Position of countries in relation to one another when empire building

If you are building up an empire of several countries are there any advantages in the day to day running of them to have countries with adjacent borders or is it just as easy to run countries that are divided by having other empires countries between them?

It is just as easy.

There are some military advantages/disadvantages to how you have your empire set-up, but none with the day-to-day running.

Thanks.