Lots of islands around the world are disputed between one or more countries, and are also uninhabited. It’s frequently said that they are “disputed between [X] and [Y] but administered by [Y],” or something similar. What does administering such an island really mean when there’s nothing there and no one on it except maybe flora/fauna?
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Specifics will vary by location and treaty and ongoing negotiations and military status.
For a remote uninhabited island “administration” doesn’t mean much beyond having a coast guard boat wander past every now and then to make sure it’s still uninhabited and there’s nothing suspicious going on.
For an inhabited disputed territory like the Crimean peninsula, this means full governmental duties and all that entails. Russia is the acting government of the territory even though Ukraine and much of the world contests that claim.
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