Gruenberg
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| National motto: Kab-sez Schialnach Brachtrauron (Rukialkotta: There's nothing wrong) | |||||
| Official languages | Rukialkotta, Bazhtan | ||||
| Capital | Flurthwel | ||||
| Largest city | Merlefurt | ||||
| Government - Sultan - Grand Vizier |
Wenaist monarchy Gardab Woltzten IX Mikkolic Weltin | ||||
| Nation Code | GRMI | ||||
| Area - Total - % water |
4,301,140 km² 8.2% | ||||
| Population - Total (est.) - Density |
1.762 billion 410/km² | ||||
| GDP (PPP) - Total - Per capita |
$57.482 billion $32,623 per capita | ||||
| Establishment | 1709 CE | ||||
| Day of Glory | 1st of Kreen | ||||
| Religion | Wenaism | ||||
| Currency | Opst | ||||
| Currency Code | GROP | ||||
| Time zone - Summer |
MTC +5-6 MTC +6-7 | ||||
| Internet TLD | .gb | ||||
| Calling Code | 627 | ||||
| National game | Cricket | ||||
| National fruit | Pear | ||||
| National flower | Woltzten rose | ||||
| National animal | Moon ram | ||||
| National fish | Spliantes Carp | ||||
Despite its average size, Gruenberg is densely populated, with a total population of over 1.7 billion. It is the home of Wenaism, and has the largest population of adherents in the world, with over 97% of its citizens being registered Wenaists. The area, renowned for its degree of cultural, ecological, geological and climatic diversity, has a long tribal history, and has historically proved resistant to unification; modern Gruenberg has however been united for nearly 300 years under the rule of the Woltzten Dynasty, who were the first to bring Naffarron and the Gelzien Nub under a common flag. This union has been far from harmonious, and separatists in the Gelzien Nub have become increasingly vocal and violent in their calls for autonomy.
Once a relatively poor and undeveloped country, Gruenberg has seen major agricultural, industrial and financial reforms in the last century, with its economy the fastest-growing in the region, and being ranked in the top 1% worldwide. Social and political freedoms have also increased, but its image as a despotic land of oppression persists. The military has also been strengthened significantly, and Gruenberg is a declared nuclear state. Gruenberg is a prominent member of the United Nations and various organizations within that body, notably the United Nations Old Guard and National Sovereignty Organization.
Contents
History
- Main article(s): History of Gruenberg
'Gruenberg' as a political entity is a comparatively recent phenomenon, having been established in 1709, at which point it did not encompass all of its current territorial holdings, but the general geographical region has been inhabited for thousands of years, and has a rich and diverse history, marked by division between divergent tribes, and chiefly significant for the growth of Wenaism.
Geography and climate
- Main article(s): Geography of Gruenberg
Gruenberg has a total area of 1,027,824 square kilometres, with a land area of 992,514 square kilometres. This is divided in an approximate 6:1 ratio between Naffarron (880,254 km²) and the Gelzien Nub (147,570 km²). Both are mainly surrounded by tiny tribal states, small numbers of which Gruenberg has annexed over the years, but Naffarron shares a 2,954 km border with Gurglestan, to its north-west. It has a 3,958 km coastline, and the Gelzien Nub 1,306 km.The two provinces are separated by over three thousand kilometres over the Bay of Abzhan-Rejak, and are fairly geographically distinct.
The Naffarronese coastline on the Bay of Abzhan-Rejak plays host to some of the most beautiful beaches in the region, famed for their fine white sand.
Gruenberg has a fairly diverse climate. Naffarron is generally temperate, and the Gelzien Nub subtropical, but there is substantial regional variation, encompassing warm coastal areas, the frozen mountains of the north, high rocky deserts in the west, low hot desert in southeast Naffarron, and dense jungle in parts of the Gelzien Nub. There are three broad seasons: a hot spring runs from Turning Day to late Wrasch; the summer monsoon season then typically lasts into Syara; the rest of the year falls into a cold winter.
Temperatures range over a huge extreme. The far north of the Karundulastan district exists in a state of near-permanent winter; its icy valleys are only accessible for brief periods each spring, and then only to skilled teams. By contrast, the mountains of Stammerslab, in western Naffarron]], are generally subject to a greater variation, with equally bitter winters, but fairly hot summers. Temperatures for the populous settlements that line the Aszumba river are subject to the greatest variance, generally ranging from 0° C winter lows to summer highs of over 40° C. Further east, in the Krazl desert, summer peaks of over 50° C are regularly recorded. Coastal regions, and the Gelzien Nub, tend to have a more moderate temperature range, varying from about 10° C in the winter to 35° C in the summer.
People
POPULATION:
- Census Of The 720th Year: 226,426,0001
- Census Of The 730th Year:
- Males: 130,677,806
- Females: 124,984,623
- TOTAL: 255,662,429
- Current estimate (mid-The 732nd Year): 258,000,000
BIRTH RATE: 32.6 live births per '000 head
DEATH RATE: 9.6 registered deaths per '000 head
POPULATION GROWTH RATE: 2.16% per annum
AGE STRUCTURE:
- 0-14 years: 38.2%
- 15-49 years: 55.4%
- 50+ years: 6.4%
- Median age: 20.4 years (males 19.6, females 21.0)
GENDER RATIO:
- Birth: 1.02 male:female2
- 0-14 years: 1.07 male:female
- 15-49 years: 1.05 male:female
- 50+ years: 0.96 male:female
- TOTAL: 1.05 male:female
LIFE EXPECTANCY:
- Males: 60.1 years
- Females: 60.7 years
- TOTAL: 60.4 years
INFANT MORTALITY RATE: 106 per '000 head3
FERTILITY RATE: 4.4 children per woman4
HIV/AIDS ADULT PREVALENCE: 0.05% Although the State UNAIDS Offices in Flurthwel have established several HIV/AIDS awareness and treatment programmes as requested by UN Resolution #84, 'NS HIV AIDS Act', Gruenberg has never had a significant HIV/AIDS problem, and as such these initiatives are given fairly low priority and little funding. Gruenberg is not entitled to funding from UN Resolution #32, 'Global AIDS Initiative'.
BASIC ACCESS:
Gruenberg has done its best with limited resources to extend access to water and sanitation in the hope of complying with the aims of UN Resolution #9, 'Keep The World Disease-Free!'. However, the difficulties of establishing an extensive sanitation network have been exacerbated by Gruenberg's terrain, and problems with flooding, seismic activity and cyclone damage. Similarly, Gruenberg has invested in UNWCC water-improvement initiatives, but even these have not been sufficient to ensure a regular, adequate supply of clean water to remote settlements.
AVAILABILITY OF HEALTHCARE:
- Physicians: 0.38 per '000 head
- Hospital beds: 0.47 per '000 head
HEALTH EXPENDITURE:
MAJOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES:
- Food or waterborne diseases: Bacterial diarrhoea; Hepatitis A and E; Typhoid fever.
- Vectorborne diseases: Dengue fever; Malaria.9
- Water contact diseases: Ampirspirosis.10
- Animal contact diseases: Rabies.
It should be noted that in accordance with UN Resolution #9, 'Keep The World Disease-Free!', vaccinations against many of these diseases, including malaria and typhoid fever, are available to the general public of Gruenberg. However, such vaccinations are voluntary, and many have refused the injections, thus leading to the unfortunate continued prevalence of several potentially fatal diseases. Foreign visitors must not assume that they will be safe from the risk of infection, and are strongly advised to procure inoculations before making their trip.
ADULT LITERACY RATE:
- Males: 56.2%
- Females: 30.2%
- Total: 43.4%
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX: 0.6411
ETHNIC GROUPS: Gruenberg has no major ethnic divisions, and it is important to note that Gelziens who seek autonomy do so for national and cultural, not ethnic, reasons. Differences between tribes have always been slight, and have all but disappeared.
LANGUAGES: Rukialkotta is the state language of Gruenberg and is being taken up rapidly by the population at the expense of more traditional tribal languages. Bazhtan is the holy language of the Wenaist religion, but may only be spoken by a very select minority. Figures here apply only to the first language of respondents:
- Rukialkotta: 62.4%
- Salsaffron: 8.9%
- Malhiati: 6.2%
- Deshpatt: 5.3%
- all other: 17%
RELIGION: Wenaism is the state religion of Gruenberg, and over 99% of Gruenbergers are Wenaists. A few thousand citizens are registered as atheists, Christians or otherwise, mainly in the Gelzien Nub.
Government
- Main article(s): Government of Gruenberg
Gruenberg is a technically a semi-democratic constitutional monarchy, but in fact cannot be easily classified under conventional political nomenclature, and its form of government does not conform to traditional models. This is principally because there is no separation of powers between the executive, legislature and judiciary. Because the power of the executive (the Sultan) is hereditary, and extends over the legislature and judiciary as well, it has typically functioned as much closer to an absolute monarchy. As there is no separation of church and state, it is also a theocracy.
The Head of state is the Sultan, currently Gardab Woltzten IX. The line of succession is exclusively male, and in descending age order, such that the oldest son of the incumbent is first in line to the throne. Only one family has occupied the throne: the Woltztens. The longevity and stability of this rule has led to their classification as a dynasty. All federal laws are issued by Sultanic decree.
There is also a high degree of devolution in Gruenberg's political system, representing the tribal history of the nation. Towns have elected councils with powers usually including aspects of taxation, education and law and order. The nation is divided into administrative districts, each with elected councils that oversee town policies, and then each major province has a regional assembly, which exercises considerable legislative power.
At the federal level, the legislature is bicameral. The Regional Congress consists of 200 seats, with 40 representatives from each administrative region; the 500-seat National Congress is apportioned on the basis of straight popular vote. The Head of Government is the head of the largest party — this has always been the Monarchists, and hence the Sultan shares both Head of State and Head of Government titles. The Cabinet is appointed by the Head of Government. The Court and federal government technically have the power to legislate on all matters, but concern themselves mainly with foreign policy and economic and military affairs.
A distinct feature of Gruenberger governance is the role of the Viziery. The Grand Vizier is a political appointment, but is immune from dismissal, and so one Vizier may serve more than one Sultan. The Viziery is staffed by a mixture of civil and religious personnel, and has numerous areas of responsibility. It is also completely unaccountable to the federal government, and is seen as a buffer against the ability of the people to vote the Sultan's powers away.
Politics
Political history
- Main article(s): Politics of Gruenberg
Whilst there are many sources of legitimate criticism of the Woltzten dynasty, most would admit that, whatever troubles post-unification Gruenberg has seen at their hands, political instability has not been one. The factional wars and tribal divisions that marked most of the First Age have largely disappeared. The political system has evolved gradually, and has generally been receptive to change. Political theorists have argued that the Sultans have preferred to move gradually towards constitutional democracy with themselves at the helm, than attempt to retain absolute autocracy and suffer violent revolution, which would clearly be more damaging.
Political parties
- Main article(s): List of political parties in Gruenberg
Economy
- Main article(s): Economy of Gruenberg
Gruenberg is a developed nation with one of the faster growing economies in the world, and is ranked foremost in Antarctic Oasis on several economic indicators. However, it has not always enjoyed such prosperity, and in the past suffered from great economic underdevelopment. Sweeping internal reforms of fiscal and administrative infrastructure transformed the country over the course of two centuries, taking it to its present point of economic strength. Its current pro-market policies and active engagement in international free trade are contributing to a further boom, although some traditional sectors of employment, notably agriculture, are declining.
The economy is probably best described as mixed, but is essentially based on free market principles. Although privatisation is almost complete, the state still plays a substantial role in the running of financial matters.
Gruenberg's GDP is estimated at $57.482 billion ($32,623 per capita). The growth rate has been positive for over a decade, and was 2.8% last year. Gruenberg's principal industries are mining and refining - the country is home to plentiful resources of precious and valuable rocks, metals and ores - and automobile manufacturing. Although other traditional industries such as fishing and forestry remain strong, agriculture has lost its importance within Gruenberg's economy, which now imports a significant proportion of its food needs. Other major sectors are armaments, manufacturing, retail and financial services.
Sport
- Main article(s): Sport in Gruenberg
Cricket is Gruenberg's national sport, and enjoys a massive following, attracting vast live and television audiences, as well as considerable corporate sponsorship interest. A range of other ball sports such as football, hockey, tennis, Mentil and golf are also widely played, as well as athletics, swimming and cycling. Motor sports are increasing in popularity, in particular with the development of a new Formula One track at Moroschwegen. Despite the national passion for sport, however, Gruenberg has had very little international exposure, let alone success, in sporting matters, and many of its players, hailed as heroes at home, are unheard of abroad. There are signs this is changing, however, such as the relative success of the national football team in qualifying for World Cup 26, the introduction of the Capra Cup and Tour de Gruenberg, and the formation of the Gruenberger Olympic Association to lobby for participation in the Olympic Games. Further to this, the Gruenberger Cricket Board have announced their intent to renew international interest in a Test cricket season, as well as an ODI world cup. Sport in Gruenberg is organized and regulated by the Gruenberger Sports Council.
