Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Map & Report: Aftermath - January 2021 (Subscription)

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Map by Evan Centanni, Djordje Djukic, Bourrichon, and Lesqual; article by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic.

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Though our map has barely changed since forces of Armenia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh completed their promised handovers of land to Azerbaijan two months ago, territory remains a major issue in the region. 

 

This subscriber-exclusive report goes in-depth on territorial issues and conflict-related developments since our previous Nagorno-Karabakh map and timeline at the beginning of December, with key sites of contention newly marked on this edition of the map.

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 Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, including the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh, showing the differences between the situation before the war versus now. Colorblind accessible. 
  
• Claimed borders of the Republic of Artsakh, as well as the former extent of the Soviet-era Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO).
  
• Key locations of conflict and contention since the completion of Armenian withdrawals, including Khtsaberd, Shurnukh, Kapan, the Sotk gold mine, and more.
  
• Detailed timeline of territorial contention and conflict events since Dec. 1, 2020, as well as key military/political developments, with sources cited. 

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US State of Mississippi Adopts New Flag

Mississippi's new flag, officially adopted January 11, 2021 (public domain graphic).

50 State Flags Again

For the first time since last June, every one of the US's 50 states has its own flag. Last year, Mississippi became the only flagless state after its government voted to withdraw its former banner, controversial for incorporating the battle emblem of 19th Century pro-slavery separatists.

USA: Rhode Island State's Name Change

State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The island hosting Newport (lower right) is the original "Rhode Island", while "Providence Plantations" referred to the mainland area around Providence (top right). (Public domain map)

Rhode Island Name Change Now in Effect

Tiny Rhode Island has become the first of the 50 US states ever to change its name.

Even many Americans don't realize that Rhode Island, the smallest US state by area, actually had a longer official name until last year: State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. 

But in a referendum on Nov. 3, the same day as the 2020 US presidential election, the state's voters chose to amend the state constitution and shorten the name to just "State of Rhode Island". 

Yemen Control Map & Report - December 2020 (Subscription)

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

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In the past two months, Yemen's Houthis have continued to gain ground against both the Hadi government and Al Qaeda, while the separatist conflict in the south moves closer to a possible resolution.

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 October.

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 Yemen, color-coded for the pro-Hadi coalition, the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC), Houthi forces, and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
• Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including provincial boundaries, all major cities, and many smaller ones
• Markers for recent areas of fighting, including Maas base, Lawdar, Al Uqlah, Zinjibar, and more
• Timeline of changes to the situation since October 30, 2020, with links to sources 

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Nagorno-Karabakh Control Map & Timeline: Artsakh Withdrawals - December 1, 2020

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

This update on the (approximate) final results of the 2020 Azerbaijan-Armenia war is free for all readers.

Map of current territorial control. By Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic, starting from this map by
Bourrichon and Lesqual. License: CC BY-SA

 

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

 

Timeline by Djordje Djukic

 

Artsakh/Armenian Forces Make Promised Withdrawals

Click to enlarge: Map of territorial changes during and after the war
(For credit and license see main map above)

Three weeks after the peace deal that brought an end to the 2020 war between Azerbaijan and the Armenia-backed, self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh, the latter side has completed the additional withdrawals it promised in the deal.

Though no official map has yet been released of the new lines of control, PolGeoNow has estimated their course based on news reporting and a comparison between information reported by various other online mapping projects.

RCEP: Agreement Signed to Form Massive Free Trade Area (Map)

Graphic modified by Evan Centanni from this map by Wikimedia user Masterdeis (CC BY-SA).

What is the RCEP free trade deal?

Two weeks agao, 15 countries in Asia and Oceania signed a long-planned treaty to form the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a free trade area widely billed as the "world's largest". However, the RCEP doesn't exist quite yet as an actual free trade area, since it's still waiting to be ratified (written into the laws of member countries). Read on for a quick explanation of what the RCEP is, when it will be implemented, and how it compares to the world's other free trade areas.

Syria Control Map & Report: Army Takes Last IS Stronghold - November 2020 (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 lost control of a remote gas field that formed its last clearly-held territory in Syria. But it hasn't disappeared: The group has continued carrying out attacks in the central desert through a dispersed, mobile operations network.

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 July, 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, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Colorblind accessible.
• NEW: Pattern showing areas of "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) dispersed operational presence now that the group has lost its last firmly-held territory.
  
• Special symbols for joint Turkish/rebel control and joint SDF/government control in the border region
• Extent of "security corridor" sponsored by Turkey and Russia in the rebel-held northwest
• Outline showing approximate location of the one publicly-known US "deconfliction zone"
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Al Qaeda Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS) and by the Kurdish YPG militia (part of the SDF anti-"Islamic State" coalition)
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events
• Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Doubayat gas field, Al Karak, Morek, and more
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since July 30, 2020, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Guest Feature: Map of Control in Ethiopia's Tigray Conflict (November 18, 2020)

Update: PolGeoNow now has an in-house map showing territorial control in northern Ethiopia. To find the latest version, view all Ethiopia reports.

Today we're featuring a map created by a friend of PolGeoNow, Daniel from Passport Party, roughly illustrating territorial control in the new conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray state. For further updates to this map, follow Passport Party on Twitter.

Rough map of territorial control in Ethiopia's 2020 Tigray conflict, by Daniel of Passport Party (used with permission).

 

Ethiopia Conflict: Tigray Control Map by Passport Party

On November 4, 2020, a new armed conflict broke out between Ethiopia's central government and the government of Tigray, a regional state within Ethiopia. Details since then have been difficult to track down because of a government-imposed communications blackout in the region, and at PolGeoNow we've been too busy so far to create our own control map. 

Fortunately, our friend Daniel from Passport Party has managed to create a rough map his own, drawing from a carefully-curated network of sources with local ties, along with what scant media reports are available. Though Daniel warns that a map like this can't be completely reliable under the circumstances, this is our pick for best of the maps that we've seen.

Daniel has graciously offered us permission to feature the latest version of his map here, and for further map updates on the rapidly-changing situation, you can check the Passport Party Twitter feed. Keep reading for a brief outline of the situation, and for more details on the sources used in creating this map.

Nagorno-Karabakh Control Map & Timeline: Peace Deal Reached - November 10, 2020 (Subscription)

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Map by Evan Centanni, Djordje Djukic, Bourrichon, and Lesqual

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The six-week war between Azerbaijan and the Armenia-backed, self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh has come screeching to a halt with a new Russia-brokered peace agreement. Azerbaijan has captured ever-bigger sections of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, and will hold onto them under the terms of the new deal.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional map of control in the Armenia-Azerbaijan war, which includes a timeline of territorial changes and key events since our previous Nagorno-Karabakh map report of October 25, 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 Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, including the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. Areas of mixed or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible. 
  
• Claimed borders of the Republic of Artsakh, as well as the former extent of the Soviet-era Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO).
  
• Indication of town-by-town control along the frontlines.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Shusha, Qubadli, Lachin, and more.
  
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key military/political developments since October 25, 2020, with sources cited. 

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3 Election Day Referendums that Could Change US Geography (Updated with Results)

Update: All three referendums passed, and as of January 2021 the results of two have gone into effect. Scroll down to the bottom of each section for details of what happened.

The US has 50 states...for now. (Map from Wikimedia Commons; CC BY-SA)

 

US Voters to Decide in Geography-related Referendums

This Tuesday - November 3, 2020 - is election day in the United States. And while presidential rivals Donald Trump and Joe Biden have dominated the news, Americans will also be voting (or have already voted) in thousands of other elections for national, state, and local politicians, plus referendums on state and local issues.

The US has no process for nationwide referendums, but statewide referendums - often known as "ballot measures", "propositions", or just "questions" - are common. They also exist at many lower levels of government, and in territories that aren't part of any state, like the national capital district and overseas dependencies. This Tuesday, there will be 120 statewide referendums, all held within 32 of the country's 50 states, plus 3 referendums at the top level of government for other territories.

While most of these votes are on issues like taxation, election rules, and drug laws, three are of special interest to geography fans:

Yemen Control Map & Report - October 2020

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

Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic, from base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com.
Contact us for permission to use this map.

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic

Houthi Control Expanding

In the two months since PolGeoNow's previous Yemen control map report, Houthi fighters have continued their gradual advance against forces loyal to the Saudi-backed, internationally-recognized government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Most of the changes have taken place in Marib province, east of the capital, where the Houthis have expanded their control of the province's western and southern reaches. Meanwhile, southern separatists and Al Qaeda fighters continue to govern other parts of the country relatively undisturbed.

Puerto Rico: 52nd State of the US? (2020 Referendum - Updated with Results)

In 2012, we reported on Puerto Rico's chances at becoming the a state of the US, after the territory's people sort of voted for that. This is an updated and expanded version of that article, fully revised for next week's new Puerto Rico statehood referendum. 

Continue reading to learn why this time might be different, and why Puerto Rico could become the 52nd state of the US instead of the 51st!

For updates on the results of the referendum, scroll to the bottom of this article.

Puerto Rico Statehood Vote: Different This Time

The US territory of Puerto Rico. (Public domain map from CIA World Factbook)

The US territory of Puerto Rico, made up of one large island and several smaller ones in the Caribbean, doesn't have any say in next week's US presidential election. 

But its people will still have something important to vote on next Tuesday: a referendum on whether to fully join the US as one of the country's states. 

Like in previous votes, the result is non-binding: It can only take effect if approved by the US government. But that doesn't mean it's just a symbolic move.

FAQ: What is Puerto Rico? Is it part of the United States? (Updated)

It's 2020, and Puerto Rico is voting again on whether to become a state of the United States. But what exactly is it now? Is Puerto Rico part of the United States, and can its people vote in US elections? Find all your answers here! 

This is a revised and expanded version of an explainer we originally published in November 2012.

Is Puerto Rico a state of the US? If not, then what is it?

The US territory of Puerto Rico. (Public domain map from CIA World Factbook)

Puerto Rico, a Spanish-speaking island region in the Caribbean, is a United States territory, but not one of the country's 50 states. 

Since it was taken from Spain in the Spanish-American War of 1898, Puerto Rico has been an overseas territory of the United States (known in US legal jargon as an "insular area").  

Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Control Map & Timeline - October 25, 2020 (Subscription)

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Map by Evan Centanni, Djordje Djukic, Bourrichon, and Lesqual

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In the first few weeks of the new war, Azerbaijan's forces have managed to capture significant stretches of rural territory governed by the Armenia-affiliated, self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. However, the region's core remains solidly under Artsakh/Armenian control, with towns around the periphery marking the hotly-contested frontlines.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional map of control in the Armenia-Azerbaijan war, which includes a timeline of territorial changes and key events since our previous Nagorno-Karabakh map report of October 2, 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 Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, including the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. Areas of mixed or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible. 
  
• Claimed borders of the Republic of Artsakh, as well as the former extent of the Soviet-era Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO).
  
• Indication of town-by-town control along the frontlines.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Hadrut, Jabrayil, Zenglan, Talish, and more.
  
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key military/political developments since October 2, 2020, with sources cited. 
• Summary of the conflict situation and changes to the map over the past three weeks.

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African Union Un-Suspends Mali (Map)

Correction (Sep. 2023): It's since come to our attention that South Sudan's suspension had already been lifted at the time this article was published. For details, see our September 2023 African Union map update. The text of this article has now been corrected, but the map has not.

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

African Union Lifts Suspension of Mali

Less than two months after the African Union (AU) suspended Mali from membership in the continental organization, it ended the suspension earlier this month. It had been suspended after a military faction overthrew the government, but the recent appointment of a civilian-led transitional government have led the AU to lift its suspension. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), from which Mali was also suspended in August, has lifted the economic sanctions that it posed on the member country. However, the suspension of Mali's voting rights in ECOWAS bodies, which was imposed at the same time, seems to still be in place.

Somalia Control Map & Timeline - October 2020 (Subscription)

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

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In the last five months, Somalia's federal government and its allies have made modest gains against Al Shabaab, capturing the first district capital in two years. Meanwhile Galmudug state, under new leadership, has become increasingly integrated with the federal-aligned military coalition.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of territorial changes and key events since our previous Somalia map report of May 2020, 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 with the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL). Areas of mixed or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
• Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions and states, including the self-proclaimed independent Republic of Somaliland and federal states Puntland, Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Illustrates the claims of both sides in the Somaliland-Puntland border dispute, as well as actual control.
  
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Kurtunwarey, Gendershe, Daynunay, Mubarak, Bulacle, and more.
• Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since May 20, 2020, with sources cited. 
• Summary of the conflict situation and changes to the map over the past five months.

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New Caledonia Turns Down Independence Again

This is a follow-up to our article on New Caledonia's 2020 referendum on independence from France. For more on New Caledonia's current status and what would have happened if the vote had passed, see that article.

The islands of New Caledonia, and their location in the South Pacific. Map by NormanEinstein (CC BY-SA; source)

The results are in for Sunday's independence referendum in New Caledonia and, as in 2018, the majority has voted against seceding from France.

However, the proportion of YES and NO votes wasn't the same as two years ago: Support for independence rose from 43% in 2018 to 47% this time, suggesting that more residents than ever before want an independent country for their island home. Voter turnout was also even higher than last time, rising from 81% to 85%.

So what happens next? Well, for now New Caledonia will keep its current status as an autonomous region of France. But the islands could still become independent in the coming years.

New Caledonia Voting on Independence from France: Round Two

Update: For the results of the election, check out our follow up article!

This is an updated version of an article published in November 2018 for that year's independence referendum. It has been revised to address the October 2020 vote, which is a direct follow-up to the one two years ago.

The islands of New Caledonia, and their location in the South Pacific. Map by NormanEinstein (CC BY-SA; source)

Today the South Pacific islands of New Caledonia will vote - again - on whether to declare independence, after a 2018 vote supported remaining part of France.

This referendum and the previous one are the culmination of a 20-year process set in motion by the Nouméa Accord of 1998, when the French government agreed to gradually transfer power to the islands' own institutions.

See Also: Results of the 2018 New Caledonia Independence Vote

New Caledonia is one of two places in the Melanesia region to vote on independence lately, after Bougainville chose independence from Papua New Guinea last December (though it's still uncertain if Bougainville will really become independent).

Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Control Map & Timeline - October 2, 2020

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

This is the first edition of our new Nagorno-Karabakh control map series, which we hope to further improve in the near future if the conflict continues. To guarantee your access to future updates, sign up our conflict map subscription service.

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

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Article by Djordje Djukic and Evan Centanni

Armenia and Azerbaijan Go to War

One of the former Soviet Union's "frozen conflicts" has suddenly lurched towards meltdown. The dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the Caucasus - involving Azerbaijan and Armenia plus the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh - has been simmering for decades, with regular border clashes since a full-scale war ended in 1994. But last weekend it launched into its biggest flare-up yet.

Ukraine War Control Map & Report: September 2020

To see other maps in this series, plus a new map of Russian control in the 2022 invasion, view all Ukraine articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. 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

Donbass Frontline Map

In the four years since PolGeoNow last updated our Ukraine control map, little has changed in terms of territorial boundaries in the region of eastern Europe known as the Donbass. Forces of the Russia-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) still hold a large chunk of what most of the world considers Ukraine, though their plans of formally uniting into a confederation of "Novorossiya" ("New Russia") have long gone by the wayside. But as attempts at resolving the conflict peacefully grind slowly forward, fighting has continued at a low level along the frontlines, and we have made some small changes to the map where the situation has either changed or been clarified since 2016.