Albarine
Serine Republic of Albarine Albarine | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
 | |
| Capital | Saint Raneau |
| Official languages | Albesa, Emmirian |
| Recognised national languages | Albarini |
| Demonym(s) | Albarinean, Alb(s) |
| Government | |
| Sadie Melhaven | |
| Phil Allais | |
| Justin Lussier | |
| Establishment | |
• Republic | 1790 |
• Christopher Herber dictatorship | 1854 |
• Current constitution | 1882 |
| Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 41,632,000 |
| GDP (PPP) | estimate |
• Total | 1.299 trillion |
| Currency | Albarine alb |
| Date format | mm-dd-yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
The Serene Republic of Albarine, most commonly known as Albarine, is a nation in Adula, bordered by Anyuaa, Buckingla, Hisrea, and Zalluabed, with a maritime border with Emmiria through the Tarijar Strait. It has shores encompassing the Emmiria Sea and the Albarine Sea, namesakes of the two regional powers. It is composed of 36 provinces and a population of over 41 million people. The capital and largest city is Saint Raneau, a special administrative area, with other major cities including Saint Marina, New Altai, Achyana, Valini, and Piramara. Nominally, Albarine is a parliamentary democracy, emerging from a 19th century history rife with multiple coups and periods of military dictatorships and adopting a more inclusive society focused around high levels of civil rights.
With a high level of human development and the second-largest economy in the South Adula region after Unified Sera, Albarine is classified as a newly industrialized economy; manufacturing, mining, agriculture, and tourism are leading sectors of the economy. It is considered a regional power, sharing deep cultural, historical, and economic ties with the giant power in the region, Emmiria. It is a member nation of the CCA, WEDA, C21, and CTO.
History
Prehistory
Farming methods reached Albarine from the Eastern Adulan region about 5000 BC, and spread to the Achyana by about 4000 BC. Agricultural communities in the humid coastal plains of central Albarine then were ancestors of today's Albesa tribes. It was believed in ancient times that Albarine was originally populated by Aetulians and Nayabas, both nomadic peoples. Aetulians belonged to the race from which the Albesa are descended. The translated meaning of Aetulian is Nomad and indeed the people were semi-nomadic until the reign of Tisinissa of the Tissyli tribe.
At the beginning of recorded history, Albarine was inhabited by Albesa tribes. Its coast was settled by Durnia and Eammel seafarers starting as early as the 12th century BC. The city of Raneau was founded in the 9th century BC by Elklanders. Legend says that Tuyro from Cour Bagnue, now in modern-day Courbagne, founded the city in 814 BC. The settlers of Saint Raneau brought their culture and religion from Eammel, now present-day New Elkland and adjacent areas. After the series of wars with city-states in the 5th century BC, Raneau rose to power and eventually became the dominant civilization in the Southern Albarine Sea. The people of Raneau worshipped a pantheon of gods including Ual and Banit. Banit's symbol, a simple female figure with extended arms and long dress, is a popular icon found in ancient sites. The founders of Raneau also established a Aophet, which was altered in Emmirian times.
Middle Ages
Emmirian Empire
Sometime between the second half of the 7th century and the early part of the 8th century, Emmirian Muslim conquest occurred in the region. They founded the first Islamic city in South Adula, Aairouan. It was there in 670 AD that the Mosque of Aqba, or the Great Mosque of Aairouan, was constructed. This mosque is the oldest and one of the most prestigious sanctuaries in the Muslim world with the oldest standing minaret in the world; it is also considered a masterpiece of Islamic art and architecture.
Saint Raneau was taken in 695, re-taken by the Christian holdouts 697, but lost permanently in 698. The transition from a Albarinean-speaking Christian Albesa society to a Muslim and mostly Emmirian-speaking society took over 400 years and resulted in the final holdout of Christianity in 12th or 13th centuries in South Adula. The majority of the population were not Muslim until quite late in the 9th century; a vast majority were during the 10th. However, Emmirian rulers later became more lax on Christianity in the region, and by the 11th century, the Christian population of Albarine rebounded to about fifty percent of the country.
Albarine flourished under Emmirian rule when extensive systems were constructed to supply towns with water for household use and irrigation that promoted agriculture (especially olive production). This prosperity permitted luxurious court life and was marked by the construction of new palace cities such as Tammany (909) and Piramara (977).
Albarinean City States
Modern Era
Herber Dictatorship
In 1854, Christopher Herber was elected to the Chancellorship, but within a few years his position was strengthened into a regime by loyal politicians in the National Assembly. During this period, the social structure changed dramatically. A class of independent farmers established itself after reforms allowed the peasants to repurchase their land, but many landless peasants remained. There also developed a growing urban proletariat and an increasingly influential Albarinean bourgeoisie. The Young Albarinean movement laid the groundwork for nationalism from the middle of the century, many of its leaders looking to the middle class for support against the prevailing Herber sympathetic-dominated social order. Herber was assassinated in 1881, leading to his successor, Ralph Auerbach, assuming the chancellorship.
Reestablishment of the constitution
In 1882, Herber's sucessor, Ralph Auerbach, lost his reelection to a member of the Christian Democratic Union, finally ending the nearly 50-year reign of the Nationalist Party. A new constitution was ratified, reestablishing the nation as a Republic.
In 1936, Albarinean forces invaded and occupied Buckingla, establishing a proxy government. The same was done in Peoratia in 1938. However, the occupations were disastrous as communist and anti-colonial ideologies spread out across Adula, and many clandestine political movements were established in support of Buckingleze and Peoratian independence. These movements claimed that since policies and development plans were primarily designed by the ruling authorities for the benefit of those area's Albarinean population, little attention was paid to Buckingla or Peoratia tribal integration and the development of its native communities. In 1941, Albarine withdrew from both countries due to a domestic economic depression and granted autonomy to them. Full independence for Buckingla and Peoratia came in 1942.
World War
In 1949, Drambenburg invaded Avergnon, starting the World War. Prior to their invasion, they had been testing military capability on international shipping, and vessels were fired on indiscriminately by Drambenburgian warships and submarines. The Albarinean shipping vessel ASVA Gillead Sun was sunk on April 5th, 1949, exactly one week before the Drambenburgian invasion of Avergnon. Albarine joined the war on May 30th, 1951 under Chancellor Franklin Resterson. Albarinean forces participated in several operations during the course of the war, with 7,603 ultimately dying in battle.
Post-war
In the post-war period, Albarine was made to adopt new socialist farming methods. Rural areas were forced into collectivization. An extensive program to impose bilingualism was initiated in Albarine, limiting the use of Emmirian language in official uses in favor of using Albesa as the main language. All of the minority schools (Zalluabedi, Buckingleze, Peoratian, and Timerian) were closed down leaving only two media of instructions in the schools: Albesan and Emmirian. An influx of new colonists, including laborers, administrators, military personnel and their dependents from other largely socialist nations began. By 1960, about 400,000 Beleroskovian settlers arrived and the ethnic Albarinean population had fallen to 72%.
Albarine joined the Coalition of Crown Albatross in 1978.
Since Albarine had maintained a well-developed infrastructure and educated specialists, many nations, both socialist and capitalist, decided to base some of their most advanced manufacturing in Albarine. New industry was created in Albarine, including a major machinery factory for automobiles, electrotechnical factories, chemical factories, and some food and oil processing plants. Albarine manufactured trains, ships, minibuses, mopeds, telephones, radios and hi-fi systems, electrical and diesel engines, textiles, furniture, clothing, bags and luggage, shoes, musical instruments, home appliances, watches, tools and equipment, aviation and agricultural equipment and long list of other goods. Albarine had its own film industry and musical records factory (LPs). However, there were not enough people to operate many of the newly built factories, so to maintain and expand industrial production, skilled workers were migrating from all over the world. The population of Albarine by 1999 was around 30 million, over 25% of whom were from foreign descent, making Albarine home to one of the biggest proportional diasporas in the world.
21st Century
Albarine joined WEDA on September 29th, 2011, alongside Emmiria.
Sadie Melhaven was elected Chancellor in 2016 after the Social Democratic Party gained a majority in National Assembly.
On April 12th, 2018, a terrorist from al-Fijar committed the Deamasau church shootings which killed 38 people.
On November 25th, 2020, Albarine was at the center of the Tarijar Strait Crisis, which arose after Drambenburg was granted access to build military bases in Buckingla and Zalluabed. Against the move, which Albarine saw as an affront to the safety of international shipping in the waterway (which was required for Drambenburgian naval warships to traverse to Buckingla), Albarine condemned all three nations with the backing of Emmiria. Zalluabed, in response, closed their embassy and consulate in Albarine and sent a naval detachment to the outskirts of Albarine territorial waters as a show of force, resulting in a showdown between ships and an altercation that resulted in the death of an Albarinean sailor. The Royal Zalluabed Navy stood down after international scrutiny, but the tensions between the two states lasted well into late 2021 as Zalluabed's Hisrea War escalated. Even after the signing of the Osea Accords, Albarine's intelligence committee continued to lambast President Zayyaan al-Akhtar's government for accused crimes against humanity, including uncovering executions of political opposition leaders in Zalluabed.
During the Zalluabed civil war, Albarine allowed ousted-president Husani Antar to establish a government-in-exile from New Altai, and notably provided aid to the Feyt Ayat rebels who supported Antar's government. Following a CCA-mandated ceasefire in February 2024, and the Tuim Accords in July 2024, Albarine supported the independence of Anyuaa and Antar's new government from Kurdajar. Also during the conflict, Albarine was the subject of numerous rocket and drone attacks by the Kubani Unit, from the self-proclaimed People's Republic of Qahaza. In retaliation, Albarine participated in military air campaigns over Qahazar.
Geography
At 603,628 square kilometres (233,062 sq mi) and with a coastline of 12,782 kilometres along the Albarine Sea, Emmiria Sea, and the Zalluabed Bay, Albarine is the second largest country in South Adula after Unified Sera. It is bordered to the west and south by Buckingla, to the south by Zalluabed, and shares a maritime border with Emmiria. Albarine holds dominion over hundreds of islands in the Albarine Sea, as well as a territorial domain over the Masse Islands in the Toyana Ocean.
Mainland Albarine is a mountainous country, dominated by high plateaus and mountain chains. After the Salbanes, the main mountain ranges are the Cordillera Cantlica and the Sistema Aetico whose highest peak, the 3,478-metre-high (11,411-foot) Dulauney Mountain, is the highest elevation in the South Adula subcontinent.
There are several major rivers in Albarine such as the Etajo, Aebro, Duero, and Segunioa. Alluvial plains are found along the coast.
Climate
Two main climatic zones can be separated, according to geographical situation and orographic conditions:
- The Albarinean Sea climate, characterised by warm/hot and dry summers, is dominant in the peninsula. It is predominant in the Albarine coast and inland throughout Zalluabed Bay region and much, if not most, of the centre of the country.
- The semi-arid climate (BSk, BSh), is predominant in the southeastern quarter of the country, but is also widespread in other areas of Albarine. The dry season extends beyond the summer and average temperature depends on altitude and latitude.
Flora and fauna
The fauna presents a wide diversity that is due in large part to the geographical position of the continent between the Toyana and the Albarine, and the great diversity of habitats and biotopes, the result of a considerable variety of climates and well differentiated regions.
The vegetation of Albarine is varied due to several factors including the diversity of the relief, the climate and latitude. Albarine includes different phytogeographic regions, each with its own floristic characteristics resulting largely from the interaction of climate, topography, soil type and fire, biotic factors.
Demographics
Religion
Language
Cities
Politics
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Albarine is a federal, parliamentary, representative democratic republic. Federal legislative power is vested in the National Assembly of Albarine consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, which together form the legislative body. The Assembly is elected through direct elections using the mixed-member proportional representation system. The members of the Assembly represent and are appointed by the governments of the thirteen federated states. The Albarine political system operates under a framework laid out in the 1949 constitution known as the Aslem Basic Law. Amendments generally require a two-thirds majority of both the Senate and the Council; the fundamental principles of the constitution, as expressed in the articles guaranteeing human dignity, the separation of powers, the federal structure, and the rule of law, are valid in perpetuity.
The president, currently Phil Allais, is the head of state and invested primarily with representative responsibilities and powers. He is elected by the federal convention, an institution consisting of the members of the National Assembly and an equal number of state delegates. The second-highest official in the Albarine order of precedence is the President of the National Assembly, who is elected by the National Assembly and responsible for overseeing the daily sessions of the body. The current PNA is Justin Lussier. The third-highest official and the head of government is the chancellor, who is appointed by the President of the National Assembly after being elected by the party or coalition with the most seats in the National Assembly. The chancellor, currently Sadie Melhaven, is the head of government and exercises executive power through their Cabinet.
Since 1949, the party system has been dominated by the Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party of Albarine. So far every chancellor since 1882 has been a member of one of these parties. However, the smaller liberal Free Democratic Party and the Green Party have also been junior partners in coalition governments. Since 2007, the left-wing populist party Left has been a staple in the National Assembly, though they have never been part of the federal government. In the 2017 Albarine federal election, the right-wing populist Alternative for Albarine gained enough votes to attain representation in the parliament for the first time.
States and cities
| Largest Cities | State | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Raneau | Capital | 4,755,964 |
| Saint Marina | state | 2,232,000 |
| Achyana | state | 847,000 |
| Valini | state | 653,000 |
| New Altai | state | 491,000 |
| Piramara | state | 447,000 |
| Erinuea | state | 401,000 |
| Rualyn | state | 388,000 |
| Aualeula | state | 352,000 |
| Tammany | state | 348,000 |
| Geeleston | state | 317,000 |
| Newbay | state | 277,000 |
| Charmur | state | 250,000 |
Military
The Albarine Armed Forces constitute the military of Albarine. It consists of the Albarine Army, the Albarine Navy, and the Albarine Air Force. It also incorporates various paramilitary forces.
The Albarine Armed Forces have a combined manpower of 306,000 active duty personnel and another 245,000 active reserve personnel. The head of the Albarine Armed Forces is the President, although this position is only nominal. The armed forces are managed by the Ministry of Defence of Albarine, which is headed by the Minister of Defence (a member of the cabinet of Albarine) and commanded by the Albarine Armed Forces Headquarters, which in turn is headed by the Chief of Defence Forces of Albarine.
The Albarine Intelligence Agency (AIA) is the nation's central intelligence and surveilance department.
Foreign Relations
Albarine is a member state of the Coalition of Crown Albatross, having joined the organization in 1978. It is also a member of W.E.D.A. and numerous other international organizations. Its closest ally is Emmiria, with whom they share distinct cultural and historical ties with their maritime provinces. Additional key allies are W.E.D.A. member states, such as Zamastan, Caspiaa, and Quetana. Durnstaal and New Elkland are other key regional allies. Albarine has diplomatic relations with every nation on Iearth, being one of the most diplomatically inviting nations. However, Albarine holds tense and often volatile relations with some of its neighboring nations, specifically Zalluabed, Buckingla, and Peoratia.
Culture
Art
Cuisine
Alb cuisine is one of the most popular in the world. Albarine food blends five fundamental tastes: sweet, spicy, sour, bitter, and salty. The herbs and spices most used in Alb cooking themselves have medicinal qualities such as garlic, lemongrass, Kaffir lime, galangal, turmeric, coriander, coconut milk. Each region of Albarine has its specialities: green curry in the central region, green papaya salad in the northeast, cut rice in the north, and Massaman curry in the south.
Albarine has had more dishes on the "Top 50 Dishes" list than any other country on Iearth. They were: tom yam goong (4th), pad Alb (5th), som tam (6th), Massaman curry (10th), green curry (19th), Alb fried rice (24th) and mu nam tok (36th). The staple food in Albarine is rice, particularly jasmine rice which forms part of almost every meal. Albarine is a leading exporter of rice, and Albs consume over 100 kg of milled rice per person per year.
Cinema
Albarine's film industry is largely obscure to foreign audiences, but some movies such as Greater Son (1982), Raina (2021), Smokescreen (2022), Vagrant (2022), and Native Militant (2024) have been noted for their appearances in international screenings like the Tofino Film Festival.
Sports
Association football is the most popular sport in Albarine. The Albarine Football Federation, also known as First League, is the highest level of professional football in the country. Albarine hosted the 1983 and 1995 World Cup, and the Albarine national football team won the 1974 Vilanja World Cup.
Rugby is the second-most popular sport.
Albarine hosted the 2022 Summer Olympic Games in Saint Raneau.
Music
Popular Albarinean musicians include Leah Swan, Ava Taylor, Arlo Mussett, and Sadie Cameron.
Economy
Exports and Manufacturing
The economy of Albarine is heavily export-dependent, with exports accounting for more than two-thirds of gross domestic product (GDP). Albarine exports over Z$105 billion worth of goods and services annually. Major exports include cars, computers, electrical appliances, rice, textiles and footwear, fishery products, rubber, and jewellery. Substantial industries include electric appliances, components, computer components, and vehicles. Albarine's recovery from the 1997–1998 South Adula financial crisis depended mainly on exports, among various other factors. As of 2012, the Albarine automotive industry was the largest in Southeast Adula. The Albarine industry has an annual output of near 1.5 million vehicles, mostly commercial vehicles.
Tourism
Tourism makes up about 6% of the country's economy. Albarine was the most visited country in Southeast Adula in 2019. Estimates of tourism receipts directly contributing to the Albarine GDP of 12 trillion Alb range from 9 percent (1 trillion Alb) (2019) to 16 percent. When including the indirect effects of tourism, it is said to account for 20.2 percent (2.4 trillion Alb) of Albarine's GDP.
Adulan tourists primarily visit Albarine for Saint Raneau and the historical, natural, and cultural sights in its vicinity. Euronian tourists not only visit Saint Reneau and surroundings, but in addition many travel to the eastern beaches and islands on the Emmiria Sea and Toyana Ocean. The north is the chief destination for trekking and adventure travel with its diverse ethnic minority groups and forested mountains. To accommodate foreign visitors, a separate tourism police with offices were set up in the major tourist areas and an emergency telephone number.
Agriculture and natural resources
Forty-nine per cent of Albarine's labour force is employed in agriculture. This is down from 70% in 1980. Rice is the most important crop in the country and Albarine had long been the world's leading exporter of rice, until recently falling behind both Cadair and Yuan. Albarine has the highest percentage of arable land, 27.25%, of any nation in the South Adula Region. About 55% of the arable land area is used for rice production.
Agriculture has been experiencing a transition from labour-intensive and transitional methods to a more industrialised and competitive sector. Between 1962 and 1983, the agricultural sector grew by 4.1% per year on average and continued to grow at 2.2% between 1983 and 2007. The relative contribution of agriculture to GDP has declined while exports of goods and services have increased.
Energy
75% of Albarine's electrical generation is powered by natural gas in 2014. Coal-fired power plants produce an additional 20% of electricity, with the remainder coming from biomass, hydro, and biogas. Albarine produces roughly one-third of the oil it consumes. It is the second largest importer of oil in South Adula. Albarine is a large producer of natural gas, with reserves of at least 10 trillion cubic feet. It is the largest coal producer in South Adula, but must import additional coal to meet domestic demand.
