When you hear “micronations” probably you have associations with places like Andorra, Monaco, Luxembourg. But these places are a relatively large areas, compared with the modest dimensions of the micro countries existing in the world. These mini-states were formed with a variety of reasons – due to artistic and political protests, due to avoid payment of fees. And although most of them are not legally recognized by other states, as sovereign entities, some of them have reached a fairly high level – compile their constitutions, produce coins and held elections. Here is a list of 10 of the most popular micronations in the world.
Ladonia
Size: 0.99 square kilometers
In 1980 the Swedish artist Lars Wilkes-barre constructed a series of wooden and stone sculptures on the banks of the Kullaberg – nature reserve, located in Skejn, Switzerland. His works, which resemble fantastic castles, is an attractive landmark for tourists. These castles caused anger of the municipality, which blamed the construction of Wilkes-barre illegal constructions on the territory of nature reserve and asked for the relocation of the sculptures. Vilk then, loath to be a witness of how his art would be destroyed, declared the segment from the beach to an independent, sovereign country that does not follow the laws and regulations of the Swiss Government. The artist called the new party created the Kingdom of Ladonia, made a flag and manifesto, and set a law that in his country taxes are paid with art.
The micronations had about 14 000 informal inhabitants – informal due to the fact that no one lived there – most of them were artists, creators and friends – followers of the cause. Ladonia has its own currency, ortug, own language – a variant of the Latin language and even has a couple of distinct social classes. Nevertheless, to this day, Ladonia is not approved by Switzerland for a separate state.
Kingdom Of Redonda
Size: 2 square kilometers
The history of the Kingdom of Redonda is written over the years by numerous writers and novelists and represents a strange mixture between facts and myths. According to stories in the 1800-Matthew Phipps Shiell – living on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, announced the island for rocky and uninhabited island for an independent State. Although the island was deserted and Shiell never lived there, he was the “King” from a distance, and entrusted the crown to his son in the year 1880. The legend States that he wrote to the Queen of England a petition to be recognized as king of the island. In response he received the agreement in return he was not to revolt against the Crown.
Later Shiell became famous writer and was the first to tell the story of Redonda and established the greater part of customs, including the flag, and the style of management – an absolute monarchy. He gave up the Crown in the hands of his friend John Galsworthy, who announced himself for King Juan first. Since then, the Crown and the management of the 100 residents of the country passed through many people, the most famous among them being the Spanish writer Javier Marias. He proclaimed with a large number of titles artists – Francis Ford Coppola, Ray Bradbury and Alice Munro.
The Republic Of Minerva
Size: 10 square kilometers
Micronations is often formed by a group of people in order to experiment forms of governance. One of the most famous ones is the Republic of Minerva. It was founded in 1972 by Michael Oliver
– millionaire who had extremely liberal understandings and wished to create a society that does not pay social security taxes to the government. He and his followers circled a small pier of the South Pacific and turned it into an island. They announced it as a new state called the Republic of Minerva. A group of settlers arrived on the island in January, 1972, after the construction of a small tower with erected flag, the micronation was declared a sovereign. Unlike the other micro nations which have not enjoyed the attention from other countries, the Republic of Minerva caused excitement in others nations. After Minerva, proclaimed its independence and began minting coins, there have been convened a meeting between Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and several island states to discuss the introduction of a new country in the area. Tonga soon announced that Minerva, together with its surrounding reefs, belongs to its territory – even sent a small military unit to take over the micronation and to recapture the flag since Minerva is uninhabited.
Dominion Melchizedek
Size: 36 square kilometers
Micronations are a paradise where there are no taxes, and centre for fraud and identity theft. One the most vivid examples is Dominion Melchizedek. The state was formed in 1986 by Evan David Padli and his son Marc Logan Padli – both are often encountered in prison. Using the independence of the country, such as protection for several years in a row, this micro state has been a hub of a variety of fraud – bank and tax fraud, counterfeit passports and identities, forgery of documents. In Dominion Melchizedek were made fake passports that cost $10,000.
Principality Of Distant Baldoniа
Size: 0.016 sq. square kilometers
There are another interesting sotory about micronations – Principality of Distant Baldoniа was founded in 1948 by a journalist who was a very eccentric, named Russell Arundel. He was inspired by the idea, after passing by a small island of the coast of Nova Scotia in Canada, where he went fishing. Soon he bought this island and built a small fishing cabin and began to regularly organise friendly matches there, flights abundantly with alcohol. During one of those meetings, late at night, Arundel and his friends wrote the Constitution of Baldonia, which announces fisheries and drinking rum for admirable things. They also wrote a declaration of independence of the island, which they call a distant Baldonia and decide to put State titles (anyone who catches tuna fish and pay a small fee, becomes a Prince) and to print its own currency. At a later stage, friends compiled a charter and State taxes and the island was forbidden for women. The main export of Baldonia consisted of empty beer bottles. Baldonia could remain as a friendly prank, but Arundel entered in the phone book his phone number in Washington, as the number of the Embassy of the Principality. Soon he and his imaginary country started to receive invitations, including accession to the United Nations. The popularity of the micronation increased, and even in the Soviet journal appeared critical article, of which Baldonia responded with a declaration of war. National marine fleet, which consisted of fishing boats, headed by sea to attack Russia, but it was subsequently decided to turn all the course and go get drunk.
