@polgeonow@mstdn.social
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polgeonow

@[email protected]

Editor and lead cartographer of Political Geography Now (www.polgeonow.com). Covering changes to the world's countries, flags, borders, territorial control, and more.

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polgeonow, to geography
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"United States of ", led by fugitive Indian guru & accused rapist, claimed new achievement last month when agriculture ministry signed agreement to look into recognizing it as independent.

https://apnews.com/article/kailasa-paraguay-india-hindu-chamorro-bec1acb8178cfe645392f0f1aae75a58

@geography @geopolitics

polgeonow, to geography
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Though is where vast majority of fighting and deaths are happening in the current / war, the conflict also involves the border region and, increasingly, the (especially -governed city of ).
https://www.polgeonow.com/2023/12/israel-palestinian-controlled-areas-map-after-ceasefire.html

#conflictmap @geography

polgeonow, to geography
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We've updated and improved our overview map of territorial control in /! Full size map, plus detailed timeline of 2nd month of the war: https://www.polgeonow.com/2023/12/israel-palestinian-controlled-areas-map-after-ceasefire.html

@geography @geopolitics

polgeonow, to geography
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Internal debate in govt over whether to give , which intl. court ruled 2 years ago were under "unlawful occupation", to legal owner . Islands' people were infamously expelled to build military base also used by . https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2023/12/07/uk-drops-plans-to-hand-chagos-islands-back-to-mauritius/

@geopolitics @geography

polgeonow, to geography
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and say they'll formally dissolve -backed alliance against jihadist insurgencies after and 's withdrawal leaves them as the only two members.

https://www.africanews.com/2023/12/06/mauritania-and-chad-pave-the-way-for-the-dissolution-of-the-g5-sahel-anti-jihadist-allianc/

@geopolitics @geography

polgeonow, to geography
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After low-turnout referendum in support, looks to have formally fully annexed (absorbed) the disputed / region, currently controlled by . It had previously labeled it on maps as a special "zone in reclamation".

Venezuela also says it will create new state/province to (theoretically) govern the area, but apparently hasn't done so quite yet.

https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-12-06/venezuela-guyana-dispute-maduro-mobilizes-the-army-and-announces-annexation-of-essequibo.html

@geography

polgeonow, to geography
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Actual questions on 's regarding territorial dispute with are...eyebrow-raising. Public is asked to weigh in on legal technicalities, while being told "right" answer, but with disclaimers.

Gems include "Do you support the 1966 Geneva Agreement as the only valid legal instrument..." and "Do you agree to oppose, by all legal means, Guyana's [use of sea resources] illegally and in violation of international law?"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Venezuelan_referendum#Questions

@geography

polgeonow, to geography
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Just ahead of referendum on whether to "incorporate" disputed / area (currently governed by ) as one of its states, () orders country not to seize any land there ahead of future ruling.

Court took a pass on Guyana's request to order the cancelled, but did order both countries to avoid actions that "aggravate or extend" the dispute.

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/world-court-orders-venezuela-refrain-action-border-dispute-with-guyana-2023-12-01/

https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/171/171-20231201-pre-01-00-en.pdf

@geography

polgeonow, to geography
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#EastAfricanCommunity (#EAC) last week decided to admit #Somalia as a member. But despite imprecise news reports, its membership presumably doesn't officially take effect until after it signs the group's treaty. https://www.eac.int/press-releases/2977-east-african-community-continues-on-a-trajectory-of-expansion-as-summit-admits-somalia-into-the-bloc

#intergovernmental #geography #HornOfAfrica #Africa @geography @geopolitics

polgeonow, to geography
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Some interesting maps in @ACLED's recent report on violence within #Russia related to the #Ukraine war. Shows drone violence and railway sabotage being much more widespread than impression you might get from news media: https://acleddata.com/2023/11/09/importing-instability-how-the-war-against-ukraine-makes-russia-less-secure/

#geography #conflicttracking #RussiaUkraineWar #UkraineRussiaWar #Europe #OSINT @geography @geopolitics

polgeonow, to geography
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: "" of rebel groups has recently captured significant stretches of the border with https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/war-against-the-junta/myanmar-ethnic-alliance-seizes-strategic-town-of-kunlong-from-junta.html

@geography @geopolitics

polgeonow, to geography
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military raises in for first time since 2005, amid "expanded" ground operations against .

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-770650

@geography @geopolitics

polgeonow, to geography
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New / map #3: Territorial control between end of invasion and start of Israeli ground invasion of . Full-size map with explanations and timeline: https://www.polgeonow.com/2023/10/before-israel-ground-invasion-map-gaza-hamas.html

@geography @geopolitics

polgeonow, to geography
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Interesting Crisis Group on-location video report (from 2 months ago) about the -built border fence along what most of the world doesn't consider a border: the line between self-declared and govt-controlled : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFb_JsmIyQE

Because both sides were once controlled by Georgia, with no official agreement to separate them, the "border" fence runs right through many people's farms and even back yards.

@geography

polgeonow, to random
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#Philippines this week removed floating barrier placed by #China to complete its control over interior lagoon of disputed #ScarboroughShoal in #SouthChinaSea. https://apnews.com/article/china-philippines-south-sea-barrier-scarborough-68163cbe8c5b3ad7844dfecad71bce9c

#disputedterritory #disputedterritories #SCS #geography #geopolitics #maritime #maritimejurisdiction #LawOfTheSea #internationallaw @geography @geopolitics

polgeonow,
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@geography Ah, apologies! I was trying to tag @geography, which usually autocompletes for me.

polgeonow, to geography
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becomes first country to explicitly recognize and as independent countries. Both already have relations with dozens of countries, but are "associated" with () and usually not considered fully independent. https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/498812/nz-govt-welcomes-us-diplomatic-relations-with-cook-islands-and-niue

@geography

polgeonow, to geography
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Self-proclaimed, #Armenia-backed #Artsakh Republic in disputed #NagornoKarabakh region appears to have surrendered to #Azerbaijan, likely signaling the end of its 30-year run as a "de facto state" (unrecognized country). https://www.reuters.com/world/us-calls-azerbaijan-halt-karabakh-attack-russia-urges-return-ceasefire-2023-09-20/

#defacto #defactostates #geography #geopolitics #politicalgeography #statehood #Nagorno #Karabakh #world #Caucasus @geography @geopolitics

polgeonow, to geography
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made waves at the summit it hosted this weekend by using "" instead of "India" as its country name in some English-language contexts. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/modi-uses-bharat-g20-nameplate-not-india-amid-name-change-row-2023-09-09/

"Bharat" is already India's name in most local languages, including Hindi, and is mentioned as a synonym of "India" in the English version of the country's constitution, but hasn't been used in formal international contexts until now.

@geography

polgeonow,
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The name "" was already used by the Ancient Greeks more than 2000 years ago, though some in the region associate it more now with the 's colonial subjugation of the country in the 1700s-1900s.

@geography

polgeonow, to geography
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The , a loose group of economically-powerful countries, this weekend announced that it was welcoming the () as a new member. https://www.euronews.com/2023/09/09/african-union-to-become-permanent-member-of-g20-forum

One AU member country, , was already part of the G20, and will presumably participate separately.

@geography @geopolitics

polgeonow, to geography
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has newly recognized 8 different territories (promising their pre-colonial residents permanent ownership-like rights to the land) since president returned to power, including 2 just this week. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazils-lula-legalizes-more-indigenous-reservations-amazon-2023-09-05/

@geography

polgeonow, to geography
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In addition to suspension, has also been suspended from bloc after its recent . https://www.africanews.com/2023/09/05/central-african-bloc-suspends-gabon-over-coup/

@geopolitics @geography

polgeonow, to geography
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We also just updated our map of active and suspended member countries for the first time in 2 years - and there was a lot to update.

There are now more suspended member countries than ever before - a total of six countries, or 11% of the organization's membership.

https://www.polgeonow.com/2023/09/african-union-au-suspended-member-states.html

@geopolitics @geography

polgeonow, to geography
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Last week we published another update to PolGeoNow's professional overview map of territorial control in , covering the situation in August. More info: https://polgeonow.com/2023/08/ukraine-map-of-russian-control.html

@geopolitics @geography

polgeonow, to geography
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Interesting 3-month-old article on of 's highly-plausible future from . Ironically, worries that independence would make Greenland's foreign policy...less independent. https://jamestown.org/program/greenland-set-to-become-cockpit-of-controversy-between-east-and-west/

@geopolitics @geography

polgeonow, to geography
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In unprecedented move, report from a legislative committee calls an "independent country". UK govt leadership still doesn't officially acknowledge Taiwan .

https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-parliament-calls-taiwan-independent-country-report-says-james-cleverly-visit-china/

@geography @geopolitics

polgeonow, to geography
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#Somalia govt forces last week captured #ElBur, last district center in central #Galmudug region controlled by #AlShabaab, though they later retreated from other key towns in the area.

https://www.voanews.com/a/somali-army-captures-elbur-district-a-major-al-shabab-base/7241788.html https://www.voanews.com/a/7245333.html

Though Somalia govt victories in Galmudug region are a big deal, Al Shabaab's core stronghold area in the south remains largely untouched.

#OSINT #conflictracking #geography #geopolitics #HornOfAfrica #Africa #military @geography @geopolitics

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