Micronations: The Lonely Planet Guide to Home-Made Nations

Do not order this book if you are seriously interested in UN-approved micronations such as Liechtenstein, Tuvalu, or San Marino. Buy this book if you are interested in "countries" with self appointed leadership featuring a penchant for secession and zaniness. The people and places in this book are all real, and vary from slightly to extremely strange. Most of them are lovable loonies, but there are a few more serious-minded communities, like Sealand and Christiana, for example. Sealand (essentially a sunken barge in the North Sea) has even had a coup, and Christiana has overriding interests in recreational drugs and tricycles. I was very amused by this book, mostly by the people in charge of their own countries. I especially liked the Hutt River Province Principality in Australasia, which actually declared war on Australia, but was promptly ignored by the official government. Also local to Australasia is the Republic of Whangamomona, which has had both a poodle and goat as president. The goat, Billy (aka "Gumboots,") is frequently analogized to JFK according to the book as "accusations of vote eating surrounded the hot new president;" he was believed to have been assassinated by poisoned grass at age 14, and was given a state funeral. He now rests in a well-marked grave overlooking his kingdom. The Republic of Molossia in Nevada is perhaps my favorite of the micronations. Not only do they have a Ministry for Space Exploration (the flagship rocket is shown on the launch pad,) but they have an official national sport of broomball, which to outsiders may appear to be a comical version of field hockey. Although located in an arid landlocked region, Molossia has a navy, with the flagship being the "MS Wombat." All this infrastructure requires capital, and the currency in Molossia is the Valora. For purposes of exchange rates the Valora is "pegged to the value of Pillsbury Cookie Dough, with three Valora being equal to one tube of Cookie Dough." I am also fond of the Aerican Empire which has an official religion centered on Forsteri, the Great Penguin. Aericans believe in "the coming of Not-Quite-The-Apocalypse, heralded by the four 'Incompetent Riders,' comprising a penguin, a platypus, a giant walnut and a fourth rider that can't quite be identified." Meanwhile, life goes on in Ladonia, near Sweden, which is strictly governed by Cabinet posts such as the Ministry of Rock-Paper-Scissors, the Ministry of Things Under Rocks, and the Ministry of Apathy, which is a powerful force in the government. On the still wackier end of the fringe is the Republic of Kugelmugel founded on Austrian territory by artist Edwin Lipburger, who is now the sole citizen of Kugelmugel, a postmodern territory obsessed with balls and spheres. Why? Lipburger explains: "Everything is round...the Earth, life, the ball, everything turns...why not live in balls? Round is free, it has no beginning or end." With logic like that, how can you not want to visit Kugelmugel, and for th

Here's the perfect recommendation for that world traveler who has seen the ordinary --an extraordinary set of recommendations for nations which are self-proclaimed - and seldom visited. From zany nations within nations such as Whangamomona within New Zealand where its president is elected by votes cast into a ceremonial toilet to the Empire of Atlantium, surrounded on all sides by Sydney, this is a compendium of the truly zany - and 100% real - independent 'micro nations' and as fun an armchair reader as it is a destination guide, complete with maps, places to stay, and everything you need to know to locate and enjoy the 'micro nation'. There's no other book with such a focus, making it a 'must' for any comprehensive travel library. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

Rather collect taxes than pay them? Fond of issuing edicts? Want to have your own National Security Appartus? This is the book for you. Informative, colourful, well-designed, and hilarious, the Guide to Micronations will introduce you to such mini-states as the Barony of Caux, where the national sport is "Whacking The Welsh", and the heir is fond of "bizzare dentistry and recreational self-abuse". Some almost-nations are covered here, such as Sealand (an abandoned gun platform off the coast of Sussex) and The Principality of Hutt River Province, an Australian agricultural protest writ large. Other, less plausible states are included, as well as those with legitimate claims to nationhood, like the aforementioned Barony of Caux, which tarces its documented history back to 1040 AD. All in all, a fascinating and informative read, and an important reference source the discerning traveller, armchair or otherwise, will use for years.

... this is your book! I love it and it's big fun. I really recommend it to all flag lovers, people who like to know about very small and not so well-known countries. Okay, most of these "nations" may not qualify to join the United Nations but all of them are "real" (and there is even more fun data waiting for you just checking all the websites included in the book). I think the information is presented with great respect but with a bit of extra humor that makes the book very, very informative and a great entertainment at the same time. Chapters are not very long so it's perfect for a bed side table and short readings for many days. The quality of the illustrations and graphics is excellent. I especially appreciate the inclusion of images of flags, coins and banknotes of all these 'nations". It's a Lonely Planet book, so that says it all about its quality (superb! Sorry, I'm a big fan). And why not, I got more suggestions for original travel destinies!!

Considering that my own exploits comprise a substantial part of the third chapter, I may be viewed as biased, but here you go... Lonely Planet Micronations is a comprehensive guide to all things micronational. Their treatment of the various micronationalists is done from a light-hearted perspective, but is informative to the max. All of the major micronations are covered here, with biographies of their leaders. Essentially, it's a Statesman's Yearbook for unrecognized nations. This book is a great reference tool, but is also very entertaining to read. If you've ever wanted to run your own country, this book will surely be a source of inspiration!