The group of people that run PirateBay.org have announced plans to purchase the man-made island called Sealand. The structure sitting out at sea was originally called HM Fort Roughs and was formally a Maunsell Sea Fort off the coast of England. Although Sealand does not have a government that is recognized by any country, the small population that it holds -- roughly ten -- does claim rights to sovereignty.

With that in mind, the owners of PirateBay.org plan to move their operation over to Sealand so that they can remain separated by any foreign government jurisdiction. Of course, there's one main reason why this is in the works to begin with, and it all has to do with avoiding copyright laws. According to the PirateBay.org group:

With the help of all the kopimists on Internets, we want to buy Sealand. Donate money and you will become a citizien. We’ve set up a forum to discuss how the country is supposed to function. It should be a great place for everybody, with high-speed Internets access, no copyright laws and VIP accounts to The Pirate Bay.

At this point in time, the number of donations are unknown and it is still unknown whether all this will even be possible. Even if the group claims Sealand to be their own, its government body may not be recognized by international treaties and countries. Despite this, the PirateBay.org group has a plan: "If we do not get enough money required to buy the micronation of Sealand, we will try to buy another small island somwhere and claim it as our own country (prices start from USD 50 000)."