Any entity which has the appearance of being a sovereign state but isn't.
Micronations are usually created and maintained by
one person or family. Many exist solely on the internet, or in the imagination of their creators. Some have a more corporeal existence, occupying a defined - albeit often tiny - geographical areas, and producing arefacts such as stamps, coins, banknotes, passports, medals and flags.
Micronations are generally viewed as eccentric and vaguely amusing by most external observers.
Micronations should not to be
confused with microstates, which are
small legitimate sovereign states such as the Vatican, Monaco, Andorra or San
Marino.
Nor should they be
confused with legitimate self-determination or secessionist groups, who are typically have many hundreds or thousands of active supporters.
Sealand, an abandoned World War 2
gun platform off the coast of Essex, is the
world's
best known micronation.
