Micronations: 10 "Countries" You've Probably Never Heard Of

[Cccgala]

Micronations are aspirant countries commonly born out of imagination, boredom, and rebellion against ideologies. Micronations are real although most of them persistently claim physical territories which are often situated within legitimate, sovereign countries.

These are entities not generally recognized as sovereign states by most governments in the world because a micronation's sovereignty is often 'self-proclaimed' by the creator/founder; a physical, terrestrial territory is often declared sovereign by the founders despite no recognition from real countries.

Here are ten of them in alphabetical order.

1. AERICA

It can be referred to as the Aerican Empire.

Founded by: Eric Lis

Independence Date: May 8, 1987

Territorial Claims (extraterrestrial and terrestrial):

- The Northern Hemisphere of dwarf planet Pluto called Northern Plutopia

- Made-up planet called Verden

- Retsaot Island in New Zealand (400 square meters)
- Chompsville (1 square meter) and Psyche (50 square meters) in Australia
- The Pasture in either WI or MI, USA
- Parrwater in Canada

Website: https://www.aericanempire.com/

2. AKHZIVLAND

Located near the Lebanese and Israeli borders

Founded by: Eli Avivi

Year of Independence: 1972

Territorial Claim: A guest house, beachfront campground, and a museum near Achziv about five kilometers north of Nahariya.

Website: https://pechkin.rinet.ru/vera/

3. AUSTENASIA

Damaging the environment is a crime.

Founded by: Jonathan Austen, Terry Austen

Independence Date: September 20, 2008

Territorial Claims: Austenasia has claims all over the world, with most of its towns, territories, and crown dependencies from the United Kingdom. Claims outside the UK include several American and Canadian homes, an Australian university campus, as well as a Brazilian farm.

Website: https://austenasia.webs.com/

4. GAY AND LESBIAN KINGDOM OF THE CORAL SEA ISLANDS

A product of queer nationalism

Founded by: Dale Parker Anderson and his company of gay protesters

Independence Date: June 14, 2004

Territorial Claims: The Coral Sea Islands Territory near Queensland, Australia; Cato Island is the micronation's capital

Website: https://gaykingdom.info/

5. LADONIA

You can apply for citizenship online.

Founded by: Lars Vilks

Independence Date: June 2, 1996

Territorial Claim: A triangle of land about 1 square kilometer in size, situated between Mölle and Arild in Sweden, on the Scandinavian Peninsula's southern edge.

Population: 17, 000 and counting

Website: https://www.ladonia.org/

6. LIBERLAND

Its territory is disputed.

Founded by: Vít Jedlička

Independence Date: April 13, 2015

Territorial Claim: A parcel of land which is disputed on the western bank of the Danube river, between Croatia and Serbia.

Website: https://liberland.org/en/main/

7. MOLOSSIA

Same-sex marriage is legal here.

Founded by: Karl Baugh

Independence Date: September 3, 1999

Territorial Claims (extraterrestrial and terrestrial):

- Residential area of 4,000 square miles in Dayton, NV called Harmony Province.

- Rural area in North California called Colony of Farfalla.

- An area of 129, 191 square kilometers in Planet Venus called Vesperia.

- Area called Neptune Deep which is 750 kilometers in the North Pacific Ocean just Southwest of Mexico.

Website: https://www.molossia.org/

8. NEW UTOPIA

Known as the tax-free model country

Founded by: Howard Turney a.k.a. Lazarus Long

Year of Independence: July 20, 1999

Territorial Claim: An area in the Caribbean Sea; an underwater reef (called the Misteriosa Bank) which is 400 square kilometers with an average depth of 20 meters.

Website: https://www.new-utopia.com/

9. NOVA ROMA

Promoting Roman ideals and traditions

Founded by: Joseph Bloch and William Bradford

Year of Independence: 1998

Population: 3, 000 and counting

Territorial Claim: According to their Declaration:

"....Nova Roma claims our physical territory to be extant and manifest through those places that our state, citizens, and religious organizations may physically own, occupy, and maintain throughout the world. These territories shall exist in a status of dual sovereignty, being under the cultural and spiritual administration of Nova Roma, even as they remain under the civil dominion and laws of other hosting nations..."

Website: https://www.novaroma.org/ (Select a language to access website's contents)

10. VIKESLAND

A non-secessionist micronation

Founded by: Christopher Barry Joseph Beyette

Year of Independence: 2005

Territorial Claim: None, as it claims to be non-secessionist

Website: https://www.vikeslandic.com/