The Micronations Page

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What are Micronations?

Micronations, microstates, imaginary countries, countercountries,
unrecognized nations, or ephemeral states, are all terms for countries
which have been declared independent by (usually eccentric) individuals or
small groups, but unlike other such attempts, fail to achieve widespread
diplomatic recognition. Many have only one inhabitant; others are larger.
Most seem to consist of a single Grand Poobah, with or without a coterie of
petits Poobahs. Talossa, however, counts over 50 citizens who have been
part of its wild multiparty political structure. And there are reportedly
20,000 people with Hutt River citizenship or honours--more than several
members of the UN!

In most cases, Micronation founders have declared dominion over land that
actually exists; often tiny, isolated islands, sometimes under several feet
of water. Like other countries, some of these nations have proclaimed
declarations of independence, adopted constitutions, sought diplomatic
recognition, sent out envoys extraordinary and ministers plenipotentiary,
displayed coats-of-arms, and issued stamps, passports, and currency.

There is a Usenet news group, alt.talk.hypothetical, which has been "taken
over" by folks interested in Micropatrology (the study of micronations). A
number of Micronation-oriented web sites exist, including one in French.

The best study of the Micronation 'movement' was written by Erwin S.
Strauss in 1984 and titled How To Start Your Own Country. This book
contains detailed descriptions of over 100 such countercountry projects,
with photographs of their rulers, passports, coins, paper money, and flags.
The book is available from Loompanics Unlimited (PO Box 1197, Port
Townshend, WA 98368, USA) and was last reported at $12.95. It can be
ordered through reputable bookstores.

The Micronations Page does not include "countries" which are explained at
length in the Strauss book, except in a few important cases; this Page can
be considered a "sequel" to Strauss.

Each Micronation listed below is rated from "1" to "5," in brackets (e.g.
{1}) according to the following tentative typology. (Please e-mail me at
talossa@execpc.com if you have any suggestions or corrections to make.)
Criteria I used when evaluating each Micronation were: Duration of its
existence, whether it had any publications, coverage in the news media, how
many people were involved, internet presence (either by having its own web
site or being referred to in some article on the web), whether or not it
announced its presence to government authorities. A few Micronations
operate as "governments in exile" with no formal territorial claims;
because of the lack of territorial claims these rank only as high as "4"
regardless of their other accomplishments.

   * {1} Obviously a joke; of temporary nature; 1 or 2 people involved; may
     concede "imaginary" status. If included, obviously "fictional"
     countries or rôle-playing games are coded here (or at {2} if they're
     elaborate enough).
   * {2} Serious joke; may seek serious Micronation status, but hasn't
     achieved it yet.
   * {3} Multiperson Micronation with publications and publicity but
     lacking long-term stability or other serious factors.
   * {4} Serious multiperson Micronation with widespread international
     publicity and/or demonstrated long-term stability.
   * {5} Long-term serious Micronation recognized or (more likely!) legally
     challenged by a 'real' country.

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                                  NOTICE:

Since opening The Micronations Page, I've received more than 100 requests
for inclusion by small self-proclaimed countries which have formed
primarily in reaction to seeing this page! While I appreciate being the
catalyst for so many people's imaginations, I also have to set some ground
rules for entry onto this page. (Why? Because it's my page and I say so.)

Starting immediately I will no longer include any more countries on this
page unless they meet certain minimal standards:

   + 1. The country must have been in existence at least one year.
   + 2. The country must have at least five distinct real-life human
     individuals as citizens.
   + 3. No anonymous or pseudonymous submissions will be accepted.
   + 4. Applications over the Internet and directions toward a web site
     will NOT be accepted. Snail-mail applications ONLY!!! (What gives?
     Well, there's a 'seriousness' factor. If you don't have the energy or
     the resources to pack some documentation on your country into an
     envelope and mail it to me, you don't have the energy or the resources
     to run a sovereign nation. It's that simple.)

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List of Known Micronations

If you know of any additions or corrections for the list below, and can
provide evidence of their existence, please e-mail me at talossa@execpc.com
and I will get you my snail-mail address. Contributions will be gratefully
acknowledged.

Sources are acknowledged where possible. How to Start Your Own Country, is
listed as "Strauss." Other sources include "SPJ" (an article "The State
Department's Kooky Kings File" in The Stevens Point Journal, 22 October
1986; thanks to Sandee Prachel for bringing this to my attention); "TPA" is
The People's Almanac, Volume 2. "HKT" is The History of the Kingdom of
Talossa, Vol. 1.

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Abaco {3}

This "free nation"--as its founder, Mike Oliver, a real estate developer
from Carson City, Nevada, calls it--is an island in the Bahamas, 170 miles
east of Florida with an area of 700 square miles. Oliver wrote a book about
his nation called A New Constitution for a New Country, but the other 6,500
Abaconians have yet to recognize Oliver as their king. He claims Abaconians
are "determined not to become another banana republic." (TPA)

Acre, Independent State of -- {5}

In 1899 Luis Galvez, a Spanish adventurer, founded the Independent State of
Acre in the area known today as the Brazilian state of Acre (then part of
Bolivia), with its capital at Puerto Alonso (now Porto Acre). Galvez
proclaimed himself "Emperor" and the Bolivian government hired some
Americans--the so-called "Bolivian Syndicate"--to chase him out. After
mulling over a declaration of war on Bolivia, meanwhile, the Brazilians
decided to expel both Galvez and the "Bolivian Syndicate" from the
territory and annex it themselves. They did so in 1901, but another leader
rose up named Jose Placido de Castro, who again proclaimed Acre independent
in 1902 and moved the capital to Xapuri. Brazil chased him out, bought off
the Bolivian government and the "Bolivian Syndicate" (to the tune of
2,110,000 Pounds Sterling) and annexed the territory again. It became a
Brazilian Federated State in 1962. (Information courtesy T. Daniel Aguiar.)

’ldaria, Empire of -- {2}

The ’ldarian Empire is an internet-based country that was established in
Texas in February of 1996. It claims a citizen base of "less than 50"
(though how much less isn't stated) and a non-citizen population of 10,000
"Vulgars" who don't know they're living in ’ldarian-claimed territory. The
founder and current ruler is Emperor Dale I, a.k.a. Dale Morris, who
supplied us the information and the link to his new country. In late 1996,
Morris applied for citizenship in the Kingdom of Talossa, so presumably
’ldaria's days are numbered; Morris became Prime Minister of Talossa in
April, 1997.

Akhzivland {4}

According to the LET'S GO travel guide to Israel published by Harvard
Student Agencies, Inc., there is "a self-proclaimed independent state"
called Akhzivland, founded in 1952 north of Nahariya close to the Lebanese
border, inside Israel. It was founded by a man called Eli Avivi, who will
stamp your passport with an "Akhzivland" entry visa. [Information courtesy
Rolf Palmberg.]

Alphistia {1}

Alphistia is an "imaginary country" created by Anthony W. Skaggs of New
York. It does not claim physical existence. Rather, it is more of a mental
exercise. However, Skaggs has produced an elaborate book on Alphistia,
Introduction to Alphistia, which gives details about the country's
geography, history, and society. The place names are vaguely Scandinavian
and the general feel is of a north-European welfare state with a left-wing
bent (strict gun control, Gay rights, ecumenical churches, a
socialistic-type economic system, and so forth). There is apparently a
developed Alphistian language. The book is quite attractive, with colour
flags and maps. Skaggs actively solicits comments and suggestions, and can
be reached at: Alphistia Project, c/o A.W. Skaggs, POB 818, New York, NY
10023.

L'Anse-St-Jean {3}

The town of L'Anse-St-Jean in the province of Quebec in Canada held a
referendum on January 21, 1997 to declare itself a "Municipal Monarchy."
The King of the town is Mr Denys Tremblay, a local artist who has been
commissioned to create the "symbols" of the Municipal Monarchy (crown,
throne, sceptre, etc.) The operation has received some press coverage,
notably in the Ottawa Sun. [Info courtesy Ken Reid-Smith]

Araucania and Patagonia, Kingdom of -- {5}

The Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia is not a country per se, but instead
is a sort of Government in Exile. According to its official history, a
Frenchman named Orelie-Antoine de Tounens arrived in Araucania (a region in
southern Chile and/or Argentina) on 22 August 1858 and settled in the
unexplored wilds of Araucania, where he made contact with local Indians and
on 17 November 1860, convinced them to proclaim him their King in accord
with some Indian prophecies. He claimed all lands south of the River
Bío-Bío (which amounted to the southern half of Chile) as a "Kingdom of New
France." He was arrested by Chilean authorities, and deported back to
France. Antoine I returned to lead a revolt against Chile, but in 1871 ran
out of money and went back to France where he wrote memoirs of his
exploits. After his death, various French pretenders arose to claim the
"throne" of Araucania and Patagonia, and in 1951 Prince Antoine III
abdicated in favour of the current monarch, Philippe of Araucania, born
1927. He visited his dominions in 1989. (See article in Am‚ricas, Vol. 42,
No. 5, 1990. A number of individuals have formed a society to keep the
dream alive of an independent Araucania and Patagonia. [Info courtesy Erwin
Wodarczak and Dan Morrison.]

'Art Countries' {1}

There is apparently a growing worldwide phenomenon of "art countries,"
groups of artists and other bohemian-types declaring their local artist
communities "independent countries." Several of them have come to my
attention, including the Artists' Republic of Fremont (in Seattle,
Washington), and a group in Slovenia called "Neue Slowenische Kunst" which
has its own passports and plans to issue its own currency and stamps.
Frankly I don't know how to characterize these "art countries," but since
the whole point of being an artist is to grab as much publicity for one's
self as one can, I will give them as little publicity as possible.

Atlantis {3}

The oldest Micronation may be "Atlantis," which was born on some islands
off Ecuador in 1933. Someone was once caught trying to enter the U.S. at El
Paso, Texas, using an Atlantis passport. This may be the same country
listed in Strauss, p. 65, as "Atlantis And Lemuria," a principality or
empire which used Esperanto on its official seal. (SPJ)

Borovnia {5}

The Kingdom of Borovnia was the invention of two teenage girls in 1950's
New Zealand. They were best friends, and created an elaborate story life
around Borovnia. They took their fantasy country too far, and ended up
murdering the mother of one of the girls. When the girls went to trial, the
tales of "Borovnia" were among the evidence presented in court. The story
was retold in 1994 in Peter Jackson's film, "Heavenly Creatures." There is
a web site devoted to the film which presents more information about
Borovnia and its murderous inhabitants. [Information courtesy Adam Abrams.]

Breckenridge {5}

Surveyors in early Colorado mistakenly left off the town of Breckenridge,
CO, from their description of the western United States. Breckenridge
declared itself a Kingdom and celebrates this fact every year. The town
logo calls itself "Colorado's Kingdom." No further information is
available; if anyone can help us out we'd appreciate it! [Info courtesy
Mark Beluscak]

Cascadia, Commonwealth of -- {2}

On Tuesday, 16 July 1996, Governor General (and The Hon. Rev.) Joshua
Nakashima of Seattle, Washington, declared the existence of a Commonwealth
of Cascadia. Nakashima, a knight of the Hutt River Province (q.v.) was fed
up with Hutt River's increasingly unabashed commercialism and the fact that
power in Hutt River had shifted away from the original Huttians to a cabal
of financiers in Brisbane at the opposite end of Australia. To restore the
original Huttian ethos, Nakashima (and perhaps some supporters) founded
Cascadia and appointed him "Premier-for-time-being."

Castellania, Principality of -- {3}

The Principality of Castellania (Fürstentum Castellania) was created by
"Prince Ralph I" and a group of disenchanted Austrians on 17 February 1974.
Its location, somewhere in the South Pacific, was kept secret. According to
one of its leaders, "Castellania is more a state of mind." The country
seems to have been a straight-forward money-making operation, and sold
citizenships for $145. (SPJ, Strauss 82)

Christiania {5}

In 1971 a group of hippies stormed an abandoned army base in Copenhagen,
Denmark, and proclaimed a "Free State of Christiania." The area maintains
an uneasy truce with the Danish government and was officially recognized as
a "social experiment" in 1987. One resident compares it to a "hippie
museum" and it is reportedly inhabited by "pony-tailed men, bare-footed
women and wild vegetation." Public nudity is common and marijuana
flourishes openly. The 84-acre enclave reportedly is home to 760 adults,
250 children, 150 dogs and 14 horses. The main drag (no pun intended) is
Pusher Street. Community decisions are made at "general meetings" and 75%
of Christiania's inhabitants mooch off the Danish government receiving
unemployment cheques or some other form of public assistance despite their
"independence." The Free State has promised to crack down on "hardened
criminals" but only since 1979. [Info courtesy Dave Cohoe]

Conch Republic {5}

In July of 1982, the US Border Patrol set up a military-style roadblock on
the Overseas Highway in Key West, Florida, where all northbound traffic was
stopped and searched for illegal aliens and drugs. The ensuing
well-publicized traffic jam effectively stymied Key West's tourism
industry. Mayor Dennis Wardlow, along with five local businessmen, hatched
a scheme to save the Key West economy. The "Conch Republic" was created,
declaring its independence and war on the United States, and then
immediately surrendering and applying for foreign aid. The roadblock was
discontinued, and the economy was saved. Today, the tradition of the Conch
Republic revolution continues with a yearly celebration, and appointment of
various Conch Ambassadors. The country has an (unofficial?) web site, and
further information is available there, including a free e-zine.

Coralland, United Kingdom of -- {2}

A citizen of the United Kingdom of Coralland wrote a letter to the US State
Department, dated 29 August 1986, seeking to register as a foreign agent in
the United States. No further information is available. (SPJ)

Crowsnest Pass, Principality of -- {3}

When a dam project diverted a river on the British Columbia-Alberta border,
somebody decided that since the border followed the watershed, when the
river changed course from the Atlantic to the Pacific watershed, the border
should change. When the Canadian government made no official announcement,
he decided to declare the land between the "old" and "new" borders a new
country, the Principality of Crowsnest Pass. If anyone can provide us with
any information about this secession, please e-mail us. [Thanks to Erwin
Wodarczak for this information.]

Cryonica, Principality of -- {4}

The Principality of Cryonica was set up on New Year's Day, 1994, in Iron
County, Utah. It also claims some territory in California, and Antarctica.
It claims to be the "33rd member of the International Council of
Independent States," and claims diplomatic relations with three other
states. The country's stated purpose is "ensuring that none of the nation's
12 fully registered citizens/nationals ever die." The country is preparing
its citizens to spend eternity in suspended animation! It claims to have
200 citizens currently frozen, and also claims "any and all non-terrestrial
life forms in the solar system, and all proto-sentient species (a.k.a.
apes, dolphins, etc.)" Though it calls itself a Principality, its head of
state is King Jay M. Carlisle III (who sent us this information).

Cuervo Gold: Republic of -- {3}

Apparently the Jos‚ Cuervo Tequila company bought an island in the
Caribbean and declared it to be an independent nation on 27 January 1996.
They have a website. The website makes it look like this is all an
advertising gimmick, but other reports indicate that the venture is real.
[Information courtesy Marc Fraioli]

Dutch Geo Fiction Association

The Dutch Geo Fiction Association (GvG) is headquartered in the
Netherlands. It was founded in 1984 and currently claims some 40 members,
who have either created "fictional" countries or are simply interested in
the phenomenon of "fictional" countries. There is an apparent distinction
between Micronations (which actually claim some sovereignty, however phony)
and Geo Fictions, whose creators admit are completely imaginary. The GvG's
web site has additional information on the group and its objectives, along
with the names of several member countries. Much of the information is in
Dutch, but there are some English translation.

Ederingrijk der Vrieslanden {1}

Ken Nathanson of Canada reports the existence of the "Ederingrijk der
Vrieslanden," on an island off Holland in the North Sea which seceded in
1982 and later proclaimed itself "the world's second Jewish state." I am
dubious about the actual existence of the Ederingrijk and suspect it is Mr.
Nathanson's attempt to get his name into this page.

Elgaland and Vargaland, Kingdoms of -- {3}

Elgaland and Vargaland is a long-running micronation based in Sweden. They
have a home page, which lists over 160 citizens. The country claims all
territory located between other independent states, which includes all
ocean waters beyond territorial limits. [Thanks to Gregory A. Tisher for
this reference.]

Erinton, Democracy of -- {1}

Leigh Creighton, "The Great Emporer [sic] Genghis Khan the Semi-Sane,"
declared a "Democracy of Erinton" in February of 1996. It consists of a
12x12' area in Tucson, Arizona. It seems to have been an attempt to get his
name on this page.

Fira, People's Republic of -- {1}

Fira was founded by Fr‚d‚ric Maugey, a friend of Talossa's King Robert I,
at his home in Rueil-Malmaison, near Paris, France, in November 1981.
Originally located behind "a door nobody has ever seen" in Maugey's
bedroom, early Fira claimed a population of 111,000 ruled over by imaginary
generals. Fira joined Talossa on 6 August 1982 in annexing some small
islands off the coast of Brittany. Major changes occurred on 30 August 1982
when Maugey formally relocated Fira in his bedroom and named himself
"President for Life" and head of the "Supreme Soviet of the People's
Republic of Fira." A convoluted government flow-chart was issued in
October. Fira joined the League of Secessionist States in January of 1983,
but Maugey, who had also been granted Talossan citizenship, concentrated
thereafter on Talossan politics and Fira disappeared.

Freedonia, Kingdom of -- {2}

Freedonia was established in Philadelphia, PA (USA) in December of 1995,
and has a political system strongly reminiscent of Great Britain. It
defines itself as "a nation of people committed to creating a viable place
where we and our children can live and prosper economically and with mutual
civic freedoms." The King, Brett I (born 30 June 1962), has a veto. There
are numerous jobs and positions named in the country's official web page,
and there are at least two other citizens. Certain phrases in the wording
of the web page indicate that the country was inspired, at least in part,
by the Kingdom of Talossa (q.v.). [Thanks to Mark Hamilton of Talossa for
this information.]

Frobnia, People's Republic of -- {1}

According to information provided by San Serriffe's (q.v.) home page, the
People's Republic of Frobnia was founded in April of 1994, by some people
from Ohio who invaded Florida and took over a place north of Tampa "which
exuded precious Slack." The country claims an ancient history dating back
to 1725. Its "current benevolent dictator" is identified only as
President-For-Life Rev. Gypsy Joker, KSC, IM, Earl of 5's, who lives in
Holiday, Florida. He can be reached by e-mail.

Garabond, Independent State of -- {1}

In 1991, inspired by reading Strauss's book How to Start Your Own Country,
Gregory Tisher, a high-school freshman, declared his house and yard the
Independent State of Garabond (IS-G), under a Grand Duchess with Tisher as
Minister of State and de facto ruler. He designed a Great Seal and a
Charter of Government, and made plans for other trinkets of state before
losing interest. His friends created an Empire of Howieland (which
conquered German classroom desks on a daily basis with the mantra "1-2-3-4
I declare a lightning war--Blitzkrieg!") and a Kingdom of Wolf. [Thanks to
Greg Tisher for this information.]

Glennsylvania: Principality of -- {2}

Marc Desmond reports that in 1967 or 1968 he had a blind date with a girl
who claimed that for the previous 10 years or so she had been a citizen and
noble of the Principality of Glennsylvania, founded by a friend of hers
named (of course) Glenn. The country would have been formed in the mid- to
late- 1950's. It claimed sovereignty over his back yard and some adjacent
woodland. Desmond recalls there were four "real" citizens and several
imaginary ones. If any of our readers can provide further information on
this Microstate, please e-mail us. [Information courtesy Marc Desmond.]

Glib Room Empire, The -- {1}

The Glib Room was founded by Gary Cone in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in
September 1980. Its flag was green with the runic letter "G" in the canton;
its anthem was Abba's Waterloo. Glib Room was founded in imitation of
Talossa (q.v.) and was located in Cone's bedroom (plus a colony in his
basement). In November 1980 the country was defeated in a humiliating war
with Talossa, after Cone defaced the Talossan King's garage with black
printer's ink. Cone's mother forced him to scrub off the ink in the middle
of a snowstorm. He later signed a peace treaty acknowledging his defeat.
After these so-called "Cone Wars," humiliating conditions were set for Cone
to enter the League of Secessionist States (q.v.) but he never joined. Glib
Room and Talossa opened diplomatic relations on 17 January 1981, but the
Glib Room and its "Grand Owl" Cone faded. Cone resurfaced in 1982 to
proclaim a "Confederation of One," but this disappeared sometime before
1986. Cone again reappeared on 12 August 1986 with yet another new nation,
the Kingdom of Litheria, in a rooming house in what was now Maritiimi
Province, Talossa. He threatened to declare war on Talossa for occupying
his country, but in September 1986 Cone moved out of Talossa and Litheria
evaporated for good. (HKT)

Hay-on-Wye {4}

Hay-on-Wye is a market town of 1,500 people on the Welsh-English border.
Home of the Cusop- Dingle snail and the badger-faced sheep, Hay has in
recent years seen its traditional ways and centuries-old buildings
threatened by London bureaucrats and the creeping spread of chain stores.
In the face of this attack, Hay resident Richard Booth, owner of the
world's largest used-book store, declared himself King Richard I of Hay on
1 April 1977. King Richard has proven himself to be a rather mellow
monarch, declaring that in Hay, "There must be no authority from anyone.
Long live Anarchy! Prosperity to the People!" The new nation supports
itself by selling dukedoms (25 l.) and earldoms (5 l.), as well as T-shirts
and tote bags. As of 1996, King Richard is still around. He can be reached
at: Booth Books, Hay Castle, Hay-on-Wye, UK. [TPA; current info courtesy
Caius Hawkins.]

Heaven: Embassy of -- {4}

This is apparently a "Christian Identity" (racist anti-Semitic gun-totin'
survivalist) church which refuses to acknowledge the legality of the
government of the United States. They have, or had, a website, which I have
been unable to access. According to reports the group issues its own
licence plates and participates in survivalist gun shows.

Houtbaai/Hout Bay {5}

Houtbaai (Hout Bay), a left-wing artist colony town near Capetown, South
Africa and "a notorious haven for liberals," seceded from South Africa to
protest that country's racial policies. The town declared itself a republic
and vowed never to rejoin South Africa until Apartheid was abolished. The
town apparently had some legal basis for this half-serious move under SA
law. It issued passports which White South Africans used to visit
neighboring countries which did not recognize SA passports. Presumably,
since the election of Nelson Mandela, this "Republic" has ceased to be, but
their very attractive and professional passports are still for sale.
[Information courtesy Drew Chilton, Norman Sandfield, Hannes Marais.]

Hutt River Province Principality {5}

Wheat farmer (now Prince) Leonard George Casley founded this Micronation on
18,500 acres of land in Western Australia, 350 miles from Perth, in 1970,
after Australia imposed a wheat quota he couldn't live with. The country
now issues stamps and currency of its own devising. The principality's main
business is serving tourists. The holiday commemorating the Anniversary of
the Secession is held on 21 April. While Prince Leonard remains its head of
state, business is conducted by the Prince Regent, Prince Kevin. Hutt River
Province is beyond a doubt the world's most profitable Micronation.
Attempts by Talossa to establish diplomatic relations have been answered by
a barrage of stamp catalogues and offers to sell us ambassadorships and
titles of nobility, but a vast amount of information is available at the
Hutt River Province web pages, which are currently being rewritten. (Any
good search engine will point you to the latest information on Hutt River
Province). Because of all its commercialism, there has been a recent (July,
1996) schism; see "Cascadia," above, and according to Peter Armour, there
has recently been a coup d'‚tat of some sort following the rumoured death
of Prince Kevin in 1996, and all honours and titles bestowed by him have
been revoked. We cannot confirm this, however.

Identidem de Lati {2}

Inspired (at least in part) by the saga of Talossa, on 22 February 1996
Thomas Rigo Haug announced that the Empire of Identidem de Lati was
planning to declare independence on 21 April 1996, with himself as Emperor
Thomas I. Its land area was estimated at 24.57 square metres, but this will
"drastically increase" at some future date. The location is somewhere on or
near the American East Coast. The country's flag is a deep blue field with
a green saltire, bearing the country's seal; the motto is Semper Fortis,
Semper Placatus" (always strong, always peaceful). Latin is the official
language although English, German and Spanish are "accepted." As promised,
on 21 April 1996, Identidem de Lati formally declared independence and
opened a web site. The country has an elaborate system of government
involving elections, separation of powers, etc., all currently staffed by
one person; but Haug is soliciting new citizens.

Imperial Jahn Empire (KJK) {1}

John Jahn, a high school friend of the King of Talossa (q.v.) and of
somewhat Nazi leanings at the time, set up the Imperial Jahn Empire or
Kaiserliches Jahn Königreich (KJK) on 25 November 1980. It had a red, white
and black flag with Third Reich overtones which combined the letter "J"
with a swastika. The next day the KJK joined the League of Secessionist
States (LOSS; q.v). It was reported on 7 January 1981 that the KJK was
"dead." Jahn became a Talossan citizen in early 1983 and after moderating
considerably, served that nation with distinction.

Japanese Micronations {3}

In the book 283 Useful Ideas from Japan by Leonard Koren, there is a
listing of "independent kingdoms" set up in Japan as marketing ploys &
publicity stunts. Letters to the addresses have been either returned, or
answered with notices that the "countries" are no longer in operation. Some
of these "countries" include Hoshinokuni ("Star Country"), a 950-unit condo
whose developer made it an independent country to foster a sense of
community. It now has a president, a foreign minister (to deal with
surrounding lands), an information ministry, and treaties with local
retailers for discounts. Jipangu-koku, Aizu, Ashinomaki-han in Fukushima
Prefecture functions like a kingdom of two hundred years ago, when this was
a well-known city. Now all six hundred residents dress in samurai garb and
play their part--all day, every day. The Republic of Nikko Nikko came into
being to reclaim tourists after the high-speed bullet train passed the town
by. Over forty-two days 20 million yen was spent to "open" the nation, with
games, sports events, and merchandising of souvenirs. The gas station
became the Arabian Embassy, the striptease joint became the National Dance
Theater, and the plumber became the Chief of Industrial Technology; tourism
and business have boomed since "independence." Survival Country in Akita
offers a primitive experience and a lodge with no gas, water or
electricity. Manga Kingdom in Nagano is devoted to comics (manga). Its
Royal Nap Library is for dosing while reading. Artists are honorary
ministers.

Most of Japan's growing assortment of "independent" nations have their own
passports and currencies. They have now formed a union to help each other
devise ways of exploiting the marketing opportunities their status
presents. The success of this kind of promotion is underscored by
Hoshinokuni's experience. The town's initial investment was a single
banner, but all the attendant free publicity offered by the media is
estimated to have been worth 1.3 billion Yen. The guidebook offers tips on
how to enjoy the country. If you buy a passport, stores will stamp it with
a "visa" when you make a purchase. A stamp qualifies you as a sweepstakes
entrant. [Information courtesy Steven F. Scharff]

Justus Township {5}

One of a growing number of "sovereign" right-wing communities is Justus
Township, located near Jordan, Montana. According to a CNN Online report
dated 26 March 1996, a group of ranchers who went out of business in the
1980's, led by LeRoy Schweitzer, have formed a society called the
"Freemen." They don't believe in the legitimacy of the US Government, and
refuse to pay taxes or even renew their drivers' licences. They have
proclaimed "Justus Township" (pronounced 'justice') an independent
"country," with its own laws and courts, and have threatened to kill anyone
who gets in their way. Schweitzer has been arrested for various fraud
schemes, and in June of 1996 the entire "country" was arrested by the Feds.
This group was obviously a money-making scheme, but in many ways resembled
the Branch Davidian outfit at Waco, Texas, which blew itself up some years
back. The Waco group reportedly flew its own flag and claimed "sovereign"
rights. Even a hobby like Micronationalism has its deadly fringe.
[Information courtesy Sean D. Hert]

Koneuwe {3}

In the 1970's Koneuwe attracted the attention of print media and TV in the
German-speaking countries of Europe. Located somewhere in an apartment and
garden in Switzerland, Koneuwe ("KOmmunistisch NEUtral WEstlich"--Communist
Neutral Western) was an attempt to escape the cold war, which in those days
threatened to become very hot. The Republic of Koneuwe claimed to be
"nuclear free" and was ruled by a President; its flag was diagonal stripes
of red, white and blue (like the French flag, rotated) and did business by
selling passports. There were reportedly more than 100 bearers of a Koneuwe
passport. Little else is known. [Info courtesy Dieter Hamm.]

KugelMugel {3}

A Finnish magazine reports the existence of a Micronation called
"KugelMugel," which is located in Vienna, Austria, near a huge amusement
park. On the site there is a house shaped in a perfect sphere ("Kugel" is
"sphere" in German), and that is where the leader of KugelMugel lives. The
country issues passports to its citizens. [Source: Sami Laitala, of
Tampere, Finland.]

Laputa {2}

Apparently organized by Werner Heise of München, Bavaria, Laputa claims to
be located on the (apparently imaginary) North Pacific island of that name
'discovered' by Lemuel Gulliver in the novel Gulliver's Travels. It claims
dominion over the whole northern hemisphere. Its ruler is President Roman
Bold, "President of the Provisional Laputian Revolutionary Council." The
country fought a war with San Serriffe (q.v.), which unconditionally
surrendered. Laputa defines its government as a "pornocracy" (la puta in
Spanish means "the whore") and there are several Dr. Strangelove references
in the country's propaganda (Laputa was the primary target for the
ill-fated bomber mission in the film). The country recently refused to join
the League of Secessionist States.

League of Secessionist States (LOSS)

Not a Micronation per se, the LOSS was an attempt to unite all existing
Micronations into a common front against so-called reality. The LOSS was a
pact between the Kingdom of Talossa, the Kingdom of Thord, and the Imperial
Jahn Empire, mostly to oppose the Glib Room Empire but also to promote
"World Singular Secession," at that time the official ideology of Talossa.
It proclaimed that "world peace" would arise when all people seceded from
their home countries and created "a world of 10,000,000,000 nations." After
January of 1981, when the Imperial Jahn Empire died and Thord went
inactive, the LOSS was shelved, but it was revived in January of 1983 as a
pact between Talossa and Fira. This evolved into a "Miniature Alliance and
Treaty Organization" (MATO) but when Fira expired later that year, so did
the LOSS/MATO. The organization remained dormant until 1996 when it was
revived by several Micronations which had separately established a presence
on the Internet. At present the LOSS has half a dozen member states.

League of Unrecognized Nations (LUN)

Of similar purpose to the earlier LOSS, the League of Unrecognized Nations
was an attempt to unite or at least identify all Micronations in a common
front. The LUN was the brainchild of San Serriffe's James A. Archer and
apparently was created in 1995; as of July 1996, it was defunct. The LUN
did not allow countries to join it unless they promised "not [to] recognize
any non-member nations." This kept secessionist states with serious
pretentions from affiliating with the LUN, since that would prevent them
from recognizing, say, the United States.

Madawaska, Republic of -- {5}

The sovereign "Republic of Madawaska" or "R‚publique de Madawaska," has its
capital in Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada. Madawaska is a border region
between New Brunswick, Qu‚bec, and Maine, whose status was supposedly
settled in 1842 by a treaty between the US and Britain. However, residents
adopted the unofficial territory, with its own dialect and flag, as their
Republic. La Foire brayonne," a festival from late July to early August,
honours the Republic. If anyone can provide more information on Madawaska,
such as when it began its secession, please email me! [Thanks to Michael A.
Chaplin for this information.]

Mingovia {2}

Mingovia (for "MINimum GOVernment") seems to be another
Libertarian-inspired model country, like Oceania, below. [Link courtesy C.
David Eagle.]

Minerva, Republic of -- {5}

Established in 1972 by a declaration of sovereignty by a group of
Californians, this Micronation claims dominion over two coral reefs 17
miles apart in the South Pacific--although they disappear at high tide.
Minerva (nicknamed "the Land of the Rising Atoll") is some 3,400 miles
southwest of Honolulu and 915 miles northeast of Auckland, New Zealand.
President Morris C. "Bud" Davis, a former project engineer with North
American Rockwell, runs his domain from the living room of his suburban
home in Gustine, California. Originally the plan was to attract a
population of 60,000 to a fancy sea resort, called Sea City, which was to
be constructed on the reefs, where residents would have "no taxation,
welfare, subsidies, or any other form of economic interventionism." Since
the main income was to be from the registration of international cargo
ships, the Sea City project foundered for lack of funds. A ship was,
however, purchased to carry sand out to the homeland for "a major landfill
project." Minerva also had a political skirmish with the Republic of Tonga
over ownership of the reefs that nearly led to war. When Davis made his
original claim by building a small stone tower on one reef, with a flasher
on it and the Minervan flag (a torch on a blue field), King Taufa'ahau
Tupou IV set sail from Tonga 200 miles to the northeast aboard the ship
Olovaba with the 100-man Tonga Defence Force (they are recruited from among
prisoners). They tore down the flag and read a Tongan proclamation of
sovereignty. Said Davis, "We can't for the life of us understand why the
king should suddenly decide he wants the reefs." While Minerva remains
uninhabited, the conflict is dormant. (TPA)

Monvainia {1}

A "Lord Yankot Treusduk Akerwitz" who wishes to remain anonymous and his
brother invented the Empire of Monvainia in 1972 in the back seat of their
parents' station wagon during a trip across the US. They did not declare
independence until 1974, when they lived in California. A constitution was
written, dated 7 May 1976, which proclaimed Monvainia a "wonderland." In
1996 "Akerwitz" reported 35 citizens. "My memoirs as the first and only
Emporer [sic] of Monvainia are sitting in a box awaiting the time to
actually write it," he states.

Morac-Songhrati-Meads, Republic of -- {3}

This Micronation has its capital on Meads Island in the South China Sea, an
island not marked in standard atlases. In 1914 Franklin M. Meads proclaimed
the "Kingdom of Humanity" and named Willis Alva Bryant "King Willi." King
Willi was later reported drowned in a hurricane. Since 1954, Franklin's
grandson Morton has run the "Monarchical Republic of Morac-Songhrati-Meads"
and claimed all territory in a 700-mile sweep of water between the
Philippines and Vietnam. Its government renamed these waters the Humanity
Sea and threatened to confiscate an oil rig set up by the Shell Oil
Company. Any person making claims on property of the republic risks the
death penalty. The national flag is yellow and black with two figs in a
white star, the national anthem is Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, and the
motto is "Conscience, Intelligence, Courage, Principia Non Homines." (TPA,
SPJ, Strauss 147)

Mosquito Shore and Nation {5}

The US State Department's "Ephemeral States" file contains a reference to a
Mosquito Shore and Nation, on the east coast of Central America. No further
information is available. This may or may not refer to an episode in the
area's history which began in the 17th century, when the east coast of
Nicaragua was colonized by English fishermen and loggers who had allied
with the local tribes; the English encouraged the Miskito Indians to crown
a king and declare independence under an English protectorate which lasted
until the Brits were expelled to Belize after the American Revolution. In
1840 the UK landed and re-established its protectorate but renounced all
claims after negotiations with the US. More than a century later, during
Nicaragua's period of Sandinista rule, the Miskito Indians, led by Brooklyn
Rivera, declared their independence again, basing their claim on the fact
they were colonized by England rather than Spain and many of them speak an
English creole. It has been reported that Rivera and the Miskitos have
since made up with the Nicaraguan government. (SPJ; John Cowan; James
Ervin)

Navassa Island

This is a one-square-mile island 32 miles west of Haiti, in the direction
of Jamaica, whose coast consists of 60-foot cliffs. The US Coast Guard
claims responsibility for it, but David P. Billington declared himself
King, and maintains a web site for Navassa Island. There is also a
constitution for the country, but it makes no provision for royalty.
(Strauss 109; information from David Billington.)

New Australia {5}

"New Australia" was the brainchild of William Lane, an English-born
Australian journalist and 1,000 of his followers, who believed that people
with high ideals could create a perfectly equal society if removed from
corrupting influences. To that end, Lane's "New Australian Co-Operative
Settlement Association" managed to obtain 400,000 acres of free land from
the government of Paraguay on which to build their utopian settlement,
which began development around 1892. But internal conflicts, exacerbated by
Lane's authoritarian sense of what was right, doomed the colony, which
began to break up. In 1894 Lane attempted a second utopian settlement,
"Cosme," 20 miles away. But by 1899 Lane had gone back to journalism.
(Information from Chronicle of Australia, 1993 [Chronicle Australasia Pty
Ltd, Victoria]; thanks to Evan Gallagher.)

Nikhedonia {2}

Somewhere in or around Montr‚al, Qu‚bec, the Kingdom of Nikhedonia declared
independence in mid-1996. They have a web site. Nikhedonia is one of
several micronations formed in Canada since the Montr‚al Gazette featured
an article about the Kingdom of Talossa (q.v.) and the micronation
movement.

Nova Arcadia {2}

The Principality of Nova Arcadia was founded on 1 April 1995 "as a peaceful
schism from the Free Territory of Ely-Chatelaine." The Principality exists
"as a means of re-establishing the grace, chivalry, and elegance of the
older orders, without their tyranny and oppression." They have a website.
[Information courtesy Steven F. Scharff]

Nutopia {1}

According to the liner notes for his album "Mind Games," ex-Beatle John
Lennon founded the "conceptual country" of Nutopia on April Fool's Day,
1973. This was in the midst of his legal troubles with the U.S. immigration
authorities, and he declared himself a citizen of Nutopia, claimed
diplomatic immunity, and demanded a seat at the U.N. According to Lennon,
Nutopia was a country without borders or passports, and citizenship could
be obtained "by declaration of your awareness of NUTOPIA." The country had
no laws except for "cosmic" ones. The album also contains the Nutopian
International Anthem, which consists of three seconds of silence.
[Information courtesy Michael S. Carpenter.]

Oceania {4}

Some Libertarians decided to form Oceania in February 1993, after one of
them lost a race for State Senate in Nevada. Eric Klien, her campaign
manager, claimed fraud but was met by "death threats and intimidation by
goons." (Which in Libertarian lingo probably means a census taker came
within a mile of his house.) Klien "gave up on the U.S." at that point and
floated the plan for Oceania, an artificial Caribbean island 50 miles north
of Panama in a supposedly hurricane-proof zone, which could be a new
sovereign nation and "capitalist paradise." The project collapsed in April
of 1994 but was recently revived. Once the country is built, it will be a
Libertarian haven for drug-abusers, tax-evaders and whoever else wants to
live there. Taxation and zoning laws will be banned. Somehow,
"majority-rule" will be outlawed as well, though people can be punished by
exile. Oceania is named for the totalitarian country in Orwell's 1984,
though it claims to hold different ideals. There are a number of (fairly
slow) Oceania-related web sites. The official one is http://oceania.org/.
[Info courtesy Erwin Wodarczak.]

Oceanus {3}

This is the world's largest Micronation, taking up all the seas of the
world beyond national 3-mile limits. It includes, for example, the
Mediterranean, but not the Suez and Panama Canals. Chief Executive and
self-styled Admiral of Oceanus, Ed Welles, of Manset, Maine, plans to
patrol his empire with PT boats and submarines abetted by a small air
force. Income, as with Minerva (q.v.), would come from international ship
registration. This cannot begin, however, until all the nations of the
world agree to give Ed Welles sovereignty over the seas. As for his
nation's legal status, Welles asks, "Look, how does any government start
out? Somebody says, 'Pay me taxes,' and he's in business. The U.S.A. said,
'We exist,' and the country was born. In 1970 eight people said, 'We are,'
and there was Oceanus.'" Welles issues passports intended to end the
problems of stateless persons, because anyone can get one, but there has
been no official recognition. Oceanus also issues amateur radio
broadcasting licences and hopes the Federal Communications Commission will
object, because "if they give us any flak, they are recognizing us." Welles
runs his empire from a 93-foot sailing schooner, which also serves as
Oceanus' supreme court building in which he has charged oil companies with
polluting his territory with spills. All nations are welcome, Welles says,
to participate in the laws of the Oceanus constitution for the rule of the
seas. (TPA)

Patria {1}

Patria is an imaginary country, created in 1973/74 by Michael Brooker of
Ontario, Canada. It does not claim to actually exist; it is more a mental
exercise. There is an elaborate constitution, political parties, and so
forth; the country has a vague "claim" on the Spratly Islands (see
Morac-Songhrati-Meads, above) but its author, a convert to Hinduism, states
that "if I had to put it on a map, it would most likely be in Central Asia,
the alleged home of the Indo-European speakers."

Piotr {1}

The existence of Piotr (which means "Peter" in Russian) was revealed in a
letter from Fr‚d‚ric Maugey (see Fira) to Talossa's King Robert I dated 8
February 1983. The new Micronation was run by Maugey's cousin, Vincent
Jacob, and was probably located somewhere in France. No further information
is available.

Port Colice, Commonwealth of -- {3}

A union between two undeclared micronations, the Province of Worthington in
Maryland and the Massachusetts-based Associated Realms, Port Colice
declared independence on 18 August 1996, and distributed its Declaration of
Independence by hand to seventeen embassies in Washington, D.C., the same
day. The country includes Americans, Britons, Canadians, and New Zealanders
among their citizens, have declared English, French, and Classical Chinese
as official languages, claim to have had "unofficial talks with the French
government," and have applied for representation in the UN. Elections are
scheduled for November, 1996. Port Colice is a member of the League of
Secessionist States.

Porto Claro, Kingdom of -- {2}

The controversial Kingdom of Porto Claro (o Reino do Porto Claro) claims
territory in a very small town (Porto Claro) on the border between Brazil
and French Guyana, at the mouth of the Oiapoque river. The country was
created in 1992 by a group of high school students from Rio de Janeiro, led
by Pedro Aguiar. Porto Claro was founded as a kind of political
rôle-playing game, with a fictional history going back to 1900 when (they
maintain) a declaration of independence was issued; the country claimed a
population of 10,000 of which more than 100 are "main characters." There
are supposedly about 20 people who participate in Porto Claro's multiparty
democracy, but other sources indicate there are really only three or four.
The Kingdom has established its own web site. Recently, a second web site
was set up. In 1997 Porto Claro went through some domestic political and
emotional turmoil, and the country may be attempting to reform itself in
the direction of a "real" micronation rather than a rôle-playing fiction.
It has received some publicity in the Brazilian press. Citizens of Porto
Claro use fictitious names; for instance the founder, Pedro Aguiar, goes by
the name of Telêmaco Daniel Aguiar.

Riesenguthland-Ellermark, Kingdom of -- {3}

The Kingdom of Riesenguthland-Ellermark declared its independence from
Germany on 18 November 1988 under the absolute rule of King Tosti (a.k.a.
Torsten Ott). The country lists around 30 citizens and claims small patches
of land in and around Düsseldorf, Germany. KRE issues passports and an
irregular online newspaper, and has maintained a web site since October
1995. The country is an absolute monarchy, and its King recently
successfully advertised for a new queen. In 1996 it joined the League of
Secessionist States.

Reach {3}

According to a clipping from an English newspaper ca. mid-1967, Len Warren
of Reach, a town in Cambridgeshire, declared independence that year as part
of an effort to promote Radio Caroline, one of England's offshore "pirate"
(unauthorized) radio stations (see "Sealand," below). "King Len" declared
independence and offered sanctuary to the radio pirates, claiming that King
John granted the village independence in 1201 and "secured for ever" its
boundaries. Len, a member of the parish and rural councils, invited the
crew of Radio Caroline to start broadcasting from Reach because he wanted a
showdown with the British government: "With a pirate station here, they
would have to debate my claims." Nothing further is known. [Info courtesy
Chris Edwards of London, England.]

Rob Hart's Countries (CSA, URR, UPOU) {3}

Rob Hart and a number of friends from Pennsylvania and possibly elsewhere
have been confusingly prolific when it comes to founding micronations. I
include all these projects under "Rob Hart's Countries" not to belittle
them, but simply because I don't want to have multiple entries devoted to
the same group of people.

Rob Hart and friends declared some land around Richmond, Virginia (former
capital of the 1861-1865 Confederate States of America) as a revival of the
old Confederacy on 15 August 1995, with micronation status. The country's
flag was taken from that of the old Confederacy, and the Jeff Davis CSA
constitution was restored (though "edited so that things like slavery were
removed"). There were several political parties, including Dixiecrats,
Communists, Greens and Nazis. The country claimed some land around
Richmond, VA, plus Truk and a number of other islands in the Pacific. On 7
August 1996 it fused with two other micronation projects (the United
Provinces of Utopia, and SPAM) into the Union of Ruritarian Republics
(URR), which described itself as a "formerly fictitious nation" and had a
web page explaining its history and objectives. The country claimed 30
citizens and bits of land scattered around the world from Pacific islands
to Kaliningrad Oblast in Russia. On 8 January 1997 Rob Hart and other
socialist members of the URR seceded (effectively killing off the URR) and
reorganized the United Provinces of Utopia (UPOU). They claim a population
of 16 and have a web page.

Rough and Ready {5}

On 7 April 1850 Colonel E.F. Brundage proclaimed the independence of the
Great Republic of Rough and Ready in a California gold mining town of that
name, about 100 km northeast of Sacramento. The 3,000 miners in town were
supposedly citizens of the Great Republic, which enacted its own laws and
elected its own officers, including Brundage as President. After twelve
weeks, the inhabitants tired of being an independent republic and threw in
the towel; they rejoined the union on the Fourth of July. There is still an
annual celebration of "Secession Days." Not much else is known about this
micronation, and further info would be greatly appreciated. [The Milwaukee
Journal, 10 August 1990]

Rumbiana {2}

In an e-mail message dated 2 March 1996, Alessandro Roscini of the
Repubblica Rumbiana Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the existence of
his country, apparently based in Italy. The country claimed to be a "member
of the ICIS--International Council of Independent States, and is in the
process of being evaluated by the Council of Oneiric Nations." More
information as it becomes available.

San Serriffe: Frobnian Territory of -- {2}

The Frobnian Territory of San Serriffe claimed territories in Arizona, as
well as an ancient history involving Mbooky-Mvookies and the Justified
Ancients of Mu-Mu. It was created on 14 June 1995 when Major General James
A. Archer (who was an Ambassador from Frobnia; see above) and an army of
invisible people declared that they had conquered the cities of Chandler
and Gilbert, Arizona, and set up San Serriffe. According to the country's
very professional home page, government offices were staffed by several
imaginary people. Archer could be reached by e-mail but rarely answered
requests for further information, and by July of 1996 had changed his web
site to a totally unrelated topic. San Serriffe is presumably defunct.

Sandaria, Co-Principality of -- {2}

Sandaria was founded on 17 April 1990 by Elected Crown Prince Jordan
Bouray, and claims the entire continent of Antarctica. There is a complex
government structure, and the country is actively soliciting people to
become citizens. Sandaria is a member of the League of Secessionist States.
More info is available at the country's web site.

Saya de Malha, Principality of -- {3}

Saya de Malha is a mysterious place; our only contact with it is from
someone in France who refuses to use his real name and who speaks neither
English nor French very well. "O-Marion" claims that Saya de Malha is a
sandbar in the middle of the Indian Ocean which was declared a sovereign
nation by Pierre Metger, of French aristocratic stock, on 5 January 1989.
The country claims 140 citizens in Mauritius, South Africa, Canada,
Australia and France. The flag is white with an azure cross. Saya de Malha
claims to be a "zone of world peace designated by the U.N." Little more is
known about it. [Information courtesy "O-Marion."]

Scottland {1}

Scottland is not a country per se, but is rather a fan club for comedy
actor Scott Thompson, of The Kids in the Hall, and a native of Canada
(another fake country). The fan club is organized like a country--with
Scott as its 'Queen'-- and features elections and political parties run by
its members. Citizenship in Scottland is available at its web site, and
registered citizens obtain passwords, giving them access to other, more
intimate, areas.

Seborga, Principality of -- {5}

Recently the village of Seborga, a hamlet of 300 people in northern Italy
near the French border, voted almost unanimously to secede from Italy and
set up an independent, sovereign Principality of Seborga. The town was a
sovereign city-state from 954 until it joined Italy in 1870. Prince Giorgio
I was elected its monarch upon secession from Italy. The country has
received international publicity, and reportedly San Marino has recognized
it as independent. Some vagabond artists on the Internet have set up a
counterfeit Seborgan web page, but this has been strongly denounced by the
Seborgan government, so we're refusing to provide the link. There is,
however, a legitimate Seborgan consular page operating out of Italy.

Sealand, Principality of -- {5}

One of the tiniest Micronations, Sealand, lying 6 miles off the coast of
Felixtowe, Essex, England, in the English Channel, is the size of a
baseball diamond and consists of a steel platform created during World War
Two as a radar and gun installation, known as a "Maunsell Fort." The fort,
called "Roughs Tower," was taken over around 1966 by two British
businessmen, Roy Bates and Ronan O'Rahilly. O'Rahilly was the head of the
pirate radio station "Radio Caroline" and Bates--an infamous
tax-evader--was the former owner of a similar venture, "Radio Essex." The
two men planned to seize the fort and convert it into a "fun palace," a
"health farm" for exhausted show business people and insomniacs. However,
the two men had a falling out, and Roy Bates took control of the tower.
O'Rahilly's men attempted to seize control in June of 1967, but were
repulsed by Bates' men, who defended the tower with guns, Molotov
cocktails, petrol bombs, and even a flame-thrower! By August, the dispute
had escalated and a detachment of Royal Marine commandos was preparing to
retake the tower for Britain. The British government ordered Bates to
surrender the tower "to prevent it falling into the hands of foreign
interests," but Bates vowed to defend the tower with force.

At this point, Roy Bates declared the tower an independent nation, "The
Principality of Sealand," on 2 September 1967. According to one witness,
Bates told British officials: "This has nothing to do with you. I can tell
them to murder someone if I want to. I am the person responsible for the
law in Sealand." By October of 1968 the standoff was still continuing. Roy
Bates was hauled into court on guns charges, but was acquitted when the
court ruled that Roughs Tower was outside British territorial waters. It is
reported that Prince Roy once warded off British customs craft by firing a
rifle over their bows. Sealand was reportedly still going strong in 1984,
although one source claims Bates had to abandon the territory in the early
1990's because of rough weather. (TPA; World War Two magazine, March 1996;
The Times [London], June 1967-October 1968; Strauss 132-138)

Sedang, Kingdom of The -- {4}

The Kingdom of the Sedang was founded by French adventurer Charles Marie
David de Mayr‚na in Vietnam in 1888. He ruled as King Marie I from 1888 to
1890. In November 1995, persons related to the ethnic groups who ruled or
lived in Sedang founded the Assembly for the Restoration of the Sedang
Nobility. Derwin J.K.W. Mak, who lives in Toronto, Ontario, was elected
Prince Regent and Duke of Sedang. They are re-establishing the Sedang
nobility as rulers-in-exile and provide noble titles to those who help them
out, financially or otherwise. (Their literature reads as if they sell
noble titles outright, like Hutt River Province, but the Sedang
administration vehemently denies any such pecuniary interest.) They do sell
their own stamps and are beginning to establish the trappings of state,
like a ceremonial navy. They were recently "recognized" by the spiritual
leader of 1,000,000 Melkite Catholics in the Middle East. Unlike most
Micronation projects, Sedang openly disavows any claims to territory and
recognizes Vietnamese sovereignty over the former dominions of King Marie.
[Information courtesy D.J.K.W. Mak.]

Talossa, Kingdom of -- {4}

In 1979, high-school sophomore Robert Ben Madison--a.k.a. King      [Image]
Robert I--led the Kingdom of Talossa to its sovereign independence
from the USA. During its first 18 months of existence, Talossa was a
one-kid state in its King's bedroom with a hand-written newspaper,
Støtanneu, describing the details of the latest wars, colonial
acquisitions, and the remarkable Talossan language--a fusion of French,
English, Spanish, Berber, Icelandic, etc. In 1981, several friends became
"honorary citizens" after they became interested in his musings. Talossa
shifted from one-man fantasy to growing community, and Talossa became a
constitutional monarchy in 1985. Altogether some 70 people have become
involved in Talossa, which today has a flourishing, free-wheeling
democracy. In 1983 the country proclaimed dominion over the whole East Side
of Milwaukee; the 40,000 native inhabitants or Cestoûrs are mostly ignorant
of this fact. Talossans publish several newspapers and welcome new
citizens. Talossa is a member of the League of Secessionist States. Much
more information is available at the country's web site, linked above.
Talossa has been featured in newspaper articles in the USA, Canada, and
Brazil.

Texas, Republic of -- {5}

In 1995 a group of right-wing anti-government tax protesters in Texas
claimed to have discovered legal evidence that the 1845 annexation of Texas
by the United States was invalid, due (among other reasons) to a lack of a
quorum in Congress during the annexation vote. On 13 December 1995 they
declared a provisional government for the Republic of Texas, and filed suit
in various courts for control of the entire state. They also sent letters
to embassies, consulates, the World Court, and the United Nations. A
provisional government was set up under John C. VanKirk, of San Antonio.
The original Republic of Texas Constitution was revived, but the group
amended it with new articles about "common law" and other antigovernment
preoccupations. The stated aim of the movement is to "cast off the chains
of oppression and despair of the military, corporate demagogues that seized
the United States in 1865." There was some sort of schism in the "Republic"
leadership in early 1997 and several members including the "President" were
arrested by the real government of Texas after a standoff in which at least
one "Republic of Texas" official was killed.

Tetiti, Maori Kingdom of -- {3}

To give Maori people, "a race that is speeding to oblivion," a place "to
call their own, their rightful place in the sun," King and Absolute Ruler
Michael Heatara signed a declaration of independence in 1985 establishing
the Maori Kingdom of Tetiti Islands in the South Pacific. His special envoy
offered the U.S. a long-term lease on one island, situated about 500 miles
off the New Zealand coast. The territory claimed may be identical to New
Zealand's Chatham Islands. (SPJ)

Thord, Glorious Kingdom of -- {2}

Thord was founded by John C. Eiffler on 25 November 1980 as another of the
Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based secessionist nations inspired by Talossa. It
immediately joined the League of Secessionist States. Its flag was black
over red, with a yellow rubber chicken head in the centre. Eiffler's
"Glorious Kingdom of Thord" soon went dormant but was revived on 29 March
1983. Its handwritten newspaper, Zeitung, lasted a couple of issues; it
ceased on April 1st. Thord's short constitution made Eiffler absolute
monarch. On 4 May 1983 the Talossan newspaper Støtanneu reported that Thord
and Talossa were discussing a possible "joint annexation of the Glib Room,"
but Thord soon collapsed for good, with Eiffler becoming a Talossan citizen
in 1985.

Tierra del Mar, Republic of -- {3}

President and Acting Secretary of State Leicester Hemingway (younger
brother of noted author Ernest) claimed Christmas Island, a 100-yard
stretch of sand in the Bahamas, as his own republic in 1973. Its
constitution is adopted word-for-word from that of the United States. (TPA)

True Hug Nation

One of the briefest entries in the US State Department's file on "ephemeral
states" mentions a True Hug Nation. There is nothing in the file to tell
where it is or what it is. (SPJ)

Yevolkian Free State {1}

William Warfield Holbrook Glaefke, an eccentric professional student and
textile heir from Georgia, announced his Jevolkanische Freistaat or
Yevolkian Free State in a letter to Talossa's King Robert I dated 17 June
1985. His Micronation was located on the Baltic Sea but had been occupied
by "Soviet and Polish Marxist-Leninist aggressors." Glaefke claimed
membership in a persecuted Yevolkian ethnic group, and he claimed that the
Yevolkian "Judeo-Christian welfare society" had been suppressed by a
Communist "invasion" in August of 1977. No further information is
available.

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This page is provided for your information by the Progressive Conservative
Party of Talossa and is current through 26 May 1997. Direct email contact
with Talossa can be made at talossa@execpc.com. Please use this address if
you have any corrections or additions to suggest!

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