Difference between revisions of "Chimaea"

Revision as of 22:31, 14 October 2004

[Should be a] Halls of Memory Member

Chimaea
Region: Baron

The Commonwealth of Chimaea was a roleplaying nation in NationStates. It entered the NS foray in February 2003 (just in time for the Amerigan Slaver War, and ceased to exist as an NS nation on October 14, 2004.

Government

The Chimaean Government was a Constitutional-based federal democratic Commonwealth; previously with the British Monarch as nominal head, then with a Governor as an executive presidential equivalent.

The Government had three branches: the Executive, the Legislative and the Judicial.

The Excutive branch of government was composed of the Governor and the Prime Minister as Chief of State and a number of Ministers forming an Executive Cabinet. The Ministers each had a portfolio which they head, such as Defence, Health and Immigration. Parliament nominated and selected, from among its members, a list of candidates to serve as Cabinet Ministers; from this list, the Governor swore in the final selections for the Cabinet. In wartime, this executive Cabinet could include a council of the commanders of the Chimaean Armed Forces.

The Legislative branch was composed of a bicameral Federal Parliament consisting of the Senate (144 seats - 12 from each of the six states; one-half of the members elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (360 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state could have fewer than 10 representatives). This Parliament tables, debates and passes legislation. The Governor was the Head of Government as well as the Chief of State.

The Judicial branch was composed of the judiciary or judges of Chimaea; most commonly represented by the High Court of Chimaea, which consisted of a Chief Justice and ten other Justices by popular vote. The Judicial branch interpreted, applied and criticised legislation and had the power to dissolve Parliament with a unanimous vote in extreme cases of breakdown or emergency.

Chimaea had a strong democratic tradition, with much attention to giving its citizens a say in the Government through representation. A political Party elected its leader and deputy leader; when a given party was elected by the people in a federal election, the party leader became Governor and deputy party leader became Prime Minister.

The current political party in power was the Liberal Democrats by a majority of 210-150 in the House of Representatives.

The Chief of State, at the time of the nation's disappearance, was Governor Tanya BRYCE, and Prime Minister Phillip Achefield; note: Governor is both the Chief of State and Head of Government.

History

Chimaea became a Commonwealth of the former British Empire in 1784, one year after the United States was formed in the Treaty of Paris. Chimaea fought a short war of independence in 1783, from which the beleaguered British granted them Commonwealth status, with the British Monarch as its constitutional, if nominal, head of state.

After the granting of independence, Chimaea took the opportunity and its position as a major power to annexe several other nations and create a Commonwealth. The position of Governor was voided, Parliament was dissolved and the incumbent declared himself King of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth armies, led by the Lords and appointed aristocracy of the King, marched across a great expanse of neighbouring nations, quickly expanding the Commonwealth and hastily settling and resettling the population in an attempt to quash any rebellions before they could gain a foothold.

This state of affairs couldn't last, however, and the furthest-flung territories of the Commonwealth began insurrections. The Commonwealth military, already stretched by the speed of conquest, had to leave other states to put down these insurrections, giving those states an opportunity to declare independence of their own. Soon the Empire was locked in a long and bloody civil war that saw the birth of new nations and autonomies of the Commonwealth.

Following a military coup backed by the former Parliament, the King was deposed and a Governor reinstated. The Republic of Clock Hill, which has been annexed by the Commonwealth, was given independence as the beleaguered Commonwealth Army pulled back to reinforce territories closer to home. The new Governor created a truce with the warring states and, in a historic meeting, granted them independence and autonomy. Chimaea's borders became smaller and the floundering economy was stabilised and grew.

It was around this time that Street Island declared independence from the Commonwealth. In a move that surprised the nations involved and moved away from his stance of peacemaker, the Governor of Chimaea decreed Street Island a part of Chimaean territory. The military were ordered into Street Island and the dissidents were rounded up and brutally murdered, eliciting international outcry. The calls within and without Chimaea for Street Island independence, from a public now sick of violence, went unheeded and ignored.

In time, the Commonwealth took on complete democracy. The Governor was given the role of an executive head of state rather than a monarch in all but name, answerable to the Chimaean Parliament. Street Island was given semi-autonomous status with its own Parliament and Prime Minister, and the other nations still within the Commonwealth was given representation in the Chimaean Parliament and in local councils. Chimaea joined the Empire of Baron, a region of neighbouring nations, and rose to eventually become the Regional Delegate, first to the League of Nations and then later the United Nations. This enabled Chimaea to answer the call and actively contribute troops and resources to the first two World Wars. Ever since, Chimaea has had a long tradition of military service, in wars such as the Amerigo Slaver War, the Chimaean-Clock Hill War, the Street Island Crisis, and a whole host of military and humanitarian interventions within other nations such as Hrstrovokia and Colombia, as well as diplomatic intervention in areas of tension such as Ienotheisa.

Most recently, the elected Governor was unseated in a bloodless military coup led by General Garrison, the Commander in Chief of the Chimaean Armed Forces. Citing Constitutional powers in times of crisis, General Garrison nominated Lady Bryce, the daughter of former Governor Lord Kyle Bryce, as Governor until fresh elections can be held. These elections have been put off as the situation in Street Island worsened, resulting in Street Island being reinstituted as a state of the Commonwealth.

Economy

Chimaea has a modernised, Western-style capitalist economy on par with the best economies in the world. Rising domestic output as well as international trade agreements have overcome the economic slump during the Bryce Administration, and business and consumer confidence remains high even though income tax rates have risen to a new high. Free trade between the 'Chimaean-bloc' Baron nations and an emphasis on reforms in the domestic and international markets, such as careful control of tariffs and firm regulation of corporate policies, have led to a frightening up-turn in the economy, which has survived massively increased military expenditure and high security concerns.

GDP: $68,565,000,000,000 CS [2003]

National Budget: $41,053,430,880,000 CS [2004]

Currency: Sil

Currency Code: CS

Society

Chimaea has one of the most liberal societies in the Empire of Baron and ranks high worldwide. It is a place where any sexuality is accepted and encouraged, where anyone may enter state marriage (though religions are respected and expected to maintain their own laws) and anyone may chose to believe whatever religious, ethical or moral framework they wish. Most major towns and cities have a 'religious quarter' devoted to places of worship and congregation and it is not unexpected to see Christians, Buddhists, Moslems and every other religion co-existing peacefully and with mutual respect.

Discrimination on gender is strictly prohibitted; women and men are free to obtain any work or attain any position or role they please. An example of this is the successful campaign by women in the armed forces to be allowed in front-line and in combat during the 1960s; today several high ranking commanders are women and hundreds of thousands of women serve as combat troops.

The rule of law holds sway throughout Chimaea. Progressive policies in education, successful implementation of a government administered, private-funded welfare system and a well-funded and trained police force spells an almost crime-free society as well as high rate of employment, with no-one living below the pverty line.

Chimaean society stands as a shining beacon of peace, tolerance and prosperity in the world.

Population: 2, 650, 000, 000 (May 2004 Estimate)

HIV/AIDS - Adult Prevalence Rate: 0.0001

HIV/AIDS - People Living with AIDS: 1900 (2003 Estimate)

HIV/AIDS - Deaths: Less than 60 (2003 Estimate)

Nationality:

Noun: Chimaean(s) Adjective: Chimaean

Ethnic Groups: Caucasian (European, Russian, American etc.) 46%, Asian (Chinese, Indian, Sri Lankan etc.) 13%, African-Middle Eastern (Egyptian, South African, Israeli etc.) 15%, Other 8%, Non-Human (Catgirl, Elven etc.) 18%

Languages: English, Spanish, other

Literacy:

Definition: Age 15 and over can read and write Total population: 100% Male: 100% Female: 100%

Military

General

The Commonwealth of Chimaea had a strong military tradition stretching back over three hundred years. From the first Chimaean regiments in the Royal British Army to the world-class military machine of today, Chimaeans have a strong history of bravery, innovation and victory in many battlefields.

The Chimaean Armed Forces were formally commissioned in 1784 in a provision in the Constitution which allowed for its formation and maintenance for the defence of 'all lands of interest to the Commonwealth'.

It took three more years, however, till the Royal Chimaean Regiments were reorganised and retrained sufficiently to be sworn in as the new Commonwealth Army and Navy. During the reign of the one and only Chimaean King, these forces swelled in size to almost triple that provided by the Constitution. The King, relying heavily on conscripts, began a campaign of annexation until the Army and Navy was spread too thin to successfully keep down the many insurrections that were occurring in the far-flung reaches of the Commonwealth.

When the King was deposed the Governor of the time brought a period of peace and stability that saw a massive reduction in the armed forces, which were largely looked upon as the tools of the former tyrant. So when Street Island demanded independence it was largely expected to receive it. However, the Governor deemed Street Island too important a strategic asset and reformed the Army proper. It was sent into Street Island and what followed was one of the blackest periods in Chimaean history as 'dissidents' and alleged supporters of the independence movement were rounded up and brutally massacred by the unprofessional, unprepared and conscripted Army.

There was international outcry and while the Government of the day ignored the calls to grant Street Island independence, the Army and Navy were reorganised into the Chimaean Armed Forces, a fully professional, well-trained and disciplined force. Compulsory military training programs were created so that any future need for conscripts would be met with professionally trained soldiers.

It was this reinvigorated force that answered the Allied call to arms in World War I and World War II. These two conflicts cemented the Chimaean Armed Forces' reputation for unflinching courage and honour in all theatres of the wars.

From Korea to Amerigo, from Vietnam to Colombia, the Chimaean Armed Forces have gone where angels feared to tread, into the places where Heaven and Humanity had given up, where the difference between life and death lay in discipline, training and a single-minded determination to get the job done. In all its roles, as defender of the commonwealth, upholder of democracy, international peacekeeper or humanitarian interventionist, the Chimaean Armed Forces have carved their names on the stone of history.

Chief of State and Overall Military Commander: Governor Reginald STYLES, KCC

Commander in Chief: General William H. Garrison

Army

The Chimaean Army is a well-trained, professional part of the Armed Forces and consists of many different branches and regiments, including the Airborne Regiments, the mostly classified Special Forces branches and Armoured Companies.

The Chimaean Army is Chimaea's largest method of defence and offence, capable of reacting to any situation in any part of the world with rapidity and maximum force. Time and again in Chimaean history the Army had proven its strength and courage, from the jungle warfare of Western Clock Hill during the Chimaea-Clock Hill war to the desert and temperate warfare in Hrstrovokia and neighbouring Boroglia.

Though a force to be reckoned with on its own, the Chimaean Army liases closely with all other parts of the Chimaean Armed Forces and Intelligence Organisations. A model Chimaean Army operation is the intervention in Colombia following the conflict between the Colombian Government and FARC rebels. Coupled with Naval, Air Force, Intelligence and other Army assets provided by Chimaea, Knootoss and Clock Hill, Chimaean peacekeepers were able to effectively curtail violence against civilians, often in dangerous and volatile situations. With the dissolving of FARC, the Chimaea Army has been able to conduct crippling raids on drug traffickers and militia using Special Forces backed by the Marine Corp and the Air Force.

The current commanding officer of the Chimaean Army is General Sebastian de Santuro. Note that General Garrison, the Commander in Chief of the Chimaean Armed Forces, is also the nominal head of the Chimaean Army.

Navy

The Chimaean Navy has had a long history as one of the best in the Empire of Baron region, frequently backing invasion forces, providing troop transport and going on interdiction missions in Chimaean territorial waters.

Famously, the then fledglingNavy was part of the Syskeyian blockade of Amerigo during the Anti-Slavery War; as part of the blockade, Chimaean Naval assets provided cover and transport for Rastonian, Syskeyian and Chimaean troops to establish a beachhead under blistering enemy fire and an active air war.

During the latter part of the Bryce Administration the funding for the Navy was boosted and a massive reconstruction and refurbishmentof all aspects of the Navy was carried out; something which is still continuing in its final stages today and due to be completed by 2005.

From a single fleet consisting of two Carrier Groups, the Navy has grown into three fleets, each capable of providing offence and defence capability and support to all other Chimaean Armed Forces in two possible major wars at once.

The commanding officer of the Chimaean Navy was Admiral Juliett Esterfield.

Air Force

The Chimaean Air Force is, comparitively, the youngest of the branches of the Chimaean Armed Forces. In the past the Air Force mostly played support roles, such as troop and equipment transport and air-to-ground strikes.

Recently, however, with the added boost in funding by the Styles Administration, the Chimaean Air Force has expanded and revitalised. Research programs with Clock Hill and other Baron nations have developed advanced technology, such as the future-concept SC-42 AirHawk, a multi-role aircraft designed to outperform Europe's Eurofighter Typhoon, America's Joint-Strike Fighter and many other modern fighters in the world today.

Currently the refurbished Chimaean Air Force is deployed in such theatres as Colombia and Street Island. It is being trained by the more experienced Clock Hill and New Rastonian Air Forces and will reach expected size and performance demanded by modern conflicts by mid-2004.

The commanding officer of the Chimaean Air Force is Air Chief Marshall Lord Dean Desilva.