Disputed Areas

XV

Suriname/French Guiana Border

Suriname claims the area in south-western French Guiana between the Litani and Maroni rivers.

XVI

Suriname/Guyana Border

Suriname claims the area in Guyana between the Courantyne and New rivers.

XVII

Venezuela/Guyana Disputed Border

Venezuela claims the area in Guyana west of the Essequibo River.

XVIII

West Bank

Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967. Following negotiations between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) had assumed administrative control of most Palestinian population centres by early 1996. Under the terms of a 1998 accord, Israel began further withdrawals from the West Bank, but renewed disagreements quickly stalled land transfers. The final status of the region remains unresolved.

XIX

Western Sahara

Western Sahara is occupied by Morocco, although many Western Saharans are seeking independence for the region. A rebel group called the Polisario Front fought Moroccan forces for 15 years until agreeing to a United Nations-administered ceasefire in 1991. Since that time the United Nations has been working with the two sides to hold a referendum on self-determination, but a dispute over who should be allowed to vote has caused it to be delayed repeatedly.