Nation border conflict is caused by rivalries between countries or peoples, disputes over national resources, or political disagreements about the past. This list describes eight of the world’s most contentious borders or contested and unrecognized nations.
Israel/Palestine
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is one of the Middle East’s most contentious border conflicts. As part of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, various attempts have been made to resolve the conflict. The Oslo Accords of 1993–1995 made progress toward a two-state solution, but Israelis and Palestinians have yet to reach a final peace agreement.
Jammu and Kashmir
The Kashmir conflict is a territorial conflict primarily between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir region. The conflict began after India’s partition in 1947 when both India and Pakistan claimed the entire former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a territorial dispute that has resulted in three wars between India and Pakistan and several other armed clashes. India controls a portion of the region, while Pakistan and China control the remainder.
Khalistan
The Khalistan movement is a Sikh movement that seeks to establish a sovereign state in the Punjab region known as Khalistan (‘Land of the Khalsa’). The proposed state would be made up of land that is currently divided between India and Pakistan as Punjab.
Naga Land (Nagalim)
Naga Land (Nagalim), which covers an area of 120,000 km2, is currently located between China, India, and Myanmar. The territory of Naga Land ruled by India consists of four administrative units – the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland. The eastern part of Naga homeland, which is ruled by Myanmar (formerly Burma), is divided into two administrative units, the Kachin state and the Sagaing division.
Somaliland
Somaliland, officially the Republic of Somaliland, is a de facto sovereign state in the Horn of Africa that is considered a part of Somalia by most other countries. It is bounded to the northwest by Djibouti, to the south and west by Ethiopia, and to the east by Somalia. Its claimed territory spans 176,120 square kilometers (68,000 square miles) and is home to approximately 5.7 million people as of 2021.
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Following Japan’s defeat in World War II, the island of Taiwan was returned to China. The Chinese government, the Republic of China (ROC), was quickly overthrown by Mao Zedong’s People’s Revolution, and the new state government was established known as the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Chiang Kai-nationalist shek’s government went into exile on the island, which it continued to rule as the Republic of China (ROC). While the People’s Republic of China (PRC) claims sovereignty over Taiwan, the ROC continues to regard itself as China’s legitimate government on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. However, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was recognized as the legitimate government of China by the UN, and in October 1971 it replaced the Republic of China (ROC) in the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.
Tibet
The Tibetan Empire arose in the seventh century. Following the Xinhai Revolution in 1912 against the Qing dynasty, Qing soldiers were disarmed and escorted out of the Tibet Area (Ü-Tsang). The region declared independence in 1913, but the subsequent government of the Republic of China (ROC) refused to recognize it. Tibet was occupied and incorporated into the People’s Republic of China (PRC) following the Battle of Chamdo in 1951, and the previous Tibetan government was abolished in 1959 after a failed uprising.
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Disclaimer: This information was compiled by ICNA from websites such as Britannica, the United Nations (UN), the US government, UNPO, and Wikipedia.
Featured Image: The picture has been reworked/merged by the International Council of Naga Affairs (ICNA).