No-Man's Land: 8 DMZs Around the World



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Golan Border

Where: The border between Israel and Syria

Size: About 50 miles long, a maximum of 6 miles wide

Why It Exists: In 1973, Syria and Egypt attacked Israel in what was to become known as the Yom Kippur War. After the war, continued instability led to a U.S.-led initiative for a buffer zone to keep Syrian and Israeli forces apart. The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force continues to police the area and remove land mines.

What It's Like Now: The hilly terrain of the border includes Mount Hermon. There are several towns and villages in the border zone, which are under the control of the Syrian authorities. There are also ruins of the former regional capital Quneitra, destroyed in the conflict and maintained as a kind of memorial by the Syrians, who refuse to rebuild it.