Boundary Facts

The International Boundary Commission, under International Treaty, maintains the 8,891 km (5,525 miles) boundary shown on 256 official boundary maps. The Commission inspects, maintains and re-establishes over 8,000 monuments and reference points, 1,000 survey control sites and keeps a 6 metre or 20 foot wide clear vista along the land boundary line.

Boundary on Land 5,061 km or 3,145 miles

  • Identified by a series of straight lines which intersect at boundary monuments
  • 2,172 km (1,350 miles) through forest which requires clearing of a 6 metre (20 feet) vista, on a regular basis
  • 5,528 boundary monuments
  • 5,700 triangulation stations
  • Shortest distance between two boundary monuments: 46 cm (18 inches)

Boundary on Water 3,830 km or 2,380 miles

  • Identified by a series of straight lines which intersect at unmarked turning points (except for Turning Points 158 and 159 in Lake Erie and Turning Points 106 and 107 in Lake Ontario, where the boundary follows the parallel of latitude)
  • 5,723 Turning Points
  • 2,457 Reference Monuments

Length of Boundary by Province/Territory

  • New Brunswick - 513 km or 319 miles
  • Québec - 813 km or 505 miles
  • Ontario - 2,760 km or 1,715 miles
  • Manitoba - 497 km or 309 miles
  • Saskatchewan - 632 km or 393 miles
  • Alberta - 298 km or 185 miles
  • British Columbia - 2,168 km or 1,347 miles
  • Yukon - 1,210 km or 752 miles

Length of Boundary by State

  • Maine - 611 miles or 983 km
  • New Hampshire - 58 miles or 93 km
  • Vermont - 90 miles or 145 km
  • New York - 445 miles or 716 km
  • Pennsylvania - 42 miles or 68 km
  • Ohio - 146 miles or 235 km
  • Michigan - 721 miles or 1,160 km
  • Minnesota - 547 miles or 880 km
  • North Dakota - 310 miles or 499 km
  • Montana -545 miles or 877 km
  • Idaho - 45 miles or 72 km
  • Washington - 427 miles or 687 km
  • Alaska - 1,538 miles or 2,475 km

Length of Canada- United States Boundary from the Atlantic to Pacific Oceans

  • 6,416 km - 2 878 km of land + 3 538 km of water
    or
  • 3,987 miles - 1,788 miles of land + 2,199 miles of water

Length of Canada-United States Boundary from the Pacific to Arctic Oceans

  • 2,475 km - 2,183 km of land + 292 km of water
    or
  • 1,538 miles - 1,357 miles of land + 181 miles of water