10 totally madcap micronations

HM King Nicholas I and his realm: a caravan in Norfolk

Copeman Empire

There is a slither of disputed land between Croatia and Serbia that’s mainly just scrubby fields and woodland. It’s also the world’s newest country.

Declared Liberland by its self-proclaimed president, Vit Jedlicka, the nation is now ready to welcome respectful residents without an extremist past or a criminal record. But some micronations aren’t quite as straight-laced. 

Take the movement on the south coast of the UK for example, where some 8,000 supporters are rooting for The People’s Republic of Brighton and Hove to become a micronation.

Following an election victory for the Conservative Party in the UK, Brighton and Hove (which voted in Green Party and Labour candidates) is still ironing out an appropriate national anthem, but already has its flag, passports and speculative policies ready.

So passports at the ready as we walk you through our favourite madcap micronations.

1) Other World Kingdom
With its own currency, passports, police form and courts system, Other World Kingdom was just like any other country, except from one major difference: it ran as a BDSM matriarchy.

Founded in 1996, but never recognised on the national stage, Other World Kingdom was located in a 16th-century chateau in the Czech Republic. Ruled by Queen Patricia I, male nationals had to declare themselves as slaves. They were then treated as inferiors and were dominated and whipped. It was put up for sale in 2008.

The Other World Kingdom was run as a BDSM matriarchy
Creative Commons / Eduardo Santos

2) Aerican Empire
With its realms stretching as far as the northern hemisphere of Pluto, the Aerican Empire is one of the more disjointed micronations to have existed. First dreamed up by its Emperor, Eric Lis, when he was just a child, it went to war across the universe before it even had any residents.

These days, it lays claim to land in Australia, Canada, England, the US and even Mars. It even has its own royal family, religion, language, flags and currency, plus an army. Well, a Warhammer army.

The Aerican Empire flag. The micronation claims part of Pluto
The Aerican Empire

3) Republic of Molossia
Don’t be put off by President Kevin Baugh’s military dictatorship getup, nor his dark sunglasses, because the Republic of Molossia is far removed from juntas and genocide and is known for its good humour instead.

This tiny micronation in Nevada, USA consists of little more than a house and its surrounding property, with claims on Venus and some underwater territory in the North Pacific Ocean too. Its currency is pegged on the value of Pillsbury Cookie Dough; while its naval and space programmes have seen small ships and tiny rockets travel to the very edges of its borders.

The Republic of Molossia is known for its good humour
Wikimedia / Kevin Baugh

4) Province of Bumbunga
Own postage stamps? Check. A vast strawberry patch shaped like the UK? Certainly. A ruler whose CV is said to include stints as a circus monkey-trainer, uranium prospector and a postmaster? Welcome of Bumbunga.

Located near Adelaide in Australia, this micronation was originally set up by British-born royalist, Alex Brackstone. Fearing Australia was moving towards republicanism, he planted 50,000 strawberry plants in the shape of the UK across his farm and declared independence from Oz. It was all going well until his crops failed during a drought.

Bumbunga Province included a scale map of the UK made of strawberrys
Wikimedia / Donama

5) Sealand
Based just 10km (6 miles) off the coast of England, Sealand is a sovereign Principality located on HM Fort Roughs, a former British fort from WWII.

As the fort was erected in international waters, the UK didn't hold any jurisdiction over the nation, so its late leader, Prince Roy Bates, propelled it into the spotlight with its own constitution, currency, passport and national anthem.

Its greatest test, however, came in 1978 when two Germans and a Dutchman landed on the fort by helicopter and took Bates’ son hostage. Prince Bates eventually overpowered the invaders and regained control of the Principality.

Sealand is located on a former British fort from WWII
Creative Commons / Ryan Lackey

6) Copeman Empire
As with all the greatest plans in life, the Copeman Empire started as a dare. Unemployed and being badgered by his parents to better himself, Nick Copeman changed his name to HM King Nicholas I and resided over his realm: a two-berth caravan trailer in Norfolk, England.

There are reliability issues with much of the media stemming from the Copeman Empire, but the King himself was said to have sold peerages, tried to get it on with the Queen’s granddaughter, Zara Phillips, and toured Britain as the first-ever mobile micronation.

HM King Nicholas I and his realm: a two-berth caravan
Copeman Empire

7) Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands
Without a doubt, the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands has the best national anthem or any nation, micro or not. I Am What I Am by Gloria Gaynor sums up the ethos of this new country, which is located on a group of beautiful uninhabited atolls east of the Great Barrier Reef.

Founded in 2004, after the Australian government refused to recognise same-sex marriages, the kingdom waged war against Oz the same year. Anyone who is homosexual is immediately eligible for citizenship.

8) Principality of Seborga
Possibly one of the more legitimate micronations on Earth, the Principality of Seborga exists solely on a loophole. Following the Napoleonic Wars, the Congress of Vienna (who sliced up Europe and redistributed its borders) forgot about Seborga. It was also missing from the Act of Unification, which re-joined Italy in 1861.

Step up florist Giorgio Carbone. Digging through and dusting off old Vatican documents to find the truth, Carbone was appointed Prince of the micronation and pestered the authorities for official recognition. While that never came, the tourists did, and the village-turned-state even minted its own coins.

The Principality of Seborga exists solely on a loophole
Wikimedia

9) Freetown Christiania
When a former army barracks in the centre of Copenhagen were left unused, squatters moved in and created Christiania: a colourful, art-driven community that was eschewed traditional Danish regulations and lived by Christiania Law instead.

That meant no cars, hard drugs, weapons or stolen goods. Wacky houses cropped up, weed and bicycles became the norm, and the community aimed to become self-sufficient. Christiania still exists today but is undergoing ‘normalisation’, which means the end of its self-governance.

Homes in Christiania are free from planning restrictions
Creative Commons / Athena Lao

10) Principality of Outer Baldonia
“Fisherman are a race alone,” read the Declaration of Independence for the Principality of Outer Baldonia, which was sent to several newspapers in 1949. Originally little more than a Nova Scotian angling outpost, Russell Arundel turned Outer Bald Tusket Island into his own micronation.

With the right of freedom from question, nagging, shaving, interruption, women, taxes and politics, plus the right to swear, lie, drink, gamble and stay up all night, it was a bit of a sausage fest in Outer Baldonia, which only ever had a single stone dwelling.

Still, the micronation was (mistakenly) invited to join the United Nations with only the Soviet Union rejecting its application. Outer Baldonia reacted by declaring war on Russia and sent its fleet of fishing boats to attack. Allegedly, though, they got drunk instead.