27th February, 2024
CHIRANJIT MITRA
● Borders define nations but can also be the source of deep conflict and tension. ● These eight regions highlight ongoing territorial disputes and the complex issues surrounding them.
● A decades-long dispute over this mountainous region has led to wars and ongoing tensions. ● India, Pakistan, and China all claim portions of Kashmir, making it a complex geopolitical flashpoint.
● Morocco claims sovereignty over this former Spanish colony. ● The indigenous Sahrawi people seek independence, leading to a protracted conflict.
● The division between North and South Korea along the 38th parallel dates back to the Korean War. ● Reunification remains a distant goal, with a heavily militarized border separating the two nations.
● One of the world's longest-running conflicts centers on contested land and statehood. ● Decades of negotiations and violence have failed to resolve disputes over borders, Jerusalem, and the right of return for Palestinian refugees.
● Both Japan and China claim this uninhabited archipelago in the East China Sea. ● Disputes over fishing rights and potential undersea resources have fueled tensions.
● Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 is widely unrecognized by the international community. ● Ukraine maintains its claim to the peninsula, leading to ongoing conflict and instability in the region.
● A complex web of territorial claims in the South China Sea involves China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and others. ● Disputes over islands, reefs, fishing rights, and potential energy resources have increased tensions.