Bejerot
| ||||
| Motto: "Fiat justitia et pereat mundus." | ||||
National anthem: “Ave, Patrie Bejeroti!”
| ||||
| Region | The World Society | |||
| Capital | Norrmalmstorg | |||
| Largest city | Vichy | |||
| Official languages | French, English | |||
| Government Grand Duke
Prime Minister |
Grand Duchy Christian Poulain Anaïs Vioget | |||
| Formation | 1944 | |||
| Area • Total • Water (%) |
315,820 km2 3.34% | |||
| Population • Current est. • 17 March census |
[1] 96,000,000 | |||
| GDP (PPP) • Total • Per capita |
17 March est. 1,016,636,132,173.17ß 10,589.96ß | |||
| CHDI | 0.874 - high | |||
| Currency | Bejeroti pound (ß) (BEP)
| |||
| Time zone • Summer (DST) |
UTC+4 UTC+5 | |||
| Internet TLD | .be | |||
| Calling code | +230
| |||
| | ||||
The Grand Duchy of Bejerot is a very large, safe nation, remarkable for its compulsory military service. Its compassionate, hard-working population of 96 million have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.
It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent government stops and the rest of society begins, but it is mainly concerned with Education, although Law & Order and the Environment are on the agenda. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 32%. A substantial private sector is led by the Information Technology industry, followed by Soda Sales and Arms Manufacturing.
Genetic research is temporarily tied up in government red tape, all guns must be registered, citizens are expected to be proficient in at least five languages, and the government is interviewing for thousands of 'Religious Censor' positions. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Bejerot's national animal is the oiseau-lyre, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the Bejeroti pound.
Contents
History
Government and politics
Parliament
The Parliament is headed by the recently elected Prime Minister, Anaïs Vioget, a Bejeroti native. Her Vice-Prime Minister is the young and extremely liberal Síle ó Néill who, despite nearly constantly being featured in the nation's tabloids for her wild behaviour and questionable flings, is one of the more popular elected officials in the government because the younger generations of Bejerot are able to identify with her. The two have a panel of ministers under them to oversee different areas of the country:
- Minister Austin Dalby, Department of Defence and Civil Protection
- Minister Gregory Howland, Department of Economic Affairs
- Minister Chiaki Fujiéda, Department of Foreign Affairs
- Minister Augustine Brookstone, LPN, Department of Health
- Minister Sharena Douglas, Department of Home Affairs
- Minister Mélissa Bayley, Department of Justice and Police
- Minister Solveig Jenssen, Department of Transport and Energy
Additionally, representatives from each district of Bejerot are elected by their area to participate in the Parliament.
Monarchy
The current head of state is HRH Grand Duke Christian Poulain, who inherited the title from his late father, Matthias, in May 2013 after a short period of absense during which the Parliament held power over the entire country. Christian was adopted by Grand Duke Matthias of Bejerot after the assassination of Matthias' natural son, Prince Lucien, in 1992. Christian is married to HRH Grand Duchess Isolde of Bejerot, an American by birth, and they have four children together:
- Princess Hédiyeh of Bejerot (b. 12 June 2002)
- Prince Jonathan of Bejerot, the Hereditary Grand Duke (b. 24 May 2006)
- Prince Mathieu of Bejerot (b. 3 December 2008)
- Princess Adélie of Bejerot (b. 3 December 2008)
Although females are allowed to ascend to the head of the Grand Duchy, because Princess Hédiyeh is adopted and has younger siblings who are eligible, she is passed in favour of her younger brother, Prince Jonathan. Should all three of her siblings choose to abdicate, she will become the reigning monarch.
Legal system
Bejeroti law is a synthesis of local practice, legal tradition, and Swiss, Luxembourg and American law.
The Grand Duchy has five Justices de paix, three on the mainland and two on the largest island; two district tribunals, one for the mainland in Norrmalstorg and the other for the island in Vichy; and the apex of the judicial system is the Cour Superièure de justice, whose judges are appointed by the Grand Duke for life as in the American Supreme Court. This court includes the Cour d'appel and the Cour de cassation, and is located in the capital city, Norrmalmstorg.
There is also an administrative tribunal, which also consists of judges who are placed for life, and an Cour administrative as well as a Cour constitutionnelle, both of which are housed in the Parliament.
Foreign relations
Currently, Bejerot only maintains relations between other members of the World Society: the Holy Empire of Chocobo Goddess, the Most Serene Republic of Schartlefritzen, the Republic of Carahan, and the Kingdom of Trodain.
In terms of bilateral diplomatic relations, Bejerot has one foreign embassy located on the Rue Diplomatique in the Grand Duchy of van Luxemburg. The ambassador there is Phœbé Couturier, a former member of the Bejeroti armed services, so she is well-versed in use of combat weapons and security. She is accompanied by diplomats Lyna Melinyshyn and Hélène Lacroix, who have worked in the past as guards for the monarchs. The ambassador from van Luxemburg is Bruno Hyères; he heads the embassy located in Norrmalmstorg.
Bejerot is always willing to establish bilateral diplomatic relations with other countries.
Geography
Mainland
Most of Bejerot consists of rolling lowland terrain although it is divided from its eastern neighbours by a line of mountains, so the foothills of the mountains extend into the middle of the country. The shore tends to be extremely rocky and cliffs are not unknown next to the sea. Two rivers flow through the mainland: the Lucien and the Genève. Additionally, there are many long and deep lakes spotting the countryside. The largest urban area in the mainland is the coastal city and capital of Norrmalmstorg, and it is from here that the underwater tunnel from Norrmalmstorg to the largest island of Bejerot, Palmyra.
The northern coast of Bejerot is very ragged and therefore many small islands are close to shore; people estimate that there may be as many as a thousand small islands in Bejeroti territory. Many of the islands are either privately owned or uninhabited, but a couple of larger islands are counted as their own administrative areas.
Cars are banned on both the mainland and Palmyra, as the country contains a hugely sophisticated public transportation system dependant mostly on trains. The only vehicles used by the general public are bicycles and mopeds, although occasionally permits are allotted for small electric cars.
Major cities on the mainland besides the capital include Niça, Crécy-en-Panthieu, Fragonard, Mucha, Anháig, Breslau, Konstan, Bouguereau, Berlynas, and Ais.
Île-de-Palyma
This island is a ring of coastal mountains surrounding a low central basin of plains. The coastline is extremely rocky and cliffy, and despite being close to the mainland, Palmyra is much more foggy than its counterpart. With its lush vegetation, a product of its mild climate and frequent but soft rainfall, Palmyra is the centre of the country's wood-chip industry, which is why the largest and most populous city, Vichy, is on the island rather than the mainland. The island's area is 84,079 km², making it cover approximately a quarter of the total area of Bejerot. The water source for the island is the Mélisande River, which runs through the middle of the central basin and provides the farms there with fine irrigation and the wood-chip factories with hydroelectric power. For additional power, the factories utilise a huge system of wind power generators that lines the tops of the mountains.
Vichy is straight across the Leelanau Sea from Norrmalmstorg, and both cities are connected by an underwater tunnel in addition to extensive cross-water boating lines. The city contains many high rises that house the huge working population.
Major cities on Palmyra besides Vichy include Étoile-du-Sud, Holmia and Drésdi.
Administrative subdivisions
The nation is divided into thirty-eight cantons, and each is represented in the Parliament by elected officials, the number of which is determined by the population of the canton.
Economy
Agriculture
Most agriculture is based on Palmyra; livestock farming is not common, as the eating of red meat is frowned upon by the government. The only livestock cultivated is chickens, which are used for both their meat and eggs. Additionally, fishing is a popular form of agriculture because most of the country is on the sea coast.
Industry
The Bejeroti industrial economy is extremely varied. The largest industrial sectors are wood-chip exports, book publishing, soda sales, and information technology. The first is based on the Bejeroti island of Palmyra whilst the others are all based on the mainland.
Service
Natural Resources
Society
Demographics
Language
The linguistic situation in Bejerot is characterized by the practice and the recognition of two official languages: English and French.
The bilingualism of Bejerot results from the prevalence of English within international society. In 1944, the country was founded by Matthias Poulain, a French-speaking Swiss citizen, so therefore its preferential use as the official and administrative language was established. He was quick to notice the global trend towards English, however, and thus began the teaching of the foreign language at the primary school level.
Until 1996, the official use of the languages was based on grand-ducal decrees which allowed the free choice between French and English. French was preferred in the administration. However, the constitutional revision of 1996 gave the legislature the power to regulate the language by law. On 8 March 1996 a law, passed by the Bejeroti Parliament, made French the national language. Furthermore, this law recognized the two languages of Bejerot (English and French) as official languages. French remains the language of government, but many day-to-day activities are conducted in English.
Proficiency in several languages is expected from members of the Bejeroti elite, as the current Grand Duke himself is fluent in seven languages. Most Bejeroti speak German in addition to the national languages because of their close proximity to German-speaking countries.
French is the primary language of the press and is used for recording police case files. Public service information is in French and English, although if the announcement concerns linguistic minorities in the country, they may be printed in the needed language also.
The grammar and usage of both French and English is monitored and regulated by the National Academy, which is based in Norrmalmstorg.
Religion
Like in most Eurocentric countries, the largest religions in the Grand Duchy are Catholicism and Protestantism, with 31% and 27% of the population following these religions, respectively. Other popular religions include Islam (8%), Judaism (6%) and Buddhism (5%). Of the remaining 23%, most are agnostic or atheist (12%) and the rest subscribe to small communities of religions such as Hinduism, Bahá'i and Paganism, amongst others.
Although the government does not regulate religion in any way, some aspects of national culture that may be considered under the umbrella of religion are, in fact, maintained by the national Parliament. The nation of Bejerot does not allow gay marriage but does allow civil unions in which common-law couples and gay couples may file joint taxes and insurance. While abortion is outlawed in the country except in cases of possible harm to the mother or child, incest, or rape, the government maintains a series of genetic selection laboratories that allow parents to screen the embryos for genetic diseases--if a foetus is found to have genetic deformations, the parents have the option to abort the pregnancy, but only under the power of a government certified doctor.
The royal family is split on matters of religion. Former Grand Duke Matthias and current Grand Duchess Isolde were both raised Catholic, although Grand Duchess Isolde does not attend religious services currently--the last visit she made to a church was for the christening of her youngest children, Prince Mathieu and Princess Adélie. Grand Duke Christian is a self-proclaimed agnostic, and Princess Hédiyeh was born to an extremely conservative Muslim family, although she has not actively practised the religion since she was adopted by the royal family at age three.
Government officials are not typically very open about their religions, but it is known that the Minister of Health, Augustine Brookstone practises Mahayana Buddhism because in her youth, she went on pilgrimage and at one point worked for a Buddhist-centred aid organisation. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chiaki Fujiéda, practises both Pure Land Buddhism and Shinto, as she is from Japan. The Minister of Home Affairs, Sharena Douglas, is Protestant, but other than that she has given no hintings as to what her denomination is, and because there are laws against such interference in private life on the part of the press, there has been no attempt to confirm to which denomination she belongs.
Education
The education system in Bejerot is almost a facsimile of Switzerland's system. Although the central government lays down basic rules for education, such as the fact that primary and secondary schools are mandatory for every child, because the government encourages local governance, all education is dictated at the local level. Most local cantons, however, follow whatever is done in the city of Norrmalmstorg, which is its own canton. The Bejeroti people hold high standards for education and many citizens decide to send their children to private international schools within the country rather than public schools so that their children may be culturally diverse.
There are two levels of mandatory school and one optional level:
Primary School
Beginning at age five, children attend kindergarten, or jardin d'enfants, to learn basic skills such as reading and writing before moving on to their primary education, or école primaire. This primary education continues until sixth year, at which time children are separated into three different education tracks. Because of this division, the primary stage of schooling is considered by many citizens to be the most important level of education, as it dictates both the secondary and tertiary schools that one will be able to attend.
Secondary School
After year six, the students are sent on to secondary school where they are separated according to their individual abilities. The most talented students are sent to pre-gymnasium where they must choose between a science or literary stream. Once the students in pre-gymnasium are finished with their first stage of secondary school, they are sent to gymnasium, or preparatory school, where they prepare for the baccalauréat exams that determine their placement into tertiary education. Intermediate-level students are sent to the rightfully named intermediate, which prepares them for technical and secretarial schools. The last track, designed for the least talented students, is called pre-professional, and the students in this track are prepared for apprenticeship and manual labour.
Tertiary School
The last level of schooling is optional, but many Bejeroti students from the gymnasiums and intermediate schools attend university. Ninety-two per-cent of Baccalauréat holders attend university, most attending specialised universities tied to the section of the Baccalauréat that he or she sat. Although there are three different tests that one may sit, most chose to take the Baccalauréat général, which allows them to choose between the natural sciences (scientifique), economics and social sciences (économique et sociale), or literature (littéraire) once they enter university. In university, students are able to receive their Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate degrees.
Students who attended pre-professional school have the option of attending écoles polytechniques, which are universities that specialise in certain topics but are not allowed to have Doctorate programmes.
Culture
Transportation
Military
Although all Bejeroti are expected to participate in the armed forces of the state, the armed forces are defensive only. Bejerot is a neutral country and does not seek out wars, nor does the monarchy or the Parliament wish to participate in wars. Based almost entirely on the Japanese system, the country makes use of three defence forces:
- Bejeroti Ground Self-Defence Force
- Bejeroti Maritime Self-Defence Force
- Bejeroti Air Self-Defence Force
The defence forces have branches on both the mainland and Île-de-Palyma, but most of the ground forces cluster on the mountainous eastern border to protect Bejerot from its neighbours. The forces receive their commands directly from the Prime Minister through the Department of Defence and Civil Protection.
