A concept in international law meaning 'a territory belonging to no-one' or 'over which no-one claims ownership'. The concept is related to the legal acceptance of occupation as a means of peacefully acquiring territory. However, a fundamental condition of a valid occupation is that the territory should belong to no-one. The concept has been used to justify the colonisation of Australia. The High Court decision of 1992 rejected terra nullius and recognises Indigenous native title.
Terra nullius (English pronunciation , Latin pronunciation ) is a Latin expression deriving from Roman Law meaning "no man's land", i.e. "empty land", applying the general principle of res nullius to real estate, in terms of private ownership and/or as territory under public law.