It has 500 square meters, has a monarch and 30 inhabitants: Sealand, the smallest country in the world

The story of Principality of Sealand, A microstate Just over 500 m2, it really looks like a film. It’s about an ex naval base which was used during World War II. Its owners claim that it is a state, although other states have never recognized it. A cinematic story set in the middle of the ocean.

In the late 1960s, Paddy Roy Bates, a former major in the British Army, was looking for a place to settle to continue his illegal radio broadcasts. After several conflicts with the courts of United Kingdomin 1966 he moved with his family to the abandoned maritime platform called His Majesty Fort Roughs.

This had been used by the UK Army in air defense against the Nazis during the Second World War, but it was never destroyed after use. On September 2, 1967, Bates decided to proclaim the platform a sovereign territory and dictate the creation of the Principality of Sealandof which he declared himself sovereign.

“From the sea, freedom”

The micro-state has a flagA Constitution is one official currency, as well as 12 nautical miles of territorial waters. What attracts the attention of the people who visit it is the idea of ​​getting tired of what is established, going against the grain, getting away from everything and applying new laws in your territory, an idea hoped for by many.

This town, which rarely has more than thirty inhabitants a year, has a motto written at the bottom of its shield: “And Mare Libertas“(From the sea, freedom), which seeks to symbolize the ideals under which it was created.

The Prince of Sealand died on 9 October 2012 in a nursing home in Essex, after suffering from Alzheimer’s for several years. Your son Michael Bateswho was already in charge of the administration of the territory, was the heir to the microstate.

Legal gaps

A big question about this small country that sits on a concrete structure in the waters of the North Sea is how it supports itself economically. Michael Batescurrent prince, said in a BBC interview: “We sell titles, T-shirts, mugs, stamps, coins and almost everything that has to do with our little mini-state.”

He added: “I also travel for business, I have other business interests related to seafood and other Internet-related matters.” Bates also supports this Land of the sea He has a phone, Internet, passports (though they stopped issuing them after the 9/11 attacks), and even a data storage company called HavenCo.

A fact to underline is that the naval platform was built by the United Kingdom near the coast of Essex, during the Second World War, in International waters. That is, it was built illegally outside British territorial waters during the war, but was not destroyed afterwards. This generated a perfect legal vacuum that led to its independence.

Conflict with Germany

Land of the sea It has also had controversial episodes in its history. In 1978 a group of mercenaries Germans and Dutch During the night he broke into the naval base and tried to take it over. The raiders were stopped by the Bates family, who then took them as prisoners of war.

This gave rise to a confusing event that led to several interpretations. Shortly afterwards the German ambassador and an official British delegation arrived on site to negotiate the release of the kidnapped people. Immediately generating, according to the Bates family, recognition in fact to the Principality of Sealand from Germany.

And recognition by other states is something that puts you in check Land of the sea. Second American Society for International LawTHE Montevideo Convention has a standard definition of state. These criteria that must be met are: permanent population, specific territory, government and ability to establish relations with other countries.

Recognition orofficial

“We can and have done all these things. We once had a visit from the German ambassador to discuss something,” said current Prince Michael Bates. In any case, Germany never recognized it microstate officially.

The other conflict that this particular monarchy had was in 1968 when a British naval ship, which was sailing near the platform, was attacked by Michael Bates who shot him to warn him not to come closer. This was brought before the British justice system, which decided that it could not judge because it was international waters and not British territory.

Michael Bates currently lives with his family in United Kingdom and reside only in Land of the sea from 2 to 30 people, depending on the time of year. They are all hired by the Bates family and are dedicated to maintenance duties on the base.