[quote=TheSovereignGrave]
I suppose we'll have to wait for word from Golem on the matter, but I just kind of assumed everywhere not claimed by one of us was occupied by little NPC nations. After all, it doesn't make much sense for there to be massive swathes of completely unpopulated land.
[/quote]

In the case of the desert, some stretches of desert would be worthless to secure and call your own. I'm sure it happened in ancient times at some point.