Difference between revisions of "Ariddia"

Revision as of 18:06, 31 October 2005

Ariddia

Flag of Ariddia
Motto: Solidarity, Democracy, Peace
Map of Ariddia
Region	Uhuhland
Capital	Rêvane
Official Language(s)	French, English, Wymgani
Leader	Prime Secretary Aj Ud
Population	5.47 Billion
Currency	Ariddian Credit (Ç)
NS Sunset XML

Ariddia

The People's Democratic Social Republic of Ariddia (the PDSRA) is a group of nineteen islands in the Pacific Ocean, part of the Uhuhland continent. Ariddia has a territorial enclave within continental Uhuhland: Gnatanamo. Along with Eshyosha, Gnatanamo is one of two "special provinces".

On the international stage, Ariddia's claim to fame is as the founder of the NationStates World Cup, and winner of the first international Futsal Tournament.

Ariddian Isles

The Ariddian Isles are a group of twenty islands in the Pacific, nineteen of which form the PDSRA. The twentieth, Limea, is split between the Sovereign State of West Ariddia, a capitalist secessionist state, and the tiny communist nation of North-West Ariddia.

People

Ariddia is a country of immigration, with a highly varied population. Indigenous Ariddians, or Wymganis, currently constitute about 30% of the population; there are no official figures as to the ethnic composition of Ariddia’s population. The first immigrants were French and English colonisers. When Ariddia acquired sovereignty, and increasingly so when the people declared a communist republic, immigrants from all round the globe began to settle in the Isles.

Government

Ariddia is a democratic republic. The Democratic Communist Party, currently forming the government and holding a large majority of seats in the People’s Prime Parliament, lays the emphasis on social rights and the well-being of its population, be it in terms of health, housing or education. The government, however, has been criticised abroad for the detrimental effects of its policies on the Ariddian economy.

See also: Ariddian government officials and diplomats.

Flag

The Ariddian flag is made up of a red cross on a black background, with green bands adjacent to the arms of the cross, and a red star in the right-hand section. Red symbolises communism, and black the people’s desire to strive towards anarchy; red and black are the nation’s official colours. Green symbolises ecological concerns.

The Ariddian flag was a direct source of inspiration for that of New Burmesia.

National Anthem

The national anthem of the PDSRA is Dream, sung to the tune of the Communist Internationale.

Lyrics:

Dream on, Ariddia's sons and daughters
Dream of a land of anarchy
See what our dreams so far have brought us
Social rights for all and for free
The best of both worlds is in our hold
Both democrat and communist
If the will of the people be bold
Achieve we will, sing, raise your fist

[Chorus]
Red and black is our nation
Freedoms we do hold dear
No one shall rob us of them
Our dream of anarchy!

We shall not yield to foreign pressure
We shall hold our heads high in pride
Ye who scorn our ways should know better
Your scorn will never reach our tide
We do not ask for your approval
Nor do we seek to change your minds
The people today this nation rule
Our dreams to our land do us bind

[Chorus]

Peace freedom is all that we ask for
No wars shall shed Ariddian blood
One day a brotherhood of nations
Will live; the people shall know love
One day the world together shall dream
Cast off the chains of slavery
One day the people will rise and beam
With joy: Today the world is free!

[Chorus]

No unjust laws crush the Ariddians
The people are the government
No man dominates his fellow men
For these rights ne'er did we relent
We do not bow before religion
We do not bow before a king
We are all equal in our nation
And we shall bow before nothing

[Chorus]

[Fifth stanza: instrumental only]

Culture

"National identity"

See the article on Ariddian national identity.

Cultural particularities

It is almost futile, of course, to attempt to ascribe common behavioural traits to all Ariddians; despite their strong sense of community and social responsibility, Ariddians tend to value their sense of individual identity; besides, Ariddia is a highly multicultural society.

Nonetheless, it is common for Ariddians to value their privacy, and to be discreet rather than outspoken. There is a strong cultural emphasis on thinking before speaking. Ariddia is renowned for its education system, in which classes in critical thinking and philosophy are compulsory. Ariddians tend to look down on ignorant people who seem content with their own ignorance, or who boldly assert ignorant viewpoints. Intelligence, critical thinking, and a thirst for knowledge of all kinds are highly valued in Ariddian society.

Ariddians are very community-minded, and view capitalist values such as the pursuit of individual profit with strong distaste. Ariddians see themselves as part of a society, with specific duties and responsibilities as such. Selfishness ranks alongside ignorance as a character trait Ariddians find distasteful and difficult to understand.

Ariddians do not frown upon, or feel uncomfortable with, public displays of affection, be they heterosexual or homosexual in nature. Likewise, they are not, for the most part, shocked by partial or even complete displays of public nudity.

Smoking or using drugs may be frowned upon to some extent if it inconveniences non-smokers, or if some Ariddians feel uncomfortable at seeing someone ‘damage their own health’, but on the whole it is accepted.

Cruelty against animals, including insects and fish, is viewed by Ariddians as contemptible and perverse. Visitors should remember that eating meat, or killing or wounding an animal, is a crime in Ariddia, and may result in a jail sentence or a lengthy sentence of community work.

Literature

See the article on Ariddian literature.

Universities

There are a great number of universities in Ariddia, and the high level of education enjoyed by Ariddians has been noted and commended by the United Nations. Most famous among them is the University of Rêvane, and above all its prestigious Department of Historical, Linguistic and Cultural Studies, and its Department of Medical Studies. These, and others, attract a significant number of foreign students every year. The University of Rêvane also houses a vast Department of Wymgani Studies, for Wymgani and non-Indigenous students alike. The Department is based in great part on traditional Wymgani methods of teaching and learning.

See:

• List of Ariddian universities

Cuisine

Ariddian cooking is generally not considered haute cuisine; rather, it lays the emphasis on being simple and healthy. Ariddians are vegetarians.

The national drink is grapefruit juice, and is something of a national obsession. Ariddians use grapefruits in many kinds of drinks, including fizzy grapefruit-flavoured water and a number of surprising grapefruit-based alcoholic beverages.

Main holidays

News services

Since all Ariddians are employees of the State, including those whose job it is to keep their fellow citizens up to date on the news, some have questioned whether independent media are possible in the PDSRA. However, news services express a variety of opinions, and do not hesitate to be critical of the government.

Newspapers

The main daily newspaper in Ariddia is La Voix du Peuple (Voice of the People). It is widely read at home and abroad. As most Ariddians speak all three national languages, it contains articles in French, English and Wymgami (and a few translated into the other two languages). La Voix du Peuple is a strong supporter of the official Ariddian socio-economic philosophy, although it does criticise certain government decisions.

Planète is a weekly magazine dedicated to introducing Ariddians to foreign cultures, and the history of other countries. It is written in French, and also contains articles pertaining to international news, articles from foreign newspapers (translated into French), and lessons to learn the basics of a number of foreign languages. Every six months, a condensed issue of Planète is published in English and in Wymgani, in addition to the normal French issue for that month.

Le Quotidien Révolutionaire is a daily newspaper which prints articles (translated into French except when they were originally in English) from communist newspapers around the world.

Television

There are eight channels (not counting foreign channels on satellite), the most popular of which is Channel One, which offers a wide variety of programmes. Some channels are more specialised, such as Channel Three (which offers round the clock news) or Channel Four (devoted to cultural programmes). Channel Seven is operated by Wymgani for Wymgani, with programmes partaining to various issues of interest to Indigenous Ariddians.

Programmes on television may be in French, English or Wymgani, and subtitled in the other two languages. The eight o'clock news on Channel One is in French, and subtitled.

See also: Public International News Ariddia (PINA).

Radio

There are numerous radio channels in Ariddia. Radio Three, like Channel Three on television, offers round-the-clock news.

The World Cup

Overview

Ariddia founded the now famous NationStates World Cup, and hosted the first international competition. Ariddia’s team competed in every Cup up to, and including, World Cup 11. The team’s best performance to date came in World Cup 10 when Ariddia finished third, defeated 1-2 by Giant Zucchini in the semi-finals, but beating One Red Dot by two goals to nil to secure a satisfactory third place. In World Cup 11, the Ariddian team topped its qualifications’ group, playing fourteen matches undefeated, then bowed out early in the final stages, securing only two points in Group D, behind New Montreal States and the amazing Warnocks Wizards.

Players

Famous names in the history of Ariddian football include the following, now all retired or deceased:

• Terry Singh (fwd; first played in World Cup 1)
  
• Michel Boulanger (gk/cap; first played in World Cup 1)
  
• Myrtille Ford (fwd; first played in World Cup 3)
  
• Raphael Ford (fwd; first played in World Cup 4)
  
• Tina Realm (def; first played in World Cup 2)
  
• Ranjit Khan (mid; first played in World Cup 3)
  
• Kim Kim (fwd; first played in World Cup 6)
  
• Aurélien Clair (fwd; first played in World Cup 10)
  

Colours

What follows was the original announcement of the team’s colours during World Cup 1:

Ariddia's colours:
Home: red top with a black slash going from the left shoulder to the right hip, and the same on the back.
Shorts are entirely black. Socks are red. We have declined to have sponsors mucking up our suits.
Away: the exact reverse. Black top, red slash, red shorts, black socks.
Goalkeeper: Dark green top, with the same black slash. Pale, apple-green shorts. Black socks.

Current team

GK: Sandrine Leduc (1)
DEF: Yves al Jahdali (9) ; E Te (3) ; Phillip Lukeson (18) ; Tim Wald (14) ; Jean Kitenge (11)
MID: Ue Alt (cpt; 12); Michael Swimmer (21) ; Ta I (17)
ATT: Frédéric Clément (8) ; E Lel (20)

Substitutes:
GK: Ludovic Hue (4) ; Karim Chem (22)
DEF: Kolo Kouassi (7) ; Anan Bounthaiyavong (16) ; James Fields (5) ; Peter Roberts (13)
MID: André Delherbe (15) ; John Sanjeeb (19) ; Uol Lat (6)
ATT: Clémentine Ramirez (2) ; Ismail Faraj (10)

This is an entirely new (and inexperienced) team, which has never yet competed on the international stage. In comparison with earlier Ariddian teams, this one statistically includes younger players, and a greater number of Indigenous Ariddians - as the young generations of Wymganis seems to have taken to the sport. It also, notably, includes only three women (Leduc, I and Ramirez).

For more information, see Ariddia's football team.

Domestic football

See the article on Domestic football in Ariddia.

International relations

Ariddia is a member of the United Nations, the Sophia International Court, the Coalition of Anti-Capitalist Economies and the Emergency World Cup Committee, and a signatory to the International Fair Trade Agreement, the treaty of the International Mediation Council, the Golden Agate Declaration and the Matebian Declaration. As per its pledge in the latter, Ariddia has established a campus of the Third World Open University in the city of Cité-Belle.

Ariddia maintains diplomatic relations with various foreign nations. See: Ariddian government officials and diplomats.

International codes