Tripoint

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A triple border, tripoint,^{[citation needed]} trijunction,^[1] triple point, or tri-border area is a geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries or subnational entities meet. There are 175 international tripoints as of 2020.^[2] Nearly half are situated in rivers, lakes or seas. On dry land, the exact tripoints may be indicated by markers or pillars, and occasionally by larger monuments.

Usually, the more neighbours a country has, the more international tripoints that country has.

International tripoints include:

• the
  Treriksröset of Finland, Norway, and Sweden
  (the northernmost international tripoint in the world; the exact point is in a lake, but a marker is built on that point)
• the Vaalserberg of the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium
• the "Dreiländereck" of Germany, France, and Switzerland (the exact point is in the river and the marker is not on the exact point)
• the Schengen tripoint of Germany, France, and Luxembourg (where the Schengen Agreement was signed on board a boat, since the tripoint is in the river)
• the summit of Sia Kangri (near Indira Col) is the tripoint where territories administered by India, Pakistan, and China meet.
• the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay
• the Tres Fronteras of Brazil, Peru, and Colombia
• the Mont Dolent of Italy, France, and Switzerland (the exact point is not at the peak but around 200 metres (700 ft) to the northwest)
• the Trójstyk of Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia
• Mount Roraima, where Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana all meet
• Jongsong Peak, the eastern tripoint of China, India and Nepal
• Bratislava is the only capital city in the world which is located at a tripoint: Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria. The city's administrative area extends to the tripoint, but the point lies outside of urban Bratislava itself.

Some historic tripoints:

• the historic Three Emperors' Corner of Austria-Hungary, the Russian Empire, and German Empire
• the historic Piz da las Trais Linguas (Ortler Alps) of Austria-Hungary, the Kingdom of Italy, and Switzerland
• the historic
  Portuguese Republic).^[3]
• the Tossal dels Tres Reis ('Peak of the Three Kings'), located where the borders of the ancient Kingdoms of Aragon, Valencia and Principality of Catalonia meet.^[4]

International agreements

While the exact line of an international border is normally fixed by a bilateral treaty, the position of the tripoints may need to be settled by a trilateral agreement. For example, China, Russia, and Mongolia have set the position of the two relevant tripoints (the junction points of the China–Russia border, the Mongolia–Russia border, and the China–Mongolia border) by the trilateral agreement signed in Ulaanbaatar on January 27, 1994. The agreement specified that a marker was to be erected at the eastern tripoint, called Tarbagan-Dakh, but that no marker would be erected at the western tripoint (which was defined as the peak of the mountain Tavan-Bogdo-Ula (Kuitunshan, Tavan Bogd Uul).^[5]

Gallery

• 
  The confluence of the

  Iguazú and Paraná rivers is the tripoint between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina

  .
• 
  Dreiländereck Basel: Switzerland, Germany, and France
• 
  Europadenkmal: Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg
• 
  Tripoint of Germany, Czech Republic, and Poland in Sudetes
• 
  Border stone on the tripoint of Poland (right of photograph), Slovakia, and Ukraine (left)
• 
  Treriksröset: Finland, Norway, and Sweden

  tripoint
• 
  Tripoint of Russia, Norway, and Finland
• 
  Arnoldstein: Italy, Slovenia, and Austria tripoint
• 
  Border stone on the tripoint of the Czech Republic (foreground), Austria, and Germany
• 
  Border stone on the tripoint of Bulgaria (right of photograph), Greece (left), and North Macedonia, located on the Tumba Peak
• 
  The tripoint of France, Italy, and Switzerland is located on Mont Dolent.
• 
  Border stone on the tripoint of Venezuela (foreground), Brazil, and Guyana located on Mount Roraima
• 
  3rd peak of Mount Sabyinyo, tripoint of Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC
• 
  Ceremonial marker near the tri-point of France, Germany and Luxembourg
• 
  Cameron Corner Survey Marker, the point where the borders of the Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia meet

See also

• List of tripoints
• List of tripoints of English counties
• List of tripoints of U.S. states
• Quadripoint
• Maritime boundary

References