Aerican Empire
The Aerican Empire | ||||
Motto "The world is ridiculous; let’s keep it that way." | ||||
Official language(s) | English French | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Short name | Aerica | |||
Demonym | Aerican | |||
Government | Constitutional monarchy | |||
- Emperor | Emperor Eric Lis | |||
- President of the Senate | Raven | |||
Established | 8 May 1987 | |||
Population | 181 2012 estimate | |||
Currency | Solari Mu | |||
Official site |
The Aerican Empire (conventionally referred to in short form as Aerica) is a micronation founded in 1987, which has no sovereign territory of its own. Its name stems from the term "American Empire".
In 2000 The New York Times described its website as "one of the more imaginative" micronation sites.
History
The Aerican Empire was founded on 8 May 1987 by Canadian-born Eric Lis and a group of his friends. For the first ten years the Empire was almost completely fictional, claiming sovereignty over a vast galaxy of feigned planets and engaging in wars against other micronations (although never resulting in physical contact). After the advent of the Internet, through which the founders discovered other micronations similar to their own, the Empire slowly abandoned most fictional elements and worked towards becoming an existing political entity rather than a hobby. In 1997, the Empire created its own website.
In 2007, Aerica first issued "novelty passports." The first issued passport was exhibited in the Palais de Tokyo 2007 Micronational art exhibition. Aerica issued stamps for the first time in 2015. The Aerican Empire first issued coinage in November 2009, and a second coin was minted to celebrate Aerica's 25th anniversary in 2012. Banknotes were issued for the first time in 2017.
Territory
The Aerican Empire claims sovereignty over a vast disconnected territory, including a square kilometre of land in Australia, a house-sized area in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (containing the "Embassy to Everything Else"), several other areas of the Earth, a colony on Mars, the northern hemisphere of Pluto, and an imaginary planet.
Government
The Aerican Empire is a self-described parliamentary democracy, however, in practice it is a constitutional monarchy. The primary elected body is known as the Senate, and is composed of nineteen individuals, two representatives from each area of the Empire as well as the head of state, the Emperor. This Senate serves as both the executive and legislative arm of the government.
Overseeing the Senate is the Emperor, the elected head of state. Within the Empire, "Emperor" is a title rather than an accurate description, and the Emperor holds few powers beyond a single vote in the Senate and a second Senate vote in case of a deadlocked vote.
National symbols
Their flag is similar to the flag of Canada, with a yellow smiling face instead of the red maple leaf in the white square (although the red rectangles on the sides have different side length ratios). The national motto of the Aerican Empire is: "The world is ridiculous; let’s keep it that way".
Diplomacy
The Aerican Empire routinely engages in diplomatic relations with other micronations. Their Foreign Affairs Department is is headed by Minister Tristan Glark. The Empire welcomes contact with any and all states, whether they are sovereign states, political exercises, simulations, or games. However, the Empire follows a strict diplomatic policy as to which states it will and will not recognise.
As part of the nation's diplomatic programme, Emperor Eric Lis attended MicroCon 2017, MicroCon 2019, and MicroCon 2023
Relations with Westarctica
Although not currently bound by a treaty of recognition, both Westarctica and Aerica recognize one another as sovereign nations. At MicroCon 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia, Grand Duke Travis invested Emperor Eric Lis as a Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Snowflake.
Teams from Westarctica and the Aerican Empire participated in the Joint Command and Control military exercise MOSTLY HARMLESS organized by the Empire of Slabovia
Host of MicroCon
During the gala ball at MicroCon 2023, it was announced that the Aerican Empire would serve as the host for MicroCon 2025 in Montreal, Canada.