New Norden
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| Federal Kingdom of New Norden | |
| |
| National flag | |
| Motto | Under God, We Shall Conquer |
| Anthem | God Save the King |
| Capital and largest city | Kensington |
| Languages - Official - Unofficial |
Londinian English, Volscian Chinese, English, Welsh |
| Government - Monarch - President |
Federal Constitutional Monarchy King Jonathan I (LDS) Michel I of Acarionne |
| Establishment - as city-states - as Empire of Londinvm - as the Respublica Unitas - as a Crown Colony - as a transitional republic - as constitutional monarchy - as parliamentary republic - as Kingdom of New Norden |
CE 15 CE 156 CE 890 CE 1707 CE 1744 2 May 1745 30 May 2009 15 June 2076 |
| Area - Land |
806,060 km² |
| Population - Total (2076) |
2,450,000,000 |
| GDP (FY2006/07) - Total (NSD) - GDP/capita (NSD) |
$42,838,311,839,761 $30,682 |
| Currency | Dollar |
| Internet TLD | .rsp |
| Calling code | +42 |
| PDAS rating | A |
The Federal Kingdom of New Norden is a federal constitutional monarchy comprising the former Kingdom of Victoria and the Kingdom of Ganapati, located within the tropical, equatorial area of the Pacific Ocean within the region of Mediterranica and Olicana. The nation is a series of two islands, and is composed of ten provinces, comprising twenty shires each.
Londinians, as they are known, are superlatively socialist, dedicated to the pursuit of individual liberty, freedom, and economic equality, as well as supporting domestic policy that is exceedingly liberal.
New Norden is also known worldwide for its renowned Londinian Broadcasting Group.
Contents
Geography
Climate: Highly tropical climate in the north, with temperatures rarely falling beneath 16 degrees Celcius, but rarely exceeding 42 degrees Celcius. The south is far more temperate, with temperatures ranging from 14-34 degrees Celcius. Tropical rainforests surround the area of Kingston and Piccadilly, and there is a desert next to Westminster, requiring cautious usage of water supplies.
Terrain: Variable.
Elevation extremes:
- lowest point: Straits of London -670 m
- highest point: Mount St Thomas 9,101.2 m
Natural Resources: titanium ore, petroleum, natural gas, coal, uranium, timber, coffee, fish, diamonds, penguins, silver, gold, platinium, sapphire, feldspar, zinc, asbestos, magnetite, chromite, rutile, ilmenite, hematite, granite, marble, limestone, salt, sulfur, opal, emerald, ruby, pearls, jade, lapis lazuri, malachite, onyx, copper, turquoise, tin, ultramarine, aluminium, spinels, corundum, geothermal power, silicon, snowflake obsidian, gravel, tiger's eye, fruits, arable land, hydropower, wool, penguins, silk, chili peppers, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, sugarcane, angora, cashmere, grass, sisal, cannabis, opium, wine.
Natural Hazards: Fog, thunderstorms, volcanic activity, earthquakes, tropical storms, cyclones, monsoon, forest fire, limnic eruptions, mælstroms, avalanches.
History
Government
The Londinian government is three tiered, with the Parliament, the King, and the Court System serving as checks and balances to each other to ensure the continued presence of the rule of law, as well as the continued preservation of Londinian ideals.
Parliament
There are 200 seats in the lower house of Parliament, the Senate, and each member is referred to as a Member of Parliament (MP). Each of the 10 provinces is divided into ten shires, each of which receives two seats. The Londinian Democratic Socialists hold 106 seats in the Senate, the Conservative Party holds 79 seats, the Christian Republican Coalition holds 7 seats, the Democrats hold 6 seats, and the Jewish Coalition holds 2 seats. Direct representation is used in the Senate, with each shire receiving one seat.
The upper house, the House of Provinces, is based around proportional representation, with each province receiving members based on how many people reside in that province. There are 100 total members.
Courts
The court system of New Norden is highly stratified. At the top lies the Supreme Court of the Federal Kingdom, the court of last resort for both civil and criminal cases. The Supreme Court also evaluates the constitutionality of legislation passed by the Parliament - legislation must be found constitutional before it may come into effect. Beneath the Supreme Court lies the People's Court of Appeal. This court is divided into two sections: the Criminal Division and the Civil Division. Beneath the Court of Appeal lies the High Court, the court of first instance for civil cases and an appellate court for criminal cases. Subordinate to the High Court is the Crown Court, the main criminal court, also known as the Primary Criminal Court. Below the Crown Court is the Magistrate's Court, which not only handles small, trivial cases, but also makes sure that criminal cases headed towards the Crown Court possess sufficient evidence to make a case. Finally, there is the County Court, a wholly civil court that handles minor disputes within a community.
The President of New Norden also has his own court, the Presidential Court. This court is used to discuss major conflicts within and outside New Norden. This court has a large chamber in the Supreme Court Building.
King of New Norden
Selection
Imperial Court
The modern King is elected by secret ballot, without debate, by the Imperial Court, a body established solely for that purpose. The convention consists of all Parliament members as well as an equal number of delegates chosen by the legislatures of the provinces. The delegates of each province to the Imperial Court are elected by the members of the legislature of that jurisdiction under a form of proportional representation. However it is not required that provincial delegates themselves be members of a legislature; often esteemed local citizens are chosen.
In total, the Imperial Court numbers more than one thousand people. The Londinian constitution requires that it be convened no later than thirty days before the expiration of the term of office of the King. In practice it is convened every five years. The body is convened and chaired by the President of the Parliament.
The Imperial Court attempts to elect a King by an absolute majority of votes cast. If, after two votes, no single candidate has received this level of support, in the third and final vote the candidate endorsed by a plurality of votes cast is deemed elected. The process of electing the King is usually determined by party politics, the office being in the gift of whichever party, or group of allied parties, can muster a majority in the convention. The authors of the constitution chose an indirect form of Royal election because they believed it would produce a head of state who was widely acceptable and yet at the same time insulated from public pressure and lacking in sufficient popular legitimacy to undermine other institutions of government.
Qualifications
The office of King is open to all Londinians who are entitled to vote in Parliament elections and have reached the age of 25, but no one may serve more than two five year terms. The King receives an annual payment of approximately $213,000,000 that continues when he or she leaves office.
The King may not be a member of the government or of a legislature at either the federal or provincial level.
Duties
- Appointment of the Federal Government: The King proposes an individual as President (often the leader of the majority party) and then, provided they are subsequently elected by the Parliament, appoints him or her to the office. However the Parliament is free to disregard the King's proposal and elect another individual to the post, who the King is then obliged to appoint. The King appoints and dismisses the remaining members of the Federal Government "upon the proposal of the President". The King can dismiss the President but only in the event that the President passes a Constructive Vote of No Confidence. If this occurs the King must dismiss the President and appoint the successor requested by the Parliament.
- Other appointments: The King appoints federal judges, federal civil servants and military officers. All such appointments require the counter-signature of either the President or the relevant cabinet minister.
- Dissolution of the Parliament: In the event that the Parliament elects an individual for the office of President by a plurality of votes, rather than a majority, the King can, at his discretion, either appoint that individual as chancellor or dissolve the Parliament. In the event that a vote of confidence is defeated in the Parliament the King may dissolve the body within 21 days, but only on a proposal from the incumbent President.
- Promulgation of the law: All federal laws must, after counter-signature, be signed by the King before they can come into effect. Ordinances must be signed by the agency which issues them, and then by the King. Upon signing, the King has to check if the process of making the law is constitutional and/or if the content of the law is constitutional. If not, he has the right to refuse to sign the law. This has happened only six times.
- Foreign relations: The King takes part in foreign visits and receives foreign dignitaries. He or she also concludes treaties with foreign nations, accredits Londinian diplomats and receives the letters of accreditation of foreign diplomats.
- Pardons and honours: The King grants pardons if the person concerned had been convicted under federal jurisdiction (which is rare) and confers decorations and honours.
- State of emergency: In the event of a national crisis, the laws designate the King as a mediator. If the Parliament rejects a motion of confidence, but neither the chancellor is dismissed nor the Parliament is dissolved, the King may, by request of the cabinet, declare a "legislative state of emergency", which is quite different from a conventional state of emergency: If it is declared, during a limited period of time, bills proposed by the cabinet and designated as "urgent", but rejected by the Parliament, become (with the consent of the provinces) law nonetheless. But it does not suspend basic human rights nor does it grant the executive branch any exceptional power.
Constitution
The Constitution of New Norden is uncodified, consisting of both written and unwritten sources. There is no technical difference between ordinary statutes and law considered "constitutional law." Therefore the Londinian Parliament can perform "constitutional reform" simply by passing Acts of Parliament and thus has the power to change or abolish any written or unwritten element of the constitution. The constitution is based on the concept of all sovereignty ultimately belonging to Parliament (Parliamentary sovereignty), so the concept of entrenchment cannot exist. The lack of a central written constitutional document explaining the fundamental principles of the state and relationship between its institutions and between the people leads some constitutionalists to regard the United Kingdom as having "no (formal) constitution." The phrase "unwritten constitution" is sometimes used, despite the fact that the PSR constitution incorporates many written sources, statutory law being considered the most important source of the constitution. But the case remains that the constitution relies far more on unwritten constitutional conventions than virtually every other liberal democratic constitution, though there are attempts to codify the constitution, or to at least to compact the myriad of legislation deemed constitutional. In 2005, legislation was passed decreeing that all legislation that would be considered to be "constitutional" must clearly state its status as such - resultingly, the once muddled mess of constitutional affairs has become far clearer.
The key principles of the constitution are its underlying features. The two most important principles of the Londinian constitution were first established to exist as the "twin pillars" of the constitution by Lysander Prætonius in his work, On Constituional Affairs Within the United Kingdom of British Londinium (1845). Prætonius stated that the constitution is built on the twin equal principles of Parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law. The former means that Parliament is the supreme law making body; only the national Parliament may pass legislation affecting the nation as a whole - this principle has been established since the time of the Respublica Unitas The latter is the principle of equal application of the law: 'everyone is equal before the law'. Although the theory is certainly ancient, in practice equal application of the law to every subject/citizen in the state only seriously developed from the early nineteenth century. Prætonius' "twin pillars" interpretation is a legalistic interpretation, and has been criticised by commentators writing about the decline of Parliament's independence and the dominance of the executive in policy making.
Another important principle is the concept of a unitary state, which is a corollary of Parliamentary sovereignty, and means that unlike in federal or confederate systems, sovereignty resides only at the centre of the state. The power of local and devolved bodies are totally dependent on Acts of Parliament, they could be abolished completely by Parliament if it wished so. Parliamentary republicanism is a key principle, meaning that the King does not technically rule but has a ceremonial role only. However, this is tempered by the fact that parliament technically derives its authority from the King by his implicit consent. The collective term for the legislative and governmental power of parliament is therefore the King in Parliament principle. This means that the King is often described as the "supreme guardian of the constitution" in that he or she could overturn an unconstitutional act of parliament by decree. The King, therefore, has an established role to advise, warn, and encourage ministers, although these executive powers remain unused, for the most part. Evaluation of the constitutionality of legislation is now, for the most part, executed by the judicial branch.
The greatest shift in Londinian constitutional affairs has been the landmark 2007 International Constitution for New Norden Act, which deemed certain international treaties, such as the Charter of Fundamental Human Rights, constitutional documents, with equal standing as any other Constitutional Act of Parliament.
Oath of Citizenship
I, [insert name] will give my loyalty to the Federal Kingdom and respect its rights and freedoms. I will uphold its democratic values. I will observe its laws faithfully and fulfil my duties and obligations as a Londinian citizen.
Economy
The economy of New Norden is arguably the most powerful Pacific economy, experiencing GDP growth of six percent during the 2008 FY alone. The Londinian economy is primarily service and research based, though agriculture and industry are also key to development. The goods and services produced in New Norden are extremely diverse, oriented on innovation, natural resources, and development of new products. New Norden is lacking, however, in development of alternative energy sources. Nuclear power plants are the only form of alternative energy utilised in New Norden, though hydrogen-powered vehicles are in usage in sparse numbers.
Basic Principles
The Londinian economy is a socialist economy, though it differs from many in how it regulates the market; central planning boards set prices through "trial and error," making adjustments as shortages and surpluses occurred rather than relying on a free price mechanism. If there were shortages, prices would be raised; if there were surpluses, prices would be lowered. Raising the prices would encourage businesses to increase production, driven by their desire to increase their profits, and in doing so eliminate the shortage. Lowering the prices would encourage businesses to curtail production in order to prevent losses, which would eliminate the surplus. Workplace democracy is also a key part of the Londinian economy.
Energy
New Norden is energy rich, with petroleum and natural gas abudant in the seas around the nation, especially the Black Gold Sea. In early 2009, Royal Dutch Shell discovered over two hundred billion barrels of petroleum beneath the waves of the Black Gold Sea, which resulted in a major boon for the Londinian economy. Petrol is utilised as the primary energy source for motor vehicles, but nuclear power is the primary source of power for most cities and buildings. Natural gas is used sparingly, however, with a large part of Londinian gas being exported to other nations. There are six major energy producers and distributors in New Norden: Royal Dutch Shell, PetroLondinium, Virgin Petrol, LP, Todd Nuclear Energy, and Londinian National Fission. Together, these corporations have formed the Londinian Energy Alliance to help ensure domestic stability in oil prices (currently ₰1.21 a litre) and to prevent harmful disruptions in the international oil supply.
Fishery
New Norden ranked extremely high in the number of fish caught annually —11.9 million tons in 1997. Coastal fishing by small boats, set nets, or breeding techniques accounts for about one third of the industry's total production, while offshore fishing by medium-sized boats makes up for more than half the total production. Deep-sea fishing from larger vessels makes up the rest. Among the many fish species caught are sardines, skipjack tuna, crab, shrimp, salmon, pollock, squid, clams, mackerel, sea bream, saury, tuna and Londinian amberjack. New Norden maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch, prompting some claims that Londinian fishing is leading to depletion in fish stocks such as salmon. New Norden has also sparked controversy by supporting quasi-commercial whaling.
Major Industries
New Norden's major industries are precision machinery, telecommunications, petroleum, electronics, aircraft, and military hardware, but the country's more famous exports are in the fields of food, clothing, luxury vehicles, and rum.
Culture
New Norden, though renowned for it's natural splendour and socialist political system, not to mention its advances in technology, is most notable for its unique and opulent culture. Despite this, Londinians place heavy emphasis on ceremony and formality, with the suit being the most worn outfit, even in casual situations. More often than not, Londinians are punctual to a fault, and owning a time piece of some sort is almost expected out of any individual. The culture of New Norden is built around the principles of enjoyment and living life to the fullest.
Cuisine
Londinian cuisine is extremely varied: its cuisines reflect the cultural variety of its regions and its diverse history (with culinary influences from Greek, Roman, French, Indian, Arab, Chinese, Japanese and British civilizations). To a certain extent, there is really no such thing as Londinian cuisine in the way that one usually understands national cuisines. Each area has its own proud specialties, primarily at regional level, but also even at provincial level. Londinian cuisine is not only highly regionalised, it is very seasonal. The high priority placed on the use of fresh, seasonal produce distinguishes the cuisine of New Norden from the imitations available in most other countries. Heavy emphasis is visible on spicy, vivid dishes, including open-fire meats, dairy, oils, fresh pasta, fruits, vegetables and desserts. However, Londinian cuisine is rapidly growing, and is coming to include other types of meats or meat alternatives (eggs, seafood), and a growing fusion-cuisine movement has grown, with many new Asian-fusion, Carribbean, and Modern European restaurants peppering the nightlife of Londinian cities. As well, the minority groups of the region have contributed their own homeland cuisines, creating a vivacious culinary experience.
Breakfast
The normal day begins with a light breakfast in the morning, generally consisting of:
- toast with jam and spreads,
- a hot drink such as coffee, tea or orange juice,
- croissants,
- bacon
Lunch
Lunch is the most unstructured meal, but it is generally eaten between 1200 and 1400 hours.
Dinner
A traditional Londinian dinner consists of:
- antipasto - hot or cold appetizers
- monido respace ("first course"), usually consists of a hot dish like pasta, risotto, gnocchi, polenta]] or soup. There are usually abundant vegetarian options.
- dyanido respace ("second course"), the main dish, usually fish or meat. Traditionally veal, pork and chicken are the most commonly used meat, at least in the North, though beef has become more popular since World War II and wild game is very popular, particularly in Viridis Forestis. Fishes are those fished nearly.
- contorno ("side dish") may consist of a salad or cooked vegetables. A traditional menu features salad along with the main course.
- formaggio and frutta (cheese and fruits): the first dessert, usually served together.
- dolce ("dessert", such as cakes and cookies)
- chaqqa ("coffee"), a brief interlude in which coffee and occassionally tea is served
- digestivo which is liqueurs (sometimes referred to as ammazzachaqqa ("Coffee killer")
Language
Language, and the respect for language, is also critical to understanding Londinian culture. The two official languages of Londinian English and Volscian are regulated by the Council for Londinian Language to ensure conformity. Londinian English is formulated after British English, adopting many of its formations and terminology; however, the language has been made more formal than British English, with certain slang terminology eliminated completely.
Literature
The earliest native literature of the territory of New Norden was written in ancient Latin, by the original Roman settlers who landed on the island. The first notable work from Eurasia was Caecilia Auxilius Metelli's Treatise on Utilitarianism, which proposed the ethical doctrine that the moral worth of an action is solely determined by its contribution to overall utility. For over three hundred years after the settlement of the islands, most written works discussed factual subjects; notwithstanding that, the earliest example of notable fiction manifests itself in The Epic of Julius Aurelius, about a peasant, Julius, who rises up to be king of a large, mythical city state.
When the Londinian printing press was developed circa CE 1300, mass production of literature ensued, resulting in increased literacy rates and the popularization of literature. Around CE 1514, poetry entered into the vogue, primarily the sonnet. Unlike the Italian or English sonnet, the Londinian sonnet possesses a rhyme scheme of a-b a-b, b-c b-c, c-d c-d, e-e. Whilst Shakespeare was all the rage in England, poets such as Augustulus Romulus were proving to be immensely popular, founding theatres in cities throughout the nation.
In more contemporary times, postmodern and absurdist literature top the charts, along with philosophy texts and non-fiction works. Indeed, one of the primary works taught to all Londinian children is Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot.
Holidays
The following is a list of the major statutory holidays in New Norden.
| Date | English Name | Volscian Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day | Festivius ab Annus |
| 14 February | St. Valentine's Day | Giorne dal Santo Valentino |
| 2 May | New Norden Day | Jubilaeus a'Londinium Britannica |
| 25 May | Towel Day | Giorne a'Toailles |
| 21 June | Summer Solstice | Solstite Sagma |
| 19 September | Talk Like A Pirate Day | Giorne a'Ablataya Comme Corsaires |
| 11 November | Armistice Day | Giorne a'Armistitium |
| 31 December | New Year's Eve | Giorne a'Exspira ab Annus |
Attitudes and Beliefs
Londinians have very strong attitudes and beliefs which are reinforced by the tenets of the country's society.
"Underdog" Attitude
Londinians have traditionally had a very strong "underdog" attitude, that they will support those who appear to be at a disadvantage unless New Norden is in direct competition with another nation. This underdog attitude is most evident in sport, as sport is also a large part of Londinian culture. Should a Londinian be asked to choose between two unknown competitors, very often they will choose the one least likely to win. It is said that although Londinians may not bear defeat well at the time, often the case is that some time later on, players and fans will have forgotten about the "sting of defeat" thanks to several servings of rum.
A "Fair Go"
The belief in a "Fair Go" is a key part of Londinian culture and often Londinian society. The socialist ideals of Labour and LDS governments have often used this saying to advocate their policies. Unionism in New Norden has also greatly benefited from this belief. This can be seen in the existence of strong public health and education systems in New Norden.
Religion
| Faith | Denomination | % |
|---|---|---|
| Christian | all Anglican Protestant |
55.88 54.54 1.34 |
| Islam | all Sunni Shia |
13.27 7.10 6.71 |
| Judaism | all Reformed Hasidic |
5.52 4.46 0.96 |
| Non-Religious | all Atheist Communist |
4.63 4.45 0.18 |
At the beginning of Londinian history, religion played a significant role in the lives of the Londinian people, with most individuals believers in traditional Roman mythology. However, after hundreds of years of rulers abusing religious beliefs to suit their own ends, most renounced religion and refused to convert to any other religion, explaining the huge amount of atheists and agnostics. Most religious believers are immigrants from other nations whose families did not experience such religious disillusionment. Furthermore, decades of socialist teachings and the existence of a secular state have eroded religious belief in New Norden.
Suffrage
Universal suffrage is 14 years of age.
Education
Education in New Norden is one of the most rigorous courses of study found in the world, funded lavishly by the government and made mandatory for every Londinian citizen. The Ministry for Education (MoE) regulates the education system, and mostly recieves praise for the quality of education that it delivers. However, many foreigners complain about the difficulty of Londinian schools, since a 90% average grade is required to pass each class. However, MoE white papers have decided that this rigour is a major factor in the economic success of New Norden, and thus has decided to maintain the difficultly.
Level I - Preschool
From ages three to five, all children in New Norden are required to attend Level I Education, casually known as preschool, which is completely free for citizens and quite cheap for resident non-citizens. Here, Londinians learn basic reading, writing, history, science and mathematics that will later serve as a vital foundation for their education in Level II schooling. The school day is broken into three sections. In the first, the language-oriented subjects are taught. In the second, history is taught. In the third, science and mathematics are taught. The school time usually runs between 0900 hours and 1600 hours. The students go to school from Monday to Friday for two semesters comprising twenty-three weeks. There are six weeks of break during the summer.
Level II - Primary school
Primary school, the next level in the educational system, expands heavily upon the base forged by Level I education, with all students aged 5-11 required to attend. Completion of Level I school, or the completion of an entrance exam, is required to attend Level II schools. The core subjects are: Mathematics, English, Volscian, History, and Science. Newly introduced are classes such as Health/Physical Education, Government, and ICT (Information and Communication Technology). A day in primary school is not structed in the standard "one teacher, one class" format, but in the "one teacher, one subject" format, as Level II Schools have an eight period day. In each period, a different subject is taught. Often, Level II schools offer afterschool extracurricular activities such as debate. The school time usually runs between 0800 hours and 1600 hours. The students go to school from Monday to Friday for two semesters comprising twenty-four weeks. There are four weeks of break during the summer.
Level III - Secondary school
Level III school is the final stage in the mandatory education of a Londinian citizen. To obtain entry, one must have completed Level II education or completed an entrance exam to display mastery of the knowledge base. Here, students no longer have to take both Volscian and English; they are allowed to choose one, and take a foreign language in place of the other. Like Level II, Level III sports a period-based day. However, there are ten periods instead of eight. The curriculum offers French, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese, Castillian and Pacitalian, among other languages. Core subjects include: Domestic Language (English/Volscian), Foreign Language, Mathematics, History, Science, Government, Londinian Law, Philosophy, Health, plus an elective. Each core class is tracked into three stages: Standard, Accelerated, and Honours. Accelerated classes possess a 0.3 GPA weight, whilst Honours classes possess a 0.5 GPA weight. Upon graduation, diplomas are issued to all students. The school time usually runs between 0800 hours and 1600 hours. The students go to school from Monday to Saturday for two semesters comprising twenty-five weeks. There are two weeks of break during the summer. Level III education is taken until age eighteen.
Level IV - Tertiary School
Sports
Ever since the first Romans populated New Norden, sport has proved a major part in the culture of the nation. The most popular sports are football, cricket, rugby, and tennis. There have been attempts to introduce gridiron into the country, but there has been strong resistance to the idea. By far, football has the greatest number of teams and fans, with over one hundred professional football teams in the nation, with twenty of them in the Premiership - the highest league in the country - and over three hundred million viewers. New Norden is home to some of the world's renowned football teams, including Kensington United, St Andrews, and Argyll. Furthermore, New Norden has two Home Country-level football teams, the Victoria Domo-kuns and the Ganapati Rebels, which play against each other on 2 May, Londinian Day, each year. Legislation has been passed, creating a pan-Londinian national football team, which is widely supported by Victorians, but the concept is met with skepticism from Ganapatians.
Martial Arts
The martial arts of New Norden revolve around the usage of swords. The most preeminent and famous of all Londinian martial arts is Shamshir-Saif (Londinian fencing), a type of fencing based around the use of the scimitara londii, or Londinian scimitar. In modern times, the scimitar is affixed with a rubber tip and lined with electronic sensors for scoring purposes. Practioners wear white kevlar vests and thin white gloves for protection, but masks are not used. Shamshir-Saif is traditionally played in an 12 meter by 12 meter square field, though many now opt to play on the European fencing strip.
Londinian fencing came about in CE 341, as a method of training the elite Imperial Guard.
Communication
New Norden is proud to sport a highly developed, advanced communications network; in the People's Sovereign Republic, 89% of all individuals have internet access, 98% have access to a radio, and 94% have access to a television.
Television
Three world-class television networks operate in New Norden. The first and foremost network is the Londinian Broadcasting Group, a state-owned television network that possesses over thirty channels; the LBG is financed out of the taxpayer's pockets, in the form of an eleven eura tax each month. Secondly, there is LondCom, and thirdly there is MediaLondinium, which is a loose alliance of independent television networks.
Print media
Daily national newspapers such as The Kensington Times and The Londinian Financial Times are the most popular newspapers in New Norden, and are highly regarded as the most factual and unbiased. Newsmagazines are also popular, with The Financier and The Weekly News topping the charts. However, foreign newspapers also possess a significant share of the Londinian market, with the London Times and The Economist being wildly popular.
Population
Ethnicity
In the 2008 National Census, New Norden's population was reported as 846,341,643 citizens. Chinese and Indian invasion during the 1400s along with European imperialism during the 18th century turned a largely Roman population into a diverse and unique blend of races. To the left is a demographic chart fully fleshing out races in New Norden.
Life expectancy
Life expectancy in the People's Sovereign Republic is extremely high and currently stands at an average of about 79 years. UK health care is fully nationalization and maintains superlatively high standards of cleanliness, efficiency and safety. Health care for foreign visitors is free in emergency situations or with proper travel insurance coverage (with approved supplementary documentation).
Transport
New Norden boasts one of the most efficient and most developed networks of transportation in the Pacific area, and perhaps the world, with extensive road, rail and marine routes and over fifty international airports.
Air Transport
New Norden has five major international hubs but fifty international airports. The major airports are Kensington International Airport (KNI), Westminster International Skyport (WIS), Stewart International Airport (STI), Maddox International (MXI), and Victoria Centre Airport (VCA). As a key hub for shipping, along with business interests and tourism, Londinian airports handle nearly 150 million passengers per day, on average.
Motorway system
A-class / Arteriaroute
New Norden's arteriaroute network is highly developed, consisting of hundreds of thousands of kilometers of paved highways. While built originally built with government funds, portions of the autoroute network are funded by private measures, such as toll systems. The network is so developed that today, 92% of Londinian land is within 100km of one or more autoroute. The five busiest arteriaroutes are:
- The A21 from Kensington to Cambridge, which forks into Oxford, linking with the M6.
- The A1 from Kensington to St. Andrews
- The A6 from Kensington, through Oxford to Northolt.
- The A18 linking Argyll and Westminster, through Waltham Forest.
- The A25 circumnavigating Kensington.
The arteriaroutes are designated as the busiest and most important routes. There is one numbering rule with the arteriaroutes - the number code that goes with the letter A must not be more than two digits.
V-class / Venaroutes
Smaller artery highways that have four or six lanes and cross equal or slightly smaller ranges of land area are designated as V-class. They are different from C-class capillaroutes in that they must have a three-digit representation code. V-class are similar to A-class, however, in that they can be located anywhere around New Norden.
C-class / Capillaroutes
C-class capillaroutes have less than four lanes but may stretch across large areas of terrain. However, they were not designed for any large-scale commercial transport, meaning that traffic on capillaroutes is usually confined just to local passenger traffic.
Aquatic routes
New Norden boasts an ample water network, with man-made canals linking most major cities. Furthermore, New Norden also has three major, international ports which serve as major hubs for shipping. They are located in Kensington, Argyll, and Northolt.
Rail routes
Railways are not as heavily used as the motor transport system, but do offer more point-to-point public transport, which is the primary cause for their popularity. Many kilometers of track with Maglev capacity connect dozens of cities within the People's Sovereign Republic. Rail transport has also gained significant popularity in urban locales, with monorails and trolleys permeating most major cities.
