Part III Territorial Sovereignty, 9 Acquisition and Transfer of Territorial Sovereignty

Subject(s):

Territory, acquisition and transfer — Sovereignty — Boundaries — Intertemporal law — Peremptory norms / ius cogens

Disputes concerning title to land territory, including islands, and over the precise determination of boundaries are regularly the subject of international proceedings. However, many such conflicts are dormant and it is only when a dispute flares up that it receives publicity. While the occupation of territory not belonging to any state (terra nullius) is no longer a live issue, issues concerning such occupation in the past may still arise. This chapter discusses the following: determining title, the ‘modes’ of acquisition, displacement of title, territorial disputes, and territorial sovereignty and peremptory norms.