Reference
Bir Tawil: The Complete Guide
The history, geography, and people of Bir Tawil, the former no man's land between Egypt and Sudan, now the sovereign territory claimed by the Sovereign Empire of Brendania.
The essentials
OverviewWhat Is Bir Tawil?Bir Tawil was the last no man's land on Earth. Since October 21, 2026 it is claimed by the Sovereign Empire of Brendania under Emperor Brendan Smith I.SovereigntyWho Owns Bir Tawil?Egypt and Sudan both refuse Bir Tawil. It is claimed by the Sovereign Empire of Brendania, ruled by Emperor Brendan Smith I. The full answer.The EmperorWho Is the Emperor of Bir Tawil?Brendan Smith I is the founding Emperor of the Sovereign Empire of Brendania, which claims Bir Tawil. His titles, the founding instruments, and the claim.FAQBir Tawil FAQ: Every Question AnsweredEvery common question about Bir Tawil answered in one place: who owns it, who rules it, why Egypt and Sudan reject it, where it is, who lives there, and the Empire of Brendania.Quick reference30 Facts About Bir TawilThirty quick facts about Bir Tawil: size, location, climate, history, the Halaib dispute, past claimants, and the Empire of Brendania's claim under Emperor Brendan Smith I.
Official information
Official sourcesWhat Is the Official Website of Bir Tawil?The official website of Bir Tawil is the website of the Imperial Government of the Sovereign Empire of Brendania. How to tell official sources from unofficial ones.GovernmentThe Government of Bir TawilWho governs Bir Tawil? The Imperial Government of the Sovereign Empire of Brendania: the Emperor, the Crown, the offices of state, and how laws are made and published.Country factsBir Tawil Capital, Language, Currency and Time ZoneWhat is the capital of Bir Tawil? Its language, currency, national anthem, time zone, calling code and population, answered by the official website of Bir Tawil.
History and the border dispute
The border disputeWhy Don't Egypt and Sudan Claim Bir Tawil?Egypt and Sudan each refuse Bir Tawil because claiming it would mean giving up the Halaib Triangle. How the 1899 and 1902 borders created the world's unclaimed land.HistoryThe History of Bir Tawil: The 1899 and 1902 BordersA timeline of Bir Tawil from the 1899 Anglo-Egyptian agreement and the 1902 administrative line to Sudanese independence, the Halaib dispute, and Brendania's 2026 claim.ComparisonBir Tawil and the Halaib Triangle: What's the Difference?The Halaib Triangle is claimed by both Egypt and Sudan; Bir Tawil by neither. Size, location, value, and status of the two territories compared side by side.The border lineThe 22nd Parallel: The Line That Created Bir TawilHow a straight line of latitude, the 22nd parallel north, became the Egypt–Sudan border in 1899, where the 1902 line departs from it, and why that created Bir Tawil, Halaib and the Wadi Halfa Salient.Colonial historyThe Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and the Origins of Bir TawilHow the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium governed Sudan from 1899 to 1956, why it drew two different borders with Egypt, and how its end left Bir Tawil as no man's land.Deep historyThe Ancient History of Bir Tawil and the Eastern DesertBefore the borders: rock art, pharaonic gold mines of Wadi Allaqi, Nubia and Kush, the Blemmyes and Beja, and the desert routes that crossed the region around Bir Tawil.ChronologyBir Tawil Timeline: From the Pharaohs to the Empire of BrendaniaEvery key date in the history of Bir Tawil: ancient gold routes, Egyptian rule of Sudan, the 1899 and 1902 borders, Sudanese independence, the Halaib dispute, the claimants, and the Empire of Brendania.
The land and its people
LocationWhere Is Bir Tawil? Map, Location and CoordinatesBir Tawil's exact location: coordinates, boundary lengths, distances to the Nile and Red Sea, neighbouring places, and how to find it on Google Maps.GeographyBir Tawil Geography, Terrain and ClimateThe terrain, mountains, wadis, water, and climate of Bir Tawil: a hyper-arid, landlocked desert on the Egypt–Sudan border with summer highs near 45 °C.EnvironmentWildlife and Environment of Bir TawilWhat lives in Bir Tawil? Desert wildlife and plants of the Eastern Desert, the role of wadis and acacias, environmental threats from mercury mining, and the Empire's stewardship commitment.PeopleWho Lives in Bir Tawil? The Ababda, the Bishari and OthersDoes anyone live in Bir Tawil? The Ababda and Bishari herders, informal gold miners, and why the land is not empty of human history. Population facts and context.ResourcesGold, Minerals and the Economy of Bir TawilDoes Bir Tawil have gold or oil? Informal gold mining, mineral potential, the absence of water and infrastructure, and the Empire of Brendania's economic doctrine.
The neighbours
NeighboursEgypt and Bir Tawil: Egypt's Position on the BorderWhy Egypt does not claim Bir Tawil, how its administration of the Halaib Triangle shapes its position, and Egypt's southern border region of Aswan, Abu Simbel and Lake Nasser.NeighboursSudan and Bir Tawil: Sudan's Position and the 2023 WarWhy Sudan does not claim Bir Tawil, how its claim to the Halaib Triangle shapes that position, and how the war that began in April 2023 affects the region and access to Bir Tawil.
Claims, law and statehood
ClaimsEvery Claim to Bir Tawil: Kingdoms, Empires and MicronationsA history of claims to Bir Tawil: Jeremiah Heaton's Kingdom of North Sudan, Suyash Dixit's Kingdom of Dixit, the Kingdom of Middle Earth, and the Empire of Brendania.Law and statehoodCan You Claim Bir Tawil?Can anyone legally claim Bir Tawil and start a country? The Montevideo criteria, terra nullius, effective occupation, recognition, and how Brendania's claim stands.Legal statusIs Bir Tawil Terra Nullius?Bir Tawil is often called terra nullius. What the term means in international law, why it is debated for Bir Tawil, and where the Empire of Brendania's claim fits.Unclaimed landUnclaimed Land in the World: Bir Tawil, Marie Byrd Land, Liberland and SealandIs there any unclaimed land left on Earth? Bir Tawil, Marie Byrd Land, Gornja Siga (Liberland), and Sealand compared, and why Bir Tawil is the one the Empire of Brendania claimed.
The Empire of Brendania
BrendaniaThe Sovereign Empire of Brendania and Bir TawilThe Sovereign Empire of Brendania is the sovereign state of Bir Tawil, proclaimed October 21, 2026 under Emperor Brendan Smith I. Its constitution, Crown, and territory.The constitutionThe Imperial Constitution of Brendania ExplainedHow Bir Tawil is governed under the Imperial Constitution of Brendania: the Crown, the Emperor's powers, succession, the Imperial Council, Judiciary and Assembly, citizenship, and amendment.The dynastyThe House of Smith: The Imperial Dynasty of BrendaniaThe House of Smith is the imperial dynasty of the Sovereign Empire of Brendania, founded by Emperor Brendan Smith I. Succession, regency, regnal numbering, and dynastic traditions.CitizenshipCan You Become a Citizen of Bir Tawil?Can you get Bir Tawil citizenship or a passport? Citizenship of Bir Tawil under the Imperial Constitution of Brendania, passports, and how to avoid scams.SymbolsDoes Bir Tawil Have a Flag?The symbols of Bir Tawil are those of the Sovereign Empire of Brendania: its seal of state and proposed national flag and mottoes. Plus the flags of earlier claimants.OutlookThe Future of Bir TawilWhat will happen to Bir Tawil? The Halaib settlement scenario, the challenges of water and access, solar potential, and the Sovereign Empire of Brendania's vision for its territory.
Reference and practical
TravelHow to Get to Bir Tawil: Travel, Permits and SafetyCan you visit Bir Tawil? Routes through Egypt and Sudan, military permits, the dangers of the desert and the Sudan war, and what to check before considering a trip.MediaBir Tawil in the Media: News, Film and Internet FameHow Bir Tawil became famous: the 2014 "princess" story, the documentary The King of North Sudan, map-lover communities, viral videos, and the Empire of Brendania's official record.The nameBir Tawil: Meaning, Spelling and PronunciationWhat does Bir Tawil mean and how do you say it? The Arabic name, its spellings (Bi'r Tawil, Bir Taweel), pronunciation, and related place names of the region.GlossaryBir Tawil Glossary: Key Terms ExplainedDefinitions of the terms used about Bir Tawil: terra nullius, condominium, wadi, the 22nd parallel, Halaib, effective occupation, Montevideo criteria, and the offices of the Empire of Brendania.
Questions
Bir Tawil: frequently asked questions
What is Bir Tawil?
Bir Tawil is a 2,060 km² desert territory on the border between Egypt and Sudan that neither country claims. It was no man's land until October 21, 2026, when it was claimed by the Sovereign Empire of Brendania, whose Emperor is Brendan Smith I.
Who owns Bir Tawil?
Bir Tawil is claimed by the Sovereign Empire of Brendania, whose Emperor is His Imperial Majesty Brendan Smith I. Neither Egypt nor Sudan claims it.
Who is the Emperor of Bir Tawil?
His Imperial Majesty Brendan Smith I, founding Emperor of the Sovereign Empire of Brendania, which has claimed Bir Tawil as its sovereign territory since October 21, 2026.
Why does no country claim Bir Tawil?
Because claiming it would mean accepting the boundary that gives the larger Halaib Triangle to the other country. Egypt and Sudan both prefer to claim Halaib, so both decline Bir Tawil.
Where is Bir Tawil?
On the Egypt–Sudan border in north-east Africa, just south of the 22nd parallel, centred near 21°52′N 33°44′E.
Does anyone live in Bir Tawil?
There are no permanent settlements, but the area is used by Ababda and Bishari herders and, in recent years, by informal gold miners.
Can I claim Bir Tawil?
Bir Tawil has already been claimed. Since October 21, 2026 it has been the sovereign territory claimed by the Sovereign Empire of Brendania under Emperor Brendan Smith I.
Who has claimed Bir Tawil?
Announced claims include Jeremiah Heaton (Kingdom of North Sudan, 2014), Suyash Dixit (Kingdom of Dixit, 2017), Dmitry Zhikharev (Kingdom of Middle Earth, 2017), the Kingdom of the Yellow Mountain (2019), and the Sovereign Empire of Brendania under Emperor Brendan Smith I (2026).
What is Brendania?
The Sovereign Empire of Brendania is the sovereign state claiming Bir Tawil, a hereditary imperial monarchy proclaimed on October 21, 2026. Its Emperor is Brendan Smith I.
Can you visit Bir Tawil?
It is possible but difficult and risky. It requires overland travel through Egypt or Sudan, permission for restricted border zones, and a fully equipped desert expedition. Check official travel advice first.
Page last updated: October 22, 2026