What are delimitation, demarcation, and administration in boundary processes? Define each.

• A. Delimitation is drawing boundary on map; demarcation marks boundary on the ground; administration involves ongoing governance and cross-border relations.
• B. Delimitation marks boundary on ground; demarcation is drawing boundary on map; administration deals with trade policies.
• C. Delimitation is boundary administration; demarcation is treaty creation; administration is demilitarization.
• D. Delimitation is creating economic zones; demarcation is signage; administration is governance of interior borders.

Answer: (A)

In boundary processes, the three terms describe distinct steps: Delimitation is the drawing of the boundary line on maps and legal documents to define where the border will lie, usually based on treaties or adjudication. Demarcation is the placement of physical markers on the ground—posts, fences, walls—to mark that line in the real world. Administration covers the ongoing governance of the boundary after it has been defined and marked, including border management, cross-border relations, cooperation, and enforcement.

This combination is exactly what the correct option describes: delimitation as map-based boundary drawing, demarcation as on-the-ground marking, and administration as ongoing governance and cross-border interaction. Other descriptions mix up these roles—for example, treating ground marking as delimination or treating administration as unrelated governance—so they don’t align with how boundary processes are typically organized.