Difference between revisions of "Cravan"

Revision as of 17:23, 1 August 2007

The Libertarian Empire of Cravan
National flag	Coat of Arms
Motto	Virtus in actione consistit.
Anthem	Liberty's Domain
Capital	Laurana
Languages   - Official   - Unofficial	English Castillian, Pacitalian
Government   - Emperor   - Primary Director	Constitutional Monarchy Robert Craven II Elizabeth Anagrams
Establishment   - as Imperial Monarchy - as Constitutional Monarchy	AD 1368, AD 1707
Area  - Total  - % water	~994,958km² 22
Population  - Total (2007)	3,200,000,000~
GDP (FY2006/07)   - Total (NSD)   - GDP/capita (NSD)	$142,313,114,474,051.88 (ç73,859,826,901,625.43) $42,852.49 (ç22,239.98)
National animal	Falcon
National flower	Mountain Laurel
National tree	Hemlock
Currency	1 Crave (CRV) = 100 Kosars
Time Zone	GTT +10:00 GMT
National charter of rights	Constitution of the Empire
Pronunciation (IPA)	/Kruh-Von/
Internet TLD	.crv
Calling code	+224
PDAS rating	A
CHDI rating	0.965 (very high)

The Libertarian Empire of Cravan or Cravan, Spanish: Imperio Libertario de Cravan, is situated in the Golden Triangle, a region located in the temperate northern hemisphere of the world. It is a nation of mixed Sapinian-Anglo culture, with a diverse heritage between the two. The Libertarian Empire of Cravan is comprised of numerous provinces and overseas territories, making it one of the more influential nations of the Triangle. It is an economically powerful nation with a well developed and efficient government, a private sector completely kept independent from the government, and a myriad of personal freedoms granted to the populace.

The Libertarian Empire is bordered on the southeast by Couriers for B BG a and on the southwest by Dabaxan. Across the Razgriz Bay is the former location of Clandonia Prime to the northeast and Wilsonna to the northwest. Off the coast lies the unclaimed island which was once Oliverous, however a devastating civil war left the island in anarchy and largely uninhabited.

Cravan is noted for its libertarian reforms, hence the change from "Democratic Empire" to "Libertarian Empire" in 1995. Cravan is ranked as an A on the PDAS system, and a .981 on the CHDI, placing it in the top percentiles for human development. Its industry is dominated by the information technology market, offering for high paying jobs for a highly intelligent population.

History

Ancient Times to the Revolution

Cravan was originally settled by early tribes of the two cultures which currently dominate the nation, the Anglo-Saxons and the Castilites, a tribe of Castillian-speaking peoples of Spanish origin. The Anglo-Saxons settled in areas of what are now North Point and the Imperial Province, while the Castilites settled in Sapin. Eventually the Anglo-Saxons spread, surrounding the Castilites from all angles. By the 8th century AD, today's modern borders began to take shape.

After centuries of war and struggle between the various sub-tribes of the Anglo-Saxons, a single solitary king rose to the throne in 1347. He was known as King Matichora I, and had managed to unite the Anglo Saxons under one banner with a firm grasp on the people. The kingdom he created, the Kingdom of Maticha, was named after him in light of his achievement.

The Castilites, having realised at an early stage that they were surrounded, had united under the banner of King Luis Santiago I in 1223, thus forming the Kingdom of Sapin. By 1347 his ancestor Queen Isabella Santiago had taken power. Queen Isabella realised that soon enough the unified Anglo-Saxons would attempt an invasion of Sapin in search of control of the Cravanian mainland, and she began to plan for her defense. She was correct in her predictions, and in 1361 the Kingdom of Maticha began the long and bloody campaign of unification. Sweeping armies came from three angles, and a brilliantly coordinated campaign brought the downfall of the Kingdom of Sapin within six years. King Matichora was crowned Emperor in 1368, and the Kingdom of Maticha officially became the Empire of Maticha.

Centuries passed, and the nation grew into a prosperous state. In 1657, a change occured when the Cantoriavan family took power from the Matichoras in a military coup. The empire was renamed Cravan by the new reigning family, in honor of their home county of Cravenshire, located in the central area of the modern-day Imperial Province. A short conflict ensued, which was quickly put down by the Imperial Guard who had sworn loyalty to the Cantoriavans during the coup.

Soon enough, however, the 1700's arrived, and with it, the age of democracy. The common people had grown unhappy by that time, and finally they saw their chance to rise up.

Revolution

The Cravanian Revolution occurred in 1706, when the Cantoriavan family held power with an iron fist. Oppressed, the middle class had become agitated over the years, and finally on January 15, 1706, the situation reached a boiling point when government troops slaughtered a group of shopkeepers in the Laurana market who had not paid taxes in two weeks. On January 28, 1706, the citizenry of Cravan took up arms against the government, and stormed the Imperial Senate building, killing the corrupt noble senators and setting the building ablaze while the Senate had been in session. Within a week, the Imperial Palace fell, resulting in the capture of the corrupt Emperor David XVI. He was later executed for his crimes of oppression. The 28th has forever been known as Imperial Day, and is celebrated yearly.

However, the citizens of Cravan refused to shed their heritage as an Imperial monarchy, and decided to install a more democratic approach to the age old system, a form of government now known as a Constitutional Monarchy. Although the Imperial Family is still a fixed party based on bloodlines, they are kept in check by the Imperial Senate, who are elected from both nobles and commoners. The Senate holds legislative powers; while the reigning Emperor/Empress wields the executive power of the military and some political matters, along with the Head Director, the head of the Internal Cabinet of the reigning monarch. The Imperial Courts, meanwhile, hold judicial powers, balancing the power between the three branches of government. See below for more information on the structure of Cravanian government.

From Revolution to Present Day

John Craven was a major figure after the revolution, thanks to his participation in the storming of the Senate and Palace. He played a crucial role as a tactician for the rebels, and held a high rank in the newly formed government. When the decision to adopt the constitutional monarchy was reached, the people elected him as first Emperor, both for political and traditional reasons. Of course as a tactician and commander he had earned their respect, but he was also a member of the Craven family, the ruling family of the County Cravenshire which Cravan had been named after by the previous dynasty.

As the years progressed, Cravan entered deep isolation from the world at large. It was a period of peace and stability, but also a period of xenophobia towards the outside world. Only occasionally was contact made with the outside world, in the form of colonial task forces sent out to establish holdings across the globe. Cravan officially exited this time of isolation in 1800, when the world entered the industrial age.

From that point on, Cravan prospered moreso as it traded with other nations of the world. As technology advanced, Cravan's economy grew. Cravan's history has remained relatively uneventful, however, until the present day.

Cravan's first official exo-Golden Triangle conflict occured on June 18th, 1989, when rebels in the nation of Philthealbino rose up against the legitimate government. The Empire entered the conflict in support of the government, although little to no contact had been made beforehand. The rebels were fought back, as were those nations who moved in to support them. On August 22nd, a cease fire ceremony between all involved parties was interrupted by a sneak guerilla attack. The signing went ahead, however, and peace took the place of the violence.

In 2006 Emperor Matthew rescinded the throne, leaving it to his son Robert II. Soon afterwards the Crown Princess and Heir Apparent was born. In 2007 the first Libertarian cabinet in years was elected under Elizabeth Anagrams, ousting the Conservative chokehold on the cabinet. On an international scale 2007 marked the end of the GASN and a beginning of Cravan's membership in NATO.

(please note the above is not how it completely happened, and the dates are merely as early as they are so they fit with how I want my timeline)

Geography and Climate

Cravan is a temperate nation which lies on the coast of the Cravanian Peninsula. It has a cool and usually wet climate in the summer and spring, while some areas of the peninsula are cold and harsh in winter. Cravan is exempt from major tropical storms thanks to its location and climate.

Cravan is bisected by the Cravno-Dividing Mountain Range, a chain of mountains fairly low in elevation compared to the surrounding areas thanks to millenia of weathering. To the north and south of the mountains are heavily forested flatlands, while in the deep south of Cravan are gently rolling hills. Thanks to its temperate climate and relatively flat landscape, Cravan is dotted by farmlands outside the urban areas, giving it a booming agricultural industry and allowing Cravan to export most of its surplus while not taking in imports for most food products. Outside of the urban areas are mostly villages and small towns, and some small cities outside the massive metropolitan areas of Cravan's "supercities."

Government

The Libertarian Empire is a Constitutional Monarchy, and is divided into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Through a system of checks and balances, no branch supercedes the next.

Executive Branch

The executive official, namely the Emperor/Empress, is the apparent heir to the throne. This is always the eldest child of the current/previous Emperor and Empress, regardless of sex When the apparent heir marries, he/she is capable of taking the throne, since the heir can only ascend to the throne after marriage. Usually, however, the preceding monarch will serve until death or retirement, at which time the apparent heir will be crowned Emperor or Empress.

Although both the heir and their spouse gain the title of Emperor/Empress, only the apparent heir will assume the executive position. The spouse becomes more of a figurehead, whether they are female or male, since neither sex is overtly dominant in Cravanian society. If the apparent heir is female, the husband takes the name of the Imperial Family instead of the customary woman taking her husband's name, out of respect of the Imperial Family and the wish to keep the bloodline of the House of Craven. If another Princess marries, she is encouraged to keep the Imperial Family name in her full name, or to convince her spouse to take the Imperial Family name. Oftentimes the Princess will take a hyphenated surname, including the Imperial Family name and the surname of her husband.

When an heir marries, the spouse is not required to be of a noble class. The Family, however, must approve of the spouse, which is why it is usually a prominent figure in Cravanian society who becomes the heir's spouse. See below for more details under Cravanian society.

The Cabinet

In addition to the reigning family, the elected cabinet is the decision making body which surrounds the monarch. The group is headed up by the Primary Director, a figure comparable to a Prime Minister. The cabinet is elected every four years, with elections coinciding with those of the House of Commons.

Each party nominates a figure for a position in the cabinet, and oftentimes voters will choose a straight ticket vote. However, sometimes voters will vote for each individual candidate, which can be troublesome at times since it is then that the cabinet will not decide on issues so quickly when there are figures of opposing ideologies as members.

The following are the positions on the cabinet:

• Primary Director
• Deputy Primary Director
• Director of Foreign Affairs
• Director of Justice
• Director of the Armed Forces
• Director of Health
• Director of Transportation
• Director of Education
• Director of Trade and Industry
• Director of the Environment
• Director of Agriculture
• Director of International Development
• Director of Labor
• Director of Intelligence (appointed)

Legislative Branch

The Imperial Senate acts as the legislative branch, and is the law passing branch. A bicameral legislature, the Senate is made of the House of Commons and the Council of Lords.

The House of Commons is the more powerful House of the Senate, and is made up of representatives from each province in the nation. Each Senator in the House of Commons has one vote, and the number of Senators in the House is proportional to the population of each province. Currently, the dominant party in the House of Commons is the Imperial Libertarian Party, which is the party endorsed by the current monarch. The ILP currently holds 176 seats, an incredibly large majority and almost half of the 400 seats in the Senate. Senators to the House of Commons are elected every four years by the residents in their provinces.

The Council of Lords, meanwhile, is a council made up of three representatives from each province throughout the Empire. (42 seats) The name is misleading, for members of the Council are not necessarily of noble status. They are, however, awarded honorary knighthood if they have not had the honor beforehand. Each province represented in the Council has one vote which the three representatives decide how to cast based on their party. Most of the legislation in the Council of Lords is more about minor issues and bills than the bills and laws which pass through the House of Commons. Senators on the Council are elected every six years.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch, composed of the Imperial High Courts and all other courts in the nation, is used to ensure the actions of both the executive and legislative branches are legal. Five judges are appointed to the High Court, one of which is chosen to be a Chief Justice by the Council of Lords. The Justices of the High Court determine the legality of political and military decisions made by the other branches, and ensure that the proper action is taken if the other two branches step over the line. Only three times in history has the Court had to step in and issue an Imperial Proclomation of Impeachment towards the offending parties, only once towards a monarch.

Political Parties

Represented

The following parties are represented in the Imperial Senate.

Unrepresented

The following is a list of parties without representation in either house of the Senate.

• Tradition Party of Cravan
• Heritage Party of Cravan
• Constitution Party of Cravan
• Unity Party
• Guns and Weed Party
• Party Party
• Good Times Coalition

Culture

Culture in Cravan is influenced by many factors, including Cravan's unique heritage. One of the more notable features of Cravanian society is its class structure, or lack thereof. The classes between commonpeople and nobility are merely titles, and all citizens of Cravan hold equal rights and priveliges under the Imperial Constitution and in the eyes of the law.

Cravanians are often fairly accepting of foreign cultures and ideas, and the degrees of freedoms offered in Cravan have often been a way for people of other cultures to integrate themselves into Cravanian culture, spreading their own customs and adopting some of those of Cravan. Cravan has a highly western culture and atmosphere, and free thinking and debate are encouraged to promote the arts and sciences.

Religion

The largest religion in Cravan is Roman Catholicism, and the Imperial Family is largely Roman Catholic. However, due to a seperation of church and state there is no official religion of the Empire. There is a multitude of religions present in the country, the most popular minor religions being Judaism and Islam. As of the last census, 52% of Cravanians are Catholic, 16% are Orthodox Christians, 18% are of the Hebrew faith, 6% are of the Islamic faith, and 8% are of other faiths/agnostic/atheist.

Language

The official language of Cravan is English, however a small percentage of the nation speaks Castilian, another name for traditional Spanish, present from the nation's prominent Castilite heritage. Castilian is prominent mostly in Sapin and Prada, and small parts of Dierson and the southern area of the Imperial Province. Otherwise, English is the dominant language in Cravan.

The entire native population of Cravan is capable of speaking English, however 27% of the native population are native Castilian speakers while 73% are native English speakers. Most Cravanians are bilingual, however it is not a requirement by the government to be able to speak both languages. It is, however, a requirement to speak at least English. All road signs are printed in only English, save for some areas which are heavily influenced by the Sapinian culture. There is also a small percentage of Pacitalian speakers, however compared to English and Spanish they are few and far between.

Holidays

The following is a list of holidays celebrated annually in the Empire:

Art

Art in Cravan is mainly of a contemporary nature, with mostly classical-style paintings and frescoes being the dominant style of canvas art. Meanwhile, sculpture also remains of a conservative nature, with the human form and nature being the center of Cravanian art. Several notable artists of Cravan include Jose Phillipe, a portrait artist from Oured famous for his rendition of the Cravanian Revolution; John Killingson, a sculptor from Richtor who, relatively unknown before the Coalition invasion of Eurasia, designed the monument which sits in Imperial Square today commemorating the destruction of his home city by nuclear detonation; and Pablo Denardo, a painter from Laurana who has painted the portrait of every monarch since 1967.

Music

Modern music in Cravan mostly lies in the rock genre, with very little of the population favoring more urban genres such as rap and hip hop. Punk rock and ska appears to be the most popular form of rock in most of the urban areas of northern Cravan, while more classic rock is common in southern urban areas. Jazz, of which some of the ska genre is based off of, remains popular with urban upper-class citizens. Country music and other forms of classic rock are common throughout the rural areas of the nation.

Classical music in Cravan takes after its Sapinian background, with most Cravanian compositions having a "Spanish flair." Classic Cravanian music features a full orchestra of percussion, strings, brass, and most prominently acoustic guitars. While the orchestra plays harmony in the background, the guitars play the melody. The melody played by the guitars is commonly very fast, even in more calm pieces. Sometimes, a chorus or solo singer will sing, as well. For an example of a classic Cravanian piece, see here. (RL credit goes to Ace Combat: Zero)

Sports

The national sport of Cravan is ice hockey, an insanely popular sport with people of all economic situations. In addition, soccer, basketball, and baseball also rank high on the list of popular Cravanian sports.

Cravan is currently entered into the 35th World Cup, as well as the Baptism of Fire competition. This is the first international sporting event which Cravanian athletes are partaking in.

Transportation

Cravan boasts an intricate and efficent transportation network, consisting of countless miles of roads and railways. Managed by a small and efficient Department of Transportation, Cravan's transportation network works like a finely oiled machine.

TBC

Military

The Imperial Cravanian Military is heralded as one of the world's foremost fighting forces, an entirely volunteer force with the capability of deploying anywhere in the world within hours. A well funded and equipped force, the Imperial Military is also noted to be among the world's leaders in technology and advanced weaponry. All branches of the Imperial Military are well versed in their purpose, and training for personnel is rigorous and thorough, to guarantee a fighting force capable of duking it out with the toughest of the tough.

The Imperial Military currently has a budget amounting to the equivalent of $23,675,258,619,920 and an enrollment of approximately 11,800,000 Cravanians in all branches and professions.

Branches

There are three indepenedent branches of the Cravanian military, as listed below with sub-branches:

• Imperial Cravanian Air Force
  • Imperial Naval Air Force
  • Imperial Space Command

• Imperial Cravanian Army

• Cravanian Imperial Navy
  • Imperial Marine Corps

Current Conflicts

• Conflict with Questarian Commonwealth and allies

Provinces and Overseas Territories

The Libertarian Empire has built up numerous provinces and territories over the years, and claims dominion over many overseas regions. The following is a list of Provinces and Overseas Territories. (the latter of which are considered provinces and have the proper representation in the Senate)

Mainland Provinces

• Imperial Province
• Anea
• Hastings
• Weatherby
• Prada
• Sapin
• Basseton
• Cantonison
• Esteria
• Dinelson

Overseas Territories as Provincial Territories

• Aurelias (located in 0000000000000, ingame Cravan III)
• Arterusia (located in Arterus)
• Carpanthium (located in Haven, ingame Cravanian Haven)

External Links

Cravan on NationStates

	The Eastern Havenic Empire of Cravan
Main article: Cravan
Military and Intelligence: Imperial Cravanian Air Force, Imperial Cravanian Army, Cravanian Imperial Navy, Imperial Department of Intelligence
Locations: Laurana, Cravanian Overseas Territories
Miscellaneous: Crave, National Anthem, Aequatian Separatist Conflict, Invasion of British Londinium, Operation Hallowed Sabre