The Fascinating Culture of Micronations: Part 1

There have been more than 400 existing micronations recorded since the term was first used in the 1970s. However, these nations began to gain more popularity with the availability to share ideas on the internet. People create micronations for a multitude of reasons, but all of them have a common denominator of dedication and passion. Some are established for hobbies and personal entertainment, while others seek official recognition. Some micronations are created as tourist attractions or even as protests. Other creators of micronations seek to use them as loopholes to get out of taxes and laws that they claim to no longer apply to them. For example, The Dominion of Melchizedek was created with the intent of orchestrating large-scale banking fraud. No matter the reason for creation, all micronations find a way to be totally unique and nothing like what we see in the rest of society. You can even find nations that issue passports, stamps, coins, postage, and flags!

To become a micronation, you must first acquire land. This could be anywhere as small as the Ambulatory Free States of Obsidia, which was created out of a volcanic obsidian rock that a woman found on a hike. She carries her micronation around in her briefcase. On the other hand, the country could be as big or bigger than The Republic of Molossia, created in Nevada in 1999 by Kevin Baugh. It takes up nearly 7 acres of land and has its own currency and postal service. Alternatively, the Principality of Sealand is located on an abandoned World War II sea-fort a few miles off the coast of England, and The Kingdom of Talossa is a second floor bedroom in Milwaukee. Theoretically, the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 forbids laying claim to outer space, but the galactic nation of Asgardia disregarded the treaty and was founded in 2016, now boasting a population of over 500,000 earthlings by way of online application. Alternatively, Lars Vilk created the micronation of Ladonia on a small patch of land when the Swedish government warned that they would tear down a sculpture that he made from over 70 tons of driftwood.

The next step to creating a micronation is to form a government and draft a constitution. This process is often unconventional and has elicited many interesting results. One nation elects their leader based on an applause meter. The Whangamomona Republic in New Zealand has previously elected goats and poodles to be their executive leaders. The current President of this nation is a woman, and her husband has the title of “First Bloke.” The laws written in the constitution are entirely up to the creator, making the process of drafting a constitution both incredibly creative and bizarre.

After one acquires land and drafts a constitution, the micronation needs to gain a population. The number of citizens can be as few as just yourself. The Principality of Sealand has a population of only four. Some nations have online application system like Ladonia and Asgardia. Ladonia has over 15,000 citizens by way of online application, and it only costs $12,000 on top to become part of their nobility.

Some nations have set up their own economy as well. The Valora is the currency of the Republic of Molossia, and its value is directly tied to the price of Pillsbury Cookie Dough. On the other hand, Ladonia’s only tax is to contribute one’s creativity to the world.

The last step to creating a micronation is to create a brand for the country and be ready to defend it. Most nations create a flag, motto, and song. The Republic of Molossia even has an active navy consisting of the president’s 27 family members in kayaks on Lake Tahoe. They use squirt guns to defend their nation.

Micronations may be strange, but they all deserve credit for their creativity and dedication. Whether you think these nations are ridiculous, are inspired to create your own, or want to join the population of Asgardia, micronations make up an extremely interesting and unique part of our world and its culture that most people are unfamiliar with.

Check out the link to the Google Micronation Map to see where all of these awesome countries are located! You can also read about what St. Francis would be like as a micronation in the second part of this article written by Lucas Sheahin!