Alva: Difference between revisions
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While the more arid areas to the far east and north, as well as the steppes in the center of the country, are not well-suited for industrial agriculture, a sizeable percentage of the population there still lives a traditional nomadic lifestyle, and horse culture is still very important. Herds of animals like sheep, goats, and cattle are common sights in these regions, and there is some exporting of wool and textile products from Alva. In the west of the country, closer to the sea, the climate is somewhat more temperate and the soil more fertile. The most common agricultural crops in Alva are wheat and soybeans.
===Income Inequality===
While Alva has a nominal GDP per capita of just over $30,000 SHD, the distribution of income in Alva is remarkably unequal. The Alvan economy is often described as oligarchical in nature, with much of the wealth in the economy generated by a small number of individuals who control the largest enterprises. Especially in the more rural areas of the country, a system of patronage exists in which large enterprises pay local governments or tribal chiefs for access to particular resources, land, or facilities, and the local officials dole out the money in order to maintain political support in their communities. At the national level, both informal patronage and formal lobbying efforts ensure business interests are heard by the government. There are relatively few state-owned enterprises in Alva, primarily the national airline Alvan Air and Alnext, a state-owned electric utility. Otherwise, most large corporations are owned privately, and an often cited figure is that the individual owners of Alva's five largest oil refineries hold more wealth than the poorest 50% of citizens combined.
==Geography==
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