Nations: Mania: ContentsNations: Mania: Contents
The "foreigners'
passport"History
Bonvenon al la Respubliko Mania! Welcome to the Republic of Mania! You have reached the national website the world's smallest state. I am Mania's only citizen, and Mania's territory is defined as anywhere closer to me than to anyone else at any given time. As it is universally acknowledged that the only just basis for national government is the consent of the people, I have withdrawn that consent from all other nations, and declared Mania an independent republic.
The reasons for this were (a) to create a satire on the nation state (see the essay Imagine...), (b) to assert my right to personal freedom, and (c) probably linked to a weird childhood. Read this history to find out more.
"I the person..."Constitution
What phrase could be more symbolic of the pursuit of individual liberty than the opening words of the Constitution of the United States of America: "We the people..."? Well, if you really mean individual liberty, the opening words of the Consitution of the Republic of Mania of course: "I the person...". Click here to read it.
Mi amas "Mania"Name
A vanishingly small percentage of the world's established states bear names which coincide with mental illnesses. Where does the Republic of Mania's name originate, what does it mean, and what does it tell us about its nature and the outlook of its citizen? Click here to find out.
The "kiss"Flag
The flag of the Republic of Mania is sometimes affectionately called 'the kiss', reflecting the similarity of the central red emblem to the mark sometimes left by made-up lips. The kiss itself is a red, mirrored 'M', centred on a white disk, brilliant against a field of black. The apparent simplicity of this design masks a deep and layered symbolism which came to me in a dream, or at least when I was very drunk. To achieve a complete understanding of the flag is to achieve a complete understanding of the Republic it represents.
"Wonderful World"Anthem
The Republic's anthem is a work of simple joy: What a Wonderful World, written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss, and first performed by the inimitable Louis Armstrong. Some visitors to Mania are surprised that a state founded on such an consciousness of world tyranny should have an anthem which they condemn as complacent; but they are pretentious wankers who cannot distinguish between an adult awareness that humanity has far to go, and a joyless pose of universal and meaningless cynicism. If you aren't one of them, click on the picture for a little information about this great, great song.
"Learn Esperanto!
Speak to the world!"Language
When Ludovic Lazarus Zamenhof published the Unua Libro or 'first book' describing his international language, he signed himself Esperanto or 'he who hopes', and this was to become both the name of the language, and an expression of its spirit. Zamenhof believed that a universal second language would allow people of any nationality to communicate, and thus promote human solidarity. It was a natural choice as the official language of Mania, where it is also treasured for its simplicity, elegance, and beautiful sound. Click here to learn more about Mania's language, and perhaps to start learning it yourself: it's fun!
This man IS an islandMania's territory
Mania's territory is famously defined as being that part of the world closer to its sole citizen than to anyone else at any given time: but what does that mean in practice? What mathematics lie behind this curious definition, and is it possible to have a territory with no permanent location? For answers which may surprise you, and challenge a few of your notions about the established nations you think you understand, click on the picture.
A cabinet
of top brainsGovernment
In another of the paradoxes for which the Republic of Mania is justly thought annoying, though its population is limited to one, its government draws together a group of the world's greatest leaders, thinkers, and creators. A nation benefitting from the guidance of Spike Milligan, Jorge Luis Borges and Leiutenant Columbo will never go far wrong. Learn the composition of the world's greatest government by clicking here.
The undemocratic
states shall not pass!Diplomacy
Mania does not recognise the 'sovereignty' of any state which bases its authority over people not on their active and universal consent, but on an arrogant presumption of authority over anyone who happens to be born in, or to live in, a particular part of the world: a presumption ultimately reliant on force of arms. It follows that Mania does not recognise any of the 191 'member states' of the United Nations, nor does it seek their recognition. So there.
There are however states which are built on the universal consent of their citizens, and Mania has a policy of pursuing diplomatic relations and international cooperation with them. To find out who they are, click on the picture.
A passport to ManiaCitizenship
While Mania has only one citizen, it does have a program of honorary citizenship and civil honours to extend formal gestures of friendship to others. Click here to learn more about Manic citizenship.
The angel
of ManiaCapital
When the variable Manic territory is sometimes as little as a metre across, how does the Mania's capital city, Cxi Tie, claim a greater diversity of monuments and wonders than than any other city in the world? Admire the historic Manic Cathedral, the inspiring Statue of Mania, the breathtaking Manic Mountain, the iconic Manic Tower, and you still won't have exhausted what the astonishing city of Cxi Tie has to give. Click here for a tour.
Mania's currency:
the 'eblo'Currency
The Central Bank of Mania is responsible for the Manic currency or eblo: an Esperanto word meaning 'possibility'. The eblo represents infinite and varied prospects, and you are invited to forge as many as you need.
Sadly, the currency languishes somewhat on international money markets, where it's current exchange rate of an one eblo to zero dollars has been known to crash computer systems. While the eblo is an unrestricted, fully exchangeable currency, at present it is only exchangeable for other eblo. To learn more of what we believe to be the world's weakest currency, click on the picture.
Manic stampsPost
Mania's postal system is a modest affair, as most things are moved across the country by my picking them up and then putting them down again somewhere else. However, as a symbol of national prestige, the Manic Post Office mints stamps which may be printed out and stuck onto envelopes. These stamps are valid in all countries where the postal workers don't check too carefully, or simply have a sense of humour - which, I have discovered, is almost all of them.
Manic transportTransport
Unlike the infrastructure of tamer states, the transport system of Mania is designed not to take people around Mania, but Mania around the world! It boasts an unrivaled range of air, land, and sea vehicles, all accessible using Mania's unique International Travel Pass, which you are invited to forge for your own use. Click here to be whisked away...
A gift of the worldDownloads
Don't leave our country without a gift! Choose from our multimedia downloads, and take a keepsake (or several!) with the compliments of the person of Mania: and come back and visit us again soon.