Fiji achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1970, but don’t ask the government to prove it. The actual legal document proclaiming their independence seems to have been misplaced.

The historic document was presented to the Fiji government by the Prince of Wales on October 10, 1970. It formalized the British government’s relinquishment of any claim to the island nation. The country’s first constitution was based upon this very significant foundational document..

Unfortunately, since 2005, no one seems to be able to remember where the Declaration was placed. Despite a thorough search by several government departments, no one has been able to turn up the founding document for the modern nation of Fiji.

Left with no other alternative, red-faced diplomats reached out to the British government in 2010 and requested a photocopy. The United Kingdom graciously complied with the request. One can’t help but wonder if anyone at 10 Downing Street toyed with the idea of responding with, “Independence? Who said anything about independence? By the way…. We need to talk to you about forty years of delinquent taxes….”

Read about the embarrassing situation when two nations showed up at the Olympics with identical national flags.

Read about the woman whose name is on the United States’ Declaration of Independence.

Read about the clues that may exist in the United States’ Declaration of Independence that lead to a buried treasure.