'Nobody' lands that no country wants

There are still a few places on Earth that are not claimed by any nation.

As of March 23, the world population reached 8,010,493,300 people. According to the United Nations, the global population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2037.

Between southern Egypt and northern Sudan, we can find one of the last remaining no-man's-land in the world. (Photo: Shutterstock).

Despite the ever-growing human population, there are still areas of land that are not claimed by any nation, or by anyone. These are known as 'Terra nullius' – a Latin expression meaning 'nobody's land'.

Bir Tawil: The Land of Nomads

Bir Tawil is a 2,060 square kilometer area located near the border between Egypt and Sudan, and to this day no country claims sovereignty over it.

Bir Tawil is essentially a desolate desert land where temperatures can reach up to 45⁰C. The harsh elements have left the population of this land at a round zero.

Nevertheless, nomadic tribes still regularly pass through Bir Tawil, such as the Ababda people.

The nomadic tribes of the Ababda people often pass through Bir Tawil, but they do not live here (Photo: Getty).

Several countries have attempted to lay claim to the land, but none have received international recognition.

For example, in 2014, Jeremiah Heaton (American nationality) tried to claim this area for himself. He called it the "Kingdom of North Sudan" and declared himself king.

Unsurprisingly, his claim was not recognized by the United Nations.

Marie Byrd Land: The Landless Land of Antarctica

Under international law, no part of Antarctica is owned by any one country.

But this rule has not stopped seven countries from claiming parts of the continent as their own. These countries include: Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.

Antarctica is a disputed area and claimed by many countries around the world. (Photo: Antarctica).

If we plot these territorial claims on a world map, we see that Antarctica is "cut" into slices like a pizza, with Australia and Norway taking the larger pieces.

It is worth noting, however, that one corner of Antarctica remains unclaimed by any country. It is called Marie Byrd Land.

The name was given to the wife of US naval officer Richard E. Byrd, who explored the area in the early 20th century.

Spanning a massive 1,605,792 square kilometers, Marie Byrd Land is currently the largest unclaimed territory in the world.

The reason why this is still a "Terra nullius" is simply because it is so isolated and not easily traversable, even by Antarctic standards.

Gornja Siga: The Unclaimed Swamp

There are still a few places on Earth that are not claimed by any nation. They are called "Terra nullius". (Photo: Getty).

Another typical 'Terra nullius' lies between the Balkan border of Croatia and Serbia on the west bank of the Danube River. It is estimated that there are at least four areas of land here that are not claimed by any country.

Gornja Siga is the largest of these, covering an area of ​​7 square kilometres, which acts as a wetland of the Danube.

In April 2015, a small group of liberals led by Czech politician Vit Jedlicka planted their flag over the area, declaring it their own and calling it a new state called Liberland.

The idea of ​​these people is to make this a libertarian 'utopia' with no mandatory taxes, minimal government regulations, and Bitcoin used as currency.

The Croatian government is apparently not keen on the idea of ​​a liberal state on its doorstep, and police are said to have dispersed crowds and arrested anyone who tried to set foot on the territory.