Syrian Civil War Map & Timeline - February 2018

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

Situation Summary

The past few weeks since our previous Syria map update have been dominated by news from two main arenas of battle, both in the country's northwest. In the most politically significant development, the Turkish military has entered the Kurdish-administrated Afrin region (also spelled "Efrin") as part of a mission, alongside allied rebel fighters, to drive Kurdish militias out of the western border region. Meanwhile, forces loyal to Syria's Assad government have made major advances in areas south of Aleppo, eliminating an enclave of the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL) and cutting into rebel control around the edges of Idlib province.

Parade of Nations: Which Countries Are (and Aren't) in the Olympics? (PyeongChang 2018)

This is an older version of our Parade of Nations article. Click here to see the newest edition!

This is an updated version of an article first published in 2012. You can also read the London 2012, Sochi 2014, and Rio 2016 versions.

Map of all countries in the Olympics and their regional associations. By Evan Centanni, modeled after this map.

The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang County, South Korea officially open tomorrow, February 9th! They'll be the second Olympics to be hosted in South Korea, after the 1988 Summer Games. These are also only the third-ever Winter Olympics to be held outside of Europe and North America, following up the 1972 and 1998 games hosted by Japan.

Of course, it wouldn't be an Olympic opening ceremony without the Parade of Nations. But how many countries are there in the games, and is everyone included? Read on for PolGeoNow's updated guide to the roster of Olympic Nations...

Map: Costa Rica & Nicaragua Settle Border Dispute in Court

Map by Evan Centanni, based on materials submitted to the court. Contact for usage permissions.

World Court Rules on Costa Rica vs. Nicaragua

What happens when two countries draw their border along a river, then the river changes course? The world got to find out yesterday, as the UN's International Court of Justice (ICJ) released its judgement on a border dispute between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Though the court's ruling was dominated by a related request to define the two countries' borders at sea, it also involved a tiny sliver of land in a temperamental river delta.

All About Nagorno-Karabakh's 2017 Name Change

Map by Evan Centanni, modified from this map by Bourrichon and Lesqual. License: CC BY-SA

Nagorno-Karabakh is Now "Artsakh"

Most country name changes are just modifications to the country's official long name, or a switch in the name's preferred English translation. But last year, one self-proclaimed country changed its title completely.

In February 2017, the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic officially became the "Republic of Artsakh". The name switch was part of a new constitution, approved in an internationally-controversial Feb. 20 referendum. According to the breakaway government's official figures, the referendum passed by 88%, with a voter turnout of 76%.

Syrian Civil War Map & Timeline: Rebels Lose Major Ground - January 2018 (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 losses for hardline rebels in Syria's northwest, excluded from the de-escalation agreements, even as the push against the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) has slowed in the east.

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 November, 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 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 Al Qaeda 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 Abu al-Duhur, Beit Jinn, Rahjan, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since December 13, 2017, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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How Many Countries Are There in the World in 2018?

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

A world political map published by the US government. South Sudan is the most recent addition to the UN-based list of the world's countries.

One of the most basic questions for map-lovers is, "How many countries are there in the world?" But anyone who just gives you a number isn't telling the whole truth. 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:

Yemen Control Map & Report - January 2018

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

This is the first edition of our newly-redesigned Yemen control map, which has been optimized to match our maps of control in Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Somalia.

Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic, from base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com. All rights reserved.

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

Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Yemen: Who Controls What?
As we enter 2018, Yemen continues to be divided between two rival governments - the Saudi-backed administration of President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, and the allegedly Iran-backed "Houthi" group that controls the capital - even while remote areas remain within the sphere of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL) is not believed to control any towns, but is probably still present in the rural border areas between Bayda and Abyan provinces, near Lawdar.

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.

Syrian Civil War Map & Timeline: "Islamic State" Territory in Pieces - December 2017 (Subscription)

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

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As opposing forces close in, the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) has seen its Syrian territory divided into seven different pieces, and you might be surprised where some of them are located. Meanwhile, fighting between the government and rebels continues at a low level.

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 November, 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 Syria map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration 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 Al Qaeda 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 Abu Kamal (Al Bukamal), Quriyah, Rahjan and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since November 14, 2017, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Explainer: Is Jerusalem the Capital of Israel or Not?

Map by Evan Centanni. All rights reserved.

US recognizes Jerusalem as capital of Israel

This Wednesday, the United States government announced a new policy of recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. US president Donald Trump said the declaration's purpose was to "acknowledge the obvious", while also revealing plans to eventually move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. These decisions were extremely controversial, to say the least. But why? We'll break it down for you:

What's the big deal?

Israeli law says the city of Jerusalem is the country's capital. But even Israel's closest ally, the US, has never officially accepted the city's capital status. And the world's countries generally haven't either: In fact, no country in the world has a proper embassy in Jerusalem. So the new move by the US is a major change of policy, and one that runs contrary to an established world consensus.

Iraq Control Map & Timeline: "Islamic State" Loses Last Towns - November 2017 (Subscription)

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

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Since mid-October, government forces have recaptured the last towns in Iraq controlled by the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), even while taking more territory from the Kurdistan Region in the wake of its controversial independence vote.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional map of control in Iraq's civil war, including a timeline of changes since our previous Iraq map report of October 2017.

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 Iraq, color-coded for the Iraqi government, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, Kurdistan's Peshmerga forces, and Yezidi militias. Colorblind accessible.
• Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including all major cities and many smaller ones, as well as terrain, major roads, and provincial boundaries
• Timeline of changes to the situation since mid-October, compiled by our Iraq-Syria specialist, with links to sources

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Philippines: No More "Islamic State" Control in Marawi

Article by Evan Centanni

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Map of martial law and "Islamic State" control in the Philippines on June 4, 2017 (click for full-size map)

Rebel Takeover in Southern Philippines

In early June, we published a detailed map and timeline of control in the Filipino city of Marawi, which had been partly captured by rebel fighters claiming to representing the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL). In a matter of hours, hundreds of religious hardline fighters had launched a surprise takeover of the city, led by the recently-formed Maute rebel group and Isnilon Hapilon, a leader of the radical Abu Sayyaf network and the IS's officially designated leader for the Philippines.

The Filipino military quickly moved in to expel the fighters from Marawi, but the battle would drag on for another 5 months before the city was restored to full government control. As part of the government response, President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law across the entire southern Philippines. For more on the history of martial law in the Philippines, and rebellions in the country's south, see our article from June.

Syrian Civil War Map & Timeline: "Islamic State" Exits Last Major City - November 2017 (Subscription)

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

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Over the past few weeks, the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) has been completely driven out of its last major city, Deir ez-Zor, and now only controls a few smaller towns and the surrounding desert. Its enemies, the Russia-backed Syrian government and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), are both moving in to take its place.

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 October, 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 Syria map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration 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 Al Qaeda 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 Deir ez-Zor, Abu Kamal (Al Bukamal), Markadeh, Quriyah, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since October 26, 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.

Catalonia Declares Independence from Spain: What Now?

This report is part of our Referendum 2017 coverage, spotlighting disputed independence votes for Kurdistan in Iraq and Catalonia in Spain, plus less-controversial self-rule referendums in three areas of Italy.

Map by Evan Centanni, based on this map by Mutxamel. License: CC BY-SA

By Evan Centanni

Declaration of Catalan Independence

Catalonia, a self-governed region within Spain, has declared an independent "Catalan Republic" nearly a month after holding a controversial independence vote, despite powerful opposition from the Spanish government.

The declaration was made on Friday, October 27, after the region's parliament - elected legally under the Spanish constitution but now defying it - voted 70-10 in favor of independence. Anti-independence parties boycotted the vote, but 70 votes is enough that the motion would have passed either way, since the body has a total of 135 members.

Syrian Civil War Map & Timeline: SDF Captures Raqqah - October 2017 (Subscription)

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

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In the past month, the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL) has lost its former capital city and other key sites to the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), even as government troops have advanced against it in Deir ez-Zor, Hama, and Homs provinces.

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 September, 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 Syria map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date illustration 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 Al Qaeda 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 Raqqah, Deir ez-Zor, Mayadin (Mayadeen), As Suwar, the Al Omar oil field, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since September 27, 2017, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Can I purchase just this map?
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.

Referendum 2017: Three Autonomy Votes in Italy Today

This report is part of our Referendum 2017 coverage, spotlighting votes on the political status of Kurdistan in Iraq, Catalonia in Spain, and now three areas of Italy. However, these latest votes are much different from the controversial ones we've covered in the last month...

Update: All three referendums have passed. In Lombardy, 95% of participating voters favored autonomy, but with only 39% turnout; and in Veneto, autonomy won support from 98% of voters with 57% turnout, meeting the minimum 50% turnout requirement. Nearly 99% of participants in Belluno province supported autonomy within the Veneto region, with 52% turning out to vote.

Map by Evan Centanni, based on blank map by TUBS and NordNordWest (Wikimedia Commons). License: CC BY-SA

Where are referendums happening?

Referendums are being conducted today in two of Italy's top level "regions" (something in between a province and a US-style state). Both of them are located in the north of the country: Lombardy, which includes the city of Milan, and Veneto, which includes the city of Venice. These two regions are voting on whether to negotiate increased self-rule with the Italian national government through a framework set out in the constitution.

A third referendum is happening in the province of Belluno, part of the Veneto region, on whether to ask for more self-rule from the regional government in Venice. Belluno is a mountainous province at the northern end of the Veneto region, sharing a border with Austria.

Iraq Control Map & Timeline: Government Takes Kirkuk from Kurdistan - October 2017

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

Basemap by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com, with territorial control by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. All rights reserved.

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

Timeline by Djordje Djukic

Summary of Events
Since our previous Iraq control map update in late July, there have been big changes to territorial control in Iraq, all involving expansions of control for the Iraqi military and its close allies (mainly police and Iran-backed militias): The so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL) has been driven out of its Tal Afar and Hawija enclaves, and the disputed city of Kirkuk has been retaken from Kurdish forces in response to the controversial Kurdistan independence referendum. Iraqi government forces have also begun to chip away at the remaining swath of IS territory in the countryside of Anbar province, capturing the town of Anah on the road to the Syrian border.

Catalonia Referendum: Detailed Results in 5 Maps

This map report is part of our Referendum 2017 coverage, spotlighting controversial independence votes in two of the world's autonomous regions: Kurdistan voted for independence from Iraq last month, and Catalonia tried to vote on leaving Spain on Oct. 1. Now we've mapped out Catalonia's results in detail based on data from the regional government.
 

Controversial Independence Vote

On October 1, Spain's autonomous region of Catalonia tried to hold a referendum on independence from Spain. After Spanish courts ruled the vote illegal, Spanish national police attempted to prevent voting, and the result was that voting was disrupted in many areas and not organized properly in most others. Still, Catalan government data states that some 42% of the region's residents came out to vote anyway, and of those who did, about 90% voted in favor of secession. Though Catalonia's president had promised to declare independence within 48 hours of a YES victory, so far he's delayed doing so.

Updated! Catalonia Referendum Results Maps: How Did Each Region Vote?

Updated! This article's maps and text have been updated with final results released by the Catalan government. See below for more details. We also now have an article with detailed results maps broken down by municipality.

This map report is part of our Referendum 2017 coverage, spotlighting controversial independence votes in two of the world's autonomous regions: Kurdistan voted for independence from Iraq last week, and Catalonia voted to leave Spain this weekend. Now detailed results are available, and we're working on getting them mapped out.

Maps by Evan Centanni, starting from blank map by Vinals and Rwxrwxrwx. License: CC BY-SA

Catalonia Independence Vote (Updated)

Detailed, final results are now available for Catalonia's controversial referendum on independence from Spain. The vote was widely disrupted by the Spanish police after courts ruled it illegal, resulting in massive irregularities that will make it hard for outsiders to accept as a proper democratic referendum. Still, some 43% of eligible Catalan voters reportedly made it out to cast ballots, meaning there's plenty of reported data to look at.

Catalonia Voting on Independence: What Will Happen?

This article is part of our Referendum 2017 coverage, spotlighting controversial independence votes in two of the world's autonomous regions: Kurdistan voted for independence from Iraq this Monday, and Catalonia is about to vote on leaving Spain. 

Update: Check out the bottom of the article for a brief summary of what's actually happened since referendum day!

Map by Evan Centanni, based on this map by Mutxamel. License: CC BY-SA

By Evan Centanni

Catalonia Independence Vote

Catalonia, a self-governed region within Spain, is about to start voting on independence in a referendum that Spanish courts have ruled illegal. So what will happen? No one really knows, but we've taken our best shot at answering six of the big questions...