(Probably discussed, but guests don’t have access to the archives, and so I cant find out…sorry, and please send me a link if there is one)
I feel like owning some territory tomorrow. I’m going to pack up my cooler with a case of beer, a few sandwiches, and a box of Ding Dongs, bring my camping chair and head to a piece of the Antarctic that isnt claimed by Argentina, New Zealand etc. I’ll mark off an area about the size of Rhode Island, and call my self King, President, and Prime Minister of this slice of paradise. The next day, I will petition the U.N for validation of my new country.
Does anybody see any problems in this or should I go for it?
Basically, declaring independence is the easy bit. No other country accepting it is a problem, especially with Antarctica where many have signed treaties prohibiting the recognition or imposition of new territorial claims.
The areas outside of the existing territorial claims are still protected from you, or me, or Kerblekistan, from asserting a new claim, at least in the eyes of the signatories to the relevant treaties. See http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/About_Antarctica/Treaty/treatyperu.html
Of course you can declare any piece of land anywhere in the world an independent country. And of course, no other country on earth will recognize your claim.
I can declare my house the Republic of Lemuropolis, and no one will care. I can draw up laws, fly a flag, create all the trappings of an independent country. And no one will care, no one will bother me, as long as I don’t violate any US laws, like selling drugs or avoiding US taxes.
Countries exist only in our minds. Countries exist only because we all agree they exist. Even when we disagree, we usually agree to disagree. But sometimes we don’t agree, and we don’t feel like humoring the other guy, and suddenly the disagreement between Germany and Poland over whether there is a country called “Poland” ends in tears.
So go ahead, move to an abandoned island and declare yourself an independent country. It won’t make any difference to anyone else, all other countries in the world will treat it exactly the same as if you had just moved to that abandoned island. If you make yourself inconspicuous and don’t cause trouble no one will care. If you make yourself into a problem, eventually the coast guard or the navy or the DEA is going to arrive on your island and point guns at you and take you away, regardless of how much you rant and rave that they’re violating the sovereign nation of Sharkattackia.
And just being in international waters or on an unclaimed island doesn’t mean you’re untouchable, since every country with a navy claims the right to enforce maritime law and fight piracy.
