Where is Sealand located?
THE Principality of Sealand sits on an abandoned anti-aircraft fort near the British territorial waters.
It's steeped in history, dating back to World War II when it was used by the Royal Navy.
Where is Sealand located?
Sealand is located seven miles or around 12 kilometers east of Suffolk, England, in the North Sea.
It's a micronation that sits on the HMF (His Majesty's Fort) Roughs or the Roughs Tower, an anti-aircraft platform that was built in 1943 by the Royal Navy as part of the Maunsell Forts that defended the Thames.
It was initially built beyond the territorial waters of Britain, beyond the internationally accepted 3-mile range, but it was overlooked due to the war.
The Roughs Tower is no bigger than a football field, only spanning a total of 0.0015 square miles.
Read more on Islands
When it was still in commission, it was occupied by roughly 150 to 300 members of the Royal Navy.
Its remaining occupants left in 1956, leading to its complete decommissioning.
Is Sealand a country?
Sealand is not formally recognized as a country, but in 1966, retired British army major Paddy Roy Bates, along with his family, declared it as its own nation.
Bates initially used Roughs Tower as a pirate radio station to play music during the time that the BBC had a monopoly over the British media.
Most read in The US Sun
He used to live in it for months at a time, stocking it with food to survive.
He then gifted it to his wife Joan: "Now you have your very own island," he told her.
Not long after, Bates established Sealand and assigned it its own motto: E Mare, Libertas, or "From the sea, freedom."
Authorities have repeatedly tried wrestling with the Bates to take control of Sealand, but their efforts remained futile.
Presently, the micronation has its own passport, currency (the Sealand Dollar with Joan's face printed on it), stamps, and a coat of arms.
It also has its own soccer team and defense force.
Sealand currently holds the Guinness World Record for "the smallest area to lay claim to nation status."
Can you live in Sealand?
Because of its minute size, Sealand may not be conducive to long-term living, although it hosts inhabitants.
It's reportedly home to a total of 27 people.
Sealand's official website notes that living in it offers a "one-of-a-kind living experience."
"With limited living space and basic amenities, the people of Sealand have learned to make the most of what they have. Every inch of the fort is utilized, with clever storage solutions and multi-purpose furniture. "
"Living on Sealand is not for the faint of heart, but for those who choose to call it home, it is a lifestyle unlike any other."
People who wish to visit Sealand must first obtain approval from the Bureau of Internal Affairs, but it's not an easy feat.
Read More on The US Sun
Requests will be thoroughly vetted, so approval may take a long time.
If a request is found to be "exceptionally favorable," then an application for a visitor's visa form will be sent to the aspiring visitor.