A salient (also known as a panhandle or bootheel) is an elongated protrusion of a geopolitical entity, such as a subnational entity or a sovereign state. While similar to a peninsula in shape, a salient is most often not surrounded by water on three sides. Instead, it has a land border on at least two sides and extends from the larger geographical body of the administrative unit. In American English, the term panhandle is often used to describe a relatively long and narrow salient, such as the westernmost extensions of Florida Panhandle, Florida and Oklahoma Panhandle, Oklahoma. Another term is bootheel, used for the Missouri Bootheel and New Mexico Bootheel areas.

Origin

The term ''salient'' is derived from salient (military), military salients. The term "panhandle" derives from the analogous part of a cooking pan, and its use is generally confined to North America. The salient shape can be the result of arbitrarily drawn international or subnational boundaries, though the location of administrative borders can also take into account other considerations such as economic geography, economic ties or topography.

Country-level salients

Africa

Congo Pedicle map showing neighbouring Zambia

*Cibitoke Province, Burundi *Far North Region (Cameroon), Far North Region, Cameroon *Congo Pedicle, Democratic Republic of the Congo *Kongo Central, Democratic Republic of the Congo *Southern Red Sea Region, Eritrea *Gambela Region, Ethiopia *Somali Region, Ethiopia *Nimba County, Liberia *Nsanje District, Malawi *Kayes Region, Mali *Azawad, Mali *Tete Province, Mozambique *Caprivi Strip, Namibia *Casamance, Senegal *Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, South Africa *Upper Nile (state), Upper Nile, South Sudan *Blue Nile (state), Blue Nile, Sudan *Wadi Halfa Salient, Sudan *Kagera Region, Tanzania

Americas

*Misiones Province, Misiones, Argentina *Roraima, Brazil *Southern Ontario (particularly Ontario Peninsula), Canada *Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park, British Columbia, Canada *Leticia, Amazonas, Leticia and Puerto Nariño municipalities, Amazonas Department, Amazonas, Colombia *Southeast Guainía Department, Colombia *Yavaraté, Vaupés Department, Colombia *Petén Department, Guatemala *Tumbes Region, Peru *Southeast Alaska, Alaska, United States (see also ''#Panhandles in the United States, Panhandles in the United States'') *Amazonas (Venezuelan state), Amazonas, Venezuela

Asia

*Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan *Chittagong Division, Chittagong, Bangladesh *Rangpur Division, Rangpur, Bangladesh *Tanintharyi Region, Burma (Myanmar) *Parrot's Beak, Cambodia, Parrot's Beak, Cambodia *Yadong County (Tibet Autonomous Region), China *Louroujina Salient, Cyprus *Seven Sister States, India (largest in the world) *Sikkim, India *Jerusalem corridor, Israel *Galilee Panhandle, Israel *Mafraq Governorate, Jordan *Mangystau Region, Kazakhstan *Batken Province, Batken, Kyrgyzstan *Phongsaly Province, Laos *Tfail, Tfail Salient, Lebanon *North Hamgyong, North Hamgyŏng, South Hamgyong, South Hamgyŏng, and Ryanggang, North Korea *Primorsky Krai, Russia *Sughd Province, Sughd, Tajikistan *Southern Thailand, Thailand *Hatay Province, Turkey *Jizzakh Region, Sirdaryo Region, Tashkent Region, Tashkent, Tashkent City, Namangan Region, Namagan, Fergana Region, Fergana and Andijan Region, Andijan Regions, Uzbekistan *Surxondaryo Region, Uzbekistan *Tây Ninh Province, Vietnam

Europe

*Syunik Province, Syunik, Armenia *Tyrol (state), Tyrol and Vorarlberg, Austria *West Flanders, Belgium *Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina *Vidin Province, Bulgaria *Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Croatia *Ilok, Croatia *Cheb District, Czech Republic *Šluknov Hook, Czech Republic *Laatre, Viljandi County, Estonia *Enontekiö, Finland *Arrondissement of Charleville-Mézières, Charleville-Mézières, France *Kakheti, Georgia *Western Thrace, Greece *County Donegal, Donegal, Ireland *County Monaghan, Monaghan, Ireland *Province of Trieste, Italy *Dieveniškės appendix, Lithuania *Castelré, North Brabant, the Netherlands *Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg, the Netherlands *County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland *Pasvikdalen valley, Norway *Bogatynia, Poland *Odessa Oblast, Ukraine *Melgaço, Portugal, Melgaço and north of Monção and Arcos de Valdevez (Viana do Castelo District), Portugal * Tourém in north of Montalegre (Vila Real District), Portugal *Couto Misto in north of Montalegre (Vila Real District), Portugal *Miranda do Douro, Mogadouro and Vimioso (Bragança District), Portugal *Moura, Portugal, Moura and eastern Barrancos (Beja District) and Mourão Municipality, Mourão (Évora District), Portugal *Olivenza claim of Portugal in Spain *Bryansk Oblast, Russia *Ain, France (around the border of Switzerland) *Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain *Canton of Geneva, Switzerland *Canton of Schaffhausen, Switzerland *Bernina District, Bernina, Inn District, Switzerland, Inn, Lugano District, Lugano, Mendrisio (district), Mendrisio and Porrentruy Districts, Switzerland *Budjak, Ukraine *Jamena, Serbia

Subnational salients

The following locations are salients in :First-level administrative divisions by country, First-level administrative subdivisions of nations.

Subnational salients in Africa

*Tafraoui, Oran Province, Algeria *Southwestern Saïda Province, Algeria *Northeastern Bié Province, Angola *Eastern Kgalagadi District, Botswana *Balé Province, Boucle du Mouhoun Region, Burkina Faso *Kouritenga Province, Centre-Est Region, Burkina Faso *Northwest Bujumbura Rural Province, Burundi *Northern Muyinga Province, Burundi *Okoyo District, Cuvette Department, Republic of the Congo *Kimongo District, Niari Department, Republic of the Congo *Northwestern Wele-Nzas Province, Equatorial Guinea *Sitti Zone, Somali Region, Ethiopia *Haut-Komo Department, Woleu-Ntem Province, Gabon *Upper Denkyira West District, Central Region (Ghana), Central Region, Ghana *Télimélé Prefecture, Kindia Region, Guinea *Northeast Mamou Prefecture, Mamou Region, Guinea *Western Isiolo County, Kenya *Eastern Al Wahat District, Libya *Southern Mzimba District, Northern Region, Malawi, Northern Region, Malawi *Eastern Dakhlet Nouadhibou Region, Mauritania *Boumdeid Department, Assaba Region, Mauritania *Southeastern Tete Province, Mozambique *Gossas Department, Fatick Region, Senegal *Southern Uvinza District, Kigoma Region, Tanzania *Babati District, Babati, Hanang District, Hanang, and Mbulu Districts, Manyara Region, Tanzania *Gokwe North District, Gokwe North and Gokwe South Districts, Midlands Province, Zimbabwe

Subnational salients in the Americas

*Southern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina *Luis Calvo, Chuquisaca Department, Bolivia *Sud Cinti Province, Sud Cinti, Chuquisaca Department, Bolivia *Bahia#Whale Coast, Whale Coast, Bahia, Brazil *Northern Mato Grosso, Brazil *Triângulo Mineiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil *Middle Côte-Nord, Quebec, Canada *Northwestern British Columbia, Canada *Arauco Province, Bío Bío Region, Chile *San Antonio Province, Valparaíso Region, Chile *Urabá Antioquia, Urabá region, Antioquia Department, Colombia *Unguía and Acandí in northernmost Chocó Department, Colombia *Santander Department northern tip, Colombia *Santa Rosa, Cauca, Santa Rosa and Piamonte in southeastern Cauca Department, Colombia *Western Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica *Guamá, Cuba, Guamá, Santiago de Cuba Province, Cuba *Southern Hato Mayor Province, Dominican Republic *Southern Samaná Province, Dominican Republic *Cotacachi Canton, Imbabura Province, Ecuador *Southeastern Napo Province, Ecuador *Balzar Canton, Balzar and El Empalme Cantons, Guayas Province, Ecuador *Southern San Miguel Department (El Salvador), San Miguel Department, El Salvador *Northern East Berbice-Corentyne, Guyana *Norte, Mexico, Norte, Jalisco, Mexico *Eastern Tabasco, Mexico *Southeastern Zacatecas, Mexico *Southern Zacatecas, Mexico *Chiriquí Grande District, Bocas del Toro Province, Panama *Southern Chimán District, Panamá Province, Panama *Mariato District, Veraguas Province, Panama *Northern Tapanahony, Sipaliwini District, Suriname *Páez, Apure, Páez, Apure, Venezuela *Western Andrés Eloy Blanco Municipality, Barinas, Andrés Eloy Blanco Municipality, Barinas (state), Barinas, Venezuela *Arismendi Municipality, Barinas, Arismendi Municipality, Barinas (state), Barinas, Venezuela

Panhandles in the United States

Subnational salients in Asia

Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in Tajikistan

*Wakhan District, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan *Nawa District, Ghazni Province, Afghanistan *Chishti Sharif District, Herat Province, Afghanistan *Eastern Sarpang District, Bhutan *Northern Mandalay Division, Burma *Tianchang, Anhui, China PR *Maqu County, Gansu, China PR *Fan County and Taiqian County, Henan, China PR *Pingliang and Qingyang, Gansu, China PR *Daxing'anling Prefecture, Heilongjiang, China PR *Zhaotong, Yunnan, China PR *Koraput district, Koraput and Malkangiri districts, Odisha, India *Pathankot district, Punjab, India, Punjab, India *Kota division, Rajasthan, India *Southern Jhansi division, Uttar Pradesh, India *Eastern salient of Java, East Java, Indonesia *South Jakarta, Jakarta Special Capital Region, and Depok, West Java, Indonesia. *Tabalong Regency, South Kalimantan, Indonesia *East Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia *Pasaman Regency, West Sumatra, Indonesia *Semirom County, Isfahan Province, Iran *Southwest Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran *Southern Yazd Province, Iran *Noda, Chiba, Japan *Nose, Osaka, Japan *Ōra District, Gunma, Japan *(Wakasa Province, Wakasa), Fukui, Japan *Wadi Araba Department, Aqaba Governorate, Jordan *Russeifa Department, Zarqa Governorate, Jordan *Southwest Panfilov District, Kyrgyzstan, Panfilov District, Chuy Region, Kyrgyzstan *Chong-Alay District, Osh Region, Kyrgyzstan *Nabatieh District, Nabatieh Governorate, Lebanon *The area North of Kuantan, Eastern Pahang, Malaysia *Eastern Achham District, Far-Western Region, Nepal, Far-Western Region, Nepal *Western Surkhet District, Mid-Western Region, Nepal, Mid-Western Region, Nepal *Bannu Division, Bannu, Karak District, Karak, and Kohat Divisions, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan *Eastern Maguindanao, Philippines *Sultan Kudarat, Philippines *Cabuyao, Laguna, Philippines *Cainta, Rizal (province), Rizal *Makati, Philippines *Bikinsky District, Khabarovsk Krai, Russia *Trincomalee District, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka *Al-Suqaylabiyah District, Hama Governorate, Syria *Chenggong, Taitung, Chenggong and Changbin, Taitung, Changbin townships, Taitung County, Taiwan *Darvoz District, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, Tajikistan *Western Dhamar Governorate, Yemen

Subnational salients in Europe

*Southern Gmunden, Upper Austria, Austria *Kuhmoinen, Pirkanmaa, Finland *Parikkala, South Karelia, Finland *Pudasjärvi-Taivalkoski-Kuusamo, North Ostrobothnia, Finland *Ruokolahti, South Karelia, Finland *Varkaus, Pohjois-Savo, Finland *Gironde, France (panhandle is around the Gironde estuary) *Drôme, France (Montfroc) *Hauts-de-Seine, France *Meurthe-et-Moselle, France *Manche, France *Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany *Osnabrück (district), Osnabrück District and Osnabrück, City, Lower Saxony, Germany *Altenburger Land, Thuringia, Germany *Southeastern Győr-Moson-Sopron County, Hungary *Northern Pest County, Hungary *Clonlisk, County Offaly, Ireland *Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland *Province of Rieti, Lazio, Italy *Raseiniai District Municipality, Kaunas County, Lithuania *Rivierenland, Gelderland, the Netherlands *Steenwijkerland, Overijssel, the Netherlands *Viken (county), Viken, Norway *Mourão, Évora District, Portugal *Vorkuta District, Komi Republic, Russia *Negueira de Muñiz, Galicia (Spain), Spain *Aranjuez, Madrid (Spain), Spain *A Mezquita, Galicia, Spain *Diessenhofen, Schlatt bei Diessenhofen, and Basadingen-Schlattingen, Frauenfeld District, Thurgau, Switzerland *Monthey (district), Monthey District, Valais, Switzerland *Buckfastleigh, Teignbridge, United Kingdom *Ceiriog Valley, Wrexham County Borough, Wales, United Kingdom *Western New Forest District, Hampshire, United Kingdom *Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket, Suffolk, United Kingdom *North Cornwall, Cornwall, United Kingdom *South Staffordshire, Staffordshire, United Kingdom *The area around Tring, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, which is itself bounded on one side by a salient of Buckinghamshire in the area around Pitstone, Ivinghoe and Dagnall *Ljig, Kolubara District, Serbia *Ljubovija, Mačva District, Serbia *Bosnian-Podrinje Canton Goražde, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina *Petrovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Petrovo, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina *Ravno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ravno, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Subnational salients in Oceania

*Northeastern Nadroga-Navosa Province, Western Division, Fiji, Western Division, Fiji *Southern Anetan District, Nauru *Rangitaiki River Valley, Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand *Hunter River (New Zealand), Hunter River Valley, Otago region, New Zealand *Rangitata River, Upper Rangitata Valley, Timaru District, New Zealand *Waitaki River, Upper Waitaki Valley, Waitaki District, New Zealand *Northeastern West New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea