Republic of Molossia

The Republic of Molossia, also known as Molossia, is a micronation created for comedic value claiming sovereignty over 1.28 acres of land near Dayton, Nevada. It was founded by Kevin Baugh. The Republic of Molossia has claimed itself as a nation, though it is not recognized as a country by any recognized national government[8] nor by the United Nations. On April 16, 2016, Baugh hosted a tour of Molossia, sponsored by the website Atlas Obscura.[9] 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 "We all want to think we have our own country, but you know the U.S. is a lot bigger".[10]

For the ancient Greek tribe of Epirus, see Molossians.
Republic of Molossia
Respubliko de Molossia (Esperanto)
República de Molossia (Spanish)
Micronation
Flag
Coat of Arms
Motto: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained
Anthem: "Fair Molossia is Our Home"[1][2]
Capital
and largest city
Baughston
Official languagesEnglish
Esperanto[3]
Spanish[4]
Demonym(s)Molossian
Organizational structureDe jure unitary
presidential republic[5] under a de facto dictatorship
• President
Kevin Baugh
• Vice President
Adrianne Baugh
LegislatureNational Assembly
Establishment
• Grand Republic of Vuldstein[6]
May 26, 1977
• Kingdom of Molossia proclaimed[6]
May 1998
• Communist government[6]
June 1998
• Republic of Molossia established[6]
September 3, 1999
Area claimed
• Total
0.0053 km2 (0.0020 sq mi)
Purported currencyValora and cookie dough[7]
Time zoneMolossian Standard Time (UTC-7:21)
Calling code+1 775
Website
molossia.org
youtube.com/user/molossia1

History
Kevin Baugh

Molossia was originally a Kingdom called the Grand Republic of Vuldstein (1977) then Kingdom of Molossia (1998). It was under a communist system for a short period of time. Molossia's origins came from a micronation childhood project, called The Grand Republic of Vuldstein, founded by Baugh and James Spielman while teenagers[11] on May 26, 1977.[12] Baugh has claimed that he based the idea of Molossia on the film The Mouse That Roared.[13][14]

Geography and climate

The Republic of Molossia is situated in the Great Basin, the largest arid region in North America. The terrain consists of dry, rocky or sandy soil. Molossia is situated in the Dayton Valley, near the Carson River. The area occupied by Molossia experiences a dry-summer or Mediterranean climate. The average temperature for the year in Molossia is 49.6 °F (9.8 °C). The warmest month, on average, is July with an average temperature of 71.1 °F (21.37 °C). The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of 32.9 °F (0.5 °C).[15][16]

Economy

Molossia's currency is the valora, which is subdivided into 100 futtrus and pegged to the relative value of Pillsbury cookie dough.[17][18] Cookie dough is stored in an outbuilding called the Bank of Molossia, from which valora coins made from gambling chips and printed banknotes are sold.[19]

Alleged hostilities with East Germany

The Republic of Molossia claims to be at war with East Germany, alleging that they are responsible for military drills performed by Kevin Baugh while stationed with the United States Military in West Germany, and therefore are also responsible for the resulting diagnosis of sleep deprivation.[20] 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 Cuba to Weimar German politician Ernst Thälmann and given to East Germany, and lack of mention in the Treaty on the Final Settlement or by the nation of Cuba, is still East German land, allowing the war to continue.[21][22]

National anthem

Molossia changed its anthem twice, the first music was based on the Romanian patriotic song "Pe-al nostru steag e scris Unire" named “Molossia, Nation In The Desert”. In 2014 the anthem was changed again to the music of "La Zaïroise" the anthem of Zaire and renamed to "Fair Molossia is Our Home" to mark its 15th independence anniversary.[23]

National symbols

Molossia's flag is a horizontal tricolor flag of blue, white, and green. The blue bar represents the nation's strength and the desert sky, the white bar represents purity and the surrounding mountains, and the green bar represents prosperity and the Molossian landscape.[24] The flag is basically an inverted version of the flag of Sierra Leone.

Other national symbols of Molossia include the mustang, the national animal; the desert quail, the national bird; and the common juniper and common sagebrush, Molossia's national tree and flower, respectively.[24]

See also

References
  1. Our New National Anthem Republic of Molossia (www.molossia.org). Date 28 January 2014; access date 4 September 2014
  2. "Republic of Molossia National anthem on Youtube". YouTube (Republic of Molossia Account). Archived from the original on 2021-12-17. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  3. "What is Esperanto?". Republic of Molossia. 226 Mary Lane, Dayton, Nevada 89403. Archived from the original on 2017-07-06. Retrieved 2017-08-04. Esperanto is the second language of the Republic of Molossia.CS1 maint: location (link)
  4. "Republic of Molossia on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2019-05-08.
  5. "Republic of Molossia - General Government Information".
  6. "Timeline and History of Molossia May 26th, 1977". Official website of the Republic of Molossia. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  7. "Republic of Molossia - Bank of Molossia". Republic of Molossia.
  8. Totten, Kristy. "There's A Tiny Nation In Northern Nevada — Kind Of". Nevada Public Radio. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  9. "Interviewing the President of Molossia". Atlas Obscura. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  10. "Molossia and Vikesland? Leaders of (fake) nations gather in L.A." CBS News. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  11. Totten, Kristy (June 1, 2016). "Nevada Is Home To A Micronation — But Don't Tell The Micronation That".
  12. "There's a country inside the US. Allegedly". Condé Nast Traveller India. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
  13. Deach, Ben. "Silver State Sights: The Republic of Molossia". kolotv.com. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  14. "Molossia and Vikesland? Leaders of (fake) nations gather in L.A." www.cbsnews.com. The Associated Press. 10 April 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  15. "Climate of Silver City/Molossia".
  16. Wilcox, Len (2018-11-09). "Molossia: Nation Building on a Tiny Scale". AgNet West and Citrus Industry Magazine. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  17. "Molossia's currency, the Valora, is linked in value to Pillsbury Cookie Dough (the current exchange rate of 1 Valora to $1 is 0.75)." Atlas Obscura article, April 2016
  18. Hookway, James (2020-06-21). "Fake Countries Have a Hard Time Dealing with the Pandemic, Too". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  19. "'Lonely Planet' Explores Micronations". Day to Day. National Public Radio. 1 November 2006. Retrieved 19 April 2008.
  20. Machado, Carmen (26 March 2013). "The Imaginary Republic of Molossia". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  21. "The War with East Germany". Molossia.org. Retrieved 2017-10-18.
  22. Machado, Carmen (2013-04-26). "The Imaginary Republic of Molossia". VICE. Retrieved 2017-10-18.
  23. http://www.molossia.org/article307.html
  24. "Republic of Molossia - National Symbols". www.molossia.org. Retrieved 2019-04-09.

Further reading
External images
A 30th-anniversary coin
A customs station
A passport stamp from Molossia
A postage stamp from Molossia
A set of stamps
KML is from Wikidata

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