LL> On the opposite side of the globe is the Spratly Islands. These
LL> islands are uninhabited, as they are mere rocks in the middle of
LL> nowhere.  But the Chinese are building many artificial islands
LL> in that area, claiming the entire area as being part of China.
 
The Japanese have built a flagpole in the middle of the sea somewhere on an
underwater rock. As the pole sticks above the water, they are claiming a 200NM
EEZ around it.
 
Then I think the Russians sawed it off.
 
Then, I think, the Japanese built a concrete mound on that rock sticking out
above the water and put a flag on it.
 
More interesting even. The Chileans once airlifted a very pregnant young lady
to Teniente R. Marsh Airport on Antarctica and had her deliver her baby there
so that "Location of birth:" would be "Villa Las Estrellas", the only civilian
settlement on the continent thereby re-inforcing Chile's claims to mineral-rich
territories. The kid's name? Juan Pablo Camacho Martino, So far, a total of
three people have been born in the Chilean Bases but after signing the
Antarctic minerals treaty this practice became obsolete.
 
 \%/@rd 

--- D'Bridge 3.99