Ericrea
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| Flag of Ericrea | |
| Motto: "Veritas Vos Liberatis" | |
| None Available | |
| Region | Averencia |
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| Capital | Dionopolis |
| Official Language(s) | Taberick, English |
| Leader | President Dion |
| Population | About 9 Million |
| Currency | Ericrean Dollar |
| NS Sunset XML | |
Contents
Introduction
The small, coastal nation of Ericrea is renowned as a safe, aesthetically pleasing country. It was founded upon the ideals of its first and current leader, who is also the country's namesake. The Ericrean people value isolationism, security, capitalism, learning, and the environment. With an accepting government and free market, it is appealing to both tourists and those looking to settle down.
Geography
Ericrea is situated in a corner of the world that suits the Ericrean way of life. The northern border is an ocean that provides not only a shoreline (and therefore tourism) but also access to international trade. On the southern edge of the country is a mountain range, which also curves northward on either side of the nation to create parts of Ericrea's eastern and western borders. The eastern border is completed by a river running from the mountains down through the semi-tropical Viverdian Rainforest that extends a good distance into the country. Ericrea's interior is characterized by rolling hills near the mountains that fade into plains as one moves north. It is in these plains that Ericrea's capital, Dionopolis, is located. Dionopolis is situated on the major Ericrean waterway, the Rebit River. Just south of the city is the large Ekul Lake. Ericrea is divided into seven provinces. The islands off the coast belong to the same province as Dionopolis.
History
The area now known as Ericrea has enjoyed a peaceful history rare among nations, due in part to its geographical location as well as its political ties throughout the years. Indeed, the very formation of the present-day nation would not likely have come about if not for the unusual circumstances of the region.
Beginnings
Archaeological evidence suggests that the area now occupied by Ericrea was at one point a part of the ancient Tabreki Empire. It is likely that the Empire did not extend far beyond the current Western border of Ericrea, meaning that the area probably would have experienced a good deal of exchange in people, goods, and ideas between the Empire and the outside world; historians attribute a good deal of modern Ericrea's cultural diversity to this fact. Tabreki writings from the time refer to a province known as Dartun that bears resemblance to the area, and it is generally agreed upon among historians that this was the ancient name for Ericrea. When the Tabreki Empire fell, Dartun found itself isolated from the rest of the splintered city-states, largely due to the harsh mountains of the Sabreland area. Dartun would remain much the same over the next few centuries, protected from large-scale invasion due to its natural mountain borders and its lingering relations to the once-great Tabreki Empire, the remnants of which still layed claim to the Dartun area.
System of Government
The Ericrean government does not fit easily into present categories. The nation's formal name is The Autocratic Republic of Ericrea, and the government could be compared to Caesarian Rome, with a dictator-for-life working in conjunction with (but still holding power over) a legislature and judicial system, the members of which are elected by the people. There has only been one Ericrean leader, and he is referred to as "President," mainly due to the lack of a better term.
The Ericrean people are allowed to vote on issues and leaders, though these are almost always restricted to local affairs. Every so often, Ericreans are allowed to vote on issues of national importance, including the election of top officials, though the president retains the power to dismiss the results of these votes and do as he pleases. The Ericrean Constitution, created by the nation's founder and experts in the fields of government, law, and economy, lays out strict laws and codes of conduct to be adhered to by the Ericrean people.
The Constitution does not, however, specify the term length for Ericrea's leaders. The current president is expected to remain in office until either his death or the point where he considers himself incapable, but it is not known whether the next leader will be appointed or elected.
The UN has designated Ericrea an "inoffensive centrist democracy."
Civil Rights
Every law-abiding citizen is considered equal in Ericrea. Hate crimes are severely punished, and therefore very uncommon. Every citizen has the right to vote in the aforementioned elections, own property and a home, live in peace, speak freely, and practice any religion they wish. (The Ericrean government tries to downplay religion in any way it can short of putting actual restrictions on it.)
Ericrean citizens are also given the right to purchase and own almost anything they would like (to be further explained in the Economy section). Since Ericrean citizens have so many freedoms given to them by their constitution, the Ericrean government feels that they have little to complain about and so their otherwise all-inclusive freedom of speech is restricted in that public gatherings with the intent of protesting the government as well as private parties are outlawed. Any complaints are expected to be brought forward by more professional and orderly means.
Gay marriage is legal. Abortion and euthanasia are both legal, but special conditions may apply. If the time frame is not satisfactory (in the case of abortion it is past a certain point, and in the case of euthanasia it is before a certain point), a private hearing will be held during which a credible medical source must convince a judge that the procedure is necessary. Suicide is typically frowned upon by the populace; the only government intervention is the strong recommendation for suicidal persons to be admitted to institutions to be monitored and/or rehabilitated.
Voting age is 18 years old. There are no age limits on drinking or the use of other drugs, in an effort to prevent those activities from being taboo and therefore desirable. There is much government-provided material for parents to aid in raising drug-free children. The minimum age for joining the military is also 18.
Economy
One of the only extremes present in the Ericrean way of life is that the economy is almost purely capitalistic. Based upon the idea that if dangerous things aren't taboo there will be no incentive to use them, Ericrean citizens have access to any product within reason (military-grade weapons, human body parts, and other extreme examples are still outlawed, however). But while Ericreans may have access to firearms and drugs, the involvement of items such as these in a crime is considered intolerable (to be further explained in the Justice section). Every Ericrean citizen knows that they are expected to act with a certain amount of responsibility in exchange for their right to buy almost anything they want, and each one knows that they will receive no pity from the government if this trust is breached.
Because of the focus on capitalism, the Ericrean economy is very strong. The nation's coast allows it ample opportunity for foreign trade, and one of the greatest past-times of tourists in Ericrea is making purchases without the restrictions they may experience in their own country. Many of these tourists somehow fail to realize, however, that what they buy still won't be welcomed into their homeland, and a good deal of Ericrean products end up confiscated by foreign governments.
The Ericrean economy is fueled mainly by arms production, agriculture, and high-technology industries such as medical equipment and computers. The currency of Ericrea is the Ericrean Dollar.
Justice
The Ericrean justice system is one based largely on the concept of "you get what you give," though not in the extreme "eye-for-an-eye, tooth-for-a-tooth" notion of ancient governments. The death sentence, usually performed by a firing squad, is a common punishment for murderers and rapists, but thankfully does not have to be used often thanks to its deterrent nature. Extreme periods of isolation are also exercised as an alternative to the death sentence, often on the request of the victim or the victim's family. Shorter periods of isolation, as well as hefty fines, are used to deter crimes such as theft and inflicting bodily harm.
Because Ericrean citizens have access to a wide variety of products that could be considered dangerous, strict laws are in place to deter advantage being taken of the capitalistic system. While they are legal to own and use responsibly, items such as weapons, drugs, and other potentially harmful products that are used in crimes can have a huge effect on the sentencing of a criminal. Even the mere presence of these items at the crime scene can multiply the terms of a punishment many times over. The use of such an item in a crime can mean the difference between whether or not a criminal will ever see the light of day again. This has proven to be an effective method for keeping violent crimes to a bare minimum.
Foreign Policy
One of the principal values upon which Ericrea was founded is that of isolationism. Ericreans see little need to get involved in the global community, feeling that it is no one's responsibility but their own to handle their internal problems. Only in an extreme case would Ericrean request foreign military aid. The only matter which Ericrea has petitioned to the rest of the world is environmental protection, as that is an issue Ericrea believes affects everyone and everything on the planet.
Defense
Though Ericrea has never in its short history been actively involved in any international conflicts, it maintains a large and well-trained military to ensure the protection of its ideals. Though the size of the Ericrean military is generally considered abnormally large in relation to the size of the country, the Ericrean people value the protection it offers. The Ericrean military consists of three major branches: the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force.
Probably one of the most controversial aspects of the nation in any regard is the fact that military service is compulsory. Every man and woman is required by law to serve their nation's military in some way. Special accommodations can be made, and there are very few people exempt. There are very good benefits attached to living up to this duty, and so there is little complaint. The minimum amount of time can be surpassed for added benefits; career soldiers are said to live quite well.
The military is an ever-present part of Ericrean life, and it has come to be something to take comfort in by the citizens of the nation. Armed soldiers regularly patrol the streets, and military aircraft are a common sight overhead. Since every Ericrean citizen eventually will have been, has already been, or is currently in the military, these patrols are met with little opposition and great respect by the Ericrean people. Tourists, however, have been known to find the sight of armed and armored soldiers intimidating or alarming.
A large percentage of government funds are put towards military research, maintenance, and training to ensure that the military is operating as effectively and efficiently as possible. The current standard issue weapon of all branches of the Ericrean military is the FN-P90 sub-machine gun. The Ericrean government has set up a collaborative effort between its own arms manufacturers and Fabrique Nationale de Herstal to create an assault rifle variant of the weapon. It has been designated the FN-AR101, and the first shipments have just begun arriving. The standard sidearm of the Ericrean military is the Berretta M9, though Desert Eagles and Colt .45s have been known to be issued upon request. This may change however, since Ericrea is seeking to arrange itself as the sole customer for the FN-AR101 by making a deal with FN in which it would purchase all its sidearms from FN alone.
Rank in the Ericrean military follows the same pattern as many other modern militaries, consisting of several pay-grades within the enlisted, non-commissioned officer, and commissioned officer categories. Ericrea has a single military academy that provides almost seamless transition to officer status.
The uniform for the Ericrean military draws influence from armors and uniforms both ancient and modern. Torso body armor (consisting of a Kevlar sleeve with removable anti-ballistic ceramics) is split into two, seperately-wearable parts: the upper protects the heart and lungs, the lower the rest of the torso. Typical uniform for city patrols consists only of helmet (or uniform beret) and upper torso armor, though the lower torso armor (with or without the ceramics) is also sometimes worn. All soliders are issued a sort of half-balaclava (that only covers the ears and nose and below), but this is not allowed to be worn while on patrol. Cosmetically, Ericrean armor resembles a mix between that of the Ancient Romans and modern militaries, but, in composition and function, it is quite advanced, containing several modern communications and targeting devices within the helmet.
In non-combat situations, and even sometimes in combat, rank is clearly denoted by uniform. Enlisted wear only their armor and uniform, NCOs wear a belt-cape, lower officers wear a belt-cape and half-cape, and upper officers wear a belt-cape and heavy cape.
Public Relations
The Ericrean government makes great effort to be on good terms with its citizens. Patriotic events are often held and patriotic messages often transmitted. The Ericrean people seem to enjoy this greatly. Founding Day, the primary Ericrean national holiday, is one of the most anticipated and festive days of the year. (The lack of a dominant religion may also add to the popularity of Founding Day.)
The Ericrean government plays some part in the media. They offer an official news channel, but private news channels are readily available, in accoradance with the government's approval of free speech. The government also offers several public access and special interest channels. Their ratings fare just above half of those achieved by the average independent network.
The strong military presence is also one of the government's main public relations tools. It is a sign of the government's on-going care for its people when the troops are out patrolling the streets. Soldiers are encouraged to make contact with the citizens during their rounds to increase the trust in those, particularly the young, who have yet to understand the value of a strong and dedicated military.
Education
Education is very important to the Ericrean people, as reflected in their national motto, "Veritas Vos Liberatis" ("The Truth Shall Set You Free"). Science is especially emphasized in Ericrean schools.
Ericrean children spend most of their lives in school. As in many nations, the school year lasts half the calendar year, spread out due to weekends (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) and some small vacations. This leaves the students a couple months in-between school years for rest. Students are required by law to complete twelve grades of school, which is usually finished around age 18.
College is highly encouraged by the government, which hands out millions of dollars to aid students in their academic endeavors. Citizens that choose to forego a college education are often asked to fulfill their duties to the military immediately after graduating from grade twelve. For students that choose to join the military while they go to college, they can usually have the government pay for most or all of their education in exchange for a slightly longer length of service.
Art and Science
Ericrea highly values its creative and intuitive thinkers. The nation provides a place where artists and scientists can practice their trades without having to worry about negative feelings towards expression or progress.
Ericrea boasts several large museums devoted to human creation and learning, including a fine art museum, a natural history museum, and an aerospace museum, among others. These locations are visited by citizens and tourists alike.
As previously stated, scientific industries are a large part of the Ericrean economy. The quality of Ericrean medical equipment and computers systems is recognized around the world. Ericrea also has a fledgling space program, which it hopes to put to good use soon. Ericrean astronauts have already been into space with other nations' space programs, but there are no estimations given for when Ericrea will put a human in space on its own. The government has implied its interest, however, to aid in the further exploration and colonization of space.
The Environment
There is a strong respect for the natural environment among the Ericrean people. The government concurs and there are strict regulations in place to further conservation efforts within Ericrea. The Ericreans realize, however, that unless the rest of the world adopts similar measures, the Ericrean efforts may well have been for nothing. Reducing strain on the planet is one the Ericrean people's major motivations for aiding the extraterrestrial colonization effort.
