What is the longest great circle distance between the capitals of two countries that share a land border? The most common first answer I have heard comes in fourth.
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$\begingroup$ The common (wrong) answer which comes to mind is Moscow and Beijing, right? ;) $\endgroup$– Enamul HassanSep 24, 2016 at 6:00
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1$\begingroup$ @manetsus: that is correct. $\endgroup$– Ross MillikanSep 24, 2016 at 14:02
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4 Answers
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The distance between
Paris (France) and Brasilia (Brasil) is 8730 km.
Yes, they do share a land border,
because French Guiana is a proper département of France.
answered Sep 24, 2016 at 6:23
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Google tells me that the distance between
Moscow and Pyongyang is 6,408 km.
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$\begingroup$ Yes, that beats Moscow-Beijing but loses to Paris-Brasilia and Paris-Parmaribo, Surinam. Not many know that Russia borders North Korea. $\endgroup$ Sep 24, 2016 at 21:08
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$\begingroup$ This was a question on Jeopardy once, and their answer was Moscow-Pyongyang. $\endgroup$ Dec 10, 2017 at 0:53
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Could be 15,970 km or 9,920 mi or so, between...
...Oslo, Norway, and Canberra, Australia.
Their countries share a border...
...in Antarctica.
If touching at a single point counts, make that 17,660 km or 10,970 mi or so, between...
...Oslo, Norway, and Wellington, New Zealand.
Their countries touch...
...at the south pole.
If you care to dispute this, you're probably in the company of many earthlings, but not many in those countries.
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1$\begingroup$ Well done. I am in the company of the earthlings you mention, but am impressed nonetheless. $\endgroup$ Sep 24, 2016 at 14:08
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3$\begingroup$ I care to dispute it! Queen Maud Land is not, strictly speaking, part of the country Norway. Rather, it's a dependent territory. Similarly, AAT is not part of Australia the country. $\endgroup$ Sep 24, 2016 at 15:13
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Moscow to Washington? You can drive over the Bering straight at certain times of year which could qualify Russia and USA as sharing a border. Does this count?
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1$\begingroup$ No, that is the point of specifying a land border. $\endgroup$ Sep 24, 2016 at 21:06
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$\begingroup$ I understood that, I am querying if the Bering strait counts as a land border. I'm not too sure of the geography of that area of the world but have heard anecdotes of people covering it by car $\endgroup$– Darren HSep 24, 2016 at 21:23
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2$\begingroup$ As I see it, frozen water is not land, so even if you can cover it by car it is still a sea border. If there were an island shared by the US and Russia, it would count, but I am not aware of one. $\endgroup$ Sep 24, 2016 at 21:26