Difference between revisions of "Nation/Imperial Royal Union"

The Second Atheistic Empire of Imperial Royal Union
The Second Atheistic Empire of Imperial Royal Union Imperialia
	Motto: "Quod status omnium, et inscrutabile" "The State above all else."
	Anthem: "La Marseillaise"
Region	The Crown Federation of Recon
Capital; and largest city	Port Imperial
Official languages	English
Recognised national languages	English, Swedish & Mandarin
Demonym	Imperialean
Government	Absolute Monarchy
Legislature	Legislative Assembly (Thalean Administration)
History
Area
Population
GDP (nominal)	2014 estimate
Gini (2014)	0.431; low
HDI (2014)	0.881; very high
Currency	Imperial Royal Elite; (Rε)
Time zone	Imperialia Standard Time (UTC+8)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Drives on the	right
Calling code	+478
ISO 3166 code	IRU
Internet TLD	.iru

Revision as of 06:39, 27 October 2014

This page is a work in progress by its author(s) and should not be considered final.

Imperial Royal Union, officially the Second Atheistic Empire of the Imperial Royal Union of Imperialia, is an absolute monarchy comprising of territory within the Crown Federation of Recon, on mainland Imperialia and its surroundings islands. Imperial Royal Union also has several overseas territories, mainly protectorates, principalities and duchies under the protection of the nation.

Imperial Royal Union has a been a major power ever since the declaration of the First Empire of the Imperial Royal Union of Imperialia under Emperor Thales III, and even more so in the prominent wars of Emperor Thales XII and Emperor Thales XIII which saw the nation's massive and advanced armies conquer territories abroad which have been absorbed into the nation as its protectorates. Imperial Royal Union thus reached its golden age during the Industrial Revolution.

Etymology

Imperialia is the true name of the nation, since the mainland where it was founded on was called Imperialia. However, due to the significant collection of protectorates and overseas territories added during the reign of the ruling House of Thales, the name Imperial Royal Union was used to signify the union of its colonial territories and the homeland, ruled under the power of the royalty, which till now, remains in the hands of the Thalean Monarchy.

History

Republic of Imperialia

The Republic of Imperialia was founded in 1442, after years of civil war when the nation was still in complete disorder and rule by warlords. However, the Republic was seen as an emergency state, built to new ideals and foundations, but never made to last. There had been no president or consul during the Republic, and only served to pave the way for a stabilised society, for the time being.

Empire of Imperialia

The ideals of freedom and civil liberty were often challenged by monarchists in the emergency state of the Republic, which brought the Republic to an end after a coup d'état by commander-in-chief of the Republican Army, General J. Leiberich Thales, known better as Emperor Thales I. The transformation of the state into an absolute monarchy ended the ambitions of other warlords who were not powerful enough to seize power. Reforms were introduced bit by bit, which grew the nation even more so in the rule of Emperor Thales II.

First Empire of the Imperial Royal Union of Imperialia

Originally, the nation was not known as the First Empire, but rather just the Empire, after newly conquered territories, puppet states and protectorates were added to the existing territories under Emperor Thales III. The First Empire was the foundations of a major power, especially in the 19th Century, which saw regional dominance through the widespread use of unconventional yet effective tactics from Napoleon's time. The prominent wars of Emperor Thales XII and Emperor Thales XIII were part of their warmongering ambition, and although it had put a strain on the nation's treasury, it had also filled it with much loot from conquered states. The War of the Imperial Succession, ended in the Treaty of Midvalla, which drew Imperialean borders up to Midvalla, Alevion and Forta Borda, and ended in a stalemate between severely outnumbered 4 to 1 Imperialean forces and the border nations. Surprisingly, historians have noted that no foreign army has ever been able to set foot on Imperialean soil; and sea battles often ended in complete destruction of forces fighting the Imperialean Emperor's Naval Service, which has now become the Greater Imperial Navy. Historians account for Imperialean naval dominance as part of the use of unconventional tactics and particularly excellent seamanship during the age of sail.

Second Atheistic Empire of the Imperial Royal Union of Imperialia

Founded on 2 December 1853, the Second Empire as it is more commonly known saw the rise of the first female ruler, Empress Rothsanna I. Of all things she believed in, she had to see her religion betray her by the death of her cousin Emperor Thales IX. This led to her banning religion and enforcing state secularism before her coronation. However, on the day of her coronation, religious extremists, notably Protestants and Catholics, demonstrated in the streets of Sydonis, the capital of the nation at that time. The Anctilliane Guards of Lord Anctilliane swiftly put down the rebellion through the use of lethal force. To date, the Anctilliane Guards are a branch of the Household Guards charged with the protection of the capital. The government is reformed to form the Thalean Administration under the Emperor or the Empress.

9 August 1945 marked the complete modernization of Imperial Royal Union, with the capital being moved for the first time to Port Imperial, in which the master plan for urban development had plans all the way up till the new millenium, causing the city of Port Imperial to be the most organised city in the entire nation. This allowed the rapid growth of Port Imperial as one of the largest commercial hubs in the region.

The youngest ruler to date is the current Emperor, Emperor Thales XIII, being crowned on 15 February 2012, at the age of 15. Emperor Thales XIII is most prominently known for his anti-tobacco and sustainable development policies.

Geography

Climate

Climate in Imperial Royal Union is relatively cool compared to others countries. The highest temperatures ever recorded never exceeded 30ºC, and the lowest can reach around 9ºC.

Rainfall is relatively moderate from January to May, with occasional thunderstoms or showers. June and July have been seen as the driest months of the year, and very windy, with strong winds and minimal rain, all pointing towards the signs on the oncoming August Monsoon. The August Monsoon in August is caused by pressure buildups all over Imperial Royal Union, where the relatively low pressure in the mainland attracts unpredictably strong winds into the nation. The strong winds usually bring in cumulonimbus clouds all over the ocean and into the nation, which is then unleashed into the nation during the August Monsoon. All the cities in the North Islandus and South Islandus Provinces and the Imperial Royal Union Administrative Territory are the hardest hit places in the entire nation, due to the extremely strong torrential downpour caused by the monsoon. Flooding is also a common problem which has been easily curbed after years of development. Air accidents are common in the past during the August Monsoon. Airports generally restrict air traffic during the August Monsoon due to wind conditions that have a probability of reaching speeds of a hurricane. An advantage of the strong wind conditions is that the wind farms around the nation generate twice the amount of energy for many citizens that would prefer to stay at home to avoid the continuous thunderstorm that occurs for the entire month.

Imperial Royal Union Average Temperatures

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Highest (ºC)	26.2	27.0	25.5	22.7	22.0	19.7	18.2	15.0	18.8	23.2	23.9	24.3
Lowest (ºC)	22.1	22.6	20.3	18.6	16.5	14.8	13.3	9.5	12.4	15.7	17.8	21.7
Average (ºC)	24.0	24.1	23.5	20.8	19.3	17.0	16.3	14.2	17.4	19.7	21.0	22.6

Environment

Administrative Divisions

Provinces

Province	Largest City	Population	Land Area	Percentage Water	Population Density	GDP (2014)	GDP per capita (2014)	Population Growth Rate
Imperial Royal Union Administrative Territory	Port Imperial	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example
North Islandus	San Porto	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example
South Islandus	Santa Eliza	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example
Imperius	Sydonis	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example
Riley	Port Riley	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example
Wartiux	Fort Torpheus	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example
Rushflo	Port Rushflo	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example
Falmar	Port Beruma	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example
Alevion	Alevion	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example
Nationwide	-	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example	Example

Protectorates & Overseas Territories

Governance

Government

Imperial Royal Union is ruled by absolute power given to a monarch, who is currently Emperor Thales XIII. The throne is usually passed on according to the instructions of the current Emperor, and can be to almost anyone in the nation. To address the issues of the Emperor not having enough personal time, Empress Rothsanna I created the position of the 5 consuls, in order of rank, to aid the Emperor in his daily duties. All 5 consuls have a different set of skills, working styles and beliefs, and therefore provide the best form of advisory to the Emperor as well as making all of the important decisions for the Emperor. As such, a document signed by all 5 consuls and by the Premier is as powerful as one signed by the Emperor himself, although the Emperor does retain certain powers to repeal certain policies. It is impossible to overthrow the Emperor through the use of the 5 consuls, unless through a coup d'état. The Consular Administration is part of the Legislative Assembly.

The Legislative Assembly, aside from the Consular Administration being its upper house, also has a lower house formed by the Parliament. There is a total of 9 provinces in the entire nation, in which 80 members of parliament will be elected within each province and will represent their specific cities and provinces in Parliament. An additional 30 persons will form up the cabinet, which is considered the executive office of Parliament, and will be elected by the people as Ministers and Secretaries of the State. Candidates must have served at least 2 terms in Parliament as a member of parliament. No candidate is allowed to be part of any political party; Empress Rothsanna I once said, "A politician's duty is to serve the interests of the nation as a whole, and not only in the interests of his or her party." which was also her justification for abolishing political parties.

A term in the government is defined as 5 years, and the length of the term may be decreased should the Emperor feel the need to do so. General Elections are held to elect in the members of parliament, while the Ministerial Elections are held to elect in ministers and the Premier, which is usually held a year after the General Elections. Candidates are subjected to approval by the consuls and the cabinet, and will gain a walkover victory should there be no other contesting candidates. However, should there be another candidate, the margin between the two votes must be no less than 10% of the all votes counted. The political system thus ensures that the upper house of the Legislative Assembly is always active, and also ensures that there is always a government.

Policies made in the government are also passed when only 70% of the Legislative Assembly come to a consensus on a certain policy. However, the Emperor still needs to approve of a policy before it gets through the the executive and judiciary branches of the government. The Emperor has absolute power when making any decision in the government and state, which includes the right to discharge any member of the government from duty.

Law

The Ministry of Administration is an incredibly small ministry that manages all of the nation's judiciary systems and legal affairs. Changes to the Legislative Articles, which are the constitutions of the state, can only be made by the Emperor through the Ministry of Administration. As such, the National Justice Administration (NJA) under the Ministry of Administration manages all High Courts and Supreme Courts in the nation, which manages all civil and criminal law. Administrative law is maintained by the Board of Public Inquiry.

Imperial Royal Union is well known for its atheism, and display of religious items are illegal for citizens, permanent residents and foreign workers. There is absolutely no religious institution in the nation, the last cathedral was demolished through the use of explosives by the military in 1902 since there were no available construction companies with enough free time and manpower to do the job of dismantling the cathedral. An exception is made for tourists, making it legal for them to display their religion in public. However, anyone caught entering a government institution (such as state museums and government offices) can be jailed for up to six months along with a fine of Rε 10,000.

It is also illegal to smoke in the nation except in the confines of one's house, and anyone caught doing so can be arrested and fined Rε 10,000. Offenders are usually charged with arson and littering, since the careless disposal of cigarettes constitute to arson and there are no wastebins in the nation that allow for the proper disposal of cigarettes. Hotels usually do not have smoking rooms, and should there be any, the smoking rooms are usually charged at a much higher price. Smoking rooms in airports have an entry fee depending on the airport.

Law enforcement is strictly and effectively managed by the Imperial Royal Union Police Force, where each city has its own divisional headquarters. All streets in the cities are within a 2km range of a police post or station. There are also several security and intelligence departments that also provide law enforcement on a clandestine level. The Imperial Security Departments are the only disclosed departments within Imperial Royal Union, namely the Intelligence Service of Imperialia (ISI), Imperial Secret Service (ISS) and Internal Security Directorate (ISD), and have the power to detain any individual for as long as is needed. All three departments help coordinate security efforts against republican sentiments and terrorism.

Foreign Relations

Military

Almost half of military doctrine, tactics and strategy origination from Europe in the early 18th Century. As a result, military tradition in Imperial Royal Union has its roots in Napoleonic warfare and to a certain extent highly unconventional amongst its enemies and therefore highly effective during that time. In the exact same fashion as Napoleon Bonaparte, the army has since been called La Grandé Armée, comprising of all ground troops in the nation.

The military is separated into four branches - La Grandé Armée, Greater Imperial Navy, Royal Air Arms and Greater Arms of Imperial Royal Union Strategic Command (GAIRUSC), all of which are integrated into the nation's defense system. The Greater Imperial Navy is the largest branch of all, comprising of one the largest regional fleets with aircraft carriers and even the obsolete battleship, while the Royal Air Arms is the smallest, yet the most technologically advanced branch due to the nation's investment into the aerospace industry. GAIRUSC was only formed after World War Two, in response to the development of nuclear weapons, as an effective control centre to direct the nation's ballistic missile defenses against incoming nuclear weapons.

The entire military, officially known as the Greater Arms of Imperial Royal Union, is directly managed by the Ministry of Aggression & Defense (MAD), which is directly controlled by the Emperor. Imperial Royal Union is recognised as a nuclear state, in which intelligence analysts from worldwide believe that the nation has about 300-600 operationally-ready nuclear warheads. Despite Imperial Royal Union's nuclear capability, nuclear testing had long ended in 1962, after 11 successful attempts and 3 failed attempts in the open sea, and the nation has never employed nuclear weapons in any of its wars. In practice, the position of the Chief Commander of the Department of WMDs is usually seen as an undesirable post for any Marshall in the military as it serves no practical use except for the caretaking of such weapons.

The majority of the weapons and armaments sector in Imperial Royal Union is closed to foreign exports, due to the superiority of most of its military hardware. The high operating costs also place a strain of the nation's military budget, although its serves as a highly effective deterrent against hostile nations. 90% of the nation's military designs are specifically targeted at eliminating American-made technology especially the F-22 Raptor and the M1A1 Abrams, since foreign relations with the United States have severely taken a turn for the worse since the new millenium started.

Every year a ceremonial parade consisting of marching regiments from the military and civilian services will take place on 2 December to commemorate the national day in Port Imperial.

Government Finance

Ever since 1997, government finances are managed and allocated twice a year, in September and in March. Countless audits by the National Auditing Bureau under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Finance has ensured that the government expenditure records are free of corruption. However, due to the tiring process involved, some of the government finances are wasted on internal administration.

A small sum of the tax revenue is set aside for the regional reserves. About 60% of the remaining tax revenue generated is used to maintain and improve public services, while 25% is used to account for government wages. The remainder is contributed to the Legislative Assembly Government Reserves. Excess budget that is not used is contributed into the Consular Reserves, and also comprises of donations made by the 5 consuls over the years. The Consular Reserves can only be used with the approval of all 5 consuls, and it helps to boost the economy out of any recession should the Legislative Assembly Government Reserves not be enough. The Emperor himself will also set aside some of his personal wealth into the Thalean Treasury, which serves as a strong leverage against anti-monarchists, by having an unparalleled personal wealth to any other individual in the nation. This Thalean Treasury in 2010 is estimated to be at Rε 142 billion, and is fundamental in helping a new monarch cement his or her position on the throne.

Government debt is considerably one of the highest in the region, due to the large amount of borrowing the government has from its people. 5% of the people's income aside from the income tax is contributed into the Future Finances Fund (FFF), which is used by the government for investments. The FFF also generates interest for the citizens, which is usually ay 2% on top of the current inflation rate. Citizens are free to contribute a larger sum at their own discretion, but can only withdraw all their savings in the FFF when they reach the age of 60 years old. As such, this keeps the government with much budget surplus on top of its tax revenue. Ever since the FFF was implemented in 1982, government bankruptcy has been a really distant future which analysts say "will not happen unless the entire government, entire economy and entire infrastructure of the nation collapses in one single day, and that is near impossible."

Economy

Science and Technology

Transport

75% of Imperial Royal Union is accessible by paved roads, and the uncovered areas are parts of the nation's nature reserves and national parks. About only 40% of the nation's population has ownership of a private car, and only 15% own two cars.

Public transport is a considerable need for every single citizen. As most train and bus fares are heavily subsidised, citizens only need to pay about Rε 0.30 for a trip around any city. Citizens pay for their transport fares through the use of their identification card, which also serves as their transport pass, which allows citizens access to every public transport system in every city. The transport fares are usually paid at the end of the month through a citizen's bank account. Transport provider Metrolink manages all train services in all of the cities, while bus, tram and taxi services are provided for by other transport companies, in which the state has a major share in all of these companies. Intercity train services on the mainland are owned by high speed rail company SKT High Speed Rail, which also operates a maglev route along the banks of the Imperius River.

Sea transport only serves its role for international shipping and maritime trade, which is only for international destinations. Cruises are also common since the majority of cruiselines focus on the natural rock formations in the seas around Port Imperial.

Port Imperial International Airport and San Porto International Airport are the only two airports open for international air travel in the nation. Only a few airlines, mainly regional ones, are permitted to use San Porto International Airport. Port Imperial International Airport is the main international air hub in the nation, and is a global aviation hub for the entire world. Passenger traffic exceeded that of London Heathrow's in 2011. Served by 9 terminals, Port Imperial International Airport is also a popular transit hub amongst many international and business travellers. The growing aviation industry in the nation also centres around Port Imperial, providing MRO services for multiple airlines. Grande Royale Airways is the national flag carrier and operates more than 160 daily flights out of Port Imperial International Airport. Smaller domestic airlines, where some are also subsidiaries of Grande Royale Airways, provide domestic air transport within the various domestic airports within Imperial Royal Union.

Energy

In 2012, 20% of all of Imperial Royal Union's energy came from renewable energy sources, while the remainder relied on fossil fuels and natural gas. In 2 years, the government has transformed the energy scene in the nation. Port Imperial now relies on renewable energy from the wind farms offshore, solar panels and tidal barriers to account for 80% of its energy. Imported natural gas accounts for the remainder.

The Imperial Royal Union Green Energy Commitment of 2014 transformed all street lighting to be powered by solar energy and wind energy, reducing the reliance on fossil fuels. 50% of the mainland relies on nuclear energy generated from the Midvalla Nuclear Power Station, and the government is expected to fund the construction of more nuclear plants in the mainland. It is said that a reserve grid will be completed by 2020, and will run fully on renewable energy only. By 2025, Imperial Royal Union is expected to rely on wind power for 30% of all of their energy needs, alongside 10% by solar energy and hydroelectricity, 50% by nuclear energy and the remainder on natural gas. The reserve grid will be up and running by that time. 2014 is a considerable benchmark for the nation, where diesel and its related products were all banned, leaving drivers on the road with only petrol as a choice.

Biofuel is also prominent in the nation's aviation industry. In 2011, national flag carrier Grande Royale Airways mixed all their aviation fuels with 25% of biofuel, and in 2013, subsidies were introduced for electric cars and biofuel-mixed petrol to promote the use of cleaner energies.

Demographics

Culture

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 |established_event4          = Second Empire of Imperial Royal Union
 |established_date4           = 1853
-|area_km2                    = 1517822
+|area_km2                    = 1417822
 |percent_water               = 34%
 |population_estimate         = 5.453 billion
 |population_estimate_year    = 2014
-|population_density_km2      = 3592
+|population_density_km2      = 3843.3
 |GDP_PPP                     =
 |GDP_PPP_year                =