Syrian Civil War Control Map & Report: October 23, 2016 (Subscription)

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

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Since earlier this month, rebels in Syria have scored an important victory against the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), even while losing ground to the government - and fighting amongst themselves - in other areas.
 
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 early October, with sources cited.

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Exclusive report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and Kurdish/SDF forces. Colorblind accessible.
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Nusra Front (now Jabhat Fateh al-Sham) and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Dabiq, Tell Rifaat, Moadamiya, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since October 2, 2016, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Syrian Civil War Control Map & Report: October 2, 2016 (Subscription)

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

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During the past month, a continued Turkish military incursion into Syria completely cut off the so-called "Islamic State" from the self-proclaimed caliphate's last international border in the region (other than its boundaries with Syrian and Iraqi territory).

Meanwhile, the Assad government and rebel groups have continued to take territory from each other despite a brief attempt at a country-wide ceasefire.
 
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 late August, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium professional 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 Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and Kurdish/SDF forces. Colorblind accessible.
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Nusra Front (now Jabhat Fateh al-Sham) and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Dabiq, Halfaya, Suran, Jarabulus, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since August 27, 2016, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Yemen Control Map & Report: September 2016 (Subscription)

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic. Map by Louis Martin-Vézian, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic.

Since our last Yemen control map update almost two months ago, Al Qaeda has lost a large part of its territory in Yemen, even as fighting continues between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed Hadi government.

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 early August.

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• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Yemen, color-coded for the pro-Hadi coalition, Houthi/Saleh forces, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL).
• Color scheme now consistent with Syria, Iraq, and Libya map series
• Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including provincial boundaries, all major cities, and many smaller ones
• Markers for recent areas of fighting, including Taiz, Jaar, Zinjibar, Ahwar, and more
• Timeline of changes to the situation since August 2, 2016, with links to sources

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The Fall of Libya's "Islamic State": Sept. 2016 Control Map & Timeline (Subscription)

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This is the second of a pair of Libya map reports, the first one chronicling the major political realignment that occurred in Libya between March and May of 2016. 

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

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The past four months have seen a drastic reduction in "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) control in Libya, with the group now barely holding any territory in the country. Meanwhile, the struggle continues between Libya's two rival governments, as well as other religious hardline militias.
 
See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Libyan Civil War control map, which comes with a timeline of changes since our May 2016 Libya map report.

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• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Libya, color-coded for the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), the rival Tobruk parliament (supported by General Haftar's Libyan National Army), "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and other religious hardline groups. 
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Sirte, Ajdabiya, Abu Grain, Bin Jawad, Harawa, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since May 10, 2016, with all sources cited.
• New since last year: Major roads are marked on the map for reference

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Libya's Political Realignment: May 2016 Control Map & Timeline

This is the first of a pair of Libya map reports, with the second spotlighting the retreat of "Islamic State" forces from May to September. The second report, with a more up-to-date map, is available to members of our conflict map subscription service. 

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

Base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com, with territorial control by Evan Centanni. All rights reserved.

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Drastic Political Shift
Starting soon after our last Libya control map report in March, the structure of Libya's divided control and rival governments underwent a massive realignment, with international recognition essentially switching from one side of the country to the other, and some key fighting forces switching sides as well.

Iraq Control Map & Report: September 2016

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

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Research and timeline by Djordje Djukic

Summary of Recent Events
After recapturing Ramadi from the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL), the Iraqi government and allies have set their sights on Mosul, the largest IS-controlled city, and until a few years ago the second largest city in Iraq (some sources say half or more of its population fled after the IS takeover in 2014). Since our last Iraq control map report at the end of June, the main change to territorial control has been the government capture of Qaiyarah, a town south of Mosul that's still more or less surrounded by IS and Kurdish controlled ground.

Syrian Civil War Control Map & Report: August 2016 (Subscription)

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

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Syria's war has seen several major territorial changes in the past month, with a Turkish military intervention bringing IS defeats even as the rival, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have captured key territory from both IS and the Assad government. Meanwhile, the government has scored some major victories of its own against rebel forces.
 
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 late July, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium professional content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and Kurdish/SDF forces. Color blind accessible.
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the Nusra Front (now Jabhat Fateh al-Sham) and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Jarabulus, Manbij, Daraya, Hasakah, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since July 25, 2016, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Map of Border Controls Inside Europe's Schengen Area: August 2016

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Last March, we explained Europe's Schengen free travel area in plain English, then published a map of which European countries had temporarily reintroduced border controls. We now present an updated and improved version of the border control map, reflecting several changes from the past five months.

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

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Article by Evan Centanni

Changes to Schengen Border Controls Since March

As anyone who's visited Europe in recent decades knows, much of the continent is linked together as part of the "Schengen Area", a collection of countries that don't make travelers show any ID to cross back and forth across their borders (though this system is overseen by the European Union, the Schengen Area and the EU are not the same thing). But the system does allow countries to temporarily reintroduce border controls under certain circumstances.

With last year's spike in numbers of refugees and other immigrants arriving in Europe, many Schengen countries have rushed to control the flow of people by using these special temporary border controls. When we published our previous map of temporary Schengen border controls back in March, there were seven countries policing their borders with fellow Schengen members. Today there are only six, and there have been major changes to which borders are controlled:

Parade of Nations: Which Countries Are (and Aren't) in the Olympics? (Rio 2016)

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

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

Map of all countries in the Olympics and their regional associations. Two newest Olympic Nations labeled.
(By Evan Centanni, starting from public domain blank map and modeled after this Wikipedia map)

The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil officially open tonight, Friday, August 5th! They'll be the first Olympics ever to be held in South America, and also the first in any Portuguese-speaking country. If that wasn't enough, they're also the first Summer Olympics to be held entirely in the winter!

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

Yemen Control Map & Report: August 2016 (Subscription)

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic. Map by Louis Martin-Vézian, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic.

In the three months since our previous Yemen map update, Houthi and pro-Hadi forces have continued to trade blows in the south and east, as well as along the border with Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Al Qaeda and the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) have launched attacks in southern cities.

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 February.

This map and report are premium professional content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Yemen, color-coded for the pro-Hadi coalition, Houthi/Saleh forces, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL).
• Color scheme now consistent with Syria, Iraq, and Libya map series
• Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including provincial boundaries, all major cities, and many smaller ones
• Markers for recent areas of fighting, including Taiz, Mukalla, Bayhan, Harad, and more
• Timeline of changes to the situation since May 1, 2016, with links to sources

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How Many Countries Are There in the World in 2016?

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

This article, originally from 2011, has been revised and updated to August 2016. (Latest update: Gibraltar and Kosovo are now FIFA members.)

A world political map published by the US government (public domain)

One of the most basic questions for map-lovers is, "How many countries are there in the world?" But anyone who replies with a simple number is leaving out part of the story. It actually depends a lot on how you define a "country".

Here are six of the most common answers, each correct in its own way:

Map: Liberia and Afghanistan Join WTO

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Map by Evan Centanni, from public domain blank map.

Syrian Civil War Control Map & Report: July 2016 (Subscription)

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

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The past month has seen territorial gains both for Syria's Assad government and for rebel forces, while the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) has mostly held its ground.
 
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 late June, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium professional content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and Kurdish/SDF forces (color blind accessible).
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of Al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra (the Nusra Front) and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, highlighting key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Manbij, Abu Kamal (Al Bukamal), Daraya, Kinsabba, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since June 26, 2016, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Iraq Control Map & Report: July 2016 (Subscription)

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

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The Iraqi army and allies have driven the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) out of Fallujah, its last stronghold in central Iraq, even as it continues to lose ground on other fronts.
 
See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional map of control in Iraq's civil war, including a timeline of changes since our previous Iraq map report of May 2016.

This map and report are premium professional content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Iraq, color-coded for the Iraqi government, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) extremists, and Kurdistan's Peshmerga forces
• Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including provincial boundaries, all major cities, and many smaller ones
• Markers for key areas of recent fighting such as Fallujah, Karma, Saqlawiyah, and Akashat
• Timeline of changes to the situation since mid-May, compiled by our Iraq specialist, with links to sources 
• New since last year: Terrain shading and major highways included on map for geographic context

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Map of European Union Member Countries Before Brexit (2014-2020)

There are newer editions of this map available. To see the most recent, visit our European Union explainer article.

The UK is still part of the EU for now, since the vote to leave hasn't been implemented yet.
Map by Evan Centanni, from blank map by Ssolbergj. License: CC BY-SA

EU Member Countries Pre-Brexit

This is an archived version of our map of European Union (EU) member and candidate countries, from before the UK's departure (known as "Brexit"). It's accurate for the period from June 2014, when Albania was recognized as an EU candidate country, to January 31, 2020, when the United Kingdom (UK) officially left the organization. The most recent country to join as a full member was Croatia in 2013.

For the current edition of this map, check out our updated feature article: Which Countries are in the European Union, Which Aren't, and Which Want to Join?

Syrian Civil War Control Map & Report: June 2016 (Subscription)

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

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A lot has happened in Syria in the past month, with major SDF and Syrian Army advances against the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), as well as various smaller changes to rebel control.
 
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 mid-May.

This map and report are premium professional content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) extremists, and Kurdish/SDF forces. 
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of Al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra (the Nusra Front) and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, highlighting key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Manbij, Thawra (Tabqa), Mare, Tanf border crossing, Arak, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since May 13, 2016, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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UK Votes to Quit EU: Map of How Britain Voted in the Brexit Referendum

By Evan Centanni

Map of election results in the UK's "Brexit" referendum. Modified by Evan Centanni from Wikimedia map by Mirrorme22, Nilfanion, TUBS, and Sting (CC BY-SA).

Brexit by Constituency

The results are in for yesterday's referendum on UK membership in the European Union, and the winner is "Leave". Brits voted by a margin of 52% to 48% in favor of exiting the European Union, making a "Brexit" (British exit from the EU) more or less guaranteed in the coming years. Britain will become the first member country ever to leave the EU, and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar is expected to get pulled out with it.

Learn More: Brexit: 9 Geography Facts You Should Know About the Referendum and Britain's EU Membership

Who Voted to Stay

Voter tendencies varied a lot from place to place. Support for the "Remain" side was strong across Scotland, culturally Irish parts of Northern Ireland, the London area, and a handful of other cities in England (led by Cambridge, Oxford, and Brighton).

By far the greatest show of support for Remain was a win by 96% in Gibraltar - which isn't even in the UK proper, but got to vote because of its unique status as a British external territory that's in the EU.

Brexit: 9 Geography Facts You Should Know About the Referendum and Britain's EU Membership

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By Evan Centanni 

The European Union. Click for full map and list of members.

Today the UK is voting on whether to leave the European Union. If you've been paying attention to the news, you've probably heard about the intense debate over whether Brits should vote "Leave" or "Remain". But if you're like me and mainly in this for the geography trivia, here are some fun facts you might not know about the so-called "Brexit":

On the Ground: Gibraltar and the "Brexit" Referendum

This is the first installment of PolGeoNow's On the Ground, a new series of exclusive photo essays on what political geography looks like in the real world. Whether it's borders, nationalism, or other geopolitical phenomena, we'll bring the on-the-ground situations to your screen in vivid detail.

Update 2016-06-24: Gibraltar on Thursday voted in favor of the UK staying in the European Union, by an incredible margin of  96% to 4%. However, the UK as a whole voted to leave the EU, meaning that Gibraltar can expect to get pulled out with it, against the wishes of the Gibraltarians.
 

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Right: Map of Gibraltar by Eric Gaba (source; CC BY-SA)
Left: Gibraltar's location in Europe (based on this Wikimedia Commons map by TUBS; CC BY-SA)

Gibraltar prepares to vote on whether UK should leave European Union
Last month, PolGeoNow's Evan Centanni and Meihsing Kuo visited the small British territory of Gibraltar (pronounced "jih-BRALL-ter"), one month ahead of the UK's referendum on whether to leave or remain in the European Union (EU).

Gibraltar, a tiny peninsula connected to Spain - and claimed by the Spanish government - is the only British overseas territory that's part of the EU. It's also the only external territory whose residents are eligible to vote in the so-called "Brexit" referendum without living in the UK proper. ("Brexit" is an abbreviation for "British exit" from the EU.)

Ukraine War Control Map & Report: June 2016

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Map by Evan Centanni (all rights reserved)

Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Summary of Developments
PolGeoNow's previous Ukraine control map report was published in March of last year, just a month after a ceasefire was implemented under the Minsk II agreement, a hard-won deal between the Kiev government and representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (established by rebels with extensive support from the other side of the Russian border). Since then, the ceasefire has broadly held, which explains why the war in eastern Ukraine has largely dropped out of world newspaper front pages. However, fighting has continued off and on at a reduced level, and the ceasefire agreement is still on shaky ground. This map and timeline report describe what has happened over the past year, including some small changes to territorial control.

Iraq Control Map & Report: May 2016 (Subscription)

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

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The past month has seen several small victories of Iraqi government forces against the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), as well as a handful of other notable territorial events.
 
See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional map of control in Iraq's civil war, including a timeline of changes since our previous Iraq map report of April 2016.

This map and report are premium professional content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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• New since last year: Terrain shading and major highways included on map for geographic context
• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Iraq, color-coded for the Iraqi government, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) extremists, and Kurdistan's Peshmerga forces
• Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including provincial boundaries, all major cities, and many smaller ones
• Markers for key areas of recent fighting such as Rutbah, Doulab, Tuz Khurmatu, and more
• Timeline of changes to the situation since mid-April, compiled by our Iraq specialist, with links to sources

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Syrian Civil War Control Map & Report: May 2016 (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 several towns in Syria over the past month and a half, but has also scored some victories. Meanwhile, a partial breakdown in the UN-brokered ceasefire has resulted in resumed fighting between government and rebel forces in the Aleppo area.
 
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 at the end of March.

This map and report are premium professional content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) extremists, and Kurdish/SDF forces. 
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of Al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra (the Nusra Front) and by multi-ethnic anti-ISIS Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, highlighting key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Qaryatain, Al-Rai, Shaer gas field, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since March 31, 2016, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Yemen Control Map & Report: May 2016 (Subscription)

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic. Map by Louis Martin-Vézian, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

In the months since our previous Yemen control map report, Al Qaeda has lost some of its most important territory in Yemen, including a major city it's held for the past year. Fighting has also continued between the Hadi government and the Houthi alliance, despite attempts at a ceasefire. 

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 February.

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Exclusive report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Yemen, color-coded for the pro-Hadi coalition, Houthi/Saleh forces, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL).
• Color scheme recently updated for consistency with Syria, Iraq, and Libya map series
• Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including provincial boundaries, all major cities, and many smaller ones
• Markers for recent areas of fighting, including Taiz, Mukalla, Harib, Ghayl Ba Wazir, and more
• Timeline of changes to the situation since February 19, 2016, with links to sources

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What Ever Happened with New Zealand's Flag Referendum?

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The proposed new flag: "Silver Fern (Black, White, and Blue)" by Kyle Lockwood (CC BY 3.0 nz)

Referendum Complete
PolGeoNow readers might remember that New Zealand's vote on whether to change its national flag was scheduled to continue until late March 24. So how did it turn out?

Preliminary results were released on March 24, with detailed final results coming out six days later. The answer: New Zealanders voted "NO" on changing their country's flag to the proposed "Silver Fern" design, by a margin of 57% to 43%.

Current flags of New Zealand (top) and Australia (bottom)

The result is that New Zealand will keep the same flag it's been using since 1902. Even though this design is confusingly similar to the Australian flag, and even though many New Zealanders liked the idea of a flag change, the government didn't suggest any designs that were popular enough to get a majority of voters behind them.

If you're curious how each part of New Zealand voted, you can see a color-coded summary and map of the results on Wikipedia. Be be aware that the blue just represents regions that voted just over 50% in favor of changing the flag: No area had more than 52% of voters supporting the Silver Fern, and some of the red-coded areas also had almost 50% support for the change.

Read more: Everything You Need to Know About New Zealand's Flag Referendum

Current flags of New Zealand (source) and Australia (source) are in the public domain.