Micronations of the World

Most of you are aware of the world’s 195 countries, but have you heard of the many fascinating micronations that also exist on our planet? More than 400 micronations have been recorded in recent history, and currently approximately 67 exist around the world.

One of the first recorded micronations, the Kingdom of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, a 14.2 square-kilometer coral archipelago in the Indian Ocean, appeared in the 1800s.

The Principality of Sealand, known as “The World’s Smallest Country,” was established in 1967 on an abandoned World War II naval platform in the North Sea, just 12 kilometers off the East Anglian coast of England. Over time, Sealand developed its own currency, the “Sealand dollar,” as well as Principality of Sealand passports and even a national anthem.

In 1979, in Wisconsin, USA, 14-year-old Robert Ben Madison declared his bedroom to be a sovereign state called the Kingdom of Talossa. Over the course of two decades, Mr. Madison, then known as the King of Talossa, led the micronation to develop its own language, which includes 35,000 words, as well as governmental branches, political parties, and more. The nation lives on today at talossa.com, and you can become a citizen if you write to the Talossan Interior Minister!

Some micronations are more focused on preserving what is already there, instead of developing something new. Such is the case with the Grand Duchy of Flandrensis. This micronation was founded in 2008 as a clever way to promote awareness about climate change and the melting ice caps in Antarctica. Two ecological counties have been established by Flandrensis, one in Italy and the other in Australia, in an effort to highlight environmentally sustainable practices based on land cultivation and off-grid living. Currently, the community has almost 800 citizens of 73 nationalities.

Let’s now travel to the coast of Scotland to learn about the Republic of Lamb, one of the newest micronations to claim its sovereignty. It is believed that Mr. Gellar became fascinated with this small island after reading an article by Scottish researcher Jeff Nisbet, who claimed that Lamb Island, along with two outer islands, directly mirrors the positions of the three pyramids of Giza. In 2022, Mr. Gellar decided to turn the island, filled with stories of lore and treasure, into a micronation with a flag, constitution, and anthem. He hopes that the island will be an emblem of peace, and the only criterion for becoming a citizen is the “willingness to exist in harmony with fellow Lamb compatriots.”