States that border Canada
Thirteen states border Canada: Alaska, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington. The boundary is about 5,525 miles long, and Alaska alone accounts for 1,538 miles of it.
Border length by state
| State | Miles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1,538 | 28% |
| Michigan | 721 | 13% |
| Maine | 611 | 11% |
| Minnesota | 547 | 10% |
| Montana | 545 | 10% |
| New York | 445 | 8% |
| Washington | 427 | 8% |
| North Dakota | 310 | 6% |
| Ohio | 146 | 3% |
| Vermont | 90 | 2% |
| New Hampshire | 58 | 1% |
| Idaho | 45 | 1% |
| Pennsylvania | 42 | 1% |
| Total | 5,525 | 100% |
Land and water boundary, as compiled by the Congressional Research Service (report RS21729, 2007) from International Boundary Commission figures.
Thirteen states, 5,525 miles
The boundary between the United States and Canada runs about 5,525 miles, counting the parts through the Great Lakes and other boundary waters. Some 3,987 miles of it follow the lower 48 states, from Washington’s Pacific coast to the tip of Maine, and another 1,538 miles separate Alaska from Canada.
The states’ shares are very unequal. Alaska’s stretch is longer than the next two states’ combined. Among the lower 48, Michigan has the longest, 721 miles, followed by Maine, Minnesota and Montana, each with more than 500 miles. At the other end, Idaho meets Canada for just 45 miles.
Borders in the water
Not every state on the list has a land border with Canada. Ohio and Pennsylvania reach Canada only in the middle of Lake Erie: Ohio has 146 miles of water boundary and Pennsylvania 42. The figures here come from the International Boundary Commission, the two-country agency that marks and maintains the boundary, as compiled by the Congressional Research Service.
The table below lists every state with its share of the boundary.
Questions people ask
- How many states border Canada?
- Thirteen. Eleven meet Canada on land or along rivers and lakes; Ohio and Pennsylvania meet it only in Lake Erie.
- How long is the US-Canada border?
- About 5,525 miles, including the water boundaries in the Great Lakes. About 3,987 miles of it are along the lower 48 states, and 1,538 miles are along Alaska.
- Which state has the longest border with Canada?
- Alaska, with 1,538 miles. Among the lower 48, Michigan has the longest, 721 miles, followed by Maine with 611.
- Which state has the shortest border with Canada?
- Pennsylvania, with 42 miles, all of it in Lake Erie. Idaho's is 45 miles.
Sources
- "U.S. International Borders: Brief Facts (RS21729), table 1, citing the International Boundary Commission" Congressional Research Service