Which country is closest to the US without sharing a land border?
The United States is a nation that covers approximately 3,796,742 square miles, and due to its large area, it ranks as the third largest nation in the world. (Which country is closest to the US)
The United States is one of the most powerful countries in the world due to its economic and military might.
The United States shares its land borders with two nations, Canada and Mexico, and the total length of the country’s borders is approximately 7,478 miles.
The closest country to the US without sharing land boundaries is Russia because, at their closest point, the two nations are approximately 2.5 miles apart.
Bering strait
The Bering Strait is a water body separating the Russian and American nations. The Bering Strait takes its name from a Danish explorer, Vitus Bering, who worked for the Russian government to explore the region.
The narrowest section of the strait is between two capes, Dezhnev in Russia and Prince of Wales in the US. The eastern area of the strait is within US territory, with cities such as Nome and Teller located in the US section of the region.
Cities on the Russian side of the strait include Lavrentiya and Lorino. There are two islands in the center of the strait, one belonging to the US, Little Diomede, and the other, Little Diomede, belonging to Russia.
The International Date Line separates the two islands, causing the American and Russian sections to have different dates.
Some of the best-known explorers who crossed the channel include Mikhail Gvozdev and Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld. (Which country is closest to the US)
Developments along the Strait
The governments of both nations have proposed various developments along the strait; however, some challenges faced the projects.
One of the first projects to be proposed in the region was a telegraph line proposed by a telegraph company that operated in Russia and America.
Baron Loicq de Lobel made proposals to build a bridge and tunnel in the area to link the Alaskan and Siberian territories.
One of the prominent supporters of the project was Tsar Nicholas II, who commissioned Loicq to start the project.
Despite the Tsar’s support, the project never got off the ground. The Russian government proposed building a dam on the Bering Strait, which faced strong opposition from the US, with significant opponents such as the CIA and the FBI concerned about US national security.
The proposed dam also faced strong opposition in Russia from DA Drogaytsev, a scientist concerned about the dam’s environmental impact.
China is another nation that has considered a development project in the region. The Chinese government had considered building a railway linking China, Russia, Canada, and the United States. A 120-mile-long section of the railway would pass under the Bering Strait. (Which country is closest to the US)
Russian-American relations
The two nations have a complicated relationship that encompasses trade and diplomatic relations. One of the most volatile periods between the two nations was during the cold war.
One of the regions significantly affected was the Bering Strait, as the border between the two nations was closed, preventing the traditional movement of indigenous peoples. Tensions in the region were significantly reduced after Lynne Cox swam across the border.
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