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A micronation is any entity or state that claims its independence and sovereignty, but which is usually not recognized by other world governments or international organizations. In order for a country to be legitamately recognized, it must fit certain criteria of the United Nations, such as having its own territory and being acknowledged by other states. These 20 micronations did not make the country cut, but the stories behind their founding are fascinating! |
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20. Grand Duchy of Westarctica |
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| This micronation, also known as Marie Byrd Land, is located in Antarctica and was created by American Travis McHenry in 2001. McHenry sent letters to the governments of nine major countries in order to inform them of his claim. As of the formation of the Antarctic Treaty, countries can no longer claim land on the continent, so the job is left up to individuals like McHenry. |
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19. Conch Republic |
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| Established in 1982 as a comical protest against the United States customs checkpoint between Key West and the mainland of Florida. The mayor of Key West even declared war against the U.S. in the name of the Conch Republic, but he soon surrendered and applied for $1 billion in foreign aid. |
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18. Freetown Christiania |
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| Located in Denmark, this micronation is actually a neighborhood of about 850 residents that covers 84 acres. The nation was founded in 1971 on an abandoned military base near Copenhagen, was quickly populated with groups of free-spirited hippies, and is now officially ruled by anarchy. |
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17. Akhzivland |
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| Located close to the Israeli and Lebanese border, this micronation is not officially recognized by the Israeli government, but it is by some other countries. Founded when the Israeli government tried to bulldoze Eli Avivi's home, the micronation is a remnant of a court battle that was never solved. Today, it is recognized by the Israel Ministry of Tourism as a separate entity, but not a separate country. |
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16. Republic of Minerva |
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| Created in 1972 by real-estate millionaire Michael Oliver, the Republic of Minerva is an artificially created micronation in the Pacific Ocean. Oliver created the Republic of Minerva by pouring sand onto the Minerva Reef between Tonga and New Zealand. Soon, a territorial dispute between Tonga and Fiji ensued. |
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15. Principality of Sealand |
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| Formerly a World War II Sea Fort, the Principality of Sealand is located in the North Sea about 7 nautical miles off the coast of Suffolk, England. The facility was occupied in 1967 by Paddy Roy Bates and his family, and he began to conduct pirate radio broadcasts from the structure. |
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14. Aerican Empire |
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| This micronation was founded in 1987 by Eric Lis as a pun for the term "American Empire". Aerican territory extends all over the galaxy and includes: a kilometer of land in Australia, a small area in Montreal, Canada where the "Embassy of Everything Else" is located, several areas of Earth, a colony on Mars, the northern hemisphere of Pluto and another imaginary planet. |
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13. Principality of Hutt River |
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| Considered a sovereign micronation and state within Australia since 1972, the Principality of Hutt River was established by Leonard Casely as an act of protest against wheat quotas imposed by the Australian government. Although the principality has only 23 actual residents today, it claims a worldwide citizenry of over 14,000! |
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12. Principality of Seborga |
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| Close to Monaco on the French-Italian border, the principality includes disputed the Italian town of Seborga. For over a thousand years, mention of the town has been omitted from official documents, which led residents to claim sovereignty in 1963 in order to boost tourism. |
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11. Kingdom of EnenKio |
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| Located on the U.S. territory of Wake Island, this micronation was established as part of the Marshall Islands peoples' attempt at a separatist movement. The people of "the Island of the Orange Flower" in Marshallese seek sovereignty and independence. The current king of the island is iroijlaplap Remios Hermios. |
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10. Principality of Wy |
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| Based in the Sydney, Australia harbourside suburb of Mosman, the micronation was created by Paul Ashton Delprat in 2004 as a protest against the city council's refusal to let him build a driveway. Known as "Prince Paul of Wy", he is currently the unofficial ruler of the principality, as well as successful artist. |
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9. Whangamomona |
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| A small township in the rural Manawatu-Wanganui Region in New Zealand, it was first settled in 1895. However, in 1989, the regional council redrew the borders, and as an act of protest, the Republic of Whangamomona was declared. From 1999-2001, their president was a goat and from 2003-2004, a poodle. |
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8. Free Republic of Wendland |
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| A camp set up in Gorleben, Germany in May 1980 to protest the establishment of a nuclear waste dump there. Only one month later, the German police came in and evicted the almost 5000 residents of the camp. |
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7. Waveland |
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| Previously known as Rockall, this disputed island is located in the Atlantic Ocean. In 1997, the organization of environmental activists called Greenpeace occupied the uninhabited island and renamed it Waveland in order to protest against oil exploration in the area. |
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6. Kingdom of Wallachia |
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| Founded in 1997 by the Czech photographer Tomas Harabis as an "elaborate practical joke", it has since become one of the Czech Republic's biggest tourist attractions. Since the foundation of the Kingdom, more than 80,000 Czech citizens have acquired Wallachian Passports. The kingdom even has its own currency called the Jurovalsar, and was pegged to the euro rate at 1:1. |
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5. North Dumpling Island |
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| The island of North Dumpling is privately owned by Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway Human Transporter. Kamen has established a constitution, a flag, currency, a national anthem as well as a navy for the small island of which he is the only resident. Oh, and he refers to himself as Lord Dumpling. |
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4. Republic of Morac-Songhrati-Meads |
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| One of the first documented micronations, this Republic was founded by British Naval Captain James Meads in the 1870s when he was exploring the South China Sea. Based on the Spartly Islands, the Republic even saw separatist movements in its own territory, and has struggled against a number of countries for legitimacy, even suing the U.S. for $25 billion for "unfair competition, harassment, [and] sabotage". |
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3. Kingdom of Lovely |
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| The first online micronation, it was founded by Danny Wallace as part of a comedy series on the BBC called "How to Start Your Own Country". The Kingdom's website has been shut down by the BCC, and only a number of forums and chats maintain the legacy of the Kingdom of Lovely. |
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2. Kugelmugel |
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| A former micronation in Vienna, Austria, Kugelmugel was founded in 1984 by artist Edwin Lipburger after he was denied a permit to build a ball-shaped house in the Austrian countryside. Lipburger did build the house, but was moved, along with the micronation of Kugelmugel, to a park in Vienna where the house was enclosed with barbed-wire fencing. Lipburger refused to pay taxes to the Austrian government and even began to print his own stamps, receiving a prison sentence that was later pardoned by the Austrian president. |
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1. Celestia |
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| Also known as the Nation of Celestial Space, this micronation was created by Illinois resident James Thomas Mangan in 1949 when he informed the U.S., the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United Nations that Celestia banned all atmospheric nuclear testing. As its name suggests, the micronation is located entirely in outer space, and was claimed in the name of humanity, according to Mangan, to ensure that no one country would establish political hegemony there. |
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Submitted by user: Eric T.
