Godwinnia
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| Flag of Godwinnia | |
| Motto: For Honour and Freedom | |
| [No map available as yet ] | |
| Region | Conservative Paradise |
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| Capital | Lundun |
| Official Language(s) | Anglish |
| Leader | Harold III |
| Population | 14 million |
| Currency | mark |
| NS Sunset XML | |
(1.) Godwinnia is an island nation, which has been inhabited since 1069AD when a fleet of "Old English" refugees arrived there. Its official language, derived mainly from those original settlers' native tongue, is consequently related to - but quite distinct from - the modern forms of English. There has been some immigration from various sources over the years, however, so that the country's Human population today is no longer purely Anglo-Saxon in ancestry: The early arrivals included a few shiploads of 'Ouphes', who are a mortal [although relatively long-lived] variety of Elves, but intermarriage has been frequent enough that most of their contemporary descendants are now part-Human in blood. The country's population level remained fairly stable in the low millions for several centuries, but has recently started to increase again. (2.) The national government today takes the form of a constitutional monarchy in which the Kings (who still belong to a branch of the 'House of Godwin') retain significant influence, with a bicameral legislature called the 'Witan': The latter consists of the 'House of Thanes', which includes hereditary & appointed members as well as elected ones, and the 'House of Folks' which is democratically elected. Voting rights are held by all adult citizens who are at least 21 years old and who have either completed an initial term of training in one of the armed forces or have fulfilled their 'national service' obligation in another legally-approved manner. 'Godwinnia' has never been formally incorporated into any empire, and those of the few small colonies which it possessed in earlier centuries that didn't get taken over by more powerful countries have long since been given their independence. (3.) Religion is regarded as a matter of personal choice, as long as this isn't used to justify the commission of acts that would be illegal if performed in a secular context, but there is a 'national' church which broke away from Roman Catholicism shortly after the nation was established. Charities carry out a wide range of 'social welfare' activities, so that the population's less sucessful elements aren't actually as badly-off as the lack of government programmes along those lines might suggest. (4) The 'national dish' is fish & chips. (5) Oh, and for some unexplained reason the country's Cats can talk...
