The Shortest International Bridge You Never Knew Existed – And It Probably Doesn’t

Imagine stepping out your back door and crossing an international border. Sounds fantastical, right? Well, on Zavikon Island, nestled in the heart of the Thousand Islands archipelago along the St. Lawrence River, that’s a reality! Or at least it’s said to be.

This tiny island boasts a bridge that’s only 32 feet long and is often associated with an intriguing piece of trivia: it’s known as the world’s shortest international bridge, a ‘fact’ told on many boat tours since at least the early 1900s. But is it really?

There’s a Canadian flag hanging on one side of the bridge and an American flag on the other side (with a Hungarian flag in the middle honoring the owner’s Hungarian heritage) – and here’s where things get interesting. Some sources claim this bridge connects Zavikon Island (Canada) to a smaller island belonging to the United States, making it a true international passage. However, according to official boundary agreements and detailed maps, both Zavikon and its smaller neighbor fall entirely within Canadian territory.

That said, Zavikon Island has a reference monument established by the US-Canada Boundary Commission to aid in surveying measurements for determining the international border’s turning point in this river section. According to the most detailed USGS map of the region, the international border turns approximately 140 meters (460 feet) southeast of the southern tip of Little Zavikon Island.

So, the truth may be less exciting than the legend, but the bridge’s charm remains. This short passage, regardless of its official status, is a quirky reminder of the unique geography of the Thousand Islands region, where hundreds of islands are scattered across the border between the US and Canada, in the sometimes-murky world of international frontiers.

But wait, where is the official shortest international bridge then? Well, it connects the small village of Várzea Grande in Portugal with the neighbouring Spanish village of El Marco in Extremadura. It’s a small footbridge that is a third in size of the one on Zavikon Island (3.2 meters or 10.4 feet).

The footbridge is so small, it’s hardly even needed. In fact, regardless of its presence, the border between these villages has never been a significant barrier. Even prior to the implementation of the Schengen Agreement, which abolished border checks between Spain and Portugal, residents freely traversed the river using a makeshift bridge constructed from planks. Cross-border trade was prevalent, with Portuguese selling coffee and towels to the Spanish, who reciprocated by selling knives and wine.

And the bridge remains a secret point of exchange today, as no one really knows about it (it has only collected a few Google Reviews since 2008, when it was built). It seems that “world’s largest” or “world’s smallest” attractions fare better in the US and Canada than in Portugal or Spain.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4