Principality of Sealand

The Principality of Sealand is a micronation that claims HM Fort Roughs as its territory. It has been occupied and claimed as a sovereign state by the family and associates of Paddy Roy Bates since 1967. Sealand was invaded by mercenaries in 1978, but was able to repel the attack. In 1997, the Bates family revoked all Sealand passports, including those that they had issued over the previous 22 years.

About Principality of Sealand in brief

Summary Principality of SealandThe Principality of Sealand is a micronation that claims HM Fort Roughs as its territory. Roughs Tower is a Maunsell Sea Fort that was built by the British during World War II. It has been occupied and claimed as a sovereign state by the family and associates of Paddy Roy Bates since 1967. Sealand was invaded by mercenaries in 1978, but was able to repel the attack. While Sealand has been described as the world’s smallest country, it sits within British territorial waters and is not officially recognised by any established sovereign state. In 1987, the United Kingdom extended its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles to internationally-recognised as British waters. In 1997, the Bates family revoked all Sealand passports, including those that they had issued over the previous 22 years. This was due to an international money laundering ring using the fake passports to finance drug trafficking and money laundering from Russia and Iraq. There were thought to have been about 150,000 Sealand passport in circulation at the time of this article’s publication, but this number has since been reduced to about 100,000. For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or see www.samaritans.org for details.

In the U.S. call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255 or click here for details on how to contact the National suicide Prevention Line in the United States. In Europe, contact the European Union on 0800 273-TALK (8255). In the Middle East and Africa, contact the African Union on +1-856-788-8888 or visit a regional branch of the African Union (EA) on +8457 909-9090 or the European Union (EU) on+8457 709-7180. In Australia, the African United Nations (AE) is based in Canberra, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. The European Union has an embassy in the city of Nicosia, which is located on the island of Zeebrugge, in the South African island of Namibia. The EU also has a consulate in Port Arthur, on the coast of South Africa, which lies on the east coast of the South American island of Vanuatu. The E.A.E. has a mission in the Falklands, where it is based on a treaty with the United Nations. The U.N. has no diplomatic relations with the E.U. since the 1970s, but does have an agreement of friendship with the EU on some issues, such as the right to use its airspace for military operations. The UK has a diplomatic relationship with Germany, which has de facto recognition of the Sealand Government.