Carney Island
Location: | Antarctica |
Coordinates | 73°57′S 121°00′W |
Area: | 8500 km2 |
Length: | 110 km |
Micronation: | Grand Duchy of Flandrensis |
Date of claim: | 5 December 2009 |
Carney island an ice-covered island, 110 km long and about 8,500 km² in area, with all but its North coast lying within the Getz Ice Shelf, Antarctica. It is located between Siple Island and Wright Island along the coast of Marie Byrd Land. Carney Island was named after Admiral Robert B. Carney (1895–1990).
Flandrensis
Starting as a virtual micronation, Niels of Flandrensis carefully searched territory to claim. On November 22, 2008 Niels transformed Flandrensis in an Antarctic micronation by claming Siple Island (73°39'S, 125°12'W ). The Antarctic Treaty prevented any new claims on Antarctica by countries. To get around this, Niels claimed the land as an individual and then founded a country, the Grand Duchy of Flandrensis, upon it.
On that moment Carney Island (73°57′S 121°00′W) was under control of the Kingdom of Finismund, On 31 December 2008 the Grand Duke of Flandrensis was granted with the title Duke of Carney by the King of Finismund. Niels of Flandrensis keeps this title until Finismund left micronationalism on 29 November 2009. On 5 December 2009 Grand Duke Niels claimed Carney Island together with Maher Island, Pranke Island and Cherry Island. He repeated his claims in the same way as Siple Island. After his claims he send letters to the President of Europe and the U.N. to informed then about his claims.