Even though it has no airport, no hotel or resort properties, no rental car facilities, no hospital, no seaport, no mountains, no military forces, no indigenous animals or plants, a permanent average population of two citizens, and is not formally recognized by any established independent state in the world, would you visit the smallest sovereign country in the world?
Would You Visit The Smallest Sovereign Country in the World?
The country in question is called Sealand, which was established on Saturday, September 2, 1967 by Roy Bates on a decommissioned offshore fort on a platform from World War II in the North Sea approximately seven miles off the eastern shores of Great Britain. A constitution for Sealand — followed by a national flag, a national anthem, a currency with gold coins and silver coins, passports, and an immigration stamp — were introduced by Bates in 1975. The country also has a jail and its own football team called the Sealand Seahawks, which is not to be confused with the Seattle Seahawks.
According to the official Internet web site of the micronation, Bates originally wanted to launch his own pirate radio station to “attempt to bypass the draconian broadcasting restrictions of the time, which permitted little more than formal broadcasting by the BBC.” He wound up founding Sealand on the birthday of his wife Joan instead.
To visit Sealand, you will need approval from the Bureau of Internal Affairs — but do not get your hopes up:
All requests undergo a thorough evaluation, requiring patience, as decisions may take longer than expected. It’s crucial to understand that permission to submit a visa application is highly unlikely. However, if a request is exceptionally favourable, an application for a visitor’s visa form will be sent to the intended applicant.
Successful applicants will receive a visa and further details from Sealand Immigration before their journey to the Principality. This meticulous process ensures Sealand visitors form an exclusive group deeply connected to this extraordinary place.
Due to current international circumstances and other factors, Sealand may differ from your typical tourist spot. However, Sealand does welcome select adventurers, especially Sealand citizens, influencers, and massive media outlets. Specific requirements and restrictions apply.
However, if you are an active part of the Sealand community, you can have an opportunity, too. Sealand occasionally opens its doors to special visits. Sealand nobles and ID holders will be prioritised and informed first when visits to Sealand become available. They will also have exclusive early access to official visitation updates!
Stay updated through Sealand’s official website and social media channels for announcements about exclusive visits tailored for Sealand nobles & nationals!
However, you can purchase a title of nobility — sometimes a complimentary T-shirt comes with a purchase — and become one of the following notable Nobles, with all prices curiously in United States dollars:
- Lord or Lady: from $29.99
- Baron or Baroness: from $59.99
- Sir or Dame, which is Knighthood: from $149.99
- Count or Countess: from $299.99
- Duke or Duchess: from $749.99
Ed Sheeran — I call him Ed Norton — is supposedly a Baron of Sealand. I am thinking out loud that it is perfect for his bad habits — but I don’t care.
Final Boarding Call
A number of autonomous states exist that are either unrecognized or have very limited recognition — including South Ossetia, Somaliland, and Transnistria, which I wanted to visit when I was in Romania…
…so when a person proclaims to have visited every country in the world, does that person include unrecognized sovereign entities such as Sealand?
What do you think? Is Sealand actually a legitimate country — and would you visit it?
Map data ©2024 Google, GeoBasic DE/BKG (©2009). Source: Google Maps.
