Bettia

The Blessed Realm of
Bettia

Flag of Bettia
National motto: Bettia am byth
National anthem: Brothers of Bettia
Map of Bettia, Northern Bettia & Morgrugyn
Region	Atlantian Oceania
Capital	Gabalfa
Largest City	Gabalfa
Population	5.2 billion (estimate)
Suffrage	All nationals (men and women) aged 18+
Official Language(s)	English, Welsh, Indonesian, Arabic
Government President	Islamic Republic, with devolved assemblies Amir Brooks
Independent Ahlil-Kitab Revolution	1956 CE / 1374 AH
ISO Nation Code	BTAO
Currency	Groat (BTGR)
Time Zone	AOTC +00
• Summer (DST)	None
Internet TLD	.bet
Calling Code	+28
National Symbols  • Sport  • Animal  • Fruit  • Flower	Football Arora Pineapple Lavender
UN Status
Info: NationStates NSEconomy Pipian NS Tracker XML

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Bettia's location within the region

Bettia (pronounced Betty-a; Arabic - Al-Batiyah; French - la Bettie) is a nation situated in the centre of the small continent of Verdena, which is located along the southern fringes of Atlantian Oceania, and shares land borders with its puppet nations Northern Bettia to the north and Morgrugyn to the northeast. Elsewhere, it shares land borders with Nedalia to the west and Hypocria to the east, with the Crystalikere Channel and Secocia Sea providing maritime borders to the north and south respectively. Bettia is reknowned for its natural beauty (in particular its large forests and stunning rolling highlands), and this is preserved as much as possible by the environmentally-friendly policies of the local governments.

National Flag & Symbols

The flag of Bettia is green and yellow quarters, with a white crescent imposed on a green circle in the centre. The quarters and central circle respresent the five original provinces of Bettia (Bahagia was previously part of Al-Maghrib at the time of Bettia's formation). The crescent represents Islam, the dominant religion. The green is said to represent the lush green grasslands and forests, and the yellow either represents the golden sands of its beaches, the glorious tropical climate, or the striking yellow heather which grows in the highlands - the exact reason is still a matter for debate.

The white crescent and star imposed on a green circle is usually taken as Bettia's national symbol, and forms a prominent and distinctive part of all of Bettia's national sports kits (save for the national football team's second-choice kit, where a blue circle is used instead.

The national animal of Bettia is the highly distinctive (and rather odd) Arora.

Public Holidays

April 2nd: Bettia Day
A celebration of the foundation and independance of Bettia.

May 17th: Jubilation Day
A celebration of all things good, this day is marked by street parties and parades throughout the country.

August 4th: Courtship Day
Traditional day of declarations of love, proposals and weddings.

20th Ramadan to 3rd Shawwal: Last ten days of Ramadan and Eid Ul-Fitr
The holiest days of the Bettian calendar, totalling 13 days. Most of the muslim population take this opportunity to take time off work and reflect on their spirituality. Of course, this usually means that the country grinds to a halt during this time.

National anthem

Main article(s): Brothers of Bettia

Shortly after its formation, Bettia was still without a national anthem and so the government commissioned a nationwide study to find out exactly what the Bettian people would want in a tune to represent them. By far the most popular response was that it should be jaunty and uplifting, the sort of song that could be sung with plenty of gusto before a major sporting occasion.

With this in mind, the songwriter Arthur Nasser Hamid was entrusted with the task of producing Bettia's anthem. After a month of solid work, the result was Brothers of Bettia, which was quickly given official recognition as Bettia's national anthem.

History

Main article(s): History of Bettia

From medieval ages right up to the present day, Bettia's history has been eventful and tumultuous at times, not to mention slightly out of the ordinary.

The earliest evidence of human occupation appear to remains dated from around 15000 years ago, found on the central parts of Gwlad Teg. A number of cave paintings depicting men and what appear to be domesticated Aroras hunting Wooly Mammoths have been found in this area. Numerous primitive artifacts have also been discovered in the Banastran rainforests.

Society gradually developed in all parts of the country as a number of small kingdoms and (from the introduction of Islam around 1000 years ago) sultanates until 1227 CE (Common Era) when Sultan Umar of Gabalfa and his western allies triumphed in a war against King James III of Clodien and conquered his lands. A royal charter was drawn up to combine these conquered lands with their own to effectively create a single nation, the nation of Bettia, albeit with smaller borders than what it enjoys today.

Bettia had a largely peaceful existance in the centuries which immediately followed, opening up trade routes with its neighbours, but by the mid-ninteenth century it became increasingly apparant that the ruling classes and the imams which were effectively in their pocket were becoming more and more decadent, not to mention ruthless in their suppression of any opposition. Things came to a head in 1899 CE when a number of citizens were executed without trial in Downton for supposedly hatching a trecherous plot against the Sultan, when in fact all they were doing was planning a peaceful protest against excessive taxes. Riots broke out as news spread, first in Downton and a number of smaller rural towns in the area such as Emcorn and Thymeford, then into the poorer suburbs of Gabalfa, then eventually into the centre itself. The tipping point came when lower-ranked elements of the army turned against their superior officers and the monarch himself, resulting in the toppling of the old Islamic Sultanate.

A new secular democratic state was set up, emphasising the seperation of masjid and state. At first things seemed to be going smoothly enough, but history has later shown that a slow and discreet campaign was running in a bid to quash all religious entities within the country, mainly through the placing of religious buildings and insitutions under strict state control. As the years wore on, the anti-religious campaign gradually became more and more brazen. Mosques and synagogues were shut down on the premise that attendances were too low. The more vocal elements, such as Rabbi Yaniv Kamdi, leader of the largest synagogue in Butetown, were arrested and never to be seen again. Eventually, the leadership attempted to pass through legislation banning the promotion of all religion, the Way Forward Act of 1955, effectively making Bettia an athiest dictatorship.

This was the cue for the main muslim and jewish communities in Gabalfa to organise an official opposition movement named the Bettian Religious Freedom Party, aimed at establishing a true democracy with the freedom to worship as its central doctrine. The ruling establishment responded by sending armed troops out onto the street en masse, starting a series of attacks on mosques, synagogues, churches, temples, and the homes of anyone associated with them. This led to an outpouring of public anger and resulted in weeks of bitter armed struggle throughout the country as the police and army tried to contain the resistance. However, overwhelming public support for the resistance meant that, for the second time in just over half a century, the nation's government was overthrown in a bloody revolution.

Since then, Bettia has had a more stable existance thanks to its more democratic approach. It officially entered the region of Atlantian Oceania and has cultivated a number of strong alliances and friendships. However, remnants of the old regime remained active as the Paramilitary Instigators of Secular Society and attempted a coup during World Cup 31 using an army of genetically-engineered giant ants. Thankfully, this nefarious plot was thwarted and most of P.I.S.S's was captured, although some still remain at large.

A major event occured during the qualification campaign of World Cup 34 when a vast number of Jinn and Ifrit were recently (and very spectacularly) evacuated to Bettia due to a civil war in their home realm. [1], shaping a new and quite unbelivable chapter in Bettia's history.

Government & Law

Being an Islamic state, Bettia is run by a Shura or elected council which makes all major decisions jointly. The shura is made up of 14 members (two per province, plus one each from Northern Bettia and Morgrugyn) elected every five years, although emergency by-elections may be held at any time. The Shura is chaired by a President, who is directly elected by the people of Bettia at the same tie as the Shura and regional governments. The President has tie-breaking powers within the council and mainly performs an ambassadorial role. The Shura meets in the Grand Shura Debating Chambers, located in Gabalfa's civic centre.

Bettia operates a legal system based around the Islamic shariah law. This is generally approved of by the population due to the extremely low crime levels.

Crimes such as treason and murder can be punished by death at the discretion of the victim's family (where applicable). Adultery can be punished by flogging (but only if sufficient evidence is presented) - rapists can expect double this punishment plus a long spell in prison. Theft can be punished by cutting off the criminal's right hand, but only in extreme circumstances (for example, they seriously harmed someone in the robbery, or a substantial amount was stolen) - again, this is at the discretion of the victim, where applicable. In most cases of theft, and most other crimes, the punishment is restitution (unpaid labour for the victim) or imprisonment if the guilty party is thought to be dangerous.

Subdivisions

Bettia is divided into six provinces:

• Gabalfa in the centre
• Clodien in the south
• Bahagia in the south-west
• Al Maghrib in the west
• Banastra in the east
• Gwlad Teg in the north

Each province has its own regional assembly, which handle most day-to-handle affairs from the provincial capitals, such as setting taxation levels and public spending, along with limited law-making powers. Like the Shura, their members are elected every five years with emergency by-elections held whenever needed.

These six provinces are subdivided into counties as areas for local government administration. Although these are still used to some extent for this purpose and as geographical areas, they are no longer the sole basis for local government administration.

Foreign Affairs

After joining Atlantian Oceania, the Bettian government has taken steps to befriend their new neighbours. Bettia currently has embassies in Abattoir, Hypocria, Lamoni, Latao, Lesser Ribena, Khazaron, Nedalia, Starblaydia, Western Afghanistan and Xile.

Bettia is a member of the UN and has recently been re-elected to serve a second term as Atlatian Oceania's UN Delegate.

Bettia is also a member of AORDO and the Strategic Defense League.

Geography

The geography of Bettia varies greatly, especially between the north and south of the country.

The southern parts of Clodien reaching in from the coast are largely quite flat with a few rolling hills and a well-draining chalk subsoil, resulting in fertile soils and good crop-production. The topography gradaually rises as it reaches further inland into Banastra, culmanating in a spine of high hills upon which the rainforest grows.

In contrast, the northern parts of Bettia are very mountainous, providing some degree of shelter from any cold winds coming in from the north. The highest peak is Mynydd Fawr (literally 'Large Mountain') which is situated near to the town of Pen-y-Bydd and stands at just under 6500 metres. The northern highlands dip down quite sharply into the the Balfa Valley to the east, where the River Balfa runs northwards from the capital Gabalfa towards the port city of Porthbalfa.

The two western provinces, Al-Maghrib and Bahagia, are relatively flat in their centres, but quite hilly at their edges where they meet the Gwlad Teg highlands to the north and the Shark Mountains along the southwestern border with Nedalia. As a result, flash-flooding can occur in these areas due to rainfall washing down from higher altitudes.

For further details of regional geography, please refer to that particular region's article above.

Climate

Bettia has a largely tropical climate, with plentiful rainfall at certain parts of the year depending on the locaiton. In keeping with tropical area, there are basically two seasons - wet and dry - with temperatures remaining fairly constant throughout the year. The prevailing wind is mainly from the south, bringing warm and moist air to Bettia regularly from the Socacia Sea, although precipitation rarely occurs at the coasts. It is driest and warmest along the south coast, with most precipation occuring in the Banastra rainforest and Gwlad Teg highlands.

Bettia features highly in periodic UN reports regarding the best weather conditions, usually appearing in or around the top 300.

Environment

Bettia's environment benefits from the government's favouroable policies aimed at preserving it. Urban pollution is relatively very low when compared to other similar sized towns, thanks mainly to the ban on motor vehicles in urban centres and the extensive public transport systems which serve them instead. These transport systems are particularly well-developed in Gabalfa, Akani Sands and Grappenhall.

All new houses and buildings are required to use solar panels with storage batteries, with government grants available to owners of existing building who wish to incorporate these features. All buildings (old and new) are connected to the centrally-generated mains as a back-up.

The intra-city road and rail network within Banastra province have been moved underground as part of a massive tunnel-building project - this was made possible by the use of giant ants, meaning that construction is considerably faster and cheaper than using conventional tunnelling machinery. The result of this effort is that formerly-paved areas of the Banastra forest are able to regenerate, resulting in more freedom of movement for indiginous wildlife.

Major rivers

• River Balfa (the longest river in Bettia)
• River Layla
• River Fernley

Major conurbations

Although the majority of Bettia's urban population reside in small-to-medium sized towns, a number of large conurbations have sprung up over the years.

By far the largest is the Maes Canolog province, which contains Gabalfa along with a number of relatively smaller (but still large in their own right) towns such as Fortuna Bettialis, Roath and Tremwsa.

Another major urban area is the Akani Sands-Dalutha conurbation, which stretches between Akani Sands in southern Bettia and Dalutha in neighbouring Nedalia, and encompasses a number of resort towns. The vast majority of tourists visiting Bettia stay in this area.

The third major concentration is what is unofficially known as the M1 Corridor, which stretches between Sukatra in the east to Porasse in Nedalia, taking in towns such as Fiilghud, Tamrida and Shark-il-Mattan.

Economics

Bettia has developed a powerful economy (all-consuming, according to the UN), which is largely based around its two major industries - Information Technology and Tourism.

The Information Technology industry is mainly centred around Fortuna Bettialis, a large town just to the southeast of Gabalfa. Here, a number of companies have flourished, such as Impeccable Computers, Zenit Tecnasi, Brace-Ellisa, and Touchstone Design & Consultancy. In particular, Bettian research companies are concerned in the development of robotics and artificial intelligence, with varying degrees of success.

Bettia also has a well-developed agricultural sector, thanks to its favourable climate and good soil conditions in the south, and ample grazing in the northern highlands. Major exports in this sector are beef, lamb, dairy produce, citrus fruits, nuts, dates, tea, herbs and spices.

The largest centre for tourism is the south coast, which attracts millions of sunseeking tourists from throughout the world every year with its pristine beaches and world-class facilities. Other major destinations are the Banastra Rainforest (especially Sweeney Falls and its environs) and Gabalfa. Further information on these areas can be found on the articles for their respective regions above.

In keeping with Islamic shariah law, riba (interest earned on money) is strictly forbidden. Mortgages and loans are usually handled using the Murabaha method, whereby the bank purchases the item to be bought (for example, a house or car) and the customer buys this back at a pre-agreed monthly rate which incorporates a small profit margin. All banking is strictly regulated by the Bettian government.

Bettia's official currency is the Groat.

The People

Bettia is the second most populous nation on Verdena after Falcania, and one the most ethnically diverse in the region. The majority of its population are of white Anglo-Cymric origin, with large Arab and Asian communities in the west. In addition, large numbers of Jews and immigrants from neighbouring countries, especially Nedalia, Hypocria and Falcania, call Bettia home.

However, not all Bettians are human. A large number of young and elderly Jinn and Ifrit were recently (and very spectacularly) evacuated to Bettia due to a civil war in their home realm. [2]

The people of Bettia have a reputation for being compassionate and tolerant, as well as being completely sports (and especially football) mad.

However, they have a deep-seated hatred of the colour red. This seems to have a certain psychological effect, so much so that when faced with a team wearing red, the Bettian football team tend to go to pieces. They counter this by switching to their second choice blue-and-white strip, as well as wearing specically design blue-tinted sunglasses.

Religion

Religion plays a very important part of Bettian life, with nearly 100% professing to belief in Allah / God. Around 98% of Bettians are orthodox muslim, with most of the other 2% following Judaism. Because of this vast muslim majority, the shariah legal system is used throughout the entire country.

Out of all of Bettia's muslims, almost all are by definition Sunni although the government prefers to distance itself from sectarian issues, as do most Bettians. Islam was first introduced around 1000 years ago by Arab traders who settled in what is now Al-Maghrib province. Bettia's oldest mosques can be found in the city of Tamrida, the provincial capital, and their exceptional architecture and serene atmosphere draw in many worshippers and tourists alike.

There has been a Jewish community in Bettia for many centuries, probably since the introduction of Islam. Although their population has proportionately dwindled in recent centuries, they have alway played an important role in the shaping of Bettia and and such enjoy a special protected status within the nation.

Currently making up around 0.0002% of the total population, the once-strong Christian population has all but vanished, mainly through conversion to Islam, and very few churches remain outside of Gabalfa's St Norbert's Cathedral. Bettians tend to view christians with suspicion, mainly due to their role in previous secular administrations.

Culture

Main article(s): Bettian Culture

Bettia has a quite a vast culture which takes in all of its indiginous people, although many cultural elements play a very secondary role in Bettian society to religion (with the notable exception of sport).

Sport

Of all the things that unites the Bettian people, it is sport (and in particular, football) which brings them together the most. Bettians are almost legendarily sports-mad, and this mania was certainly helped along when the Bettian national team won their debut international competition, walking away with the Baptism of Fire Cup after a thumping 7-0 win in the final.

The national football team (nicknamed the Aroras after the national animal) have gradually risen up the rankings, thanks in part to their more and more attacking style of play. The peak of Bettian footballing acheivement was their triumph in World Cup 33, where they defeated the co-host Az-cz 3-1 in the final to lift this prestigious trophy. This victory saw Bettia climb to the top of the world rankings, although this tenure at the top was short-lived following a second-round exit in World Cup 34 to eventual champions Ariddia. However, the Aroras gained their revenge by defeating Ariddia in the final of World Cup 35 to become two-time champions.

Bettia's domestic football is played out in the Apex League, a large league which currently consists of five professional divisions of 18 teams fed by regional leagues from each of Bettia's six provinces. A knockout competition known as the FAB Cup is contested between these teams.

Although football is THE main sport, other sports also enjoy a degree of popularity. An American Football competition wittily named the BLOG (Bettian League Of Gridiron) has been set up. The national team has entered a small number of international tournaments, their best performance to date coming in the NS Gridiron Cup recently held in Virginia Nova where they narrowly lost in the final by a single touchdown.

Ice hockey has also proved to be popular, mainly thanks to the rise of the national team (AKA the Aroras on Ice) rising up through the world rankings to peak at 2nd. A well-supported national league, the BetHL has been running for quite a few years.

A one-day cricket championship also operates within Bettia involving eight provincial teams and a squad from neighbouring Hypocria.

See also

• Bettia National Football Team
• Bettia win World Cup 33
• Bettia win World Cup 35
• Apex League (Bettian Domestic Football League)
• BLOG (Bettian League Of Gridiron)
• Bettian One-Day Cricket Championship

Language

The main official languages of Bettia are English and Welsh. English is universally spoken throughout throughout the country, and is virtually the sole language spoken in the Banastra and Clodien provinces. Welsh is mainly spoken in the northern and central provinces, mostly as a second language to English although it is spoken as a first language in many highland areas. Arabic is spoken as an everyday language in the Al-Maghrib region and in particular suburbs of Gabalfa, as well as throughout the whole nation for religious purposes, whilst Indonesian is spoken primarily in Bahagia.

A number of other languages are spoken by minorities and immigrants in Bettia, most notably Hebrew in Gabalfa's southern suburbs, and Nedalian around the Akani Sands area. Although spoken by millions of people in these parts of the country, they enjoy no official legal status.

English is taught in all schools from kindergarten right up to the school-leaving age of 18. The secondary official languages (Welsh, Arabic and Indonesian) are taught in their respective provinces as a part of the curriculum, with other languages taught as an option. In addition, Arabic is often taught in religious institutions attended outside of school.

Education

Bettia has a vast education system, which unfortunately has suffered of late due to a lack of funding. Attendance at school is compulsory up to the age of 18.

The schooling system is structured as follows: -

• Infant school - ages 3 to 7
• Junior school - ages 7 to 12
• Secondary school - ages 12 to 18

There are more than ninety universities in Bettia, the most famous of these located in Grappenhall.

The education is split into two main types; State schools which are funded through taxation and free to all, and private schools, which provide a paid-for education on top of taxes (also known as "Public" or "Independent" schools). State and private education is the responsibility of provincial governments.

Transport

Road

Bettia has a rapidly developing road network based around four major motorways which is used solely to link major towns and cities.

• The M1 connects Gabalfa with Nedalia's captial city Kafra to the west, heading southwards to Akani Sands before heading east to Pylos, Hypocrium and Thraxus in Hypocria.
• The M2 connects Gabalfa with Ceffinton to the north, turning eastwards towards the port city of Porthbalfa, before veering north again to connect to Anyuna, Azusa and Karia in Northern Bettia.
• The M3 was originally built as Gabalfa's main ring road, and has been recently extended south-west to Sukatra and Subarnas.
• The M4 is the northbound link from Subarnas to the M1, joining the main motorway near the town of Dhur Tihari.
• The M5 is a coastal route connecting Akani Sands to Rappor on Nedalia's western coast, via Dalutha, Groftanne and Honsfield.

In contrast to the rest of the country, the road network within the region of Banastra is much less developed, with the regional government scrapping many inter-city roads and investing heavily in public transport and a vast underground road and rail network as part of a major environmental drive.

In Gabalfa and many other towns and cities, personal motor transport (cars, motorbikes etc) are prohibited from entering many central areas except for residential access or trade. This is done as part of a major investment in public transportation systems.

Rail

Gabalfa is the main hub of the Bettian railway network, with branches running to Ceffinton and Portbalfa to the north and Grappenhall and Ryoga Bay to the east. An international railway links Bettia with Nedalia and Hypocria, with an undersea tunnel linking Bettia with the island of Spruitland.

The railways running through forested areas within the province of Banastra have recently been moved underground in a further bid to preserve the natural beauty of the area.

In addition to the normal railway network, many towns and cities have extensive underground systems constructed as part of the national public transport scheme. Naturally, the most extensive of these is the Gabalfa Underground Transport System (GUTS), which was originally built to link Gabalfa's Central Station to the airport situated to the north of the city, but now extends to all parts of the wider conurbation.

Air

There are two major airports situated in Bettia, located in Gabalfa and Akani Sands. Gabalfa International Airport provides regular flights to Nedalia, Hypocria and Lamoni.

Water

There are many miles of navigable waterways in Bettia, the majority of which are man-made. For the most part, the River Balfa is navigable all the way up to Gabalfa itself - this played a major part in its early development, but now serves as a popular tourist attraction offering rivers cruises from the capital down through the Balfa valley.

Networks of old canals, some dating back over 200 years, can be found all over Bettia, especially in Al-Maghrib province. These were previously used to transport goods to the more easily navigable River Balfa or to the south coast for export via sea. Nowadays they are used primarily as a tourist attraction, although there have been calls for some of these to be upgraded so that they can once again be used for their original purpose. The most famous of Bettia's canals is the Great Western Waterway, which runs from Tamrida to Gabalfa.

Bettia has three main ports - Porthbalfa in the north (which is also home to the Bettian navy), and Akani Sands and Ryoga Bay in the south.

Armed Forces

Bettia maintains a medium sized conventional army, a small air force and a small navy mainly for defensive purposes. All muslim citizens must complete one year of compulsory military service - this is optional for non-muslims.

In addition, Bettia's defence is strengthened to a massive degree by its arsenal of giant ants, which were left over by the failed terrorist campaign by the Paramilitary Instigators of Secular Society (PISS).

The most notable aspect of Bettia military is the ban on weapons of mass destruction - these were deemed by the Grand Shura to be illegal under Islamic law due to their indiscrimate nature.

Atlantian Oceania on NSwiki

Main articles: Atlantian Oceania, AO QuickInfo

Nation pages: 95X, Acarionne, Amarenthe, Atheistic Right, Az-cz, Bazalonia, Bettia, Bostopia, Chacor, Crystilakere, Delesa, Demot, Falcania, Fmjphoenix, Geisenfried, Hypocria, Iizaarland, Khazaron, Kura-Pelland, Lamoni, Lontorika, Manhattan Prime, Maraque, Milchama, Morgrugyn, Nedalia, New Montreal States, Nojika, Northern Bettia, Nova Britannicus, NSWC Signups, Oliverry, Pacitalia, Quakmybush, Sarzonia, Schiavonia, Spruitland, Starblaydia, Tempalhiyon, The Islands of Qutar, The Lowland Clans, Turori, Ubundi, Unified Capitalizt States, Vephrall, Vilita, Walsallia, Western Afghanistan, Wulaishen

Regional info: Atlantian Oceania Regional Defence Organisation, Atlantian Oceania Regional Free Trade Organisation, Atlantian Oceania UN Voting, Lake Bekk, Major airports in Atlantian Oceania

Sports-related: AO Bowl, AO Champions League, Atlantian Oceania Cup of Association Football (AOCAF)

For more information or to see non-listed pages, please see Category:Atlantian Oceania.