Greater Jade
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| Flag of Greater Jade | |
| Motto: Stórjádens Stærggë; Stórjádens Kloggë; Stórjádens Fré (Greater Jadan Strength; Greater Jadan Wisdom; Greater Jadan Peace) | |
| No Map Available | |
| Region | Scandinavia |
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| Capital | Krovnsavn (Crownshaven) |
| Official Language(s) | Jádens (Jadan), plus a number of official regional languages |
| Leader | Jáde Kynge Pér IV (Emperor Peter IV of Jade) |
| Population | 6 000 000 |
| Currency | krovn (crown) = 100 ør |
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Empire of Greater Jade
The Empire of Greater Jade (Stórjádens Impérijë) is a large but sparsely populated country located in the Scandinavia region of Nation States.
Technically, the term Jade (Jáde) refers only to the Empire's central 'mother' region, containing its capital city, Crownshaven (Krovnsavn), whereas the term Greater Jade traditionally denotes the whole empire. However, the entire country is nowadays often known simply as Jade.
System of Government
Although still formally an empire, with Emperor Peter IV (Kynge Pér IV) as its head of state, Jade today has a democratic, almost federal government, with its citizens enjoying universal suffrage and high levels of social welfare.
Real power in Jade rests with the Imperial Government (Impériregerengë) and the Imperial Parliament (Impérifolgesdengë). Three hundred members of Parliament are elected directly by the people, every five years, under a system of proportional representation. From amongst its members, Parliament then elects a head of government, the Prime Minister (Førsde Regerrë); he or she then appoints government ministers, also from amongst the members of Parliament.
Although the Jadan legislature is nominally bicameral, the tiny, unelected upper house (the Council of Vice-Emperors (Unnerkyngerrajë), consisting of a Vice-Emperor for each region of the Empire, plus representatives of the church and of the military) is now largely ceremonial.
However, power in certain key areas - including education, healthcare and certain forms of taxation - is devolved to, or shared with, regional parliaments (tragdesfolgesdenger). This devolution acts as a check on the government's power in the absence of a powerful upper house or head of state. Jade has no written constitution to guarantee the rights and powers of the regional parliaments, and cannot therefore be called a federal state; however, since 1721 (widely regarded as the beginning of the era of democracy in Jade), each Emperor has sworn on his coronation, and each Prime Minister on his election, to uphold these rights.
