What the hell is Sealand? It’s a platform sunk into a sandbar situated 6 miles off the Suffolk coast of England. Built to guard the British river system during WWII it was abandoned by the army in 1956, along with dozens of others along the coastline and left to rot.

Enter Major Paddy Roy Bates
Now referred to by himself and other Sealanders as “Prince Roy”, with his family he squatted on the platform in 1968 hoping to broadcast pirate radio and succeed the platform from the British Commonwealth. The Principality of Sealand now prints its own currency, passports, has its own constitution, national anthem, flag, and claims to be a fully functioning “nation” boasting a citizenship of 27. The country claims also to excel in a variety of sports including: soccer, mini golf and pole dancing (True.)

Over the years Roy and his 27 fellow Sealanders defended their adopted home in vicious battles against British, Dutch and German invaders. But did this burst Prince Roy’s bubble? No-sir-ee. When the British expanded their international waters from 2, to 10 kilometers The Prince expanded Sealand’s zone too. Subsequently Sealand has claimed several square kilometers of England’s south east coast in a lengthy legal battle.

Despite the obvious perks of being an inhabitant of this flourishing nation it is currently up for sale. That’s right, you too can be the prince, the head honcho, the chief or the owner of your very own off-shore principality. Forget pacific islands that will only sink under the rising seas, for the princely sum of 750 000 000 Euro the illustrious principality can be yours today! But let the buyer beware. Like the Hutts in West Australia, Rainbow creek in Victoria or the politically charged gay Coral Sea Islands in Queensland (check out “Micronations” on Wikipedia.org), Sealand, the nation, is struggling; desperately in search of recognition and an accepted place in the world.

For more information you can check out http://www.sealandgov.org