Difference between revisions of "Nation/The Oan Isles"

Revision as of 18:24, 17 December 2017

Realm of the Oan Isles Kōa
Motto: "Haere a mutu" ("Continue Regardless")
Anthem: u Oa u makaaki u Rangitanga-ta-i-Moana ("God bless the Emperor")
Region		The East Pacific
Capital		La Rochelle (Tokapa)
Largest city		Port of the Rock (Kokoru)
Official languages		Oan language (Reōa)
Ethnic groups		Oan (majority) and other Polynesian peoples
Demonym		Oan
Government		Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy
-	Emperor (Rangitanga-ta-i-Moana)	Oaloanu
-	Head of Diplomacy and Immigration (Upoko ta ku Hautoa e ku Manene)	Locklyn Le Roy
Legislature		National Assembly
Establishment
-	Amalgamation	800
-	Autonymy of Konoa	August 2017
-	Annexation of Kōhatu	September 2017
Area
-	Total	44,150 km2 17,046 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	2017 estimate	8610000
-	Density	195/km2 505/sq mi
GDP (nominal)		2017 estimate
-	Total	340 billion KRB
-	Per capita	39,500 KRB
Gini (2017)		39.5 medium
HDI (2017)		0.835 very high
Currency		Oan Dollar (OAD)
Time zone		+11
Date format		yyyy/mm/dd
Drives on the		left
Calling code		+1275
ISO 3166 code		OAN
Internet TLD		.oan
a.	Excludes the Kōhatu Isles

The Realm of the Oan Isles (Reōa: i Rohe ta i Kōa) is an island nation in the south Pacific Ocean. Lazlowia lies to the west. The country has an area of approximately 44,150km². It has a warm, humid and rainy climate. It has many forests and mountains. The first humans inhabited the island approximately 2,000 years ago. They were united by Ahua I 800 years ago.

The largest city is the Port of the Rock (Reōa: Kokoru): the biggest port in the land. It is followed by the capital, La Rochelle (Reōa: Tokapa), a major financial and cultural centre. The total population is approximately 8.6 million people. The official and most spoken language is Reōa. The largest ethnic group is the Oan nation (Reōa: Iwi Oa). The largest religion is the Polynesian branch of the Evangelical Protestant tradition of the Christian religion.

The country is a developed one. It has a Pacitalian Development and Advancement System rating of A. It has a GDP (nominal) of 340 billion kiribs. It is led by services such as banking and information technology. It had exports of 62 billion kiribs. The biggest export goods are high tech products and fish. Although the Auroran-Pacific War had a negative effect on the economy, the HDI remains high, poverty and unemployment remain low and inflation and growth remain moderate. Its strongest trade, diplomatic and military allies are the Staynish-Caltharus Empire and Kuthernburg

The country is regarded as a great power in international politics. The National Defence Service forms the military of the Oan Isles. It has a budget of 11.5 billion kiribs and an active manpower of 86,100 personnel, and 30 commissioned vessels among which is a light aircraft carrier. The country is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The Emperor (Reōa: Rangitanga-ta-i-Moana) is the ceremonial head of state.

Geography

Oan Isles is located on the planet Urth on the eastern end of the Pacific Ocean. It lies between 140°E and 155°E, and between 5°S and 15°S. It is an island nation. The country is made up of approximately 33 islands. It shares a land border with the Staynish Pacific Territory on one of its islands. Lazlowia lies to the west, and the Staynish Pacific Territory lies to the west and north. Oan Isles has an area of 44,159 square kilometres which is also 17,246 square miles.

Oan Isles has an average height above sea level of 50 metres. The lowest point is sea level. The height here is 0 metres above sea level. The heighest point is Karaka Mountain. Most islands are topographically similar. The largest body of fresh water is Matomato Lake. It has a surface area of 340km². The longest river is the Nakahi River. It is 200 kilometres long. The biggest island is Toka Island.

Oan Isles was formed millions of years ago from movement in the Urth's tectonic plates particularly the Pacific and Yasteria Major tectonic plates. The mineral composition of the island reflects this process. Most of the islands are geologically similar due to the uniformity of the process by which they were formed. Most of the rock is sedimentary rock. Over millions of years, layers of sediment formed and hardened into rock. Kōa has generally fertile soil. Various minerals are present in the ground, particularly iron, copper, nickel and aluminium.

Biodiversity

Oan Isles has a large amount of animal, plant and fungal species. Some of these are only found on Oan Isles. There are rainforests, wetlands, sand dune islands, pseudo-alpine and thicket biomes. The biodiversity of Oan Isles faces many challenges. Deforestation for housing and farmland threatens forests and the organisms that live in them. Pollution from industries also poses a risk to the organisms.

Kōa is very close to the equator. It is often very humid, rainy and hot. Vegetation thrives under these conditions. Most of the country is covered by rainforests. There are numerous tree ferns such as Ponga (or silver fern), Mamaku or Tuakura. There are numerous conifers such as Kauri, Kahikatea and Manoao. There are numerous flowering trees such as Akeake, Kanono and Hīnau.

There are many birds. Birds are the dominant non-human warm blooded animals. There are flightless birds such as kiwi, cassowary and the moa. There are numerous flying birds such as Haast's eagle, tropicbirds, toroa (or albatross), Wikipedia:Takapu (a type of gannet), Karuhiruhi (a type of cormorant), Putangitangi (a type of duck), ibis, spoonbill, Torea (a type of oystercatcher), pheasant, Tuturuatu (a type of plover) and Weka (a type of crake).

There are numerous reptiles and amphibians. There are reptiles such as tuatara, Oligosoma (skinks such as aorangi, kakahu, tatahi, small eared, small scaled, spotted, shore, green and moko) and geckos (almost all of which are viviparous such as kawekaweau, takitimu, green, jewelled, common, forest and black eyed). There are numerous frogs of the Leiopelma genus such as the hamiltoni, horchstetteri, pakeka and waitomo. There are few indigenous terrestrial mammals and these are the kurī dog, kiore rat, and three types of bats: short tailed, lesser short tailed and long tailed. Almost all other mammals are domestic animals.

There are many marine animals. There warm blooded animals such as whales, dolphins and porpoises. There are many types of crabs, lobster, shrimp and prawns. There are many types of rays. There are many types of Moray eels. There are many types of salt water fish such as herring, haddock, pilchards, hake, tuna, sailfish, and angelfish. There are many types of fresh water fish such as elephantnose, pufferfish, catfish, butterflyfish, bushfish, mudfish and lungfish.

Climate

Oan Isles has a monsoon jungle climate. It rains for much of the year. It is humid. It is generally warm. This stems from its proximity to the Aequator. It is classified as a tropical monsoon jungle climate. Precipitation averages above 60mm, although it is higher in the monsoon season and lower in the drier months of the year. Extreme weather is not uncommon. Cyclones sometimes occur. For example, Cyclone Mable tore through the area in 2017, causing damage to infrastructure and death to livestock.

Governance

Main article: Politics of the Oan Isles

Oaloanu, the Emperor of Polynesia

The authority to rule and the sovereignty of the nation emanates from the Crown of Polynesia. The Treaty of Sanglong establishes the Crown of Polynesia as the body corporate that represents the power of the state. It further encourages this power to be divided and controlled by the Constitution of the Oan Isles. As such the Oan political system takes place in the framework of a constitutional monarchy. The monarch is the Emperor of Polynesia (known as the Rangitanga-ta-i-Moana in Reōa) who is the head of state and commander in chief of the armed forces. Due to the constitution, the holder of this office, presently Oaloanu is relegated to a figurehead, a ceremonial ruler.

Real political power lies in the hands of the government, which is divided into three branches. There are checks and balances between each branch. The National Assembly forms the law making branch. It has 345 members who are elected by the adult citizens of the country every three years in single member constituencies. It has the power make laws, elect members of the National Council and National Court, declare war, ratify treaties, pass the budget, impeach officials and hold the government to account.

The National Council forms the executive branch. It carries out laws and puts policies into practice. It bears the work of actually running the day to day affairs of the whole country. It is made up of ten members. Policy topics and agencies are grouped into categories called Portfolios, that are led and under the control of a Member of the National Council. The National Council elects a Chief of the National Council from among its members. This position bears little actual power and cannot be considered a head of government. It is consigned to calling and presiding over meetings of the National Council.

Politics

Oan National Assembly Building

The Politics of the nation are most visible in the National Assembly. The Members of the National Assembly belong to different political parties that represent different demographic groups and stand flr different ideologies. In the most recent elections, four parties were elected: the Pacifists who got 98 seats, the Greens who got 52 seats, the Socialist who got 47 seats and the Democrats who got the remaining 28 seats.

For decades, the political agenda has been dominated by an alliance of the Pacifists and the Greens. The Socialists and the Democrats have always sat in the opposition. The Pacifists generally have a close relationship with the monarchy, and often align themselves with its policies and agenda. They are generally centrist, mercurial in their ideals, pragmatic and gradualist in their policies and reactionary in their law making, generally seen as the guardians of the status quo. Their major mandate is to protect the pacifist nature of the state, an endeavour that they have failed dismally to achieve. The Greens seem to follow whatever the Pacifists say. Their real focus is to plant trees, make the water and air clean, and reduce pollution.

The Socialists and Democrats have broad ideological beliefs on every matter of policy. The Socialists are leftist. They encourage income equality, state regulation, state ownership of critical sectors, greater trade union powers and social equality.The Democrats have a more diluted version of the Socialist agenda.

Mauia Uweleye, the current ruler of Konoa, described Oan politics as uninspiring, dull and polite. When Konoa was still part of the Oan Isles, the Konoan People's Party was the third biggest party. It was a vocal defender of the rights of Konoa and was the primary proponent for the independence of Konoa. It was known for ruffling feathers and being aggressive. After its departure, Oan politics have gone back to the elitist talkshop and state doormat they have always been.

Foreign Relations

Main Article: Foreign Relations of the Oan Isles

The foreign relations of the Oan Isles are framed around four principles: increased cooperation with democratic nations, multilateral problem-resolution frameworks, respect for nation sovereignty and pursuing diplomacy instead of aggression. The latter two points have been brought into question by notable critics due to the invasion of the Yor Isles in 2017 and aggressive diplomatic politicking in Aurora. The nation presently forms a part of the Auroran Union. It has a personal union with the Asian Pacific Islands. The nation is a member of the Peacekeeping Forces of Urth.

It is a close partner of ths United Kingdom and Kuthernburg. It worked closely with these nations as a part of the Allies, a coalition of like minded nations against the Axis, a fascist coalition of dictatorships in Aurora (as well as Stratarin). It has been shaped by the experiences of the Auroran-Pacific War. While it has drawn closer to the UK and Kuthernburg, it has developed very cold and tense relations with former allies Stratarin and Xagrurg citing the latter as the primary obstacle to Auroran reunification such as in a white paper published in 2017.

The Oan Isles maintains relations with nations on almost every continent on Urth. It maintains particular focus on Auroran affairs followed by Atlantia. It has trade links with many nations around the world. These trade links have led to its relative security. The nation has not been invaded in over a century. In fact it expanded its territory by absorbing the Kōhatu Isles (also known as Gemica) in 2017.

Military

Chernakov J-10 multipurpose combat jet from Stratarin

The Oan Defence Force (Reōa: Kaha Korero Kōa) is the military of the Oan Isles. The Emperor is the ceremonial head of the military. The real work of developing policy, managing and overseeing the armed forces falls within the remit of the National Council. The Head of Defence (Reōa: u Upoko ta ku Korero) is responsible for overseeing the daily affairs of the military. The highest ranking professional leader and the head of the general staff is Admiral Tukama Uataka.

The military is made up of three branches: land, air and sea. It has a total manpower of 86,100 men. The force makes up 1% of the population. The land force has 56,800 men. The sea force has 24,200 sailors. The air force has 5,100 airmen. Only citizens and permanent residents may join. Women and gays are allowed to join. The force has 120,450 men in reserve. Conscription is only practiced during war time.

The military has a budget of 11.5 billion kiribs. The land force has a budget of 6.7 billion kiribs. The sea force has a budget of 3.3 billion kiribs. The air force has a budget of 1.5 billion kiribs. The budget takes up 3% of GDP and 8% of the annual budget. Funding comes entirely from the government. The biggest foreign suppliers of military equipment are the United Kingdom and Kuthernburg (and formerly Stratarin). Although military expenditure expanded slightly during the Auroran Pacific War, the domestic arms manufacturing industry shrank especially after the Oan Shipwright Corporation was bought by the Kuthern company kAE Industries.

The land force relies almost entirely on mechanised infantry and artillery. It is adapted to urban, guerilla and conventional warfare. Due to its small size, it uses asymmetric warfare to challenge larger adversaries. The skill of its men has enabled it to take on foes two to three times larger than itself. The navy has 30 commissioned ships, two of which are amphibious assault vessels. Its deployment is limited to the Caven Sea, the Azure Sea and the South West Pacific Ocean. The air force has electronic reconnaissance capabilities and unmanned aerial combat capabilities. Its experience spans operations in Latianburg during the 2017 terrorist insurgency, the war for the Yor Isles and invasion of Xagrurg and Kostoria-Obertonia

Economy

The economy of the Oan Isles follows a mixed socialist and free market model. High taxes, welfare programs and state regulation are employed to control the private sector, promote income equality and redistribute wealth. The state undertakes entrepreneurial activities and invests in industry. Private enterprise is permitted and even thrives. Inequality continues to be a major concern. Wealthy families own most of the nation's wealth through trusts that own and manage their pooled assets.

The Oan Isles has a wealthy economy. The Oan Isles has a nominal GDP of 340 billion kiribs and a per capita distribution of 39,500 kiribs. It has a growth of 2.9%. The Oan Isles has a diverse economy. The primary sector makes up 1% of the economy. The secondary sector makes up 39% of the economy. The tertiary makes up 60% of the economy. The largest sectors of the economy are financial services, transhipment, telecommunications, information technology, tourism, consumer electronics and high technology products.

The Oan Isles has an export driven economy. It's largest trade partners are Asian Pacific Islands, the United Kingdom and Kuthernburg. It has imports of 54 billion kiribs. They include metals, fuel, food, sand, cement, weapons, and machines. It has exports of 62 billion kiribs. They include consumer electronics, high tech products, fish and wood.

The Oan Isles has several companies. The largest companies include the Metatron Corporation (electronics), Standard National Bank (banking), Cafe Net (internet services), Oan Industrial and Commercial Bank (banking), and Floating Market (retail). Approximately 10 Oan companies appear on the Auroran Stock Exchange 100 Largest Companies in Aurora Index.

The Oan Isles has stable public finances. The Oan Isles uses the Oan dollar as its legal tender. It has a stable exchange rate of 7 OAD to 1 SHD, and 4.1 OAD to 1 KRB. It has an interest rate of 1%. It has reserves of 100 billion kiribs. It has managed to remain buoyant on its debt of 162 billion kiribs through beneficial repayment agreememts. The state generates revenues of 148 billion kiribe and expenses of 147 billion kiribs.

Ultimately the Oan economy is helped by an active and competent government, highly technically skilled, innovative and hardworking population, strong cooperative wealth generation and management tools, strategic geographical position, prudent investment choices and a policy that actively pursues interaction with other nations.

Infrastructure

The Oan Isles has a developed infrastructure system. There is a extensive system of paved roads. Tunnes and bridges link different islands. The Oan Isles has some of the best ports, harbours and shipyards in the south west Pacific ocean. The biggest shipping company is the multinational Pacific Trading Company. A ferry system links more remote islands. The biggest airport is the Maui International Airport. The flag carrier is Oan Air. There is an over and underground bullet train system.

The Oan Isles has well developed water management infrastructure of dykes, levees and drains to mitigate the effects of flooding. The water distribution and sewage system is well developed. Trash collection services are reliable and cover the whole nation. The nation has an extensive broadband internet system and WiFi is available in public places. The primary sources of fuel are oil and cellulosic ethanol. The largest source of electricity is coal followed by solar, geothermal and hydroelectric power.

Demographics

Main Article: Demographics of The Oan Isles

The Oan Isles has a population of 8.6 million people and a density of 198 people per square kilometers. Over the past few centuries large families were encouraged due to abundant food and a high standard of living. As space shrank and resources became scarce, restraints were applied to the liberal family planning that prevailed. A one child policy was introduced forcing parents to have merely one child. Emigration has been encouraged to mitigate the effects of over population, resulting in a large diaspora scattered throughout Aurora and the South Pacific, and stagnant to negative population growth.

The largest ethnic group is the Oan ethnic group (known in the Oan language as Iwi Oa) followed by the Noa people, the Kōhatu (Gemite) people and the Islander (Hia) people. The largest religion is the Polynesian branch of the Evangelical Protestant tradition of the Christian religion followed by a number of folk religions. Many people practice syncretism. There are few actual atheists. The Oan language is the official and most spoken language followed by Noan, Islander (specifically the Ainu dialect) and Gemican. Staynish is the most spoken foreign language.

The Oan social structure is based on a strict (but not inflexible) hierarchy of wealth, family and gender. The Oan philosophical school establishes a system in which an individual is part of and responsible to the whole, being grouped into and exerted expectations pertinent to the group into which they are grouped. This governs political, economic and social relations, with strict guidelines for how the young and old, male and female, rich and poor are to interact and what place, power, property and potential is accorded to and behaviour is expected from each. This system coalesces around the clan, the base of the Oan social structure, that distributes wealth, power and status according to the clan one belongs to. A gradual shift is being made from this system, broadly called the Oan clan system.

The Oan Isles is a developed country by all accounts. The people have a high standard of living. Absolute poverty is virtually nonexistent, although the Oan Isles uses a higher measure to judge itself, which leads "poverty" to seem higher than it actually is. Healthcare, education, basic food and housing, basic electricity and water are virtually free. Many people often consume far more than their needs and live beyond mere survival, leading to a high cost of living. Education is considered the bedrock of society, with almost total final year pass rates, but surprisingly low tertiary enrolment rates

Culture

The cuisine (known as kai in Reōa) of the Oan Isles is shaped by the tropical location of the country. Hangi is the primary cooking technique where food is cooked in a hole with hot stones. Ti tree is a common seasoning. Purple potatoes are a common vegetable. Seafood is a major part of Oan cooking. Grubs are also eaten in some parts of the country. Palm wine is a common alcoholic beverage.

The most common sport is association football or football. The Oan Isles has one of the best rugby teams and most prestigious rugby league in the world. Canoeing, mountain and tree climbing, stick fighting and boxing are major sports as well. The Oan Isles has been represented at major international competitions and performed well.

Body art is a common medium of personal expression. Oan tattooing (known as moko) is common. Wood carving and grass weaving are major forms of art. Common fabrics used in clothing are dog hair, bird feathers and flax. Feathers are commonly worn in hair. Cloaks and capes are common. Men and women wear skirts fastened by an embroidered belt.

Street theatre performances are common. The professional theatre circuit commonly called Firelight is a common feature for the wealthy. The haka is a chant performed in a group. Oan music is vocal. Instruments such as the flute, drum, guitar and xylophones are common. Oan dancing features strong movements and firm steps.

Education

The Oan education system is divided into three parts. The first part is primary school which lasts for three years, developing basic language, maths and life skills. The second part is the intermediate phase which lasts for six years. Students are exposed to a broad range of academic and practical subjects. They are then divided according to their perceived abilities into standard and advanced academic and vocational subjects for another three years. This is secondary education. The first twelve years are free and compulsory.

Tertiary education features either an undergraduate diploma or baccalaureate degree. After successful completion of these a student is free to pursue postgraduate master and doctoral degrees by coursework, disdissertation and research. The Oan Isles has a high rate of research output and international cooperation. The University of La Rochelle is working with the Royal Bursil University on research in the International Icelab. Some univesities are privately owned while some are state owned. The best are the National University of the Oan Isles, the University of La Rochelle, the University of Maungapa and the University of Noapa.