Introduction

Micronation Map made by Green Rosie Choi

A micronation is a small entity that claims to be an independent nation or sovereign state but is not recognized as such by world governments or major international organisations. In the modern world there are more than 400 existing Micronation.^[1]

The Principality of Sealand is a micronation located on a seafort off the coast of the United Kingdom.^[2]

A micronation expresses a formal and persistent, even if unrecognized, claim of sovereignty over some physical territory. Micronations are distinct from true secessionist movements; micronations' activities are almost always trivial enough to be ignored rather than challenged by the established nations whose territory they claim. Several micronations have issued coins, flags, postage stamps, passports, medals, and other items. These items are rarely accepted outside their own community but may be sold as novelties to help raise money or collected by enthusiasts.

The earliest known micronations date from the beginning of the 19th century. The advent of the Internet provided the means for people to create many new micronations, whose members are scattered all over the world and interact mostly by electronic means, often calling their nations "nomadic countries". The differences between such "Internet micronations", other kinds of social networking groups, and role-playing games are often difficult to define.^[3]

Etymology

The term 'micronation' literally means "small nation". It is a neologism originating in the mid-1970s to describe the many thousands of small unrecognised state-like entities that have mostly arisen since that time.

The term has since also come to be used retrospectively to refer to earlier unrecognized entities, some of which date to as far back as the 19th century. Amongst supporters of micronations ("micronationalists") the term "macronation" is in common use to refer to any internationally recognised sovereign nation-state.

Definition

"Welcome to the Conch Republic"—a sign at Key West International Airport.

Micronations generally have a number of common features, although these may vary widely. They may have a structure similar to established sovereign states, including territorial claims, government institutions, official symbols and citizens, albeit on a much smaller scale. Micronations are often quite small, in both their claimed territory and claimed populations—although there are some exceptions to this rule, with different micronations having different methods of citizenship. Micronations may also issue formal instruments such as postage stamps, coins, banknotes and passports, and bestow honours and titles of nobility.

The Montevideo Convention was one attempt to create a legal definition distinguishing between states and non-states. Some micronations meet this definition, while some do not, and others reject the convention. Some micronations like Sealand or Hutt River reject the term micronation and consider themselves as sovereign states; other micronations like Flandrensis or Molossia have no intention to be recognized as real states.^[4]

Micronations contrast with microstates, which are small but recognized sovereign states such as Andorra, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City.^[5] They are also distinct from imaginary countries and from other kinds of social groups (such as eco-villages, campuses, tribes, clans, sects, and residential community associations).

Notable Examples

1. Operation Atlantis, an early 1970s New York–based libertarian group, built a concrete-hulled ship called Freedom, which they sailed to the Caribbean, intending to permanently anchor it as their "territory". The ship sank in a hurricane and the project was then abandoned.
2. Republic of Minerva, another libertarian project that succeeded in building a small man-made island on the Minerva Reefs south of Fiji in 1972 before being invaded by troops from Tonga, who annexed it before destroying the island.^[6]
3. Principality of Freedonia, a libertarian project that supported the Awdal Road Company's attempts to lease land from the Sultan of Awdal in Somaliland in 2001. If the Awdal Road Company is able to build a road, then the Sultan of Awdal will give land to allow the ARC to create an economic free zone, and some of that territory will then be handed over to the Principality of Freedonia. After the men from Awdal Roads Company were deported following false allegations about the lease, resulting public dissatisfaction led to rioting, and the reported death of a Somali.^[6]
4. Republic of Rose Island, an artificial island constructed in 1968 by Italian architect Giorgio Rosa in the Adriatic Sea. The structure was built as a tourist attraction, but soon after it was finished, Rosa declared sovereignty. The Italian navy dynamited the structure the following year.^[7]
5. Global Country of World Peace, "a country without borders for peace-loving people everywhere", was declared by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 2000. It made several attempts to buy or lease land for a sovereign territory.^[8] It is now governed by Maharaja Tony Nader.^[9] Its currency is the Raam and its capitals include Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa and Vlodrop.
6. Asgardia, founded on October 12, 2016 by Igor Ashurbeyli, is a proposed nation based in outer space. Plans are for the country to be pacifist, have no official language, to hold a competition to design its flag, insignia and national anthem, and to become part of the United Nations. As of 25 March 2017 over 169,327 people have signed up and become officially recognised members of the country.
7. The Free Republic of Liberland, founded in 2015, claims a small parcel of land between Croatia and Serbia called Siga. It shares a land border with Croatia and has its eastern border on the Danube. Because of the Croatia-Serbia border dispute some land is claimed by both countries and other parcels are claimed by neither.^[10] It has established formal relations with Somaliland^[11].
8. Principality of Seborga, a town in the region of Liguria, Italy (near the southern end of the border with France and encompassing the town of Seborga), which traces its history back to the Middle Ages.^[12]
9. The Principality of Hutt River (formerly "Hutt River Province"), a farm in Western Australia, claims to have seceded from Australia to become an independent pri The Principality of Sealand, a World War II-era anti-aircraft platform built in the North Sea beyond Britain's then territorial limit, seized by a pirate radio group in 1967 as a base for their operations, and now used as the site of a secure web-hosting facility. Sealand has continued to promote its independence by issuing stamps and money, and appointing an official national athlete. It has been described as the "world's most notorious micronation" as well as the "world's smallest and weirdest country".^[13][14]
10. The Crown Dependency of Forvik is an island in Shetland, currently recognized as part of the UK. Stuart Hill claims that independence comes from an arrangement struck in 1468 between King Christian I of Denmark/Norway and Scotland's James III, whereby Christian pawned the Shetland Islands to James in order to raise money for his daughter's dowry. Hill claims that the dowry was never paid and therefore it is not part of the UK and should be a crown dependency like the Isle of Man. Hill has also encouraged the rest of Shetland to declare independence.^[15]
11. The Imperial Throne, formerly the Russian Empire, is a micronation created in 2011 by Russian businessman and politician Prince Anton Bakov, chairman of the Monarchist Party of the Russian Federation. In 2014, the Imperial Throne proclaimed that Prince Karl Emich of Leiningen, one of several claimants to the royal Romanov line, was now Nicholas III, Emperor of All Russia. The Imperial Throne claims to be in contact with the governments of Montenegro and North Macedonia about a grant of territory and state recognition.
12. The Dominion of British West Florida is a separatist micronation founded in 2005 "on an eccentric interpretation of actual historic events"^[16] and based in the Gulf Coast of the United States. It claims the territory of the 18th-century colony of West Florida, which has since been subsumed into the US states of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi.^[17]

Flag of The Dominion of British West Florida

References

History

The Old Light of Lundy, a former micronation in England.

The first recorded micronations appeared in the 1800s. These were generally founded by eccentric adventurers or business speculators, many of who were remarkably successful with their micronations (such as John Clunies-Ross, who founded the Kingdom of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and whose family ruled the islands until 1978, when King Ross V was forced to sell the islands to Australia for £2.5m ($4.75m).) Unfortunately, many others were not so successful, and their micronations (such as the Republic of Indian Stream) quickly foundered.^{[citation needed]}

Early History & Evolution

Martin Coles Harman, owner of the British island of Lundy in the early decades of the 20th century, declared himself King and issued private coinage and postage stamps for local use. Although the island was ruled as a virtual fiefdom, its owner never claimed to be independent of the United Kingdom, so Lundy can at best be described as a precursor to later territorial micronations. Another example is the Principality of Outer Baldonia, a 16-acre (65,000 m²) rocky island off the coast of Nova Scotia, founded by Russell Arundel, chairman of the Pepsi Cola Company (later: PepsiCo), in 1945 and comprising a population of 69 fishermen.^{[citation needed]}

History During 1960 to 1980

The 1960s and 1970s witnessed the foundation of a number of territorial micronations. The first of these, Sealand, was established in 1967 on an abandoned World War II gun platform in the North Sea just off the East Anglian coast of England, and still survives. Others were founded on libertarian principles and involved schemes to construct artificial islands, but only three are known to have had even limited success in realizing that goal.^{[citation needed]}

The Republic of Rose Island was a 400 m² (4,300 sq ft) platform built in 1968 in Italian national waters in the Adriatic Sea,7 miles (11 km) off the Italian town of Rimini. It is known to have issued stamps, and to have declared Esperanto to be its official language. Shortly after completion, however, it was seized and destroyed by the Italian Navy for failing to pay state taxes.^[18]

In the late 1960s, Leicester Hemingway, brother of author Ernest, was involved in another such project—a small timber platform in international waters off the west coast of Jamaica. This territory, consisting of an 8-foot (2.4 m) by 30-foot (9.1 m) barge, he called "New Atlantis". Hemingway was an honorary citizen and President; however, the structure was damaged by storms and finally pillaged by Mexican fishermen. In 1973, Hemingway was reported to have moved on from New Atlantis to promoting a 1,000 sq yd (840 m²) platform near the Bahamas. The new country was called "Tierra del Mar" (Land of the Sea). (Ernest Hemingway's adopted hometown of Key West was later itself part of another micronation; see Conch Republic.)^{[citation needed]}

The Republic of Minerva was set up in 1972 as a libertarian new-country project by Nevada businessman Michael Oliver. Oliver's group conducted dredging operations at the Minerva Reefs, a shoal located in the Pacific Ocean south of Fiji. They succeeded in creating a small artificial island, but their efforts at securing international recognition met with little success, and near-neighbour Tonga sent a military force to the area and annexed it.^{[citation needed]}

On April 1, 1977, bibliophile Richard Booth declared the Welsh town of Hay-on-Wye an independent kingdom with himself as its monarch. The town subsequently developed a healthy tourism industry based on literary interests, and "King Richard" (whose sceptre was a recycled toilet plunger) awarded Hay-on-Wye peerages and honours to anyone prepared to pay for them.^[19]

Japanese Micronations in the 1980s

In 1981, drawing on a news report about Leicester Hemingway's "New Atlantis", novelist Hisashi Inoue wrote a 700-page work of magic realism, Kirikirijin, about a village that secedes from Japan and proclaims its bumpkinish, marginalized dialect its national language, and its subsequent war of independence. This single-handedly inspired a large number of Japanese villages, mostly in the northern regions, to "declare independence", generally as a move to raise awareness of their unique culture and crafts for urban Japanese who saw village life as backwards and uncultured. These micronations even held "international summits" from 1983 to 1985, and some of them formed confederations. Throughout the 1980s there was a "micronation boom" in Japan that brought many urban tourists to these wayward villages. But the harsh economic impact of the Japanese asset price bubble in 1991 ended the boom. Many of the villages were forced to merge with larger cities, and the micronations and confederations were generally dissolved.^[20]

Australian & New Zealand Development

Micronational developments that occurred in New Zealand and Australia in the final three decades of the 20th century included:

• The Principality of Hutt River was founded in 1970, when Leonard Casley declared his property independent after a dispute over wheat quotas.^[21][6]
• In Victoria, a long-running dispute over flood damage to farm properties led to the creation of the Independent State of Rainbow Creek in 1979.^[6]
• An anti-taxation campaigner founded the Grand Duchy of Avram in western Tasmania in the 1980s; "His Grace the Duke of Avram" was later elected to the Tasmanian Parliament.^[6]
• The Empire of Atlantium was established in Sydney, in 1981 as a non-territorial global government.^[6]
• The Republic of Whangamomona was established in 1989.^[6]

Effects of the Internet

Micronationalism shed much of its traditionally eccentric anti-establishment mantle and took on a distinctly hobbyist perspective in the mid-1990s, when the emerging popularity of the Internet made it possible to create and promote statelike entities in an entirely electronic medium with relative ease. An early example is the Kingdom of Talossa, a micronation created in 1979 by then-14-year-old Robert Ben Madison, which went online in November 1995, and was reported in The New York Times and other print media in 2000.^[22] As a result, the number of exclusively online, fantasy or simulation-based micronations expanded dramatically.^{[citation needed]} The micronation Ladonia coexists as both a physical territory and as a large and active online community that resembles a third place, distinguishing itself from other micronations, which are either active online communities or claim small physical territories.^[23]

The activities of these types of micronations are almost exclusively limited to simulations of diplomatic activity (including the signing of "treaties" and participation in "supra-micronational" forums such as the League of Micronations) and contribution to wikis. With the introduction of the Internet, many articles on how to create micronations were made available on such wikis, which serve as a hub of online activity for micronations. The most notable wiki for the forum, MicroWiki,^[24] was created in 2005^[25] and is currently administered by Jonathan Austen, the leader of Austenasia.^{[citation needed]}

A number of traditional territorial micronations, including the Hutt River Province, Seborga, and Sealand, maintain websites that serve largely to promote their claims and sell merchandise.^{[citation needed]}

References

This is a list of some micronations that have since ceased to exist.

• Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia (1860-1862)
• Kingdom of Sedang (1888–1890)
• Kingdom of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (1827-1978)
• Republic of Indian Stream (1832-1835)
• Islands of Refreshment (1811-1816)
• Republic of Rose Island (1968-1969)
• Province of Bumbunga (1976-1999)
• Operation Atlantis (1968-1971)
• Freetown Christiania
• Sultanate of M'Simbati (1959-1980)
• Grand Duchy of the Lagoan Isles
• New Utopia

The present

Some characteristics of most micronations are shown below.

• Generally considered a joke.
• Not recognized by any generally recognized nation.
• Usually, though not always, either small to minuscule or enormous in size.
  • If they are small, they are usually based on the home or previous property of their creators.
  • If enormous, this territory is often extraterrestrial or imaginary (virtual or mental construct).

This is a list of some micronations that already exist.

• United Empire of Mikhaelium
• Republic of Molossia
• Principality of Sealand
• Sultanate of Mustachistan
• Principality of Hutt River
• Grand Duchy of Westarctica
• Republic of Whangamomona
• Aerican Empire
• Conch Republic
• Sovereign Principality of Corvinia
• The Triselene Imperium
• Republic of Terra Firma
• Kingdom of Thorhavn
• Republic of Eslo
• Nova Roma
• Aeterna Lucina
• Atlantium
• Austenasia
• Avram
• Copeman Empire
• Pitchfork Union
• Dominion of British West Florida
• New Deutsche Democratic Republic
• Autonomous Kingdom of Neoptolemia
• The Free Republic of Liberland
• Somaliland
• The Kingdom of North Sudan
• The Kingdom of Enclava
• Ladonia
• Nation of Celestial Space
• Conch Republic
• Akhzivland
• Kingdom of Elleore
• Principality of Seborga
• Republic of the Nebraska Plains
• The Confederated Empire of Bir Tawil and Territories

Some micronationalists are:

• Kevin Baugh (President of Molossia)
• Ali-Ali Achsenfree (Sultan of Mustachistan)
• Dennis Wardlow (Prime Minister of the Conch Republic)
• Murt Kennard (President of Whangamomona)

War against another nation

List of already occurred wars

• Francian-Gustavian Civil War
• Molossian-Mustachistani War
• Molossian-East German War
• First Conch-American War
• Second Conch-American War
• Sealand War of Independence
• Achenbach Rebellion
• Conch Civil War
• Emerian-American War
• Cyclldian-Spero War

The creation of Micronations

The site

A micronation needs to have a defined territory. For instance, many micronations create artificial islands as living space:

• Create your own island

You can also claim territory on the seafloor or in outer space. The main advantage of these is that you can claim these for purposes of research.

• Claim territory on the seafloor
• Claim territory in outer space
• Claim territory in the polar regions

Flag & Coat of Arms

See Designing a flag and a coat of arms

Independence

See Independence

Political and legal decisions

National Defense

Defending territory against outside forces (pirates, for example) is a tough problem to overcome. If you have made treaties with other, more powerful nations that require them to aid you if you so ask of them, this may be of great benefit in terms of defense. However, in the case of a small man-made island, the outcome of an attack against the island depends greatly on whether the other nation's forces arrive too aid on time or not.

a state may happen to have the resources to build it's own defense force. a state may set up signs around their island to warn outsiders of their existence and their right to defend themselves. Creating a defense force requires, tactical and strategic placement of military resources. most micronations don't have the money or ability to own and/or maintain large scale military firearms and thus they must rely on more basic methods. Concrete road barriers and entrenched infantry positions are useful for defending against relatively short-range attacks from the sea, this does require an island with enough room to store ammunition and hold up to recoil, as well as some way to repair or evacuate the island in the case of an emergency. However, even if a state has the firepower, the state must allocate substantial human resources to defend it's territory which in the context of a micronation is somewhat difficult.

Planting mines *may* be against international law; a state must declare that it has mined an area, but how specific it is in declaring it is completely up to them. Creating an Island may sound like the work of science fiction but it can be possible, in a large enough scale you can achieve the requirement to form a micronation.

Making an Island

Creating an island can be as simple as putting a chair in a 0.50m deep sea and calling it an island. Land reclamation projects tend to create bigger surfaces to stand on, which vary from square meters to even square kilometers. Before we start building an island, we need to consider what use it will have first. Here is a list of reasons why we might want to build an island: To have fun, enjoying the sensation of standing on a surface which was previously only water. To grow crops, which can save space and make use of the water. To recycle, by collecting glass bottles, wooden crates and tin/aluminum/steel cans and make use of it. Building islands can indeed encourage recycling. (This should not include plastic. Do not use plastic in this process, as it will pollute!)

• Motivations
• Methods
• Materials
• Construction Guides
• Plants
• Facilities
• Moving a Floating Island

Examples

Spiral Island I in early March 2000

Famous land reclamation projects include the artificial islands in Dubai, which were built with dredgers loaded with sand and lots of complicated engineering, which is not necessarily what it takes to build an island. As seen on the TV show Ripley's Believe it or Not, in Mexico a person happened to find a sum of broken discarded fishnets and combined them with empty bottled water containers and dirt, to create Spiral Island. ^[26]One major problem with this is that Mexico is or was trying to annex the island as a tourist site. Also, in Dubai, UAE, there is the construction of The Palm Islands, which are three groups of man-made islands shaped like palm trees. A separate company is also constructing The World, named for its shape, which, when complete, will form a map of the world. Also, Kansai International Airport in Osaka Bay is on a man-made island, as are Chubu Centrair International Airport and Kobe Airport. In Tokyo Bay, Odaiba island, which is an 19th century artificial island, remains a popular tourist destination. The Uros in Peru are a group of pre-Inca people living on man-made islands in Lake Titicaca. The islands are fashioned out of totora reeds and anchored to the bottom of the lake with stakes attached to ropes.

One of the earlier modern artificial island built for the purpose to create a micronation, is the Republic of Minerva, built on the Minerva Reefs, though within months of declaring independence, Tonga invaded.^[27][28][29] An earlier example is Republic of Rose Island, which was, in a hostile manner, taken over and destroyed by Italy.^[30]

External links

• The Republic of ... what?? - The true story of a man's short-lived man-made island country in the 1970s.
• http://www.sealandgov.com/ - The official website for the Principality of Sealand, a former WWII gunnery platform in the North Sea that has been turned into a micronation.
• notes from 03
• Ask Yahoo!: How are man-made islands actually made?
• Offshore oil derricks
• Oil platform security
• Has a section of the different types of oil rigs and how they are anchored
• Composites used in offshore construction projects

References

Laws

There are probably some laws that you do not agree with in your home country. For example, in the U.S., to drive a car in most states you would have to pay $1000-$2000 a year in car insurance. If you created your own island, you would be able to enact your own government. Along with the benefit of likely not needing a car on your own island, if you had an island big enough to need cars, you wouldn't need automobile insurance.

When you create your island, you can base your government on those already in place, with your modifications to the current systems, or devise your own system. You could base it on historical models, like the Roman triumvirate, or you could take it from a theoretical system, such as that in Thomas More's Utopia. With your own island, you can change the government so that you are the government.

Money

If you have limited funds, cannot earn enough money to survive, or simply cannot find a job, building an island may be right for you. Provided you live near a body of water, you can build an island which has shelter, food from fishing, and a possible income generating potential in the tourists that would come to visit your island.

There are also many ways an island can be utilized to generate both raw materials and energy. The sea can be farmed just like ordinary land, only the products are different.

Stateless individuals

There are some people who for reasons not entirely under their control have been denied citizenship in all countries of the Earth. People who are in this position literally have no where else to turn; however, it could be argued that people who are in this position are also incapable of gathering the resources necessary to build an island. This page describes some of the possible methods for creating an island.

Dumping Method

The easiest (and simplest) method is to import large quantities of rocks and soil into a shallow pool of water until the hill it forms breaks the surface.

Rishi Sowa's Floating method

Get broken fishnets from trash and fill with empty plastic bottles, tie to discarded wooden pallets, or bamboo lattice work. To make it larger you tie additional segments together. Cover the pallets or latticework on soil, plant mangroves and other salt tolerant plants. The roots will help stabilize the structure and provide nourishment. Further information available at http://www.spiralislanders.com/ .

General Floating Island

Seacrete Method

This method utilizes electricity to cause minerals to be deposited onto a mesh of conductive wire. Over time it will form a substance similar in strength to concrete.

Large Ship Method

Most expensive method compared to any listed above. This method was depicted in the movie Waterworld and in the book Snowcrash by Neal Stephenson as a place where people made a permanent residence on an abandoned large ship. Snowcrash in particular makes mention of a large inter-connected city of lashed boats connected to a decommissioned aircraft carrier (the U.S.S. Nimitz in this case). With little propulsion it was forced to go with the flow of the sea currents using its engines to only keep away from the territorial waters of countries.

Also the Mindstar series of books by Peter F Hamilton (Mindstar Rising, A Quantum Murder and The Nano Flower) also describe the use of ships and large floating concrete structures in the middle of the Atlantic as a manufacturing facility and spaceport, using large OTEC generators to provide cheap electricity from the thermal difference between deep sea water and surface water.

Pikecrete/Pykrete Method

Please refer to materials section for explanation. Pykrete is a very potent material, but as of yet it has not been used, by any nation. Only small scale use by individuals, no nation has built anything with it.

Pikecrete can serve as an extremely strong island material, it has the same strength as concrete but it floats. It can be used to hold a foundation until a permanent location is found. Alternately, if you would like to roam, just make a mold of a vessel and then pour it onto the mold with a flat top as a foundation. It could also potentially serve as a boxing fence to pour in dirt or sand to form an island.

Volcano Method

Many islands have been formed as the result of undersea volcanic activity - the Hawaiian Islands are an example. A volcano is simply a point where the molten rock has squeezed through a fissure leading to the surface of the earth. Theoretically if an appropriate point can be found where a volcano can be stimulated by drilling or placement of explosive on the ocean floor, a subsequent eruption may form a cone of lava that reaches above the surface of the water.

Sand Build-up Method

All you need is water (estuaries/pool of water) and sand/loam (If built in estuaries a lot). First,Dump sand/loam into the water. Then,When it reaches the sea level carve it with your hands. Do it again and again until it stands on its own.

Seacrete/Biorock/Mineral accretion

By using a low current and a metal mesh you can cause minerals to be deposited on the mesh. Rate of deposition is limited by current used, flow rate of water and many other variables. The minerals can grow at the rate of about 5 in per year depending on the amount of current flowing. The higher the current (amps), the faster that accumulation occurs. This is a fairly environmentally-friendly technique as the only resources it requires that are not easy to provide from a renewable source is the mesh. although, perhaps, it is feasible to recycle scrap metal. Of course, the energy to produce the electricity must also be considered and this will require resources. Research indicates that you need a direct current source, which can be provided by technology such as solar panels, wind generators, batteries, and the like.

Concrete

Concrete is not a particularly 'green' material. Every ton of concrete releases two tons of carbon dioxide

Pikecrete/Pykrete

Pikecrete is a compound invented by a British scientist named Geoffrey Pyke working under Lord Mountbatten during the Second World War. It consists of ice with 14% sawdust or wood pulp and 86% water mixed into a slurry and frozen. The resulting compound is not only roughly as strong as concrete, but also resists melting and is able to float, being less dense. It also does not suffer from concrete's carbon dioxide output issues.

History Lord Mountbatten threw a small block into Churchill's bath water as he rushed into his house and gave him the idea of building an aircraft carrier (HMS Habakkuk and sister ships) out of pikecrete. The ship would have been larger than anything before or since, and it could resist (unlike normal ships) torpedoes and bullets.

Supposedly, Lord Mountbatten demonstrated this by firing two rounds from his revolver--one at ice which was shattered, and then at the pikecrete which actually bounced off and nicked Admiral Ernest King in the leg, making his point.

Pikecrete theoretically only needs cooling pipes to keep it afloat in tropical waters. Aircraft carriers made of it would therefore have been able to stay afloat, only needing to go to the Arctic every few years for a complete re-freezing.

Currently As of today pikecrete/pykerete is not considered relevant by most scientists. Pykrete is generally only used for glacial reconstruction.

Steel and other metals

Steel hulls have some great benefits. It's readily available all over the globe, it's not prone to marine borers, it is quite cheap once you come up to a certain scale (some where around 7 meters in diameter for a circular island).

But it certainly has some backsides as well. Since sea water is inherently eroding on almost all metals, the steel has to be protected in some way. The obvious solution to the layman is of course different kinds of paints and varnishes. As one intuitively understands, this not an ecological way, and since it usually demands some re-applying every now and then you might have to see to that your island is capable of being dry docked. Another alternative of conservation, or more correct, for delaying the erosion, is using anodes. The two methods can be combined.

Plastics and ceramics

Making plastics is considered non eco-friendly as it requires fossil fuel to produce it. However, on the up side, plastic does not decay and deteriorate. islands have been made using recycled plastic bottles which would contribute to recycling our already existing water bottles. This article needs more citations to verify its information!

Floating Fishnet

First of all, it would be better to construct these on land and then transport them to the water.

Materials: Soil, fishnets, empty bottled water containers and/or empty drink bottles. Make sure the bottles are closed and air tight; preferably plastic.

1. Spread the fishnet over a flat area where plants are able to grow into the soil but not the ground underneath (construct on top of something like concrete).
2. Figure out how you want the empty bottles to lay in the fishnet. You could try to tie them to the fishnet or just lay them on their sides (if you think the roots of the plants you're going to be using in the next step will secure them in the soil).
3. Cover with soil and plant plants as hopefully they will trap the bottles in their roots. You will have to determine the depth of the soil you want. If it's too thin your weight won't be dispersed enough and you may fall through, too thick and it may sink.

Here's how to calculate how many bottles you'd need for your island:

• Calculate how much weight in soil you'll have for the island (in kilograms).
• Calculate how much weight in other facilities you'll have for the island (in kilograms).
• Calculate the maximum number of people you expect on the island, and multiply that number by 70 kg.
• Add the above numbers, altogether, and add about an extra 5~15% of that for safety.
• The resulting number is the total number of liters in bottles that you'll require. Divide the number by the bottle size (in litres) that you'll be using to get how many of them you need.
• 250 mL = 0.25 L; 500 mL = 0.5 L
• Note: Do not employ glass bottles, they will break!

Modular Construction

It is envisaged that the island will be produced in a modular way, with sections able to be added as required. Modules can be either free floating and anchored to the seabed, possibly using an existing sea mount as the anchor point, or built up from the seabed itself.^[6]

Modules can be any shape and design but the easiest shape both to deploy and built is the rectangular platform. Hexagon modules should also be considered for additional reasons. The prime one being increase of volume for a given surface area.^[6]

It is suggested that modules should be able to be raised and lowered in the water to allow the modules to be moved as needed. A module completely empty of water has less inertia and will be much easier to control for a tug or other propulsion system. A module half full of water for example will be much more stable as long as that water is prevented from moving from side to side (this is the same principle used for ship-board stabilizers and fuel tanks in cars.) The easiest way to do this is to provide baffles in the buoyancy tanks that prevent fluids from moving from one side of the tank to another.^[6]

One design that may be viable is that of a box, solid at all sides except the base which will be covered with either mesh, if an internal lift bag is to be used or solid of all sides with valves able to control airflow into and out of the tank. It is suggested that the tank be divided into several sections to allow for redundancy if a tank should become damaged. It is also suggested that the valves should be designed in such a way that if they fail there is a backup valve able to stop it failing in a dangerous way.^[6]

The biggest risk for any island is the destructive force of a storm. A floating island as suggested above should be able to cope with such a storm by increasing the amount of water in it buoyancy tanks. In doing so it will become heavier and sit lower in the water. It will also have less cross-sectional surface area to be pushed against by the wind. The only real problem will be the waves. Wave energy decreases with the depth below the surface. The depth being dependent on the wavelength of the wave. In calmer water the sub-surface effects of waves will be minimal, but during a storm wave-length increases and therefore sub-surface effects do also.^[6]

One possibility for a floating island which will be difficult in practice would be to literally sink the island during a storm and re-float it after it has passed. This would probably be a last resort option as it would require a lot of disruption unless the modules were designed for this action.^[6]

Compartmentalization of the buoyancy tanks of a module should allow greater tolerance of water ingress by limiting center of gravity shifts through the structure and thus making the module more stable. This can be proved in a little thought experiment. If we have a spherical module, unlikely but it makes it easier to demonstrate the basic idea, with 25% of its volume filled with water. Then there is nothing to stop the whole module from spinning in any direction about its center of gravity. If we now divide this sphere into many little compartments and fill the lowest 25% of these with water then we essentially have a module that bears a close resemblance to a weeble in terms of mass distribution. Each time it is pushed from its stable position it will tend to return to this equilibrium point. This is called pendulum stability. For every subdivision we create inside the module we have a set of trade offs. With every division we tend to the ideal module with a fixed center of gravity, but its a case of diminishing returns since while initial divisions will have great effect as you keep adding more you will reduce the effect and add more mass to the structure, also cutting down usable buoyancy tank volume. This isn't very scientific but instinct tells me that the ideal number of subdivisions is between 3 and 5 giving us somewhere between 9 and 25 separate buoyancy tanks, but this will depend upon application.^[6]

We will go through a worked example for the rough design of a cubic floating module.^[6]

If we require a rectangular module that has a surface of 5 meters by 5 meters and can take a payload of 4 tons in addition to its own mass then we need to calculate the mass of the structure, the mass of the water inside the structure and how much water we need to displace to get it to float.^[6]

The volume of the structure is given by the height x width x length for a rectangular object. We'll use the height as 3 meters for now, we can always go back and change it later.

This gives us a volume of 75m3.

If we assume that we will be using seacrete or concrete as a basis for the structure then the calculations are as follows. Steps will be similar but with different figures for other materials.

If we use a wall thickness of 0.1 meters then the volume of the walls is given by (height x width x thickness x 2) + (width x length x thickness x2) + (height x length x thickness x 2)

or

(3x5x0.1x2) + (5x5x0.1x2) + (3x5x0.1x2) = volume

      3       +      5      +      3       = 11m3

The mass of the walls will be given by volume of walls x density

If we use the mass of sea water as 1020kg/m3, air as 1kg/m3 and concrete as 2750kg/m3

For concrete this would be

11 x 2750kg/m3 = 30250kg

If we add to this the mass of air inside the structure we get an overall figure of 30325kg

The volume of water the structure will displace if fully submerged is 75m3 (The volume inside the structure) + 11m3 (The volume of the walls) for a total of 86m3 The mass of water it will displace is 86m3 x density of water

or 86m3 x 1020kg/m3 = 87720kg

Since this is greater than the mass of the structure it should float and should be able to take a payload of 57395kg before it would begin to sink. However unless you distributed the load carefully the structure is more likely to fail before you get to this point.

So far we have neglected to include subdivision of the tanks into the calculations. If we wish to calculate the extra mass required to subdivide the buoyancy tanks we do the following.

Decide how much we will subdivide then tank by.

For example to divide it into 9 sub-tanks we would require 4 extra panels. 2 in the lengthwise direction and 2 in the widthwise direction. Volume of these panels can be calculated as follows.

(w x h x thickness x #panels) + (l x h x thickness x #panels) = total additional volume.

for our example previously this would give an additional 6m3 of volume (which needs to also come off the usable volume of the tanks when filled with air) which has a mass of 6m3 x 2750kg/m3 = 16500kg

We can do this technique for more complex structures as long as the masses of the structure and water displaced is known or can be calculated.

Anchors

There are many techniques used for anchoring items to the sea bed. The simplest technique is simply to drop a large mass onto the sea bed and tether an object to it. However, this solution is neither a particularly elegant solution nor is it efficient in terms of raw materials.

One technique, which has gained popularity with structural designers in recent years, is the idea of dropping a large bell onto the sea floor and pumping water from it. While water is being removed, the bell will fill with sand, either by sucking up a large mass of sand into itself, thereby causing its mass to increase, or by burying itself in the seabed, causing an increase in static friction of the anchor. Which condition occurs will depend upon the design of the anchor and the amount of suction provided upon installation. It is unknown whether the first situation would have long term durability.

Biorock

The first step is to build a steel frame out of metal. (sources of metal can be rebar, thick gauge wire, tie wire, chicken wire, hardware cloth etc.) To create solid structures, the spacing between terminals should be kept to a minimum. (The reef structures currently being built feature spacing of half a foot or more) 1/4 to 1/2 inch might prove most advantageous for an island. Keep the anodes (positive terminal) around 4-6 inches away from the cathode (negative terminal) screen. the metal structure can be anchored in a shallow part of the ocean, powered by floating solar panels. Placing the anodes half a foot from the sides of the island the limestone will grow around the outside then later the insides will fill in. To increase the size, the anodes will be moved farther from the sides of the island.

The lower the voltage the more efficient the accretion process

Note: higher number of amps increases speed without loss of efficiency

References

Plants are the most important part of a floating island as it will be extremely prone to erosion. You will have to make sure the plants you put on the island can grow in whatever environment you chose to put the island in. If you build your island in saltwater, you might need to use plants that can survive in environments that are rich in salt, such as mangrove trees. If you are growing plants that are not resistant to salt water, you need to make sure that the soil in which the plants are growing has no contact with the subterranean sea water. You might want to cover the bottom of the surface which is supporting the soil with either concrete or wooden boards.

Additionally, the roots of plants will add support and strength to the soil. Grass might be a good plant to start with, which will also improve the aesthetic condition of the island.

If you ever get to the point where you have successfully built an artificial island, it still will not be fit for human habitation without some necessities, listed below in descending order of importance:

• Water
• Food
• Power
• Communication
• Transport

Desalination of Sea Water

Sea water can be processed to remove any dissolved salts to provide almost pure water. The simplest technique for doing this is simply to heat the water until it evaporates and then re-condense the water into a fresh water tank. As a by-product of this you will have a large quantity of salt. If you break the process into separate stages you can sort these separate salts as they will come out of solution at different points. However, since distilled water has no minerals, you should consider adding 2-4 drops of sea water, which contains the minerals that the body needs to survive. Drinking distilled water is unhealthy and could eventually kill you.

Yields for these different salts are roughly as follows.

Yield per ton of water processed

Chloride (Cl^-) 18.9800

Sodium (Na⁺) 10.5560

Sulfate (SO₄^2-) 2.6490

Magnesium (Mg²⁺) 1.2720

Calcium (Ca²⁺) 0.4000

Potassium (K⁺) 0.3800

Bicarbonate (HCO₃^-) 0.1400

Bromide (Br^-) 0.0650

Borate (BO₃^3-) 0.0260

Strontium (Sr²⁺) 0.0130

Fluoride (F^-) 0.0010

Many of these products are valuable on the commercial market as many other processes rely on them which on its own may justify the cost of the island.

Desert Cone

Basically you make a hole and then put something to collect water in the bottom, then you cover it with a waterproof tarp and put a rock on the place above the container. then condensation will drip down into the container.

Distilling Water

You can distill water without using any fuels by using a solar oven or cooker If you do not live on the island permanently and have a main base on another body of land, it would be more practical to send routine supplies to the island rather than attempt any of the following.

Food Producing Plants

Freshwater Plants If you use edible freshwater plants, such as rice, you're going to have to keep the plants away from the saltwater that your island is probably floating in (unless it's built in fresh water, such as a lake.) One solution is to plant these above the ground, in which case you're also going to have to give them some of the salt free drinking water for them to survive. If the island has no native soil then it will be required to either import it or generate it from raw materials. Hydroponics is another option.

Saltwater Plants Edible marine plants include the seaweed kelp and the red alga carrageenan. These can live and thrive in salty seawater; in fact, most of them can only live in saltwater.

Land Plants Edible land plants, such as potatoes or wheat, are also an option, but this will only work if your island has soil. For most plants (except those few that grow at the seashore,) you will also have to provide protection from the sea and access to fresh water, unless of course your island is built in fresh water.

Fishing

Fish are the most available source of meat for an island, although means of cooking them would be less readily acquired. Sushi is an alternative, combining farmed seaweed and raw fish. Shellfish (such as crabs, lobsters, oysters, and shrimp) can be gathered in large amounts by use of cages and traps.

Insects

Edible insects are another possible source of food, as they do not need much space and can live off of most foods, but you should make sure that they are edible, that there is food for them, and that you can overcome the "Gross!" factor.

Environmental Power

When using environmental power sources like wind and solar power, it is important to remember that they are often unpredictable and intermittent. For instance, should an island be powered by sunlight and wind, on a a calm, dark evening these sources will not be available. Unless intermittent power on the island is deemed acceptable, an energy reserve must be maintained for periods when the primary generators are not working, either by storing excess energy produced during active periods, or importing energy to the island in the form of fuel or charged batteries. Needless to say, unless the island can produce sufficient revenue to cover the cost of importing energy (say, by selling excess fish caught or vegetables grown on site), this method will not allow self sufficiency.

Electrical energy would be stored in rechargeable batteries, whose DC output would need to be converted to mains AC to run standard equipment on the island (unless the equipment is built to use DC,) or electrical power could be generated as needed by driving a generator from imported (or grown) fuel, or possibly recovered biomass. An engine burning imported fuel could equally well provide mechanical energy directly (say, for driving propellers should the island be navigable). It is very important to have a method of starting the generators and engines in the absence of other energy sources, say a starter motor, pull cord or starting handle, if the latter approach is taken.

OTEC Generators

OTEC is an acronym standing for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion. It uses the difference in temperature between the cold water at depth and the much warmer water at the surface.

Wind Power

Off-shore the wind has few obstacles that cause turbulence; because of this the wind tends to blow slightly stronger. (Mention anchoring to seabed or floating platforms (and anchor problems) and economies of scale)

Advantage: 24 hours, except when no wind

Wave Power Generators

These types of generators that harness the energy created by sea-waves is, so far, too expensive and impractical for the average island-maker. Many of the various designs for the generator are still frustrated by the practical challenges of the sea, chiefly storm damage and saltwater corrosion. The salter's duck is one example of a wave based generation system.

Another method, which does not require tethering to the sea floor like salter's duck and hence allows the island to be moved without dismantling, is to build an island of several modular, independently floating units linked by pivoted arms, which could also serve as bridges. In the presence of waves of the correct wavelength, twice the length of each arm for example, the relative vertical movement of the floating units would apply an oscillating turning moment to the arms, from which power could be extracted by attaching pistons to them to pump seawater through a turbine or compress air into a tank. Of course, this method of power generation would require the island to be located in an area with an abundance of waves, and the occupants to endure the wave motion of the floating units. One solution might be to make one large floating island to be used as a central habitation area, of sufficiently great buoyant volume that wave effects are cancelled out, and surround it by small auxiliary islands on arms which would not be occupied for significant periods, storage for food, fresh water and machinery, for example. These smaller islands would then move relative to the stationary central hub to generate power.

Current turbines

There are many currents in the sea, the most obvious one to most people is the gulf stream. This flows year round at around 4 knots. A single turbine placed in this stream could produce significant amounts of power. It is unknown how much power we could remove from a current such as this before it may have an appreciable effect on the world. (Mention Betz theorem as related to wind and adjust to water as just another fluid dynamics problem)

Photovoltaic Arrays

Solar panels may not be a good choice when considering that they will take up space and sunlight on the island which could otherwise be used for growing food, and are also only usable during fairly bright daylight.

Solar panels have been around since the early 70s for commercial purposes. Only now with economies and power crises around the world are they becoming very popular. Photovoltaic panels are made up of many small cells each having a voltage of around 0.4-0.6V these are then connected in series or parallel to produce a panel of a certain size and specification. Current photovoltaic panels use a single layer of very pure silicon to convert solar radiation into electricity. Next generation panels incorporating up to five layers of slightly less pure, and hence much cheaper, silicon are just around the corner. Photovoltaic panels are fairly inefficient, converting around 10% of the light falling on them into usable electricity, and hence a very large area of panels will be required to provide a sizeable power output. It might be worth calculating the relative efficiency of plants converting light into chemical energy, and the subsequent efficiency of burning this (for example, as plant oils, ethanol or methanol) in an engine to produce electricity, and comparing this to solar panels. Photovoltaic cells also have a problem with temperature, becoming less efficient the hotter they get.

Solar furnace or Steam powered turbines

Sun power is free, however most techniques for converting it into usable power are very expensive to implement. One technique that can be fairly cheap to build if designed carefully is the concept of the solar furnace. In the solar furnace many mirrors are used to focus sunlight at a single point. This point will get very hot very quickly and this temperature rise can be used to turn water into steam. This steam can then be used to turn a turbine and produce electricity. Design of a solar furnace is critical, since you are potentially dealing with superheated steam and explosion risk is a distinct possibility. However it is a valid concept and a floating island could use its very nature to assist. To avoid the problems of dealing with superheated steam, peltier devices or hot air engines could be substituted, at the cost of scale.

Instead of turning all the mirrors to face the sun it may be easier to turn the island. This depends on a number of things and the mirrors will still need to track the sun's elevation in the sky.

Geothermal (ocean vents)

Biofuels

There has been much publicity in the last few years about crops of fast growing wood such as willow being grown strictly as an alternative fuel for burning in power stations. The same idea could possibly be used with kelp or seaweed in the ocean. However it may not be a particularly efficient process. Shortwave Radio: assuming your island now has power or batteries that can run a shortwave radio this would be your best option for communication.

Communications

Communications can be split into two general areas, data and voice.

External Communications

Voice

Tying into the worldwide telephone network is not difficult even if out at sea. There are a number of satellite networks designed for just this purpose. However due to the geosynchronous nature of most of the satellites used they have a problem covering the poles. The main exception to this is the iridium system which uses many polar orbiting satellites to provide full coverage of the world. However if we have a data connection using satellite then it is not necessary to use voice channels over the satellite as it can all be provided via VoIP. If we are close enough to land we may even be able to lay fiber optic cables out to the island, thus providing much more bandwidth than any satellite ever could for a much lower cost.

Data

What has just been said about voice communication can equally be said about data networks.

Internal communications

As voice communications can be digitized easily and carried over a data network in makes sense only running one type of communication network throughout. There are many options for this, the cheapest solution would be to leverage standard commercial hardware for the purpose. This boils down to 3 media types and a handful of standards. The media types are radio, fiber and cable. Each of these has advantages and disadvantages. Radio is very cheap to install but has problems with interference, range and lack of bandwidth. Cable, meaning Gigabit Ethernet in this case also has a range problem unless routers are used but has quite a lot of bandwidth and more can be added by just running an extra cable. Fiber is the most expensive to install but has fewer limits of range (few km for multi mode fiber and around 80km for single mode fiber) and has a lot of scope for upgrading bandwidth (WDM can be used to send multiple signals down a single pair). Transportation may be the most crucial necessity for living on a man-made island. It allows construction materials, food, and other items to be imported, grants you a means of escape from storms or attack, and most importantly, gets you to your island in the first place.

Ships & Boats

Ships and Boats will probably make up the basic transit system of your island, used for transporting people and cargoes through the waters around you. Canoes are cheap and practical. They are manually operated, so you need not worry about paying for fuel. Also, they are lightweight and could be stored on your island to protect them if a storm comes. Canoes can carry multiple people and items, thus making them perfect for performing tasks like aquaculture or fishing. Ships are larger, generally require fuel, and are much more cumbersome, however, if you have a larger island, with multiple citizens and a greater need for supplies, it is more logical to use ships.

Specializing Watercraft

You may require specialized craft for a certain function, such as trawlers, freighters, nuclear submarines, or ferries. Speeders are probably the best choice for carrying one or two people around the outskirts of your waters quickly, but are expensive. Kayaks are a cheaper but less effective alternative. If you plan to carry large amounts of minerals from your island for trade, it may be good to purchase a small freighter. If your island is not far from another landmass, and receives tourism, or if you/your citizens must commute to another landmass regularly, it may be in your best interest to purchase a ferry or make one. Since they are not meant for long journeys or to carry equipment they may be as simple as a primitive raft. Your island may also need ship specialized towards defense, especially if your location is heavily pirated. If you have a wealthy micronation, you may be able to afford some gunboats or other military material. Other than that, armed vehicles will most likely consist of boats with armed people on them.

Aircraft

If you have an island far from any human outpost, Aircraft may be critical to your island's survival. But they are painfully costly. Just the vehicle itself can cost several hundred thousand dollars at best. Not to mention fuel, safety equipment, and a pilot/flying class. If you have the means, however, aeronautics can provide a myriad of opportunities to your island. You can travel to other places, transport supplies, export your island's goods, and launch nuclear strikes at any entity that does not recognize your island's sovereignty. They travel faster than watercraft, but cannot carry as much.

Towing

You could have a fleet of tugboats with cables attached to a sturdy part of your island tow it to another location.

If the design is modular the modules can be moved individually, in fact they could be linked in a long chain to minimize drag for travel over long distance and then rearranged on location.

Sails

Build a mast near the middle of your island so that you can use sails to drag your island to another location using wind. It's important that your mast is sturdy and large enough to catch enough wind to efficiently move your island, but not so big and heavy that its hard for your island to support it. Also, putting your sails too high might tip your island altogether in rough winds, so it is best to set it such that it is low enough not to let the island blow over (closer to the center of gravity), yet not so low that it gets in the way and/or is not able to catch enough wind. Making the bottom of your island more stream-line would help in reducing drag. This method should be more effective if your island is small.

A cross section of the ocean.

It is a good idea to claim some land on the ocean floor. There are many very interesting life forms that live on the ocean floor, and there is also some incredible geology to look at.

Where to claim

We recommend that you claim some land in an interesting area, such as around a major ocean ridge, volcanic chain, or trench. These contain some very strange and interesting things indeed!

Where NOT to claim

Please add here info about land that should not be claimed. Use examples from existing/past micronations, but please add references to prove that your information is true.

Where to claim?

Space is enormous, so you might ask, What should I claim? Well, there are a lot of places in space, and many of these are probably worth claiming, but a good place to start would be one of our own planets. These are certainly worth claiming; the inner, rocky planets and the many dwarf planets have vast mineral resources and incredible landscapes, the gas giants have dozens of moons with these and are also valuable sources of hydrogen and helium, and the ice giants have all of these plus their impressive appearance. But you can't claim all of the solar system; other nations are certain to go to war with you over that! A better idea might be to claim a portion of the Moon, or of Mars or Venus, or a single moon of one of the gas or ice giants. Invading claimed land is probably not a good idea unless you already have a country with a substantial military forces, as doing so may reduce your chance of survival. But if you choose to invade another country you should consider the size of the country, the resources available, and surrounding countries.

Size

Don't invade large countries because you are likely going to lose. Take on someone small who you can easily overwhelm. This may be another micronation or a small island in international waters (be careful about invading islands belonging to larger nations with military forces as they may counterattack).

Resources

Don't invade a piece of land with no access to resources. Your country needs something to build off of like a (dormant) volcanic island in the pacific with rich volcanic soil good for agriculture.

Surrounding countries

Don't invade land with greedy or unfriendly nations around it as they may attack your micronation. Try to find countries that will help you grow, make treaties with your micronation or trade goods with you.

Designing your flag

Making a flag is probably one of the most important part in creating a micronation. Your flag is the face of your country, it must be simple, tidy, and meaningful.^[31] According to the North American Vexillological Association, the following are the 5 principles for making a good flag: ^[32]

1. Keep It Simple.  The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory.
2. Use Meaningful Symbolism.  The flag’s images, colors, or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes.
3. Use 2 or 3 Basic Colors.  Limit the number of colors on the flag to three which contrast well and come from the standard color set.
4. No Lettering or Seals.  Never use writing of any kind or an organization’s seal.
5. Be Distinctive or Be Related.  Avoid duplicating other flags, but use similarities to show connections

Please remember that several micronations do not follow those rules. For example, the Principality of Seborga and Liberland both use seals on their flags. Nova Roma uses lettering on its flag. The flag of Akhivland is definitely not simple enough for a child to draw from memory. Just keep your flag meaningful, and make sure you are glad with your results.

Flags of Micronations

• 
  Dominion of British West Florida
• 
  Principality of Sealand
• 
  Principality of Seborga
• 
  Islands of Refreshment
• 
  Grand Duchy of Westarctica
• 
  The Free Republic of Liberland
• 
  Nova Roma
• 
  Ladonia
• 
  Akhzivland
• 
  Aerican Empire

References

1. ↑ What is a Micronation? World Atlas
2. ↑ History of Sealand The principality of Sealand. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015.
3. ↑ Mateusz Kudła,"Jak zostać premierem nie odchodząc od komputera" (in Polish). onet.pl. http://technowinki.onet.pl/komputery/jak-zostac-premierem-nie-odchodzac-od-komputera,1,4909220,artykul.html. Retrieved 2013-04-27. 
4. ↑ Springtime of micronations spearheaded by Belgian “Grand-Duke” Niels Brussels Times
5. ↑ Sack, John; Silverstein, Shel (1959). Report from practically nowhere. Harper. https://archive.org/details/reportfrompracti00sack. 
6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Sellars, John Ryan, George Dunford, Simon (2006). Micronations :the Lonely Planet guide to home-made nations. London: Lonely Planet Publications. pp. 28–33. ISBN 978-1-74104-730-1.
7. ↑ "Riemerge l'isola dell'Utopia - Corriere della Sera". www.corriere.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
8. ↑ McGirk, Jan (2001-06-08). "Yogi's disciples want to create new utopia". The Independent (London (UK)): p. 17. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-5165376.html. 
9. ↑ MIZROCH, AMIR (2006-07-23). "Forget the F-16s, Israel needs more Yogic Flyers to beat Hizbullah. 30-strong TM group, sole guests at Nof Ginnosar Hotel, say they need another 235 colleagues to make the country safe". Jerusalem Post: p. 4. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110713123549/http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1153291974316&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull. 
10. ↑ "Balkans: Czech man claims to establish 'new state'". 16 April 2015. https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-32332473. 
11. ↑ "Somaliland says it wants closer cooperation with unrecognised Liberland". 26 September 2017. https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-africa-40829012. 
12. ↑ Sellars, John Ryan, George Dunford, Simon (2006). Micronations : [the Lonely Planet guide to home-made nations]. London: Lonely Planet Publications. pp. 28–33. ISBN 978-1-74104-730-1.
13. ↑ Sellars, John Ryan, George Dunford, Simon (2006). Micronations : [the Lonely Planet guide to home-made nations]. London: Lonely Planet Publications. pp. 28–33. ISBN 978-1-74104-730-1.
14. ↑ "JOURNEYS—THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY: Simon Sellars braves wind and waves to visit the unlikely North Sea nation of Sealand". The Australian. Archived from the original on 2007-11-16. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
15. ↑ Hill, Stuart (2008-06-21). "Forvik Declaration of Direct Dependence". The Crown Dependency of Forvik. Archived from the original on 2009-04-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20090419160142/http://www.forvik.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44&Itemid=53. Retrieved 2009-05-04. 
16. ↑ "Unrecognised States Numismatic Society". Retrieved 2008-07-31.
17. ↑ Ryan, John; Dunford, George; Sellars, Simon (2006). Micronations. Lonely Planet. pp. 139. ISBN 1-74104-730-7. https://books.google.com/books?id=5ZRrwrlIPSYC&pg=PA139&dq=%22Dominion+of+British+West+Florida%22&num=100&sig=YhBcJM7aMT3_lGOnBxpfyobMMOs. 
18. ↑ "Riemerge l'isola dell'Utopia - Corriere della Sera". www.corriere.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
19. ↑ "Mid Wales Arts—Richard Booth". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/halloffame/arts/richard_booth.shtml. Retrieved 2010-09-24. 
20. ↑ Shigeru Inoue, Nippon Matchidukuri Jiten, pp. 407–409, 2010, ISBN 4-621-08194-2
21. ↑ Bicudo de Castro, Vicente; Kober, Ralph (2018-04-18). "The Principality Of Hutt River: A Territory Marooned in the Western Australian Outback". Shima: The International Journal of Research into Island Cultures 12 (1). doi:10.21463/shima.12.1.13. ISSN 1834-6057. 
22. ↑ Mimh, Stephen (May 25, 2000). "Utopian Rulers, and Spoofs, Stake Out Territory Online". The New York Times. 
23. ↑ Bicudo de Castro, Vicente; Kober, Ralph (2019-04-15). "The Royal Republic of Ladonia: A Micronation built of Driftwood, Concrete and Bytes". Shima: The International Journal of Research into Island Cultures. doi:10.21463/shima.13.1.10. https://shimajournal.org/issues/v13n1/10.-Bicudo-de-Castro-and-Kober-Shima-v13n1.pdf. 
24. ↑ MicroWiki. https://micronations.wiki/wiki/Main_Page. Retrieved October 14, 2016
25. ↑ History of the MicroWiki Community. MicroWiki. https://micronations.wiki/wiki/History_of_the_MicroWiki_Community. Retrieved October 14, 2016
26. ↑ Maria (2019-06-09). "A green island made of plastic bottles - The story of Richart Sowa" (in en-GB). https://greentravelife.com/a-green-island-made-of-plastic-bottles-the-story-of-richart-sowa/. 
27. ↑ http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/18/newfoundlands.php
28. ↑ http://www.queenoftheisles.com/HTML/Republic%20of%20Minerva.html
29. ↑ https://reason.com/2008/08/01/artifact-hope-floats/
30. ↑ When Italy went to war with the esperanto micro-nation Insulo de la Rozoj
31. ↑ How to make a micronation: Flags and Symbols
32. ↑ Good Flag, Bad Flag | N.A.V.A

The basics of independence

According to the 1933 Montevideo convention "The state as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications: (A) a permanent population; (B) a defined territory; (C) government; and (D) capacity to enter into relations with the other states." However, in practical terms, recognition as an independent state requires other independent states to agree with this status. The best way to get recognition from major countries is for a state to join the UN. For an "island state" a good way to be recognized would be to join SIDS

Note: the United Nations Conference on the Law Of the Sea (UNCLOS) does not recognize artificial islands as holding island status although no restrictions have been on artificial islands constituting the territory of a state.

Who Owns the Ocean?

The Zones:

• Internal Waters: These are any bodies of water that are above the low-tide mark, such as rivers and deep bays. You can do anything here. These are within your territory in all respects, and you can expel other countries' ships from here even if they do not pose a risk to you because anyone passing within these waters without express permission is trespassing. (However, some countries have agreed to allow ships free passage through some rivers to allow landlocked countries access to the sea.)
• Territorial Sea: The 12 nautical miles about a territory are usually under the exclusive control of a state and all activities are permitted, most notably harvesting minerals and fishing. Any other countries' ships can pass through without danger, as long as they do not threaten you in any respects. You can regulate other countries' ships' activities here. You can expel other countries' warships, but in peacetime that is usually considered unnecessary.
• Contiguous Zone: Another 12 miles past the border of the territorial sea, you can enforce your customs, immigration, and sanitation in this area. You can also engage in Hot Pursuit, or chasing lawbreakers.
• Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): You can do any kind of fishing and mineral exploration here. You are trusted to use it wisely. This zone extends as far as 200 nautical miles, making exceptions for countries that are closer together. All natural resources in this area are yours and yours only, unless agreements have been made to the contrary.
• The High Seas: This extends beyond the EEZ, and anyone can do anything here, unless it is prohibited by international law. The mineral resources out here are for anyone that can extract them.

Note: the United Nations Conference on the Law Of the Sea (UNCLOS) does not recognize artificial islands as having sea territory, although artificial island are allowed to have a 500 Meter safety zone.

External Links

• www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf -complete document of UNCLOS.
• cdn.vanderbilt.edu/vu-wp0/wp-content/uploads/sites/78/2019/07/12052304/Imogen-Saunders.pdf -article on artificial islands constituting territory.

How micronations function

Micronations/Rationale

With Recognized States

By definition a critical factor that separates micronation from a typical state is recognition by other states. However just because a micronation is not recognized by a state does not preclude a state from interaction with a micronation. Naturally these interactions are characterized by the character of both nations.

Sometimes these relationships can be symbiotic, with both states receiving a benefit. An example can be seen in the Conch Republic, which while humorous, was ultimately established to gain the attention of government authorities about an issue that was causing harm to the local tourism economy.^[1][2] Later the Conch Republic itself became a tourist attraction.^[3]

Other times relations can be more antagonistic. For example when Liberland established itself on Terra Nullius between two established countries, it effectively entered itself into a border dispute, leading to police vacating the area.^[4] The Free State of Jones was able to successfully resist the Confederacy in Jones County, Mississippi during the American Civil War by engaging in guerilla warfare and aligning itself with the Union cause.^[5]

With other Micronations

References

Income

A means to generate income to cover operational costs is critical to the operation of any state. While recognized nations have a variety of tools at their disposal for this purpose, most Micronations lack the ability to tax a substantial number of citizens.

The Principality of the Hutt River had an economy based on tourism, and when COVID-19 decimated that industry, the micronation fell with it.^[1]

References