Region/Antarctica
Antarctica 
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|---|---|---|
| Founder | Joop | |
| WA Delegate | The Voltarum | |
| Members | 76 | |
| - | of which WA | 18 |
| Regional population | ||
| - | 2014 estimate | 793 billion |
| GRP | N/A | |
| Regional HDI | 0.610 medium |
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| Region page Antarctica |
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| NSTracker Antarctica |
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Antarctica is a large region, with a bustling and busy community, numbering 76 nations and only 18 World Assembly Members. It is the original Antarctic region in NationStates, and along with Antarctic Oasis one of the largest regions in NS claiming an Antarctic homeland. Once a dedicated and active defending region, it is now rather laid back and quiet. The people of Antarctica are known as Antarcticans, while the word Antarctic is usually used as an adjective for other nouns.
Contents
Quick Regional Basics
"Omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis"
"All things are changing, and we are changing with them."
Antarctica is an ancient, free, democratic, open region surrounding the South Pole. A region of rugged individualism committed to national sovereignty, Space Weapons, Polar Bears, Olympics and Democracy.
Antarctica is a very old region, founded in early 2003 by Joop. From early on, Antarctica was a region devoted to defending regions from invasion. Today, it is a quiet region that continues its role in defending other regions as a member of the FRA, and one that still occasionally gets red faced and agitated at the World Assembly and its endless supply of red tape and idiocy.
- Former Original Member, Defender Security Alliance
- Regional Currency: Polar Crown (optional)
- Current General of the Grand Army: Sir White-Flipper of Pengwiniah
- Regional Holidays:
- September 21st, Antarctica Day, marking the traditional founding of the Antarctica Region.
- December 21st, Festival of the Sun, marking 24 Hours of daylight below the Antarctic Circle.
- Record Population: 131 (December 2011)
Regional Trends
In Antarctica, denizens enjoy their civil rights, although not too much, or too freely. Nations in the region are healthy democracies, with denizens being afforded an extensive array of political freedoms. Families in the region are so obsessed with the economy that the discussion of laffer curves and supply-side reforms over dinner is a regular occurrence in member nations. Denizens suffer under an enormous tax burden throughout the region, with a median tax rate of 63%, and much higher for the wealthy. The economies of nations in the region are perfectly balanced between public and private sectors, with both comprising 50% of economic activity within the nations. Commerce is a priority for governments, accounting for an average of 5% of public expenditure.
Education is a priority for governments throughout Antarctica, with ample funding being provided and teachers enjoying a great deal of support. The region's law enforcement is arguably too well-equipped and overzealous, arresting citizens who dare to commit the most minor of infractions. Denizens have very well-funded, well equipped defense forces. Public transport is an afterthought, with only 2% of total government budgets in the region being devoted to it.
Governments in Antarctica communicate very well amongst themselves, with administration departments working smoothly, with 4% on average of government budgets being devoted to Administration. Governments generally endow their healthcare departments with a large amount of funding, with an average of 6% of government budgets across the region being devoted to healthcare. Welfare in the region is minimal, with only a small amount of expenditure being devoted to spending on social security. Governments in the region are avowedly atheist - no public funds are allocated to spirituality.
Social inequality is a major problem within Antarctica, although some effort has been made to correct the problem. Natural environments are quite bad, although some measures have been undertaken to ensure that the environment is protected.
Regional History
Founding and the Time of Davisia
The Flag planted in Antarctica by Joop
The citizens of Joop founded the nation of Antarctica at some point in early 2003. Unfortunately for all involved, one of Joop's citizens devoured all recorded history of said founding. Thus, the official celebration of Antarctica's founding is celebrated on the Autumnal Equinox, September 21st, since it marks the start of a majority of sunlight, something very important to Antarctica.
Antarctica quickly grew in the fledgling world of NationStates, attracting all sorts of nations. One of these first settlers was the nation of Davisia. A strong nation in all aspects, Davisia quickly joined with Joop and the nation of Drakma in guiding the young region. Together, they established the guidelines Antarctica still holds today: national sovereignty, democracy, and not taking crap from the then-UN. In addition, Joop established that Antarctica was going to be active in the defending world. Antarctica was one of the first nations to join the ADN, with Joop serving as council President. Davisia was elected as delegate and began making the first maps of the region. Antarctica became a premier region in the world of NationStates, and participated in many defensive operations through the ADN.
A Time of Instability and The Time of Calorom
This golden age of the region lasted for only a year. In August 2004, Davisia left the world of Nationstates, creating a power vacuum for the regional delegate position. Nations from outside the region attempted to win the delegacy of the popular region, but Joop's gentle hand focused the long-time residents into choosing a new delegate. The nations of Calorom, Thallos, and Kaiton were the popular leaders to succeed Davisia, and in the end Calorom was elected delegate. As Calorom had supplied the General to the Grand Army of Antarctica, Thallos was then chosen to succeed Calorom at this position. The Voltarum assumed Davisia's role as cartographer.
Though the region was still popular, it did not grow like other regions did at the time. This, along with other factors, led to Antarctica taking more of a back burner in the ADN. Calorom was one of the most dedicated defenders in the region; now that he was delegate he could no longer leave and defend. Joop resigned from his role in the ADN, and grew more quiet. Other founding residents of Antarctica, such as Mount Erebus, Drakma, Bunny Landia, Japanese Antarctica, and Militant Pingweeners, were overtaken by polar bears. The popularity of Antarctica started to decline.
The Time of The Voltarum and the Death of Joop
Calorom's reign as UN delegate went relatively uneventful. Like his predecessor, however, Calorom announced he was stepping down as delegate in late August 2005. This time, there were much fewer candidates to replace him. With Antarctica not on the international stage as prominently in the past, those outside the region did not attempt to interfere. On September 25, 2005, region cartographer The Voltarum was elected the new UN delegate.
Little changed for the first 6 months of The Voltarum's term. Polar bears eventually over ran Calorom, however, and soon after long time Antarcticans Kaiton and Thallos were overcome as well. Luckily, new blood had emerged to take leadership roles in the region. Pengwiniah launched a new communication network and replaced Thallos as General of the Grand Army. Sup with Bates led a new group of active defenders to continue to support the ADN.
Then, in late spring 2006, Joop closed its borders and ceased all communication with Antarctica. Thought at first to of succumbed to polar bears, it was eventually decided that Joop was just sleeping for a bit. With no founder, Antarctica was thrust into a precarious position: a stout and old defending region that was suddenly ripe for invasion. Luckily, the tireless work of Pengwiniah, Sup with Bates, and the other defenders in the ADN kept a close watch on potential invasions, and several meek attempts were thwarted easily.
The most dangerous time came in July 2006, when The Voltarum advertised a bit too heavily about a national party. With the whole of The Voltarum in a drunken stupor for nearly two weeks, invaders throughout NationStates attempted a daring and large invasion. The Grand Army was deployed, and with help from the ADN, invasion was narrowly averted. Apologizing for the lapse in judgment, The Voltarum returned to active status and the crisis was finally over. Though many more minor attempts of invasion occurred the rest of the year, none were as nearly as dangerous.
The following months saw a growth in Antarctica. The new and huge nations of Ap0calypse and H2SO4 emigrated to the region and brought more prominence to the region. The result was a ballooning of growth to a size that hadn't been seen in the region since 2003. By fall of 2006, Antarctica topped 100 nations, setting its (recorded) record of 113 nations a short time later.
The Return of Joop
Relief of potential invasions arrived in February 2007 when Joop opened up its borders once again and became Antarctica's founder. Since his return, Antarctica has settled into a somewhat quiet role in the NationStates world. In 2007, the ADN officially changed its name to the DSA, a reorganization that proved effective for a time. Eventually, however, the organization closed its doors. Under Pengwiniah's leadership, Antarctica has taken part in other defender alliances, such as SIREN, and more recently has joined the FRA.
Overall, however, these last 4 years have seen little change. The Voltarum has remained delegate, transitioning to the World Assembly. Pengwiniah has remained in control of the Grand Army, and Joop has remained an active and diligent founder. Today, new nations continue to make Antarctica one of the most successful and storied regions in the NationStates world.
Map
Census
National Battles
National Battles is a daily television programme made in Pengwiniah. The premise of the programme is that all Antarctican nations - no matter how long they've resided there - are competing to outperform each other in a particular category. The programme is aired each and every day, with the privately owned transmitters powerful enough to allow National Battles to be seen by every nation in Antarctica. It is also possible to pick up the signal from other regions, although usually the scores are wired from ambassadors and spies in Antarctica on a less frequent basis. Viewing numbers for both the region and the world are currently unavailable. Due to poor maintenance, there are reports that occasionally the programme may be missed by some nations. However, the total running scores are always accurate and there are even plans to create an on-demand service to view the National Battles programme from any previous day. This will not however include Series I, for which all records were lost in the Great Computer Plague.
In series I, the programme makers simply looked at the World Census Report each morning. The top 10 nations would be given points ranging from 1-10, with the highest ranked nation by the WA given 10 points. Series I ended with Hobbitat announced the winner with 162 points. Ap0calypse and Athani finished in second and third, with 135 and 126 points respectively. Currently in Series II, the programme makers are thinking about finishing and starting Series III. The changes from Series I to II involved switching the National Battle points from the WA census to either the top 10 in the WA census or the bottom 10 (with the lowest ranked nation in Antarctica picking up 10 points), chosen at random. There are also additional secret factors taken into account which may or may not use the WA census to get the 10 scoring nations that day, however to date that option has not been used.
