue by the divortium aquarum
between the Envira and the Curanja or Curumaba to the
source of the Santa Rosa; (Sec. 4+) thence down by the
bed of the Santa Rosa to its confluence on the left
(northwest) bank of the Purus; (Sec. 5) opposite the
mouth of the Santa Rosa to the middle of the deepest
channel of the Purus, and thence southward up the
thalweg of the Purus to the confluence of the
Chambuyaco, its affluent on the right (southeast) bank
between Catbi and the Santa Rosa; (Sec. 6) from the
mouth of the Chambuyaco up by the bed of that stream
to its source; (Sec. 7) from the source of the
Chambuyaco southward on the meridian of that source ...
to the 110 parallel; ... [from 7 the 11? parallel
by ... a straight line ... to the source of the Acre
and thence down the bed of the Acre to the point
where the Peru-Bolivia frontier begins on the right
(south) bank of the Acre .... ~LV
A protocol signed at Rio de Janeiro on April 19,
1913, (in substitution for one of April 29, 1912)
agreed on the organization of and instructions for
the demarcation mixed commission.... This boundary
has been agreed upon and [between July 1913 and
Se tember 1927 wasJ marked for its whole length ...
L of 973 miles (1,566 kilometers)J. 48
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Map depicting boundary:
Mappa Geral da Fronteira Conforme os Trabalhos Realizados pelo
Commissao Mixta, desde a Foz do Arroio Yaverija, Affluente do Rio
Acre, ate a Nascente: Principal do Rio Ja uirana ou Alto Javary, em
Execucao do Tratado de Limites do Brasil com o Peru de 8 de Setembro
de 1909, 1:750,000; Commissao Mixta Brasileiro-Peruana Demarcadora
de Limites, 1927. CIA Call No. 45551.
Carta do Brasil, 1:1,000,000; [Brazilian 7 Conselho Nacional
de Geografia, Sheets SB18 Javari, SB19 Jurua; 191+8. CIA Call No.
27868.
These two map sources provide a fairly detailed representatior
of the critical points along the boundary.
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15. Brazil-Uruguay
Status of boundary: Demarcated (including unmonumented river
boundaries).
Problem areas: There is some question as to which stream is actually
the Invernada that forms the boundary in the
vicinity of 56?W, 31?S.
Description of boundar :
By a protocol signed at Montevideo, April 22,
1853, it was agreed that the dividing line ... should
be understood to run from the mouth of the Chuy, at
the ocean, up the Chuy to its main defile, thence by
a straight line to the main defile of the San Mi uel
stream; down that stream by its right (east) bank to
the point of San Miguel on the south shore of Lake
Mirim, and thence by the west shore of that lake to
the mouth of the Yaguaron. 49/
A treaty was signed at Rio de Janeiro on 30 October 1909 according
to which:
(Article 1) Brazil ceded to Uruguay (Sec. 1)
from the mouth of the San Miguel stream to the mouth
of the Yaguaron, that part of Lake Mirim included
between its western shore and the new frontier which
should cross longitudinally the waters of the lake
according to the terms of Article 3 below, and (Sec. 2)
in the Yaguaron the part of the bed included between
the right or south bank and the dividing line
determined in Article 4 below; ... (Article 3) from
the mouth of the San Miguel stream, at the fourth
Great Mark, placed there by the demarcation commission
of 1853, the new frontier should cross longitudinally
Lake Mirim to the crest of Rabotieso point on the
Uruguayan shore, by a broken line composed of as
many straight lines as necessary to preserve the
median distance between the principal points on the
two shores or, if the depth should be scanty, of as
many straight lines as necessary to follow the
principal channel of the lake; from the crest of
Rabotieso point to the northwest as far as necessary
to pass between the Tacuary islands, leaving on the
Brazilian side the easternmost island and the two
islets adjoining it; thence in the neighborhood of
point Parobe, also on the Uruguayan shore, to the
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deepest channel and by such channel to opposite point
Muniz, on the Uruguayan shore, and point of Los Latinos
or Fanfa on the Brazilian shore; from that intermediate
point, passing between point Muniz and the Brazilian
island of Juncal to the mouth of the Yaguaron, where
on the left or Brazilian shore is the fifth Great
Mark of 1853 and on the right or Uruguayan shore the
sixth intermediate mark; (Article 1) from the mouth
of the Yaguaron the frontier should go up by the
thalweg of that river to the confluence of the Lagooes
stream on the left (north) bank; thence up the middle
line between the banks of the Yaguaron and the middle
line of the Yaguaron Chico or the Guaviyu, at the
confluence of which is the sixth Great Mark of 1853,
and finally up of the Mina stream, indicated by the
seventh and eighth intermediate marks; ... 50
In accordance with the original treaty of 1851, the boundary
continues westward from the headwaters of the Mina stream in:
a straight line crossing the Negro opposite the
mouth of the San Luis and Z-4_7 the San Luis to the
Santa Anna ridge and [continuing along it to j the
Haedo ridge at the source of the branch of the
Quarahim called the Invernada ...; and thence by such
branch [and the Quarahim7 to the Uruguay, Brazil
remaining owner of the island or islands in the mouth
of the Quarahim in the Uruguay; ... 51
The line was further slightly modified by a
convention signed at Rio de Janeiro, May 7, 1913,
providing that (Article 1) the frontier should run
from the main defile of the San Miguel stream to its
mouth in Lake Mirim by the middle line between the
banks of such stream, in the same manner as that
established for the division of the Yaguaron, from
the Lagooes stream to the confluence of the Mina
stream.... 52
The land segments of the boundary were demarcated between 1920
and 1935.
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Map depicting boundary:
Carta Provisional de la Republica Argentina, 1:500,000; [Argentine)
Instituto Geografica Militar. CIA Call No. 64019.
41,
Monte Caseros, 1949
42,
Pelotas,
1929
49,
Lago Merin,
1927
The boundary is shown clearly on these sheets. (At the same
scale, the [Brazilian 7 Conselho Nacional de Geografia has published
the following sheets of the Carta do Brasil covering the area: SH-21-S0,
Uruguaiana; SH-21-SE, Uruguaiana; SI-22-NO, Lagoa Mirim. CIA Call No.
27866).
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16. Brazil-Surinam
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundar :
A treaty was signed at Rio de Janeiro on 5 May 1906, which
provided that:
(Article 1) the frontier between Brazil and
Surinam should be, from the French to the British
frontier, the watershed between the basin of the
Amazon on the south and the basins of the streams
which flow toward the north to the Atlantic. ... OW
Demarcation of the boundary was completed in three sections
between July 1935 and January 1938 by a mixed commission. / The
boundary is 371 miles (597 kilometers) long.
Maps depicting boundary:
Carta Geografica da Fronteira entre Brasil e Suriname, Contendo
Todos os Trabalhos da Comissao Mixta Brasileiro-Neerlandeza Demarcadora
Durante os Anos de 1935-1938, 1:300,000; EBrazilian Estado Maior
do Exercito, 1938. CIA Call No. 551+69.
Carta do Brasil, NA-21, Tumucuma ue, 1:1,000,000; [Brazilian
Conselho Nacional de Geografia, 194-9. CIA Call No. 27868.
The map resulting from the work of the boundary commission shows
much more detail in the boundary alignment, but the 1:1,000,000 map
has a more detailed drainage pattern. The latter also gives an idea
of the terrain along the divide by the use of hypsometric tinting on
the Brazilian side.
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17. Brazil-Venezuela
Status of boundary: Entirely delimited; partially demarcated.
Problem areas: Apparently there are no problems, but some demarcation
remains to be done. Only one marker, at the Hua
cataract, exists between the boundary markers near
Cucuy Rock on the Rio Negro and a point eastward
at about 650W. The boundary has been demarcated
between 65?W and the headwaters of the Rio Orinoco;
beyond that point, demarcation is "in progress" to
about 3?50'N-63?3O'W. From there to the British
Guiana border demarcation is complete.
Description of boundary:
Negotiations for demarcation of the line between
Brazil and Venezuela began in 1843, and a treaty of
friendship and boundaries was signed at Caracas,
November 25, 1852, in which [the two countries defined
the boundaries to be 7 (Sec. 2) from the island of
San Jose [in the Rio Negro near Cucuhy Rock 7 in a
straight line to cut the Maturaca channel at mid-water
or such other point as the boundary commissioners
might agree upon and which might conveniently divide
that stream; thence by the group of high lands of
Cupi, Imeri, Guay, and Urucusiro across the overland
carry from the Castano to the Marari; thence by
Tapirapeco ridge to the crests of the Parima ridge,
so that the waters which flow into the Padaviri,
Marari, and Cababuri remained to Brazil, and those
which flow into the Turuaca or Idapa or Xiaba
belonged to Venezuela; (Sec. 3) thence along the crest
of the Parima ridge as far as the angle made by that
ridge with the Pacaraima ridge, so that all the
streams which run into the Branco remained to Brazil
and those which flow into the Orinoco belonged to
Venezuela; thence along the highest summits of the
Pacaraima ridge, so that the waters which flow into
the Branco belonged as stated to Brazil and those
which flow into the Essequibo, Cuyunl, and Caroni
belonged to Venezuela, as far as the territories of
the two states extend eastward; (Article 3) after
ratification of this treaty each party should appoint
a commissioner, and they in concert as soon as
possible should proceed to demarcation of the line at
such points as might be necessary; (Article 4) any
doubts which occur to be amicably settled by both
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governments; (Article 5) any exchange of territory
deemed advisable for fixing more natural or suitable
boundaries for either nation to be arranged by new
negotiations; and (Article 6) Brazil declared that in
treating with Venezuela in regard to the territory
situated west of the Negro drained by the Tom' and
the Aquio, which though asserted by Venezuela to belong
to her was nevertheless claimed by New Granada, it was
not Brazil's intention to prejudice whatever rights
New Granada might succeed -in establishing over such
territory. This treaty failed of ratification by
Venezuela, but a new boundary and navigation treaty
signed at Caracas, May 5, 1859, ... established
(Article 2) the boundary in the same terms (Secs. 1,
2, and 3) as in the Treaty of November 25, 1852; ...
and provided further (Article 8) for free navigation
by Brazilian vessels in the Negro, Guainia, Casiquiare,
and Orinoco and by Venezuelan vessels in the Negro,
Guainia, and Amazon, and to and from the ocean,
subject to fiscal and police regulations, (Article 21)
free from taxes except for lighthouses, buoys, and
other aids to navigation. The boundary thus agreed
upon ... was marked by the mixed commission which
worked from January 7 to August 9, 1880, and the Cupi
high lands were surveyed by the Brazilian commission
alone from 1882 to May 10, 1883.
... two protocols rwere signed at Caracas on
December 9, 1905,_7 of which the first approved and
recognized the demarcation made in common in 1880 by
the mixed commission of the frontier from Cucuhy rock
to Cupi hill, and the second agreed (Article 1) that
a mixed commission should verify the work of the
Brazilian commission in 1882 to 188+ on the frontier
from Cupi hill to the point on Mount Roraima where
the three frontiers of Brazil, Venezuela, and British
Guiana meet, preferential attention always being
given to the division of the waters which run towards
the basins of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Essequibo,
respectively, and make the demarcation in accordance
with the treaty of May 5, 1859, Article 2, Secs. 2
and 3; (Article 2) the two commissions to be appointed
within three months and begin work within six months
after ratification of the protocol by both governments.
Before the exchange of ratifications and coming into
effect of these protocols it was established that
neither country had an exact knowledge of the true
direction of the Cucuhy part of the frontier as
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marked in 1880, and it was agreed by a protocol
signed at Caracas, February 29, 1912, that each
government should appoint a commissioner and sub-
commissioner with the necessary assistants, and the
mixed commission so constituted should erect durable
posts on the left (east) bank of the Negro at the
point (opposite the island of San Jose, at 1013'51.76"N.
66?47'11.51"W. on the west bank) crossed by the line
as indicated by the records of the Commission of 1880
and along the geodesic line from that point 52.5x+
miles to the Hua rapid in the Maturaca, at 0?15'3.37'tN?
66011'1+3.50"W.; the commissioners to meet at Manaos
not later than April 15, 1912, and go up the Negro
together. This mixed commission began work in 1911+
and finished on January 23, 1915.
rA protocol was signed at Rio de Janeiro on
24 July 1928, 7 ... reciting that the periods
specified in the second protocol of December 9, 1905
(Article 2) had expired without the commissions
having been constituted or the periods having been
extended, and that the demarcations made in 1879-1880
and in 1911+-1915 by mixed commissions should be
completed, from the island of San Jose to the point
on Mount Roraima where the frontiers of Brazil,
Venezuela, and British Guiana meet, and agreeing to
replace the second protocol of December 9, 1905, by
provisions that (Article 1) each government should
nominate a commission with the necessary staff to
form a mixed commission to carry out the demarcation
under instructions to be laid down in an exchange of
notes; (Article 2) within three months the two
commissions should meet at San Carlos on the Negro
and proceed together to the frontier; if either should
fail, except for force majeure, the other should
proceed by itself with the work, the result of its
operations to be binding on both countries; (Article
3) the frontier described in the treaty of May 5, 1859
(Secs. 2 and 3) should be examined in detail by the
mixed commission, the coordinates of positions
established by the previous commissions to be verified
and if necessary corrected; (Article x+) as many marks
as appear necessary to be erected along the entire
frontier; (Article 5) the two marks set up by the
mixed commission of 1911+-1915 near Cucuhy rock and
the other twfo near the Hua gap should be considered
permanent, though their latitude and longitude might
be determined anew; and (Article 6) the boundary
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between the Hua gap and the Negro should run from such
gap in a straight line in the direction indicated by
the commission of 191+-1915 to a point at a distance
from such dap equal to the distance between the island
of San Jose and the most easterly of the marks erected
by that commission on the Cucuhy side; thence in
another straight line to such most easterly mark and
thence also in a straight line in the direction of
the mark opposite the island of San Jose to the right
(west) bank of the Negro until it intersects the
frontier between Venezuela and Colombia. An exchange
of notes at Caracas, November 7, 1929, established
instructions for the mixed commission to meet at San
Carlos on the Negro between December 10 and 20, 1929;
at once to fix the position of Cupi hill; doubtful
points or disagreements to be submitted to the two
Governments, which should make every effort to
settle them rapidly and amicably. The Brazilian
commission left Rio de Janeiro, October 10, 1929,
and reached Manaos, October 27, Cucuhy, November 30,
and San Carlos, December 1, but the Venezuelan
commission failed to arrive, and the Brazilians
returned in January 1930 after examining some of the
marks placed by the previous commissions.
In September 1931 ... a discovery on July 14,
1931 from George G. Heye peak in the Parima range
was reported ,_7 by Herbert Spencer Dickey, an
explorer, ... of the source of the Orinoco some sixty
miles northwest of where it was placed on current
maps, with the supposed result of transferring a
considerable parcel of territory from Venezuela to
Brazil, [but itJ was declared by Venezuela to have
no juridical effect upon the frontier with Brazil
until verified by the demarcation mixed commission.
More recent explorations would increase Venezuelan
territory. However, the problem has not yet received
diplomatic consideration.]
Uncontested possession by each country of the
mouths and most of the basins of clear and separate
river systems made it easy to agree on the watershed
as the proper frontier line; the serious subsequent
obstacles to demarcation arose from exploration
difficulties rather than disputed rights and were
resolved with notable amity. This boundary appears
to be agreed upon in detail, and though the demarcation
of the eastern portion has not been completed, its
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description is settled, and it seems unlikely that
serious differences should arise over the remainder
of the work, in unpopulated and not highly valuable
territory.
Maps depicting boundary:
Carta do Brasil, 1:1,000,000; [Brazilian 7 Conselho Nacional
de Geografia. CIA Call No. 27868.
Sheets
NB-20, Roraima, 1949
NA-19, Uaupes, 19+9
NA-20, Parima, 1949
Mapa Ffsico y Politico de los Estados Unidos de Venezuela,
1:1,000,000; l Venezuelan] Direccidn de Cartograffa Nacional,
1950. CIA Call No. 77160.
Both maps are by official agencies and present the best available
data. Slight differences occur in the details of alignment but in
general the two maps agree.
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18. British Guiana-Surinam
Status of boundary: The Courantyne River is accepted as the boundary
up to the mouth of the New River; beyond that
point the boundary is "in process of delimitation."
Problem areas: A dispute as to which tributary (the Kutari or the New)
should be considered the headwater of the Courantyne
creates a problem area upstream from the junction of
the New and Courantyne rivers. Futhermore, the
historical acceptance of the highwater mark on the
west bank of the Courantyne as the boundary has
denied full fishing and navigation rights to the
British -- a restriction which the Territorial
Government of Surinam hopes to use as a bargaining
point in the consideration of the problems farther
upstream.
Description of the boundary:
No treaties definitely establishing this boundary have ever been
ratified. According to Ireland, "since 1831 British Guiana has by
common consent been separated on the east from Surinam by the River
Corentyn from its mouth southward for about 200 miles" -- the boundary
following the high tide mark on the west or left bank. On the basis
of explorations by Schomburg in 1843, the headwater of the Courantyne
was presumed to be the Kutari (or Koetari) River, and for many years
this river was accepted as the boundary -- although later explorations
proved the New River to be greater in volume by 75 percent than the
Kutari. The resultant problem has never been resolved. A draft
treaty drawn up in 1939 stated that "the river named by Schomburg
the River Kutari shall be considered to constitute the upper reaches
of the River Courantyne, and the boundary shall follow the left bank
of the principal course of the Kutari. 56 Both Great Britain and
the Netherlands were ready to accept this treaty when World War II
interrupted negotiations. Since the war, the Territorial Government
of Surinam has raised objections to the treaty, and final agreement
has not yet been reached.
Map depicting boundary:
Overzichtskaart van Suriname [with manuscript indications of
undefined border areas 7, 1:800,000; 1Survey Office of Surinam],
1951. CIA Call No. 86577?
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19. British Guiana-Venezuela
Status of boundary: Entirely delimited; actually demarcated only
from Punta Playa on the coast to the Rio
Barima, 25 to 30 kilometers inland. However,
where the boundary follows river segments, it
is considered demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
An international Commission met in final open
session and handed down its unanimous award on October
3, 1899, determining that the boundary line between
the colony of British Guiana and the United States of
Venezuela should be as follows:
Starting from the coast of Point Playa, the line
of boundary shall run in a straight line to the River
Barima at its junction with the River Mururuma, and
thence along the mid-stream of the latter river to its
source, and from that point to the junction of the
River Haiowa with the Amakuru, and thence along the
mid-stream of the Amakuru to its source in the Imataca
Ridge, and thence in a southwesterly direction along
the highest ridge of the spur of the Imataca Mountains
to the highest point of the main range of such Imataca
Mountains opposite to the source of the Barima, and
thence along the summit of the main ridge in a
southeasterly direction of the Imataca Mountains to
the source of the Acarabisi, and thence along the
mid-stream of the Acarabisi to the Cuyuni, and thence
along the northern bank of the River Cuyuni westward
to its junction with the Wenamu, and thence following
the mid-stream of the Wenamu to its westernmost source,
and thence in a direct line to the summit of Mount
Roraima, ... 57/
According to Ireland, mixed demarcation commissions met between
1900 and 1905, but a recent report from Caracas indicates that the
only demarcation completed is between Punta Playa on the coast and
the confluence of the Barima and Mururuma rivers. In addition some
surveying has been done at the westernmost source of the Wenamu River
and at the tripartite monument on Mount Roraima.
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Map depicting boundary:
Map of Hispanic America, 1:1,000,000; American Geographical
Society; CIA Call No. 21793.
Sheets
NB-20, Roraima, 19)+0
NC-20, Boca del Orinoco, 19+2
These sheets are small scale, but the significant physical
features are all named on them.
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Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Description of boundar :
[A treaty was _7 signed at Lima on June 3, 1929,
providing that ... (Article 2) the territory of
Tacna and Arica should be divided into two parts by
a line from a point on the coast to be called
"Concordia" ten kilometers (6.21 miles) north of the
bridge over the Lluta; thence eastward parallel to
the Chilean section of the railroad from Arica to La
Paz and distant ten kilometers from it, with such
deflections as might be necessary to utilize in the
demarcation the near-by geographic features, so as
to leave in Chilean territory the Tacora sulphur beds
and their appurtenances; thence through the center of
Lake Blanca so that one of its parts should remain in
Chile and the other in Peru; Chile ceded forever to
Peru all rights over Uchusuma and Mauri (Azucarero)
canals, without prejudice to her sovereignty over
such parts of those aqueducts as remained in Chilean
territory after the laying down of the boundary line
just described ....
The demarcation mixed commission was promptly
appointed and the delegates met at Arica on September
2, 1929, and again on October 6, proceeding then to
set up posts of iron or stone within sight of each
other along the boundary from Concordia on the shore
north of Arica to the Bolivian line. 58
Work on the boundary was completed 21 July 1930, and the final
act, dated 5 August 1930, lists latitude, longitude, and location of
the 80 markers of the line. 59/
Map depicting boundary:
Carta Preliminar, 1:250,000; [Chilean] Instituto Geografico
Militar; CIA Call No. 76122.
1769, Cosapilla 195+
1770, General Lagos 1954
1870, Arica 195+
These sheets show clearly the alignment of the boundary.
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21. Colombia-Ecuador
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
Conferences at Bogota from 4 November 1915 to 13 July 1916
resulted in a boundary treaty which, in combination with the Rio
Protocol of 19+2 transferring the Sucumbios Triangle to Ecuador,
provided that the line should run:
from a point on the Rio Putumayo, at the mouth
of the Rio Giiepi, upstream to the mouth of the Rio
Coembi or Cuhimbe; down by the meridian of this mouth
in a straight line to the south to cross the Rio San
Miguel or Sucumbios; by this river, upstream, to its
principal headwater on the Cerro Pax; from here in a
straight line west to the mouth of the Quebrada
Industria in the Rio Chingual or Chunquer, by which
it follows upstream to the mouth of the Quebrada Pun
and follows the course of this Quebrada to its
headwaters. From this headwater, it follows the
summit of the cordillera by the hills Troyo and La
Quinta; from where it continues by the Quebrada
Pulcas, downstream called Tejes or Teques, to the
spot where it reaches a guebrada on the left shore;
from here a straight line west to the headwaters of
the quebrada El Morro, by which it descends to its
mouth in the Rio Carchi, a little below the bridge
of Rumichaca, between Ipiales and Tulcan, and by the
Carchi (which in its beginnings is called Alumbre)
upstream to its headwaters in the volcano Chiles and
by the summits of the mountains to the peak of Cerro
La Oreja; it continues to the headwaters of the Rio
Cainacan, by which it descends to a point near its
mouth, opposite the origin of the Quebrada Pipala,
from where it continues in a'straight line west to
said origin of the Pipala, by which it descends
downstream to its mouth in the Rio San Juan; down by
the course of the Rio San Juan to its confluence with
the Rio Mira, by which it follows downstream to the
mouth of Quebrada Yarumal; from there a straight line
to the west (a parallel) to intersect the Rio Mataje
and by it, downstream, to its mouth in the Pacific
Ocean. The frontier is 586 kilometers [364 miles _7
long. 60/
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A mixed demarcation commission met at Quito on 16 July 1917 and
finished its work in Cartagena 9 July 1919. Subsequent adjustment
of markers in the Sucumbios Triangle were made in 1946. The entire
boundary is now demarcated.
Map depicting boundary:
Plano General de la Linea de Frontera Colombo-Ecuatoriana
1:1,000,000; [Colombian 7 Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores,l9 .
CIA Call No. 100065.
Although only moderately detailed, this map shows most of the
critical points along the border.
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22. Colombia-Panama
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
On 20 August 192+ a boundary treaty was signed in Bogota
providing that:
Art. 1. The frontier line between the Republic
of Colombia and the Republic of Panama is agreed
upon, settled and fixed on the following terms which
are the same as those of the Colombian Law of June
9, 1855:
The frontier line shall run from Cape Tiburon
to the head waters of the river La Miel, and following
the ridge along Gandi hill to the ranges of Chugargun
and of Mall, down the Nigue hills to Aspave heights,
and thence to a point on the Pacific equidistant from
Cocalito and La Ardita ....
Art. 3. Where the frontier is not formed by
natural features, such as mountains, ridges, etc.,
the Demarcation Commission shall cause it to be
marked with posts, cairns and other lasting
monuments, so that the dividing line may be
recognized at any time with complete exactness ....
In 1927 a contract was made with the Colombo-
Alemana Aerial Navigation Company to make an
aero-photographic study of the river system of the
river La Miel and adjacent frontier regions. The
governments named the demarcation commission in
December 1935, and on January 7, 1936,, the commission
set out to mark the line, proceeding from both
oceans, and worked until June 1937. In December 1937
the points not settled by the demarcation 'commission
were agreed on by an exchange of notes between the
chancelleries of the two countries. 61
A later Colombian description of the boundary, somewhat more
detailed, is as follows:
From a point on the Pacific coast, equidistant
between Cocalito and La Ardita, the boundary follows
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a straight line to the Altos de Aspave; it continues
along the water divide of the rivers Jurado and
Balsas, to the headwaters of the river Salaqui and
continues to the summit of the Darien cordillera,
passing by the peaks of Mangle, Palo de las Letras,
Alto Limon, Tanela, and Cerro de Gandi, to the site
of El Empalme on the water divide between the rivers
Armila and Acandf from which it goes to Chucurti; it
continues via the ridge which is the divide between
the Chucurti and the Acandi, passes the Cerro Sande
and the Cerro Parado, to the headwaters of the river
La Miguel [Miel], and ends toward the north, crossing
the Cabo Tiburon via the water divide between the
bays of Zapzurro and La Miel, to the extreme northwest
of Cabo Tiburon on the Sea of the Antilles [Caribbean 7.
The length of the frontier is 266 kilometers [165
milesJ.* 62
Map depicting boundary:
Plano General de la Linea Fronteriza entre Colombia Panama,
1:250,000; signed by the Mixed Boundary Commission, 1938. CIA
Call No. 29695.
The location and coordinates of each boundary marker are given
on this photocopy of the official map. An inset at 1:25,000 shows
the northern end of the boundary in greater detail.
*Irelan7Source 1) gives 143 miles or 230 kilometers; probably
the distance has never been accurately measured. The Colombian
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Source 60, p. 94-97) gives
specific locations, including coordinates, of the boundary markers.
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23. Colombia-Peru
Status of boundary: Demarcated.
Problem areas: None.
Description of boundary:
The Colombia-Peru boundary was established by two treaties: one
signed at Lima on 24 March 1922, and another signed at Rio de Janeiro
in January 191+2. The first provided that:
Article 1, (later modified) the frontier line
should run from the point at which the meridian of
the mouth of the Cuhimbe on the Putumayo cuts the
San Miguel or Sucumbios; thence up that meridian to
such mouth of the Cuhimbe; thence by the thalweg of
the Putumayo to the confluence of the Yaguas; thence
by a straight line from that confluence to the
confluence of the Atacuari fin the Brazo Tigre on
the Amazon, and thence by the thalweg of the Amazon
to the boundary between Peru and Brazil established
by their treaty of October 23, 1851 fat TabatingaJ;
... The treaty was finally ratified by both countries
and ratifications were exchanged March 19, 1928. The
demarcation mixed commission, promptly appointed, met
at Iquitos, November 11, 1929, and finished its work
at the same place March 11., 1930. Possession of the
new trapezium, from the Putumayo down to the Amazon,
formerly claimed by Peru as part of the Department
of Loreto, was delivered to Colombia on August 17,
1930. 63/
In January of 1914.2, the second treaty was signed between Ecuador
and Peru in which the Peruvian boundary extended only as far as the
mouth of the Rio Giiepi in the Rio Putumayo, thus making this the
location (rather than the Rio Cuhimbe) of the westernmost point between
Colombia and Peru. 61+/
Map depicting boundary:
Plano General de la Linea de Frontera Colombo-Peruana, 1:2,000,000,
fColombianJ Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Oficina de Longitudes
y Fronteras, 191+14.. CIA Call No. 100067.
This map reflects the official boundary interpretation and shows
the critical points along the border.
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24+. Colombia-Venezuela
Status of boundary: Entirely delimited; surveyed and monumented only
between Los Castilletes on the Gulf of Venezuela
and the Alto del Cedro at 72?15'W, 11?09'N.
Unmonumented river segments considered
"demarcated."
Problem areas: The boundary between the Alto del Cedro and the Rio
Intermedio (following the Serrania de los Motilones,
the Serrania de Vallepur, and the Montes de Oca --
which together comprise the Sierra de Perija) has
never been surveyed because of the resistance of
the hostile Motilone Indians toward all outsiders.
Partial surveys have been run, and a few markers
have been set between Rio Zulia and Rio Catatumbo
and between the Paramo de Tama and Cucuta. No
surveys have been run between the Rio Arauca and
Rio Meta, between the Rio Casanare and Rio Arauca,
or between the Rio Guasacavi and Rio Guainia. The
remainder of the boundary follows rivers.
Description of boundary:
Determination of the boundary between Colombia and Venezuela
was repeatedly delayed until King Alfonso XII of Spain was appointed
arbiter in 1883.
The award signed by the Queen Regent in the name
of Alfonso XIII was handed down March 16, 1891, and ...
determined the frontier to be (Sec. 1) from the
hillocks called the Frailes, at the point nearest
Juyachi in a straight line in continuation of that
which divides the Upar valley from the province of
Maracaibo; the Hacha on the side above the Oca
mountains, the boundaries of those mountains serving
as the exact lines; along Valle Dupar ridge and
Juyachi hill and the seashores; (Sec. 2) from the
line which separates the Upar valley from the province
of Maracaibo and the Hacha by the peaks of Perija and
Motilones ridges to the source of the Oro; thence to
the mouth of the Grita in the Zulia, by the line of
the statu duo across the Catatumbo, Sardinata and
Tarra; Sec. 3) from the mouth of the Grita in the
Zulia by the curve then recognized as frontier to the
Don Pedro ravine and down that ravine to the Tachira;
(Sec. 4) from the Don Pedro ravine on the Tachira up
that river to its source and thence by the Tama ridge
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and paramo to the course of the Oira; (Sec. 5) by the
course of the Oira to its confluence with the Sarare,
by the waters of the Sarare crossing in the middle
Lake Desparramadero to the place at which they enter
the Arauca down the waters of the Arauca to a point
equidistant from the town of Arauca and the point at
which the meridian of the confluence of the Masparro
and the Apure also cuts the Arauca; thence in a
straight line to Apostadero on the Meta and by the
waters of the Meta to its mouth in the Orinoco;
(Section 6, lst portion) from the mouth of the Meta
in the Orinoco by the watercourse of the Orinoco to
the Maipures rapids, but, taking into account that
from the time of its foundation the settlement of
Atures had made use of a road on the left (west) bank
of the Orinoco to avoid the rapids from opposite such
settlement of Atures to the landing place to the north
of Maipures, opposite Macuriana hill and northward
from the mouth of the Vichada, there was expressly
appointed in favor of Venezuela the right of passage
over such road for twenty-five years from the date
of publication of the award, or until there should be
constructed a road in Venezuelan territory which should
make unnecessary passage over Colombian soil,
reserving meanwhile to the parties the right to
regulate by common agreement the exercise of this
easement; (Sec. 6, 2nd portion) from the Maipures
rapids by the watercourse of the Orinoco to its
confluence with the Guaviare; by the course of the
Guaviare to the confluence of the Ataba o; up the
Atabapo to thirty-six kilometers (22 1/3 miles) north
of the settlement of Yavita, thence by a straight
line to the Guainia thirty-six kilometers west of the
settlement of Pimichin and by the bed of the Guainia,
which farther along takes the name of the Negro to
Cucuhy rock. The award thus followed a considerable
portion of the line claimed by Colombia but traced in
three places a compromise line, giving Colombia the
whole Goajira peninsula and a small parcel at San
Faustino, and Venezuela the valley of the Totoli
northwest of Maracaibo, a triangle north of Apostadero
on the Meta and at the southern end the large parcel
enclosed by the Casiquiare, Orinoco, Atabapo, and
Guainia. The award upset about 100 miles of the west
end of the Brazil-Venezuela boundary as fixed between
them by the treaty of May 5, 1859, by giving to
Colombia the area bounded north by the Guainia from
thirty-six kilometers west of Pimichin down the
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Guainia and the Negro to Cucuhy rock and south by the
watershed between the Guainia and the Isana from the
sources of the Memachi to Cucuhy rock. 65
[Demarcation,-7 commissioners were appointed by
Colombia on May 31, 1899, and by Venezuela on August
16, 1899, and proceeded in 1900 to their work, but
suspended operations in 1901 because of disagreements
in the commission, civil war in Colombia, and internal
disturbances in Venezuela. 66/
No further concrete action took place until 1916, when Switzerland
was named arbiter on the outstanding boundary problems. An award by
the Swiss Federal Council in 1922 appointed a technical commission to
study the disputed areas, and a demarcation commission was created in
1928.
A final definitive treaty was signed on 5 April 1941. The few
remaining issues were clarified as follows:
Article 1. The Republic of Colombia and the
United States of Venezuela declare that the frontier
between the two countries is in all parts defined by
the pacts and limitation acts and by the present
treaty; that all differences over the matter of
boundaries are terminated; and that they acknowledge
as definitive and irrevocable the boundaries fixed
by the boundary commissions in 1901, and by the
commissions appointed in accordance with paragraph 4
of this article.
Paragraph 1. In the region of the Rio de Oro,
second section, the boundary will be the course of
the said river from its mouth in the Catatumba,
upstream, to where the Rio de Oro separates into two
branches, one to the north and the other to the
southwest; and from there it will follow by the
branch of the north to the point where it receives
its first tributary, called Rio Intermedio or Duda
(Doubt) and then by the most southern course of this
tributary called Rio Intermedio or Duda to its origin
in the sierra of Parija-Motilones ....
Paragraph 2. In the fifth section region of the
rivers Oira and Arauca, the boundary will be the
course of the said river Oira from its origin in the
Paramo de Tama to the point where its waters join
those of a river which descends from the Cordillera
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of Tama in a west-east direction and from this point,
whose coordinates will be fixed astronomically, a
straight line to the point considered by the Boundary
Commission in its act of Paso del Viento, June 7, 1901,
as the mouth of the Oira in the Arauca.
Paragraph 3. In order to determine the
sovereignty of the island of Charo in the river
Arauca, according to the stipulation in Art. 1,
clause d of the boundary agreement between Venezuela
and Colombia of the 17th of December, 1928, the
watercourse of this river will be determined.
Paragraph 4. Immediately after the ratification
of the present treaty each contracting State will
name a commission for the demarcation of the frontier
agreed upon in the first, second and third paragraphs
of the present article ....
Article 2. The Republic of Colombia and the
United States of Venezuela acknowledge reciprocally
and in perpetuity, in the fullest manner, the right
of free navigation of the rivers which cross or
separate the two countries .... L
Surveying and demarcation of the boundary has yet to be completed,
but no disputes have arisen concerning the points established by the
treaty.
Map depicting boundary:
Piano General de la Linea de Frontera Colombo-Venezolana,
1:2,000,000; authority not indicated, 1944. CIA Call No. 100063.
Sheets
Sector Castilletes-Montanitas
Sector Montanitas-Piedra del Cucuy
Both sheets are accurate and show a fair amount of detail.
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25. Ecuador-Peru
Status of boundary: Delimited by the Rio de Janeiro Protocol of 19+2;
partially demarcated; remainder in dispute.
Problem areas: Two sectors remain in dispute: (1) The Rio Santiago-
Rio Zamora sector, between l?06'S and 3?30'S; and
(2) the Rio Lagartococha region, between 008'S and
0?12'S. No markers have been established in the
first area -- where the boundary is supposed to
follow the divide between the Rio Zamora and Rio
Santiago -- because actually there are two divides
separated by the Rio Cenepa. As yet, no agreement
has been reached about an adjustment in this 80-mile
(130-kilometer) stretch. In the Rio Lagartococha
region -- where the boundary was described as
connecting the headwaters of that river with the
Rio GUepi -- no decision has been reached as to
which of two streams constitutes the headwater.
In this sector, approximately 6 miles (10 kilometers)
of the border is disputed.
Description of boundary:
According to the Rio Protocol of 1942, Article VIII, the boundary
should follow the points named below:
A)--In the west:
l)--The mouth of the Capones in the ocean;
2)--The Zarumilla River and the Balsamal or
Lajas Quebrada;
3)--The Puyango or Tumbes River to the
Quebrada de Cazaderos;
4)--Cazaderos;
5)--The Quebrada de Pilares y del Alamor to
the Chira River;
6)--The Chira River, upstream;
7)--The Maraca, Calvas, and Espindola Rivers,
upstream, to the sources of the last
mentioned in the Nudo de Sabanillas;
8)--From the Nudo de Sabanillas to the
Canchis River;
9)--Along the whole course of the Chanchis
River, downstream;
10)--The Chinchipe River, downstream, to the
point at which it receives the San
Francisco River.
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B)--In the east:
l)--From the Quebrada de San Francisco, the
watershed between the Zamora and Santiago
Rivers, to the confluence of the Santiago
River with the Yaupi;
2)--A line to the outlet of the Bobonaza into the
Pastaza. The confluence of the Cunambo
River with the Pintoyacu in the Tigre River;
3)--Outlet of the Cononaco into the Curaray,
downstream, to Bellavista;
1)--A line to the outlet of the Yasumi into the
Napo River. Along the Napo, downstream,
to the mouth of the Aguarico;
5)--Along the latter, upstream, to the confluence
of the Lagartococha or Zancudo River with
the Aguarico;
6)--The Lagartococha or Zancudo River, upstream,
to its sources and from there a straight
line meeting the GUepi River and along
this river to its outlet into the Putumayo,
and along the Putumayo upstream to the
boundary of Ecuador and Colombia.
Article IX. The parties may, ... when the line is
being laid out on the ground, grant such reciprocal
concessions as they may consider advisable in order
to adjust the aforesaid line to geographical
realities. L8/
Approximately 90 percent of the boundary was demarcated by 1945.
Since that time continued negotiations have been conducted between
the guarantors of the Protocol -- Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and the
United States -- and the two governments concerned, but to date no
agreements have been finalized.
Maps depicting boundary:
Frontera Peruano-Ecuatoriana (seccion occidental), 1:200,000;
Comision Mixta Peruano-Ecuatoriana Demarcadora de Lim es; 191+5.
CIA Call No. 30705.
[Eastern Section of the Peru-Ecuador border from the Rio Putumayo
to the Rio Chinchipe-~ , 1:1,000,000; [Peruvian Departamento de
Fronteras y Limites_/; 1951. CIA Call No. 73603.
These two maps cover the area of the entire boundary. Map No.
73603 is accompanied by a list of the coordinates of all boundary
markers set up before June 1951.
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26. French Guiana-Surinam
Status of boundary: Demarcated (an unmonumented river boundary) to
mouth of the Litani River; in process of
delimitation upstream from there.
Problem areas: No treaty has yet been ratified naming the Litani
River as the boundary in the southern section of
the border, although this river has been acknowledged
unofficially as the accepted boundary. The area
between the Litani and the Marouini Rivers must
therefore still be considered technically as "in
dispute".
Description of boundary:
An 1836 convention between France and the Netherlands included
acceptance of the Maroni River as the boundary. However, the
question of which stream should be considered the Maroni above the
confluence of its two major tributaries -- the Tapanahoni and the
Lawa (Awa) -- remained unsettled. Finally, in an arbitral award of
1891, the Czar of Russia declared that the boundary should follow the
Lawa River upstream from Stoelsnans Island, located at this confluence.
Upstream from there, however, at approximately 3?17'N, the same
problem was repeated where the Lava River divides into two tributaries
of comparable size -- the Litani and the Marouini. Again, disagreements
occurred from time to time as to which stream should be followed.
Various efforts culminated, in 1939, in a mutually acceptable
draft-treaty which stated that the Litani should be considered the
major tributary of the Lawa. The advent of World War II delayed
ratification, however, and no final settlement has ever taken
place. 69
The exact location of the settled part of the boundary in the
river was designated by a convention in 1915, which determined that
from the sea to the Island of Portal (4+0 kilometers from the mouth
of the river) the boundary was through the thalweg (main channel),
and from the south end of the French Island of Portal to the north
end of the Dutch Island of Stoelman "the boundary should be the
median line of the stream at ordinary height of water, with islands
following the nationality of that side of such line in which they
were wholly or for their greater part situated." 70
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Ma de ictin boundary:
Overzichtskaart van Suriname [with manuscript indications of
undefined border areas, 1: 00,000, [Survey Office of Surinam
1951. CIA Call No. 86577.
Carte de la Guyane Fran9aise au 500,000, Feuille Sud, 1:500,000;
rFrench_7 Institut Geographique National, 1950. CIA Call No. 77113.
The French map shows more detail along the two rivers in question.
On neither map is the southernmost part of the boundary clearly
interpreted.
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GAPS IN INTELLIGENCE
In general, information on boundaries -- in contrast to other
types of data -- usually exists either in definitive form in official
documents, or it does not exist in a form that can be considered
reliable. Therefore, there are few "gaps" in intelligence in this
report, except for those areas where the boundary has been delimited
but is still in process of demarcation. For such areas, specific
information about the exact extent of field work undertaken is
seldom available, but the eventual reports of the demarcation
commissions or field parties will provide the needed data.
For disputed areas, much information is available on the various
proposals and objections regarding settlements; the Honduras-Nicaragua
and Ecuador-Peru boundary problems are prime examples. Until such
disputes are settled, however, little of the controversial data
available is of much permanent value.
97-
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SOURCE REFERENCES
This study quotes primarily from three sources: Gordon
Ireland's two volumes on boundaries in Latin America and
Alexander Marchant's bibliography on Latin American boundaries,
all published prior to 1945. Although they are secondary
sources, they quote from and comment on the most significant
documents pertaining to each boundary. In addition, the authors
have condensed much of the data into more useful form, and have
translated the original texts, most of which are in Spanish or
Portuguese.
Other sources, official if available, have been used where
there were apparent gaps in Marchant or Ireland, or for those
boundaries which have changed in status since the early 1940's In response to specific requests, United States Foreign Service
Posts provided data on almost all boundaries, much of which
consists of collaborative information that was valuable for
research even though little of it is quoted.
No individual evaluations of sources have been made, since
all those used are based on official treaties or documents of
similar significance.
1. Ireland, Gordon. Boundaries, Possessions, and Conflicts
in Central and North America and the Caribbean, Cambridge
Mass., Harvard University Press, 1941, p. 125-126.
2. Ibid., p. 162-163.
3. Ibid., p. 163.
4. Marchant, Alexander. Boundaries of the Latin American
Re-publics, an Annotated List of Documents, 1493-1977--
Washington, U.S. GPO, 1944, State Department Publication
2082, Inter-American Series 24, p. 331-332.
5. Ireland, og. cit., p. 268. (1, above).
6. Ibid., p. 13-14.
7. Ibid., p. 15.
8. Marchant, op. cit., p. 298-299. (4, above).
9. Ibid., p. 299.
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10.
Costa Rica. La Gaceta-Diario Oficial, 7 Oct 1944, p. 1849.
11.
Ireland, op. cit., p. 64-67. (1, above).
12.
Ibid., p. 117-118.
13.
Ibid., p. 118-120.
14.
Ibid., p. 150.
15.
Ibid., p. 158.
16.
Ibid., p. 93-94.
17.
Ibid., p. 911..
18.
Marchant, 22. cit., p. 319. (4, above).
19.
Ireland, og. cit., p. 108. (1, above).
20.
Ibid., p. 109-110.
21.
Ibid., p. 135-137.
22.
Ibid., p. 138.
23.
Ireland, Gordon. Boundaries, Possessions, and Conflicts in
South America Cambridge, Massachusetts
Harvard Universit
,
y
Press, 193 , p. 8-9.
24. Ibid., p. 16.
25. Ibid., p. 16-17.
26. Marchant, oP. Lit., p. 224. (4, above).
27. Ibid., p. 226-227-
28. Ireland, off. Lit., p. 25-26. (23, above).
29. Ibid., p. 31. (23, above).
30. [Argentina and Paraguay 7. Tratado Complementario de Limites
entre las Republicas Argentina del Para , 1939. p. 1-2.
(Authority not indicated; probably la Comision Mixta Demarcadora
de Lfmites; copy provided by Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
y Culto de Argentina.)
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32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
State, Asuncion. Dsp. 853, 11 Jun 45,Encl. 3. "Fue Subscripto
el Tratado de Limites con el Paraguay," from La Nacion, 2 Jun 45.
Ireland, off. cit., P. 34, 36. (23, above).
Marchant, op. cit., p. 236. (4, above).
Ireland, 22. cit., p. 47-48. (23, above).
Ibid., p. 51.
Ibid., p. 52.
Bolivia. Las Fronteras de Bolivia, Ministerio de Relaciones
Exteriores y Culto, 1941, p. 47--Z.
38. Ibid., p. 49,-
39. Marchant, op? cit., p. 251-252. (4, above).
40. Ireland, op? cit., p. 102-107. (23, above).
41. Bolivia, op,. cit., p. 69-71. (37, above).
42. Ibid., p. 157-158.
43. Ibid., p. 111-114.
44. Marchant, off. cit., p. 263. (4, above).
45. Ireland, op. cit., p. 122. (23, above).
46. Ibid., p. 125-126.
47. Ibid., p. 128-129.
48. Ibid., p. 130.
49. Ibid., p. 134.
50. Ibid., p. 135-137.
Ibid., p. 133.
52. Ibid., p. 137.
53. Ibid., p. 159.
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51+. Marchant, op. Sit., p. 268. (1+, above).
55. Ireland, oP. cit., p. 138-11i.. (23, above).
56. State, Paramaribo. Dsp 123, 22 Mar 51+, Report on Status of
Boundaries between Surinam and French Guiana and [between-
Surinam and British Guiana.
57. Ireland, op. cit., p. 239. (23, above).
58. Ibid., p. 172, 1711..
59. Chile. Revista Chilena, Ano. XIV, Julio-Agosto de 1930,
Nos. 123-124, p. -771--7T7.
60. Colombia. Lfmites de la Republica de Colombia, Ministerio
de Relaciones Exteriores, Oficina de Longitudes y Fronteras,
191.1., p. 106.
61. Ireland, oa. cit., p. 219. (1, above).
62. Colombia, op. cit., p. 107. (60, above).
63. Ireland, 2p. cit., p. 196-198. (23, above).
61+. State. Peace, Friendship, and Boundaries between Peru and
Ecuador, Executive Agreement Series 288, United States
Government Printing Office, 191-3, p. 6.
65. Ireland, op. cit., p. 210-211. (23, above).
66. Ibid., p. 2111..
67. Army, Bogota. Military Attache Rpt 819, 7 Apr 11.1, Boundary
Treaty between Colombia and Venezuela signed April 5, 1911.1,
from El Tiempo, 6 Apr 11.1.
68. State, op. cit., p. 5-6. (64, above).
69. State, op. cit., (56, above).
70. Ireland, 2p. cit., p. 245. (23, above).
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