Difference between revisions of "Asian Pacific Islands"

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The Grand Constitutional Monarchy of the Asian Pacific Islands is a tropical island nation in The East Pacific region, on the planet Urth in the Pacific Ocean. It is surrounded by The Oan Isles on the north and west and East Polynesia to the east.

Geography

The geography of the Asian Pacific Islands refers to its natural features such as climate, topography, mineralogy, and biology. The Asian Pacific Islands is the third largest nation in the Polynesian Union. It has an area of approximately 100,000km² or 38,000 sq. miles. It lies between 180° longitude (the international date line) and 160° E, and 30°S and 15°S. It lies in the South West Pacific Ocean.

It was formed from volcanic activity 90 million years ago. It has suffered from erosion and sedimentation that other islands in the south Pacific especially Konoa and The Oan Isles. It has fertile soil. It has a complex geology. Unlike the aforementioned countries whose primary mineral is igneous, the Asian Pacific Islands have a metamorphic system. A number of metals, such as tin, cobalt, aluminium and galium are present. A number of commercial stones are present such as obsidion, limestone, and so on. Due to environmental protection of the natural forests that stand over these resources, they have remained underexplored and underexploited.

The sea, however, provides minerals that have proven profitable for the Islander people: petroleum and natural gas. Millions of years ago, the Urth was more geologically and climatologically volatile. Through a combination of Ice Ages and volcanic activity, enough organic matter was trapped in the sea bed to form sizeable deposits of petroleum and natural gas.

The nation has an average elevation of 400 ft above sea level. It is a fairly hilly country, although there are few major mountains. The highest is Mount Dao, which rises 1,000 ft above sea level. The sea in and immediately around ths Asian Pacific Islands is very shallow. This has been an obstacle to developing large ports. But it has been advantageous on two fronts: tourism and fishing.

Many resorts cater to marine activities. The pristine shallow waters attract thousands of visitors across the world. They come to enjoy the clean and warm water. Marine life is also attracted to these waters. There are many coral reefs. Along with a massive amount of tidal and sub-tidal pools, they create microecosystems that house many different animals. This vast array of life is a splendour in the south Pacific.

The terrestrial geography is just as marvelous. There are two major terrestrial biomes: savannah in the south and sub tropical forests in the north. There are deer and antelope, water buffaloes, big cats, large lizards, a plethora of birds and a plethora of rare bugs. The dense shrubbery and tree network is a home for animals and a resource for humans: logging and tourism. Logging has been significantly reduced due to the damage that it causes. Deforestation remains a problem. With the demands of an emerging economy and its ballooning population, more forests must be cut down to make space for farming and housing. The state has made reasonable advances in reducing this factor. The Asian Pacific Islands are generally regarded as very beautiful and environmental. Unlike the Oan Isles, and to a lesser degree Konoa, the Asian Pacific Islands have preserved considerable amounts of their natural forests, in spite of the massive Oan appetite for raw materials. Pollution is also generally small. Hydroelectric power has significantly reduced the need to depend on fossil fuels for electricity.

The climate of the Asian Pacific Islands falls firmly within the monsoon jungle and savannah climate. The north is more humid than the south. They are equally warm. The north receives an average precipitation of 60mm per month, except in the dry season. The south receives between 40mm and 60mm of precipitation every month.

It never snows. The winds can be quite powerful. The islands are less likely to suffet from cyclones and major storms than their northern neighbours, but they can occur. Due to global warming, the rain has been more erratic and powerful. Landslides do occur. There are hardly any earthquakes. There are wildfires during extremely dry spells, but they are also reasonably infrequent.

Politics

The politics of the Asian Pacific Islands take place in the framework of a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. It shares a monarch with the 3 other members of the Polynesian Union, the Emperor of Polynesia, currently Oaloanu. He is represented by the hereditary Viceroy of the Asian Pacific Islands, as he resides in the Oan capital, La Rochelle for most of the year. Although the authority to govern emanates from the Crown of Polynesia, the democratically elected government has the sole power to govern.

The law making branch is made up of the bicameral Parliament. The Parliament is a reflection of the social hierachy and ethnic diversity of the country. Prior to the Islander Civil War, political power lay firmly in the hands of tribal chiefs and nobles. The Parliament established by the new Constitution divided that power between two houses, the House of Commons and the House of Lords, to include the common people in a process from which they were excluded for a long time.

The two chambers are equal. Bills may originate from either house and require the approval of both houses to become law. The lower chamber, the House of Commons, can override the House of Lords if it repasses the law through a ⅔ majority. The House of Commons is made up of 200 seats that are contested every four years through party list proportional representation. The Islander First Party (IFP) has 120 seats and is the majority party; the Islander Democratic Front (IDF) forms the opposition with 80 seats. Through the 80 tribal chiefs who have lifetime seats in the House of Lords, the nobility is represented in the political process.

The head of government is the Prime Minister. He is elected by the Parliament for four years and serves concurrently with that body. He nominates judges to the Supreme Court, who require the approval of the Parliament. He is the leader of the government and influences the legislative agenda as the leader of the majority party. He appoints the Cabinet. The Cabinet forms the executive branch. It runs the country.

Tribes are given limited autonomy over their own affairs particularly those concerning the environment and custom. Otherwise, the country is divided into regions, which are further divided into counties. These are units through which the will of the Cabinet is imposed, as a result of which they are helmed by officers appointed by the Cabinet.

Military

The Military of the Asian Pacific Islands is formed by the Islander National Defence (IND). Its archaic long name is His Imperial Majesty's Islander National Defence. This indicates the ceremonial role that the Emperor of Polynesia plays as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The Minister for Defence tackles the political direction and daily administration of the armed forces.

The Islander National Defence was established from the amalgamation of the forces that fought during the Islander Civil War: the Konoan People's Army, the Islander People's Militia and the Islander Defence Forces. During this difficult war, different forces fought against each other. When the Treaty of the Tong River ended the war, these units were disbanded and combined into one armed forces.

Although there was an influx of weapons, which remain in active use, a large amount of the military's physical and institutional infrastructure has been damaged. A large amount of money goes towards rebuilding that infrastructure. The IND receives funding from two sources: the national budget and foreign aid.

The IND receives a total of 40 billion dollars per annum. 30 billion dollars comes from the Oan Isles. They have hoped to revamp the IND's military arsenal such as upgrading from 3rd to 4th generation fighters, from 20th century Armoured Assault Vehicles and Artillery Pieces to 21st century ones. This process is accomplished in two ways: procurement and upgrades. A local industry has been built on upgrading the weapons arsenal, but it lacks research and development so it does not produce new weapons or parts. Most weapons and parts are imported from the Oan Isles. The largest suppliers are the Oan National Motor Corporation, the Oan Shipwrights Corporation, the Metatron System, the Oan Aerospace Corporation and the Oan Arms and Munitions Corporation.

The three branches of the IND are the army, air force and navy. Conscription exists. After completion of high school, all males are expected to undergo a year of training and perform military service every year. This has led to a reasonably high number of reserves within a short time of conscription being in place. 500,000 reservists form a "civil militia" that is activated in times of war and disaster. The IND has an active force of 230,000 men. The bulk of them fall within the army, that being 190,000 men. The navy has 30,000 men and the airforce has 10,000 men.

The navy is a brown water navy. It operates almost entirely within the littoral of the Asian Pacific Islands. Every year it plans to participate in joint exercises with other Polynesian nations. Its primary purpose is to enforce maritime law, and deal with poaching and piracy. It has 5 destroyers, 6 frigates and 7 corvettes. It has 4 large patrol boats, 4 minesweepers and 14 tenders and missile boats. It has 20 patrol boats. It has 5 auxilliary ships. It has 10 diesel engine, air propelled submarines, and 8 non combat subs. In total it has 50 commissioned ships, 5 auxilliaries and 18 submarines.

Just like the Oan Defence Forces, the Islander military training doctrine focuses on stealth and precision, and guerrila and urban warfare. This decision came about due to 2 things: the geography of the country and a focus on defence. The force is not an expeditionary one. Its primary purpose it to defend Islander territory.

Economy

The Asian Pacific Islands has a nominal GDP of 300 billion SHD and a nominal GDP per capita of 15,000 SHD. It has a PPP GDP of 400 billion SHD and a PPP GDP per capita of 20,000 SHD. The economy receded during the second half of 2017 by 5%. This occurred due to the Islander Civil War. The economy contracted due to decrease in production, damage to property and infrastructure, divestment and political instability. The Oan Isles will provide low interest credit of 100 billion dollars over 10 years to revive Islander industries.

The economy is driven and propelled by foreign investment, exports and a resilient private sector. The main sector of the economy is the services sector. This includes financial services and tourism. The second largest sector is the strong manufacturing sector. It includes electronics, textiles and consumer goods. It has a sizeable extraction industry. This includes petroleum and natural gas extraction. The primary sector is considerable. This includes exports of fruit, rice and coffee, and fish.

The Oan Isles is often attributed as an economic oppressor. The Oan Isles has always had a prominent presence in the Islander economy. This influence increased after the war. Businesses moved to the Oan Isles. Oil refining was moved to the Oan Isles. The government accepted low interest credit in return for economic concessions. Industries were monopolised or dominated by Oan companies, and assets and companies were sold to entities in the Oan Isles. This has been a cause of political and social opposition.

The Oan dollar is mutually interchangeable with the Islander ang. The currency lost a lot of its value. The Oan dollar was allowed to circulate along with the Ang. The country is a major source of water and energy for the Oan Isles. Both countries depend on the stable and consistent supply of energy. This includes coal and hydroelectric power.

There is a highly stratified distribution of income. Although the economic model conforms to free market capitalism, the legacy of feudalism remains unchanged as tribal chiefs and nobles remain significantly wealthier than the rest of the population. Attempts to promote income equality through tax increases for the rich and select breaks for the poor and the establishment of a widespread welfare system are lacklustre and slow. Through financial interventions, the Oan National Aid Agency (colloquially known as Oanaid) donated millions of dollars in food, medical care, educational resources, amenities and other things.

Because the Asian Pacific Islands supplies a sizeable portion of the water food, energy and fuel of the Oan Isles, it has an influential voice in that country and within the Polynesian Union at large. Although largely isolated in the past, the Islander government has planned to open up trade links with other countries especially The Gordic Council, the Auroran Continental Assembly, the Atlantian Alliance and the Kuthernburg Commonwealth System. The Polynesian Union remains, by far, the largest trade partner that the Asian Pacific Islands has.

Demographics

The demographic composition of the Asian Pacific Islands reflects political and economic ages of prosperity and growth. The term "Islander" is a term that encompasses 30 indigenous cultural and ethnic groups. These groups are extremely closely related. This is why they are grouped together as a unit. The largest sub-ethnic group are the Ainu people, who make up a third of all Islanders. They are followed by the Lao, Viet, Han, Siam, Nihon and Pino groups. Islanders make up 80% of the population. Nearly 20% of the population is made up of foreigners i.e. Oans, the indigenous people of The Oan Isles. Through centuries of migration (with a rapid increase in the 21st century), the Oan people came to call the Asian Pacific Islands, a second home. This diversity in practices and beliefs tends to create friction in the social order. Some xenophobic attacks have been reported on Oan nationals over the years. Competition for resources fuels the fire.

The Wat Mai Buddhist Temple and Monastery

The largest religion is Buddhism. 60% of the population adhere to this complex faith. 20% of the population ascribe to a set of spiritual beliefs collectively called the Islander Folk Spirituality. The Oan immigrants brought their own religions and beliefs as well. 12% of the population adheres to the Polynesian branch of Protestantism. 8% of the population follows Oan Folk Spirituality. Interestingly, religious adherance is divided along ethnic lines. The religious adherance is strongly followed. It influences the national identity and national politics. For example, the Birthday of Siddartha Gautama (who became the Buddha), is celebrated annually.

The change and growth of the population is affected by immigration and emigration, birth and death. Immigration is much higher than emigration. In spite of the Islander Civil War, birth rates are much higher than death rates. This has allowed the population to grow at a remarkable rate of 5%. With sizeable amounts of water, fuel, food and energy being exported to The Oan Isles, resources can become strained and competition can occur.

In spite of the war, the state has remained buoyant on its commitment to supply every citizen with water, food, shelter, power and sanitation. Although strained by war, it has effectly cared for the whole nation. Every citizen has access to decent sanitation and waste removal, electricity and other public services. Due to the uneven distribution of income, some people have better access to services and resources than others. Many people in the rural areas have more limited access to decent sanitation and electricity than people in the city. In fact 40% of citizens live in rural areas, while 60% of them live in urban areas.

The distribution of gender has been slightly more lobsided than in other countries. Women outnumber men. 56% of the population is made up of women and 44% is made up of men. This process has been attributed to a strange phenomenon in the process of conception that has been studied immensely. The balance of children to adults, especially in the wake of a war, is a cause for concern, as there is an equal amount of adults and children. Family planning has been introduced to mitigate the propensity of people, especially the poor and rural people, to have large families.

The official language is Islander. It has many slight variations, that are called dialects. The dialect that is widespread, used by the state and considered the standard one is the Ainu dialect. All people can speak some dialect of Islander to some extent, including Oan immigrants. Oan is the lingua franca. It is taught as a second language in schools, and is spoken by more and more peoppe due to an increase in the number of Oan people and access to Oan entertainment and media.