Difference between revisions of "Balleny Islands"

[[File:Balleny Map1.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Map of the Balleny Islands]][[File:Balleny islands.jpg|thumb]]

The '''Balleny Islands''' (66°55′S 163°45′E) are a series of uninhabited islands in the [[Southern Ocean]] extending from 66°15' to 67°35'S and 162°30' to 165°00'E. The group extends for about 160 km (99 mi) in a northwest-southeast direction. The islands are heavily glaciated and of volcanic origin. [[glacier|Glaciers]] project from their slopes into the sea. The islands were formed by the so-called Balleny hotspot.  They are located within the [[Ross Dependency]] and were originally claimed first by the United Kingdom and then by New Zealand before being annexed by Westarctica.

Although claimed by New Zealand, the Balleny Islands were annexed by [[Westarctica]] in 2005. The islands are one of two [[Antarctic]] areas claimed by Westarctica that are not part of the original territory of Marie Byrd Land are are not between 90° and 150° W longitude. The other is [[Peter I Island]], which was claimed by Norway).

 

[[Duke of Sherman|Jorge Fernandez Vidal]] learned about the Balleny Islands while researching unclaimed land in Antarctica. His intention was a find an area or region suitably outside the jurisdiction of other countries, that could be used as a basis for minting coins of his own design.

Jorge settled on the Balleny Islands in March 2004, after closely examining the language used in the [[Antarctic Treaty]] and realizing that New Zealand's claim to the Balleny Islands could not be legally recognized by any nation, including their own. Therefore, it was highly unlikely New Zealand would ever mint coins for the islands on their own, and they were equally unlikely to assert any kind of legal jurisdiction if Jorge were to mint coins under the name of the Balleny Islands. In his own words, the islands were: “officially unclaimed. A beautiful free land to mint a coin.”

The Balleny Islands became a colony when [[Westarctica]] formally annexed it from New Zealand on 14 January 2005. Mr. Vidal was appointed its Governor, and following the first successful minting of the Balleny Islands coin, Jorge was given the title Count of Sturge.

In 2005, an individual not directly associated with Westarctica requested permission to create [[Stamps of Westarctica|stamps]] for the Balleny Islands. To assist in the creation of the stamps, Grand Duke Travis posed for a portrait and made it available for usage on the stamps. The stamps themselves each feature a different Westarctican animal along with a picture of the Grand Duke.