It's official: the ancient country of Wales has been struck off the
European map by order of our European masters.

Obviously, it's no use appealing to the European Courts of Justice
because there is clearly no justice in such a high handed action.

Why should I care?

Well, there's an England v Wales soccer match scheduled for this
Saturday and I am wondering what BBC1 will show in its place. 'Only
Fools and Horses' or 'Dad's Army'?

I also worry about HRH Prince Charles who until today was the Prince of Wales.

Should I bump into him in the street, how should I address him?

And what about all my suits tailored from the finest 'Prince of Wales'
check? Charity shop or waste bin?

I believe that this action is unique in the History of our Universe.

Am I right?

Bryan,
There are other examples of errors on maps, but this could well be the
greatest error as it is a whole country.

In case others are confused by your question, here?s the story:

"A bureaucratic blunder has left Wales off a map of Europe on the
cover of a prestigious EU reference book.
The Eurostat Statistical Compendium has all the facts and figures on Europe. 
All EU member states, and the rest of Britain, are accurately
represented on the cover - but Wales has disappeared and been replaced
by the Irish Sea."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/3715512.stm


Here?s some examples of other errors, but none as good as this one (I
hope they?re not urban myths. I did find one and this appears at the
bottom).

"Residents of a remote Australian town have worked out why people have
only now started to get in touch, after the state government put right
an error which had wiped it off the map. Queensland Federal Government
has finally corrected the bureaucratic oversight which resulted in
Gunana, a town of 1,114 people, being missed off the map for seven
years."

Source
http://www.lgib.co.uk/news/story.html?newsId=745
http://www.guardian.co.uk/australia/story/0,12070,934480,00.html


"Tourist officials in Vietnam are waiting to hear the outcome of an
investigation into an embarrassing blunder which they made back in
April.
The department produced 16,000 copies of a map of Hanoi, which
mistakenly showed one of the city's biggest and most politically
sensitive tourist attractions, Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, as a zoo."
Source
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1341986.stm


"When coloring in 800,000 pixels on a map of India, Microsoft colored
eight of them a different shade of green to represent the disputed
Kashmiri territory. The difference in greens meant Kashmir was shown
as non-Indian, and the product was promptly banned in India. Microsoft
was left to recall all 200,000 copies of the offending Windows 95
operating system software to try and heal the diplomatic wounds. "It
cost millions," Edwards said."
Source
http://news.com.com/How+eight+pixels+cost+Microsoft+millions/2100-1014_3-5316664.html


"...the proud people of Eccles were more than a little angry to
discover the name has been missed off the latest Ordnance Survey map.
The 2001 map of Manchester and Salford shows the town but neglects to
give it a name. Instead, the map includes Eccles station and two
hospitals which no longer exist [...] A spokesman for Ordnance Survey
said: ''We are very sorry. The omission of the name Eccles from
Explorer 277 was a mistake and we apologise. ''It is not because we
don't know the town exists it was purely human error"
Source
http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/news/s/31/31543_town_wiped_off_the_map.html


"On January 1, 100,000 colour brochures promoting the merits of
Colchester to holidaymakers landed on the counter of the centre in
Queen Street. It contains a map on the centre-spread from which the
tourist attractions are missing.
The map key boasts places of interest such as the Roman theatre,
Hollytrees Museum and the National History Museum, but confused
tourists wanting to pinpoint these attractions on the map will be left
scratching their heads.
Elizabeth Rose, visitor services officer for Colchester Council, said:
"Unfortunately, during publication that was missed off." "
Source
http://www.thisisessex.co.uk/essex/archive/2000/03/07/NEWS20.7ZM.html


"A first-rate example of a toponymphic blunder was highlighted during
the Eighth United Nations Conference in the Standardization of
Geographical Names, and was contributed by A. V. Buren, et at.
Apparently, inspired western surveyors in Arab countries who
interrogated locals for place names often received the reply ?mush
arif? (?I don't know?). This was then dutifully recorded on maps,
making the term a frequently occurring Arabic place name. An example
is ?As Musharifa? (A high place) on the British Survey of Palestine
1:100,000, Sheet 3, 1937. Makes you wonder how many other toponymic
blunders there are out there!"
Source
http://www.drmap.info/quest003.htm

 

UN funded map published by the "Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and
Antiquities" (perhaps a touch of politics behind this one. Or it may
be an urban myth. See item below.)

"At one or two shops in the Old City of Jerusalem and tourist sites in
areas ruled by the Palestinian Authority, people can pick up a map
entitled "Palestine, the Holy Land Tourist Map".

Published by the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the
large glossy map provides a detailed look at Palestinian cities,
towns, villages, as well as holy places and refugee camps in the West
Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

While the map is no doubt a valuable tool for those wishing to explore
the deeper recesses of the Palestinian territories, it won?t help
tourists wishing to explore Israel.

That?s because, according this map, there is no Israel.."
Source
http://israelbehindthenews.com/Archives/Mar-18-01.htm


And here?s an urban myth which I referred to earlier
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blfuji-map.htm
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/fuji.htm


I hope this answers your question. If it does not, or the answer is
unclear, then please ask for clarification of this research before
rating the answer. I shall respond to the clarification request as
soon as I receive it.
Thank you
answerfinder


Search strategy
Variations of: map world country missed mistake omitted blunder error
print printed ?not on?

Phew, Answerfinder

Thank you for putting my mind at rest.

I trust that the EU will now recall their Reference Book and provide a Relief Map.

Funnily enough, I know Eccles, which is famous for its Eccles Cakes.

Yes, it's true and I have a Marriage Certificate that proves that I
got married there.

I was living in the nearby village of Worsley at the time. 

The message must be not to trust any bureaucrat.

Will you please convey my displeasure to Brussels?

All the Best

Bryan

The time has come for a bumper sticker that says SAVE THE WALES.

I live and work in Wales. I'm in Cardiff. Or am I? If it no longer
exists then I'm in a huge existential void.
Yours, deracinée
Amber

>> I'm in Cardiff. Or am I? If it no longer
>> exists then I'm in a huge existential void.

Oh, come on. 

Let's not put on airs. 

You are in a SMALL existential void, Amber. :-D

Amber ... Where have you been?

You mean that you live in place that was formerly known as Cardiff.

Under European Directive 235ty9/0972, there is no longer provision for
any 'ifs and buts' ...

So, please be advised that you now live in Card in the County of Wengland.

By Order of Brussels.

Many thanks for the tip Bryan. There is an alternative: Wales has
broken free, declared independence, and is now floating somewhere in
the middle of the Atlantic.
answerfinder-ga