Earth is dotted with dozens of self-proclaimed kings, emperors, presidents and princesses presiding over a quirky collection of homemade empires known as “micronations.”
Many claim their own borders and laws, fashion their own currency and regalia and boast a growing number of “citizens” from around the world.
Dr. Judy Lattas of Macquarie University in Sydney is one of only a handful of academics studying the micronation phenomenon.
She defines a micronation as a self-declared entity that’s either virtual or very small (though some are actually quite large when compared with microstates such as Monaco or the Vatican).
What they share in common are characteristics of earlier utopian movements, a DIY spirit and a lack of formal recognition from established nations and global bodies like the United Nations.
But that’s where the similarities end.
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“There are incredible differences among them and no clear sense of unity at all,” Dr. Lattas explains.
“Many reject the notion of micronations outright. Some are secessionists and some aren’t. Some are more like virtual game-playing, some are art projects, some are very cyberpunk and others are quite serious political protests or indigenous sovereignty movements.”
From dissent to ‘independence’
Many of the non-virtual micronations, or those with territorial claims, are built out of a gripe with local authorities.
These generally follow a secession model and take inspiration from the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States (signed in 1933 by the United States and numerous Latin American countries).
There must be a grievance, members and some sort of declaration against a perceived wrong.
And if that claim goes unanswered — you don’t, for example, receive any kind of formal rejection — then it’s assumed by default that you’ve succeeded in seceding.
There’s also the national sovereignty model in which you simply refuse to secede from a country you don’t recognize exists.
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President Kang Woo-hyon declared “cultural independence” from South Korea in 2006 and turned his half-moon shaped island into a popular eco-resort with art galleries, museums, performance venues and a hotel.
Each of the more than 2 million annual visitors must acquire a Naminara passport to enter and, once citizens, can purchase stamps, coins and telephone cards to get by.
Location: Within South Korea on a private island in the Han River near Chuncheon.
Fee: Approximately $10 in “visa fees” to enter the island.
What to see and do: Visit the Song Museum of ethnic musical instruments and attend events like the annual International Children’s Book Festival and YoPeFe, a festival of traditional dance.
Website: Namisum.com
The Republic of Uzupis
If only Frank Zappa lived to see the day he became the inspiration for a tiny micronation within Lithuania.
Sadly, he died two years before a group of artists and intellectuals erected a statue in his honor in a bohemian corner of the capital Vilnius and four years before he became the patron saint of that neighborhood when it seceded to become the Republic of Uzupis.
Some 1,000 of the Republic’s 7,000 inhabitants are artists, so artistic endeavors are, naturally, on the top of current president Roman Lileikis’ agenda.
Location: Within Vilnius’ Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Fee: Free
What to see and do: Check out the art galleries and visit the Constitution Wall of Uz where you can read up on the edicts, including this one: “A cat is not obliged to love its owner, but must help in time of need.”
Website: Facebook.com/uzupis
Mark Johanson is a freelance travel and culture writer based in Santiago, Chile. You can follow his adventures at www.markjohanson.com.
