Difference between revisions of "Edvardus"

Revision as of 20:53, 22 October 2006

Edvardus

Flag of Edvardus
Motto: Ad maiorem dei gloriam
Cities & Natural Features [1] Provinces [2]
Region	Earth 2050
Capital	Città Imperiale
Official Language(s)	Italian, although Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, and German are also prevalent
Leader	Valeria
Population	1.003 billion
Currency	Dollaro
NS Sunset XML

Sacro Impero del Edoardo (or The Holy Empire of Edvardus, Edvardus for short) is a very large, devout, environmentally stunning, and safe nation, notable for its complete lack of prisons, punitive income tax rates, devotion to social welfare, and an economically powerful nation. Edvardus is located in the Middle East. It shares a border with Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Kuwait to the southeast, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to the south-central, Sudan to the southwest, and Libya to the west. It has a coastline on the Mediterranean and a small coastline on the Persian Gulf. Edvardus also controls the Suez Canal.

History

see: History of Edvardus

The Holy Empire of Edvardus has over 212 years of history. The UN has classified the government as: democratic socialist (first two years), corrupt dictatorship, psychotic dictatorship (really long time), corrupt dictatorship again (after becoming a member of the UN), then Father Knows Best State, back to corrupt dictatorship, back to psychotic dictatorship, back to corrupt dictatorship, back to psychotic dictatorship (Innocenzo) again, an iron-fist consumerist state, mother knows best, inoffensive centrist democracy, corrupt dictatorship again, and now democratic socialist.

When the government outlawed gambliing, the retail industry collapsed. With the rapid deterioration of the backbone of the economy, Edvardus lost its status as a developing nation. Soon after, the beef-based agricultural workers threatened to strike because they were not being paid fair wages. Partially because the President and Parliament feared that a strike would completely destroy the Edvardian economy, Parliament passed a law meeting the demands of the union. With the retail industry gone, beef-based agriculture was the main source of revenue for Edvardus. However, the passage of the Fair Wage Act only incited daily union strikes. Attempting to jump-start the economy, Parliament had also kowtowed to big businesses by deregulating the industry. If it had not, big businesses threatened to pull out of Edvardus, most likely resulting in the economic demise of the empire. For a few decades, the economy was powered by the Automobile Manufacturing industry, with the traditional Beef Based Agriculture and Retail industries significantly dwarfed due to government aid to the Automobile Manufacturing industry. An attempt to regulate the arms industry led to the most recent economic downturn of Edvardus. Near the end of HIM Paolo VII's life, this industry died and the Beef-Based Agriculture industry became the dominant industry once again. Soon after HIM Pio XIII accedded the throne, the Automobile Manufacturing industry arose again, but this time as a very small private sector. His reign also saw the legalisation of gambling on the lands of the indigenous people, which boosted the economy and got Edvardus out of its decades-long recession.

HIM Rinaldo I, despite severing ties with the Vatican, has springboarded the Edvardian economy to its strongest ever. After taxing the rich as much as the poor, the economy began to decline. The economy hit its all-time high in Year 208, after the government continued to subsidize the auto industry. In Year 212, the population of Edvardus reached over 1 billion.

Politics

see: Politics of Edvardus

Edvardus is a semi-presidential constitutional monarchy headed by the Empress. The compassionate people are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt. The head of government is the Prime Minister, who also oversees foreign affairs. The President is the head of Parliament and domestic affairs. The legislative body is unicameral. It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent government stops and the rest of society begins, but it devotes most of its attentions to Education, although Social Welfare and Law & Order are on the agenda, with areas such as Defence and Healthcare receiving almost no funds by comparison.

While having no official branch in the imperial government, the opinion of the Holy See used to be highly respected and carried out to the best abilities of the government. With the beginning of the Rinaldo reign, his militaristic approaches have severed this relationship. His daughter, Valeria, seeks to mend these ties.

The Legislative Branch is made of two bodies: the National Assembly and Parliament. The National Assembly was established to serve as a constitutional convention and electoral college. It is responsible for any amendments to the constitution and electing the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Edvardus. The Parliament is the main legislative body of Edvardus and has the power to pass all ordinary legislation.

The Judicial Branch is led by the the Supreme Court consists of 15 Grand Justices, two of which also serve as the President and Vice President of the Court. Appointed by the President of Edvardus, the President and Vice President, along with six other justices serve four-year terms. The other seven Justices serve eight-year terms.

Political Divisions

At 550,000 sq.km (larger than the area of France), Edvardus is made up of 25 provinces, 250 counties, 8,000 towns, and 21 municipalities.

Until Year 53, the number of provinces, counties, towns, and municipalities was a direct correlation with the population. However, HIM Giulio IV declared that this method is running into problems with the population growth continuing but territorial expansion impossible. Therefore, he instituted a new system that fixes the number of provinces at 25 and each province shall have 5 counties (in Year 110, HIM Pio XIII doubled the number of counties to 10 per province). The number of municipalities has been fixed at 21, but may change over time. For a town to be considered a municipality, it must have a population of at least 5,047,755 (before Year 160, the minimum was 1,682,585 and before Year 200, the minimum was 3,365,170). New towns arise once their population hits 111,000 (before Year 160, the minimum was 37,000 and before Year 200, the minimum was 74,000).

Settlement Patterns

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: The following information only describes a part of Edvardus

In the rural areas of the alluvial plain, settlement almost invariably clusters near the rivers, streams, and irrigation canals. The levees laid down by streams and canals provide advantages for both settlement and agriculture. Surface water drains more easily on the levees' backslope, and the coarse soils of the levees are easier to cultivate and permit better subsurface drainage. The height of the levees gives some protection against floods and the frost that often affect low-lying areas and may kill winter crops. Above all, those living or cultivating on the crest of a levee have easy access to water for irrigation and household use in a dry, hot country.

Although there are some isolated homesteads, most rural communities are nucleated settlements rather than dispersed farmsteads; that is, the farmer leaves his village to cultivate the fields outside it. The size of the settlement varies, generally with the volume of water available for household use and with the amount of land accessible to village dwellers. Sometimes, particularly in the lower Presto and Buono Attraversare valleys near the Gulf, soil salinity restricts the area of arable land and limits the size of the community dependent on it, and it also usually results in large unsettled and uncultivated stretches between the villages.

Cities and large towns are almost invariably situated on watercourses, usually on the major rivers or their larger tributaries. This dependence has had its disadvantages. Until the recent development of flood control, cities were subject to the threat of inundation. Moreover, the dikes needed for protection have effectively prevented the expansion of the urban areas in some directions. Now the government has built dams for hydroelectric purposes, but consequently also caused permanent flooding of certain areas.

Foreign Relations

Edvardus was an official member of the United Nations, but resigned from the UN In Year 48.

Edvardus has also established diplomatic relations with Idumaea, St Dominic, the Appalacians, the Scandinvans, Nova Aquitania, the New North Korea, Chiang's Republic of China, the United American Republic, Trinovia, and Leefleslovakia (embassies located in Capitale Occidentale). Edvardus is also a member of the Commonwealth of Independent Nations and Earth 2050.

Geography

see: Geography of Edvardus

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: The following information only describes a part of Edvardus

Climate

Desite the oasis-like look of Città Imperiale, the temperatures in Edvardus range from higher than 46 °C (115 °F) in the summer to 4 °C (40 °F) in the winter. The summer months are marked by two kinds of wind phenomena: a dry, dusty wind with occasional gusts to eighty kilometers an hour from the south and southeast, occurs from April to early June and again from late September through November; a steady wind from the north and northwest, prevails from mid-June to mid-September. Very dry air which accompanies the latter permits intensive sun heating of the land surface but also provides some cooling effect. Dust storms accompany these winds and may rise to height of several thousand meters, causing hazardous flying conditions and closing airports for brief periods of time.

Extremes of temperatures and humidity, coupled with the scarcity of water, will effect both humans and equipment. During the dry season, clouds of dust caused by vehicle movement will increase detection capabilities in desert regions. Flash flooding in dry riverbeds that contains water only during times of heavy rain and across roads will hinder trafficability and resupply efforts during the rainy season. Clear, cloudless skies make air superiority a prerequisite to successful offensive operations throughout Edvardus. Air operations may be reduced during windy season.

Edvardus receives most of its precipitation accompanied by thunderstorms in the winter and early spring. The average annual rainfall for this area is only about 10 to 17 cm. Half of the days in winter are cloudy, and in the summer the weather is clear most of the time. Because of very high rates of evaporation, soil and plants rapidly lose the little moisture obtained from the rain, and vegetation could not survive without extensive irrigation.

Flora & Fauna

Edvardus's national animal is the chicken, which is a delicacy and also the nation's favorite main course. The chicken population had grown out of control and its protection from hunters has been lifted.

Edvardus is well-known for its date palms along the coast of the ocean. Other than the coastline, there is no natural vegetation.

Military

see: Military of Edvardus

The oldest branch of the military is the Military Police. The Military Police are responsible for enforcing martial law (when legal), maintaining military discipline, providing backup for the civilian police force or serving as combat troops during times of emergency, providing security for certain government buildings, including the Imperial Palace in the capital, as well as performing counter-terrorism and VIP protection operations. The Military Police are also charged with the defense of the capital city.

The head of the Military Police is the Military Police Command, who is subordinate to the Minister of National Guard and the Prime Minister. Internal units include: Political Warfare, Inspector General, Personnel & General Affairs, Intelligence, Operations, Logistics, Planning, Communication & Information, and Comptroller.

The second branch is the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard is charged with maintaining law and order, protecting the resources of the territorial waters surrounding Edvardus as well as providing a first line of defense along coastal areas against smugglers and illegal immigrants. The Coast Guard is considered a civilian law enforcement agency under the administration of the Minister of Defense.

The third branch is the Army. The Army is the final line of defense against a possible invasion with the primary focus is on defense and counterattack against amphibious assault and urban warfare.

The fourth branch is the Navy. The Navy's primary mission is the defense of Edvardus territories and the sea lanes that surround it against a blockade or attack. Operations include maritime patrols in surrounding waters and counter-strike and counter-invasion operations during wartime.

The Marine Corps is the amphibious arm of the Navy. It is responsible for amphibious combat, counter-landing and reinforcement of remote islands, defense of Navy facilities, and also functions as a rapid reaction force and a strategic reserve.

The fifth branch is the Air Force. It is the aviation branch of the armed forces of Edvardus, and is often viewed as one of the most professional and capable branches of Edvardus's armed forces. The Air Force's primary mission is the defense of the airspace over and around Edvardus against an attack. Current priorities of the Air Force include the development of long range reconnaissance and surveillance networks, integrating C4ISR systems to increase battle effectiveness, procuring counterstrike weapons, next generation fighters, and hardening airfields and other facilities to survive a surprise attack.

Space Programme

In Year 111, the president (with the approval of Parliament and HIM Pio XIII) announced the establishment of the Imperial Space Sciences Agency (ISSA). Over the course of 28 years, Edvardus originally hoped to send humans into orbit (Caelus Programme), build a permanent space station (Olympus Programme), and build a reuseable winged-launch vehicle (Project 3). However, the reuseable winged-launch vehicle research has been cut, placing all of its funds into a lunar programme known as Diana.

The empire's first space centre, the Robert Bellarmine Space Centre, is built about 100 km southwest of Capitale Occidentale. This is right on the coast of Il Oceano and halfway between Capitale and Dimessa. Another spaceport opened in Year 126, the Paul Foscarini Spaceport, about 250 km east of Città Imperiale.

Caelus 1 was the first unmanned spacecraft launched from the space centre in Year 118 to test the Hyperion rocket and Caelus spacecraft. Caelus 5 launched the first Edvardian, Václav Pantaleon Kirwitzer, into orbit in Year 122. The Caelus programme was completed in Year 129 with the completion of the Olympus Space Laboratory. In Year 142, the Olympus Space Laboratory was officially renamed the Olympus Space Station due to the completion of construction. It will serve as a space station until Year 151, when its orbital degeneration will cause it to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. In Year 143, Roger Bacon became the first Edvardian to land on the lunar surface. Emperor Innocenzo XIV took this opportunity to announce plans to colonise the Moon by Year 214. By the end of the Year 200, over 9.0 million Edvardians have been transported to live on the Moon.

Economy

The nation's economy is at it's strongest. The dollaro's value has reached a record of 1 dollaro to $1.11 Dollars, the GDP has increased to a record $19.9 trillion (per capita at record $19,794), and Edvardus's trade surplus is $932 million (record surplus $127 billion, deficit $175 billion). Unemployment has decreased to a record 4.26%.

Edvardus enforces a degree of private economic freedom (including privately owned industry) intermingled with centralized economic planning (which includes intervention for environmentalism and social justice, or state ownership of some of means of production). A nonexistent private sector is dominated by the Automobile Manufacturing industry. The government has also imposed punitive tariffs to protect local industry.

Citizens are free to: possess means of production, travel, buy, sell, hire, fire, organize, communicate, and protest peacefully. With tax-funded, subsidized, or state-owned services and infrastructures, citizens may access: legal assistance, information services, transportation, education services, health services, personal and property protection at home and abroad, subsidies to agriculture and other businesses, government monopolies and government-granted monopolies, and state-owned industries, such as telephone service and electricity. The state provides some autonomy over personal finances but includes involuntary spending and investments such as transfer payments and other cash benefits such as: welfare for the poor, social security for the aged and infirm, government subsidies to business, and mandatory insurance. The state also imposes: environmental regulations, labor regulations, consumer regulations, antitrust laws, intellectual property laws, incorporation laws, protectionism, and import and export controls. The state may also impose taxes and fees written or enforced with manipulation of the economy in mind.

The average income tax rate is 100%. The government spends: 27% on Education, 14% on Social Welfare programs, 11% on Commerce, 10% on Law & Order, 10% on the Environment, 10% on Administration costs, 6% on Religious/Spiritual programmes, 4% on Public Transport, 3% on Social Equality, 2% on Healthcare, and 1% on Defense.

Demographics

The empire consists of the following ethnic groups and their respective percentages:

Hispanic 41.67%, White 32.55% (includes people of European, Middle Eastern, and North African descent), Black 13.18% (includes people of African descent, except from North Africa), Asian 11.85% (includes people of East Asian, Southeast Asia, and South Asian descent), and Pacific Islander 0.75%

Culture

Emperor Paolo VII has instituted a program that promotes a traditional lifestyle and social ethics while rejecting individualism and capitalistic values. It also aims to build up morale in a nation that was besieged with corruption. Some goals include courtesy to neighbors, following rules set by the government, keeping streets clean, conserving energy, and so forth. He used the notion of self-cultivation and correct living for this movement. While some have praised the movement for its role in raising the quality of life somewhat, other have criticized it for its lofty goals that were out of touch with the suffering of the general populace.

Thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare, crime is totally unknown.

The most popular sports in the empire are: Baseball, Football, and Taekwondo.

Religion

Roman Catholicism is the official state religion and although the teachings of the Church are not actively enforced. Edvardus is home to 29 cardinals, 334 bishops, 29 archdioceses, and 334 dioceses. Since the beginning of Rinaldo I's reign, citizens were no longer forced to attend Sunday services and thus, the attendance level has significantly decreased. As a result, there has not been such a high demand for clergy. Dioceses have stopped being consolidated.

Before Rinaldo I, the Emperor sought the advise of the pope on decisions as small as choosing a regnal name to running the empire in general. Parliament also allocates a significant portion of its annual budget towards fostering a religious lifestyle amongst its citizens. The government declares that all citizens must attend religious services on the sabbath and believe in a monotheistic entity. While not required, citizens are highly encouraged to set aside some time weekly to do charity events or volunteer work. The government has also outlawed: genetically modified goods (all genetic research is temporarily tied up in government red tape), public nudity, racist remarks in public, adultery, fornication, pornography, divorce, human embryonic stem cell research, same-sex marriage, euthanasia, abortion in cases where the mother's life is not in danger, capital punishment, and birth control.

Due to religious beliefs, Edvardus has also opened its arms to an influx of refugees, who are in the process of becoming citizens of Edvardus.

Education

The nation is currently revamping its entire education system. All citizens must attend school between the ages of 4 and 14, although most choose to stay in school past the minimum age. The educational system is broken into 3 main stages, which are subsequently broken into 2 sub-stages.

Primary Education
The first stage of Primary Education consists of student from 4-7 years old. This stage promotes children's cognitive and social development. State-funded programs have set standards and are able to provide the necessary resources to ensure that every student learns "how to learn" to communicate, play, and interact with others appropriately. A teacher provides various manipulative materials and activities to motivate these children to learn the language and vocabulary of reading, mathematics, science, and computers, as well as that of music, art, and social behaviors. For children who previously have spent most of their time at home, this stage may serve the purpose of training them to be apart from their parents without anxiety. A major part of the curriculum at this stage is to teach children to accept "Love and peace!" as a way of life

The second phase of Primary Educatin consists of students from 7-10 years old. This stage's goals include achieving basic literacy and numeracy amongst all their students, as well as establishing foundations in science, geography, history and other social sciences.

Secondary Education
During the first stage of Secondary Education (aimed at students from 10-13 years old), students begin to enroll in class schedules where they take classes from several teachers in a given day, unlike in primary education, where most classes are with the same teacher (except for usually art, music, and physical education). The classes are usually a set of four core academic classes: language arts, science, mathematics (pre-algebra and algebra), and social studies with an elective course and physical education.

At the second stage of Secondary Education (aimed at students from 13-16 years old), students mostly take a broad variety of classes, without special emphasis. The curriculum varies widely in quality and rigidity, requiring a 75% to pass the course.

All three years require students to take a year-long Italian course, a year-long foreign language course (Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, or German), a year-long history/social science course, a year-long math course, a year-long science course, and a semester-long Catechism course. In the first year, students must take geometry, biology, and a semester of PE. In the second year, students must take algebra with trignometry, chemistry, and a semester of PE. In the final year, students must take pre-calculus and (very briefly) introductory calculus, physics, and driver's education.

Tertiary Education
Most people choose to pursue a bachelor's degree after the completion of their secondary education. It usually takes 4 years of higher education to receive the degree, although some require 5 years. This is also the time in which many young men decide to join the seminary.

The completion of tertiary education coincides with the age of majority (20 years old).

Rankings

• 2,610th (+2,736) in the world for Most Compassionate Citizens
• 4,741st (+2,529) in the world for Best Weather
• 5,339th (+9,066) in the world for Largest Automobile Manufacturing Sector
• 5,604th (+1,836) in the world for Most Devout Nations
• 5,670th (+4,041) in the world for Nicest Citizens
• 6,228th (+4,803) in the world for Largest Public Sector
• 6,702nd (+43,014) in the world for Smartest Citizens
• 7,218th (+61,589) in the world for Safest Nations
• 9,362nd (+67,068) in the world for Most Eco-Friendly Governments
• 9,450th (+41,126) in the world for Most Beautiful Environments
• 10,846th in the world for Largest Agricultural Sector
• 11,000th (+66,444) in the world for Happiest Citizens
• 11,370th (-33) in the world for Healthiest Nations
• 11,711th (+24,580) in the world for Largest Basket Weaving Sector
• 11,757th (+58,556) in the world for Most Cultured
• 12,117th in the world for Most Corrupt Governments
• 13,149th (+72,889)in the world for Most Politically Apathetic Citizens
• 13,252nd (+23,789)in the world for Largest Pizza Delivery Sector
• 14,648th (+5,504)in the world for Highest Police Ratios
• 14,648th (+54,006) in the world for Largest Trout Fishing Sector
• 15,103rd (+30,136)in the world for Largest Public Transport Department
• 15,254th (+12,219) in the world for Largest Insurance Industry
• 15,991st (+56,102)in the world for Largest Furniture Restoration Industry
• 16,502nd (+11,594) in the world for Lowest Crime Rates
• 17,015th (+33,151) in the world for Most Comprehensive Public Healthcare
• 18,982nd (+57,541) in the world for Fastest-Growing Economies
• 19,009th in the world for Most Subsidized Industry
• 20,671st (+64,550) in the world for Largest Cheese Export Sector
• 21,376th (+61,659) in the world for Largest Soda Pop Sector
• 24,751st (+54,266) in the world for Largest Manufacturing Sector
• 26,572nd (+41,509) in the world for Largest Gambling Industry
• 35,575th (+14,458) in the world for Largest Timber Woodchipping Industry
• 39,608th (+46,886)in the world for Largest Publishing Industry
• 40,483rd in the world for Most Extreme Nations
• 46,608th (-28,125) in the world for Most Rebellious Youth
• 48,672nd in the world for Largest Information Technology Sector
• 50,962nd in the world for Largest Nations
• 61,216th (+27,221) in the world for Most Politically Free Nations
• 65,263rd in the world for Most Liberal Nations
• 71,275th (+6,507) in the world for Largest Arms Manufacturing Sector
• 75,050th (-56,837) in the world for Largest Retail Sector
• 80,817th (+20,092)in the world for Most Pro-Market Nations
• 93,531st (-1,468) in the world for Largest Defense Forces (per capita)
• 94,932nd (-44,741) in the world for Largest Mining Sector
• 95,256th (-4,688) in the world for Stupidest Citizens
• 95,805th (+321) in the world for Rudest Citizens
• 96,571st (+1,982) in the world for Highest Unemployment Rates
• 97,128th (-17,152) in the world for Nudist