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Borders, or boundaries, are shown in different ways in Google Earth. The
lines are drawn based on the status of the border.
International boundaries
Solid gray lines show undisputed international boundaries, like the one between
the United States and Canada.
Temporary boundaries
Dotted lines show treaty and provisional boundaries, which are temporary.
Treaty boundary: A boundary set in a treaty or similar agreement, but
not finalized by law.
De facto boundary: A boundary not set by a treaty or similar agreement,
but also not disputed by any party involved.
Disputed boundaries
Dashed gray lines show disputed boundaries. This means the parties involved
don't agree on a boundary.
State or province borders
Thin, light-gray dotted lines inside a country show state and province borders,
like the boundary of New Jersey or Alberta.
Country & region names
Country names, like Germany or Japan, are written on the map. Google Earth
automatically shows place names in the same language as your browser or device.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-09-04 UTC."],[],[],null,["# Learn how borders are labeled in Google Earth\n\nBorders, or boundaries, are shown in different ways in Google Earth. The\nlines are drawn based on the status of the border.\n\nInternational boundaries\n------------------------\n\nSolid gray lines show undisputed international boundaries, like the one between\nthe United States and Canada.\n\nTemporary boundaries\n--------------------\n\nDotted lines show treaty and provisional boundaries, which are temporary.\n\n- **Treaty boundary:** A boundary set in a treaty or similar agreement, but not finalized by law.\n- **De facto boundary:** A boundary not set by a treaty or similar agreement, but also not disputed by any party involved.\n\nDisputed boundaries\n-------------------\n\nDashed gray lines show disputed boundaries. This means the parties involved\ndon't agree on a boundary.\n\nState or province borders\n-------------------------\n\nThin, light-gray dotted lines inside a country show state and province borders,\nlike the boundary of New Jersey or Alberta.\n\nCountry \\& region names\n-----------------------\n\nCountry names, like Germany or Japan, are written on the map. Google Earth\nautomatically shows place names in the same language as your browser or device.\n\nLearn how to [change the language of Google Earth.](/maps/documentation/earth/change-your-language)"]]
