Border area

The border area is the area immediately adjacent to the border of a country. In addition to the informal definition, a border area may have a legal definition and delineation, both domestically and due to bilateral agreements. Reasons for legal definition of a border area include enhanced security and special provisions for the residents of border areas to cross the border (local border traffic).

For Schengen States, a regulation for local border traffic at external borders define a border area which may extend to a maximum of 50 kilometres (31 mi) on either side of the border. An exception is made for Kaliningrad Oblast, see "Poland–Russia border" article for details.

In the Soviet Union of the Interbellum and post-World War II periods, the border areas were subject to severe ethnic cleansing of nationals of "potentially hostile" ethnicities; see Population transfer in the Soviet Union and Forced settlements in the Soviet Union#Deportations from border territories in 1939–1941 for details.

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