Laidir

Laidir

Flag of Laidir
Motto: Peace Through Action and Achievement
Region	Conservatopia
Capital	Tintreach
Official Language(s)	Latin, Irish, Arabic, English
Leader	King Quentin II
Population	8.8 Billion
Currency	R Rockaway
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Laidir at a Glance

Laidir has risen to become one of the largest, most prosperous, and most powerful nations on Earth. Anchored by a population of 8.8 Billion at the close of 2006 and the world's premier aircraft industry, Laidir boasts the most powerful Air Force in the world, but its navy and ground forces combined account for merely 20% of the military. King Quentin II, the nation's youngest Monarch has ruled since assuming the throne at age 13 in 1998 and has made great steps towards strengthening local government while preserving a national identity.

Geography

As its official title suggests, the Geography of Laidir is a cluster of islands grouped together by conquest as well as neccessity. Nua Wantagh, the first island of the present-day empire, was formed by a glacial moraine which has left it an unusually flat and level plain. Mekong Hill is the highest point on the island, with an elevation of merely 211 tl. Denuos and Paraiso, each acquired together, are more deciduous, with sprawling forests, with Denuos noted for Lake Gildea, with a size of 800 sq fl. Faramt and Konger are more swamplike, with Faramt's 2 notorious freshwater lakes; Intrepid and Lowe. In the "Septuplet Islands," as they are commonly referred to, the geology is rocky and mountainous. It is on the island of Leomus where one will find the highest point in all of Laidir: Mount Kerry (5.27 fl), named for Prince Kerry who died in a plane crash in 1976. The island chains of Talfor and Alainn consist of small, mountainous, frigid islands.

History

Early History

Settled in 1853 by Franciscan missionaries on the island of Nua Wantagh, Laidir was originally a major port for whaling and shellfish with local farmers specializing in potato, poultry, and huckleberry cultivation. The Catholic Church was well-received by the native population, which was made up of 11 tribes, each specializing in its own form of hunting, farming, or construction. Eventually, Catholic refugees from Europe and the Levant arrived to establish a pan-ethnic moderately secular Catholic state. In 1886, Thomas Whelan won a counter-insurgency campaign against a Marxist death squad, the Worker's Movement Against Nua Wantagh or WMANW. The WMANW carried out kidnappings, assassinations, and political intimidation against clergy, tribal chiefs, and local police commanders. Whelan assembled The Furtims, an elite military unit which infiltrated and eventually decapitated the WMANW. For this, Whelan was made King Thomas I of Nua Wantagh by the people of the fledgling kingdom. 1910 saw the acquisition of 2 islands; Denuos and Paraiso while in 1939, it conquered an additional 2 islands. In 1998, King Quentin II gave the nation its current title of Holy Archipelagic Empire of Laidir, despite briefly changing its name to the Constitutional Militocracy of Laidir during the War Against the Usurpers of 2003.

Annexation History

In 1910, the Royal Expeditionary Force flew exploration flights totalling over 100 sorties and 1,000 flight hours. The force would discover several islands, including Denuos and Paraiso. Royal Aeronauts soon landed an airship on each island along with massive constuction supplies. Settlers reached an agreement with the natives to annex them into the Kingdom in exchange for seats in the Royal Assembly and aid in building up their economies (shipbuilding and textiles in Denuos and Paraiso, respectively). In 1939, Laidir became involved in the Kear Wars and conquered the islands Faramt and Konger from the Kea Republic. These islands would go on to become Sersum and Cielo respectively. In the War Against the Usurpers of 2003, Laidir was instrumental in destroying Armageddon's occupation leader XXX1. Near the War's conclusion, bombing raids pounded XXX1 continuously for 40 days and 40 nights and eventually sent paratroopers to occupy, convert, annex, and rebuild the island. These paratroopers detonated government buildings and poured salt on the rubble, so that the government that brought them war could never return. The 6 islands of XXX1 were Nacimien, Frendo, Coactus, Fastos, Leomus, and Akhbar.

Air Force History

Always at the forefront of aviation, Nua Wantagh had established balloon fields in the late 1800s. The island took greater shape following the invention of the airplane in 1903, with Fuga Field becoming a major air base and aeronatical enterprises becoming a centerpiece for the economy and the military. Today, 80% of the military's budget goes towards the Royal Air Force of the Archipelagic Empire (RAFAE).

Government & Politics

Laidir functions as a federal constitutional monarchy. Relatively little power is vested in the national government, while power instead trickles to local island _______

Early Politics

Prior to 1886, Nua Wantagh existed as a confederation of tribes with the leaders of each tribe meeting as equals in the Laidiran General Council. However, after the establishment of the monarchy, King Thomas I called for a constitution, which set the stage for the Royal Charter of Laidir. In addition to designating political authority, it gave an order of succession for the monarchy.

A look at the Laidir political parties gives one an in-depth look at the electoral landscape of this nation.

Imperial Family

For over 100 years, Laidir was a benevolent, though absolute, monarchy. However, since King Quentin's assumption of the throne, a series of liberalizing initiatives have been enacted. Public criticism of the royal family is permitted, while Quentin has voluntary relinquished much of his powers to the military and the Laidiran General Council.

Laidirian General Council

Is the legislature for the Empire. It is scheduled to convene 11 days each month to legislate and debate over matters of national importance.

Administrative Divisions

Economy

Laidir's economy is one of the strongest in the world, with the government's economy being rated as "Frightening". Its Aircraft Manufacturing industry continues to lead the world while defense technology also remains strong. The fishing industry has suffered in recent decades as a result of overfishing in some coastal parts of Laidir. Water treatment and desalinization show promise in the future world market. Laidir suffered through an economically unstable second quarter in 2005 with the Tintreach Trolley Operators Union going on strike in June. The strike was eventually ended when King Quentin II threatened to bring in part-time Trolley conductors from the island of Frendo. Despite a staggering per capita income of R23,450 ($46,900 USD), Laidir continues to grapple with a trade deficit of over a quarter trillion Laidiran Rockaways ($500,000,000,000 USD).

Demographics

Culture

Region

Laidir first began in the region of Ronfez, but soon left to join Armageddon, a conservative region. Laidir rose the ranks to become the Recruiting Councillor for Armageddon as the region went from 20 nations to over 120. Unfortunately, 20% of them were illegal UN members who overthrew the UN Delegate, Cammon, kicked out Laidir and most of the regional leadership, and installed XXX1 as the new UN Delegate. The ensuing battle became known as the War Against the Usurpers. Eventually, XXX1 was deleted by the Nationstates moderators and the exiled nations rejoined Armageddon, where Laidir was now the Foreign Councillor and Cammon was Founder. It was during this time that Laidir helped forge the first major alliance in the history of Nationstates: MACTO. The Armageddon Regional Council would later decide to move to a new location; Conservatopia. The move to Conservatopia should be recorded as one of the smoothest in world history, with nearly 100 nations moving from one region to another in less than a week with less than a dozen staying behind. Laidir became the founder and symbolic leader for the region of Conservatopia, where it proudly resides today.

Timeline

• 1853 - Island of Nua Wantagh discovered by Franciscan missionaries.
• 1859 - Settler communities and 11 Tribes sign Treaty of Siochan, forming a Grand Council which consolidated government with the native population.
• 1863 - Nua Wantagh Aeronautical Corps, predecessor to the RAFAE, formed with a total of 3 officers, a non-commissioned officer, and a hot-air balloon. Among the NWAC is a young lieutenant named Thomas Whelan
• 1881 - Worker's Movement Against Nua Wantagh (WMANW) formed as a militant wing of the Industrial Party. Initially a small band of guerillas.
• 1883 - Grand Council declares war on WMANW after it captures the Sanu Peninsula.
• 1884 - Captain Thomas Whelan assembles the best balloonists, soldiers, and spies to form the 8th Attack Squadron, better known as The Furtims.
• 1885 - With intelligence provided by The Furtims, Nua Wantagh soldiers catch guerillas off-guard, forcing the WMANW to stand and fight in battle. Nua Wantagh cuts WMANW's fighting capacity in half, with many attributed to desertions.
• 1886 - The peninsula is recaptured by the 5th and 8th Attack Squadrons.
• 1887 - Air Marshal Thomas Whelan coronated as King Thomas I of Nua Wantagh. Royal Charter passed, forming representative government.
• 1890 - Crown Prince Bernard born to King Thomas.
• 1900 - NWAC fleet now at 30 balloons, over 400 personnel, and an experimental airship
• 1910 - Denuos and Paraiso absorbed into Nua Wantagh government, forming the Royal Incorporated States of Laidir.
• 1915 - Prince Quentin born to Crown Prince Bernard.
• 1920 - Prince Francis born to Crown Prince Bernard.
• 1924 - Heavier-than-air aircraft begin to overtake Air Forces. At the close of the year there are over 250 planes in 24 squadrons.
• 1925 - Talfor, an achipelago northeast of Nua Wantagh becomes a protectorate.
• 1934 - Prince Thomas born to Prince Quentin.
• 1939 - Faramt and Konger conquered from Kear Republic. King Thomas I dies, King Bernard I assumes the throne. King Bernard changes name to Royal Allied States of Laidir.
• 1940 - Quentin named Crown Prince.
• 1947 - Princess Catalina born to Prince Francis.
• 1953 - Prince Thomas and his bride Maria Cortez become the parents of fraternal twins, Kelly and Kerry.
• 1955 - Sophisticated fleet of jets begins to take form. Spy planes, long range bombers, and jet fighters dominate government spending.
• 1959 - King Bernard dies. King Quentin assumes throne and names Crown Prince Thomas his successor.
• 1960 - King Quentin dies suddenly in a plane crash. 26 year old King Thomas II becomes the youngest King in Laidir's history, beating his great-grandfather by nearly a year.
• 1961 - King Thomas II names Kelly as Laidir's first Crown Princess. Prince Kerry opts to become a military officer.
• 1964 - Alainn, a small collection of islands northeast of Talfor, is granted protectorate status.
• 1966 - Assassin's bullets gun down King Thomas II. Queen Catalina, Queen Maria, and Prince Francis form regency council while Crown Princess Kelly attends to her schooling.
• 1973 - Queen Kelly assumes the throne in her own right.
• 1976 - Prince Kerry dies during pilot training with the RAFAE.
• 1981 - First stealth aircraft enter air fleet.
• 1984 - Queen Kelly gives birth to Crown Prince Quentin.
• 1991 - Queen Kelly diagnosed with breast cancer.
• 1998 - Queen Kelly dies. Prince Francis, Princess Catalina, and Prince Joseph (Son of Prince Kelly) form regency council.
• 2002 - King Quentin II assumes the throne. He gives Laidir its current title of Holy Archipelagic Empire of Laidir. Prince Francis dies two weeks after coronation ceremony.
• 2003 - War Against the Usurpers. Laidir attacks XXX1 after the latter's temporary and illegal occupation of Armageddon. All 6 islands making up XXX1 (Nacimien, Frendo, Coactus, Fastos, Leomus, and Akhbar) are taken over while all former government leaders are imprisoned.

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