1986: River Border - Revision history

76.119.141.239: fix wiki link

2025-09-09T21:56:05Z

fix wiki link

172.71.26.107: /* Riverine Boundaries in Common Law and Surveying */ )) >> }}

2025-04-03T12:27:11Z

‎Riverine Boundaries in Common Law and Surveying: )) >> }}

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

2025-04-03T11:09:42Z

‎Explanation

Firestar233: fixing word

2024-12-31T09:19:07Z

fixing word

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

2024-11-12T09:28:28Z

‎Explanation

162.158.175.109: /* Explanation */ Fix typo

2024-10-29T23:44:08Z

‎Explanation: Fix typo

DKMell: more on maritime law

2024-09-25T17:19:56Z

172.69.134.164: covered high seas case

2024-09-25T17:12:46Z

covered high seas case

Tromag at 18:41, 16 May 2024

2024-05-16T18:41:41Z

172.70.90.29 at 22:30, 22 January 2024

2024-01-22T22:30:57Z

@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 The border between Delaware and New Jersey veers from the median and talweg methods such that Delaware's border includes all the way to the New Jersey shore where the {{w|Delaware River}} is within what is known as the {{w|Twelve-Mile Circle}}.
-One of the causes of the {{w|Iran-Iraq War}} was the dispute on shipping rights on the {{w|Shatt-el Arab river}}, and because the border was defined as the low water mark at the ''eastern'' side of that river, Iranian shipping was severely restricted. So the Shah of Persia announced intent to ignore the 1937 treaty on shipping rights, following the convention of most riverine borders all around the world being defined by the talweg.
+One of the causes of the {{w|Iran-Iraq War}} was the dispute on shipping rights on the {{w|Shatt al-Arab}} river, and because the border was defined as the low water mark at the ''eastern'' side of that river, Iranian shipping was severely restricted. So the Shah of Persia announced intent to ignore the 1937 treaty on shipping rights, following the convention of most riverine borders all around the world being defined by the talweg.
 Between Switzerland and Italy, the border is, at most locations, defined by the actual {{w|drainage divide}}. Because the {{w|Theodul Glacier}} between {{w|Zermatt}} (Switzerland) and {{w|Breuil-Cervinia}} (Italy) is slowly melting, the drainage divide moves southwards, thus slowly enlarging the Swiss territory.

@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 An avulsion is a sudden change in the location of a river or stream, often due to flooding. In times of flood, a river can cut a new channel through surrounding land, which can create islands and oxbow lakes. According to common law, an avulsive change will not change the boundary of the land, as it is likely that the property is unchanged except for the new channel.
-In the real world, however, river systems undergo both accretion and avulsion multiple times over any given period. This makes the determination of property lines along riverine boundaries one of the most complicated aspects of boundary surveying. An examination of a river boundary will require in-depth research of the local history of the river, including reviewing deeds, government survey {{w|plat))s, private survey maps, aerial photos taken over time, local landowners recollections and local lore. In situations where there is disagreement over whether an avulsive or accretive change happened, landowners may have to go to court for a suit to quiet title.
+In the real world, however, river systems undergo both accretion and avulsion multiple times over any given period. This makes the determination of property lines along riverine boundaries one of the most complicated aspects of boundary surveying. An examination of a river boundary will require in-depth research of the local history of the river, including reviewing deeds, government survey {{w|plat}}s, private survey maps, aerial photos taken over time, local landowners recollections and local lore. In situations where there is disagreement over whether an avulsive or accretive change happened, landowners may have to go to court for a suit to quiet title.
 Further in-depth reading may be found in the US Bureau of Land Management's 2009 Manual of Surveying Instructions, Chapter 8, specifically pages 197-205. (See: [https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Manual_Of_Surveying_Instructions_2009.pdf PDF (37.7 MByte)].)

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 The notion of a "legal dead zone" in which laws either don't apply or can't be enforced intrigues many people, likely because people who've lived under a system of laws their whole lives often wonder what it would be like to be unrestricted by any legal code. While Megan's assertion in this case is wrong, there are a number of cases in history where areas, either in theory or in fact, fell beyond the reach of normal laws.
-*In 2005, [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=691642 An article in the Georgetown Law Review] noted that, due to a mismatch in state borders and federal districts in one region of Yellowstone National Park, it would theoretically be impossible to create a jury to convict someone for crimes committed in that region. This theory has never been tested, and it's not sure how the courts would respond, but that region has been referred to as a legal dead zone. (''What If? 2'' referenced this region.)
+*In 2005, [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=691642 an article in the Georgetown Law Review] noted that, due to a mismatch in state borders and federal districts in one region of Yellowstone National Park, it would theoretically be impossible to create a jury to convict someone for crimes committed in that region. This theory has never been tested, and it's not sure how the courts would respond, but that region has been referred to as a legal dead zone. (''[[What If? 2]]'' references this region, and [[2702: What If 2 Gift Guide]] recommends bringing a law-enthusiast friend here.)
 *{{w|Bir Tawil}}, a region along the border between Egypt and Sudan, is claimed by neither country as a result of the {{w|Halaib Triangle}} border dispute. This makes it unlikely that either country would try to enforce its laws in this region (though the region is uninhabited, making the potential for crimes limited).
 *{{w|Kowloon Walled City}} was an enclave in British-controlled Hong Kong. The original treaty gave China the right to administer this enclave, but they were driven out by the British. Following World War 2, China announced its intention to reclaim the enclave, setting up a decades-long stand-off in which neither side administered the area, making it effectively lawless. Unlike the earlier examples, this loophole was quickly taken advantage of by war refugees who built a dense city there, out of reach of the authorities.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 Rather than simply being interested in this geographical oddity, Megan mistakenly concludes that she could break the law in this area without consequences. Ponytail immediately points out isn't true, but Megan seems to ignore her.
-The notion of a "legal dead zone" in which laws either don't apply or can't be enforced intrigues many people, likely because people who've lived under a system of laws their whole lives often wonder what it would be like to be unrestricted by any legal code. While Megan's assertion is this case is wrong, there are a number of cases in history where areas, either in theory or in fact, fell beyond the reach of normal laws.
+The notion of a "legal dead zone" in which laws either don't apply or can't be enforced intrigues many people, likely because people who've lived under a system of laws their whole lives often wonder what it would be like to be unrestricted by any legal code. While Megan's assertion in this case is wrong, there are a number of cases in history where areas, either in theory or in fact, fell beyond the reach of normal laws.
 *In 2005, [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=691642 An article in the Georgetown Law Review] noted that, due to a mismatch in state borders and federal districts in one region of Yellowstone National Park, it would theoretically be impossible to create a jury to convict someone for crimes committed in that region. This theory has never been tested, and it's not sure how the courts would respond, but that region has been referred to as a legal dead zone. (''What If? 2'' referenced this region.)

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 The notion of a "legal dead zone" in which laws either don't apply or can't be enforced intrigues many people, likely because people who've lived under a system of laws their whole lives often wonder what it would be like to be unrestricted by any legal code. While Megan's assertion is this case is wrong, there are a number of cases in history where areas, either in theory or in fact, fell beyond the reach of normal laws.
-- In 2005, [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=691642 An article in the Georgetown Law Review] noted that, due to a mismatch in state borders and federal districts in one region of Yellowstone National Park, it would theoretically be impossible to create a jury to convict someone for crimes committed in that region. This theory has never been tested, and it's not sure how the courts would respond, but that region has been referred to as a legal dead zone. (''What If? 2'' referenced this region.)
+*In 2005, [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=691642 An article in the Georgetown Law Review] noted that, due to a mismatch in state borders and federal districts in one region of Yellowstone National Park, it would theoretically be impossible to create a jury to convict someone for crimes committed in that region. This theory has never been tested, and it's not sure how the courts would respond, but that region has been referred to as a legal dead zone. (''What If? 2'' referenced this region.)
+*{{w|Bir Tawil}}, a region along the border between Egypt and Sudan, is claimed by neither country as a result of the {{w|Halaib Triangle}} border dispute. This makes it unlikely that either country would try to enforce its laws in this region (though the region is uninhabited, making the potential for crimes limited).
-- {{w|Bir Tawil}}, a region along the border between Egypt and Sudan, is claimed by neither country as a result of the {{w|Halaib Triangle}} border dispute. This makes it unlikely that either country would try to enforce its laws in this region (though the region is uninhabited, making the potential for crimes limited).
+*{{w|Kowloon Walled City}} was an enclave in British-controlled Hong Kong. The original treaty gave China the right to administer this enclave, but they were driven out by the British. Following World War 2, China announced its intention to reclaim the enclave, setting up a decades-long stand-off in which neither side administered the area, making it effectively lawless. Unlike the earlier examples, this loophole was quickly taken advantage of by war refugees who built a dense city there, out of reach of the authorities.
+*Border disputes between countries sometimes result in enclaves controlled by one country but fully surrounded by the other. That means that neither country's authorities can travel to the enclave without crossing international borders. When that isn't allowed, the enclave is effectively beyond the reach of law enforcement. This is arguably the closest case to what's portrayed in this comic: if there are no bridges over that section of the river, then Nebraska police would find it somewhat inconvenient to get to the other side. In reality, though, there is no restriction against local authorities from travelling through a different jurisdiction to get to their own. Not to mention that, if Megan committed a federal crime in that region, national authorities could arrest her anywhere in the country.
-- {{w|Kowloon Walled City}} was an enclave in British-controlled Hong Kong. The original treaty gave China the right to administer this enclave, but they were driven out by the British. Following World War 2, China announced its intention to reclaim the enclave, setting up a decades-long stand-off in which neither side administered the area, making it effectively lawless. Unlike the earlier examples, this loophole was quickly taken advantage of by war refugees who built a dense city there, out of reach of the authorities.
+*Areas of the oceans beyond either the 12-nautical-mile {{w|territorial waters}} or the 200-nautical-mile {{w|exclusive economic zone}} of any country's land are not under the jurisdiction of any country and fall under international {{w|Admiralty law|maritime law}}, which has little to no enforcement. Although vessels in such areas theoretically fall under the laws of the country they're flagged in, enforcement of laws by most countries is nearly non-existent, sometimes leading to a {{w|The Outlaw Ocean|nearly lawless region}}.
 In the final panel, Megan reveals the "crime" she's excited to commit: cutting a pizza into a spiral. While unconventional, there's no law against doing so in any jurisdiction, making the entire point moot. Megan ignores this fact, simply shouting "crimes!", suggesting that her excitement about being free from the law is largely theoretical, rather than having specific crimes that she wants to commit.

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 - Border disputes between countries sometimes result in enclaves controlled by one country but fully surrouned by the other. That means that neither country's authorities can travel to the enclave without crossing international borders. When that isn't allowed, the enclave is effectively beyond the reach of law enforcement. This is arguably the closest case to what's portrayed in this comic: if there are no bridges over that section of the river, then Nebraska police would find it somewhat inconvenient to get to the other side. In reality, though, there is no restriction against local authorities from travelling through a different jurisdiction to get to their own. Not to mention that, if Megan committed a federal crime in that region, national authorities could arrest her anywhere in the country.
-- Areas of the oceans beyond either the 12-nautical-mile territorial limit or the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone of any countries are not under the jurisdiction of any country and fall under international {{w|Admiralty law|maritime law}}, which has little to no enforcement. Although vessels in such areas theoretically fall under the laws of the country they're flagged in, enforcement of laws by most countries is nearly non-existent, sometimes leading to a nearly lawless region.
+- Areas of the oceans beyond either the 12-nautical-mile {{w|territorial waters}} or the 200-nautical-mile {{w|exclusive economic zone}} of any country's land are not under the jurisdiction of any country and fall under international {{w|Admiralty law|maritime law}}, which has little to no enforcement. Although vessels in such areas theoretically fall under the laws of the country they're flagged in, enforcement of laws by most countries is nearly non-existent, sometimes leading to a {{w|The Outlaw Ocean|nearly lawless region}}.
 In the final panel, Megan reveals the "crime" she's excited to commit: cutting a pizza into a spiral. While unconventional, there's no law against doing so in any jurisdiction, making the entire point moot. Megan ignores this fact, simply shouting "crimes!", suggesting that her excitement about being free from the law is largely theoretical, rather than having specific crimes that she wants to commit.

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ==Explanation==
-This strip is about the complexities that arise when political boundaries are mapped to geographical features. [[Ponytail]] explains to [[Megan]] that many borders run along rivers, which can become tricky, since the courses of rivers can change over time. The specific example Ponytail uses is a segment of the Missouri-Nebraska state border which runs along the {{w|Missouri River}}. She explains that, when the course of rivers changes slowly, state boundaries generally move with them, but this section had changed abruptly, due to a {{w|meander cutoff}} and the border didn't move with it. That means that they are on a part of the Missouri side of the river that in fact belongs to Nebraska.
+This strip is about the complexities that arise when political boundaries are mapped to geographical features. [[Ponytail]] explains to [[Megan]] that many borders run along rivers, which can become tricky, since the courses of rivers can change over time. The specific example Ponytail uses is a segment of the Missouri-Nebraska state border which runs along the {{w|Missouri River}}. She explains that, when the course of rivers changes slowly, state boundaries generally move with them, but this section had changed abruptly, due to a {{w|meander cutoff}}, and the border didn't move with it. That means that they are on a part of the Missouri side of the river that in fact belongs to Nebraska.
-Rather than simply being interested in this geographical oddity, Megan mistakenly concludes that she could break the law in this area without consequences, which Ponytail immediately points out isn't true, but Megan seems to ignore her.
+Rather than simply being interested in this geographical oddity, Megan mistakenly concludes that she could break the law in this area without consequences. Ponytail immediately points out isn't true, but Megan seems to ignore her.
 The notion of a "legal dead zone" in which laws either don't apply or can't be enforced intrigues many people, likely because people who've lived under a system of laws their whole lives often wonder what it would be like to be unrestricted by any legal code. While Megan's assertion is this case is wrong, there are a number of cases in history where areas, either in theory or in fact, fell beyond the reach of normal laws.
@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 - {{w|Kowloon Walled City}} was an enclave in British-controlled Hong Kong. The original treaty gave China the right to administer this enclave, but they were driven out by the British. Following World War 2, China announced its intention to reclaim the enclave, setting up a decades-long stand-off in which neither side administered the area, making it effectively lawless. Unlike the earlier examples, this loophole was quickly taken advantage of by war refugees who built a dense city there, out of reach of the authorities.
 - Border disputes between countries sometimes result in enclaves controlled by one country but fully surrouned by the other. That means that neither country's authorities can travel to the enclave without crossing international borders. When that isn't allowed, the enclave is effectively beyond the reach of law enforcement. This is arguably the closest case to what's portrayed in this comic: if there are no bridges over that section of the river, then Nebraska police would find it somewhat inconvenient to get to the other side. In reality, though, there is no restriction against local authorities from travelling through a different jurisdiction to get to their own. Not to mention that, if Megan committed a federal crime in that region, national authorities could arrest her anywhere in the country.
 In the final panel, Megan reveals the "crime" she's excited to commit: cutting a pizza into a spiral. While unconventional, there's no law against doing so in any jurisdiction, making the entire point moot. Megan ignores this fact, simply shouting "crimes!", suggesting that her excitement about being free from the law is largely theoretical, rather than having specific crimes that she wants to commit.
-In the title text, [[Randall]] claims/hypothesizes the disputed region is probably considered like the {{w|International waters|high seas}}, suggesting the pizza case would then fall under {{w|Admiralty law|maritime law}}. Historically, the "high seas" have been the primary region that stands outside the jurisdiction of any specific authority. As a result, other areas that are similarly outside national boundaries (such as outer space) are often considered to be governed by maritime law, as it's the most convenient legal framework to use. "Pieracy" is a portmanteau of ''pie'' (another term for a pizza) and "piracy"; and pizzas are often made with marinara sauce, so "Maritime" law is rendered "Marinaritime".
+In the title text, [[Randall]] claims/hypothesizes the disputed region is probably considered like the {{w|International waters|high seas}}, suggesting the pizza case would then fall under {{w|Admiralty law|maritime law}}. Historically, the "high seas" have been the primary region that stands outside the jurisdiction of any specific authority. As a result, other areas that are similarly outside national boundaries, such as outer space, are often considered to be governed by maritime law, as it's the most convenient legal framework to use. "Pieracy" is a portmanteau of ''pie'' (another term for a pizza) and "piracy", and pizzas are often made with marinara sauce, so "maritime" law is rendered "marinaritime".
 The region mentioned in the comic can be seen here at [https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5270132,-95.6954944,10627m/ Google maps] and is known as {{w|McKissick Island}}. In 1904, the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed in Missouri v. Nebraska that a sudden change of a river's course does not change any border. See: [https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/196/23/case.html Missouri v. Nebraska, 196 U.S. 23 (1904)].

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 - In 2005, [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=691642 An article in the Georgetown Law Review] noted that, due to a mismatch in state borders and federal districts in one region of Yellowstone National Park, it would theoretically be impossible to create a jury to convict someone for crimes committed in that region. This theory has never been tested, and it's not sure how the courts would respond, but that region has been referred to as a legal dead zone. (''What If? 2'' referenced this region.)
-- {{w|Bir Tawil}}, a region along the border between Egypt and Sudan, is claimed by neither country as a result of the {{w|Halaib Triangle}} border dispute. This makes it unlikely that either country would try to enforce its laws in this region (though the region is uninhabited, making the potential for crimes limited.
+- {{w|Bir Tawil}}, a region along the border between Egypt and Sudan, is claimed by neither country as a result of the {{w|Halaib Triangle}} border dispute. This makes it unlikely that either country would try to enforce its laws in this region (though the region is uninhabited, making the potential for crimes limited).
-- {{w|Kowloon Walled City}} was an enclave in British-controlled Hong Kong. The original treaty gave China the right administer this enclave, but they were driven out by the British. Following World War 2, China announced its intention to reclaim the enclave, setting up a decades-long stand-off in which neither side administered the area, making it effectively lawless. Unlike the earlier examples, this loophole was quickly taken advantage of by war refugees who built a dense city there out of reach of the authorities.
+- {{w|Kowloon Walled City}} was an enclave in British-controlled Hong Kong. The original treaty gave China the right to administer this enclave, but they were driven out by the British. Following World War 2, China announced its intention to reclaim the enclave, setting up a decades-long stand-off in which neither side administered the area, making it effectively lawless. Unlike the earlier examples, this loophole was quickly taken advantage of by war refugees who built a dense city there, out of reach of the authorities.
 - Border disputes between countries often result in enclaves controlled by one country within the other. That means that neither country's authorities can travel to the enclave without crossing international borders. When that isn't allowed, the enclave is effectively beyond the reach of law enforcement. This is arguably the closest case to what's portrayed in this comic: if there are no bridges over that section of the river, then Nebraska police couldn't enter the area without either travelling through Missouri or taking a boat across the river. In reality, though, there is no restriction against local authorities from travelling through a different jurisdiction to get to their own. Not to mention that, if Megan committed a federal crime in that region, national authorities could arrest her anywhere in the country.
@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 In the final panel, Megan reveals the "crime" she's excited to commit: cutting a pizza into a spiral. While unconventional, there's no law against doing so in any jurisdiction, making the entire point moot. Megan ignores this fact, simply shouting "crimes!", suggesting that her excitement about being free from the law is largely theoretical, rather than having specific crimes that she wants to commit.
-In the title text, [[Randall]] claims/hypothesizes the disputed region is probably considered like the {{w|International waters|high seas}}, suggesting the pizza case would then fall under {{w|Admiralty law|maritime law}}. Historically, the "high seas" have been the primary region that stands outside the jurisdiction of any specific authority. As a result, other areas that are similarly outside national boundaries (such as outer space) are often considered to be governed by maritime law, as it's the most convenient legal framework to use. "Pieracy" is a portmanteau of ''pie'' (another name for a pizza) and "piracy"; and pizzas are frequently made with marinara sauce, so "Maritime" law is rendered "Marinaritime".
+In the title text, [[Randall]] claims/hypothesizes the disputed region is probably considered like the {{w|International waters|high seas}}, suggesting the pizza case would then fall under {{w|Admiralty law|maritime law}}. Historically, the "high seas" have been the primary region that stands outside the jurisdiction of any specific authority. As a result, other areas that are similarly outside national boundaries (such as outer space) are often considered to be governed by maritime law, as it's the most convenient legal framework to use. "Pieracy" is a portmanteau of ''pie'' (another term for a pizza) and "piracy"; and pizzas are often made with marinara sauce, so "Maritime" law is rendered "Marinaritime".
 The region mentioned in the comic can be seen here at [https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5270132,-95.6954944,10627m/ Google maps] and is known as {{w|McKissick Island}}. In 1904, the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed in Missouri v. Nebraska that a sudden change of a river's course does not change any border. See: [https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/196/23/case.html Missouri v. Nebraska, 196 U.S. 23 (1904)].
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 An avulsion is a sudden change in the location of a river or stream, often due to flooding. In times of flood, a river can cut a new channel through surrounding land, which can create islands and oxbow lakes. According to common law, an avulsive change will not change the boundary of the land, as it is likely that the property is unchanged except for the new channel.
-In the real world, however, river systems undergo both accretion and avulsion multiple times over a period of time. This makes the determination of property lines along riverine boundaries one of the most complicated aspects of boundary surveying. An examination of a river boundary will require in-depth research of the local history of the river, including reviewing deeds, government survey plats, private survey maps, aerial photos taken over time, local landowners recollections, and local lore. In situations where there is disagreement over whether an avulsive or accretive change happened, landowners may have to go to court for a suit to quiet title.
+In the real world, however, river systems undergo both accretion and avulsion multiple times over any given period. This makes the determination of property lines along riverine boundaries one of the most complicated aspects of boundary surveying. An examination of a river boundary will require in-depth research of the local history of the river, including reviewing deeds, government survey {{w|plat))s, private survey maps, aerial photos taken over time, local landowners recollections and local lore. In situations where there is disagreement over whether an avulsive or accretive change happened, landowners may have to go to court for a suit to quiet title.
 Further in-depth reading may be found in the US Bureau of Land Management's 2009 Manual of Surveying Instructions, Chapter 8, specifically pages 197-205. (See: [https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Manual_Of_Surveying_Instructions_2009.pdf PDF (37.7 MByte)].)
@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 *The most usual definition of a riverine border uses the {{w|talweg}}. The talweg (German for "valley path") always follows the line of the deepest points in the water body. Especially at river bends, the talweg is rarely in the middle of the river. Incidentally, the talweg also signifies the navigable zone of a river. In terms of {{w|natural border}}s, one counterpart of a talweg is the {{w|drainage divide}}, but these divides are hard to recognize on a map and rarely used to define a real border.
-The Mexican-US-Border that follows the Rio Grande is one of the most prominent examples of an international border that needs meticulous regulation. Thus, the {{w|International Boundary and Water Commission}} was created. This commission was involved when the two nations rectified the course of the river, ceding equal amounts of land to each other. The Canada-US-Border is overseen by a similar commission. There is also a strange section on the border to Canada, which Randall mentions in this comic: [[1902: State Borders]].
+The Mexican-US-Border that follows the Rio Grande is one of the most prominent examples of an international border that needs meticulous regulation. Thus, the {{w|International Boundary and Water Commission}} was created. This commission was involved when the two nations rectified the course of the river, ceding equal amounts of land to each other. The Canada-US-Border is overseen by a similar commission. There is also a strange section on the border to Canada, which Randall mentions in the comic [[1902: State Borders]].
 The border between Delaware and New Jersey veers from the median and talweg methods such that Delaware's border includes all the way to the New Jersey shore where the {{w|Delaware River}} is within what is known as the {{w|Twelve-Mile Circle}}.
-One of the causes of the {{w|Iran-Iraq War}} was the dispute on shipping rights on the {{w|Shatt-el Arab river}}, and because the border was defined as the low water mark at the ''eastern'' side of that river, Iranian shipping was severely restricted. So the Shah of Persia announced to ignore the 1937 treaty on shipping rights, saying that most riverine borders all around the world are defined by the talweg.
+One of the causes of the {{w|Iran-Iraq War}} was the dispute on shipping rights on the {{w|Shatt-el Arab river}}, and because the border was defined as the low water mark at the ''eastern'' side of that river, Iranian shipping was severely restricted. So the Shah of Persia announced intent to ignore the 1937 treaty on shipping rights, following the convention of most riverine borders all around the world being defined by the talweg.
 Between Switzerland and Italy, the border is, at most locations, defined by the actual {{w|drainage divide}}. Because the {{w|Theodul Glacier}} between {{w|Zermatt}} (Switzerland) and {{w|Breuil-Cervinia}} (Italy) is slowly melting, the drainage divide moves southwards, thus slowly enlarging the Swiss territory.
-Most other national borders in Europe are defined today as ''fiat borders'' instead of following natural landmarks like rivers. If a river changes course now, the depicted situation would occur; however, most larger rivers have been rectified more than a century ago and thus don't change course often.
+Most other national borders in Europe are defined today as ''fiat borders'' instead of following natural landmarks like rivers. If a river changes course now, the depicted situation would occur; however, most larger rivers have been rectified more than a century ago and thus don't often significantly change course.
 ==Transcript==