I’ve wanted wealth in my life ever since I was a kid.
As I’ve aged, my vision of wealth has matured over time. Now, it takes into account my net worth, the quantity and quality of the assets under my control, the ability to pay for my kid’s college and other grown-up things. But it took over a decade of growing, maturing, and understanding before I reached this point. During that time a range of markers came to define wealth to me. A Rolex watch, a loaded Audi, owning a big home, owning a private jet, and buying an island all held some temporary top spot in my evolving model of wealth. But, I remember one in particular.
When I was a kid, I wanted to buy a country.
I don’t remember where I got the idea from. To be honest, it may have been a villain in a movie. But something about having enough capital to own a country felt like the wealthiest thing a person could own. For a 12-year-old with an odd infatuation with money, buying a country is a logical life goal. When you are going back and forth with your middle school friends on being rich, who can beat a county.
Kid 1: I’m gonna have a sports car with butterfly doors because I’m so rich Kid 2: Well, I’m gonna have a mansion with a pool and a maid Kid 3: Y’all can come visit me then, cause I’m gonna have a country with a hundred mansions
See … there is no arguing with owning a country.
Can you actually buy a country?
Now, as an informed and mature adult, I wanted to see if my childhood ambitions were truly as delusional as I thought. So I decided to do a little research.
Apparently, you can’t really buy a country. There is a list of billionaires who have enough money to afford one, but who exactly are they buying the country from? And what does it mean to buy a country? Are you the president or prime minister and making laws or do you just own a ton of land? The point is, the idea of just amassing a lot of money and then making an offer to a country in need of some funds is basically a pipe dream.
If you are committed to the dream, there are some opportunities to start your own country. Buying islands are very real. For example, Belize offers several islands for sale, some for less than a house and as little as $200k. After getting your island, you could start your own micro-nation. There is one micro-nation near the UK, Sealand, that is actually looking for a buyer.
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Long story short … it’s a nice dream but not a realistic part of my vision for wealth.
OK, so what country are we buying?
I’ve got something to admit: I was exaggerating a little.
In my new vision of wealth, owning a country means owning a part of its economy, no matter how small. It means that I can put up capital and enjoy the beneficial growth and prosperity of that country. Now, if I think South Africa is poised for an economic boom, I want to know how can I get a piece of South Africa?
Well, it’s really never been easier to “own” part of a country. It’s simple, inexpensive, and can be done in minutes through an online brokerage.
Why do I want to buy a country?
Investing your money is a key part of building wealth. If you hold onto cash, it will lose value through inflation. Your money should be making you more money, and investing, in whatever form makes sense for you, is the way to do that.
One tactic I have employed in the past is making bets on industries and countries.
For example, after seeing a presentation at work about tech companies in China, I was really impressed by the market and opportunity overseas. After doing a little research, I was ready to go put some money into Chinese tech companies. They were making great products, had a huge market, and had the government helping to stop competition.
There were a few ways for me to invest in Chinese tech companies. The traditional way would be to research a few big companies over there and buy some stock in a few different ones. I could call a fund manager somewhere and tell him to find me some investments. And then there is the lazy way I decided to use; buy an ETF, an exchange-traded fund.
As Chinese tech companies have continued to grow, make more money, and grow in valuation, I have profited. It’s just a part of my well-diversified portfolio, but it was an easy way for me to take what I hear about the world and other countries and turn it into an investment that makes sense for me.
How do you buy a country?
Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), invented in 1993, are one of the greatest financial inventions of the last 25 years. They are the more evolved version of mutual funds. They offer extremely easy ways to buy into hundreds of thousands of companies at the same time. They can be sold at any time like a stock, cost $0 to trade if you use Robinhood, and offer lower fees than mutual funds. And, now there are so many to choose from you can easily make an industry or country investment 100x easier than 20 years ago.
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There are a lot of different ETFs covering a lot of different things. The “basic” ETF that most people should own and I personally recommend are broad US stock market funds (VTI) and represents the US economy. Want some bonds, buy all of them with a US Bond ETF (BND). Interested in energy, healthcare, or technology … don’t worry because they have an ETF for that also (VDE, VHT, VGT).
But we are here to talk about countries. And ETFs do not disappoint.
There are hundreds of ETFs allowing you to own and invest in different parts of different countries. It’s a way to strategically invest in international trends you understand and feel good about, or simply to invest in a way that feels good with your internal compass. Since I am a big supporter of robo-advisors for affordable wealth management and a personal Wealthfront customer, I already have international exposure automatically through Wealthfront, and use ETFs for smaller strategic investments in other countries.
Are you Nigerian and tired of going home every year to hear your Dad and Uncle talk for hours over Thanksgiving about how Nigeria is about to blow up? Have you been listening to their debates for the last 5 years thinking that they know something and you need to get involved? Have you also thought about how your Uncle can’t be trusted with $5, let alone your hard earned money when it comes to investing back home?
No problem. NGE is Global X’s fund that seeks to invest in the largest and most liquid companies in Nigeria. It’s an easy way to actually invest in Nigeria compared to finding individual companies or asking your Uncle to “make an introduction”.
One thing to watch out for is the fees. For example, NGE’s expense ratio of 1.10% is 27.5x higher than Vanguard’s US Total Market (VTI) fund at 0.04%. Depending on the country, company, and industry, these expense ratios will vary and they do matter. But, it’s still one of the easiest and safest ways to invest in a specific country.
How do I find the countries I’m interested in?
There are a lot of different ETFs that will help you invest in a specific country, several hundred actually.
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The first place to look is the first place you always look on the internet … Google. Try searching for “[country name] ETF”. For example, looking for South Africa quickly routed me to EZA, an iShares ETF focused on large-cap companies in South Africa.
To get you started, here is a list of ETFs for major countries:
If you don’t see what you’re looking for, check out Seeking Alpha’s or The Balance’s list of country-specific ETFs. You can also find specific industries in a country to get more specific.
Once you’ve decided on a country, take some time and look at the different ETFs available. One big thing to watch for is the expense ratio. High fees require your investment to grow even more before you make a return. You may not have a choice with some countries but shop around if you can. Find a reputable company with other funds under management and a high trade volume to ensure liquidity.
Have you ever invested internationally? Have a strong bet on a country’s economy and want to hear other opinions? Leave a comment below and join the discussion.
Damien Peters
Damien is a Personal Finance Nerd and former Facebook Product Manager who started Wealth Noir to help others find wealth. He actively invests in stocks, robo advisors, and cryptocurrency … but loves real estate investing. He holds an MBA from MIT and a Comp Sci & Econ degrees from Unv. of MD. He’s a proud dad, which is his biggest accomplishment.
Can you buy a country? In theory, no, civil governments are not for sale. Even if you owned all the land in a country, you wouldn't technically be in charge of the country.
Puerto Rico, Guam and The Phillipines were bought by the US (compensated from Spain) for $20 million at the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898 during the Treaty of Paris.
If humans were to sell the Earth off, Greg Laughlin, an assistant professor from the University of California, estimated the Earth's price to be $5 quadrillion. After considering different factors and variables, his published studies suggest that we live on one of the most expensive planets.
The largest unclaimed territory on Earth is in Antarctica. Marie Byrd Land, a 620,000-square-mile collection of glaciers and rock formations, lies in the western portion of the southernmost continent. Because of its remoteness, no nation has ever claimed it.
The newest country in the world is South Sudan. The African country of South Sudan, which declared independence on July 9, 2011, is the world's latest internationally recognised country. It became a United Nations member in the days that followed.
1. Somalia: As a nation, Somalia has been struggling with a variety of issues. Once it pertains to military power, it is the weakest. ... There are 23 countries with no military and could be easily conquered.
Texas secession movements, also known as the Texas independence movement or Texit, refers to both the secession of Texas during the American Civil War as well as activities of modern organizations supporting such efforts to secede from the United States and become an independent sovereign state.
In the U.S., Canada, the Bahamas, and most of Central America, you can buy an island. Environmental restrictions may limit what you can build on an island, so it helps to find an island with a property that can be grandfathered in, Krolow says.
The answer is yes, but not without some difficulties. Firstly, unclaimed islands are usually unclaimed for a reason. The US retains 12 islands under this act—some are almost entirely submerged, others are without water.
So for both 1 acre and 5 acre plots, our cheapest states to buy land are New Mexico, Arizona, Mississippi, closed followed by Florida, Texas, Colorado, and Oregon. Some great news for you here is that at Compass Land USA, we do a lot of work in Colorado, Arizona, and Florida.
Foreigners can own property in Mexico. It's perfectly legal. Outside the restricted zones—50 kilometers (about 31 miles) from shorelines and 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) from international borders—foreigners can hold direct deed to property with the same rights and responsibilities as Mexican nationals.
Currently, 77 million people own 62% of the land in the U.S. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Urban areas make up only 3 percent of the entire land area of the country but are home to more than 80 percent of the population.
The answer is yes, foreigners are allowed to purchase property in China! The essential requirement is that you have studied or worked in China for at least one year on a residence permit. Foreigners are allowed to only own one residential property for dwelling purposes.
Those closest to Earth, for example, would be worth $14.000 (Mars) and a trillionth of a cent (Venus). The most Earth-like exoplanet, Gilese 581g, discovered in 2010, would be worth $60.000.
As tempting as it might be to declare your cubicle a sovereign state, customary international law actually does specify minimum standards for statehood. You must have a defined territory. You must have a permanent population. You must have a government.
Pitcairn Island – The Benefits. If the idea of moving to the world's most remote island is something you dream about, then the Pitcairn Islands' offer of free land might be just what you're looking for. You'll be more isolated from the rest of the world than Napoleon in exile!
By many accounts, the Republic of San Marino, one of the world's smallest countries, is also the world's oldest country. The tiny country that is completely landlocked by Italy was founded on September 3rd in the year 301 BCE.
The most likely nations to fight a war with America are Russia and China. Although neither are allies, and they have had significant political differences in the past, both are currently challenging America global dominance. Looking at Russia and China's armies combined, they could actually defeat America.
Which are the easiest countries to immigrate to from the US? Portugal, Malta and Spain are some of the easiest countries to relocate to from the United States. American citizens can either gain permanent residency or apply for citizenships via each country's Citizenship by Invest programs.
On April 22, 2021, the United States House of Representatives voted 216–208 in favor of statehood for Washington, D.C. A similar bill, S. 51, "A bill to provide for the admission of the State of Washington, D.C. into the Union" was earlier introduced into the United States Senate.
Tellingly, on the matter of whether states retained a right to unilaterally secede from the United States, the federalists made it clear that no such right would exist under the Constitution.
Since the mid-19th century, the mountainous region of northern California and parts of southwestern Oregon have been proposed as a separate state. In 1941, some counties in the area ceremonially seceded, one day a week, from their respective states as the State of Jefferson.
When someone wants to claim ownership of land that's not theirs, it is called Adverse Possession. To claim Adverse Possession you would need to make an application to the Land Registry. The Land Registry have a strict set of criteria you must meet before you can claim land you do not own.
In all, more than 160 million acres (650 thousand km2; 250 thousand sq mi) of public land, or nearly 10 percent of the total area of the United States, was given away free to 1.6 million homesteaders; most of the homesteads were west of the Mississippi River.
Those empty blocks add up to 4.61 million square km (1.78 million sq. mi), which corresponds to just under 47% of the total area of the United States. So, despite having a population of 310 million – the world's third largest, after China and India – close to half of the U.S. is bereft of human habitation.
Life With Larry. This is Lanai, Hawaii's sixth-largest island. Larry Ellison owns 98% of it—everything except what's shown here in black. This is Lanai, Hawaii's sixth-largest island.
Answer and Explanation: In 1856, the United States Congress passed the Guano Islands Act. This law allowed the United States to claim uninhabited islands if they were uninhabited and unclaimed by any other nation or government.
Sardinia, a sizable island off the coast of Italy, is offering potential new residents €15,000 ($14,585) to relocate. In response to a shrinking population, Sardinia's government is aiming to boost residential numbers with a new initiative, according to Forbes.
Prices can range from approximately US $500,000 for a 0.5 to 1 acre undeveloped private island up to US $10 to $12 million for larger 60 to 70 acre islands, often with some infrastructure and development in place such as existing homes, docks, roads and airstrips.
There are more than 2 million uninhabited islands in the world. Some are protected as nature reserves, while some are owned by private individuals or groups. Some others remain inhabited due to political or religious reasons.
Buying land in Arizona is easy, because these properties often don't have utilities. This helps keep land for sale in Arizona cheap and affordable. This doesn't mean that you won't ever be able to get utilities to your Arizona land.
Plus, the state limits property tax increases with a valuation cap limiting annual appraised value increases to just 3%. This keeps taxes for homeowners in the state extremely low. With these low taxes, purchasing land in New Mexico is much more affordable than in any surrounding state.
Is $100 in Mexico a lot? With today's exchange rates, $100 USD is about $1,900 – $2,000 MXN. Compared to wages, $1,900 MXN is about weeks' worth of salary for most manual labor jobs outside the major cities of Mexico. So for locals that have basic day labor jobs, it is a decent amount of money.
The last time the United States bought a foreign territory — through a monetary transaction and not just a signed treaty — was in 1917, when the Virgin Islands were acquired from Denmark.
Islands can be sold in two different ways. A freehold island, which is much more common in the Caribbean, North America, and Europe, can be bought outright.
Micronations are classified separately from states with limited recognition and quasi-states, nor are they considered to be autonomous nor self-governing as they lack the legal basis in international law for their existence.
Individual countries have the right to place restrictions on non-citizens who want to own properties. Even if the country you're interested in allows foreigners to buy homes, you may be required to obtain special residence permits or register with a government agency before you can complete a home purchase.
The largest unclaimed territory on Earth is in Antarctica. Marie Byrd Land, a 620,000-square-mile collection of glaciers and rock formations, lies in the western portion of the southernmost continent. Because of its remoteness, no nation has ever claimed it.
The Louisiana Purchase has been described as the greatest real estate deal in history. In 1803 the United States paid France $15 million for the Louisiana Territory--828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River.
The answer is yes, but not without some difficulties. Firstly, unclaimed islands are usually unclaimed for a reason. The US retains 12 islands under this act—some are almost entirely submerged, others are without water.
Simon Sellars of The Australian and Red Bull describe Sealand as the world's smallest country, but Sealand is not officially recognised by any established sovereign state.
Thirty miles southeast of Reno, in Nevada, US, is a country you've never heard of. It stands on a tiny strip of land—little over an acre—and plenty of imagination. The Republic of Molossia is a tongue-in-cheek, self-proclaimed dictatorship that's easily among the most ridiculous of 'nations' around the world.
You do not need a green card, a particular type of visa, or even US citizenship to be eligible to do so. Anyone may buy and own property in the United States, regardless of citizenship.
Foreigners can own property in Mexico. It's perfectly legal. Outside the restricted zones—50 kilometers (about 31 miles) from shorelines and 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) from international borders—foreigners can hold direct deed to property with the same rights and responsibilities as Mexican nationals.
Introduction: My name is Geoffrey Lueilwitz, I am a zealous, encouraging, sparkling, enchanting, graceful, faithful, nice person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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