Principality of Minerva

The neutrality of this article is disputed.

The Principality of Minerva is located about 400 miles south of Fiji and 260 miles west of Tonga, and was the location of a group of unclaimed underwater reefs and atolls. In 1971, dredging and construction commenced at the atolls in order to build up and expand existing dry islands and create new islands. The Republic of Minerva was declared independent and sovereign on January 19, 1972, but was never recognised by any other internationally recognised state.

Others state that the Republic was recognized by other states by basic acknowledgement, in diplomatic language and actions, and therefore was a sovereign state. These people state that the Principality, which is the governing system which has centralized the authority of the Minervan State, is the legitimate government of the Minervan Isles.

On June 15, 1972 King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV of Tonga issued a royal declaration stating that the Kingdom of Tonga sought to extend jurisdiction into the sovereign territory of Minerva, claiming legitimacy through claims that the Minervan Atolls were traditional fishing grounds for Tongan peoples.

On June 21, 1972, after only six short months of existence, the Republic of Minerva was invaded by Tongan security forces and the Minervan flag torn down. Tonga continued on to occupy Minervan territories.

Shortly after the events on June 21, the occupation, coupled with serious economic difficulties and sheer lack of resources to liberate their country, the government of Minerva was forced into exile by the end of 1973. More than three decades later, the Kingdom of Tonga maintains the occupation of Minerva.

After years of failed attempts at liberation and control, on October 1, 2003, a reformed Minervan government-in-exile, led by Prince Calvin, was founded. The newly reformed government - established as the Principality of Minerva - was created with the intent of liberating the territories of Minerva from foreign occupation and the vision to establish Minerva as a functional and active member of international community of states.

See also

• Sealand - The entity known as the Principality of Sealand is a self-declared micronation constructed on Roughs Tower, an abandoned World War II offshore fortress in the North Sea.

External links

• More information can be obtained from the official website of the government-in-exile: http://www.minervanet.org.