Duck Islands
Duck Islands Kachní ostrovy | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
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 Duck Islands in from south-east | |
| Status | Recongized as part of Posaf or the Czech Republic |
| Capital | none |
| Official languages | English, Czech (de facto) |
| Government | Provisional administration |
• Provisional administrator | Tomáš Falešník (K) |
| Establishment | |
• Annexed by Posaf | 25 November 2019 |
• Provisional administration declared | 21 August 2021 |
• Dependence on Posaf ended | 1 January 2022 |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.0001 km2 (3.9×10−5 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 3 (2022) |
| Currency | CZK (de facto) |
Duck Islands (Czech: Kachní ostrovy) is a small archipelago in the Otava river, claimed by a provisional government of the same name. It formed a county of the same name in the Posafian province of Nievenorte until 2022, due to events in the principality, the county had declared provisional administration on 21 August 2021, becoming de facto independent, before formally unilaterally ending the Posafian jurisdiction over the territory on 1 January 2022.
History
The Duck Islands were a part of the Czech state until 25 November 2019, when Tomáš Falešník claimed them in the name of the Principality of Posaf. The archipelago was made a county in the Nievenorte province. After the death of Nicholas Randouler, the Duck Islands fell under control of the provisional government, along the rest of Nievenorte. In the March referendum on the future of Posaf, the Duck Islands voted in favour of the Empire of Sentallares, however after the project failed to materialize, several Kadelieort members resigned and the new Posafian Discord server was deleted, Tomáš Falešník declared provisional administration, assuming all administrative powers in the county, including executive and legislative powers if necessary, until the situation in Posaf is resolved. The provisional administration existed unofficially in Posaf until 1 January 2022, when it recognized the Posafian government as defunct, serving as an independent body since.
Government
Officially, the Duck Islands were a part of Posaf until 2022, with the monarch being the head of state and the Higher Lord the head of government in the territory, however due to collaps of communication channels on 21 August 2021, the self-appointed provisional administrator assumed unilaterally all powers in the territory. The Kadelieort and the Nievenorte local council both officially served as the legislative branch of government, however the provisional administrator also de facto acquired these powers. While Tomáš Falešník stated that, shall the situation in Posaf be resolved, he would return all powers to the respective institutions, so that the county complied with both Posafian national and Nievenorte provincial law, the provisional administration instead opted to recognize Posafian government as defunct on 1 January 2022, remaining as the only government of the former county. The provisional government also merged the remaining Posafian political parties operating in the Duck Islands into The Coalition, however it does not serve any purpose in the governance of the territory.
Geography
The Duck Islands are located on coordinates 49°13'48.6"N 13°31'18.8"E, next to the right bank of Otava near the confluence with the Roušarka creek. It's one of many archipelagos formed by the rocks of the river bottom reaching above the water level in Sušice. It consists of seven main islands, surrounded by a large amount of small islets and rocks, many of which have area of only few centimeters squared. South islands are generally thinner and higher, with most of them being covered by grass, while the northern islands are usually wider and flatter, with only small patches of moss. Due to the changing river level, most of the islands can often get submerged by the risen water, or groups of smaller islands can often merge if the water lowers. The islands are often used as a place of rest by wild ducks, after which they were named.
The county claims the majority of the archipelago, with only few minor islands left unclaimed. It also shares a land border with the Czech Republic, claiming a portion of peninsula near the center of the eastern border. The western and northern borders of the county were never properly outlined, located entirely in water. The archipelago is unaccessible directly from the bank due to the height of the embankment, but can be accessed using starcases north and south of the islands and walking through the shallow water.