





























See Also
See Again
© Shutterstock
0 / 30 Fotos
Ladonia
- This micronation was created by Swedish artist Lars Vilks in 1980 in southern Sweden to house his sculptures.
© Shutterstock
1 / 30 Fotos
Filettino
- After the Italian government required all villages with less than 1,000 inhabitants to merge with nearby villages in 2011, the mayor of Filettino decided to campaign for its independence.
© Shutterstock
2 / 30 Fotos
Hay-on-Wye
- The tongue-in-cheek micronation, located in Wales, was founded in 1977 by bookseller Richard Booth.
© Shutterstock
3 / 30 Fotos
Republic of Molossia
- This micronation of Molossia was founded in 1999 in Nevada by a man named Kevin Baugh, predominantly for comedic value.
© Shutterstock
4 / 30 Fotos
Principality of Pontinha
- This islet, connected to Madeira Island, Portugal, became a micronation in 2007 after being purchased by art teacher Renato de Barros. Check out these other Portuguese hidden gems!
© Public Domain
5 / 30 Fotos
Christiania
- Founded in 1971, Christiania is a self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood located in Copenhagen, Denmark.
© Shutterstock
6 / 30 Fotos
Hutt River
- The sovereign state of Hutt River was founded in 1970 in Western Australia, when a man called Leonard Casley declared his farm an independent nation.
© Getty Images
7 / 30 Fotos
Global Country of World Peace - Inaugurated by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 2000, it was originally conceived as "a country without borders for peace-loving people everywhere."
© Public Domain
8 / 30 Fotos
Aerican Empire - This micronation, founded in 1987, claims terrestrial territory in Montreal, Canada, in addition to interplanetary territory.
© Public Domain
9 / 30 Fotos
Užupis
- Located in the Old Town of Vilnius, Lithuania, residents declared the neighborhood a Republic of Užupis in 1997. It even has its own constitution.
© Shutterstock
10 / 30 Fotos
Icaria
- The inhabitants of this Greek island declared themselves independent in 1912.
© Shutterstock
11 / 30 Fotos
Saugeais - This officially sanctioned micronation, founded in 1947, is located in eastern France.
© Public Domain
12 / 30 Fotos
Forvik
- This islet in Shetland, Scotland, was declared a Crown dependency in 2008.
© Shutterstock
13 / 30 Fotos
Republic of Hout Bay
- Located in Cape Town, South Africa, the micronation was created in the mid-1980s to promote tourism.
© Shutterstock
14 / 30 Fotos
Coral Sea Islands - In southeast Queensland, Australia, the islands were established as a micronation in 2004 by a group of LGBT rights activists.
© iStock
15 / 30 Fotos
Celestia - Founded in 1949, the micronation claims all territory in the entirety of the universe beyond Earth.
© iStock
16 / 30 Fotos
Kugelmugel
- This micronation consists of a ball-shaped house in Vienna, Austria, that was established in 1976 as the result of a building permit dispute.
© Shutterstock
17 / 30 Fotos
Fredonia - The Republic of Fredonia was the result of a group of Anglo settlers in Texas attempting to secede from Mexico in 1826.
© Public Domain
18 / 30 Fotos
Whangamomona
- Based in the rural New Zealand town of the same name, this micronation was founded in 1989 in an attempt to boost tourism. It has had an array of animal presidents, including a goat and a poodle.
© Shutterstock
19 / 30 Fotos
North Dumpling - This island, located in New York, United States, was declared independent by its owner Dean Kamen in 1986.
© Public Domain
20 / 30 Fotos
Frestonia
- In 1977, inhabitants of Freston Road in London, England, decided to secede from the United Kingdom as Frestonia.
© Getty Images
21 / 30 Fotos
Kingdom of Redonda
- In 1865, a citizen of the island (now legally part of Antigua and Barbuda) allegedly declared himself King of Redonda and started the micronation.
© Shutterstock
22 / 30 Fotos
Principality of Sealand
- In 1967, this military facility located off the English coast was declared an independent state by major P. Roy Bates.
© Getty Images
23 / 30 Fotos
Peščenica
- Located in Zagreb, Croatia, the micronation is a satirical project of a dictator-ruled republic.
© Shutterstock
24 / 30 Fotos
Wendland - Located in Germany, the Free Republic of Wendland was established in 1980 as an anti-nuclear protest camp.
© Public Domain
25 / 30 Fotos
Minerva - In 1972, real-estate millionaire Michael Oliver sought to establish a libertarian country on the islands located on Minerva Reef, south of Fiji. However, it was eventually overthrown.
© Public Domain
26 / 30 Fotos
Aramoana
- The New Zealand community declared itself independent in 1980.
© Shutterstock
27 / 30 Fotos
Glacier Republic
- This micronation was founded in 2014 by Greenpeace on a border region between Chile and Argentina in protest to Chile's lack of environmental protection for glaciers.
© Shutterstock
28 / 30 Fotos
Sovereign State of Aeterna Lucina
- This micronation was founded in 1978 in Australia by a self-proclaimed baron.
© Getty Images
29 / 30 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 30 Fotos
Ladonia
- This micronation was created by Swedish artist Lars Vilks in 1980 in southern Sweden to house his sculptures.
© Shutterstock
1 / 30 Fotos
Filettino
- After the Italian government required all villages with less than 1,000 inhabitants to merge with nearby villages in 2011, the mayor of Filettino decided to campaign for its independence.
© Shutterstock
2 / 30 Fotos
Hay-on-Wye
- The tongue-in-cheek micronation, located in Wales, was founded in 1977 by bookseller Richard Booth.
© Shutterstock
3 / 30 Fotos
Republic of Molossia
- This micronation of Molossia was founded in 1999 in Nevada by a man named Kevin Baugh, predominantly for comedic value.
© Shutterstock
4 / 30 Fotos
Principality of Pontinha
- This islet, connected to Madeira Island, Portugal, became a micronation in 2007 after being purchased by art teacher Renato de Barros. Check out these other Portuguese hidden gems!
© Public Domain
5 / 30 Fotos
Christiania
- Founded in 1971, Christiania is a self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood located in Copenhagen, Denmark.
© Shutterstock
6 / 30 Fotos
Hutt River
- The sovereign state of Hutt River was founded in 1970 in Western Australia, when a man called Leonard Casley declared his farm an independent nation.
© Getty Images
7 / 30 Fotos
Global Country of World Peace - Inaugurated by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 2000, it was originally conceived as "a country without borders for peace-loving people everywhere."
© Public Domain
8 / 30 Fotos
Aerican Empire - This micronation, founded in 1987, claims terrestrial territory in Montreal, Canada, in addition to interplanetary territory.
© Public Domain
9 / 30 Fotos
Užupis
- Located in the Old Town of Vilnius, Lithuania, residents declared the neighborhood a Republic of Užupis in 1997. It even has its own constitution.
© Shutterstock
10 / 30 Fotos
Icaria
- The inhabitants of this Greek island declared themselves independent in 1912.
© Shutterstock
11 / 30 Fotos
Saugeais - This officially sanctioned micronation, founded in 1947, is located in eastern France.
© Public Domain
12 / 30 Fotos
Forvik
- This islet in Shetland, Scotland, was declared a Crown dependency in 2008.
© Shutterstock
13 / 30 Fotos
Republic of Hout Bay
- Located in Cape Town, South Africa, the micronation was created in the mid-1980s to promote tourism.
© Shutterstock
14 / 30 Fotos
Coral Sea Islands - In southeast Queensland, Australia, the islands were established as a micronation in 2004 by a group of LGBT rights activists.
© iStock
15 / 30 Fotos
Celestia - Founded in 1949, the micronation claims all territory in the entirety of the universe beyond Earth.
© iStock
16 / 30 Fotos
Kugelmugel
- This micronation consists of a ball-shaped house in Vienna, Austria, that was established in 1976 as the result of a building permit dispute.
© Shutterstock
17 / 30 Fotos
Fredonia - The Republic of Fredonia was the result of a group of Anglo settlers in Texas attempting to secede from Mexico in 1826.
© Public Domain
18 / 30 Fotos
Whangamomona
- Based in the rural New Zealand town of the same name, this micronation was founded in 1989 in an attempt to boost tourism. It has had an array of animal presidents, including a goat and a poodle.
© Shutterstock
19 / 30 Fotos
North Dumpling - This island, located in New York, United States, was declared independent by its owner Dean Kamen in 1986.
© Public Domain
20 / 30 Fotos
Frestonia
- In 1977, inhabitants of Freston Road in London, England, decided to secede from the United Kingdom as Frestonia.
© Getty Images
21 / 30 Fotos
Kingdom of Redonda
- In 1865, a citizen of the island (now legally part of Antigua and Barbuda) allegedly declared himself King of Redonda and started the micronation.
© Shutterstock
22 / 30 Fotos
Principality of Sealand
- In 1967, this military facility located off the English coast was declared an independent state by major P. Roy Bates.
© Getty Images
23 / 30 Fotos
Peščenica
- Located in Zagreb, Croatia, the micronation is a satirical project of a dictator-ruled republic.
© Shutterstock
24 / 30 Fotos
Wendland - Located in Germany, the Free Republic of Wendland was established in 1980 as an anti-nuclear protest camp.
© Public Domain
25 / 30 Fotos
Minerva - In 1972, real-estate millionaire Michael Oliver sought to establish a libertarian country on the islands located on Minerva Reef, south of Fiji. However, it was eventually overthrown.
© Public Domain
26 / 30 Fotos
Aramoana
- The New Zealand community declared itself independent in 1980.
© Shutterstock
27 / 30 Fotos
Glacier Republic
- This micronation was founded in 2014 by Greenpeace on a border region between Chile and Argentina in protest to Chile's lack of environmental protection for glaciers.
© Shutterstock
28 / 30 Fotos
Sovereign State of Aeterna Lucina
- This micronation was founded in 1978 in Australia by a self-proclaimed baron.
© Getty Images
29 / 30 Fotos
Micronations around the world that you had no idea existed
Is there one in your country?
© Getty Images
Micronations are small political entities that claim to be independent sovereign states, but are not recognized as such by world governments. They may be created for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to political protests, theoretical experimentation, artistic expression, and personal entertainment.
The following gallery lists just some of the world's many micronations. How many did you already know?
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU












MOST READ
- Last Hour
- Last Day
- Last Week
-
1
CELEBRITY Relationships
-
2
-
3
HEALTH Undergarments
-
4
FASHION Jewelry
Black diamonds: Earth's toughest mystic jewel from outer space
-
5
CELEBRITY Child stars
-
6
FOOD Cooking
-
7
-
8
CELEBRITY Curiosities
-
9
HEALTH Women's health
-
10
HEALTH Motherhood