A tripoint, is a geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries meet. These can be on land (dry) or demarcated by rivers or lakes (wet). Tripoints can be easy to access or isolated, they can be marked with large monuments or not easily identifiable at all. There are 16 tripoints in Central and South America. There are no international tripoints in North America.

Table: Americas Tripoints

Number	Name	Countries	Coordinates	Type	Links/Notes
1	ARBOCL	Argentina – Boliva – Chile	22°48′30″S  67°10′40″W	Dry	The tripoint is located on the summit of the Zapaleri extinct volcano (5600m). Marked with a metal monument indicating the 3 countries. The Bolivian Instituto Geográfico Militar installed a triangulation station marker and an associated reference marker in 1965, and the Chilean Instituto Geográfico Militar installed a triangulation station marker in 1970.
2	ARBOPY	Argentina – Boliva – Paraguay	22°14′S  62°39′W	Wet	Hito Esmeralda is at the edge of the Pilcomayo River. Marked by a concrete pillar, Names and flags of respective countries. Possibly now dry due to alluvial deposits.
3	ARBRPY	Argentina – Brazil – Paraguay	25°35′33″S  54°35′37″W	Wet	3 Fronteiras is where the where the Iguazú and Paraná rivers converge. A new bridge across the Paraná river has been bult just north of the tripoint.
4	ARBRUY	Argentina – Brazil – Uruguay	30°12′S  57°39′W	Wet	Disputed with the ownership of Brasilera Island contested between Brazil and Uruguay. 2 monuments, one on BR mainland and one on the island close to the TP. Southernmost tripoint in the world
5	BOBRPE	Boliva – Brazil – Peru	10°56′27″S  69°34′1″W	Wet	At the confluence of the Acre and Yaberija rivers.
6	BOBRPY	Boliva – Brazil – Paraguay	20°10′S  58°10′W	Wet	At the confluence of the Negro and Paraguay rivers.
7	BOCLPE	Boliva – Chile – Peru	17°30′S  69°29′W	Dry	Tripartito The Bolivia–Chile–Peru tripoint lies in the Ancomarca Plateau near the village of Visviri (CL) and Charaña (BO). Marked with a concrete monument.
8	BRCOPE	Brazil – Colombia – Peru	04°13′00″S  69°56′00″W	Wet	Tres Fronteras is a in the upper Amazon river. Tabatinga (BR), Leticia (CO), and Santa Rosa de Yavari (PE) on an island in the Amazon River are the closest towns.
9	BRCOVE	Brazil – Colombia – Venezuela	1°14′N  66°51′W	Wet	The tripoint is located between the Rock of Cocuy situated on east bank & San Jose island situated near west bank.
10	BRFRSR	Brazil – French Guiana – Suriname	2°20′N  54°33′W	Wet	Disputed. There has been a history of conflict over which tributary of the Lawa River the boundary follows to the tripoint with Brazil. The Netherlands, and now Suriname, contends that the boundary follows the Marowini River to the east, while France asserts that the border follows the Litani River and Coulé-Coulé Creek to the west.  Currently being negotiated by the bilateral boundary commission
11	BRGYSR	Brazil – Guyana – Suriname	1°57′N  56°29′W	Wet	Disputed. Guyana became independent with its borders unresolved. The issue stems from competing claims about where the source of the Courantyne river which was to be the border between GYSR. It was either the Kutari River (1840) or the New River or Upper Courantyne (1871), This led to the New River triangle dispute. Currently GY has de facto control over the area.
12	BRGYVE	Brazil – Guyana – Venezuela	5°12′N  60°44′W	Dry	Monte Roraima (2734m) A white monument with the names of the 3 countries, accessible only from VE.
13	BZGTMX	Belize – Guatemala – Mexico	17°48′56″N  89°9′7″W	Dry	Tripoint is situated at the Aguas Turbias monument. BZGT (2002) surveying of the border has led to no change.
14	COECPE	Colombia – Ecuador – Peru	0°7′S  75°15′W	Wet	The tripoint is at the confluence of the Guepi and Putumayo rivers.
15	GTHNSV	El Salvador – Guatemala – Honduras	14°25′18″N  89°21′2″W	Dry	Cerro Montecristo (2418m). Westernmost tripoint in the world
16	HNNISV	El Salvador – Honduras – Nicaragua	13°07’30″N 87°33’01″W	Wet	Golfo de Fonsca is jointly shared by the 3 countries.  It is a historic bay with the characteristics of an enclosed sea, with a strip of territorial waters for each State and the remainder in the central part as condominium waters. The Gulf is divided into: 1) Territorial waters of each coastal State up to 3 miles from its continental coast. 2) Condominium waters (Joint Maritime Zone), formed as residues of the non-territorial body of water in the Gulf of Fonseca. Isla Conejo is contested between HNNI.

Supplementary information including treaties and maps Details here or click on the image above.

Map of the Americas Tripoints

Central American Tripoints

Tripoint Visit Classes

The table below attempts to classify a tripoint visit into a number of classes. Could you touch the actual spot where the countries join? If so that is a Class A, a visit to a wet tripoint is almost always a Class C. Some monuments such as FINOSE the tripoint between Finland – Norway and Sweden is too large to touch the stone on the top, hence a Class B. Not everyone uses this classification and it is offered here as a bit of fun to stimulate discussion.

Tripoint VISIT Classes
Class A	Touched
Class B	Basically there. Successful attempt to reach wet tripoint by wading, swimming or canoeing. Very close to a dry tripoint but unable to touch due to a physical barrier/obstacle.
Class C	Within 500m, visible
Class D	Distant. visible
Class E	Tripoint area visited but Tripoint not observed.
Source: Acroorca (2002) Published on Boundarypoint 12/07/2003. Edited Arnold (2024)

My Tripoint Gallery (7 out of 16 visited so far)

The International Standard for country codes and codes for their subdivisions is  ISO 3166 this allocates a 2 letter designation to each country.  When identifying a tripoint it is necessary to collate the 3 country codes in alphabetical order, hence the tripoint between Argentina – Boliva – Chile becomes ARBOCL. The US and Canada often use 2 letters to denote states and provinces e.g. Alabama AL which is technically incorrect as all sub national territories according to ISO 3166 should have the initial 2 letter country designation followed by up to 3 further letters. Alabama ought therefore be US- AL. Delaware has the same 2 letter code as Germany: DE which has the potential for confusion.

Please click on the photos below to access the reports of my visits, or the red highlighted text above.