Westarctica, officially the Grand Duchy of Westarctica and formerly the Protectorate of Westarctica,[1] is a micronation in Antarctica, founded in 2001 by Travis McHenry, who styles himself as Grand Duke Travis.[2][3] It claims a region of West Antarctica that has not been claimed by any nation state, comprising most of Marie Byrd Land. This wedge is located between the Ross Dependency claimed by New Zealand, and the Chilean Antarctic Territory, between 90 degrees and 150 degrees west longitude and south of the 60th parallel. The region includes 1,600,000 square kilometres (620,000 sq mi) of land, making it the largest territory not claimed by any recognized nation. Westarctica claims over 2,000 citizens, but none of them reside within the claimed territory,[4][5] which has no permanent settlements or research stations.[6]
Grand Duchy of Westarctica | |
|---|---|
| Micronation (unrecognized entity) | |
Map Flag Coat of arms | |
| Area claimed | 1,610,000 km2 (620,000 sq mi) in Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica 80°S 120°W / 80°S 120°W |
| Claimed by | Travis McHenry |
| Dates claimed | 2 November 2001–present |
In 2018, the government of Westarctica established an honorary consul in Nerja, Spain,[7] and continues to establish other honorary consulates and embassies around the world.[8]
The Westarctican government has established a US-based charity to raise awareness about the impact of climate change on the wildlife of Antarctica[8] and has also been active in speaking about the need for an effective global response to COVID-19.[3]
In 2022, Westarctica hosted MicroCon 2022 in Las Vegas.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Bahareth, Mohammad (December 2011). Micronations: For Those Who Are Tired of Existing Incompetent Governments and Are Longing for Something New and Refreshing. iUniverse. ISBN 9781462069262.
- ^ Milan Aleck (2 February 2018). "Molossia, Westarctica und Co.: Kennen Sie diese Mikronationen?". Web.de (in German).
- ^ a b Andrew Whalen On 4/10/20 at 9:59 AM EDT (10 April 2020). "Micronations in the United States prepare for coronavirus, send messages of goodwill to the American people". Newsweek. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Justin Streight (11 April 2015). "Micronations Summit In California: Biggest Names From Tiniest Nations". Inquisitr.
- ^ "After running a country for 15 years, he hopes to see it someday". Condé Nast Traveller India. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
- ^ Wilch, T. I.; McIntosh, W. C.; Panter, K. S. (1 January 2021). "Chapter 5.4a Marie Byrd Land and Ellsworth Land: volcanology". Geological Society, London, Memoirs. 55 (1): 515–576. doi:10.1144/M55-2019-39. ISSN 0435-4052. S2CID 233632723.
- ^ Eugenio Cabezas (1 November 2018). "Westarctica abre una embajada en Nerja". Sur (in Spanish).
- ^ a b Hookway, James (21 June 2020). "Fake Countries Have a Hard Time Dealing with the Pandemic, Too". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
- ^ Martinez, Olivier (26 August 2022). "MicroCon 2022: An edition rich in novelties!". Microcosme.info (in French). Retrieved 5 December 2024.
