Packilvania
Sultanate of Packilvania li-Shultanyat ale-Bakhilfaniya (PAX) | |
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 Flag of Packilvania
 Coat of arms
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Motto: K'ale-Zora, k'ale-Shultan e k'ale-Bakhilfaniya (PAX) ("For Zora, for the Sultan and for Packilvania") | |
Anthem: Zora, lushada Bakhilfaniya (PAX) ('Zora, protect Packilvania') | |
 Map of Packilvania | |
| Capital and largest city | Bingol |
| Official languages | Packilvanian |
| Recognised regional languages | Unonian Staynish Fortunan Kilumi |
| Ethnic groups (2021) | 81% Felines 8% Humans 6% Elves 2% Dwarves 2% Aurians 1% Nekomimis |
| Religion | 83% Paxism 5% Thaerism 4% Clarityism 3% Vayan Catholicism 3% Akronism 1% Verk'ohism 1% Komixemun |
| Demonym(s) | Packilvanian, Pax |
| Government | Unitary theocratic absolute monarchy |
• Sultan | Namdun III |
| Legislature | Parliament of Packilvania |
| Legislative Council of Packilvania | |
| Consultative Assembly of Packilvania | |
| Area | |
• Total | 6,143,888 km2 (2,372,168 sq mi) (2nd) |
• Water (%) | 2.1 |
| Population | |
• 2021 estimate | 1,148,555,880 (1st) |
• 2010 census | 1,123,345,000 (1st) |
• Density | 186.94/km2 (484.2/sq mi) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2021 estimate |
• Total | 9.989 trillion KRB (3rd) |
• Per capita | 8697 KRB |
| Gini (2021) |  39.76medium |
| SDI (2021) |  0.689medium |
| Currency | Packilvanian dinar (PAD) |
| Time zone | +3 UTC to +7 UTC |
• Summer (DST) | None |
| Date format | yyyy/mm/dd |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +2 |
| ISO 3166 code | PAX |
| Internet TLD | .px |
The Sultanate of Packilvania (Packilvanian: li-Shultanyat ale-Bakhilfanya), commonly known as Packilvania or Pax, is an independent country located on Yasteria. It is surrounded by Allegheny, Free Pacific States, Tissandra and Lyon, and the Packilvanian Ocean named for the country. It controls island territories to the south east of Yasteria Major close to the Free Pacific States, with which it maintains one of the most fortified borders in the world. Spanning an area of over 6 million square kilometers, it is the second largest country in the world, smaller than South Hills and larger than Great Morstaybishlia. When only looking at its contiguous landmass it is the largest in the world. It contains an incredible diversity of landscapes and natural features such as both the largest hot and cold deserts in the world the second longest mountain range in the world, slightly shorter than the Zycannes of Great Morstaybishlia, and one of the three longest rivers in the world: the Ufrata River. With these incredible natural features, the country boasts incredibly diverse and unique animals and plants, such that it is globally recognised as one of the world’s few mega diverse countries.
Packilvania has been continuously inhabited for thousands of years and has been ruled by different dynasties over the course of its existence. The first recorded evidence of sentient life dates to 600,000 years ago, the date of the fossilised remains of the closest living relative to the modern Felines. It has been continuously inhabited for most of that period, seeing the emergence of agriculture, fixed settlements, the emergence of nation states and multi ethnic empires, and the development of writing and civilized government. Its cultural and historic heritage has contributed to the influence of its writers, scientists, artists and architects whose innovative use of porcelain, metalwork, ceramics, sculpture and chemistry spawned the most significant inventions of the global age.
It is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.141 billion people, spot is has held for decades. Although the Feline race is by far the dominant species in the country, Packilvania is perhaps the most culturally and racially diverse nation in the world with significant minorities of humans, elves, dwarves, aurians and nekomimis. A caste system exists in the Feline people that controls the distribution of social privileges and status through hair type and facial structure, giving rise to a system that places the Shirazi group at the apex of the social order. The system continues to face criticism for its arbitrary restriction of people from economic opportunities and social dignity. The Packilvanian language one of the oldest and richest in the world, is the official language and facilitates communication among hundreds of communities, yet it is also diverse with the standard written version being the one spoken in Bingol, the capital and largest city in the country.
With a GDP of 9.989 billion KRB, Packilvania has the third largest economy in the world. It is one of the world’s largest producers of minerals, fossil fuels, spices, agricultural produce, textiles, consumer goods and narcotics. It is the chief supplier of opium and catnip, a reputation it has tried hard to shake off. Its highly patriarchal and conservative society, which places political and social control in the hands of males, has, by far the largest religious population and the largest adherents of Paxism in the world. Other religions such as Thaerism and Akronism make up the tapestry of the nation, despite facing heavy restrictions. Classified as an authoritarian dictatorship, Packilvania scores poorly on corruption, human rights, governance and transparency, and political participation. The Sultan rules the nation with an iron fist, yet different factions and groups vie for power in a highly complex political order.
The country exerts considerable global influence and is classified by analysts as a global superpower, yet some analysts believe that its dominance is waning. Its ability to dominate world politics is incredible given that most countries have adverse relations with the nation and the most powerful nations in the world treat it with disdain. Its military is one of the largest in the world, with over 2.5 million active and 14 million reserve soldiers and a budget of over 210 billion KRB. It has fought in wars with major powers such as Vekaiyu, South Hills, and Free Pacific States and is notorious for its formidable combat power. Despite ignoring major international conventions and multi-lateral processes, it continues to exert influence on the global stage and is notorious for its support of terrorist groups, one of which, the Packilvanian Expeditionary Front, is a state entity. The nation continues to have disputes with most of its neighbours and its power plays especially in Allegheny and the Packilvanian Ocean, coupled with its status as a nuclear weapon state continue to breed distrust.
Etymology and terminology
The name Packilvania is a Staynisation of the word 'Bakil-afhana'. The term 'Bakil-afhana' was created by King Saidun Demir in 1676. The name 'Bakil-afhana' is composed of two Middle Packilvanian words: Bakil and Afhana. Afhana mean a realm usually composed of smaller nations and groups. Bakil was another name for the Central Packilvanian Desert (also known as the Ashura Desert). The name Bakil is believed to originate from the Old Packillvanian word Vagir which is believed to mean flowing water. The word 'Vagir' was first seen in 8000 BCE. Vagir is believed to have been the name of the Ufrata River when it used to flow in that area of the desert. Geologists believe that the Ufrata River has moved over 100 kilometres south from the desert area such that the name Vagir (and its descendents Bakil and Pakil) came to refer to the desert instead of the river.
History
| This page (or section) is a work in progress by its author(s) and should not be considered final. |
Closure of the Paxist Canon
King Suleiman of Yehudah ascended to the throne of the Kingdom of Yehudah which stretched from northern Ashura to northern Mekedesh. King Suleiman allegedly exhibited signs of divine favour by being able to exercise spiritual gifts such as casting out evil spirits and speaking in divine languages known as glossolalia. Because of this, Prophet Madawer anointed him and proclaimed him the Priest-King of Yehudah. Obviously modern historians contend with the accuracy of these claims. In the year 1100 BCE, King Suleiman commissioned religious scholar Jerome of Damaclion to compile the major writings of the most prominent religious figures in Paxism into a single document called the Sacred Scriptures. The King called a council of eminent religious leaders and scholars to approve the canon created by Jerome of Damaclion called the Council of Adrien. The Council approved the final draft and the book continues to be used as the core religious writing of Paxism.
Holy Wars
King Obed III ruled over the City of Bingol. He was enchanted by the teachings of fringe teachers. Seeking to bolster their own positions in his court, they showevered him flattery. As an allegedly vain and selfish figure, he fed into the flattery and fabrications of these fringe teachers. In 670, one of them suggested that he adds another book to the Sacred Scripture to both add to the knowledge of Zora and to mark his own self-identified greatness. This act spread and he tried to encourage other nations to adopt and recognise the book.
The other Kings and Princes were horrified. None was more disgusted than King Iktan of Bakil. Bakil ruled a realm to the south of Shankar and north of Kharyat. King Iktan the Devout attacked the city of Bingol to overthrow Obed and end his manipulation of religion. King Obed was defeated. In the process, King Iktan the Devout gained the respect and admiration of surrounding Paxist rulers who swore allegiance to him as their new King. He was crowned High King of the United Kingdoms of Bakil. This new area consisted of lands that stretched from southern Shakar, northern Ukanar, Kharyat, Mekedesh, western Rigaryat, Ashura, and Iganar. His descendents expanded the borders of Iganar by military conquest, incorporating parts of Jumhurikesh and northwest Fidakar.
Founding of the Magisterium
Through the political and military expansion of the United Kingdoms of Bakil, cults emerged which incorporated pagan beliefs and rituals into Paxist practices and doctrine. Charismatic teachers and allegedly spiritually endowed sages were spreading various versions of Paxism that sometimes opposed accepted beliefs. High King Melkezedek of Bakil felt deeply troubled by these developments.
He ordered the calling of the Council of Bingol. Invited to the Council of Bingol, were the most recognised and authoritative teachers and scholars of Paxism who adhered to the conventional doctrines and practices of the religion. The Council of Bingol began laying down how Paxism was to be governed. Its first act was to condemn the heretical practices of the cults thereby laying down supplementary measure of canonicity by reinforcing precepts in the Sacred Scriptures. It ordered the formation of the Magisterium as the authoritative body to decide matters of doctrine and to weed out heretical practices a s beliefs. It gave the High King of Bakil the power to appoint members of the Magisterium. In turn, the High King of Bakil was now required to be a Paxist. Furthermore, the collective decisions and judgements of the Magisterium would consists of a body of religious jurisprudence known as the Catechism and processes were laid down and criteria were specified for members of the Magisterium. This body continues to exist and has perfored its functions for millenia even when the United Kingdoms of Bakil fell.
Collapse of Bakil
High King Jezril V ruled over Bakil. However, he was notoriously promiscuous and a drunkard. The legend of his parties and the opulence and debauchery of his court reached the ears of writers such that 9th century author, Madel Albur wrote what is believed to be one of the first erotica novels, the Packilvanian Summer based on the stories (both true and false) of Jezril's court.
High King Jezril V was also a highly disliked ruler because he publicly treated his sub-rulers unequally and failed to handle disputes with tact. In the throws in the instability that his chaotic rule caused, the Cosairs first arrived in Packilvania. The Cosairs were human privateers and nomads who came from is believed to be modern day Alva.
Under the mandate of Gughris Khan, the Cosairs (many of whom were skilled horse riders and archers), rode into the Bakil realm and caused chaos, plundering and burning cities to the ground without conquering them. They took this wealth back to them to Alva which was expanding its borders to the west. Ill-prepared for the ferocious and sporadic attacks of the Alvanian Cosairs, High King Jezril lost control of his kingdom and it began tattering at the seems.
To his dismay, Halaler, Mochtan, Subakil, Abkeder and many other nations declared independence or were forcibly conquered by the Alvanian Cosairs. The Cosairs introduced horses to Packilvania and the nation became skilled in breeding them, a craft for which it remains well-known. Furthermore, the descendants of the Cosairs remained in Packilvania and established Kingdoms of their own. They spread as far south as Fidakar. Notably, Demir Agenat converted to Paxism and established the Kingdom of Fidakar, a human-led state.
The Kingdom of Bakil receded to the city of Adrien and surrounding areas. The Magisterium, under Grand Ayatollah Thumim Vakaden, toppled the High King Jezril V and declared the Holy See of Adrien as and independent state. Prophet Sohadek allegedly had a vision in which he foretold that a human would one day re-establish the United Kingdom of Bakil. This revelation was so horrifying that the Magisterium had Prophet Sohadek arrested. He also stated that the new ruler of the re-united Kingdom of Bakil would be called the Sultan (which means "Awaited One" in Packilvanian).
In the years that followed, many rulers especially humans entertained the idea of Sultan, with some rulers calling themselves by that title to legitimize their rule. The idea of the Sultan became highly attractive among the common people because it gave them aspirations for a Paxist state and re-united Bakil in which there would be justice and prosperity for all.
Zubraynite Dynasty
With Bakil fallen, many new city states and Kingdoms emerged, one of which was the Principality of Tashkar under the Kingdom of Bingol. Prince Ishak Zubrayn of Tashkar grew resentful of the economic and political authority of King Jurin IV of Bingol. He led an embassy to King Jurin IV in July 1275 to ask him to provide relief for his people due to failing crops and raids from bandits. King Jurin IV refused and continued to demand tribute from the people of Tashkar. Prince Ishak Zubrayn put together an army of 6,000 soldiers. They took the horses and camels of the people in the city and headed for Bingol. Prince Ishak had originally wanted to force King Jurin IV to end the tribute system.
When they arrived at Bingol, they laid siege. The city's forces were too poorly led and lacked motivation. Unable to break the siege, General Kudai Vurint of Kin Jurin IV's forces surrendered and asked for his forces to be spared. Prince Ishak had mercy on general Vurint's men. He not only let them live but he made them part of his army and made General Vurint one of his second-in-commands. King Jurin IV was banished from Bingol and sent to the desert. Prince Ishak was proclaimed King of Bingol-Tashkar. All the Princes of the city states that swore loyalty to King Jurin IV switched allegiance to Prince Ishak.
He placed his family members and most loyal troops in positions of power and consolidated political authority in his hands. His soldiers took over taxation and other functions from local authorities. Instead, Princes were left as landlords over large estates and he could appoint and dismiss them at will. With the power he accrued, he led a campaign to unite surrounding lands. By the end of his reign, an area overlapping Mekedesh and Rigaryat.
The descendants of King Ishak Zubrayn continued the campaigns to unite the surrounding lands such that they ruled until 1670. Furthermore, their kingdom reached from Ukanar, Mekedesh, Rigaryat, Kharyat and Iganar by in 1670. Over the course of the rule of the House of Zubrayn, literacy and writing spread such that there were libraries and schools in which physics, geometry and philosophy were being studied. The House of Wisdom in Bingol contained 700,000 manuscripts. There were 400 Paxist temples which provided for the needs of the people such as education and healthcare. By 1670, the population of the realms of the Zubraynite dynasty was about 60 million people.
The last Zubraynite ruler, was Uden II. He assumed the throne at a young age following the unexpected passing of his father due to a disease thought to be syphilis. He was incompetent and poorly advised by his minister. Several social and economic problems arose that coalesced to destabilise and ultimately topple his regime.
Packilvanian War of Unification
The human House of Demir ruled over the fertile lands of Fidakar. Due to unprecedented floods starting around 1668, their nation become incredibly wealthy and experienced a boom in tourism. The House of Demir was a human dynasty and the population of its realms was highly diverse. At the same time, the crops in the Zubrayn dynasty were failing and there was mass starvation and pirates were attacking trading boats of the lucrative Trans-Packilvanian-Ocean trade. The people grew restless and the elites were divided, making it difficult for Uden II to exercise control. Coupled with the poor advice and incompetence of his ministers, the economy of the Zubrayn dynasty fell. Hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Zubraynite realms sought refuge in Fidakar. King Saidun Demir of Fidakar saw the opportunity that the situation presented. Due to the wealth that they accumulated, they were in a position to lend Uden II the finances he needed to pay for the running of his nation and avert an economic catastrophy.
When the debt was due to be paid, Uden II had not effectively righted the economy of his nation. King Saidun gave Uden II an ultimatum: either pay the debt in full or hand over the Crown of Zubrayn to the Crown of Demir. Uden II and his ministers and the nobles of the region were divided. King Saidun began to form an alliance with disgruntled Princes and nobles of Zubrayn so that they would abandon Uden II and align themselves with him, in return for power and wealth under King Saidun's leadership. Thus, despite being initially distrustful of a human about 30% of lords joined forces with Saidun Demir. Despite being unable to come up with the money, Uden II refused to handover his crime and stated he would rather have his lands destroyed before handing them over to humans.
These kinds of remarks had made his soldiers resistent to him and his lords lukewarm in their support of his rule. Thus, Saidun attacked, Mochtar in Rigaryat. The city was an important hub of trade and had a road that connected directly with Bingol. The fall of Mochtar made it hard for Uden II's forces to retake Rigaryat. Eventually, King Saidun's forces drove Zubrayn forces out of Rigaryat. The lords of Iganar declared their loyalty to King Saidun and capitulated without bloodshed. Another 8 years of war followed in which King Saidun consolidated human control over Iganar, Southern Ashura, and Ukanar. In 1676, the Battle of Bingol was fought. The battle lasted days. King Saidun came up with a plan to use artillery as the basis of attack. The battle resumed. Faced with the Fidakarian fire power and numbers, the city of Bingol fell. Uden II was executed and King Saidun was declared Sultan (or Emperor) of Bakil-afhana (which we today know as Packilvania).
Demirite Dynasty
Morst-Packilvanian Union
In 1897, Sultana Zerah Demir IV married King Thadeus I of Morstaybishlia. The marriage had been orchestrated by Sultana Zemir to strengthen her political position at home and to project political and strategic influence. Despite not being wrought in love, the marriage lasted 21 years and produced a son. Because Zerah Demir was a woman, the laws of primogeniture of Packilvania stated that the line of the House of Demir that could inherit the throne would end with her as only men could pass on their surnames to their children. Thus, her heirs would bear the name Constantine. As a result, the marriage with Thadeus was not only a romantic or family issue, but it resulted in the formation a union of crowns, in which the monarchies of Packilvania and Morstyabishlia were practically fused. Nevertheless, the countries maintained separate political institutions, armed forces and religious structures.
The union between the two monarchies received mixed reviews. On one hand, trade between Packilvania and Morstaybishlia increased about 7 fold. There was an exchange of cultures and ideas. Literature, language, art, architecture, fashion and food crossed cultural and ethnic lines. A wide array of spices such as masala and curry and Pax Fruites entered Morstaybishlian cuisine. Morstaybishlian pantsuits started being seen as fashionable and preferred in favour of the traditional headscarves and abayas. While intellectuals and members of the nobility indulged in the morally liberal culture and material cultural artefacts of Morstaybishlia, the population grew increasingly disgruntled by the subversion of their beliefs and practices. Furthermore, the union resulted in increasing political influence being played by Morstaybishlian officials in Packilvanian politics. The little roles that the Packilvanian felines had enjoyed were being overshadowed by growing human control and domination of state and social institutions.
The extent of this gradual integration was such that in 1915, negotiations began for a political union in anticipation of the personal union that would arise under Crown Prince Thadeus II of Packilvania and Morstaybishlia when Sultana Zemir Demir IV and King Thadeus II passed away or abdicated. The Articles of Union were drafted under the direction of Grand Vizier Abdin Demir whom Sultana Zemir Demir IV had trusted with leaded the political direction of her grand plans. The Articles of Union stated that Great Morstaybishlia and Packilvania would, upon their ratification by the Kalmington and Bingol Parliaments respectively, be known together as Morstopackia under the rule of Sultan-King Thadeus II. Despite its grand ambitions, this plan had many issues. Firstly, Packilvania was a morally and socially conservative society based on the Paxist religion whose primary inhabitants the Felines were ruled by a minority of humans. Inasmuch as Packilvanians were resistant to adopt the political norms of Morstaybishlia, so too were Morstaybishlians reluctant to adopt the political system of Packilvania.
Great War
The latter half of Zerah Demir IV's reign was fraught with disasters because the alliance that had arisen between Packilvania and Morstaybishlia, Packilvania got involved in the Great War. Firstly, the Great War was greatly unpopular among felines because felines were forced to fight in foreign countries for the ambitions of a species they resented. Many felines were also forced to work under terrifying conditions in mines, farms and factories to produce the armaments and supplies needed by the military. Furthermore, the felines were subject to painful rationing of essential items and they were forced accept poor payment and employment conditions in the name of fighting the war. Humanocentric propaganda further alienated the majority feline population who were disenchanted rather than inspired or endeared by the propaganda campaign. These factors coalesced to usurp whatever seemingly favourable outcomes had arisen from the union. With young cats left without work and disillusioned with their monarchy and the Paxist religion that had drawn unpopularly close to the human population, they drew to the ideas of academic and intellectual Nikobar Luden.
Followers of his ideas (which were collectively called Ludenism) were drawn to the idea of a just and equal society ruled by and for the peasant farmers and factory workers. They longed for a government in which they had representation. Thinkers such as Gideon Muktan took these ideas further and blamed the social ills on religious devotion and human rule. Gideon Muktan founded the Feline Club which brought together young people and disaffected intellectuals. They penned the Communist Declaration which state a eight-point plan for the reinvigoration of Packilvania. The Communists ran for Parliament and Gideon Muktan was elected as an MP. Under his leadership, the Feline Club brought this declaration to Sultana Zerah Demir IV. She not only threw it away, but saw these values and ideals as dangerous to her government. She had all Communists arrested and Communism banned. Rather than end their resolve, she provided the fuel by which Gideon Muktan and his associates formed the Packilvanian Communist Party in 1917 and resigned their seats from the Parliament in defiance of the Sultana.
First Packilvanian Civil War
Despite being brutally oppression, the PCP was able to start protests against the Sultana's reign and its members grew to 5 million strong which included soldiers, intellectuals, young people, peasants and factory workers. In 1918, the PCP formed the Packilvanian Liberation Army, a paramilitary organisation that used asymmetric warfare against the government. They caused widespread damage to public infrastructure such the bombing of the Kesel Chemical Plant and bombing of the Royal Bingol Central Train Station. The death of Sultan-King, Thadeus I in August 1918 led to a constitutional crisis regarding the succession of the Crowns of Packilvania and Morstaybishlia. In a bid to reclaim legitimacy and assuage her enemies and her disenchanted populace, Zerah Demir IV seized the opportunity to renounce all titles and claims to Morstaybishlia's throne and effectively prevented her son, Thadeus II from inheriting the Packilvanian throne. Monarchist forces struggled against the PCP and PLA. Because the Morstaybishlian government was dealing with uprisings in its own country (which were in part inspired by the actions of Gideon Muktan) and the aftermath of the Great War , they were unable to assist the Sultana as well as she needed, nevertheless, her son sent token help.
Despite the fact that Thadeus II sent a few thousand troops to aid his mother, the country was falling to the Communists left and right. In desperation, she ended the unification talks and invited the PCP to a dialogue. At the peace negotiations in 1918, Sultana Zerah Demir IV was arrested and her closest relatives and most powerful allies were either captured or killed. With her government in disarray and her authority undermined, Gideon Muktan declared the formation of the Packilvanian People's Republic (PPR) and the abolition of monarchy Sultana Zerah Demir IV escaped on a refugee boat to Morstaybishlia and remained in exile in Morstaybishlia.
Communist rule
Gideon Muktan was formally elected the General Secretary of the PCP and Chairman of the Central Military Committee of the PLA, giving him supreme political authority. He purged human bureaucrats from the government and human intellectuals from universities. Many of them were sent to brutal reeducation camps in the deserts. Human business owners had their stores looted or shut down by the government. Many Paxist temples and other institutions were ordered to close and clergy were sent away. Despite the attack on religion and nobility that followed Muktan's rule, in practice noble especially in provinces farther away from Bingol managed to retain their positions and control, instead under new poltically appropriate titles. Furthermore, Paxist temples continued to operate in relative secrecy in people's homes. With his power consolidated and his rule absolute, Gideon turned to economic reform and international influence, abandoning the pogroms against religion and nobility. However, the human population never recovered. The attack on them was so great that their eradication was called one of the most cataclysmic genocides in world history.
Decades later, the bodies of humans were still being found lying in the country side.
Second Packilvanian Civil War
Prince Amhoud Bedon of Makobar became a member of the PCP in 1942. He was a devout Paxist and secretly a minister of Paxism. However, because of his hard work and reliability, his activities went unnoticed and he rose in the ranks of the party and government. In 1956, Prince Amhoud became a senior commander at the Department of Reeducation and Indoctrination. He was responsible for the detainment and transport of humans to the desert reeducation camps where many of them died. In that position, he felt the full weight of the horrors of the felocentric regime of Gideon Muktan. He started to build up a secret network of allies to transport humans to Allegheny, Albares and Tissandra. Over the course of 12 years, his network, called the Carriers of Mercy, transport over 1.2 million people. In 1966, the Carriers of Mercy had 200,000 members and over 1,4 million volunteers. Originally they had disguised their work as spreading Communism to foreign nations under the guise of foreign felinotarian aid. However, the senior members of the organisation got restless and felt that it was time to use the network to make a grab on power.
In 1968, the PCP faced international sanctions, failed harvests and dangerous levels of population growth, widespread proverty, inequality, government corruption and other socio-economic issues. In response to these socio-economic issues, the PCP used more propaganda and brutality. In its weakness, Prince Amhoud and the Carriers of Mercy smuggled weapons from neighbouring nations, coordinated with dethroned nobles and ostracised Paxist clergymen to retake control from the Communist government. In 1969, Prince Amhoud launched a massive arson attack on the Trans-Packilvanian Railway that transported freight and passengers from Bingol to Shakar (where most of the reeducation camps were located. The Carriers of Mercy destroyed many reeducation camps and rescued millions of people who fled on land and by sea to surrounding nations. The capital city of Shakar, Sharkol, was taken and a new government was proclaimed over Shakar called the Packilvanian Transitional Authority. It claimed legitimacy as the true government of Packilvania and sought international recognition, with ambassadors being sent to powerful foreign nations. To gain foreign respect, it brandished its credentials as ahuman-liberating organisation.
The war lasted another ten years. The holy city of Adrien in Ashura was taken along with the Far North of Ashura province. On the steps of the Temple of the Sacred Heart, the Grand Ayatollah proclaimed the restoration of the Sultanate of Packilvania and crowned Prince Amhoud as Sultan Amhoud I of Packilvania. This powerful statement, galvanised the religious community of Packilvania to rebel against the Communist Party. Uprisings arose in major cities and people burnt down government buildings. Small bands of militias formed across the nation and pledged their loyalty to the new Sultan. The forces of Sultan Amhoud I captured Halaler in 1974 at the Batttle of Halaler. Ukanar was captured in 1975 following the Battle of Abkeder. Kharyat and Jumhurikesh fell in 1978. By 1979, only Mekedesh and Rigaryat remained in Communist hands. By the end of the year, the Communist were defeated at the Third Battle of Bingol. Gideon Maktun committed suicide along with 300 members of the Communist government. In their act of suicide, they used a major scorched earth policy that saw more destruction of public infrastructure and loss of life than had been done by the Carriers of Mercy. At the desolate city of Bingol, the Sultan declared victory over the Communists and that Packilvania was free from Communism.
Paxist Restoration
Parliament was convened for the first time in decades. It comprised of representatives from across political, social and religious lines. Soon into the process, it became clear that Sultan Amhoud I and the Carriers of Mercy wanted to establish a theocratic quasi-absolute monarchy. Despite the struggle with more liberal forces, the Sultan's power and charisma won over dissidents. Thus, on 23 February 1980, the Constitution of Packilvania was promulgated and the present form of government was established. Fundamentalist Paxists took over positions in the judiciary, policy, armed forces and civil service and proceed to fashion a Paxist society. The nobility were rewarded for their contribution to the civil war through the restoration of their titles and lands and access to new business ventures through the privatisation of state-owned enterprises. The government of Sultan Amhoud gradually did away with Communist-era economic policy and undertook economic reforms such as establishing special economic zones. However, the government remained a dictatorship.
In contrast to the Communists, a subtle social compact emerged that the Sultanate and Paxism would deliver economic progress in return for the devotion of the people. Packilvania became one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Starting with the import substitution policy, low-cost labour was used to produce consumer goods. Investment in irrigation and consolidation of communal land under large commercial farming increased agricultural output. In 1987, the government undertook a massive industrialisation policy whereby environmental and labour protection standards were relaxed and investment was poured into electrical, transport and water infrastructure to encourage manufacturing. Sultan Amhoud I passed away in 1990. His eldest son, Prince Benyamin took over as Sultan Amhoud II. He passed in 1996 due to a cancer. His son, Prince Noi took over as the Sultan and continues to reign as Sultan Namdun III of Packilvania.
Geography
Packilvania is the second largest country in the world by surface area, following the United Confederation of Concordian States, and followed by the United Kingdom of Great Morstaybishlia and Justelvard. It spans an area of 6,143,888 square kilometres (roughly 2,372,168 square miles). The north of the country comprises the North Packilvanian Cold Desert, which is among the largest cold deserts in the world. This area is almost entirely flat and cold, and the ground is usually stone hard. The interior and west of the country consist of the Great Packilvanian Central Desert which is among the largest hot deserts in the world. It has some of the highest sand dunes in the world and the South Packilvanian Oceanic Winds carry much of this sand to other parts of the world which enables ecosystems such as the Great Morstaybishlian rainforests to east. There is a massive difference in elevation between the hot and cold deserts. There is a sudden increase in height on the boundaries of the two, such that the cold desert is several hundred metres above sea level, but the hot desert is on average at or below sea level. The North Packilvanian Desert is surrounded by a thin strip of cold dry arid regions, which are characterised by cold temperatures and undulating hills and protruding giant rock formations.
The most folliage rich part of the country is the stretch of thickly forested and rainy areas stretching along the Southern Coast of the country. The east part of the country consists of rolling hills, massive grassy plains, lightly forested areas and shrub land. The north east corner consists of the Great North East Mountains which provide the sources of many great rivers. The country's longest river and the longest river in the world is the Ufrata River which stretches several thousand kilometres from the Uliveru mountains in Vekaiyu, along the eastern parts of the country heading to its mouth in Kharyat. There are many other great rivers such as the Kiliktan River, Revawar River (which is allegedly the origin of the word "river"), Muden River and others. The tallest mountain is Giryat Maked Mountain which is over 8,900 ft, followed by Upinda Mountain (8,370 ft), Hubdin Mountain (8,190 ft) and Fibran Mountain (8,003 ft).
Biodiversity
Packilvania is a megadiverse country, a term employed for countries which display high biological diversity and contain many species exclusively indigenous, or endemic, to them. 36% of its plants, 28% of its fungi and 14% of its animals are endemic. It contains 5% of plants, 4.6% of fungi and 3.9% of all the animal biodiversity in the world. Of the extant biodiversity hotspots (which are areas that display high habitat loss due to high endemism), about 10% are in Packilvania. This arises due to Packilvania's incredibly diverse topography, mineralogy and climate as well as its long geological history which includes meteor strikes, ice ages and other natural phenomena. Fidakar, Jumhurikesh, Rigaryat, and Mekedesh and Iganar are the most biologically diverse provinces yet they suffer from the greatest biological damage.
Forest cover can be grouped according to canopy density as follows:
- High Density: 60% to 100% canopy density which comprises 2% of the total area, can be found in Fidakar, and to much lesser extents in Mekedesh and Rigaryat.
- Medium Density: 30% to 59% canopy density which comprises 10% of total area, can be found be found in Fidakar, Mekedesh, Rigaryat, Iganar and Jumhurikesh.
- Low density: 5% to 29% canopy density which makes up 25% of the country’s area can be found in all the above mentioned-provinces and Ukanar and Kharyat.
- No density: 0% to 4% canopy density makes up 67% of the surface area. All provinces mentioned above as well as Ashura, and Shakar have areas of no density. Shakar, has by far, the least amount of canopy cover.
The country is home to animals such as zebras, tigers (the national animal), lions, oryxes, lions, leopards, deer, wolves, bears, tapirs, wild horses, wild goats, wild donkeys, wild buck, wild dogs, foxes, jackals, caracal, weasels, mongoose, and otters. Birds include birds of paradise, frigatebirds, oyster catchers, swans, ducks, pheasants, peafowl (the national bird), Guinea fowl, ostriches, eagles, hawks, owls, weavers, shoebills, and flamingos. Plants include teak, ebony, mahogany, acacia, fevertree, tree ferns, umbrella trees, pine, and succulent trees. Packilvania has the largest fungal structures in the world, with the Giant Armilaria. The country has a diverse marine environment which includes whales, dolphins, porpoises, sharks, molluscs, coral and crayfish among other species. Scientists estimate that less than 60% of Packilvania'biodiversity has been discovered and cataloged and many fear that environmental issues will result in their extinction before they could be known.
The government has created area called marine and terrestrial nature conservation areas where hunting, habitation, agriculture, industrial, commercial and other human activity is forbidden and punishable by up to life imprisonment. Nevertheless, there are many areas that are not protected and continue to be exploited for their natural resources or polluted by human habitation and economic activity at the expense of the biodiversity in those areas. Packilvania has suffered the highest loss of its natural habitat in the world over the past 100 years with habitat loss peaking between 1990 and 2010. The country has signed the International Convention on Environmental Conservation and committed to protecting its natural environments. Progress has been steady but slow.
Climate
Packilvania consists of 12 climatic zones as follows:
| Climate type | Primary locations | Average precipitation | Max precipitation | Min precipitation | Average temperature | Max temperature | Min temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold desert | Shakar | -14 C | |||||
| Cold semi-arid | Shakar | ||||||
| Hot desert | Shakar, Ashura, Fidakar, Mekedesh, Ukanar, Kharyat | ||||||
| Hot semi arid | All provinces | ||||||
| Dry summer | Jumhurikesh, Fidakar, Iganar | ||||||
| Grassland | Jumhurikesh, Fidakar, Iganar | ||||||
| Continental | Jumhurikesh | ||||||
| Oceanic | Jumhurikesh | ||||||
| Savannah | Fidakar, Mekedesh, Rigaryat, Ukanar | ||||||
| Sub-tropical | Fidakar, Mekedesh, Rigaryat, Ukanar | ||||||
| Tropical | Fidakar, Mekedesh, Rigaryat, Ukanar | ||||||
| Alpine | Jumhurikesh |
Politics
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The political system of Packilvania takes place in the framework of a unitary theocratic absolute monarchy. Though nominally unitary, provinces and local government have been devolved some law-making powers by acts of Parliament. The Constitution of Packilvania places the three branches of the government under the control of the Sultan as follows:
- Executive branch: The Sultan is the head of the executive branch and chairs and appoints the Council of Ministers which executes and proposes legislation,
- Legislative branch: The Parliament, comprised of the Legislative Council and Consultative Assembly passes laws subject to the Sultan’s veto
- Judicial branch: The Supreme Court and the religious, secular and military courts are responsible for enforcing laws and administering justice.
The Sultan of Packilvania is the head of state, head of government and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The Sultan ascends to the throne through agnatic primogeniture. This restricts inheritance to legitimate male descendants of the monarch. If valid heirs cannot be found, the throne will pass to Sultan's closest living brother and their offspring and so on. Prior to the Morsto-Pax Union, Packilvania followed male-preference primogeniture, but the establishment did not want another foreigner to rule over the country, thus they barred women from inheriting the throne entirely. The Sultan is the highest figure of the Paxist religion, thus the law requires that the Sultan be a professing Paxist to be eligible to remain on the throne. The executive branch consists of the Sultan and the Council of Ministers. The Sultan chairs the Council of Ministers, controls and directs the work of the executive branch, issues executive decrees and appoints and dismisses all Ministers in the government. Ministers are responsible for executive departments and advise the Sultan on a particular area of policy. They are accountable solely to the Sultan and serve at his pleasure. The Council of Ministers meets once a week at the Bingol Royal Palace to deliberate on important matters of the state.
The legislative branch consists of the Sultan and the Parliament of Packilvania. The Parliament is a bicameral body that consists of the Legislative Council and the Consultative Assembly. Members of the Consultative Assembly serve for 5-year terms. Only males above the age of 18 who pay taxes and own property are legally permitted to vote in elections. Elections are not held by secret ballot, but instead people have to publicly declare their candidate to the voting official. Not only do people vote for a candidate who is favoured by the Sultan and his allies, but most people who are eligible to vote rarely participate in elections. Moreover, various restrictions make competitive elections non-existent. Political parties are banned, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are heavily restricted. Candidates struggle to raise adequate funding to launch successful candidates and most candidates require government approval to post advertisements on state media or in public areas. Thus, only those close to the government, aligned to the Sultan or who have access to large personal wealth are able to successfully participate in elections. Often the absence of viable candidates in most districts makes it virtually impossible to hold elections in some places at all, leaving many seats, especially in rural areas vacant. The Consultative Assembly is often seen as a rubber-stamp body as it does not have the power to block or even postpone the passage of legislation. It is restricted to deliberation and making non-binding recommendations. The ability of its members to make a meaningful dent on the political landscape is further restricted by the fact that its members are not protected from prosecution for the things they say as part of their work. The maximum number of seats for the Consultative Assembly is around 750 members, but the highest number of members ever elected is 690.
The Legislative Council consists of representatives elected and appointed by a variety of politically influential constituencies. Tribal, regional and metropolitan councils, the clergy and the Sultan have the power to appoints representatives to the Legislative Council. The Legislative Council has more power than the Consultative Assembly as its members have been able accrue political influence outside its halls. The Legislative Council has the power to vote on laws and its approval is required before laws can be presented to the Sultan for his signature. However, the Legislative Council does not have legislative initiative, meaning that its members may not propose laws. Instead, all laws must be proposed by the Sultan or the Council of Ministers. Furthermore, the Legislative Council does not have the power to impeach or even hold executive officials accountable, nor does it it have the power to overturn the Sultan's veto. Nevertheless, there are reports that the Sultan does heed its advice. Analysts believe that the Sultan's power lies in being able to enjoy the confidence of the Legislative Council and that the winds of his political fortunes can be predicted by the attitude of the Legislative Council towards him. Unfortunately, because this body is essentially a class of the most powerful and privileged people in society it works mainly to entrench their power even further than provide a voice to other groups in the nation.
Judicial system and human rights
The judicial system consists of religious, military, civil and criminal courts. The highest court in the entire country is the Supreme Court of Packilvania. It is the final court to which cases can be appealed. It does not have the power to overturn laws that are unconstitutional. The Sultan has the power to appoint justices and the chief justices. While the Judicial Selection Advisory Panel exists to recommend candidates for appointment to judicial posts, the Sultan is not obliged to follow or even consider its recommendations. Thus, he wields the power to control the judicial branch. With the judicial branch in Packilvania being so closely entwined with the executive branch, it cannot exercise its powers independently. Furthermore, it is heavily underfunded and many inefficiencies persist making quick and fair access to justice for all virtually nonexistent for most people.
This challenge permeates the entire judiciary as other courts face similar problems. The High Courts serve different regions of the country and they mainly hear severe cases and receive appeals from lower courts. However, the judges in these courts are appointed by the Emirs who are in turn appointed by the Sultan. At the level of the High Courts are the Religious Courts which hear matters arising from or directly related to religious matters. Whereas ordinary courts are staffed by professionally trained judges, the Religious Courts are staffed by religious scholars and clergymen. Often the boundaries of religious and secular law are very blurred, thus the Supreme Court must rule on disputes in jurisdiction between secular and religious courts. Whereas, cases from the High Courts must be appealed to the Supreme Court, cases in Religious Courts must first be appealed to the Appellate Division of that Religious Court before they can be appealed to the Supreme Court. At the lowest level of the judiciary are the Civil and Criminal Cases which hear Civil and Criminal Cases not reserved for the Religious Courts. However, where jurisdictions overlap with the Religious Courts, litigants can have the case completely retried afresh in the Religious Courts.
Packilvanian law is highly restrictive. There are two branches of law: religious and secular. Secular is imported largely from Great Morstaybishlia and covers elements concerned with contracts, property rights, employment relationships, companies and administrative law, whereas religious courts cover family and marriage law, succession and related topics. Criminal courts cover financial crimes, cybersecurity, property violation, traffic fines, licenses and related topics, whereas religious courts cover sexual crimes, assault, murder, crimes related children, apostasy and proselytism among others. In Packilvania, the law heavily restricts what newspapers and books can publish, internet access and other areas of people's lives. Furthermore, it fails to protect the environment, religious and cultural minorities and women. It completely criminalises same-sex relationships, transsexuality and other gender-related expressions and identities. The Packilvanian law enforcement authorities often carry out extrajudicial killings, torture and imprisonment without trial, and are able to carry out these actions with impunity. Packilvanian law enforces capital punishments for many offences such as murder, sexual assault, homosexuality, treason etc. Corporal punishment and forced labour are commonly-used sentences and prison labour continues to provide the state coffers with considerable income.
Foreign Relations
Packilvania has abysmal relations with most countries. Although most countries recognise its independence and the legitimacy of its government, it maintains territorial disputes with almost all of its neighbours. Furthermore, many unresolved disputes mar relations with neighbouring states. For instance, the treatment of war criminals, the use of chemical and biological weapons in warfare, historic revisionism and other acts relating to past wars, make it especially difficult to bridge relations and form allies. Packilvania does not participate in most international conventions and bodies and continues to carry out practices that violate international law such as the encroachment of Alleghenian airspace. Many nations have openly declared that they not only perceive Packilvania as a threat but they are building up military forces to prepare for future wars such as Vekaiyu and South Hills. Ironically, it has one of the most unique and effective policies of foreign intervention on Urth. It actively supports secessionist movements, terrorist organisations and other non-state actors in many nations, allowing it incredible diplomatic leverage. It has also leveraged its incredible economic clout, as the third largest economy in the world, to sign trade and economic agreements with many nations. Thus, most nations maintain some form of official representation and have some sort of formal trade arrangements with Packilvania. Opinion polls have found that most countries' citizens have a negative opinion of Packilvania. Due to historic links and the sense of prestige associated with the Morst-Pax Union, Great Morstaybishlia has the most positive and friendly relations with Packilania. The Packilvanian passport is regarded as one of the weakest in the world, as its holdest require visas and face challenges travelling to almost every country on Urth. Foreign relations are administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs under the Minister of Foreign Affairs, yet the Sultan retains control over foreign policy including the ratification of treaties.
Military
The military of Packilvania consists of the Packilvanian Armed Forces (PAF). The PAF is arguably the largest armed forces in the world by total number of active and reserve personnel. Because of the prestige and social status affixed to military service, the PAF has attracted a total volunteer force of 2,482,750 troops. Furthermore, conscription is actively enforced. Because the population is so large, many exceptions are given for most privileged social classes so that conscription falls entirely on the lowest caste of society. This means that males of non-exempt groups are subject to compulsory military training upon turning 18 years and are required to serve in the armed forces for at least 2 weeks every year until they turn 52. This has resulted in a reserve force of 14,890,250 strong. However, almost all reserves are capable of terrestrial combat. Despite its incredible size, the PAF has a vastly smaller contingent of pilots, engineers, sailors and medical personnel. Yet, simply because of its massive scale, it is still able to field competent forces on air, land, sea and in space. The PAF consists of the Packilvanian Army, the Packilvanian Air Force and the Packilvanian Navy.
The Sultan is the supreme commander of the armed forces. This means that the Chief of Defence Staff is appointed by and accountable to the Sultan for the running of the armed forces. Although the Minister of Defence is responsible for defence policy, ultimate authority over military matters rests with the Sultan who retains the power to declare, raise armies and navies and deploy military forces abroad. Thus, the Department of Defence simply oversees the day-to-day administration of the armed forces. The Chief of Defence, however, is an incredibly powerful post that shapes the country's ability and willingness to project power. The Packilvanian Army, which consists of 1,985,400 troops, 230,700 of them are part of the Packilvanian Gendarmerie (which is basically a paramilitary police force). The Packilvanian Air Force, consists of 297,315 members. The Packilvanian Navy consists of 200,035 members, of whom 55,250 members are part of the Packilvanian Coast Guard. During peace time, the Packilvanian Gendarmerie and the Packilvanian Coast Guard are under the authority of the Minister of the Interior and are responsible for largely civilian tasks. This brings the peacetime combat strength of Packilvania down to 2,196,800. The Packilvanian Expeditionary Front has been known to train and support foreign non-state actors with weapons. It is declared a terrorist organisation by most countries and is known for cold-war style operations in foreign nations.
The PAF relies on a budget of 210.895 billion KRB, one of the largest on the planet. Because the PAF is allowed to raise its own funding through investments (which it is not obliged to publicly disclose), the income of the PAF may be considerably larger. The PAF invests large sums into procurement, research and development. This includes investing in a large nuclear, chemical and biological weapons program. The Packilvanian Military Research Institute is a leading institute in military research and development and its discoveries in nuclear physics among others have been revolutionary. It is believed that the country keeps most of its military research secret and its capabilities are as yet unknown. The Packilvania is a nuclear weapons state with the largest stockpile of nuclear warheads of any country in the world. Packilvania has successfully tested nuclear bombs before, yet it has never deployed nuclear weapons in combat situations. Nevertheless, this arsenal acts as a major deterrent to foreign attacks. The Packilvanian Military Intelligence Agency has been reported to have advanced cyberwarfare capabilities. It has repeatedly deployed cyber attacks on foreign nations such as Distributed-Denial-of-Service attacks on critical foreign information systems.
Packilvania maintains its own domestic arms manufacturing sector. Analysts argue that the systems developed do not match with the most advanced systems used by South Hills and Great Morstaybishlia. Nevertheless against most minor powers, these are comparably some of the best in the world. The arms sector has full-capability production capabilities, able to make its own naval vessels, aircraft, military satellites, terrestrial combat vehicles, artillery and infantry weapons systems. The country operates over 7 military satellites for reconnaissance, communications and research purposes. Inconclusive reports have claimed that Packilvania has explored kinetic energy attacks and anti-satellite systems. The country has developed an anti-missile shield. Although it is indisputable that its scale is incredible and unrivalled by most countries except the most powerful, it is unknown whether it can successfully defend the country from the most powerful missile attacks. Packilvania has reported working on asteroid defence systems to protect the Urth from large extraterrestrial falling objects. There are rumours that Packilvania is part of a secret alliance of powerful nations preparing for asteroid strikes.
Administrative divisions
Packilvania is administered by sub-national authorities as follows:
- Provinces at the highest level have limited legislative powers and they control internal matters such as housing, healthcare, law enforcement, land distribution and urban development, internal transport routes and other similar issues. They are ruled by Emirs appointed and answerable directly to the Sultan.
- Regions further divide provinces and they manage many issues concerned with rural affairs, environmental protection, water resources and electrical power.
- Districts further divide regions.
- Local governments rule over clusters of villages, towns and cities. They have the greatest influence people's every day lives.
- Metropolitan governments rule over areas the size of local governments, but they have the status of provinces. They control the largest and most important cities in the whole countries and they wield the same power as provinces do over their internal affairs.
- Special economic zones are parts of the country that are exempt from the regular legal system. They are governed exclusively by the central government and they are created specifically to attract foreign investment by circumventing restrictive national laws.
The list of provinces and metropolitan governments of Packilvania is as follows:
| Flag | Province | Capital | Population | Area | GDP (KRB) | GDP per capita (KRB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidakar | Halaler | 150,750,200 | 1,130,626,500,000 | 7,500 | ||
| Iganar | Zukaril | 145,370,700 | 1,130,984,046,000 | 7,780 | ||
| Mekedesh | Meker | 138,920,500 | 1,112,753,205,000 | 8,010 | ||
| Jumhurikesh | Everyet | 134,230,120 | 1,026,860,418,000 | 7,650 | ||
| Ashura | Akas Akil | 127,110,600 | 919,009,638,000 | 7,230 | ||
| Rigaryat | Derengol | 100,230,100 | 766,760,265,000 | 7,650 | ||
| Kharyat | Yukader | 97,250,120 | 774,110,955,200 | 7,960 | ||
| Ukanar | Abdeker | 94,210,660 | 772,527,412,000 | 8,200 | ||
| Shakar | Sharkol | 86,230,120 | 700,188,574,400 | 8,120 | ||
| Bingol Metropolitan Area | Bingol | 25,180,890 | 632,543,956,800 | 25,120 | ||
| Kemer Metropolitan Area | Kemer | 17,870,120 | 427,095,868,000 | 23,900 | ||
| Bilekil Metropolitan Area | Bilekil | 15,200,110 | 302,026,185,700 | 19,870 | ||
| Gezer Special Economic Zone | Gezer | 8,120,890 | 148,043,824,700 | 18,230 | ||
| Subakil Special Economic Zone | Subakil | 7,880,750 | 145,793,875,000 | 18,500 |
Economy
The economy of Packilvania functions as a middle way between socialism and capitalism. The state controls key economic sectors such as transport, water, power and healthcare. Moreover, it heavily regulates business activity in many sectors and has average to above-average tax rates on its citizens and businesses. On the other hand, regulations on medium to small businesses are virtually non-existent, property rights are protected by relatively modern legal systems and contracts are dearly respected and upheld by the law. The intrusion of state institutions in many economic areas has, however, led to mismanagement and misallocation of resources, growth-stifling macroeconomic ineffiencies and the entrenchment of disproportionate wealth and prosperity in the 3 metropolitan areas and 2 special economic zones. Packilvania has a GDP of 9,989,324,723,800 KRB, the third largest on the planet. It is larger than the economies of Kuthernburg, Norgsveldet and Tretrid combined. Nevertheless, it has a relatively low GDP per capita of 8697.291 KRB, making it a developing country. Despite its flaws, the economies of its provinces individually rival the most wealthy and powerful nations in the world. In fact, Bingol is one of the richest metropolitan areas in the world by total GDP despite falling short of major metropolitan areas such as Aura and Sani Bursil. However, the median income of the country lies around 5,300 KRB, which reveals that the wealth of the nation is very unevenly distributed. This highlights another major issue with the Packilvanian economy: gaping caste and geographic structural inequalities. Regardless, compared to most developing countries incomes, especially among its province is surprisingly evenly spread. Packilvania has an unemployment rate of 17% and a labour participation rate of 87%. This difference in unemployment versus labour participation arises because people are allowed and often work as soon as they reach the age of 15. Moreover, most people are not able to access higher education, thus they opt for low-skilled and informal work. Furthermore most families are large and cannot afford to have many of their members at home or in school for long periods. Thus, most people will actively seek work. Although the unemployment rate seems high by developed-country standards, it is surprisingly healthy especially given that it does not fully account for informal and seasonal labour. Some academics believe that unemployment could sit as low as 12%, comparing favourably with most nations. This ability to attract high rates of employment lies in the incredibly low cost of labour. Coupled with the poor worker protection policies and one of the youngest populations in the world, the country is able to outcompete almost every country in the world on labour costs vs productive output. Moreover, Packilvania benefits from access to the biggest and busiest waterway on the planet: the Packilvanian Ocean. Coupled with highly affordable access to power, close and easily accessible supply of abundant natural resources, poor environmental reglations and a decent level of infrastructure, the country is the locus of low-cost and low-value-added manufacturing on Urth.
Packilvania is the most resource-rich nation on Urth. It is a major producer and exporter of coal, natural gas and petroleum. It is among the biggest producers of rare earth metals, gold, platinum, chromium, uranium, palladium, iron, nickel, copper, boron, titanium, vanadium, phosphorus, potassium and silicon on Urth. Its strengths also lie in its ability to process these resources, being a major producer of chemical and plastic products and materials which come from petroleum such as hydrogen and helium. Although it is misleadingly known as a desert country (as it contains both the largest cold and hot deserts in the world), it is one of the largest sources of timber and wood products in the world. Moreover, it has arguably the highest amount of agricultural land in the world, especially on its coasts and east. It is a major producer of grains such as millet, sorghum, maize, wheat. It is the largest exporter of spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, saffron, tumeric, ginger and aniseed. Meat products are regarded as a specialty with the nation producing about 100 million tonnes of beef, veal, pork, mutton, lamb, chicken and other poultry annually. Furthermore, it produces 180 million litres of milk annually, coming from a range of animals such as camels, cattle, goats and sheep. It is internationally renowned for its cheese and butter, among its foremost exports. In the area of fabrics, it leads the world in the production of jute, sisal, flax, cotton and other plant-fibre based textiles. The nation is also notorious for the production of opium, catnip and tobacco, and estimates suggest it is the largest producer of these substances. With its incredibly lush southern coast, the nation is also a major producer of tropical fruits such as durians, jackfruit, dragon fruit, passionfruit, bananas, mangosteen, and tamarind.
In the service sector, the nation does not fail to disappoint. It has incredibly massive financial services, shipment and logistics, telecommunications and information communication technology services and tourist sectors. Notwithstanding travel warnings and animosity by other nations, Packilvania attracts at least 25 million tourists annually who flock to the sand dune rallies, underground markets, ancient temples, museums and ruined cities, and the incredibly diverse and delicious cuisine. Despite the challenges in the legal system, the financial services sector has benefit from the rise of average wealth as many people have invested their income in property that has raised one of the most attractive mortgage market in the world. Sadly, the stock exchanges of the country struggle against restrictive laws against foreign investment. Nevertheless, the largest stock exchange in the country, the Bingol Stock Exchange remains formidable and comes in the top 10 largest on Yasteria. The Packilvanian Central Bank controls the nations gold and foreign exchange reserves which sit around 340 billion KRB, some of the largest in the world. Along with an annual economic growth rate of 5% to 7% year on year, one would expect the Packilvanian currency, the dinar, to be worth more. However, the PCB has kept the currency artificially low and has used capital controls to restrict the exchangeability of the Packilvanian dinar, thus critics argue that the currency is undervalued and has led to Packilvania enjoying massive trade surpluses against most of its trading partners.
Infrastructure
Packilvania has one of the top ten largest rail, road, and optic fibre networks in the world (despite the fact that it does not reach most if its population). The total length of the roads on Pakilvania is 520,340 km. The country has an extensive highway system of 110,230 km that connects the largest urban areas and most developed population centres. Unfortunately rural areas especially in the arid regions, are left behind, relying on small poorly maintained single lane roads and gravel roads. The most advanced and largest cities have underground rail and provide punctual and highly affordable train services to their citizens. These services even include some of the fastest bullet trains in the world. The country is exploring magnetic levitation technology to create even faster trains. Unfortunately the remote arid regions are rarely accessible by rail, with most of the rail network consisting of freight transport to and from major mines.
The nation also benefits from the longest and one of the deepest navigable rivers in the world: the mighty Ufrata, which is so long, it is very difficult to measure. It provides transportation for ships to the inland. The nation also relies on several other rivers such as Tigris, Pishon and Gihon rivers for inland transport. There are canals which connect some major cities, but canals have larger fallen out of use and they are being integrated with water supply systems. The country has over 230,450 km of aqueducts and pipes. People in the east enjoy access to over 50 deep natural lakes. The great rivers have also been dammed and provide water to the many other regions of the nation. The desert regions rely on rain water and even more on aquafirs for their water needs. Unfortunately these resources are not infinite and overuse has led to declining access to water especially for industrial activity.
The Bingol International Airport is the largest airport in the country, receiving over 2 million passengers daily. The Port of Bingol is the largest and busiest port in the country and arguably one of the largest ports in the world. Over 10 million tonnes of goods move through its docks. Moreover, there are many other ports and airports in the country which connect its vast regions. The country's flag carrier and largest airline is Pax Air. It has been flying for over 6 decades and has links to every region in the world. It uses Bingol International Airport as its hub. With Bingol International Airport sitting at close to major world regions, it is becoming an increasingly important nexus for connect different regions of the world.
Science and technology
Packilvania, despite being a low-income developing country, has an incredibly advanced science and technology sector. The country has produced internationally recognized scientists and engineers. Scientific research in Packilvania began at least in 1000 BCE. The ancient Packilvanians invented the pulley systems that form the basis of modern cranes. They had complex and well-developed water management and irrigation systems such as aqueducts and sluice gates. The ancient Packilvanians were known for their love of astronomy and invented the astrolabe to help them interpret the course of celestial objects. They developed the most accurate solar calendar at the time which remains in use. Their civilization also mastered masonry and they constructed the some of the largest and oldest structures of the ancient world: The Great Pyramids. During the Paxist Golden Age, scientific study was thought to be crucial to understanding the deity Zora. Thus a community of scholars emerged who established some of the oldest extant universities in the world such as the University of Bingol which was founded in 840 CE.
Modern-day Packilvania continues to excel in scientific innovation. The Packilvanian Space Agency has independently developed and launched satellites into space. It has successfully put sapient beings in space with Maksum Abdakir being the first feline in history to do a spacewalk in 1972. Exploiting the clear skies and cold temperatures of the Ashura Desert, it has constructed the massive Grand Desert Telescope Array. The country also has an independent nuclear physics research program that has made incredible discoveries about sub-atomic particles and dark matter. In mathematics, its scientists have contributed to some of the hardest and most important mathematical problems in history, the most famous of whom was Fidalkavir Sukharjil who is said to have been able to conjure mathematical theorems with such ease and grace, some believed he was a sorcerer.
Demographics
Population distribution
Packilvania has a total population of 1,148,555,880 people and an average population density of 186.9428 people per square kilometre (484.2 per square mile). 56.7% of the population (651,231,184) lives in urban areas and 43.3% of the population (497,324,696) lives in rural areas. 50.1% of the population (575,426,496) consists of females and 49.9% of the population (573,129,384) consists of males. The population has an average annual growth rate of 1.56%. The average fertility rate is 3.1 births per woman. The government has started a family planning scheme to lower the birthrate as Packilvania suffers from overpopulation. Furthermore, migration to the affluent but heavily congested cities is heavily restricted to prevent overpopulation. Nevertheless, there are no hard restrictions on the number of children that families may have as the government wants to keep labour costs low. The country has an annual internal migration of 100,250,400 million people (the amount of people who permanently settle in another part of the country). Contrastingly, the total annual emigration is 10,120,340 people (usually people on fixed term contracts) and the total annual immigration is 12,349,000 (usually people returning from fixed term contracts and fixed term contract workers).The population across provinces is very evenly distributed, with the least populated province, Shakar, only being smaller than the most populated province, Ashura, by 57.2%. The most populous cities are as follows:
| Rank | City | Population | % of total population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 | Bingol | 25,180,890 | 2.19% |
|
2 | Kemer | 17,870,120 | 1.56% |
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3 | Bilekil | 15,200,110 | 1.32% |
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4 | Gezer | 8,120,890 | 0.71% |
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5 | Subakil | 7,880,750 | 0.69% |
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6 | Halaler | 7,560,345 | 0.66% |
| 7 | Zukaril | 6,908,100 | 0.60% | |
| 8 | Meker | 5,700,850 | 0.50% | |
| 9 | Everyet | 4,560,110 | 0.40% | |
| 10 | Akas Akil | 4,230,100 | 0.37% |
Religion
Paxism is the official religion of Packilvania thus it has, by far the highest number of adherents and its over 4 times the combined number of all the other religions practiced in the country. Nevertheless, the government does allow other religions to be practiced. In some parts of the country, these religions are given special status and protection. However, Packilvanian law is very strict about religious practice in the country. It expressly forbids Paxists from committing apostasy, a crime punishable by death. Moreover, other religions are not allowed to proselytise, that means to attempt to convert other religious groups. Thus, most religious groups remain sustainable due to decent birth rates. Although in many other countries religious fervour among the youth is waning, in Packilvania the youth are the most active adherents. Academics believe that most youths especially males favour how Paxism in particular encourages marriage, procreation and patriarchal structures that benefit them. For religious minorities, adherence to their religion is a silent, but powerful form of resistance against the Sultan's government and it enables them to survive and maintain their unique heritage and identity.
Ethnic groups
Although Packilvania is dominated almost entirely by the Feline species, Nekomimis, Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Aurians also exist. Primines - humans, elves and dwarves - are notoriously difficulty to differentiate because technically they belong to the same species and they can interbreed. Thus, Packilvanian government looks at patrilineal descent to simplify the process. Unfortunately, this is highly problematic as a person with only a third elvine blood for instance might be classified as an elvine because their father has 50% elvine blood and so on. Moreover, it becomes challenging to know exactly what type of primine an individual is when their father is not known and genetic testing is inaccessible to most people. Thus, most single mothers and orphanages simply report the most stark features. Nevertheless, primines, comfortably make up 16% of the population, a remarkably high number.
Felines are further divided into castes (or racial groups). Each caste is distinguished by an arbitrary physical feature such as hair length, hair colour, facial structure and so on. Although these characteristics are scientifically irrelevant, Packilvanian continue to distinguish each other in this way. Sexual and marital relations between felines of different castes are frowned upon and most families will disinherit and disown any child who marries outside the caste. At the top of the caste system is the Shirazi caste, which is characterised by a black snout, grey fur and an incredibly flat face. The desire to entrench these characteristics and protect caste homogeneity has frequently led to inbreeding within families leading to an unusually high prevalence of birth defects and fertility issues among felines.
Health
The average life expectancy of a Packilvanian is 67 years - 65 years for men and 69 years for women. Because elves are naturally long-lived some calculations factor out elves oor readjust their natural lifespan to account for living conditions etc. The median age for a Packilvanian is 25 years of age and people considered off working age (15 to 65) make up an enormous part of the population. Furthermore, the rate of children (15 and below) is also massive. Thus, only a small portion of the elderly (65 and above) remain with some estimates proposing that only 4% of the population is above the age of 65. The country is experiencing a massive demographic dividend, however, the group of elderly who require care and state subsidies is growing. In response, different regions and provinces have enacted compulsory savings and pensions schemes so that people can take care of themselves as they age, and laws have been enacted requiring young people to take care of their elder relatives. At a national level, coordination of pensions is poor and most elderly people in rural areas will struggle to access care. The leading causes of death are respiratory diseases, obesity, diabetes, motor vehicle accidents and communicable diseases. Packilvania has a fairly problematic disease burden. Despite, implementing some of the most ambitious vaccination, hygiene, sanitation and contraceptive drives in history, it continues to struggle with FIV-AIDS, typhoid, tuberculosis, and malaria. Nevertheless, death rates and mother to child transmission of FIV is declining rapidly and the nation continues to encourage the use of ARVs and PrEP to treat and prevent disease, respectively. The Minister of Health is responsible for administering and coordinating health policy at a national level.
Education
Each province has substantial control over primary and high school education. Primary education is compulsory and free up to 12 years of age. Due to access issues especially in rural areas, enrollments rates fall below global standards. This has stifled attempts to reduce the illiteracy which stands at a stubbornly high 10% of the population. To combat this, different regional and provincial governments have enacted a traveling teacher scheme, whereby teachers from privileged and urban areas travel to rural areas and poor communities once a week to offer students there some kind of education. Despite the weaknesses of this approach, it is bearing considerable fruit, with literacy rates among children aged 9 to 12 showing considerable improvement. More work needs to be done in building and maintaining schools and training teachers. Enrollment rates for high school education are worryingly problematic as most 15-year-olds opt to work instead. Thus, the government has implemented a Vocational Training Certificate which is the equivalent of the Matriculation Certificate that is received by those who complete high school and is acquired through on-the-job training under a recognised artisan. The country's universities are controlled by the provincial and national governments. Despite challenges faced at lower levels, the Packilvanian high education sector goes head to head with other systems, producing the top 5 highest number of journal articles and other research papers in the world. Universities such as the University of Bingol and the University of Kemer are among the top 100 universities in the world. Nevertheless, the Packilvanian higher education system is criticised for failing to encourage academic rigour and critical thinking.
Culture
Society
Packilvanian society is shaped by a combination of economic, religious, geographic, historic and demographic influences. Over the years a fundamentalist interpretation of Paxist religious ideals has emerged and taken root that has shaped the society fundamentally. Social, economic and political power is structured to favour men over women. Men are regarded as the head of the household, thus while on one hand they are regarded as the protector and provider of the family, on the other they have social and legal authority and responsibility for all the members of their household (servants, children and wives). Women are considered as helpers and supporters of men and their role in society is to raise children and get married. Packilvanian society not only accepts but encourages polygamy resulting in wealthy males marrying several females as a symbol of wealth and status. Children are highly regarded as a gift from Zora and infertility is regarded as a curse. Parenting duties fall on women, but men wield all the power in making decisions about the child’s life.
Because of these norms, the vocations and occupations that men and women occupy are divided along gender lines such that women typically earn less and it is a requirement that if a woman works, she must work half a day, to ensure she has time to take care of her family. Most parents will select marriage partners for their children. However, after the first wife, men are free to choose their own wives. Family place a big role in Packilvanian society, with three or four generations often living in the same compound or in close proximity. Adult children are expected to take care of their elderly parents and to support unemployed or poor siblings. Families often pool resources to help children through high education or to finance a wedding or car purchase. At the same time, this system gives disproportionate power to the older and wealthier members of the clan, who are able to make decisions that intrude upon the private affairs of a household.
Loyalty to the country and loyalty to the Sultan are regarded as fundamental tenets of being a good citizen, thus children are taught at a young age to revere and defend the reputation of the Sultan. Packilvanian society also values discipline and obedience. Workers will often exhaust themselves or accept low wages or undesirable working conditions in order to be seen as dependable and reliable. Unfortunately, this ethos does not permeate the wealthy and powerful, who thrive on circumventing social expectations of integrity through the impunity that obedience grants them. Thus, many Packilvanians will work 6 days a week for 8 to 10 hours a day. Children, especially those from families who can afford an education, are expected to study hard, cultivating a culture of cramming. Nevertheless, Packilvanian children from poor households, despite facing developmental challenges, tend to have more time to play, resulting in higher happiness and creating a large difference between them and their urban counterparts. The temple is the centre of social life, serving as a place of worship, gathering and communal support, with week prayers being zealously attended and the last week day being a day of rest on which most government services, shops and businesses close.
Cuisine
Packilvania has a rich gastronomic heritage that spans thousands of years. Packilvanian cuisine is characterized by spicy and meaty food. The country is the core producer of spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, aniseed, saffron and so on, so it naturally has incorporated spices into its cooking including desert. Absar is a spicy paste made from vegetables, animal fat and spices that has spawned many variations such bovril. The country has also produced relishes and garnishes such as Atchaar which is made from raw unripe mango and spices, but vegetables have also been used. The chakalaka salad made from vegetables and spices especially beans and carrots are also renowned. The country is the home of the fruit chutney, a sauce made from fruits such as peaches and coconut which has a tangy taste. Among the famous meat dishes are Bujakar chicken which is chicken marinated in yogurt, cooked with butter and seasoned with a variety of spices. Another is the fodok which is a wheat or rice-based wrap stuffed with strips of meat. Even the seafood is acclaimed, with the kidjar crab made from a fattened crab, deep fried and garnished with a variety of seasonings.
The country also excels in beverages, home to spicy teas such as saffron tea. People also enjoying a drink of coffee while smoking from a large vessel called shisha which people enjoy with a little catnip. Packilvanian coffee is known for its rich aroma and strong taste. Spices are also used in sweet treats such gacha which is made from condensed milk, flour, cardomom and fried. The country also originated the sticky delights which are made from starch and gelatine and are regarded as the modern ancestor of the jelly bean. The country enjoys a strong culture of restaurants and small eateries especially in the underground and covered markets which facilitate socializing and expose one to a diverse range of food.
Literature
Arts
Sports
Packilvania has a mixture of foreign and indigenous sports. The nation has a highly active sporting scene. The national sport is racing. Packilvania is well known for its incredibly fast, agile and powerful, yet notoriously stubborn and aggressive horse breeds. Thoroughbred Packilvanian horses are the most expensive horses in the world. The Bingol horse racing circuit attracts a larger global audience including betting circuit. Camel racing is also a major sport, coming a close second to horse racing. Another is sand dune rallies. These are basically long motor vehicle races through the desert that test endurance and navigator skill. From overseas, the most widely played sports are association football and table tennis. Although Packilvania is a desert-dominated country, yachting is enjoyed by people living on the coast and in the east where there are many large bodies of water.