Grand Duchy of the Lagoan Isles

Infobox Micronation
fullName = Grand Duchy of the Lagoan Isles
shortName = Lagoan Isles
status = Current
flag

second

secondImageType = Coat of Arms
motto = As ondas do amor cercam-nos
englishMotto = The water of love surrounds us
anthemName = God Save Our Islands Three
anthemComposer =
location =
purpOrgStruct = Constitutional monarchy
head of state = Louis Robert Harold Stephens (Grand Duke Louis)
head of government = Prince Regent Michael Bates (Johannes Siegel Prime Minister claimant)
foundationDate = August 16, 2005
areaClaimed = 43,000 m^{2
membership = 30 (2006)
language = English
purpCurrency = Lagoan EdneyDollar
currencycode = €D
capital =
ethnicgroups =
demonym = Lagoan(s)
gdp =
timezone = GMT
footnotes =}

The Grand Duchy of the Lagoan Isles is a micronation based in England. It was created in 2005 by school teacher Louis Robert Harold Stephens ("Grand Duke Louis", born 1985) as a class project, and claims as its territory Baffins Pond, near Portsmouth, along with the three tiny islands located within the pond. However, the Grand Duchy does not have a physical presence in, or exercise any authority over the area, and its operations are largely limited to the internet. [cite book |title=Micronations |last=Ryan |first=John |coauthors=Dunford, George; Sellars, Simon |year=2006 |publisher=Lonely Planet |isbn=1741047307 |pages=|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5ZRrwrlIPSYC&pg=PA88&dq=%22Lagoan+Isles%22&num=100&sig=ACfU3U19J7d5PnSpV3gve2LyCcMZvFQc1A#PPA87,M1]

History

Records of Baffins Farm (including the pond) date back to 1194. Since then it has changed hands several times. In the 19th century it was used by local farmers, and in 1912, it became a public park. In 1938 it was saved from demolition, and sold to the City of Portsmouth. Stephens established the Grand Duchy's putative claim to the pond islands on August 16, 2005, after noticing that they were not specifically mentioned in the 1938 land sale contract. He subsequently sent a letter announcing his claim to Portsmouth council, and released a series of banknotes with an ornithological theme.

As of July 2008, the Grand Duchy's status is unclear, as its website has not been updated since January 2007.

References

External links

Grid Reference: SU 6601-63 [http://lagoan-isles-gov.tripod.com/ Offical Government Website]