Essequibo

  • Contested territories
  • Claimed by Guyana and Venezuela
  • Area 159,500 km2
  • Population 125,000

Essequibo is a disputed region that makes up two thirds of the country Guyana, a coastal republic in Latin America between Venezuela, Brazil and Surinam. The area is rich with oil and gold. Recently, Venezuela has threatened to annex the region up to the river Essequibo and claim it as Guayana Esequiba. In December 2023 Nicolas Maduro, president of Venezuela, organized a referendum to seek support for annexation. The dispute stretches back to the colonial powers that once held this region: Spain (Venezuela) and the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (Guyana). In an 1899 international arbitration the territory Essequibo was assigned to Guyana, yet Venezuela claims there have been procedural mistakes and the arbitration should therefore be dismissed.

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Taiwan

Taiwan, officially the Republic of China, is a de facto island state in the East Chinese Sea. The People’s Republic of China has consistently claimed sovereignty over Taiwan and refuses diplomatic relations with any country that recognizes this republic. Taiwan is the 22nd-largest economy in the world, and its high-tech industry plays a key role in the global economy, it is unrecognized by most member states of the United Nations. Still, many countries maintain unofficial ties with Taiwan through representative offices and institutions that function as de facto embassies and consulates.

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory located at the southern tip of Spain. It is self-governing, with some responsibilities remaining with the British government. Spain also asserts a claim to Gibraltar, but the inhabitants have rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty in several referendums. Gibraltar is strategically important, with half the world’s seaborne trade passing through the strait. Furthermore, it is one of the most densely populated territories in the world, with approximately 4,959 inhabitants per square kilometre. Its economy is based largely on tourism, online gambling, financial services and cargo ship refuelling. The Rock of Gibraltar is an iconic feature of the territory.

EnenKio

The Kingdom of EnenKio (meaning island of the orange flower), is an atoll located near the Marshall islands that claimed its sovereignty in 1994 after nearly a century of dispute with various colonial powers. The self-declared Kingdom of EnenKio has also claimed Wake Island as a separate sovereign nation and has issued passports. In 1997 the Dominion of Melchizedek, another micronation which was engaged in financial fraud, reported that the two had entered into relations. In 2000, Robert Moore, who claimed to be the head of state of EnenKio, was prevented by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from fraudulently issuing bonds for the non-existent nation.