<p>In a four-acre piece of land in Utah, a New York man is building his own 'sovereign nation' called Republic of Zaqistan, complete with a national flag, a robot sentry that guards the land and official passports.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Zaq Landsberg bought the land online in northwestern Box Elder County a decade ago.<br />"The conceptual goal is I want it to become a real country. I mean, that goal is not going to happen. It's impossible, but going through the motions, (I'm) trying to make that happen," Landsberg said.<br /><br />The "harsh and desolate" land is known to Landsberg as the Republic of Zaqistan, and he is its president.<br /><br />The land is roughly 96 km from the nearest town, 24 km away from a paved road.<br />Zaqistan has its own flag, a border patrol gate, a supply bunker, a robot sentry that guards the land and even official passports, 'KSL-TV' reported.<br /><br />The passports can be stamped when entering and exiting the land.<br /><br />Landsberg knows it is not a legitimate country recognised by others, but as an art project, he is interested in seeing how far he can push the boundaries of land ownership and sovereignty.<br /><br />Landsberg said one of his goals is to make his 'soverign nation' look legitimate.<br />He has even created a motto for the land of Zaqistan: "Something from nothing."<br /><br />Landsberg pays property taxes to the county, though he refers to them as "tributes" to keep relations friendly.<br /></p>
<p>In a four-acre piece of land in Utah, a New York man is building his own 'sovereign nation' called Republic of Zaqistan, complete with a national flag, a robot sentry that guards the land and official passports.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Zaq Landsberg bought the land online in northwestern Box Elder County a decade ago.<br />"The conceptual goal is I want it to become a real country. I mean, that goal is not going to happen. It's impossible, but going through the motions, (I'm) trying to make that happen," Landsberg said.<br /><br />The "harsh and desolate" land is known to Landsberg as the Republic of Zaqistan, and he is its president.<br /><br />The land is roughly 96 km from the nearest town, 24 km away from a paved road.<br />Zaqistan has its own flag, a border patrol gate, a supply bunker, a robot sentry that guards the land and even official passports, 'KSL-TV' reported.<br /><br />The passports can be stamped when entering and exiting the land.<br /><br />Landsberg knows it is not a legitimate country recognised by others, but as an art project, he is interested in seeing how far he can push the boundaries of land ownership and sovereignty.<br /><br />Landsberg said one of his goals is to make his 'soverign nation' look legitimate.<br />He has even created a motto for the land of Zaqistan: "Something from nothing."<br /><br />Landsberg pays property taxes to the county, though he refers to them as "tributes" to keep relations friendly.<br /></p>