Cross-border town naming occurs where towns or villages with the same or equivalent names are divided between two different countries. This does not necessarily imply that those towns or villages are located in geographic proximity or that they are located near a current border (divided cities). Reasons for this taking place may include the following:
- The town or village existed before the border or even before the modern concept of a border. The border was added later (sometimes by war), dividing a community.
- A community on one side of a border grows up to service the border and then takes the name of the adjacent community on the other side of the border.
- Communities grow up on both sides of the border to service the border, taking the name of the border crossing.
Most places are in Europe, but there are also some examples in North America and Asia. In Europe, until the first half of the 20th century and again since the Schengen Agreement in the late 20th century, such divisions could be mostly ignored by the inhabitants.
Examples
editNote that this list includes only places with similar names that are in someway connected (by history, geography or otherwise) across modern-day international borders. Towns that have the same name but bear no relationship to each other are also very common but not particularly notable.
Europe
editDenmark–Sweden
editNetherlands–Germany
edit- Rhederbrug, Rhederveld / Rhede
- Barnflair (Ter Apel) / Barnfleer
- Veenebrugge / Vennebrügge
- Zwillbroek / Zwillbrock
- Ubach over Worms / Übach-Palenberg
- Spijk / Spyck
Netherlands–Belgium
editBelgium–Germany
editLuxembourg–Germany
edit- Obereisenbach, Untereisenbach / Übereisenbach
- Wallendorf-Pont / Wallendorf
- Bollendorf-Pont / Bollendorf
- Echternach / Echternacherbrück
- Wasserbillig / Wasserbilligerbrück
Belgium–France
edit- Comines-Warneton / Comines
- Wervik / Wervicq-Sud
- Quiévrain / Quiévrechain
- Gœgnies-Chaussée / Gognies-Chaussée
- Grand-Reng / Vieux-Reng
Luxembourg–France
editFrance–Germany
edit- Leiding / Leidingen
- Petite-Rosselle / Großrosseln
- Grosbliederstroff / Kleinblittersdorf
- Obergailbach / Niedergailbach
- Scheibenhard / Scheibenhardt
- Lauterbourg / Neulauterburg
- Neuf-Brisach / Breisach
- Kembs / Klein Kembs
France–Switzerland
editFrance–Spain
edit- Île des Faisans / Isla de los Faisanes (Konpantzia / Île de l’hôpital / Île de la Conférence)
Germany–Switzerland
edit- Rheinfelden-Baden (Badisch-Rhyfälde) / Rheinfelden (Rhyfälde)
- Laufenburg / Laufenburg
- Reckingen (Küssaberg) / Rekingen
Germany–Austria
editGermany–Poland
edit- Altwarp / Nowe Warpno
- Rosow / Rosówek
- Hohenwutzen / Osinów Dolny (Niederwutzen)*
- Zäckericker Loose / Siekierki (Zäckerick)*
- Güstebieser Loose / Gozdowice (Güstebiese)*
- Altrüdnitzer Ausbau / Stara Rudnica (Altrüdnitz)*
- Neulietzegöricke / Stare Łysogórki (Altlietzegöricke)*
- Zelliner Loose / Czelin (Zellin)*
- Küstrin-Kietz / Kostrzyn nad Odrą (Küstrin)*
- Lebus / Nowy Lubusz (Neulebus)*
- Kunitzer Loose / Kunice (Kunitz)*
- Aurith / Urad (Aurith)*
- Guben / Gubin
- Zelz / Siedlec (Zelz)*
- Klein Priebus / Przewóz (Priebus)*
- Görlitz / Zgorzelec
- Altlandsberg / Gorzów ((Neu))Landsberg)*
- Altentreptow / Trzebiatów (Treptow)*
(*) In some cases there have been added exonyms to show the relationship between the towns more clearly for people not familiar with the respective languages.
Germany–Czech Republic
edit- Seifhennersdorf / Horní Jindřichův (Oberhennersdorf)*
- Zinnwald / Cínovec (Zinnwald)*
- Deutschgeorgenthal / Český Jiřetín (Georgendorf)*
- Deutscheinsiedel / Mníšek (Böhmisch Einsiedel)*
- Deutschneudorf / Nová Ves v Horách (Gebirgsneudorf)*
- Deutschkatharinenberg / Hora Svaté Kateřiny (Böhmisch Katherinenberg)*
- Hammerunterwiesenthal / České Hamry (Böhmisch Hammer)*
- Oberwiesenthal / Loučna (Böhmisch Wiesenthal)*
- Neualbenreuth / Mýtina (Altalbenreuth)*
- Bayerisch Eisenstein / Železná Ruda (Markt Eisenstein)*
(*) In some cases there have been added exonyms to show the relationship between the towns more clearly for people not familiar with the respective languages.
Czech Republic–Poland
edit- Pelhřimovy / Pielgrzymów
- Opavice / Opawica
- Krásné Loučky / Krasne Pole
- Chomýž / Chomiąża
- Český Těšín (Czeski Cieszyn)* / Cieszyn
- Horní Líštná / Leszna Górna
(*) In some cases there have been added exonyms to show the relationship between the towns more clearly for people not familiar with the respective languages.
Poland-Ukraine
edit- Dziewięcierz / Devyatyr (Дев'ятир)
- Uhrusk / Novouhruzke (Новоугрузьке)
Poland-Belarus
edit- Tokary / Tokary (Токари, Такары)
- Usnarz Górny / Usnar-Dolnyy (Уснар-Дольный)
- Minkowce / Minkovcy
- Nowodziel / Novodel
Czech Republic–Austria
editAustria–Slovenia
edit- Bad Radkersburg / Gornja Radgona
- Deutschfeistritz / Slovenska Bistrica (Windischfeistritz)*
- Graz / Slovenj Gradec
- Deutschlandsberg / Podčetrtek (Windischlandsberg)*
- Oberdrauburg / Dravograd (Unterdrauburg)*
- Unterloibl / Podljubelj (Unterloibl)*
Italy–France
editItaly–Slovenia
editItaly–Switzerland
editHungary–Slovakia
edit- Komárom / Komárno
- Sátoraljaújhely / Slovenské Nové Mesto
- Balassagyarmat / Slovenské Ďarmoty
- Esztergom / Štúrovo
Hungary–Romania
editHungary-Serbia
editPortugal–Spain
editSweden–Finland
edit- Karesuando / Kaaresuvanto
- Kuttainen / Kuttanen
- Katkesuando / Kätkäsuvanto
- Muonionalusta / Muonio
- Kihlangi / Kihlanki
- Pello / Pello
- Övertorneå / Ylitornio
- Karungi / Karunki
Estonia–Latvia
editCroatia–Bosnia and Herzegovina
edit- Hrvatska Kostajnica / Kostajnica
- Hrvatska Dubica / Kozarska Dubica
- Stara Gradiška / Gradiška
- Dolina / Donja Dolina, Gornja Dolina
- Orubica / Orubica
- Slavonski Kobaš / Kobaš
- Dubočac / Bosanski Dubočac
- Slavonski Brod / Brod
- Svilaj / Donji Svilaj, Gornji Svilaj
- Slavonski Šamac / Šamac
Bosnia and Herzegovina–Serbia
editBosnia and Herzegovina–Montenegro
editSerbia–Romania
editRomania–Ukraine
editRomania–Moldova
editNorth America
editTowns and cities listed have names of a common origin across an international boundary; matching pairs across provincial or state boundaries (such as Kansas City or Lloydminster) are common but are not listed here.
Canada–United States
edit- Beebe Plain, Quebec / Beebe Plain, Vermont
- Niagara Falls, Ontario / Niagara Falls, New York
- Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario / Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
- North Portal, Saskatchewan / Portal, North Dakota
- Madawaska County, New Brunswick / Madawaska, Maine
United States–Mexico
edit- Calexico, California / Mexicali, Baja California
- Tecate, California / Tecate, Baja California
- Naco, Arizona / Naco, Sonora
- Nogales, Arizona / Nogales, Sonora
- San Luis, Arizona / San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora
- El Paso, Texas / Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua (formerly El Paso del Norte, 1852–1888)
- Boquillas, Texas / Boquillas del Carmen, Coahuila
- Laredo, Texas / Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
- Progreso, Texas / Nuevo Progreso, Tamaulipas
South America
editArgentina–Chile
edit- Antofagasta de la Sierra / Antofagasta
- Coquimbito / Coquimbo
- San Sebastián