Annexation

Annexation,^[1] in international law, is the forcible acquisition and assertion of legal title over one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory.^[2] In current international law, it is generally held to be an illegal act.^[3] Annexation is a unilateral act where territory is seized and held by one state,^[4] as distinct from the complete conquest of another country,^[a]^[7]^[8] and differs from cession, in which territory is given or sold through treaty.

This article is about the incorporation of additional territory into a nation state. For the incorporation of additional territory into an urban area, see Municipal annexation.

Annexation can be legitimized if generally recognized by other states and international bodies.^[4]^[9]^[2]

The illegality of annexation means that states carrying out such acts usually avoid using the word annexation in describing their actions;^[10]^[11] in each of the unresolved annexations by Israel, Morocco and Russia, the states have avoided characterizing their actions as such.^[11]^[12]

Hard power

Imperialism

Irredentism

List of military occupations

List of national border changes from 1815 to 1914

List of national border changes (1914–present)

Timeline of geopolitical changes

Aust, Anthony (2010). . Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-139-48578-4.

Handbook of International Law

Hofmann, Rainer (2013). "Annexation". . Oxford University Press.

Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law

Adam Roberts. "", The American Journal of International Law. vol. 100, pp. 580–622 (2006)

Transformative military occupation: applying the laws of war and human rights

Daniel Högger (2015). . LIT Verlag Münster. ISBN 978-3-643-80196-8.

The Recognition of States

Tanisha M. Fazal (2011). . Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-1-4008-4144-8.

State Death: The Politics and Geography of Conquest, Occupation, and Annexation

Jennings, R. Y.; Kohen, Marcelo (2017). . Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-1-5261-1718-2.

The acquisition of territory in international Law with a New Introduction by Marcelo G. Kohen

Rothwell, Donald; Kaye, Stuart; Akhtarkhavari, Afshin; Davis, Ruth (2014). . International Law: Cases and Materials with Australian Perspectives. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-69119-3.

"6.6 Cession and Annexation"

Wrange, Pål (2015). (PDF) (Report). European parliament. doi:10.2861/80851. ISBN 978-92-823-7550-1.