Difference between revisions of "Roudland"

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Roudland

Flag of Roudland
Motto: Strong are the many who fight as one
[ ]
Region	Alliance of Honourable Peoples
Capital	Roston
Official Language(s)	Roudland Standard English
Leader	Prime Minister David J Roud
Population	1.7 Billion
Currency	Roudollar
NS Sunset XML

Retroit's 'Glass Mile'

Introduction

The Grand Military Republic of Roudland is a large industrial nation situated on the dominating northern continent of the Alliance of Honourable Peoples. It was one of three nations that signed the original Alliance treaty.

A large amount of woodland and valleys dominate the country, but these have been lessened in size throughout the 20th and early 21st Centuries due to increased industrial activity, and an unprecedented urban expansion. The nation was formed in its current republican state in 1733, when a group of military and political leaders ousted the (then) government.

Since then, the overtly militaristic nature of the people has led to Roudland being involved in numerous conflicts, often defending the Alliance from external or internal threats. There has, however, never been a time where Roudland has gone to war without a reason given.

The current Roudland is a Parliamentary Democracy, where the Prime Minister is the head of state. For well over 200 years, the country's pride has been embodied in its military and the nation's secure status. This has great influence on today's Roudland, where emphasis is put on patriotism and loyalty to one's country.

The country is governed by a parliament of 852 seats, and the current government is the Centre Conservative Party. The Parliament is in the nation's capital, Roston.

The main industries of the nation are Arms Manufacturing, Vehicle Manufacturing, and Uranium Mining. These combine to form a very powerful export market, led by the Defence company RoudCorp. The country is also a major oil producer, and is one of the leading nations of the Alliance Group of Eight. In addition to this, Roudland lends its formidable armed forces to Alliance Defence Operations carried out by the Alliance Defence Force (ADF).

Roudland Military

The Grand Military Republic of Roudland Factbook

Geography

Location – Founding member of the treaty organisation, Alliance of Honourable Peoples, Roudland resides on the eastern seaboard of the Northern Continent. To the north-east rests the country of Gothria, Violet Strawberries dominates Roudland's western border, and Roudland borders Great Wrightland to the south.

Area – 4,986,500 sq. miles

Climate – Roudland's climate is stable, and varies little, considering the nation's size. The majority of the year (Sept-April), temperatures average at 6-18C. Rainfall during this time is intermittent, but heavy. Cold spells occur from Nov to Jan, with snow expected sometime during this period, especially in the north of the country, which is traditionally the colder. During the summer, temperatures average at 20-25C, with some limited rainfall. The south occasionally experiences heat waves.

Terrain – A country of woodland and valleys, the more mountainous northern part of Roudland is home to many large rivers and lakes. There are a small number of prominent mountain ranges, most notably the Peledite range. The south and west is more flat, and contains many large forests and plains. The majority of farming occurs in this region.

Elevation Extremes – Lowest point: Darfuin Basin (-340m) Highest point: Mount Peledite (5870 m)

Natural Resources-Abundant: Crude Oil, Natural Gas (mostly offshore), Uranium, Steel, Iron, Minerals (some diamonds), timber, copper, tin. Most of these are exported.

Land Use – Arable: 54.1% Cities: 45.9%

Natural Hazards – Very little; some rainfalls can be extremely heavy with localised flooding. Occasional heavy gales leading to small hurricanes.

Environmental Issues – Slight deforestation due to mining, moderate pollution due to industry and commercial traffic. Reports of strange diseases in Satyr border area, so far unconfirmed by government.

People

Population – 2.256 billion

Age structure

0-14 years: 17% 15-64 years: 74% 65 years and over: 9%

Median Age – Total: 29.3 years Male: 29.5 years Female: 28.3 years

Rate of population growth – Taken over a period of five years, the average rate of growth was 2.79%. Roudland's growth stabilised in the late 1990's

Aggregate migration rate (per one thousand citizens) – 3.7 migrants

Life expectancy – Total: 80.5 years Male: 79.7 years Female: 81.4 years

Nationality – Singular/Plural Noun: Roudlandian Adjective: Roudlandian

Ethnic Groups – Native Roudlandian: 83% Migrants: 17% of which: Super Roman:1.4% Gothrian:7% Friendly Alien: 0.0005% McPsychovilian: 0.5% Violet Strawberrian:3% McGranaghanatarian:0.3% Yewish: 1.2% Kegmenistanis: 0.6% Wrightlander: 3% Others: n/a

Religious Background – Atheist: 78% Christian: 7% (Y)'ewish: 4% Buddhist: 2% Kegmenistani Cathol: 3% High Church of Katy-Jane:4.5% Others: 1.5%

Languages – Roudland Standard English: 100% (official language) Southern Continent Languages (variations on McGranaghantarian dialect etc): 12% Northern Gothrian Dialects: 7% Romantic Dialects:21%

Average Family Size – 2.4 children born/woman

Literacy (percentage of the population 12+ who can read and write) – Total: 100% Male: 100% Female: 100%

Education

Education is mostly private, with a large number of state-subsidised schools and colleges in place. The system is of three compulsory levels of schooling, with optional university courses.

From years 5 to 10, a Primary School is attended. This is followed by a middle school from the age of 10 to 14, and finally a Grammar (private selective), High (public non-selective) or State (public selective) school, from age 14 to 18. At 18, students take NAEs (National Assessment Exams) in 3 to 5 subjects.

Under the Roudland system, National Service is still in place. This does not necessarily involve becoming a member of the Mobile Infantry, but is linked to the military. This occurs for one year after a student's final school. The system is such that it allows easy application to a University or College after a student has obtained their NAEs, and so can apply only to relevant institutions.

During the National Service year, citizens may study a foundation in their chosen course, thereby easing their transition into higher education. University applications are normally at 30% of the population, meaning that a degree shows a certain level of academic superiority. It should be noted that this is deliberately lower than many other Alliance nations.

Healthcare

Like Education, government intervention in this area is mainly regulative, with a National Heath System (or NHS) existing primarily for small matters and for those who do not have access to private medical facilities. The private sector is full of companies vying for trade, with the government watchdog DocNet regulating services so that they conform to an accepted standard.

It should be noted that RoudCorp has a presence in this area, seeing as it owns both the nation's foremost surgical tools provider, as well as operating several health insurance firms, and owning a government contract for building 4 new 'super-hospitals' through the firm MacSonnan. ---

Economy

All stats given in US Dollars

Gross Domestic Product – $81.569 Trillion

GDP real growth rate -3.2%

GDP per capita – $35,265

Population below Poverty Line – 2.3%

Unemployment Rate – 2.57%

Major Industries – Arms Manufacturing

Vehicle Manufacturing

Uranium Mining

Film Production

Industrial Production Growth Rate – 4.74%

Export Goods – Defence Technologies, Steel, Oil, Motion Pictures (Roudland is the region's foremost film producer), Plastics, Gas, Automobiles, Nuclear Technology and Weaponry, some agricultural products, Information Technology, some Textiles products

Import Goods - Defence Technologies, Agricultural Produce, Gothrian Beef and Duck ,Wrightland Lamb, Textiles goods, (some) Precious Metals, Natural Gas

Trade Deficit – $89 Billion

Economic Debt –n/a

Economic Aid – $ 24 Billion per annum. This does not include the wholesale operation of the Violet Strawberries military, for which Roudland is responsible.

Currency - Roudollar

Currency Code – R$/R

Fiscal Year – 1st May – 30th April

Government Structure and Politics

Country Name – Official, Formal: The Grand Military Republic of Roudland Official, Informal: Roudland

Variations: The Grand Republic, Roudland Republic

International Sporting Code: RLD

Government Type – Parliamentary Democracy. There are 852 constituencies in Roudland. All 34 Counties have their own regional assembly, but the 852 sit in Parliament House, Roston. There are national elections for the Lower House every 4 years; the next election will occur in 2007. The Upper House contains 236 'peers'. These are elected every 6 years from a list of doctors, lawyers, community leaders etc. The Prime Minister is the head of the largest party in the Lower House, and the second largest becomes the opposition.

Capital City – Roston

Other Major Cities - Retroit, Hakkendorf, Beghtham, Goarnchester, Boorn, Rhankkurt, Jeaattle, Tunnrarsoff, Layfham, Gostchester

Independence – Roudland has been independent from its conception;

National Holidays – Remembrance Day (Dec 12th)

Military Day (May 21st)

Assorted Bank Holidays

Constitution – Officially Titled ‘Constitution of the Grand Republic’, the constitution was drawn up in 1733, and updated from then onwards. It is not codified, and includes elements of Alliance treaties within it.

Legal System – Based from the Anglo-European legal system, with no real changes.

Suffrage – Suffrage is granted at eighteen years of age, but Roudlandians can have sexual relations, gamble and join the Roudland Armed Services at 16. Members who join at 16 will not be posted to a combat unit until they are 18. During their 18th year, immediately after exit from school, Roudlandians undertake a year's national military service. They are not actually considered full citizens until their service has ended. Executive Branch – Head of state: Prime Minster David J Roud

Minister of Education: John Gordon

Defense Minister: Neil Howard

Minister of Healthcare: Jessica Saylon

Foreign Minister: Nathan Langer

Minister for the Interior: Edward Sawsbury

Minister for the Economy: Harold Johnson

Minister of Welfare and Society: Terence Limer

Minister of Culture: Rebecca Foxton

Political Parties – Center Conservatives (current government)

Workers’ Unionists (opposition)

National Party

Socialist Alliance

Liberal Party

Electoral System – Single Member Plurality

UN Category – Capitalist Paradise

Voting System - Plurality: The party with the most votes (even if not a majority), wins the seat. The party with the most seats forms the government, the second highest forms the opposition.

International organisation participation

Alliance of Honourable Peoples (AHP), Alliance Defence Force (ADF), North-Eastern Trading Coalition (NET-CO), Cross-Continental Commerce Alliance (CROCA), G-6 (Group of Six), Alliance Oil Producing Nations (AOPON), Natural Gas Exporting Nations (NAGEN)

Media

As well as being the region's foremost film exporter, Roudland also boasts a large amount of television programmes that are also shown across the region. These range from the hard-hitting police drama 'The Barn' to the much-loved cultural programme 'Artsweek'.

In terms of printed media, most books and magazines in Roudland are non-fiction, and this is reflected in the amount of newspapers that are printed daily. Thre are no less than fourteen national dailies, with countless other local papers.

Communications

International Dialing Code – 247-260 (247 – Alliance of Honourable Peoples; 260 – Roudland)

Telephone Landlines – 1.200 billion

Mobile Telephones – 987 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3,281 FM 6,961

Major radio broadcasting networks Roudland Independent Radio (RIR), National Radio Netwrok (NRN), East Coast Talk Radio (ECTR)

Minor radio broadcasting networks

48

Radio broadcasting systems

682

Radios

1.247 billion

Television broadcast stations

14 Non-Satellite, 678 Satellite. Major Networks include Roudland Television Corporation (RTC), Roudland News Network (RNN), Alliance News Network (ANN), West Corp Television for Roudland (WCTR)

Televisions

1. 068 billion

Internet hosts

101,114,060

Internet service providers

706

Internet Address

www.(sitename).rod

Internet users

1.057 billion

Transnational Issues, Customs and Immigration

Disputes - international

Certain discrepancies concerning treatment of prisoners; McGranaghanataria has voiced some concern over this. Roudland does not accept the existence of the nation of Eastern Gothria, and conducts DMZ operations in that area. The UN has attempted to prevent Roudland from doing so, but this has been ignored. Roudland refuses to trade with the nation of Small Yellow Duckiedom due to the lack of proper shipping lanes provided in the area.

Disputes - boundaries

None

Disputes - wars, conflicts and humanitarian issues

Active combat units present (but not fighting) in Hannigan Island, Caesaria. Active combat units engaging hostile threats in Mortuus Angelus-Zakmenistani DMZ, Gothria-Mortuus Angelus DMZ (Eastern Gothria)

Customs and immigration policy

Open to all nations in the AHP, but Roudland does not allow entry for citizens of Moronyicka, Feetbunions or Zakmenistan.

Nations not requiring visas or special documents to enter

Gothria, Violet Strawberries, Great Wrightland

Military

SRU soldiers in training

Military branches

Grand Army of the Republic, Roudland Navy, Roudland Air Force, Mobile Infantry Guardsmen

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (combat)

Military manpower - current size

Total: 14,065,090

Active land forces: 2,780,000

Active aeronautic forces: 870,400

Active naval forces: 1,300,690

Active special-ops forces: n/a (spec ops form part of Army; some spec ops are not officially acknowledged)

Active SpaceFleet forces: 2,500,000

Reserve forces: 6,000,000

Civilian workforce: 394,000

Military expenditures - monetary value

$23.57 trillion USD

Military expenditures - %tage of GDP

40.00%

Primary allies

Gothria, Great Wrightland (members of the Mutual Protection Policy), Violet Strawberries (Military Protectorate), Super Rome, Kegmenistan (ADF Alliance Nations)