Enclave facts for kids
An enclave is a special piece of land. It is completely surrounded by a different area or country. Think of it like an island of land inside another.
In everyday talk, an enclave can be any unique part of a larger area. For example, a part of a city might have different tax rules than the rest of the city.
In political geography, an enclave is a piece of land that has a different country all around it. If another country owns this land, it is also called an exclave of that other country. These areas are usually landlocked, meaning they are fully enclosed by the surrounding country.
Sometimes, enclaves can even exist within the same country. This happens when one administrative region has "holes" of other regions inside it.
Contents
What Does the Word "Enclave" Mean?
The word enclave is quite new in the language of diplomacy. It comes from the late Latin word inclavatus. This means shut in or locked up (like with a key). The word came into the English language in 1868. The word exclave, which has a similar meaning, appeared about 30 years later.
Why Do Enclaves Exist?
Enclaves can form for many reasons. These include historical, political, or geographical reasons. For example, some areas became enclaves simply because a river changed its path over time.
Challenges of Living in an Enclave
Living in an enclave can be tricky. The two countries involved often need to make many agreements. These agreements might cover things like mail delivery, electricity, or even how people can travel through the surrounding country. Because of these challenges, enclaves are often removed. Many that existed before have now been traded or changed.
In English Church history, smaller enclaves within a country were known as peculiars.
Countries That Are Enclaves
Some enclaves are entire countries. These countries are not part of any other country, so they are not exclaves. There are three such countries in the world:
- The republic of San Marino, which is completely inside Italy.
- Vatican City, which is located within the city of Rome, in Italy.
- The Kingdom of Lesotho, which is surrounded by South Africa.
Images for kids
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Land for the Captain Cook Monument was given to the British government by Hawaii in 1877.
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The John F. Kennedy Memorial at Runnymede, United Kingdom, placed on land given to the United States of America in 1965.
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The Mauritania Railway. The smaller map shows a shorter route through Western Sahara and a longer route within Mauritania.
See also
In Spanish: Enclave para niños
