Here are some of the coolest micronations around the world!
9 - The Republic of Molossia What exactly makes a territory a republic?
Does an area need its own currency and laws?
Or maybe it's a fearless leader in a snappy uniform?
International recognition doesn't hurt either, but the first 3 qualities seem a little more
attainable for the average micro-nation, and Kevin Baugh and the Republic of Molossia have
all three.
Kevin Baugh is the founder of Molossia, which is a micronation surrounded by the US, and
headquartered at Baugh's home near Dayton, Nevada.
The Republic of Molossia has claimed itself as a nation but it isn't recognized as a
country by the United Nations.
Baugh and a friend were only teenagers when they dreamed up the idea to create their own
micronation, separate from the US and governed by their own authority….we'll, as much
as they could anyways.
With just over an acre of territory in Nevada, Molossia is comprised of a small home known
as the Government House, where Baugh lives with his family and dogs.
Molossia citizens don't pay taxes, and they have their own currency.
Hold up, no taxes?!
Hmmmm…….anyways, Molossia's currency is the Valora, which is subdivided into 100 futrus
and pegged to the relative value of a Pillsbury cookie dough.
Okayyyyy…..how about more on the no taxes situation?
8 - The Independent State of Aramoana The Independent State of Aramoana was a micronation
that existed in New Zealand during the early 1980s.
It was founded in response to a plan by a consortium comprised of New Zealand-based
Fletcher-Challenge, Australia's CSR Limited, and Swiss firm Alusuisse.
These companies basically wanted to build a large aluminum smelting facility in an environmentally
sensitive area known as Aramoana at the head of Otago Harbour, near Dunedin, on New Zealand's
South Island.
The smelter plan called for the destruction of the villages of Aramoana and Te Ngaru,
as well as a local wildlife reserve.
In response to these plans, the residents of the area announced their secession from
New Zealand in December of 1980.
They established a "border post" and "travelling embassy", printed passports, citizenship certificates
and stamps, and used the resulting publicity to build a national grassroots campaign in
opposition to the smelter.
Sooooooo did it work?!
Sort of!
But it was really a combination of things.
The protest combined with declining aluminium prices on world commodity markets, eventually
led to the consortium abandoning their plans in October, 1981.
Hey, they may not have needed to create their own micronation, but it certainly didn't
hurt!
7 - The Republic of Saugeais The Republic of Saugeais is a self-proclaimed
micronation located in eastern France, in the département of Doubs.
The republic comprises of 11 municipalities and its capital of Montbenoît.
It all started when the prefect of the department of Doubs came to Montbenoît to attend an
official event.
The prefect had lunch in the Hotel de l'Abbaye in Montbenoît, which was owned by Georges
Pourchet.
As a joke, Pourchet asked the prefect, "Do you have a permit allowing you to enter the
Republic of Saugeais?"
The prefect then asked for details about the republic that he's never heard of before,
and why would he have?
Pourchet made up everything about the nation on the spot!
The prefect decided to play along, and responded by appointing Pourchet president of the Free
Republic of Saugeais, because come on, every republic needs a President right?
And that's how this micronation was born.
Even though it's been a self-proclaimed independent country since 1947, it's yet to be internationally
recognized.
This micronation organized a festival during which Gabrielle Pourchet, Georges Pourchet's
wife, was elected President for life by acclamation.
President Gabrielle Pourchet appointed a prime minister, a general secretary, twelve ambassadors
and more than 300 honorary citizens.
The Republic also has its own banknote and French government-issued stamp.
Georgette Bertin-Pourchet, the Pourchet's daughter, is now the current president of
the Republic of Saugeais.
The area is now a popular tourist attraction, with many of the locals selling novelty entrance
passes and official stamps.
6 - The Principality of Seborga The tiny self-proclaimed principality of Seborga
sits on a hilltop six miles inland from the Italian Riviera, near San Remo, in Italy.
This is a micronation that has around 5.4 square miles.
Unlike most micronations, Seborga does have an undisputed past as a feudal state, albeit
not as a hereditary principality, but an ecclesiastic one.
Seborga issues its own stamps, license plates, and passports.
A local currency, the Luigino, was issued from 1994 to 1996.
The Luigino is accepted inside the city, and the Euro is as well as well of course!
In June 2006, a minor controversy came up when a woman calling herself "Princess Yasmine
von Hohenstaufen Anjou Plantagenet", claimed to be the rightful heir to the throne of Seborga.
Apparently she wrote to Italy's president offering to return the principality to the
state.
Seriously?
Some people have too much time on their hands!
Anyways, the approximately 100,000 tourists who visit Seborga each year buy up coins,
stamps, and passports all the while supporting the local restaurants and the four bed and
breakfasts that are in the area.
Seems like a nice enough place to visit!
5 - Liberland
When Vit Jedlicka plunged a flag into the banks of the Danube and declared the birth
of the Free Republic of Liberland, his action was dismissed by governments and media organizations
as a joke.
However, a couple years later, his vision of a libertarian paradise born on a patch
of unwanted land actually has 400,000 would-be citizens and the backing of a range of political
movements around the world!
And oh yeah, this micronation even has its own national beer.
However, thanks to the efforts of the Croatian border police, Liberland still technically
doesn't have a single inhabitant, and its 3 square miles of boggy wetlands pretty much
has just one dilapidated building, an abandoned hunting lodge.
Liberland lies on the Croatia-Serbia border, roughly halfway between Zagreb and Belgrade.
This place is the result of a border dispute between the two countries which has lasted
more than 25 years.
It lies on a portion of territory which neither country is willing to claim.
Nevertheless, Liberland has a government of 10 to 20 members, an economy based on cryptocurrency
and bitcoins, and has already received hundreds of thousands of applications for citizenship.
Hey, did someone just say bitcoin?!
To the moon!!!
4 - The Conch Republic How about another pretty much make believe
nation?
While the protests that sparked the creation of the Conch Republic have been described
by some people as "tongue-in-cheek," the reasons this micronation was bore were motivated by
genuine frustrations.
In the early 80s, South Florida was a conduit for illegal immigrants and illegal drugs,
which made the United States Border Patrol set up inspection points on the two roads
connecting the Florida Keys to the mainland.
As you can imagine, Key West City officials and residents were NOT happy, as it hurt tourism.
The federal government didn't respond to their protests, and the mayor of the city,
Dennis Wardlow decided to declare "independence".
Interpreting the roadblock as a national border, the city decided to become another nation.
Wardlow's protest was a tongue-in-cheek gambit for attention and a boost in tourism.
Though the roadblock was shortly removed, the city continues to joke about its "secession"
and hosts an annual Independence celebration every April 23 as part of a week-long festival
of activities involving numerous businesses in Key West.
The Conch Republic's total area amounts to 5.9 square miles, and the week long festival
is a key tourism booster for the area.
3 - The Principality of Hutt River The Principality of Hutt River is a micronation
in Australia.
The principality claims to be an independent sovereign state that's achieved legal status.
It's basically a regional tourist attraction that issues its own currency, stamps and passports,
however, none of which are recognized by the Australian Government or any other government
of course.
It's located 354 miles north of Perth, in the state of Western Australia.
It has an area of 29 square miles, making it larger than several actual independent
countries.
While the principality has only 23 actual residents, it claims a worldwide citizenry
of 14,000.
A number of its citizens have been awarded military commissions as well.
Despite being completely landlocked, naval commissions have been conferred on supporters
of the principality.
The micronation was founded by Leonard Casley, who declared his farm to be an independent
country under the name, Hutt River Province.
His reason for his attempt to secede from Australia was over a dispute about wheat production
quotas.
Even though Casley would want to escape taxes, he does give what he calls, "gifts" to
the local government.
Of course, when you make yourself your own micronation, you basically wanna become a
prince, so Casley began calling himself Prince Leonard and also gave family members royal
titles.
After ruling for 45 years, Prince Leonard abdicated the throne, handing over to his
youngest son, Prince Graeme.
2 - The Principality of Sealand In the choppy North Sea about six miles off
the English coast, a floating, rusty World War II fort is a self-proclaimed independent
nation.
The Principality of Sealand has a constitution, a national flag, a national anthem, a currency,
and passports.
It's been owned by one family for nearly 50 years, the Bates family.
The 50-citizen, eighteen hundred square-foot country resides on a platform of steel and
concrete, supported by two beams reaching deep into the sea.
It's only accessible to visitors—who of course have to apply for a visa—by helicopter
or with help from a crane after a boat ride.
While this dramatic island nation may seem like a make believe nation like many micronations
on this list, Sealand is in no way fictionalized.
In fact, it's so real, it's existed for almost half a century in a geopolitical gray
zone.
It's not recognized as a sovereign nation by the United Kingdom, but it considers itself
as such and it isn't bothered by the government.
The self-styled island's motto is "E Mare Libertas" or, "From the Sea, Freedom,"
and interested potential Sealanders are now even able to join for a 295 dollar fee!
However, the best deal is probably not to get the citizenship and passport, it's the
ability to be a Lord, Lady, Baron, or Baroness for only 45 bucks!
1 - Celestia Many micronations have made outrageous claims
to the extent of their territories, but the Nation of Celestial Space, otherwise known
as Celestia, may just win hands down.
The territory of Celestia encompasses the whole of the universe, minus the earth.
It was declared by US resident James Mangan out of several real concerns for the wellbeing
of humanity.
Back in 1949, the raging Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union were pushing both
of them to advance their space programs.
Mangan foresaw a situation where countries might begin laying claim to parts of space,
and he feared a single country achieving a political stranglehold.
Wow, I'll take what he was smoking.
Anyways, he declared all of Outer Space the territory of Celestia, the property of all
mankind.
Mangan was also active in policing his dominion for the greater good.
He formally notified the US, the UK, the UN and the Soviet Union that Celestia had banned
atmospheric nuclear testing.
Celestia remains the only micronation in history to have its flag unfurled above the United
Nations in New York, right alongside all the standards of the UN member states… even
if it was for only one day.
Here's what's next!
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