Would you like to buy a micronation?
The Principality of Hutt River is on the market. For 50 years, the sprawling 6,100 hectare property, more than 500 kilometers from Perth, styled itself as the second-largest country in Australia.
It was formed in 1970 by Leonard Casley (Prince Leonard), who seceded from Australia following a dispute with the state government over wheat production quotas. Casley died in 2019 and in August 2020, his son, Prince Graeme announced he would sell the family farm to pay a A$3 million tax bill.
Despite the demise of Hutt River, many micronations continue to exist. During research for an upcoming book on micronations, I have identified at least 135 around the world.
Australia has a particular reputation for this phenomenon. Some estimates suggest a third of all micronations are located in Australia.
Led by committed and eccentric people, micronations assert their claims to sovereignty in many ways. They issue passports, print stamps, mint coins, compose national anthems, design flags and sometimes even declare war on recognised states.
However, despite acting like a nation, micronations are not actual states. They are self-declared nations that mimic acts of sovereignty.
People decide to create their own micronation for many reasons.
Sometimes, it is an attempt to avoid the ordinary laws of the land like in Hutt River.
Similarly, Prince Paul and Princess Helena founded the Snake Hill Principality (located near Mudgee in New South Wales) following a long-running dispute with their bank.
The Principality of Wy (Mosman, North Sydney) was established after the local council rejected an application to build a driveway.
Micronations may also be formed to protest government policy or legislation. In 2004, Dale Anderson sailed to the uninhabited island of Cato east of the Great Barrier Reef. He planted a flag and announced the formation of the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands to protest the passage of Australian legislation banning same-sex marriage. In 2017, Emperor Dale dissolved the kingdom following the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia.
Not all micronations are so serious. The Republic of Whangammona on the North Island of New Zealand emerged when regional council boundaries were changed. Upset about the potential of having to play rugby for their neighbours, the residents decided to secede. Republic Day is now celebrated every second January, attracting thousands of tourists.
Micronations might also be used as a vehicle to critique the concept of statehood. The Kingdom of Elgaland & Vargaland, created by two Swedish artists, claims sovereignty over the areas between the borders of countries. It also asserts authority over other intervals, such as the transition from being asleep to wakefulness.
Three reasons explain why Australia is known as micronation central.
First, the act of seceding from the state and declaring ones own country is consistent with an Australian culture that celebrates larrikinism and mocking authority. What better way to exemplify these traits than by founding your own country? As His Imperial Majesty George II of Atlantium notes, micronationalism in Australia stems from our convict heritage and disrespect for authority.
Read more: Larrikin carnival: an Australian style of cultural subversion
Second, Australia is a secure and stable country. For this reason, it sees micronations as irrelevant or a nuisance, rather than a genuine threat. So long as you pay your taxes and follow the road rules, you can call yourself whatever you want.
Third, Australia is a large country with a relatively small population its population density is just three people per square kilometre. This ranks Australia 192 out of 194 countries in the world for population density, ahead only of Namibia and Mongolia. There is plenty of room for people to create their own country.
If you are interested in avoiding the law, the answer is no. The Principality of Hutt River was never able to convince an Australian court it did not have to pay tax. As Justice Rene Le Miere of the WA Supreme Court noted in 2017,
Anyone can declare themselves a sovereign in their own home but they cannot ignore the laws of Australia or not pay tax.
Other would-be nation builders have faced similar challenges. The Republic of Minervas attempt to build a new state on a coral atoll in the South Pacific in the 1970s was ended by the Tongan military.
The nations of Abalonia and Taluga (located off the coast of San Diego) were both put down by the US Department of the Interior. The Republic of Liberland, which claims an uninhabited island on the Danube River between Croatia and Serbia, is unable to get its citizens across the Croatian border.
No micronation has ever become a state. It is very unlikely that any micronation will ever become one. This is because to be a state, an entity
must possess a government or system of government in general control of its territory, to the exclusion of other entities not claiming through or under it.
Prince Leonard may have been the lawful owner of his wheat farm, but he did not possess sovereignty over that land. Micronations may declare their independence, but they are unable to do so to the exclusion of other states.
However, success should be measured against a range of motivations.
Artistic micronations, like the Kingdom of Elgaland & Vargaland, can raise challenging questions about the nature of statehood and borders. Those created for a laugh or for tourism can also succeed.
The small township of Whangammona welcomed about 1,000 visitors to its Republic Day in January of this year. Next year, the Conch Republic in Key West Florida will celebrate its 40th annual independence celebration.
The success of micronations can also be seen in the growth of community events and social media. Every two years, micronations from around the world meet at MicroCon. Many others discuss, compare notes and become friends online.
So while Hutt River may have ended, the future of micronationalism is bright.
Read more:
- Micronation Wikipdia - December 8th, 2016 [December 8th, 2016]
- Liste de micronations Wikipdia - December 8th, 2016 [December 8th, 2016]
- MicroWiki - micronations.wiki - December 16th, 2016 [December 16th, 2016]
- Hetalia: The World Twinkle | Anime-Planet - December 17th, 2016 [December 17th, 2016]
- Don't like your government? Just start a micronation like these 6 dudes - Mashable - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Goodbye government: Six guys who started their own micronations - The South African - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Life's tough for a monarch even if you only have 20 subjects - iNews - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Anthelia - MicroWiki - micronations.wiki - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- An LGBTQ Micronation Declared War On Australia In 2004 And A Senator Is Still Mad About It - Huffington Post Australia - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Top 10 Most Densely-Populated Countries in Europe - JetPunk - March 8th, 2017 [March 8th, 2017]
- Inside the plan to replace Trump's border wall with a high-tech ... - The Verge - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- When Did We Become A Country? The (Not So) Great Chaplin/Cruz Debate - Above the Law - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- DAVID MURDOCK: On fascinating things - Gadsden Times - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- Micronations / Axis Powers Hetalia - TV Tropes - June 26th, 2017 [June 26th, 2017]
- Liberbeer Beer with a Taste of Freedom - Total Croatia News - June 30th, 2017 [June 30th, 2017]
- Australia's hidden micronations: It's not the size of the country but how you rule it - 9news.com.au - July 2nd, 2017 [July 2nd, 2017]
- We met 27 people who claim to be the rulers of their own countries ... - VICE News - August 4th, 2017 [August 4th, 2017]
- Apple Says It Will Overtake Samsung Pay By Year's End - ChannelNews - August 4th, 2017 [August 4th, 2017]
- List Of MicroNations No Trouble - Don't Mess - August 25th, 2017 [August 25th, 2017]
- Micronation | Fifth World Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia - February 18th, 2018 [February 18th, 2018]
- Micronation | MicroWiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia - March 19th, 2018 [March 19th, 2018]
- Micronations: The Lonely Planet Guide to Home-Made Nations ... - September 24th, 2018 [September 24th, 2018]
- Stattement by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs | Talossa - September 29th, 2018 [September 29th, 2018]
- Inside the world's strangest micronations - telegraph.co.uk - September 29th, 2018 [September 29th, 2018]
- Possible Locations for the New The Pirate Bay HQ ... - January 30th, 2019 [January 30th, 2019]
- Micronation | East Asian Micronations Wiki | FANDOM ... - March 10th, 2019 [March 10th, 2019]
- Asteroid warning: When impact hits, nothing but cockroaches will survive, claims expert - Express.co.uk - September 18th, 2019 [September 18th, 2019]
- Lilliputians in Gulliver's World - The odd world of the mini-state - Geographical - October 24th, 2019 [October 24th, 2019]
- The Joy of Collecting Stamps From Countries That Don't Really Exist - Atlas Obscura - February 12th, 2020 [February 12th, 2020]
- Micronations in the United States Prepare for Coronavirus, Send Messages of Goodwill to the American People - Newsweek - April 11th, 2020 [April 11th, 2020]
- Cryptocurrencies, The New Reality: Digital Summit 2020 - Benzinga - July 12th, 2020 [July 12th, 2020]
- Micronation - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - July 15th, 2020 [July 15th, 2020]
- European Championships Group C Now its getting trs Interessant as they say get voting! - OnEurope - July 17th, 2020 [July 17th, 2020]
- The Most Ridiculous Countries to Have Ever Existed - Gentside UK - July 31st, 2020 [July 31st, 2020]
- Micronation - Encyclopedia Westarctica - August 8th, 2020 [August 8th, 2020]
- MicroNations Fandom | Fandom - August 10th, 2020 [August 10th, 2020]
- Micronation rejoins Australia after 50 years of independence - Daily Express - August 10th, 2020 [August 10th, 2020]
- Hutt River micronation to rejoin Australia due to debt caused by Covid-19 - The Indian Express - August 10th, 2020 [August 10th, 2020]
- Hutt River micronation to rejoin Australia due to coronavirus pandemic - The Guardian - August 10th, 2020 [August 10th, 2020]
- Australia has one of the largest number of micronations in the world - ABC News - August 10th, 2020 [August 10th, 2020]
- What Is A Micronation? - WorldAtlas - August 10th, 2020 [August 10th, 2020]
- Micronation - MicroWiki - August 10th, 2020 [August 10th, 2020]
- micronation | Law, Recognition, History, & Definition ... - August 10th, 2020 [August 10th, 2020]
- UCP Teams With Fuzzy Door, Jim Henson Firm, Wondery on Unscripted Slate - TheNewsTrace - September 4th, 2020 [September 4th, 2020]
- Seth MacFarlanes Micronations & Adaptation Of Wondery Podcast Imagined Life Lead UCP Unscripted Development Slate - Deadline - September 4th, 2020 [September 4th, 2020]
- Which geological period is called the Age of Fishes? The Weekend quiz - The Guardian - May 29th, 2021 [May 29th, 2021]
- Talossa - Wikipedia - November 28th, 2022 [November 28th, 2022]
- List of micronations - Wikipedia - November 28th, 2022 [November 28th, 2022]
- The country that became a 'micronation capital' - BBC Future - November 28th, 2022 [November 28th, 2022]
- The DIY despots of micronations, in photos - The Week - March 15th, 2024 [March 15th, 2024]