While we discussed France and Brazil's long border, the shortest land border between two countries is found at Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera. This is a Spanish 'plaza de soberanía' (stronghold) located on the coast of North Africa. Originally an island, a 1934 storm created a sandy isthmus that connected it to the Moroccan mainland. The resulting border is only about 85 meters (279 feet) long. It is a tiny rocky fortress occupied only by Spanish military personnel. This minuscule boundary is a quirk of colonial history and geological chance, making it shorter than most city blocks and a frequent answer to geography trivia regarding extreme borders.