A remote, car-free island off the coast of England is hoping to grow its population of 500, and you could be the next resident
- The car-free island of Sark, part of England's Channel Islands, has just under 500 residents.
- The island's declining population led local Swen Lorenz to create the Sark Society, which is encouraging new people to move to the island.
- Residents only have to pay a small tax each year to live on the island, which has sandy beaches and coastal hiking paths.
- People get around the quaint village by walking, biking, or using a horse and carriage.
The tiny and picturesque island of Sark, which is located off the coast of England, has a dwindling population. Now, it's hoping to entice new people to move to the under-the-radar, remote destination.
Sark had a population of around 650 in the mid-2000s during the region's last economic boom, but the number of residents has been declining ever since, an island local, Swen Lorenz, told Insider.
A rumor that Sark's only supermarket might go out of business inspired Lorenz to create the Sark Society, an organization dedicated to enticing new people to relocate to the village.
Lorenz said that even with a potential influx of new residents, Sark will never feel overcrowded. He predicts that the entire island can accommodate, at maximum, 800 to 1,000 people.
The remote island is the smallest of England's four Channel Islands and offers a quaint, outdoorsy lifestyle
Located 80 miles off the southern coast of England, the island is filled with hiking trails and incredible coastal views, and residents can relax on Sark's sandy beaches.
Sark is one of the few places in the world where cars are banned. Residents can get around by walking, cycling, or taking a horse and carriage.
The island also doesn't have any street lights, which allows for crystal-clear views of the night sky. In 2011, Sark was recognized as the world's first "dark sky island" for its lack of light pollution, according to the BBC.
In addition, residents can enjoy local seafood, like lobster and scallops.
"Seafood is so fresh here that sometimes it has only been out of the water a couple of hours," says the official Sark website.
The island is also known for its wildlife. Bird-watchers can discover a variety of species, and bottlenose dolphins are known to swim in the waters around Sark.
The Sark Society is offering new residents a 'limited' opportunity to move to the under-the-radar island
Along with the island's natural beauty, the Sark Society notes that residents are only required to pay a small annual tax based on their property size.
British citizens can move to the island at any time, and those with an EU, EEA, or Swiss passport can move freely until December 31, 2020, when the timeline closes for "freedom of movement."
All other passport holders will need to apply for a visa.
Similar opportunities to relocate to practically untouched islands are popping up around the world. The Isle of Rum, off the coast of Scotland, has created an incentive to increase its population of just 30 residents.