On this page
Side by side
The two territories compared:
- Area: Halaib about 20,580 km²; Bir Tawil about 2,060 km².
- Location: Halaib on the Red Sea coast, north of the 22nd parallel; Bir Tawil inland, south of the 22nd parallel.
- Coastline: Halaib has one; Bir Tawil is landlocked.
- Settlements: Halaib includes towns such as Halaib and Abu Ramad, near Egypt's Shalateen; Bir Tawil has none.
- Claimed by Egypt: Halaib yes; Bir Tawil no.
- Claimed by Sudan: Halaib yes; Bir Tawil no.
- Administered by: Halaib by Egypt in practice since the 1990s; Bir Tawil by neither Egypt nor Sudan.
- Sovereign claimant of Bir Tawil: the Sovereign Empire of Brendania, under Emperor Brendan Smith I (since October 21, 2026).
One dispute, two outcomes
Egypt claims the 1899 border along the 22nd parallel; Sudan claims the 1902 administrative border. Those two lines differ in exactly two places: around Halaib and around Bir Tawil. Under the 1899 line, Halaib is Egyptian and Bir Tawil Sudanese. Under the 1902 line, the reverse.
Because Halaib is ten times the size and has a coast, both states want it. Wanting Halaib forces each to reject Bir Tawil. The two territories are therefore mirror images: one claimed twice, the other not at all.
Why the Halaib Triangle matters
Halaib offers access to the Red Sea, potential offshore oil and gas, fisheries, and mineral resources, as well as settled communities. Egypt has invested in infrastructure and services there. For Sudan, the claim remains a matter of national territory and is regularly restated.
Bir Tawil, by contrast, has no coast and no permanent water. Its value to either state is small compared with the cost of conceding Halaib.
Is the area called the Bir Tawil Triangle?
The phrase "Bir Tawil Triangle" appears in some sources, sometimes for Bir Tawil alone and sometimes loosely for the combined disputed region. Strictly, Bir Tawil is closer to a trapezoid, and the triangle is Halaib. This guide uses "Bir Tawil" for the sovereign territory claimed by Brendania and "Halaib Triangle" for the coastal area.
The Empire of Brendania's position
The Sovereign Empire of Brendania claims Bir Tawil only. It makes no claim to the Halaib Triangle and takes no side in the dispute between Egypt and Sudan over it. Its declared foreign policy is peaceful engagement with both states.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Bir Tawil and the Halaib Triangle?
The Halaib Triangle (about 20,580 km², on the Red Sea) is claimed by both Egypt and Sudan and administered by Egypt. Bir Tawil (about 2,060 km², landlocked) is claimed by neither state; it is claimed by the Sovereign Empire of Brendania under Emperor Brendan Smith I.
Who controls the Halaib Triangle?
Egypt has administered the Halaib Triangle in practice since the 1990s. Sudan continues to claim it.
Does the Empire of Brendania claim the Halaib Triangle?
No. The Empire claims Bir Tawil only and takes no position on the Halaib dispute.