Cross-border town naming
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
Note 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
Denmark–Sweden
Netherlands–Germany
- Rhederbrug, Rhederveld / Rhede
- Barnflair (Ter Apel) / Barnfleer
- Veenebrugge / Vennebrügge
- Zwillbroek / Zwillbrock
- Ubach over Worms / Übach-Palenberg
- Spijk / Spyck
Netherlands–Belgium
Belgium–Germany
- Lichtenbusch / Aachen-Lichtenbusch
- Stubach / Stupbach
Luxembourg–Germany
- Obereisenbach, Untereisenbach / Übereisenbach
- Wallendorf-Pont / Wallendorf
- Bollendorf-Pont / Bollendorf
- Echternach / Echternacherbrück
- Wasserbillig / Wasserbilligerbrück
Belgium–France
- Comines-Warneton / Comines
- Wervik / Wervicq-Sud
- Quiévrain / Quiévrechain
- Goegnies-Chaussée / Gognies-Chaussée
- Grand-Reng / Vieux-Reng
Luxembourg–France
France–Germany
- Leiding / Leidingen
- Petite-Rosselle / Großrosseln
- Grosbliederstroff / Kleinblittersdorf
- Obergailbach / Niedergailbach
- Scheibenhard / Scheibenhardt
- Lauterbourg / Neulauterburg
- Neuf-Brisach / Breisach
- Kembs / Klein Kembs
France–Switzerland
- Huningue / Kleinhüningen
- Lucelle / Lucelle, Kleinlützel
- Saint-Gingolph / Saint-Gingolph
France–England
- Sangatte / Sandgate
- Dunkerque / Dunkirk
- Saint-Léonard / St Leonards-on-Sea
- Mont Saint-Michel / St Michael's Mount
France–Spain
- Île des Faisans / Isla de los Faisanes (Konpantzia / Île de l’hôpital / Île de la Conférence)
Germany–Switzerland
Germany–Austria
Germany–Poland
- 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
- 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
- Pelhřimovy / Pielgrzymów
- Opavice / Opawica
- Krásné Loučky / Krasne Pole
- Chomýž / Chomiąż
- 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.
Czech Republic–Austria
- Český Heršlák / Deutsch Hörschlag
- České Velenice / Gmünd
Austria–Slovenia
- Bad Radkersburg / Gornja Radgona
- Deutschfeistritz / Slovenska Bistrica (Windischfeistritz)*
- Graz / Slovenj Gradec
- Deutschlandsberg / Podčetrtek (Windischlandsberg)*
- Oberdrauburg / Dravograd (Unterdrauburg)*
- Unterloibl / Podljubelj (Unterloibl)*
Italy–France
Italy–Montenegro
Italy–Slovenia
Italy–Switzerland
- Lavena Ponte Tresa / Ponte Tresa
- Cremenaga / Ponte Cremenaga
- Ponte Chiasso / Chiasso
Hungary–Slovakia
- Komárom / Komárno
- Sátoraljaújhely / Slovenské Nové Mesto
- Balassagyarmat / Slovenské Ďarmoty
- Esztergom / Štúrovo
Hungary–Romania
Portugal–Spain
Sweden–Finland
- Karesuando / Kaaresuvanto
- Kuttainen / Kuttanen
- Katkesuando / Kätkäsuvanto
- Muonionalusta / Muonio
- Kihlangi / Kihlanki
- Pello / Pello
- Övertorneå / Ylitornio
- Karungi / Karunki
Estonia–Latvia
Croatia–Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Hrvatska Kostajnica / Bosanska Kostajnica
- Dubica / Bosanska Dubica
- Stara Gradiška / Bosanska Gradiška
- Slavonski Brod / Bosanski Brod
- Slavonski Šamac / Bosanski Šamac
- Svilaj / Donji Svilaj, Gornji Svilaj
Bosnia-Herzegovina/Serbia
- Srpska Rača / Sremska Rača
- Zvornik / Mali Zvornik
Bosnia-Herzegovina–Montenegro
- Donja Vrbica / Gornja Vrbica
Serbia–Romania
Romania–Ukraine
Romania–Moldova
North America
Towns 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
- 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
- Calexico, California / Mexicali, Baja California
- Tecate, California / Tecate, Baja California
- Douglas, Arizona / Agua Prieta, Sonora
- Naco, Arizona / Naco, Sonora
- Nogales, Arizona / Nogales, Sonora
- San Luis, Arizona / San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora
- El Paso, Texas / Ciudad Juárez (formerly El Paso del Norte), Chihuahua
- Boquillas, Texas / Boquillas del Carmen, Coahuila
- Del Rio, Texas / Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila
- Eagle Pass, Texas / Piedras Negras, Coahuila
- Laredo, Texas / Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
- Progreso, Texas / Nuevo Progreso, Tamaulipas
- Brownsville, Texas / Matamoros, Tamaulipas
South America
Argentina–Chile
- Antofagasta de la Sierra / Antofagasta
- Coquimbito / Coquimbo
- San Sebastián
Brazil–Argentina
Brazil–Bolivia
Brazil–French Guiana
Brazil–Uruguay
Africa
Ethiopia–Kenya
Central African Republic–Democratic Republic of the Congo
Gabon–Equatorial Guinea
Republic of the Congo–Democratic Republic of the Congo
Angola–Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Tembo Aluma / Tembo
Malawi–Mozambique
- Mulanje / Milange
Zambia–Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe–Mozambique
- Mukumbura / Mucumbara
Asia
Azerbaijan–Iran
Georgia–Turkey
- Sarpi / Sarp