Difference between revisions of "Ximea"

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Ximea

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Flag of Ximea
Motto: "Live Long and Prosper"
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Region	Atheist Empire
Capital	Xim
Official Language(s)	English
Leader	The Lord Commander Teflon Don
Population	0.5 - 1 billion
Currency	Slinky
NS Sunset XML

World Factbook Entry for : Ximea

Name 

Conventional Long Form: The Free Lands of Ximea

Conventional Short Form: Ximea

Ximea is a very large, socialistic nation governed by an elected Lord Commander and a Senate of one thousand members, along with a Supreme Court of nine Justices. The nation occupies the southern part of an immense continent and a large island in the Atheist Empire. Its rocky, volcanic terrain is home to vast expanses of both desert and rainforest, as well as several megalopolises. The massive federal government is devoted to the welfare and advancement of its citizens and the world. Ximeans tend to be liberal, atheistic, and proud of their homeland and way of life—but without the blind patriotism of more conservative nations. As a result, the people of Ximea welcome foreigners and respect the customs of other nations. Progressive social policies, a superior educational system, and a well-funded police force have reduced violent crime and crime against property to virtually nil.

Major industries in Ximea include pizza delivery, biotechnology, information technology, mining, and manufacturing. Most indistries in Ximea, particularly utilities, public transportation, and biotechnology, are government-run, and strict commercial regulations make megacorporations and monopolies impossible. Several factors, including strict environmental protection laws, reliance on geothermal energy, and a nationwide public transportation system have preserved the splendor of Ximea's vast natural areas.

Geography

Area

28,450,000 sq km

Maritime Claims 

Territorial Sea: 24 NM

Exclusive Fishing Zone: 200 NM

Geology

Ximea occupies the volcanic southern portion of a massive continent in the Atheist Empire. Most of the nation's territory is geologically active, and tremors, earthquakes, and minor volcanic eruptions are common. Three volcanoes, Vesuvius II, Alighieri Peak, and Mount Faustus, are in a continual state of low-level eruption. A thick layer of lava rock covers a granite and basalt continental mass.

Climate

Varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north. The southernmost areas of Ximea, South Island and the Tailbone (peninsula), tend to be very hot and humid, while the northern areas tend to be cooler and drier.

Precipitation can reach up to 270 cm annually.

Natural Hazards

• Flash floods can occur in the south throughout the tropical season. Other major risks include landslides, mudflows, earthquakes, tremors, tsunamis, typhoons, and volcanic eruptions.
• The dominant biomes of Ximea are rainforest and swampland, making overland travel hazardous.
• Numerous species of indigenous fauna are hazardous to humans (including the land lamprey, Ximea’s national animal), as are a few species of carnivorous flora.

Terrain

• Mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands. Large areas of rainforest, swamps, and marshes in the south; deciduous forests, deserts, and grassland in the north.
• Lowest point: Lake Charon -905 m
• Highest point: Mount Kadath, 3,025 m

Culture

Religion

Ximea is a secular nation whose government is dedicated to the strict separation of religion and state. The government does not officially recognize any religious holidays (although government employees and many most private employees are allowed to take time off of work). The population is largely atheistic, with only 26% considering themselves religious, and 6% espousing deistic religions.

• Nonreligious 74%
• Shinto Buddhist 13%
• Other Buddhist 5%
• Christian 4%
• Pagan 2%
• Other 2%

Language

The official language of Ximea is English, though many citizens utilize Latin and Esperanto as second (and sometimes tertiary) languages. Japanese is common in the south; Italian and German are common in the north. Literacy is nearly universal in English in citizens over the age of 15.

Holidays

All holidays officially recognized by the Ximean government are secular in nature, even if some of them have roots in various religious traditions. It should be noted that most employees in Ximea, in both the private sector and the government, are allowed varying amounts of payed time off which they may use for religious holidays if they so choose.

• Bacchus Day, March 16th. A celebration of intoxication. This celebration usually involves the excessive consumption of wine, since beer is far less popular in Ximea than in most other nations where alcohol consumption is permitted. Bacchus Day actually extends until dawn of March 17th.

• April Fools Day, April 1st. A day of jest and mild practical joking. Ximea’s newest national holiday, April Fools Day became “official” shortly after a joke circulated by email somehow reached the Lord Commander. According to the joke, April Fools Day is a religious holiday celebrated by atheists. Since most of Ximea’s citizens are atheists, the Lord Commander made April 1st an official holiday, mostly for his own amusement, but also because “April Fools Day is the one day when we must exercise the most critical thinking. People who blindly believe whatever they’re told are liable to end up extremely confused.”

• The Solstice Festival, December 21st. A secularized version of Christmas, the Solstice Festival is a time of merriment and goodwill. Gifts are exchanged at the end of the day and old grudges are dropped. As Ximea does not have any conifers, the “Christmas tree” is replaced by a “Solstice Cycad.”

• Hot Springs Day, December 29th. No one is really sure why, but this is the most popular day for people to visit one of Ximea’s many hot springs. Eventually, the government officially recognized it as a holiday.

Vice

Ximea is a very liberal nation, and many so-called vices which are illegal in other nations are perfectly acceptable here—though they are often well-regulated. Cannabis and similar mild drugs grow like weeds thoughout the countryside and in the swamps and jungles, making them impossible to outlaw, and most of them are less dangerous than tobacco or even therapeutic in some cases. Their use has been popularized in mainstream culture, though abstainers are common as well. Harder drugs are produced by private corporations under a watchful government eye. They are available only through special venues, colloquially known as "coke lounges," where they are administered by licensed physicians. Citizens must register for a special license to patronize these coke lounges, and private possession of these harder narcotics can be punishable by law. Prostitution is also legal, with certain limitations. Clients must be registered with the Sex Workers' Guild, and must be tested for STDs and HIV before their first visit to a prostitute and every three months thereafter as long as they continue to visit prostitutes. All prostitutes must be licensed by the Sex Workers' Guild. They must keep stringent business records, including dates, names and personal information for each of their clients and performances. They must be examined for parasites and external symptoms of disease once a month; they must be tested for pregnancy and common STDs, including HIV, once every three months; and they must be tested for a full battery of sexually communicable diseases once a year. On the plus side, the Sex Workers' Guild provides them with free contraceptives of their choice, plus morning-after pills and first-trimester abortions for a very low co-pay.

Government

Ximea's government is run by an elected monarch, known as the Lord Commander, a Supreme Court with nine Justices, and a Senate of one thousand members elected from districts of roughly equal population. The Lord Commander has a lifelong term, but he can be impeached and he can abdicate. Upon his death, his second-in-command assumes his responsibilities until an election can be held. Close family of the Lord Commander are prohibited from running for that office and from holding positions as Senators or Federal Ministers. Justices are elected for a single thirty-year term; they may not serve more than once. New elections are held at the end of this period or upon the death of a Justice. Federal Ministers act as the Lord Commander's Cabinet as well as the senior officials of the divisions of the Federal Government, called Ministries.

Senators hold office for a period of six years and elections are held every two years. They may not serve for more than five consecutive terms.

Divisions of the Federal Government

• Ministry of Agriculture
• Ministry of Culture
• Ministry of Energy
• Ministry of Finance
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Ministry of Justice
• Ministry of Industry
• Ministry of Resources
• Ministry of Science and Technology
• Ministry of State
• Ministry of Transportation
• Ministry of War

Major Cities

Xim (capitol)

Located roughly in the center of the country and boasting a population of 46 million, Xim is both the capitol and the largest city in Ximea. The Capitol Building, the Senate Dome, Monument Park, and most foreign embassies are located in the Federal District, in the center of the city. Farther north is Tef International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in the country. Xim has a temperate climate kept mild due in part to the proximity to Lake Charon.

Bruno

Bruno is a city of 35 million nestled on a peninsula in the south. Ximea's fishing industry is largely based here, as is a bustling tourist industry fueled by its breathtaking environmental beauty. Visitors can enjoy diving among the coral reefs or the forests of tropical kelp (a species unique to Ximea's territorial waters), take guided hiking tours through the lush jungle, or simply unwind on the beach and admire the sapphire-blue sea.

Cape City

Located on South Island, Cape City is a resort city of about 28 million people. Its formidible heat and humidity make it less attractive to tourists than Bruno, but its thick jungles and swamps and its proximity to numerous ancient cities and ziggurats make Cape City popular with adventure seekers. Unfortunately, a black market in stolen archaeological relics has formed in the city, but the Federal Government has formed a special, inter-ministerial task force to stamp it out.

Cobalt Point

On the tip of a peninsula northeast of Botany Bay sits Cobalt Point, a major manufacturing center with a population of 24 million people. Its climate is balmy, but cooler than the more southern cities due to trade winds coming in from the sea. Its secondary industries are fishing, crab and lobster fishing, and adventure diving—its rocky reefs are fertile nesting grounds for shellfish, and its underwater caves and numerous sunken wrecks provide plenty of excitement for seasoned divers.

Fiorina

Fiorina sits in the middle of Ximea's most fertile agricultural zone. Its 39 million residents make their living primarily from growing, processing, and shipping crops such as soybeans, hemp seeds, grapes, rice, and swamp melons. Factories in the heart of the city make derivative products such as tofu, hemp-fu, wine, ground melon, and animal feed. The city also has a thriving textile industry based on hemp, silk, spider silk (from genetically altered spiders) and synthetic fabrics.

Old Iron Peak

A former mining colony in the north, Old Iron Peak has now grown to about 21 million people. Much of the city's industry still revolves around mining, smelting, and metalworking. In addition to iron ore and other common metals, the mines surrounding the city produce uranium and precious gemstones. Old Iron Peak sits just west of the massive caldera of Vesuvius II. According to historical records, Vesuvius II has not erupted in 600 years, and modern geologists expect it to remain quiet for the forseeable future, but the area is still volcanically active—the locals must deal with frequent minor tremors, the caldera constantly emits a plume of steam, and the rock in the center is soft and glows dull red at night. Old Iron Peak exploits this activity to produce 18% of Ximea's geothermal energy.

Sif

The 31 million people of Sif live on the Tailbone Peninsula, just across Cape Bishop from South Island. Sif has the largest seaport in Ximea and most of its economy revolves around shipping, both domestic and foreign. It also runs about 27% of Ximea's desalinization plants-more than any other single city. Sif is the center of culture in Ximea, home to its largest opera house and most successful orchestra. In addition, Sif is home to Ximea's most famous red light district, though the adult entertainment industry is heavily regulated to ensure that everyone remains safe from disease and abuse.

Industry and Technology

The information technology and biotechnology industries are the two dominant fields in Ximea, though mining and manufacturing are also represented strongly. Because of strong anti-monopoly, anti-conglomeration, anti-trust and consumer-safety laws, most companies in Ximea (but not all) are actually government-run, as are power and water utilities.

Ximea generates nearly 65% of its electrical power from nuclear energy, 27% from geothermal energy, and 8% from hydroelectric dams. Roughly 62% of fresh water comes from natural sources such as lakes, rivers, underground streams and aquifers, and 38% comes from desalinated ocean water. Sea salt is exported as a by-product of the desalination process.

Exports

Mined exports include uranium, iron ore, tungsten, titanium, copper, tin, platinum, nickel, lead, zinc, phosphates, basalt, granite, marble, pumice, sea salt, mineral water, and precious stones.

Agricultural exports include commercial fish, shellfish, seaweed, timber, hemp, natural fibers, certain tropical fruits, and plant-based medicinal products.

Additional exports include heavy machinery, electronics, laboratory and medical equipment, and industrial chemicals.

Military

Ximea boasts a small but efficient military whose operating principles are modular systems and quality over quantity. Its total armed forces make up less than a percent of the total population and the military budget takes up a smaller percentage of the GDP than the education budget, but the average Ximean infantry soldier can serve as the tactical equivalent of a Special Forces operative in many other nations.

Military Branches

• The Air Force includes all military aircraft in the Ximean military, including those aboard aircraft carriers, as well as the logistical units and crew needed to support them. Its primary role is to support Army and Navy units in combat or in a logistical capacity. Its secondary role is to attack strategic targets when using ground troops would be unfeasible. The Air Force includes jet aircraft in all the usual roles, but it is dominated by helicopters.
• The Army includes all land-based fighting forces plus the logistical units and crew needed to support them. Its primary role is to take contested territory and to hold it against enemies. Its secondary roles are to eliminate strategic targets and to maintain order in occupied territories. The typical uniform consists of camouflage patterned BDUs, composite armor, reinforced boots, and a helmet with a built-in communication system.
• The Navy includes all seaborne fighting forces, seaports, and the logistical units and crew needed to support them. Its primary roles are to patrol Ximean territorial waters and to provide logistical support for Air Force and Army units. Its secondary role is to enable Ximean troops to land on enemy territory. In addition to standard surface ship and submarine classes, it is experimenting with small, fast-moving hovercraft and "fighter" submarines.
• Strategic Forces include all weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, and the logistical units and crew needed to support them. These weapons are mostly low-radiation nuclear devices and biological agents.
• Special Forces are comprised of the most elite soldiers of the Ximean military. They are more rigorously trained and taught to operate in teams or individually in hostile territory for months at a time with little or no support. Their gear is more sophisticated than that of infantry soldiers, consisting of more extensive composite armor with integral damage and vital-sign sensors; fully-enclosing helmets with HUDs, low-light, and infrared imaging; more extensive personal medikits; emergency 20-minute air supplies and rebreathers; and grappling-hook launchers, among other things.
• BioSWAT is actually a branch of the Bio-Sciences Division of the Ministry of Science and Technology. This branch includes agents (mainly recruited from Special Forces) as well as aircraft, land vehicles and small ships redeployed from the other branches and refitted for BioSWAT's unique requirements. Its primary purposes are to procure hazardous biological organisms and samples, to eliminate threats from dangerous organisms both large and small, and to assist in the containment of such organisms. Its secondary purpose is to protect Bio-Sciences Division sites, property, and personnel from any threat. Its typical uniform consists of solid gray BDUs, black joint padding and composite armor, reinforced steel-toed boots, tactical gloves, a NBC mask, infrared/low-light goggles, and a standard infantry helmet. BioSWAT agents also typically carry some of the same gear as Special Forces soldiers, such as emergency air supplies and grappling-hook launchers, as well as more extensive personal medikits. They are trained in combat just as well as Special Forces soldiers, and they receive addtional training in tracking, hunting, and killing dangerous organisms. They also receive extensive education in medicine and biology. They may carry any of the small arms utilized by the other military branches, including the P12 Hunter pistol, but they have one additional weapon: the SMG13 Dragon.

Equipment

Small Arms

The Ximean Ministry of War contracted the Allied Defense Corporation to design a family of (mostly) modular small arms for all branches of the military. All use standard NATO ammunition, but the weapon designs are proprietary to Allied Defense. The weapons are built of a combination of machined steel parts and a new composite material, making them both light and rugged. All designs have passed the War Ministry's stringent reliability tests.

Pistols

• The P7 is a small sidearm chambered in 9mm Parabellum and designed to accept a silencer. It has a capacity of 18+1 rounds.
• The P10 is a .45 caliber pistol designed to serve either as a sidearm or as a primary weapon. It has a capacity of 12+1 rounds.
• The P12 Hunter is a .357 magnum caliber pistol designed mainly for Special Forces and BioSWAT soldiers. It has a capacity of 9+1 rounds.

Shotguns

• The SG4 is a 12-gauge combat shotgun with a capacity of 8 shells.
• The SG7A is a 12-gauge automatic shotgun with a 25-round drum magazine.

Submachine Guns

• The SMG5 is Ximea's answer to the MP5, chambered in 9mm Parabellum and designed to accept a variety of scopes. It has a capacity of 35 rounds.
• The SMG6 is a defensive "stubby" version of the SMG5 designed for soldiers operating behind the front lines. It has the same capacity as the SMG5.
• The SMG13 Dragon is a unique .357 magnum submachine gun designed solely for BioSWAT. It features an integral 25mm grenade launcher and a top-mounted flamethrower. It has a 120-round magazine for .357 cartridges, a 20-round magazine for grenade rounds, and an attached reservoir which can hold enough fuel for 45 seconds of use. It is intended for use against large, dangerous organisms, rather than enemy infantry, and it is only carried when necessary.

Automatic Weapons

• The AR19 is a 5.56x45 assault rifle with an extendable stock and a mount for a scope. It has a capacity of 30 rounds.
• The MG14 is a 7.62x51 squad machine gun with mounts for a folding bipod. It can accept a belt feed or a side-mounted drum magazine of 300 rounds.
• The MG59 is a .50 caliber crew-served, air-cooled machine gun which accepts a belt feed.

Sniper Rifles

• The SR7 is a semiautomatic 7.62x51 sniper rifle with a capacity of 20 rounds.
• The SE55 is a bolt-action .50 caliber sniper rifle with a capacity of 12 rounds.

Explosives

These weapons are also designed by Allied Defense. In this case, the company designed not only the weapons, but the ammunition where applicable.

• The GL5 is a 25mm grenade launcher with a drum magazine holding 20 grenades. Standard grenade types include HEAP, AP fragmentation, concussion, incendiary thermate, buckshot, and flechette rounds.
• The GL14 is a 25mm automatic grenade launcher which can accept the same ammunition as the GL5. It accepts a belt feed and can fire at a rate of 240 rounds per minute.
• The RL44 is an 88mm reusable rocket launcher designed to collapse for easy carrying, even while loaded. Standard rockets include HEAT, infrared and radar-guided antiaircraft missiles, and AP flechette rockets.
• The G6 series are hand grenades. Six types are common:
  • G6A grenades produce a concussive blast and have a black band.
  • G6B grenades produce a lethal cloud of shrapnel and have a red band.
  • G6C grenades are incendiary and have a yellow band.
  • G6D grenades release a potent nerve agent and have a green band.
  • G6E grenades release a nonlethal combination of tear gas and a mild sedative and have a blue band.
  • G6F grenades release particulate smoke and have a white band.

Land Vehicles

Most land vehicles in the Ximean military were designed by engineers from the Ministry of War to fit in with the Ximean military doctrines of modularity and superior performance. Several others were designed and manufactured by Allied Defense. The following is a partial listing.

• The V454 is a light, four-wheel-drive vehicle designed for light infantry combat, emergency medivac, and light troop transport. It is equipped with moderate armor for a wheeled vehicle and a hardpoint on the roof for a squad machine gun, a heavy machine gun, or an automatic grenade launcher. It comes standard with a front-mounted winch and reinforced solid-rubber tires. It is capable of carrying small and medium-sized cargo modules.
• The V486 is an off-road-capable van with a powerful engine, superior armor, and complete hermetic seals. It is designed to function as a troop and supply transport, a light command and control vehicle, a field ambulance, an emergency field hospital, and a NBC staging area. It has no external weapon hardpoints, but it is equipped with reinforced solid-rubber tires and it can carry medium or large-sized cargo modules. It is frequently used by BioSWAT.
• The V491 is a heavy flatbed truck designed for cargo and troop transport. It has a heavy-duty winch, reinforced solid-rubber tires, optional bench-seats, and a canvas and bow kit. It can transport large and very large-sized cargo modules.
• The V577 is both an armored personnel carrier and an infantry combat vehicle. It is a fast-moving, lightly armored tracked fighting vehicle. Armed with a 25mm chaingun on a top-mounted turret, a .50-caliber machine gun turret next to the driver's compartment, and two 7.62x51mm machine guns, the V577 requires a crew of three and may carry an additional six infantry into combat. Differently-equipped variants serve as field command vehicles, artillery vehicles, mobile radar stations, and antiaircraft vehicles. In an emergency, it can tow large or very large-sized cargo modules, although this practice is not recommended. The V577 is the most commonly-deployed vehicle in the Ximean Army.
• The V675 is a large battle tank armed with a 105mm cannon, two .50 caliber machine guns, and a 7.62x51mm machine gun. It is manned by a crew of four.
• The V676 is Ximea's massive main battle tank. It boasts a 120mm cannon capable of firing a round a second, an antiaircraft rocket battery, and a pair of .50 caliber turrets in front. It is manned by a crew of five.

Rotary Aircraft

• The H25 Vampire Bat is a small, two-person helicopter designed for a scouting or light support role. It incorporates several stealth features, including dark, radar-absorbent hull paint and a reduced noise and thermal signature. It has a 20mm chaingun and can carry 2 unguided rocket pods (each holding 20 rockets) or 4 antiaircraft/antiarmor missiles. One crew member pilots the craft while the other operates the targeting systems and weaponry; in an emergency, the pilot can double as gunner, although with reduced efficiency.
• The H29 Raven is a larger helicopter capable of transporting up to 24 troops or serving as an air-support gunship. It has two hardpoints for 20mm chainguns on either side, which can be operated by troops in the rear compartment.
• The H44 Hell Hawk is an air-superiority gunship capable of serving a ground support role. It is manned by a pilot and a gunner. It is equipped with two forward-mounted 30mm chainguns capable of firing in a 60-degree arc, plus two unguided rocket pods, eight antiaircraft rockets, and four "bunker-buster" rockets.
• The H51 Condor is a very large, twin-rotor helicopter designed for troop and supply transport. It has a crew of two and no weapon hardpoints.
• The H97 Valkyr is a gigantic aircraft designed for troop and supply transport, air dominance, and ground support. It has a crew of four (three of which are weapons officers) and can hold up to forty troops. It is equipped with the most sophisticated navigation and combat sensors of any combat-capable Ximean aircraft. It is armed with three 30mm chainguns (each with a 90-degree field of fire), six unguided rocket pods, fourteen antiaircraft rockets, and eight "bunker-buster" rockets. The antiaircraft rockets may be replaced by two large fuel-air bombs. This aircraft is often used by Special Forces and BioSWAT.

Jet Aircraft

Logistical Aircraft

• The C6 Razorback is Ximea's largest cargo aircraft. It is manned by a crew of six and measures 78 meters long, with a wingspan of 69 meters. It sports an opening nose and tail section and can carry a maximum wartime load of 135,000 kilograms across the globe. It is designed to transport cargo, vehicles, and their crews; it is not meant to carry troops.
• The C13 Bison is another major cargo aircraft. Manned by a crew of five, it measures 31 meters long with a wingspan of 40 meters. It has an opening tail section and can carry a load of 18,000 kilograms. It can carry a few vehicles, but was intended to carry troops and to deploy paratroopers.