Terra Nullius & The Global Commons: Places on Earth With No Sovereign

Under international law, several categories of territory lack a sovereign state. They fall into **terra nullius** (never claimed/abandoned) and **global commons** (treaty-governed shared domains).

1. Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica (1.6M km²)

• **Largest unclaimed land** on Earth. Between 150°W–90°W.
• Not claimed by **Chile** (claims to 90°W) nor **Argentina** (claims to 25°W/74°W — overlap gap).
• **Antarctic Treaty (1959)** freezes all claims; no new claims allowed. US/Russia reserve right to claim.
• No permanent population; only seasonal research (e.g., US WAIS Divide camp).

2. Bir Tawil (2,060 km²) — Egypt/Sudan Border

• **Trapezoid** between 22°N (political border) and 23°N (administrative border).
• **Egypt** claims 22°N (political) → Bir Tawil goes to Sudan.
• **Sudan** claims 23°N (administrative) → Bir Tawil goes to Egypt.
• **Result:** Neither claims it (would weaken their claim to **Hala'ib Triangle** — 20,000 km², Red Sea access, resources). **De facto terra nullius.**
• Occasional "micronation" stunts (e.g., Kingdom of North Sudan). No recognition.

3. The Antarctic Treaty Area (South of 60°S)

• **All land & ice shelves** south of 60°S latitude.
• **Antarctic Treaty (1959, 54 parties):** "No acts... shall constitute a basis for asserting... sovereignty." No military, nuclear, mineral mining (Madrid Protocol 1991).
• **Science preserve.** 70+ research stations. Sovereignty **suspended**, not extinguished (7 claimants: AR, AU, CL, FR, NZ, NO, UK).

4. The High Seas (Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction — ABNJ)

• **~64% of ocean surface, 95% of volume.** Beyond 200-nautical-mile EEZs.
• **UNCLOS (1982) + BBNJ Treaty (2023, "High Seas Treaty"):** Freedom of navigation, overflight, fishing, science, cables. **No sovereignty.**
• **International Seabed Authority (ISA)** governs mineral resources ("common heritage of mankind").

5. Outer Space (Including Moon & Celestial Bodies)

• **Outer Space Treaty (1967, 113 parties):** "Not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means."
• **Moon Agreement (1979, 18 parties):** Reinforces common heritage; not ratified by US, China, Russia.
• **Orbital slots (GEO)** managed by ITU — *use rights*, not sovereignty.

6. Minor Edge Cases

• Scarborough Shoal / Panatag: Disputed (PH/CN/TW) — not unclaimed.
• Liberland (Gornja Siga, Danube): Croatia/Serbia border dispute gap. Micronation claim; no recognition.
• International Zone (Tangier, historical): Defunct.

The planet's "unowned" spaces are shrinking (deep seabed mining, lunar claims debate) but remain legally distinct: **no flag flies over Marie Byrd Land, Bir Tawil, the High Seas, or the Moon.**