142-463: The Principality of Sealand ( / ˈ s iː ˌ l æ n d / ) is a micronation on HM Fort Roughs (also known as Roughs Tower), an offshore platform in the North Sea . It is situated on Rough Sands, a sandbar located approximately 11 kilometres (6 nmi) from the coast of Suffolk and 13 kilometres (7 nmi) from the coast of Essex. Roughs Tower is a Maunsell Sea Fort that was built by
284-503: A state as: "a person of international law [that] 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." In 2019, a couple seasteading off the coast of Thailand went into hiding after being accused by the Royal Thai Navy of violating Thailand's sovereignty. If found guilty, they could face life in prison or
426-524: A Braille representation of the notes denomination), colour-shifting ink (on the DM ;500 and DM 1000 denominations), a see-through registration device and ultraviolet-visible security features. First to be issued were the DM 100 and DM 200 denominations on 1 October 1990 (although the banknote shows " Frankfurt am Main , 2. Januar 1989"). The next denomination was DM 10 on 16 April 1991, followed by DM 50 on 30 September 1991. Next
568-762: A flag , coat of arms or seal, motto and anthem , and many micronations also issue coins, banknotes, stamps, passports, passport stamps , orders of merit and bestow honours and titles of nobility , although these are not recognised internationally. Some micronations have made profits by selling these items as souvenirs and memorabilia to tourists and via their national websites, and others have even sold citizenship and titles of nobility. Some micronational coinage and stamps, if professionally made, have become valued as collector's items by numismatists and philatelists (stamp collectors) alike. In addition, both Sealand and Seborga have their own national association football teams. The Sealand national football team
710-441: A sovereign state rather than to achieve international recognition , and their activities are almost always trivial enough to be ignored rather than challenged by the established nations whose territory they claim —referred to as a macronation in micronationalism. Some micronations admit to having no intention of actually becoming internationally recognised as sovereign. Geographically, most micronations are very small, are often
852-574: A tongue-in-cheek venture meant to bolster tourism. In 1986, the Kingdom of North Dumpling was declared by inventor Dean Kamen after a denial from local officials to build his own wind turbine on North Dumpling Island in Long Island Sound , which Kamen privately owns. Kamen wrote his own constitution and created a flag, currency and national anthem for the micronation. In 1992, despite still being recognised as part of New York State in
994-543: A "State in Time", claiming no territory in order to be a "stateless state". Elgaland-Vargaland is a conceptual art project founded in 1992 by Swedish artists Carl Michael von Hausswolff and Leif Elggren . According to them, everyone who dies is automatically granted citizenship. Among Elgaland-Vargaland's territorial claims include graveyards , people's mental states and "the distance between high tide and low tide " of France. They also claim to operate embassies around
1136-522: A British citizen and the owner of a pirate radio station, who ejected the competing group of pirate broadcasters. Bates intended to broadcast his pirate radio station—called Radio Essex—from the platform. Despite having the necessary equipment, he never began broadcasting. Bates declared the independence of Roughs Tower and deemed it the Principality of Sealand. In 1968, British workmen entered what Bates claimed to be his territorial waters to service
1278-567: A French intermicronational organisation, was founded in 2015. The organisation organised its first summit in 2016, hosted by the Principality of Aigues-Mortes . In 2018, the Principality of Islandia was established by two individuals aiming to build a crowdfunded micronation. Successfully purchasing the uninhabited Coffee Caye in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Belize in 2019, Prime Minister of Belize John Briceño dismissed
1420-728: A colorless inorganic oxide mixture applied to the security thread. Banknotes featuring that were designated BBk Ia within the Bundesbank. All banknotes of the third series bore the penalty for counterfeiting and forgery on the upper right corner of the reverse, from German penal code section 146: " Wer Banknoten nachmacht oder verfälscht, oder nachgemachte oder verfälschte sich verschafft und in Verkehr bringt, wird mit Zuchthaus/Freiheitsstrafe nicht unter zwei Jahren bestraft. " ("Who falsifies or counterfeits banknotes, or procures falsified or counterfeit banknotes and releases them into circulation,
1562-507: A cyclone, and the project was completely abandoned in 1973. In 1967, Paddy Roy Bates squatted on HM Fort Roughs , an offshore platform in the North Sea used during World War II approximately 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) off the coast of the United Kingdom. Bates had intended to broadcast a pirate radio station from the platform, however ultimately never did so. He instead declared the independence of Fort Roughs and declared it
SECTION 10
#17327722450031704-552: A data haven, which effectively took control of Roughs Tower itself. Ryan Lackey , Haven's co-founder and a key participant in the country, left HavenCo under acrimonious circumstances in 2002, citing disagreements with the Bates family over management of the company. The HavenCo website went offline in 2008. The Sealand National Football Association (SNFA) was an associate member of the Nouvelle Fédération-Board ,
1846-508: A floating pontoon base with a superstructure of two hollow towers joined by a deck upon which other structures could be added. The fort was towed to a position above the Rough Sands sandbar, where its base was deliberately flooded to sink it in place. This is approximately 7 nautical miles (13 km) from the coast of Suffolk , outside the then 3 nmi (6 km) claim of the United Kingdom and, therefore, in international waters at
1988-548: A football sanctioning body for non-recognised states and states not members of FIFA , which became inactive in 2013 and was replaced by the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA). The SNFA administers the Sealand national football team . In 2004, the national team played its first international game against Åland Islands national football team , drawing 2–2. In 2004, mountaineer Slader Oviatt carried
2130-452: A greatly expanded market for German exports. Overnight, consumer goods appeared in the stores, because they could be sold for higher prices. While the availability of consumer goods is seen as a giant success story by most historians of the present, the perception at the time was a different one: prices were so high that average people could not afford to shop, especially since prices were free-ranging but wages still fixed by law. Therefore, in
2272-714: A hobbyist paradigm of micronationalism that arose with the rise of the Internet from the mid-1990s onwards. In 2021, legal academics Harry Hobbs and George Williams , in their Micronations and the Search for Sovereignty , defined micronations as "self-declared nations that perform and mimic acts of sovereignty, and adopt many of the protocols of nations, but lack a foundation in domestic and international law for their existence and are not recognised as nations in domestic or international forums". Online dictionary Collins English Dictionary , published by HarperCollins , gives
2414-435: A man named Nick Glendinning swam from Sealand to the mainland by swimming from the water near Roughs Tower to Bawdsey . He completed the trip in just under five hours. Glendinning claims the timing of his swim was coincidental, but Royal disagreed, saying in response to Glendinning's comments that, "There's no way in the world that this is a coincidence" and noting that the maritime authorities had been deceived into believing it
2556-778: A mint mark, indicating where the coin was minted. D indicates Munich, F Stuttgart, G Karlsruhe and J Hamburg. Coins minted during the Second World War include the mint marks A (Berlin) and B (Vienna). The mint mark A was also used for German mark coins minted in Berlin beginning in 1990 following the reunification of Germany. These mint marks have been continued on the German euro coins . Between 1 July 1990 (the currency union with East Germany ) and 1 July 1991, East German coins in denominations up to 50 pfennig s continued to circulate as Deutsche Mark coins at their face value, owing to
2698-455: A navigational buoy near the platform. Michael Bates (son of Paddy Roy Bates) tried to scare the workmen off by firing warning shots from the fort. As Bates was a British subject at the time, he was summoned to court in England on firearms charges following the incident. The court ruled that the platform (which Bates was now calling Sealand) was outside British territorial limits, being beyond
2840-430: A non-territorial global government based on the ideals of secularism , progressivism and liberalism . Among the causes Atlantium supports are the right to unrestricted international freedom of movement , the right to abortion , and the right to assisted suicide . In 1981, drawing on a news story about Hemingway's New Atlantis, novelist Hisashi Inoue wrote a 700-page work of magic realism , Kirikirijin , about
2982-569: A post office and commercial establishments. In 1969, the Italian Navy used explosives to destroy the facility, claiming it was a ploy to raise money from tourists while avoiding national taxation . The Republic of Minerva was a libertarian project that succeeded in building a small artificial island on the Minerva Reefs in 1972 by importing sand. It was invaded by troops from Tonga that same year, who annexed it before destroying
SECTION 20
#17327722450033124-588: A rate of 1:1 for the first M 4,000 and 2:1 for larger amounts. Before reunification, each citizen of East Germany coming to West Germany was given Begrüßungsgeld (welcome money), a per capita allowance of DM 100 in cash. The government of Germany and the Bundesbank were in major disagreement over the exchange rate between the East German mark and the German mark. France and the United Kingdom were opposed to German reunification, and attempted to influence
3266-549: A rather short life. While previously damaged notes could be replaced from reserve stocks, this stock was also coming to an end, necessitating a reprint. Typical security features at the time were guilloches, a multi-level head watermark and a security thread. Note numbers that fluoresced under UV light and green, yellow, and blue. 27 fluorescent fibers embedded in the paper appeared on most banknotes; however, some specimens without these features were in circulation. Starting in 1976, banknotes were equipped with machine-readable feature -
3408-610: A similar definition: "An entity , typically existing only on the internet or within the private property of its members, that lays claim to sovereign status as an independent nation, but which is unrecognized by real nations." Several historical political entities have been retroactively described as micronations in academic and journalistic works, including the Islands of Refreshment (existed 1811–16), Kingdom of Araucanía and Patagonia (since 1860), State of Scott (1861–1986), Republic of Parva Domus Magna Quies (since 1878), and
3550-540: A small number of D-Mark coins or bills, e.g. Gib mir mal ein paar Märker ("Just give me a few marks") and Die lieben Märker wieder ("The lovely money again", with an ironic undertone). The subdivision unit is spelled Pfennig ( masc. ; [ˈpfɛnɪç] ), which unlike Mark does have a commonly used plural form: Pfennige ( [ˈpfɛnɪɡə] ), but the singular could also be used instead with no difference in meaning. (e.g.: ein (one) Pfennig , dreißig (thirty) Pfennige or dreißig (thirty) Pfennig ). The official form
3692-410: A temporary shortage of small coins. These coins were legal tender only in the territory of the former East Germany. In colloquial German the 10pf coin was sometimes called a groschen (compare: groat ). Likewise, sechser ('sixer') could refer to a coin of 5pf. Both colloquialisms refer to several pre-1871 currencies of the previously independent states (notably Prussia ), where a groschen
3834-754: 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 real-world 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, known as mini-independent countries ( Japanese : ミニ独立国 , romanized : mini dokuritsu koku ), held intermicronational summits , and some of them formed confederations and intermicronational organisations. The Ginko Federation held an intermicronational Olympic games in 1986. However,
3976-571: Is "normally like two people". On the afternoon of 23 June 2006, the top platform of the Roughs Tower caught fire due to an electrical fault. A Royal Air Force rescue helicopter transferred one person to Ipswich Hospital , directly from the tower. The Harwich lifeboat stood by the Roughs Tower until a local fire tug extinguished the fire. All damage was repaired by November 2006. In January 2007, The Pirate Bay , an online index of digital content of entertainment media and software founded by
4118-539: Is compared to other currencies, as in its 53-year history, the purchasing power of the German mark was reduced by over 70%. The first Deutsche Mark coins were issued by the Bank deutscher Länder in 1948 and 1949. From 1950, the inscription Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Federal Republic of Germany) appeared on the coins. These coins were issued in denominations of 1pf, 2pf, 5pf, 10pf, and 50pf. The 1pf and 2pf coins were struck in bronze clad steel (although during some years
4260-500: Is intended for circulation. Commemorative silver DM10 coins have also been issued which have periodically found their way into circulation. Unlike other European countries, Germany retained the use of the smallest coins (1pf and 2pf) until adoption of the euro. denomination below denomination below The weights and dimensions of the coins can be found in an FAQ of the Bundesbank . Unlike other countries (such as Australia) there
4402-833: Is liable to imprisonment for at least two years". The third series banknotes entered circulation on 10 February 1961, with the DM 20 note. DM 100 and DM 50 followed next year, and DM 5 and DM 10 in 1963. High-denomination DM 1000 and DM 500 followed in 1964 and 1965, respectively. The banknotes were printed exclusively in West Germany; in Bundesdruckerei in West Berlin and in Giesecke+Devrient in Munich . The third series banknotes ceased to be legal tender on 30 June 1995, when
Principality of Sealand - Misplaced Pages Continue
4544-552: Is part of a proper name, while the noun "Mark", like all German nouns, is always capitalized. The English loanword "Deutschmark" has a slightly different spelling and one syllable fewer (possibly due to the frequency of silent e in English, or due to English's lack of adjectival endings), and a plural form in -s . In Germany and other German speaking countries, the currency's name was often abbreviated as D-Mark ( fem. , [ˈdeːmaʁk] ) or simply Mark ( fem. ) with
4686-609: The Deutsche Bundesbank . The Deutsche Mark earned a reputation as a strong store of value at times when other national currencies succumbed to periods of inflation . It became a source of national pride and an anchor for the country's economic prosperity, particularly during the years of the Wirtschaftswunder in the 1950s. The population in the Saar Protectorate rejected in a referendum
4828-496: The Atlanta , Georgia based Kingdom of Ruritania based on the fictional country of Ruritania from Anthony Hope's Prisoner of Zenda , the latter of which hosted MicroCon 2017 in Atlanta , Georgia . Micronations function in the same way as sovereign states in that they have their own government, constitution , legislation, and (if a democracy ) hold national elections. Micronations often have national symbols such as
4970-731: The Australian Taxation Office as well as the financial impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic . In 1976, the Province of Bumbunga was declared by Alec Brackstone in response to the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis . Brackstone, an ardent British monarchist, became alarmed by what he saw as a drift away from the Australian system of constitutional monarchy toward outright republicanism . Thus, to ensure that at least one portion of Australia would remain loyal to
5112-496: The British in international waters during World War II . Since 1967, the decommissioned Roughs Tower has been occupied and claimed as a sovereign state by the family and associates of Paddy Roy Bates . Bates seized Roughs Tower from a group of pirate radio broadcasters in 1967 with the intention of setting up his own station there. Bates and his associates have repelled incursions from vessels from rival pirate radio stations and
5254-635: The British Crown , Bumbunga was declared. The Sovereign State of Aeterna Lucina was proclaimed in 1978 by German migrant Paul Neuman. Aeterna Lucina came to public attention in 1990 when Neuman faced fraud charges in the New South Wales court system relating to land sale offences; the case was abandoned in 1992. In 1979, the Independent State of Rainbow Creek was declared by Thomas Barnes in protest of alleged incompetence by
5396-742: The Eastern bloc , the Western bloc , and the Third World nations. But there is another universe of nations which exist apart from the familiar countries." The International Micropatrological Society (IMS), an American learned society and research institute , was founded in 1973 and dedicated to the study of micronations, a discipline it named micropatrology . By 1976, it had documents pertaining to 128 micronations and similar political entities. The earliest attested use of micronation in its current meaning appeared on 28 March 1976 in an article by
5538-790: The First Summit of Micronations summit commenced in Helsinki , Finland, coinciding with a performance art festival called Amorph!03. Six micronations were represented. An art exhibition exhibiting various micronational miscellanea, We Could Have Invited Everyone , occurred in 2004 and 2005 at the Reg Vardy Gallery, University of Sunderland , England and Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York City , United States respectively. The items were featured alongside artwork by artists including Yoko Ono and Nina Katchadourian . Both exhibitions coincided with an intermicronational summit. In 2005,
5680-726: The Florida Keys in 1982 after the United States Border Patrol set up a roadblock and inspection point on one of the only two roads connecting the Florida Keys with the mainland. The Key West City Council complained repeatedly about the inconvenience, claiming that it hurt the Keys' tourism industry. Though the roadblock was soon removed, the claim to sovereignty of the Conch Republic has persisted as
5822-706: The French franc . On 9 July 1959 the Deutsche Mark replaced the Saar franc at a ratio of 100 francs = DM 0.8507. The Deutsche Mark played an important role in the reunification of Germany. It was introduced as the official currency of East Germany in July 1990, replacing the East German mark ( Mark der DDR ), in preparation for unification on 3 October 1990. East German marks were exchanged for Deutsche Marks at
Principality of Sealand - Misplaced Pages Continue
5964-659: The German gold mark was based on gold rather than silver (at 2.79 marks per gram of fine gold), a fixed exchange rate between the Vereinsthaler and the mark of 3 marks = 1 Vereinsthaler was used for the conversion. The first mark, known as the Goldmark , was introduced in 1873. With the outbreak of World War I , the mark was taken off the gold standard. The currency thus became known as the Papiermark , especially as high inflation , then hyperinflation occurred and
6106-682: The Government of Victoria in regards to the flooding of his and others' properties. He was inspired by Hutt River. The Grand Duchy of Avram was established in Tasmania in the early 1980s by politician John Charlton Rudge , and issues its own banknotes. In recognition of his status, Rudge legally changed his name to John the Duke of Avram. In 1981, the Empire of Atlantium was founded in Sydney as
6248-522: The Grand Duchy of Westarctica and Grand Duchy of Flandrensis . However, due to Antartica's remoteness, no micronation has yet to establish a permanent residence on the continent. On the other hand, at least one micronationalist has physically reached Bir Tawil; in June 2014, Virginian farmer Jeremiah Heaton travelled to the area and proclaimed the Kingdom of North Sudan . Heaton stated that he claimed
6390-863: The International Micropatrological Society . Micronationalism saw several developments thereafter, with several micronations being founded in Australia in the 1970s and Japan in the 1980s. As a result of the emergence of the World Wide Web in the mid-1990s, micronationalism lost much of its traditionally eccentric anti-establishment sentiment in favour of more hobbyist perspectives, and the number of exclusively online or merely simulation-based micronations expanded dramatically. This has allowed several intermicronational organisations to form, as well as allowing for many diplomatic summits to take place between micronations since
6532-645: The Kingdom of Italy when it was formed in 1861, meaning that Seborga had remained sovereign. The Romanov Empire , created by chairman of the Monarchist Party of Russia Anton Bakov , claims to be a re-creation of the Russian Empire that holds Prince Karl Emich of Leiningen as the rightful heir to the imperial throne. Deutsche Mark The Deutsche Mark ( German: [ˈdɔʏtʃə ˈmaʁk] ; "German mark "), abbreviated " DM " or " D-Mark " ( [ˈdeːˌmaʁk] ),
6674-809: The Muruwari , in 2013, and the Sovereign Yidindji Government , comprising the Yidindji , in 2014. In both cases, the declarations of independence went wholly unrecognised by the Government of Australia . In 2015, the first convention of the biannual MicroCon was held in Anaheim, California , United States. Hosted by the Republic of Molossia, several presentations were held by micronationalists regarding various topics in micronationalism. The Organisation de la microfrancophonie ,
6816-632: The Ostmark —literally Eastmark ) was introduced a few days afterwards in the form of Reichsmark and Rentenmark notes with adhesive stamps to stop the flooding in of Reichsmark and Rentenmark notes from the West. In July 1948, a completely new series of East German mark banknotes was issued. Later in 1948, the Bank deutscher Länder ("Bank of the German States") assumed responsibility, followed in 1957 by
6958-579: The Principality of Sealand . Bates died in 2012, and Michael Bates has since succeeded him as Prince of Sealand. Operation Atlantis was a project started in 1968 by Werner Stiefel, aiming to establish a new, libertarian nation in international waters via seasteading. The operation launched a ferrocement boat on the Hudson River in December 1971, piloting it to an area near the Bahamas with
7100-812: The Principality of Snake Hill and George Cruickshank of the Empire of Atlantium. PoliNation 2012 was held in London, United Kingdom, and PoliNation 2015 commenced at Umbria , Italy. MicroCon 2015 was held in Anaheim, California and hosted by Molossia; MicroCon 2017 in Tucker, Georgia by the Kingdom of Ruritania ; MicroCon 2019 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, by the Kingdom of Slabovia; and MicroCon 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada by Westarctica, having been delayed due to
7242-649: The Soviet Union to stop it. However, in late 1989 France extracted German commitment to the Monetary Union in return for support for German reunification. The German mark had a reputation as one of the world's most stable currencies; this was based on the monetary policy of the Bundesbank . The policy was "hard" in relation to the policies of certain other central banks in Europe. The "hard" and "soft"
SECTION 50
#17327722450037384-644: The Sunda Democratic Empire , sisters Puteri Lamia Roro Wiranata and Puteri Fathia Reza, were detained by Malaysian immigration authorities for attempting to enter from Brunei using diplomatic passports from the Sunda Empire. They claimed to be the princesses of the historical Sunda Kingdom and that their parents were in exile . In early 2008, they were freed by the Sessions Court, but maintained their claim of Sundan citizenship, thus making them ineligible for deportation to Indonesia. The Malaysian authorities subsequently deemed them stateless individuals , and they were interned at an immigration depot under supervision of
7526-497: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees . In 2010, the documentary film How to Start Your Own Country , directed by Jody Shapiro, was screened as part of the 35th Toronto International Film Festival . The documentary explored various micronations around the world and included an analysis of the concept of statehood, seasteading and citizenship . The film was inspired by Erwin Strauss' eponymous book. Also that same year, an intermicronational summit, PoliNation 2010 ,
7668-408: The death penalty . As of 2020, they relocated to Panama. Some micronations are founded on the basis of historical anomalies. The Principality of Seborga was founded in 1963 by Giorgio Carbone, who claimed to have found documents from the Vatican archives which, according to Carbone, indicated that Seborga had never been a possession of the House of Savoy and was thus not legally included in
7810-437: The subreddit forum r/micronations on Reddit had another 8,000. Micronation as a word has no basis in international law. Despite this, several micronations have attempted to justify their claims to sovereignty by citing loopholes in local laws. A commonly attempted tactic used by micronationalists to legitimise their claims is the declarative theory of statehood as defined by the Montevideo Convention , which defines
7952-576: The 2000s, including the biennial MicroCon convention. Micronations are aspirant states that claim independence but lack legal recognition by world governments or major international organisations . Micronations are classified separately from states with limited recognition and quasi-states , nor are they considered to be autonomous or self-governing as they lack the legal basis in international law for their existence. While some are secessionist in nature, most micronations are widely regarded as sovereignty projects that instead seek to mimic
8094-402: The 2pf was issued in solid bronze) while 5pf and 10pf were brass clad steel and the 50-pfennig was in cupronickel . In 1950, cupronickel DM1 coins were released, while a cupronickel DM2 and a .625 silver DM5 were released in 1951. Cupronickel replaced silver in the DM5 in 1975. The DM2 and DM5 coins have often been used for commemorative themes, though typically only the generic design for the DM5
8236-431: The Allies each zone was governed independently as regards monetary matters. The US occupation policy was governed by the directive JCS 1067 (in effect until July 1947), which forbade the US military governor "to take any steps to strengthen German financial structure". As a consequence a separate monetary reform in the U.S. zone was not possible. Each of the Allies printed its own occupation currency . The Deutsche Mark
8378-487: The Bates family between 1999 and Roy's death in 2012. In this role, he apparently served as Sealand's acting Head of State and also its Head of Government. At a micronations conference hosted by the University of Sunderland in 2004, Sealand was represented by Michael Bates's son James. The facility is now occupied by one or more caretakers representing Michael Bates, who himself resides in Essex , England. Sealand has been involved in several commercial operations, including
8520-403: The Bundesbank decided to issue a new series of Deutsche Mark banknotes. The colours for each denomination remained unchanged from the previous series but the designs underwent significant changes and a DM 200 denomination was introduced. Famous national artists and scientists were chosen to be portrayed on the new banknotes. Male and female artists were chosen in equal numbers. The buildings in
8662-438: The Bundesbank in Germany. Banknotes and coins can even be sent to the Bundesbank by mail. In 2012, it was estimated that as many as 13.2 billion marks were in circulation, with one poll from 2011 showing a narrow majority of Germans favouring the currency's restoration (although only a minority believed this would bring any economic benefit). Polls in the early 2020s indicated only a minority of Germans supported reintroduction of
SECTION 60
#17327722450038804-752: The COVID-19 pandemic. The first summit hosted by the Microfrancophonie was held in 2016 in Aigues-Mortes , Occitania , and hosted by the Principality of Aigues-Mortes; the second summit took place in 2018 in Vincennes , Paris, and was hosted by Angyalistan; the third summit took place in 2022 in Blaye , Nouvelle-Aquitaine , organised by the Principality of Hélianthis. There are thousands of micronations which exist and operate solely online. Micronationalists convene and engage with one another through several online platforms, especially social media and historically forums (message boards), where micronationalists can share lessons and ideas as well as gain inspiration for establishing their own micronation. MicroWiki ,
8946-426: The Council of the European Union), which are not valid for international travel. In 1997, the Bates family revoked all Sealand passports, including those that they themselves had issued over the previous 22 years, due to the realisation that an international money laundering ring had appeared, using the sale of fake Sealand passports to finance drug trafficking and money laundering from Russia and Iraq. The ringleaders of
9088-569: The DM 5 coin used to be also called a Heiermann , whereas in Bavaria the DM 2 coin was called Zwickl and this expression is now used for the €2 coin in the region. There were four series of German mark banknotes: The notes with a value greater than DM 200 were rarely seen. A reserve series (BBk II) was commissioned on 1 July 1960, consisting of DM 10, DM 20, DM 50 and DM 100 banknotes. 670 million BBk II banknotes in value of 25 billion marks were printed. The notes were printed between 1963 and 1974 in fear if
9230-414: The Deutsche Mark. A mark had been the currency of Germany since its original unification in 1871. Before that time, the different German states issued a variety of different currencies, the most common being the North German thaler and the South German gulden . By 1857, both currencies were linked to the Vereinsthaler , a silver coin containing 16 + 2 ⁄ 3 grams of pure silver. Although
9372-440: The Eastern Bloc would start systematically counterfeiting the BBk I series of banknotes to cripple the economy, then they would quickly be replaced by emergency notes. Another reserve series for West Berlin (BBk IIa) was commissioned on 1 July 1963, consisting of DM 5, DM 10, DM 20, DM 50 and DM 100 banknotes. 115 million West Berlin banknotes were printed, total value 4 billion marks. 15 billion marks worth of
9514-399: The Federal Republic of Germany's official currency from its founding the following year. On 31 December 1998, the Council of the European Union fixed the irrevocable exchange rate, effective 1 January 1999, for German mark to euros as DM 1.95583 = €1. In 1999, the Deutsche Mark was replaced by the euro; its coins and banknotes remained in circulation, defined in terms of euros, until
9656-473: The France Royal Roosters, whereas a veteran team took on the Servals de Clermont-Ferrand. Micronation A micronation is a political entity whose representatives claim that they belong to an independent nation or sovereign state , but which lacks legal recognition by any sovereign state . Micronations are classified separately from de facto states and quasi-states ; they are also not considered to be autonomous or self-governing as they lack
9798-424: The Nazis, and which the Allies had not removed. He did this, as he often confessed, on Sunday because the offices of the American, British, and French occupation authorities were closed that day. He was sure that if he had done it when they were open, they would have countermanded the order. The introduction of the new currency was intended to protect western Germany from a second wave of hyperinflation and to stop
9940-420: The New York Times about the IMS. The first use of micronation in a book was in an eponymous dedicated section of the 1978 The People's Almanac#2 by David Wallechinsky and Irving Wallace . In 1979, the first book about micronations, How to Start Your Own Country , was published by Erwin S. Strauss . The IMS contributed considerably to the work. However, the word micronation is notably absent from
10082-412: The Prime Minister of Sealand, hired several German and Dutch mercenaries to lead an attack on Sealand while Bates and his wife were in Austria, invited by Achenbach to discuss the sale of Sealand. Achenbach had disagreed with Bates over plans to turn Sealand into a luxury hotel and casino with fellow German and Dutch businessmen. They stormed the platform and took Bates's son, Michael Bates, hostage. Michael
10224-584: The Sealandic flag to the top of Muztagh Ata . Also in 2007, Michael Martelle represented the Principality of Sealand in the World Cup of Kung Fu, held in Quebec City , Canada, bearing the designation of Athleta Principalitas Bellatorius (Principal Martial Arts Athlete and Champion). In 2008, Sealand hosted a skateboarding event with Church and East sponsored by Red Bull . In 2009, Sealand announced
10366-671: The Seasteading Institute , a non-profit organisation formed to facilitate the establishment of these seasteads. The Space Kingdom of Asgardia , founded in October 2016, claims an artificial satellite that orbited the Earth. Named Asgardia-1 , the two-unit CubeSat was successfully launched by Orbital ATK in November 2017 as part of an International Space Station resupply mission. Asgardia-1 reportedly re-entered
10508-573: The Swedish think tank Piratbyrån , attempted to purchase Sealand after harsher copyright measures in Sweden forced them to look for a base of operations elsewhere. Between 2007 and 2010, Sealand was offered for sale through the Spanish estate company InmoNaranja, at an asking price of €750 million ( £ 600 million, US$ 906 million), (approximately £985,000,000 in 2024). Roy Bates died at
10650-513: The U.S. and Britain launched an airlift of food and coal and distributed the new currency in West Berlin as well. Since the 1930s, prices and wages had been controlled, but money had been plentiful. That meant that people had accumulated large paper assets, and that official prices and wages did not reflect reality, as the black market dominated the economy and more than half of all transactions were taking place unofficially. The reform replaced
10792-647: The UK's Royal Navy using firearms and petrol bombs. In 1987, the United Kingdom extended its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles, which places the platform in British territory. As of August 2024, Sealand has only one permanent resident. In 1943, during World War II , Roughs Tower was constructed by the United Kingdom as one of the Maunsell Forts , primarily to defend the vital shipping lanes in nearby estuaries against German mine-laying aircraft. It consisted of
10934-526: The UN: a review of some micro-states, micro-nations and other ephemeral entities), which details over 600 micronations. In 2000, the Republic of Molossia and the erstwhile Kingdom of TorHavn hosted an Intermicronational Olympic Games online to coincide with the 2000 Summer Olympics . Six micronations competed and were asked to record their performances then report it to a Molossian message board . In 2003,
11076-461: The United Kingdom and Germany, on account of a UK court ruling and Germany's dispatch of a diplomat to Sealand. Irrespective of its legal status, Sealand is managed by the Bates family as if it were a recognised sovereign entity and they are its hereditary royal rulers. Roy Bates styled himself as Prince Roy and his wife Princess Joan. Their son had been referred to as the Prince Regent by
11218-483: The United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands. They finished in 11th place at UK nationals in 2010. On 22 May 2013, the mountaineer Kenton Cool placed a Sealand flag at the summit of Mount Everest . In 2015, Simon Messenger ran a half-marathon on Sealand as part of his "round the world in 80 runs" challenge. On 20 August 2018, competitive swimmer Richard Royal swam the 12 km (7.5 mi) from Sealand to
11360-492: The United States, Kamen was able to leverage his personal relationship with then-president George H. W. Bush to sign an unofficial non-aggression pact . Several conceptual art projects with micronational claims arose in the 1990s, usually as a means to challenge the idea of statehood . In 1991, Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK), a Slovenian political art collective , declared independence. NSK describes itself as
11502-462: The advance of forgery technology, the Bundesbank decided to introduce additional security features on the most important denominations (DM 50, DM 100 and DM 200) as of 1996. These were a hologram foil in the center of the note's obverse, a matted printing on the note's right obverse, showing its denomination (like on the reverse of the new euro banknotes ), and the EURion constellation on
11644-631: The age of 91 on 9 October 2012 after a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease several years earlier. His son Michael took over the operation of Sealand, although he continued to live in Suffolk, where he and his sons were operating a family fishing business called Fruits of the Sea. Joan Bates , Roy Bates's wife, died in an Essex nursing home at the age of 86 on 10 March 2016. In 1987, the UK extended its territorial waters from 3 to 12 nautical miles (6 to 22 km), bringing Sealand into British territorial waters. In
11786-547: The atmosphere in September 2022. The Nation of Celestial Space claims all of outer space , whilst the Empire of Angyalistan lays claim to garbage patches around the world's oceans in protest against their existence. Other claimed micronations may fit more into a cultural category were territorial claims are not as easily defined such as Aynvaul , what appears to be an Irish-American and Irish language revival micronation based in or around Long Island, New York and
11928-495: The background of the notes' obverses had a close relationship to the person displayed (e.g., place of birth, place of death, place of work), as well as the second background picture (Lyra and the musician Schumann). The reverses of the notes refer to the work of the person on the obverse. The new security features were: a windowed security thread (with the notes' denominations in microprinting), watermarks, microprinting, intaglio printing (viewing-angle dependent visibility as well as
12070-622: The banknotes were held in Bundesbank's custom-built underground bunker in Cochem in Rheinland-Pfalz , the rest was stored in Bundesbank's vault in Frankfurt . In 1957, with Bank deutscher Länder and the states' central banks merging to form the Bundesbank, new banknotes were being designed, as "Bank deutscher Länder" on the previous series was no longer correct. The previous series' notes had been made out of less durable paper and had
12212-582: The book. A second edition of the work was published in 1984 by Loompanics , followed in 1999 by a third edition published by Paladin Press . According to the Yearbook of International Organizations , the IMS was disestablished in 1988. Australia has a disproportionate number of micronations compared to other countries. The first micronation founded within Australia was the Principality of Hutt River in 1970. It
12354-408: The creation of micronations include theoretical experimentation, political protest , artistic expression, personal entertainment and the conduct of criminal activity. The study of micronationalism is known as micropatriology or micropatrology . Although several historical states have been retroactively called micronations, the concept was formulated in the 1970s, with a particular influence from
12496-637: The currency became exclusively made up of paper money. The Papiermark was replaced by the Rentenmark (RM) from 15 November 1923, and the Reichsmark (ℛ︁ℳ︁) in 1924. During the first two years of occupation the occupying powers of France, United Kingdom, United States, and the Soviet Union were not able to successfully negotiate a possible currency reform in Germany. Due to the strains between
12638-547: The diplomat's visit constituted de facto recognition of Sealand by Germany. Following his repatriation, Achenbach and Gernot Pütz proclaimed a government in exile, sometimes known as the Sealand Rebel Government or Sealandic Rebel Government, in Germany. In 1987, the United Kingdom extended its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles, which put Sealand in waters internationally recognised as British. Sealand previously sold fantasy passports (as termed by
12780-535: The 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. The 1980s saw the establishment of several micronational entities in protest. The Free Republic of Wendland was a protest camp established in Gorleben , West Germany , in 1980 in order to protest against
12922-608: The economy. The currency reforms were simultaneous with the $ 1.4 billion in Marshall Plan money coming in from the United States, which primarily was used for investment. In addition, the Marshall plan forced German companies, as well as those in all of Western Europe, to modernize their business practices, and take account of the wider market. Marshall plan funding overcame bottlenecks in the surging economy caused by remaining controls (which were removed in 1949), and opened up
13064-489: The establishment of a nuclear waste dump at the site. The residents created a border checkpoint and built a temporary village with more than 100 huts, ranging from elaborate round houses to tents. After 33 days, the local police moved in and evicted the camp. Also in 1980, the Independent State of Aramoana was declared by residents of the eponymous settlement during the Save Aramoana Campaign , which
13206-463: The film Rose Island , based on the story of engineer Giorgio Rosa and the Republic of Rose Island. In 2021, academics Harry Hobbs and George Williams published Micronations and the Search for Sovereignty , a book exploring various aspects of micronationalism. It was published by Cambridge University Press . A follow-up book on micronations by Hobbs and Williams, entitled How to Rule Your Own Country: The Weird and Wonderful World of Micronations ,
13348-459: The fourth series notes had been in circulation for 3–5 years. There were a total of five issues of the third series, main differences being the dates, and signatures of the Presidents and Vice Presidents of Bundesbank: The design of German banknotes remained unchanged during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. During this period, forgery technology made significant advances and so, in the late 1980s,
13490-574: The intent to permanently anchor it as their territory. Upon reaching its destination, however, it sank in a hurricane. After a number of subsequent failed attempts to construct a habitable sea platform and achieve sovereign status, the project was abandoned in 1976. The Republic of Rose Island was an artificial platform originally constructed as a tourist attraction in the Adriatic Sea in 1968. However, Italian architect Giorgio Rosa soon declared it sovereign. The micronation had its own currency,
13632-549: The introduction of euro notes and coins on 1 January 2002. The Deutsche Mark ceased to be legal tender immediately upon the introduction of the euro—in contrast to the other eurozone states, where the euro and legacy currency circulated side by side for up to two months. Mark coins and banknotes continued to be accepted as valid forms of payment in Germany until 1 March 2002. The Deutsche Bundesbank has guaranteed that all German marks in cash form may be changed into euros indefinitely, and one may do so in person at any branch of
13774-682: The island. During its brief existence, Minerva was a media sensation . As of January 1973, the Office of the Geographer of the United States Department of State had a file cabinet for "countries which are only partially real", which included the Kingdom of Humanity , Outer Baldonia, Minerva and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta —not a micronation —among others. Writer Philip J. Hilts added, "We know
13916-429: The issuing of coins and postage stamps and the establishment of an offshore Internet hosting facility, or data haven . The principality also sells noble titles on its online store, such as Lord and Baron. Some notable individuals who possess titles from Sealand include Ed Sheeran , Terry Wogan and Ben Fogle . In 2000, publicity was created about Sealand following the establishment of a new entity called HavenCo ,
14058-562: The land is terra nullius because Croatia states the pockets are Serbian, whilst Serbia makes no claims on the land. However, the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has rejected these claims, stating that the differing border claims between Serbia and Croatia do not involve terra nullius and are not subject to occupation by a third party. The most prominent example is the Free Republic of Liberland , which
14200-471: The largest micronational wiki and encyclopaedia , has thousands of articles on various topics related to micronationalism "with many country pages [on MicroWiki] longer than those of real nations [on Misplaced Pages ]", and a number of micronations exist and conduct diplomacy solely on the wiki, utilising it as an online community . As of October 2023, the largest micronational group on Facebook , Micronations and Alternative Polities , had 3,400 members, and
14342-414: The latter term also often used in English. Like Deutsche Mark , D-Mark and Mark do not take the plural in German when used with numbers (like all names of units), the singular being used to refer to any amount of money (e.g. eine (one) Mark and dreißig (thirty) Mark ). Sometimes, a very colloquial plural form of Mark , Märker [ˈmɛʁkɐ] was used either as hypocoristic form or to refer to
14484-424: The legal basis in international law for their existence. The activities of micronations are almost always trivial enough to be ignored rather than disputed by the established nations whose territory they claim—referred to in micronationalism as macronations . Several micronations have issued coins, flags , postage stamps, passports , medals and other state-related items, some as a source of revenue. Motivations for
14626-438: The mainland of the UK, finishing in 3 hours, 29 minutes. Royal visited the platform before the swim, getting his passport stamped. He entered the water from the bosun's chair, signaling the start of the swim, and finished on Felixstowe beach, fulfilling the 'land to land' requirement. Royal was subsequently awarded a Sealand Knighthood by Michael Bates. Subsequent to the publicity in the build up to Royal's swim, on 18 August 2018,
14768-466: The micronational community, and several reoccurring summits have taken place. These include the sporadically-held PoliNation, biennial MicroCon; and the Organisation de la microfrancophonie has hosted three intermicronational summits between its member states. PoliNation 2010 was held at Dangar Island, Sydney, Australia and was organised by Judy Lattas of Macquarie University , Princess Paula of
14910-435: The more contemporary Kingdom of Elleore (since 1944), Republic of Saugeais (since 1947), Principality of Outer Baldonia (1949–1973) and Sultanate of M'Simbati (1959– fl. 1964 ). Several entities that can be considered micronations by contemporary standards were established throughout the 1960s and early 1970s and based on ideals of libertarianism and many of them created via seasteading . New Atlantis
15052-555: The neighbourhood of Užupis in Vilnius , Lithuania declared tongue-in-cheek independence as a republic consisting of laidback artists. In the mid-1990s, the emerging popularity of the World Wide Web made it possible for anyone to create their own virtual state-like entity with relative ease, and many micronations launched their own websites . As a result, micronationalism lost much of its traditionally eccentric anti-establishment sentiment in favour of more hobbyist perspectives, and
15194-410: The note's reverse. Furthermore, the colours were changed slightly to hamper counterfeiting. The German name of the currency is Deutsche Mark ( fem. , German pronunciation: [ˈdɔʏtʃə ˈmaʁk] ); its plural form in standard German is the same as the singular. In German, the adjective "deutsche" (adjective for "German" in feminine singular nominative form) is capitalized because it
15336-534: The number of exclusively online or merely simulation-based micronations expanded dramatically. Several intermicronational organisations were also established, with the League of Secessionist States , originally founded in 1980 by the Kingdom of Talossa , and the United Micronations being at the forefront. The French Institute of Micropatrology ( French : l'Institut français de micropatrologie )
15478-406: The old money with the new Deutsche Mark at the rate of one new per ten old. This wiped out 90% of government and private debt, as well as private savings. Prices were decontrolled, and labor unions agreed to accept a 15% wage increase, despite the 25% rise in prices. The result was the prices of German export products held steady, while profits and earnings from exports soared and were poured back into
15620-604: The operation, based in Madrid but with ties to various groups in Germany—including to the rebel Sealand Government in exile established by Achenbach—had used fake Sealandic diplomatic passports and number plates. They were reported to have sold 4,000 fake Sealandic passports to Hong Kong citizens for an estimated $ 1,000 each. Michael Bates stated in late 2016 that Sealand was receiving hundreds of applications for passports every day. In 2015, Bates asserted that Sealand's population
15762-545: The opinion of law academic John Gibson, there is little chance that Sealand would be recognised as a nation due to it being a man-made structure. In 2008, the Guinness World Records recognised Sealand as "the smallest area to lay claim to nation status". Sealand is not officially recognised by any established sovereign state . Nonetheless, the Sealand government claims it has been de facto recognised by
15904-475: The outgrowth of a single individual, rely on their sovereign state to some extent, and mimic sovereign states by creating their own government, legislation, proclaiming national symbols , holding national elections and engaging in diplomacy with other micronations. While most micronations claim sovereignty over physical territory, others are based solely around the Internet or do not claim sovereignty at all,
16046-580: The project in 2022, calling them "stupid" and stating "We will never allow anybody to have their own country within this country [Belize] - what a stupid thing. If you stupid enough to pay a lot of money to buy [a] piece of land, good for you." During the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020, several micronations imposed their own restrictions, mimicking countries. Some inactive Internet-based micronations also returned to activity as people were commanded to stay home and quarantine. In 2020, Netflix released
16188-583: The proposal to turn it into a "European territory". Despite French pre-referendum claims that a "no" vote would mean that the Saar would remain a French protectorate it in fact resulted in the incorporation of the Saar into the Federal Republic of Germany on 1 January 1957. The new German member state of the Saarland maintained its currency, the Saar franc , which was in a currency union at par with
16330-540: The rampant barter and black market trade (where cigarettes were used as currency). Although the new currency was initially only distributed in the three western occupation zones outside Berlin, the move angered the Soviet authorities, who regarded it as a threat. The Soviets promptly cut off all road, rail and canal links between the three western zones and West Berlin , starting the Berlin Blockade . In response,
16472-435: The reverse, which read Deutsche Bundesbank (instead of Bundesrepublik Deutschland ), as the Bundesbank was the issuing authority in this case. A total of one million gold DM 1 coins were minted (200,000 at each of the five mints) and were sold beginning in mid-2001 through German coin dealers on behalf of the Bundesbank . The issue price varied by the dealer but averaged approximately US$ 165. German coins bear
16614-717: The revival of the Sealand National Football Association and their intention to compete in a future Viva World Cup . Scottish author Neil Forsyth was appointed as President of the Association. Sealand played the second game in their history against Chagos Islands on 5 May 2012, losing 3–1. The team included actor Ralf Little and former Bolton Wanderers defender Simon Charlton . The team played their most recent game in 2014, and have been inactive since then. In 2009 and 2010, Sealand sent teams to play in various ultimate club tournaments in
16756-455: The signing of treaties , non-aggression pacts and intermicronational conventions, diplomatic missions and declarations of war . Several intermicronational organisations also exist, with some having as many as 80 member states . Most of these organisations generally work to maintain peace, strengthen micronational cooperation and to improve diplomatic relations between member states. Intermicronational summits are also commonplace within
16898-564: The six-part BBC comedy- documentary series How to Start Your Own Country aired on BBC Two , in which comedian Danny Wallace attempts to create his own country in his apartment in Bow, London . The micronation he created was eventually named the Kingdom of Lovely . The following year, the travel guide company Lonely Planet published a light-hearted guide to numerous micronations titled Micronations: The Lonely Planet Guide to Home-Made Nations . In 2007, two self-proclaimed princesses of
17040-405: The status of legal tender but were rarely seen outside of collectors' circles. On 27 December 2000, the German government enacted a law authorizing the Bundesbank to issue, in 2001, a special .999 pure gold DM 1 coin commemorating the end of the German mark. The coin had the exact design and dimensions of the circulating cupro-nickel DM 1 coin, with the exception of the inscription on
17182-620: The summer of 1948 a giant wave of strikes and demonstrations swept over West Germany, leading to an incident in Stuttgart where strikers were met by US tanks ("Stuttgarter Vorfälle"). Only after the wage-freeze was abandoned, Deutschmark and free-ranging prices were accepted by the population. In the Soviet occupation zone of Germany (later the German Democratic Republic ), the East German mark (also named "Deutsche Mark" from 1948 to 1964 and colloquially referred to as
17324-655: The swim as a regular annual event, helping to raise tens of thousands of pounds for the charity as a result. An American football team named the Sealand Seahawks were formed in 2021, announcing a game in Ireland against the South Dublin Panthers on 19 February 2022. The Seahawks won the game 42–13. In September 2022, the Seahawks took several teams to Montpellier , France , to play against
17466-516: The territory in order to fulfil a promise to his daughter to make her a princess, however Heaton has appeared to have other motivations, offering several initiatives—such as the implementation of a national currency and the construction of an international airport and capital city —via crowdfunding . Other micronational claims have been made to small pockets on the west bank of the Danube between Serbia and Croatia. Some micronationalists argue that
17608-463: The three-nautical-mile (6 km) limit which then applied to the country's waters. As a result, the case could not proceed as it was not within British jurisdiction. Bates considers this Sealand's first instance of de facto recognition . In 1975, Bates introduced a constitution for Sealand, followed by a national flag, a national anthem, a currency, passports, and an immigration stamp. In August 1978, Alexander Achenbach, who described himself as
17750-480: The time. The facility was occupied by 150–300 Royal Navy personnel throughout World War II; the last full-time personnel left in 1956. The Maunsell Forts were decommissioned in the 1950s. Roughs Tower was occupied in February and August 1965 by Jack Moore and his daughter Jane, squatting on behalf of the pirate station Wonderful Radio London . On 2 September 1967, the fort was occupied by Major Paddy Roy Bates ,
17892-468: The world. In 1996, Swedish artist Lars Vilks proclaimed the Royal Republic of Ladonia as a result of a court battle between local authorities over Vilks's illegal construction of two sculptures in the natural reserve of Kullaberg in southern Sweden. Ladonia's claim of independence has since persisted following Vilks's death in 2021, with Carolyn Shelby serving as Queen since 2011. In 1997,
18034-433: Was able to retake Sealand and capture Achenbach and the mercenaries. Achenbach, a German lawyer who held a Sealand passport, was charged with treason against Sealand, and was held unless he paid DM 75,000 (more than US$ 35,000 or £23,000). Germany then sent a diplomat from its London embassy to Sealand to negotiate for Achenbach's release. Roy Bates relented after several weeks of negotiations and subsequently claimed that
18176-483: Was declared independent by farmer Leonard Casley over a dispute concerning wheat production quotas . In 2017, the Supreme Court of Western Australia ordered that Casley pay $ 2.7 million in unpaid tax, and that his son Arthur Casley pay $ 242,000 in unpaid tax. Casley abdicated in 2017 in favour of his son Graeme . Leonard died in 2019, and Hutt River dissolved the following year amidst continued disputes with
18318-474: Was founded in 1964 by writer Leicester Hemingway , claiming a bamboo raft that he had constructed with steel, iron piping and rock. Hemingway had it towed 9.7 kilometres (6.0 mi) off the coast of Jamaica and argued that it was technically an island and fully sovereign based on the Guano Islands Act of 1856 . Although Hemingway had plans to expand the raft, it was destroyed within a few years by
18460-455: Was founded in 1996 by Swiss academic Fabrice O'Driscoll to study this phenomenon. Other online micronational services during the 1990s included MicroWorld, a monthly micronational magazine, and alt.politics.micronations, a Usenet newsgroup dedicated to discussions regarding micronationalism. In 2000, O'Driscoll authored Ils ne siègent pas à l'ONU: revue de quelques micro-Etats, micro-nations et autres entités éphémères (They do not sit at
18602-561: Was founded in 2004 and became an associate member of the N.F.-Board , a federation made up of unrecognised states, stateless peoples , regions and micronations that are not allowed to join FIFA , in 2006. The Seborga national football team was founded in 2014 and is run by the Football Federation of the Principality of Seborga. Like countries, micronations engage in intermicronational diplomacy with one another. This includes
18744-488: Was held at Dangar Island in Sydney , Australia. It was organised by Judy Lattas of Macquarie University , Princess Paula of the Principality of Snake Hill and George Cruickshank of the Empire of Atlantium. Between 2013 and 2014, two Aboriginal Australian nations declared independence from Australia as part of the concept of Australian Aboriginal sovereignty —first the Murrawarri Republic , comprising
18886-508: Was his pre-agreed swim, putting both swimmers in danger as a result. The British Long Distance Swimming Association rejected Glendinning's swim, formally recognising Royal's as the official inaugural swim, as did the World Open Water Swimming Association. Royal's swim is also formally recognised by Guinness World Records. With the support of Sealand, Royal worked with spinal injury charity Aspire to establish
19028-629: Was in respect to the aims of inflation and political interference. This policy was the foundation of the European Central Bank 's present policy towards the euro. The German mark's stability was greatly apparent in 1993, when speculation on the French franc and other European currencies caused a change in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism . However, it should be remembered that "hard" is relative only if it
19170-555: Was no attempt or proposal suggested for the withdrawal of the 1pf and 2pf coins. Both coins were still in circulation in 2001 and supermarkets in particular still marked prices to the nearest pfennig. This penchant for accuracy continues with the euro (while Finland or the Netherlands for example, price to the nearest 5 cents) with the 1-cent coin still encountered in Germany. There were a considerable number of commemorative silver DM 5 and DM 10 coins , which actually had
19312-405: Was officially introduced on Sunday 20 June 1948 by Ludwig Erhard . Large amounts were exchanged for 10 ℛ︁ℳ︁ to 65pf. In addition, each person received a per capita allowance of DM 60 in two parts, the first being DM 40 and the second DM 20. A few weeks later Erhard, acting against orders, issued an edict abolishing many economic controls which had been originally implemented by
19454-488: Was opposed to the proposed construction of an aluminium smelter at Aramoana in New Zealand. This was because the project called for the destruction of the villages of Aramoana and Te Ngaru, and also threatened a local wildlife reserve. The project was ultimately abandoned in the early 1980s, and the micronation of Aramoana peacefully reintegrated into New Zealand. The Conch Republic was founded by local residents of
19596-585: Was proclaimed in April 2015 by Czech right-libertarian politician and activist Vít Jedlička , and claims the largest pocket, Gornja Siga. The land lacks infrastructure and lies on the floodplain of the Danube. Some micronations have attempted to establish themselves in international waters —parts of the sea that cannot be claimed by any sovereign state—by seasteading. This involves the creation of permanent dwellings at sea. Some micronations are associated with
19738-907: Was published in 2022 by the University of New South Wales Press . Also in 2022, illusionist Uri Geller purchased Lamb , an uninhabited island off the coast of Scotland and declared it independent as the Republic of Lamb. Geller offers citizenship, with proceeds going to Save a Child's Heart , an Israeli charity. While most micronations claim land they can administer, often private property, some have made claims to uninhabitable tracts of land. For instance, some micronations have claimed Bir Tawil in Africa and Marie Byrd Land in West Antarctica , lands which are terra nullius —unclaimed by any other sovereign state. Several others have also made claims to other portions of Antarctica . Examples are
19880-436: Was subdivided into 12 pfennig s, hence half a groschen into 6. After 1871, 12 old pfennig s would be converted into 10pf of the mark, hence 10pf coins inherited the groschen name and 5pf coins inherited the sechser name. Both usages are only regional and may not be understood in areas where a groschen coin did not exist before 1871. In particular, the usage of sechser is less widespread. In northern Germany
20022-472: Was the DM 20 note on 20 March 1992 (printed on 2 August 1991). The reason for this gradual introduction was, that public should become familiar with one single denomination, before introducing a new one. The change was finished with the introduction of the DM 5, DM 500, and DM 1000 denominations on 27 October 1992. The DM 500, and DM 1000 denominations were rarely seen in circulation due to value and all were introduced in one step. With
20164-469: Was the official currency of West Germany from 1948 until 1990 and later the unified Germany from 1990 until the adoption of the euro in 2002. In English, it was typically called the " Deutschmark " ( / ˈ d ɔɪ tʃ m ɑːr k / DOYTCH -mark ). One Deutsche Mark was divided into 100 pfennigs . It was first issued under Allied occupation in 1948 to replace the Reichsmark and served as
#2997