boundaries, national—Boundaries between countries established by treaties made by the concerned sovereign powers.

boundaries, state—A boundary between two states of the United States may be changed by agreement of the state legislatures, but this agreement must be approved by Congress. The United States Congress cannot change a state boundary without the consent of the state, nor can two states by mutual agreement change their common boundary without the consent of Congress. The consent of Congress to change a boundary need not be granted by a special act but may be inferred from subsequent legislation. Several times Congress has given its consent in advance for adjoining states to fix an indefinite water boundary between them. A boundary between a state and a territory is fixed by joint action of Congress and the state. Boundaries between territories are fixed by congressional action alone. Disputes between states regarding boundaries must be settled by the United States Supreme Court, whose decisions are final. It is a well-established principle, recognized by the courts and by Congress, that a state or national boundary line as marked on the ground and accepted by the parties interested is the legal boundary for all purposes whether or not it is the place designated by statute.

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Source: NSPS “Definitions of Surveying and Related Terms“, used with permission.

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