Showing posts with label europe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label europe. Show all posts

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Belarus's Quiet Flag Change

Sometimes geopolitical changes make headlines, but other times they slip quietly under the radar. Such is the case with the flag of Belarus, which was changed without fanfare (or explanation) by a government decree back in 2012. We don't want you to miss any changes to the world's list of countries and flags, so we now present a belated report on this little-known event.

Premium members click here to view this article in the ad-free members area. Not a member yet? Subscribe now!

Flag of Belarus, 2012-present
Flag of Belarus, 2012-present
Flag of Belarus, 1995-2012
Flag of Belarus, 1995-2012
Flag of Belarus, 1991-1995
Flag of Belarus, 1991-1995
By Caleb Centanni

Belarus, a former Soviet state in Eastern Europe, made a slight change to its flag in early 2012. On Feb. 10 of that year, the State Committee for the Standardization of the Republic of Belarus announced a minor change to the ornamental pattern on the left margin of the flag.

The pattern originally occupied one-twelfth of the flag's total length, and was located inside a white margin making up one-ninth of the flag design. The ornamental pattern has now been extended to fill the entire one-ninth margin. The Belarusian government apparently provided no specific reason for the change.

Other than this minor adjustment, the current flag of Belarus has been in place since 1995, when it replaced the traditional white-red-white flag after a controversial referendum that critics denounced as unconstitutional.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko supported the adoption of the 1995 flag, which is very similar to the Soviet-era flag. State-owned media argued the traditional tricolor flag was unacceptable due to its use by Nazi collaborators in World War II.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Map Update: Kosovo Recognized by 3 More Countries in 2014 (106/193)

Premium members click here to view this article in the ad-free members area. Not a member yet? Subscribe now!
Map of countries that recognize the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state, updated for July 2014, with most recent additions (Togo, Tonga, Lesotho) and disputed recognitions highlighted
Countries recognizing the Republic of Kosovo in green, highlighting recent additions. Disputed recognitions in yellow. Kosovo in magenta. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain graphic (source).

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

War in Ukraine: Detailed Map of Rebel Control in Donetsk & Luhansk (Premium)

etailed map of rebel control in Ukraine's eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk, claimed by the breakaway Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic. Updated to July 22, 2014

Download PDF
buy


(Subscribe via Paypal to view all premium content online)
All new, detailed map of rebel control in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, home to the claimed Donetsk People's Republic, Lugansk People's Republic, and Federation of Novorossiya. 

Since our last Ukraine update, pro-Russian rebels have captured much more territory in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but also lost some of their early strongholds. 

This map report is exclusive premium content, available to paid subscribers or for individual purchase.
Buy now (US$9.99)

Premium map includes:
  • All new, detailed map of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, showing both past and current rebel control
  • Indication of which districts and cities have had their administrations occupied by separatists
  • Important locations of rebel military control marked
  • Article with chronology of events since April, and discussion of the meaning of "control"

MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO PROCEED TO ARTICLE AND MAP

NOT A MEMBER YET? SUBSCRIBE NOW!


Saturday, May 3, 2014

Mayotte Enters European Union

"Outermost regions" are officially part of the European Union; "overseas countries and territories" are not part of the EU itself, but have special relations with it because of their connections to member countries. New outermost region Mayotte is located in southeastern Africa. Map from Wikimedia Commons © Alexrk2 (CC BY-SA)
Premium members click here to view this article in the ad-free members area. Not a member yet? Subscribe now!

Article by Evan Centanni

EU Expands to Include Mayotte
You probably heard about Croatia joining the European Union last year, but did you know the EU expanded further this year...in Africa? The French overseas department of Mayotte, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean northwest of Madagascar, became officially part of the EU on January 1.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Ukraine Map #3: Separatist Control in the East (Premium)

Updated map of control in Ukraine, as of April 16, 2014. Spotlight on control by separatists in the country's east, including armed takeovers and the claimed Donetsk People's Republic.

Download PDF
buy


(Subscribe via Paypal)
Since our previous Ukraine update ten days ago, there has been a spectacular resurgence of aggressive separatist activity in eastern Ukraine, including not only protester occupations but also armed seizures reminiscent of those that began the Crimea crisis last month.

This is an up-to-date and detailed map of pro-Russian rebel and protester control in Ukraine, including the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic".

This map and article are exclusive premium content, available only to members or for individual purchase. Buy now (US$5.99).

Premium article includes:
  • Ukraine control map updated for the protester occupations and armed rebel takeovers in eastern Ukraine over the past two weeks
  • Shows both protester occupations and armed takeovers, as well as which regions have declared independence
  • Includes a quick briefing on recent events, with links to the sources of information
Members click here to proceed to article and map

Not a member yet? Subscribe Now!


Saturday, April 5, 2014

Update: Ukraine Control Overview Map (Premium)

Updated map of control in Ukraine, as of April 5, 2014. Includes final protester occupations, annexation of Crimea, and areas seized by Russian and Ukrainian militaries outside of Crimea.

Download PDF
buy


(Subscribe via Paypal)
This is a brief supplement to our Mar. 4 report, Ukraine Map: Occupations, Autonomy, & Invasion. See that report for a detailed overview of protester occupations and declarations of autonomy in the first two stages of the Ukraine crisis: the anti-Yanukovich Maidan movement and the eastern pro-Russian protests. 

The current article is an update on the current control situation in Ukraine from Mar. 4 to the present. This map and article are exclusive premium content, available only to members or for individual purchase. Buy now (US$5.99).

Premium article includes:
  • Simple updated map of the political situation in Ukraine since Mar. 4
  • Shows the last of the pro-Russian protester occupations, the annexation of Crimea, and seizures by the Ukrainian and Russian militaries outside of Crimea proper
  • Report on the course of events since the last report, explaining each detail shown on the map
  • In-line links to sources of information

Members click here to proceed to article and map

Not a member yet? Subscribe Now!


Thursday, March 27, 2014

Crimea Joins Russia, Gives Up Independence, Becomes Disputed Territory

Premium members click here to view this article in the ad-free members area. Not a member yet? Subscribe now!

Map of the claimed Republic of Crimea, which briefly declared independence from Ukraine on Mar. 17 before being annexed by Russia
The claimed Republic of Crimea which has now joined Russia (click to see full-sized map). By Evan Centanni, based on this blank map.
By Evan Centanni

Russia Annexes Crimea
The Crimean peninsula, which declared independence from Ukraine ten days ago as the Republic of Crimea, has now been absorbed into Russia. This was part of the plan all along - the claimed Republic of Crimea had requested to join Russia at the same time that it declared independence.

Related: Complete Map of Locations Seized by Russia in Crimea (Premium)

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Premium Map Report: Russian Control of Crimea

Map of Russian seizures and military actions in the Crimea region which it recently annexed from Ukraine.

Download PDF
buy


(Subscribe via Paypal)
After a month of low-level conflict, Russian military control of Crimea appears to be nearly complete. Here's a complete map - to the best of our knowledge - of all locations of Russian seizures and other military actions inside and outside of the Crimea region. This map and article are exclusive premium content, available only to members and for individual purchase. Buy now (US$4.99).

Premium article includes:
  • Exclusive map of Russian seizure and attack locations inside and outside of Crimea
  • Guide to all locations on the map, with brief summary of what has happened at each
  • In-line links to sources of information

Members click here to proceed to article and map

Not a member yet? Subscribe Now!


Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Crimea Declares Independence: Is It Really a Country?

On Monday, two regional governments on the Crimean Peninsula controversially declared their independence from Ukraine as the new Republic of Crimea. While the declaration has been rejected by most of the world community, and Crimea hopes to swiftly unite with Russia, for now it might be considered a de facto sovereign state. Read on for details.

Map of the newly declared independent Republic of Crimea, seceding from Ukraine to join Russia (colorblind accessible).
The Republic of Crimea. Map by Evan Centanni, based on this blank map.
Premium members click here to view this article in the ad-free members area. Not a member yet? Subscribe now!

By Evan Centanni

Declaration of Independence
Following Ukraine's revolution, the explosion of pro-Russian protests in the east, and the subsequent occupation of the Crimean peninsula by Russian forces (see our premium report, Ukraine Map: Occupations, Autonomy, & Invasion), a new independent country has been declared on the coast of the Black Sea.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

How Sharply Divided is Ukraine, Really? Honest Maps of Language and Elections

There's no question that Ukraine's current crisis arose from major political divisions in the country, and it's true that language is an issue. But some online news websites have sensationalized and exaggerated these divisions through misleading maps. PolGeoNow offers a pair of maps that better communicate the blurriness of the supposed lines between western and eastern Ukraine. 

(For a map of current events from January up to this week, including protester control, government occupations, and the Russian invasion, purchase our premium map of the Ukraine crisis or become a member.)

Map of the results of Ukraine's February 2010 presidential runoff election between Yulia Tymoshenko and Viktor Yanukovich
A more honest map of Ukraine's 2010 presidential election. By Evan Centanni.
Premium members click here to view this article in the ad-free members area. Not a member yet? Subscribe now!

Article by Evan Centanni 

Misleading Ukraine Maps
In January, the Washington Post's Max Fisher wrote a popular map-illustrated blog post about the political and linguistic divisions fueling Ukraine's crisis, then at the height of its pro-Europe protest phase. Later, CNN followed the Post's lead and published a similar set of maps. However, the maps in both articles are designed in a way that makes the divisions look much sharper and more black-and-white than they really are. There's not, as Fisher preposterously claims, "an actual, physical line" splitting Ukraine in half. Instead, there's a gradual shading of mixed populations whose ethnic identities and voting history don't always correlate to the country's current political divisions.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Ukraine Map: Occupations, Autonomy, & Invasion (Premium)

Map of the 2014 Ukraine crisis, before and after the ouster of President Yanukovich, updated to March 3, 2014. Details shown include protester occupations, declarations of autonomy, and Russian invasion.

Download PDF
buy


(Subscribe via Paypal)
PolGeoNow begins our Ukraine coverage with this overview of the political situation from January to the present, both before and after the overthrow of President Viktor Yanukovich's government. Details shown include protester occupations, declarations of autonomy, and Russian invasion. This map and article are exclusive premium content, available only to members and for individual purchase. Buy now (US$5.99).

Premium article includes:
  • Exclusive map of the political situation in Ukraine's 2014 crisis
  • Shows protester occupations, regional capitals overrun, autonomy declarations, and locations of Russian military siege
  • Report on the course of events, explaining each detail shown on the map
  • In-line links to sources of information

Members click here to proceed to article and map

Not a member yet? Subscribe Now!


Thursday, October 17, 2013

Map Update: Kosovo Recognized by 3 More Countries (103/193)

Map of countries that recognize the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state, updated for October 2013 with most recent additions (Thailand, Libya, Granada) and disputed recognitions highlighted
Countries recognizing the Republic of Kosovo in green, highlighting recent additions. Disputed recognitions in yellow. Kosovo in magenta. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain graphic (source).

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Map: Kosovo Recognized by 4 More Countries (101/193)

Map of countries that recognize the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state, updated for August 2013 with most recent additions and disputed recognitions highlighted
Countries recognizing the Republic of Kosovo in green, with the four most recent additions highlighted. Disputed recognitions in yellow. Kosovo in magenta. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain graphic (source).

Saturday, April 20, 2013

North Kosovo Status Changing After Serbia Deal

Map of Serbia, Kosovo, and North Kosovo
Map by Evan Centanni, based on these two blank maps by Nord-NordWest. License: CC BY-SA
Kosovo & Serbia in Historic Agreement
Serbia and the breakaway Republic of Kosovo reached a landmark deal on Friday to normalize their relations, partially compromising on several contentious issues between the two governments in southeastern Europe. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, but due to Serbia's opposition it has still not achieved full international recognition. 

Status Change for North Kosovo
North Kosovo is the largest of several areas within Kosovo where the majority of people are part of the Serb ethnic group, whereas 90% of people in Kosovo as a whole are ethnically Albanian. When Kosovo split from Serbia, many Serbs in the north refused to go, governing themselves separately from Kosovo and choosing instead to continue cooperating with and accepting government funding from Serbia.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Kosovo Recognition Update: April 2013 (99/193)

Map of countries that recognize the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state, updated for April 2013 with most recent additions highlighted
Countries recognizing the Republic of Kosovo in green, with the two most recent additions highlighted. Disputed recognitions in yellow. Kosovo in magenta. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain graphic (source).

Friday, March 15, 2013

What is Vatican City?

This week, the Catholic Church chose a new leader, Pope Francis. The selection and announcement of the new pope took place in Vatican City, the Church's sovereign territory within Rome. Is Vatican City really "the world's smallest country", or a country at all?  And what's the difference between Vatican City and the Holy See? Read all about it!


Large scale (close-up) map of Vatican City
Map of Vatican City (click to enlarge). By Francesco Piraneo G./Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SAsource).
What is Vatican City?

Vatican City was created by the Lateran Treaty in 1929 to ensure the Catholic Church's independence from the control of other countries, and has an area of only about 0.17 sq mi (0.44 sq km), or about one-eighth the size of Central Park in New York. In addition to the Pope, the state said to have a population of about 800, most of whom are either clergy or members of the Swiss Guard.

Located within the city of Rome, Vatican City is surrounded on all sides by Italy, and nearly encircled by a stone city wall except for in St. Peter's Square, where it is separated from Italy only by a white line drawn on the ground. Various religious and administrative buildings are located within Vatican City's confines, but more than half of its area is taken up by the green space of the Vatican Gardens.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Catalonia: Europe’s Newest Nation?

Even relatively stable Europe hosts its share of geopolitical tensions: Catalonia, a major region of Spain which has long claimed a unique national identity, may now be on the path towards independence. Read on for a profile of what could become one of the world's newest countries.

Map of Catalonia's location within Spain and relative to neighboring countries
Map by Evan Centanni, based on this map by Mutxamel. License: CC BY-SA
By Omar Alkhalili

What is Catalonia?

Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain. It holds the official status of a nationality within the Spanish parliamentary monarchy. Regions of Spain with this status are considered to be something similar to countries within the larger Spanish nation, allowing for their own separateness from Spanish mainstream culture without actually being considered independent.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Kosovo Now Recogized by Half of U.N. (97/193)

Map of countries that recognize the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state, updated for December 2012 with most recent additions highlighted
Countries recognizing the Republic of Kosovo in green, with the five most recent additions to the list labelled. Kosovo in magenta. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain graphic (source).

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Kosovo Recognized by Papua New Guinea (92/193)

Map of countries that recognize the Republic of Kosovo as independent, updated for Papua New Guinea's recognition in October 2012
Countries recognizing the Republic of Kosovo in green, with the most recent, Papua New Guinea (lower right), in lighter green. Kosovo in magenta. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain graphic (source).