All About Nagorno-Karabakh's 2017 Name Change

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

Nagorno-Karabakh is Now "Artsakh"

Most country name changes are just modifications to the country's official long name, or a switch in the name's preferred English translation. But last year, one self-proclaimed country changed its title completely.

In February 2017, the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic officially became the "Republic of Artsakh". The name switch was part of a new constitution, approved in an internationally-controversial Feb. 20 referendum. According to the breakaway government's official figures, the referendum passed by 88%, with a voter turnout of 76%.

Syrian Civil War Map & Timeline: Rebels Lose Major Ground - January 2018 (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 major losses for hardline rebels in Syria's northwest, excluded from the de-escalation agreements, even as the push against the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) has slowed in the east.

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 November, with sources cited.

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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, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, and Kurdish/SDF forces. Colorblind accessible.
• Markers showing the approximate locations of Russian-Turkish-Iranian "de-escalation zones" and the one known US "deconfliction zone".
• Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Al Qaeda Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir 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 Abu al-Duhur, Beit Jinn, Rahjan, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since December 13, 2017, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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How Many Countries Are There in the World in 2018?

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A world political map published by the US government. South Sudan is the most recent addition to the UN-based list of the world's countries.

One of the most basic questions for map-lovers is, "How many countries are there in the world?" But anyone who just gives you a number isn't telling the whole truth. 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:

Yemen Control Map & Report - January 2018

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This is the first edition of our newly-redesigned Yemen control map, which has been optimized to match our maps of control in Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Somalia.

Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic, from base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com. All rights reserved.

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Yemen: Who Controls What?
As we enter 2018, Yemen continues to be divided between two rival governments - the Saudi-backed administration of President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, and the allegedly Iran-backed "Houthi" group that controls the capital - even while remote areas remain within the sphere of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL) is not believed to control any towns, but is probably still present in the rural border areas between Bayda and Abyan provinces, near Lawdar.

Mauritania Flies a New Flag

Current flag of Mauritania (2017) Previous flag of Mauritania (1959-2017)

Mauritania's 2017 Flag Change

This year the West African country of Mauritania (pronounced "maur-ih-TAY-nee-ah") became the latest of the world's countries to change its flag, mostly keeping the old design but adding red bars on the top and bottom.

It's common around the world for even a small flag change to be criticized as a political distraction or a waste of money, and this was no exception. But when it landed on ballots in an August 5 referendum this summer, the modification was approved by 86% of participating voters.

The new flag was first officially raised on November 28, Mauritania's independence day.

What Does Mauritania's Flag Mean?

Until this year, Mauritania was one of only a few world countries whose flag didn't include the colors red, white, or blue. The star and crescent moon, originally an emblem of the Ottoman Empire, are now used in many national flags as symbol of the Muslim world.