---
title: "What is Austenasia?"
url: https://austenasia.org/about-us/what-is-austenasia/
date: 2026-08-08
modified: 2026-08-08
lang: en
author: "austenasiantimes"
description: "You may be wondering - what is Austenasia? Austenasia is a self-declared sovereign state, often classified as a micronation, founded in South London in 2008. It is a constitutional monarchy..."
image: https://i0.wp.com/austenasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/NSSflagfly-1.jpg?fit=960%2C960&ssl=1
word_count: 250
---

# What is Austenasia?

You may be wondering - **what is Austenasia?**

Austenasia is a self-declared sovereign state, often classified as a micronation, founded in South London in 2008. It is a [constitutional monarchy](https://austenasia.org/monarchy/) with its own [government](https://austenasia.org/government-of-austenasia/), constitution, [laws](https://austenasia.org/legislation/), [territories](https://austenasia.org/territory/), institutions and [national symbols](https://austenasia.org/national-symbols/). You may be familiar with other micronations, such as Sealand, Ladonia, Molossia and many other.

The town of Wrythe declared independence from the United Kingdom as the **Empire of Austenasia**. Emperor Terry I was unanimously proclaimed the nation's first Monarch, and his son Crown Prince Jonathan was unanimously proclaimed the first Prime Minister. Crown Prince Jonathan then wrote a Constitution, which after being accepted by every Austenasian resident was sent with a Declaration of Independence via e-mail to the MP for Carshalton and Wallington, Tom Brake. On Monday 13 October 2008, Austenasia's Declaration of Independence was sent to Gordon Brown, then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and on 30 December 2008, the Declaration of Independence was again sent, to the UK Home Office, as no reply had been received from any of the previous declarations.

The surrounding British town of Carshalton began to become aware of its new sovereign neighbour, when [on 22 January an article was published in the *Sutton Guardian*, a local newspaper, on the founding of the Empire](https://austenasia.org/press-and-media-coverage/).

Since our humble beginnings as a family venture, we have expanded to six continents, 120 subjects and over 600 honorary subjects. To see what's the latest buzz, feel free to look at our [Austenasian Times news archive](https://austenasia.org/austenasian-times/).