Principality of Sealand

The Principality of Sealand is a country. "Kidonia"

Behind the scenes

The Principality of Sealand is technically not a country (at least not in the traditional sense of the word), but a micronation. It was founded by British citizen Paddy Roy Bates and his family on an abandoned North Sea offshore platform in the 1960s, more than six nautical miles from the English coastline - which at the time was legally outside of the United Kingdom's control. Despite challenges from the authorities, the eventual expansion of British territorial waters to twelve nautical miles in 1987, a devastating fire in 2006, and even an armed coup attempt in 1978, it continues to exist as a micronation after more than 50 years, and has served as an inspiration for many other micronations.