Pope Island
Not to be confused with the Navārdian claim to the area, the Pope Island Territory.
Etymology
The name Pope Island was presumably coined by the government of Peachtree City, rather than that of a micronation. As such, the reasoning behind its name is unknown.
Geography
Pope Island is a long and thin island in the middle of Lake Kedron. When the lake’s waters are high enough, which they often are, the smaller, western portion of the island becomes separated from the central portion by the water. Because of this, the portions of the island have been referred to as the central and western islets.
Claimants
Over time, many countries and tribes have claimed the land that now comprises Pope Island.
| Government | Area Claimed | Date of Claim | Status | Recognition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native Americans | All of Pope Island | Unknown | Defunct, circa 1830 | N/A | |
| British Empire | All of Pope Island | 1732 | Defunct, as of 1777 | N/A | |
| United States of America | All of Pope Island | 4 July 1776 | Default Claim | U.N. Recognition | |
| Independent Georgia | All of Pope Island | 19 January 1861 | Defunct (joined CSA) | Limited Recognition | |
| Confederate States of America | All of Pope Island | 8 February 1861 | Defunct, as of 1865 | Limited Recognition | |
| Grand Navārdian Commonwealth | West Central Islet | 23 October 2019 (as Grand Duchy) | Defunct, as of 15 July 2021 | Universal Recognition | |
| Free Nation of New Athens | Western Islet | 31 January 2020 | Occupies Territory | Universal Recognition | |
| Free Socialist State of Paloma | Eastern Islet | 30 April 2020 | Occupies Territory | Universal Recognition | |
Modern claimant history
West Pope Island Territory | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
| Peachtree City, Georgia, United States | |
| Official languages | English |
| Demonym(s) | West Pope Islander |
| Establishment | January 31st, 2020 |
| Population | |
• Census | 0 |
| Time zone | UTC-4 |
On January 31, 2020, Pope Island was split in two, at the border between the central and western islets. The central islet remained under Phoklandian dominion, while the western islet was ceded to New Athens and became the West Pope Island Territory. The WPIT is the second micronational claim to Pope Island in modern history. On April 30, 2020, Pope Island was split in three, with the Pope Island Territory being split exactly in half. The central portion remained under Navārdian dominion, while the eastern portion was ceded to Paloma and became East Pope Island. It is the third micronational claim to Pope Island in modern history. On August 17, 2022, New Athens claimed the West Central portion which belonged to the now defunct Commonwealth of Naveria, uniting the Western and Western Central claims into one. As a result, the island is now separated into two claims, with New Athens claiming the West Pope Island Territory and Paloma claiming the East Pope Island Territory.