The walls that divide

The walls that divide

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On the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Reuters photographers have documented barriers around the world that continue to divide communities and countries.

From the barbed wire fence dividing the two Koreas to the fence around the Spanish enclave of Melilla and the sectarian Peace Wall in Belfast, the pictures show the most disputed, dangerous and controversial walls that divide.

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Slideshow

A section of the Peace Wall that divides Catholic and Protestant communities cuts its way through West Belfast.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton

A section of the Peace Wall that divides Catholic and Protestant communities cuts its way through West Belfast.

A section of the Peace Wall cuts its way through Alexandra Park in North Belfast.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton

A section of the Peace Wall cuts its way through Alexandra Park in North Belfast.

A tourist walks along a section of the Peace Wall on Cupar Way in West Belfast.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton

A tourist walks along a section of the Peace Wall on Cupar Way in West Belfast.

A section of the controversial Israeli barrier cuts beneath the West Bank refugee camp of Shuafat.
. ABU DIS, Palestinian Territories. REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly

A section of the controversial Israeli barrier cuts beneath the West Bank refugee camp of Shuafat.

The golden Dome of the Rock (centre) in Jerusalem's old city is seen in the distance beyond a section of the controversial Israeli barrier in the West Bank city of Abu Dis.
. ABU DIS, Palestinian Territories. REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly

The golden Dome of the Rock (centre) in Jerusalem's old city is seen in the distance beyond a section of the controversial Israeli barrier in the West Bank city of Abu Dis.

Paint is splashed against a section of the separation barrier in the West Bank city of  Abu Dis.
. ABU DIS, Palestinian Territories. REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly

Paint is splashed against a section of the separation barrier in the West Bank city of Abu Dis.

Indian army soldiers walk down the Siachen Glacier.
. Siachen Glacier, India. Reuters/Pawel Kopczynski/Files

Indian army soldiers walk down the Siachen Glacier.

Indian Border Security Force soldiers patrol over a footbridge near the Line of Control, a ceasefire line dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, at Sabjiyan sector of Poonch district.
. India. REUTERS/Mukesh Gupta/Files

Indian Border Security Force soldiers patrol over a footbridge near the Line of Control, a ceasefire line dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, at Sabjiyan sector of Poonch district.

An Indian Border Security Force soldier patrols near the fenced border with Pakistan in Suchetgarh, southwest of Jammu.
. Suchetgarh, India. REUTERS/Mukesh Gupta/Files

An Indian Border Security Force soldier patrols near the fenced border with Pakistan in Suchetgarh, southwest of Jammu.

A rice field is seen in front of a barbed wire fence near the demilitarised zone which separates North and South Korea in Paju.
. PAJU, South Korea. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

A rice field is seen in front of a barbed wire fence near the demilitarised zone which separates North and South Korea in Paju.

A barbed wire fence decorated with South Korean national flags is pictured near the demilitarised zone which separates North and South Korea.
. PAJU, South Korea. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

A barbed wire fence decorated with South Korean national flags is pictured near the demilitarised zone which separates North and South Korea.

A barbed wire fence decorated with ribbons bearing messages wishing the unification of the two Koreas is pictured near the demilitarised zone which separates North and South Korea.
. PAJU, South Korea. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

A barbed wire fence decorated with ribbons bearing messages wishing the unification of the two Koreas is pictured near the demilitarised zone which separates North and South Korea.

A watchtower stands along the United Nations buffer zone in the district of Famagusta, northern Cyprus.
. FAMAGUSTA, Cyprus. Reuters/Neil Hall/Files

A watchtower stands along the United Nations buffer zone in the district of Famagusta, northern Cyprus.

A wall marking the boundary of the United Nations buffer zone is seen from the Greek Cypriot-controlled area of central Nicosia.
. NICOSIA, Cyprus. Reuters/Neil Hall/Files

A wall marking the boundary of the United Nations buffer zone is seen from the Greek Cypriot-controlled area of central Nicosia.

Children play in a park next to a fence marking the United Nations buffer zone in a partially restricted area in the Turkish Cypriot controlled area of central Nicosia.
. NICOSIA. Reuters/Neil Hall/Files

Children play in a park next to a fence marking the United Nations buffer zone in a partially restricted area in the Turkish Cypriot controlled area of central Nicosia.

The border crossing into Mexico is seen through the border fence at the United States-Mexico border along the Rio Grande river in Brownsville.
. BROWNSVILLE, United States. Reuters/Shannon Stapleton

The border crossing into Mexico is seen through the border fence at the United States-Mexico border along the Rio Grande river in Brownsville.

A break in the border fence at the United States-Mexico border is seen outside of Brownsville.
. BROWNSVILLE, United States. Reuters/Shannon Stapleton

A break in the border fence at the United States-Mexico border is seen outside of Brownsville.

Clothes hang for drying in the backyard of a home facing the border fence at the United States-Mexico border.
. BROWNSVILLE, United States. Reuters/Shannon Stapleton

Clothes hang for drying in the backyard of a home facing the border fence at the United States-Mexico border.

A view of the border fence which separates Morocco and Spain's north African enclave of Melilla.
. MELILLA, Spain. REUTERS/Juan Medina

A view of the border fence which separates Morocco and Spain's north African enclave of Melilla.

A view of the border fence which separates Morocco and Spain's north African enclave of Melilla.
. MELILLA, Spain. REUTERS/Juan Medina

A view of the border fence which separates Morocco and Spain's north African enclave of Melilla.