This is a classic 'trick' geography fact. Most people think France's longest border is with Germany or Spain. However, France's longest land border is actually with Brazil. This is because French Guiana, located on the northeastern coast of South America, is a fully integrated 'overseas department' of France. It is not a colony; it is legally as much a part of France as Paris is. The border between French Guiana and Brazil is 454 miles (730 km) long. This geographical anomaly means that France is technically a South American power and shares a border with the largest country on that continent, a fact that surprises many who only look at European maps.