In this small country. The smallest countries in the world (by area and population)

The list also includes associated states. They represent a form of confederation of unequal states united on a bilateral basis, in which a smaller state, formally retaining sovereignty and independence, entrusts a significant part of its power to a larger state.

10th place: Malta

9th place: Maldives

8th place: Saint Kitts and Nevis

7th place: Marshall Islands

6th place: Principality of Liechtenstein

5th place: San Marino

4th place: Tuvalu

3rd place: Nauru

2nd place: Monaco

1st place: Vatican

What is the name: Vatican | Area of ​​the country: 0.44 km2

Location: Inside Rome

The smallest country in the world is the Vatican. This state is the smallest in the world in terms of area and number of citizens. The country is located inside Rome, the capital of Italy. Here is the residence of the head of the Catholic Church, the Pope. Therefore, the miniature city-state is the spiritual center for everything Catholic world.

All legislative acts of the smallest country do not enter into force until they are published in Latin and Italian. That is, there are two official languages ​​in the Vatican at once. Although in view of the presence of many nationalities among the ministers of the church, it is allowed to work in any convenient language of the world.

It is assumed that the name of the Vatican comes from the name of the god of death Vattaca. After all, it was on the territory of the city-state that the Roman emperor Nero killed the Apostle Peter.

History of occurrence

The current smallest country in the world has not always had such a modest size. From 752 until 1870, the Catholic Church owned an area of ​​41,407 km². In those days, the state was called the Papal States. So the Vatican, with an area of ​​0.44 km2, is only a tiny fragment of that territory.

In the middle of the 19th century, the Papal States was conquered by the united army of Italy. Then the Pope took refuge from the attack in the Vatican and began to live on its territory, as a voluntary prisoner of the Apostolic Palace.

In 1929, the Lateran Treaty was signed to resolve the conflict. According to him, the Vatican was recognized as an independent state, and Pope Pius XI undertook to recognize the Kingdom of Italy for this.

Today, in addition to the territory of the Vatican, the Catholic Church owns buildings outside the smallest country. The largest among them is Castel Gandolfo, the summer residence of the Pope. Such objects are endowed with an extraterritorial status, identical with foreign embassies.

Are the Vatican and the Holy See the same thing?

Most people believe that the Vatican and the Holy See are synonymous words. However, this is not the case.

The Vatican is a theocratic state ruled by the Holy See (or Papal See). It is important to separate these concepts, since it is the Holy See that acts as a subject in international law.

For the Papal See, the Vatican is simply its own sovereign territory. That is, if, hypothetically, the Holy See remains without the Vatican, then it will not cease to exist as a subject of international relations.

It is also easy to trace the difference between these concepts in the example of the distribution of power. The head of the Holy See is the Pope, and the smallest country in the world, the Vatican, is under the control of the governor and the Pontifical Commission, who are personally appointed by the pontiff.

In fact, the Pope determines the fate of both the Vatican and the Holy See, holding in his hands all the branches of power - legislative, executive and judicial.

Election of the pontiff

Saint Peter is considered to be the first Pope. After him, the office of pontiff became elective. At first, both church leaders and the people of Rome took part in this procedure. But due to significant manipulation to seize power in the Papal States, the ceremony was made available only to a narrow circle of cardinals of the Roman Curia.

Since the Pope is elected for life, new elections are organized after the death of the pontiff or when he voluntarily resigns. During the period until new dad Roman is not defined, part of his powers to manage the smallest country is performed by the camerlengo.

The election of the Pope since 1274 is called a conclave. Only cardinals aged no more than 80 years are eligible to apply for the position of pontiff and take part in the vote. Elections are held within 15-20 days after the death or resignation of the Pope.

For the duration of the conclave, the cardinals must cut off contact with the outside world in order to keep the course of the ceremony secret. Disclosure of secret information is punishable by exile. All election participants live in the House of St. Martha. And the voting process itself takes place within the walls of the Sistine Chapel. After the arrival of all participants, its doors are sealed to isolate the cardinals from unauthorized persons.

To become Pope, a candidate must receive at least 2/3 of the votes. The results of the secret ballot are counted by three randomly selected cardinals, after which the ballots are burned. If none of the candidates received the required number of votes, then damp straw and tow are placed on the ballots, as a result of which black smoke comes out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. This is a signal to the parishioners that a pontiff has not yet been chosen. And when a new Pope is elected, when the ballots are burned, dry straw is added to them and white smoke comes out of the chimney. In parallel with this, bells begin to ring in the Vatican, notifying the entire district of the appearance of a new pontiff.

Population of the smallest country in the world

Between 800 and 870 people live permanently on the territory of the Vatican. All these people are ministers of the Holy See. And there is simply no other way to obtain citizenship of the smallest country in the world. Moreover, after the termination of work in the Papal Throne, citizenship is immediately canceled.

During the day, the Vatican employs approximately 3,000 hired personnel, who mostly do menial work that has nothing to do with the ministry of the Catholic Church and the Holy See. Therefore, they are not considered citizens of the tiny city-state and live outside of its territory.

If, after losing the citizenship of the Vatican, a person does not have the citizenship of any other country, then, according to the Lateran Treaty of 1929, Italy undertakes to accept him as its citizen.

Most of the population of the Vatican is Italian by nationality. Although there is a large community of Swiss who are responsible for the security of the Pope.

Swiss Guards

Although the Vatican is now the smallest state in the world, it even has its own guard. Of course, it is not as numerous as during the heyday of the Papal States. However, 110 guardsmen are enough for a territory of 0.44 km2. They are easy to notice by their bright unusual shape, the appearance of which has not changed for almost half a millennium.

Getting into the service of the Holy See is not so easy. All candidates must meet a number of criteria: height from 174 cm, age within 19-30 years, Catholic religion, completed secondary education, undergo a four-month military training mandatory for Swiss, have positive letters of recommendation.

There are a number of restrictions for the Swiss Guards, such as the ban on wearing long hair, mustaches and beards. And the guardsman must be a bachelor. He will have the right to marry only after a service life of more than 3 years and upon reaching the rank of corporal.

The main function of the Vatican Guard is to protect the Pope and his residence. It is the Swiss who have been awarded such great honor thanks to the fact that in 1527 a small detachment of 189 guards of the pontiff heroically defended him during an attack on Rome. Only 42 guards survived. In fairness, it should be noted - this was the only case when the Swiss guards took part in the hostilities.

State financial policy

The Vatican receives the main part of its income from voluntary donations, investments and tourism. Part of the money received is spent on quite ordinary state needs in the form of salaries, the maintenance of the Holy See and the reconstruction of buildings. But the Vatican is also famous for the philanthropy of the Pope. It allocates significant funds to support victims of natural disasters, and to build churches in developing countries.

Tourism

For the smallest country in the world, tourism is one of the main sources of income. In addition to pilgrims, a huge number of people come to the Vatican to see the ancient architectural ensembles and works of art by the best masters of the world level.

To get the most out of your visit to the Vatican, you can contact your local tourist office. There, guests of the city-state are offered to sign up for excursions, purchase guidebooks and maps of the Vatican.

St. Peter's Square

At the entrance to the smallest country in the world is the most important square of the Vatican - St. Peter's Square. It is here that pilgrims gather to receive the blessing of the Pope. It is especially crowded here during the main religious holidays - Christmas and Easter.

But in addition to the gathering place for the parishioners of the Catholic Church, St. Peter's Square deserves attention as an object of Renaissance architecture. It has the shape of an ellipse and is fenced on both sides by a cannonade of 284 columns. On the roofs of the building there are 140 statues of Catholic saints. And in the very center of the square there is an Egyptian obelisk 25.30 m high, on both sides of which there are exquisite fountains.

Saint Paul's Cathedral

The main shrine for the Catholic world is St. Peter's Cathedral. It was built on the site of the execution and burial of the Apostle Peter, the founder of Catholicism. This building is both a place for religious services and a tomb for the most prominent persons of the Holy See.

The eminent Giovanni Bernini, together with his students, was engaged in the design of the interior of the cathedral. There is also a masterpiece sculpture of Pieta by Michelangelo. If desired, you can enjoy the panorama of the Vatican from a height of 132 m, overcoming 323 steps to the roof of the cathedral.

Nineteen museums of the smallest country in the world have at their disposal impressive collections works of art from different periods. This is Michelangelo's amazing painting on the walls and ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and the fantastic Stanzas of Raphael, the ancient statues of Apollo Belvedere and Laocoön with his sons, Gallery geographical maps, a hall of tapestries, antique sarcophagi, the chambers of the famous Pope Borgia, the Vatican Library.

And today the Vatican regularly replenishes its collection. For example, in the Court of Pinia, in addition to a bronze five-meter cone, created in the 1st century AD, in 1990 a modern sculpture of the Universe was placed.

Pope Francis in 2014 contributed to the installation of two iron sculptures from Alejandro Marmo, which are created almost from garbage. Thus, the pontiff draws attention to the global environmental problem.

famous gardens

The gardens of the Vatican occupy more than half of the territory of the smallest country in the world. Initially, they had a practical character - they grew fruits and berries, medicinal herbs. But over time, they became just a decorative decoration of the state. You can walk through their territory only with a guide and only by prior arrangement.

Shopping in the smallest country

The Vatican is one of those countries where it is best to bring not souvenirs, but local euro coins. The tiny state independently mints its own coins. The “tails” of all euro coins is the same throughout the European Union, but back side contains specific symbols of the holy place.

Also in the Vatican they sell unusual postage stamps, guidebooks, albums with images of local attractions. Fans of traditional tourist souvenirs will also not be left without a variety of magnets, postcards and key chains.

Social policy of the Vatican

In order to maintain contact with current Catholics and further spread the teachings of the Catholic Church to the masses, the Vatican has created its own television center (CTV). He is in live broadcasts on Wednesdays and Sundays services with the Pope, state celebrations. CTV is even in the business of creating documentaries. Also, the smallest country in the world has its own radio, it broadcasts on short waves with a frequency of AM and FM. And since 2008, the radio has also been working via the Internet.

Despite established contact with Catholics, the social position of the Vatican is regularly criticized. Parishioners argue that the church's conservative teaching about the ban on contraception, abortion, non-recognition of sexual minorities does not correspond to the realities of the modern world.

• The Vatican has been the official residence of the Pontiff since 1377.
• The total area of ​​the Vatican is almost 110 times smaller than Peterhof.
• Approximately 75% of the citizens of this state are members of the clergy.
• Visiting the Vatican, you can use it post office and send commemorative postcards to your friends from the smallest country in the world.
• On the official website of the state, you can online mode book tickets for any excursions.
• It was in the Vatican that the decision was born to change the Julian calendar to the Gregorian, which is used to this day.
• The Vatican Museums are the third most popular in the world. Every year they are visited by 5 million people. They were surpassed only by the Louvre and the British Museum.
• St. Peter's Basilica is the largest church in the world.
• Along the perimeter of almost the entire border with Rome, which is 3.2 km long, a defensive wall was built.
• Today, there are about 1.2 billion people worldwide who have converted to the Catholic faith.
• The Vatican has its own helipad. She has been working since 1976. Dad uses a helicopter to fly to international airports Rome and in summer residence Castel Gandolfo.
• The smallest state in the world can also boast of an iron rail. It consists of a station and a 700 m long railway line connected to the Italian railroad.

Ever since school days, everyone remembers perfectly what it looks like. political map peace. This is a lot of states, some of which can be called real "giants", while others are so small that their name is at the bottom, in the footnotes. And if each of us finds large countries, such as Russia, the USA, Canada, China, without error on a globe or map, then finding small ones will have to work hard. In this article, we will talk about which of all is the smallest country in the world, and we will also compile a kind of rating of small states by territory (area) and population, so that you can confidently answer the question of interest to many about the smallest of them.

About 250 officially recognized and independent countries are marked on the world map. Among them there are real "giants", occupying vast territories, as well as "tiny" in area. Below we will consider the smallest countries in terms of area, making up a kind of TOP-10 small lands, starting with the largest of them.

10th place - Grenada

The area of ​​this island nation is 344 square kilometers, and the population is just under 90 thousand people. Discovered for the first time by the notorious Columbus, this country is famous for growing nutmegs, bananas and citrus fruits on its territory. A significant state income, in addition to fruit exports, comes from the provision of offshore services.

9th place - Maldives

For many people, this place is associated with heaven on earth. The area of ​​this "paradise" is only 298 square kilometers, the population is about 390 thousand people. Consisting of more than 1000 islets, this archipelago is located in the Indian Ocean and is recognized as one of the best resort areas in the world. Mild climate, unusual beaches, the purest water- all this attracts tourists from all over the world, and on the territory there are best places for a beach holiday.

8th place - Saint Kitts and Nevis

The total area is 261 sq. km, the population is about 50 thousand people. The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis is located in the Caribbean Sea on two islands that bear the name of the country. In the Western Hemisphere, this federation is considered the smallest both in terms of territory (area) and population. The main income is from tourism, since all other industries are not very developed.

By the way, in order to attract investment in the agricultural sector, a special program was developed that allows one to obtain citizenship by investing about 300 thousand dollars in the development of this area.

7th place - Marshall Islands

The area of ​​the islands in the Pacific Ocean is 181 square kilometers, the population is just over 52 thousand people. This republic is known for the events held in the middle of the last century nuclear testing America, which have changed to a large extent the flora and fauna of the islands. That is why now the plants characteristic of this zone are quite rare, although others have been planted instead. Tourism on the islands is just beginning to develop, but in the future this area may become one of the most beloved by tourists.

6th place - Liechtenstein

The Western European Principality occupies an area of ​​160 sq. km. with a population of 37 thousand people. Beautiful and picturesque, this country borders Austria and Switzerland, and official language- German. Despite its tiny size, the principality is a developed state with a high standard of living for people. The country is known for precision instrumentation and the flowing river Rhine.

From a tourist point of view, guests will be pleased beautiful landscapes and clean air, and the trip will be remembered for a long time.

5th place - San Marino

Bordering exclusively on Italy, San Marino occupies 61 sq. km., The population is 32 thousand people. This state is recognized as one of the oldest in Europe, the date of its formation is the 3rd century. scenic landscapes, ancient buildings and a developed service sector - all this will please the guests of San Marino.

4th place - Tuvalu

Tuvalu is located in the Pacific Ocean and occupies only 26 sq. km. with a population of about 11 thousand people. The climate in the country is tropical, pronounced during periods of rain and drought. This state belongs to the poorest countries in the world due to its underdeveloped economy.

3rd place - Nauru

Nauru is located in the Pacific Ocean. The area is 21.3 sq. km, the population is about 10 thousand people. The most amazing thing about this country is that it does not have a capital.

The climate can be summed up in two words: hot and humid. Flora and fauna are not diverse.

2nd place - Monaco

It is difficult to imagine a person who has never heard of the country of the casino - Monaco. The area of ​​the state is 2.02 sq. km, the population is about 30 thousand people. Tourism is the main source of income for this country. The construction and sale of real estate is also developed, since becoming a happy owner of an apartment in this zone is either expensive or very expensive.

1st place - Vatican

The smallest state in the world is the Vatican. Its area is 0.44 sq. km, and the population is 836 people.

The Vatican is inside eternal city Rome and is subordinate to the Pope. His income is donations and tourism (entrance to museums, sale of souvenirs). The smallest state plays a big role in resolving military conflicts and is the center of Catholicism.

If you are interested in the smallest state in terms of territory, then now you know for sure that this country is the Vatican, from independent and recognized. Some still mention the Order of Malta, its territory occupies 0.012 sq. km, but although this country is recognized as independent, it lacks its own for our rating of states monetary unit and citizen's passports. Therefore, in terms of territory, the Vatican remains the smallest.

5 smallest countries (population)

It just so happened, but in the largest states in terms of population - China and India, one third of the total population of our planet lives. Against the background of these "giants" small countries seem even smaller. Below we will consider the smallest of them in terms of population and answer the question of which country is the smallest in terms of population.

5th place - Niue

In fifth place is the island and the state formation of the same name - Niue with a population of 1611 people. It is located in the Pacific Ocean east of the island Tonga.

4th place - Tokelau

Tokelau is part of New Zealand, but after the referendums of 2006 and 2007, the state ceased to be associated with New Zealand. The population is 1383 people.

3rd place - Vatican

836 people live in the center of Catholicism. The Pope of Rome governs the state located in Rome.

2nd place - Cocos Islands

The second of the smallest countries in terms of population - coconut islands or Keeling, with a strength of 550 men.

1st Pitcairn Islands

The smallest country in terms of population is the Pitcairn Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Number - 56 people.

Knowing the data from this article, you can confidently say which state is the smallest both in terms of territory and population.

Living in big countries, not everyone and not always can travel all corners of their homeland. However, there are states in the world, all the sights and attractions of which can be seen in a day or two. So, we present the top 10 smallest states in the world.

1. Vatican
The Vatican is a closed city-state. It is located in one of the districts of Rome and covers an area of ​​44 hectares. It was founded in 1929 by the Roman Catholic Church, is controlled by the Pope and the conclave of cardinals, has the status of an independent state and even its own army. True, despite such a small territory, it is unlikely to be able to see it in one day - so many architectural, sculptural and pictorial masterpieces are collected in it. The Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Cathedral, the residence of the Pope - the Apostolic Palace, etc. - far from full list masterpieces. Half of the country's territory is occupied by the Vatican Gardens. Approximately 800 people are official citizens of the Vatican, and several thousand Italians travel here every day to work.

2. Monaco
Monaco is the second smallest country. Over the past 20 years, due to the drying of the sea, the area of ​​the country has increased and now it is 20.2 square kilometers. kilometers. Monaco is a monarchical state, is one of the most densely populated countries in the world and has 30 thousand inhabitants. The main source of income for the residents is tourism.

3. Nauru
Nauru is located in the South Pacific Ocean in Micronesia. The area of ​​the state is 21.3 sq. kilometers. The Republic of Nauru is the smallest island nation in the world. It gained independence in 1968, although the island was home to the natives for 3 thousand years. To date, the population of the country is about 9 thousand people. The state of Nauru has no armed forces.

4. Tuvalu
Tuvalu is located in the South Pacific Ocean, its area is 26 square kilometers. kilometers. The country also includes several coral islands. Previously, these islands belonged to the British crown and were called the Ellis Islands, but in 1978 they gained independence from the British. The population of the country is 10.5 thousand people. Due to lack natural resources Tuvalu has to live off the help of other countries.

5. San Marino
The Republic of San Marino covers an area of ​​61 sq. kilometer and has the smallest population among the member countries of the European Council. Is in Southern Europe surrounded on all sides by Italian territory. It is the oldest independent country in the world and was founded on September 3, 301. In addition, San Marino is one of the richest countries in the world, its income exceeds its expenses.

6. Liechtenstein
The area of ​​the country is 160.4 sq. kilometers. Liechtenstein borders Switzerland and Austria and is landlocked. It is one of the richest states. There are more companies registered here than residents.

7. Marshall Islands
This state is located in the center of the Pacific Ocean and consists mainly of coral islands. The area of ​​the country is 181 sq. kilometer, population 62 thousand. In 1986, the Islands gained independence from the United States, but the country has no natural resources and imports of goods far exceed exports, so until now only America's help helps them "keep afloat".

8. Seychelles
Heaven on Earth Seychelles occupy an area of ​​455 square kilometers, a population of 84 thousand people. The archipelago is located in the Indian Ocean, north of Madagascar and consists of 115 islands. The islands were able to develop thanks to the export of coconut, vanilla and cinnamon. But since independence in 1976, tourism has become the main source of income.

9. Maldives
Republic of Maldives - island country. It is located in the Indian Ocean and is the smallest Asian country. The area of ​​the country is 298 sq. km., the population is 396 thousand. Two-thirds of the population lives in the capital of the country - Male. Formerly country developed through the export of dried tuna, kauri clams and coconut ropes, now the main income comes from tourism.

10. Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
Located in the West Indies - between North and South America on the islands Atlantic Ocean. The state consists of two islands with total area 261 sq. km. These were the first islands inhabited by Europeans. The main source of income is tourism, agriculture and offshore banking are also developed.

8th place: - Pacific state associated with the United States. The Republic of the Marshall Islands is located on 29 atolls and 5 islands, the total area of ​​​​which is 181 km², the population is 68,000 people.

7th place: Liechtenstein- state in Central Europe associated with Switzerland. Area - 160.4 km², population - 35,870 people.

6th place: - a state surrounded on all sides by Italy. Area - 61 km², population - 32,075 people.

5th place: - Pacific state, located on 5 atolls and 4 islands. The total area is 26 km². Population - 10 544 people. Tuvalu is one of them, and this country would be even poorer if the country's leadership had not guessed to put up for auction the national domain zone.tv and the buyer was quickly found, because. zone.tv is a tidbit for TV companies and video sites. Tuvalu now receives $1 million quarterly in exchange for the right to use the .tv domain zone

4th place: - the state on the same name coral island in the Western Pacific Ocean with an area of ​​21 km². Population - 9 322 people. Nauru is the smallest independent republic in the world, the smallest island state, the smallest state in Oceania, the smallest state outside of Europe, and the only republic in the world without an official capital.

3rd place: - Principality associated with France. Monaco is located in southern Europe on the coast mediterranean sea. Area - 2.02 km², population - 35,986 people.

2nd place: located inside the territory of Rome. The Vatican is a state associated with Italy. The area of ​​the Vatican is 0.44 km². Population - 836 people.

The smallest country in Europe and the whole world - Order of Malta(not to be confused with the state of Malta), the full name is "The Sovereign Military Hospice Order of Saint John, Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta". Like the Vatican, the Order of Malta is located inside the territory of Rome. Since 1998, the Order has also owned Fort St. Angelo on the island of Malta. The area of ​​territories controlled by the Order of Malta is 0.012 km². The order consists of 12.5 thousand people who can be considered citizens of this state. Not everyone recognizes the Order of Malta as a state, but the order has diplomatic relations with 104 states and is a permanent observer at the UN. The Order of Malta issues its own passports and car plate numbers, prints its own currency and stamps, i.e. has almost all the signs of a full-fledged state.

The Palace of Malta in Rome - the actual capital of the Order of Malta

The smallest states by area by continents and parts of the world

The smallest country in Asia is the Maldives (area - 298 km²).

The smallest country in Oceania is Nauru (area - 21 km²).

The smallest country in Europe is the Order of Malta (area - 0.012 km²).

The smallest country in Africa is the Seychelles (area - 455 km²).

The smallest country North America- Saint Kitts and Nevis (area - 261 km²).

The smallest country South America- Suriname (area 163,270 km²).

The smallest countries in the world by population

Only independent (including associated) states recognized by other states are included.

10th place: Saint Kitts and Nevis(for this country, see above). Population - 49 898 people.

9th place: Liechtenstein(for this country, see above). Population - 35 870 people.

8th place: (for this country, see above). Population - 32 075 people.

7th place: Palau is an island state in the Pacific Ocean. It is in association with the USA. It consists of 328 islands with a total area of ​​458 km². Population - 20 842 people.

6th place: Cook Islands(for this country, see above). Population - 19 569 people.

5th place: Order of Malta(See above for more details). The order consists of 12.5 thousand people.

4th place: (for this country, see above). Population - 10 544 people.

3rd place: (for this country, see above). Population - 9 322 people.

2nd place: Niue- an island and a self-governing state entity of the same name in free association with New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean. Area - 261.46 km², population - 1,398 people.

The smallest state in the world in terms of population - (see above about this country). Population - 836 people.

The smallest states in terms of population by continent and parts of the world

The smallest country in Asia - South Ossetia (population - 72,000 people) - is a partially recognized state: it was recognized by Russia and four other UN member states (Nicaragua, Nauru, Venezuela and Tuvalu).

The smallest country in Oceania is Niue (pop. 1,398)

The smallest country in Europe - the Vatican (population - 836 people)

The smallest country in Africa - Seychelles (population - 87,476 people)

The smallest country in North America is Saint Kitts and Nevis (pop. 49,898)

The smallest country in South America is Suriname (pop. 472,000)

All of the above countries dependent territories recognized by the international community or at least by several states, however, there is a state not recognized by any country, which is smaller in area than the Order of Malta and in population less than the Vatican.
The Principality of Sealand, located on an offshore platform in the North Sea, 10 kilometers from the coast of Great Britain, has an area of ​​​​only 0.00055 km² (550 m²). As for the population, in 2002 the authorities of Sealand stated that the population of the state was 27 people. However, at the same time, only a guard constantly lives on the territory of Sealand.

Physically, the territory of Sealand arose during the Second World War. In 1942, the British Navy built several platforms on the approaches to the coast. One of them was Roughs Tower. During the war, the platforms housed anti-aircraft guns and had a garrison of 200 men. After the end of hostilities, most of the towers were destroyed, but Roughs Tower, being outside British territorial waters, remained intact. In 1967, retired British Army Major Paddy Roy Bates announced the creation of the sovereign state of Sealand (Sealand, in English) on the territory of the Roughs Tower platform. sea ​​land") and proclaimed himself Prince Roy I. In 1972, Sealand began to mint a coin. In 1975, the first constitution of Sealand came into force. A flag and coat of arms appeared.
In 1997, it turned out that without the knowledge of the leadership of Sealand, the passports of this state were illegally distributed. In total, more than 150 thousand passports were sold, after which Sealand was forced to cancel the passports. In January 2007, the owners of the country announced their intention to sell it. Immediately after that, the torrent site The Pirate Bay began raising funds for the acquisition of Sealand in order to achieve independence from the authorities of other states, but the deal did not take place.
Sealand official website - sealandgov.org