Abandoned Land (Classification)

This article is about all types of abandoned land. For classic mainland abandoned land, see Abandoned Land.
This article is made for Geographic reasons. If you want to abandon your land or you want to purchase abandoned land, please use the lonk shown above or go to Abandoned Land.
== Deffinition ==
Abandoned land is a land surface (from a microparcel to an entire sim), that was abandoned by its previous user. By the term 'abandoned land' we usually understand classic abandoned land found in the central Linden-owned continents, but it is not an error if we include in this category also a few other types of land.
== Mainland ==
=== Classic Abandoned Land ===
As shown on Gridsurvey, abandoned land is shown as 13.4 to 14.2% of total mainland surface. It varies up to high values depending on what continent. Also, it is clearly visible that inside a single continent, abandoned land might vary from 0% to the whole sim.
A parcel of abandoned land is always named so. Sometimes (but not always), name includes data about the last owner and the date it was abandoned. From time to time, abandoned parcels might merge and form larger slices of land. When this happens, always the name of former residents is removed. When a parcel is abandoned, land looks like it looked first, only that the objects are returned to their owners. Then, land changes its shape and becomes full with slopes and holes. Sometimes, in places with high declivity, it might create a multitude of small terraces. It is not clear if land degradation increases over time or if this phenomena is done only once. Always, classic abandoned land is owned by Governor Linden.
Infrastructure (roads and railways), Geography (interesting features) and water access (mainly oceanic coast) have a strong influence on local economy development. this is the reason why abandoned land is much more often found in places without road, rail or water access. A second factor seems to be Land With Restricted Access. Isolated parcels, surrounded by ban lines or entity orbs, will have a stronger tendince to be isolated. This can be seen in central Nautilus.
=== Premium Abandoned Land ===
On the Premium Continents land has a special status. If a resident decides to leave his/her premium home to buy land somewhere else, the house is deleted and the land is abandoned. Main difference is that this land will not be named 'abandoned land' and it will return to the reserve land for premium homes.
=== Other types of abandoned land ===
As Gridsurvey shows, there are parcels (about 1%) that are not for sure abandoned land. This includes land that is for sale or for land auction by the Linden officials, but also other kinds of land. This land is not always owned by various Linden accounts. Sometimes this land was abandoned land, but it is in a transformation process (for construction of a new road, a park or a railway).
== Private Land ==
Part of this type of land is also Unused Land.
=== Abandoned Estate Land ===
Since 70% of the grid is private - owned land, the study of this type of land is very important for Geographs. Abandoned land can be found also on private sims. Parcels are not named 'abandoned land' and usually they are set for sale or for rent very soon after their previous owner/user left them. To abandon private land is not needed to use special instructions. All needed is to stop paying the fee for that land. To purchase private land is also much more easy than to purchase mainland abandoned land. You don't need to write a support case, you only need to contact the estate owner. If percent of unused land is too high, the estate owner might abandon entire sim.
=== Abandoned Estate Sim ===
This was something common in the first days, when many estates were estabilished and vahished when they could no longer pay land tier. Now, it is something more rare. While editing the List Of Microcontinents And Sim Clusters, Second Life Geography team noticed that in 5 months (November 2013 - March 2014) world map did not changed too much.
Once the estate owner abandones a sim (or stops to pay the land tier), land vanishes from the grid. First, access is denied to the sim. Then, on world map, it is still visible, but without the sim name. In the third step, the sim is visible on map only at some resolutions, in 10 to 20 days (depending on service functions and on what wiever you use), the abandoned sim should no longer be visible.
=== Abandoned Rental Land ===
Rental corporations from mainland offer land for rent. Users might abandon their land. In this case, land remains owned by the rental corporation, but it is Unused Land. However, if the amount of unused land is too big, land corporation might abandon it for good.
== Confussions ==
*If a resident buys a slice of classic abandined land and does not change its name, it will be named 'abandoned land' but it will be Inhabited Land.
*If a resident no longer logs in, but still pays land tier, land will not be abandoned even for years.
*Throughout the grid, there are parcels of Unused Land. This is land without buildings, but not abandoned land. Sometimes, constructions might be in a skybox, while on ground there is nothing built.
== How to get abandoned land ==
NOTE: This paragraph is not an official point of view, but the result of some residents' confessions about purchasing land.
=== Classic abandoned land ===
For the classic abandoned land (owned by Governor Linden and named 'Abandoned Land), you need to open a support case. All details about this method are listed here. 
Directly purchase land In some cases, you might convince the Linden authorities to directly sell that parcel to you. This might work (but not for sure) if:
*the abandoned parcel is encircled by your land holding (completely or on 3 sides)
*you have contact with that parcel at least on one side
*you are a well-established resident in that sim
*parcel has an irregulary shape.
Even if you satisfy all these criteria, you might not get that land. And sometimes, if you satisfy a single criteria, you might get that land. If you get it, the parcel will be made for sale directly to you, at the price of 1L$ per square meter. Please note that the Lindens don't like to divide parcels. So, if you want only a part of a parcel, you might not get it. And for sure, this will not work 
Abandoned land for sale On rare occasions, abandoned land can be made for sale (to anybody). In this situation, you will see on map a yellow parcel, named 'Abandoned Land For Sale'. This was common in 2012, but in 2014 it is something rare.
Abandoned land auctions More easy, you can ask for a land auction. The principle is the same: open a support ticket as described here and describe the land you need and why do you need it. Auctions start from a price of 0.5 L$ for square meter. Keep an eye on Auction List and make sure you offer the highest price for land. Usually, it takes one or two days before land is displayed on auction list. then, you have 48 hours to offer the highest price. You don't need to have the money immediately, but you will need to have enough L$ in your account after the auction ends. More info can be found at Auction FAQ.
NOTE: IT MIGHT TAKE OVER A WEEK UNTIL SOMEONE WILL ANSWER YOUR SUPPORT TICKET, but sometimes you might be served in two days. All tickets are answered in the order they have been received (land barons have the same right with small residents). So, after you fire a support ticket, keep an eye on the ticket itself, on your e-mail, on the land itself and if needed, on the auction list.
=== Other types of abandoned land ===
*For private-owned sims and for rental land, contact the land owners. They will usually serve you fast.
*There is no way you can purchase a specific parcel of premium abandoned land. In fact, if you want a Linden home, you cannot even chose on which of the Premium Continents will it be.
== See also ==
Second Life Geography
*Inhabited Land 
*Land For Rent Or Sale 
*Land With Restricted Access 
*Protected Land
*Protected Route 
*Rezzing Zones
*Unused Land
*Water