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Westarctica

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Westarctica
FormationDecember 12, 2014; 10 years ago (2014-12-12)
Legal status501(c)(3) non-profit
Membership5000 (2018)
Official language
English, German
OwnerTravis McHenry
Websitewww.westarctica.info

Westarctica is a United States non-profit advocating for climate action, and an unrecognised micronation in Antarctica. As a non-profit, it is registered in Sacramento, California, and officially named Westarctica Incorporated.[1] As a micronation, it claims the 1,600,000 km2 (620,000 sq mi) area of Marie Byrd Land in Antarctica, and is formally the Grand Duchy of Westarctica.[2] Apart from having its own flag, coat of arms, and currency (the Ice Mark), It holds non-consultative status with the NGO branch of United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and hosted MicroCon 2022 in Las Vegas.[3][4][5] It also offers an annual research scholarship, paid for by James P. Howard, in the fields of climate change and conservation.[6] As of 2018, it had over 5000 members, which it referred to as citizens.[7][8]

It was founded in 2001 as the Protectorate of Westarctica by Travis McHenry, a U.S. Navy intelligence specialist who had just read from the CIA World Factbook that no sovereign state laid claim to Marie Byrd Land.[9] Despite writing letters to many different countries over the years, none, except other micronations, have recognized Westarctica's sovereignty.[10][11] In 2004, he began distributing fantasy passports as souvenirs, but soon stopped after discovering that a Kenyan scammer was reselling them to refugees, claiming they were legal travel documents.[3] By 2006, McHenry's superiors had learned he was communicating with foreign nations, and told him he would have to quit either his job in the navy, or his involvement with Westarctica.[12] In order to keep his job, he abdicated and passed the title of Grand Duke to his friend Philip Karns.[10]

Three years later, having left the navy, McHenry decided to get back into micronationalism, founding a new micronation called Calsahara.[13] It was eventually incorporated into Westarctica, and he regained the position of Grand Duke in 2010.[10] In 2014, Westarctica was registered as a non-profit organization. Since then, it has been active helping to raise awareness about the impact of climate change on the wildlife of Antarctica and has also spoken on the need for an effective global response to COVID-19.[14][15][16] It is a part of the People's Climate Movement. McHenry has since tried to encourage other micronations to also register as non-profits.[9][17] While planning a trip to Antarctica, the Russian Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute gave the organization permission to use one of its abandoned research stations.[3][18] In 2018, Joachim Aldfinger, an electric vehicle designer and member of Westarctica, established an honorary consul for the micronation in Nerja, Spain.[7][8]

  • Flag
    Flag
  • Coat of arms
    Coat of arms
  • Westarctican Ice Mark
    Westarctican Ice Mark
  • Map of territorial claims in Antarctica
    Map of territorial claims in Antarctica

2025 embassy scam

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In July 2025, it was reported that the Indian police had arrested Harsh Vardhan Jain for running a fake embassy of Westarctica from a rented house in Ghaziabad. For 7 years he pretended to be a diplomat for micronations like Westarctica, Lodonia, and Saborga.[19][20][21] To look official, he used expensive cars with fake diplomatic number plates, fake documents, and edited photos showing him with Indian leaders. When the police searched his house, they found a large amount of money, foreign money, fake passports, fake stamps, and items linked to money laundering. Jain is also accused of offering fake jobs abroad and setting up fake business deals. As of 25 July 2025, police are still investigating the full extent of the scam.[22][23]

In a statement, Westarctica acknowledged that Jain had been serving as its "Consul-General to India", while asserting that the Westarctica "diplomatic number plates" and passports reportedly found in his possession could only be unauthorized versions created on his own initiative. It further stated that Jain "has been removed from our roster of diplomatic representatives and will also face sanction from the Crown as a member of the Peerage", and that Westarctica was "cooperating fully with the legal authorities in India".[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "WESTARCTICA INCORPORATED". opencorporates.com. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  2. ^ "The Constitution of the Grand Duchy of Westarctica" (PDF). Google Drive. Encyclopedia Westarctica. 29 August 2019. Archived from the original on 17 April 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Chaudhuri, Raj Aditya (27 October 2016). "After running a country for 15 years, he hopes to see it someday". Condé Nast Traveller India. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  4. ^ Martinez, Olivier (26 August 2022). "MicroCon 2022: An edition rich in novelties!". Microcosme.info (in French). Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Welcome to Slowjamastan". Alta Online. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Conservation Scholarship | Westarctica.org". Westarctica-ORG. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  7. ^ a b Esteban, Cristina Fernández (8 September 2020). "11 micronaciones absurdas en las que puedes solicitar ciudadanía o incluso tener un título nobiliario". Business Insider España (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  8. ^ a b Eugenio Cabezas (1 November 2018). "Westarctica abre una embajada en Nerja". Sur (in Spanish).
  9. ^ a b "Itty, bitty (fake) nations to unfurl flags, royal doodads". AP News. 10 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  10. ^ a b c "A Very Big Little Country". AFAR Media. 13 October 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  11. ^ Milan Aleck (2 February 2018). "Molossia, Westarctica und Co.: Kennen Sie diese Mikronationen?". Web.de (in German).
  12. ^ "Meet the micronation builders: Self-appointed leaders have created". The Independent. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  13. ^ Harlander, Thomas (8 December 2015). "California's Only Dictator Rules a Tiny Fake Nation in the Middle of Nowhere". LAmag - Culture, Food, Fashion, News & Los Angeles. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  14. ^ Hookway, James (21 June 2020). "Fake Countries Have a Hard Time Dealing with the Pandemic, Too". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  15. ^ AndrewOn, Whalen (10 April 2020). "Micronations in the United States prepare for coronavirus, send messages of goodwill to the American people". Newsweek. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  16. ^ Leader, Times (2 September 2024). "How a Pennsylvania man started an imaginary country in Antarctica and got 2,300 people to join him". Times Leader. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  17. ^ "Micronations Summit In California: Biggest Names From Tiniest Nations - Inquisitr News". 11 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  18. ^ Königs, Larissa (15 January 2019). "Westarctica – dieser Mann beansprucht einen Teil der Antarktis für sich". TRAVELBOOK (in German). Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  19. ^ "Bhandara 'Baron': How UP Man Ran A Fake Embassy In Ghaziabad For 7 Years". www.ndtv.com. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  20. ^ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/ghaziabad-micronation-scam-man-sets-up-fake-embassies-of-fictional-nations-claims-ties-with-seborga-west-arctica-lodonia-luxury-watches-diplomatic-number-plates-forged-ids-seized/articleshow/122853645.cms
  21. ^ https://apnews.com/article/india-fake-embassy-arrest-bddf800f5d851320d2d2c32ce318756f
  22. ^ "Fake country, fake embassy: How Ghaziabad man posed as 'West Arctica' envoy". 2025.
  23. ^ Vasundharadevi, Surabhi (23 July 2025). "Fake 'Westarctica' embassy busted in India: Mastermind arrested". Gulf News: Latest UAE news, Dubai news, Business, travel news, Dubai Gold rate, prayer time, cinema. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  24. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW1wpW4LEDw
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