Christos

Monarchical Republic of Christos Christos
Flag
Motto: “United by Strength, Peace and Country”
Anthem: "Our Home and Country"
Capital	Coronasburg
Official languages	English
Demonym(s)	Christosian
Government	Monarchical Republic
• Crown Prince/ Princess	James
• President	Victoria Clefton
• Vice-President	Jim Kane
• Premier	Marcon Rubio
Establishment
• Independence from the US	1858
• Founding of The Chris Empire	1922
• Renaming to Christos	1954
Currency	Christosian Dollar
Date format	mm-dd-yyyy

The Monarchical Republic of Christos, commonly called Christos, is a Monarchial Federal Republic and a democracy. Christos is located on the planet of Chrisos Prime which resides in the Colonis Spatium Universe. Christos is best known internationally for its intelligent and kind populace, its spacious and diverse environment, its international acumen and influence, and its great and delicious food. It is a major tourist destination where people can visit the vast oceans to the high mountains in the center of the nation. Christosians are well-known in the areas of technology and statesmanship. The government and populace are known for their social tolerance, but there are some traditions that continues to play a major role in the lives of many Christosians. Christos is a mix of American, Filipino, and Prussian cultures with the American side dominating. Christos mirrors the culture of their mother country the United States of America but there are some differences that make the nation more moderate/ left thinkers.

In the NationStates universe Christos is part of the International Democratic Union region.

Etymology

Christos is pronounced [Kris-tos], and is named after the founder of the nation King Chris. The standard way to refer to a citizen of Christos is "Christosian" [Kris-toe-si-an].

History

The history of Christos can be divided into 3 era: The Colonial Era, The Empire Era, The Republic Era.

Colonial Era

The Colonization The start of the The Chris Empire begins with a young man named Chris being picked to colonize a new world for the United States government. Among the other people chosen he was the designated leader of the group and although he was working for the United States government, he knew that the U.S.'s reach was too thin. So while on the voyage to the new planet he came up with ideas of breaking away from the U.S. and making a new nation on the new planet. When they landed on the new planet he christened it Christos Prime and claimed it for the U.S. He then discovered the colony of Benedict Town in honor of his last name. As time passed the colony grew and expanded, discovering new areas to settle, new neighbors to meet and new ways to live. The U.S. sent dozens of aid, tools, food, weaponry and more settlers to expand their new territory. The new government headed by Chris thrived becoming governed in a totally different way then the U.S. Seeing this different for of government me used, worried the U.S. So they sent a new governor to take the place of Chris. With that Chris moved out of Benedict Town and founded a new settlement called Chris City.

The Revolt & Gaining Independence Time passed but as was predicted most people liked and missed the way Chris ruled Benedict Town and disliked the Governor the U.S. installed. The U.S. governing style was out of touch to the locals that talks of revolution spread from Chris City to Benedict Town to each city and town. Many people started to leave U.S. controlled cities and towns, like Benedict Town, and move to Chris City; arming themselves with the aid that was given, brought and stolen during the journey. Then the War for Christos Independence began. First starting with small raids and burning farmland to seizing towns. The battle plan was to march from city to city before arriving to Benedict Town and laying siege to the town. Many towns surrendered peacefully accepting the government that they had before but for some loyalist towns it was pure war. Then Chris and his followers arrived at the outskirts of Benedict Town, waiting for them were a multitude of U.S. soldiers and armed loyalists. The battle lasted for 5 days then on the fifth day the U.S. retreat trumpets sounded and a transport ship left the town. With that the people chose Chris to be their King eternal, and Chris declared that the newly formed nation would be called The Chris Empire. Two months after the war a formal independence declaration from the U.S. delivered by the former Governor was given to the new nation. Thus solidifying the independence of The Chris Empire.

Empire Era

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Republic Era

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Geography

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Environment

Large wild animals in Laeral include the brown bear, lynx, 'snow cat' (snow leopard), Chinese mountain cat, and grey wolf, although these are widely hunted and now have a severely curtailed frequency and range. Other wild mammals include the Summer Dog (raccoon dog), the Iduvian red and water deer, the marsh deer (Pere David's Deer), and the marmot. Birds common in Laeral include various cranes, the snowcock, the heron, various swans, and various pigeons.

Laeralian meat raised for cultivation lacks large pasture animals such as cows. Farmers instead focus on keeping geese, ducks, chickens, grouse, pheasant, and pigs, as well as sheep and goats in mountainous areas. Carp are farmed in the Riverlands, and water buffalo and oxen are kept as plow animals.

Laeral has a beautiful environment, with many areas preserved as national parks. Notable attractions can be found in some of the more rural provinces, as well as in some coastal provinces such as Althea. Environmental legislation protects environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands and old growth forests, and tourism and development are severely restricted into some areas. Some areas, conversely, are heavily developed, such as the Laeralford area and certain sections of Cenefort. Additionally, very strict environmental regulations govern water pollution, as fishing is one of Laeral's largest industries. This was not always the case; until the 1960s, the environment was not a major concern in Laeral. However, pollution remains an issue in many areas of Laeral's old industrial belt.

Demographics

Laeral has a population of over 79 million people. The fertility rate is 2.34, slightly above the minimum 2.1 rate needed to replenish the population. Life expectancy is high in Laeral: 81.47 years for newborn girls and 79.08 for newborn boys. Ethnic groups present in Laeral include the Arrivée, the Rén, the Gao, and various minority groups. Laeral's ethnic makeup has also been shifted by immigration of minority groups such as Desi, who make up a growing percentage of the population. A large percentage of Laeral's population is mixed-race, largely the result of marriages between Arrivée settlers and Rén natives.

Laeralians tend to be on the small side, with hair ranging from light brown to jet black and pale complexions. They tend to be shorter than global average. Men typically do not grow facial hair. Women of Laeral are generally petite, with long dark hair and elegant features. Additionally, roughly 94% of Laeralites identify as straight. Laeral's population is increasingly aging, as the average life expectancy has increased. This is beginning to place a burden upon senior care services, and the government is currently hard at work on increasing funding for state-run senior care providers.

Language

Mandarin Chinese was historically the primary language of Laeral. When the British arrived, English became a language in Laeral, although it was rarely spoken except by traders and merchants. When the French initially arrived, however, French became a language that all people were required to know, and inhabitants of the colony were discouraged from speaking Chinese. The majority of Laeralites are multilingual, and diplomats and civil servants often learn another language. English is widely taught in schools. Linguistic diversity is a major political focus in Laeral, with government documents required to be in Chinese, French, and English. The Académie Linguistique is a government agency responsible for regulating the practice and expression of language in Laeral.

Religion

According to the 2014 Census, Laeral's religious breakdown is: Minjian Faith: 24.3% Atheist: 23.6% Catholic: 17.3% Buddhist: 17.1% Taoism: 6.3% Other: 8.4% The Minjian Faith is a dualistic religion which originated in Laeral.

In general, residents of the more rural, western provinces tend to be more religious than easterners. Laeral has never been as religious as its neighbor of High Fells, and many Laeralian clergy are relatively liberal compared to their foreign counterparts.

The French brought Catholicism as the state religion, but it has caught on more in High Fells than in Laeral. However, some abbeys and convents can be found in Laeral, and practically every town has a Catholic church.

It is important to consider that even many who consider themselves agnostic often obey Laeralian traditions and superstitions, out of respect for Laeralian traditions and heritage. Traditionally, Laeralian culture features many superstitions, often related to the use of numbers. Certain numbers, such as 3, 7, and 12, represent certain positive qualities, while other numbers, such as 4, 11, and 23, are unlucky, because they represent certain negative qualities. Additionally, around the date of the Lunar New Year, superstitious citizens will refrain from cutting objects and using knives, while they will make sure to eat certain traditional foods.

Government

Although Laeral is technically a group of Allied Provinces, modern political power is largely vested in the national government. Each province is headed by a Governor or First Minister, as well as a provincial Legislature, to conduct self-governance. The leader of Laeral is the President of Laeral, who is currently Liu Mei-han. The President serves for 4-year terms, but can only be reelected to the Presidency once. The President serves as Laeral's head of state, although they have some power to delay bills and to speed their passage, assuming that a bill has passed the House of Commons by a 2/3 majority. Other than that, the President's role is only: 1. to name a Prime Minister and assist in government formation, 2. to break ties in any house of the National Assembly, 3. to decide Laeral's vote in international groups such as the World Assembly, 4. to assist in forming Laeral's Cabinet, 5. to serve as the face of Laeral and to represent the nation to foreign powers, 6. to execute various other official duties, 7. to assume more decision-making power in one of several strictly defined times of emergency. The Prime Minister is required to be officially appointed by the President, although the President will sometimes reluctantly appoint a PM selected by the National Assembly who is of a different party than the President, if the National Assembly is controlled by a different party than the President's own. They are responsible for overseeing the National Assembly, and can be voted out of office if they lose a majority in the National Assembly. Their unofficial roles involve ensuring that their legislative agenda is passed. The current Prime Minister is Tanvi Misra.

Laeral has a bicameral legislature known as the National Assembly, consisting of the Assembly of Commons and the General Assembly. The Assembly of Commons and General Assembly must vote with a majority in order to pass a bill on to the other Assembly. The bill needs a simple majority to pass. In the event of a tie, the bill fails. In order for a bill to become law, it must be passed by both Assemblies, although the President has some power to delay a bill. Additionally, a bill passed by a 2/3 majority of the Assembly of Commons does not need to pass the General Assembly if the President chooses to sign the bill. The Commons, consisting of 386 Representatives, is elected nationwide by party-list proportional representation, every two years. Two Delegates from each province are elected to the General Assembly according to a staggered six-year schedule, using instant-runoff voting.

Laeral has numerous major political parties, which tend to alternate power. Governments are almost always formed via coalition, although parties sometimes enter minority governments.

Laeral's judicial branch is smaller than the other branches of government, consisting of a large network of local courts, a Provincial Court for each province, and a National High Court which tries criminal and civil cases appealed from lower courts, following a majority vote of it's 7 Magistrates, including a Chief Magistrate (currently Hua Jiang). Judges and Magistrates serve for 20 years. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court is the highest court in Laeral, capable of nullifying laws and impeaching politicians. It has the same membership as the National High Court, but is rarely called into use.

Foreign Relations and Military

Laeral is an active member of the World Assembly, and has full embassies with numerous nations. Laeral generally gets along well with members of the International Democratic Union, and generally supports multilateralism. Laeral's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, especially the Foreign Service, are considered very prestigious careers, and pay well. In the current administration, the DFA is a high priority, and is very heavily funded. This funding has been used to hire more ambassadors and establish more international embassies, as well as establishing training and hiring programs at many Laeralian colleges. As a result, Laeral has embassies and consulates in more nations than ever before.

Laeral's military is divided into four branches- the Laeralian National Security Force, the Laeralian Navy, the Laeralian Air Force, and the Laeralian Gendarmerie.

The LNSF totals around 90,000 combat personnel. The LNSF focuses on infiltration and commando missions as opposed to front-line combat. They typically use assault rifles, notably the Laeralian-made A-220c. Their military doctrine concentrates on rapid strikes and flexibility. The LNSF has not been involved in a full-scale war in several decades.

The majority of Laeral's military budget goes to the Navy. Given Laeral's large coastline and the economic importance of Laeral's sea area, Laeral's navy is well funded. The Laeralian Navy has expressed hopes to build an aircraft carrier, although funds have not materialized. In the meantime, the LN focuses on smaller frigates for trade escort and coastal defense duties. The newest of these is the Defiance-class, currently in production.

The Laeralian Air Force is also small compared to the Navy, and consists of around 140 aircraft. They are largely based near the Skodenian border, as well as on some of Laeral's outlying territories. The LAF is also deployed over the Gulf of Laeral and the Laeral Sea.

The Laeralian Gendarmes are responsible for the protection of embassies and consulates worldwide as well as serving as elite special operations soldiers. They generally assign only a few members to even the largest embassies, with around half a squad assigned to each embassy. However, two full squads are assigned to Laeral's office at the World Assembly. Gendarmes, rather than the Army, are generally deployed to small scale trouble spots and secretive missions, and consequently have much more combat experience than the Army.

Economy

Laeral's economy is dynamic, thriving, and export-based, featuring above-average levels of government control. The Laeralian economy is dominated by the Information Technology, fishing, and textile industries, with tourism, film, and agriculture close behind. All of those industries receive substantial subsidies, but are also heavily regulated- as are most Laeralian industries. Laeral's economy is doing extremely well, but challenges are posed by high structural unemployment and an aging population. Laeral is currently in a period of economic expansion. Laeral's export-based economy has led to an emphasis on free-trade agreements with foreign nations.

Culture

Laeral is a generally secular, multicultural nation with a growing population. The education system is considered among the best in the IDU, featuring an extensive network of public universities, capped by the prestigious National Open University system.

Football (soccer) is the most popular team sport in Laeral, and a football stadium is found in nearly every town or city. LAeral notably hosted the 2018 IDU Football Championship. Organized play is dominated by Ligue 1, which consists of the 20 best teams in Laeral. Play in that league is dominated by Laeralsford's two dueling teams, Laeralsford AC and Ville Laeralsford, as well as teams such as Hanshui and Althea FC. There is also the Ligue Provincial, which is below Ligue 1 and consists of the teams relegated from that league, which make up the 24 second-tier football teams in Laeral. Other popular sports include basketball and handball. Laeral has experienced some success at recent Olympics.