[hider=The Federalised Republic of Artesia WIP] [hider=Nation Name Here] [B]Name:[/B] The Federalised Republic of Arteria [B]Demonym:[/B] Arterians [B]Description: [/B] The Federalised Republic of Arteria sees itself as a bastion of democracy and economic control that the world can rest upon. It has a long standing tradition of celebrating individual freedoms and the provision of extensive social system which is propped up by centuries of strong economic performance. The Federalised Republic of Arteria draws its origins from the Republic of Turingia, one of the few republics of the middle ages which was famous for its banking and control of the financial strings of many local neighbours. Through a keen control of economic flows, Turingia would become a source of finance for local nations then move to bankrupt them once they were loaded with debt. This system weakened their neighbours, restricted their ability to prevent the expansion of the republic and created a tradition of fiscal dependence on the upstart republic. For much of its time, Turingia had to be nuggetty and tough; resisting invasions from much larger feudal powers through involving other nations through debt forgiveness, restructuring or even threatening them with financial obliteration. The nation eventually grew a manipulative reputation as nations began to avoid indebting themselves to the republic as much as they could which restricted their ability to manipulate the financial markets. It was after this development that the republic turned their investment into control of trade and significant military expansion in order to reduce their reliance on other nations for protection. They also contributed significantly to the cultural revolution of the Renaissance, favouring science and innovation over the rigidity and tradition of religion. Culture and art floruished as the nation became one of the cultural centres of the world. This focus on domestic development and internal solidification meant they had little to do with the colonial expansion years, preferring instead to invest their budget in the homeland. While this limited their overseas influence somewhat, they began to exert more and more control over the smaller states around them as the other powerful nations shifted their views overseas. They weathered continental storms as best they could when militaristic superpowers and aggressive nation arose, backing coalitions where they arose and being unafraid of switching alliances to keep any one nation from gathering a large amount of power. During these years, Turingia united the states around them to form the Federalised Republic of Artesia, referencing the ancient name for the region they now occupied. In the last two centuries or so, the republic stopped their direct expansion, preferring the use of relationship building and economic assistance in order to build their influence in the world. Former colonies, backwater countries and those that fell on hard times would often find themselves offered loans, economic co-operation projects and corporate expansion from Artesia. [B]Government:[/B] Representative Democracatic Federation. Artesia had a democratically elected governemnt which relies on a multi-party system including two majority parties of the governing party/coalition, known as the Ministry, along with an opposition party or coalition. A number of other minor parties and independent candidates may exist within both the upper house, known as the Senate and the lower house, known as the Chamber. Seperation of Church and state has been present in the republic since the early days of the Renaissance. Government power has been seperated into two seperate branches of judicial and a combined legislative and executive power, through requiring members of the Ministry to be members of the Chamber. [B]Head of State:[/B] President Arthur J.P. Bullman [B]National Anthem:[/B] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V92OBNsQgxU] Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner [/url] It may or may not be played during a helicopter attack. [B]Economy:[/B] The economy of Artesia is supported by three main columns of financial services, manufacturing and petroleum refining. The majority of economic activity is limited to their regionaly concentrated centres of industry where the rest generally provide a light degree of agricultural or raw material production that has a limited impact on the Artesian economy. The country is usually a net importer of raw materials, foodstuffs and fissile material with net exports of manufactured consumer goods, financial services, automotive products and military equipment (to government vetted buyers). The financial services industry has primarily been estabilished through the hsitorical ties to financing nations along with a strong domestic savings pool. Furthermore a structurally regulated industry and a co-opterative foreign policy has generally led to Artesian banks being used as both a secure place to store funds and also a reliable source of both private and public debt. The manufacturing industry is particularly focused around consumer goods, aeronautical goods, automotive goods and military equipment. A strong adoption of vetted military technology into civilian products is practised, allowing for the production of relatively advanced products. Some of the absolute cutting edge technology is classified in order to keep a national strategic advantage over the rest of the world. The manufacturing industry is particularly reliant on the sourcing of foreign materials along with the industralisation of the country. Their petroleum industry is focused on the production and exportation of refined petroleum and other fuels with a primarily self-sufficient production of oil. Crude oil is generally not exported, preferring to instead refine and manufacture the more lucrative oil products. [B]National Religion:[/b] No state religion. [b]Population:[/B] 275,000,000 [B]Geography:[/B] [B]Demographics[/B] The make-up of Artesia is a clash between urbanised cityscapes and rolling, rural grasslands which are dotted by the occasional farm or homestead. Their cities generally build up rather than across, making strong use of skyscrapers and other high rise buildings over that of an urban spread. The majority of their manufacturing and industry occurs on the outskirts of their major cities, generally closer to the port cities rather than inland, preferring the use of shipping rather than road-based transport for international sales. The government has recently started building a cutting edge freeway system to connect the majority of the country with a high speed network. [B]Notable Locations[/B] Turin City - Political, Commericial and Social capital of Artesia, it is over twice the size of it's nearest size city in Artesia. A relatively modern city, having been periodically rebuilt by the government rather than maintain the archictecture of the past, it boasts one of the most impressive cityscapes in the world along with a highly efficient public transport network. Antur - Cultural capital, this fourteenth century style city is filled with more ancient stonework then almost the rest of the Artesia, it is home to the majority of the great Artesian cultural works. A former capital city of the Turingian Republic, it is a city primarily attracting tourism and in a city in decline from it's historical peak. [B]Regime Personalities[/B] President Dragan P. Lynnvale - a relatively young head of state at 45, he was elected on a political platform of social equality and cultural tolerance. He won a landslide victory against the encumbent President who'd been somewhat older and more traditional with his views and had been swept away by the charisma of the smiling young man. Vice President Roger Vort - a man two decades senior to his president, Roger Vort was a former air force colonel and war hero who'd turned to politics after the end of the last Great War. While he originally sought the presidential campaign nomination, he deferred to his younger compatriot once he saw the popularity the young senator was accumulating. Field Marshall Murik van Toor - the de facto head of the Artesian armed forces, he is only outranked by the ceremonial role of the president as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. A leading light of the Great War, he had continued his long and stalwart career with the armed forces, even though his retirement grows every closer. Secretary of Diplomacy Yassin Berwick - the diplomatic head of the Artesian Republic, he controls the official arm of the Artesian Diplomatic Corps which quite notably excludes the the WC delegation which acts as a seperate department as the Diplomatic corps. The Diplomatic Corps contains all international ambassadors and diplomats, using an organised structure to provide legitimacy to any diplomatic action. WC Delegate Henry Kesselstein - the country's most senior diplomat, he acts as one of the President's advisors and handles all interaction with the World Conclave. [B]Institutions [/B] [hider=Political Institutions:] Three tiers of government exist through a Federal, Domain (state) and Municipal (local) with Domain structure heavily reflecting Federal and Municipal reflecting that of a traditional local council. Collection of funds through means such as taxation and royalties exists primarily at the federal level with a filtered distribtuion system to Domain and indirectly to Municipal, which has a limited funds raising capacity avilable (land rates mainly). Personal Income tax is progressive, providing stability for the middle and lower class, along with moderate corporate taxes, a Value Added Tax system and individual excises on selected products. Fiscal policy of the encumbent party is somewhat conservative, preferring to act as a net creditor as opposed to a net debtor as a nation. A number of policies and programs are used to assist a cultural affinity for saving money, in order to build a domestic savings stock from which a financial industry can leverage. Trade policy tends to be liberal, preferring more lax trade laws and the use of trade agreements where they may be reached. Social policy generally tends to be progressive, with individual rights and freedoms constitutionally protected. [/hider] [hider=Economic Institutes] Reserve Bank of Artesia Foreign Trade Embassy Chamber of Commerce(s) Artesian Economic Advisory Council [/hider] [hider=Military Institutions] The Artesian armed forces are organised functionally, with three specific branches as per the Great War military doctrine of Land-Sea-Air along with a seperate less formal structure for intelligence and special operations branches kept distinct from any of the three branches. Recently military policy has seen an expansion of aerial power, counterbalanced by a shrinking in the size of the army. This is due to a policy of preferring aerial superiority over that of ground supremacy, along with a naval policy centralised around powerful aircraft carriers and projecting their air supremacy overseas. The aerial forces are primarily new-age jets, with the most propeller driven planes having long since been decomissioned or sold ot other countries. Their aerial doctrine practices the use of fewer, more advanced over that of direct numerical advantage, along with a propensity for multi-purpose strike fighters beyond that of the aerial supremacy fighter. Their limited ground forces is completely mechanised, through a mixture of light armour, APCs and traditional front line tanks, which is well equipped and maintained, despite being smaller in nature. [/hider] [B]Military Numbers[/B] Active Duty Component Total: Army: Navy: Air Force: Other: (Such as KGB/Waffen-SS/Pasdaran/Other type troops -- internal security, or paramilitary forces) [/hider] [hider=Them Dice Rolls] Population Density (Population 275,000,000) -Densely Populated; A large amount of manpower for military and economic purposes, but it also means that there is a degree of strain on social infrastructure in general. Educational costs and civic projects tend to be intensive. Without an economy sufficient to the task, this nation will face difficulties. Industrialization -Regionally Concentrated: A specific region of the country is a strong producer of industrial goods, the other parts, not so much. Domestic Technology -Modern: Modern technology means space age materials, plastic, aluminum, good quality steel and the production methods to make it an efficient process. Educational Institutions -Comprehensive Public Primary and Secondary Schools, Mixed Private/Public Universities Domestic Political Stability -Widespread Labor Strikes Common Mineral Deposits -Moderate deposits of iron, chromium, copper and the like. Valuable Mineral Deposits -Trace deposits of rare earth metals, and platinum. Petroleum Wells -Vast Petroleum resources, that are easily exploitable. Fissible Material Deposits -Some fissible material reserves Military Recruitment -Conscription Based for National Service Military Reliability -Loyal to National Leader/Law/Constitution Military Size -Mid-sized, relative to population, some upkeep is involved. Military Technology -Leading Edge Military Training and Morale -Poor at fighting but good at following orders; Low Morale Military Leadership -Semi-Competent; Rose to their positions through a Military Academy Military Popularity -Unpopular Secret Services -Competent Secret Service; Can't resist meddling in foreign affairs [/hider] [/hider]