Where is the world's only elliptical boundary between two countries?

Tamarind_Ja

U.S. Canada border. Jun 29 05, 8:45 PM

gmackematix

That's a guess isn't it? Sadly, it isn't a correct one. Jun 30 05, 3:01 AM

peasypod

How is the US/Canada border elliptical?! Without time to flit through pages of maps, I can only suggest a place like Nepal, but of course it has India and China around it so technically that would mean between three countries, or am I mis-reading the question? Perhaps I should make myself comfy with Mr Google.. Jun 30 05, 4:44 AM

Tamarind_Ja

It follows a line of latitude, for most part at least. Jun 30 05, 5:19 AM

peasypod

Ok, fair enough with the line of latitude thing. I was trapped in the realms of the generalized ellipse being oval shape.... (Traced by a point moving in a plane so that the sum of its distances from two other points is constant.) Jun 30 05, 6:10 AM

Arpeggionist

What about the border between India and Bangladesh? Jun 30 05, 2:54 PM

gmackematix

Ah, sorry, I see your point Tamarind. In that sense I suppose there are a few, like North and South Korea, but I wasn't counting the curvature of the Earth. I meant elliptical as in part of an ellipse traced as Peasy described. To narrow the search down, it is in Europe. Jun 30 05, 4:46 PM

lanfranco

Well, no boundary could be perfectly elliptical, but would San Marino's count? http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/sm.htm Jun 30 05, 5:55 PM

peasypod

In that case Liechtenstein looks good but we have Austria and the Swiss border which makes three countries....So, Portugal is looking good at the moment.. Jun 30 05, 6:31 PM

gmackematix

Almost there but not quite. Jun 30 05, 6:32 PM

gmackematix

And my last post was directed at Frankie. Jun 30 05, 6:33 PM

lanfranco

Macedonia? Jun 30 05, 6:37 PM

peasypod

Hmmmm.....Are we talking the smooth curves of St Peter's? Jun 30 05, 6:38 PM

peasypod

....As in the Holy See. Jun 30 05, 6:39 PM

lanfranco

Do you mean, are we talking the Vatican? Jun 30 05, 6:40 PM

lanfranco

Not exactly an ellipse: http://worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/va.htm Jun 30 05, 6:42 PM

peasypod

Yes....Have you ever stood in that one spot in the middle of the square where you can only see one layer of columns? Jun 30 05, 6:43 PM

lanfranco

Many times. But that's just the Piazza, not the entire State. Here's Macedonia: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapshells/europe/macedonia/macedonia.htm Jun 30 05, 6:45 PM

peasypod

Obviously, but I'm having difficulty coming up with a perfectly egg-shaped country as well. Lets try Luxembourg...yep gmackybabe, we're guessing now. Jun 30 05, 6:48 PM

satguru

Did you get the right answer yet? If not, Croatia's an odd boomerang shape, especially on the Bosnian side. But my map has struggled to produce anything remotely elliptical in Europe. Jun 30 05, 7:10 PM

Tamarind_Ja

Liechtenstein has some rather funny curves for borders, I wouldnt call it elliptical though. Jun 30 05, 7:55 PM

Tamarind_Ja

Ah, ok. The Russian exclave Kaliningrad Oblast. Jun 30 05, 8:08 PM

peasypod

Gerard has sneakily gone to hit the sack and has left us to deal with our misery til he awakes. This is driving me nuts I tell ya. Jun 30 05, 9:31 PM

Tamarind_Ja

You could have said the whole border is elliptical, I would have told you this yesterday and stopped you all busting your brains:) Jun 30 05, 9:43 PM

gmackematix

Peasy mentioned St Peter's and the Holy See first so gets the ysy. I read that the Vatican's eastern boundary is marked by the outer elliptical wall of St Peter's and was therefore "the only ellipsoidal [sic] country boundary in the world". Given the odd choice of geometric term I'm not sure how accurate this is but the author seemed to be something of an expert on geographical oddities. Jul 01 05, 2:13 AM

gmackematix

Ah, I've just looked at Frankie's site. I see it was only a small part of the border making this quite a difficult question. Still, it is elliptical and you did get there in the end so well done. Jul 01 05, 2:19 AM

peasypod

Hallelujah! Now if that doesn't get me a roll I don't know what will. Here's the thing that tipped me... http://www.wisegeek.com/images/maps/map-of-vatican-city.htm Jul 01 05, 6:03 AM

lanfranco

Hmmm, I think have to register a protest. I don't think that a mere segment of an ellipse, which is defined here as a closed figure, can be said to represent an actual "elliptical boundary". But that's just me: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&biw=780&oi=defmore&q=define:ellipse Jul 01 05, 6:04 AM

peasypod

Ok, gmacky, face it, the question is a teensy bit ambiguous. Hey Frankie, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you joined in on the roll... Jul 01 05, 6:27 AM

Tamarind_Ja

The northern border of Poland and Kaliningrad Oblast is an elliptical line. It's almost parallel to latitude lines as well! Jul 01 05, 2:30 PM

peasypod

Uh-oh... Jul 01 05, 2:40 PM

lanfranco

Stop him! Jul 01 05, 3:01 PM

peasypod

You hold him down while I get the electrical tape.. Jul 01 05, 3:05 PM

gmackematix

I'm not averse to sharing the roll here but elliptical means "relating to an ellipse" and says nothing about including the whole ellipse. As for your "elliptical" boundary, Tamarind, find a site that shows it as Peasy and Frankie have done and I'll consider your claim. Jul 01 05, 5:37 PM

SOTHC

The majority of the border between the US and Canada is an arc when you take the curve of the earth surface into consideration. Jul 02 05, 12:46 AM

gmackematix

You're too late SM. I already acknowledged that about seven posts into this discussion! Jul 02 05, 8:33 PM