Siple Island

Siple Island
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "No humans, only nature."
Anthem: "Long live Flandrensis"
Location in Antarctica
Map of the Flandrensian islands
Government	Constitutional monarchy
• Grand Duke	Nicholas de Mersch d’Oyenberghe
• Chancellor	Joaquin Castillo-Lopez
Establishment
• Claimed	2008
Area
• Total	6.390 km2 (2.467 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate	0
Currency	Flandri

Siple Island is a 110 km long snow-covered island lying east of Wrigley Gulf along the Getz Ice Shelf off Bakutis Coast of Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica. Its centre is located at 73°39′S 125°12′W73.65°S 125.2°W. Its area is 6,390 km² and it is dominated by the potentially active shield volcano Mount Siple, rising to 3,110 m making this the 17th ranking island in the world by maximum altitude. Carney Island is located between Siple Island and Wright Island along the coast of Marie Byrd Land, it’s an ice-covered island, 110 km long and about 8,500 km² in area. Nearby are located Maher Island, Cherry Island and Pranke Island.

Flandrensis

Claim

Flandrensis is located on five small islands of the coasts of West Antarctica: Siple Island (73 ° 39’S, 125 ° 12’W), Carney Island (73 ° 57’S 121 ° 00’W), Maher Island (72 ° 58’S 126 ° 22 ‘W), Cherry Island (73 ° 45’S 123 ° 32’W) and Pranke Island (73 ° 14’S 124 ° 55’W) and based its claim on an interpretation of the Antarctic Treaty (1959). The treaty prohibits any nation from claiming Antarctic territory between 90-150° (West-Antarctica), but the treaty didn’t mention claims by individual persons. So Nicholas claimed the islands in his personal name and sent letters to the United Nations and to the nations who signed the Antarctic Treaty to inform them of his claim, thereafter he grant his islands to the Grand Duchy. All of these countries ignored the territorial claim of Flandrensis.

No humans policy

The mission of Flandrensis is that Antarctica should be untouched by human activity and they strongly believe that it should remain a nature preserve only available for scientific research well beyond the expiration of the Antarctic Treaty in 2048. With the motto "No humans, ony nature" Flandrensis identify themselves as the only country in the world that doesn’t want its land inhabited by people. Since 2016 the micronation send climate letters to governments or companies who violate environmental agreements in Antarctica or who threaten the fragile eco-system (whale hunting, mining, pollution, tourism, sport events, etc.).

See also

Siple War