Geography enthusiast Daniel Jackson was 14 when he discovered a patch of unclaimed land on the banks of the Danube River on the border between Croatia and Serbia.  

Four years later, the Australianand a group of friends decided to declare a new nation on the site, which is slightly bigger than the Vatican City. They called their micronation Verdis. 

The name is derived from the Latin word for "green" (Viridis) — a nod not only to the trees covering the claimed territory, but also to the founders' ambition to build an environmentally conscious state.  

What began as a thought experiment has since evolved into an ambitious nation-building project. But not only is Verdis not officially recognized, there has also been stiff opposition from Croatia.   

DW spoke to Daniel Jackson about his motivation and his hopes for this micronation.