Latest Update: 26 September 2015
AMOKOLIA (Royal Amokolian Republic)
Listing moved to Model Countries at the request of the organizers.
Government of ANTARCTICLAND
"The Antarcticland is the oldest territorial domain of the Antarctic continent. It includes all the lands and islands in section extending from the South Pole to 60° S latitude between longitudes 90° W and 135° W, with a total area of 1.554.424, slightly less than the size of Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Switzerland all together.
"It is administered by the Government of Anatarcticland and the head of State is the Regent and Grandmaster of the Sovereign Order of the Antarticland, Sir Giovanni Caporaso Gottlieb. There is no indigenous nor permanetly resident population, but the knights patrol the area during the austral summer. The country has its own legislative system, together with legal, economic and postal administrations. Any person may become citizen simply by applying and swearing alliegance to the Constitution. Revenue from administrative fees and the sale of postage stamps means that it is financially self sufficient. The government is in negotiations with several groups of investors to develop the first ice hotel and city in the Antarctic." - from the website
Kingdom of APIYA (New URL)
"The Kingdom of Apiya (Apiyan: Le Frenasto Apiyana) is a self-proclaimed state located in Europe on the Balkan peninsula. It was established on 9th October 2006 and declared independence from Montenegro on 23 February 2008 as a result to the independence of the Republic of Kosovo. On 1st July 2008, new national symbols have been adopted to support the new policy and motto of Apiya, 'Libertó atera pacio', Liberty through peace. Apiya had 2 constitutions so far and still waits for a new constitution which will strengthen the democracy in Apiya and will promote and support pacifism." - from an e-mail by Prince Bojovicc
"The Holy Empire of Avio-Searth began when Dean was crowned Duke in April of 1988. Duke Dean sought secession from the crown and independent sovereignty. After years of research and exploration, in 2004 a small uncharted isle was discovered in international waters that was unclaimed by any government. He has taken the Style and Title of: His Imperial & Royal Highness, Dean, by the grace of God, Prince of the Empire of Avio-Searth, regent of the Empire and of His other realms and territories, defender of the Christian faith, Grand Duke of The United Duchies of Avion and Searth." - from an e-mail
UPDATE: As of 14 August 2010, this website has vanished
Duchy of BOHEMIA
"The Duchy of Bohemia is an independent and sovereign micronation under the governance of the putative Duke of Bohemia and Lord of Rozmberk. The Duchy operates as a government in exile, its rightful heritary territories presently under occupation by the Czech Republic. The Duchy's present government in exile and its current territorial enclave is located within the United States of America." - from the website
Sovereign Barony of CAUX [Restored Ancestral Sovereignty]
"The ancient and sovereign feudal Barony of Caux was granted to Hugo le Corbeau in the Pays de Caux by William son of Rollo, Duke of Normandie in 1040 CE.
"The Barony was confirmed on his son Roger FitzCorbet in Shropshire by William son of Rollo, Duke of Normandie and King of England in 1069 CE.
"The sovereign status of the Barony, free of royal oversight of Baronial affairs, was reconfirmed on his grandson William Corbet in Shropshire by Henry II, Count of Anjou and Pretender to the Throne of England in 1165 CE.
"The Sovereign Barony of Caux (SBC) was restituted on August 27, 2001 CE, by His Lordship, John I, first and thirty-seventh Baron of Caux, of the Corbet family." - from the website
While this appears to be a serious restoration of an ancestral title, the biography of Patrick, Lord Caudebec, the Heir Apparent seems to have been written with Pythonesque tongue planted firmly in cheek.
(Flag from their website)
Republic of GEMNOVIAG [Idaho, United States]
(Gemeleze Republic)
"Gemnoviag is a micronation founded in 2001 in North Idaho with 114 citizens and independence declared in 2006. The government is a Republic and the President is Jaden Rosencrans. Now as of 2007 the nation is becoming more known as the president prepares to do an interview with the Post Falls newspaper. The nation has 0.08 mi. of land and the Capitol is Azythia." - from the listing at MicroWiki
(Older website lilnked here.)
UPDATE: As of 14 August 2010, this website has vanished
Independent Kingdom of HAY-ON-WYE [Wales, United Kingdom] (New URL!)
More a publicity stunt than an actual secession, the little Welsh village of Hay-on-Wye (located in Powys County in Wales and bordering Herefordshire County in England, through which the village's mail passes) proclaimed "independence" on 1 April 1977, establishing Richard George William Pitt Booth, owner of Europe's largest second-hand bookstore, as Richard the First, King of Hay (He rested the mantle of Prime Minister on his horse). The publicity stunt appears to have done wonders for the village's economy, and is now the site of an annual book fair.
The Hay Peerage sells honorarary titles of nobility via the website, along with other ephemera.
Among the pamphlets by King Richard available for sale are "Bring Back Horses", "Abolish the Wales Tourist Board" and "God Save Us From the Development Board for Rural Wales".Other websites of related interest:
Official Website of the Village of Hay-on-Wye
BBC Informational Website
Principality of HUTT RIVER [Australia]
(Formerly the Hutt River Province Principality)
A sovereign nation project located on a wheat farm in the Australian state of Western Australia. Self-proclaimed independent since 1970, Hutt River has issued a number of gold and silver coins as well as postage stamps (via it's own internal [local] postal service) and paper currency. Various ephemera, including the national flag are available for sale through this website. Coinage is available from the Royal Mint.NOTE: Due to the fact that Hutt River is not presently recognized by any other country, nor is it a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), all mail must be sent via Australia (since Hutt River is a self-proclaimed enclave within that country, which is a UPU member) at the following address (as listed on Hutt River's website):
Principality of Hutt River
via Northampton
Western Australia 6535
AUSTRALIAAccording to news reports, the Australian government officially considers Hutt River as nothing more than a wheat farm operating under "Hutt River Province Principality" as a business name.
The following is the official Australian Taxation Office notice concerning Hutt River Province as of 30 November 2005:"The Australian Government does not legally or otherwise recognize the so-called 'Hutt River Province'.
"The Tax Office has identified a situation where non-residents of Australia have been offered the chance to purchase international business companies and other entities purportedly incorporated or registered in the 'Hutt River Province'.
"We are concerned that the companies and other entities may be sold as part of a tax avoidance or evasion arrangement.
"People should avoid any arrangements involving 'Hutt River Province' international business companies and any other entities as well as any associated international dealings because they have no legal basis and could be illegal."
Australian news report - 2 April 2010There are other sites, listed below, that claim to be "official" websites of the principality, but only the above listed website has a domain that is registered to a "Prince Leonard" in Australia, as verified through a WHOIS search through Network Solutions.
French/English Bilingual Website
Melbourne Consulate Site
U.S. Consulate Site
HUTTRIVER.NET
HUTT-RIVER.ORG
Republic of ROSE ISLAND [Now-Demolished Fixed Platform Off-Shore of Italy]
(Isle of the Roses, Isola delle Rose, (Respubliko de la) Insulo de la Rozoj)
Photo from Wikipedia
This was a much publicized but ill-fated attempt of artificial island sovereignty off the coast of Italy in a section of the Adriatic Sea that was only 2 meters deep (44° 10' 48" North, 12° 36' 00" East, 11 km from Rimini and 500 m outside the Italian territorial waters) . Built by Italian engineer Georgio Rosa, it was a 400 square meter platform that proclaimed independence in 1968, had Esperanto as it's official language, and issued postage stamps. Independence was proclaimed on 22 June 1968, but on 16 August, the Italian government seized the platform. In the Spring of 1969, the platform was destroyed by Italian authorities, sending it into the Adriatic with dynamite charges making it one of only three nation-states in recorded history to be wiped from the map due to a single military action (The other two being Carthage and Danzig).
Detailed histories of Rose Island can be read at the following links:
Footnotes To History: Isle of the Roses
Forum di Filatelia (Italian language stamp collector's forum. Page may be translated through AltaVista) They also provide an English language article on Rose Island.
Imperial Collection: Republic of Rose Island
Wikipedia: Republic of Rose Island
"Ruritania is an Absolute Monarchy based upon Divine Right. King Wilhelm-Rudolf is the final authority in all matters. The Kingdom is an actual nation under the rules of the Montevideo Convention with the right of self determination. It is not a game, model or secessionist state. We claim the Kingdom of Ruritania lying between Dresden and Prague and sovereign territory of .4 acres or, .14 hectares, surrounded by the State of Georgia as our Embassy in the United States. There are consulates in the states of Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Arizona. The Capital of Ruritania is Strelsau." - from an e-mail by Georg, Count von Strofzia, Minister of Foreign Affairs
UPDATE: A consulate has been opened in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Republic of SAUGEAIS [France {Historical Quasi-Sovereignty}]
(Website is in French, but can be translated through AltaVista.)
"In 1947 the prefect of the département of Doubs, who was passing through the area, was asked by Georges Pourchet, a hotel owner in Montbenoît, if he had a passport to enter the République du Saugeais. Monsieur Pourchet went on to explain the history of the area and said that its inhabitants were as proud to live there, as if it were a republic. The prefect replied that to be a real republic, you need a president, and subsequently dedicated M. Pourchet to the role.
"M. Pourchet seized the opportunity and took on the role of Président de la République du Saugeais until his death in 1968. In 1972 his wife, Mme Gabrielle Pourchet, was elected to succeed him (with characteristic Saugeais humour) by clapometer during a village fête. " - from an article from "France Magazine"
Principality of SEALAND [Fixed Platform Off-Shore of England] (Corrected URL)
Due to the large amount of information about this controversial nation-state, a separate page has been established for all information pertaining to it.
United Micronations Multi-Oceanic Archipelago (UMMOA)
" The United Micronations Multi-Oceanic Archipelago (UMMOA) is a multi-oceanic archipelago governed by a federation of Fourth, Fifth and Sixth World nations, and the world's first supermicronation. UMMOA's 11 insular possessions have no indigenous population, and an inhabitable area of 34.3 square kilometres (13.3 square miles). UMMOA holds these truths to be self-evident: That all nations are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and sovereignty!" - from an e-mail
The UMMOA has be recognized as an "archipelago", and incorporated into the International Parliament for Safety and Peace. Additional information can be found here.
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