Pharitaya

Haean Republic of Pharitaya 파국 ภริทยา
Flag Emblem
Motto: "Unity, Light, Truth"
Capital	Seriwon
Largest	Puri Rimbawan
Official languages	Haean, English
Recognised national languages	Johko, Jaebang, Seogurim
Recognised regional languages	6 recognized regional languages
Ethnic groups (2022)	59% Tae 33% Jaebang (Coastal Tae) 19% Johko (Highland Tae) 5% Yugeomae (Midland Tae) 2% Other Tae 27% Kasa 18% Seogurim (Central Kasa) 8% Sura (Coastal Kasa) 7% Haemi 4% Mizu 2% Kaijanese 1% Rén 0.6% Mallacan <1% Other
Religion	Large minority: Celestialism (official), Sasna Thaya, Islam Small minority: Minjian, Neo-Minjian, Christianity
Demonym(s)	Pharitayan
Government	Parliamentary Republic
• Yuhwa	Mi Nayul
• Anuya	Tae Jiheon
• Prime Minister	Suchin Chaiwong (채수진)
Legislature	Parliament of Pharitaya
Establishment
• Kingdom of Pharitaya	842–1398 CE
• Pharitaya and Seogura Provinces of Haesan	1398–1736
• Pharitaya Colony of Opthelia	1736–1977
• Independence from Opthelia	23 May 1977
Area
•	174,270 km2 (67,290 sq mi)
• Water (%)	7.8%
Population
• Estimate	28,309,441
• Census	2020
GDP (PPP)	2022 estimate
• Total	$1.561 trillion
• Per capita	$55,145
GDP (nominal)	2022 estimate
• Total	$1.208 trillion
• Per capita	$42,663
Gini (2022)	57.3 high
HDI (2022)	.821 very high
Currency	Eun (은) (PHE)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Pharitaya Standard Time)
Date format	yyyy.mm.dd
Driving side	right
Calling code	+25
Internet TLD	.ph

Pharitaya, officially the Haean Republic of Pharitaya, is a nation in Eastern Hesperida, bordering Misumi to the west, the Slokais Sea to the east, and the Gulf of Haesan to the south. While the nation is nominally a unitary parliamentary republic, in reality the leadership of the Seobhagunnang, or the aristocratic Council of the Seven Houses, who dictate most national policy. Parliament is largely considered a puppet of the executive branch, as it has been dominated by the conservative, pro-business Pharitaya National Party (PNP), which is seen as beholden to the Seobhagunnang. The Pharitayan Constitution does not guarantee total separation of powers with checks and balances, and the influence of the Seven Houses is felt throughout political, economic, and social life.

Pharitaya was first unified in 842 by Phra Bat Somdet Khwanchai Chanthahom Phra Chao Yu Hua (Samat I), as a hereditary monarchy known as the Kingdom of Pharitaya. The Kingdom endured many crises, as border wars with their more technologically advanced Mizu neighbors were common. In the late 13th century, a two decades marked by severe flooding weakened the Kingdom, and a line of Haesanite puppet kings were installed. In 1398, Haesan colonized the nation, administering it as the provinces of Pharitaya and Seogura. In the 16th century, a unique power sharing agreement arose between provincial governors and wealthy Haesanite merchant families and business leaders, forming the basis of the Seobhagunnang. When Haesan was colonized by Opthelia, Pharitaya was also taken over and governed semi-autonomously as an Opthelian colony for over 200 years. In 19XX, Pharitaya was granted independence, and it adopted its current Parliamentary system of goverment.

Pharitaya has a diverse economy, led by the finance and energy sectors. Pharitaya has gained infamy for being a major tax haven, as it has a shoestring tax code and scarce government oversight. The government's pro-business leanings and inherent stability have made the nation's largest city, Puri Rimbawan, a hub for the international banking sector. The 1983 discovery of hydrocarbons in Pharitaya's offshore EEZ turbocharged its economic growth, and helped lift millions out of poverty while exacerbating the nation's wealth inequality; Pharitaya is currently rated as the most unequal nation in the IDU. The nation's capital, Seriwon, is currently the world's wealthiest and most expensive city, as those who seek to live in or visit the island city must meet a high, undisclosed, wealth threshold, or otherwise have accrued fame or diplomatic status. Much of the country remains rural and agricultural, with rice, tea, and silk being the amongst the nation's main exports. Poverty rates are low, as extensive government welfare programs provide a baseline quality of life for Pharitayans.

Pharitaya has gained international recognition for its culture in recent years, as the lavish lifestyle of its wealthiest residents has drawn international media attention. In recent years, Pharitaya has also angled at hosting prestigious events, expositions, and conferences to boost its international profile.

Geography & Climate

Pharitaya covers 174,270 km² (67,290 sq mi) in the east of Hesperida, and is typically seen as divided into three distinct regions: mountainous northern foothills, riparian central valleys, and lowland marshes and terraces in the south along the Gulf of Haesan and Slokais Sea. Most of the population of the nation lives on the Chalermphrakiat Peninsula jutting southward into the Gulf, including the major cities of Puri Rimbawan and Jarantasiri. The terraced river valleys of the Johko, Sigyu, and their tributaries are emblematic of the northern portions of the nation, but the far north is too rugged to be agriculturally useful.

Pharitaya has cool, dry winters, and hot, humid, rainy summers. Pharitaya's climate is distinguished by its strong monsoon pattern, lasting from mid-July to early September. The climate is seasonal, with four distinct seasons. The northern foothills usually have cooler summers, classified as Koppen type Dwb, as opposed to type Dwa in most of the rest of the nation. The nation is subject to rare typhoons originating in the North Tenebric Ocean; however, most typhoons far enough north lack the warm water required to strengthen and peter out before reaching Pharitaya, usually arriving as heavy rainfall.

Demographics

Pharitaya has a population of 28,309,441 as of the 2020 census. The population is slightly increasing, driven by high birthrates in its rural areas, although that is mitigated by lower birthrates in its urban areas and an emerging trend of immigration to nations like Haesan and Slokais Islands. Urbanization is accelerating in Pharitaya, as the nation's burgeoning services sector and general wealth of its urban citizens has driven internal migration to cities, especially amongst well youth with college degrees. The nation's population is split between urban and rural areas in about a 65/35 split, with very few suburban areas. The nation's largest city, Puri Rimbawan, is responsible for about half the nation's population, with a population of 13,473,606 in its metro area.

Pharitaya is a racially diverse nation. While Haemi hold nearly all executive positions and control the Seobhagunnang, there is a deep tradition of plurality in the nation. The two largest ethnic groups in the nation, the Thaya (Tae) and the Qazzafi (Kasa), have generally peacefully coexisted since Pharitaya's unification under Samat I, but throughout history tensions have arisen over land and religion. Many credit the long, neutral rule of the Seven Houses for maintaining ethnic peace in the nation, although many critics have stressed that the Haemi domination of government has prevented the Thaya and Qazzafi from controlling their own destiny. There is also a significant of Mizu Pharitayans who have crossed the border, often due to religious differences, as well as Kaijanese and Mallacans who have found a home in the many Muslim communities in the nation.

Religion

Celestialism is the official religion of Pharitaya; however, it is estimated only around 15% of Pharitayans practice the religion. Despite the often authoritarian nature of Pharitaya's government, religious pluralism is accepted, and there is broad religious diversity. The indigenous Sasna Thaya religion, a samsaric belief system in which believers seek enlightenment through meditation, is the most popular religion in the nation, estimated to have about 12 million followers, mainly from those of the Thaya (Tae) ethnicity. Islam is also a major religion in the nation, with many Qazzafi (Kasa) devoutly practicing various forms of Sunni Islam. Most cities and towns with a significant Muslim population, most notably, Puri Rimbawan, will pause for the Muslim call to prayer, and the weekend is generally considered to be Friday and Saturday. Pharitaya hosts a notable Minjian and Neo-Minjian population, especially amongst those of Mizu descent whose ancestors came to Pharitaya to freely practice their religion. Sanctarian Catholicism is practiced by about 2% of the population, a result of missionary work during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Language

The official languages of Pharitaya are Haean and English. Most commercial business in the nation is conducted in English, and most communication in Seriwon within and between the Seven Houses is in Haean. Various Thaya languages, predominantly either Chayfang (Jaebang) or Chawkhea (Johko), are the most spoken in casual conversation; both are recognized as national languages. The most common variant used by Qazzafi Pharitayans, Sukutime (Seogurim), is also a national language. Various other dialects are recognized locally, but they are used by no more than 3% of the population.

Education

The Pharitayan education system has notably improved since the National Education Reform Plan in 1985. Literacy is near universal, and currently 40% of the population holds a college degree, with that number expected to rise over the coming decades. Pre-K, primary, and secondary education are available at no cost, and Pharitayan public education is well regarded internationally, borrowing heavily from the Haesanite exam-based system. Especially in mathematics and other STEM subjects, Pharitaya ranks extraordinarily highly on an IDU-wide scale. Public universities are highly subsidized for Pharitayan citizens, usually only costing the equivalent of a few thousand Sanctarian pounds a year. Private universities are common, and are usually more highly rated than their public ocunterparts, but the cost can be prohibitively expensive for those from lower-class backgrounds as needs-based financial aid is rare.

Pharitayan education has often been regarded as classist, as throughout the educational system those with money can pay for access to better schools, resources, and tutors, without any counterbalancing measures from the government. Additionally, critics have pointed out that those in urban areas often have access to one of the best educations in the IDU, while educational attainment rates in poorer areas like the northern foothills are as poor as some of the least successful nations. Outside observers have also raised the alarm about potential forced cultural assimilation via the educational system as typically only Haean and English are allowed to be spoken inside the classroom, despite Thaya and Qazzafi languages being far more popular in daily use.