Clevingia
| Clevingian Commonwealth | |
 |
|
| National flag | Coat of arms |
| _ | |
| Motto | Ex corona, æquitas. |
| Anthem | Symphony of the Commonwealth |
| Capital and largest city | Nyquist |
| Languages - Official - Unofficial |
English English, Welsh, Russian |
| Government - Consul - Monarch |
Constitutional Monarchy Andrew Stark Victoria IX Yossarian |
| Establishment - as city-states - as the Clevingian Federation - as a Londinian colony - as a semi-independent state - as independent Commonwealth |
PLE 7 LE 512 LE 1067 LE 1420 9 November 2020 |
| Area - Total |
9,166,414 sq. km |
| Population - Total (2007) |
2,367,000,000 |
| GDP (FY2007/08) - Total (NSD) - GDP/capita (NSD) |
$63,757,210,758,225 $30,715 |
| National animal - English name |
Corvus corax Common Raven |
| National flower - English name |
Papaver rhoeas Red poppy |
| National tree - English name |
Cedrus libani Cedar tree |
| Currency | 1 denarii (OCK) = 100 sesterces |
| Time Zone | +0600 / +0700 |
| National charter of rights | Constitution of the Clevingian Commonwealth |
| International abbreviations - Sport - Government |
CLV CC, CLV |
| Naval craft classification - Military - Civilian |
HMS CNV |
| Internet TLD | .cv |
| Calling code | +7 |
| PDAS rating | A |
Clevingia, formally referred to as the Clevingian Commonwealth, is a large island nation located in the Southern Ocean within the region of Mediterranica, with a population of over two billion persons, renowned for its culture, strong economy, and technological prowess. It is bordered to the north by the Tremblay Sea, and to the south the petroleum-rich Doyle Sea, both of which are littered with icebergs. Modern Clevingia is the result of the Vivicide and the Great Diaspora, in which billions of Londinians fled to the country and settled upon the continent of Deva Victrix on which the Commonwealth resides.
Clevingia, despite being fearful of intimate foreign relations, has consistently ranked high in studies of human rights and standards of living, receiving a .958 rating from the Human Development Index. The country is founded upon the socialist ideals that marked the latter era of British Londinium, though current political realities have led to the formation of a coalition government under Andrew Stark.
Contents
Geography
Climate: The climate of Clevingia is cold oceanic. The warm currents surrounding the island ensures generally higher temperatures than in most places of similar latitude in the world. The winters are mild (comparatively) and windy while the summers are damp and cool. Precipitation is frequent, with two-thirds of the year featuring either rain or heavy snow. There are some variations in the climate between different parts of the island. Generally speaking, the north coast is warmer than the south. On the whole, the temperature rarely dips below -20 C and rarely exceeds 23 C.
Rivers: The River Huperethuua (near Port Royal) and the River Nabû-appla-iddina (near Helvetia).
Elevation extremes:
- lowest point: Bavarois Valley -670 m
- highest point: Mount Fabius 11,101.2 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.
Government
The Clevingian government is three tiered, with the Parliament, the President, 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 Clevingian ideals.
Parliament
There are 600 seats in the lower house of Parliament, the Senate, and each member is refered to as a Member of Parliament (MP). The Socialist Party holds 283 seats in the House of Commons, the Conservative Party holds 279 seats, the Alliance of Liberal Democrats holds 31 seats, the Eco-Syndicalists hold 6 seats, and the Anarchist Coalition holds 1 seat.
The upper house, the National Assembly, is appointed by the monarch. There are 100 total members. Members are chosen and selected due to their status as specialists in particular fields. This House has minimal power.
Whichever party has the majority of seats in the Senate recieves the power to form a new government. The victorious party nominates a candidate to serve as Consul (Prime Minister), who then is ceremonially approved by the monarch. As of 2015, no party has a strong majority, with the major candidates for the Consulship - the Conservatives and Socialists - separated by only four seats; consequently, a coalition government was formed by Victoria IX, with Andrew Stark serving as the Socialist consul and his deputy, William Nately, being leader of the Conservatives.
Cabinet
- Consul of the Clevingian Commonwealth - The Right Honourable Andrew Stark
- Deputy Prime Minister - The Right Honourable William Nately
- Chancellor of the Exchequer - The Right Honourable Adélaïde Pryce
- Minister of Foreign Affairs - The Right Honourable Cecilia Belladini
- Minister of Diaspora - The Right Honourable Fulvia Sinclair
- Minister of Justice - The Right Honourable Andrew Swan
- Minister of Defence - The Right Honourable Lily Crompton
- Minister of Health - The Right Honourable Doctor Elizabeth Tredagar
- Minister of Transport - The Right Honourable Tommy Seymour
- Minister of Culture, Media, and Sport - The Right Honourable Chloe Yuhjijad
- Minister of Education - The Right Honourable Aiko Kobayashi
- Minister of Trade and Industry - The Right Honourable Olivia Quinn
- Minister of Environmental, Food, and Rural Affairs - The Right Honourable Albert Nazarbayev
- Minister of International Development - The Right Honourable Chase Ryan
- Minister of Work and Pensions - The Right Honourable Tejas Avakian
- Minister of Communities and Local Government - The Right Honourable Marcus Fulvius Iotapianus
- Minister of the Cabinet Office - The Right Honourable Robert Wilson
Courts
The court system of Clevingia is highly stratified. At the top lies the Commonwealth Supreme Court, 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 Royal 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. 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 Primary Criminal 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.
Monarchy
The Monarch, currently Queen Victoria IX Yossarian, is the head of state for the Clevingian Commonwealth.
Duties
- Appointment of the Federal Government: The Monarch proposes an individual as Consul (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 President's proposal and elect another individual to the post, who the Monarch is then obliged to appoint. The Monarch appoints and dismisses the remaining members of the Federal Government "upon the proposal of the Consul". The Monarch can dismiss the Consul but only in the event that the Consul passes a Constructive Vote of No Confidence. If this occurs the Monarch must dismiss the consul and appoint the successor requested by the Parliament.
- Other appointments: The Monarch appoints federal judges, federal civil servants and military officers. All such appointments require the counter-signature of either the consul or the relevant cabinet minister.
- Dissolution of the Parliament: In the event that the Parliament elects an individual for the office of consul by a plurality of votes, rather than a majority, the Monarch can, at his discretion, either appoint that individual as consul or dissolve the Parliament. In the event that a vote of confidence is defeated in the Parliament the Monarch may dissolve the body within 21 days, but only on a proposal from the incumbent consul.
- Promulgation of the law: All federal laws must, after counter-signature, be signed by the Monarch before they can come into effect. Ordinances must be signed by the agency which issues them, and then by the Monarch. Upon signing, the Monarch 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 Monarch takes part in foreign visits and receives foreign dignitaries. He or she also concludes treaties with foreign nations, accredits Clevingian diplomats and receives the letters of accreditation of foreign diplomats.
- Pardons and honours: The Monarch 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 Monarch as a mediator. If the Parliament rejects a motion of confidence, but neither the consul is dismissed nor the Parliament is dissolved, the Monarch 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.
Economy
The economy of Clevingia 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 Clevingia are extremely diverse, oriented on innovation, natural resources, and development of new products. Clevingia is lacking, however, in development of alternative energy sources. Nuclear power plants are the only form of alternative energy utilised in Clevingia, though hydrogen-powered vehicles are in usage in sparse numbers. Clevingia'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.
Basic Principles
The Clevingian 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 Clevingian economy. Despite such socialism, Clevingia's major cities (Nyquist, Calcaria, St James, Kenyon, and Battersea) are notable for their status as entrepôts and financial trade centres. Three-fourths of the Clevingian economy is service-sector based, with banking, telecommunications, retail, transport, and news media composing the largest of these industries.
Energy
Clevingia is energy rich, with petroleum and natural gas abudant in the seas around the nation, especially the Doyle Sea. In early 2009, Royal Dutch Shell discovered over two hundred billion barrels of petroleum beneath the waves of the Doyle Sea, which resulted in a major boon for the Clevingian economy. Current reserves are estimated at 4 trillion barrels. 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 Clevingian gas being exported to other nations. There are six major energy producers and distributors in Clevingia: Royal Victrix Shell, PetroClevingia, Virgin Petrol, OP, Todd Nuclear Energy, and Clevingian National Fission. Together, these corporations have formed the Clevingian 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.
Agriculture
Very little of Clevingia's land is suitable for cultivation. Due to this lack of arable land, vertical farming and mariculture are the primary sources of food. This results in one of the world's highest levels of crop yields per unit area, with a very high overall agricultural self-sufficiency rate. Clevingia's small agricultural sector, however, is also highly subsidized and protected, with government regulations that favor small-scale cultivation instead of large-scale agriculture.
Imported rice, the most protected crop, is subject to tariffs of 190% and was restricted to a quota of only 7.2% of average rice consumption from 1968 to 1988. Imports beyond the quota are unrestricted in legal terms, but subject to a 6.7 denarii per kilogram tariff. Although the Commonwealth is usually self-sufficient in rice (except for its use in making rice crackers and processed foods) and wheat, the country must import about 20% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops and relies on imports for 45% of its supply of meat. Clevingia imports large quantities of wheat, sorghum, and soybeans, primarily from allied nations. Clevingia is also a major producer of wines, which come from the Vernaccia Basin near Sevenoaks.
Fishery
Clevingia 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 amberjack. Clevingia 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. Clevingia has also sparked controversy by supporting quasi-commercial whaling.
Military
Clevingian Soldier of 2015
Body Armour: The primary, outer suit of a Clevengian soldier is composed of a tungsten disulfide nanocomposite; in testing, the material was capable of withstanding the shocks from multiple 5.56 x 45 mm NATO rounds traveling at speeds in excess of 1.5 km per second. Specialised dyes and paints enable the wearer to blend in with her thermal environment, rendering her practically invisible to enemy optical systems at distances of over 80m. Camouflage varies according to environment. The dyes and paints that make up the camouflage change colour according to the surrounding light, ensuring that unenhanced visual acquisition is as difficult as possible. Beneath the outer suit of armour is a breathable NBC skinsuit with interwoven Kevlar and Dyneema fibers. Additional layers provide cooling/heating for the soldier.
Helmet: Completely covering the head, the CACE helmet is the soldier's primary interface with the world and vital combat information, able to operate without recharge or battery replacement for up to a week. At the front is a tinted visor of one-way aluminium oxynitride; on the interior, the visor is an advanced HUD capable of displaying physiological data, mission objectives, intelligence, maps, and other vital information. The visor is also capable of providing night-vision and infrared images. The helmet also has a rebreather able to provide oxygen for three days in the event that outside air is unusable.
Weapons and Equipment: Completely covering the head, the CACE helmet is the soldier's primary interface with the world and vital combat information, able to operate without recharge or battery replacement for up to a week. At the front is a tinted visor of one-way aluminium oxynitride; on the interior, the visor is an advanced HUD capable of displaying physiological data, mission objectives, intelligence, maps, and other vital information. The visor is also capable of providing night-vision and infrared images. The helmet also has a rebreather able to provide oxygen for three days in the event that outside air is unusable.
