A British artist announced plans Wednesday to establish a republic on an Arctic island the size of a football pitch created by global warming.
Alex Hartley learned of the existence of the island in 2004 during a meeting with scientists about climate change.
It is situated at latitude 79 degrees north in the Svalbard archipelago and emerged as a result of a glacier melting.
Hartley said his micro-state would not be a tax haven or a kingdom with him as ruler. "I want it to be a republic," he told Norwegian radio.
The office of the Norwegian governor of Svalbard confirmed he had received a letter to that effect but had not yet dealt with it.
Source: Agence France-Presse
