Difference between revisions of "Kelssek"

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Kelssek

Flag and Coat of Arms of Kelssek
Onmis invito libertas (All welcomed into freedom)
Full version: click here
Spoken Languages  - Official  - Unofficial	English, French Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, Russian
Capital	Neorvins
Largest city	Kirkenes
Ten largest metropolitan agglomerations Greater Kirkenes Area — 47,199,546 Greater Outineau-Dorval — 32,667,242 Neorvins Federal Territory — 15,014,984 Burnaby/Lower Lakeland — 14,856,204 Mazinaw — 13,579,698 Vickery — 13,247,388 Saint-Remy/Hull-Gatineau — 12,855,242 Clayquot — 11,976,547 Breton — 11,455,761 Ulyanov — 10,763,974
President	Dominique Drapeau
Prime Minister	Alan Kerk (Green Party)
Area  - Total	4,951,380 sq km
Population  - Total (2006, RPed) In-game (18 Oct 2006)	427,856,344 5.626 billion
Establishment  - as Kingdom of Guedia  - as Federation of Kelssek	1522 1889
Government type	Confederation with parliamentary democracy
National animal Common name	Ursus maritimus Polar bear
GDP (FY2005/06)   - Total (USD)   - GDP/capita (USD)	$135.206 trillion $32,913
Currency	Kelssek dollar
Time Zone Summer (DST)	UTC +7 to +8 hrs UTC +8 to +9hrs
HDI (2006)	0.949 (high)
National Anthem	The Red and Blue
Internet TLD	.ks
Calling Code	+604

Kelssek is a large, highly developed country located in the East Pacific. Kelssek defines itself as a multilingual, multicultural nation and immigration policies have, throughout its history, been welcoming to new immigrants, with the result that from its rural towns to its massive urban conglomerations, it is one of the world's most diverse and cosmopolitan nations.

Kelssek is a centralised federation of 17 provinces and 2 territories, governed as a republic. Although the formal name was previously Federation of Kelssek, the words "Federation of" have been dropped from the offical name, though use of "Federation", for example, in names of naval vessels, continues.

The capital of Kelssek is Neorvins, home to the nation's Parliament - its legislature, the Supreme Court of Kelssek - its highest judicial body, and the Presidential Palace - the official residence of the head of state. Kelssek plays a major role in the regional government of the East Pacific, serving on the regional legislature, and is a member of the International Fair Trade Agreement. Kelssek is widely regarded as a diplomatically powerful nation with a large amount of cultural soft power.

A comprehensive national website is maintained at http://kelssek.tripod.com/

History

Originally, Kelssek was the Kingdom of Guedia, formed by an amalgamation of existing local governments, whose leaders formed the nobility. The first King, Kenneth I, was crowned in 1522, and his descendants ruled the kingdom in relative peace until the popular revolt of 1887. The government of Guedia was based on feudalism, with a transition to an industrialised society having been more or less completed by 1850.

The Federation was established in 1889 after the overthrow of the Guedian Kingdom. The three principalities of Conroy, Beaulac and Noua Cymru formed a confederation where the three princes, sons of the deposed king, would take turns at being federal head of state, ruling over the transition to democracy in 1896, with democratic elections for the House of Commons, although the nobility retained control of the Congress of Lords until 1968, when widespread civil unrest sparked by a pro-democracy movement and by alleged price gouging following utility deregulation forced amendment to the Legislative Act, making both houses directly elected by popular vote.

The early 21st century

Kelssek today is relatively peaceful, and known for its lack of drug laws, the high value it places on environmental protection and civil rights, and its generally liberal and socialist policies - it is one of the world's top 5% most liberal nations. It was, however, plagued by internal terrorism caused by a fundamentalist anti-abortion group calling itself Sanctity of Life. The group was destroyed in a military operation in 2004, although rumours of survivors plotting attacks persist.

Kelssek suffered from its minor involvement in the 2004 war between Packilvania and Infinite Loop. After Packilvania's attack on Adama Station, Packilvania was ordered to deactivate their embassy hive node. After several days of stalled negoiations, a deadline was set, which passed on 18 October. Military units were ordered to destroy the embassy. In retaliation, Packilvania fired a neutron missile at the downtown core of Mazinaw, the 5th-largest city, killing about 20,000 people. The situation caused widespread anti-Packilvania rioting, including racist attacks against Packilvanians and eventually was brought under control a week later after 166 people had been killed in rioting nationwide, mostly victims of hate crimes - the worst period of civil violence since the 1968 riots.

The situation was resolved at a peace summit hosted by the Free Pacific States, however previously friendly relations with Packilvania were broken off and many Kelssekians retain extreme anti-Packilvania feelings from what they see as a massive overreaction and a sign of a fundamental inablility of Packilvania to exist at peace, though some nationalists prefer to think of it as a purely unprovoked atrocity.

The August Crisis (2006)

A rising tide of nationalism mixed with resentment of the socialist political order culminated in the August Crisis of 2006 when on the morning of August 1, 2006, Justin Kermana, the federal Labour Minister, and Frank Kohl, a diplomat from the Free Pacific States were kidnapped by right-wing militants calling themselves the Patriotic Liberation Front. Among their demands were Prime Minister Alan Kerk's resignation and the broadcast of their manifesto on the national public brodcaster, the KBC; the latter condition was reluctantly complied with.

However, with Alan Kerk's refusal to resign, the militants called upon sympathisers to hold rallies nationwide, and to the shock of many Kelssekians, thousands turned out in support of the PLF. Counter-demonstrations by left-wing groups and the United Communist Party, which, although in opposition to Alan Kerk's ruling Green Party, felt threatened by the overtly capitalist agenda of the PLF, resulted in violent clashes between the groups at times. Eventually, an ultimatum was issued, and on 9 August, Justin Kermana was killed. The PLF fled their safehouse, most likely because they detected surveillance by special forces teams, who broke into the house to find it empty except for Frank Kohl, who had been bound and gagged but was otherwise unhurt.

The kidnappers fled to Dannistaan with fake passports, but the Dannistaan NBC forces arrested them and they were extradited back to Kelssek while the civil unrest continued. As PLF sympathisers found themselves drowned in a "red tide", the militants took to attacking groups of left-wing demonstrators. The most deadly of these attacks was at a demonstration at the Neorvins airport for the arrival of the extradited PLF men, where grenade attacks killed 10 people. This was followed up on 19 August by a car bomb attack on the Trades Union Congress headquarters which killed another 6. Alan Kerk controversially invoked the Emergencies Act that evening and a round-up of alleged PLF members netted 53 people by the time the emergency was lifted on 29 August, bringing to an end the tensest month in Kelssek's modern history, which many consider as having ended, symbolically, on 5 September when the outspoken socialist Dominique Drapeau was elected President by a landslide and a recall motion which Alan Kerk had placed on the ballot as an accountability promise over his invocation of emergency powers was soundly defeated as well.

The crisis at times came close to becoming a coup d'etat as factions of the military, particularly the Land Command, threatened to rebel against the command structure and the release of the head of the Land Command, General Jeremy Wilmington, who had just weeks earlier been arrested by military police on suspicion of unlawfully ordering troops into Darrowmerian territory, was later included in the PLF's demands.

The trial of suspects was set for December 2006. In the charges laid following the arrests, it was also made known that the PLF had planned to assasinate Prime Minister Alan Kerk.

Economy

As an affluent, high-tech, socialist society, Kelssek has a strong economy which has led to a high standard of living for its residents. An extensive social welfare system keeps poverty levels low. The government also operates a national health insurance program.

Kelssek's economy is reliant on its natural resources and primary industry, although in recent years there has been a large shift to tourism and service industries. Kirkenes is a major financial and business centre. Kelssek is noted for its strong environmental laws and its strict enforcement of workplace and product safety laws. Although it operates a market economy, all utility, energy, transport (excluding airlines) and primary industry companies are either nationalised or strictly regulated, many of the nation's largest companies are state-owned, and the government is generally expected by the populace carefully manage the economy.

Kelssek's main industries are manufacturing, tourism, agriculture and natural resources. Civil aircraft, automobiles, and consumer electronics are the main manufacturing products, while aluminium, iron ore, and uranium are major primary products. Meats, grains, dairy products and citrus fruits are major agricultural products.

Policies of recent governments have focused primarily on development of the services sector and economic self-sufficiency by encouraging as much domestic investment as possible. As Kelssek is already a highly developed nation policy has also emphasised sustainable development, largely due to the influence of the Green Party, which often held the balance of power in Parliament throughout the 1990s and has been the ruling party since 2004.

Taxation

Most of the government revenue comes from taxes on recreational drugs, which are fully legalised, corporate income, gambling, and capital gains. Income taxes are kept at around 30% for middle-income and low-income earners, while the high-income earners pay around 40%. The federal sales tax was abolished on April 1, 2006, however provinces impose their own sales and value-added taxes which range from 4% (Conroy) to 12% (Etnier) of the price of the good or service and may vary depending on the nature of the good; some provinces do not tax goods considered essential, such as basic foodstuffs.

Even before its entry into the IFTA, Kelssek's corporate taxation system had kept out many multinational corporations. Although there is no tax on incoming foreign direct investment, taking out funds can result in a tax on the outgoing money of 15% to 40%. All corporations are taxed based on their declared profit. Profit-making companies have 10% of their profit exempted from tax, and the rest is taxed progressively. The first $10 million of profit is taxed at 10%, the next $10 million at 20%, and so on. Over $100 million is taxed at a rate of 90% - this is referred to as the "profit limit".

Critics of the corporate taxation system say it removes much of the incentive for corporations, especially local ones, to perform well, hurting the economy in the long run, while supporters claim that by removing the motive for excess profit, companies willingly take profit hits by cutting prices and increasing wages, research, development, investments, and product quality, helping the economy and community more, while the additional tax revenue allows the government to expand its programs and increase funding for critical areas such as education, infrastructure, and public safety. Since 2005, locally-owned businesses with annual turnover of less than $50 million have been exempt from the system, and generally receive tax incentives.

Trade

Always a trading centre through its ports, Kelssek first opened formal international trade links after signing the IFTA in September 2004. Kelssek exports airframes, agricultural produce, motor vehicles, household appliances and electronics and several of its natural resources such as refined metal ores. Kelssek's primary trading partner is its northern neighbour Nouveau Bretagne.

Kelssek is also known for its liquor exports, especially Wenerderian wines and beer. Extensive microbrewery operations can be found in the Kirkenes metropolitan area (known as "Kelssek's financial and beer capital" for the profileration of both financial institutions and breweries), and the Kirkenes Microbreweries Union helps its members bargain collectively with retailers and exporters.

Geography and Climate

Kelssek's coastal situation moderates temperatures, although it can be very cold in the mountainous interior. The capital Neorvins, on the coast, sees winter temperatures averaging at -2ºC, while Arlingsdale, at 1243m elevation in the interior, has average winter temperatures of -14ºC. The southernmost province of Weneredere has the most fertile soils in the country and the mildest climate, and thus accounts for 35% of the entire agricultural sector. Fertile grasslands also exist in the provinces of Konoha and Haligonia. West of the Etnierian Mountains, large areas of relatively flat prarie wilderness dominate with a large amount of grain farming and ranching being carried out in this region.

Kelssek's tourism industry benefits from its abundance of natural beauty, which has historically been fiercely protected by environmental laws. Wenerdere in particular attracts visitors to the Crystal Mountains and the Rocky Coast, and national forest reserves in many parts of the country exist.

People and Culture

Kelssek has always had a very socially liberal society. This is probably traceable to its coastal situation, which has allowed a great deal of immigration and cultural exchange to take place since the time of the Guedian Kingdom. Immigrants are generally welcomed as adding to the rich diversity and flavour of Kelssek's culture.

The majority of Kelssek residents are Caucasian, approximately 70%, and the second-largest ethnic group of East Asians make up about 20%. Kelssek's immigration policy encourages immigrants to preserve their traditions and unique cultures, but to identify themselves with the nation as a whole and with Kelssek's national identity and values - the nature of which is a topic frequently featuring in public discussion, although generally the arts, belief in social justice, and social liberalism are regarded as the main components of it.

Religion

Kelssek is constitutionally a secular state. Kelssekians as a rule observe religion but are not very devout, and value reasoned debate over faith, and over one quarter of the population profess no religion. Religion, or lack thereof, is a very sensitive topic due to what many Kelssekians see as an effort by internal and external religious extremists to impose their values on Kelssek's society. Strong religious feelings are hence viewed with suspicion and generally people do not identify themselves through their beliefs. Christianity is the most common religion, followed by Buddhism and Islam.

Religions in Kelssek

• Protestant - 28%
  • United Church of Kelssek - 11%
  • Anglican - 8%
• No religion - 28%
  • Atheist - 14%
• Roman Catholic - 20%
• Buddhist - 9%
• Muslim - 8%
• Hindu - 5%
• Jewish - 3%

Language

English and French are official languages, but the rate of immigration means a multiplicity of languages are spoken throughout the country. English, the most widely spoken language, is also the common language for communication between the different language groups in Kelssek. Much of the divide between Anglo- and Francophones has been eroded over time, although some cultural tensions do spring up occasionally. Besides English and French, significant immigrant populations speaking many different languages reside in Kelssek. Notable language groups include Japanese, Russian, Hindi, Arabic and Mandarin Chinese.

Sports

Hockey is Kelssek's unofficial national sport and enjoys almost universal popularity, while rugby is also popular throughout the nation, though to a lesser degree. Football (soccer), tennis, lacrosse, curling and wintersports in general are also popular. There is also a very lively extreme sports scene, especially skateboarding, for which Kelssekian skaters enjoy international recognition. Snowboarding is a popular winter activity, and wakeboarding is popular in the coastal provinces. Water polo has also grown in popularity recently, culminating in the successful launch of a professional league in the spring of 2006.

The major professional sports leagues include the Kelssek Hockey League for ice hockey and the Kelssek Superleague for rugby union. The Kelssek Football League for soccer is not as universally popular or well-established, but attracts reasonable crowds. Professional leagues also exist for lacrosse, swimming, curling, water polo, and downhill skiing.

Kelssek's rugby and hockey teams have both had some success at the international level, with the rugby team having reached the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup and the national hockey team winning the regional East Pacific Hockey Championship as well as participating in the Cherry Cup. Kelssek is also strong in swimming and in winter sports.

Media

Kelssek has a large, vibrant domestic media industry, and produces international-class literature, art, television and cinema. Its media is frequently exported to its East Pacific regional neighbours and to many IFTA countries.

The publicly-funded Kelssek Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) is the dominant terrestrial television company. It operates autonomously from the government and exists alongside private broadcasters, the largest being Channel Twelve Corporation and KelWest. The United Kelssek Broadcasters Corporation (UKBC) is a private company which broadcasts the National Sports Network and is also Kelssek's main cable and satellite service provider. Cable and satellite have very high penetration, with 94% and 73% of households subscribing, respectively. All terrestrial broadcasting is in high-definition HDTV.

Television has no content regulation or censorship, besides the amount of commercial advertising allowed during a certain period of time, which is 16 minutes per hour. No commercial advertising is allowed during programs whose target audience is children under 13. The KBC is bound by regulations requiring it to have at least 60% locally-produced content in its daily programming but is otherwise free from content restrictions or censorship.

The KBC also operates a nationwide radio network and the World Service, which is broadcast internationally on FM, AM, shortwave and satellite and makes its news bulletins available as a Podcast. Radio in Kelssek is, however, predominatly made up of small private, independent stations.

Kelssek has two large English daily national newspapers - the National Independent and the National Telegraph and one French national daily - Le Courrier Kelssek . Other major papers include the Kirkenes Courier, which has the nation's largest English circulation, the Neorvins Herald, the Mazinaw Journal, Arvika-Posten, Le Etoile (based in Outineau), which has the largest circulation when French and English editions are combined, and the Etnier Free Press (based in Clayquot).

More information from Kelssek Ministry of Communications

Holidays

Federal Holidays:

• 1 January - New Years' Day
• 2nd Monday in February - Civic Holiday
• Typically in March/April - Good Friday and Easter Monday
• 1 May - Labour Day
• 4th Monday in May - Victoria Day
• 1 July - Federation Day
• 1st Monday in August - Civic Holiday
• 18 September - Constitution Day
• 2nd Monday in October - Thanksgiving
• 11 November - Remembrance Day
• 24-26 December - Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day (Boxing Day is a civic holiday)

Provincial Holidays:

• 1 March - St. David's Day (Noua Cymru)
• 17 March - St. Patrick's Day (all except Noua Cymru, Lupinissa, Andonbar, Beaulac and Roites)
• 14 July - Bastille Day (Beaulac)
• 25 October - Revolution Day (Etnier)

The August civic holiday is known as Simcoe Day in Noua Cymru, Colonel By Day in Saint-Remy, Heritage Day in Conroy, Konoha Day in Konoha, Natal Day in Haligonia, and Discovery Day in Kewatin, Wakatipu and Andonbar.

The February civic holiday is known as Family Day in Conroy.

Government

Kelssek is a federation under a system of parliamentary democracy. The head of state is the President and the head of the government is the Prime Minister.

Federal Government

Kelssek's Parliament is biamercal, with 7,014 members forming the lower House of Commons and 190 members, 10 for each province and the Neorvins Federal Territory, forming the upper Congress of Lords. The Congress of Lords is able to veto legislation passed by the House and has the authority to investigate and hear legal cases involving government officials, but cannot debate or introduce legislation. Consolidation in the next general election, which must be held before 1 September 2008, will reduce the numbers of seats in the House of Commons to 1,801.

Elections for both houses are held at least once every four years. The leader of the party which has the most seats in the House of Commons becomes the Prime Minister and is the head of government. He then selects his cabinet from members of his own party who hold a seat in either house of Parliament.

Kelssek's leader is Prime Minister Alan Kerk, who was elected in September 2004 as leader of the Green Party, which won the first majority government in 44 years after a voter backlash over an extradition dispute caused the Liberal Party to lose much support and caused almost a third of its members to defect to the Green Party in protest. Previously, the Liberals had formed the government in coalition with the Greens.

The President

Elections for the President are held once every five years using a three-round runoff system, no person can serve more than two terms consecutively and Presidents are disqualified from becoming President again for three years after leaving office. It is thus possible to have served an unlimited number of terms if they are served non-consecutively, but in practice this has never been done.

The President is the head of state and the commander-in-chief of the military, and can veto any legislation passed by Parliament. Traditionally the President has had a figurehead role, but since the 1970s they have become more active in politics.

The current President is Dominique Drapeau, who was sworn in as President on October 1, 2006. Drapeau is the 15th President and succeeded Joseph Sutter, who had served for the full ten years before him.

Provincial Government

Although the federal government is able to set national policy, by the Legislative Act provincial governments are able to control local health, education, and law enforcement issues, infrastructure, property, judiciary, and taxation, as well as "Generally all Matters of a merely local or private Nature in the Province."

Within each province, there are several provincial-level political parties. While these are usually affiliates of the main national parties, there are also some significant non-affiliated provincial parties such as the Bloc Beaulac and the Etnier Leninist Party. When Etnier joined the federation in 2004, its provincial Communist Party, which had wide support, absorbed the national Communist Party, which held only a few Parliamentary seats, to form the United Communist Party of Kelssek. Almost all the UCP's federal Parliamentary seats are in Etnier.

Provincial legislature elections are held every three years, and the leader of the party with the most seats becomes that province's Premier, and holds a function similar to that of the Prime Minister, but at the provincial level. In addition, the President appoints a Lieutenant-Governor who is the province's head of state and can veto any legislation passed by the legislature. This ensures that provincial laws and policy do not stray too far from the federal laws and policy.

Judiciary

The Supreme Court is the highest judicial body and has jurisdiction over any legal case within Kelssek's jurisdiction. The next highest is the Federal Court, then the Federal Court of Appeal. Each province also has its own judiciary, and the system extends from the provincial Supreme Court and Court of Appeal to municipal and county courts.

Politics

The major political parties are the Green Party, the Liberal Party, and the Conservative Party. With the addition of the province of Etnier, the United Communist Party has also become a power. With an ongoing leftward shift in the political climate, the Green Party, which ran on social democracy in 2004, has bordered on becoming a socialist party in order to maintain its appeal with the electorate. Major issues include the management of social programs, economic development, an aging population, the environment, and the progress of a fossil fuel phaseout program which has run into delays due to costs.

Major federal political parties

• Green Party of Kelssek (Governing party)
  

The Green Party holds a majority with 53% of seats in the House of Commons. Founded as a party championing environmental issues and sustainable development, it formed a coalition government with the Liberal Party between 1980 and 2004. As a condition for the Greens' support in 1988, Paul Ronning was made Prime Minister leading a Liberal cabinet. In 2004 as the Liberal Party was hammered by a scandal and by defections, Alan Kerk campaigned on social liberalism and socialist democracy and won the first majority government in 54 years.

• Liberal Party of Kelssek (official opposition)
  

A centre-left party, the Liberal Party, known colloquially as the "Grits", have historically been the strongest party in Kelssek, with a socially and economically progressive agenda. The party also supports maintaining a market-based economy. The Liberal Party has been in power for 45 years since 1898, a longer period of time than any other party. They hold 17% of seats in the House of Commons.

• Conservative Party of Kelssek
  

The Conservative Party, known colloquially as the "Tories", is the furthest to the right of any major party and favours reduced government intervention, supporting a "long-term management" concept of capitalist governance. It has also called for Kelssek to exert greater influence on the international stage. They hold 16% of seats in the House of Commons.

• United Communist Party of Kelssek
  

Formed by the merger of the relatively weak Communist Kelssek Party and the Communist Party of the Etnier Socialist Republic when Etnier became a province in 2004, the UCP's support derives mainly from Etnier. The party's main focus is in turning over the ownership of all large private enterprises to their employees, as well as encouraging such initiatives. The party holds 6% of the seats in the House.

• Freedom and Justice Party
  

Adovcating individualist anarchism, the Freedom and Justice Party can be seen as either extreme-left or extreme-right depending on the interpretation of its agenda, which includes the abolition of private property but also of government economic intervention as well as the devolution of federal authority. The party holds 5% of the seats.

• Christian Democratic Party
  

A centrist party advocating social justice, the Christian Democratic Party is widely believed to be on the verge of breakup. In recent elections its candidates have not run on any centralised agenda and have effectively been independent. The party holds 1% of the seats in the House of Commons.

National Anthem

Kelssek's official national anthem is The Red And Blue (the tune is the Hockey Night In Canada theme song), which was decided by popular referendum in 1902. The tune does not have any words, and originated from the Guedian Kingdom, during which it was used a royal fanfare. One of the major points in its favour is that having no words, it is thus universal and requires no translations, a plus with Kelssek's multi-lingual, multi-cultural society.

Kelssek's unofficial anthem is The Maple Leaf Forever (the tune is the same as the real song of the same name). Although it was designated as a National Song (along with The Internationale) in 2005, many still want it to be recognised as the national anthem, with The Red And Blue becoming the Presidential Anthem. It is often sung in addition to The Red And Blue at some events, and the song is instantly recognisable to most Kelssekians. The lyrics are:

O Kelssek, land that we call home,

Mountains strong and sparkling snow,

A scent of freedom in the wind,

O'er the emerald fields below.

To thee we bring our hopes, our dreams,

For thee we stand together,

Our land of peace, where proudly flies,

The Maple Leaf forever.

Chorus

The Maple Leaf, our emblem dear,

The Maple Leaf forever!

Within my heart, above my home,

The Maple Leaf forever!

O Maple Leaf, around the world

You speak as you rise above

Of courage, hope and quiet strength

Symbol of the land we love

Now may those ties of love be ours

Which discord cannot sever,

And flourish green for freedom's home,

The Maple Leaf forever!

Chorus

Our people came from many shores,

And for Kelssek we shall strive

We sing in one united chorus,

And by this we'll lead our lives:

Protect the weak, defend your rights

And build this land together,

Above which shine the Northern Lights

And the Maple Leaf forever!

Chorus

Foreign Relations

Kelssek is a member of the International Fair Trade Agreement, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Nations.

Kelssek is active in regional politics and also serves in the East Pacific regional government as a member of the East Pacific Magisteral Assembly. The East Pacific Civil Aviation Organisation (EPCAO) is based in Outineau, and the organising body of the East Pacific Hockey Championship is based in Kirkenes.