Got it! I'll research the 10 biggest network states that own physical land, ranking them by land size and population. I'll also provide details on their governance structures, economic models, and membership processes, along with references for verification. I'll let you know when I have the findings ready.

Top 10 Network States with Physical Land

Below are ten of the largest “network states” (startup societies or micronations) that own physical territory, ranked by a combination of land area and community size. For each, key details on land, population, governance, economy, and membership are provided.

1. Liberland (Free Republic of Liberland)

Land Size: ~7 km² (about 700 hectares). Liberland claims an uninhabited Danube River island (Gornja Siga) between Croatia and Serbiaen.wikipedia.org. The land is mostly undeveloped floodplain administered by Croatia (Liberland’s control is aspirational)en.wikipedia.org.
Population: Over 735,000 people have applied online for Liberland citizenship, though only about 1,200 have formally obtained Liberland passports (often by donating up to $10,000)en.wikipedia.org. In practice, only a handful of activists occupy the territory occasionally (many have been arrested by Croatian police)en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org.
Governance Structure: Liberland is organized as a self-declared republic with a provisional government led by founder President Vít Jedlička. It has a constitution and ministries, and in October 2024 it held its first blockchain-based congressional electionen.wikipedia.org. The micronation espouses minimal government and libertarian ideals, aiming for a decentralized, crypto-powered stateen.wikipedia.org. (Notably, crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun was even elected Liberland’s “Prime Minister” in 2024en.wikipedia.org.) However, without official recognition, its “government” exercises authority only over its volunteers and citizens.
Economic Model: Liberland intends to run on laissez-faire principles with an economy based on cryptocurrencyen.wikipedia.org. It has issued its own token (“Merits”) and holds 99% of national reserves in Bitcoinen.wikipedia.org. There is no mandatory taxation; the state is funded by voluntary donations, passport fees, and ventures like selling stamps and coinsen.wikipedia.org. Essentially, citizens are expected to contribute voluntarily to public funds, and Liberland positions itself as a libertarian tax haven (Jedlička describes tax as optional)en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org.
Membership Process: Open to anyone worldwide who respects libertarian values and has no criminal or extremist background (applicants “cannot have a communist, Nazi or other extremist past” and must have a clean criminal record)www.cnbc.com. Interested persons fill out an online citizenship application – Liberland’s website has received hundreds of thousands of requestsen.wikipedia.org. Those approved can attain e-residency or citizenship; actively contributing or donating (or even physically staying a week on the territory) helps one obtain a Liberland passporten.wikipedia.org. In short, citizenship is “earned” by commitment to the community (or financial support), since there is no inherited or by-birth citizenship in this startup nation.

2. Satoshi Island

Land Size: ~325 hectares (800 acres). Satoshi Island is a privately owned tropical island in Vanuatu being developed into a crypto-focused micro-citywww.nzherald.co.nz. It spans just over 1.2 square miles of land (mostly lush rainforest currently)jacobin.com www.nzherald.co.nz.
Population: Planned for roughly 5,000–10,000 residents once fully built outwww.nzherald.co.nz. The island is currently sparsely populated (no permanent community yet; development began in 2022), but the project envisions up to 2,100 modular homes accommodating thousands of crypto enthusiasts and professionalswww.nzherald.co.nz. In other words, the population is in the early stages – initial “citizenship NFT” holders number in the thousands, and the goal is a self-contained town of about 5–10k crypto residentswww.nzherald.co.nz.
Governance Structure: Satoshi Island is essentially run by a private development company at this stage. The owners have full control of the island and its development. They brand it as a “crypto-city” where blockchain governance might play a role: residents will hold NFT-based citizenship and property tokens, which could evolve into a form of community governancewww.nzherald.co.nz. However, as it’s under Vanuatu’s sovereignty, Vanuatu’s laws still apply. Internally, the community may use decentralized decision-making (e.g. token holder votes on certain matters), but formal governance is largely centralized under the founding company for now. Eventually, Satoshi Island’s promoters suggest the island’s NFT holders will collectively influence community rules, making governance semi-decentralized among the crypto citizens.
Economic Model: 100% crypto-based. All transactions on the island – from buying land to paying for groceries – are intended to be in cryptocurrencywww.nzherald.co.nz. The developers tout Satoshi Island as a haven for living on crypto: “a true, 100 percent crypto lifestyle” where converting to fiat isn’t necessarywww.nzherald.co.nz. The project’s funding comes from selling land rights and “Citizenship NFTs.” For residents, there is no traditional taxation by the island itself (beyond Vanuatu’s taxes); instead the economy runs on blockchain: property is sold as NFTs, and local businesses will transact in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and similar. The island’s value proposition is an economy running on crypto and blockchain assets, with infrastructure for crypto startups.
Membership Process: By holding a Satoshi Island Citizenship NFT. The island’s team issues limited-edition Citizenship NFTs which confer the right to reside and participate in the communitywww.nzherald.co.nz. Anyone can purchase one (subject to approval/background check by the organizers) to become a “citizen” of Satoshi Island. These NFTs grant access to live on the island and to buy parcels of land (also tokenized as NFTs)www.nzherald.co.nz. In short, membership is tokenized – buy/obtain the citizenship token and you’re in. There is no additional citizenship fee beyond acquiring the NFT, though naturally one must also invest in or rent housing on the island. The project received endorsement from Vanuatu’s government, so visa entry is facilitated for NFT holderswww.nzherald.co.nz. This model means membership is effectively gated by one’s willingness to invest in the island’s crypto assets and abide by the community’s crypto-only ethos.

3. Próspera (Honduras)

Land Size: Initially 58 acres, now expanding to over 1,000 acres. Próspera is a private charter-city zone on Roatán island in Hondurasreason.com reason.com. It began with a 58-acre site of coastal jungle acquired in 2017reason.com. Since then, the Próspera ZEDE has optioned or acquired adjacent properties (including parts of a resort) totaling around 1,000 acres (4 km²) as of 2023reason.com. (This is about 3% of Roatán island’s area.) The main “Próspera Village” site is under active development with offices, housing, and factories, and additional land is earmarked for future expansionreason.com reason.com.
Population: Around 1,000 registered residents so far. As a charter city, Próspera’s current on-site population is small (dozens of pioneers living or working in the zone), but over 1,000 individuals have officially registered as Próspera residents (mostly remote or “e-residents” who live outside and commute or participate digitally)www.reddit.com. Ultimately, the city is planned to host ten-thousands of people if growth continues (the project is targeting ~10,000+ inhabitants long-term)www.lemonde.fr. For now, many Honduran locals work in Próspera’s enterprises by day and live in nearby towns (due to limited housing)www.reddit.com. The community includes foreigners as well – entrepreneurs and remote workers who have obtained Próspera e-residency. In sum, population is in the low hundreds physically present, with a broader network of about a thousand affiliated residents on recordwww.reddit.com.
Governance Structure: Próspera is governed under Honduras’s ZEDE law as a public-private partnership city. A private company (Honduras Próspera Inc.) and its appointed Technical Secretary manage the city pursuant to a charter, alongside a local council and oversight from Honduras’s national ZEDE regulatorsnacla.org nacla.org. In practice, it’s a corporate governance model: The Próspera Council of Trustees (mix of company appointees and some elected representatives of residents) makes local laws and policiesnacla.org nacla.org. Próspera has authority to set its own municipal regulations, civil laws, and taxes within the zonereason.com– it created its own zoning code and regulatory frameworks. However, Honduran national criminal law still applies, and an oversight committee (appointed by Honduras) can veto rules not in line with “best practices”nacla.org. Decisions are not fully democratic: the charter gives the private promoter significant control (e.g. the company appoints 4 of 9 council members)nacla.org nacla.org. The ethos is voluntary governance – people “opt-in” to Próspera’s system by choosing to live or do business there and can “opt-out” by leavingreason.com. Overall, Próspera is run like a “startup city”: a private administration providing governance-as-a-service, subject to basic Honduran oversight but largely autonomous in local mattersreason.com reason.com.
Economic Model: Próspera operates a for-profit city model with business-friendly policies. It finances itself through land leases/sales, resident and business fees, and modest taxes it is authorized to levy. The city sets its own tax rates (capped by charter) – for example, it can collect a community fee from residents and a tax on businesses operating therereason.com. Government services (utilities, security, arbitration courts) are provided by private contractors, and the city charges fees for those servicesnacla.org. Economically, Próspera pitches itself as a free-market enclave: it allows companies to choose alternative regulatory regimes (e.g. a company can opt to follow Singapore’s banking laws or Puerto Rico’s corporate law, etc., rather than Honduran law)reason.com reason.com. This flexibility attracts foreign investment. There is also an e-residency program ($130/year) that lets global entrepreneurs legally base companies in Próspera without living therewww.reddit.com. In short, the economic model is to monetize a “platform for prosperity” – earn revenue from land development and annual fees while creating a low-tax, special-regulation haven to spur business growthreason.com reason.com. No traditional income taxes exist in Próspera; the city’s charter instead allows value-added fees, service charges, and regulatory fees to fund its budget.
Membership Process: By becoming a Próspera resident (or e-resident). Anyone in the world can apply for Próspera residency online – the process involves a background check and an annual fee. A physical full-time residency costs about $1,300 per year for non-Hondurans (Honduran citizens get an 80% discount)[reason.com](https://reason.com/video/2023/07/06/a-private-libertarian-city-in-honduras/#:~:text=criminal%20laws%20still%20apply). This grants the right to live/work in the zone year-round. Alternatively, people can get **e-Residency** for ~$ n130 per year, allowing them to own property or run a business in Próspera and visit up to 180 days/yearwww.reddit.com. There is no ideological test – it’s open to anyone who pays and abides by the charter rules. After becoming a resident, one can lease or buy property (foreigners can own land within Próspera via the zone’s legal entity). Importantly, residents must agree to Próspera’s regulations and consent to its arbitration-based legal system (disputes are handled by private arbitration courts instead of Honduran courts)reason.com. Citizenship of Honduras is not conferred – members remain citizens of their home countries but gain a special legal status locally. In summary, membership = residency status in the charter city, which is achieved through an application and fee (like joining a private community), then maintained via annual dues.

4. CityDAO (Wyoming, USA)

Land Size: 40 acres (~16 hectares). CityDAO owns a parcel of vacant land in northwest Wyoming (near Cody), nicknamed “Parcel 0”arbor-analytics.com arbor-analytics.com. This rural plot – largely undeveloped high desert – was purchased collectively by the DAO in 2021 as the first piece of a future network cityarbor-analytics.com arbor-analytics.com. CityDAO may acquire additional parcels over time, but as of now it holds one 40-acre property held under a Wyoming DAO LLC.
Population: 5,000+ digital citizens. CityDAO is composed of a global community of members who joined the project online. Over 5,200 people hold CityDAO citizenship NFTs and participate in governance discussionsarbor-analytics.com. These represent the DAO’s “population,” though they are geographically dispersed (the vast majority are not physically on the Wyoming land). The actual number of people who have visited or used the Parcel 0 land is small (a few dozen have done meetups or camping there). In terms of engaged community size, CityDAO’s thousands of token holders make it one of the largest network state communitiesarbor-analytics.com. However, it does not yet have a residential population on its land – the population is an online-first, distributed citizenry interested in collectively building a city over time.
Governance Structure: Decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). CityDAO is governed on-chain by its citizens, each of whom holds a governance NFT (CityDAO Citizen token). Decision-making is done via proposals and votes on the blockchain, where each NFT grants voting powerarbor-analytics.com. The DAO has no single leader; instead, members discuss plans in Discord and vote on everything from budgeting to land use in a democratic, token-holder-driven processarbor-analytics.com arbor-analytics.com. Legally, CityDAO is recognized as a DAO LLC in Wyoming, so there is a limited liability company wrapper, but operationally it’s run by the community. There is a multi-sig treasury and elected project teams, but ultimately major decisions require a vote of the citizens. This governance is highly experimental – for example, citizens have voted on how to subdivide or utilize the Wyoming parcel, and on launching new initiatives. CityDAO’s structure is thus decentralized and democratic, with a bias toward open participation (anyone can become a citizen and vote) and transparency (votes and finances are public on Ethereum)arbor-analytics.com arbor-analytics.com.
Economic Model: CityDAO is funded and operated via crypto assets and community contributions. It raised about $6 million worth of cryptocurrency by selling 10,000 citizenship NFTs in 2021[arbor-analytics.com](https://arbor-analytics.com/post/2023-01-05-forestland-on-the-blockchain-a-new-prospect-for-private-forest-owners/#:~:text=CityDAO%20raised%20%246%20million%20for,%E2%80%9D). These funds were used to buy the land (for$ n150k) and form a treasury for future development. The DAO does not levy taxes; instead, the community pools funds voluntarily through token sales or fundraiser NFTs. Expenditures (like land purchase, legal fees, or building prototypes on the land) are approved by vote and paid from the treasury. In the future, CityDAO could implement fees for usage of its land or services, but currently the model is a collective investment/co-ownership of land enabled by blockchain. All transactions are done in crypto (the land deed is represented by an NFT, and any exchanges of land or memberships happen via Ethereum)arbor-analytics.com. The economic model is essentially crowdfunded city-building: people buy in to become co-owners and governors of shared land, hoping the land’s value and ecosystem will grow. CityDAO citizens hold a fungible $CITY token as well, which might be used for internal economy or incentives on the platform (though much of that is still under development)hackernoon.com hackernoon.com. In summary, CityDAO’s economy is based on crypto-token equity in land instead of traditional real estate investment – it monetized membership up front and now relies on that treasury and volunteer labor to progress.
Membership Process: To join CityDAO, one purchases or obtains a CityDAO Citizen NFT. During the initial launch, 10,000 citizenship NFTs were sold (for around 0.25 ETH each)arbor-analytics.com. Now, new members can buy a citizen NFT on secondary markets or be granted one if the DAO opens more. There is no vetting – anyone with the token becomes a “citizen.” This NFT grants voting rights and the opportunity to purchase or use CityDAO land in the futurearbor-analytics.com. There are also special “founding citizen” NFTs and “land deed” NFTs for specific parcels when they are allocated. In addition to holding the NFT, members join CityDAO’s online forums (Discord) to participate. There is no annual fee or residency requirement – membership is fluid and as simple as holding the token. CityDAO has citizens from over 100 different locations globallyarbor-analytics.com. Notably, citizenship does not confer exclusive land ownership (the Wyoming parcel is owned collectively by the DAO LLC, not divided among individuals yet). It is more like being a shareholder in a proto-city. In the future, CityDAO may allow citizens to claim sub-plots or develop projects on the land, but those privileges will also be governed by collective decision. Overall, joining CityDAO is permissionless and crypto-native – a purely digital “citizenship” that aligns you with the project’s community and gives you a stake and a say in its single physical territory.

5. Liberstad (Norway)

Land Size: ~150 hectares (~370 acres). Liberstad is a private city project in southern Norway that owns a large rural property (former farmland and forest) in the municipality of Marnardalwww.thecryptoupdates.com. The land was acquired in 2017 and subdivided into building plots. It consists of three parcels totaling ~150 ha designated for the Liberstad communitywww.thecryptoupdates.com. This makes Liberstad one of the larger physical areas held by a startup community, though it remains under Norwegian jurisdiction (privately owned land, not sovereign).
Population: Dozens of settlers (100+ plots sold). Liberstad is still in early development; as of 2019, over 100 land plots had been sold to founding members from around the worldwww.thecryptoupdates.com. However, the actual residential population on-site is small – on the order of a few dozen people living or homesteading there full-time. Many buyers hold their land as an investment or future homestead and have not moved in yet. The project anticipates a growing population as infrastructure improves, but local Norwegian authorities estimated only a handful of permanent residents initially. In terms of community size, interest was significant (by 2018 about 120 investors from various countries were involved), but active population is in the low tens so far. The landowners represent a global libertarian/voluntaryist community who share the vision of an autonomous city. So while Liberstad’s potential population could be a few hundred if all plots are developed, the current population on the ground is very limited.
Governance Structure: Anarcho-capitalist / private ownership model. Liberstad explicitly operates without a traditional government – it’s meant to be a city run by property owners and voluntary associations. There is no city council or public authority; all land and services are privatewww.thecryptoupdates.com. The founders (a private company and community association) set broad rules aligned with voluntarism (e.g. a non-aggression principle) but do not “govern” in a conventional sense. Essentially, each landowner is sovereign on their parcel, and any community-wide coordination (like maintaining roads) is handled through contracts or the Liberstad membership association rather than coercive laws. Liberstad introduced its own blockchain (City Chain) to handle property records and community decisions via smart contractswww.thecryptoupdates.com. The ideal is a decentralized, libertarian governance where residents self-organize and all services (security, utilities, etc.) are provided by private businesses or cooperatives in a free marketwww.thecryptoupdates.com. In practice, a company called Liberstad Drift AS manages the initial development and basic infrastructure, effectively acting as a developer/HOA. They set some community guidelines (for example, a ban on violent crime and a requirement to use the city’s crypto for transactions), but beyond that, there is no central authority taxing or regulating residents. Thus, Liberstad’s governance is minimal and consent-based – a private contractual community rather than a municipal government.
Economic Model: Liberstad is creating a cryptocurrency-powered private economy. In 2019, it banned cash and fiat currency within the community, declaring that only its local cryptocurrency (City Coin, or CITY) is accepted for all transactions in Liberstadwww.thecryptoupdates.com. This means residents use the City Chain blockchain for trading goods, paying for services, and transferring land titles. The city itself has no taxes; each person or business keeps their profits, and any community expenses are funded by voluntary contributions or fees. Land was sold to members to raise initial funds, and Liberstad continues to sell additional plots (paid in crypto) to finance infrastructure. The communal infrastructure (roads, internet, etc.) is funded by the Liberstad membership organization through one-time fees or subscriptions rather than taxes. The City Coin also has a staking mechanism – holders can stake CITY to earn rewards and to have a say in certain decisions, effectively aligning economic incentives with governancewww.thecryptoupdates.com. So, the model is a free-market city: all property is private, currency is crypto, and no centralized budget/taxation exists. People pay for what they use – e.g. buy water or electricity from private providers, contribute to road maintenance voluntarily (or via smart contract insurance schemes). Liberstad’s creators pitch it as a tax haven and deregulated zone within Norway: businesses in Liberstad are free from Norwegian municipal taxes (though national taxes still legally apply to individuals), and the hope is that economic activity and land value rise due to this freedom. In summary, the economic system is one of opt-in costs and crypto commerce, with the City Coin blockchain underpinning property rights and community funding instead of a government tax officewww.thecryptoupdates.com www.thecryptoupdates.com.
Membership Process: Joining Liberstad requires buying or leasing property in the city (and agreeing to the community’s principles). There is an application for those interested, but effectively anyone who shares the libertarian values and can invest in a plot is welcome. Applicants must become members of the Liberstad Association, which involves accepting the community’s no-government rules and the exclusive use of City Coin. Once approved, a member purchases a land plot (using cryptocurrency) and then gains the right to live/build in Liberstadwww.thecryptoupdates.com www.thecryptoupdates.com. By 2019, more than 60 people had paid for plots, and over 100 plots were sold in totalwww.thecryptoupdates.com. The membership is international – buyers come from many countries. There is no formal citizenship status, since Liberstad is not a country; members remain subject to Norwegian law (with Norway currently tolerating the project as a private ecovillage). But within the community, members typically sign agreements to abide by Liberstad’s code (voluntaryism, no initiation of force, use of CITY coin, etc.). There is usually a one-time membership fee as well. In essence, becoming a Liberstad citizen means embracing its private city charter and acquiring a stake of land. Once a member, you can build a home or business on your lot and participate in the City Chain system for local governance. If someone doesn’t want to buy land, there may be options to rent property from existing owners and thus join the community that way, but land ownership is the primary path to full membership. Unlike most network states, Liberstad’s membership is tied to real estate – it’s like joining a private gated town by purchasing a deed (with the deed itself recorded on their blockchain for transparency).

6. Freetown Christiania (Denmark)

Land Size: ~34 hectares (85 acres) within Copenhagen. Christiania is an autonomous commune occupying a former military base in the heart of Denmark’s capitalfarfromhomepodcast.org. The area, often called “Christiania City,” includes about 34 ha of land (bastion ramparts, open areas, and built-up zones). Some sources cite a core area of ~7.7 haen.wikipedia.org, but the commonly reported extent is ~85 acres for the whole communityfarfromhomepodcast.org. This sizable enclave lies in the Christianshavn district of Copenhagen.
Population: Approximately 850–1,000 residents live in Christianiaen.wikipedia.org. It has had a stable population around this size for decades, making it one of the largest intentional communities. These residents are long-term members of the commune, many living in hand-built houses within Christiania. The community also attracts huge numbers of visitors (half a million tourists annually)en.wikipedia.org, but the actual inhabitant count hovers around 900. Christiania’s population is essentially a small town’s worth of people – families, artists, hippies, and others – who have opted out of many Danish norms to live in this collective society.
Governance Structure: Consensus-based direct democracy. Christiania operates as a self-governing anarchist commune. There is no formal municipal government; instead, all major decisions are made by community meetings where every resident can participate and decisions are reached by consensusfarfromhomepodcast.org farfromhomepodcast.org. The community is divided into local areas, and each holds “area meetings” to decide local matters and to approve new residents, etc., by consensusetonomics.com. A larger common meeting handles overarching issues for Christiania as a whole. This egalitarian system has been in place since the 1970s – Christianites famously set out a mission “to create a self-governing society whereby each individual is responsible for the well-being of the entire community”farfromhomepodcast.org. They have a few basic rules (no hard drugs, no private land ownership, no violence, etc.), but enforcement is through community social pressure rather than police (Danish police have a limited presence mainly to address narcotics issues). Christiania is de facto tolerated by the Danish state, but it considers itself independent in governance – for decades it declared itself a “free town” not subject to regular city laws. In reality Danish law still applies, but internally Christiania manages things like security via a community watch and mediates disputes in meetings. In summary, the governance is horizontal and communal: all residents share power, using direct democracy and consensus to run their mini-societyfarfromhomepodcast.org farfromhomepodcast.org.
Economic Model: Communal ownership and local co-operative economy. Uniquely, Christiania does not have private property – the land and buildings are officially owned collectively (today through a foundation on behalf of the community) and cannot be bought or sold by individualsfarfromhomepodcast.org farfromhomepodcast.org. Residents don’t pay rent to private landlords; instead, they contribute a monthly community fee (a form of tax) to the commune which is used to fund shared services like maintenance, infrastructure, and community programsetonomics.com. Businesses in Christiania (bakeries, cafés, workshops, etc.) operate on a cooperative or collective basis – many profits are reinvested locally or shared, and business owners also pay community fees rather than standard taxesetonomics.com. The economy is a microcosm of alternative practices: for example, Christiania’s famous bicycle shop and art galleries generate income for the community, and tourism is a big source of revenue as well. The community as a whole negotiates with the Danish government regarding an annual lump-sum for utilities and property taxes (since a 2012 agreement, Christiania does pay certain fees to the state, funded by its own internal tax system). Essentially, Christiania functions with a mixed economy: internally money flows through communal channels – residents pay into a shared fund instead of rent, and decisions on spending are made collectivelyetonomics.com etonomics.com. Yet individuals can earn their own money via work (often in the on-site businesses or outside jobs) and spend it freely. There is a strong culture of resource sharing and mutual aid; housing construction, for instance, often happens with volunteer labor. Despite being “independent,” Christiania uses Danish currency and is integrated with the broader Copenhagen economy (commuters, trade, etc.). But it tries to minimize inequality internally: by design, no one profits from land speculation or exorbitant rents, keeping living costs low. This non-capitalist approach has led to Christiania evolving a sustainable micro-economy over 50 years, with communal services (like a waste disposal team, a post office, etc.) funded by the community’s own coffersetonomics.com etonomics.com.
Membership Process: Gaining the right to live in Christiania is a community-driven process – you cannot simply buy property or move in at will. When a house or room becomes available, prospective new residents must be approved by the existing community. Typically, an interested person will petition the area meeting of the neighborhood they wish to join. The decision to accept a new member is made by consensus of the current residents in that areaetonomics.com. They look for people who will contribute positively and embrace Christiania’s values of collectivism and tolerance. There is often a waiting list, as demand to live there is high while turnover is low. If approved, the newcomer does not purchase the home (since structures are owned collectively); instead, they acquire the right to use it and become responsible for paying the monthly community fee and participating in communal work. In essence, membership = being accepted by your peers. There is no formal citizenship or passport (Christiania issues symbolic “ID cards” to residents, but these have no legal status). All residents are still Danish citizens with Danish rights; what changes is that they join Christiania’s social contract. Apart from residence, people can also join Christiania’s community in a looser sense by working in one of its businesses or participating in its cultural life, but the core “members” are those living inside. Since 2012, Christiania’s land is held by a foundation where residents collectively lease the area from the state, so new residents also sign onto that lease via the foundation. In summary, to join Christiania you must be chosen by the community, not buy in – it’s a qualitative, consensus-based membership process rather than a financial transactionetonomics.com. This has kept the community tight-knit and aligned with its founding principles.

7. Cabin (CabinDAO / Cabin City)

Land Size: 28 acres (~11 hectares) at “Neighborhood Zero” in Texas, plus a growing network of additional properties. Cabin started by developing a 28-acre rural ranch outside Austin, TX as its first co-living campuswww.roxinekee.com. This property features cabins, co-working space, and utilities to host residents. Beyond this, Cabin is expanding as a network state by adding more “Neighborhoods” around the world – independently owned properties that join the Cabin network. Currently, there is at least one other Cabin neighborhood (in California) and several smaller outposts, though the flagship 28-acre Texas Hill Country site remains the corecreators.mirror.xyz creators.mirror.xyz. All told, Cabin’s physical footprint is an “archipelago” of parcels rather than one contiguous territory. Each neighborhood might range from a few to a few dozen acres. The vision is to eventually have hundreds of properties (“nodes”) globally, but at present the land under direct Cabin stewardship is on the order of tens of acres.
Population: A few hundred members (dozens on-site at any time). Cabin describes its community as global and online-first, with citizens spanning many countriescreators.mirror.xyz. As of 2023, it had a few hundred people who obtained Cabin citizenship NFTs and participate in the DAO, while the physical residency at Neighborhood Zero is typically a rotating group of perhaps 10–20 co-livers at a timecreators.mirror.xyz. The Texas property hosts periodic cohorts of creators and remote workers (each stay is usually weeks to months). Over two years, hundreds have cycled through as residents or visitors. The long-term goal is 5,040 official citizens (a number chosen from Aristotle’s ideal city size)creators.mirror.xyz creators.mirror.xyz, and Cabin is actively onboarding toward that. But in terms of “population” at this moment: the core active community is in the low hundreds, and the day-to-day population living across all Cabin sites might be ~20–30 people. Each new neighborhood added will bring more capacity. In summary, Cabin’s population is best seen as a distributed membership – a few hundred engaged citizens worldwide, with a smaller subset physically living together at any given time.
Governance Structure: DAO with “polycentric” semi-autonomous communities. Cabin is governed by its citizens through a decentralized autonomous organization. The DAO uses the $CABIN token and an on-chain governance forum where citizens propose and vote on initiativeshackernoon.com hackernoon.com. However, Cabin’s model is unique in that it aims for polycentric governance – meaning each neighborhood in the network has a degree of self-governance, while the Cabin DAO provides an overarching framework and treasurycreators.mirror.xyz creators.mirror.xyz. In practice, this looks like: there are global decisions (like issuing new passports or token economics) made by all citizens via quadratic voting, and there are local decisions (how to manage a given property or community rules at one neighborhood) made by the residents/guild of that node. Cabin has organized guilds (working groups) to handle different domains – for example, a Placemakers Guild focuses on expanding physical sites, a Writers Guild produces content, etc., each with its own internal governance but accountable to the DAOwww.roxinekee.com www.roxinekee.com. All citizens can also gather in weekly community calls to deliberate. The governance is highly decentralized and community-driven, with no single CEO; early founders (like Jon Hillis) have deliberately stepped back to let citizens run things. Notably, membership itself is gated by a web-of-trust system (existing citizens vouch new ones), which maintains a high-trust governance environmentcreators.mirror.xyz. The DAO’s constitution emphasizes consent, sustainability, and creativity as guiding values. Summed up, Cabin’s governance is democratic and networked – a blend of on-chain voting for city-wide matters and autonomous self-governance at the neighborhood level, all coordinated via blockchain and community deliberationcreators.mirror.xyz creators.mirror.xyz.
Economic Model: Cabin’s economy runs on a crypto-token and communal contributions. The community’s internal currency is the ** $CABIN token**, which is used to reward contributors, fund projects (through bounties), and eventually could be used for transactions across neighborhoods[roxinekee.com](https://www.roxinekee.com/blog/cabindao-larping-as-a-city-state#:~:text=puts%20up%20%E2%82%A1ABIN%20token%20as,guessed%20it%20%E2%80%94%20bounty%20hunters)[creators.mirror.xyz](https://creators.mirror.xyz/zHox-AfvHbX0Q2JxAbcfwiAmOXRy7BzYafhZNlvHnmM#:~:text=Citizens%20are%20granted%20chip,gathering%2C%20merch%2C%20and%20partnership%20perks). Cabin citizens pay a **membership fee (subscription)** to maintain citizenship - this is set in$ CABIN and/or work contributionscreators.mirror.xyz. Additionally, residents who stay at a neighborhood either pay rent (in fiat or crypto) or contribute work in exchange for lodgingcreators.mirror.xyz. For example, someone might pay to co-live at Neighborhood Zero, while another might “work their stay” by helping with land maintenance. The overarching DAO treasury was initially funded by NFT sales and token raises – Cabin sold “founding citizen” NFTs and raised capital (including from venture backers) to bootstrap. Now it uses those funds to develop infrastructure and invest in new properties. Each new neighborhood can have its own revenue (e.g. coliving fees or retreats). There is no taxation per se; instead, citizens collectively decide how to allocate communal funds, and neighborhoods aim to be self-sustaining via their operations. The model leans on the creator economy – Cabin attracts remote workers, developers, and writers who continue earning income from their online jobs while living in Cabin, and some of that value flows into the community via rent or token spendingwww.roxinekee.com www.roxinekee.com. In essence, Cabin’s economic model is a hybrid of a membership club and a cooperative: citizens buy in (via tokens or work), those resources are pooled to acquire and build property, and then members use/pay for those spaces in a virtuous cycle. Over time, if property values or the network’s utility increases, the $CABIN token could also appreciate, benefiting all members. This aligns incentives for collective growth.
Membership Process: To become a Cabin citizen (member of the network state), one must go through a web-of-trust nomination system. A current Citizen must nominate or vouch for a prospective new member, and each Citizen is limited in how many they can vouch for at a timecreators.mirror.xyz. This creates a referral-based entry that preserves community culture. Once nominated, the newcomer usually contributes by completing some bounties or attending events to get involved (Cabin is “bounty-first,” meaning you can earn your way in by helping out)www.roxinekee.com. After proving alignment, the new member is minted a Citizen NFT (Cabin Passport) and pays the subscription fee for membershipcreators.mirror.xyz. The Cabin Passport is an NFT embedded with an identity chip, functioning as a physical-digital passport that grants access to live at Cabin neighborhoodscreators.mirror.xyz. Citizenship also comes with an allocation of $CABIN tokens for governance. In addition to the invite route, Cabin has run periodic open application cohorts (for example, “Build Week” retreats where non-members can join and potentially be invited to citizenship afterwards). There are different membership tiers: one can be a guest (short-term visitor paying rent) or a full citizen (with governance rights). But full citizenship is deliberately capped – Cabin is aiming for 5,040 citizens in the next few yearscreators.mirror.xyz, so it’s selective in growth to maintain community bonds. The cost of membership isn’t just monetary; it also requires embracing Cabin’s values of coliving, nature, and creation. Once a citizen, individuals receive their Cabin Passport, NFT ID, and access to the private Discord channels and annual gatheringscreators.mirror.xyz. They can then stay at any Cabin neighborhood (some stays are paid, others like contributor residencies might be subsidized)creators.mirror.xyz. To maintain membership, citizens must continue to pay dues and uphold community standards (there’s a code of conduct enforced socially and by the DAO). In summary, Cabin’s membership is invite-only and contribution-driven – you join through community trust, get a tokenized passport, and then you’re part of a decentralized city with both online and real-world participation.

8. Kift (KiftDAO)

Land Size: Multiple small properties across the Western U.S. Kift is a nomadic, van-life oriented network state that has acquired a handful of rural properties (campground-style “clubhouses”) where members park their camper vans and live in communitygearjunkie.com. As of 2022, Kift had established sites in Arcosanti, Arizona; Joshua Tree, California; Ukiah, California; and near Zion National Park, Utahgearjunkie.com. Each site is a few acres in size and offers communal facilities (kitchens, Wi-Fi, etc.) for members. The total land directly owned by Kift is not large – on the order of perhaps dozens of acres combined – but it is geographically distributed. They are also actively looking to buy more/larger properties, with a list of hundreds of potential sites and even visions of building an entire city for van-lifersgearjunkie.com gearjunkie.com. In short, Kift’s “territory” is an evolving archipelago of camp locations, rather than one big piece of land. This allows the community to migrate seasonally and experience different environments while staying on member-only land.
Population: ~100–200 active members, aiming for 10,000. Kift’s community is relatively small but growing. By early 2023, it had on the order of a couple hundred participants – many of them digital nomads who rotate through the shared properties. The van-life nature means not all members are present at once; they travel between Kift sites and elsewhere. Kift has big ambitions, though: it announced plans to issue 10,000 NFT memberships (“Kiftables”) to broaden its founding communitygearjunkie.com. If all are sold, that would indicate a network population of up to 10,000 members in the next few years, which would be a huge jump. For now, the core community is in the low hundreds (including both full-time van dwellers and part-time participants who join for occasional weeks). The vibe is tight-knit – these people physically camp and live together in pods of maybe 20–50 at each site. Through its Discord and events, Kift also connects a wider circle of van-life enthusiasts beyond those on site. In summary, Kift’s current active population is small (similar to a village spread across 4 camps), but it has a broad support network and a targeted growth to a five-figure membership via NFT salesgearjunkie.com.
Governance Structure: Decentralized community (DAO) with member voting. Kift is structured as a DAO where each member (especially NFT holders) has a say in decisions. The founders provide direction, but ultimately members holding Kift’s NFTs can vote on major community choices, such as which new properties to acquire or how to allocate fundsgearjunkie.com. Governance is both online (formal proposals, likely using a platform like Snapshot for token votes) and on the ground (daily community meetings around the campfire, setting practical norms). In interviews, Kift’s founder Colin O’Donnell emphasized that they chose the DAO format to let members democratically decide “what to buy, how to live, and even what’s for dinner”www.joinorigami.com www.joinorigami.com. Currently, the governance is relatively informal given the small size – consensus and community discussions often guide immediate decisions at each site. But as the community scales, the Kiftables NFT will serve as governance tokens for a more robust on-chain voting system. Each Kiftable represents founding membership and comes with governance rights over the DAO’s treasury and landsgearjunkie.com. Kift’s governance philosophy is to be highly participatory and iterative: members propose where the next campground should be, vote on it, then collectively build it. There’s also an emphasis on regenerative principles – eventually members may help set sustainability rules for sites. Overall, while Kift’s day-to-day living has communal decision-making reminiscent of a co-op, its formal structure is a blockchain-based cooperative where NFT holders collectively steer the network’s expansiongearjunkie.com gearjunkie.com. This allows Kift to remain member-owned and prevent any centralized corporate control of their lifestyle.
Economic Model: Membership-funded, with NFTs and member dues supporting communal amenities. Kift’s plan to sell 10,000 “Kiftable” NFTs is central to its economics – these NFTs (each depicting a unique campervan illustration) are essentially lifetime memberships that provide capital for the DAOgearjunkie.com gearjunkie.com. The proceeds from NFT sales go into the community treasury to buy land and develop facilities for memberswww.joinorigami.com gearjunkie.com. In exchange, NFT holders get to use Kift’s properties without additional campground fees. Besides NFTs, Kift also offers a more traditional subscription: currently, members pay a **monthly fee (around $800)** which covers access to all sites (including Wi-Fi, stocked kitchen staples, etc.). This is akin to rent or HOA dues and funds ongoing expenses. The community provides a lot of shared resources: at each site Kift maintains club-houses with kitchens, showers, laundry, and they stock basics like plant-based foods for everyone[gearjunkie.com](https://gearjunkie.com/technology/kift-vanlife-community-nft#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20voting%20privileges%2C,able%20to%20access%20various%20perks). So part of the model is **co-living cost sharing** - members pool money (through fees or treasury funds) to cover bulk groceries, Starlink internet service, utilities, and fun activities. There is no taxation; everything is funded by membership contributions and initial NFT capital. On the revenue side, Kift may expand offerings like events or retreats open to non-members for a fee, which could supplement income. In the future, if land values increase or if they build rental cabins, those could also provide income to the DAO. But philosophically, Kift is not profit-driven; it’s **structured more like a club** - members collectively buy assets (land) and then enjoy the use of those assets. Because many Kift members work remotely in tech or creative fields, they bring their own income and just need Kift’s infrastructure to support their lifestyle (the$ n800/month fee is far cheaper than renting an apartment in the city for many). Therefore, Kift’s economy is about redistributing urban rent into a nomad community pot: rather than each member paying for separate housing, they all pay Kift and Kift provides shared housing/amenities across multiple locations. To summarize, Kift is funded by membership NFTs + monthly fees and spends that on land, communal facilities, and services for its members. The use of blockchain simplifies handling fractional ownership and voting on spending. In the long run, if Kift achieves scale, its members essentially own equity (through NFTs) in a collection of properties and can live a flexible van-life with most living costs covered by the community fund.
Membership Process: Purchase a Kift membership (NFT) and abide by community rules. Kift’s primary membership is via the Kiftable NFT, which grants “Founding Membership” statusgearjunkie.com. To join, one would mint or buy a Kiftable (price was not publicly stated, but presumably in ETH). This NFT gives the holder automatic membership rights: governance voting power, access to all Kift locations, and invitations to special eventsgearjunkie.com. Leading up to the NFT launch, Kift also had a waitlist and was onboarding members through an application process – typically people already living a nomad lifestyle and interested in communal living applied on Kift’s website or joined their Discord. Early members have been selectively added to maintain a positive community vibe. Once in, members sign a simple agreement to follow Kift’s community guidelines (e.g. contribute to chores, respect others, no leaving trash, etc.). They then either pay the monthly fee or utilize the NFT (if the NFT itself entitles to some prepaid period) to start staying at properties. Non-NFT Option: Kift also runs a “try for a week” program where anyone can pay around $100 to join one of the community sites for a short staykiftweek.com. This serves as a trial – many full members likely come through experiencing a week and then committing. As Kift grows, the 10,000 NFTs will broadly open membership – essentially anyone who buys in becomes a member, without a heavy vetting beyond community self-selection (people drawn to van-life are the ones likely to buy the NFT). The NFT is also transferable, meaning membership can be sold or traded if someone leaves – this ensures a fluid community with fresh inputs but also might invite speculators (Kift will likely manage this by cultivating culture and maybe approving transfers). In sum, to join Kift one needs to align with the lifestyle and then either subscribe or hold the NFT. On joining, members get perks: they can park and live at any Kift property, join the communal meals, vote on where Kift goes next, and basically plug into an instant village on wheels. It’s worth noting that Kift membership assumes you have a van or mobile tiny home to live in – that is part of the lifestyle (though occasionally there might be a spare bed or tent space, the model is built around mobile living). For those who do, Kift provides a community and places to call home on the road, in exchange for membership payment and participation in the DAO.

9. Culdesac Tempe (Arizona, USA)

Land Size: 17 acres (6.9 hectares). Culdesac Tempe is a privately built neighborhood on a 17-acre site in Tempe, Arizonawww.fox10phoenix.com. It’s essentially a large apartment complex/neighborhood development, laid out as a car-free mini-city with residential and retail buildings, plazas, and green space. The project is the size of a few city blocks, integrated into the existing urban fabric of Tempe (about 2 miles from downtown).
Population: Target ~1,000 residents (about 700 apartments). When fully occupied, Culdesac Tempe is planned to house approximately one thousand people – its 636 to 700 apartment units are designed for around 1–2 people each on averageen.wikipedia.org www.fox10phoenix.com. As of 2024, it’s partially occupied; by April 2024 about 200 residents had moved in during the first phase openingwww.businessinsider.com. The population will grow as remaining buildings are completed and leased. Once done, Culdesac will function like a small neighborhood community of roughly a thousand, making it one of the larger intentional developments of this kind in the U.S. These residents are mostly young professionals and students (drawn by the car-free lifestyle). Unlike some network states, Culdesac’s population is not globally distributed or online – it’s a local, physical community of tenants in one location. The “network” aspect is more about being a prototype for future Culdesac communities elsewhere, rather than connecting a diaspora. Still, within Tempe, Culdesac’s population makes it a significant self-contained community.
Governance Structure: Centralized corporate management. Culdesac Tempe is not self-governed by its residents in the way a town or DAO would be; instead, it is managed by the company that built it (Culdesac, Inc.). The developer serves as the landlord and enforces the community rules through lease agreements and a property management team. For example, Culdesac has a “no personal cars” rule which is written into every tenant’s lease – residents contractually agree not to park a car within ¼ mile of the community, among other termswww.abc15.com. These rules are set by the company and its vision (they have staff like a “Government and External Affairs” lead who interfaces with city authorities on behalf of the community)www.fox10phoenix.com. There is no HOA or resident-elected board; governance is effectively the same as any large apartment complex, where management makes policies (pet policies, noise rules, etc.) and residents must adhere or face eviction. That said, Culdesac does foster a community atmosphere – they organize events, and residents have informal input via feedback to community managers. But any decision-making power lies with Culdesac, Inc. and its property managers. In summary, Culdesac’s governance is corporate paternalism: the private owner designs the environment and rules (car ban, integrated services) and residents opt in by choosing to live there and following those rules. It’s closer to a company town or campus than a democratic community. The upside is consistent implementation of the car-free concept; the trade-off is residents don’t self-govern beyond forming clubs or social committees. Culdesac is also subject to Tempe city governance (zoning, public safety) – for example, city fire and police have jurisdiction, and Culdesac must comply with city ordinances (except where they’ve negotiated exceptions like reduced parking requirements). Overall, the community’s internal governance is centralized and professional, ensuring the founders’ vision is maintained.
Economic Model: Traditional real-estate rental model, augmented by bundled services. Culdesac Tempe functions financially like a standard apartment rental development. Residents pay monthly rent for their apartments (e.g. studios from ~ $1,300, 1BR ~$ n1,400, etc.)culdesac.com. This rent goes to the company as revenue, which it uses to maintain the property, repay investors (the project cost ~$140 million to builden.wikipedia.org), and provide amenities. The unique aspect is that Culdesac has no parking revenue (no garages/permits to charge for) and instead invests in mobility and on-site amenities. Residents are given incentives and services instead of parking: the community provides free light rail transit passes, on-site bike/scooter rentals, car-share services, and a pedestrian-friendly designwww.fox10phoenix.com. These are effectively part of the rent – the rent includes access to these transportation alternatives. Culdesac also earns commercial income: it has 24,000 sq ft of retail space that hosts shops like a grocery store, coffee shop, co-working space, and restaurantsen.wikipedia.org www.fox10phoenix.com. Leasing these retail spots brings in revenue and also serves residents (economic activity stays within the neighborhood). There are no separate “taxes” or HOA fees for residents; everything is covered by rent and the prices at the local businesses. The model is market-driven in that if the concept succeeds, the apartments stay leased at profitable rates; if not, occupancy or rents would fall. The company bet that people will pay a premium to live car-free with walkable convenience, and early signs show strong demand (the first building leased out before opening)www.fox10phoenix.com. Another economic element: Culdesac does not allow residents to have personal cars on site, which means residents likely save money by not owning a car, and can allocate more of their income to rent or local spending. This effectively redirects what would be car expenses (gas, insurance, parking) into the community’s economy. In short, Culdesac’s economy is rent-based with integrated services – rather than charging for parking, they “charge” for a lifestyle. The neighborhood as a whole thrives economically if a critical mass of residents patronize the on-site retail (making it viable) and if the convenience of everything on-site plus provided transit makes it unnecessary for residents to leave/spend elsewhere. In many ways, Culdesac’s model is akin to a private micro-city: it internalizes a lot of economic activity (housing, groceries, dining, coworking) within its 17 acres. This is different from a state with taxes; here the company captures value through rent and reinvests some of it in amenities.
Membership Process: Becoming a member of the Culdesac community is straightforward: rent an apartment. There is no special citizenship or buy-in; one must go through the standard tenant application process (background check, income verification, etc.) as with any rentalwww.reddit.com. The key additional requirement is agreeing to the car-free terms. Prospective tenants must not own or keep a car on-site – in fact, the lease explicitly forbids parking a personal vehicle within a ¼-mile radius of the propertywww.abc15.com. (If a resident does own a car, they’d have to park it far away; Culdesac strongly prefers residents who genuinely live car-free.) So essentially, the selection is self-selecting: people attracted to live here are usually those willing to live without a private car. Once a lease is signed, the resident gets all the benefits: a unit to live in, access to community amenities, free transit pass, etc. There may be a waitlist due to high demand. As of 2023, young professionals, students, and retirees who embrace walking and biking are among those moving in. Renters can be individuals or roommates (Culdesac allows up to 3-bedroom units). There’s no ownership stake for members; they are tenants and can move out at lease end like any apartment. So membership can be transient (one-year lease, for example). However, Culdesac aims to foster a tight community, so it encourages engaged residents – e.g. they host social events to bond neighbors. The cost of membership is just the market rent and adhering to rules (no car, etc.), there’s no separate fee to “join.” Over time, one could imagine a residents’ association forming for community activities, but formal power remains with the company. In summary, anyone who wants the lifestyle and passes standard lease criteria can join Culdesac. The only unusual barriers are the willingness to give up personal car use and likely a premium rent. Once in, residents become part of a like-minded community by default. They get to participate in things like community dinners, use the shared courtyards and gardens, and they become part of Culdesac’s narrative as the first car-free neighborhood – but legally, they are simply renters in a private development. This low-friction, consumer-style membership contrasts with more ideological network states: Culdesac’s community is built by lifestyle preference rather than political or crypto affiliation, making it one of the more accessible “network state” experiences.

10. Principality of Sealand

(While not a tech-driven network state, Sealand is a famous micronation often cited in discussions of alternative sovereignties. It has physical territory and a long-standing community, albeit very small.)

Land Size: 0.004 km² (about 4,000 m² or 1 acre). Sealand consists of an offshore World War II sea fort in the North Sea – essentially a large steel-and-concrete platform with two support towers and a decken.wikipedia.org. It is located ~11 km off the coast of England. The habitable area is just the platform structure (roughly 550 m² of deck plus interior space in the towers). This makes Sealand one of the smallest “countries” by land area in the world (literally the size of a big oil rig)en.wikipedia.org.
Population: 2–5 permanent residents (extremely small). Sealand’s population has never exceeded a few dozen, even at its peak. As of August 2024, only 1 person lives there full-time (typically a caretaker)en.wikipedia.org. In earlier years, the founding family and a small group stayed on the fort – records indicate about 27 people in 2002 during a data hosting venture, which was unusually highworldpopulationreview.com. Most of the time, the population “rarely exceeds 5 persons” on-sitewww.unrepresentedunitednations.org. The royal Bates family (owners) mostly reside on mainland, with visits to Sealand. So, Sealand’s community is incredibly tiny – essentially the Bates family and a few associates make up the “nation.” Despite that, it has attracted thousands of supporters and “honorary citizens” globally who buy Sealand titles or merchandise, but these do not reside on the platform. Therefore, in terms of an actual settled population, Sealand is the smallest state in the world – usually just 1–5 people physically present.
Governance Structure: Hereditary monarchy (self-proclaimed prince/princess). Sealand is ruled by the Bates family as a sovereign principality. The founder, Paddy Roy Bates, declared himself Prince in 1967 and issued a constitution in 1975 establishing Sealand’s governmenten.wikipedia.org. It has a flag, anthem, national motto, and a semblance of a cabinet (all largely symbolic). Roy Bates’ son, Michael Bates, is now the reigning “Prince of Sealand.” Governance is effectively autocratic within the family – they make all decisions regarding Sealand’s use and diplomatic ventures. The family created noble titles (Count, Baron, etc.) which they confer (mostly selling them to outsiders as a fundraiser). There is no democracy or citizen-participation in governance; it’s a de-facto private fiefdom. However, Sealand does have some trappings of state: passports (issued in the past, though later revoked due to misuse by criminals), and they once hosted a data haven company (HavenCo) which effectively administered the platform for a whileen.wikipedia.org. In terms of law, Sealand claims its own jurisdiction, but practically, UK law could be enforced now that UK territorial waters cover it (since 1987 the fort is within UK waters)en.wikipedia.org. Sealand’s governance can be summarized as a micronation monarchy – it is run as the Bates’ personal sovereign property, with a constitution to give it an air of legitimacy but no real separation of powers. Because of its tiny size, governance is simple: the family decides who can visit, what activities occur (like hosting a radio station or internet servers in the past), and handles any security (notably, they once repelled invaders with guns in a 1978 attempted coup). No elections, no public institutions (aside from issuing stamps and coins). So, Sealand represents a model of network state as family enterprise, started as a novelty and maintained as such.
Economic Model: Sales of titles/merchandise and occasional ventures (e.g., data hosting). Sealand has very limited economy. It has no natural resources, no permanent commerce on the platform aside from memorabilia. Historically, Prince Roy tried several schemes: a pirate radio station in the late 1960s (broadcasting from Sealand to bypass UK regulations), a luxury casino idea (never realized), and most famously, HavenCo, a data haven set up in 2000 to host servers free from government oversighten.wikipedia.org. HavenCo paid Sealand for use of the facility and effectively ran the fort as a secure colocation server farm. That venture collapsed by 2008en.wikipedia.org. Nowadays, Sealand’s main revenue comes from its online store, where one can buy Sealand coins, stamps, passports (souvenir only), T-shirts, and most lucratively, noble titles. The Bates family sells peerage titles (e.g., becoming a “Lord of Sealand” costs around £29.99+) as a novelty, and thousands of people have bought these. This “fundraising through fealty” is a clever economic model for a micronationsealandgov.org. Sealand also sometimes charges for visits or media appearances. There are no taxes (with 5 people, none needed); the upkeep of the fort (maintenance, generators, supplies) is paid through the above income and the family’s own money. The cost of running Sealand is relatively low (some tens of thousands of dollars a year for maintenance, presumably). Another aspect: Sealand stamps and coins, while not recognized currency, are bought by collectors, bringing in a modest sumen.wikipedia.org. In summary, Sealand’s economy is small-scale and largely based on its novelty factor – effectively merchandising sovereignty. It does not have a self-sustaining local economy or exports (apart from hosting data in the past). One could say Sealand is sustained by the myth and intrigue of being a tiny “nation,” which people around the world are willing to pay to be a part of in symbolic ways.
Membership Process: Sealand does not have open citizenship or a resident membership program – it’s essentially a closed family domain. The only full citizens are the Bates family and appointed Sealand officials. They have, on occasion, given honorary citizenship or diplomatic passports to friends, but after some were misused in fraud schemes, they stopped issuing passports. Today, the average person cannot become a real Sealand citizen. However, one can become an “Honorary Lord or Lady (or Baron/Baroness)” of Sealand by buying that titleworldpopulationreview.com. This does not confer legal residency or governance rights; it’s a ceremonial association. Similarly, one can purchase an ID card or a piece of Sealand land (a square inch novelty deed) from the website – again purely symbolic. Visiting Sealand is rare and by special invitation; there’s no tourist program (it’s dangerous to land on the platform without permission). So in terms of membership, Sealand’s public “citizens” are really its customers and fans, not citizens in a political sense. They have a community of enthusiasts who proudly hold Sealand titles, effectively a global fan club of a micronation. But actual participation in Sealand’s life is limited to the small group that lives or is invited to the fort. There is an Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (URF) membership Sealand once pursued, but it remains unrecognized diplomatically. Thus, for 99.9% of people, “joining” Sealand means buying a fancy certificate and maybe following their news, not moving there or getting involved in governancewww.unrepresentedunitednations.org. The Bates family has kept control tightly, so there is no pathway to, say, immigrate to Sealand or become a naturalized Sealandic citizen. In a tongue-in-cheek way, one could say the membership process is “add to cart”: if you have ~$50, you can call yourself a Lord of Sealand, and that’s as close to membership as it gets for ordinary folks. It’s a very different model from the other network states – more of a sovereign novelty and business venture than a community one can join and contribute to. Sources: Balaji Srinivasan’s The Network Statewww.coindesk.com www.coindesk.com; Coindesk (2022) on existing network state projectswww.coindesk.com www.coindesk.com; official project websites and whitepapers; news articles and Wikipedia for data on land, population and policies (e.g. Liberland’s area and citizen counten.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org, Satoshi Island planswww.nzherald.co.nz www.nzherald.co.nz, Próspera governance and feesreason.com reason.com, CityDAO’s Wyoming parcel and membershiparbor-analytics.com arbor-analytics.com, Liberstad’s crypto economywww.thecryptoupdates.com www.thecryptoupdates.com, Christiania’s commune structurefarfromhomepodcast.org etonomics.com, Cabin’s network city modelcreators.mirror.xyz creators.mirror.xyz, Kift’s van-life DAO and sitesgearjunkie.com gearjunkie.com, Culdesac’s car-free development detailsen.wikipedia.org www.businessinsider.com, and Sealand’s micronation factsen.wikipedia.org www.unrepresentedunitednations.org). These references and more are cited inline for verification.