Cravan

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The Eastern Havenic Empire of Cravan
NEWNEWFLAG2copy.jpg crestcopy2small.png
National flag Coat of Arms
NEW MAP IN PROGRESS
Motto Virtus in actione consistit.
Anthem Hymn of Liberty
Capital Laurana
Languages
  - Official
  - Unofficial

English (de facto)
Castillian, Pacitalian, Irish, Welsh, Scots Gaelic, Willinkian
Government

  - Emperor
  - Primary Director
Constitutional Monarchy

Robert Craven II
Elizabeth Anagrams
Establishment
 
- as Imperial Monarchy
- as Constitutional Monarchy
 
AD 1368,
AD February 18, 1707
Area
 - Total (incl. Overseas)
 - % water

~8,054,000km²
27
Population
 - Total (2007)

4,391,000,000~
GDP (FY2006/07)
  - Total (NSD)


  - GDP/capita (NSD)

$191,117,274,326,601
(ç99,810,567,331,628)

$43,525
(ç22,415)
National animal   Falcon
National flower   Mountain Laurel
National tree   Hemlock
Currency 1 Crave (CRV) = 100 Kosars
Time Zone HTC +600
National charter of rights Constitution of the Eastern Empire
Pronunciation (IPA) /kɹəvɑːn/
Internet TLD .crv
Calling code +224
PDAS rating A
CHDI rating 0.965 (very high)


The Eastern Havenic Empire of Cravan and her Overseas Dominions, Eastern Havenic Empire, or simply Cravan, is a Havenic nation, the central homeland of which is located on the northwestern coast of the easternmost continent of the region. The name "Eastern Havenic Empire" comes from the mainland's position in the east, despite the Empire spanning territories across Haven. The Empire is comprised of six Countries: Calahan, Meddlesworth, Sapin, Aurelias, Consorben, and Axetonshire; the former three a part of mainland Cravan and often referred to as the "Home Countries." The Empire also possesses two Overseas Territories: Carpanthium and Penningson. Five of the six Countries are located in Haven, while Axetonshire is located in Arterus. Both Carpanthium and Penningson are located in Haven.

The Eastern Havenic Empire is a constitutional monarchy, operating a working parliamentary democracy, with His Imperial Majesty Robert the Second of Cravan as head of state and reigning monarch. The Right Honorable Elizabeth Anagrams currently serves as the nation's thirty-fourth Primary Director, elected into office in June of 2007.

Cravan is considered to be a major player on the Havenic stage, with a booming economy and positive foreign relations with most other nations. The Crave is the tenth most powerful currency in Haven, after the Hamptonian Krone. Cravan has the 11th largest GDP per capita in the region, weighing in at ç22,415 ($43,525). The Empire is a member of the New Alliance Treaty Organization as well as a founding member of the now defunct GASN and a former member of the equally defunct ISAF.


History

Ancient Times to Uprising

Cravan was originally settled by early tribes of the two cultures which currently dominate the home countries, the Anglo-Saxons and the Castilites, a tribe of Castillian-speaking peoples of Spanish origin. The Anglo-Saxons settled in the north of what is now the Home Countries of Callahan and Meddlesworth, while the Castilites settled in what is now known as the Home Country of Sapin. Eventually the Anglo-Saxons spread throughout the north and spread around Sapin into the south, surrounding the Castilites from all angles. By the 8th century AD, today's modern county 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 populace. The kingdom he created, the Kingdom of Maticha, was named in his honor for this 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 of the Combined Matichan Empire in 1368, finally bringing peace to the precursor to the Cravanian mainland.

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, using their influence in the aristocracy of the time to usurp the throne. The empire was renamed Cravan by the new reigning family, a homage to their home county of Cravenshire which is located in central Calahan. A short conflict ensued, which was quickly put down by the Imperial Guard who had sworn loyalty to the Cantoriavans during the coup. Half a century passed before another major change would occur in the politics of the Cravanian homeland.

Revolt, Revolution, and Reform

The January Revolt occurred in 1706, when the Cantoriavan family held power with an iron fist. Oppressed, the commoners and aristocrats who had once had extensive freedom now had very little room to move. The two groups 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 marketplace who had not paid government taxes in protest. 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 VI. He was later executed for his crimes of oppression. The 28th has forever been known as Imperial Day, and is celebrated yearly.

Post-revolt times brought about numerous reforms, however the citizens of Cravan refused to shed their heritage as a monarchy. Instead the first meeting of the reformed Imperial Senate saw the establishment of an early form of Constitutional Monarchy, combining democratic values with the age old system. Although the Imperial Family is still a fixed party based on bloodlines, they are largely figureheads while most executive power lies with the Primary Director. See below for more information on the structure of Cravanian government.

Sir 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 and sat on the central council of the reformed Senate. When the decision to adopt a form of constitutional monarchy was reached, the people nominated him as first Emperor, both for political and traditional reasons. Of course as a tactician and commander he had earned their respect, he was also a member of the Craven family which was the current ruling family of County Cravenshire, which Cravan had been named after by the previous dynasty. He accepted, and on February 19th he was coronated as the first Emperor of the Eastern Havenic Empire.

Reformed Cravan until Present Day

For the next two-hundred years Cravan would expand its influence and build itself on the world stage in an era of peace in Haven, expanding to include two Overseas Territories and three Overseas Countries in addition to the three Home Countries. The Cravanian economy skyrocketed upwards in this era, bringing new opportunities to the nation.

Throughout the years seventeen monarchs and thirty-four Primary Directors have passed through the respective offices, bringing about many changes in the political and cultural structure of the Empire. The Empire maintained positive relations with most Havenic nations throughout the Golden Period that has been marked as a time of growth and prosperity for the Empire, and continues to maintain positive relations with most nations to this day.

In 1992, the Empire was involved in the founding of the Global Alliance of Sovereign Nations, a supra-national alliance organization which enrolled over thirty nations at its peak. The GASN brought the Empire closer to its currently closest allies, Illior and Aequatio, as well as exposing it to numerous other ideologies and expanding its influence further with the world outside of Haven. The GASN was involved in numerous actions and endeavours, most of which ended either peacefully or beneficially for the Empire.

From the time of Emperor John IV on, Cravan was propelled into the future. Although John did not live long enough in his position to see Cravan truly blossom, his son Robert I suggested many policies to the Senate, many of which are still in place today to bring Cravan to the forefront. In 1986, however, a major tragedy struck the nation as Robert died in a plane crash into the icy waters off the coast of the northern Home Countries. It was a tragedy throughout Haven, as Robert I had been an insanely popular public figure and his death was seen as a sudden and completely unexpected tragic event that sent shockwaves throughout the political world, in particular Cravan. His son, Matthew of Cravan, continued his father's work and brought it to new levels. Matthew is to this day considered "the greatest" Emperor Cravan has had, having taken a more active role in politics than his predecessors.

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

Commonwealth-NATO War

On July 13th, 2007 the Imperium of Questers engaged in a surprise assault of NATO assets around Haven, drawing the Empire into its first true conflict since the wars of pre-revolt times. The Empire saw extensive combat in theatres in western Haven, in and around Carpanthium and the Strobovian Strait. NATO forces battled Commonwealth attackers with ferocity, holding them back at the Strobovian Line and halting their progress signifcantly for the duration of the war, a conflict which lasted five days. In that time, a total of 14% of the entire Imperial Cravanian Navy's combat assets were lost, amounting to over 53 combat ships lost and countless more logistical assets destroyed.

Carpanthium was also hit hard by the Commonwealth, Northfordian forces indiscriminately bombarding both civilian and military positions in and around the Territory. The city of Millingston was bombarded by wave upon wave of ICCM strikes, amounting to tens of thousands in casualties. Northfordian fighter craft attempted a charge across the lines, however were repelled in the north by Oceanian fighter support and kept from crossing the border elsewhere by extensive fighter and SAM cover. Aequatian engineering assets deployed to the colony with hopes to bring defenses to a higher standard than the makeshift state which they were in at the time as well as repair the damage inflicted upon civilian and military positions. Midlonian and Oceanian troops were also deployed in force to the Territory, with the hopes of further repelling a possible Northfordian incursion and assisting Cravanian forces located in the Territory with further support.

NATO forces held out for five days in the Strobovian, setting the Questarian forces back severely in their schedule. With draining public support at home, as well as hard hitting terrorist attacks which effectively decapitated the Commonwealth government, an armistice was reached on July 18th, and further peace terms were negotiated.

Geography

Topography and Climate

Main Article: Geography and Climate of Cravan

Geographical Boundaries and Divisions

The Empire is divided up into six Countries and two Overseas Territories, the Territories having representation in the House of Commons but no representation on the Council of Lords while Countries have equal representation on the Council and are represented in the House of Commons according to population.

Although a distinction is made between the three "Home Countries" and the three other Countries, all Countries are equal on the Council of Lords and have equal standards for the number of seats alotted to each county in the Countries according to population.

The Countries of the Eastern Havenic Empire are as follows:

The Overseas Territories of the Eastern Havenic Empire are as follows:

Each Country is divided up into smaller political units known as counties. The counties are all represented in the House of Commons and each operate their own working legislature at the local level. Most laws are standard throughout the Empire, however such regulations as building codes vary from county to county.

Government and Politics

The Eastern Havenic Empire is categorized as a parliamentary democracy, with most power being vested in the legislative branch of the Imperial Senate.

Government Structure

Primary Director

Executive power in the Empire is wielded by the Primary Director, who manages the day to day affairs of the nation with the cabinet of officials. The cabinet is appointed by the elected Primary Director and approved by the Imperial Senate. The cabinet is headquartered in the Offices of the Directorate, located at 1 Imperial Square in the Imperial District of Laurana.

Currently the incumbent Primary Director is The Right Honorable Elizabeth Anagrams, leader of the Imperial Libertarian Party and a successful bussinesswoman. Anagrams's current Deputy Primary Director is Sir David Koslin, former Director of GASN and Director of Foreign Intelligence at the Imperial Department of Intelligence.

The following is a list of current positions in 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

Imperial Senate

The Imperial Senate acts as the legislative arm of the Imperial government, holding most of the power in the Empire. 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 county in the Countries of the Empire and from each Overseas Territory. 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 county/Territory. Currently, the dominant party in the House of Commons is the Imperial Libertarian Party, which holds 176 seats. Senators to the House of Commons are elected every four years by the residents in their counties in elections managed by the local county authorities. For a bill to be passed through the House of Commons it must attain at least a 55% majority (220 "Aye" votes).

The Council of Lords, meanwhile, is a council made up of three representatives from each Country throughout the Empire. (18 seats) The name of the Council of Lords is misleading, for members of the Council are not necessarily of noble status upon election. They are, however, awarded honorary knighthood if they have not been granted an equal or higher honor beforehand. Each Country represented in the Council has one vote which the three representatives decide to cast based on their party affiliation. Bills which pass through the House of Commons must be passed by the Council of Lords where at least a 65% majority is required (16 "Aye" votes). If a bill fails in the Council, it is sent back to the House of Commons where a 70% majority (280 "Aye" votes) is required to pass it. Senators on the Council are elected every six years, and are elected in groups of three per Country and by party. Nominees are selected in a primary for each running party in the respective Country, where the three most popular candidates from that party are nominated to the council to represent their home Country, one of the nominees being designated a leader of the party's nomination for the Council. The party nomination which receieves the most votes wins the three seats on the Council, and is said to be in control of that Country for as long as the party is able to hold its position on the Council for that Country.

Law

Law in the Empire is fairly standard throughout, with most laws and regulations determined by the Imperial Senate. Minor regulation, such as building code regulations, are determined at the local level as per the needs of the geographic area in which the regulation is determined. All counties must conform to the Constitution of the Eastern Empire, documentation of the rights of each Imperial citizen in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants citizens extensive personal and economic freedom, as per reforms carried out by the Libertarians in the late eighties and early nineties after gaining a foothold in the Senate.

Crime in the Empire is not a problem per se, as after libertarian reform most practices labelled as crime were made perfectly legal. Crime in the empire is defined as "The jeaopardization of the safety or wellbeing of other individuals" and "Theft from or concious deceit of other individuals or corporate entities" meaning "victimless crimes" are perfectly legal in the Empire. Practices such as prostitution; the handling, sale, and use of narcotics and other hallucinogenic drugs; and self inflicted violence are perfectly legal. However, the use of narcotics and drugs while driving or operating machinery, putting others' safety at risk, is a harsh crime in the Empire and usually results in severe punishment. Murder, assault, rape, theft, and other crimes which directly interfere in the daily life of another individual come with very steep punishments, in some cases death administered by the state. Hard labor for more serious crimes is quite common, giving some companies who buy into the penal system cheap labor while inmates work off their sentences and are rewarded for good service in the form of consumer goods and other luxuries.

Politics and Parties

Represented Parties

The following parties are represented in the Imperial Senate.

Party Leader(s) Description Seats on the Council of Lords of 24 Seats in the House of Commons of 400
Conservative Party of Cravan Vince Gallens The Conservative Party of Cravan is a largely moderate to right-wing organization of conservatives which makes up the second most powerful party in the Empire. The Conservatives recently lost the cabinet in the elections, however gained a majority on the Council of Lords and are gaining on the Libertarians. 9 126
Imperial Libertarian Party Elizabeth Anagrams The Imperial Libertarian Party is currently the most popular political party in all of Cravan, accounting for a slight majority of the seats in the House of Commons and a Libertarian cabinet under Director Anagrams. The Conservative Party, however, has been making gains against the Libertarians, tightening their rivalry further despite many ideological similarities. 6 132
Labor Party Anthony Arkins The Labor Party is a moderate to left-wing coalition of voters, and the third most powerful party in the Empire. Its left wing policies, however, have since fallen out of favor with the majority of the public, and the LP has receeded into the shadows slightly. Support for more moderate policies over their usual left-wing voting has imrpoved their popularity somewhat, and the Labor Party has made a slight resurgence in popularity. 3 101
CravEco Juan Feldípe CravEco is the environmentally-minded political party of Cravan, pushing for reforms which would protect Cravan's environment and limit pollution with mostly center and left-wing social and economic views. CravEco is currently the second-least popular party in the Empire, and thusfar its proposed reforms have been killed in the Senate by very steep numbers. 0 32
Communist Party of Cravan Peter Weber The CPC is a much more extreme left-wing party of Cravan, and remains the least popular even after some of its less extreme policies were proposed and accepted. Even so, the CPC gained one seat in the previous Senate election, bringing its total seats in the House of Commons to nine, replacing a Libertarian senator. The CPC has recently launched a large media campaign, hoping to gain some popularity with the general public, however the appeal of Communism has almost completely worn off with the Cravanian public and it is only a matter of time until the CPC is no longer represented in the Senate. 0 9

Unrepresented

The following is a list of parties without representation in either house of the Senate, most of which are fraudulent parties registered as a joke but entirely legal.

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

Demographics

Ethnicities

Ethnically Cravan is primarily of caucasian Anglo-Saxon origin, however in Sapin the population is primarily of caucasian Spanish origin. Minor ethnicities in the Empire are mostly products of immigration, or in the case of Penningson the native Polynesian population being integrated into Cravanian culture. At the moment, over 96% of the Cravanian people are classified as caucasian of various ethnic descent, mostly Western European ethnicities, while the other 4% are the other ethnic minorities. Racial intolerances throughout most of Cravan are unheard of for the most part, and in the eyes of the law and government all ethnicities are equal and none are granted special legislation. Some intolerant groups do exist, however for the most part Cravanian society is tolerant of minority groups.

Religion

The largest religion in Cravan is Roman Catholicism, the Imperial Family being a largely Roman Catholic family. Due to a seperation of church and state there is no official religion in the Empire, despite the Catholic Church of Cravan being referred to as the Imperial Church. There is a multitude of religions present throughout the Empire, the most popular minor religions other than Christianity being Judaism and Islam. As of the last census, 49% of Cravanians are Catholic, 19% are Protestant and other Christian sects, 18% are of the Hebrew faith, 6% are of the Islamic faith, and 8% are of other faiths, agnostic, or atheist.

Language

The de facto official language of Cravan is English, however a fair percentage of the nation speaks Castilian, an alternative name for traditional Spanish. Castillian is mostly prevalent in Sapin, whereas the rest of the Empire is dominantly English or some minor Celtic languages.

The entire native population of Cravan is recorded as being capable of speaking English, and over 98% of the population is literate. However, 16% of the native population are native Castilian speakers from Sapin who learned English as a second language at a young age. Most Cravanians are multi-lingual dependent upon which foreign languages their schools may have taught, with Spanish of course being the most common. Although not law, it is a necessity to speak or at least somewhat understand English to be able to function in Cravanian society. All road signs are printed in only English, and the daily trade language is English unless in a particular ethnic area where for the most part English will still be a common medium.

Education

Most schooling in Cravan is privately funded and operated, adhering to regulations and curriculum set forth by the Imperial government. Basic schooling ranges between two different stages, sectioned off to six grade levels each and an optional basic preschool level before the first grade. The elementary level spans from first to sixth grade, while the secondary level spans from seventh to twelfth grade with seventh and eighth grades being used as transitional "middle school" periods. Generally twelfth graders are between seventeen and eighteen years old, at which point after graduation they are eligible for university.

There are only three state funded universities in Cravan: the Imperial Army University, the Imperial Naval University, and the Imperial Air Force University. All three offer some of the best curriculums in both scholarly and athletic fields, and are free to attend assuming the entry requirements, which are considered steep in comparison to most other universities, are met. Graduation from a military university signs the graduate into a four year tour with the corresponding service branch as an officer dependent upon the graduate's class rank, the highest rank in the military granted to a graduate being O-2. (Cpt. in Army, Lt. in Navy, Cpt. in Air Force)

All other universities in the Empire are privately owned and eniterly privately funded. Cravan is famous for its prestigious universities and educational standards, as well as its high tuition rates for both domestic and foreign students. The Laurana metropolitan area alone has over two hundred universities of varying type, size, and tuition rates, and is also home to the Imperial Army Academy. One of the more notable universities in the downtown Laurana area, famous throughout the Empire and the world, is the Lylesworth Institution of Business, Economics, and Political Sciences. Lylesworth University is renowned throughout the Empire for its extensive academics and athletics programs, and many notable graduates have since gone on to influence Cravanian society greatly such as Primary Director Anagrams.

Economy

Currently Cravan is ranked 11th in Haven for the largest GDP per capita, with a large consumer-based economy. Cravan boasts a healthy laissez-faire economy with little to no government regulation of private enterprise, the only legislation in place which limits business usually in place to protect the rights of consumers to a minor degree and grant Cravanian laborers some rights and say in their work ethic. For the most part labor laws are not necessary, since most Cravanian workers are paid well to ensure competition with rival companies remains high. It is somewhat difficult for new business owners to edge their way into the markets, however many have managed to do so and gain a good hold of their position. The Cravanian economy is ever-changing, and the widespread influence of the Empire ensures there are always consumers and investors somewhere interested.

Due to Cravan's high standard of education and high quality merchandise and technology, the primary industry of the nation is the information technology market. Computers and other electronics devices are produced en masse, and massive power blocs of corporations in the market fight for control on a daily and sometimes hourly basis to keep the newest innovations to themselves. Computers and electronic products play a large part in Cravanian society, with such devices as touch screen displays, voice activated controls, wireless networking, and other advanced technologies common in everyday life for people of all social and economic classes. The information technology market is also heavily invested in the Cravanian military, which is perhaps one of the market's biggest customers. The Cravanian military is known for its use of the cutting edge in technology, and many newer electronic devices are undergoing testing for military applications.

Arms manufacturing is also a major industry in Cravan, led by the Sapinian Arms Firearm Corporation. Sapinian Arms is the nation's foremost designer and producer of both military and civilian grade firearms and weaponry, many of their more famous contributions being the venerable SA1250 hunting shotgun and Model 1507 Sledgehammer revolver. Sapinian Arms are among the sole small arms providers for the Imperial Military, their CR20 modular combat assault rifle being the mainstay of all branches of the military. Sapinian Arms anually brings in revenues upwards of $40 trillion, selling arms to the Cravanian military, foreign militaries, and civilian and other private customers.

Culture

The culture of the Empire is a myriad of various sub-cultures, ranging from the dominant Anglo-Saxon culture to that of Spanish origin in Sapin. Aurelias is primarily Celtic in origin, while Carpanthium is influenced heavily by Northfordian culture. The various Countries of the Empire all have their own unique culture, however all stem from the central Anglo-Saxon culture which the Home Countries Calahan and Meddlesworth are based upon.

Theatre and Performing Arts

The theatre and performing arts in the Empire are popular mostly with aristocrats and the upper classes and upper middle classes, particularly in major cities and towns. The theatrical capital of Cravan is noted as Parkson Boulevard in downtown Laurana, along which over forty notable theatres offer high class productions and countless smaller theatres provide other entertainment, such as stand up comedy and live concerts. Parkson Blvd. is particularly famous for its portrayal in a musical of the same name, which has since been converted to a major film.

Cinema

Cinema in the Empire is dominated by both a booming domestic film market and an international film market imported from other nations. Cravanian theatres are left largely unregulated, giving the individual theatre the choice to carry various films allowing for a great variety at the local level. In 1997, the ratings system which held imported and domestic movies to a certain content standard were transferred from an official rating to a government advisory on the film, whereas the government no longer enforces film content but rates film content according to core traditional values and gives this information to the public, such that the public will watch films at their own discretion rather than age limits be imposed upon films.

Literature

Literature has played a fundamental part of Cravan's history, with many notable authors and poets hailing from Countries in the Empire. Numerous authors from around the Empire have made names for themselves throughout history, most notably the great fantasy writers of the early nineteenth century, of which Cravanian literature was famous for at the time. Poetry is also a common art form throughout the Empire, much of it related to nature and the natural beauty of many of the nation's untouched woodland areas. In particular, the poet Richard Drydale (1856-1904) from Laurana is significant for both its descriptions of Cravan's natural wonder and of the cities and lifestyles of the people. His work has been hailed as a symbol of the nation, and many of his works are featured in prestigious poetry periodicals to this day.

Music

Currently the most popular forms of modern music throughout the Empire lie in the various sub-genres of rock, as well as urban and hip-hop genres having a hold on lower-income neighborhoods. Jazz and lounge music is mostly popular with the urban middle and upper classes, while the lower urban social classes mostly listen to music in a range spanning from rock to hip-hop, with punk rock and its lyrics proclaiming free expression and resistance against a tightly binding government popular with a large portion of the teen population.

Classical music in Cravan has two major influences, one of which being classic orchestral pieces while the other is primarily influenced by Spanish music. The latter is most common throughout Sapin but listened to in the rest of the Empire, the former throughout the entirety of the Empire. Various Countries of the Empire also have their own styles, such as Aurelian classical music which features bagpipes and other Celtic instruments.

Sports

The national sport of Cravan is ice hockey, popular in mostly central cities where large venues are located. Field hockey remains popular during the summer months when access to a venue with artificial ice is not availiable, for example at a high school or unofficial level. Hockey has become a major part of Cravanian society through the years, growing into a multi-billion crave enterprise.

Other sports common in the Empire are football (European), baseball, and lacrosse. Football is currently the only sport in which Cravan participates at an international level, having competed in World Cup 35 and the accompanying Baptism of Fire.

Art

Art in Cravan is mainly of a contemporary nature, with mostly classical-style paintings and frescoes being the dominant style of canvas art. Sculpture also remains of a conservative nature, with the human form and nature being the center of Cravanian sculpture. Several notable artists of Cravan include Jose Phillipe, a portrait artist from 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.

Marriage

Marriage is entirely unregulated by the Imperial government, and is instead administered by the various religious institutions as a sacred sacrament. Thusly, although gay marriage and other unconventional practices are entirely legal in the eyes of the law, it is nearly impossible for a homosexual couple to be married in the eyes of a religious institution. Instead, most homosexual couples seek unofficial marriages independent of the church, for ceremonial purposes.

Due to the government leaving marriage unregulated, divorce is handled in civil courts to divide up a couple's belongings if the couple cannot come to an agreement. Most religions, however, do not recognise divorce as a legitimate option out of marriage, and more often than not it is impossible to remarry in the same religious institution if seperated and divorced from another person. Marriage is more of a symbolic and ceremonial institution than an official status in Cravan, however it is a very highly regarded and respected symbol of comittment between two human beings, and more often than not adulterers are shunned by a large portion of society, as well as unconventional couples such as homosexuals and furries, although the former are far more widely accepted by religious Cravanians.

Marriage and the Monarchy

Main Article: Cravanian Monarchy

A requirement for ascension to the throne for an heir apparent is marriage, with the heir apparent required to wed a purebred Cravanian of Anglo-Saxon descent. If the heir apparent is a female, the husband is required to take the surname of Craven as a sign of respect to the Imperial Family. If another Princess is to marry, she is required to keep the Imperial Family name as a secondary surname (ex. Princess Jenna Craven Lylesworth). The spouse of an heir apparent, unlike in many monarchies, is not required to be of noble ancestry. Due to the presence of only one Imperial Family, and incest being frowned upon heavily by most of Cravanian society, commoners are completely eligible for marriage into the family and into the direct bloodline. However, the heir apparent's spouse must be approved by his/her parents, and is usually a notable figure in Cravanian society of similar age such as the child of a high ranking military officer or politician.

Due to classic traditions, homosexuality and other irregularities are not tolerated in the direct Imperial bloodline and thus the position is passed on to the next eligible child of the Emperor and Empress in the case of such an occurance. Although many civil rights groups outcry against this practice as unjust, the Imperial Family is well within its rights to uphold this traditional policy, and it remains firmly in place as a standard policy of the Family. Irregularities such as homosexuality, furryism, and other sexual discrepancies are not tolerated by the Imperial Family.

Holidays

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

Date English Name
January 1 New Year's Day
January 28 Imperial Day
February 14 St. Valentine's Day
May 1 May Day
21 June Summer Solstice
18 July Peace Day
November 11 Remembrance Day
December 25 Christmas Day
December 31 New Year's Eve


Infrastructure

Transportation

The Eastern Havenic Empire has a heavily developed and effective transportation network, managed by the government and funded by both government funding and private investors and contributors. The advanced highway network connects cities in all major territories of the Empire and also connects Imperial territories to many bordering foreign nations in accordance with international agreements. Road networks aside from highways and freeways are also kept in good condition for the most part, with private construction firms bidding for repair and maintenance jobs. Most middle, upper middle, and upper class families are in possession of at least one automobile, usually more, depending on place of residence. Citizens in the inner cities usually use mass transit, while those commuting between cities or from suburbs and small towns use their own transportation.

Mass transit in cities are provided by private charter companies and coordinated by a central government funded transportation agency. Subways are managed by privately owned companies running on government laid and owned track, with sections of track leased to the highest bidding company. All rail lines are interconnected for ease of transfer, and most transfers will occur where a particular company's jurisdicition ends, at an area where the train can easily switch tracks and return to its designated route. Taxi cabs and city busses are managed in much the same way, however less coordination is required because roads run both ways and can be serviced by any company assuming they have rights to use/establish a stop at a designated area.

Trains and railroads in the Empire are used mostly for shipping goods from two points, however passenger rail lines still exist between cities. Rail tracks are well taken care of, to ensure safe passage of goods and people from start to destination. Currently, the Empire is engaged in talks with its neighbors to establish a unified network of rails between the Home Countries and the three other neighboring nations.

Water

Water is provided through a standard system of pipes and pumps to each and every city, town, and hamlet in the Empire. Water is distributed by private distribution companies regulated by strict government standards to deliver clean, high quality drinking and cleaning water to customers. Villages, hamlets, and homes in remote rural areas are usually serviced by a well with electric pump or have their water pumped from a clean source of water such as a mountain stream, and thus are free from a water distribution company but must instead answer to their electric company for the additional cost of the water pump servicing their home. Some villages have a pipe system services local homes and businesses, handing the distribution to a local company or a branch of a major distribution company.

Electricity

Nearly all homes in the Empire are provided with electricity through a similar means from that seen with water distribution, with private companies leasing government built structures and wires to provide areas with power.

Most power plants in the Empire are environmentally friendly, despite there being few laws and regulations dictating such. Several large solar plants and windmill farms are in operation throughout the Empire, as well as three major hydroelectric dams. Coal and gas power plants are extremely rare, with currently only two of each nationwide in operation. Nuclear power, however, is very common, and much of the Empire's power is generated from nuclear plants. Waste is usually disposed of in underground disposal sites, encased in concrete 'coffins' and left until safe to dispose of in a more conventional means.

Most power lines in cities and suburban neighborhoods are located underground, while rural power lines run along roadways and highways to provide power over long distance in a cheap and easy to maintenance method.

Armed Forces

The Imperial Armed Forces are currently undergoing a massive reorganisation and rearmament, intiated by lessons learned in a post-Questarian war environment. Lessons learned from combat in the Strobovian and other minor theatres is serving as the catalyst to a massive increase in spending and manpower. Enrollment drives are at an all-time high, however the Imperial Military will remain an all-volunteer force as outlined in the Constitution of the Eastern Empire.

Currently the Imperial Armed Forces employs over 11,800,000 active and reserve personnel, and well over 500,000 civilian contractors and employees.

Branches

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


External Links

Cravan on NationStates


NEWNEWFLAG2copymini.png The Eastern Havenic Empire of
Cravan
NEWNEWFLAG2copymini.png
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


Nations of Haven
Nations: | Allanea | Ato-Sara | Aunesia | Cravan | Edolia | Franberry | Foe Hammer | Hallad | Hamptonshire | Hattia | Hogsweat | Izistan | Jaredcohenia | Kampfers | Mauvasia | Midlonia | No_Endorse | Okielahoma| Omz222 | Praetonia | Questers | Scandavian States | Skinny87 | Velkya | Willink | Whyatica