Canada has just one neighboring country by land — the United States — with which it shares an 8,891 km border, the longest international boundary in the world. Surrounded on three sides by oceans, Canada is geographically isolated from every other nation except its southern neighbor, though it also maintains maritime boundaries with Denmark and France.
The United States: Canada's Only Land Neighbor
The Canada–United States border stretches across the entire width of North America, separating the two countries from the Atlantic to the Pacific and continuing through a separate northern stretch between Alaska and the Yukon and British Columbia. At 8,891 km, it is the longest land border between any two nations on Earth. About 2,475 km of that total runs between Alaska and Canada, while the remaining contiguous portion follows a mix of natural features and surveyed lines.
A large section of the boundary follows the 49th parallel north, a straight line of latitude running from Lake of the Woods in the east to the Strait of Georgia near the Pacific coast. Other parts trace the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River, and the rugged terrain of the Rocky Mountains. The border touches eight Canadian provinces and territories and thirteen U.S. states, making it a defining feature of life in both countries.
A Border Built on Trade and Cooperation
The relationship between Canada and the United States is one of the closest and most economically integrated in the world. The two countries trade hundreds of billions of dollars in goods and services each year, and the border sees enormous daily movement of people, freight, and commerce. Major crossing points such as the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, handle a significant share of all overland trade between the nations.
Beyond commerce, the border is often described as friendly and largely undefended, a symbol of the long peace between the two countries since the War of 1812. Shared institutions manage waterways, fisheries, air quality, and the Great Lakes, reflecting how deeply the two nations cooperate on practical, cross-boundary matters. You can learn more in our canada country guide.
Maritime Neighbors: Denmark and France
Although Canada has only one land neighbor, it shares maritime boundaries with two other countries. Denmark, through its autonomous territory of Greenland, lies across the narrow Nares Strait and Davis Strait to Canada's northeast. For decades the two nations engaged in a famously good-natured dispute over tiny, uninhabited Hans Island, with each side reportedly leaving a bottle of liquor and a flag for the other. In 2022 they finally settled the matter by drawing a border directly across the island, creating Canada's first and only land boundary that is not with the United States — albeit on an island no one lives on.
France is Canada's other maritime neighbor by way of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, a small archipelago just off the coast of Newfoundland. These islands are an overseas collectivity of France, meaning a piece of European territory sits only a short ferry ride from Canadian shores. The maritime boundary around them was settled by international arbitration in 1992.
Why Canada Has So Few Neighbors
Canada's geography explains its short list of neighbors. As the second-largest country in the world by total area, it spans roughly 9.98 million km² and is bordered by three oceans — the Atlantic to the east, the Pacific to the west, and the Arctic to the north. This vast coastline, the longest of any nation on the planet, leaves the southern border with the United States as the only place where Canada meets another country by land.
This isolation has shaped Canadian identity, trade patterns, and defense policy. With the bulk of its population living within a few hundred kilometers of the U.S. border, most Canadians live closer to their American neighbor than to one another across the country's enormous interior.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many countries border Canada?
Canada borders only one country by land: the United States. It also shares maritime boundaries with Denmark (via Greenland) and France (via Saint Pierre and Miquelon).
How long is the Canada–United States border?
The border measures 8,891 km, making it the longest international land border in the world. About 2,475 km of that runs between Canada and the U.S. state of Alaska.
Does Canada border Russia?
No. Although Canada and Russia both border the Arctic Ocean and face each other across the polar region, they do not share a land or maritime boundary. They are Arctic neighbors only in a broad geographic sense.
What is the only land border Canada has that isn't with the USA?
Since 2022, Canada shares a land boundary with Denmark on Hans Island in the Arctic. It is the result of a peaceful resolution to a long-running, friendly dispute over the uninhabited island.