List of territorial disputes
s have occurred throughout history, over lands around the world. Bold indicates one claimant's full control; italics indicates one or more claimants' partial control.
Ongoing disputes between UN member/observer states
Africa
Asia
| Territory | Claimants | Notes |
| Ashmore and Cartier Islands | ' | Indonesia argues that the islands, known in Indonesian as Kepulauan Pasir, were first discovered and inhabited by local fishermen from Lesser Sunda Islands, which were then part of Dutch East Indies. |
| Aarsal, Deir El Aachayer, Kfar Qouq, Mazraat Deir al-Ashayer, Qaa, Qasr and Tuffah | ' | |
| Shatt al-Arab | ||
| Abu Musa | ||
| Greater and Lesser Tunbs | ' | |
| Zirku Island, Sir Abu Nu’ayr | ||
| Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven adjacent districts | ' ' | Internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, de facto controlled by the Nagorno-Karabakh supported by Armenia. |
| Bhutanese enclaves in Tibet, namely Cherkip Gompa, Dho, Dungmar, Gesur, Gezon, Itse Gompa, Khochar, Nyanri, Ringung, Sanmar, Tarchen, Doklam and Zuthulphuk | ' | |
| Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir |  Pakistan India | Administered by Pakistan and claimed by India. Part of the Kashmir conflict. |
| Hatay Province | ' | Territory annexed by Turkey in 1939, ceded from Syria under the French Mandate of Syria; the annexation was never formally recognized by Syria after its independence. |
| Jammu and Kashmir | India Pakistan | Part of the Kashmir conflict. Both India and Pakistan claim the former independent princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947. A UN-mediated ceasefire put a halt to the conflict in January 1949. The UN resolution called for both the countries to demilitarise the region, following which a plebiscite would be held. However, no demilitarisation plan acceptable to both the countries could be agreed. The countries fought two further wars in 1965 and 1971. Following the latter war, the countries reached the Simla Agreement, agreeing on a Line of Control between their respective regions and committing to a peaceful resolution of the dispute through bilateral negotiations. An armed insurgency broke out in 1989 in the Indian administered part of Kashmir, demanding "independence". Pakistan is believed to provide arms and training to the militants. |
| Ko Kut | ' | |
| Various areas: Dak Jerman/Dak Duyt, Dak Dang/Dak Huyt, and the La Drang area. | ' ' | |
| David Gareja monastery complex boundary dispute | ' ' | |
| Depsang Plains, Demchok sector, Chumar, Kaurik, Shipki La, Barahoti, Jadhang, Lapthal, Nelang, Pulam Sumda and Sang | ' ' | Disputed areas located between Aksai Chin and Nepal. |
| Doi Lang | ' | |
| Fasht Ad Dibal and Qit'at Jaradah | ' ' | These were not included in the 2001 International Court of Justice judgement, as low-tide elevations. |
| Several areas in the Fergana Valley | ' ' ' | Kyrgyzstan: A tiny Kyrgyz village, Barak, in the Fergana Valley region is bordered on the north, west and south by Uzbekistan. Tajikistan: There are three Tajik exclaves, all of them in the Fergana Valley. One of them, the village of Sarvan, is surrounded by Uzbek territory, whereas the remaining two, the village of Vorukh and a small settlement near the Kyrgyz railway station of Kairagach, are each surrounded by Kyrgyz territory. Uzbekistan: There are four Uzbek exclaves, all inside Kyrgyz territory in the Fergana Valley. Two of them are the towns of Sokh and Shakhimardan and the other two the tiny territories of Chon-Qora and Jani-Ayil. There may be a fifth Uzbek exclave inside of Kyrgyzstan. Most of the border in the area is still not demarcated. |
| Western Golan Heights | ' | Syrian territory captured by Israel in 1967. During the Syrian civil war period, Syrian Arab Republic had lost direct control of the Eastern Golan areas and retreated from cease-fire line with Israel, though did regain the area in 2018. |
| Isfara Valley | ' | |
| Ambalat | ' ' | |
| 24-mile stretch of border at pass of the Kabaw | India's government acknowledges that its border with Myanmar is not yet demarcated, but does not consider there to be a "dispute". | |
| Israel within the Green Line | ' Palestine | See Israeli–Palestinian conflict |
| The West Bank and eastern Jerusalem | ' Palestine has jurisdiction over all matters in Area A and civil matters in Area B | See Israeli–Palestinian conflict |
| Kalapani region, the smaller Susta River dispute and the smaller still Antudanda and Nawalparasi disputes | India  Nepal | Kalapani is administered by India while Susta is administered by Nepal. The few remaining border disagreements with Nepal since delineation was announced 98% complete in 2019. See Territorial disputes of India and Nepal. |
| Artsvashen exclave of Gegharkunik province, de jure part of Armenia; Karki exclave of Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, Yukhari Askipara and Barkhudarli, both exclaves of Qazakh Rayon de jure part of Azerbaijan; "Yaradullu" is controlled by Azerbaijan along with occupying the much larger de jure Armenian territory surrounding it. | ' ' | Azerbaijan and Armenia have controlled these areas as part of the wider Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict. |
| James Shoal | ' | |
| Khuriya Muriya Islands | ' | |
| Korean Peninsula | ' ' | The Democratic People's Republic of Korea administers North Korea, but Article 1 of the reads: "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is an independent socialist State representing the interests of all the Korean people." The Republic of Korea administers South Korea, but Article 3 of the reads: "The territory of the Republic of Korea shall consist of the Korean peninsula and its adjacent islands." |
| Kula Kangri and mountainous areas to the west of this peak, plus the western Haa District of Bhutan | ' | Possibly also the ROC. |
| South Kuril Islands | ' | |
| Dokdo/Takeshima | ' | Incorporated into Korea in 1900 but claimed by Japan in 1905. And occupied by South Korea since 1952. |
| Certain islands in the Naf River | ' ' | |
| Noktundo | ' | In 1990, the former Soviet Union and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea signed a border treaty which made the border run through the center of the Tumen river, leaving Noktundo in Russia. South Korea refused to acknowledge the treaty. |
| Part of the EEZ generated by the Natuna Islands | ' | The People's Republic of China claims the water off the Natuna Islands that fall under the Nine-dash line claim are traditional Chinese fishing grounds. The Republic of China on Taiwan also claims the area. |
| Paracel Islands | ' | Entirely controlled by the PRC but claimed by Vietnam and the ROC. |
| "Pedra Branca"; several islets at the eastern entrance to the Singapore Strait | ' | The International Court of Justice rendered its decision on 23 May 2008 that sovereignty over Pedra Branca belongs to Singapore; sovereignty over Middle Rocks belongs to Malaysia. It said sovereignty over South Ledge would remain disputed until the states could determine the ownership of the territorial waters in which it is located. |
| "Point 20"; a small area of land reclaimed from the sea by Singapore | ' | Malaysia claims the land was reclaimed in its territorial waters. |
| O'Tangav area | ' | |
| Part of Poipet commune | ' | |
| Prachinburi area | ' ' | |
| Area near Preah Vihear Temple | ' | Temple complex awarded to Cambodia by an International Court of Justice ruling in 1962; "promontory" measuring 0.3 km2 immediately adjacent to temple awarded to Cambodia by ICJ ruling in 2013; both countries acknowledge continuing dispute over an additional 4.3 km2 immediately northwest of the 2013 ruling's area. |
| Phú Quốc island and Thổ Chu island area | ' ' | These islands were lost to Vietnam by agreement in 1992 and 2005 by the government of the Cambodia People Party. many Cambodian still want to get it back. In 2018, The Khmer Rise Party has collected thumbprints on a petition to push the government to renegotiate the ownership of Phu Quoc island. |
| Qaruh and Umm al Maradim | ' | |
| Part of Sabah | ' | The Philippines retains a claim on the eastern part of Sabah on the basis claimed by the Government of the Philippines that the territory is only leased by the former Sultanate of Sulu to British North Borneo Company, of which the Philippines argued that it should be the successor state of all Sulu past territories. |
| Saudi Arabia–United Arab Emirates border dispute | ' ' | |
| Scarborough Shoal | Controlled by the PRC since the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff. | |
| Senkaku Islands | Controlled by Japan but claimed by the PRC and ROC. | |
| Trans-Karakoram Tracts | ' | Possibly also the ROC. Controlled by the PRC. |
| Shebaa Farms | ' | Located at the Lebanese-Syrian border, this 27.5 km2 piece of land was annexed by Israel in 1981, alongside the Golan Heights, and is thus disputed by Lebanon and Syria, who are both adjacent to the land, as well as Israel. |
| Siachen Glacier and Saltoro Ridge area | India ' | Controlled by both nations equally after the Kargil war but still is a disputed territory for both countries. |
| Sir Creek | India ' | A dispute over where in the estuary the line falls; only small areas of marsh land are disputed, but significant maritime territory is involved. It is divided mid-creek. |
| Arunachal Pradesh | India | Controlled by India but claimed by the PRC and ROC who dispute the validity of the McMahon Line. |
| Ladakh | India ' | Controlled by India, but Pakistan claims sovereignty due to being part of Muslim populated state of Kashmir. China also claims some parts like Aksai chin and Karakoram tract as well as Demchok sector. |
| Spratly Islands | Each of the claimant countries except Brunei controls one or more of the individual islands. | |
| Parts of Three Pagodas Pass | ' ' | |
| The islands of Ukatnyy, Zhestky and Malyy Zhemchuzhnyy | ' | |
| Ungar-Too mountain | ' | |
| Vozrozhdeniya Island | ' ' | |
| Limbang District | ''' | Limbang District was part of Brunei until it was forced to cede it to the Raj of Sarawak in 1890. Since then Brunei is divided territorially into two. It was claimed by Brunei in 1967 in order to reconnect the country. It forms the main part of the Brunei–Malaysia border#Disputes. Malaysia claimed to settle the issue in 2009, however this was disputed by Brunei. |
Europe
North America
Central America and the West Indies
Northern America and Mexico
Territory disputed between Canada and the United States
| Territory |  Canadian claimant |  U.S. claimant |
| Machias Seal Island | New Brunswick | Maine |
| North Rock | New Brunswick | Maine |
| Strait of Juan de Fuca | British Columbia | Washington |
| Dixon Entrance | British Columbia | Alaska |
| Beaufort Sea | Northwest Territories, Yukon | Alaska |
| Northwest Passage and some other Arctic waters | Canadian territorial waters | U.S. claims navigation rights |
Oceania
South America
Ongoing disputes involving states outside the UN
| Territory | Claimants | Notes |
| Abkhazia | ' | |
| Village of Aibga and surrounding area | ' | |
| Bakassi | ' | While Nigeria transferred Bakassi to Cameroon in 2008, elements within Nigeria have declared the territorial cession unconstitutional |
| Eastern part of Bhutan | ' | |
| North Cyprus | ' | Northern Cyprus controls and administers the northern part of the island. Republic of Cyprus claims the whole island. |
| Macclesfield Bank | ||
| Mainland China, Hainan, and other islands controlled by the PRC. | ' | |
| Moldovan-controlled area of Dubăsari district | ' | |
| Kokkina/Erenköy exclave | ' | Northern Cyprus controls and administers Kokkina, an area separated from the rest of the main land on Northern Cyprus via the land controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. |
| Heixiazi / Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island | ' | Generally held to have been resolved in October 2004 by the Complementary Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation on the Eastern Section of the China-Russia Boundary, but the ROC does not recognise any border settlements entered into by the PRC. |
| Heixiazi / Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island | ' | Remnant portion of the island formerly claimed entirely by both the PRC and ROC, now part of the wider PRC-ROC dispute. |
| Hong Kong | ' | It is unclear whether the ROC actually claims Hong Kong. Former President Lee Teng-hui claimed that Hong Kong should have been returned to the ROC instead of the PRC because the ROC government had the original manuscript of the Treaty of Nanking. However, no president since Lee has made such claim. The ROC has never governed Hong Kong, and its constitution does not include Hong Kong as its territory. |
| Northern part of Kachin State | ' | North part west of the Gaoligong Mountains in western Yunnan, China, and the Division of Sagaing: Jiangxinpo and Nankan. |
| 106.40 square kilometres of formerly Chinese territory in Kazakhstan | ' | |
| Kosovo | ' | Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo. The latter declared independence on 17 February 2008, while Serbia claims it as part of its own sovereign territory. Its independence is recognized by 97 UN member states. |
| Kutuzov Island | ' | |
| Part of the Ryanggang Province | ' | |
| Part of the Rasŏn administrative division | ' | |
| Sixty-Four Villages East of the Heilongjiang River | ' | |
| Southern Cameroons | ' ' | |
| South Ossetia | ' | |
| 'Border' checkpoint near Strovilia | ' ' | Northern Cyprus controls and administers the border checkpoint near Strovilia. UK's claim in regard to its Sovereign Base Areas Technically, of course, this also involves ; the checkpoint is partially on UN-administered land, and Cyprus claims all of the island.. See also:Anti-Secession Law, Legal status of Taiwan. |
| Transnistria | ' | |
| Varnita and Copanca | ||
| Western Sahara | ' ' | The United Nations keeps the Western Sahara in its list of Non-Self-Governing Territories and considers the sovereignty issue as unresolved pending a final solution. To that end, the UN sent a mission in the territory to oversee a referendum on self-determination in 1991, but it never happened. Administration was relinquished by Spain in 1976. |
Ongoing disputes within a state by internal entities
Antarctica
The Antarctic Treaty System, formed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica and provides administration for the continent, which is carried out through consultative member meetings. It prevents new territorial claims of all signatories for as long as the treaty is in force. However, it is not a final settlement; parties can choose to withdraw from the System at any time. Furthermore, only a minority of states have signed it, and it is not formally sanctioned by the United Nations. Thus, Antarctica remains the only part of the planet any state can still lay claim to as terra nullius.| Territory | Claimants | Antarctic territory |
| Area between 25°W and 53°W | United Kingdom | |
| Area between 53°W and 74°W | United Kingdom | |
| Area between 74°W and 80°W | United Kingdom |