Associate State of Bir Tawil
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Associated State of Bir Tawil | |
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 Flag | |
| Motto: Terra Nullius (No Man's Land) | |
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| Official languages | Taigh a Batan, English, Arabic |
| Demonym(s) | Bir Tawil Citizen |
| Government | Associated State |
| Legislature | Parliament |
| Establishment | 2010 |
| Population | |
• Census | t.b.c |
| Currency | Egyptian Pound, Sudanese Pound |
The Associated State of Bir Tawil was annexed by the Republic of Taigh a Bata on 28 December 2010. It was returned to its former apparent terra nullus status on 6 May 2011.
History
In 1899, when the United Kingdom held hegemony in the area, the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium Agreement for Sudan set the border between the territories at the 22nd parallel. However, in 1902 the UK drew a separate "administrative boundary," under which a triangle of land north of the parallel was placed under Sudanese administration, because its inhabitants were closer to Khartoum than Cairo, both geographically and culturally. The area thus became the responsibility of the British Governor in Khartoum.
Egypt claims the original border from 1899, the 22° north circle of latitude, which would place the Hala'ib Triangle within Egypt and the Bir Tawil area within Sudan. Sudan however claims the administrative border of 1902, which would put Hala'ib within Sudan, and Bir Tawil within Egypt. As a result, both states claim the Hala'ib Triangle and neither claims the much less valuable Bir Tawil area, which is only a tenth the size and is landlocked. There is no basis in international law for Sudan or Egypt to claim both territories. As a result Bir Tawil is one of the few land areas of the world which is not claimed by any macronational state. It has been claimed by micronations in the past, notably Finismund. Taigh a Bata claimed the territory as an Associated State between the 28th of December 2010 and the 6th of May 2011.
Geography
In the north of the area is the mountain Jabal Tawil (جبل طويل in Arabic, located at 21°57′56″N 33°48′05″E / 21.96556°N 33.80139°E / 21.96556; 33.80139 (Jabal Tawil)), with a height of 459 meters. In the east is Jabal Ḩajar az Zarqā', with a height of 662 meters.
In the south is the Wadi Tawil (وادي طويل in Arabic, also called Khawr Abū Bard, located at 21°49′25″N 33°43′42″E / 21.82361°N 33.72833°E / 21.82361; 33.72833 (Wadi Tawil)).