New Pangus

The Constitutional Republic of New Pangus
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Ex Spe Victoria "In Hope Victory"
Anthem: The Grand March
Capital and largest city	Corvus
Official languages	English, Italian, French
Ethnic groups	48.2% Latin, 36.7% Frankish, 15.1% Asian
Demonym(s)	Pangeian
Government	Constitutional Republic Congress
• President	Giacomo Gianni
• Vice President	Adolphe Géraud
Legislature	Congress
Formation
• August Referendum	14 August 2016
Area
• Total	1,018,600 km2 (393,300 sq mi)
• Water (%)	2.7%
Population
• 2019 estimate	85,943,784
• 2015 census	82,914,385
GDP (PPP)	2016 estimate
• Total	$2.547 Trillion
• Per capita	$35,542
GDP (nominal)	2016 estimate
• Total	$1.964 Trillion
• Per capita	$31,468
Gini (2015)	29.4 low
HDI (2015)	0.896 very high
Currency	New Pangus Dollar (NPD)
Time zone	UTC+3
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+927
Internet TLD	.np

New Pangus, officially known as the Constitutional Republic of New Pangus, is a Constitutional Republic which encompasses the northern areas of the archipelago of Insula Fera, which is located east of the main continent of Lorecia in the region of Astyria. The nation's territory is entirely situated on Insula Fera, and consists of fertile grasslands, mountains, and lakes. New Pangus' territory includes three islands: Garaldo, Orieta, and Braavas. The country's largest island is Garaldo, where large fisheries and other industrial businesses are located.

New Pangus is a unitary state under the governance of a President at the head of the Executive Branch, and a representative Congress at the head of the Legislative Branch. The seats of governance are located justly in the capital of the nation, Corvus, in the Administrative District. New Pangus was formed in 2016 by the August Referendum, in which the former states of Pangus, Prudenesia and Nu Sparta joined together under the sovereignty of their new state following the 2013 Invasion of Pangus and the subsequent Greater Insula Feran Conflict.

New Pangus, though a new nation to the world of Astyria, has great clout in the happenings on Insula Fera, which is shared only by two other states: the Workers Society of Kyashi, and Aquitayne's former colonial holding, now incorporated, Cape Town. New Pangus is not currently a member of any inter-governmental organizations.

The economy of New Pangus relies heavily on the manufacturing and industrial sectors, seeing job growth in information technologies dwindle after the collapse of the Imperial Spartanian Empire. Stimulus packages have assisted in the growth of the gross domestic product after Aquitayne and the Dangish Empire intervened against the Heraldan Rebels, though the GDP has grown slowly and the remaining populace has had difficulties in entering their old job markets.

History

Fall of the Imperial Spartanian Empire

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The Spartanian Congressional Building and other government offices burn in the aftermath of the Heraldan Rebel's assault on the entirety of the Spartanian government.

The fall of the former Imperial Spartanian Empire, or Spartia as it was colloquially known, was brought about by the Heraldan Rebels terrorist group that was based out of Pangus. The Empire itself was comprised of three main states: Nu Sparta, Pangus, and Prudenesia. Each of these states form a strong confederacy that answered to the government of Nu Sparta, and its political leaders. There is no exact date for the fall of the ISE, only that it occurred in early 2013 when all communications were lost on the northern part of Insula Fera, and all official and unofficial diplomatic and government channels ceased broadcast or contact.

After United Kingdom and Dangish troops entered Pangus and Prudenesia, it became clear that the Heraldan Terror Network had planned for years to execute their most devastating attack on the infrastructure of the nation. They systematically assaulted power stations, news and radio stations, major transit hubs and airports, and simultaneously assaulted various government offices throughout the empire, severing communications between government officials and the military. By the time the armed forces of the ISE became aware that an attack was taking place, they were cut off from their other units and forced to fight alone or bunker down in their bases. Reportedly, the last military unit known to survive was the 52nd Infantry Regiment, who fought Heraldan Rebels until Aquitaynian troops came upon their location and relieved them of their duties.

Though intensive investigations have been launched into the months leading up to the attacks, much of the information vital to the story have been lost in the conflict following the attacks. There is circumstantial evidence supporting the belief that foreign governments, namely Terre de Gauls, were involved in supplying weapons and munitions to the Rebels, though this theory has not been proven and the Aquitaynian Ministry of Defense refuses to confirm or deny the existence of documents linking foreign governments to the collapse of the ISE.

A numbers station was the last known radio signal coming from the former empire, which was described as a young girl's voice continuously reading off a series of numbers and letters, what is thought to be a last message from the Spartian government. The message remains encrypted.

Year of Anarchy

Emperor's Square, a prominent forum in Spartian society, lays charred.

The Year of Anarchy is the name locals used to describe the aftermath of the Heraldan Attacks after the Spartian government collapsed completely. Eyewitness reports detail the atrocities that followed the fall of government. One resident, interviewed by the Telora Tribune after Aquitayne intervened, said

"After the government collapsed, everything was fair game to them. Women, children, the elderly. They took what they wanted and if you got in their way they'd take you too. Once I saw one of the rebels force a child to kill his father in the middle of the street. He told the kid he'd become a man, and then he could fight for 'righteous cause', as he put it...disgusting. Stores were out of goods in weeks, and the rebels were smart enough to get to the warehouses where the grocery chains waited to ship the food to stores and would kill anyone that tried to get in. It was lawless. Genocide, really. Genocide is the only way I can begin to fathom the atrocities that took place here."

The E10 Council of Nations estimates that over 25,000 Spartians died of hunger before relief came, and over 120,000 people died from conflict waged after the collapse of the government and before international forces arrived. The International Court of Astyria is actively looking for the leader of the Heraldan Rebels to charge him with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

United Kingdom and Dangish Intervention

Main article: 2013 Invasion of Pangus

Aquitaynian Marines board a helicopter on way to operations in Pangus.

The United Kingdom of Aquitayne and Symphonia were the first nations to respond when the crisis became apparent. Leaked classified documents highlight the first stages of United Kingdom action in intervening on Insula Fera, highlighting the satellite imagery of burned artillery positions as well as the existence of mass graves in various locations throughout Pangus and Prudenesia. The invasion began on 28 December, 2013, and lasted to 2 February 2014, and signaled the start of the Occupation of Pangus, which was dubbed Operation United Resolve after the United Kingdom Joint Military Operations Theater was announced on the 29th of December.

The invasion consisted of 36 days of major combat operations, during which troops from Aquitayne, Symphonia, Kyashi, and the Dangish Empire invaded Pangus and began deposing of the numerous warlords across the country that fell under the command of the terrorist group Heralds and their leader, Neemar Loringian. The invasion consisted primarily of an unconventionally fought war which concluded with the joint capture of the Pangus capital, Corvus.

Roughly 109,000 Coalition troops, excluding the Dangish military expedition, were sent into Pangus during the initial invasion phase. About 46,500 were sent by Aquitayne alone, while Symphonia topped that number at roughly 50,000 troops. In preparation for the invasion, roughly 100,000 United Kingdom troops were assembled at the United Kingdom Military Base, Kotami Peninsula, which sat roughly southwest of Pangus and Prudensia, by the 20th of December, 2013.

During the invasion, Aquitaynian forces suffered over 400 casualties and over 1,000 personnel injured, alongside 216 Symphonian troops killed and over 600 injured. Military officials estimate that Aquitaynian forces, alongside the Dangish, killed over 13,000 Heraldan Rebel terrorists and injured over 6,000. Numbers are not readily available during the occupation, but consistent Heraldan attacks have left their mark on the coalition. Ultimately, after the invasion, Aquitaynian, Symphonian and Dangish troops worked to restore basic necessities, such as indoor plumbing, access to water, electricity, and internet. Within six months, roughly 20% of Pangeians had access to homes, food, and communications methods.

Reconstruction

Pangeian citizens work on the new Capitol Building, which is to house the nations new Congress.

In November of 2014, after the major fighting between coalition troops and the Heraldan Rebels had subsided, the United Kingdom announced the grant of a $15 billion NSD stimulus package to Pangus and Prudenesia, to assist in the rebuilding of their economy. This money, they noted, was not included in the already allocated international assistance fund, which had - up to this point - been funding rebuilding efforts. The Royalist Party hailed the passing of the legislation as a milestone in Aquitayne's commitment to the future of Insula Fera and its citizens, while the People's Party decried the action, calling the allocation of funds "irresponsible and excessive".

Some figures show that the stimulus package has directly employed over 100,000 Pangeians and 65,000 Prudenesians, providing manufacturing and construction jobs to help in the rebuilding of the country. Reconstruction, according to Aquitayne, has been progressing smoothely, with little interference from rebel factions. However, in early 2015, as supply convoy carrying major amounts of construction materials was hijacked by who is suspected to be rebel factions. Ultimately, however, some criticize the reconstruction plan as it does not provide as much funds to the rebuilding of necessary technological infrastructures such as internet cables. Some analysts worry that, while the funds are doing well to boost the economy in the short-term construction industries, it has failed to rebuild the information technology industries, service industries and small business foundation that the region had before the collapse.

August Referendum

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Prudenesian voters cast their ballots in the August Referendum, 2016.

The August Referendum was Aquitayne's answer to the Dangish Empire's demand for a vote within two years of the invasion. Prior to the coalition intervention, the Dangish had openly threatened war against Aquitayne via their Osborne Doctrine if Aquitayne did not permit a democratic vote to take place within two years of the intervention. Though the August Referendum is past that deadline, subsequent diplomatic talks eliminated the possibility of war over the issue.

The referendum was a comprehensive vote by all of the citizens of Pangus, Prudenesia, and the old Spartian territory on three topics. The first topic was the election of local representatives to the new Congress that was to be convened in Corvus for the first time on the 1st of November. The second issue which the voters cast their ballots on, and the most important, was the proposition to incorporate Pangus, Prudenesia and Spartia into one solitary state called New Pangus. The proposal was a compromise between Dangish and United Kingdom officials, who believed that it was the people's decision to enact such change, where the Aquitaynians had - up to this point - governed Pangus almost autonomously.

The last issue the voters cast their ballot on was the election of their first President. The victor was Giacomo Gianni, who ran on the platform of continuous industrial expansion and hard-line negotiations with the Heraldan Rebels. Ultimately, the northern areas of Insula Fera were indeed unified on 1 September 2016 when, at midnight, all three independent states were brought under the sovereignty of their new state, New Pangus. At 8:00am that morning, across each of the three former nations, all flags at official government posts were lowered and the New Pangus flag was raised, symbolizing the birth of a new nation under one flag. The newly elected President Gianni gave a long speech regarding the future of the country and, famously, stated that "we are the founding fathers and mothers. We hold the past, and we can give the future."

Contemporary Era

President Gianni discusses issues facing the country with his cabinet.

Today, New Pangus continues to rebuild its infrastructure and living standards after the devastating attacks in 2013. The majority of their aid each year comes from the United Kingdom, and has helped in their continual GDP growth, even after Aquitayne's withdrawal in 2017. Relations with their southern neighbor, Kyashi, has been nominal, with trade relations growing and goods passing through the formerly closed southern border daily. New Pangus possesses a small but well trained military that is actively being used to continue the fight against Heraldan rebel cells that continue to assault the nation, though they are estimated to be 1/8th of the size they were before intervention.

New Pangus is also currently in talks with the Ministry of Foerign Affairs of Aquitayne in reference to joining the Tel Al-Riyah Pact, as well as becoming a member of the E10 Council of Nations.

Government

The government of New Pangus is a constitutional republic and democracy. It is lead by the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch and the Judiciary.

Congress

Main article: Congress of New Pangus

The legislative branch of the government of New Pangus is comprised of the New Pangus Congress, a bicameral legislative body of elected representatives that meet for 8 months every year to pass legislation governing the country. The Congress is comprised of the House and Senate, each holding representatives from each state of the republic. Almost identically to American government, the New Pangus Congress allots House representatives through the population of each state, while the Senate holds two representatives for each state.

Any legislation making its way through the Congress must pass both the House and the Senate, respectively, and be signed by the President to become law. The House is comprised of 225 members, and the Senate is made up of 40 members.

Presidency

Main article: President of New Pangus

The President of New Pangus serves at the pleasure of the people, and is elected through a direct popular vote. The President serves a four year term with the ability to serve once more if they gain reelection. The powers of the President are extensive, and are outlined specifically in the Constitution of New Pangus. Specifically, the President has the ability to veto any legislation the Congress may pass, with their ability to override, and is in charge of the country's military forces. The President is also the sole representative for the New Pangus government to foreign dignitaries and is the only member of state that can conduct diplomatic relations.

The President has also been given the power to enact executive orders, which must only regulate the executive branch of government and do not have to be ratified by the Congress. The first, and currently sitting President of New Pangus is Giacomo Gianni.

Justice System

Main article: Justice System of New Pangus

The Judiciary branch of New Pangus serves to interpret the laws passed by the legislative branch and cast judgement on the executive branch's enforcement of said laws. The judiciary is divided into four circuits: the local courts, which handle civil actions, the criminal courts, which are the first level of criminal cases; the federal courts, which handle both criminal and civil cases and are the level to which appeals rise, and finally the Supreme Court, which has the final say on any case.

Whereas the lower courts do not have the power to interpret the constitution in a manner which would alter its meaning, the Supreme Court holds that distinction. The Supreme Court is comprised of nine justices, all of whom serve for life and who's pay is set by Congress. These justices vote on whether they want to hear certain cases or not, and their rulings are usually published at the end of June.

Foreign Relations

The foreign relations of New Pangus are still beginning to take form. Relations with the United Kingdom of Aquitayne and Symphonia are excellent, with constant negotiations ongoing given New Pangus' current problems with domestic terrorism. New Pangus is, reportedly, also seeking membership into the Tel Al-Riyah Pact, a neutral organization that is lead by Aquitayne. To their south, New Pangus has begun opening dialogue with the state of Kyashi, an industrial powerhouse and important neighbor.

New Pangus remains the newest country in Astyria, and as such their diplomatic relations have yet to be fully formed, but many analysts agree it is unlikely they will pursue membership into either the Astyrian Trade Organization or the East Astyrian Treaty Organization.

Demographics

Peoples

The demographics of New Pangus constitute three major ethnic groups: French, Italian, and Japanese. Each ethnic group is, for the most part, geographically contained to three distinct geographic areas within New Pangus and don't often merge into a different ethnicity's geographic areas, unless it is for employment.

The northeastern and former nation of Pangus are largely ethnically Italian. The region is comprised of the old nations of Spartia and Pangus, which were directly Italian and largely held the former ISE's economic and governmental centers, making it a hub of Italian culture and style. There are small pockets of first-generation French speakers in the rural areas of Pangus, though there are rarely any French or Japanese speakers in old Spartia. The French speaking population largely, and indeed almost entirely, resides in the old nation of Prudenesia.

Prudenesia was a former colony of Terre de Gauls, gaining independence from Gaul in the 1960's and falling under the Imperial Spartanian Empire in the mid 1980's. The French speaking population is smaller than that of the Italian speaking populace, and studies have shown that most French speakers in New Pangus earn $5,000 less than Italian speakers on average, though the root cause of this phenomenon has not been pinpointed. Indeed, the same study shows that Japanese speakers are at an even greater disadvantage.

Japanese speakers in New Pangus account for roughly 13% of the population, while peoples of Japanese descent account for 15.7% of the population. The majority of Japanese speakers that speak Japanese as their first language reside near the New Pangus-Kyashi border, a nation to the southeast of New Pangus that is one of two Japanese-speaking nations in the region, with Symphonia a thousand kilometers to the south. Japanese speakers are encouraged to teach their children English at an early age, as it is the best intermediary language for children to learn, as Italian and French can be too difficult for Asian speakers. The Japanese population has large communities in Corvus and around old Pangus, but there is almost no real Japanese signage or public assistance in Pangus or Spartia, and remains almost solely in old Prudenesia.

Language

The most commonly spoken languages in New Pangus are Italian, French and Japanese. These three languages derive from the major ethnic groupings that occur in New Pangus. To the north and northeast, in the former Spartia and Pangus areas, Italian is the most spoken language, while in the former region of Prudenesia, a former colony of Terre de Gauls, French is the most spoken language. Likewise, on the southeastern border of New Pangus is Kyashi, and the regions near the border with Kyashi, mostly spreading about 50 miles into New Pangus, largely speak some form of Japanese and French. The differences in both tongues make it difficult for many to understand or learn two languages, and English is taught in most New Pangus schools as an intermediary language between citizens.

This makes New Pangus a unique nation in Astyria, with no official national language and requiring a language that is not native to the region for communication with people from other areas. English serves as the easiest intermediate language between citizens as, though Italian speakers can learn French and vice versa, they have more difficulties learning Japanese and the Japanese learning a European-oriented tongue. English thus is a very popular option for Japanese-speaking citizens as a second language.

Armed Forces

Main article: New Pangus Defense Forces

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New Pangus Special Defense Forces conduct room clearing operations.

The New Pangus Defense Forces are the military and paramilitary forces of New Pangus, under the President as their commander-in-chief. They consist of the Army, Navy, Air Forces, and Marines, and are - for the most part - well trained and equipped through defense grants via Aquitayne.

New Pangus is currently not a member of the World Assembly or the Security Council. New Pangus maintains no current nuclear arsenal, with almost all of Nu Sparta's nuclear stockpile accounted for after the collapse. New Pangus' defense budget for 2016 was $41.6 billion NSD, with defense grants totaling roughly $5 billion NSD from Aquitayne, respectively, along with numerous amounts of infantry small arms and armored vehicles.

New Pangus relies heavily on Aquitaynian advisers to help train the new batches of recruits, with the majority of former Spartian military forces having defected, surrendered, or killed during the collapse. With Aquitayne's newly battle-hardened troops readily available to assist in the training doctrine for the New Pangus Defense Forces, the NPDF has seen action throughout the country in fighting the Heraldan Rebels and has seen overall success in their endeavors. New Pangus deterrence for foreign invasion relies heavily on their strong ties with Aquitayne and their entrance into the Tel Al-Riyah Pact.