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Why Belgium and The Netherlands Share The World’s Weirdest Border
An ugly, confusing mess
Belgium and The Netherlands have a long and complicated history that dates back to the 1830 Belgian Revolution. Before declaring independence, Belgium was once a part of a much larger United Kingdom of the Netherlands. (Not related to the United Kingdom mind you.) From that point on the two nations have been locked in various border disputes.
The last official change to the Dutch-Belgian border came in 2018 when territory maps were exchanged and the border was redrawn. This was not the first time the border between these two nations has changed and it probably won’t be the last.
The reason why Belgium and The Netherlands have such a messy border is because they share a history going back hundreds of years. The shared history of this area dates back long before the Belgian Revolution. Contracts, familial holdings and old treaties still muddle the geographic and legal landscape on the borders between Belgium and The Netherlands.
One of the weirdest and most prominent examples of this legal mess is in Baarle-Hertog.
A Piece of Belgium In The Netherlands
Baarle-Hertog is an ancient town that is nestled on the border between Belgium and The Netherlands. The town is notable because, technically, it lies within Dutch territory. However, due to myriad legal documents dating back hundreds of years, there are pockets of sovereign territory that belong to Belgium.
The result is a riotous mess of a border. The town is now famous for its markings which denote what parts are Dutch and what parts are Belgium. There are houses cut in two by the border and cafes divided by markings on the ground. One person can be sitting sipping tea in Belgium and the person next to them could be blowing on a hot cup of coffee in The Netherlands. A person’s home could be in Belgium and when they take a single step onto the sidewalk they are now in The Netherlands.
