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Micronations are hilarious. Now, before Pyrodes gets an influx of angry letters from our ever-growing San Marino or Vatican City fan base, let’s clarify that a micronation is not a microstate. To confuse you a bit at the start, a microstate is a small nation, while a micronation is just a hilarious grouping of individuals with too much time on their hands. So, with that cleared up, let us all, Russians and the Vatican clergy alike, join hands and look down on Pyrodes’ 5 favorite micronations.
Number 5: The Bjorn Socialist Republic: Officially the smallest state in the world, the self proclaimed Marxist republic in located in the south of Sweden. The state itself describes its location as next to the “rock that looks like a tractor.” This 6 meters of land rocks its own laws, president, and national hym, which you can listen to here. Bjorn is recognized by no one, except Ladonia and, now, Pyrodes.
Number 4: The Dominion of British West Florida, located along the panhandle of Florida, Southern Alabama and Mississippi (aka: the “redneck riviera”), claims to still be a part of the old British Commonwealth. And, these people are for real. There is a whole structure of barons and ladies, defined boundaries of each barony (check this guy out) and Christmas e-cards for the queen. You too can be a citizen of the Commonwealth for only $10, sent through the USPS (irony, anyone?).
For our top three,which are not to be missed, follow us past the jump.
Number 3: Peaceland, just south of Prague, in a military jurisdiction, was just recently founded by Greenpeace in order to protest the US use of the site for radar missile defense purposes. Several dozen activists have occupied the land for many months, and their laws coincidently prohibit arms of any kind. Even though many of the activists have since been detained, Greenpeace is a micronation machine (search Waveland) deserving of a mention on this list, and Pyrodes is sure there will be future installments soon.
Number 2: Other World Kingdom, also located in the Czech Republic, is for the ladies among us. With its own currency, police force, courts, etc. and with a supreme queen named Patricia the First, this is a nation devoted to the domination of women over men. In fact, to become a citizen as female, you must already have “one male slave.” OK, Pyrodes will leave the rest of the details to the imagination and the research of our readers, but this nation certainly deserved a place on our list.
Number 1:Freetown Christiana is a former military barracks in the Danish capital of Copenhagen, now occupied by over 850 residents who have claimed independent status since the 1970s. The tiny nation has been somehow tolerated as a nuisance by the Danish government, and it has served as a center for activism in all its forms. So, if you pass through Copenhagen, stop by and have a smoke with 850 free spirits. If you haven’t been wooed yet, let this video do it:
There are many many more micros out there, all with their own special quirks. Check back on later dates for some other notable mentions! Happy Travels.
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