Bir Tawil

Bir Tawil or Bir Tawil (Arabic بير طويل, DMG Bīr Tawil, German " long fountain" ) is a 2000 square kilometer large area between the borders of Egypt and Sudan.

Geography

The floor plan of Bir Tawil approximates a trapezoid with the longer side in the north along the 22 degrees north latitude. It is the only area where the administrative boundary between the two countries south of the political boundary of 1899 runs, which had been set at 22 degrees latitude. With an area of 2,060 km ² Bir Tawil has a west-east extension of 95 km in the north and 46 km in the south and a north-south extent of 26-31 km. South-westerly point is the mountain Jabal Bartazuga, southeasterly point of the fountain Bir Ḩasmat ` Umar. Between these points, a straight line is drawn.

North of the 459 meter high mountain Jabal Tawil is (Arabic جبل طويل, Lage21.96555555555633.801388888889459 ), to the east of the Jebel Hajar al- Zarqā ' with 662 meters. The area is crossed by Wadi Tawil (Arabic وادي طويل ).

Origin of the name

Named after the area is a fountain in its center (Arabic بئر, DMG bi ʾ r, fountains ') in the Wadi Tawil, the long valley.

History

Bir Tawil came in 1902 under Egyptian administration, because it is part of the pasture land of Ababde strain from near Aswan. At the same time Hala'ib Triangle was north of 22 degrees latitude, which connects to the northeast, placed under Sudanese administration, because this land was used by tribes from Sudan. Both areas touch each other at one point, creating a kind of quadrangle is formed. Finally, it was also the Wadi Halfa Salient, a finger-like protrusion Sudanese territory to the north along the Nile, placed under Sudanese administration.

State membership

Egypt claims the Hala'ib triangle corresponding to the boundaries of 1899 along the 22 latitude, so that Bir Tawil would belong to Sudan. Sudan, however, refers to the administrative boundary of 1902, which strikes the Hala'ib Triangle Sudan and Bir Tawil Egypt. Thus, while both states claim the Hala'ib Triangle itself, Bir Tawil is, which has only one tenth the size of Hala'ib triangle and has no access to the sea, not claimed by any country. Under international law it is not possible for Egypt and Sudan to demand both areas. This Bir Tawil is next to the Marie Byrd Land in Antarctica probably the only land area on the planet Earth, which is not claimed by any state, and in fact, although not necessarily legally, no man's land is.