Empire of Marie Byrd Land

Marie Byrd Land
Marie Byrd Land
	Flag Coat of arms
	Motto: "Monarchy, Biodiversity, Liberty"
	Anthem: "Winter"
	Map
Status	Active
Location	Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica
Capital	Getz City
Official languages	English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish
Ethnic groups (2024)	100% Byrds;
Religion (2024)	100% Unaffiliated;
Demonym(s)	Marie Byrds
Government	Absolute monarchical empire
• Emperor	Emperor of MBL
Legislature	Senate
Statehood
• Declaration of statehood	4 November 2024
• Constitution ratified	4 November 2024
Membership	6
Currency	United States dollar
Time zone	UTC0 (GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC0 (GMT)
Date format	yyyy/mm/dd
Driving side	left
Calling code	+1
Internet TLD	.com
	Website; mariebyrdland.com

Marie Byrd Land or MBL, officially the Empire of Marie Byrd Land, is a self-proclaimed sovereign state known to some outside observers as a micronation. It is based in Antarctica and was established in 2024.^[1] It covers 1 610 000 km2, or 620 000 sq mi, of land including the vast majority of the eponymous territory and a portion of Ellsworth Land.^[2] Marie Byrd Land was first discovered in 1902. More precisely, it contains all territories bound by 60 degree S, 90 degree W, and 150 degree W except for Peter I Island, which is claimed by Norway.^[3] The country borders the Antarctic claim of New Zealand to the west, that of Chile to the east, and the Southern Ocean to the north.

The country is led by an emperor, the Emperor of MBL, who retains all decision making power.^[4] Marie Byrd Land controls a total of six Kingdoms named after its six constituent coasts. These are in turn led by individual kings and queens who have sworn allegiance to the crown of the Emperor of MBL. The kingdoms are further subdivided into grand duchies. A senate is also present and it is the main legislative body of the country. Its role is to suggest laws to be approved by the emperor.

Marie Byrd Land has thus far neither extended recognition to any nation nor joined any supranational organizations.^[5] However, its claimed territory expressly does not extend so as to encroach onto the surrounding claims to Antarctica of sovereign states, namely Chile, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Norway, France, Australia, and New Zealand. The fledgling nation hopes to one day become a member of major international organizations such as the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee.

Etymology

The name of the micronation is derived off the largest portion of the territory it covers. This territory is itself named after Marie Byrd, the wife of its discoverer, Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr.^[6] The six constituent coasts of the nation are all also named after various explorers. These are named, from westernmost to easternmost, after Harold Eugene Saunders, Jacob Ruppert Jr., William Herbert Hobbs, Ph.D., Frederick Edward Bakutis, Charles Rudolph Walgreen, and James Eights.

History

Pre-20th Century

Antarctica, of which Marie Byrd Land is a part of, was thought to exist as early back as the 5th century AD by the ancient Greeks as a landmass that would balance the landmasses of the north.^[7] Between the 15th and the 18th century, the idea of a Terra Australis, or great southern land, was further expanded upon with depictions in maps. The continent remained untouched by humanity from prehistory to the 19th century.

20th Century and Early 21st Century

The territory was sighted in 1902 by Robert Falcon Scott as part of the Discovery mission. It was then exlored in 1929 by admiral Richard E. Byrd and his crew. The area was further explored in 1939 by the United States Antarctic Service Expedition. Between 1978 and 2013, multiple geological expeditions were undertaken throughout the territory. Until 2023, the territory remained unclaimed by any sovereign state.

Imperial Era

In 2024, it became a fully sovereign state under the leadership of its emperor.^[8] The official website of Marie Byrd Land as well as the donation pages were both started in this year as well. Furthermore, the country's MicroWiki page was also created. The year 2025 was marked by expansions of the fledgling nation's government services. This included the creation of the national chess federation as well as the imperial armed forces.

Politics and government

The government of Marie Byrd Land is an Empire led by an absolute monarch, the Emperor of MBL. ^[4] The emperor holds the highest executive, legislative, and judiciary authority. However, day to day, the senate helps crafts a large portion of laws. These are then approved or denied by the emperor. Six kings and queens rule over the six constituent kingdoms of the nation. The kingdom is further subdivided into multiple grand duchies, each led by a grand duke or grand duchess.

Military

The Emperor of MBL is the supreme commander of the Empire of Marie Byrd Land Armed Forces. There are four branches of the military, namely the Marie Byrd Land Army, the Marie Byrd Land Navy, the Marie Byrd Land Air Force, and the Marie Byrd Land Space Force. The Empire of Marie Byrd Land is one of only eight countries to have a space force, the others namely being the United States Space Force,the People's Liberation Army Aerospace Force, the Russian Aerospace Forces, the French Air and Space Force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force, the Spanish Air and Space Force, and the Colombian Aerospace Force. There are six current active military members, no reserves members, and no paramilitary members. This makes the military of Marie Byrd Land one of the smallest in the world. The emperor penguin is the mascot of the armed forces of the Empire of Marie Byrd Land Armed Forces.

Foreign relations

Marie Byrd Land has not yet recognized any countries. However, it is looking to expand its network of mutual recognition in the near future. It is not a member of any supranational organization.^[5] The Empire of Marie Byrd Land strictly abides by international law and does not encroach on the territorial claims of all of its sovereign neighbors, namely New Zealand, Chile, and Norway. The empire does so with the expectation of respect of its own territorial sovereignty as outlined in the first paragraph.

Unilateral recognition

There are currently no unilateral recognitions at this time.

Mutual recognition

There are currently no mutual recognitions at this time.

Recognition refused

There are currently no refused recognitions at this time.

Formerly recognized

There are no formerly recognized states as Marie Byrd Land has not recognized any other state thus far.

Not currently recognized

The following entities are not currently recognized by the Empire of Marie Byrd Land:

United Nations Security Council:

United States of America, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, French Republic, Russian Federation, People's Republic of China.

Other United Nations members (A-F):

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Albania, People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Principality of Andorra, Republic of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentine Republic, Republic of Armenia, Commonwealth of Australia, Republic of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Kingdom of Bahrain, People's Republic of Bangladesh, Barbados, Republic of Belarus, Kingdom of Belgium, Belize, Republic of Benin, Kingdom of Bhutan, Plurinational State of Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Botswana, Federative Republic of Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Republic of Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Republic of Burundi, Republic of Cabo Verde, Kingdom of Cambodia, Republic of Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Republic of Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of Colombia, Union of the Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Republic of Costa Rica, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, Republic of Croatia, Republic of Cuba, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kingdom of Denmark, Republic of Djibouti, Commonwealth of Dominica, Dominican Republic, Republic of Ecuador, Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, State of Eritrea, Republic of Estonia, Kingdom of Eswatini, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Republic of Fiji, Republic of Finland.

Other United Nations members (G-M):

Gabonese Republic, Republic of The Gambia, Georgia, Federal Republic of Germany, Republic of Ghana, Hellenic Republic, Grenada, Republic of Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland, State of Israel, Italian Republic, Jamaica, Japan, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, State of Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Republic of Latvia, Republic of Lebanon, Kingdom of Lesotho, Republic of Liberia, State of Libya, Principality of Liechtenstein, Republic of Lithuania, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Malaysia, Republic of Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Republic of Mauritius, United Mexican States, Federated States of Micronesia, Principality of Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Kingdom of Morocco, Republic of Mozambique, Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

Other United Nations members (N-Z):

Republic of Namibia, Republic of Nauru, Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Realm of New Zealand, Republic of Nicaragua, Republic of the Niger, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Republic of North Macedonia, Kingdom of Norway, Sultanate of Oman, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Republic of Palau, Republic of Panama, Independent State of Papua New Guinea, Republic of Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of Poland, Portuguese Republic, State of Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Republic of Rwanda, Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Independent State of Samoa, Republic of San Marino, Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of Senegal, Republic of Serbia, Republic of Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Slovak Republic, Republic of Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Federal Republic of Somalia, Republic of South Africa, Republic of South Sudan, Kingdom of Spain, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Republic of the Sudan, Republic of Suriname, Kingdom of Sweden, Swiss Confederation, Syrian Arab Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Kingdom of Thailand, Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Togolese Republic, Kingdom of Tonga, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Republic of Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Republic of Uzbekistan, Republic of Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Republic of Yemen, Republic of Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe.

Non United Nations Members:

Vatican City State, State of Palestine, Cook Islands, Niue, Republic of Kosovo, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Republic of China, Republic of Abkhazia, Republic of South Ossetia, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, Republic of Somaliland.

Administrative regions

Marie Byrd Land is composed of six kingdoms. All of the kingdoms are sectors bound by the 60th parallel south and various meridians. In turn, they are all territories adjoining together at the South Pole. Each kingdom is led by a king or queen that retain the second highest authority within their kingdom after the Emperor of MBL. The kingdoms are further subdivided into multiple grand duchies. The divisions of the empire are listed from west to east.

Name	Area	Population	Officials
Kingdoms
East Saunders Coast Kingdom	90 000 km2 (40 000 sq mi)	1	East Saunders King
Ruppert Coast Kingdom	260 000 km2 (100 000 sq mi)	1	Ruppert King
Hobbs Coast Kingdom	250 000 km2 (100 000 sq mi)	1	Hobbs King
Bakutis Coast Kingdom	360 000 km2 (140 000 sq mi)	1	Bakutis King
Walgreen Coast Kingdom	290 000 km2 (110 000 sq mi)	1	Walgreen King
West Eights Coast Kingdom	360 000 km2 (140 000 sq mi)	1	West Eights King

East Saunders Coast Kingdom

The westernmost kingdom is the East Saunders Coast Kingdom. Its territory sits on the entirety of the Saunders Coast east of 150 degrees west. It borders the Ross dependency, a territorial claim of New Zealand, to the west, and the Ruppert Coast Kingdom to the east. The Ross dependency contains all areas of the Saunders Coast west of 150 degrees west. It has a population of one. It is the smallest kingdom by far.

Ruppert Coast Kingdom

The Ruppert Coast Kingdom sits between the East Saunders Coast Kingdom to the west and the Hobbs Coast Kingdom to the east. It covers the whole of the Ruppert Coast. The territory is the third smallest of the empire. It has a population of one.

Hobbs Coast Kingdom

The Hobbs Coast Kingdom sits betwixt the Ruppert Coast Kingdom to the west and the Bakutis Coast Kingdom to the east. It contains the entirety of the Hobbs Coast. The kingdom is the second smallest of the country. It has a population of one.

Bakutis Coast Kingdom

The Bakutis Coast Kingdom is located between the Hobbs Coast Kingdom to the west and the Walgreen Coast Kingdom to the east. It covers the Bakutis Coast. It has a population of one. This kingdom contains the capital of the empire, namely Getz City.

Walgreen Coast Kingdom

The Walgreen Coast lies between the Hobbs Coast Kingdom to the west and West Eights Coast Kingdom to the east. The kingdom spans the entirety of the eponymous coast. It is the second largest subdivision of the country. It has a population of one.

West Eights Coast Kingdom

The easternmost kingdom is the West Eights Coast Kingdom. It neighbors the Walgreen Coast Kingdom to its west and the Antártica Chilena Province, a territorial claim of Chile, to its east. Its territory covers all of the area of the Eights Coast west of 90 degrees west. Peter I Island, a territorial claim of Norway, lies along its coast. It is also the only kingdom to be outside the antarctic region of Marie Byrd Land, being instead in the region of Ellsworth Land, while being a part of the Empire of Marie Byrd Land.

Geography and climate

An emperor penguin, one of the most common animal found in Marie Byrd Land.

Marie Byrd Land is a very cold and dry territory. Due to its location, seasonality is reversed from that of the northern hemisphere The daily mean temperature ranges from -15 degrees Celsius in the summer months of January and December to -37 degrees Celsius at the end of the winter in September. The majority of the small amount of precipitation falls as snow.^[9] A maximum of 6 mm of precipitation falls in January while little to no precipitation is present in September. Due to its location within the polar circle, there are month long periods of uninterrupted day time in the summer and similar uninterrupted night time in the winter. The territory is largely covered in ice and has little fauna and flora. Animals such as seals and birds are most commonly sighted.

CollapseClimate data for Marie Byrd Land
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Daily mean °C (°F)	-15 (5)	-20 (-4)	-28 (-18)	-30 (-22)	-33 (-27)	-34 (-29)	-35 (-31)	-36 (-33)	-37 (-35)	-32 (-26)	-22 (-8)	-15 (5)	−28 (−18)
Average Precipitation mm (inches)	6 (0.24)	4 (0.16)	2 (0.08)	1 (0.04)	5 (0.2)	3 (0.12)	2 (0.08)	1 (0.04)	0 (0)	1 (0.04)	2 (0.08)	3 (0.12)	30 (1.18)
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ^[10]

Biodiversity and conservation

The Empire of Marie Byrd Land is wholly part of the Antarctic biogeographic realm. Due to the harsh climate present, few plant life is present. Nevertheless, there is a significant population of phytoplankton off the coast of the empire. The fauna includes the emperor penguin, which is the mascot of the Marie Byrd Land. Other birds that reside in the Empire of Marie Byrd Land include the Adélie penguin, the black-browed albatross, the black-footed albatross, the grey-headed albatross, the light-mantled albatross, and the snowy albatross. The country also hosts mammals such as the blue whale, the leopard seal, and the orca. Marie Byrd Land's territorial waters also contain the colossal squid and the antarctic krill. The latter is considered a keystone species for marine animals of the southern ocean.

Economy

The economy is based on two main industries. The first is tourism to the Empire of Marie Byrd Land, which is also the leading industry for the rest of Antarctica.^[11] The second is electronic commerce of various forms, particularly branded items and governmental services. A significant portion of governmental revenue is derived from individual donations and subscriptions both from citizens and from foreign supporters.^[12] Marie Byrd Land has adopted the United States dollar as its currency as it is currently the world's reserve currency.

Tourism

Tourism to the Empire of Marie Byrd Land and the rest of Antarctica is usually done via cruise ships. However, there are also options for touristic flights. The vast majority of visitors to the antarctic empire start their journey in Argentina. There are also some options to travel to the Empire of Marie Byrd Land and the rest of Antarctica from Chile, Australia, and New Zealand.^[13] Tourists overwhelmingly visit during the summer time, as the winter weather is very harsh.

Electronic Commerce

The electronic commerce of Marie Byrd Land is focused on the official citizenship levy and various donations to the country from citizens and foreign benefactors. These are largely collected through direct payment or through the Patreon platform. All government services are paid using United States dollar as it is the official currency of Marie Byrd Land. The empire seeks to expand payment options to other currencies in the future.

Demographics

As of 2024, there are 6 people living in Marie Byrd Land.^[14] The population of the empire has increased dramatically over the past year, going from 0 individuals to the current 6. English is the official and most widely spoken language. However, all six official languages of the United Nations are considered co-official. Marie Byrd Land does not have an official religion. As there are no cities, the urbanization rate is at 0 percent. No clear statistics are available concerning health. Similarly, there is a dearth of data on education.

Language

English is the lingua franca of Marie Byrd Land. However, the Empire of Marie Byrd Land recognizes English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, and Russian as co-official languages so as to sustain the United Nations' goal of multilingualism to facilitate international communication. Most government and administrative documents are presented in English. Yet, citizens are able to request translations in any of the five other languages.

Culture

There is currently one holiday in Marie Byrd Land. The holiday, on November 4th, marks the celebration of the creation of the nation. The micronation prides itself in its imperial tradition. This is reflected in its form of government as well as the handedness of traffic. English is the most widely spoken language. There is a strong support for environmental causes, particularly biodiversity, which is part of its motto.^[15] The empire's focus is on conservation efforts for emperor penguins, who are threatened by climate change.

Holidays

Date	Name	Remarks
4 November	Sovereignty day	A day honoring the creation of Marie Byrd Land as a sovereign state.

Music

All types of music are present in the Empire. However, classical music is the preferred genre of music for official uses. For example, Marie Byrd Land's national anthem is the Baroque piece "Winter" from Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons". The anthem was chosen due to the constant harsh climate characterized by negative temperatures that surround the Empire of Marie Byrd Land. In turn, this piece is particularly fitting.

National Bird

The national bird of Marie Byrd Land is the emperor penguin.

Sports

Citizens of Marie Byrd Land participate in many sports. The most notable sport is dog sledding. This is an homage to the early history of the territory, that was largely explored with dog sleds. Other sports include association football. The Empire of Marie Byrd Land hopes to eventually become a member of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Chess is also practiced through the Chess Federation of the Empire of Marie Byrd Land.

Notes

↑ Link to Getz Ice Shelf page as city page does not yet exist.
↑ All citizens are automatically considered Byrds.
↑ Marie Byrd Land uses the Holocene calendar.

References

↑ Declaration of Statehood. mariebyrdland.com. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
↑ Marie Byrd Land. archive.org. 1 January 1947. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
↑ Territory. mariebyrdland.com. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 4.0} ^4.1 Government. mariebyrdland.com. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 5.0} ^5.1 Diplomacy. mariebyrdland.com. 9 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
↑ Marie Byrd Land. britannica.com. 20 July 1998. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
↑ Antarctica: A balancing act. saveourseas.com. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
↑ Marie Byrd Land: The Largest Unclaimed Territory on Earth. labrujulaverde.com. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
↑ Present and Future of Rainfall in Antarctica. wiley.com. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
↑ U.S. Climate Normals. noaa.gov. 1 October 1991. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
↑ Antarctic Tourism – Frequently Asked Questions. bas.ac.uk. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
↑ Contribute. mariebyrdland.com. 16 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
↑ Antarctica Cruises, Ships & Tours. adventure-life.com. 1 January 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
↑ People. mariebyrdland.com. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
↑ Marie Byrd Land. mariebyrdland.com. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

External links

[1] Link to Getz Ice Shelf page as city page does not yet exist.

[2] All citizens are automatically considered Byrds.

[3] Marie Byrd Land uses the Holocene calendar.

[4] Declaration of Statehood. mariebyrdland.com. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

[5] Marie Byrd Land. archive.org. 1 January 1947. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

[6] Territory. mariebyrdland.com. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

[:0-7] {Jump up to: 4.0} ^4.1 Government. mariebyrdland.com. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

[:1-8] {Jump up to: 5.0} ^5.1 Diplomacy. mariebyrdland.com. 9 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

[9] Marie Byrd Land. britannica.com. 20 July 1998. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

[10] Antarctica: A balancing act. saveourseas.com. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2024.

[11] Marie Byrd Land: The Largest Unclaimed Territory on Earth. labrujulaverde.com. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

[12] Present and Future of Rainfall in Antarctica. wiley.com. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2024.

[13] U.S. Climate Normals. noaa.gov. 1 October 1991. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

[14] Antarctic Tourism – Frequently Asked Questions. bas.ac.uk. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.

[15] Contribute. mariebyrdland.com. 16 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.

[16] Antarctica Cruises, Ships & Tours. adventure-life.com. 1 January 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.

[17] People. mariebyrdland.com. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2025.

[18] Marie Byrd Land. mariebyrdland.com. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

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