Panama Recognizes China, Stops Recognizing Taiwan (Map)

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

How Many Countries Are There in the World in 2017?

There are newer editions of this article available. To find the most recent, view all "How Many Countries in the World" updates!

This article, originally from 2011, has been revised and updated to June 2017.

A world political map published by the US government (public domain)

One of the most basic questions for map-lovers is, "How many countries are there in the world?" But anyone who replies with just a number is leaving out part of the story. It actually depends a lot on how you define a "country".

Here are six of the most common answers, each correct in its own way:

Libya Control Map & Timeline - June 2017 (Subscription)

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

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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.

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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), 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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"Islamic State" in the Philippines? Detailed Control Map & Timeline of the Marawi Conflict

Map by Evan Centanni. All rights reserved.

Syria Control Map & Timeline: "De-escalation zones" & Continued IS Losses - May 2017 (Subscription)

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

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The past month has seen continued territorial losses for the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly, ISIS/ISIL), as government and rebel forces take vast swaths of desert and a Kurdish-led coalition closes in on the group's capital. Meanwhile, foreign countries have begun drawing up provisional ceasefire zones along hardened lines between rebel and government control.

 See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Syrian Civil War control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Syria map report in April, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium professional 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 Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and Kurdish/SDF forces. Colorblind accessible.
• Markers showing the approximate locations of Russian-Turkish-Iranian "de-escalation zones" and the one known US "deconfliction zone".
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Qaboun, Sawwana, Shaer gas fields, Jirah airbase, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since April 26, 2017, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Yemen Control Map & Report: May 2017 (Subscription)

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic. Map by Louis Martin-Vézian, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic.

Since February, the Saudi-backed coalition supporting Yemen's internationally-recognized government  has made some modest territorial gains against the Houthi government in two different areas, while Al Qaeda fighters still hold much of the country's east.

See all this and more on the newest update to PolGeoNow's Yemen territorial control map, which includes a timeline of changes and important events since our previous Yemen map report in late February.

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

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• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Yemen, color-coded for the pro-Hadi coalition, Houthi/Saleh forces, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL).
• Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including provincial boundaries, all major cities, and many smaller ones
• Markers for recent areas of fighting, including Mocha, Maydee, al-Zahari, Nihm, and others
• Timeline of changes to the situation since February 22, 2017, with links to 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".

The Maldives' Withdrawal from the Commonwealth

Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain blank world map

Libya Control Map & Timeline - April 2017 (Subscription)

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

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After driving so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters out of their last stronghold in Libya, clashes have gradually increased between the country's two rival governments, even as the eastern government has continued its unilateral campaign against religious hardliners, and a new "neutral" military force has emerged with ties to the ousted leader of the previous western government.
 
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 December 2016 Libya 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), religious hardline groups, and other actors such as the Toubou people of the southern desert.
• 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 Benghazi, Sidra oil port, the Brak and Tamenhint airbases, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since December 6, 2016, with all sources cited.

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Syria Control Map & Timeline - April 2017 (Subscription)

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

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The so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) has continued to lose ground in Syria to the Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the north, and to rebel groups in the southern desert. Meanwhile, the Assad government has made some gains against rebels in Hama province, the Damascus area, and elsewhere.
 
See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Syrian Civil War control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Syria map report in March, with sources cited.

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

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

Exclusive report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and Kurdish/SDF forces. Colorblind accessible.
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Thawra, Halfaya, Suran, Qaboun, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since March 29, 2017, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Syria Control Map & Timeline: "Islamic State" Under Siege - March 2017 (Subscription)

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

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Advances against the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) have accelerated from all sides, with Kurdish-led forces nearing the doorstep of the group's capital city. Meanwhile, months of defeats for anti-Assad rebels may have begun to reverse.
 
See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Syrian Civil War control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Syria map report in February, with sources cited.

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

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

Exclusive report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and Kurdish/SDF forces. Colorblind accessible.
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Palmyra, Dayr Hafir, Karama, Qaboun, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since February 24, 2017, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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This map and report are not available for automated purchase to non-subscribers. If you need access or republication rights for only this map report, contact service@polgeonow.com for options.

2016 Year in Review: Country & Border Changes

Inside this Review of 2016:

Map of election results from the UK's "Brexit" referendum on leaving the European Union

• Country name, capital, and flag changes
• Border changes and disputed territories 
• Separatist states and proposed new countries
• Recognition of disputed countries 
• Countries joining (and leaving) international organizations
• Sea borders and seabed claims
• New states and provinces within countries
• Changes to countries' coastal contours and official languages

And in companion articles:
Rebel Control Around the World in 2016 
Time Zones that Changed in 2016 

It's PolGeoNow's mission to track changes to the world's countries, borders, and territories, whether it's happening formally on the books or unofficially on the ground. When new countries appear, borders change, and territorial disputes arise or are settled, you'll hear about it here. With 2016 now concluded, here's our look back at the events of the year!

(For extra coverage of geography events in 2017, follow @PolGeoNow on Twitter!)

2016 Year in Review: Rebel Control Around the World

The rebel control maps in this article were produced for PolGeoNow's professional conflict map subscription service. Full-size versions of all PolGeoNow conflict maps, along with territorial control timelines, are accessible to subscribers. You can learn more about our map subscriptions here. Non-subscribers can also view our collection of free sample control map reports.

Syria in February 2016

Syria in December 2016

The Year in Territorial Control Changes

For the past three years, PolGeoNow has published a "Year in Review" article to summarize all the political geography news that's happened in the past 12 months. The 2014 and 2015 articles included news about changing territorial control in conflict zones, but because this is a major topic of its own, we've chosen to split these events into a separate article for 2016. So read on for a concise summary of last year's rebel control changes...

See Also: 2016 Year in Review: Country & Border Changes 
 

Syria, Iraq, and the "Islamic State"

The Syrian Civil War continued to be the biggest armed conflict in the world through 2016, as well as a prominent example of a country whose territory isn't all controlled by the recognized government. During the past year, pro-government forces scored some major victories against the rebels, recapturing the country's second largest city and gradually increasing control in areas around the capital.

Interactive Maps: Which Places Switched Time Zones in 2016?

This article is a spin-off from our popular yearly review of political geography events. For more on changes to countries and borders in 2016, check out our main 2016 year in review article! 

Free map of world time zones from Wikimedia Commons, up-to-date for the beginning of 2017. See the close-ups below for interactive, before-and-after illustrations of time zone changes during 2016.

Article and additional graphics work by Evan Centanni
 

Who Controls Time Zones?

The system of dividing the world into time zones is accepted all around the world, in principle. It's an organized way of letting clocks in each part of the world hit noon around the middle of daylight hours, even if it's midnight on the other side of the world. But surprisingly, there's actually no international organization that determines time zones. Except for in the open ocean, where time zones are standardized by a loose agreement between fleets and ship operators, the dividing lines are set independently by each country's government, or even by local governments below the national level.