The bizarre micronation that's on an abandoned tower 6 miles off the UK coast

Off the coast of , around six miles from , sits what is possibly the world's most unusual self-declared country - the . Perched on a rusting sea fort in the , Sealand is often described as a micronation.

With reportedly just one resident as of 2024 and no land beyond its concrete base, it's one of the strangest places ever to claim statehood. The platform it sits on is known as Roughs Tower - one of the built during to defend the UK against German aircraft. According to , the towers were designed by engineer Guy Maunsell and once housed up to 300 Royal Navy personnel.

After the war, the fort was abandoned, but in 1967, a man named Paddy Roy Bates occupied it and declared it an independent state.

According to the , Bates raised a flag, created a constitution, printed passports, and even crowned himself Prince of Sealand.

What followed was decades of bizarre history. In the 1960s, the abandoned sea forts became a hotspot for pirate radio stations, with broadcasters using them to beam music to the UK without needing a licence.

Bates and his family had to defend their platform from rival radio broadcasters and even fought off an attempted coup by armed mercenaries in 1978.

They once also reportedly fired warning shots to scare off a British ship, and in a 1968 court case, a judge ruled the platform lay outside UK jurisdiction at the time - something Sealand took as a sign of de facto recognition.

The UK has since extended its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles, meaning Sealand now sits within British territory. However, the Bates family still claims independence.

Today, Sealand is ruled by Prince Michael, son of Roy Bates. While it has no official recognition, it continues to issue titles and passports online, and even has its own national anthem and currency.

Incredibly, Sealand also has its own American football team.

As reported by the , the "Sealand Seahawks" was founded in 2021 by Mike Ireland, who created the team after buying his father a Sealand "lordship" as a joke.

The team doesn't play on the fort - there's no room - but holds charity matches across the UK and abroad.

Prince Michael has even attended games and joined the team for drinks.

Only a few people have ever visited Sealand as access is limited and by invitation only.

It's rare for outsiders to visit but people can join the nation via its .