Official website of the Antarctic micronation Flandrensis.
Who are we
The Grand Duchy of Flandrensis (Graẞ Dåkhen ov Flandrensis) is a micronation that consists of five small islands in West-Antarctica. This first sentence alone already surprises a lot of people and the claims look ridiculous for the majority, but is it? We have a defined territory, a well-functioning government, consulates arround the world, the ability to communicate with other states, national symbols like stamps, currency, … and even a national football team. We meet a lot of requirements to be considered as a country!
Flandrensian citizens in Italy (Flag Day, 2025)
Our sovereignty
According to the Montevideo Convention (1933), a nation does not need recognition by other states in order to exist as a sovereign entity. While Flandrensis meets all the criteria of nationhood, we do not seek formal recognition from the United Nations or from other states. Instead, we identify as a micronation and focus on diplomatic relations with smaller, like-minded, unrecognized nations. At the same time, Flandrensis holds accredited observer status with the United Nations Environment Programme. Through this role, we exercise our sovereignty by engaging with governments and organizations around the world on matters related to Antarctic affairs.
Our vision
Flandrensis dreams of Antarctica as one internationally recognized, protected nature reserve: free from tourism and permanent human presence, safeguarded from mineral exploitation and commercial fishing, and preserved exclusively for scientific research and the benefit of future generations. To achieve this, we use our self-declared sovereignty to inspire people around the world, raising awareness about climate change and promoting the protection of Antarctica.
“Flandrensis is one of the most successful micronations, probably because they chose Antarctica, which invites micronational projects. But furthermore, they took the angle of global warming, which is a very contemporary issue. Others have done a website for an Antarctica-based micronation but never as seriously. In this sense, they are leading the way.”
Dr. Chris Roth (2016), Author “Let’s split!”
Our mission
Protecting Antarctica:
Flandrensis advocates with governments and environmental organizations to protect Antarctic wildlife and its territory. Our main focus areas include banning tourism and commercial exploitation such as whaling and krill fishing. Flandrensis also supports the establishment of nature reserves and marine protected areas.
Raising awareness:
Flandrensis uses its unique status as a self-declared country to raise awareness about Antarctica’s crucial role in climate change and to encourage Flandrensians worldwide to take ecological actions in their daily lives (see our ecological mission)
Building a nation:
Flandrensis claims its sovereignty to develop the micronation as closely as possible to a real country, with a focus on governance, culture and diplomacy. Building a strong national identity as Flandrensian citizens is the key to our success. We believe that running a micronation is a collaborative effort and welcome anyone who wishes to contribute or develop their skills while supporting our vision.
Community building:
To foster a strong national identity, we encourage Flandrensian citizens and diplomats to organize meetings and actively engage with the community. Flandrensis participates in international conferences and summits to build and maintain partnerships with other micronations. We sign treaties with micronations that share our values and support our ecological vision.
Inspiring people:
Flandrensis aims to inspire people to create their own micronations or to engage individuals worldwide who are concerned about climate change, passionate about Antarctica, or dedicated to environmental issues to join as citizens.
