[Dangerious P. Cats]

If you could make an island could you also make it with copious natural resources? I imagine that you'd be well recognised if your island was rich in minerals though it would pay not to mention this until you have a population and infrastructure since I doubt world powers would blink at annexing it if they only had to deal with a small party of people.

In terms of populating your island the citizens of a number of island nations are looking for a new home due to their islands being flooded by rising sea levels. Assuming you had sufficient politics and diplomacy you could try and transfer much of their population and infrastructure to your new island nation (assuming its creation didn't further flood their old homes). Once settled having the citizens and infrastructure of existing nations essentially merge into yours would make recognition much easier.