Ukraine War Rebel Control Map: September 2014 (Premium)

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Russia is now being accused of directly invading eastern Ukraine, and opposition control in the region has seen major changes since our last Ukraine war map update.

This is detailed map and timeline of pro-Russian territorial 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. Updated to the start of September 2014.

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Latvia Joins the Eurozone (map)

This article was originally published as "Map: Which Countries Use the Euro? (Plus: This Year's New Addition)". To see newer versions of the map, view all Eurozone articles on PolGeoNow.

The Eurozone, European Union, and other countries using the euro.
Map by Evan Centanni, from blank map by Ssolbergj. License: CC BY-SA

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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.

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Flag of Belarus, 2012-present Flag of Belarus, 1995-2012 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.

Syria Civil War Map: August 2014 (#13)

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Premium subscribers have already seen our new Syria map format, which shows full areas of control for each major faction in the civil war. Now, we present this month's update free of charge for your convenience. 

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Territorial control in the Syrian Civil War as of August 2014. Map by Evan Centanni, starting from blank map by NordNordWest. License: CC BY-SA

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Threats from All Sides
Since our last Syria map update in early July, the lines of control in the civil war have not changed drastically. However, fighting on all fronts has resulted in numerous small but important changes to the situation, as the Assad government is now facing serious challenges from both the newly rebranded Islamic State (formerly ISIS/ISIL) and a loose coalition of various other rebel groups (including both the Free Syrian Army and Al-Nusra).

Iraq Conflict Control Map: August 2014 (Premium)

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This is the latest update to our series of maps documenting territorial control in the current war in Iraq, with a number of updates since the previous edition in late June. 

It includes control by the Maliki goverment, Kurdish forces, and the Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS), and has been re-styled to fit seamlessly with our popular control maps of the Syrian Civil War.

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African Union Reinstates Egypt and Guinea-Bissau (Map)

The African Union as of July 2014. Map by Evan Centanni, from this blank map by Eric Gaba.
License: CC BY-SA

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

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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).

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

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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. 

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Map: Yemen Joins WTO

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Member and observer states of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Map by Evan Centanni, starting from public domain blank map (license: CC BY-NC-SA).

Syria Civil War: Territorial Control Map #12.3 (Premium)

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This is the Syria update you've been waiting for: our new map includes not only cities, but a full illustration of territorial control for each faction in the civil war. Also includes many updates to the situation since the last edition in April.

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• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, ISIS/Islamic State extremists, and Kurdish self-protection forces
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• Includes recent areas of fighting including Deir ez-Zor, Abu Kamal, Mayadin, Khan Shaykhun, and many more
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Iraq's New War: Detailed Map of ISIS Takeover (Premium)

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Since our last Iraq map update less than a month ago, the conflict has blown up with a spectacularly successful offensive by ISIS rebels. PolGeoNow presents here our updated map of territorial control in Iraq, more detailed and accurate than any of the maps available on news websites.

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World Cup 2014: Which Countries Are (and Aren't) Members of FIFA?

There are newer versions of this explainer available. To see them, view all FIFA World Cup articles on PolGeoNow.

 

The six continental confederations of national football teams associated with FIFA. Not all confederation members are individually members of FIFA. Map by Evan Centanni, based on work by EOZyo (source).

Football/soccer fans around the world are tuning in tonight for the beginning of the month-long FIFA World Cup in Brazil. But how much do you know about which teams can compete? Which countries were eligible to enter the tournament, and which are excluded? Read on for an exclusive guide to the roster of FIFA national football teams...

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Palestine: West Bank and Gaza Reunited Under Transitional Government

(Keep up with changes to Palestine's situation: view all Palestine updates.)

Control zones based on the Oslo Accords. Area A: Palestinian control; Area B: mixed Israeli-Palestinian control; Area C: full Israeli control. Map by Evan Centanni (sources: Natural Earth, B'Tselem, U.N. OCHA oPt).

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By Evan Centanni

Unity Government
The partially-unrecognized State of Palestine is not only divided between Palestinian and Israel control - even the Palestinian-administered areas have been governed separately for several years now. However, this month rival parties Hamas and Fatah have finally come together to reunite the West Bank and Gaza Strip under a single Palestinian government.

Divided Country
The rift in control opened up in 2007, after religious militant group Hamas won a majority of seats in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections. Hamas and Fatah, the current ruling party at the time, failed to form a stable unity government then, and the conflict between them escalated into a short civil war in the Gaza Strip. 

See Also: Is Palestine Really a Country?

Iraq: Updated Map of ISIS Control (Premium)

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This is our first update to January's map of Al Qaeda control in Iraq. The map has been expanded to show much more detail of the ongoing campaign of control by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), now no longer an Al Qaeda affiliate.

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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)

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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.

Syria Civil War Map: April 2014 (#12.2) (Premium)

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PolGeoNow's popular Syria civil war control maps are back! Here's the second of our member-exclusive premium updates. 

Developments since our previous Syria map update in January include advances by both the government and the rebels, as well as changes in territorial control for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

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• Map of current territorial control in Syria by city, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, ISIS extremists, and Kurdish militias
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Ukraine Map #3: Separatist Control in the East (Premium)

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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".

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ICYMI: The Gambia's Withdrawal from the Commonwealth

"In case you missed it" - this is an article featuring news we couldn't cover when it first broke, but that we thought you might still want to know about. Those who read our article on the year 2013 in political geography changes already heard about the Gambia's withdrawal from the Commonwealth of Nations - now here's the full story.

The Commonwealth of Nations. Current members in dark blue, former members in lavender. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain blank map.

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Update: Ukraine Control Overview Map (Premium)

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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).

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• 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
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Crimea Joins Russia, Gives Up Independence, Becomes Disputed Territory

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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)

Premium Map Report: Russian Control of Crimea

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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).

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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.

The Republic of Crimea. Map by Evan Centanni, based on this blank map.

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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.

Madagascar Un-Suspended from African Union

The African Union as of March 2014. Map by Evan Centanni, from this blank map by Eric Gaba.
License: CC BY-SA

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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.)

A more honest map of Ukraine's 2010 presidential election. By Evan Centanni.

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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.

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

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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).

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• Exclusive map of the political situation in Ukraine's 2014 crisis
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South Sudan War Map: Current Rebel Control (Update #4) (Premium)

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This is Part 1 of a double map report on territorial control in South Sudan's ongoing rebellion, available exclusively to premium subscribers or for individual purchase. This map shows current territorial control for late February 2014, including several changes since the time of the ceasefire. Buy now (US$3.99).

To see the map of control at the time of the ceasefire on January 23, see Part 1.

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• Multiple changes to territorial control since previous update
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South Sudan War Map: Control at Time of January Ceasefire (Update #3) (Premium)

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This is Part 1 of a double map report on territorial control in South Sudan's ongoing rebellion, available exclusively to premium subscribers or for individual purchase. This map shows territorial control as of January 23, when the warring parties signed their ceasefire agreement (including major changes from previous update). Buy now (US$3.99).

To see the map of current control as of late February, go to Part 2.

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Olympics Map Update: Which Countries Are Attending Sochi 2014?

Sochi 2014: Nations attending the Winter Olympics for the first time in bright green; suspended nations reinstated during the games in blue; all other nations attending Sochi 2014 in dark green; ineligible countries/territories in gray. By Evan Centanni, from public domain base map.

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By Evan Centanni

India's Olympics Membership Reinstated
This is a quick update to the map of countries attending the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, which originally appeared in Sochi 2014: Which Countries Are (and Aren't) in the Olympics? That article explained that India was not officially included in this year's games due its suspension from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over a voting issue.

However, on Tuesday India's IOC membership was reinstated, effective immediately. This means that the three Indian athletes at the games, who were allowed to participate independently under the Olympic flag during the opening ceremony and first few days of the event, may now officially represent India again. This is the first time in history that a country has been un-suspended from the the Olympics during the actual games.

Map: Peru & Chile's Sea Dispute Settled in Court

Two weeks ago, the International Court of Justice released a long-awaited ruling on Peru and Chile's disputed maritime boundary. Many headlines claimed that Peru "won" the case, but in fact it was not a full victory for either country. Below is our detailed map of Peru and Chile's seas and of the dispute, followed by an easy-to-understand summary of the case. 

Map by Evan Centanni (country coastlines and land borders from Natural Earth)

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Article by Evan Centanni

Disputed Territory
Chile and Peru have just settled a decades-long dispute over the location of their maritime boundary (the border between their sea zones). A large wedge of sea off the countries' coast was claimed by both sides, in part because of its high value for the fishing industry. In 2008, Peru took Chile to court over the dispute. Their disagreements would be resolved by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a United Nations body in the Hague founded for the purpose of settling differences between U.N. member countries.

Sochi 2014: Which Countries Are (and Aren't) in the Olympics?

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

[This article was first published in July 2012 as "Parade of Nations: Which Countries Are (and Aren't) in the Olympics?", in connection with that year's Summer Olympics in London. The following article is an updated version for the 2014 Sochi Winter games.]

The five continental associations representing the world's Olympic Nations. Gold: Pan-American Sports Organization; Green: European Olympic Committees; Black: Olympic Council of Asia; Red: Oceania National Olympic Committees; Blue: Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa; Gray: non-member country or territory. Map by Evan Centanni, starting from this blank map and modeled after this Wikipedia map.

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The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia officially begin tonight (Feb. 7), and 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 an exclusive guide to the roster of Olympic Nations....

Syria Civil War Map: January 28, 2014 (#12.1) (Premium)

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PolGeoNow presents our first premium Syria map, part of our new more frequent updates for the Syrian Civil War! Since last month a major struggle has emerged between ISIS extremists and a coalition of other rebel groups, with several key towns changing hands. See the updated map and briefing in this premium report. Buy now (US$5.99).

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ICYMI: Cape Verde's Name Change

In the following weeks, PolGeoNow will be publishing several short "in case you missed it (ICYMI)" articles on events from 2013. This is news that we weren't able to cover when it first broke, but that we thought our readers might still want to know about.

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Cape Verde, now officially Cabo Verde (click to enlarge). Map by Oona Räisänen/Wikimedia (CC BY-SA) (source).

By Evan Centanni

Cape Verde Changes Official Name
If you read our article on the year 2013 in political geography changes, you've already heard about the change to Cape Verde's official English name. But since keeping track of country name changes is one of the primary missions of Political Geography Now, we are now presenting this in-depth report on the topic.

South Sudan Rebellion: Map Update 2 (Premium Content)

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Both peace talks and fighting continue nearly two weeks after our last South Sudan update. In the meantime, there have been several changes to rebel control. The newly updated premium map and report reflect those events, as well as newly available information about other localities. Buy now (US$2.99).

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Iraq: Map of Al Qaeda Control

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PolGeoNow presents our first map of Iraq, showing control by the government and Al Qaeda rebels in the country's ongoing crisis. Areas of autonomous Kurdish administration in the north are also indicated.

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Territorial control in Iraq at the beginning of 2014. Map by Evan Centanni, starting from this blank map by German Wikipedia user NordNordWest. License: CC BY-SA

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By Evan Centanni

Al Qaeda in Iraq
Though the reality is of course more complex, power politics in Iraq often revolve around the country's three largest ethnic groups: Shia (Shiite) Arabs, Sunni Arabs, and Kurds (most Kurds are religiously Sunni, but their language and cultural distinguish them from Arabs). Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shia Arab, is often accused of manipulating Iraq's democracy to exclusively serve the country's Shia majority. The Kurds govern a highly autonomous region in the northeast, but the Sunni Arabs who dominate northwestern Iraq have relatively little political power. Into the fray has jumped Al Qaeda in Iraq, now part of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) organization which also controls parts of Syria (map). Al Qaeda has waged a fierce campaign against the Iraqi government in the name of Sunnis, though the group is still rejected by many of the people it claims to protect.

South Sudan: Rebel Control Map Update (Premium Content)

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Since our first map report on rebel control in South Sudan's political crisis, the situation has continued to develop quickly, with several cities and towns changing hands. PolGeoNow now presents an updated map and report exclusively available as premium content for purchase and to our subscribers. Buy now for only US$2.99!

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