Kingdom of Rockall
Kingdom of Rockall Ríocht na Rócal (Irish) | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
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| Motto: "Rockall in aeternum" "Rockall Forever" | |
 Location of Rockall | |
| Status | Active |
| Capital and largest city | Waveville |
| Official languages | English, Irish |
| Demonym(s) | Rockallic |
| Government | Absolute monarchy |
• King | Shay Oberson |
| Establishment | |
• Independence | 25 December 2023 |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.7843 km2 (0.3028 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2023 census | 1 |
| Currency | Rockallic Pound (RKP) |
| Time zone | GMT |
| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy} |
The Kingdom of Rockall, more commonly known as Rockall, is a micronation in the North Atlantic Ocean. Rockall is an uninhabitable granite islet claimed by the United Kingdom as the final expansion of the British Empire, however, this claim is not recognized by Ireland. The micronation was founded to solve this issue of ownership of the islet.
Remaining uninhabited except for the myriad seagulls, Rockall boasts only one citizen, King Shay. The micronation is an absolute monarchy, with the monarch having full executive control. Since Rockall has only one human citizen, it currently has no need for a formal judicial system or law enforcement. King Shay handles legal matters in the absence of a larger population. Additionally, Rockall does not maintain a military and prefers diplomacy over force to address any potential challenges or conflicts.
Rockall is committed to cultivating positive foreign relations with other micronations. King Shay has expressed a keen interest in Rockall either joining or establishing an intermicronational organisation, particularly with other micronations that hold claims in the Atlantic Ocean.
Etymology
The origin and meaning of the islet's name is uncertain. The Scottish Gaelic name for the islet, Ròcal, may derive from Old Norse, with the Irish, Rócal, being derived from the Scottish, with a fada instead of a stràc over the 'o'.
History
The islet has been recorded since the late sixteenth century but remained terra nullius (nobody's land) until 1955 when it was claimed by the British, due to protentional oil and fishing rights that may accrue.
Earliest recorded expedition
The earliest known recording of visiting the islet is often presumed to be 8 July 1810, however the actual date may be 8 September[1]. Royal Officer Basil Hall led a small landing party from the frigate HMS Endymion to the rock. The landing party became stranded on Rockall for hours after Endymion lost visual contact with Rockall due to a haze descending. The crew of Endymion reported they had been searching for five or six hours before locating the expedition, just before sunset.
British annexation
The British annexed Rockall on 18 September 1955 when Lieutenant-Commander Desmond Scott RN, Sergeant Brian Peel RM, Corporal AA Fraser RM, and James Fisher(a civilian naturalist and former Royal Marine), were winched onto the island by a helicopter from HMS Vidal. The group hoisted the Union Flag to stake the United Kingdom's claim and installed a plaque on Hall's Ledge, the inscription on which read:
BY AUTHORITY OF HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND, BY THE GRACE OF GOD OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND OF HER OTHER REALMS AND TERRITORIES, QUEEN, HEAD OF THE COMMONWEALTH, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, ETC. ETC. ETC. AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH HER MAJESTY'S INSTRUCTIONS DATED 14. 9. 55. A LANDING WAS EFFECTED ON THIS DAY UPON THE ISLAND OF ROCKALL FROM H.M.S. VIDAL. THE UNION FLAG WAS HOISTED AND POSSESSION OF THE ISLAND WAS TAKEN IN THE NAME OF HER MAJESTY. [Signed] R H Connell, CAPTAIN, H.M.S. VIDAL, 18 SEPTEMBER 1955
Three days later, on the 21 September, the Admiralty announced the annexation of Rockall[2].
Waveland
For 42 days in 1994, three members of the environmentalist group Greenpeace occupied Rockall to protest against oil exploration. They declared it to be the Global State of Waveland (a spoof micronation) and offered citizenship to anyone who would take their pledge of allegiance. The British Government's responded with "Rockall is British territory. It is part of Scotland and anyone is free to go there and can stay as long as they please"[3] and otherwise ignored them. The plaque from 1955 was initially unscrewed, reattached incorrectly, and later vanished. The micronation persisted on Rockall even after the group's departure until 1999. The capital of the Kindom of Rockall, Waveville, is an acknowledgement of the previous micronation which occupied the islet.
Kingdom of Rockall
King Shay L. Oberson, a Belfast-based Irish teenager, took the initiative to establish the Kingdom of Rockall. He first envisioned Rockall as a presidential republic but later decided on an absolute monarchy. Rockall declared independence on 25 December 2023 at Oberson's family Christmas party. Oberson made a declaration of independence approximately three times while drunk in his aunt's bathroom. To paraphrase, He said "I declare the Kingdom of Rockall a free and independent nation under the rule of me, King Shay Oberson!"
Geography and climate
Rockall is situated amidst the Helen's Reef, part of the larger Rockall Bank, and is precisely positioned 301.3 kilometres west of Soay, St Kilda, Scotland,[4] and 423.2 kilometres northwest of Tory Island, County Donegal, Ireland[5]. Its coordinates were accurately determined during Nick Hancock's 2014 expedition[6]. Separated from the Outer Hebrides by the [[w:Rockall Bank and Trough|Rockall Trough] within the Rockall Basin, this location is characterized by the surrounding elevated seabed. In 1956, scientist James Fisher dubbed Rockall "the most isolated small rock in the oceans of the world."[7] While neighboring formations like Hasselwood Rock are smaller and equally remote, they are not legally recognized as islands due to their intermittent submersion.
Rockall itself measures approximately 25 meters in width, 31 meters in length at the base[8], and rises sharply to a height of 17.15 meters[9]. Subjected to large storm waves, especially in winter, it features a notable ledge called Hall's Ledge on its western face[10]. The closest land points are Kilda Soay, an uninhabited Scottish island, and Hirta[11] in the [[w:St_Kilda,_Scotland St. Kilda] archipelago, with the nearest permanently inhabited settlement being Hogha Gearraidh on North Uist[12], Scotland.
Captain A. T. E. Vidal charted Rockall's position in 1831, and the first scientific expedition, led by Miller Christy in 1896, focused on studying its flora and fauna[13]. Recent underwater mapping in 2011–2012 revealed Rockall as a minor pinnacle, while Helen's Reef extends in a sweeping arc to the northwest[14]. The location experiences a w:maritime climate maritime climate influenced by the w:Gulf Stream Gulf Stream, lacking extreme heat or cold, although it doesn't host a dedicated weather station due to its isolated nature.
National Symbols
Flag
Rockall's flag contains a Nordic cross, yet does not have any affiliation with Christianity. The flags colours also represent the land of the islet (dark grey), the local wildlife, mostly seagulls (white), and the waters which surround Rockall (blue). King Shay designed the flag as He prepared for Rockall's independence.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms of Rockall is a shield with the national flag and wings on either side, the design was inspired by the Icelandic coat of arms. King Shay designed it, simplifying the original concept when creating the digital version.
Animal
The national animal of Rockall is the seagull, chosen to represent the islet due to its ubiquitous presence. Rockall is often characterized by the abundance of gulls, making them a distinctive trademark of the micronation.
Dish and Beverage
Rockall's national dish is a traditional Irish Christmas dinner, as the kingdom became independent on Christmas, which includes turkey, ham, roast potatoes, brussels sprouts, cocktails sausages, etc. The national beverage is Magners Irish cider, as King Shay was under the effects of the cider when He declared Rockall independent.
Notes
- The Kingdom of Rockall was prepared to be a federal presidential republic until the evening of the day before King Shay declared independence for Rockall. The file names of the national flag still remains as the "Republic of Rockall", and coat of arms as the seal.
- Oberson is a pseudo surname used by the King as He doesn't want his public identity on the internet
References
- ↑ Fisher, James (1957). Rockall. The Country Book Club. pp. 23–35.
- ↑ "On This Day: 1955 – Britain claims Rockall". BBC News. 21 September 1955. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- ↑ "A hard place for a protest as invaders raise the flag on Rockall". [[w:The Independent|]]. 12 June 1997.
- ↑ Google Earth. Rockall ETRS89 57°35'46.695"N 13°41'14.308"W to Gob a' Ghaill, Soay, St Kilda at approximately WGS84 57°49'40.8"N 8°38'59.4"W is approximately 301.3 kilometres (187.2 statute miles; 162.7 nautical miles).
- ↑ Google Earth. Rockall ETRS89 57°35'46.695"N 13°41'14.308"W to Tory Island at approximately WGS84 55°16'29.73"N 8°15'00.92"W is approximately 423.2 kilometres (263.0 statute miles; 228.5 nautical miles).
- ↑ "Nick Hancock guest blog Ordnance Survey". 9 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
- ↑ [[w:James Fisher (naturalist)|Fisher, James] (1956). Rockall. London: Geoffrey Bles. pp. 12–13.
- ↑ MacDonald, Fraser (2006) 'The last outpost of Empire: Rockall and the Cold War" Archived 22 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine, (pdf) Journal of Historical Geography, 32 627–647. University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- ↑ Stornoway Gazette Archived 18 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ↑ "About Rockall" Rockall2011.com. Accessed 12 December 2010
- ↑ Google Earth. Rockall ETRS89 57°35'46.695"N 13°41'14.308"W to An Campar, Hirta, St Kilda at approximately WGS84 57°49'30.4"N 8°37'03.6"W is approximately 303,195 kilometres (188,397 statute miles; 163,712 nautical miles).
- ↑ Google Earth. Rockall ETRS89 57°35'46.695"N 13°41'14.308"W to Aird an Runair, North Uist at approximately WGS84 57°36'11.4"N 7°32'59.3"W is approximately 366,843 kilometres (227,946 statute miles; 198,079 nautical miles).
- ↑ "Brochure" (PDF). The Royal Irish Academy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2010 – via Internet Archive.
- ↑ "Marine Scotland Information: Rockall Bathymetry 2011 and 2012". Marine Scotland. Retrieved 28 April 2018.