Uncontrolled Territories in the Contemporary World: Theory, Genesis, Types and Dynamics

Abstract

The uncontrolled territories(UT) attract the attention of an increasing number of researchers; however, mostpublications are devoted to only one typeof UTs – unrecognized states. The objective of this paper is to assess and analyzechanges in territory and population of allUTs in different macro-regions of the worldthrough 2006–2010 and 2014–2019. Fivemain directions of studies of such territoriesare identified and characterized. The authors distinguish several types and patternsof territorial control, propose a typology ofUTs and consider in detail the methodologyand difficulties of creating a correspondingdatabase. The aggravation of the geopolit ical situation in the second decade of the21thcentury led to an increase in the number of international conflicts and in the area and population of UTs in Asia, Africaand Europe. The de facto secession largelyaffected the vast zones of problematic statehood in Asia and Africa, where accordingto the authors’ estimates, about 45 millionand 138 million people live, respectively.The emergence of UTs is a special case of thefragmentation of the political space at different territorial levels – a consequence ofthe turbulent transformation of the worldgeopolitical order.