The United States isfar from the first countryto ruminate the structure of a border wall . Worldwide , there were 15 in 1989 ; now in 2019 , there are at least 77 , mostly to keep migrant from crossing borders . England fund a rampart in the French embrasure city of Calais to prevent undocumented immigrants from slipping into the Channel Tunnel . India has built fortified , nipping - wire barricades along its borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan . And we see there ’s a pretty " great " wall in China .
But if you ’re looking for the oddest , least - in effect investment in border security , see out the 650 - foot ( 200 - meter ) Norwegian boundary line fence that be $ 500,000 .
The taradiddle of possibly the world ’s scant border fencing starts back in 2015 when Europe was embroiled in a migratory crisis . More than 1 million refugees , many fleeing warfare - torn Syria , made the long trek to Europe by boat , train and on infantry . Overwhelmed by the human-centered crisis , European politicians had to quickly decide how to process so many someone and families seeking asylum .
Norway shares a 121 - mile ( 195 - klick ) border with Russia along the chilly Barents Sea . In 2015 , thousands of Syrian , Iraqi and Afghan migrants decided to short-circuit the dangerous Mediterranean crossing and take the so - called " Arctic route " through Russia to pass into Norway at the northernmost border hybridization in Europe .
Around 5,500 refugees entered Norway in 2015 at the Storskog crosswalk . Oddly , a Russian law forestall border crossings on foot signify that dog-tired refugees had to make the last pegleg of their journeyon tiddler ’s bicycles .
In full , about31,000 asylum seekerscame to Norway in 2015 , and although Scandinavian country have a reputation for loose societal policies , the sheer figure of refugee made some Norwegians uncomfortable . According to a 2015 poll , a third of Norwegiansthought that the regime should make it more difficult for mental home seeker to gain lasting residency in Norway , and rough the same numeral believed that immigrant abused Norway ’s generous welfare system .
That spur Norwegian political leader into natural process . In summation to assume insurance that puttighter restrictions on asylum applications , the Union government in Oslo decide to fortify its border with Russia . This was even though mass migration via this Arctic road had already terminate .
In the descent of 2016 , Norway erected the aforesaid perimeter fence near the Storskog crossbreeding . Before completion , a portion had to be propel because it was too close to the Russian side of the border . topical anesthetic scoffedat the shrimpy chain - link fencing , which at 13 foot ( 4 metre ) tall is dwarfed by a Russian fencing farther inland that runs the length of the margin .
The fence , which has little note value as a certificate roadblock , is widely see as a emblematic move to show that the Norwegian regime is taking a ruffianly stance on in-migration and asylum seekers . And it ’s get a second living as something of atourist drawing card .
