Czardas

Czardas

Flag of Czardas
Motto: "Libertas ex licentia"
[1]
Region	Haven
Capital	Czarna (2.7 million)
Official Language(s)	Czardaian 99%, English 72%, Pacitalian 24%, French 22%, Albanian 5%
Leader	Wha?
Population	A lot
Currency	nazarin (N£)
NS Sunset XML

Czardas is a small and socially progressive nation which has migrated from region to region, its most recent location being the region Haven. It is divided into two major sections: a large coastal plain that contains 75% of the population, forested and good for livestock, agriculture and building cities. A sheer mountain range rises out of the plain, cutting the nation in half. At the lowest point of this range (the canyon of the Zair river), a monolithic cliff rises up 6000 sheer feet; at the top is the precariously perched town of Adarion, dividing the two parts of Czardas. Beyond that is a mainly uninhabited fantastic undeveloped wonderland of mountains, lakes, deep valleys, and rushing rivers. The tallest mountain in Czardas is actually two mountains, the Twin Peaks of Doom, which rise 18,000 feet above sea level and have the sheerest face of any mountain in the region. Hundreds have died trying to scale this peak; no one has ever surmounted it.

Czardas is generally a pacifistic country, although its people are immensely proud of their participation in a single war (which they lost, by the way). This war, a civil war in a nearby country, included 100,000 Czardaian troops in the cause of democracy and freedom. Unfortunately, the royalists won; the soldiers from Czardas were fervent but ill-drilled and badly funded. In modern times, Czardas has fought many wars, including the conflicts with Imperial Galactica, Amyntos, Scellia, and the CAD.

Czardas is a direct democracy; that is, the people directly elect the president and all members of the Council of 400, a kind of Parliament. However, they cannot propose laws, only vote on them; laws are proposed by the Council. Due to Czardas's small size and (relatively) small population, the system actually works quite well.

Statistics

See also NSeconomy statistics

General Statistics

• Official Name: The Commonwealth of Czardas
• Full Name: The Libertarian Expansionist Paradise of Czardas; The Libertarian Concordance of Czardas
• Short Forms: Czardas; The Concordance
• UN Index: Anarchy
• Civil Rights Rating: Frightening
• Economy Rating: Frightening
• Political Freedoms Rating: World Benchmark
• Government Priority: Defence
• Income Tax Rate: around 1.5%
• Income Tax System: Flat rate
• Education system: Compulsory up to age 16
• Population: anywhere between 3 and 5 billion, depending on whom you ask
• Capital: Czarna
• Other Major Cities: Mariosz (main port); Mjenaz; Dorándor; Palma; Kavtaria
• Adjectival Forms: Czardaian

Military Statistics

• Military Service: Voluntary
• Total Military Personnel: around 18 million

of which are active duty combat troops: around 3 million

• Level of Military Technological Advancement: High
• Military Alert Status: DEFCON 1 (at war with Doomingsland)
• Allies: The Sovereign League, Saint Fedski, Anagonia, Kahanistan, Ouranberg
• Friendly Nations: Halberdgardia, Omz222, Sarzonia, Southeast Asia, Wingarde, Xirnium, the Global Alliance of Sovereign Nations
• Unfriendly Nations: The Kraven Corporation, the Union of Communist Nations, the Corporate Alliance
• Enemies: The Coalition Against Democracy

Environmental Statistics

• Land Area: 847,226 sq. mi.
• Land [percentage]: 823,194 sq. mi. [97%]
• Water [percentage]: 24,023 sq. mi. [3%]
• Coastline: 7,235 mi.
• Population density: 158/sq. mi.
• Urban: 39%
• Suburban: 12%
• Rural: 42%
• Government or military land:7%
• Highest Point: Twin Peaks of Doom, each 18,349 ft
• Lowest: Point Sea level

Human Statistics

• Literacy: 100%
• Life Expectancy

Male – 81

Female – 84

Average – 82.5

• Infant Mortality Rate: 1.7/1000
• Population breakdown

0-10: 17%

11-21: 16%

22-32: 17%

33-43: 16%

44-54: 13%

55-65: 10%

66-76: 7%

77-87: 3%

88+: 1%

• Ethnic breakdown

Caucasian – 65%

Sub-saharan African – 23%

Asian – 8%

Native American/Eskimo – 2%

Other – 2%

• Religious breakdown

Atheist – 49%

Pastafarian - 18%

Christian – 8%

Discordian - 7%

Jewish – 3%

Muslim – 2%

Buddhist – 1%

2,060 others – 12%

Governmental Statistics

• Type of government: Direct democracy
• Executive branch: President, Vice President, and cabinet
• Legislative branch: Council of 400 and People’s Assembly
• Judicial branch: 7 Justices, elected by the Council of 400
• Political parties and breakdown in the Council

People’s Conservative Party (PCP)—Left-wing, 197 seats

Anti-Federal Democratic Party (AFDP)—Right-wing, 130 seats

Libertarian Expansionist Party (LEP)—Libertarian, 39 seats

Regressive Progressive Party (RPP)—Centrist, 22 seats

Independent Party—Centrist, 10 seats

Green Party—Environmentalist, 2 seats

Current members of the government

• Secretary General: Andreas Caverra (PCP)
• Council President: Eilton Zarcist (AFDP)
• Council Secretary: Mahogany Grant (LEP)
• Foreign Minister: Kari Alhoun
• Minister of State: David Dockwell
• Minister of War: General of the Czardaian Armies Henrik A. Ogden (temporary)
• Minister of Commerce: Avi Nekoru
• Minister of Welfare: Yefim Kolyavyich
• Minister of Transportation: Jhati Kelogu
• Attorney General: Stephen Farr
• Minister of Education: Leila Hogan
• Minister of Labor:Louisa Miller
• Minister of Security: Maynard Manning
• Director of National Intelligence: The Czar
• Vice-Director and Commander of Home Operations: Airya Wong

Communications

• Telephones: 983 inhabitants per 1000
• Television sets: 637 inhabitants per 1000
• Cell phones: 979 inhabitants per 1000
• Internet access: 992 inhabitants per 1000
• Cars: 680 inhabitants per 1000
• Number of hospitals: 19,501
• Number of prisons: 4,594
• Number of primary schools: 27,948
• Number of secondary schools: 22,019
• Number of high schools: 14,976
• Number of universities: 9,329
• Ratio of schooled children to unschooled children:11:2

History of Czardas

First records

For many years the tribes hoped for liberation. In 200 CE, the Cvarkens finally departed Czardas, apparently due to some kind of natural disaster. Just a hundred years later, the Czardaians disappeared from history. Their homes and records still exist, but are cut short at the year they called 1654, which we know as 305 CE. It is still a much-debated topic as to what happened to the Czardaians, and some believe they were driven along the Zaïr canyon into the mountainous eastern half of Czardas.

A rock of strength

Whether or not this story is true, we know that in 470, a Germanic tribe settled in Czardas. This tribe, the Kurtzhaft, was made up of barbarians who ransacked other cities on the coastal plain, then returned to their capital at Dorji (today Doryí). But when Dorji was ransacked by another city-state on the plain, Jarna, the Kurtzhaft fled to the Rock, the lowest point in the Great Dividing Range. Atop that rock they built Adarion, the Sentinel City.

For hundreds of years while city-states fought for power on the plain, the Kurtzhaft held Adarion and conquered much of the interior region. By 726 they numbered nearly 1 million. An armed force estimated at 30,000 eventually left Adarion and conquered much of the city-states along the Zaïr River. Eventually, the Kurtzhaft conquered all of the coastal plain and established Kekulak as their capital. It was a strategic choice; Kekulak straddled the Zaïr and Doran rivers, the two major rivers of the plain, at the point where they met. Peace was established, the "Pax Czardaina", and the High King (who ruled at Kekulak) governed with the aid of a council of lesser kings from each city-state on the plain, each king elected by a council of the people. It was not a true democracy—women, for example, could not vote—but it was close.

Overzealous crusaders

The trouble started anew in 1142. An army of Crusaders from France had lost their way and somehow found Czardas. The Kurtzhaft and their city-states mustered an army of 15,000 to counter the Frenchmen, but the knights conquered Kekulak and enslaved the populace. The native peoples fled to Adarion, where they plotted and awaited their return. The Frenchmen renamed the Zaïr as the Doubre, a name it kept until 1955, and the Doran they renamed the Douranne.

The next hundred and fifty years consisted mainly of civil wars: the natives against the invaders. Allies of the French, including Raskeljians and Surekkians, arrived to counter the native peoples, who fought hard against them. In 1307, though, the invaders finally retreated, allowing Czardas its independence as The Commonwealth of Czardas.

Democracy

Czardas, the world's second oldest direct democracy, adopted that system in 1332 after the first king declined to rule saying that the people must have a voice. Its history has been long and peaceful, partly due to a realization of the havoc caused by the pre-independence turmoil. Its one war occurred in 1627, when it contributed troops to a civil war in the nearby kingdom of Jeffie. Sadly, however, the royalists defeated the pro-democracy forces.

Czardas surmonted the political milestones much faster than other nations: in 1412 it outlawed slavery; in 1444 it passed an amendment saying that all people, regardless of age, sex, race, or color, are equal under the law. In 1503 it allowed women to vote and in 1505 lowered the voting age to 18. Its only uneasy moment occurred in the years 1816-1820, when, with the threat of war looming, President Gy Samur curtailed the rights to freedom of speech and assembly.

The 20th century

During the 20th century, Czardas opened up more to outside influence. In the early part, Czardas's Special Operative Missions were called to aid in battles around the world. International trade led to an economic boom, and quite soon Czardas was once more a major force in the world. However, trouble was not long in coming, as it had been in the past. An expansionist power from overseas invaded Czardas, seeking its oil and freshwater resources for its space colonies. The Czardaian military was not strong enough to hold it off. However, the citizens managed to drive the enemy army back. A treaty was made, but its terms were harsh. Czardas had to give up its military, and could no longer trade with nations not allies of this power. This began a 70-year period of isolation that has only ended now.

Czardas in the UN

Czardas joined the UN in 1817 and has since played an active voice in determining the affairs of that august body. It has twice served as a non-permanent member on the IDAS council (1901 and 1976) and holds regional status just below Ouranberg as a UN member. Czardas has been expelled from the UN twice (1924 and 2002) and reapplied to join, each time successfully.

Czardas today

After the Imperial Galactican war drew Czardas out of isolation, it proceeded to ally itself with several nations. Czardas intervened in a sticky situation involving genocide in Amyntos and unsuccessfully tried to quell a rebellion in Muesilania, which led to the war against Scellia. Following the Scellian war, which ended with the natural death of that nation through inactivity, Czardas entered the current war against The Warmaster, Death to Democracy (see main article). Czardas is now very active in international affairs, taking it upon itself to welcome new nations to the international community and trading with many different nations.

Geography of Czardas

Czardas is divided into two major sections: the coastal plain and the mountainous interior. Along the plain are located many port cities. Much of central Czardas is occupied by the basin of the Zaïr river, Czardas's longest. The Zaïr springs from a lake fed by thirty streams and rivers, thundering down through gorges into its maturity in the plains. As it flows into the sea, it encounters the nation's capital, Czarna (pop. 2,716,000). The Zaïr drainage basin is the largest in the region.

The coastal plain

The coastal plain is mainly flat in the northwest, the nation's main commercial area. Major cities here trade with each other and the nearby countries. The major trade city is Palma (pop. 1,047,000), founded 1726, which is also a tourist centre. In the south the plains become hillier and cliffs rise high out of the ocean. This picturesque part is also agriculturally fertile, but less so than the north; it is used also for mining and commercial purposes.

The interior

The "Gateway to the Interior" is Adarion (pop. 57,000), a small town perched upon a high cliff overlooking the deep canyon of the Zaïr. Beyond Adarion, one enters a fantastic land of mountains, cliffs, canyons, thundering waterfalls, and Czardas's great culture. The principal city of the eastern section of Czardas is Mjenaz (pop. 985,000), famed for being the home of the great Czardaian violinist Kaul Ramíha. Lake Dorenn, the source of the Zaïr, is located to the south of Mjenaz; south of that there are few towns or cities, only an untamed wilderness stretching for miles. Located in the northeast are the Twin Peaks of Doom, Czardas's highest mountain, so named because of the multitude of deaths occurred while trying to climb it. It is avoided now, said to be the domain of the devil and a haunted mountain.

Peoples of Czardas

The Czardaians are a primarily Asiatic people, although with certain Germanic features. They generally are tall, thin, swarthy, and clean-shaven; they usually have dark hair and triangular eyes. In the eastern mountains, the people change with the geography; their hair becomes redder, and beards are more prevalent due to the cold. The eastern and southern people tend to be more involved in farming; in the north, more industrial work is done. Much of Czardas, especially in the east, seems deep in past and tradition. Ancient rituals and superstitions are still held by the mountain-folk, while those in the coastal plain are more modern and "sophisticated". Generally the two worlds have been able to coexist.

See also:

The Czardaian language
The Czardaian military
Flags of Czardas