Bir Tawil#Various claims
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{{Short description|Unclaimed land between Egypt and Sudan}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Ṭawil|italic=no}}
| other_name =
| native_name = {{lang|arz|بير طويل}}
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Unclaimed land
| motto =
| image_skyline = File:Topographic Map of Bir Tawil.png
| imagesize = 250px
| image_caption = Topographic map of {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Ṭawil|italic=no}} (outlined in red)
| image_map =
| mapsize =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Egypt#Sudan#Africa
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_mapsize = 300
| pushpin_map_caption = Location between Egypt and Sudan
| pushpin_map_alt = Neither Egypt nor Sudan claims {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}}, which is located between the two countries
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = None
| area_magnitude =
| unit_pref = metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 2060
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_sq_mi = 0
| population_as_of =
| population_footnotes =
| population_note = Transient populations only{{Cite journal |last=Karalekas |first=Dean |title=Navigating Terra Nullius: The Ababda and the Case for Indigenous Land Rights in Bir Tawil |journal=Global Journal of Economics and Finance |year=2020 |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=41–49 |url=http://www.gjefnet.com/images/Vol4No2/4.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120194441/http://www.gjefnet.com/images/Vol4No2/4.pdf |archive-date=20 January 2021}}
| population_total = 0
| population_density_sq_mi =
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| population_blank1_title = Ethnicities
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| coordinates = {{Coord|21|52|9|N|33|44|52|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes =
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}}
{{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}} ({{langx|arz|بير طويل|translit=Bīr Ṭawīl|lit=tall water well}}, {{IPA|arz|biːɾ tˤɑˈwiːl|}}) is a {{convert|2060|km2|mi2|sigfig=4|abbr=on}} area of land along the border between Egypt and Sudan, which is uninhabited and claimed by neither country. When spoken of in association with the neighbouring Halaib Triangle, it is sometimes referred to as the {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}} Triangle, despite the area's quadrilateral shape; the two regions border at a quadripoint.
Its unclaimed status results from a discrepancy between the straight political boundary between Egypt and Sudan established in 1899, and the irregular administrative boundary established in 1902. Egypt asserts the political boundary, and Sudan asserts the administrative boundary, with the result that the {{lang|ar-Latn|Halaib|italic=no}} Triangle is claimed by both and {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}} by neither. In 2014, author Alastair Bonnett described {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}} as the only place on Earth that was habitable but was not claimed by any recognised government.{{cite book|last=Bonnett |first=Alastair |title=Unruly Places: Lost Spaces, Secret Cities and Other Inscrutable Geographies |chapter=Bir Tawil |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9eNJAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA73 |date=2014 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |isbn=978-0-544-10160-9 |page=73 |oclc=890509603 |lccn=2013050983 |quote=the only place on the planet that is both habitable and unclaimed.}}
History
On 19 January 1899, an agreement between the United Kingdom and Egypt relating to the administration of Sudan defined "Soudan" as the "territories south of the 22nd parallel of latitude".{{Cite web|url=http://www.law.fsu.edu:80/library/collectio/limitsinseas/ibs018.pdf|title=International Boundary Study: Sudan – Egypt (United Arab Republic) Boundary|date=27 July 1962|website=law.fsu.edu|publisher=Bureau of Intelligence and Research|pages=2, 3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113231654/http://www.law.fsu.edu/library/collection/limitsinseas/ibs018.pdf|archive-date=13 January 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=2019-05-28}} It contained a provision that would give Egypt control of the Red Sea port of {{lang|ar-Latn|Suakin|italic=no}}, but an amendment on 10 July 1899 gave Suakin to Sudan instead.
File:Map of the Hala'ib Triangle and Bir Tawil in 1912.png
On 4 November 1902, the UK drew a separate "administrative boundary", intended to reflect the actual use of the land by the tribes in the region. {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}} was grazing land used by the {{lang|ar-Latn|Ababda|italic=no}} tribe based near {{lang|ar-Latn|Aswan|italic=no}}, and thus was placed under Egyptian administration from Cairo. Similarly, the {{lang|ar-Latn|Hala'ib|italic=no}} Triangle to the northeast was placed under the British governor of Sudan, because its inhabitants were culturally closer to Khartoum.
Egypt claims the original border from 1899, the 22nd parallel, which would place the {{lang|ar-Latn|Hala'ib|italic=no}} Triangle within Egypt and the {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}} area within Sudan. Sudan, however, claims the administrative border of 1902, which would put {{lang|ar-Latn|Hala'ib|italic=no}} within Sudan, and {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}} within Egypt. As a result, both states claim {{lang|ar-Latn|Hala'ib|italic=no}} and neither claims the much less valuable {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}} area, which is only a tenth the size, and has no permanent settlements or access to the sea. There is no basis in international law for either Sudan or Egypt to claim both territories, and neither nation is willing to cede {{lang|ar-Latn|Hala'ib|italic=no}}. With no recognized third state claiming the neglected area, {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}} is one of the few land areas of the world not claimed by any recognised state.{{cite web |url=http://www.mcit.gov.eg/images/maps/Intl_Boundaries_map1.jpg |title=Official version of map of Egypt |access-date=2017-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130526181255/http://www.mcit.gov.eg/images/maps/Intl_Boundaries_map1.jpg |archive-date=2013-05-26 |url-status=live}}{{cite book|title=CIA World Factbook |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pqanFyF6nI0C&pg=PA209|year=2010|publisher=CIA|chapter=Egypt|isbn = 978-1602397279}}
Geography
File:Satellite image of Bir Tawil.jpg]]
{{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}} is {{convert|2060|km2|1|abbr=on}} in size. The length of its northern and southern borders are {{convert|95|km|mi}} and {{convert|46|km|mi}} respectively; the length of its eastern and western borders are {{convert|26|km|mi}} and {{convert|49|km|mi}} respectively. In the north of the area is the mountain {{lang|ar-Latn|Jabal Ṭawil|italic=no}} ({{lang|ar|جبل طويل}}), with a height of {{convert|459|m|ft}}. In the east is {{lang|ar-Latn|Gabal Hagar El Zarqa|italic=no}}, with a height of {{convert|662|m|ft}}, marking the territory's highest point. In the south is the {{lang|ar-Latn|Wadi Ṭawil|italic=no}} ({{lang|ar|وادي طويل}}), also called {{lang|ar-Latn|Khawr Abū Bard}}. There is no surface water in Bir Tawil.{{Cite news |last=Shenker |first=Jack |date=2016-03-03 |title=Welcome to the land that no country wants |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/03/welcome-to-the-land-that-no-country-wants-bir-tawil |access-date=2023-12-11 |issn=0261-3077}}
Climate
{{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}}'s climate is, according to the Köppen climate classification, a hot desert climate (Bwh). For approximately three-quarters of the year the temperature can exceed {{convert|40|C}}, and in the three hottest months (June–August) it can be as high as {{convert|45|C|F}}. During the winters (December and January being its mildest months), {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}} can have lower temperatures, with {{convert|26|C}} as its usual temperature peak.
Because the territory is far from the ocean (being at least {{cvt|200|km|disp=or}} away from the Red Sea), the diurnal temperature range throughout the region is large, about {{convert|20|°C-change|°F-change}} year-round.[https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/forecast/modelclimate/21.815N33.856E "Climate: Bir Tawil]
{{Weather box|location=Bir Tawil|metric first=yes|single line=yes|Jan high C=26|Feb high C=28|Mar high C=32|Apr high C=37|May high C=40|Jun high C=42|Jul high C=42|Aug high C=42|Sep high C=41|Oct high C=38|Nov high C=32|Dec high C=27|Jan low C=7|Feb low C=8|Mar low C=11|Apr low C=16|May low C=20|Jun low C=22|Jul low C=24|Aug low C=24|Sep low C=22|Oct low C=19|Nov low C=13|Dec low C=9|source 1=MeteoBlue.com{{cite web
|url=https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/historyclimate/climatemodelled/21.815N33.856E393_Africa%2FCairo
|title=Weather for Bir Tawil
|access-date=6 November 2019
|publisher=MeteoBlue.com
}}}}
Claims
{{see also|Attempts to claim Bir Tawil as a nation state}}
Due to its status as {{Lang|la|de jure}} unclaimed territory, a number of individuals and organizations have attempted to claim {{lang|arz-Latn|Bir Tawil|italic=no}} as a micronation; because of the remoteness and hostile climate of the region, the vast majority of these claims have been by declarations posted on the internet from other locations. None of these claims, or any others, have been recognized, officially or otherwise, by any government or international organization.{{cite news| last1=Shenker |first1=Jack |title=Welcome to the land that no country wants |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/03/welcome-to-the-land-that-no-country-wants-bir-tawil |access-date=3 March 2016 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=3 March 2016}}{{Cite web |last=Ma |first=Alexandra |title=This man is the latest in a series of travellers to declare ownership of a bizarre no man's land in north Africa |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/bir-tawil-suyash-dixit-declares-ownership-of-land-in-north-africa-2017-11 |date=15 November 2017 |access-date=7 August 2022 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}{{clear left}}
Population
Bir Tawil has no settled population, but members of the Ababda and Bishari tribes pass through the region,{{cite news| last1=Shenker |first1=Jack |title=Welcome to the land that no country wants |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/03/welcome-to-the-land-that-no-country-wants-bir-tawil |access-date=3 March 2016 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=3 March 2016}} and unregulated mining camps have been established throughout the territory in search of gold deposits.{{cite news| author=Batya |title=Bir Tawil – Tracking Kalashnikovs in No Man's Land |url=https://reaperfeed.com/bir-tawil-tracking-kalashnikovs-in-no-mans-land/ |access-date=19 February 2023 |newspaper=Reaper Feed |date=18 July 2020}}{{cite news| last1=O'Connor |first1=Robert |title=The Battle for the Last Unclaimed Land on Earth |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-battle-for-the-last-unclaimed-land-on-earth/ |access-date=19 February 2023 |newspaper=VICE News |date=27 October 2021}} Young Pioneer Tours operated two tours to the territory in 2019 and 2024, and claimed the existence of permanent settlements related to the unregulated mining camps.{{Cite web |date=2019-04-11 |title=Bir Tawil: The Strange Tale of Unclaimed Land — 2024 Travel Update |url=https://www.youngpioneertours.com/strange-tale-bir-tawil/ |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=Young Pioneer Tours |language=en}}
Literature
- Dean Karalekas (2020). The Men in No Man's Land: A Journey Into Bir Tawil. pp. 120 pages. {{ISBN|979-8666413401}}.
See also
- Egypt–Sudan relations
- Marie Byrd Land, an area in Antarctica that is also unclaimed
- Croatia–Serbia border dispute, another border dispute with unclaimed territories.
- Wadi Halfa Salient
- Terra nullius
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Bir Tawil}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
- [http://googlesightseeing.com/2009/11/bir-tawil-triangle/ Google Sightseeing – Bir Tawil Triangle]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160813142038/http://archive.law.fsu.edu/library/collection/limitsinseas/IBS018.pdf International Boundary Study]
- [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15450362 The King of North Sudan] documentary
{{Countries and territories of North Africa}}
Category:Disputed territories in Africa