Republic of Molossia

{{Infobox micronation

| conventional_long_name = Republic of Molossia

| native_name =

| image = 180px

|caption = Government House of Molossia

| image_map = Map of Molossia small.png

| map_caption = Location of Molossia

| claimed_by = Kevin Baugh

| established_date1 = {{start date|1977|5|26}}

| location = Near Dayton, Nevada, United States

| area_claimed = {{convert|11.3|acre|ha m2}}

| official_website = {{Official URL}}

|name=|population=35|leader_name1=Kevin Baugh|anthem=Fair Molossia is our Home}}

Molossia ({{IPAc-en|m|oʊ|ˈ|l|ɒ|s|i|ə}}), officially the Republic of Molossia, is a micronation claiming de facto sovereignty over {{convert|11.3|acre|ha m2}} of land near Dayton, Nevada.{{cite web |title=About Molossia |url=https://www.molossia.org/about.html |access-date=2 October 2024 |website=The Official Website of the Republic of Molossia}} The micronation has not received recognition from any of the 193 member states of the United Nations.{{Cite web |title=Visit the Republic of Molossia {{!}} Sovereign Country in NV {{!}} Weird Nevada |url=https://travelnevada.com/weird-nevada/republic-of-molossia/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=Travel Nevada |language=en-US |quote="So, Is the Republic of Molossia a Real Country? The Republic of Molossia has quietly been an official, independent, sovereign country inside Nevada for more than forty years."}}{{Cite web |title=Molossia and Vikesland? Leaders of (fake) nations gather in L.A. |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/molossia-and-vikesland-leaders-of-fake-nations-gather-in-l-a/ |access-date=2022-04-14 |website=CBS News |date=April 10, 2015 |language=en-US |quote="The occasion is MicroCon 2015, what organizers say is the first North American gathering of micronations, those itty bitty countries that pretty much nobody but the people who rule them believe really exist... – The Republic of Molossia. Founded by Baugh and a buddy as teenagers in 1977, it existed mainly in Baugh's bedroom until he bought 1.3 acres of property in Northern Nevada in 1998 and built a railroad and private phone company."}}{{Cite web |title=There's A Tiny Nation In Northern Nevada — Kind Of |url=https://knpr.org/knpr/2018-07/theres-tiny-nation-northern-nevada-kind |access-date=2022-04-14 |website=Nevada Public Radio |language=en |quote="It was his time in Europe that shaped Baugh's ideas on micronations. He liked the idea of tiny nations like Monaco and Liechtenstein. 'It kind of really stuck with me this is something I would like to do and continue to do and then when I got property in Northern Nevada that became the home for the Republic of Molossia,' he said."}}{{Cite web |last=Baugh |first=Kevin |title=Molossia FAQ |url=https://www.molossia.org/FAQ.html |access-date=April 12, 2022 |website=The Official Website of the Republic of Molossia|quote="Is Molossia a Real Country? Yes. Molossia is as a sovereign, independent nation within the territory of the United States. It exists as a state within a state, much like the Navajo Nation. We exercise sovereignty over our own territory, and have our own laws, customs and land."}} It was founded by Kevin Baugh in 1977. He continues to pay property taxes on the land to Storey County, the recognized local government, although he calls it "foreign aid". He has stated that, "We all want to think we have our own country, but you know the United States is a lot bigger".

History

File:Molossia - President Kevin Baugh 1.jpg

Molossia started as a teenage dream of Kevin Baugh, and began as the Kingdom of Molossia in 1998, when he bought the land in Nevada.{{Cite web|last=Totten|first=Kristy|date=June 1, 2016|title=Nevada Is Home To A Micronation — But Don't Tell The Micronation That|url=https://knpr.org/knpr/2016-05/nevada-home-micronation-dont-tell-micronation|website=Knpr.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160706190700/https://knpr.org/knpr/2016-05/nevada-home-micronation-dont-tell-micronation|archive-date=6 July 2016}}{{cite web|access-date=2019-04-10|title=There's a country inside the US. Allegedly|url=https://www.cntraveller.in/story/theres-country-inside-us-allegedly/|date=26 October 2016|website=Condé Nast Traveller India}} Baugh has claimed that he based the idea of Molossia on the film The Mouse That Roared,{{cite web |last1=Deach |first1=Ben |title=Silver State Sights: The Republic of Molossia |url=https://www.kolotv.com/content/news/Silver-State-Sights-The-Republic-of-Molossia--540193191.html |website=kolotv.com |date=August 13, 2019 |access-date=16 February 2021 |language=en}} and also claims influence from his time in the military. Earlier it was known as the Grand Republic of Vuldstein, where Kevin Baugh was the Prime Minister and his friend, James Speilman, was declared King James I. It went through several government and name changes, including the People's Democratic Republic of Molossia (Communist), Kingdom of Zaria and the United Provinces of Utopia.

Image:Molossia - Border with United States.jpg

The Republic of Molossia claims to be at war with the former Communist state of East Germany, alleging that they are responsible for military drills performed by Kevin Baugh while stationed with the U.S. military in West Germany, and therefore are also responsible for his resulting diagnosis of sleep deprivation.{{cite web|last=Machado|first=Carmen|date=26 March 2013|title=The Imaginary Republic of Molossia|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-imaginary-republic-of-molossia/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-31|website=Vice.com|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125150429/https://www.vice.com/en/article/vdywxm/the-imaginary-republic-of-molossia|archive-date=25 November 2020}} While East Germany formally ceased to exist in 1990 following the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany, Molossia argues that Ernst Thälmann Island, dedicated by Fidel Castro to Weimar German politician Ernst Thälmann and given to East Germany, as well as its lack of mention in the Treaty on the Final Settlement or by the nation of Cuba, is therefore still East German land, allowing the war to continue.{{cite web |url=http://www.molossia.org/war/eastgermany.html|title=The War with East Germany|website=The Official Website of the Republic of Molossia|access-date=2017-10-18}}

Flag

File:Flag of the Republic of Molossia.svg

The flag of the Republic of Molossia, called the Grand Triune, is a rectangle with a blue stripe on the top, a white stripe on the middle and a green stripe on the bottom. The blue bar symbolizes strength and the desert sky; the white bar symbolizes purity and the mountains; the green bar symbolizes both prosperity and the Molossian landscape.{{Cite web |title=NATIONAL SYMBOLS - The Official Website of the Republic of Molossia |url=https://www.molossia.org/symbols.html |access-date=February 26, 2025}} It is the flag of Sierra Leone flipped upside-down.{{Cite web |title=Molossia: A small, unrecognised 'nation' within the US |url=https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0hzcsdx/molossia-a-small-unrecognised-nation-within-the-us |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}

Culture

= Environmental care =

Plastic bags and incandescent lightbulbs are banned in the Republic due to their effect on the environment. Catfish and walruses are also banned due to their non-presence in the micronation whatsoever.

= Laws =

Detonating any nuclear device inside of the nation will result in a 500 Valora fine; about 400 USD. It is against the law to play percussion instruments inside of bathrooms, and sunshine is guaranteed for all.

= Anthem =

The National Anthem of the Republic of Molossia is Fair Molossia Is Our Home. The music was composed by Simon-Pierre Boka Di Mpasi Londi and lyrics were written by the President of Molossia.{{Cite web |title=NATIONAL SYMBOLS - The Official Website of the Republic of Molossia |url=https://www.molossia.org/symbols.html |access-date=September 1, 2024}}

= Cuisine =

The signature, national drink of Molossia is called the Molossolini, a non-alcoholic mixed drink of Sprite, grenadine, and pineapple juice, with added cherries and slices of banana, orange, and pineapple.{{cite web | title=Fast Facts About The "Republic" of Molossia | website=Topsy Tasty | date=August 30, 2021 | url=https://www.topsytasty.com/molossia/ | access-date=January 12, 2022}}

Onions and spinach are banned food items inside of Molossia due to the President disliking them.

Currency

The Valora (issued by the Bank of Molossia) is divided into 100 Futtrus and denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20 and coins in 1, 5, 10, 30 (plastic); it has an exchange rate of 0.80. The Valora is also valued to Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough with one tube of cookie dough (13 Ba / 30 oz) being equal to 5 Valora.{{Cite web |title=Bank of Molossia |url=https://www.molossia.org/bank.html}}

In popular culture

In 2010, the Republic of Molossia was featured in a feature-length special by Channel Awesome called Kickassia, with Baugh playing a fictional version of himself. In the film, the Republic undergoes an invasion by the Nostalgia Critic (played by Doug Walker) and his posse of reviewers, who briefly took over Molossia with a dictatorship, "Kickassia", before being ousted.{{Cite web |title=The Imaginary Republic of Molossia |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-imaginary-republic-of-molossia/ |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=Vice.com |date=April 26, 2013 |language=en}} The official website for the Republic of Molossia treats the events of the film as factual.{{Cite web |title=Kickassia Invasion! |url=https://www.molossia.org/invasion.html |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=www.molossia.org |date=2010 |language=en}}

References

External links

{{official website}}
[http://www.molossia.org/navy/index.html Republic of Molossia Navy official webpage]

{{Wikinews|Wikinews interviews Kevin Baugh, president of the Republic of Molossia|Wikinews holds a follow-up interview with Kevin Baugh, president of the Republic of Molossia|Wikinews interviews Molossian president Kevin Baugh on his country's recent intermicronational summit|Micronation Republic of Molossia announces international summit|Republic of Molossia hosts state visit|Republic of Molossia announces new customs station}}