20-year-old British man declares formation of new country with 400 citizens

A 20-year-old British man has announced the creation of a new self-proclaimed nation, the Free Republic of Verdis, appointing himself as its president. The territory occupies a disputed 125-acre forest area along the Danube River in Europe, where neither Croatia nor Serbia claims jurisdiction due to an ongoing border conflict.

Daniel Jackson, a digital designer from the UK, is the founder of Verdis, which now reportedly includes a government, flag, cabinet, currency, and nearly 400 citizens. Jackson revealed that the idea of establishing the micro-nation first came to him when he was just 14 years old. “It was just a bit of an experiment at first with a few mates. We have all dreamed of creating something crazy,” he said.

Starting at age 18, Jackson began laying the groundwork for Verdis’ government, drafting laws and designing a flag. The Free Republic of Verdis is located in a forested area known as “pocket three,” which remains unclaimed due to the territorial dispute between Croatia and Serbia.

The so-called nation uses the Euro as its currency, and its official languages are English, Croatian, and Serbian. Access to Verdis is reportedly only possible by boat from Osijek, Croatia.

However, previous attempts to settle on the land faced legal challenges. In October 2023, Croatian police detained and deported several settlers, including Jackson, who was subsequently banned from entering Croatia for life. Authorities cited concerns over “homeland security” but provided no further explanation.

Despite these setbacks, Jackson states he continues to operate the Free Republic of Verdis as a “government in exile.”