On the 23rd of July, Abkhazians celebrated their National Flag Day. On this date in 1992, Abkhazia declared itself independent.

What does South Ossetia’s international behaviour during the coronavirus crisis teach us about de facto states?

BIRN has discovered more evidence of Kosovo institutions lobbying for a land swap with Serbia: a Le Monde journalist states that Kosovo Ambassador to France Qendrim Gashi advocated for territory exchange, while an American academic has revealed that Hashim Thaci asked him to prepare a paper endorsing the plan.

On June 3 the Kingdom of Sedang was created by former French government official Charles-Marie David de Mayréna. Mayréna was involved in dubious affairs and owned a plantation in French Indo-China. He managed to convince the local tribesmen to form a small kingdom under his rule and the Kingdom published various stamps, had a flag and a coat of arms but perished when Mayréna died under mysterious circumstances in 1890.

New land is claimed in many ways. Revolutions are declared, borders are drawn and nations are born. But in this region the land is created. A brand new lighthouse will show the way.

Isolation or interaction? In The Politics of International Interaction with De Facto States the authors explore the conundrum for politicians and policy makers: how to deal with de facto states in the international arena?

Meet one of the most densely populated islands in the world. It covers less than 2,000 square meters and has 500 inhabitants. Bars, a supermarket and a tiny port are part of this mini society which is claimed by Kenya and Uganda.

Today, Somaliland celebrates Independence Day to mark the polity’s unilateral proclamation of independence from the Somali Democratic Republic in 1991. However, its status remains unrecognized the world over. Find out more about this unique place on our website.

Due to the covid-19 restrictions our event of May 14 is postponed until further notice.
An evening with writer Philip Dröge about Moresnet, concert pianist and Soviet expert Sara Crombach about Nagorno-Karabakh and Ecuadorian artist Oscar Santillan about Bermeja Island. Frictional states & bouncing borders, live at De Roode Bioscoop in Amsterdam. Follow us for updates.

On 12 May 2014, the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics declared independence from Ukraine. In the photo book War in Ukraine, multimedia journalist Pierre Crom has documented the highly explosive situation in the Crimea and the Donbas region. With his pictures, he brings us closer to the people who got trapped in the chaos of war.

The Aerican Empire was created on May 8 in 1987 by the five-year-old Eric Lis. The first ten years it was entirely fictive but it became more serious when a website was launched in 1997. Now everyone can sign up to become a citizen and chose which area of the empire they want to reside in. These non-contiguous pieces of land reach as far the northern hemisphere of Pluto. Silliness is never far away.

As of this year, the Dnister Moldavian Republic, aka Transnistria, has existed for thirty years. In 2000, four stamps were issued to celebrate its ten year anniversary, with plenty of references to a Soviet past.

Almost all de facto states that survive for some time have a powerful ‘patron’ that provides security guarantees and economic support. Too often this has resulted in the de facto states simply being brushed off as hapless pawns in their patron’s power play. The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs challenges this assumption, examining what room de facto states have for independent agency.

The Principality Hutt River, one of the longest standing micronations in the world, was founded fifty years ago on April 21st, 1970. By Royal Decree the borders closed just before the corona crisis reached Australia.

Fifty years ago the entire Creole population of the Chagos Islands was expelled by the British authorities. This secret operation took place in order to lease the largest island to the US Navy so that it could install a military base. Now Chagossian exiles embark on a struggle to return home. A documentary by Olivier Magis.

Meet Puerto Rico. The island in the Caribbean Sea became a US territory following the Spanish-American War in 1898. After hurricane Maria in 2017 it found itself with a collapsing economy and destroyed infrastructure, and a crisis of sovereignty. Read more about the independence struggles of this divided island.

In Dragon’s Teeth, writer and diplomat Ian Bancroft explores the paradoxes and absurdities of life in North Kosovo. With interviews, historical anecdotes and first-hand observations, he gives a human face to one of the most disputed territories in Europe.

On the first of April no less than three micronations were founded. John Lennon and Yoko Ono announced the birth of their conceptual country Nutopia, the inhabitants of Užupis, a small neighborhood in Vilnius (the capital of Lithunia) declared with a little bit of help from Frank Zappa their independence and in an effort to raise funds for their remote lighthouse, the Republic of Boon Island was born.

Measures to halt the spread of the coronavirus have created an odd situation in a village straddling the Dutch-Belgian border where opposite sides of the road are in different countries. One store even had a ribbon down the middle of its premises, marking the border, with the Belgian section off-limits.

In the breathtakingly beautiful mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan Sidik sets out to find a panther that has not been seen in the area for 25 years. Finding the panther could mean that the area will be designated as a national reserve. Sidik hopes that this would put an end to wars and conflict. This documentary by Reber Dosky can be watched online till March, 28.

Extinguished Countries is the first guidebook series about countries that no longer exist. They don’t follow today’s borders but take us on a journey through time and space to lost kingdoms, republics and empires, looking for what unites us rather than divides us.

Despite being effectively excluded from global health management networks and having limited resources due their forced isolation, de facto states have shown their capacity to take action to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in their territories. This piece highlights how some de facto states have responded (information as of 13th March).

The Black Hills are home to the largest dispute between the US government and Native Americans. Read why the Sioux Nation says no to $1.3 billion.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia closed their borders with Georgia after Georgia confirmed its first case of coronavirus infection. Abkhazia stated the Ingur border crossing will remain closed until 7 April. The closure of local checkpoints between South Ossetia and Georgia is indefinite. Border crossings with Russia remain open, although cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed in Russia as well. Foreign citizens with the exception of Russians are banned from entering Abkhazia.

Dozens of Greek and Turkish Cypriots protested against a government decision to temporarily close four checkpoints on the Green Line as part of measures to prevent an outbreak of coronavirus. The demonstrators scuffled with police and pushed aside barricades, making their way into the buffer zone. They said the coronavirus was being used as an excuse to close the checkpoints and prevent free movement on the island.

Exactly six years after multimedia journalist Pierre Crom witnessed the very beginning of the annexation of Crimea, Subjectio is launched: an experimental online storytelling project about methods used by superpowers to control and manipulate the representation of the truth. Subjectio explores the boundaries of storytelling using social media and crafted digital tools, uncovering the structure of disinformation and propaganda.

On 17 February, Kosovo celebrates the twelfth anniversary of its independence. Many citizens cherish new hopes for the future now Albin Kurti of Vetevendosje (Self-determination) recently has been elected as their new Prime Minister.

What is Brexit? Is it a case of secession? Or should we think of it in other terms? In this video, James Ker-Lindsay (London School of Economics) explores how we can best define the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union.

Where the Canada-US border falls into the ocean, one final territorial dispute exists. Machias Seal Island is a 1-hectare landmass permanently inhabited by over 5,000 mating pairs of puffins and two Canadian lighthouse keepers.

Metre by metre, a group of women is clearing the ‘Lachin Corridor’, a former combat zone in Nagorno-Karabakh where thousands of mines were planted. Director Khnkanosian focuses entirely on the physical routine and solemn solidarity among the women, and their impressive inner strength.

Artist Sipa Labakhua travels the land of his birth, Abkhazia, with his puppet theatre. His father was an idealistic politician who was forced by the war with Georgia to flee to Moscow. Now, his son has returned home and collects memories and reflections of a colourful community that includes nationalist Abkhazians, immigrants and artists. A poetic road movie by director Ineke Smits.

Since California achieved statehood in 1850, there have been over 200 attempts to break it up. On November 27th in 1941, armed men roadblocked the borders and informed all vehicles about the new territory they were entering: the State of Jefferson.

The pictures of our second event are now online! It was a great evening, with interviews, presentations and inspiring stories. Thank you all for joining us and hopefully see you again at our next event in De Roode Bioscoop (Amsterdam).

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) uncovered a plot to covertly finance unrecognized republics in eastern Ukraine through South Ossetia.

In the effort to elucidate and understand de facto states, the University of Tartu (Estonia) recently founded the De Facto State Research Unit. From Somaliland to Transnistria and everywhere in between, their goal is to uncover these hidden spots that may turn out unexpectedly influential in world politics. Director Eiki Berg and his team are dedicated to producing innovative scholarship in the developing field of de facto state research.

Forty-eight years ago today, millionaire Michael J. Oliver declared the independence of the Republic of Minerva, hoping that the small island reclaimed from the sea would ‘one day attract a population of thirty thousand’.

De Facto was hosted by the Dutch radio show Bureau Buitenland to tell about our passion for stamps, frictional states and curious borders.

CONIFA, the Confederation of Independent Football Associations, just announced the teams that have qualified for the World Football Cup in North Macedonia, June 2020. Teams from places like Metabeleland, Kabylia, Panjab, Cascadia and the Chagos Islands are overlooked by FIFA and will get a chance to win their place on a global stage in this alternative tournament.

These days, Baarle Hertog is highly popular among the Dutch. While they are only allowed to buy fireworks from the 28th of December in their own country, in Belgium they can buy crackers all year round. As a result, the small border town is plagued with long cues and traffic jams - but for the local businesses, it is heyday.

Zooks! Already 40 years ago this micronation was launched. Covering no less then eight provinces and a piece of Antarctica.

On this day, 28 years ago, the South Ossetian parliament voted for full independence from Georgia. Still, its borders remain unrecognized. If you manage to cross them, however, you will find amazing nature and hospitable people.

The South Pacific region of Bougainville voted overwhelmingly to become the world’s newest nation by gaining independence from Papua New Guinea. More than 98% of valid ballots favored independence.

With its overt campaign to reduce the number of countries that recognize Kosovo as an independent state, Serbia has provoked the wrath of its neighbour. The battle intensifies.

Sniper fire and clashes have become rare on the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In a year that has seen positive steps to mitigate the decades-old conflict in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, this photo essay illustrates how some Armenian front-line villagers’ lives have slowly improved.

The World Football Cup 2020 for de facto states and minority peoples will be held in Skopje, North Macedonia. The tournament will consist of 16 teams; the qualification period ends in December 2019. The event will take place from 30 May-7 June 2020.

On November 23, residents of the remote archipelago of Bougainville will decide about their future. This referendum about independence has been 20 years in the making.

What happens when all the ice melts and Antarctica is colonized? Browse through the archive of the future: scenarios, interviews, diary entries—all sort of stories that take place in Antarctica after the year 2119. The literary website Project Antarctica was presented on November 21 in Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam.

De Facto selected 1982, a documentary on the mechanisms of propaganda during the Falklands War. In 1982, when the Argentine military dictatorship invaded the Falkland Islands, the government left no stone unturned in using propaganda to convince the people of the righteousness of their mission.

On November 14, 2019, we launched our platform about Frictional States & Bouncing Borders. It was a great evening, with interviews, presentations and inspiring stories. Thank you all for joining us!

The new shirt of FC Barcelona is an ode to the Senyera, the flag of Catalonia, thereby making a political statement to support the independence movement.

The war is essentially over in eastern Ukraine, but peace hasn’t yet begun. A visit to the self-proclaimed mini-state known as the People’s Republic of Luhansk shows that the road back to normality is long and full of obstacles. A story by Christian Esch, images from Emily Ducke.

Have a look at the project by the Dutch artist Vibeke Mascini that aims to reunite the two ‘summits’ that have been expropriated from Mont Blanc—during the first ascend in 1786 and the second in 1787, after being kept in different European museum collections for centuries, both far away from the mountain itself.

From a one-story house with mustard-colored walls off a bustling road in Mauritius, Olivier Bancoult is defying the U.K. by plotting a return to the tiny tropical island where he was born.

She is a separatist from Barcelona, he is a unionist, born in Madrid. A portrait of a marriage that cracks under the Catalan crisis. (Article in Dutch)

Dutch journalist Koen Greven enters behind the scenes of the strive for independence in Catalonia.

Eighteen years ago Travis McHenry claimed this chunck of Antarctica. And he named himself Grand Duke.

‘Vlora Citaku is still a citizen of the Republic of Serbia’, said Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic about Kosovo’s ambassador to the US, Vlora Citaku, at a UN Security Council meeting in New York.

Happy Halloween from the Republic of Molossia!

BRITAIN’S new aircraft carrier,HMS Queen Elizabeth, will make her maiden operational deployment as part of a joint US-Dutch-UK naval mission to the South China Sea in 2021.

Nine separatist leaders were jailed on 14 October 2019 by Spain’s Supreme Court for between nine and 13 years after being convicted of sedition. The days that followed saw some of the worst violence in the history of the modern independence movement.

Soldiers and civilians killed on both sides as India and Pakistan blame each other.

Malaysian censors have ordered a scene to be cut from DreamWorks film Abominable before it is screened there—because of a brief glimpse of a map.

Always been curious what happens up North?

Many boys from Morocco try to reach the European continent through the Spanish exclave Melilla. A search for these boys and their dreams in Fez, Melilla, Brussels and the Dutch city of Heerhugowaard. ‘In Europe, you can get 2000 euros a month. I want that too.’ (Article in Dutch)