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A micro-nation in the making

Duncan Campbell

Artist claims sovereignty of new Arctic island

There is no unemployment, no crime... The nation of Nymark, with its unspoilt views and quiet evenings, free of antisocial behaviour and traffic noise, shines like a beacon in these troubled times. Now all that Nymark's 43-year-old leader is seeking is recognition from the United Nations.

Nymark, situated in the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic, was discovered by London artist Alex Hartley in 2004 when he was part of an expedition of scientists and artists collaborating on a project on global warming. With the melting of ice, previously hidden prehistoric rocks started to emerge and the protuberance spotted by Mr. Hartley is one of those newly visible landmarks.

"We landed on it and I staked a claim, written in English and Norwegian, which I left in a baked bean tin," Mr, Hartley says. The island is about the size and shape of a football pitch.

Mr. Hartley was told by the Norwegian Polar Institute that if he wanted to name the island he would have to choose a Norwegian name, hence Nymark, which means New Ground. After returning to England, he started exploring the possibility of getting micro-nation status for his discovery. He applied to the U.N. The Norwegian Government challenged his sovereignty claim.

The head of maps at the Norwegian Polar Institute said: "Svalbard is Norwegian, also the parts under ice. Hartley has no obvious case for his claim ..." —

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

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