Thursday, July 24, 2014

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

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Map of countries that recognize the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state, updated for July 2014, with most recent additions (Togo, Tonga, Lesotho) and disputed recognitions highlighted
Countries recognizing the Republic of Kosovo in green, highlighting recent additions. Disputed recognitions in yellow. Kosovo in magenta. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain graphic (source).

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

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

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

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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. 

This map report is exclusive premium content, available to paid subscribers or for individual purchase.
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  • All new, detailed map of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, showing both past and current rebel control
  • Indication of which districts and cities have had their administrations occupied by separatists
  • Important locations of rebel military control marked
  • Article with chronology of events since April, and discussion of the meaning of "control"

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Thursday, July 10, 2014

Map: Yemen Joins WTO

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Map of World Trade Organization (WTO) member and observer countries, updated for July 2014 to include new member Yemen
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).

Thursday, July 3, 2014

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

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

Detailed map of fighting and territorial control in Syria's Civil War (Free Syrian Army and Nusra Front rebels, Kurdish groups, ISIS/ISIL/Islamic State and others), updated to July 3, 2014.

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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
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control, highlighting key towns relevant to current events
  • Includes recent areas of fighting including Deir ez-Zor, Abu Kamal, Mayadin, Khan Shaykhun, and many more
  • In-depth article summarizes changes since April, including ISIS's declaration of an Islamic caliphate, with links to the sources of information
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Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Iraq's New War: Detailed Map of ISIS Takeover (Premium)

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Detailed map of territorial control in Iraq in June 2014, including cities and countryside held by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS, ISIL) and the Kurdistan Peshmerga.

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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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  • Territorial control in Iraq by city, color coded for government, ISIS, or Kurdistan Government
  • Detail of ISIS control and attempted control of small towns, military bases, and border crossings
  • Inset map with extra detail for Kirkuk province, where ISIS and Kurdish forces are facing off
  • Shading showing the estimated total area of ISIS control
  • Article summarizing events since May, explaining the information on the map, and providing in-line links to sources cited
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Thursday, June 12, 2014

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.

 
World map showing the six continental confederations of national association football (soccer) teams, including all teams eligible for the World Cup
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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Sunday, June 8, 2014

Palestine: West Bank and Gaza Reunited Under Transitional Government

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

Map of the State of Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including both its claimed borders (the Green Line) and zones of actual control (Areas A, B, and C from the Oslo Accords)
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?

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Iraq: Updated Map of ISIS Control (Premium)

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Map of territorial control in Iraq in May 2014, including cities and countryside held by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS, ISIL) as well as areas administered by the Kurdistan Region. Includes detail of towns in flashpoint provinces of Anbar and Diyala

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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.

This map and article are exclusive premium content, available only to members or for individual purchase. Buy now (US$9.99).


 Premium map includes:
  • Territorial control in Iraq by city, color coded for government, ISIS, or Kurdistan
  • Detail of ISIS control and attempted control in small towns, including in the eastern flashpoint province of Diyala
  • Inset map with extra detail for Anbar province, where ISIS controls the most populated territory
  • Indications of estimated ISIS control/influence in the countryside
  • Article summarizing events since January, explaining the information on the map, and providing in-line links to the sources of information
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Saturday, May 3, 2014

Mayotte Enters European Union

"Outermost regions" are officially part of the European Union; "overseas countries and territories" are not part of the EU itself, but have special relations with it because of their connections to member countries. New outermost region Mayotte is located in southeastern Africa. Map from Wikimedia Commons © Alexrk2 (CC BY-SA)
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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.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

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

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

Map of territorial control in Syria's civil war, updated for April 2014. Shows control by government, rebels, ISIS extremists, and Kurdish militias. Includes important sites of recent fighting such as Yabroud, Maloula, Kasab, Azaz, Morek, Al Bukamal, and more.

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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).

This map and article are exclusive premium content, available only to members or for individual purchase. Buy now (US$9.99).

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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
  • Map includes recent areas of fighting such as Yabroud, Maloula, Kasab, Azaz, Al Bukamal, and more
  • Article summarizing changes since January, with links to the sources of information
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Wednesday, April 16, 2014

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

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

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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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  • Ukraine control map updated for the protester occupations and armed rebel takeovers in eastern Ukraine over the past two weeks
  • Shows both protester occupations and armed takeovers, as well as which regions have declared independence
  • Includes a quick briefing on recent events, with links to the sources of information
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Tuesday, April 15, 2014

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.

Map of current and former member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations (British Commonwealth) as of 2014, marking the Gambia, which recently withdrew from the organization (colorblind accessible).
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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Saturday, April 5, 2014

Update: Ukraine Control Overview Map (Premium)

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

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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
  • In-line links to sources of information

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Thursday, March 27, 2014

Crimea Joins Russia, Gives Up Independence, Becomes Disputed Territory

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

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

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

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Premium Map Report: Russian Control of Crimea

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

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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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  • Exclusive map of Russian seizure and attack locations inside and outside of Crimea
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Crimea Declares Independence: Is It Really a Country?

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

Map of the newly declared independent Republic of Crimea, seceding from Ukraine to join Russia (colorblind accessible).
The Republic of Crimea. Map by Evan Centanni, based on this blank map.
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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.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Madagascar Un-Suspended from African Union

Map of the African Union, including active and suspended members, updated for the January 2014 reinstatement of Madagascar (colorblind accessible).
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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Saturday, March 8, 2014

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

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

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

Map of the results of Ukraine's February 2010 presidential runoff election between Yulia Tymoshenko and Viktor Yanukovich
A more honest map of Ukraine's 2010 presidential election. By Evan Centanni.
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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.

Monday, March 3, 2014

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

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

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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
  • Shows protester occupations, regional capitals overrun, autonomy declarations, and locations of Russian military siege
  • Report on the course of events, explaining each detail shown on the map
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Saturday, February 22, 2014

South Sudan War Map: Current Rebel Control (Update #4) (Premium)

Map of rebel control in South Sudan's ongoing rebellion, showing situation at the time of the ceasefire of January 23, 2014

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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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  • Exclusive map of current rebel control up to February 21, 2014
  • Multiple changes to territorial control since previous update
  • Several more new locations added to the map
  • Report chronicling changes to territorial control since the ceasefire, including links to sources

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