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Separation barriers in the world

Marketplace Staff Feb 15, 2011

TEXT OF DOCUMENTARY SNIPPET

Kai Ryssdal: Walls like the one Joanna Kakissis was telling us about are more popular than you might think. All over the world, countries have built separation barriers to try to control war or terrorism or ethnic and religious conflicts as well as immigration.

Niall Farrell produced a documentary that lists a lot of those barriers — when they were built, how long they are and what they were built for.


Produced by Niall Farrell

Name: Baghdad Wall

Country: Iraq

Built year: Under construction

Length: 5 km

Type: Civil pacification


Name: Belfast Peace Lines

Country: Northern Ireland

Built year: 1970s

Length: .5 km

Average type: Civil pacification


Name: Ceuta Border Fence

Country: Spain/Morocco

Built year: 2001

Length: 8 km

Type: Anti-illegal immigration


Name: China-North Korea Barrier

Country: China/North Korea

Built year: Under construction

Length: 1,416 km

Type: Anti-illegal immigration


Name: Egypt-Gaza Barrier

Country: Egypt/Palestinian Territories

Built year: 1979

Length: 3.071 km

Type: Anti-terrorism and illegal immigration


Name: Indian Kashmir Barrier

Country: India

Built year: 2004

Length: 550 km

Type: Anti-terrorism


Name: Indo-Bangladesh Barrier

Country: India/Bangladesh

Built year: Under construction

Length: 3,268 km

Type: Anti-illegal immigration


Name: Iran-Pakistan Barrier

Country: Iran/Pakistan

Built year: Under construction

Length: 700 km

Type: Anti-drug smuggling


Name: Israeli-West Bank Barrier

Country: Israel/Palestinian Territories

Built year: Under construction

Length: 703 km

Type: Anti-terrorism


Name: Kazakh-Uzbekistan Barrier

Barrier Country: Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan

Built year: 2006

Length: 45 km

Type: Anti-drug smuggling


Name: Korean Wall

Country: North Korea/South Korea

Built year: 1953

Length: 248 km

Type: Conflict zone


Name: Kuwait-Iraq Barrier

Country: Kuwait/Iraq

Built year: 1991

Length: 193 km

Type: Conflict zone


Name: Malaysia-Thailand Barrier

Country: Malaysia/Thailand

Built year: Proposed

Length: 650 km

Type: Anti-terrorism


Name: Melilla Border Fence

Country: Spain/Morocco

Built year: 1998

Length: 11 km

Type: Anti-illegal immigration


Name: Russia Chechnya Barrier

Country: Russia

Built year: Proposed

Length: 700 km

Type: Anti-terrorism


Name: Sharm El-Sheikh Barrier

Country: Egypt

Built year: 2005

Length: 25 km

Type: Anti-terrorism


Name: Turkmen-Uzbekistan Barrier

Country: Turkmenistan/Uzbekistan

Built year: 2001

Length: 1,700 km

Type: Anti-illegal immigration


Name: United Nations Buffer Zone In Cyprus

Country: Cyprus/Northern Cyprus

Built year: 1974

Length: 300 km

Type: Conflict zone


Name: United States Mexico Barrier

Country: United States/Mexico

Built year: Under construction

Length: 3,360 km

Type: Anti-illegal immigration and anti-drug smuggling


Name: Western Saharan Berm

Country: Morocco/Western Sahara

Built year: 1987

Length: 2,700 km

Type: Conflict zone


Ryssdal: Niall Farrell produced his piece on separation barriers for a short documentary competition at the Third Coast Audio Festival.

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