Difference between revisions of "Nation/The Oan Isles"

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The Realm of The Oan Isles
Motto: "Continue, Regardless"
Anthem: "The Boy and The Sea
Regional Map
Capital		La Rochelle
Official languages		Oan, Codexian and Wachovian
Ethnic groups		Human
Demonym		Oan
Government		Constitutional monarchy and direct democracy
-	Defender	Ese Ulua
-	Head of government	National Council
Legislature		National Assembly
Area
-	Total	500,000 km2 312,500 sq mi
Population
-	estimate	120,000,000
-	Density	144/km2 241/sq mi
GDP (nominal)		estimate
-	Total	4,800,000,000,000 USD
-	Per capita	41,667 USD
Gini		10.5 low
HDI		.948 very high
Currency		Oan Dollar (OAD)
Date format		MM-DD-YYYY
Drives on the		left
Calling code		+1275
Internet TLD		.oa

The Realm of the Oan Isles is a nation in the East Pacific. The Home Islands, refer to the map, lie between Xiopothos, the Asian Pacific Islands and Lazlowia, while sharing a land border with the Staynes-Caltharus Empire. The nation also has colonies in the Pacific Ocean and on Gondwana.

The Oan Isles is a constitutional monarchy and direct democracy. The head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces is the Defender, Ese Ulua, while the executive branch consists of the collective head of government, known as the National Council. The legislature contains all adult citizens who vote on, debate, and propose bills through an online app. The government has three layers: national, provincial, and local. These three branches have checks and balances between them: legislative, executive and judiciary. The rule of law and rights of the people are respected in practice and enumerated in the Third Constitution of the Oan Isles.

The Oan Isles is spread across multiple timezones, in fact the international dateline divides the Home Islands from the Oan Pacific and Gondwana territories, and has one of the largest Exclusive Economic Zones on Urth and a medium land surface area. The Oan Isles experiences earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. It is often hot and humid. The Oan Isles is mostly mountainous and covered in tropical rainforests. The majority of people live in cities, the largest of which are the Port of the Rock and the capital city, La Rochelle. The Oan Isles has an excellent trackrecord in environmental protection and is a mega diverse nation. The national animal is the Spix's Macaw.

The Oan Isles has a diverse population. The 99.9% of the approximately 120 million strong population is human. The largest cultural group is the polynesian Oan ethnic group followed by smaller groups, who are often descendants of immigrants from elsewhere. The Oan Isles has many religions. Christianity is by far the largest. Many people practice syncretism with the second largest religion, Oan traditional religion, and smaller minority religions. Minority and women's rights are respected in practice.

The Oan Isles has a strong economy with high economic growth, that is dominated by the state and state-owned enterprise. It has a large welfare state. Its population is largely well educated and productive population. It has a large pool of natural resources such as methane, fish, marble, granite and wood, a productive agricultural sector, a large manufacturing sector based on robotics, machinery and electronics and by far the largest sector being the tertiary sector dominated by financial and transshipment services, tourism and information technology. It has a GDP of approximately 4,8 trillion USD. Its main trade is with Auroran Continental Assembly member states particularly Tuvaltastan, Dragonia, The Staynes-Caltharus Empire and to a lesser degree Emberwood Coast.

History

Pre History

The Oan Isles were uninhabited for thousands of years. They were isolated from the rest of the world. Their unique flora and fauna developed uniquely and independently from much of the world. This changed, however, when the first human settlers arrived.

Approximately 40,000 years ago, settlers from Bai Lung arrived on the The Oan Isles on what is not the Northern Province. They were set adrift on the East South Concordian Trade Winds. After a variety of misadventures, the intrepid explorers arrived on the Oan Isles. They are said to have arrived on a raft. No more migrants came from any other part of the world including Bai Lung. This is attributed to political, economic, but largely drastic changes in climatic conditions during the beginning and end of the Ice Age.

This group of people developed basic stone and iron tools in the respective Stone and Iron Age. Historical sites such as ancient stone tombs and the discovery of iron tools characterise these stages in Oan history. These people explored the islands, establishing different distinct tribal identities. They gradually moved from hunting, fishing and gathering to domesticating animals and planting crops. Their overall development was stifled by the mountainous terrain and distances between islands. They largely stagnated in their growth and development until the arrival of Gondwanan black natives.

First Black Arrivals

The people of what is now Abakamoso, Oynenyua and other such states, were fleeing war and famine in these countries. They sailed through the Gulf of Gondwana to what is now Oan Gondwana. Due to a number of factors these population groups died off. Other migrants sailed as far as Xiopothos, but the only lasting settlement or population was on the Oan Isles. They brought with them advances in technology such as semi-pictoral writing called cuneiform. They fought bitterly with the native population until they assimilated. Many aspects of their culture were absorbed into the native culture and the mixing of the gene pool, synthesised an entirely new group of people, the Oan nation.

First White Arrivals

Approximately 500 years ago, a small group of Codexians arrived on the islands. They were intrepid explorers seeking new land and treasure for the home country of Codex. These people also brought disease and rats, that killed many Oan people and animals. The Oan gradually developed a resistance to these illnesses and managed to eliminate the rats. The largely weak group of explorers had very limited interaction with the natives. Trade and cultural exchanges began, strengthening the new colonists.

These colonists developed systems that attracted many adventurous young Oan men. This allowed the Codexian arrivals to go so far as claiming large tracts of land. The Oan natives fought against the Codexians. Several governmentsriainvled after Codex rose and fell in wars and disasters. The biggest wars and complication of local strife occured when the first Wachovians arrived.

Wachovian Arrival

The first Wachovians arrived from Free Pacific States. They were sent bisolationistcompanies or guilds to explore new lands, as they were losing profits. They gradually lost contact with Wachovia, especially when Wachovia was assimilated into the rest of the Free Pacific States. They brought with them their culture and technology, but in search of a new home, they attempted to conquer the Codexians and Oans already fighting on the islands.

Their advanced weapons gave them some power in a variety of wars, going so far as to enslave some Oans. Rather than subjugating or dividing the native population, they edified an Oan identity and catalysed the unification of the natives into a single nation. The natives eventually won the wars against the Codexians and Wachovians. They adopted many aspects of their culture such as the Codexian script and the Christian religion.

Pre Modern

Through peaceful coexistence, they gradually crawled out of the ashes of war. They became isolationist, preferring to remain closed off from the rest of the world. They made parallel discoveries and inventions from the rest of the world, however. Although the mountains were a challenges, the warm weather an abundant rain resulted in a strong agricultural sector.

Industrial Revolution and Modern Era

Through some limited intercation with many nations especially those on Aurora, Oan reverse engineered and duplicated mechanical devices and machines. These led to mechanisation of many industries and further creation of new machines and processes. This process led to population and destruction of natural areas. Seeing the affliction of nature and the diminishing long term prospects of long term survival, Oans rapidly advanced beyond most of the world in tertiary industries and green technology. They were not part of the Auroran Imperial War, however.

Current

Geography

The Oan Isles is made up, mostly, of islands. The only continous land area is on the colony of Oan Gondwana. The Oan Isles lies from 0° latitude to 27°S latitude and from 140°E longitude and 133°W longitude. It has an area of 500,000km² or 312,500miles². It has ??? islands, atolls and islets. It has a length of ???km or ???miles and a breadth of ???km or ???miles. The Oan Isles is generally mountainous. The It has an average elevation of 1,200m. Its highest point is Heavenly Mountain, which has a height of 4,000 metres above sea level. Its lowest point is sea level. Its longest river is the Huana River (or the River of Light) which has a length of approximately 780km and has its source in the Truimphant Mountains that form part of the border with Rijelv.

Most of the islands on the west were formed from volcanic activity when the tectonic plates of the Pacific and Auroran Shelves experienced a great degree of movement ??? years ago. The islands from the centre to the east are residues of continental drift. This is explained by immense differences in their mineral compositions. Large reserves of igneous rock such as marble and granite can be found, along with the presence of many extinct or dormant volcanoes. Those to the east are characterised by metamorphic and sedimentary rock such as dolomite. The Oan Isles has abundant mineral resources. It has ??? kilolitres of untapped natural gas reserves and ??? kilolitres of petroleum reserves. It has a large amount of sea salt measuring some ??? kilotonnes.

Biodiversity

The Spix macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the Oan national animal.

Oan Gondwana and some eastern islands have a savannah and grassland biome. This means it has a reasonably well developed tree network, but is is not thick enough to be called a forest, and lacks many smaller bushes and shrubs that would characterise it as a thicket. The grassland is rather straight forward in that there are enormous plains. The rest of the country often has thicker tree networks, and coupled with the consistent precipitation, are called tropical rainforests. There are mangrove forests on some islands. There are succulent and fine leafed plants in a small part of Oan Gondwana, where the it is very dry, sandy and hot, with almost desert like conditions. There are many palm trees, such as date and coconut palms which are often called the "national tree".

The Oan Isles is a megadiverse country. It has many endemic animal species. These include cranes, storks, herons and other waterbirds which enjoy the many rivers, lakes and wetlands. There are also many eagles, vultures, parrots and macaws and birds of paradise. There are also many amphibians these include newts, salamanders, toads and frogs some of which are poisonous. There are also many arthropods such as tarantulas and scorpions, beetles, mantises, mosquitoes, glow worms, kaiko bugs and many more, some being poisonous or vectors of disease often found in the new and sparsely inhabited colonies in the central pacific. There are many mammals such as enormous fruit bats, capibara, otters, sloths, great and lesser apes and monkeys, hippopotami, many lesser members of the genus panthera and wild members of the genus canis such as dingoes and wild dogs, and antelope. There are many reptiles such as constrictors and venomous snakes, giant lizards, crocodiles and alligators, and chameleons.

There are enormous amounts of marine wild life. These include the gigantic network of coral reefs. They are not only attractive for their vibrant colours, but provide shelter and food for many animals. These include eels, star fish, anemones, urchins, seaweed, tuna, clown fish, hake, dolphins, whales and porpoises, manatees and catfish, sea slugs and cucumbers, clams, mussels and other shell fish, crayfish, shrimp and prawns.

Climate

The vast majority of the Oan Isles have tropical climate. The Oan Isles lies between the tropic of Makara and the Aequator. They are mostly humid and hot with average temperatures of 30°C and humidity levels of ???. The highest recorded temperature was 50°C in Aequator Island. The lowest temperature ever recorded was -20°C on the peak of Heavenly Mountain. The mountains often rise so far above the earth and into the sky, that the temperatures drop well below freezing. The water on their summits is perpetually frozen, forming glaciers.

The West and Central parts of the Oan Isles have three seasons. The Summer is hot and humid and lasts 4 months, with consistent, but medium rainfall. The Monsoon lasts for four months and it rains torrentially. Cyclones often occur in this period. The largest was Cyclone Salua, killing 300 people apprpximately 90 years ago. The winter months have medium temperatures and less rain. Droughts do intermittenly occur due to the El Niño phenomenon. Oan Gondwana and the eastern islands have cooler temperatures and drier conditions although it seldom drops below 0°C even in winter.

Politics

The politics of the Oan Isles take place in the framework of a constitutional monarchy and direct democracy.

The Defender of the Realm, is the head of state and commander in chief of the armed forces, Ese Ulua. He is elected every seven years by the Council of Chiefs from among its members. The Defender appoints the National Council with the approval of the National Assembly and appoints the members of the National Court with the approval of the National Council. He represents the Oan Isles and its people, performs or presides over various rituals and ceremonies, confers honours, designates national monuments and symbols, and presides over meetings of the Council of Chiefs. He has reserve powers to deal with emergencies.

The National Council is the collective head of government of the Oan Isles and forms the executive branch of the national government. The members discuss and vote on major issues together. Every year the position of Chairman rotates among them. The chairman presides over meetings, enforces the rules, represents the body and coordinates their activities. This is currently Locklyn Le Roy. They develop policies and execute laws and oversee departments that fall within the purview of their portfolios. The portfolios and their officeholders are as follows:

• Member for Foreign Affairs: Locklyn Le Roy
• Member for Defence: Kiahuaeni Luawuye
• Member for Finance, Labour, Trade and the Economy: Kia Uye
• Member for Police, Corrections, Security and Justice (Justice Minister of The Oan Isles): Iohana Toaye
• Member for The Sea, Agriculture, Forestry and the Environment (Nature Minister of The Oan Isles): Aia Salua
• Member for The Home, Health, Welfare and Social Development (The Home Minister of The Oan Isles): Noa Toaye
• Member for Transport, Energy, Mineral Resources and Urban Development (The Urban Minister of The Oan Isles): Saul Takalua
• Member for Education, Science, Tourism, Sport and Art (Education Minister of The Oan Isles): Lua Oaye

The governments of both the provinces and the local communities have an executive component led by the Governors and Mayors respectively, elected by their provincial and local assemblies every five years to lead the executive branches of those governments.

The legislative components of the national, provincial and local governments, reflect the direct democratic nature of the Oan Isles. The National Assembly is made up of all adult citizens who are allowed to vote, the Provincial Assembly is made up of all adult citizens who have a right to vote who have lived in the province for over two years and the same applies to local assemblies. They debate, vote on and propose bills through an online application.

The judicial system follows common law in all criminal and most civil cases and customary law in personal and family matters when the matter applies to ethnic Oans. The National Court is the highest court, receives appeals and has general jurisdiction over the whole nation. Provincial Courts receive appeals and have general jurisdiction in the provinces they preside over. Regional courts and local courts conduct trials or civil applications. In all cases except the National Court, when a vacancy occurs the judges of the relevant court propose a replacement to the Defender of the Realm for his approval.

Political parties do not exist in the Oan Isles as the electorate forms the legislature.

Foreign relations

The Defender represents the Oan Isles. The daily work of diplomacy is handled by The Member of the National Council for Foreign Affairs. The National Assembly must ratify all treaties and international agreements. The government foreign policy is mostly focused on Auroran integration and cooperation and economic development. The Oan Isles is a member of the World Assembly and of the Auroran Continental Assembly. The Oan Isles maintains strong relations with Dragonia and Tuvaltastan.

As a member of the ACA, the Oan Isles has numerous responsibilities. These include providing or permitting the free movement of goods, services, capital and citizens of Auroran member states, refraining from declaring war upon other members and in fact defend them from unprovoked attacks. It is also obliged to maintain embassies with all member states, which it does. The Oan Isles refrains from joining other pacts or alliances such as the South East Pacific Coalition and Fire Pact Alliance due to its tenuous position in the Pacific ocean, where it lies between its most important member states.

It further exchanged embassies with The Celan Empire, Atlaesia and Mexregiona.

Military

Main article: Defence Forces of The Oan Isles

The Defence Forces of The Oan Isles is the name of a set of agencies that have the ability to carry out combat. They vary significantly in function. This subsequently leads to variations in their weapons, style of combat and type of organisation and the authority they are subject to. It has three main branches: The Terrestrial Defence Service, Maritime Defence Service and the Aerial Defence Service. The Terrestrial and Maritime Defence Services are mostly civilian organisations under the authority of the Member of the National Council for Police, Corrections, Security and Justice.

The Defence Forces are fairly well equipped. They have a budget of 100 billion USD. They employ 120,000 personel in the TDS, 80,000 people in the MDS and 40,000 people in the ADS, 240,000 people in total. The MDS has a total of 337 seacraft and 50 ICBMs, and operates the Oan seacraft defence system. The Army has approximately 3,000 vehicles, and operates the Oan antimissile and antiaircraft defence system. The Aerial Defence System has several satellites and a large number of aircraft. The Defence Forces benefits from a robust arms manufacturing industry. This includes the Shipyards of The Oan Isles Ltd. , Airfields of the Oan Isles Ltd. and the Metatron Corporation.

The Oan Isles has renounced violence and abhors war, but simultaneously understands the need for an effective defence system. With that in mind, many of the weapons and fighting tactics of the Oan Isles are none lethal.

Administrative divisions

Provinces and Unincorporated Territories (Colonies) of The Oan Isles

The Oan Isles is made up of 6 provinces which comprise what is typically called "the home islands". This is because they are the original islands from which the Oan nation originates and the vast majority of the population, economy and infrastructure of the Oan Isles are located here. These are The Provinces of the:

• Rock Island -- which is where the capital city of the nation, La Rochelle and Port of the Rock are located. It has a total population of 40 million people and a density of 5,000 people a square kilometre. The indigenous rain forests have largely been reduced to public parks scattered through out the large cities. A large amount of land is acquired through land reclamation.
• Heavenly Island -- has a population of 30 million people. They are also very closely packed together into a small space. Peripheral islands are preserved as marine sanctuaries and wildlife conservation while the main island is an agglomeration of many cities, the largest being Heavenly City.
• Serenity Island -- is slightly more " laid back" than the preceding provinces, but it is still densely populated. It has 20 million people. The rainforests are preserved as public parks while the peripheral islands are left unscathed from the destructive power of man. Serenity hosts the annual airshow that forms celebrations for the armed forces and a showcase for defence technology. Like all the provinces and cities, they have avoided destroying their beaches by refusing to build close to them except in key areas.
• Crystal Island -- while the tallest mountain is Heavenly island, this island is more jagged and difficult and has the highest average elevation. The cities are built high into the mountains and dug into valleys and tunnels. This results in the unique cityscapes of this island province. It has close to 10 million people.
• The Northern Islands once had the most number of islands. Its population was split up more across islands. It has a population of 7 million people.

There are additionally colonies or more formally known as unincorporated territories. This means that because the political, financial and other difficulties that the state is facing, it is unable to extend certain rights or deliver certain public services or establish certain institutions. The government is then forced to govern the areas itself, directly. The Oan Isles has a number of such places, these are:

• Harmony Islands -- These form the southern portion of the newly acquired territories to the north of home islands of the Oan Isles named by General Oaluoa Uye. They have a population of 3 million people, mostly located in or around the city of Harmony
• Tranquility Islands -- These are the northern most islands. They have a population of 2,5 million people, most of live around or in Tranquility City. Some of these islands, such as Aequator Island have been availed to the Emberwood Coast Space Program for use as launching site.
• Oan Pacific Territories -- This is the collective name for all the Oan islands in the Pacific between the home islands and Gondwana, made up of The Peace and Pristine archipelagos. They have a total population of 500,000 people who are relatively dispersed fairly evenly throughout the islands although the city of Pristine City, which is at the middle point of the Pacific, is the most built up settlement followed by Midway, another major settlement.
• Oan Gondwana Territories-- This is the first piece of continuous continental part of the Oan Isles and probably the most strategic other than the home islands themselves of course. They connect the Gulf of Gondwana to The Pacific Ocean, a first. Their major settlement are the Port of the Light and La Lumo which house most of the population of 4 million total settlers. Oan Gondwana has diverse ecosystems and untapped natural resource potential.

Law enforcement and crime

The Oan judicial system is widely regarded as free, fair, impartial, independent and incorruptible. Training, discipline and protection of judges and lawyers and other officers in the system as a whole is scrupulous and unfailing. The highest courts are the National and Provincial Courts which receive appeals and the lowest are regional and local courts which conduct trials. Tribunals exist to mediate and resolve disputes amicably before resorting to litigation. Free legal advice and representation can be sought from the excellent attorneys at the Justice Office, especially when one cannot find help. The rule of law is upheld and the people's rights are protected in practice.

Provincial governments and some local governments have their own law enforcement and correctional and rehabilitation services. The national government uses the Terrestrial Defence Services to supplement these forces especially in exceptionally complex situations. The Law Office is responsible for coordinating the various branches and ensuring discipline and excellence in their work. They are often acclaimed for their work, but they are criticised for the extensive surveillance network that they employ.

There is almost no crime in the Oan Isles. People are safe in our country. We have a fantastic trackrecord in preventing and dealing with crime. Violent crime, human trafficking, domestic crime and corruption are virtually nonexistent. The Oan Isles does struggle from a large black market used to evade tax and quality controls. Some parts of large cities such as Port of The Rock, and unincorporated territories such as the Peace Islands OPT, are prone to some crime. The Oan Isles is exceptionally safe and people are well protected. The Oan government uses a combination of social programs (discussed below) and law enforcement to prevent and tackle crime.

Revenue and debt

The Revenue Service of The Oan Isles is responsible for collecting all taxes, levies and rates on behalf of the national, provincial and local governments through a variety of subsidiary bodies and branches. The national government charges a tax of 80% on the income of the top 5% of earners (approximately 3,5 million people). They earn an average 1,000,000 kiribs, contributing 2,8 trillion kiribs to the state coffers or 70% of all taxes. The rest of the 3,5 trillion dollars in revenue are made up by smaller taxes and revenue from state entrepreneurship.

As will be discussed further in the section The Economy, the state is the main driver of the economy. It generates money from dividends paid out through its large stake in many corporate entities, through rental fees and capital gains. Its holdings are managed through the state holding company, The Oan Sovereign Fund. Provincial and local governments charge other taxes and conduct their own commercial activities.

A shortfall of funds does occur, forcing the state to borrow money, accruing debt. This debt is sold to the citizens as bonds, particularly the richest, who own 90% of Oan debt. Citizens buy treasury bonds, the money is used to pay back debt to banks and foreign governments. The government pays the citizens minute amounts of money in return over an extremely long period. So far the state has remained buoyant on its 10 trillion kiribs of debt. Through its welfare programs and subsidies, most citizens do not generate large amounts of debt, in fact there is a fairly positive leakage or savings rate.

Economy

The economy of the Oan Isles is considered a socialist welfare model. This means that industries are either heavily regulated or dominated by state owned companies, firstly, and that extremely high taxes are used to pay for a large social welfare system such as public education, subsidised food and housing and free healthcare.

The economy of the Oan Isles is driven by domestic consumption, the scupulous exploitation and efficient use of available human and natural resources, prudent financial policies and fiscal discipline, an innovative and productive workforce. The additional land space, the natural resources and space it avails and increased access to strategic markets such as Setzna and Celannica have further bolstered the economy. In fact annual growth is predicted to hover around 7 to 10% over the next decade, which has allowed the state, as the main driver of the economy, room to innovate further into fast-growing economic sectors such as the space industry.

The country joined the Auroran Continental Assembly in which, among other things, tarrifs and other barriers to trade have been reduced. Similar agreements are in place with other countries. In fact the state has pursued an aggressive policy of international cooperation to boost the access of Oan businesses to foreign markets. For example the Grocers of the Oan Isles Ltd., the largest Oan supemarket chain store is opening up shops in Tuvaltastan and Emberwood Coast while the Airfields of the Oan Isles Ltd. is aiming to produce aircraft for Adumara. The Oan Isles is located at a strategic position, connecting Aurora to Gondwana, and being in proximity to the wealthiest markets on Urth such as The Staynes-Caltharus Empire.

The country has a PPP GDP of close to 5 trillion USD. The Oan Isles has adopted the Kirib for international trade and retains the Oan dollar for domestic use. The Bank of The Oan Isles maintains control over monetary policy and interest rates. It benefits from large currency reserves and prudent interest rates. Unfortunately debt hovers close to 70% of GDP. Most of it is absorbed by local creditors and forestalled by beneficial payment agreements. Close to three quarters of the economy are dominated by the state and state-owned businesses resulting in wasted spending of close to several billion dollars. It has exports of around 500 billion dollars.

Monetary policies and issues

Banknotes of the Oan Dollar

The National Council of The Oan Isles adopted the Kirib as a means of easing trade with the rest of Aurora. The use of the Kirib is restricted to international transactions. This was done for a number of reasons. The most important one is that only the National Assembly has the authority to coin currency. This means that only the National Assembly has the power to change the national currency from the dollar to the Kirib. Seeking the approval of the National Assembly (which is made up of 70 million Oan adult citizens) for a full change would have been costly especially if the change did not pass. The state resolved to only partially change over to the kirib.

This means that the use of the kirib in the Oan Isles is limited to paying for imports or receiving payment for exports and transactions with people outside Oan territory. The National Council issued an order whereby Oan dollars can only be converted into kiribs before being converted to any other currency, and other currencies entering the Oan Isles must be converted to Kiribs before they are converted to Oan dollars. The Bank of The Oan Isles promises to redeem dollars for kiribs and vice versa upon demand, at a set value, determined in line with Oan and Auroran economic trends. Only Oan dollars can be used for everyday payments within the borders of the Oan Isles. The Oan variation of the Kirib, the "Oan Kirib", has no physical units, however the Bank of The Oan Isles does issue cheques to pay the bearer in kiribs or dollars, which it issues itself. This measure can be overturned by a law passed by the National Assembly or by the National Court in a civil dispute ruling against the state as a plaintiff or defendant. So far no serious action to overturn this has gained traction or success.

The Bank of The Oan Isles is a state owned entity that has the authority to issue Oan currency and determine Oan monetary policy. It manages Oan currency reserves, lending to and borrowing money from foreign or local entities or banks on behalf of the government. It has kept interest rates close to zero for over a decade. It makes transactions on behalf of the government. It is governed by a Governor and Board of Directors. The Member of the National Council for Finances, Kia Uye, in her capacity as the Treasurer of The Oan Isles, oversees the Bank and signs Oan currency. The financial policies and accounts of the state are under her authority. During her tenure the state's debt has expanded exponentially, but the overall coffers have also increased and payment agreements have become more beneficial.

Labour and Ownership model

The Oan economic system combines a variety of systems and models to create a unique one: The Oan model. In the Oan Isles, the state is the main driver of the economy. This is a system is or incorporates a form or aspects of state capitalism. State capitalism is usually described as an economic system in which commercial (i.e., for-profit) economic activity is undertaken by the state, where the means of production are organized and managed as state-owned business enterprises (including the processes of capital accumulation, wage labor, and centralized management), or where there is otherwise a dominance of corporatized government agencies (agencies organized along business management practices) or publicly listed corporations of which the state has controlling shares.In this system, however the employees are given shares in the corporate entity as a portion of their remuneration.

There are two types of employees in the Oan Isles: priority contractors and workers. The majority of Oan labourers are organised as priority contractors. Priority contractors are a composite of ordinary workers and contractors. Priority contractors are generally employed in the primary and secondary industries. This is where the priority contractors earn a salary, but their income is supplemented by a commission paid in proportion to the work they do or products they produce. While this reduces their non-state benefits, it allows them to have immense freedom over their work. Some even work from home or a personal office instead of reporting to work everyday. Both priority contractors and ordinary labourers are given shares in the company, earning dividends based on their continued employment or contract. The Oan Isles is one of the few countries in the world in which the citizens and workers are literally owners of the means of production.

Income distribution

In the Oan Isles, the top 5% of employed adults earn an average 1,000,000 kiribs a year excluding other income sources. The bottom 50% earn an average 10,000 kiribs. This vast difference in income is mitigated by a number of factors. The first is tax. The "top 5%" pay 70% of the tax. The bottom 50% benefit from a plethora of state allowances, subsidies and other welfare packages. The top 5% represent the major drivers in the economy owning vast assets.This is mitigated by the fact that most full time workers or "priority" contractors own stakes in the companies in which they work. What would be a Gini coefficient of 0.6 is reduced to 0.1.

Generally Oan household income, including state grants, commissions (refer to the section labour and ownership models) and dividends, including tax is 20,000 kiribs for 50% of people. On top of which, many people have low debt rates and a low cost of living, but high standard of living. Most people are left with a substantial income to spend on entertainment and culture, leisure and recreation and savings, than most people on Urth. Cars and free standing apartments are a luxury item for a very small amount of people. Most live in subsidised apartments, mostly owned by the state, and have long term lease agreements, some as long as 500 years.

The Oan state owns almost everything in the Oan Isles. Because most agencies are organised as corporate entities, they often give shares to employees. This in effect allows citizens an indirect ownership of most assets instead of the state. This close relationship between the people and the state and corporations in the ownership of assets is part of a concept mentioned in the preceding sections and was coined, "The Oan model".

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Sectors

Agriculture is a large sector. Much of it is dominated by practices that have arisen from a lack of land space. This is called factory farming. Animals are bred and produce is often grown in massive factories and greenhouse like skyscrapers respectively. Much of the livestock market is supplemented by massive imports of around 640 million USD from Tuvaltastan of Tuva cattle, sheep and chickens, which are also being proliferated in farms in the newer colonies as a long term breeding exercise rather than a short term consumer spending cut. Through government subsidies, food prices are quite low and food inflation is both constant and low, allowing Oans access to good food. Agriculture is dominated by the production of grains such as maize and meat such as beef and chicken. The Farmers of the Oan Isles Ltd. and Ranchers of the Oan Isles Ltd. are the biggest companies in the sector, pioneering a new model of chain farms, abattoirs and ranches.

Fisheries is a gigantic sector. The Oan Isles has access to pristine and abundant seas. These give it access to a large amount of fish and marine wildlife. The sector is heavily regulated to prevent its abuse by corporations. This has sparked innovation. Fish farms were introduced and are spread throughout the seas. This focused and concentrated production of fish generates massive profits that have far exceeded wasteful fishing practices of many countries. Sardines, mussels, hake, tuna, mackerel and anchovies are the biggest generators of money. Due to the enormity of the available fish and marine reserves expensive animals such as abalone are available, where they are often forbidden from consumption in other countries.

Forestry is another big sector. The Oan Isles benefits from massive forests which are dominated by hardwood trees. This has bolstered the production of paper, furniture, and wood for construction.This industry is also heavily regulated to prevent the ruthless exploitation of natural resources that serve as a home for wildlife. The Oan Isles has always been careful to avoid being heavily dependent on its forests, preferring to preserve them. This is why most of the wood is sourced from invasive trees or plantations.

Construction, Manufacturing and Mining

Mining and mineral extraction have been small parts of the economy, most of the metals and stone, and sand for construction and land reclamation have been imported. The home islands of the Oan Isles did not and do not have abundant mineral resources. This forced the manufacturing sector to innovate by recycling. 95% of the household and business waste is recycled. This allowed manufacturing to remain sustainable for a very long time. Plastic, glass, metals and organic waste (often used for the manufacture of cellulosic ethanol and fertilizers) are the main sources of revenue. This ability to recycle effectively, other than offsetting a lack of resources, has helped to preserve vital marine life, and forests, allowing other sectors to enjoy profits and longevity.

Manufacturing, while large and diverse, generates a large amount of money from electronics particularly foundry chips. Electronics are consumed voraciously. This fact, coupled with state encouragement has created a thriving sector. The total income generated from is around 300 billion dollars. Household electronics and advanced hardware manufacturer, Metatron Corporation is one of the largest such companies in the industry. From furniture, to gym equipment, to televisions and computers, to robotics, the Oan Isles is innovating in a formidable sector.

Construction is another major industry. It stems from overcoming the challenges the Oan Isles. The Oan Isles has significantly more people who need shelter and who need infrastructure to build a productive economy. While per woman fertility is low, overall growth easily outpaces the demand for space. Laws are put in place to protect nature and prevent cities from eliminating what is left of the forests and increasing in girth. This means that builders must always build higher buildings, often demolishing old buildings to make way for taller ones. Many buildings especially in La Rochelle, Port of the Rock and Heavenly City rise well above a kilometre, the highest being the Pinnacle of Heaven, reaching 3 kilometres above the ground. This new construction often needs more roads, railways, sanitation and other infrastructure to be buiit to accompany it. This means that there is always work for the construction sector, which generates impressive revenues and makes extraordinary amounts of money.

Mining itself has sat at the back bench of the economy. But the Oan Isles has almost sextupled its area. Its control of massive waters have availed it minerals it has never fathomed having access to: fossil fuels. The renewable energy industry is firmly established and these reserves could hardly provide for all the Oan energy needs, but they have created an economic opportunity to absorb the impact of overpopulation and the demands it makes and financial gains for the state and prudent companies. While there is very limited exploration or exploitation of these resources, it is believed that the reserves could reach three billion barrels in total.

Services

The services or tertiary sector comprises the bulk of the economy. It is made up, primarily, of the financial services, tourism, information technology and transhipment services.

Tourism

Tourism is mostly comprised of eco-tourism and cultural tourism. The beautiful beaches, gorgeous jungles, mountain sports, marine activities, tropical cuisine, vibrant urban night life and Oan culture are major attractions. There is a large market of domestic tourists. There is a large market for international tourists as well. They are encouraged by free travel and VISA agreements. The Oan Isles has free travel agreements with all and direct flight with some members of the Auroran Continental Assembly, from which many of its foreign arrivals originate.

Information technology

The information technology and telecommunications services sector is a large sector. The Oancom Ltd. is the largest provider of telecommunications services. It bought a large part of the Furnifold dial-up provider and is developing and expanding broadband and other communications services in that country. One of the largest internet service providers in the country, Café Net Ltd., based mostly on its browser services, has offices and provides services in Kuthernburg. This sector is a leader in internet services for the world at large. It is supported by fast average internet speed of nearly 50MB/s in some places, an extensive fibre optics network to support a powerful broad band internet network and the easy access to smartphones and other electronics for most people.

The Metatron Corporation is the largest company in the Oan Isles. Its focus in on the manufacture of high tech products particularly consumer electronics. The many smart phones and laptops it produces at low expense to the consumer while possessing some of the most advanced tech on Urth, bolsters the information industries to bew heights surpassing many countries on Urth. In fact its products are so fast that one can download a movie in one second. This speed and accessibility of high tech products has allowed a range of online schools, shopping sites, music abd entertainment outlets, taxi companies to be opened and to operate efficiently and easily, creating hundreds of jobs and generating billions of kiribs towards the economy, through the informaton technology industry.

Transshipment

The transshipment services sector is a powerful one. The Port of the Rock is a major international port, handling much of the cargo that enters the Oan Isles and a vast amount of cargo moving through the Pacific Ocean area. It benefits from its strategic location and proximity to wealty markets. Through its Pacific colonies, it can influence much of the trade between Gondwana and Aurora and Atlantia as well Yasteria and Gondwana and Aurora. It benefits from free trade agreements. Its unique access to Celannica's and Daneelmark's markets in the restricted Gulf of Gondwana, that was largely closed off and difficult to access due to the enmity between the SEPC and FPA. The Oan Isles is notorious for its re-export, where it purchases cheap products from poorer countries and sells them to wealthier markets. Its most notorious use of this process is the re-export of livestock and animal products from Tuvaltastan.

Financial services

The financial services sector is a large industry. It has a tradition of exceptionally low interest rates and fees. It is dominated by investment banking and the exchange of securities and shares. With the proposed creation of the Auroran Continental Bank (to be seated in Sani Bursil the capital of The Staynes Caltharus Empire) and the Auroran Securities and Commodities Exchange, the industry stands to benefit from access to funds and a large market on the Auroran continent. The Oan financial sector and services industry is resilient due to conservative and prudent policies that resist and sometimes benefit from fluctuations in commodity prices or booms in property prices.

Waste industry

Main Article: Waste management in The Oan Isles

Waste management in The Oan Isles is so lucrative and contributes so much to the economy that it is classified as an industry rather than a public service. The industry generates hundreds of billions of kiribs, provides millions of jobs and mitigates the impact of pollution, on top of which it has access to an unending resource: waste. This term encompasses all processes which transport, collect, sort, recycle and reuse waste generated by other human economic activities. This ranges from recycling waste water into drinkable and irrigation water, to turning concrete back into cement, yurning old and discarded glass, paper, metal and other waste into a new product and using discarded pant matter to make fuel. This process affects many other industries and processes and is very intertwined with all aspects of Oan life. Almost 100% of Oan waste is recycled or reused in some way. No new landfills have been opened since 1980 CE. The remaining ones are used to source methane, a by product of decomposition, or converted into parks or residential areas. There is no sea dumping either.

Demographics

The Oan Isles has approximately 120 million people. The most recent, reliable and conservative estimate is that there are actually 119,860,970 people who live in the Oan Isles. 52% are female and 48% are male. 99.9% are human while 0.1% belong to other species especially vulpines from the Aurora, Gondwana and Pacific region. 99.1% are citizens. 10% are above the age of 70. 50% are between the ages of 21 to 35.

Mortality and Fertility

Each woman, on average, has 0.5 children. This means that out of 1000 women, only 500 can be expected to have one child. This is because of urbanisation and the expenses associated with having children in a fast paced conservative policies. Although abortion is restricted and illegal in most cases, the state has a large family planning program, encouraging abstinence and the use of contraceptive.

Family and Marriage

There is a fairly low divorce rate of 2% of marriages ending prematurely after 5 years. 5% end at some point. Women marry on average at the age of 24 while men marry on average at the age of 28 years old. The average age gap between married women and men is 4 years in which the male is often the senior.99% of marriages/civil unions are heterosexual. Homosexual unions are technically not marriages, since no religious body has agreed to administer them, only state civil unions have been administered for homosexual couples. Homosexual unions are often afflicted by premature separation/termination. A large 10% of marriages are polygamous, attributed to Oan polynesian culture. 6% of households are fatherless, while 1% of households are motherless -- attributed to divorce, death and separation. The protection of the traditional marriage and family model is attributed to conservative social education and the presence of strong religious, particularly Christian, institutions, in every day life.

Urbanisation

A rendition of the cityscape of the most populated city in the Oan Isles, The Port of the Rock

Urbanisation in the Oan Isles is the process whereby people move to and work in urban areas. Approximately 65% of the population lives in the top ten largest cities in the country. This reflects approximately 77,8 million people. Approximately 17% of the people live in one city: The Port of The Rock, while 30% live on one island, The Rock Island. The top ten cities only use up 44,600km² of the 500,000km² of The Oan Isles total land area. The rest of the 44,2 million inhabitants use up approximately 30,000km² of The Oan Isles' available area. This reflects a total urbanisation of only 15% of the Oan Isles' land surface. The average density in the top ten cities is 1,700 people per square kilometre. Even then, a whopping 20% of the land is reclaimed from the sea, meaning that only only 12% of the Oan original terrain is actually used up for urban areas. The Oan Isles has relatively few actual cities or towns, with approximately 70, 60 of which have an average population of 750,000 people. Almost all Oans live in cities, except a small percentage of agriculturalists, nearly 2% of the population. Even then most agriculuralists grow food in skyscraper green houses. Urbanisation has the benefit of reducing damage to the environment, while making jobs and services easily accessible. Oans enjoy a great deal of comfort and safety in urban areas.

Languages

The Oan Isles has three official languages: Codexian, Wachovian and Oan. Codexian is managed by the Codexian Language Board and Wachovian is managed by the Wachovian Language Board in the Free Pacific States. Local variations of these languages exist especially Wachovian. Wachovian in The Oan Isles is heavily influenced by Oan.

Oan is a language which originated from the Oan Isles. It is characterised by many vowels, the use of prefixes and suffixes to create tense, meaning and so on. Oan is written in a variation of cuneiform, alongside the Codexian script. Both texts are used in public life and taught in schools. All three languages are used on street signs, official communications, education and commerce, however, Codexian is becoming dominant as The Oan Isles is exposed to people from around the Urth. Most PCs have both scripts available, but only generally only Codexian is on the keypad.

Oan is spoken as a first language by 80% of people over the age of 40, while 70% of those below the age of 40 speak Codexian as a first language with Oan as a second language. This trend shows how Codexian is replacing Oan as the primary medium of communication. Wachovian is by far the most spoken 3rd language. 80% of Oans can speak at least three languages while 16% can only speak two. 50% of Oans can read and write at least two languages, while 40% can read and write in both Codexian script and Oan cuneiform. 10% can read and write in both scripts and at least two languages. All adult Oans above the age of 16 can read and write.

Ethnic groups

99.9% of people in The Oan Isles are Homo sapiens. There are approximately 1,000 dwarfs who live in the forests of the Peace Islands, far away from modern human society. There is a minute number of vulpines from countries such as Emberwood Coast, The Staynes-Caltharus Empire and Veikayu, but all of them are expatriate workers, students or tourists. No nonhuman has ever been made an Oan citizen.

Oan humans have a variety of ethnic groups which is equivalent to breeds among vulpines or lupines. The Oan ethnic group is by far the largest and continues to assimilate other groups through adoption and "Oanisation".90% of people are considered Oan, and this number is growing exponentially. Oan Wachovians and Oan Codexians number 7%, while Oan Bai Lungese and Oan Central Gondwanans number 3% of the population. Through the Oan tribal system (discussed in the section on Culture), people are adopted, their names are changed, they are subject to Oan customary law and become part of the "Oan nation". This process of Oanisation has become more vigorous as Oans are increasingly exposed to nonhumans.

Religion

The largest religion by a wide margin, is Christianity. 90% of people belong to this religion, but of them are distinguished by denomination. 5% of Christians are Roman Catholics. 15% of Christians belong to the Mainline Protestant Churches such as Calivinism and Lutheranism. 80% of all Christians are Evangelical Protestants especially of the Charismatic and Pentecostal branches. The latter denomination ballooned in the 20th century due to the fact it reinstated the fairly conservative teachings and bible-centred nature of teaching to which many Oans who were disenchanted with the 1960s liberalism, apostasy and dillution of religious values, especially those which led to The Auroran Imperial War, had longed for.

Evangelical Protestantism also created a platform for syncretism. Syncretism is the process whereby two or more religions are combined. Many profess Christianity as a religion, and Oan traditional religion as a cultural and lifestyle aspect. While these two differ in practices, they agree in some areas of doctrine (or at least according to the interpretation of syncretists). There has been on going debate about the extent to which Oan traditional religion influences Christian practice and belief. This also skews how many people practice Oan traditional religion, as syncretism was not asked in the previous census or in many polls.

Oan traditional religion eschews many stylistic epithets of Yasterian "Eastern" and "Western" organised religion. It does not have a sigle scripture. It stems from the cultural practices of the Oan people over 50,000 years. Most revelation and teaching is organised around prophets. These are almost entirely women, who are very sensitive to the spiritual world, and are able (according to their stature) to communicate with or tap into a complex spiritual world. This Spiritual World ranges from giant serpents who are believed to control water and rain on Urth to ancestors who provide guidance, protection and abundance. Animal sacrifice and incense are important parts of the religion. There is a very limited focus on deities (who are claimed to exist, but are irrelevant to humans), except the Creator and the ancestors.

Culture

The Oan Isles has a very vibrant cultural scene. Oans frequently attend their thriving concerts, theatres and cinemas among a myriad of cultural attractions. They have a unique culture, that is blend of many cultures.

Music

The Oan music scene is diverse, robust and lucrative. The most prolific genres are tropical, Afrobeat, reggae and dancehall, hip-hop, jazz and R&B. Most music is rhythmic and relatively fast or medium paced, with a beat. There is a strong appreciation of both vocal and instrumental music. Most instruments feature percussion such as marimba and drums, and chord instruments such as acoustic guitar or strummed cello. Oans have an appreciation and preference for live shows such as concerts, music festivals, jazz clubs and open air street parties.

Literature and media

Oans have a vibrant culture of literature. There is a strong culture of teen fiction, due to the popularity of espionage, fantasy, science fiction and alternative universes. Adults generally historical fiction and crime dramas. In the Oan Isles there are warnings for age inappropriate content.

The most prolific publications are The Critic and The La Rochelle Times. The Critic has a magazine, weekly newspaper and online platform. It is begrudgingly sponsored by the state. The government is often the subject of scathing articles in The Critic. The government has tried repeatedly to supress The Critic, but the publication has easily deflected these attempts as it is mandated by the law and shielded by the courts. The exchanges and conflict are often the subject of public entertainment. The La Rochelle Times is a more muted paper, favoured by the middle class. Raisson Rouge began as a Wachovian language magazine, but has blossomed into a fashion, lifestyle and tabloid magazine. Its less restrained counterpart, La Rue poisson, is known for defamation and exaggeration.

Social media

The social media site, Café In™, is owned by the internet services giant, Café Net. One can share videos, pictures and text through a personal messaging component or a publically visible timeline. One can either follow or connect with users. Another social media service, also provided by Café Net, is an application called Vibe™. This application facilitates video and voice calls and messaging to one user or to multiple users of the application at once.

Art

The Oan Isles has several types of preeminent art forms. These are wood sculpture, tapestries and murals. Major public areas often have totems. These are large wooden poles into which abstract secular or religious motifs and figures are carved into the wood. The most famous one is the Wawiyawaye, a 5 metre totem in a park in La Rochelle, on top of which is carved a man thinking, as birds and words seemingly pour out of his minds.

Tapestries are rather non-traditional. Intricate patterns and complex imagery are made by weaving dyed grass or plant threads/fibres. The most famous example is a twenty metre tapestry in the gallery of the National History and Art Museum. It features a complex story of the establishment of the Oan Isles.

Murals are main form of painting. They feature traditional Oan geometric and abstract figures and patterns, decorating large public spaces. A newer form is hip-hop inspired street art. Many public areas such as tunnels, bridges, buildings and public wall galleries feature works commissioned by the state or private patrons.

Drama, Film and Television

Many theatre pieces, films and television shows are locally produced, and written. Theatre is very beloved. The most common form of theatre is open air short comedies or dramas, portraying stories in the old Oan style. The major theatres are well attended. The television scene is dominated by drama series and mini-series. Films are characterised by their personal and intimate nature and low budget. There are, sometimes, large scale blockbuster films such as At the Edge of Time, a science fiction film of a dystopic Oan Isles in which vulpines have driven humans to near-extinction. It was highly controversial upon release.

Hierarchy of the Oan nation

The Oan nation does not refer to the entire citizenry of The Oan Isles. It refers to all the people who belong to the Oan ethnic group. People must be adopted or born into one of 20 tribes, to belong to this group, and, as a result, become subjects of customary law.

As mentioned above, there are 20 tribes. These tribes were standardized and defined a few centuries ago. They existed before that time, but there was little clarity of what the term meant. The term is defined as people who are descendants of the 20 "Great Ancestors" who emerged from the "Great Troubles" (refer to section on History for more information). Along with their families, they distributed themselves across islands from the Central to the Crystal province (refer to section on Administrative Divisions). Their descendants developed variations in language and cultural practices, that allowed 20 distinct tribes to form. There is a tribal council made up of representatives of the clans, that decides on matters pertaining to the tribe as a whole. They each elect a chief, who represents them in the Council of Chiefs and leads them. Most practice de facto hereditary monarchy.

At some point their male descendants began distinguishing themselves and their descendants as the population increased. They created subunits beneath the tribes called clans. The average tribe has at least 100 clans. These clans have a clan council made up of family representatives which discusses and decides on clan matters and elects a "Head of the Clan".

As the population increased and the descendants of the founders of these clans dispersed from their original homelands, they formed families. New families continue to be formed, unlike clans and tribes which have remained rigid, but this is a slow process. There are tens of thousands of families in the Oan Isles. The adults form a council called the family council. Most families delegate the work to a smaller group of people. The family elects a " Head of the Family".

At the bottom is the House hold. It is made up of parents and their children. Oan customary law does not recognise homosexual couples or polyandrous marriages, so they are not considered a household, and subsequently lack the same rights that heterosexual monogamous or polygamous household would have. The head of the household is technically the male partner, in terms of cultural protocol. The parents often decide on a name for their household which they give to their children as a middle name. When one becomes an adult (i.e. 21 years and above, even though the legal age of majority is 18) one is no longer considered part of their parent's household. When one gets married, one uses a new household name as a middle name.

Oan naming customs are complex. The name of ones tribe, clan, family and household are automatic parts of ones name. As Oanisatiom has strengthened most people only publically use their personal name, household name as a middle name and tribal name as a surname in public life. For example. The current Defender of the Realm is actually: Ese Wawiyanuanua Wawiyatakanualuaye Yatakaye Ulua, but he only uses Ulua in public life. The twenty tribes (in their approximate order of power and influence) are: Uye, Ulua, Salua, Toaye, Takalua, Oaye, Ioye, Luawuye, Aolua, Eye, Nialua, Kaoye, Roaiaye, Minalua, Uataka, Poye, Vaye, Bolua, Zalua, and Yaye.

Infrastructure

The Oan Isles is highly urbanised and has a developed infrastructure network.

Communications

The Oan Isles has a large Information Technology sector. Its entire television broadcasting network is digital. The network uses satellites to move content and handle communications. The internet and other telecommunications networks use optic fibre cables. The average internet speed is 50Mbps. The Oan Isles also has a high fibre density or concentration due to high urbanisation. There is a large availability of public and free WiFi in public spaces.

Transport

The Oan Isles has an advanced transportation infrastructure network. It has thousands of kilometres of paved roads. In urban areas, space is saved by stacking roads of top of each other in urban areas or digging them into the ground. Unfortunately this results a complex traffic system and high traffic jam rates. The Oan Isles is mostly dependent on public transport, mostly buses. This significantly reduces the frequency and impact of traffic jams. This also saves Oan citizens and businesses money and time. It also reduces the impact of noise and air pollution generated by cars. This also results in low car ownership. Cars in the Oan Isles are fairly expensive especially when compared to buses. The cars and other private vehicles on the road are almost entirely electric and some use a potent mixture of methane, aerated plant-sourced alcohol and ethane called Oanfuel.

There is an extensive network of railways. They are either aboveground or underground. The system is used for both passenger and freight transport. They trains are punctual and effecient. They travel throughout the country. The largest station is the Ocean Throne Central Station in the Port of The Rock with tracks connecting La Rochelle, Port of the Rock and Heavenly City.The Oan rail network is mostly made up of high speed bullet trains with an average speed of 300km/h. It comprises the bulk of inter-island locomotion, making use of artificial or underground tunnels to move people and goods between islands.

Energy

The Oan Isles has a good energy network. It was strained by the lack of coal and was marred by the pollution it caused. The government resolved to use renewable energy. This bolstered new technologies to produce energy for the Oan Isles. It replaced the conventional system with renewable and less polluting industry.

The Oan Isles uses nuclear energy for 10% of its energy needs. It uses Uranium brought in from Oan Gondwana and imported from Aurora. The radioactive materials or waste products are disposed of in a place called the Cracks of Fire. This is an open area in the crust when molten rock and fire bubble out from deep beneath the urth.

The Oan Isles also uses solar energy. It uses a combination of conventional solar farms and self powered buildings and homes. The Oan Isles is often bright and sunny. Many residential areas have solar panels. Large buildings have had their windows converted to transparent solar panels. They generate electricity and sometimes have enough to feed the main power grid. Solar power produces 30% of The Oan Isles' energy needs. Solar is often stored in massive batteries. This allows people and businesses to have power even when the sun is not shining.

The Oan Isles also uses geothermal energy. The Oan Isles has many volcanoes and hot geysers. It uses these open sources of heat to produce over 30% of its energy needs. The Oan Isles also uses wind energy to produce 5% of its energy needs. This relatively small proportion is due to the fact that the Oan Isles has a small amount of space. The Oan Isles also uses hydroelectric energy to produce 5% of its energy needs. It uses cellulosic ethanol and methane for 10% for its other needs, often in private utilities such as cooking at home. Cellulosic ethanol is found in waste plant material of any kind. Methane is taken from the decomposition of waste in ancient landfill sites, underground deposits and from livestock.

The Oan Isles has found a way to store the carbon dioxide generated from using electricity. The gas is sent into the basalt layer beneath deep beneath the urth, where it reacts with other elements and solidifies. This is the reason why the Oan Isles has very clear skies.

Water

The Oan Isles has a lot of rain. It rains for eight out of twelve months almost torrentially. The Oan Isles government built overground and underground channels to move water to massive underground resevoirs. This enables the Oan Isles to have easy water access and to reduce the need for dams. The Oan Isles has a good water treatment and redistribution system. The country also recycles most of its waste water. This allows The Oan Isles to have abundant water. The Oan Isles also has undersea water pipelines to transport water between islands. There is some desalination. Oan Gondwana Territories are supplied by the massive Five Valleys Dam in the Truimphant Mountains where the Salania River has been redirected to an area where five valleys converge. This dam can provide watet and energy to Rijelv as well.

Social programs

Welfare

The Oan Isles exudes many characteristics of a socialist economy, but it is more accurately a welfare state. The Oan government has provided free healthcare to its citizens (which will be discussed more extensively under the section health) and free education (which will be discussed under the section education). There are social programs whicu will be discussed herein.

People who get married for the first time, have a single child or buy an apartment or house for the first time receive an allowance. People who are disabled or above a particular age, suffer from chronic illness, adopt a child, are injured out of their own accord or engage in charity work instead of actual labour, and single mothers and women who have been raped receive an allowance or compensation from the state. Their needs and circumstances are assessed according to a complex matrix of formulae to pay them a necessary amount.

Essential foods such as fruits and vegetables, staples such as bread or rice, and milk are subsidised by the state. Poorer families, in fact receive free food (except for meat and nonessential items). Transport costs especially for the poor or low income earners, the elderly or disabled, are subsidised by the state. Fuel and electricity costs especially for the worst off citizens, are subsidised by the state. Medical costs for essential surgery or treatment are subsidised by the state. Education is compulsory and free while the costs of tertiary education for able and willing learners are subsidised. People who work in essential industries such as emergency, medical, defence, education or police services receive an allowance. Essential research is funded by the state.

Education

In the Oan Isles, primary and secondary education is free and compulsory. Schools are built and managed by provinces, governed by parents and their content is determined by universities, while their assessments and the system in which they are taught is controlled by the national government. Oans have a relatively low tertiary education compared to most developed countries. This is attributed to the fact that there is a strong emphasis on preparing students for their careers during their primary and secondary education instead of tertiary education, allowing many to practice and work without additional or tertiary schooling.

School starts from the age of 7, rather late by most comparisons. At Level 8, with each level being a year long, students are diverted into their careers. They are grouped into one of three faculties: Humanities, Science and Technical. They take additional practical training as apprentices under a working professional ovet several months for five years, earning an additional qualification along with their "Matriculation Certification" at the end of their schooling: "The Apprentice Certification". They are subsequently qualified to work in many fields. More specialist careers such as medicine, physics and law, require further education. This is often accomplished at one of our distinguished universities.

The Oan Isles has several universities. The most distinguised is the University of La Rochelle and the largest is the National University of The Oan Isles. The National University is an open learning distance education university enrolling 1 million people mostly diploma courses or short courses. The University of La Rochelle is research focused. It's School of Science is renowned for its R&D, with several patents including carbon fibre tech used in cellphones, developed with its close partner, the Metatron Corporation. The University of Serenity is the host and operator of the Oahuana II Large Particle Collider, in which the graviton was discovered, in collaboration with the National Science Council of The Oan Isles. The University of Crystal Island is renowned for hosting one of the highest large telescopes in the Aurora-Gondwana area: The Stargazer Telescope Array, rising 2,000 metred above the sea. The University of Heavenly operates the massive Medical School Academic Hospital, with close to 5,000 beds, responsible for innovations in hydro colon therapy and gastrointestinal disease treatment and prevention. The University of Tranquility and Harmony is a new addition and has the largest overall reach, servicing students at campuses and through open distance learning in The Tranquility and Harmony Provinces, and the Oan Gondwana and Pacific Territories. The UTH is slowly being split up, however.

Health

The Oan health system is regarded as of a high quality. It has a large number of hospitals and clinics, equiped with the necessary materials and machines, and staffed by competent doctors and nurses. In the Oan Isles, healthcare, for citizens is mostly free. The state pays for most essential surgeries and treatments for chronic and non-chronic conditions. Prescription spectacles are free, immunisation, especially for young children is free. Non essential surgeries and treatments such as sex-change are not covered by the state.

Oans have a life expectancy of 90 years. The oldest man currently alive is 130 years old. The Oan Isles' citizens benefit from healthy and abundant food, clean air and water, access to medical and sanitary facilities or amenities and frequent exercise, and safe working conditions. The Oan Isles is focused on disease prevention ranging from lifestyle choice to immunisation against communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and measles. The Oan diet is characterised by a large amount of vegetables and fish. Meat and oily foods are often expensive, thus diabetes, heart disease and high/low blood pressure are not major health issues. The deadliest disease, among prevalent fatal diseases is cancer, killing 1 out of 20,000 people each year.

--The Oan Isles (talk) 23:14, 18 March 2017 (EDT)