Nation/Gristol-Serkonos

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: THIS IS A BACKUP FACTBOOK CONTAINING THE ORIGINAL IIWIKI ENTRIES. --Gristol-Serkonos (talk) 17:28, 3 October 2014 (EDT)

Sovereign Empire of Gristol-Serkonos
Sovirenti Rieshinsten Gristoli-Serkono (Gristin)
Riemestin-Severenu Greitol-Serkonsi (Serkonsi)
Flag of of
MottoAd Meliora
(Towards Better Things)
AnthemHymn of the Two Swans
The map of Gristol-Serkonos.
Map of the Sovereign Empire in Sondria, highlighted in green.
CapitalRien-Stadt, C.D.R.
Largest Griswald
Official languages English, Gristin, Serkonsi
Recognised regional languages Gristin-Neterlanden
Serkonsi-Dacian
Ethnic groups Gristoli (42%), Serkonosi (42%), Asian Groups (4%)
Demonym Gristoli
Serkonosi
Government Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Diarchy with Devolved Legislatures
 -  Monarch of Gristol Annika I Felvaron
 -  Monarch of Serkonos Lorei IV Esteria
 -  Lord High Chancellor Cynthia Valtorum
Legislature Rieshistagi
 -  Upper house Consei-Senati
 -  Lower house Consei-Estadi
Constutitional Union of the Apostolic Kingdom of Gristol, and Empire of Serkonos
 -  Compromise of 1891 October 4, 1891 
 -  The Imperial Constitution September 8, 1925 
Area
 -  Total Area 1,976,615 km2
763,175 sq mi 
Population
 -  2014 estimate 2,945,898,745
GDP (nominal) 2014 estimate
 -  Total ₭ 313,392,323,651,400
Gini30.9
medium
HDI 0.908
very high
Currency Gristol-Serkonos Krona (GSk)
Drives on the right
Internet TLD .se

The Sovereign Empire of Gristol-Serkonos is a country located in the western Sondria. Located in the continent of Ellada, the country is bordered by the Federated States of Epraria to the north. It was constitutional union between the Kingdom of Gristol and the Empire of Serkonos in 1891. The union was a result of the Compromise of 1891 and since then, it has been jointly-ruled by the Royal and Imperial Houses of Felvaron and Esteria. In September 1925, the Compromise was eventually scrapped in favour of a full constitution which defines the country's political structure today.

The Sovereign Empire is a multinational realm comprised of two countries: Gristol and Serkonos. The two countries have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Griswald and Marlenne, respectively. Saveli and Ontoiro are not officially part of the Sovereign Empire, being dependencies of the Rieshistagi responsible for defence and international representation. The SE also has several islands in the Periclean Ocean, designated as Overseas Territories, north of the Varis Islands.

The country is a developed country, and has the 9th largest economy in Sondria by nominal GDP. It is a nuclear state, possessing an arsenal of nuclear weapons and a technologically-advanced military force. The Sovereign Empire is an observer-state of the Triad, and a founding member of the Pendragon Pact, and the World Assembly.

History

Pre-Unification

File:Gustaf V av Sverige.jpg
Emperor Harold I Felvaron of Gristol
File:Horthy the regent.jpg
Emperor Heikki III Esteria of Serkonos
The Sovereign Empire, for many years, consisted of two states; The Apostolic Kingdom of Gristol and the Empire of Serkonos. Both states engaged in periodic warfare over territorial supremacy beginning around 1546. In 1794, the hostilities between the two states erupted into one major conflict called the War of 1794. In January 23, 1794, the Kingdom of Gristol launched an offensive 143 kilometres into the territories of the Empire of Serkonos before being locked in a bitter stalemate. After months of negotiations, a 1796 peace treaty was signed in Griswald after the War of 1794 ended in a stalemate. The treaty removed the absolute powers of the monarchs, forming the first elected parliaments as well as return of territories lost from both sides since the start of the war. Both sides still claim victory, and as a result, it is still the most fiercely-debated among historians of both countries.

In October 4, 1891, the two sides entered negotiations to unite the two monarchies into a single state. The result was the Compromise of 1891, which merged the two governments; the Diet of Gristol, and the Parliament of Serkonos, into the Rieshistagi (English: Imperial Diet). Included in the Compromise is that the two monarchs will retain their roles as heads of state and their political duties. The unified central government began a massive industrialization project, focusing on shipbuilding and built tens of thousands of kilometres of rail and road. By 1900, the merchant fleet of Gristol-Serkonos is one of the largest in Sondria. At the same year, the new generation of monarchs ascended into the thrones of Gristol and Serkonos. Emperors Harold I Felvaron and Heikki III Esteria followed their predecessors' policy of rapid industrialization and economic growth.

The last 20 years of the 19th century was the rise of the national conservatism led by the right-wing party National Coalition of Gristol-Serkonos. It was also the years when the future major parties; the Social Democratic Alliance, Moderate Left, and the Progressive Conservative Party were founded.

20th Century

See also: The Red Revolution

File:March on Rome.jpg
Magnus Rundstrom, Marian Nicolescu and various communist leaders during the 1920 Red Revolution.

The Empire experienced turmoil in the early years of the 20th century. General strikes were prevalent on the industrial cities of Hamina, Gristol, Marlenne, and Drăgășani. In 1920, the National Worker's Party and the Communist Party of Gristol-Serkonos and a small fraction of the IGSDF mounted a coup to overthrow the Imperial Government to form the People's Republic of Gristol-Serkonos. This sparked the Red Revolution, hostilities lasted for six months, with the Reds capturing the majority of the industrial cities in the Empire. In January 1921, the Imperial Government prevailed over the communists, benefiting from the leadership of General Valerii Kjellsson. She was also the first woman to hold the head of the military. By January 4th, 1921, the entire country was liberated.

In an effort to decentralize some of the power of the central government to the crown-lands, the Rieshistagi drafted the 1925 Imperial Constitution, which grants the crown-lands authority over their relevant area. Their authority, meanwhile can be overruled by the Rieshistagi, therefore making the Empire de jure Unitary. The diarchs signed the Imperial Constitution in March 1925, which coincided the founding of the two devolved legislatures of Gristol and Serkonos. With the signing of the Constitution, the 1891 Compromise was no longer effective.

Support for the National Coalition and their coalition partner, the Patriotic People's Front reached its peak in 1938 General Elections, where they won their third and final majority in the Rieshistagi.

By the start of the 1950's, the long-ruling National Coalition was now barely holding onto their minority government. The baby booms of the 1930's and 40's has radically changed the demographics. Facing pressure on all sides of the Rieshistagi to end the segregation, the National Coalition government has collapsed following the split in their major partner, the far-right Patriotic People's Front. The following elections sent successive governments under the Social Democratic Alliance. Under their leadership, widespread progressive reforms and the country's adoption of the Nordic System occurred. Social programs such as the National Healthcare System was enacted in 1978, and the National Pension Plan in 1987. The previously isolationist policy has been changed, allowing diplomatic channels to be established with various nations in Sondria and across the World.

In 1990, the Progressive Conservatives won the election, following the defeat of the Social Democrats in the general election. Under Lord High Chancellor Anton Lucenne, the country experienced a Thatcherite-like revolution, privatizing a majority of the state-owned corporations in the Empire.

Contemporary Era

See Also: 2009 Gristol-Serkonos parliamentary dispute

Geography

File:Climategristol-serkonos.png
Climate Ranges in Gristol-Serkonos, with territorial borders placed above.


Administrative Divisions

Gristol-Serkonos is divided into three areas. These lands separated by the Lautha River as written in the Compromise of 1891. Included in the Compromise is the establishment of a Capital District separate from the two lands.

Crown Lands Population Incorporation Alternate Name Capital
Crown Lands of Gristol
20px Gristol
20px Lappland
20px Carolinthia
20px Linköping
20px Nathanii
TBA 1891 Cislauthania Griswald
Crown Lands of Serkonos
20px Serkonos
20px Kymenlaasko
20px Kainuu
20px Vâlcea
20pxTimișoara
TBA 1891 Translauthania Marlenne
Capital District Region
Rien-Stadt, C.D.R.
Bernadotte
1907 None, designated as Capital District Rien-Stadt, C.D.R.

Crown Colony

Name Capital Population
30px Gallovica New Marlenne 43 million

Largest Cities

Politics

Main articles: Foreign Relations of Gristol-Serkonos, Nationality Law in Gristol-Serkonos, Constitution of Gristol-Serkonos, Rieshistagi

Template:Gristol-Serkonos

Gristol-Serkonos has a parliamentary democracy within the context of a constitutional diarchy consisting of two monarchs. The heads of state are Empress Annika I of the House Felvaron and Emperor Lorei IV of House Esteria. These two Imperial Houses jointly-govern the Sovereign Empire, as well the two countries and their respective Crown Lands. Political participation of the Diarchs in areas of governance is limited. Most of their executive authority is held the High Council of the People, a committee of ministers of the state responsible to the elected Consei-Estadi and chosen and headed by the Lord High Chancellor, the head of government. Despite their constitutional bounds, the Constitution also allows the Diarchs to wield executive authority over the Rieshistagi. Through the Diarchs, they can dissolve the Rieshistagi, pass or veto legislation (if the said legislation violates the Constitution), and dismiss military leaders without government advise. To ensure the stability of government, the Diarchy will usually appoint as Lord High Chancellor the person who is the current leader of the political party that can obtain the confidence of a plurality in the Consei-Estadi. The leader of the party with the second-most seats becomes the Leader of the Sovereign Empire's Most Loyal Opposition and is part of an adversarial parliamentary system intended to keep the government in check.

The legislative arm of the government is the bicameral Rieshistagi (English: Imperial Diet) comprised of two chambers; the upper house Consei-Senati (Council of Senators) and the lower house Consei-Estadi (Council of the State). The Consei-Estadi has 626 members, half of them are elected by a simple plurality and the other half through proportional representation. The 174 members of the Consei-Estadi, whose seats are apportioned on a regional basis, are elected by a simple plurality and can only serve for two terms. According to the Imperial Constitution, the Consei-Senati does not amend or initiate laws, but to scrutinize the actions of the Consei-Estadi. The Consei-Estadi is the supreme legislative authority of the Empire and is capable of enforcing laws for the two sovereign realms. There is currently 11 parties elected in the Rieshistagi with the Progressive Conservative Party, Patriotic People's Front, the National-Coalition Freedom Party, and the Alliance of Royalists leading the government coalition.

Devolved Administrations

The country also has two devolved legislatures, representing the two kingdoms incorporated within Gristol-Serkonos. The authority of the devolved legislatures is limited over their relevant area. Meanwhile the Rieshistagi, the central government of the Sovereign Empire, can overrule sub-national authority, thus the state remains, de jure unitary. Legislation creating devolved parliaments or assemblies can be repealed or amended by central government in the same way as any statute.

Each country have their own government or executive, usually led by a High Minister and a devolved unicameral legislature, with an exception for the Capital District Region which is considered an autonomous region under the responsibility of the Rieshistagi. Under the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty, the Rieshistagi could, in theory, abolish the Diet of Gristol or the Parliament of Serkonos. In practice, however, it would be politically difficult for the Rieshistagi to abolish devolution to the Diet of Gristol or the Parliament of Serkonos, given the political entrenchment created by referendum decisions.

Law

The Sovereign Empire does not have a single legal system. The 1925 Imperial Constitution provided for the continuation of Gristol and Serkonos' separate legal systems. Today, the Sovereign Empire has two distinct systems of law; the Gristol Law, and the Serkonos Law. In 2011, the Supreme Court of Gristol-Serkonos was formed to replace the Supreme Judicial Council of the Consei-Senati. The new Supreme Court is responsible in all matters under the two systems of law in Gristol-Serkonos. It is the court of last resort and the highest appellate court in the Sovereign Empire. It also has jurisdiction to resolve disputes relating to devolution in the Sovereign Empire and concerning the legal powers of the two devolved governments or laws made by the devolved legislatures.

Gristol Law, which is based on common-law principles, subject to statute, the law is developed by judges in courts, applying statute, precedent and common sense to the facts before them to give explanatory judgements of the relevant legal principles, which are reported and binding in future similar cases (stare decisis). The courts in Gristol are headed by the Senior Courts of Gristol, consisting of the Court of Appeal, the Imperial Civil Court (for civil cases) and the Imperial Criminal Court (for criminal cases). The Serkonos Law is a hybrid system based on both common-law and civil-law principles. The chief courts are the Court of Session, for civil cases, and the High Court of Justiciary, for criminal cases.

Foreign Relations

Gristol-Serkonos maintains a semi-interventionist foreign policy since 1976 which was known as Diplomacy, Defence, Development. Under the Progressive Conservative government in the 1990's, the Empire began developing relations with western Sondrian countries and begun a push for the seat in the Sondrian Regional Council as well as forming relations beyond Sondria. In July 2014, the Rieshistagi announced the country's candidacy as regional delegate for the region of Sondria. The Sovereign Empire and the Imperial Federation of Crontor is widely considered as an important regional partner by all elected parties, owing, in part, to its contribution to their assistance in the 1920 Red Revolution. Each nation co-operate on military campaigns and exercises as well as jointly-operate Luminaa Island, and are trading partners. In 2014, Gristol-Serkonos has announced intentions to deploy IGSDF personnel in the Crontorian territory in Beblis.

In early 2015, the Gristol-Serkonos has withdrawn its forces from Beblis. This followed the Crontorian government's withdrawal of all of its visiting forces in many countries. With the Crontorian withdrawal in Luminaa, the IGSDF also now fully operate the bases.

The later half of the 20th century saw major changes in the foreign policy. Following the downfall of the natural governing party until the 1950's, the Sovereign Empire relaxed its anti-communist and anti-republican stance on countries. In 1967, the Sovereign Empire applied for membership in the World Assembly and was successful.

Defence

File:SRC 023.jpg
A grenadier from the Imperial Gristol-Serkonos Army carrying an StR 104.

The Sovereign Empire's defence is secured by the Imperial Gristol-Serkonos Defence Forces, a professional force managed by the Imperial Office of National Defence and is controlled by the Imperial Defence Council, chaired by the Minister of Defence. It is a medium-sized military force comprised of 79.8 million troops focused towards defensive warfare. The IGSDF consists of three professional branches; the Imperial Gristol-Serkonos Army, the Imperial Gristol-Serkonos Navy, and the Imperial Gristol-Serkonos Air Forces. There is also has a volunteer defence militia known as the Imperial Territorial Army.

The IGSDF was established following the merger of the Gristoli Militerr and the Armed Forces of Serkonos in 1891. The military was further unified in 1972 with the enactment of the GS 1077: The National Defence Act of 1972. The country is also a nuclear state, possessing an arsenal of nuclear weapons.

The Commander-in-Chief rotates bi-annually between the two monarchs of the Imperial Thrones, currently headed by Emperor Lorei IV Esteria. It is also required by all the members of the forces swear an oath of allegiance to both monarchs of Gristol and Serkonos.

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement is organized separately in each of the countries of the Sovereign Empire: The Kingdom of Gristol and the Empire of Serkonos. The Sovereign Empire's model of policing regards police officers as citizens in uniform. They exercise their powers to police their fellow citizens with the implicit consent of those fellow citizens. It expresses that the legitimacy of policing in the eyes of the public is based upon a general consensus of support that follows from transparency about their powers, their integrity in exercising those powers and their accountability for doing so.

There are two types of law enforcement in the Sovereign Empire, with the first concerned with the policing of the general public and their activities and the rest concerned with policing of other, usually localised, matters:

  • Regional Police Forces handles the majority of policing. These are police forces that cover a "police area" (a particular region) and have an independent Constabulary (Gristol) or a Police Board (Serkonos). Each regional police force also operates the Tactical Response Units.
  • Special Police Forces have jurisdictional authority over the entire country. The remit of some of the forces, with the exception of the military Imperial Gendarmerie and the civilian Imperial Police Force, is further limited to the areas that they police, such as transport or energy infrastructures.

Incarceration and Rehabilitation

Prisons are operated and managed by the Office of Corrections. There are 25 maximum-security correction facilities in the Sovereign Empire holding 24,000 inmates each.

Economy

Gristol-Serkonos has a partially regulated market economy and is the 9th largest economy in Sondria. The country currently enjoying a stable, rapidly growing economy with a nominal GDP of GSk 313 Trillion. The services sector dominates the economy, followed by the manufacturing, and agricultural sectors. The Sovereign Empire's economy of the two combined economies of the Kingdom of Gristol and the Empire of Serkonos. The Imperial Office of Finance, led by the Minister of Finance, is responsible for developing and executing the Sovereign Empire government's public finance policy and economic policy. The Imperial Central Bank of Gristol-Serkonos is the Sovereign Empire's central bank and is responsible for issuing notes and coins in the nation's currency, the Gristol-Serkonosean Krona. Banks in Serkonos and the Gristol retain the right to issue their own notes, subject to retaining enough Bank of Gristol notes in reserve to cover their issue.

Since 1997 the Central Bank of Gristol-Serkonos's Monetary Committee, headed by the Governor of the Imperial Central Bank of Gristol-Serkonos, has been responsible for setting interest rates at the level necessary to achieve the overall inflation target for the economy that is set by the Finance Minister each year.

Despite it's relative size against the rest of the eastern Sondrian economies, it is smaller compared to the larger western Sondrian economies.

Energy

The country is an energy exporter in the region, exporting 12.6 million barrels of oil annually. The largest exporters of energy are the Imperial Oil Company, a statutory corporation, and EssexPetro, a private company. Corporations interested in establishing fuel extraction facilities must meet the government's environmental regulations and use the approved methods in extracting the crude oil. The Empire is also a nuclear energy producer, with over 50 nuclear power facilities across the country. Most of the country's oil production are sold to foreign nations in Sondria's Old World as well as the neighbouring countries in Telraina. The Empire is not dependent on oil for energy production and the recent resurgence of fuel efficient vehicles. Recent government environmental policies includes energy conservation and renewable energy commercialisation. Energy efficiency has been improving since the early 1970s; the government aims to meet the country's electricity demands using 40% renewable sources by 2050.

Historically, the Empire was well known for its whale oil-producing industries. During its height in the 1895, the Empire has a whaling fleet of 14,490 ships. The sudden rise of prominence of petroleum-based fuel during the early 20th century saw the decline of whale oil use.

Infrastructure and Communications

Due to its location in the eastern Sondria and its population density, the country has one of the most sophisticated transportation systems, as well as one of the largest road networks in the region. The country's vast motorway network is known for its lack of speed limits and is among the largest in the region in terms of length. The Sovereign Empire also has a network of high-speed trains. Its Imperial Railway Network connects all of the Empire's cities as well as neighbouring country with its high-speed trains. Its largest airports are Rien-Stadt-Kjellson and Griswald-Felvaron.

The Sovereign Empire has a developed and robust internet infrastructure with an average download speed of 1Gb/second with a penetration rate of 98.9%. In high density metropolitan areas such as Rien-Stadt, C.D.R. or Marlenne, VDSL is the most common DSL which allows faster internet speeds. This contrasts greatly in smaller metropolitan areas such as Pietarsaari or Karlskrona where ADSL is the standard. In 2006, 98.7% of all mobile phones have internet access. High speed broadband is provided through a communications network built in 2007 consisting of kilometres of optical fibre networks and satellite-based communications.

There are presently four major Internet Service Providers and at least 326 registered minor Internet Service Providers.

In major cities, 4G LTE is the most common network technology in the country's wireless broadband network. Many public places and restaurants are mandated by law to provide free WiFi access during business hours.

Despite all the measures to advance internet technology in the Sovereign Empire, the incumbent right-wing coalition government is criticized for its restrictions on freedom of speech and expression. This followed the ban on certain websites and social media accounts containing or accused of spreading anti-royalist, republican and far-left ideologies. With the new legislation designed the curb cyberbullying and increase police powers set to take effect this autumn, several backbencher Patriotic People's Front MCEs pushed for a proposal to stamp out anonymity. This proposal however was unanimously rejected by the government and the opposition parties following the first reading.

The national flag carrier is RLGS, a public limited company.

Automotive Industry

Gristol-Serkonos has some of Sondria's best automotive companies, and is regarded as one of the best in the World. The Sovereign Empire's automotive industry produces 7.5 million vehicles annually. Notable manufacturers are Asteria, Lunaterii, Spireos, and Vincenzi.

Science and Technology

SARA

Demographics

Healthcare

File:VGH-2.jpg
The Rien-Stadt Medical Institute in Rien-Stadt, C.D.
Healthcare in Gristol-Serkonos is handled by the devolved legislatures. Each countries has its own system of private and publicly funded health care. Public healthcare is provided to all of the Sovereign Empire's permanent residents and is mostly free at the point of need, being paid for from general taxation.

Regulatory bodies are organized on a nationwide basis such as the National Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and non-governmental-based, such as the Royal Colleges. However, political and operational responsibility for healthcare lies with four national executives; healthcare in the Capital District is the responsibility of the Rieshistagi; healthcare in Gristol is the responsibility of the Diet of Gristol; and healthcare in Serkonos is the responsibility of the Serkonosean Parliament.

Each healthcare system uses General Practitioners (GPs) to provide primary healthcare and to make referrals to further services as necessary. Hospitals then provide more specialist services, including care for patients with psychiatric illnesses, as well as direct access to Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments. Community pharmacies are privately owned but have contracts with the relevant health service to supply prescription drugs. Each public healthcare system also provides free (at the point of service) ambulance services for emergencies, when patients need the specialist transport only available from ambulance crews or when patients are not fit to travel home by public transport. These services are generally supplemented when necessary by the voluntary ambulance services (Imperial Red Cross, and the Saint-Maarten Ambulance Association.

In 2011, public expenditure on healthcare was around 8.9 per cent of the Sovereign Empire's gross domestic product.

Education

Culture

See also: Church of Gristol-Serkonos

The culture of the Gristol-Serkonos has been influenced by many factors including: the nation's conservative policies; its transition to a constitutional democracy; as well as being a political union of two countries with each preserving elements of distinctive traditions, customs and symbolism. The wider culture of Old World countries in Sondria has also influenced the Sovereign Empire's culture, and Humanism, religion and representative democracy developed from broader Western culture. The power and influence of the aristocracy remains as a major influencing factor in the Empire's politics, with most of its elected politicians with connections to the barons or dukes from their respective constituencies.

Citizens are notable for their personal responsibility and their own determination to set their own path. Despite its conservative policies, the country has provided extensive civil rights for the LGBT community.

Sexuality

Being a country of two nations, the two peoples of the Sovereign Empire have two different views on sexuality. The citizens in the Kingdom of Gristol have an open attitude towards sexuality, with festive celebrations on human sexuality starting several millennia before the formation of the Kingdom itself. Friendships often involve some form of casual sex, and open relationships even between married couples are common. Sexuality is taught in schools at an early age, usually around the Third or Fourth Grades. Due to the openly sexual nature of the Gristoli, all forms of contraception are all part of the health plan enacted by the Diet of Gristol in 1967.

Serkonoseans initially take a more conservative approach to sexuality up until late 1891 when the Sovereign Empire united the two nations. Despite the reforms made in the Serkonosean Parliament, sexuality remains one of the taboo.

Cinema

File:Casablanca, Trailer Screenshot.JPG
The Last Five Days In Hamina, one of the most influential films in Gristol-Serkonos.

Cinema in Gristol-Serkonos traces its roots as far as 1878.

Music

Music is heavily influential in the Sovereign Empire's society, with a rich and varied history. Hundreds of world-famous musicians originated from the cities of the Sovereign Empire.

Under Emperors Victor I Felvaron and Olaf V Esteria, they opened the Rien-Stadt Imperial Conservatoire in 1894, which is considered one of the best musical academies in the New World continent of Telraina and Sondria. Several notable composers from Gristol-Serkonos including Thorbjörn Lager and Gijsbert Achterkamp who later composed the Hymn of the Two Swans, the Sovereign Empire's National Anthem, both studied in the Conservatoire in the 19th century. During the late 19th century, operas and concert houses were constructed in nearly every city.

During the 20th century, new musical genres emerged following influences from foreign nations. Today, the Empire has a lively contemporary music scene that has produced several world-famous artists of countless different genres.

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