Prince Michael of Sealand
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Principality of Sealand Micronation |
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Motto: E Mare Libertas
From the sea, Freedom |
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Anthem: E Mare Libertas by Basil Simonenko
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Sealand from above
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| Official languages | English | ||||
| Demonym | Sealander, Sealandic | ||||
| Government | |||||
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• Prince
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Michael Bates | ||||
| Establishment | |||||
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• Declared
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2 September 1967 | ||||
| Area claimed | |||||
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• Total
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0.004 km2 (0.0015 sq mi) (All livable space) | ||||
| Purported currency |
Sealand dollar (pegged to the USD) |
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| Time zone | GMT | ||||
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Website
http://www.sealandgov.org |
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| Prince of Sealand | |
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| Incumbent | |
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Michael since 9 October 2012 |
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| Details | |
| Heir apparent | James |
| First monarch | Roy |
| Formation | 2 September 1967 |
The Principality of Sealand is a micronation that claims Roughs Tower, an offshore platform located in the North Sea approximately 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) off the coast of Suffolk, England, as its territory. Roughs Tower is a disused Maunsell Sea Fort, originally called HM Fort Roughs, built as an anti-aircraft defensive gun platform by the British during World War II.
Since 1967, the decommissioned HM Fort Roughs has been occupied by family and associates of Paddy Roy Bates, who claim that it is an independent sovereign state. Bates seized it from a group of pirate radio broadcasters in 1967 with the intention of setting up his own station at the site. He attempted to establish Sealand as a nation-state in 1975 with the writing of a national constitution and establishment of other national symbols.
While it has been described as the world's smallest country or nation, Sealand is not officially recognised by any established sovereign state in spite of Sealand's government's claim that it has been de facto recognised by the United Kingdom and Germany. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in force since 1994 states "Artificial islands, installations and structures do not possess the status of islands. They have no territorial sea of their own, and their presence does not affect the delimitation of the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone or the continental shelf". Since 1987, Sealand lies within the territorial waters of the United Kingdom.
Bates moved to the mainland when he became elderly, naming his son, Michael, as regent. Bates died in October 2012 at the age of 91. Michael lives in Suffolk, England.
In 1943, during World War II, HM Fort Roughs (sometimes called Roughs Tower) was constructed by the United Kingdom as one of the Maunsell Forts, primarily to defend the vital shipping lanes in nearby estuaries against German Navy mine-laying aircraft. It consisted of a floating pontoon base with a superstructure of two hollow towers joined by a deck upon which other structures could be added. The fort was towed to a position above the Rough Sands sandbar, where its base was deliberately flooded to sink it on its final resting place. This is approximately 7 nautical miles (13 km) from the coast of Suffolk, outside the then 3 nmi (6 km) claim of the United Kingdom and, therefore, in international waters. The facility was occupied by 150–300 Royal Navy personnel throughout World War II; the last full-time personnel left in 1956.
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Wikipedia