The Latin Union
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| Flag of The Latin Union | |
| Motto: "Omnis Latina Natio Consociatam Sunt" | |
| No Map Available Yet | |
| Region | South America |
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| Capital | Cuiabá |
| Official Language(s) | Latin, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian |
| Leader | President Pedro Marquez |
| Population | 232 million (11-4-04) |
| Currency | Moneta |
| NS Sunset XML | |
Contents
Introduction
The Incorporated States of The Latin Union is a huge, safe nation, remarkable for its barren, inhospitable landscape. Its compassionate people have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.
The medium-sized government is mainly concerned with Social Welfare, although Education and Defence are on the agenda. The average income tax rate is 20%, but much higher for the wealthy. A substantial private sector is dominated by the Uranium Mining industry. The Latin Union's national animal is the wolf, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.
Land and Resources
The Latin Union is in a tropical to subtropical climate zone, with much of the uninhabited land dominated by rocky, grassy, flat countryside. Along the northern and western borders, however, mountains are prevalent, and along the southern border there is a considerable rainforest. The east border is predominantly coastline.
Rivers and Lakes
The Latin Union is home to many rivers, the most notable of which are the River Cuiabá, which runs through the nation's capital city, and the River Tietê, which extends from the eastern coast to intersect with the River Cuiabá. The nation has precious few lakes, however. The largest one is Lake Fana, in the western mountains, a product of ancient volcanic activity.
Climate
The Union is subjected to a very wide range of climates. In the northern and western mountain regions the climate is often frigid and snowy, with only the summer months seeing the re-growth of vegetation. The eastern coastline is almost entirely subtropical, and the southern regions are predominantly tropical. The majority of the nation, however, is in its central plains, and those tend to be temperate to subtropical. In the wintertime the capital city of Cuiabá often gets snow, but just outside the city limits to the south the climate drastically changes to subtropical, with the edges of a rainforest in view.
Natural Resources
About 32% of the land of the Union is suitable for agriculture. There is a considerable timber resource in the southern rainforest. The most important mineral resources are iron, natural gas, petroleum, lignite, sulfur, and pyrites. Other mineral deposits include lead, manganese, zinc, mercury, and bauxite. Recently a large uranium deposit was discovered in the nation's rainforest, and this is being carefully mined and used in nuclear power plants. The coast of the Union teems with fish, of which tuna, sardine, and swordfish have the greatest commercial importance. Freshwater fishes include salmon and trout.
Plants and Animals
In the rainforest regions to the south, teak, palm, and rubber trees are dominant. Cacao and palm trees thrive along the eastern coastline. Indigenous fruits are cultivated heavily, and these include pineapple, fig, custard apple, mango, banana, guava, grape, and orange. Common vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, corn, and lima beans grow in the central and mid-northern regions. Tomatoes are prevalent there as well. Animals in the southern regions consist of jaguars, pumas, monkeys, foxes, armadillos, anteaters, and opossums. Various species of frog, gecko, and salamander are also present. In the central and northern regions live wolves, deer, bears, coyotes, rabbits, and raccoons. The mountainous regions are home to mountain goats, cougars, antelope, marmots, and beavers.
Population
The nation is home to a vast variety of peoples. In the early days of the region's reorganization, the population was predominantly Brazilian Portuguese, Hispanic, and mestizo, with a minority of French, Italians, and Native Americans. As the nation grew and immigration rose, these minorities have enlarged and become nearly 20% of the population. Many people of African descent also live in the nation.
Political Divisions
Under the 2004 constitution, the five loosely-federated provinces of the area united into one definite nation-state, with a sixth province being created around the capital city of Cuiabá, named Media Provinicia, for the federal government to have direct mandate over. The five original provinces were renamed Libertas, Vita, Pax, Unitas, and Consociatio. The most populous province is Pax, followed closely by Libertas and Consociatio. The largest city is Setubal, the capital of Pax province, with nearly 11 million residents. Other leading cities include Cáceres (9 million), the capital of Libertas province; Santa Rosa (7.5 million), the capital of Vita province; Goiania (6 million), the capital of Consociatio province; and Abrantes (4 million), a major port on the eastern coastline.
Religion
Catholicism, Protestantism, and other Christian sects dominate the Union's religious followers, but nearly 50% of the populace are nonreligious or atheistic. About 1% of the people follow Judaism, another 0.6% are followers of Islam. Hinduism and Buddhism have very small followings.
