De Facto

Growing Up in Twin Cities

In Border Documents, writer and photographer Arturo Soto narrates the youth of his father on the border of the United States and Mexico. Despite all the challenges, his life was very colourful.

Jorie Horsthuis | 27 Oct 2025

Analysis

Map lines are inherently political. After all, they’re representations of the places that are important to human beings — and those priorities can be delicate and contentious, even more so in a globalized world where multiple nations often share the same maps. Trump’s geographic renaming plans leave mapmakers pondering what to do next.

AP | 23 Jan 2025

News Guantanamo Bay

U.S. Sends 11 Guantánamo Prisoners to Oman to Start New Lives

The secret mission left the smallest number of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay since the day the detention center opened in 2002.

The New York Times | 6 Jan 2025

News Machias Seal Island

‘Drift bottle’ launched in 1961 washes up near Boston

A message in a bottle launched from an island between the United States and Canada turned up 63 years later near Boston.

UPI | 18 Jun 2024

Americas

In focus

Score!

Ten years ago, Conifa started organising the world championship football for unrecognized countries. Since then, it has sparked the imagination of a number of artists and journalists, and rightly so.

Suzanne Hendriks | 12 Jun 2024

De Facto recommends

Movies that Matter 2024

This Friday, 22nd of March, filmfestival Movies that Matter kicks off in The Hague (NL). We are sure the whole program is fabulous, still we cherrypicked some films that feature borders and/or contested territories.

De Facto | 20 Mar 2024

In focus Essequibo

Struggles on Stamps

Struggles about states are usually accompanied by discussions, diplomatic rows, border issues and sometimes even full-blown war. But also on tiny pieces of paper, the smallest expression of self-determination – stamps – these territorial claims are being fought.

Jan Heijs | 24 Dec 2023

News Essequibo

Venezuelans back claim to Guyana-controlled oil region

Venezuelans who turned out to vote in a referendum on the status of a disputed oil-rich territory long controlled by Guyana have overwhelmingly backed Venezuela’s territorial claim.

BBC | 4 Dec 2023

In focus Falkland Islands

Les Gibbard and the Falklands war: striking cartoons

The Guardian Archive has recently catalogued a series of cartoons by former Guardian political cartoonist Les Gibbard. The cartoons come from a period during Margaret Thatcher’s premiership and relate to The Falklands war.

The Guardian | 4 Dec 2023

News Falkland Islands

Islas Malvinas: EU signs deal using Falklands’ Argentine name

UK asks bloc to clarify position after Buenos Aires declares ‘triumph’ over use of term in declaration.

The Guardian | 20 Jul 2023

Past event

De Facto Live #6

‘This Land is My Land’. With filmmaker Reber Dosky about Kurdistan, designer Inna Kochkina about the cyrillic script, graphic designer Floor Koomen and musician Dusty Stray about the Black Hills and a quiz by Suzanne Hendriks. Moderation: Jorie Horsthuis.

De Facto | 28 Jun 2023

Past event

De Facto Live #3

With writer Philip Dröge about Moresnet, pianist and Soviet expert Sara Crombach about Nagorno Karabakh, artist Oscar Santillan about the Bermeja Island and graphic designer Floor Koomen about Celestia. Quiz: Suzanne Hendriks, moderation: Jorie Horsthuis.

De Facto | 1 Jun 2022

Analysis Falkland Islands

Falklands’ War Mapping Project expected to begin this month at Mount Tumbledown

Waterloo Uncovered, the groundbreaking charity that combines archaeology with veteran care and recovery, will be visiting the Falkland Islands this month to begin the first intensive archaeological survey of its battlefields.

MercoPress | 24 Mar 2022

In focus Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands’ Stamp Battle

Since 1833 the Falkland Islands have been part of the British Overseas Territories. Argentina has always protested against this claim, also via philately.

Jan Heijs | 8 Jan 2021

In Focus Terrestrial Triangle

The Future of the Triangle

In 2014, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ended the maritime conflict between Chile and Peru. In a Solomonic way, they divided the disputed sea between the two countries. However, the Court’s ruling left one point unresolved: the Terrestrial Triangle.

Francisco Bustamante Ugarte | 3 Nov 2020

Long read Parva Domus

Deflating the inflated

Located in the middle of the Uruguayan territory, surrounding it on all four sides, the microscopic republic of Parva Domus Magna Quies maintains an unblemished democracy, where bad humor is outlawed and banquets are mandatory.

Antonio Mercader | 2 Feb 1970