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I love the online game NationStates, where people simulate fictional countries and see the outlandish results of policy dilemmas. If you need fodder for a utopia/dystopia/something else, there's plenty in "Phantom Atlas," which records the history of locations that showed up on maps despite never actually existing. Some of them are mirages, some of them are shoutouts to expedition funders in an attempt to get more money, etc. Obviously, lots of cool old maps.
-Bermeja (island in the gulf of Mexico) was "identified" in 1539, but sought after by Mexico as late as 2009 because its coastal area would grant Mexico a lot of lucrative oil rights.
-Morrell's Island was responsible for the International Date Line being temporarily rerouted in the 1907-1910 area.
-California was a legendary island of Amazonian woman, which led to Baja California being drawn as an island by European explorers. Then it got corrected. Then it got turned into an island again!
-Saint Trimble's Island is something else.
-Bermeja (island in the gulf of Mexico) was "identified" in 1539, but sought after by Mexico as late as 2009 because its coastal area would grant Mexico a lot of lucrative oil rights.
-Morrell's Island was responsible for the International Date Line being temporarily rerouted in the 1907-1910 area.
-California was a legendary island of Amazonian woman, which led to Baja California being drawn as an island by European explorers. Then it got corrected. Then it got turned into an island again!
-Saint Trimble's Island is something else.
