Few People Know There’s A Sovereign Country Hidden Along The Carson River In Nevada

Nevada is a vast state that is known for its rich mining history and wild west footprint. However, did you know that within the state borders lies a completely sovereign country? You heard right! This sovereign nation in Nevada is known as the Republic of Molossia (also called Molossia) and has everything you’d expect a nation to have! Let’s take a closer look at this fascinating country that also calls Nevada home.

The Republic of Molossia is located about a thirty-minute drive west of Carson City.

The Republic of Molossia is a micronation. It’s a small country – very small. Molossia covers less than two acres of land. You can find it hugging the Carson River in Dayton, Nevada.

The country was originally called the Grand Republic of Vuldstein when it was founded in 1977. The name was changed in 1998 to the Kingdom of Molossia nearly 20 years later.

So, who rules over Molossia? That would be Kevin Baugh, who also founded the nation with a friend when they were teenagers. The fearless leader can be seen representing the nation in various events and is well-loved by his people.

While in the Republic of Molossia, visit the Friendship Gateway, the Bank of Kickassia, and the Molossian Government Office.

Get your passport stamped! Visitors can tour Molossia, however, please do not show up unannounced. Review the nation's website for tour dates and important visiting information to set up a visit.

Travelers to the nation should be prepared for Molossia’s currency of Valora and cookie dough, and though the national languages include English, be ready to converse in Esperanto and Spanish.

To learn so much more about the micronation, as well as peruse its online store, see the country's official website.

Like many nations, Molossia has seen its fair share of conflict. The brutality of war includes a conflict with another micronation, Moustachestan, in 2006.

Thankfully, the war only lasted some weeks and resulted in a peace treaty that year. Reparations were made in cookie dough. Rest assured when visiting, the nation of Molossia has been rather peaceful since.

What do the colors of the nation's flag represent? The color blue pays homage to the nation's strength and desert sky, while the white symbolizes purity and the Nevada mountains, and lastly, the green is for prosperity and the Molossian landscape.

The Republic of Molossia’s national animal is the mustang and the desert quail. The nation also has a national drink called the Molossolini which is non-alcoholic and said to be quite delicious.

Take a trip to the Republic of Molossia with CNN correspondent Vanessa Yurkevich in this quick video touring the country:

The idea to give rise to a nation within the United States stemmed from the imaginations of two teenagers in the 1970s. It’s amazing that their dream became a reality right here in Nevada! The Republic of Molossia is an incredibly fun and unique addition to the wonderful attractions in the state, and one can only hope the nation continues to prosper for many more years to come. Would you ever visit this micro country in Nevada? Be sure to get your passport stamped and tell us all about it.

If you think a micronation in Nevada is pretty far out there, you should check out this list of 12 pretty insane things that happened in Nevada that you probably didn't know about.