Novella Islands
Social Republic of the Novella Islands | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Seal
| |
| Motto: "From knowledge, power. From peace, freedom." | |
| Anthem: "National Anthem of the Social Republic of the Novella Islands" | |
 The Novellan Archipelago | |
| Capital | Novella City |
| Official languages | Novellan English (en-NI) Latin (la)[a] |
| Religion (2023) | 99.56% No religion (atheist or agnostic)[b] 0.15% Confucianism 0.11% Secular Buddhism 0.09% Taoism 0.07% Shinto 0.02% Others |
| Demonym(s) | Novellan |
| Government | Unitary unicameral parliamentary constitutional republic, with technocratic or meritocratic elements, particularly in the civil service |
| Dr. Edmund Dell | |
| Dr. Alice Bell | |
| Legislature | National Assembly of the Novella Islands |
| Formative and transformational events | |
• Novellan Archipelago discovered | 23 November 1621 |
• Aqis colony established | 7 December 1628 |
• Federation of Aqis, Aqon, and Cyanth colonies as the Union of the Novellan Colonies | 1 July 1668 |
| 25 October 1725 | |
• Incorporation of all 10 states as the Federation of the Novellan Archipelago | 8 April 1775 |
• The 1877 Revolution and subsequent May Agreement results in reformation as the Communist Union of the Novella Islands | 3 May 1879 (May Agreement date) 13 July 1879 (reformation date) |
• The 1969 constitutional referendum results in reformation as the Social Republic of the Novella Islands | 27 August 1969 (referendum date) 1 January 1970 (reformation date) |
• The 2024 constitutional referendum results in the permanent dissolution of the Federal Parliament of the Novella Islands, and its reformation as the National Assembly of the Novella Islands | 15 January 2024 (referendum date) 29 January 2024 (reformation date) |
| Area | |
• Total | 195,207.49 km2 (75,370.03 sq mi) |
• Water (%) | 1.57 |
| Population | |
• 2024 projected estimate | 79,200,000 |
• 2023 census | 77,429,206 |
• Density | 377.80/km2 (978.5/sq mi) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | ₦1,471.45 trillion |
• Per capita | ₦19,008,500 |
| Currency | Novelle (₦) (NIN) |
| Date format | DD-MM-YYYY (informal) YYYY-MM-DD (official) The universalised calendar is used in place of the Gregorian calendar. |
| Driving side | left |
| Calling code | +231 |
| Internet TLD | .ni |
The Novella Islands, officially the Social Republic of the Novella Islands,[d] is a sovereign archipelago nation located located in the Northern Ocean, to the north of Liberalia and Hesperida in the International Democratic Union.[e] With a land area of just over 195,000 square kilometres, the habitable land represents only an approximate 22% of the Novellan Archipelago. Nonetheless, the islands are inhabited by a population nearing 77.5 million citizens, who live in an advanced egalitarian and humanist society, governed by a democratically elected legislature and executive overseeing a technocratically and meritocratically appointed civil service.
The Novella Islands is internationally renowned for its comprehensive public education system, from primary through tertiary studies, and consequently its exceptionally high research and development output of cutting-edge technologies. Naturally, its integration into the global economy is principally supported by the export of expert knowledge work and innovation services, alongside high-precision manufactured goods. As a state with declared weapons of mass destruction, the Novella Islands maintains a policy of non-intervention in the affairs of other sovereign nations in most circumstances, although it does extend and accept invitations to facilitate various diplomatic discussions as a neutral arbiter where appropriate.
Etymology
The etymology of the name of the Novella Islands is somewhat disputed, with neither of the two predominant hypotheses particularly well-supported within the literature, or historical records. Interestingly however, both alleged etymologies stem from the original Latin root, novus ("new, novel").
Via the Italian novella
One theory posits that the name entered the language via the Italian novella ("short story"), itself later entering the English language as a loanword.
Prior to European settlement in the late 16th century, the Novellan Archipelago was uninhabited by humans; lush forests, pristine beaches, and crystal clear water greeted the initial colonists, untouched by any anthropogenic contamination. Although likely apocryphal, it is contended that the lead botanist on the Superb exclaimed upon making landfall, witnessing the picturesque landscape, "These islands are as if they have been lifted from a novella!". Nonetheless, by the 18th century, there is sufficient written documentation to support the existence of the popular adage, "The Novella Islands are more beautiful than the tale in any novella".
Via the Latin Terra Nova
The second theory asserts that the etymology of the name is via the Latin Terra Nova ("new land").
European colonisation of the Novella Islands was not undertaken as an establishment of penal colonies, as with many foreign territories settled in the 16th and 17th centuries. Instead, the First Fleet was funded by - and exclusively carried - an intelligentsia class, searching for a new place to establish a society based purely upon logic and reason. At this time, while English was the primary spoken language, Latin was still the preferred language for any official written documentation that was to be permanently archived. As such, it is not inconceivable that the archipelago retained its Latin placeholder Terra Nova, which was then corrupted upon its entry into spoken English.
History
Pre-colonial era
On 23 November 1621, the Novellan Archipelago was first sighted by the Opthelian expeditionary vessel, the Superb. Having been ravaged by an unusually fierce storm over the past fortnight, running dangerously low on supplies and with major damage to their vessel, the crew were ecstatic to find the subarctic islands' hospitability. Laying anchor within a protected bay (known today as Silver Sands Bay), Captain Robert Watson went ashore by runabout with both his cartographer Lieutenant James Marshall, and his botanist Lieutenant Daniel Thompson. The crew of the Superb were surprised to find that not only was the island seemingly uninhabited - as they would later discover about the entire archipelago - but that they also boasted a wealth of natural resources. The bay was abundant with fish and wild game, as well as a variety of fruits, nuts, and edible plants. Critically, however, was the discovery of the Aqisian red ironwood, which Lieutenant Thompson determined suitable material for repairs to the ship.
A temporary settlement was soon set up along the beach, and much of the crew disembarked to assist in either the preparations for repairs to begin, or the restocking of food stores for the voyage home. Over the next six weeks, the Superb was completely serviced, and its hold fully replenished. So successful was the crew's time at Silver Sands Bay that Captain Watson ordered a complete mapping of the island, and later extended this order to the entire archipelago, before returning back to Opthelia. So long had the Superb been away - almost twice the duration their voyage was expected to last, given the supplies they carried when setting out - that it was declared lost, proving quite the frenzy when it arrived back in Longport. The expedition's meticulous record keeping and comprehensive mapping of the Novellan Archipelago earned all of the senior officers various commendations, and spawned a wave of exploratory sentiment within Opthelia's intelligentsia. Over the next five years, various upper-class academics, intellectuals, and other members of the cultural elite began planning a settlement expedition to the islands.
Colonial Era
The Union of the Novellan Colonies
De jure independence from the Empire of Opthelia
As the Novellan Archipelago was settled both without either the approval or financial support of the Opthelian government, there is a strong contention that the resultant colonies were never under the rule of the Empire of Opthelia. Indeed, at no point during the early colonial period did Opthelia either provide support to, nor make demands of, the colonies. While some historians have suggested that the use of the Empire of Opthelia's flag - on land discovered by an Opthelian expedition - constituted a tacit recognition that the colonies in the Novellan Archipelago was established as a subject of the Opthelian Empire, this is both downplayed and rebutted vehemently by Novellan historians. The principal argument against this being the fact that not all of the colonies flew the Opthelian flag, and its usage was not consistent even within the colonies that did fly it; more than anything, it was flown a sign of their shared Opthelian heritage. Further, and perhaps even more damning to this argument, is that a new flag quickly began to gain more widespread adoption, and would eventually become the official flag of the Union of the Novellan Colonies.
Nevertheless, the mere suggestion that the Novella Islands could have been beholden to Opthelia encouraged the Novellan colonial government to enter into discussions with the Opthelian Imperial Household in 1719, around the possibility of a decree of independence. While the relationship between the two nations was by no means hostile at this point in time, Opthelia was predominantly ambivalent towards the colonies, and the Novellan requests fell upon deaf ears. It was only with the offer to transfer three modernised ships-of-the-line - the Illustrious, the Atrium, and the Turmoil - that negotiations finally began to bear fruit. By late 1724, an agreement was finally reached; backdated to the date of first settlement, the Novella Islands was to be a wholly independent nation in its own right. The decree of independence was signed and proclaimed on the 25 October 1725.
This debate of sovereignty in the very earliest days of its national history lead the Novella Islands to reject offers of entry and participation in the Opthelian Commonwealth, to which all current and former members of the Opthelian Empire are welcome. While the Opthelain government extended invitations on the principle that the Novella Islands is entitled to membership due to their "strong ties of cultural heritage with Opthelia", the Novellan government had opposed acceptance as a matter of course, due to the fear of eroding any perception of their total independence from Opthelia (a perception which has been carefully constructed since the 18th century). Nevertheless, following the dissolution of the Communist Union of the Novella Islands in 1970, the Social Republic of the Novella Islands gradually began taking part in the annual Opthelian Commonwealth Conferences, culminating in full membership status by 1973.
The Federation of the Novellan Archipelago
The 1877 Revolution and the May Agreement
The Communist Union of the Novella Islands
The Great War
The Social Republic of the Novella Islands
Permanent dissolution of the Senate
Geography and environment
General characteristics
Geology
Climate
Biodiversity
Flora
Fauna
Fungi
Government and politics
Administrative divisions
Aqis
Aqon
Cyanth
Hathon
Jervo
Rolor
Stahl
Telem
Wotan
Xeles
Novella Islands Overseas Territories
Law and justice
Foreign relations
Military
The Novella Islands Army
The Novella Islands Aerospace Force
Economy
Industries
Agriculture and fishery
Manufacturing industry
Science and technology
Services
Taxation
Infrastructure
Transportation
Energy
Water supply and sanitation
Demographics
Ethnic groups, ancestry, and immigration
Language
Religion
Health
The Universal Healthcare System (UHS)
Deathcare
As the Novella Islands has a resoundingly non-religious population, the rate of adherence to rituals and traditions surrounding the death of an individual is particularly low. Culturally, death is taken as a natural consequence of the cycle of human life, albeit an unfortunate one; there is no specific attachment of any great significance to the event.
The vast majority of deceased individuals within the Novella Islands have their remains disposed of via alkaline hydrolysis ("liquid cremation"). This procedure is conducted at dedicated facilities attached to the morgues of large hospitals in regional centres, where the majority of end-of-life individuals will be taken as a matter of course. There is no cost to the individual or their family for this service, since it is administered directly by the UHS. As organ harvesting after death is mandatory by law, this is often conducted immediately before the alkaline hydrolysis procedure.
Individual citizens are free to conduct their own alternative arrangements for the event of their death, and a small percentage (approximately 5% of all deaths per year) do engage in alternate methods of deathcare. Traditional burial (such as that seen in many other nations) is most often practiced by more wealthy or rural individuals, typically on their own land outside of large population centres. Cryopreservation is also practiced, in the hope that medical technology will eventually cure the ailment that caused the death of the individual, so that they may be later revived; once again, this is most often practiced by citizens with a greater degree of wealth.
Immigrant populations comprise the bulk of other deathcare arrangements, as required by their culture or custom, although exceptional practices such as these are typically forgone by the third generation of any individual immigrant family.
Education
Culture
Visual art
Architecture and urban planning
Literature
Philosophy
Music
Theatrical performances, dance, and drama
Cinema and film
Holidays
Media
Cuisine
Sport and recreation
Notes
- ↑ Contemporarily, only as a written working language, and especially within the legislature and judiciary.
- ↑ The 2023 census did not distinguish between atheism and agnosticism, instead binning both within the category of "no religion". The 2024 census will explore the topic of specific belief systems in greater depth.
- ↑ Although the colonies settled within the Novella Archipelago were never officially under the rule of the Empire of Opthelia, to quash any doubt on this point, the Emperor of Opthelia issued a decree of independence on 25 October 1725.
- ↑ Formerly, the Union of the Novellan Colonies (1 July 1668 - 7 April 1775), the Federation of the Novellan Archipelago (8 April 1775 - 12 July 1879), and the Communist Union of the Novella Islands (13 July 1879 - 31 December 1969).
- ↑ The Novella Islands are notionally placed within the continent of Hesperida, for the purposes of political and demographic analysis.