Can you form your own country

The solution was to say that, for people living inside the borders of the country from which they want independence, self-determination gives a right to autonomy, but stops short of being allowed their own country. When Yugoslavia broke up, it was replaced by six republics, one of which was Serbia. Kosovo was a province within Serbia's borders, but with a different ethnic population which had enjoyed a large degree of autonomy.

Kosovo becoming independent would have changed the borders of Serbia and violated the principle of territorial integrity. A conflict with the Serbian authorities followed, which only ended with Nato military intervention in Then in , Kosovo unilaterally declared independence. Serbia said this was invalid and took the issue to the court of the United Nations that settles international legal disputes - the International Court of Justice. But the crux of the matter was less a question of law and more whether Kosovan statehood was likely to be recognised.

So what does it take to get the great powers to back you? East Timor was a Portuguese colony until the s, when it was invaded by Indonesia. It wasn't until after the Cold War, in the s, when international attention turned to East Timor again and the western great powers no longer needed Indonesia as an ally because communism had fallen. In the Timorese voted for independence, which they got in But the process was marred by violence, and needed political support from the UN and the intervention of international peace-keepers.

Under current principles of international law, the Catalans have a right to self-determination, but many jurists would argue that all they can hope for is autonomy, not independence, because of Spain's right to maintain its territorial integrity.

And although the situation of the Kurds is very different, ultimately they will run up against the same problem - a lack of great power support. The Inquiry: Who gets to have their own country?

Islamic State and the idea of statehood. With two exceptions, existing land has all been claimed by existing countries. The main exception is Antarctica. Even then, should you brave the weather and lack of "population appeal," Antarctica is managed by the most powerful countries in the world, and it's unlikely they'll let you just plant a flag and say, "Mine!

However, there is very little appeal to this country, due to it being only a patch of sand. Also, it has been "claimed" by Jeremiah Heaton, and is referred to as North Sudan. There are many small island nations dotting the Pacific, and it's unlikely they have much of a defense force. Sure, it's crazy—but crazy enough that it might just work! All you need is an army, a navy, and the support of the world community—many of whom protect these small nations from intruders. This has been attempted in the Comoros, Vanuatu, and the Maldives, but ultimately failed.

However, this is not recommended due to the devastating impact colonization has had on numerous countries around the world today, as well as the fact it is unjust to take land from the indigenous rulers of the land without consent. It's much better to just make a treaty and take over that land with a fair and just agreement.

If you're wealthy enough, you can buy an island , though it's unlikely that the host nation will just cede sovereignty to you. A more corrupt or destitute country might be more easily swayed, but even that is difficult: a pack of libertarians tried to buy Tortuga from impoverished Haiti, but were rejected.

There are some things money just can't buy. Find a loophole. The Republic of Indian Stream, for example, was founded on land between the U. It lasted from to , when it was annexed by the U. Look for regions that are otherwise unproductive for the local government. At this point, you might be thinking there's no hope, but we've saved the best for last. As land has become scarce, but the human need for new land continues apace, creative and financially abundant individuals have begun taking to the sea.

Build an island. The ocean, as they say, is the last great frontier. International waters are owned by no nation, and this has spurred interest and activity. The Principality of Sealand. Sealand, initially created as a military base in the North Sea, off the coast of England during World War II, is a football-field-sized structure that housed troops and weapons to strike at German invaders.

After the war it was abandoned until , when a rogue DJ named Roy Bates—tired of battling the British government over his pirate radio station—moved there to set up shop. The station never went back on the air, but he declared the floating fortress the Principality of Sealand. He raised the flag, named himself Prince, and his wife Princess Joan. Sealand withstood court challenges, and remains an independent nation to this day. Palm Island Group. While not a nation, the Palm Island Group off the coast of Dubai is indicative of the direction that holds the most promise for nation builders.

Extending out into the Persian Gulf are 3 palm tree-shaped man-made islands that provide opulent living for the world's millionaires and billionaires. The Seasteading Institute. Founded by the grandson of Milton Friedman and PayPal founder Peter Thiel, this would-be libertarian utopian foundation believes in bringing the free market to bear on government—a start-up for democracy. Their hope is that experimental, innovated governments will be able to generate new ideas of governance that will change the world.

They are fostering the goal of building sea-based platforms with loose building requirements, no minimum wage, and limited restrictions on firearms. Proponents see this as a the key to the next generation of free enterprise.

Critics suggest that loose building codes and low-wage workers with lots of weapons, being run by a bunch of would-be John Galts as a recipe for disaster. While the politics of the Seasteading Institute may or may not be your cup of tea, it's a fair bet that the ocean is truly the new frontier.

The Republic of Minerva. One millionaire activist piled sand onto a reef located in the Pacific Ocean south of Fiji and created an artificial island to start the Republic of Minerva.

In addition to the traditional territory-based nation, there exists a largely untapped, unregulated, and unexplored territory that is virtually limitless—because it exists only virtually. Call it the cloud, call it the web, or borrow from William Gibson and call it cyberspace, people are spending more and more time connected emotionally and interactively with their friends and colleagues through the internet. Virtual worlds such as Second Life and Blue Mars create 3-dimensional habitats, have their own currency, and their own constitutions aka "Terms and Conditions".

Flatter worlds such as Facebook aka Social Media encourages groups of like-minded people around the world to work together for the common good—as defined by the particular group. Like the ocean, virtual nations will have a growing impact, and may result in very real, separate national identities within the next years. Invite your friends. One of the key requirements for a nation—aside from territories—will be a population. If the land you conquer or build doesn't come with an indigenous people, you will have to bring your own to the party.

Invite your friends and family to join you in this venture, and you will have a small, but dedicated population. These days, if you're serious about anything and creating a micronation can be serious, indeed , then you will have a website. Use this to find like-minded people, and give them good reason to populate your new Republic.

It could be for work and money, or the freedom to have many wives, or simply the opportunity to be part of the birth of a nation. You will need to decide what you require of your citizens. Do they have to pass a citizenship test, or abide by certain laws? What form of identification will they need—a passport? Driver's license? Subcutaneous RFID? The success or failure of your venture will be determined, in large part, by your leadership in governance.

Consider the success of the United States, rooted in a Constitution that is at once clear and defined, yet open to interpretation and growth. Without that, it may have fallen into disarray and dozens of small nation-states rather than an arguably united whole. Your government, and your constitution, should be guided by the principles you wish to establish from the start. Here are some examples of various micronations, and their founding principles: Nova Roma , dedicated "to the restoration of classical Roman religion, culture and virtues".

These micronations tend to have strong political views and are often controversial. In the past, some of them have managed to attract media or political interest, although this is rare.

Despite their relative obscurity, they are some of the most common types of micronations. Cultural missions. These micronations, similar to historic projects, exist to promote a particular culture and tradition.

There are many Germanic micronations such as Domanglia that attempt to recreate the culture and traditions of the former German Empire.

The United Nations didnt even bother to open Taiwans most recent letter. As you can see, the point at which a territory officially becomes a country is very much in the eyes of the beholder. International recognition can be an elusive prize. The good news? The longer you wait, the better your chances become. In international law, which is often based on custom, the longer you can maintain your de facto sovereignty, the more likely you are to be accepted.

Unless, of course, youre Taiwan. The strength of Kosovos bid for independence from Serbia is based largely on the fact that it has, for all intents and purposes, been independent for almost a decade. In a more extreme example, the year-old Sovereign Order of Malta has diplomatic relations with countries and observer status at the United Nations even though its entire territory is contained in a few buildings in Rome.

So dont be discouraged. Starting your own country isnt impossible. Its just going to require a lot of patience and the right friends. Shusha was the key to the recent war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Now Baku wants to turn the fabled fortress town into a resort. By Joshua Keating. February 26, , AM. Step 1: Make sure you are eligible As tempting as it might be to declare your cubicle a sovereign state, customary international law actually does specify minimum standards for statehood.

Step 2: Declare independence Congratulations on joining the ranks of Transnistria, Somaliland, and a host of other countries that wont be marching at the Olympics anytime soon.

Step 3: Get recognized Theres not much point in having your own country unless other countries acknowledge your existence. Step 4: Join the club Since its founding in , membership in the United Nations has become the gold standard of international legitimacy. New York, NY Now comes the hard part. The Montevideo Convention requires that a country must declare its intentions, which Southern Sudan did when a January referendum let the world know that people in the region plan to secede from its northern counterpart this summer.

New countries are also required to exist within a clearly defined territory, and South Sudan's ongoing dispute with Northern Sudan over the two nations' official boundaries could hamper that process. Another requirement that the country have a permanent population necessitates that Southern Sudan negotiate the issues of citizenship and residency, as millions of southerners work in the north and vice versa. South Sudan has already met the requirement that the new country must have a government , with Sudan's current vice president Salva Kiir Mayardit already elected to serve as South Sudan's first president.

The requirement that the country must be able to enter into relations with other sovereign states also appears to be met, as the U.