Moresnet (Rise of the Statelets)

Nicknamed "The Stateless State".

Created in 1815 as a result of a dispute between Prussis (later part of Germany) and Belgium as to who would have access to its mines. Known as Neutral Moresnet, it had few resources other than its mining. The original inhabitants and their descendants had no formal nationality - but could serve in either of the armies of the two surrounding states - or have legal disputes settled in whichever court suited the participants best.

It was going to be absorbed into Belgium with the Treaty of Versailles, but then the proposal was made to make it the capital of the League of Nations. This was accepted, as was the earlier intention of making Moresnet the first Esperanto speaking entity, and all the rights of the original inhabitants were extended to delegates. (There was thus some interesting [[International Law created as various different legal systems were coopted to suit particular needs.)

When what was to become the European Union was established, it was natural to have the organisation based in Moresnet, rather than the alternative proposal of a peripatetic centre.