The micronation off the Suffolk coast that claims to be the world’s smallest country – Suffolk Live

If you've lived in Suffolk your entire life, you'd be forgiven for thinking that you know everything there is to know about the county.

However, not many people know that Suffolk is just a few kilometres away from another 'country'.

That statement may seem absurd, but Sealand, at just 550 square metres big, operates as a family-run micronation in the middle of the North Sea.

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To geography geeks, Sealand has become a legendary curiosity with an immensely interesting history.

During the Second World War, the British government built several fortress islands in the North Sea to defend its coasts from German invaders.

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In the 1950s, with the war over and the steel and concrete towers rendering little use, they were abandoned.

That was until 1965, when a British Army Major named Roy Bates found a use for the towers for the first time 20 years.

Bates set up a pirate radio station in one of the towers, known as Knock John Tower, but faced a legal battle with the UK government, who claimed that he wasn't legally entitled to occupy the structure.

In a bid to keep his offshore radio station going, Bates was smart enough to move to one of the other towers which was outside of UK jurisdiction.

On Christmas Eve 1966, Bates moved to Roughs Tower and declared independence from the UK on the basis that the fortress island in international waters was nobodys land.

But the peace and quiet Bates hoped for was short lived, with British military forces soon despatched to destroy the remaining towers and remove the occupants from Roughs Tower.

Thanks to a few warning shots, the military retreated and the Principality of Sealand survived, but the other towers weren't so fortunate.

Fast forward forward 50 years, and Sealand is still standing tall in the North Sea.

Speaking to CambridgeshireLive earlier this year, Sealand's Prince Michael, son of Roy, said: "Weve never actually asked for recognition [as a sovereign state] but it would be a nice thing."

If you're enchanted by Sealand, you can join its nobility; becoming a Lord or Lady of Sealand will set you back just 30, or 500 if youve got your sights on a duchess or dukedom.

The micronation also claims to have recorded zero Covid cases since the start of the pandemic, which it puts down to "minimising risks, being practical and alert but above all respecting the health of others".

At present, no travel companies run trips to Sealand, but becoming a Duke or Duchess will undoubtedly create an affinity with the people of Roughs Tower.

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The micronation off the Suffolk coast that claims to be the world's smallest country - Suffolk Live