North Rock, Disputed island in Washington County and New Brunswick
North Rock is a small rocky formation in the Bay of Fundy, claimed by both the United States and Canada, and situated between the state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The formation barely rises above the waterline and is partially submerged at high tide.
As the United States and Canada worked to define their maritime borders in the Bay of Fundy during the 20th century, North Rock emerged as a point of disagreement because both countries placed it within their own territory. Several rounds of negotiations took place without reaching a final resolution.
Seals regularly haul out onto the flat surfaces of North Rock, making it a natural gathering spot for marine wildlife during calmer seasons. Visitors approaching by boat can often observe them resting on the exposed rock.
Approaching North Rock requires careful planning because the Bay of Fundy is known for some of the strongest tidal flows in the world, and conditions can change fast. Checking in with local authorities before any visit is strongly recommended.
Despite being barely large enough to stand on, North Rock has been named in several international agreements without ever having its status fully resolved in any of them. This makes it one of the few uninhabited rock formations in North America to appear repeatedly in formal diplomatic documents.
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