Terra Nullius: International law term meaning territory which has never been the subject of a sovereign nation
Terra nullius means unclaimed territory.
It is the correct term in international law. It means land which does not (at present) belong to any state. The term comes from the Latin, meaning Nobody's thing. There is also an expression no man's land, but that does not have a formal legal meaning.
Rule over terra nullius can be got by occupying the territory. There are various legal problems about this concept, but in practice it is often the business of neighbouring states to decide by negotiation. Diplomacy may sometimes be replaced by warfare.
Two territories that are currently terra nullius are Bir Tawil between Egypt and Sudan, and Marie Byrd Land, in Antarctica.
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