Talk:Locations/@comment-406947-20160526191215/@comment-406947-20160529145322

Digdux, your scenario makes sense, if the Empire is a vessel state or something. I suppose I figured that Cadance was both Princess of Equestria (as in the equal of Celestia, Luna, and Twilight; and a co-ruler of Equestria alongside them), and Empress (or Princess or whatever) of the Crystal Empire. But that's pretty much just speculation on my part.

I don't think we can infer too much from the Empire being on the map. The map (the 2015 version) shows Yakyakastan. And it's an artistic map, so it doesn't exactly show international borders and all.

The guidebook certainly helps, calling the Empire "a part of Equestria".

As for the arctic north thing: If you mean this (the beginning of “The Crystal Empire – Part 1”), then it sounds like that's saying that the former location of the Empire is part of present day (as of the episode, right before the Empire reappeared) Equestria. That's not the same thing as saying that the Empire remained part of Equestria after it reappeared, and had it's own government and monarchy and all.