10 Border Conflicts Happening RIGHT NOW

10-Current-Border-Conflicts

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at the most disputed international borders that could - and have - lead to massive and violent conflagrations.

China & India

The border conflict between China and India primarily revolves around two regions: Aksai Chin, which is largely controlled by China, and Arunachal Pradesh, administered by India. Tensions date back to the 1950s, though the region was mostly ignored until the Chinese annexation of Tibet. The dispute over these regions escalated into full-blown war in 1962, ending in victory for China and the establishment of a notional demarcation called the Line of Actual Control. Despite a 1993 agreement to maintain peace along this line, sporadic skirmishes have continued. This came to a head in 2020, when clashes in the Galwan River valley resulted in casualties on both sides. The dispute remains unresolved, and both nations maintain a heavy military presence at the border.

China & Japan

The Senkaku Islands dispute between China and Japan centers on a group of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea. Although Japan currently administers the islands, China also asserts ownership, basing its claims on historical grounds. In reality, China only laid formal claims in 1971, three years after possible oil reserves were found in the area. Even so, tensions did not rise until the 1990s, and they seem to have only gotten worse. The conflict has resulted in periodic military posturing, with both nations deploying naval and air forces to assert control. This standoff carries significant regional and global implications, especially given the U.S. defense commitments to Japan. The Senkaku Islands remain a flashpoint in East Asia, with tensions likely to escalate.

North Korea & South Korea

The Korean War, which began in 1950, concluded three years later with an armistice, but it never officially came to an end. As a result, the border between North and South Korea, known as the Demilitarized Zone, remains one of the most dangerous places on earth. Despite its name, the DMZ is anything but demilitarized. Heavily fortified with barbed wire, landmines, and armed troops, the DMZ stretches 160 miles across the Korean Peninsula. The threat of renewed hostilities still looms large, however, as the two Koreas have engaged in numerous skirmishes and provocations over the years. This border is one of the reasons why the U.S. won’t support a ban on landmines.

Sudan & South Sudan

The border conflict between Sudan and South Sudan is rooted in decades of civil war, ethnic tensions, and greed. After South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, territorial issues lingered on, with one of the many contested areas being the oil-rich region of Abyei. Both nations have heavily militarized the border, where tension often erupts into gunfire. Skirmishes and cross-border raids are common, leading to frequent and massive displacement of civilians. Greed for the oil fields, combined with ethnic friction, has turned this border into one of the most dangerous in Africa. Despite international mediation efforts, no lasting agreement on the border relations has been reached, and this instability threatens to spread throughout the region.

China, Southeast Asia & Most of the South Pacific

The South China Sea conflict is one of the world's most fractious; China, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan each claim parts of the region. The rationale is clear: the South China Sea is a strategically crucial gold mine, rich in natural resources like oil and gas reserves. More importantly, it's a vital route in Pan-Pacific trade, with over $3 trillion worth of goods and services passing through annually. China has ratcheted up tensions by physically expanding their territory through the construction of artificial islands, which are then converted into military bases. The dispute is further complicated by the United States, whose involvement in Pan-Pacific trade has led it to conduct freedom of navigation operations to challenge China's claims.

Venezuela & Guyana

The territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over the Essequibo region dates back to the 19th century. The conflict originated in colonial-era claims, with Venezuela insisting to this day that the 1899 ruling granting the land to Guyana is invalid. By a strange coincidence, Essequibo happens to be blessed with abundant natural resources. Those resources have been at the heart of recent tensions, particularly after large reserves of oil were discovered off Guyana’s coast. Venezuela sees those fields as a partial solution to their economic woes. Their military posturing has reached a fever pitch, raising concerns about the potential for war. Despite international mediation efforts, the dispute remains unresolved.

Russia & Ukraine

Once member states of the same country, Russia and Ukraine have shared a long relationship that has gradually worsened since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. That year, Ukraine became an independent nation for the first time since 1922, but Russia struggled to fully accept its sovereignty. Crimea in particular caught their eye. It's a land of such strategic importance that wars have been fought there for centuries. Its large Russian-speaking population gave Russia a thin casus belli to annex the peninsula in 2014. Since then, Russian-backed separatists have been fighting Ukraine's government. In 2022, Russia escalated the conflict with a full-fledged invasion, but the swift victory they hoped for never materialized, leaving the territory war-torn to this day.

Israel & Palestine

The Israel-Palestine conflict dates back to the 20th century, when Jewish and Arab nationalist movements clashed over Palestine, after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. In 1948, the establishment of Israel sparked the First Arab–Israeli War, which displaced many Palestinians. Since then, tensions have remained high, with more wars and uprisings, often centered around borders in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. Things took a significant turn in October 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, who then retaliated with an invasion of Gaza. This has led to widespread casualties and further complicated any prospects for peace. The situation is further complicated by Israel's territorial disputes with Lebanon, particularly over the Golan Heights, a region Israel captured in 1967 and later annexed.

India & Pakistan

The territorial dispute between India and Pakistan has been a hotbed of violence and conflict since the 1947 partition of British India. Both nations emerged when the British broke up their empire; India with a primarily Hindu population and Pakistan with a predominantly Muslim one. While religion plays a significant role, it’s not the only factor in the ongoing struggle between both nations over the Kashmir region. In 1972, a de facto border was established, known as the Line of Control, but conflicts have continued to erupt along this line. With both countries being nuclear powers, the world has long watched Kashmir with concern. The religious and cultural divides between both nations, combined with internal sectarian violence, keep tensions at this border simmering.

China & Taiwan

The conflict between China and Taiwan could ostensibly spark a third world war. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province, while Taiwan considers itself a sovereign state. Both perspectives have some merit. After the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the defeated Nationalist government retreated to Taiwan. They declared this territory the Republic of China, separate from the People's Republic of China. China has consistently threatened war over Taiwan, leaving the region in a state of perpetual fear. Taiwan has however found an ally in the United States, which has supported it for decades, without officially recognizing its independence. International diplomacy over the region is extremely delicate, as even a brief visit by a U.S. politician, like Nancy Pelosi’s in 2022, can ramp up tensions.

The world is full of conflicts. Did we miss any other deadly and active border disputes? Let us know in the comments below.