Man, 20, builds country with just 400 citizens — and says it all began as ‘an experiment'
Daniel Jackson founded the Free Republic of Verdis, a less than 125-acre sliver of forest along the Danube River.
Advertisement
He did so after discovering the area was unclaimed by either neighboring country due to an ongoing border dispute.
'Verdis was an idea I had when I was 14,' said Jackson, who is 20 years old. 'It was just a bit of an experiment at first with a few mates. We have all dreamed of creating something crazy.'
Jackson officially declared the republic's independence on May 30, 2019, news agency SWNS reported.
The area the British man claimed, known on maps as 'pocket three,' has since been named the world's second-smallest country, right behind Vatican City.
Advertisement
The digital designer, who earns a living by creating virtual worlds on Roblox, began shaping Verdis into a functioning government when he was just 18.
'We started making Verdis a reality when I was 18 by forming some laws and a flag,' he said. 'We have now built up a government and have a great cabinet,' he said.
5 Daniel Jackson, the president of the Free Republic of Verdis, holds the country's flag.
Daniel Jackson / SWNS
5 The passports of Verdis decorated with the shield of the small republic.
Daniel Jackson / SWNS
Advertisement
The official languages of Verdis are English, Croatian and Serbian — and the nation uses the Euro as its currency.
Verdis is accessible only by boat from the Croatian city of Osijek, though attempts to settle there have gotten some significant resistance.
In October 2023, Croatian police detained several settlers, along with Jackson himself, before deporting them and issuing him a lifetime ban from entering the country.
'They deported us but couldn't give a reason why,' Jackson said. 'They said we were a threat to homeland security.'
Advertisement
5 'Verdis' sits on a small piece of disputed land on the Danube River between Croatia and Serbia.
Google / SWNS
Now operating what he calls a 'government in exile,' Jackson has accused Croatian authorities of installing surveillance along his country's shoreline to block access from Serbia, SWNS reported.
We have had a lot of problems with Croatian authorities, but we do want a good relationship with them in the future,' he added.
'They haven't taken to us kindly and have been aggressive,' he claimed.
Per SWNS, Jackson now travels frequently to Belgrade, Serbia, where he says officials have been more receptive.
5 People park a boat on the shores of the Danube River where the Free Republic of Verdis claims land.
Daniel Jackson / SWNS
Despite his ban from Croatia, he continues to advocate for the right to access Verdis and hopes to return to live there one day.
'If successful, I would step down from my position and call an election,' he said.
Advertisement
'I am not interested in power at all … I just want to be a normal citizen. It has been eye-opening, and I am quite proud of what I have achieved,' he added.
Verdis began with just four people but now claims over 400 official citizens from a pool of more than 15,000 applicants.
5 Now operating what he calls a 'government in exile,' Jackson has accused Croatian authorities of installing surveillance along his country's shoreline to block access from Serbia.
Daniel Jackson / SWNS
Each person receives a passport — though Jackson has warned people against trying to use it for actual international travel.
Advertisement
That said, some citizens have reportedly used their Verdisian passport to enter other countries.
'It is a very small country so we have to be careful who we let in,' Jackson told SWNS.
'When it comes to approving people, we look for in-demand skill sets such as experience in medicine or policing.'
Advertisement
Despite mounting setbacks, Jackson said he remains optimistic.
'It is a matter of when, not if, we get back on the land,' he said.
'Croatia doesn't claim the land, so we have the right to it, and we believe that we have a good chance.'
Jackson, who is originally from Australia, is determined to make Verdis more than just a thought experiment, SWNS reported.
'To the naked eye it is just a lot of forest, but when you realize that you are in a country you have created, it is magical,' he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TechCrunch
7 minutes ago
- TechCrunch
Google removes over 50 DEI groups from a list of groups it helps fund
In Brief Google has removed the names of more than 50 DEI groups from a list of companies to which it substantially contributes, according to a new watchdog report and as reported by CNBC. The list, Google's 2024 selection of groups and organizations backed by Google's U.S. Government Affairs and Public Policy team, no longer features the names of 58 DEI groups, including the Latino Leadership Alliance and the ACLU of Illinois. The discovery of the changes comes after the Trump administration said it would target companies openly showing support for DEI. CNBC points out it's unclear if Google is secretly still supporting these groups, however. This past year, Google said it would no longer have diversity hiring goals, after it removed language referring to 'underrepresented' groups from its grant website and removed mention of 'diversity' and 'equity' from its responsible AI webpage; it also removed mention of DEI from its 10k filings this year. The groups dropped from Google's funding list had mission statements using words like 'race' and 'women,' terms the Trump administration instructed federal agencies to dial back on using, the report said.
Axios
an hour ago
- Axios
Seattle tops U.S. walkability for sightseers
Seattle just strutted past the competition to become the most walkable city in the U.S. — at least for tourists. Why it matters: The ranking puts a little spring in our steps just as the city unveils major pedestrian upgrades, including the newly opened Overlook Walk and a car-free Pike Place Market pilot program. What they did: British shoe company FitFlop chose five popular destinations in each of 30 U.S. cities, comparing distance, elevation, steps and Walk Score to find the winners, Travel + Leisure reported last week. In Seattle, those destinations included Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Museum of Pop Culture and the Colman Dock ferry terminal, which can all be walked in a 1.4-mile loop. "In just 32 minutes, you can see all five top attractions and get about 3,360 steps in while you're at it," wrote Travel + Leisure. What we're saying: That's cute, but now try going somewhere uphill on wet cobblestone with a coffee in one hand and a stroller in the other. Reality check: It would be more accurate, some Reddit critics say, to call Seattle a highly walkable city for tourists who want to hit a few urban core highlights in one day. Seattle scores an average 74 out of 100 on Walk Score, placing it behind San Francisco, New York, Boston and Chicago. Only 44% of Emerald City residents live within walking distance of basic services, so many Seattle neighborhoods are still car-dependent and fall short of the " 15-minute city" ideal, per Walk Score, a Redfin company that promotes walkable neighborhoods. That ideal calls for groceries, schools, parks and other essentials to be reachable within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from home.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hamas no longer a threat to Israel, say 600 former spies
Hundreds of retired Israeli security officials, including former heads of intelligence agencies, have urged Donald Trump to pressure their own government to end the war in Gaza. 'It is our professional judgment that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel,' the former officials wrote in an open letter to the US president, which was shared with the media on Monday. 'At first this war was a just war, a defensive war, but when we achieved all military objectives, this war ceased to be a just war,' said Ami Ayalon, former director of the Shin Bet security service. The war, nearing its 23rd month, 'is leading the State of Israel to lose its security and identity', Mr Ayalon warned in a video released to accompany the letter. Signed by 550 people, including former chiefs of Shin Bet and the Mossad spy agency, the letter called on Mr Trump to 'steer' Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, towards a ceasefire. Israel began its military operation in the Gaza Strip in response to the deadly Oct 7 2023 attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. In recent weeks Israel has come under increasing international pressure to agree a ceasefire that could see Israeli hostages released from Gaza and UN agencies distribute humanitarian aid. But some in Israel, including ministers in Mr Netanyahu's coalition government, are instead pushing for Israeli forces to push on and for Gaza to be occupied in whole or in part. The letter was signed by three former Mossad heads: Tamir Pardo, Efraim Halevy and Danny Yatom. Others signatories include five former heads of Shin Bet – Mr Ayalon as well as Nadav Argaman, Yoram Cohen, Yaakov Peri and Carmi Gilon – and three former military chiefs of staff, Ehud Barak, the former prime minister, Moshe Yaalon, the former defence minister, and Dan Halutz. The letter argued that the Israeli military 'has long accomplished the two objectives that could be achieved by force: dismantling Hamas's military formations and governance'. 'The third, and most important, can only be achieved through a deal: bringing all the hostages home,' it said, adding: 'Chasing remaining senior Hamas operatives can be done later.' The former officials tell Mr Trump that he has credibility with the majority of Israelis and can put pressure on Mr Netanyahu to end the war and return the hostages. After a ceasefire, the signatories argue, Mr Trump could force a regional coalition to support a reformed Palestinian Authority to take charge of Gaza as an alternative to Hamas rule. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Solve the daily Crossword
