delimination

Delimination, also spelled delimitation, is the act or process of determining and marking the boundaries or limits of an area, jurisdiction, or concept. In political geography, it refers to drawing and agreeing on borders between states, provinces, or electoral districts, and may be part of treaties or constitutional procedures.

In cartography and surveying, delimitation describes the formal establishment of a boundary line on maps and on the ground; it is often followed by demarcation, the physical marking of the boundary with monuments, posts, or other markers.

The procedure typically involves negotiation among involved parties, legal instruments, and technical work by boundary commissions, surveyors, and cartographers. It may draw on historical documents, natural or artificial boundary features, and modern geographic information systems (GIS) to define coordinates and alignment, as well as field verification.

When boundaries are disputed, delimitation can become a legal matter resolved through arbitration, judicial decisions, or international bodies.

Delimination can also apply to non-geographic domains, such as defining the scope of a study, classifying data, or setting limits for regulatory or administrative purposes. In these contexts, the aim is to create clear, stable criteria that minimize ambiguity and overlap.

See also: delimitation, demarcation, boundary, redistricting, GIS, boundary commission, international law.