Full Update on the TINY NATION Located Inside Utah

What is the Latest on this Sovereign Nation in Utah?

Back in 2005 an artist from New York named Zaq Landsberg purchased a couple acres in Utah for $610 that was formerly granted to the railroads in the northwestern desert. As an art experiment he declared it a sovereign nation and named it Zaqistan.

He said he wanted people to ponder what it means to be a nation. He made a flag, issued citizenship, put up a welcome sign and a port of entry, and began to rule. Whether it is a wonderful troll job or an art exhibit that makes you think, Zaqistan is pretty dang funny.

The website for Zaqistan lists landmarks and what you might see when you visit. This includes Mount Insurmountable which is the highest point on the plot, really a slight rise. There is the Victory Arch which memorializes an unspecified victory, and a couple of robots that are there to protect the border.

The Best Part of Zaqistan’s Short and Unremarkable History

In this recent video posted by Explore Southwest, they post a visit to Zaqistan earlier this year. Some of the landmarks have fallen down and the sun is baking the paint off others. His revelation at the end was the best part for me.

It turns out that Zaqistan doesn’t actually sit on the land Zaq Landsberg originally purchased. That’s right. This sovereign nation of Zaqistan is on someone else’s land. I’m not sure he planned it that way, but Zaq has made his project up to date with the current controversies.