Principality of Freedonia

The Principality of Freedonia was a micronation based on libertarian principles. It was supposedly established as a "hypothetical project" by a group of US teenagers in 1992, before becoming a new country project in 1997 and attempting to purchase territory. It was headed by a Texas university student named John Kyle, who uses the title Prince John I. ["Lonely Planet Micronations", John Ryan, George Dunford, and Simon Sellars, Lonely Planet Publications, ISBN 1741047307 (paperback)] [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F00E2DE143DF936A15756C0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all Utopian Rulers, and Spoofs, Stake Out Territory Online] , New York Times, Stephen Mihm, May 25, 2000, accessed May 23, 2008.] [ [http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/11.22.00/netnations-0047.html Wanted: Homeland for 300 Webheads] , Metro Santa Cruz, November 22, 2000, accessed Jan 2, 2006]

Awdal Incident

In late 2000, notable libertarians Jim Davidson and Michael van Notten, as the Awdal Roads Company, travelled to the Awdal region of Somaliland with the purposes of constructing toll roads there. The two were erroneously associated with Freedonia because of claims referencing Awdal and the Awdal Roads Company on the Freedonia website. Local authorities reacted strongly to the implication that the foreigners were attempting to establish a new state and deported them. This led to public protests during which one Somali was reportedly shot and killed. [ [http://www.somalilandforum.com/news/the_republican/Republican13.htm Shooting of demonstrators in Borama condemned] from The Republican magazine issue Issue145, Jan. 20, 2001. Accessed Jan 2, 2006.] [ [http://www.freedonia.org/sovereignty2.html Recent events in Adwal] at the [http://www.freedonia.org Freedonia] website, accessed Jan 2, 2006.]

Coinage

While the Freedonia project was active, it had a number of 50 Freedonian dollar 1 oz silver coins minted. [http://www.geocities.com/erik_mccrea/linksF.html Links To Micro-National and Fantasy Coins: Listings F] , accessed Jan 2, 2006] It offered these coins for sale on the organization's website. [ [http://www.freedonia.org/bof.html Bank of Freedonia] , accessed Jan 2, 2006]

Current status

The Freedonia project's website has not been updated for a number of years, its discussion forum no longer functions, email communication with the self-styled Prince does not work, and the entire project appears to be defunct. Email statements from the founder indicate that the project is not being actively pursued as of 2004.

External links

* [http://www.freedonia.org/ Official website]
* [http://www.isil.org/resources/fnn/2002nov/van-notten-obit.html Obituary] of Michael van Notten, founder of Awdal Roads Corporation.

References