other · France and the Low Countries

Neutral Moresnet

1816 CE – 1920 CE · capital Kelmis

A tiny wedge-shaped territory between Belgium and Prussia, left jointly governed for a century because neither side would give up its zinc mine.

Origins

After 1815, the Netherlands and Prussia could not agree on the border near Aachen because both wanted the valuable Vieille Montagne zinc mine at Kelmis. In 1816 they left a small triangle of land under joint administration, with Belgium taking the Dutch role after 1830.

Rule and society

Neutral Moresnet was run by a mayor and two royal commissioners, one from each neighbour. Its residents paid low taxes and avoided conscription, and the Vieille Montagne company dominated the economy. After the mine was exhausted in 1885, enthusiasts promoted it as a possible Esperanto state called Amikejo, and the territory became known for its gambling and distillery.

Decline and legacy

The Treaty of Versailles of 1919 assigned the territory to the Kingdom of Belgium, effective in 1920. Kelmis, its main village, is now part of Belgium's German-speaking community.

Lineage

Neutral MoresnetKingdom of Belgium 1830 CE – present

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Neutral Moresnet. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/neutral-moresnet
MLA
“Neutral Moresnet.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/neutral-moresnet. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Neutral Moresnet.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/neutral-moresnet.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Neutral Moresnet’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/neutral-moresnet (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻