Somalia Control Map & Timeline - August 2019

(To see other maps in this series, view all Somalia updates.)

Base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com, with territorial control by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic.
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Timeline by Evan Centanni

Mapping Al Shabaab Control

In the nine months since our previous Somalia control map report, the front lines in southern and central Somalia have changed only subtly: Al Shabaab, Somalia's Al Qaeda-affiliated religious hardline movement, has expanded its governance in some rural areas of the country's southwest, but at the same time has been driven out of two more important towns in the densely-populated Shabelle River valley west of Mogadishu. Scroll down for a full timeline of territorial changes and other major military and political events since last November.
 

Libyan Civil War Map & Timeline - July 2019 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by onestopmap.com and Evan Centanni.

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Since June, direct fighting between Libya's two biggest rival governments has continued in the Tripoli area, each with their own international backers, with the western government achieving a notable victory along the road south from Tripoli.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Libyan Civil War control map, which comes with a timeline of changes since our previous Libya control map report of June 4, 2019.

This map and report are premium content available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Libya, color-coded for the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), the rival Tobruk parliament and Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), and Toubou and Tuareg militias in the south. Colorblind accessible.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and changes of control, including Gharyan, Murzuq, Tripoli International Airport, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since June 4, 2019, with links to sources.

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African Union Map Update: Sudan Suspended

Map by Evan Centanni, from blank map by Eric Gaba. License: CC BY-SA

Sudan Suspended from African Union

On June 6, the African Union (AU) suspended Sudan from membership in the continental organization. This is the first time any country has been suspended from the AU since 2016, when the Central African Republic (CAR) was reinstated after a three-year suspension.

Libyan Civil War Map & Timeline - June 2019 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by onestopmap.com and Evan Centanni.

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Over the past month and a half, fighting in Libya has focused in on the southern suburbs of Tripoli, where the country's two rival governments are jockeying for the upper hand in the capital city. Meanwhile, the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) continues to launch attacks in southern towns.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Libyan Civil War control map, which comes with a timeline of changes since our previous Libya control map report in April 14, 2019.

This map and report are premium content available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Libya, color-coded for the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), the rival Tobruk parliament and Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), and Toubou and Tuareg militias in the south. Colorblind accessible.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and changes of control, including Aziziya, Ain Zara, Tripoli International Airport, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since April 14, 2019, with links to sources.

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Libyan Civil War Map & Timeline: Battle for Tripoli Begins - April 14, 2019 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by onestopmap.com and Evan Centanni.

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After years of proxy fighting in central and southern Libya, forces allied to the country's two rival governments are finally facing off directly around capital city Tripoli. In just the past two weeks, there have already been many changes to territorial control - mostly gains for the eastern-allied Libyan National Army (LNA).

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Libyan Civil War control map, which comes with a timeline of changes since our previous Libya control map report in April 1, 2019.

This map and report are premium content available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Libya, color-coded for the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), the rival Tobruk parliament and Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), and Toubou and Tuareg militias in the south. Colorblind accessible.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and changes of control, including Aziziya, Ain Zara, Tripoli International Airport, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since April 1, 2019, with links to sources.

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Libyan Civil War Map & Timeline - April 1, 2019 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by onestopmap.com and Evan Centanni.

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Over the past month, the eastern Libyan National Army (LNA) has continued its rapid advances across the south, seizing control of several towns and oil fields previously controlled by independent Toubou and Tuareg militias. Meanwhile, Libya's two major rival governments continue vying for power in the north, and the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) is still present in some desert areas.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Libyan Civil War control map, which comes with a timeline of changes since our previous Libya control map report in February 2019.

This map and report are premium content available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Libya map!

Exclusive report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Libya, color-coded for the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), the rival Tobruk parliament and Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), and Toubou and Tuareg militias in the south. Colorblind accessible.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and changes of control, including Murzuq, Ghadduwah, Qatrun, Uwaynat, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since February 24, 2019, with links to sources.

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Libyan Civil War Map & Timeline - February 2019 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic, with Evan Centanni. Map by onestopmap.com and Evan Centanni.

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Since last month, the Libyan National Army (LNA) of General Khalifa Haftar has rapidly expanded its control of major towns and oil fields in Libya's southwest, clashing with regional Toubou militias and threatening Tuareg militia control as well. Meanwhile, the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) is still active in some parts of the Libyan desert, despite its leadership facing defeat in Syria.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Libyan Civil War control map, which comes with a timeline of changes since our previous Libya control map report in July 2018.

This map and report are premium content available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Libya map!

Exclusive report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Libya, color-coded for the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), the rival Tobruk parliament and Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), and Toubou and Tuareg militias in the south. Colorblind accessible.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Murzuq, Ghadduwah, the El Sharara and El Feel oil fields, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since July 19, 2018, with links to sources.

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Swaziland's New Name in All Six UN Languages

Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland. Based on this map by Htonl and NordNordWest.

"Eswatini" Not Only For English

Last year, we told you about the small African Kingdom of Swaziland's name change to "Kingdom of Eswatini", which it turns out has caught on more quickly than usual in the media. Unlike Côte d'Ivoire, Cabo Verde, Timor-Leste, and Czechia, whose previous English names are still arguably dominant today, Wikipedia editors have found that most sources switched rapidly from Swaziland to Eswatini after the name change.

In our first article, we promised to let you know when the new name came through in the other official languages of the United Nations (since the UN acts as a sort of formal registry for countries' official names). Well, here they are:

Somalia Control Map & Timeline - November 2018 (Subscription)

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Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Since our last update in June, Somalia's civil war has continued at its usual pace, with both Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab and the Mogadishu-based government coalition capturing towns from each other. Meanwhile, the armies of Somaliland and Puntland in the north are still facing off over their disputed border.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Somalia map report of June 2018, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned to the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL). Areas of lawlessness or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions, plus control lines for the autonomous administrations of Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, and Khatumo.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Tukaraq, Bar Sanguni, Basra, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since June 2, 2018, with sources indicated. 
• Brief summary of the conflict situation, as well as major changes to the alignment of autonomous administrations, over the past five and a half months.

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Taiwan Loses Recognition from Dominican Republic, Burkina Faso (Map)

You can always find the latest version of this map, and a list of all related articles, on our Which Countries Recognize Taiwan? page.

Click to enlarge. By Evan Centanni, modified from public domain blank world map.

Libyan Civil War Map & Timeline - July 2018

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Libya updates.

Base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com, with territorial control by Evan Centanni. All rights reserved.

(Subscribers click here to view this article on the member site)

Timeline by Djordje Djukic

Libya: Who Controls What?

Ten months after our previous Libya control map and report, the country remains divided between two major rival governments and several smaller groups, but there have been a few changes to their areas of control. This is the first free edition of our map that also shows the territories of the Toubou and Tuareg militias in Libya's south, which align on and off with the country's two major governments.

All About Swaziland's Name Change (With Maps)

Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland. Based on this map by Htonl and NordNordWest.

Swaziland's New Name

If you follow PolGeoNow on Twitter, you already know that the small, southern African country of Swaziland was renamed "Eswatini" this April. The full English name of the country, previously "Kingdom of Swaziland", has also been changed to "Kingdom of Eswatini".

The rename was first announced by the country's king on April 19 - his 50th birthday. (Some media incorrectly reported that April 19 was also Swaziland's 50th anniversary of independence. The country is indeed celebrating its 50th this year, but the actual day of the anniversary is September 6.)

The change was apparently effective immediately: A purported copy of the legal order making the new name official, also dated April 19, was posted on a Swaziland news blog in May, with some validation from other sources.

Somalia Control Map & Timeline - June 2018 (Subscription)

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Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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In the last two months, several towns in southern Somalia have changed hands between Al Shabaab and government-allied forces, while political realignments have continued to change the country's map of autonomous states.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Somalia map report of March 2018, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Somalia map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned to the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL). Areas of lawlessness or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions, plus control lines for the autonomous administrations of Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, and Khatumo.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Tukaraq, Moqokori, Bulo Haji, Bali Khadar, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since March 28, 2018, with sources indicated. 
• Brief summary of the conflict situation, as well as major changes to the alignment of autonomous administrations, over the past three months.

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Somalia Control Map & Timeline - March 2018 (Subscription)

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Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Since last summer, Al Qaeda's Al Shabaab affiliate has lost some key towns in Somalia, but also had some victories - all this amid increasing US military involvement. Meanwhile, two pairs of rival governments farther north are moving towards unification.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Somalia map report of August 2017, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Somalia map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned to the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL). Areas of lawlessness and unclear control also clearly marked. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions, plus control lines for the autonomous administrations of Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, ASWJ, and Khatumo.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Bariire, Basra, Sablale, Torotorow, Tukaraq, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since August 25, 2017, with sources indicated. 
• Brief summary of the conflict situation, as well as major changes to the alignment of autonomous administrations, over the past seven months.

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Gambia Rejoins the Commonwealth (Map)

Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain graphic. Visit our Commonwealth of Nations page to check for newer versions, or contact us for permission to use this map.

Commonwealth Readmits Gambia as Member

Last month the Republic of the Gambia was accepted back into the Commonwealth of Nations, a club of countries that were formerly part of the British Empire. The tiny West African country left the organization in 2013 under pressure from other members to improve its democracy and human rights record.

Mauritania Flies a New Flag

Current flag of Mauritania (2017) Previous flag of Mauritania (1959-2017)

Mauritania's 2017 Flag Change

This year the West African country of Mauritania (pronounced "maur-ih-TAY-nee-ah") became the latest of the world's countries to change its flag, mostly keeping the old design but adding red bars on the top and bottom.

It's common around the world for even a small flag change to be criticized as a political distraction or a waste of money, and this was no exception. But when it landed on ballots in an August 5 referendum this summer, the modification was approved by 86% of participating voters.

The new flag was first officially raised on November 28, Mauritania's independence day.

What Does Mauritania's Flag Mean?

Until this year, Mauritania was one of only a few world countries whose flag didn't include the colors red, white, or blue. The star and crescent moon, originally an emblem of the Ottoman Empire, are now used in many national flags as symbol of the Muslim world.

Libya Control Map & Timeline - September 2017 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic, with Evan Centanni. Map by onestopmap.com and Evan Centanni.

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Since our previous Libya control map update in June, the Libyan National Army (LNA), fighting on behalf of the country's eastern government, has completed its years-long campaign to secure control of Benghazi from religious hardline fighters. Meanwhile, with the UN-backed government in Tripoli distracted by fighting with a third faction (the "National Salvation Government", or NSG), the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL) has begun a resurgence in rural areas near its one-time stronghold of Sirte.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Libyan Civil War control map, which comes with a timeline of changes since our June 2017 Libya control map report.

This map and report are premium content available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Libya map!

Exclusive report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Libya, color-coded for the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), the rival Tobruk parliament and Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), and the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL). New colors have been added for the Tuareg and Toubou ethnic alliances that control much of the country's far south.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Wadi al-Ahmar, Nawfaliya, Benghazi, Sabratha, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since June 6, 2017, with links to all sources.

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Somalia Control Map & Timeline - August 2017

This is the first in our new series of Somalia control maps, which includes regular updates for members of our conflict map subscription service. 

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com, with territorial control by Djordje Djukic and Evan Centanni. (This graphic has been slightly revised based on newer information. You can see the original version here.)
Contact us for permission to use this map.

(Subscribers click here to view this article in the member area)

Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Mapping Somalia: Who Controls What?

Of all the world's countries, Somalia is probably the most complex in terms of actual territorial control, and also one of the most constantly-changing. Despite that, good control maps for Somalia are hard to find, with major news outlets using simple, hastily-drawn maps (if any), while crowdsourced mapping projects on sites like Wikipedia suffer from a lack of contributors, infrequent updates, and unclear methods. That's why Political Geography Now set out to create the best-designed, most thoroughly-researched Somalia control map online.

Libya Control Map & Timeline - June 2017 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic, with Evan Centanni. Map by onestopmap.com and Evan Centanni.

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The past month has seen major changes to control in Libya's interior, as rival governments face off there and in around the capital city of Tripoli. Meanwhile, the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) has reportedly re-emerged in rural areas near the coast.
 
See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Libyan Civil War control map, which comes with a timeline of changes since our April 2017 Libya control map report.

This map and report are premium content available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Libya map!

Exclusive report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Libya, color-coded for the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), the rival Tobruk parliament and Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), and the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL). New colors have been added for the Tuareg and Toubou ethnic alliances that control much of the country's far south.
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Tamenhint and Jufra airbases, Brak, Sukna, Bani Walid, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since April 28, 2017, with links to all sources.

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The Gambia Changes Its Name Back

Map by Evan Centanni. Contact for usage rights.

Gambia Name Change Reversal

Last year we reported on how the Gambia, a tiny country located along the banks of a river in West Africa, had changed its official name at the UN. The country's maverick dictator had decided in 2015 to switch from "Republic of The Gambia" to "Islamic Republic of The Gambia".