Major International Boundary Lines

Three lines, drawn decades apart by British officials, still shape South Asia’s borders — and its border disputes — today.

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WorldGeo0013 · World Geography

Major International Boundary Lines

Three lines, drawn by British officials, that still shape South Asia’s borders today

Durand Line

1893 · ~2,640 km

• Afghanistan – Pakistan boundary, through the Hindu Kush.
• Agreed by Sir Mortimer Durand and Amir Abdur Rahman Khan.
• Afghanistan has never fully accepted it as permanent.

McMahon Line

1914 · ~890 km

• India’s north-eastern boundary with China.
• Drawn by Sir Henry McMahon at the Simla Convention.
• China rejects it, claiming Arunachal Pradesh as “South Tibet.”

Radcliffe Line

1947 · ~3,223 km

• India – Pakistan boundary, drawn at Partition.
• Sir Cyril Radcliffe drew it in about five weeks.
• He had never visited India before drawing it.

Not the Same as Today’s LAC or LoC

The Line of Actual Control (India-China) and Line of Control (India-Pakistan, Kashmir) are separate, later lines — not the McMahon or Radcliffe Lines themselves.

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Must Know

• The Durand Line, drawn in 1893, marks the boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, running about 2,640 km.
• Sir Mortimer Durand and Amir Abdur Rahman Khan agreed the line, which runs through the Hindu Kush.
• The McMahon Line, drawn at the 1914 Simla Convention, marks India’s north-eastern border with China, running about 890 km.
• The Radcliffe Line, drawn in 1947 by Sir Cyril Radcliffe, marks the India-Pakistan border, running about 3,223 km.
• Radcliffe drew the entire line in about five weeks, despite never having visited India before.

Good to Know

• Afghanistan has never fully accepted the Durand Line as a permanent international border — a dispute that continues today.
• China rejects the McMahon Line, claiming Arunachal Pradesh as “South Tibet” — a live source of India-China tension.
• The Radcliffe Line’s rushed drawing, in just five weeks, contributed to the chaos and violence of Partition.

Test Yourself

Please wait…

1. Which line marks the boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan?

Durand Line

McMahon Line

Radcliffe Line

Line of Control

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Great to Know

• Today’s Line of Actual Control (LAC), the effective India-China border, is not the same as the McMahon Line. It emerged from the 1962 war, and stays undemarcated in several sectors.
• The Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir is also distinct from the Radcliffe Line. It was the 1949 ceasefire line, renamed under the 1972 Simla Agreement.
• All three original lines were drawn by British officials with limited local knowledge — a legacy that continues to generate border disputes decades later.