Gapla
Federated States of Gapla | |
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 Flag
 Coat of arms
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| Motto: "Erit Ergo Justitia" (Latin) "Justice will be Served" | |
| Anthem: "Hail Gaplastovia" | |
State seal | |
| Capital | New Gaplastovia |
| Largest city | Sweet Falls |
| Official languages | English |
| Recognized languages | |
| Ethnic groups (only residents counted) |
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| Religion (only residents counted) |
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| Demonym(s) | Gaplan |
| Government | Federative Representative Constitutional Monarchy |
• Monarch | Wyatt of the Danubias |
| Hendrik Täks | |
| Amalia Battle | |
| Legislature | Provisional Government |
| Establishment | |
• Establishment of Gapla-Phoenix | 24 August 2015 |
• Restoration | 28 February 2019 |
• Federation | 6 March 2019 |
• First constitution | 23 March 2019 |
• Current name | 2 May 2019 |
| 10 September 2019 | |
| 16 June 2023 | |
| 20 October 2023 | |
| 31 January 2024 | |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.83 km2 (0.32 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2024 estimate | 350 |
| Currency | Gapla Dollar (GPD) |
| Time zone | Time in Gapla |
| Date format | YYYY - MM - DD |
| Drives on | Right |
| Internet TLD | .fg |
Website my | |
Gapla, officially the Federated States of Gapla (FSG) and co-officially the Gaplan Federation, is a country located in Southeast Europe, along the Danube. It borders Croatia to the west and shares a river border with Serbia to the east. A federation of two constituent states and two territories, its territory of Greater Danubia consists of former terra nullius. The country has approximately 450 e-Residents, approximately 70 of whom are full citizens, and spans approximately 205 acres.
The Croatia–Serbia border dispute, involving conflicting territorial claims along the Danube, emerged following the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Croatia claims that the border should follow cadastral records from Yugoslavia, which defined internal administrative boundaries between its constituent republics. In contrast, Serbia claims that the border should follow the Danube's thalweg, a principle traditionally applied to international borders. The dispute intensified after Croatia's declaration of independence in 1991, with both countries inheriting conflicting interpretations of their international border. As a result of this dispute, four pockets of territory on the west bank of the Danube river were left unclaimed by both Croatia and Serbia, resulting in terra nullius. Gapla claims the pocket west of Apatin as its constituent state of Cristus and Pocket 2 as its constituent state of Gaplastovia, and is the only legitimate claimant to these territories, following the de facto dissolution of Ongal and the Gapla's subsequent claim.
Gapla's government is comprised of a judicial branch, a federal branch (consisting of a legislature and an executive), and a royal branch (a ceremonial monarchy). Within the executive, nine members are elected: mayors are elected for each municipality, governors are elected for each state, and a President and Deputy President are elected for the entire country. The remaining eleven members of the National Assembly are elected using party-list proportional representation in annual elections. In an effort initiated in 2023, the country shifted from its prior status as a traditional micronation and changed its primary goal to become a settled country in the future. In 2024, the Gaplan government became inoperative as the Provisional Government took control of the country to expedite the effort.
Etymology
The origin of the name "Gapla" is largely unknown. The name—credited to Wyatt Baek—was first used for the Republic of Gapla, a predecessor state of modern Gapla and a constituent republic of Gapla-Phoenix. However, Baek claims that the name predated Gapla-Phoenix, but has also claimed that he does not remember the name's etymology. Some have claimed that Baek has deliberately chosen not to reveal the name's etymology, a claim he has denied.
A common hypothesis is that the name "Gapla" originated from a portmanteau of "Gap" and "LA" (i.e. the "gap" in the United States near the city of Los Angeles), as pre-Danubian Gapla claimed territory near Los Angeles. However, this hypothesis has been discredited by Gaplan historians as unlikely.