Paracel Islands

  • Contested territories
  • Claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan
  • Population +1000
  • Area 15,000 km² ocean 7,75 km² land

The Paracel Islands, also known as Xisha Islands (Chinese) or Hoang Sa Archipelago (Vietnamese), are an archipelago of about 130 small islands and reefs in the South China Sea. The islands are under the control of China, but are also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. The French colonial government tried to incorporate the archipelago into French Indochina, but the Chinese took control over the islands after the ‘Battle of the Paracel Islands’ in 1974. It is home to the largest blue sinking hole in the world: the Dragon Hole.

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Kurdistan

The Kurds are often said to be the largest ethnic group in the world without a state. Kurdistan refers to an area consisting of parts of southeastern Turkey (Northern Kurdistan), northern Iraq (Southern Kurdistan), northwestern Iran (Eastern Kurdistan) and northern Syria (Rojava or Western Kurdistan). Those who identify as Kurdish form a prominent majority in the area and Kurdish culture, languages and national identity have deep historical roots there. Some Kurdish nationalist organizations seek to create an independent nation state consisting of some or all of the areas with a Kurdish majority, while others campaign for greater autonomy within the existing national boundaries. Kurdistan, as one of the most mountainous regions in the world, cherishes its mountains with the saying ‘Kurds have no friends but the mountains’.

Glorioso Islands

The Glorieuses lie north of Madagaskar and is made up of Grande Glorieuse, Île du Lys and eight rock islets—together they form a coral reef and a lagoon. In 1880 Frenchman Hippolyte Caltaux settled and started a coconut plantation on the largest island, Grande Glorieuse. In the late 19th century the islands were officially claimed by the French and became part of the colony of Mayotte, an insular department of France in the Indian Ocean. The Comores and Madagaskar both claim the islands but the French reinstated their claim when the France–Seychelles Maritime Boundary Agreement was drawn in 2001. Fifteen soldiers are stationed on the islands to ensure the sovereignty of France.

Sealand

The Principality of Sealand is located on an anti-aircraft defense gun platform which was built in 1943 but fell into disuse after WWII. At the time it was located in international territorial waters, approximately 12 kilometres off the coast of England. In 1967 Former British major Roy Bates seized the platform from a group of pirate radio broadcasters with the intention of setting up his own station at the site, but he never made any broadcasts. Instead he declared the platforms independence and named it the Principality of Sealand. Since 1987, Sealand lies within the territorial waters of the United Kingdom.