Novikov

The Royal Crown Colony of Novikov is a massive nation of some 1.2 billion inhabitants, currently integrated into the United Kingdom of Azazia as a Crown Colony. Novikov is a largely Slovak nation, with a strong Eastern-European and Russian influence. It is renown for its unique mixture of Pseudo-Capitalist and Yellow Socialist economics, and for a strongly developing industrial sector. The major industry, however, remains agriculture, providing over 50% of Novikov’s total GNP.

Government:

Since the cessation of hostilities between Novikov and the United Kingdom of Azazia on Nov. 7, 1605 on the Novikovian calendar (Nov. 9, 2005 by western count) Novikov has undergone massive changes. The government changed hands no less than five times in the four months during and preceding the Novikov-Azazia conflict.

Currently, the Novikovian State is under the control of a Parliamentary Democracy heavily based on the old pre-war system, but with a written constitution. Parliament consists of 77 members, equally representing 11 providences. Parliament remains under the control of Novikov’s majority party, the Liberal Democrats, and following the reestablishment of Parliament after the war, the minority has shifted historically back to the left, away from the Nationalist and Conservative parties largely blamed for starting the war. The current Prime Minister is Milos Borovic, who is answerable to the Royal Governor, Thomas Cahill.

Economy:

Novikov controls an impressive GDP of 14.839 trillion USD, which is divided heavily among Healthcare, Education, Defense, and Law/Order, with a small percent to the total government budget going towards other concerns such as Transportation, Commerce, and the Enviornment.

The Economy is based principally around the dual concerns of agriculture (51%) and manufacturing (32%), while service jobs comprise most of the remainder. Export-Import businesses are one of the keys which allow Novikov to prosper, but thy are controlled entirely by the government.

Manufacturing is entirely regulated by the Government and all industry dubbed ‘vital to the sate’ is placed under Government control. This includes the production of all raw materials, and the manufacture of military technology, automobiles, aircraft, and electronics. Private manufacturing focuses largely on simple tools and mechanical components, which are then exported privately abroad.

Agriculture has also been dubbed ‘vital to the state’ in all areas save fruit farming, fishing, poultry, and luxury goods – though coffee, grown in tiny amounts on Novikov overseas possessions, strangely is not listed as a luxury item. This governmental control has allowed for the use of all-year heated greenhouses and controlled growing environments, which allows Novikovians to produce goods which would otherwise have to be imported abroad. This also allows the Government to focus growth based on current economic trends, and to regularly rotate crops in an orderly fashion around the country. This leads to a substantially higher crop yield, with far less overproduction and competition than could otherwise be obtained.

The only entirely private sector of the economy is service jobs, mostly restaurants, hotels, and basic services. These private companies have for the most part not thrived in the highly directed Novikovian economy, but continue to eek out a living, despite heavy Government taxing of their business.

In this grand scheme, unemployment remains a problem at 7.15%, but has significantly dropped for the 11.25% seen just four years ago. Part of this is due to massive military contracts, which may lead o a wav of unemployment following disarmament planned for the future, but compensation for that is already underway with new expansion programs and a revitalized, lightly subsidized private sector.

Society:

Novikovian society is very firmly based on the beliefs in free speech and the welfare state. However, devotion to Novikov patriotic Rawlsian-Socialist ideas has led to infringements on the former in the past, and threatens to do so again.

The Novikovian citizen, on average, enjoys an income of roughly 12,000 USD. Coupled with extensive social programs, this places Novikov’s people in the upper half of the world, as far as overall benefits go. The society is also remarkably equal, with even the richest citizens making only 24,000 USD, and the poorest being held at an 8,500 USD safety-net.

The people are highly devoted to the political process and, though voting is voluntary, 87% of Novikov’s eligible voters (age 16 an above) continue to do so in every election – local and national. They align themselves mostly with Yellow or passively-Red Socialist parties, with other Liberal parties as well. The mainstay for he conservative minority seem to be the issue of Patriotism and defense, and they almost always concede economic an foreign policy to the left, simply to appease the masses.

Novikov has a 92.3% literacy rate, with over half the population being literate in multiple language and/or alphabets. Education runs from age 6 to 17; grades 1-11, and is governmentally sponsored and controlled, as is higher education for the large part. The national languages of Novikov are Czech, Slovak, and a Novikovian dialect of Russian.