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Hidden Places

Locations that exist just outside the edge of the map. Off-limits, forgotten, or simply unknown.

13 articles

Latest Hidden Places

Afghanistan is Now So Much Worse Than You Think.
Hidden Places33.94 N, 67.71 E

Afghanistan is Now So Much Worse Than You Think.

Five years after the Taliban's return to power, Afghanistan faces economic collapse, mass hunger, women's rights erasure, ISIS attacks, and rising tensions with Pakistan. Here's how the country descended into its worst crisis yet.

Simon WhistlerJune 26, 2026
This is the Most Dangerous Border in the World
Hidden Places34.00 N, 78.00 E

This is the Most Dangerous Border in the World

Explore the India-China border, where nuclear-armed nations clash with medieval weapons in the Himalayas. From the 1962 war to the brutal 2020 Galwan Valley brawl, discover why this contested frontier remains the world's most dangerous.

Simon WhistlerApril 27, 2026
The Islands Where World War 3 Will Start
Hidden Places24.00 N, 121.00 E

The Islands Where World War 3 Will Start

Just kilometers from mainland China, Taiwan's Kinmen islands sit on a geopolitical tripwire. Discover why these tiny islands could spark World War Three.

Simon WhistlerApril 7, 2026
Russia Has Dozens of Cities It Doesn't Want You to See
Hidden Places61.52 N, 105.32 E

Russia Has Dozens of Cities It Doesn't Want You to See

Discover Russia's 38 ZATO closed cities—secret settlements hidden since Soviet times that house nuclear weapons programs, submarine fleets, space launch facilities, and military operations most Russians can't access.

Simon WhistlerApril 3, 2026
Burkina Faso: The West African Dictatorship That Loves Russia.
Hidden Places12.24 N, 1.56 W

Burkina Faso: The West African Dictatorship That Loves Russia.

How Burkina Faso fell from a stable West African state to a military dictatorship allied with Russia, torn apart by jihadist insurgency and led by a young captain evoking the revolutionary legacy of Thomas Sankara.

Simon WhistlerApril 1, 2026
The Region at War for 70 Years.
Hidden Places31.77 N, 35.21 E

The Region at War for 70 Years.

Explore the Korean Demilitarised Zone, the world's most fortified border, where North and South Korea remain technically at war after 70 years of tension, abductions, and near-nuclear conflict.

Simon WhistlerJune 23, 2025

Places Field Notes

Weekly notes from Simon Whistler on remarkable locations, hidden histories, and maps worth following.

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