Australia tourist declares world’s second smallest country

(Web Desk): A 20-year-old tourist from Australia has declared the establishment of the world’s second smallest country, named the Free Republic of Verdis.

The announcement was made by Daniel Jackson, who founded the country on a disputed, unclaimed patch of land along the Danube River, located between Croatia and Serbia. The territory spans approximately 0.5 square kilometers, consisting mostly of forested land.

Verdis is now considered the second smallest country in the world, following Vatican City. The Free Republic of Verdis has its own flag, government, cabinet, currency, and passports.

The official languages are English, Croatian, and Serbian, and the country uses the Euro as its currency. Interestingly, the country claims to have around 400 citizens, carefully selected by Daniel from over 15,000 applicants.

The idea began in 2019, when Daniel was just 14 years old. What started as an experiment among friends eventually evolved into a formal declaration, complete with laws and a national flag.

However, the creation of Verdis sparked international backlash and controversy. Croatian authorities viewed it as a threat to their sovereignty, arrested Daniel, deported him, and banned him from entering Croatia for life.

According to Daniel, the Serbian authorities responded more leniently and are showing interest in improving relations with Verdis in the future.