Unclaimed land

November 13, 2009 9:45 AM

Looking to found your own Independent Republic of Metastan? Land is hard to come by, and barring sudden volcanic activity, they're not making any more of it. The Law of the Sea (1982) says that the ocean can't be claimed, and Outer Space Treaty of 1967 puts the moon off-limits. But your fledgling nation still has a couple of choices of unclaimed land parcels: Bir Tawil between Egypt and Sudan, and Marie Byrd Land (lower left) in Antarctica.

Bir Tawil, meaning 'Deep Well,' sits on the Sudanese side of the border that Egypt claims, and the Egyptian side of the border that Sudan claims. Both countries would rather have the Halaid Triangle to the east, which is much larger and borders on the Red Sea. Apparently a tribe from the Eqyptian side uses it as grazing lands, but there's not much to fight over, so maybe you can work something out.

If 770 sqare miles of desert isn't enough, perhaps your fledgling nation would be more interested in Marie Byrd Land, a mountainous part of Antarctica not claimed by any nation. Okay, there's not much there, either. But you'd better get while the getting's good: the US is planning to reopen a base there (basically a gas station, but still.)

posted by echo target (13 comments total)

Not much?? There's Ice! And rocks! And Gas!

It's time for a Metanation.
posted by cmoj at 10:08 AM on November 13, 2009

The Outer Space treaty only applies to the orbit of the moon, from what I understand. Fine, in fact, they can reserve the rest of this solar system.

I call the rest of the galaxy.
posted by spaltavian at 10:21 AM on November 13, 2009

Does the Law of the Sea apply to oceans on the moon?
posted by HumanComplex at 10:23 AM on November 13, 2009

He, that wayward micronation builder, has on rare occasions whispered disjointed and irresponsible things about "Taking that sliver in Marie Byrd Land", but when he is fully himself he repudiates all this and attributes it to a curious and macabre reading of Metafilter. Of course, on certain nights when Fomalhaut makes its appearance above the southern horizon, he whispers about "the black pit," "the carven rim," and "the eyes in darkness". And at times, his shrieks are confined to the repetition of a single, mad word of all too obvious source: "Tekeli-li! Tekeli-li!"
posted by crapmatic at 10:28 AM on November 13, 2009 [3 favorites]

♫ This land is your land, this land is my land; this bit we, erm, don't quite know...♪
posted by Abiezer at 10:38 AM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]

Does the Law of the Sea apply to oceans on the moon?


I knew I should've trusted the Funengineer account!
posted by The Whelk at 10:44 AM on November 13, 2009

You could start a new country in the north 3/4 of Canada. It's not like they are using it.
posted by double block and bleed at 10:59 AM on November 13, 2009

I didn't sign no Outer Space Treaty. To the moon!
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 11:04 AM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]

If you decide to go to the moon anyway, don't forget to pick up the free $1 million car.
posted by echo target at 11:08 AM on November 13, 2009

So my choices are "unreasonably hot" and "unreasonably cold"?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 11:21 AM on November 13, 2009

"You could start a new country in the north 3/4 of Canada. It's not like they are using it."

nunavit?
posted by lester at 12:39 PM on November 13, 2009 [11 favorites]

Icy, what you did there.
posted by kmz at 1:29 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]

I figured if I wanted to start a nation, I'd just do it the old fashioned way by moving there and giving the natives smallpox.
posted by klangklangston at 4:53 PM on November 13, 2009 [2 favorites]