Difference between revisions of "Fortestan"

Revision as of 17:52, 2 June 2005

Fortestan

Flag of Fortestan
Motto: "Veritas!"
None available.
Region	Europe
Capital	Ferroton
Official Language(s)	No official language
Leader	President Dr. Orlando M. Khayyam, K.S.C.
Population	2.005 billion (6/2/05)
Currency	tolar
NS Sunset XML

The Federative States of Fortestan is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its punitive income tax rates. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 2.005 billion are free to do what they want with their own bodies, and vote for whoever they like in elections; if they go into business, however, they are regulated to within an inch of their lives.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, liberal, socially-minded government stops and the rest of society begins, but it devotes most of its attentions to Education, with areas such as Law & Order and Commerce receiving almost no funds by comparison. The average income tax rate is 100%. The private sector is almost wholly made up of enterprising fourteen-year-old boys selling lemonade on the sidewalk, although the government is looking at stamping this out.

Crime -- especially youth-related -- is a serious problem, probably because of the country's utter lack of prisons. Fortestan's national animal is the raphus cucullatus, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the tolar.

UN Category: Left-wing Utopia

Civil Rights: Frightening

Economy: Basket Case

Political Freedoms: Superb

People

Population: 2.005 billion (2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-13 years:28.1% (male 270,434,400/female 292,970,600)
14-60 years:64.6% (male 641,138,850/female 667,043,450)
61 years and over: 17.3% (male 124,871,400/female 221,993,600) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 35.6 years
male: 34.8 years
female: 36.2 years (2005 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Fortestani(s)
adjective: Fortestani

Ethnic groups: Wassan 24.1%, Belostavian 19.3%, Rutasian 17.8%, Aztekatl 14%, Golgese 7.3%, Laconian 5%, Frimian 2.3%, Chanite 2%, Sarro Islander 1.6%, other 6.6% (2005 est.)

Religions: Discordianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Jainism, Baha'i Faith, Sikhism, Agnosticism, Sufism, Mysticism (syncreticism of these faiths to varying extent is common throughout Fortestan with some variation)

Languages: English 23.9%, Wassan 21%, True Jino 11.3%, Old Belostavian 8.7%, Revived Belostavian 7.8%, Aroi Lesser dialect 6.7%, Ruta 4.5%, Pellucian 3.4%, Aroi Highborn dialect 2.1%, Neo-Kalmiyan 1.8%, Maccese 1.1%, Achosian English 1%, Peosian 1%, Taato-Muatese 1%, other 4.7% (2005 est.)

Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 99.65%
male: 99.4%
female: 99.8% (2005 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Federative States of Fortestan
conventional short form: Fortestan
local long form: Foedhun Archonos du'Fuertana
local short form: Fuertanas
former: United Republics of Fortestan

Government type: Constitutional federation with specified powers delegated to the federal government and other powers reserved to member states, strong democratic tradition

Capital: Ferroton, Federal Capital District

Administrative divisions: 77 semi-independent states, 15 federally-administered territories, 7 freely associated states, 14 autonomous districts, and 1 federal capital district.

Independence: 5 July, a.D. 1777

National holiday: Union Day (5 July)

Constitution: ratified 7 September, a.D. 1776; effective 5 July, a.D. 1777

Legal system: federal court system; each state, freely associated state, and autonomous district has its own unique court system; judicial review of legislative and executive acts

Suffrage: 14 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

chief of state: Pres. Dr. Orlando Khayyam, K.S.C.; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Pres. Dr. Orlando Khayyam, K.S.C.; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the president with Congressional approval
elections: President elected directly by a two-thirds majority, president elected to serve a four-year term, elections last held 8 November, 2004 (next to be held November, 2008)

Current makeup of the Executive Council:

Political parties: Social Democrats, Democratic Socialists, Liberal Democratic Socialists, National Socialist Fortestani Workers' Party, Agrarian Union, Right-wing Alliance, People for Private Enterprise, Leftist People's Party, Natural Democratic Party (Green Party)

Political pressure groups: National Belostavian Front, Alliance for Belostavian Independence, Federation for Rutasian Separation and Complete Independence, High Guard of Ferroton (veteran's association), FSF Dental Union, FSF Commerce Guild

Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known domestically as the Sun of Chupporros and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

Legislative Branch

Bicameral Free People's Congress consists of the Ancient Senatus of the States (268 seats; two senators from each state, freely associated state, and province are directly elected to serve eight year terms) and the Great House of the People's Representatives (675 seats; members from every administrative unit elected to serve two year terms). Numerous ministries headed by a minister direct the lawmaking policies of the legislature. A Prime Minister, elected by the entire Congress, nominates the ministers with the approval of Congress.

Current Heads of Legislative Ministries:

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court of the Federative States of Fortestan (Five chief justices are elected to life terms by the people); Federal Criminal Courts; Federal Civil Courts; State, Provincial, Autonomous District Courts

Current members of the Supreme Court:

1. Arthur Whitebeard
2. Yarad Juncus
3. Art-Viros
4. Hrod-Beraht
5. Po U Pe

Organization

States

The basic administrative unit within the Union is the state. Each state is allowed to have its own unique system of government (i.e. presidential system, semi-presidential system, parliamentary system, unicameral legislature, bicameral legislature, constitutional monarchy, socialist republic, etc.) Each state uses the tolar as its currency, and the foreign affairs and defence of the states is the concern of the federal government. Individual state governments have complete sovereignty over domestic issues not concerning other regions.

The following is an abridged list of states:

1. Wassa
2. Rutas
3. Belostavia
4. Pellucidar/Aztekatl
5. Macc
6. Peos
7. Lysithea
8. Trakes
9. Solips
10. Jinopolis¹
11. Vrijheim City¹

¹ These are city-states

Territories

Freely Associated States

Autonomous Districts

Federal Capital District