Belmonte

United Republic of Belmonte República Unida de Belmonte (Lusitan)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Non ducor, duco "I am not led, I lead"
Anthem: Hino Nacional Belmontês "Belmontese National Anthem"
Belmonte (green) in the Asterian Forum for Development and Cooperation (light green) in Asteria Inferior and Superior (grey)
Political map of Belmonte
Capital and largest city	Castelonovo
Official languages	Lusitan
Ethnic groups (2010)	See demographics
Demonym(s)	Belmontese
Government	Federal parliamentary republic
• President	Caetano Villa-Lobos
• Prime Minister	Rita Maurino
Legislature	National Congress
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	Chamber of Deputies
Independence from Gaullica
• Declared	07 August 1764
• Recognized	21 November 1771
• Confederation	15 August 1764
• Republic	18 April 1819
• Current constitution	06 December 1836
Area
• Total	1,003,144 km2 (387,316 sq mi)
Population
• 2019 estimate	19,880,143
• 2010 census	17,346,974
• Density	19.8/km2 (51.3/sq mi)
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
• Total	$385,038,610
• Per capita	$19,368
Gini (2019)	36.9 medium
HDI (2019)	0.734 high
Currency	Cruzado (₡)
Time zone	Belmontese Central Time (BCT)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+76
Internet TLD	.be

Belmonte ([bewmɔnte]), officially the United Republic of Belmonte (Lusitan: República Unida de Belmonte) is a country located in the continent of Asteria Inferior, sharing borders with Nuvania to the west, Vilcasuamanas to the northwest, Satucin to the northeast and Nezquia to the east, as well as the Sublastrian Ocean to the south. With almost 20 million inhabitants and 1,003,144 km² (387,316 sq mi), Belmonte is considered to be one of the smallest countries of Asteria, both geographically and populationally, and is the only independent lusophone state in the world.

Before being colonized, the actual Belmontese territory was populated by several native peoples, the majority of them being from Tupi, Guaraní and Gê tribes. In 1503, by order of the Lusitan Crown, an expedition led by Duarte Bórgia started the process of colonization of Belmonte, which became divided into seven captaincies for administration purposes. Due to the lack of abundant precious metals in the region, the colony was neglected for various years, which delayed its development but made its autonomy increase. After the annexation of the colony by Poveglia, Belmonte was integrated into the new colonial empire and had new administrative reforms, creating a more central system while maintaining its autonomy at the same time. With the defeat of Poveglia and the Congress of Cislania after the Ten Years' War, Belmonte was transferred again to Gaullica, who ended the existent autonomy and created a totally central government which was very rejected by the population. This made Belmonte declare its independence in August 1764 with the support of regional elites, right after other Gaullican colonies made the same.

Under the leadership of Sebastião Mascarenhas, the country had its independence officially recognized in 1771 and developed into a confederation which existed for almost 50 years. After the Federalist Revolt, Belmonte became a presidential republic that over the time turned into an increasingly authoritarian state which culminated in the Belmontese Revolution in 1836. Despite that the 19th century was characterized for various advances in several fields, the first half of the 20th century was marked by instabilities, the Great Collapse and the invasion and occupation by the Entente during the Great War. After the end of the war, Belmonte passed through a series of reforms that modernized the country and, despite suffering from insurgencies in the 60s and 70s, has maintained political stability since then.

Today, Belmonte is a federal parliamentary republic with an emerging economy, having as chief of state the President Caetano Villa-Lobos and as chief of government the Prime Minister Rita Maurino while the national legislature is invested in the National Congress, which is divided into two houses: the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Its capital and biggest city is Castelonovo. Currently, Belmonte is a member-state of the Community of Nations, the Asterian Forum for Development and Cooperation, the International Council for Democracy, the International Trade Organization and the Global Institute for Fiscal Affairs.

Etymology

The word Belmonte is from Lusitan and Vespasian origin and means “beautiful mountain.” According to historians, the name was first used to designate the Monte de São Paulo, which was the first piece of land saw by Duarte Bórgia and his ships in the expedition that discovered Belmonte in 1503, with the name being officialized years later in 1508. During the time that the colony had been under Gaullican control, Belmonte had its name substituted by its Gaullican form, Beaumont, in official documents, although the name was never used by the population.

History

Main article: History of Belmonte

Pre-Ashtarite Belmonte

According to archaeological vestiges, the homo sapiens started to populate the actual Belmontese territory around 60 thousand years ago. Before the arrival of Lusitan colonists, studies affirm that two million natives lived in what is considered to be Belmonte, with the majority of them being divided into two ethnolinguistics groups: the Tupi-Guaranís and the Gês, which were divided into other smaller groups comprised by the Tupis, Guaranís, Gês, Tupinambás and Tupiniquins.

The first reports of the colonists about the natives said that they lived in considerable harmony, despite some conflicts between tribes for land demarcations and to assert superiority amongst others. All of them were still living the stone age during a transition period between the palaeolithic to the neolithic, although they already had ample knowledge of the local vegetation and being capable of domesticating some animals. Furthermore, the native peoples had their own religion and worshipped their own gods, and also had their own culture that varied from tribe to tribe.

Slavery was also practised, despite under different circumstances, and the social relationship was involved around the figure of the Cacique and his family, which was a hereditary office in the majority of the tribes.