Cartographic aggression: Difference between revisions

Cartographic aggression' is the term by which the victim country describes any act, in particular the publication of maps or other material by a neighbouring country, which purports to show part of what it perceives as its own territory as belonging to the other country. In rare cases cartographic aggression may be committed by a third country in order to gain some diplomatic advantage. The term is not new, and well accepted even by professional geographers. ^[1] Recent and well-documented cases of cartographic aggression are:

Involving Aksai Chin, the Bara Hoti Pass area in Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. ^{[2] [3]}

In a rare case of 'third-party cartographic aggression', from about 1967 American maps began to show the India-Pakistan border in Ladakh as running North-east in a more or less straight line from the point NJ9842 (the last grid reference point of the Cease-fire line of 1949) to the Karakoram Pass, thus 'awarding' a generous chunk of territory to it's ally Pakistan.This eventually led to the Siachen conflict.^[4]

Pakistan followed the American lead (see above) in its own maps. As a result each country accuses the other of cartographic aggression.

Maps were issued around 1990 showing Kuwait as a province of Iraq. ^[5]

Libyan maps were issued from around 1969 showing the Aozou Strip as part of Libya. The dispute which led to long-drawn desultory warfare between the two countries was later settled by the International Court of Justice in 1994 which awarded the entire area to Chad.^[6]

Libya issued maps from around 1969 showing the Toummo Triangle area (approximately 19400 square Km.) as Libyan territory.^[7]

In late 2012 China has started issuing passports that displays a map showing territories claimed by other nations as Chinese.^[8]