Zaqistan, officially the Republic of Zaqistan, is a micronation in Box Elder County, Utah, created in 2005 by self-declared president Zaq Landsberg.[1] The land has no residents or buildings on it, although Landsberg and volunteers have installed monuments and a border patrol gate, and he refers to the money sent yearly to the State of Utah for the property not as taxes but instead a "tribute" which he pays to maintain peaceful foreign relations.[2] Its state department does not accept applications for citizenship, though previously it was granted for free to anyone who asked, with the option of a passport for a suggested fee of US$50.[2][3]
Landsberg, a sculptor who lives in Brooklyn, won the land in an eBay auction for the minimum bid of $610 in July 2005.[2] Its size has been variously described as 2 acres (8,090 m2)[2][3] and 4 acres.[1][4] The nearest town is Montello, Nevada, about 60 miles (100 km) away.[1][2]
