Free Pax States: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 09:46, 28 December 2021
Federated Alliance of Free Pacific States | |
---|---|
Flag | |
Motto: Forged from War, Dedicated to Peace | |
File:FPS Map.png | |
Location | Map |
Capital | Liberty City |
Largest city | Faramount |
Official languages | None |
Recognised national languages | Codexian |
Ethnic groups (2015 Estimate) | 97% Human
2% Pax Drone 1% Other |
Demonym(s) | Free Pacifican |
Government | Federal Presidential Constitutional Republic |
Christopher Arctoris | |
• Vice President | Julian Reynolds |
• Speaker of the Assembly | Jacob Gustafson |
• Chief Justice | Alwyn Landry |
Legislature | Parliament |
Council of the Alliance | |
Assembly of Representatives | |
History | |
• Ratification of the Charter of the Alliance of Free Pacific States | 1919 |
• Ratification of the Constitution of the Federated Alliance of Free Pacific States | 1968 |
Area | |
• Total | 1,697,400 km2 (655,400 sq mi) |
Population | |
• 2015 estimate | 148,002,729 |
• 2010 census | 139,828,449 |
• Density | 87.2/km2 (225.8/sq mi) |
GDP (nominal) | 2015 estimate |
• Total | $6.85 tillion |
• Per capita | $46,275.52 |
Gini (2015) | 32.2 medium |
SDI (2015) | very high |
Currency | Federate Dollar (FD) |
Date format | MM/DD/YYYY |
Driving side | right (side of road) |
Calling code | +9 |
ISO 3166 code | FPS |
Internet TLD | .fps .fa .fafps |
The Federated Alliance of Free Pacific States is a federal presidential constitutional republic comprising five states and a federal district. The nation is situated in Southeast Yasteria, just South of Packilvania, and just North of Peregrinia. The Federated Alliance shares a land border with Packilvania and the Lyon, though the Free Pacific States is largely comprised of an archipelago. The nation has a tropical climate. The Federated Alliance is amongst the most highly populated nations on Urth with approximately 148,002,729 persons inhabiting its 1,697,400 square kilometers (648,419 square miles).
The Federated Alliance traces its origins from the Alliance of Free Pacific States, a military pact formed in 1919 by Codex, Kaoghon, Tilden, and West Astryon following the The Great War. These four colonial powers sought to avoid another conflict, to promote trade, and to provide a united front given the rising influence of Astryon, Fortuna and Sorentavia. The alliance successfully defeated Packilvania in 1946 in the Second Free Pacific War, but only after years of fighting that left all belligerants in ruins. Codex, Kaoghon, and West Astryon joined Tilden as democracies in the late 1940s, and democratic socialists dominated elections in the early 1950s. These socialists pushed for greater unity within the alliance in the 1950s and 1960s, while also granting independence to numerous colonies because of war weariness. West Astryon joined the alliance in 1963 and changed its name to Peylenon. The socialists proposed a full unification in 1966, and in 1968, voters approved the Constitution of the Federated Alliance of Free Pacific States.
The Federated Alliance is a developed country with a high standard of living, a medium level of income inequality, and a sizable global domestic product. The Federated Alliance is a post-industrial nation, though it retains substantial manufacturing and agricultural industries. The Federated Alliance is enjoying a decade-long, immense economic boom thanks to the Pax trade agreement, which has driven the nation's GDP to an estimated $6.8 trillion in 2015. The Free Pacifican economy is largely driven by information technology, manufacturing, agriculture, and the service sector.
Etymology
Codexian Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Resetin coined the term Free Pacific States in 1919, seeking to name the new alliance in a manner suggesting it supported freedom, peace, and sovereignty. Few Free Pacificans used the phrase until the 1970s, when the drafters of the Constitution of the Federated Alliance adopted it. Most of the authors of the Charter of the Alliance of Free Pacific States hailed from academia, and strongly favored the use of the entirely made-up term.
History
Kodekesia
Kodekesia Currently: Kaoghon, Kodekes, Kuter Kebir, Fortuna, Hoopland, Lyon, Sorentavia and Tilden
478-890: Bakhilfanya-Fortuna-Marenic
Bakhilfanya (Pax), Fortuna, Sorentavia (Marenic) power struggles.
890-943: Four Kingdoms
Kaoghon, Kodekes, Lyon and Tilden remain close but separate kingdoms.
943: Maltervenia: The Two Colonies
945-972: Collapse of Maltervenia
972-1200: Codex & Astryon
Codex
Astryon
1200: Elf Revolt
West Astryon
1200-1555: Codex Empire
Christean
Concordia
1555-1557: Astryon-Codex War
1558: Christean & Concordia Independence
East Aurora Colonization
1737: Xiopothos
1792: Oscrelia
Kuter Kebir
Geography and environment
The Federated Alliance comprises an archipelago and continental peninsula located between the equator and the Tropic of Karkata, and between longitudes 80E and 120E. It is just West of Oceanus Spoilaverunt, just Southeast of Codex Pontus, and just Northeast of the Imperial Sea. The Free Pacific States maintains two small islands beyond this contained area, Milesandia and Fish Island, which lie in the Imperial Sea just East of 120E. FPS consists of approximately consists of 15,407 islands, about 600 of which are inhabited. The largest islands are Beren, Codex, and Tilden. The Federated Alliance shares land borders with Lyon and Pax-Draconica, and shares maritime borders with Lyon and East Malaysia. The population is mostly divided between Sumera and Beren.
At 1,684,000 square kilometers (650,196 square miles), the Free Pacific States is amongst the the largest nations by land area. Its average population density is 87.2 people per square kilometer (228.3 per sq mi). Population density varies significantly, however, with most of the population living along the coasts. At 4,884 metres (16,024 ft), Mount Java in Beren is FPS' highest peak, and Lake Sumatra in Faramount its largest lake with an area of 1,145 square kilometers (442 sq mi). The country's largest rivers are in Codex, and include Kalimantan and Borneo; such rivers are communication and transport links between the island's river settlements.
FPS' location along several tectonic faults make it the site of numerous volcanoes, frequent earthquakes, and frequent tsunamis. The Federated Alliance has at least 150 active volcanoes including Mount Timor and Mount Sulawesi, both famous for their devastating eruptions in the 19th century. The eruption of the Jengov supervolcano, approximately 70,000 years ago, was one of the largest eruptions ever, and a global catastrophe. A strong commitment to earthquake engineering, tsunami monitoring, volcano monitoring, and emergency response has allowed the Free Pacific States to significantly reduce the deaths resulting from local tectonic activity. Nonetheless, seismic activity commonly results in deadly natural disasters in FPS including the 2004 tsunami that killed an estimated 15,893 in Columbia. However, volcanic ash is a major contributor to the high agricultural fertility that has historically sustained the Free Pacifican agricultural industry.
Tropical rainforests dominate the Federated Alliance, covering approximately 68% of the nation. Most forested areas very sparsely populated by humans, but host a wide variety of plant and animal species. These rainforests suffered substantial harm in the 15th through 18th centuries, but the early rise of environmentalism in FPS led to strict protection laws being enacted in the 19th century. Rainforests have made a comeback in recent years as a result with the level of forestation rising from just 53% at its trough to 68% today. Most estimates indicate that prior to the development of Codex, Wachovia, Tilden, and Columbia, 90%+ of the Federated Alliance was covered in rainforests.
Climate
Lying along the equator, FPS has a tropical climate with distinct monsoonal wet and dry seasons. The wet season usually spans from November to March while the dry season lasts from June to October. Rain usually falls in sudden, tropical bursts during the wet season, but it is not unusual for rain to fall for multiple days on end. Rain still falls during the dry season, but much less frequently. Colloquially, April and May are referred to as spring, June through September are referred to as summer, October and November are referred to as fall, and December to March are referred to as winter, though there will often be crossover.
Average annual rainfall in the lowlands varies from 1,780–3,175 millimetres (70.1–125.0 inches), and up to 6,100 millimetres (240 inches) in mountainous regions. Mountainous areas – particularly in the west coast of Faramount, Beren, and Mangek – receive the highest rainfall. Humidity is generally high, averaging about 80%. Temperatures vary little throughout the year; the average daily temperature range of Liberty City is 26–30 °C (79–86 °F). FPS experiences relatively little change in the length of daylight hours from one season to the next; the difference between the longest day and the shortest day of the year is only forty-eight minutes. Most of the nation is contained within two time zones, and in each, federal legislation has set the official time 60 minutes later than the sun. As a result, throughout the nation, the sun always rises between 6AM and 7:30AM, and the sun always sets between 7PM and 8:30PM.
Flora and fauna
FPS' size, tropical climate, and archipelagic geography support the one of the world's highest level of biodiversity. Its flora and fauna is a mixture of Yasterian and oceanic species. Many islands were once linked to the Yasterian mainland, and have a wealth of Yasterian fauna. Large species such as the tiger, rhinoceros, orangutan, elephant, and leopard, are making a comeback after years of population loss. Forests cover approximately 68% of the country. In Beren, these are predominantly of Yasterian species. Tilden and many of the smaller islands – having been long separated from the continental landmasses—have developed their own unique flora and fauna.
The Federated Alliance is unique in its total number of endemic species with 36% of its 1,531 species of bird and 39% of its 515 species of mammal being endemic. FPS' coastlines are surrounded by tropical seas that contribute to the country's high level of biodiversity. The Free Pacific States has a range of sea and coastal ecosystems, including beaches, sand dunes, estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs, sea grass beds, coastal mudflats, tidal flats, algal beds, and small island ecosystems. FPS has amongst the world's greatest diversity of coral reef fish with more than 1,650 species in the Eastern FPS alone.
Demographics
Species/Race/Ethnicity (2015) | |
---|---|
By species/race: | |
Human | 97% |
Pax Drone | 2% |
Other | 1% |
By ethnicity: | |
Codexian | 34.4% |
Wachovian | 38.2% |
Columbian | 6.8% |
Tildenese | 3.8% |
Drakkengardian | 4.9% |
Packilvanian | 3.8% |
Tyrsin | 2.1% |
Lyonese | 1.3% |
Dovakhanese | 0.7% |
Other | 1.8% |
The FPS Census Bureau estimated the country's population to be 148,002,729 in 2015. Amongst the most populous nations in the world, the Federated Alliance is the one of few major industrialized nations in which conistent population increases are projected. The average woman had 1.38 children in 2014, substantially less than the replacement rate of 2.1, and significantly down from the 3.56 children that the average woman had in 1900. Foreign born immigration has caused FPS population to continue its rapid increase with the foreign born population doubling from almost 12 million in 1990 to over 24 million in 2015, representing one third of the total population increase. The foreign born population is expected to grow even faster as the result of substantial immigration from Pax territories.
The Federated Alliance has a diverse population. Ten ancestry groups have more than one million members. Six ancestry groups have more than five million members: Wachovians (approx. 56.6 million), Codexians (approximately 51.0 million), Columbians (approx. 10.1 million), Drakkengardians (approx. 7.3 million), Tildenese (approx. 5.6 million), and Packilvanians (approx. 5.6 million). Drakkengardians exceeded Tildenese in number in 2010, marking the first time that an immigrant group outnumbered a native Free Pacifican group. Humans comprise nearly the entire population, though approximately three million Pax cybernetic drones reside in the Cuttersville territory, and there are some non-human immigrants living in the nation's largest cities.
The Federated Alliance has a birth rate of 9 per 1,000, which is well below the world average. Its population growth rate is positive, reaching a noteworthy 1.4% in 2015, higher than that of many developed nations. Most legal immigrants are refugees, persons seeking familial reunification, or persons that have secured employment. Tyrsins, Drakkengardians, and Dovakhanese have represented the largest sources of immigrants since the mid-2000s. Illegal immigration is unusual, though not unheard of, and there are several hundred thousand illegal immigrants suspected of living in the nation. Most of the illegals are Drakkengardians or Tyrsins that have fled Pax-Draconica.
The FPS Census Bureau estimates that approximately 5 million Free Pacificans, or roughly 3.4% of the adult population, identify themselves as homosexual, bisexual, or transgendered. Polling from various media outlets supports this conclusion. Liberty City has the highest percentage of LGBT activity with 10% of the population self-identifying as homosexual, bisexual, or transgender. The Tyrsonis territory has the lowest percentage of LGBT activity with 1.7% of Tyrsonians identifying as homosexual, bisexual, or transgender.
Approximately 82% of Free Pacificans live in urban areas (including suburbs); about half of those reside in cities with populations over 50,000. 22% of the population lives in one of two super-cities: Codexia, the capital of Codex, or Faramount, the capital of Wachovia. Over 100 incorporated places had populations over 100,000 in 2008, eight cities had more than one million residents, and three cities had more than two million inhabitants (Codexia, Faramount, and Garneldo). There are 18 metropolitan areas with populations greater than one million. Urbanization is consistent across most of the country, though the territories tend to be less urbanized, and Tilden is more urbanized than any other jurisdiction.
Language
Language | Percent of population |
Number of speakers |
---|---|---|
Codexian (only) | 48.6% | 71,986,120 |
Wachovian | 32.5% | 48,107,562 |
Columbian | 5.8% | 8,571,425 |
Tildenese | 3.2% | 4,729,753 |
Drakkengardian | 3.4% | 5,076,494 |
Packilvanian | 2.7% | 3,936,873 |
Tyrsin | 1.5% | 2,175,640 |
Lyonese | 0.9% | 1,346,825 |
Other | 1.4% | 2,072,038 |
The Federated Alliance is a multilingual nation. Codexian is the nation's de facto national language. Every level of government operates in Codexian, schools and universities operate in Codexian, most businesses operate in Codexian, and foreigners must learn Codexian to be naturalized. Yet government agencies at every level in Wachovia, Columbia, and Tilden also provide most services in both Codexian and, respectively, [wikipedia:French_language|Wachovian]], Columbian, or Tildenese. While nearly all Free Pacificans speak Codexian, and while Codexian is almost always the language used in public, a majority of Free Pacificans speak another language at home either part or all of the time. This includes 48.1 million Wachovians, 8.6 million Columbians, and 4.8 million Tildenese. Some 5.1 million Drakkengardians, 4 million Packilvanians, 2.2 million Tyrsins, 1.3 million Lyonese, and 2.1 million others also speak their own languages at home either part or all of the time. Government services are by law required to be provided in any requested language.
The federal Department of Education mandates that public schools receiving federal funds provide language education, and nearly every public school in the nation provides language education. A majority students study Wachovian (46%), Columbian (9%), or Tildenese (6%), using language courses as a means of gaining formal education in these regional Free Pacifican languages. Yet a substantial minority of pupils study foreign languages, notably Loopian (14%), Unionian (9%), Drakkengardian (8%), Tyrsin (4%), Lyonese (3%), Mahigian (.4%), or another langauge (.6%). There is a growing movement towards the education of Unionian Mahigian, especially in Codex.
Religion
Affiliation | % of the FPS population | |
---|---|---|
Christian | 58.3 | |
Catholic | 28.6 | |
Protestant | 27.6 | |
Other Christian | 2.1 | |
Non-Christian faiths | 4.4 | |
Paxism | 2.3 | |
Judaism | .6 | |
Other Non-Christian faiths | 1.5 | |
Irreligious | 37.3 | |
Nothing in particular | 13.1 | |
Agnostic | 5.9 | |
Atheist | 18.3 | |
Total | 100 |
The Federated Alliance Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and mandates a separation of church and state. Christianity is the most common religion practiced in FPS, but there are also substantial Islamic and Jewish communities. In a 2013 survey, 28% of Free Pacificans said that religion played a "very important role in their lives," reflecting a low level of religious practice in the nation. In a 2009 Gallup poll 21% of Free Pacificans said that they attended church weekly or almost weekly; the figures ranged from a low of 11.5% in Tilden to a high of 31.5% in Columbia.
As with other developed countries, FPS is becoming less religious. Irreligion is growing rapidly among Free Pacificans under 30. Polls show that overall Free Pacifican confidence in organized religion is declining, and that younger Free Pacificans in particular are becoming increasingly irreligious. Free Pacificans with no religion have 1.7 children compared to 2.2 among Christians. The unaffiliated are less likely to get married with 37% marrying compared to 52% of Christians.
There are substantial regional differences when it comes to religion in the Federated Alliance. Irreligion dominates most areas except Columbia, which remains highly Catholic. Catholicism is the dominant religion in Codex and Columbia, while Protestantism is dominant through most of the rest of the nation.
Family structure
As of 2007, 58% of Free Pacificans age 18 and over were married, 6% were widowed, 10% were divorced, and 25% had never been married. Women now work mostly outside the home and receive a majority of bachelor's degrees.
The FPS teenage birth rate is 16 per 1,000 women. The rate has declined by 57% since 1991. In 2013, the highest teenage birth rate was in Columbia, and the lowest in Tilden. Abortion is legal throughout FPS, owing to a 1969 landmark decision by the Constitutional Court. While the abortion rate is falling, the abortion ratio of 229 per 1,000 live births and abortion rate of 13 per 1,000 women aged 15–44 remain higher than those of most developed nations. In 2013, the average age at first birth was 26 and 36.8% of births were to unmarried women.
The total fertility rate (TFR) was estimated for 2013 at 1.86 births per woman. Adoption in the Federated Alliance is common and relatively easy from a legal point of view (compared to other developed countries). In 2001, with over 127,000 adoptions, FPS accounted for a substantial portion of the total number of adoptions worldwide. It is legal for same-sex couples to adopt. Polygamy is illegal throughout FPS.
Health
The federal Department of Health operates the national healthcare system, providing publicly funded healthcare to all persons mostly for free at the point of use. The national healthcare system is decentralized with states, territories, and localities operating most medical facilities, though the federal government itself operates some specialized facilities like the National Center for Infectious Diseases. The vast majority of medical facilities are operated by a government, a government corporation, or a non-profit company, but there are some for-profit hospitals that operate independently from the national health system. Drug manufacturers are for-profit entities. The government spends approximately $4500 per person on healthcare, approximately sixty percent of which is paid for by the federal government with the other 40% paid for by the states.
The Free Pacifican healthcare system is widely recognized as amongst the best in the world. The Federated Alliance has a life expectancy of 81 years at birth, up from 75.2 years in 1990. Increasing rates of obesity in FPS pose a major challenge to the public health community. Approximately 21% of the adult population is obese and an additional 30% is overweight; the obesity rate, amongst the highest in the world, has more than doubled in the last quarter-century. Obesity-related type 2 diabetes is considered epidemic by health care professionals. The infant mortality rate of 4.5 per thousand places makes FPS amongst those nations with the lowest mortality rate.
In 2010, coronary artery disease, lung cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and traffic accidents caused the most years of life lost in FPS. Lower back pain, depression, musculoskeletal disorders, neck pain, and anxiety caused the most years lost to disability. The most deleterious risk_factor|risk factors were poor diet, tobacco smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, physical inactivity, and alcohol use. Alzheimer's disease, drug abuse, kidney disease and cancer, and falls caused the most additional years of life lost over their age-adjusted 1990 per-capita rates.
Education
The federal Department of Education operates the national education system, providing free preschool, primary education, and secondary education through a network of schools operated by states, territories, and localities. Children aged roughly 3-5 through 17-19 can attend school for free, though children are only required to attend school from roughly age 5-6 through roughly age 15-16. Public school students attend regular classes from age 4-5 through age 15-16, then can choose amongst several options: continuing general classes in preparation for higher education, attending vocational courses, or leaving school altogether. Vouchers are most of the approximately 8% of children that attend parochial or nonsectarian private schools, and a tax refund is provided for the approximately 1% of children that are homeschooled. The government overall spends approximately $10,500 per student, though the states provide about 60% of this amount with the federal government providing the other 40%.
The Federated Alliance has many competitive private and public institutions of higher education. A number of top Urth universities are located in the Federated Alliance including a campus of the revered Shiro Academy. There are also local community colleges with generally more open admission policies, shorter academic programs, and lower tuition. Vocational schools are also common. State and local governments fund public institutions, most community college, and some vocational schools with only limited support from the federal government. Tuition at universities is often expensive, though the federal government and state governments operate grant and loan programs to assist students. Students are also able to secure student loans from private creditors.
The Free Pacifican education system is widely internationally acclaimed, and has produced a highly educated populace. Approximately 93% of Free Pacificans have graduated secondary school, approximately 56.2% attended some college, 29.6% earned a bachelor's degree, and 9.8% earned a graduate degree. Literacy is effectively universal.
Government and politics
The Federated Alliance is a federation, constitutional republic, and representative democracy. Governance is regulated by a system of checks and balances enshrined in the Constitution of the Federated Alliance, the supreme legal document of the nation. Citizens are usually subject to three levels of government: federal, state, and local. A three-branch government usually exists at each level, though local administration is commonly split between counties and municipalities. The state governments possess general police powers, while the federal government and local governments exercise limited authority. Executive officials are usually elected by plurality vote. Legislative and executive officials are varyingly elected through party-list proportional representation for at-large seats, single transferable vote systems for multiple member districts, or instant runoff systems for single-member districts. Judicial officials are usually appointed by the executive, often with the required consent of the legislature.
The federal government is composed of three branches:
- Legislative: The bicameral Parliament, comprised of the Alliance Council and Representative Assembly, makes federal law, declares war, approves treaties, possesses the power of the purse, and has the power of impeachment, by which it can remove sitting members of the government.
- Executive: The President is the commander-in-chief of the military, possesses the power to veto legislative bills before they become law (subject to Parliament override), and appoints the members of the Cabinet (subject to Council approval) and other officers, who administer and enforce federal laws and policies.
- Judicial: The Constitutional Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the President with Council approval, interpret laws and overturn those they find unconstitutional.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Blue_House.jpg/200px-Blue_House.jpg)
The Representative Assembly is comprised of 483 representatives, who serve two year terms. Most representatives are elected by plurality vote from single-member districts containing approximately a million persons, but some representatives are elected from multi-member districts using single transferable vote proportional representation. A nonpartisan commission sets the number of districts in each state, determines the nature of the district, and draws the borders of the district. The commission acts when the Parliament proscribes by law a total number of representatives following each decennial census.
The Alliance Council is comprised of 150 councillors, 30 per state, elected at-large through party list proportional elections for six year terms. Ten Council seats are up for election every other year. A party must win more than 5 percent of the vote in a state in a given election year to win a council seat representing that state. The President is elected by plurality vote nationally, and serves a four-year term. A Vice President is elected alongside the President. The Constitutional Court, led by the Chief Arbiter, has nine members, who serve for life.
Four states possess a structure similar to the federal government, while Tilden and the five territories have a unicameral legislature. A governor is the chief executive of each state and territory. Some cabinet members in some states and territories are elected, and some judges in some states and territories are elected. Most local governments also possess a structure similar to the federal government, though some local governments use a hybrid executive/legislative branch. Some local governments alternatively have an executive appointed by the legislature.
Political divisions
The Federated Alliance is a federal republic of 5 states, a federal district, and five federal territories. The states and territories are the principal administrative districts of the country, and are subdivided into counties and municipalities. These administrative divisions operate autonomously, but are subject to federal law. The sole exception is Cuttersville, which is entirely self-governed. The federal district is the capital of the Federated Alliance. All citizens aged 18+ are eligible to participate in the presidential election, which is decided by the total national popular vote. The states, federal district, and federal territories are represented in the Representative Assembly, but only the states are represented in the Alliance Council.
The five states of the Federated Alliance are Codex, Wachovia, Columbia, Tilden, and West Malaysia. Each state has its own constitution, and is largely autonomous with regards to its internal organization. The federal district is Liberty City. The federal government has granted Liberty City self-rule, and the city government exercises substantial autonomy from the federal government. The federal territories are mostly far-flung islands, but also include Cuttersville, the drone enclave established in 2006. Each territory has its own constitution, and operates similar to a state. Cuttersville is the exception to the rule as it operates almost entirely independent of the federal government.
Parties and elections
Year | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type | Presidential | State Mid-Term | Federal Mid-Term | Gubernatorial | Presidential |
President | Yes | No | Yes | ||
Council | Class I (50 seats) | No | Class II (50 seats) | No | Class III (50 seats) |
Assembly | All 483 seats | No | All 483 seats | No | All 483 seats |
Gubernatorial | No | All states and territories | No | ||
Other state and local elections | No | All states and territories | No | All states and territories | No |
The Federated Alliance holds elections every year with campaigning usually lasting numerous months. The federal government holds general elections in mid-November of every even-numbered year, while state and local governments hold general elections in mid-November of every odd-numbered year. There are no primary elections or runoff elections. Elections are generally considered free and fair. Universal suffrage exists for all citizens aged 18+, and citizens aged 16+ can vote in Tilden elections.
The Federated Alliance operates under a multi-party system. Five parties have dominated politics since 2006: the Centrist Party (founded 1991), the Nationalist Party (founded 2006), the Reform Party (founded 2006), and the Progressive Party (founded 2007 as the Liberty Party). Independent candidates often achieve success in local elections, and occasionally achieve success in state legislative and federal representative assembly elections. Several small parties exist, but usually only achieve success in local and state elections.
Each party possesses an ideological standpoint within the context of Free Pacifican political culture. The Centrist Party supports Western centre-left domestic policies, and a multilateralist foreign policy. The Nationalist Party favors right-wing domestic policies, and a limited, realpolitik foreign policy. The Reform Party advocates libertarianism and isolationism. The Progressive Party favors left-wing domestic policies, and a multilateralist foreign policy. Most independents in government caucus with the Centrist Party.
The Nationalist Party is presently the dominant political party. President Christopher Arctoris is a Nationalist, who won election in 2008 and 2012. The Alliance Council currently consists of 79 Nationalists, 51 Progressives, 16 Centrists, and 6 Reformists. The Representative Assembly currently consists of 265 Nationalists, 160 Progressives, 38 Centrists, 11 Reformists, and 9 independents. Among the five states, three have both Nationalist governors and Nationalist legislatures, while two have both Progressive governors and Progressive legislatures. Every territory has both a Progressive governor and a Progressive legislature. The Centrist Party controls both the mayoralty and city council of Liberty City.
Government and finance
Area | Percent of GDP |
Billions of $FD |
---|---|---|
Healthcare | 9.8% | 673.1 |
Welfare and social policy | 8.7% | 598.3 |
Defense | 5.2% | 358.9 |
Education and science | 3.9% | 263.8 |
Infrastructure | 2.9% | 199.2 |
Law & order | 1.2% | 82.3 |
Foreign affairs | 1.1% | 78.6 |
National Security and Intelligence |
0.9% | 65.6 |
Other | 2.0% | 136.1 |
Debt interest | 5.0% | 341.7 |
Total | 42.5% | 2,795.2 |
Taxes are levied at the federal, state, and local levels in the Federated Alliance. The federal government largely collects income through a progressive income tax, though the federal government also imposes corporate import, inheritance, and gift taxes. Capital gains are treated as regular income. State and territorial governments often use a mixture of income, sales, and property taxes. Local governments usually rely upon property taxes. Taxes collected by federal, state, and municipal governments amounted to approximately 40% of GDP in 2015, though this was expected to fall to 39% in 2016 due to tax cuts enacted in 2015.
Governments at every level in the Federated Alliance make expenditures, usually independently of each other, though sometimes jointly. The federal government spent $1.8 trillion in 2015, and budgeted $1.9 trillion in 2016. Major categories of spending in the 2015 included healthcare ($403.9 billion or 21.9% of federal spending), defense ($358.9 billion or 19.5%), welfare and social policies (359 billion or 19.5%), education and science ($124.1 billion or 6.7%), foreign aid ($78.6 billion or 3.8%), national security and intelligence ($65.6 billion or 3.6%), environmental protection ($26.6 billion or 1.4%), law and order (20.6 billion or 1.1%), and debt interest (210.1 billion or 11.3%). Total government spending at all levels in the Federated Alliance amounted to approximately $2.8 trillion in 2015, 40.8% of GDP.
The federal government, states, and local authorities all regularly run deficits, issuing bonds to cover debts. Surpluses are in fact rarely achieved, and any deficit of less than 3% is usually considered healthy. Total government debt in 2015 amounted to over $5 trillion, approximately 72% of GDP. Interest rates for Free Pacifican bonds are relatively low, thanks to high confidence in the Federate dollar.
Law enforcement and crime
Local police and sheriff's departments are primarily responsible for law enforcement in the Federated Alliance. State police forces provide broader services, often serving in a support role for primary law enforcement agencies. Federal agencies such as the Federal Law Enforcement Agency (FLEA), National Protection Agency (NPA), and Federal Marshals Agency (FMA) have specialized duties including protecting civil rights, national security, and enforcing federal court rulings and federal laws. A common law legal system operates at the federal level and in each state. State courts hear most criminal cases while federal courts hear federal law violations, national security cases, and certain appeals from state courses. plea bargaining is prohibited both at the federal and the state level, though accused criminals often plead guilty in return for a judge's promise of a specific lenient sentence.
The Federated Alliance has a relatively high crime rate for a developed nation, though the rate has substantially fallen over the last ten years. There were 7 murders per 100,000 persons in the Federated Alliance in 2012 including 5.3 gun homicides per 100,000 persons. There were 4,869 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2012. There is a high degree of gun ownership amongst the population despite considerable regulations upon firearms. Gun laws remain the subject of contentious political debate. Crime rates are relatively uniform across the Federated Alliance. Crime rates are particularly high in the urban ghettos that exist in most major cities. The NLEA estimates that approximately 15% of all crimes and 20% of all homicides occur in these so-called "Maltonvilles," named for the reform politician who championed the housing cuts widely believed to have created these centers of crime.
Capital punishment is exceedingly rare in the Federated Alliance. The federal governments and the states regularly imposed the death penalty until 1964, when the Federated Alliance adopted a constitutional amendment severely limiting the death penalty. Federal courts alone have the power to impose the death penalty today, and can only impose the death penalty for treason, espionage, piracy, and war crimes. The death penalty cannot be imposed upon persons under 18, mentally handicapped persons, and persons that plead guilty when charged. Since 1964, the federal government has only executed 3 persons, a group of terrorists put to death in 2009. Prior to 1964, the federal government and state governments executed 2614 persons, almost exclusively adult men convicted of murder. The Federated Alliance specifically requires its extradition treaties with other nations to include a provision mandating that extradition partners not execute persons extradited by the Federated Alliance.
The Federated Alliance has a sizable prison population, which is increasing in size due to anti-crime initiatives enacted in recent years. There were approximately 370,000 incarcerated persons in the Free Pacific States in 2012, the equivalent of approximately 1 person for every 400 adults. Approximately 1 in 140 adult residents in the Federated Alliance were under some form of correctional supervision at yearend 2012. The imprisonment rate for all prisoners sentenced to more than a year in state or federal facilities is 119 per 100,000 in 2012, and the rate for pre-trial/remand prisoners is 38 per 100,000 residents in 2012. Prisons are operated exclusively by the state, though contracting with private parties for specific prison services is not unusual.
Military
Branch | Funding in Billions of $FD |
Active Duty Personnel |
Reserve & Guard Personnel |
---|---|---|---|
Army | 151.9 | 541,291 | 563,200 |
Navy | 53.3 | 128,143 | 25,525 |
Air Force | 105.6 | 273,284 | 144,579 |
General Defense | 48.2 | N/A | N/A |
Total | 358.9 | 942,719 | 733,304 |
The President of the Federated Alliance is the commander-in-chief of the nation's armed forces. The Federated Alliance Department of Defense administers the armed forces, which are divided into three services: the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Department of Defense also supervises the National Maritime Enforcement and Rescue Agency during wartime. In 2015, the Department of Defense supervised approximately 942,718 active duty personnel, 288,560 reserve personnel, 444,744 national guard personnel, and 581,061 civilian personnel (not including contractors).
Military service is voluntary, though conscription may occur in wartime. The vast majority of Free Pacifican military forces are committed to defensive operations, though the Navy maintains a sizable expeditionary force capable for the purpose of force projection. The Federated Alliance maintains sizable military installations in Lyon, Reziel, East Malaysia, and Xiopothos. The Free Pacifican air defense and sea defense systems both also protect Lyon. The Federated Alliance commits over 5.2% of its GDP to the military every year, appropriating $358.9 billion for defense for 2015. The Federated Alliance historically spent significantly less, and most of the spending today is focused on addressing the perceived Pax threat.
The Federated Alliance maintains a sizable arsenal of thermonuclear weapons. The Navy manages approximately 300 strategic nuclear weapons, which it deploys in submarine-launched ballistic missiles aboard five ballistic missile nuclear submarines. The Air Force manages approximately 50 tactical, which are designed for use against the Pax in the case of an invasion. The Federated Alliance does not have any other weapons of mass destruction.
Foreign affairs
The Federated Alliance is a major Urth power with substantial international influence. The Federated Alliance is the host of the East Pacific Treaty Organization, hosted the 2015 Convention on Diplomacy, and hosts embassies from most Urth nations. The Federated Alliance maintains close relations with Lyon, Xiopothos, East Malaysia, Reziel, and Infinite Loop, Kelssek, and Dannistaan. Several nations host Free Pacifican military bases, and most nations host a Free Pacifican embassy. The Federated Alliance appropriated $66 billion for foreign aid for 2015, though $46.1 billion of this amount was spent in Lyon.
The Federated Alliance focuses much of its foreign policy on constraining the Pax, whom the FPS government views as the greatest threat to world peace. FPS has militarized its border, and Lyon's border, with Pax-Draconica, creating altogether the longest militarized border in the world. The Free Pacific States formed the EPTO in order to counter Pax influence, and has consistently maintained close relations with states adversarial towards the Pax. Despite this fact, the Pax and FPS have highly interlinked economies, both of which would suffer immensely from any conflict.
Economy
Economic indicators | ||
---|---|---|
Nominal GDP | $6.8 trillion (Q2 2015) | |
Real GDP growth | 5.7% (Q2 2015, annualized) | |
5.9% (2014) | ||
CPI inflation | 2.5% (August 2015) | |
Employment-to-population ratio | 65.8% (August 2015) | |
Unemployment | 3.8% (August 2015) | |
Labor force participation rate | 61.7% (August 2015) | |
Total public debt | $5 trillion (Q3 2015 federal, state, and local) | |
Household net worth | $36.3 trillion (Q2 2015) |
The Federated Alliance has a capitalist mixed economy, which is fed by trade with the Pax and by high productivity. FPS' nominal GDP is estimated to be $6.8 trillion in 2015, approximately $46,275.52 per capita. The Federated Alliance has enjoyed an economic boom over the last seven years with real GDP growth averaging 5%, compared to an average of 3.3% real compounded GDP growth from 1987 to 2006. The FPS dollar is a major reserve currency. Government debt approximates 72% of GDP with most bonds held by Free Pacifican entities.
The Federated Alliance is amongst the greatest exporters and importers of goods on Urth, thanks largely to its relationship with Pax-Draconica. The Pax trade solely with the Federated Alliance and Lyon, providing each of those nations a massive market for consumer and agricultural goods, and providing each of those nations with access to considerable raw materials. Trade with the Pax is estimated to account for as much as 10% of the Free Pacifican economy. That said, FPS also maintains close trade relationships with a number of other nations, notably 1 Infinite Loop, East Malaysia, Xiopothos, Kelssek, and Lyon. In 2015, FPS trade amounted to $1.6 trillion, approximately 23% of FPS' economy. FPS maintains a relative balance of exports and imports with a trade surplus of approximately $43 billion.
The Free Pacifican private sector comprises approximately 71% of the economy with federal government activity accounting for 24% and state and local government activity accounting for 5%. The number of employees at all levels of government outnumber those in manufacturing by 1.9 to 1. While its economy has reached a postindustrial level of development and its service sector constitutes 64.8% of the private sector, the Federated Alliance remains an industrial power. The leading business field by gross business receipts, and by net income, is manufacturing. Resource refining, wholesale and retail trade, and information technology are also major business sectors. Agriculture accounts for just 2.4% of GDP, but the agricultural industry is enjoying significant growth thanks to Pax demands.
Consumer spending comprised 68% of FPS' economy in 2015. The Free Pacifican labor force in 2015 comprised of 91.3 million people. Government is the leading field of employment. The largest private employment sector is information technology. Approximately 32% of workers are unionized. Employment is at-will throughout the Federated Alliance, though it is prohibited to make employment decisions based off certain factors. The Federated Alliance has a sizable welfare state, though welfare programs have been substantially reduced in size since 2009. Workers receive paid vacation, paid family leave, and sick leave as a legal right.
Science and technology
The Federated Alliance is an advanced nation with a history of technological innovation. Codex and Wachovia were leading centers of the scientific revolution, and of the industrial revolution. Major theorists from the 17th through 19th centuries posited the laws of motion, theory of gravity, and evolution by natural selection. FPS has continued to produce a number of noteworthy scientists in the 20th and 21st centuries, though it has pioneered few major breakthroughs.
The Federated Alliance nonetheless invests substantially in science and technology. FPS has amongst the highest rates of internet access in the world; 94% of Free Pacificans have some internet access and 82% of Free Pacificans have high-speed internet access. 91% of Free Pacificans have a cellular phone, and 84% of Free Pacificans have a smart phone. Free Pacifican universities have amongst the most well-respected scientific programs in the world, and publish some of the most highly esteemed journals on the planet. The FPS space program has launched numerous satellites into low Urth orbit, and has launched several space probes to other planets. The Federated Alliance has never launched a manned mission to space, though several Free Pacifican astronauts have accompanied East Malaysian astronauts to the East Malaysian space station.
Transportation
The Federated Alliance maintains an interlinked national mass transit system featuring high-speed and conventional inter-city railways, train and regular ferries, rapid transit systems, light rail systems, trams, and intercity and transit bus services. State-level and local-level government corporations operate most of these systems, though with financial support from the federal government. Mass transit accounts for approximately 32.8% of national work trips, and for approximately 40% of urban work trips. Approximately 45% of Free Pacificans normally commute through some combination of walking, biking, and mass transit, though some of these commuters also use a personal vehicle for part of the trip. The overwhelming majority of Free Pacificans live within a kilometer of a mass transit stop. The mass transit system links up with the nation's system of passenger airports, which are mostly publicly owned. The civil airline industry is privately owned, notably featuring three major airlines, Free Pacifican Airlines, Federated Alliance Airlines, and Pan-Yasterian Airways, along with some smaller carriers. Air travel is more expensive than other mass transit, and is most commonly used for interstate and international travel, offering a much faster alternative to FPS' ferry system.
Personal automobiles are nonetheless the predominant form of transportation in the Federated Alliance. Approximately 55% of Free Pacificans commute in a personal vehicle. FPS maintains a dense system of roadways, and an extensive interstate freeway system. The overwhelming majority of vehicles are powered by a traditional internal combustion engine, but electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and other alternative fuel vehicles are surging in popularity. Most government vehicles, and nearly all mass transit vehicles, are either electric or hybrid, along with approximately 18% of personal vehicles. Less than a percent of vehicles are propelled by alternative fuel engines, and close to seventy percent of personal automobiles are propelled by gasoline internal combustion engines. Diesel combustion engines comprise the remainder of the market, mostly trucks. Approximately 31% of Free Pacifican personal vehicles are gas-powered vans, SUVs, or light trucks, down from a high of 45% in the early 1990s. Automobiles are subject to strict greenhouse gas emissions standards.
Transport of cargo is dominated by private rail companies, private trucking companies, and private shipping companies. The Federated Alliance features some of the world's largest and busiest ports, most notably Garneldo, which is amongst the largest container ports on Urth. The government owns most ports, though individual docks are often leased to private companies.
Energy
FPS Electricity (2015) | |
---|---|
By source: | |
Nuclear Power | 75% |
Hydroelectricity | 16% |
Fossil Fuels | 8.9% |
Renewable Energy | .1% |
The Federated Alliance is amongst the world's largest consumers of energy, using approximately 580 terawatt hours per year. The government closely monitors the energy industry, and state-level government corporations oversee most electricity generation and distribution, though with financial support from the federal government. Most electricity in the FPS is generated by nuclear power plants, which account for approximately 75% of energy production. Hydroelectric dams account for another approximately 16% of energy production, and fossil fuel-based power plants account for most of the remainder. Renewable energy accounts for only .1% of energy production in the Federated Alliance because there is little environmental push for renewable energy given the large amount of energy derived from nuclear and hydroelectric power. The Federated Alliance plans to phase out fossil fuel as an energy source by 2030, largely through the construction of more nuclear power plants.
The Free Pacifican government is highly committed to energy conservation, green technologies, emission reduction activities, water resource management, and environmental protection. The Federated Alliance spent $33.2 billion on environmental programs in FY2015. The Federated Alliance formally recognizes that climate change is occurring as a result of human activities. President Matthew Terrus signed legislation in 2007 committing the Federated Alliance to derive all of its energy from renewable energy and nuclear power by 2040. The nation is easily expected to meet this goal, mostly due to ongoing nuclear power plant expansion. The Federated Alliance engages in substantial nuclear reprocessing of nuclear waste, but produces far more nuclear waste than is reprocessed. The federal government operates several short-term nuclear waste depositories, and plans to construct a deep geological depository for permanent storage of nuclear fuel, but has yet to select a site for such a depository.
The Federated Alliance briefly accepted fusion-generated power from Pax-Draconica, but ceased to do so in 2009 after the Pax suddenly cutoff power for an extended period amidst heightened tensions. The Free Pacifican government is investing heavily into research into fusion power.
Water supply and sanitation
State-level government corporations provide water and sewer services for most Free Pacificans. Just eleven percent of Free Pacificans receive water from private utilities. Approximately 10% of Free Pacificans are served by their own wells, and use their own sewage systems. Nearly the entire Free Pacifican population has access to safe, clean water. Water consumption is high in the Federated Alliance, despite water management efforts. The federal government has invested substantially in water conservation and water reclamation efforts in a bid to reduce the costs associated with this high level of water consumption. Most public water originates in FPS' numerous mountain ranges.
Culture
The Federated Alliance is home to many cultures and a wide variety of ethnic groups, traditions, and values. FPS is comprised of previously four independent nations with similar but distinct cultures that have been substantially modified by immense immigration over the last four decades. Mainstream Free Pacifican culture is a Western culture largely derived from the traditions of Codexians, Wachovians, Columbians, Tildenese, Packilvanians, Drakkengardians, Tyrsins, Lyonese, and East Malaysians.
The Free Pacifican people place a great deal of significance in the capacity for social mobility, and this plays a key role in attracting immigrants. While mainstream culture holds that the Federated Alliance is a classless society, scholars identify significant differences between the country's social classes, affecting socialization, language, and values. Free Pacificans' self-images, social viewpoints, and cultural expectations are associated with their occupations to an unusually close degree. While Free Pacificans tend greatly to value socioeconomic achievement, being ordinary or average is generally seen as a positive attribute.
Cuisine
The Federated Alliance is renowned for its diverse cuisine. Traditional Free Pacifican food uses rice as a staple with side dishes of meat. Noteworthy examples include rendang, nasi goring, gado-gado, satay, soto, and bakso. There is usually a great deal of culinary diversity in Free Pacifican cities, though, as a result of trade, immigration, and the assumption of local foods by Free Pacifican colonists in the 15th to 20th centuries.
The Federated Alliance has undertaken a major, multi-pronged effort to combat obesity in the last two decades. The federal government requires food products to be labeled with basic nutritional information, and requires restaurant menus to contain basic nutritional information. Food distributors and restaurants must make more extensive information available online. Sizable labels are required to be placed on food products with a high sugar content, or with a high content of any sugar substitute, especially highly sweetened soft drinks. Several states have gone further, limiting the size of soft drinks. The government has also controversially promoted traditional Free Pacifican cuisine, which tends to be relatively low in calorie content. Obesity remains a significant issue despite these efforts.
Entertainment and the arts
The Federated Alliance is renowned for the major contributions it has made to literature, art, and philosophy. The Codexian, Wachovian, Tildenese, and Columbian leaderships historically substantially promoted cultural development, viewing it as key to continued global hegemony. Many of the greatest writers, philosophers, and artists of the 15th through 20th centuries originated from modern FPS, and many more were patronized by colonial officials hailing from one of the nations now comprising the Federated Alliance. FPS is often referred to as a colonial superpower as a result of its immense contributions.
Sports
Sports are highly popular in the Federated Alliance at the amateur, college and professional levels. There are two major sports seasons: spring/summer (April-October) and fall/winter (November-March). Football (soccer) dominates the spring/summer season, and is generally considered the de facto national sport. Baseball is also highly popular. Basketball is the preeminent winter sport, though badminton is also very popular. Baseball and badminton are mixed-sex, while separate men's and women's leagues exist for football and basketball. Generally, the men's competitions attract greater attention, and the women's leagues are substantially smaller as a result.
The Free Pacifican Football Federation and Free Pacifican Badminton Association are organized around a promotion and relegation system, while the South Yasterian Baseball League, the International Men's Basketball League, and the International Women's Basketball League use a franchise-based system. Baseball and basketball in the Federated Alliance are noteworthy for including a single Lyonese team per league. Lyon launched its baseball, men's basketball, and women's basketball franchises in 2012, 2011, and 2014, respectively, prompting FPS' baseball and basketball leagues to adopt their current, more inclusive names. College athletics are organized by the Free Pacifican University Sports Organization, a for-profit entity.
Media
The internet is rapidly becoming the primary source of media consumption in the Federated Alliance, especially as high-speed internet has begun to reach even the most remote corners of the nation. Most media outlets now maintain a substantial online presence, often making programming available for streaming following traditional broadcast. The streaming service WebFlix accounts for a third of bandwidth usage nationally, providing its subscribers with access to a wide variety of movies, full seasons of television shows, and original content. Competing services NetTV and Nile provide original content as well, and are unique in also providing programming the day after broadcast. Traditional sources of media consumption continue to be highly profitable, however, and the internet is not expected to dominate the media for another 10-15 years. Social media, search engines, and portals are the most accessed sites in the FPS.
There are four broadcast television networks in the FPS: the Free Pacifican Broadcasting Company (FPBC), the Federated Alliance Broadcasting System (FABS), the New Codexian Broadcasting Network (NCBN), and the Yasterian Broadcasting Company (YBC). All are commercial entities. A smaller public entity also competes with these companies: the Federated Alliance National Public Television Network (FANTV). Nearly all programming on FANTV is educational or news, though, and its viewership is vastly lower. Cable television additionally offers hundreds of channels catering to a variety of niches. The overwhelming majority of cable television stations are for-profit entities, though several government and non-profit channels exist. The Free Pacific States News Network (FPSNN), Free Pacific One (FP1), Federated Alliance News Network (FANN), and the Yasterian News Network (YANN) are the most well-known, and most widely watched, cable channels.
Free Pacificans listen to radio programming, also largely commercial, on average just over two-and-a-half hours a day. In 1998, the number of FPS commercial radio stations had grown to 958 AM stations and 1,124 FM stations. In addition, there are 292 public radio stations. Most of these stations are run by universities and public authorities for educational purposes and are financed by public or private funds, subscriptions and corporate underwriting. Much public-radio broadcasting is supplied by the Federated Alliance National Public Radio Network (FANR). As of September 30, 2014, there are 2,374 licensed full-power radio stations in the FPS.
The most well-known newspapers in the FPS are the Faramount Times, Garneldo Free Press, Liberty City Post, and FPS Today. Although the cost of publishing has increased over the years, the price of newspapers has generally remained low, forcing newspapers to rely more on advertising revenue and on articles provided by a major wire service, such as the FPS Press, for their national and world coverage. With very few exceptions, all the newspapers in the FPS are privately owned, many by large chains. Major cities often have "alternative weeklies" to complement the mainstream daily papers, for example, Faramount's Bay Report or Zalebano's Zalebano Weekly, to name two of the best-known. Major cities may also support a local business journal, trade papers relating to local industries, and papers for local ethnic and social groups.