Political Geography Now

Syria One Year On: Conflict Timeline & Map of Control after Kurdish Retreat - March 2026 (Subscription)

2026-03-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

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Research by Djordje Djukic and Evan Centanni. Map by onestopmap.com, Djordje Djukic, and Evan Centanni

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In the 14 months since our last report, waves of violence have punctuated the new Syrian government's mostly-successful consolidation of power. Most recently, Kurdish-led SDF forces have retreated - in the face of a government offensive and widespread defection of non-Kurdish units - from most of the independently-governed zone they've long guarded across north and east Syria.

Before that, major campaigns included a brief but bloody rebellion in Syria's coastal provinces, then a small war over Suwayda province in the south. In both cases, government and allied forces carried out apparently genocidal massacres of civilians from religious minority communities: first targeting Alawite people near the coast, then Druze people in Suwayda.

Meanwhile, the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) has renewed its insurgency in Syria, while some of its fighters - and tens of thousands of their family members - are believed to be free after the messy transition of detention camps from SDF to Syrian government control. Elsewhere, Israel has expanded its occupation in the southwest, Russia has maintained its bases in the country, and the US military is in the process of withdrawing.

All your questions are answered in the detailed, carefully-researched timeline included with this report, covering events since our previous report of January 9, 2025 (more than one year ago), with sources cited. The report also includes fuller summaries of major trends, and of course an update to PolGeoNow's concise, professionally-designed overview map of territorial control in Syria.

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Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Syria (excluding the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights), color-coded for the new Syrian Transitional Government (STG), formed from former rebel groups led by Ahmed al-Sharaa; the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and affiliated Asayish police; resurgent forces of the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL); the Israeli military (IDF), and the newly-unified, government-resistant Druze paramilitary group known as the National Guard.
Markers showing the location of Russian and US military bases
Illustration of major 2026 active zones for "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) operatives in areas outside the group's control, approximated from ACLED data on incidents both targeting them and perpetrated by them.
Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events
Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Shadadi, Al-Hol, Rmeilan, Qasrak base, Kobani, the Tishrin Dam, Sarrin, Qatana, Jableh, Baniyas, Hmeimim airbase, Mount Hermon, Qalaat al-Jandal, the Bishri Mountains, the Safa lava fields, and many more
Concise, beginner-friendly summary of the current situation and key events from early 2025 to present, covering major developments and trends for each of Syria's major armed parties
Detailed timeline of changes to territorial control, major military events, and civilian mass casualty incidents since January 9, 2025, with explanations of the political background and links to sources.

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Yemen Supplement: Who controls Socotra after UAE Pullout?

2026-02-18T04:42:00.000-08:00

This article is mostly adapted from excerpts of the conflict timeline in our recent Yemen control map report of February 8, 2026, organized into a stand-alone article for readers curious about the situation in the Socotra Archipelago specifically. Continuing research up to February 18, 2026 has not resulted in any changes to our control assessment from that report, though some additional sources have been referenced.

Map adapted from an excerpt of PolGeoNow's February 2026 map of control in Yemen. By Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic, from base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com.

Current Situation in the Socotra Islands

Article by Evan Centanni

The last two and a half months have seen rapid changes to the political and territorial situation in the Arabia region's Republic of Yemen, as covered in PolGeoNow's Yemen control map reports for December 30, 2025 and February 8, 2026. These events have seen large swaths of the country's mainland switch control between southern separatists and a coalition of anti-separatist forces, each side backed by a wealthy neighboring country of the Arabian Peninsula.

However, Yemen's island province of Socotra, far offshore to the southeast, has been spared any major fighting, and there's now some confusion about which side controls even the main island, not to mention the smaller islands to its west. At PolGeoNow we don't like to leave big questions unanswered, so here we've done a deep-dive into the available reporting and other sources in search of a little more clarity.

Full article »

Yemen Control Map & Report: Collapse of Separatist Control - Feb. 8, 2026 (Subscription)

2026-02-09T05:56:00.000-08:00

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Note: Though published on February 8, the map in this report is still current as of February 18, the date of publication of our supplementary article summarizing the situation in Socotra - no changes to territorial control have been reported between those two dates.

(To see other maps in this series, view all Yemen articles on PolGeoNow.)

Map and timeline by Djordje Djukic and Evan Centanni.

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Just weeks after Yemen's separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) swept victoriously across the country's eastern provinces, the tables turned dramatically. With their foreign backer, the United Arab Emirates, agreeing to withdraw from Yemen under pressure from Saudi Arabia, the separatists were forced in the first days of 2026 to beat a hasty retreat, even from parts of the southwest that they'd controlled for years prior.

Though the leaders of Yemen's Saudi-backed internationally-recognized government remain in exile in Riyadh, forces loyal to them now dominate most of southern and eastern Yemen. This newfound unity raises the prospect of a return to all-out war with the internationally-unrecognized "Houthi" government, which still governs more than half the country's population from its headquarters in official national capital Sana'a. Meanwhile, STC holdouts have withdrawn to their bastions of greatest support, and the local Al Qaeda chapter is flexing its muscles in some remote areas of the country.

This map and report are premium content available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Up-to-date map of territorial control in the Yemeni Civil War, color-coded for the internationally-recognized government (IRG) and allies, led by the Saudi Arabia-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) and including Islah, the Yemeni Emergency Forces, and the National/Homeland Shield Force, and now the Southern Giants Brigades; remaining holdouts of the UAE-backed separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC); forces of the unrecognized "Houthi" government; and estimated area of presence of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including provincial boundaries, all major cities, and many smaller locations
Markers for places recently appearing in the news, including Seiyun, Khasha'a, Rumah, Adwas, Houta, the Socotra Airport, and many more
Concise, beginner-friendly summary of the current situation and key events from the end of 2025 to present, covering the entire period of the STC retreat and beyond
Detailed timeline of changes to control and other major events since December 30, 2025, with links to sources

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How Many Countries Are There in the World in 2026?

2026-01-22T10:11:00.000-08:00

This article, originally from 2011, has been revised and updated to January 2026. You can view older versions of the article in our archives. Since last year's update, Somaliland has become a "state with at least partial recognition", after previously being only a "de facto sovereign state".

A world political map published by the US government.

One of the most basic questions for many map-lovers is "How many countries are there in the world?" But anyone who just gives you a simple 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:

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Yemen Control Map & Report: Height of Southern Separatist Control - Dec. 30, 2025 (Subscription)

2026-01-05T23:19:00.000-08:00

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Map and timeline by Djordje Djukic and Evan Centanni.

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Yemen's separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) recently upended more than two years of territorial stability in Yemen's simmering civil war, sweeping across the east in a matter of days and nearly completing its control of all territories once governed by independent South Yemen.

This map shows Yemen at the height of STC control near the end of 2025, while the similarly-massive reversals of early 2026 will be covered in a later edition.

Included in this report is a timeline chronicling key conflict events in the years since our March 2023 Yemen control map report, including the 2023-2025 war waged by northern Yemen's internationally-unrecognized "Houthi" government against Israel and the US.

This map and report are premium content available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Up-to-date map of territorial control in the Yemeni Civil War, color-coded for the UAE-backed separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) and allies; Saudi-aligned factions of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) government (includes Islah and National/Homeland Shield Force); forces of the unrecognized "Houthi" government; and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including provincial boundaries, all major cities, and many smaller locations
Markers for places recently appearing in the news, including Seiyun, Tarim, the PetroMasila oil facilities, and Khasha'a in Hadramawt province; Nishtun, Ghaydah, and Shahan in Mahra province; Perim Island and Ras Issa on the Red Sea; and many more
Concise, beginner-friendly summary of the current situation and key events and trends from mid-2023 to almost the end of 2025
Detailed timeline of changes to control and other major events since March 6, 2023, with links to sources. Includes extensive coverage the Houthis' conflict with Israel, the US, and the UK.

Israel / Palestine Catchup: Map of Control Just Before Lebanon Ceasefire - Nov. 26, 2024 (Subscription)

2025-11-22T13:57:00.000-08:00

PolGeoNow's series of control maps for the Israel/Palestine area is back after a one-year hiatus. We've prepared a group of reports mapping the situation at important points up to today, and will be publishing them one at a time with the idea of catching up over a relatively short period.

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Map by Evan Centanni, timeline by Djordje Djukic with Evan Centanni

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One year ago, Israel's invasion of neighboring Lebanon was roughly at its peak, just before a ceasefire with Lebanese group Hezbollah that would lead the Israeli troops to gradually withdraw from most of the areas they had advanced into.

Meanwhile, Israeli operations would continue in the Gaza Strip, with the siege of Jabalia and neighboring towns, while both Israeli and Palestinian operations would target Hamas-allied militias in the West Bank.

See all this and more in the latest update to PolGeoNow's widely-acclaimed map of territorial administration in the Israel/Palestine area. In addition to the updated map, the report also includes a detailed chronicle of changes and events since October 6, 2024, the date illustrated by our previous Israel/Palestine control map.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control across all areas claimed by either Israel or Palestine, including Hamas and Israeli military control in the Gaza Strip (not in extreme detail), as well as UN peacekeeper deployments just outside the region and areas of Israeli operations within Lebanon during war against Hezbollah
Closer-up inset map showing the divisions in the West Bank: Israeli military control ("Area C", including Israeli settlements), PLO-affiliated (Fatah) Palestinian jurisdiction ("Area A"), zones of shared administration ("Area B"), and the (annexed) area of Israeli civilian control in East Jerusalem
Lines illustrating the pre-1967 ceasefire boundaries separating Israel proper from the Palestinian-claimed Gaza Strip and West Bank, as well as the Syria-claimed Golan Heights
Labels for contentious areas, like the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Golan Heights, Shebaa Farms, and "no man's land"
Illustration of which parts of Israel proper are subject to the greatest restrictions by military decree under current war powers: the "Gaza Envelope" in the south and the "Confrontation Line" in the north, and now much of northern Israel and the Golan Heights.
Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events, including in the West Bank and contested towns across the border in Lebanon
Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Jabalia, Yaroun, Alma El Chaab, Tubas, Nur Shams, Tammun, Madama, Dura, Al-Khader, and more, as well as the so-called Philadelphi Corridor and Netzarim Corridor in the Gaza Strip
Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since October 6, 2024, with links to sources.

2020-2025 Expansion of Europe's Free-travel "Schengen Area" (And What's Next)

2025-07-24T17:41:00.000-07:00

This is an article for those interested in what's changed in the map of the Schengen Area since our previous update in 2020. From now on, you can always find the latest version of this map in our Schengen zone explainer article.

Three southeastern European countries - Croatia, Romania, and Bulgaria - have joined the Schengen Area in recent years.
Map by Evan Centanni, from blank map by Ssolbergj. License: CC BY-SA

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2025 Map of the Schengen Area, Europe's Border-free Travel Zone

2025-07-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

What is the "Schengen Area"? What's the difference between Schengen and the EU? And which countries does Schengen include? Read on for all the answers, explained in plain English!

Map by Evan Centanni, from blank map by Ssolbergj. License: CC BY-SA

Article by Evan Centanni

Originally published in March 2016, this article has been updated to July 2025, showing the addition of Croatia, Romania, and Bulgaria to the Schengen Area. We've also overhauled the styling of the map to avoid using the color blue for land areas, which some readers say they find confusing. To find older versions, you can view all Schengen Area articles on PolGeoNow. Our European Union map and explainer article has also been updated to July 2025.

What is the Schengen Area?

If you've traveled in Europe anytime in the last few decades, you probably know that many of Europe's countries have open borders, without any kind of customs or ID check required to cross from one country to another. That's because of the Schengen Agreement, a 1985 treaty that's since been expanded and made into a law of the European Union (EU).

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Map: Which Countries are in the European Union in 2025, Which Aren't, and Which Want to Join?

2025-07-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

This map and article have been revised and updated to July 2025. No new countries have joined the EU since our last update in 2023, but Georgia has been added as an official candidate for membership. Our Schengen Area map and explainer article has also been updated to July 2025.

Map by Evan Centanni, from blank map by Ssolbergj. License: CC BY-SA

What is the European Union?

Europe's continental union is probably most famous to outsiders for its euro currency and Schengen free-travel area. But it's actually much more than that: After all, the UK, whose exit from the EU in 2020 created a massive political storm, was never part of the Schengen Area or euro currency zone to begin with.

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June 2025 Somalia Control Map & Timeline: Al Shabaab Resurgence, ISIS Retreat, Jubaland Defiant (Subscription)

2025-06-19T18:33:00.002-07:00

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Map by Evan Centanni, from basemap by onestopmap.com

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Several significant shifts in territorial control have affected Somalia since December 2024. Most recently, forces of Somalia's Al Qaeda affiliated rival government, Al Shabaab, began sweeping across Middle Shabelle region on the heels of an African Union troop reduction and mission downgrade, erasing most of the pro-federal coalition's 2022 gains there. It's also captured key areas in Hiran and Lower Shabelle regions, leading to fears that capital city Mogadishu could be at risk.

Before that a small but deadly conflict between the federal government and Jubaland state left the southern region essentially outside the country's main coalition. Then, Puntland state carried out a remarkably effective offensive (known as "Operation Hilaac") gutting the core of so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) control in the northern mountains, likely uprooting the global network's central financial hub.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a summary and timeline of territorial changes and key events since our previous Somalia map report illustrating the situation in June 2024, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive map report includes:

Illustration of current territorial control across all areas claimed by Somalia in late June 2025, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AUSSOM peacekeepers - formerly ATMIS), autonomous unionist forces (Puntland, SSC-Khatumo, and now Jubaland), separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned with the so-called "Islamic State" (formerly ISIS/ISIL). Areas of mixed or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions and states, including the self-proclaimed independent Republic of Somaliland and federal states Puntland, Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Illustrates the claims of both sides in the Somaliland-Puntland border dispute, as well as actual control.
Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including El Baraf (Ceel Baraf), Bal'ad (Balcad), Masajid Ali Gadud (Masaajid Cali Gaduud), Adan Yabal (Adan Yabaal), Aborey (Aboorey), Awdhegle (Aw Dheegle), and Ras Kamboni (Raas Kambooni), as well as Dhadar (Dhaadaar), Tasji' (Tasjiic, Tisjiic), Turmasale (Tuur Masaale), and other sites in the Almiskat (Cal Miskaad) Mountains, plus many more.
Beginner-friendly summary of major shifts and milestones in Somalia's civil war from mid-2024 to mid-2025
Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and selected key political and military events from June 29, 2024 to June 19, 2025, with sources cited. Includes events related to claims of Al Shabaab control in neighboring Kenya, as well as developments in Somalia's membership in international organizations.
Chronicle of key developments in the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland's quest for international recognition as an independent country (events included as part of timeline)

June 2024 Somalia Control Map & Timeline: Height of ISIS Control, Al Shabaab Stalemate

2025-06-19T18:33:00.001-07:00

(To see other maps in this series, view all Somalia updates.)

This is the second of a set of three Somalia reports published in June 2025 covering the past two years of Somalia's civil war, here mapping the situation as of late June 2024. See also our simultaneously-published reports illustrating the situation as of August 2023 and June 2025.

To access our full catalog of map reports covering control in Somalia and many other countries, sign up for our Control Map Subscription Service – popular with major government and international organizations, but available to individual subscribers at just US$19.99 per month!

Base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com, with design and control by Evan Centanni. To use this map in your own materials, please contact us to arrange permission.

Article and timeline by Evan Centanni

Mapping Somalia in 2024: Al Shabaab Stalemate and the Height of ISIS Control

This report covers the period in Somalia’s civil war from August 26, 2023 to June 28, 2024, before the events of early 2025, which would see a major Al Shabaab resurgence in central Somalia, as well as the retreat of the so-called “Islamic State” (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) during Puntland state’s “Operation Lightning’” (Hilaac) in the remote mountains of the north. In retrospect, the time from mid-2023 to mid-2024 now looks like a period of relative calm – particularly as the war between Somaliland and SSC-Khatumo settled into a state of frozen conflict - but there were still a number of important developments, which are summarized in the following paragraphs and covered in more detail in the event timeline further below (where additional sources are cited in the form of in-line links). In brief, this period included:

The rollback of recent pro-federal gains in central Somalia's Galgadud region after the coalition's defeat at Osweyne, returning Al Shabaab’s area of control there to its previous extent from 2022 (including Elbur and, for a time, Eldher as well)
Federal-aligned forces’ temporary capture, lasting for several months, of the most prominent settlements held by Al Shabaab in neighboring Mudug region (Ba’adweyn, Amara, and Qey’ad), and lasting control of Bulo Haji, a key outpost in Lower Juba
The defeat of Al Shabaab in northern Somalia's Almiskat Mountains at the hands of the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), which was then able to consolidate power and reach roughly its all-time peak of control in Somalia
Progress in the planned reduction of the African Union’s ATMIS “peacekeeping” force, with the number of bases handed over or closed reaching at total of 18 out of roughly 70
Political turmoil as the Somali federal government turned against ally Ethiopia over a deal that country struck with self-proclaimed independent Somaliland
A major escalation in the “Hiran State” movement, with its supporters clashing with federal forces and capturing key sites in Beledweyne city
The end of the “Ga’an Libah” insurrection in central Somaliland
Self-governed Puntland state’s latest exit from federal politics, announcing that it would act “independent” even while continuing to say it was part of Somalia

Full article »

August 2023 Somalia Control Map & Timeline: Peak of Federal Control, SSC-Khatumo Triumph (Subscription)

2025-06-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

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Mid-2023 saw a 15-year low point in control by Somalia's Al Qaeda-affiliated rival government Al Shabaab in its war against the coalition represented by the country's internationally-recognized federal government. On the very same day, history recorded a striking victory for the SSC-Khatumo movement, which overnight achieved its major objective of breaking away from self-proclaimed independent Somaliland, with the goal of joining federal Somalia as a state of its own.

During the same period, forces of the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) turned the tables on Al Shabaab fighters in the north's Almiskat (Cal Miskaad) Mountains, beginning to retake control from the vindictive rival group. In southern and central Somalia, the international troops of the African Union's ATMIS force completed the first planned phase of their partial withdrawal from the country. And two small insurrections sprung up, with dissidents declaring a "Hiran State" (also spelled "Hiiraan State") separate from Somalia's Hirshabelle, while "Ga'an Libah" (Gacan Libaax) militias carried out an insurgency in central Somaliland.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of territorial changes and key events since our previous Somalia map report illustrating the situation in January 2023, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive map report includes:

Illustration of current territorial control across all areas claimed by Somalia in late August 2023, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including ATMIS peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces (Puntland and SSC-Khatumo), separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned with the so-called "Islamic State" (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). Areas of mixed or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions and states, including the self-proclaimed independent Republic of Somaliland and federal states Puntland, Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Illustrates the claims of both sides in the Somaliland-Puntland border dispute, as well as actual control.
Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Lasanod (Las Anod, Laas Canood, Laascaanood), Gumays (Guumeys), Elbur (Ceel Buur), Osweyne (Oswein, Cowsweyne), Goja'ade (Goojacadde), Run Nirgod (Ruun-Nirgood), Garasyani (Garasiyaani), Shebab (Sheebaab), Bulo Marer (Buulo Mareer) and many more.
Beginner-friendly summary of major shifts and milestones in Somalia's civil war during early to mid-2023
Detailed timeline of territorial control changes (including airspace) and selected key political and military events from January 17, 2023 to August 25, 2023, with sources cited. Includes events related to claims of Al Shabaab control in neighboring Kenya, as well as developments in administration of Somali airspace and Somalia's membership in international organizations.
Chronicle of key developments in the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland's quest for international recognition as an independent country (events included as part of timeline)

Photos: PolGeoNow's 2022 Visit to the Somaliland Office in Taiwan

2025-06-19T18:32:00.000-07:00

Important Note: PolGeoNow does not take any position on whether Taiwan or Somaliland should be diplomatically recognized as independent countries, and does not take sides in the disputes they have with the governments of Somalia and China. During our visit to the Somaliland office in Taipei, we made clear to all parties that we were there strictly for neutral journalistic purposes. PolGeoNow has continued to report freely on developments both favorable and unfavorable to the self-declared Somaliland government in the time since our visit.

East Africa's self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland has an embassy-like representative office in the East Asian city of Taipei, semi-official capital of Taiwan. Somaliland and Taiwan are not accepted as independent countries by the United Nations (UN) - but neither are they controlled by the UN member countries that claim to have authority over them (Somalia and China respectively).

All photos by PolGeoNow

Map modified by PolGeoNow from graphic by Wikimedia user Addicted04 (CC BY-SA)

As part of PolGeoNow's mission to report neutrally on the realities of world geography, we're especially interested in so-called "de facto states" - places that are governed like independent countries, but aren't openly accepted as independent by most other governments. And in August 2022, we were lucky enough to visit an unusual site linking two prominent examples of such unrecognized countries: Somaliland and Taiwan. While in Taipei, Taiwan's semi-official capital, we were invited to visit the representative office of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, and to meet its head diplomat at the time, Mohamed Hagi.

We reported on our 2022 visit soon afterwards with a thread on Twitter (now X)*, and today we're publishing this more complete account for future reference and historical interest.

*We're now also active on Mastodon, BlueSky, and Threads

Full article »

Somalia Supplement: Did Puntland Declare Independence?

2025-06-19T18:21:00.000-07:00

This article is a supplement to PolGeoNow’s series of professional reports on territorial control in Somalia’s decades-long civil war. For more context, see that report series. However, this article is written to be accessible to general audiences.

Puntland's Not-quite "Declaration of Independence"

Part of PolGeoNow's 2024 Somalia control map, showing Puntland state and surroundings. Click on the image to see the full map, complete with detailed legend (free for all readers). The larger blue area on the right represents land solidly controlled by Puntland, while the state's official claimed borders are marked by the dotted while line through Mudug region in the south, and by the left-hand side of the western zone labeled "Area claimed by both Somaliland and Puntland".

As Somalia’s original self-governing state – founded in the chaos of the 1990s before today's Somali federal government even existed – Puntland is in many ways the equivalent of an independent country. Somalia’s federal military has rarely been allowed to operate there, the federal government has little influence over the selection of state or local Puntland officials, and the state government tends to pick and choose to what degree it participates in the federal system. However, unlike neighboring Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991, Puntland has insisted since its founding that it's part of Somalia.

It caught the attention of political geography enthusiasts, then, when in March 2024, Puntland’s government was quoted as saying that it would begin operating with the “full powers of an independent state”. This came amid a dispute over constitutional reforms in Somalia's federal government – a government whose legitimacy Puntland said it no longer recognized. And it’s followed through in practice, refusing to even attend political talks on Somalia’s political future in the year since, continuing its own international relations with countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and fighting a successful war against an important branch of the so-called “Islamic State” (ISIS/ISIL) all on its own (except for some air support from the UAE and US).

Full article »

Somalia Supplement: Is there an Al Shabaab presence in SSC-Khatumo?

2025-06-19T18:20:00.000-07:00

This article is a supplement to PolGeoNow’s series of professional reports on territorial control in Somalia’s decades-long civil war. Reading it should require minimal prior knowledge, but for much more background, see our August 2023 and June 2024 Somalia reports.

Part of PolGeoNow's 2024 Somalia control map, showing areas of control and influence by SSC-Khatumo as the smaller area of blue on the left, and areas solidly controlled by Somaliland in green. Click on the image to see the full map, complete with detailed legend (free for all readers). Areas of known Al Shabaab presence are shown in the north, outside SSC-Khatumo's are of influence.

In 2023, militias in the northern area of Somalia’s claimed territory rose up in rebellion against the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, which has claimed since 1991 to be a separate country from Somalia. These militias and their supporters are trying to instead join Somalia as one of its federal states, which they call “SSC-Khatumo” (SSC-Khaatumo in Somali). The “SSC” stands for the three regions they claim governance over: Sool, Sanaag, and “Ayn” (spelled Cayn in Somali, though to most English speakers the C sounds silent).

As part of Somaliland’s opposition to SSC-Khatumo, various allegations have been made that the insurrectionists are linked to Al Shabaab, the Al Qaeda affiliated organization that governs much of rural southern Somalia. These clams have been largely ignored outside of Somaliland, but we’re still sometimes asked why our maps don’t appear to take them into account. To address this, we’ve written up this article to explain in detail what’s going on, what we know about it, and what the reasoning is behind our mapping of the situation.

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Syria: Map of Control in January 2025 (Subscription)

2025-01-11T17:03:00.000-08:00

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Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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A month after the fall of Assad, much is still unresolved. Russian bases remain along the coast, and Kurdish-led forces operate their own government in the east, where their war with Turkish-backed former rebels continues after a failed ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Israel has further expanded its control in the southwest, while the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) reportedly grows in power, and Suwayda province is controlled by Druze militias with an unclear stance towards the new rebel-installed national government.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Syrian Civil War control map, which includes a timeline of key events since our previous Syria map report illustrating the situation on December 14, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the victorious rebel coalition, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), resurgent forces of the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), the Israeli military (IDF), and other non-rebel-allied forces like the Russian military and Druze militias.
Pattern showing the major areas of "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) activity beyond what the group fully controls.
Special symbol for joint Turkish/rebel control in the border region
Outline showing approximate location of the US-declared "deconfliction zone"
Special symbols indicating which towns and cities are under the rebel bloc led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - formerly the Al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front - and by the Kurdish YPG militia (part of the SDF anti-"Islamic State" coalition)
Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events
Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Dayr Hafir, the Tishrin Dam, Suwayda, Hmeimim (Khmeimim) airbase, Russia's Tartus naval base, and more
Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since December 14, 2024, with links to sources.

How Many Countries Were There in the World in 2025?

2025-01-07T21:48:00.001-08:00

There are newer editions of this article available. To find the most recent, view all "How Many Countries in the World" updates!

This article, originally from 2011, has been revised and updated to January 2025. You can view older versions of the article in our archives. No changes have been made to the country counts in this article since last year's update.

A world political map published by the US government.

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 simple 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:

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Syria: Map of Control After the Fall of Assad - Dec. 14, 2024 (Subscription)

2024-12-20T02:07:00.000-08:00

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Research by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni. Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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As the Syrian government collapsed, rebel forces spread out to assert themselves as the new authorities across most of the country, though much remains to be settled. Turkish-backed rebels jockeyed with the Kurdish-led SDF for control of the north and east, while Israel sent troops towards Damascus and the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) attempted a resurgence in the central desert.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Syrian Civil War control map, which includes a timeline of key events since our previous Syria map report illustrating the situation eight days earlier, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the victorious rebel coalition, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), resurgent forces of the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), the Israeli military, and the two remaining Russian military bases in the country.
Pattern showing the major areas of "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) activity beyond what the group fully controls.
Special symbol for joint Turkish/rebel control in the border region
Outline showing approximate location of the US-declared "deconfliction zone"
Special symbols indicating towns dominated by the rebels of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - formerly the Al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front - and by the Kurdish YPG militia (part of the SDF anti-"Islamic State" coalition)
Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events
Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Manbij, Tanf, Al Kawm, Hmeimim (Khmeimim) airbase, Russia's Tartus naval base, Al-Ba'ath, and more
Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since December 6, 2024, with links to sources.

Syrian Civil War Reignites: Map of Control Amid Rebel Advance (Dec. 6, 2024)

2024-12-09T00:21:00.000-08:00

This map shows the situation on December 6, 2024, just before the final collapse of the Bashar al-Assad government in Damascus. Though the cities of Homs and Damascus have reportedly come under rebel control since then, the country is now in such disarray that current control can't be accurately mapped.

We plan to publish an update for our subscribers within the next few days, clarifying post-Assad control once the dust has begun to settle.

There are newer editions of this map available. To see them, view all Syria updates.

Base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com, with territorial control by Djordje Djukic and Evan Centanni. Area of IS activity is based on 2024 data from ACLED (see footnote for full citation), and reflects a change in methodology from previous editions.
Contact us for permission to use this map.

Timeline by Djordje Djukic

Return to War: Lightning Offensive and Countrywide Shifts

Twelve days ago, Syria's 13-year-old civil war, mostly dormant for the past four years, exploded back onto the scene with a surprise rebel offensive out of the northwest, which quickly managed to seize the country's second largest city, Aleppo. The lead rebel group was the former Al Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), though Turkish-backed rebels from the northern border regions also joined the fray, with the two groups quickly taking over the country's second largest city, Aleppo.

As hardline HTS-led forces marched rapidly south, two more rebel fronts emerged, with US-backed fighters in the southern desert expanding out of their longtime safe zone, and a reborn opposition in the southwest recapturing the former rebel stronghold of Daraa. Meanwhile, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) moved to consolidate their control in the north and east, and over the next ten days moved into areas west of the Euphrates River - including the major city of Deir ez-Zor - as the Syrian military withdrew.

December 6th - the date illustrated on the map above - saw the Syrian military's last major resistance to the surprise rebel assault. The next two days would be a period of government free fall, with rebels apparently entering the city of Homs and national capital Damascus without much resistance. Meanwhile, authoritarian president Bashar al-Assad fled the country as his military withdrew from both cities and the country's central desert, conceding victory in the central conflict of the country's 13-year civil war.

Assad Has Fallen: What's Next for Control in Syria?

Syria is now in disarray, and many questions remain to be answered. What kind of new government will emerge in Damascus? Will former government loyalists hold onto the country's now-isolated coastal region, a traditional bastion of Assad's supporters and still host to his Russian military allies? Will democracy-minded rebel groups work together with the religious-hardline HTS, turn against it, or go their own way in their own strongholds?

One thing that does seem certain: Syria's division isn't over yet. Even if a rebel coalition government secures power over the country's whole west and center, much of the north and northeast remain under control of the Kurdish-led SDF. While the SDF and the provisional government of its controlled areas do still consider themselves part of Syria, they'll likely be in no hurry to submit to any rebel-led administration. For one thing, they're determined to guarantee rights for Syria's Kurdish people before any future reintegration - and likely under pressure from its US patrons to continue the fight against the so-called "Islamic State" (IS, formerly ISIS).

But the Kurdish-led forces in the northeast also aren't on good terms with either of the two most powerful rebel factions. With Türkiye's government labeling the Kurdish militias at the core of the SDF's forces as terrorist groups, Turkish-backed rebels are more enemies than friends to the US-backed coalition (despite the US and Türkiye being allied with each other as fellow NATO members). Meanwhile, it probably goes without saying that the pro-democracy, fiercely anti-IS, US-supported SDF will be wary of cooperation with the religious-hardline HTS, who many fear could become the next Taliban.

To follow our further coverage as post-Assad territorial control develops, visit or bookmark our listing of all Syria control map reports.

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Ukraine: Map of Russian Control in February 2024 (Subscription)

2024-12-01T20:43:00.001-08:00

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Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic

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Late 2023 and early 2024 saw small but steady gains by Russian forces across eastern Ukraine, capped by the milestone capture of Ukrainian stronghold town Avdiivka near Donetsk city. This shift in favor of Russia heralded the end of Ukraine's much-hyped 2023 counter-offensive, which had achieved disappointingly modest results.

(The maps in this report show the situation as of February 19, 2024. Territorial changes since that time, including Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia, will be covered in a future report.)

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Ukraine war control map, which includes a detailed chronicle of changes and events since our previous Ukraine map report illustrating the situation in October 2023, with sources cited, as well as a close-up map of control within the claimed borders of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (which now claim to be self-governing regions inside Russia).

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive map report includes:

Illustration of current territorial control in Ukraine in February 2024, color-coded for the Ukrainian government on one side and the Russian military and allied forces on the other side, with areas of uncertainty indicated. Colorblind accessible.
Darker color indicating which areas were already under Russian or allied control before the 2022 invasion began
Lines showing Russia's claimed border after its annexations of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson provinces.
Donbas close-up map
Close-up map of territorial control within the self-proclaimed boundaries of the Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic, which now claim to be part of Russia
Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events
Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Avdiivka, Marinka, Krynky, Terny, Pischane, Novomykhailivka, and more
Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control from October 9, 2023 to February 19, 2024, with links to sources.

Israel / Palestine: Map of Control at Start of Lebanon Incursion - Oct. 6, 2024 (Subscription)

2024-10-06T23:48:00.000-07:00

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What some once called the "Gaza War" is now unquestionably something much bigger, with Israel directing much of its military force instead across the Lebanon border at the Hezbollah militia, assassinating enemies across the middle east, and coming under major direct attack from Iran. Ground fighting in the Gaza Strip has eased, but Israeli airstrikes continue, and Israeli military actions have intensified in the West Bank.

See all this and more in the latest update to PolGeoNow's widely-acclaimed map of territorial administration in the Israel/Palestine area. In addition to the updated map, the report also includes a detailed chronicle of changes and events since June 27, 2024, the date illustrated by our previous Israel/Palestine control map.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Israel/Palestine map report!

Exclusive map report includes:

Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control across all areas claimed by either Israel or Palestine, including Hamas and Israeli military control in the Gaza Strip (not in extreme detail), as well as UN peacekeeper deployments just outside the region
Closer-up inset map showing the divisions in the West Bank: Israeli military control ("Area C", including Israeli settlements), Fatah-led Palestinian jurisdiction ("Area A"), zones of shared administration ("Area B"), and the (annexed) area of Israeli civilian control in East Jerusalem
Lines illustrating the pre-1967 ceasefire boundaries separating Israel proper from the Palestinian-claimed Gaza Strip and West Bank, as well as the Syria-claimed Golan Heights
Labels for contentious areas, like the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Golan Heights, Shebaa Farms, and "no man's land"
Illustration of which parts of Israel proper are subject to the greatest restrictions by military decree under current war powers: the "Gaza Envelope" in the south and the "Confrontation Line" in the north, and now much of northern Israel and the Golan Heights.
Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events, including in the West Bank and contested towns across the border in Lebanon
Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Khan Yunis, Nevatim airbase, Hatzerim and Tel Nof airbases, Jabalia, Yaroun, Adeissah, Jenin, Tulkarm, Tubas, and more, as well as the so-called Philadelphi Corridor and Netzarim Corridor in the Gaza Strip
Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since June 27, 2024, with links to sources.
Additional timeline entries chronicling events in all four additional fronts to the conflict: (1) the Lebanon border, where Israel and Hezbollah are engaged in cross-border strikes and now an Israeli ground incursion; (2) the West Bank, where near-daily Israeli raids on Palestinian-governed cities have have recently become more intense and destructive; (3) attacks on Western shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden near Yemen, where the US and UK have retaliated militarily against the Yemeni "Houthi" government; and (4) increasing related violence across the Middle East, including direct Iranian and Houthi attacks on Israel; Israeli airstrikes and assassinations in Lebanon, Syria, and Iran; and resumed Iran-backed militia attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria (Fronts 3 and 4 are not illustrated on the map).

Parade of Nations: Which Countries Are (and Aren't) in the Olympics? (Paris 2024)

2024-07-23T14:11:00.000-07:00

2026 Update: As the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics prepare to officially open, we don't so far have an updated version of our explainer on which countries and are and aren't in the Olympics. However, the below update from the Paris 2024 summer Olympics is still accurate as far as which countries are and aren't accepted as Olympic nations. Details on suspended countries may or may not be out-of-date, and the list of current attendees is different (you can see it on Wikipedia).

This is an updated version of an article first published in 2012. To see previous versions, view all Olympics articles on PolGeoNow.

Map of all countries in the Olympics and their regional associations. By Evan Centanni, modeled after this map.

The 2024 Summer Olympics are officially opening this Friday, July 26. This year they're officially hosted by the city of Paris, France, though events will be held all around the country. This is the sixth time France has hosted the games (including the Winter Olympics). It's also Paris's third time to host the Olympics, though it took a break for 100 years. The only other city to host three times is London, in the UK.

Of course, it wouldn't be an Olympic opening ceremony without the Parade of Nations. But how many countries are there in the games, and is everyone included? Read on for PolGeoNow's updated guide to the roster of Olympic Nations...

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How Many Countries Were There in the World in 2024?

2024-07-23T14:00:00.001-07:00

There are newer editions of this article available. To find the most recent, view all "How Many Countries in the World" updates!

This article, originally from 2011, has been revised and updated to July 2024. You can view older versions of the article in our archives. The main update from last year is the surrender of the self-proclaimed Artsakh Republic (Nagorno-Karabakh), whose territory is now controlled by Azerbaijan.

A world political map published by the US government.

Israel / Palestine: Map of Control Amid Rafah Offensive - June 27, 2024 (Subscription)

2024-06-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

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Map by Evan Centanni, timeline by Djordje Djukic with Evan Centanni

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Over the last four months, Israel first withdrew most its forces from the Gaza Strip, soon sent them back into certain areas, then began a scaled-down version of its long-promised Rafah offensive. Its forces now hold part of Rafah and other specific areas, while the UN says there's “no authority in most of the territory”.

Meanwhile, related violence has continued along the Lebanon border, in the West Bank, and in the Red Sea, with broader Middle East tensions reaching a peak in mid-April with a direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran.

See all this and more in the latest update to PolGeoNow's widely-acclaimed map of territorial administration in the Israel/Palestine area. In addition to the updated map, the report also includes a detailed chronicle of changes and events since March 4, 2024, the date illustrated by our previous Israel/Palestine control map.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Israel/Palestine map report!

Exclusive map report includes:

Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control across all areas claimed by either Israel or Palestine, including Hamas and Israeli military control in the Gaza Strip (not in extreme detail), as well as UN peacekeeper deployments just outside the region
Closer-up inset map showing the divisions in the West Bank: Israeli military control ("Area C", including Israeli settlements), Fatah-led Palestinian jurisdiction ("Area A"), zones of shared administration ("Area B"), and the (annexed) area of Israeli civilian control in East Jerusalem
Lines illustrating the pre-1967 ceasefire boundaries separating Israel proper from the Palestinian-claimed Gaza Strip and West Bank, as well as the Syria-claimed Golan Heights
Labels for contentious areas, like the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Golan Heights, Shebaa Farms, and "no man's land"
Illustration of which parts of Israel proper are subject to the greatest restrictions by military decree under current war powers: the "Gaza Envelope" in the south and the "Confrontation Line" in the north, as well as known closed areas of the Golan Heights
Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events, including in the West Bank and along the border with Israel and Lebanon
Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Rafah, Nuseirat Refugee Camp, the US floating humanitarian pier, Mt. Meron, Hebbariye, Jenin, Tulkarm, and more
Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since March 4, 2024, with links to sources.
Additional timeline entries chronicling events in all four additional fronts to the conflict: (1) the Lebanon border, where Israel and Hezbollah are engaged in cross-border strikes; (2) the West Bank, where near-daily Israeli raids on Palestinian-governed cities have led to intense clashes; (3) attacks on Western shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden near Yemen, where the US and UK have retaliated militarily against the Yemeni "Houthi" government; and (4) the recent flare-up of direct violence between Israeli and Iran, including Israeli strikes on Iran-aligned targets in Syria (Fronts 3 and 4 are not illustrated on the map).

Sudan Control Map & Timeline: Former Rebels Join Fight - June 2024

2024-06-11T18:57:00.001-07:00

(To see other maps in this series, view all Sudan articles on PolGeoNow.)

This marks the first fully up-to-date edition of our new Sudan map series, after several retrospective reports on the situations in previous months. The latest of those, featuring a map of control at the end of January 2024, is being published alongside this one.

To access our full catalog of map reports covering control in Sudan and many other countries, sign up for our Control Map Subscription Service - popular with major government and international organizations, but available to individual subscribers at just US$19.99 per month!

Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic, starting from base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com. "Neutral Joint Force" has been redefined to exclude Darfuri former rebel groups who have joined the fight against the RSF, now subsumed under "Govt./SAF & allies". See below for a detailed accounting of which groups are included in each territorial control category. To use this map in your own materials, please contact us to arrange permission.

Timeline by Djordje Djukic and Evan Centanni

Darfur's Joint Force Enters War Against RSF, Kicking off Battle of El Fasher

In the four months since the date depicted on PolGeoNow's previous Sudan control map, lines of control have remained mostly stable, except for a major SAF breakthrough within the city of Omdurman and the RSF's takeover of Mellit, the headquarters of Darfur's Joint Force coalition. Other changes to the map have been made to show where new evidence has emerged of RSF presence (or lack thereof), but these don't represent major victories or defeats. The bigger story has, instead, been a critical realignment in alliances.

The leaders of Darfur's most prominent "Joint Force" former rebel groups, the SLM-MM and JEM-Jibril, have been outspoken against the RSF since November 2023, even recruiting and training new SAF-allied forces in eastern Sudan. But until recently, their field commanders based in Darfur, where the core of each group's forces were stationed, had kept unofficially neutral in the war, helping preserve a year-long, citizen-mediated ceasefire in the city of El Fasher. That all changed after Joint Force troops started fighting alongside the SAF around Khartoum in late March, leading to RSF retaliation across Sudan. By mid-April, the group's major commanders in Darfur had joined the fight, kicking off a devastating, full-scale battle for the region's capital.

A few months ago, "neutral Joint Force" was a useful label for most of the former rebel forces in Darfur, but today it can only fairly apply to the minority of factions who refused to enter the battle, and now say they're launching an official "Neutral Joint Force" separate from the larger SAF-allied one. Our map has been changed accordingly, now subsuming SAF-allied groups within "Govt./SAF and allies", while reserving the "Neutral Joint Force" symbols from the January map for the new strictly neutral coalition. Nearly every Darfuri former rebel group has split into factions over the question of whether to ally with the SAF (the longtime leaders of the SLM-TC and GSLF, alongside their loyalist factions, head the neutral camp).

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