Conflict [Costa Rica] reaches boiling point as Google errs again

WA ^ | November 12, 2010 | Asher Moses

[BenLurkin]

An international conflict between Nicaragua and Costa Rica sparked in part by Google Maps is escalating as the search giant admits to yet another geo-goof that could spark yet more tensions.

After blaming Google Maps for its troops invading Costa Rica last week, Nicaraguan troops have refused to leave the disputed piece of land, which lies near the border between the countries. Google has admitted to mistakenly identifying the land as part of Nicaragua, an error it has since fixed.

The Secretary-General of the Organisation of American States visited both countries in an attempt to resolve the conflict.

However, Nicaraguan Vice-President Jaime Morales Carazo has refused to remove the country's 50 troops, who have begun river dredging in the area to the dismay of Costa Rica.

Google has fixed the error on its maps - blaming the faulty data on the US State Department - but Nicaragua, which has disputed ownership of the land for centuries, believes the border Google had originally outlined was correct.

Costa Rica believes the troop incursion is not a border dispute but an invasion, although, in comments reported in The Guardian, Carazo said "we cannot invade our own territory."

Meanwhile, Google has admitted a second controversial Google Maps error after it attributed a disputed islet off North Africa first to Morocco and then to Spain.

[Tainan]

This doesn't have a darn thing to do with "Google Maps." Nicaragua and Costa Rica have been in dispute over this terminus of the San Juan river for many many years:

While the border between the countries was displayed incorrectly by Google Maps, the version on Microsoft's Bing maps was accurate.
There has been much historical conflict - going back to the mid-19th century - over which country owns land near the San Juan River.
However, a treaty between Costa Rica and Nicaragua has been in place since 1858 and details the border line accepted by both sides. In 1888, US president Grover Cleveland was called in to arbitrate the dispute and he decided to uphold the 1858 treaty and its terms. A more detailed map of the boundary was drawn in 1897 at the request of Cleveland.
Hale said Google's map of the area would be corrected to follow the demarcation laid out in 1897.

Old Eden Pastora, the 'fisherman/tourist guide/Sandinista/Contra/retiree' who last I knew had went back to shark fishing with touristas, is leading the Nico mil group marching around in the area. He knows it pretty well as he was Contra commander of the area during the rebellion. The entire river area was used for supply and R&R for the Contra forces. Its a pretty much desolate area. Nothing developed to any amount.
Just some country rivalry and a p*ssing contest at the most.
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/google-maps-error-sparks-international-conflict-20101108-17jl3.html

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Tainan.