Disputes - international In 35 editions of 36.

part of southeastern region claimed by Libya AMERICAN SAMOA (territory of the US)

none

claimed by Madagascar BELARUS

none

• quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement;
• dispute with Namibia over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River is presently at the ICJ;
• at least one other island in Linyanti River is contested BOUVET ISLAND (territory of Norway)

none BURMA

none CAMBODIA

none

• demarcation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria;
• dispute with Nigeria over land and maritime boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the ICJ with a ruling expected in 1998 CANADA

none CHAD

demarcation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria CHILE

claims French-administered Mayotte CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE

• Democratic Republic of the Congo-Tanzania-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite segment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Zambia boundary has been settled;
• long segment of the boundary with Republic of the Congo along the Congo river is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)

long segment of the boundary with Democratic Republic of the Congo along the Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made) COOK ISLANDS (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

none

none DOMINICA

administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary creating the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km

• maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay;
• maritime boundary dispute with Nigeria because of disputed jurisdiction over oil-rich areas in the Gulf of Guinea ERITREA

• a dispute with Yemen over sovereignty of the Hanish Islands in the southern Red Sea has been submitted to arbitration under the auspices of the ICJ;
• a decision on the Islands is expected in mid-1998 ESTONIA

Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom SWEDEN

most of the southern half of the boundary with Somalia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Somalia over the Ogaden

claimed by Madagascar FALKLAND ISLANDS (ISLAS MALVINAS) Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (dependent territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina) Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay GAMBIA, THE The Gambia The Gambia

short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite GAZA STRIP

none

claimed by Madagascar GREECE

none GUINEA-BISSAU

none GUYANA

claimed by Madagascar KAZAKHSTAN

administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary

none LIBERIA

none

maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia; Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger and part of southeastern Algeria LIECHTENSTEIN

claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island (all administered by France)

dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) MALAYSIA

none MALTA

none MAURITIUS

claims the island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

claimed by Comoros MEXICO

• claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue;
• the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991;
• Spain controls five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco-the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla which Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas

none

• quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement;
• dispute with Botswana over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River is presently at the ICJ;
• at least one other island in Linyanti River is contested NAURU

• Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger;
• demarcation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria NIGERIA

• demarcation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria;
• dispute with Cameroon over land and maritime boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the ICJ with a ruling expected in 1998;
• maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed jurisdiction over oil-rich areas in the Gulf of Guinea

none ROMANIA

none SAINT HELENA (dependent territory of the UK)

none SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS

none SAUDI ARABIA

short section of boundary with The Gambia is indefinite

claims Chagos Archipelago in British Indian Ocean Territory SIERRA LEONE

none SINGAPORE

most of the southern half of the boundary with Ethiopia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden SOUTH AFRICA

Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom

• administrative boundary with Kenya does not coincide with international boundary;
• administrative boundary with Egypt does not coincide with international boundary creating the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km SURINAME

• dispute with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi);
• Democratic Republic of the Congo-Tanzania-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Zambia boundary has been settled

none

claimed by Madagascar and Mauritius TUNISIA

maritime boundary dispute with Libya; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration TURKEY

none UKRAINE

• claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue;
• the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991 WORLD

• quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement;
• Democratic Republic of the Congo-Tanzania-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Zambia boundary has been settled

quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia is in disagreement

• Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary above);
• sections (some overlapping) claimed by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France (Adelie Land), New Zealand (Ross Dependency), Norway (Queen Maud Land), and UK;
• the US and most other nations do not recognize the territorial claims of other nations and have made no claims themselves (the US reserves the right to do so);
• no formal claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

none BRAZIL

"Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US GABON

none HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY) Holy See (Vatican City) Holy See (Vatican City)

claimed by Argentina SPAIN

none GRENADA

Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area) INDIA

none JAPAN

Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia SWAZILAND

support to Islamic militants worldwide by some factions; question over which group should hold Afghanistan's seat at the UN

• Armenia supports ethnic Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in the longstanding, separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani Government;
• traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided

• Armenia supports ethnic Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in the longstanding, separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani Government;
• Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan

a portion of the boundary with India is indefinite

with Nepal over 91,000 Bhutanese refugees in Nepal BOLIVIA

the island of Diego Garcia is claimed by Mauritius; the Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Seychelles BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK)

• boundary with India in dispute;
• two disputed sections of the boundary with Russia remain to be settled;
• most of the boundary with Tajikistan in dispute;
• 33-km section of boundary with North Korea in the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite;
• involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei;
• maritime boundary dispute with Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin;
• Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan;
• claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does Taiwan;
• sections of land border with Vietnam are indefinite

none

• boundary with China in dispute;
• status of Kashmir with Pakistan;
• water-sharing problems with Pakistan over the Indus River (Wular Barrage);
• a portion of the boundary with Bangladesh is indefinite

• islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan;
• Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) disputed with South Korea;
• Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands) claimed by China and Taiwan JARVIS ISLAND (territory of the US)

Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan

33-km section of boundary with China in the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea KOREA, SOUTH

Demarcation Line with North Korea; Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) claimed by Japan KUWAIT

territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara Valley area

none MALI

none MONTSERRAT (dependent territory of the UK)

with Bhutan over 91,000 Bhutanese refugees in Nepal

status of Kashmir with India; water-sharing problems with India over the Indus River (Wular Barrage)

• two disputed sections of the boundary with China remain to be settled;
• islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan;
• Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan;
• Estonian and Russian negotiators reached a technical border agreement in December 1996 which has not been ratified;
• Estonia claimed over 2,000 sq km of territory in the Narva and Pechora regions of Russia - based on boundary established under the 1920 Peace Treaty of Tartu;
• based on the 1920 Treaty of Riga, Latvia had claimed the Abrene/Pytalovo section of border ceded by the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic to Russia in 1944;
• draft treaty delimiting the boundary with Latvia has not been signed;
• has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation;
• 1997 border agreement with Lithuania not yet ratified;
• Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia

none SUDAN

most of the boundary with China in dispute; territorial dispute with Kyrgyzstan on northern boundary in Isfara Valley area

Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan

none

none ANTARCTICA

none

none

none

none

border with Guatemala in dispute; talks to resolve the dispute are ongoing

none BRUNEI

none

none

US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

none

none

• land boundary dispute with Honduras mostly resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision;
• the presidents of Honduras and El Salvador signed in January 1998 an agreement allowing citizens in the 1992 demarcated areas to choose Honduran or Salvadoran citizenship;
• the two countries also agreed to a final demarcation of the border within one year;
• the agreement awaits ratification by the legislative assemblies of both countries;
• with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, ICJ referred to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua likely would be required

none

none GUAM (territory of the US)

border with Belize in dispute; talks to resolve the dispute are ongoing

claims US-administered Navassa Island

• land boundary dispute with El Salvador mostly resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision;
• the presidents of El Salvador and Honduras signed in January 1998 an agreement allowing citizens in the 1992 demarcated areas to choose Salvadoran or Honduran citizenship;
• the two countries also agreed to a final demarcation of the border within one year;
• the agreement awaits ratification by the legislative assemblies of both countries;
• with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, ICJ referred to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required;
• maritime boundary dispute with Nicaragua

none

none

none MOROCCO

claimed by Haiti NEPAL

none

• territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;
• with respect to the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) referred the disputants to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required;
• maritime boundary dispute with Honduras

none

none QATAR

none

none

none

none

none

none WAKE ISLAND (territory of the US)

• the Albanian Government supports protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders but has downplayed them to further its primary foreign policy goal of regional cooperation;
• Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks independence from Serbian Republic;
• Albanians in The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs and representation in government

none ANGOLA

none

demarcation has begun on border with Lithuania

none

disputes with Serbia over Serbian populated areas

twenty bilateral agreements remain unsigned in a dispute over Bulgarian nonrecognition of Macedonian as a language distinct from Bulgarian

• Eastern Slavonia, which was held by ethnic Serbs during the ethnic conflict, was returned to Croatian control by the UN Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia on 15 January 1998;
• Croatia and Italy made progress toward resolving a bilateral issue dating from WWII over property and ethnic minority rights;
• significant progress has been made with Slovenia toward resolving a maritime border dispute over direct access to the sea in the Adriatic;
• Serbia and Montenegro is disputing Croatia's claim to the Prevlaka Peninsula in southern Croatia because it controls the entrance to Boka Kotorska in Montenegro;
• Prevlaka is currently under observation by the UN military observer mission in Prevlaka (UNMOP)

• Liechtenstein claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of territory in the Czech Republic confiscated from its royal family in 1918;
• the Czech Republic insists that restitution does not go back before February 1948, when the communists seized power;
• individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II;
• unresolved property issues with Slovakia over redistribution of former Czechoslovak federal property

Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Iceland, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area) DJIBOUTI

• Estonian and Russian negotiators reached a technical border agreement in December 1996 which has not been ratified;
• Estonia claimed over 2,000 sq km territory in the Narva and Pechory regions of Russia-based on boundary established under the 1920 Peace Treaty of Tartu

none FIJI

none

• Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island;
• Comoros claims Mayotte;
• Mauritius claims Tromelin Island;
• Suriname claims part of French Guiana;
• territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land);
• Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II

source of friction between Spain and the UK GLORIOSO ISLANDS (possession of France)

• complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea;
• Cyprus question with Turkey;
• dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over name;
• in September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions;
• Athens also lifted its economic embargo on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

none GUINEA

none HONDURAS

Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Slovakia (to be resolved March 1998)

• Northern Ireland question with the UK (historic peace agreement approved 10 April 1998);
• Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)

none MARSHALL ISLANDS

• Italy is negotiating with Slovenia over property and minority rights issues dating from World War II;
• Croatia and Italy made progress toward resolving a bilateral issue dating from WWII over property and ethnic minority rights

none JOHNSTON ATOLL (territory of the US)

• based on the 1920 Treaty of Riga, Latvia had claimed the Abrene/Pytalovo section of border ceded by the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic to Russia in 1944;
• draft treaty delimiting the boundary with Russia has not been signed;
• ongoing talks over boundary dispute with Lithuania (primary concern is oil exploration rights)

• claims 1,600 sq km of territory in the Czech Republic confiscated from its royal family in 1918;
• the Czech Republic insists that restitution does not go back before February 1948, when the communists seized power LITHUANIA

• ongoing talks over boundary dispute with Latvia (primary concern oil exploration rights);
• demarcation has begun on border with Belarus;
• 1997 border agreement with Russia not yet ratified

none MACAU (Chinese territory under Portuguese administration)

Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

• certain territory of Moldova and Ukraine-including Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina-are considered by Bucharest as historically a part of Romania;
• this territory was incorporated into the former Soviet Union following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1940

none MONGOLIA

none

• dispute with Greece over name;
• in September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions;
• Athens also lifted its economic embargo on The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia;
• 20 bilateral agreements remain unsigned in a dispute over Bulgarian nonrecognition of Macedonian as a language distinct from Bulgarian;
• the border commission formed by The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro in April 1996 to resolve differences in delineation of their mutual border has made no progress so far;
• Albanians in Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs and representation in government;
• Party for Democratic Action (DPA) calls for a rewrite of the constitution to declare ethnic Albanians a national group and allow for regional autonomy

territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land); Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia

none

sovereignty over Timor Timur (East Timor province) disputed with Indonesia and not recognized by the UN

• dispute with Ukraine over continental shelf of the Black Sea under which significant gas and oil deposits may exist;
• agreed in 1997 to two-year negotiating period, after which either party can refer dispute to the International Court of Justice

none SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE

• disputes with Bosnia and Herzegovina over Serbian populated areas;
• Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks independence from Serbian republic;
• Serbia and Montenegro is disputing Croatia's claim to the Prevlaka Peninsula in southern Croatia because it controls the entrance to Boka Kotorska in Montenegro;
• Prevlaka is currently under observation by the UN military observer mission in Prevlaka (UNMOP);
• the border commission formed by The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro in April 1996 to resolve differences in delineation of their mutual border has made no progress so far

• Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Hungary (to be resolved March 1998);
• unresolved property issues with Czech Republic over redistribution of former Czechoslovak federal property

• significant progress has been made with Croatia toward resolving a maritime border dispute over direct access to the sea in the Adriatic;
• Italy is negotiating with Slovenia over property and minority rights issues dating from World War II

Gibraltar question with UK; Spain controls five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco-the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas

none

none

• dispute with Romania over continental shelf of the Black Sea under which significant gas and oil deposits may exist;
• agreed in 1997 to two-year negotiating period, after which either party can refer dispute to the International Court of Justice;
• has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation;
• certain territory of Moldova and Ukraine-including Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina-are considered by Bucharest as historically a part of Romania;
• this territory was incorporated into the former Soviet Union following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1940

• Northern Ireland question with Ireland (historic peace agreement approved 10 April 1998);
• Gibraltar question with Spain;
• Argentina claims Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas);
• Argentina claims South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands;
• Mauritius claims island of Diego Garcia in British Indian Ocean Territory;
• Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area);
• territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory);
• Seychelles claims Chagos Archipelago in British Indian Ocean Territory

territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar Islands and maritime boundary dispute with Qatar currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) BAKER ISLAND (territory of the US)

• 1974 hostilities divided the island into two de facto autonomous areas, a Greek Cypriot area controlled by the internationally recognized Cypriot Government (59% of the island's land area) and a Turkish-Cypriot area (37% of the island), that are separated by a UN buffer zone (4% of the island);
• there are two UK sovereign base areas within the Greek Cypriot portion of the island

West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement-permanent status to be determined through further negotiation GEORGIA

Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; Iran occupies two islands

in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE:

• Lesser Tunb (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran);
• it jointly administers with the UAE an island in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)-over which Iran has taken steps to exert unilateral control since 1992, including access restrictions and a military build-up on the island;
• the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support in the region in protesting these Iranian actions;
• Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan

• Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway;
• in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993);
• this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands;
• dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers IRELAND