Nuvania

Nuvanian Free State Nuwanse Vrystaat
Flag
Motto: "Ons land, ons vryheid"(Asteriaans) "Our Land, Our Freedom"
Anthem: Die Stem van Nuwanië The Call of Nuvania
Location of Nuvania in Asteria Inferior
Capital and largest city	Pietersburg
Official languages	Asteriaans, Estmerish
Demonym(s)	Nuvanian
Government	Parliamentary republic
• State President	S.P van Heerdens
• Chief Minister	Joesoef van Lingen
Establishment
• Colonisation of Nuvania	12 October 1673
• Takeover by Estmere	20 July 1720
• Home rule	20 February 1811
• Independence of Nuvania	1 September 1886
Area
• Total	1,055,828 km2 (407,657 sq mi)
• Water (%)	0.8
Population
• July 2020 estimate	48,669,009
• 2015 census	47,448,333
• Density	44.9/km2 (116.3/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	July 2020 estimate
• Total	$1.49 trillion
• Per capita	$29,164
GDP (nominal)	July 2020 estimate
• Total	$549.053 billion
• Per capita	$11,281
HDI	0.776 high
Currency	Goudë (₲) (NUG)
Time zone	Nuvanian Standard Time
Driving side	left
Calling code	500
Internet TLD	.nu

Nuvania (Asteriaans: Nuwanië), officially the Nuvanian Free State (Asteriaans: Nuwanse Vrystaat) is a sovereign state located in western Asteria Inferior. It is bordered to the west by Satavia, to the northeast by Aucuria, and to the east by Belmonte, with coasts on the Vehmens Ocean and the Arucian Sea. With 47.4 million inhabitants, Nuvania is the second most populous country in Asteria Inferior. It also has the second largest economy on the continent, and play an important part in regional affairs.

First inhabited some 41,000 years ago by nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes, Nuvania was inhabited by a variety of people groups before the arrival of Eucleans. These early inhabitants settled permanently and formed the first pre-Euclean civilisations which then expanded into the tribes and civilisations that existed when the first Eucleans mapped the northern and western coasts in x.

The Duchy of Flamia and the First Hennish Republic began colonisation in 1540, with the Republic forming the South Asterian Company (ZAK) and Flamia establishing the New Asterian Company (NAK) for the purpose of reinforcing collective Hennish claims in western Asteria Inferior, with the first settlement established at Fort Willem in the far northwest of Nuvania. With the advent of the Sotirian Commonwealth, Nuvanian colonisation began in earnest and culminated in the conquest of the Mwiska at the end of the Mwiska Wars in 1640, a century after the first settlement was established. The Sotirian Commonwealth expanded its control into the interior of Nuvania, establishing the first settlements in what is today Pomeronia in central Nuvania. Simultaneously, the Flamian colonists spread along the coast of Nuvania, establishing numerous trading ports, the largest and most prosperous of which was Niekerk, located in the far southeast of the country.

Events in Euclea came to have significant rammifications for Hennish colonies in Nuvania; the Ten Years' War and the Amendist Wars seeing the end of the Sotirian Commonwealth, and with it, the Commonwealth's colonies in central and eastern Nuvania. This, alongside the conquest of additional Commonwealth settlements in neighbouring Satavia, saw the creation of Flamian Asteria, the first time Nuvania had been united into a single polity. Flamia faced difficulties in administering its new colonies, as the vast majority of the inhabitants were Kasperists, while the Flamian monarchy and colonial government were predominantly Catholic. The same internal strife in Euclea began to appear in the colonies, and while Nuvania did not revolt, local leaders took the initiative to prevent any form of secession from Flamian rule.

Flamia would lose her Asterian colonies to Estmere after the Estmerish-Hennish War in 1747, sparking a new wave of Euclean settlements as well as internal strife within the colonies. Nuvania, in addition to Satavia, were the scene of a series of land in naval battles during the war, in which Estmerish soldiers defeated both the NAK and ZAK. This brought about a period of instability within the colonies, in which the Nuvanians attempted and failed to remove the Estmerish from Nuvania. Estmere would solidify its control over Nuvania, splitting the colonies in 1778 between Nuvania and Satavia, creating Nuvania as a separate entity. In 1811, Nuvania gained some political autonomy and became a self-governing colony, a status which lasted until the War of the Arucian in 1883, after which Nuvania became an independent state in 1886.

Nuvania experienced a substantial period of economic growth between the War of the Arucian and the Great Collapse, which saw the rise of a far right nationalist government to power in 1918. Under G.B Deventer, Nuvania invaded Aucuria during the early months of the Great War, quickly defeating it and becoming drawn into a long guerilla conflict with what remained of the Aucurian military. After invading Belmonte alongside Satucin, Nuvania suffered a series of military and naval defeats that resulted in its withdrawl from both countries and the loss of territories gained during the peace negotiations.

Post-war, Nuvania began to expand its social policies under the government of J.P van Vollenhoven, as well as rebuild economically. The van Vollenhoven government was significant in its expansion of rights and privileges to the working class, as well as the establishment of national education, healthcare, pension, and welfare systems, precipitating another period of economic growth until the outbreak of the Solarian War in 1943, which severely hampered economic activity. Nuvania experienced a protracted period of economic and social malaise during the late 1960's and early 1970's suffering from the effects of the Sugar Crash, with the country emerging from the recession of 1980 in a precarious financial state. The government of Johnathan Keaton oversaw an economic revolution which precipitated greater social reforms in the 1990's under the ''New Society'' campaign led by David van Deventer. A banking crisis in the 1990's and another recession in 2005 significantly affected modern Nuvania, shaping social and economic policy to this day.

Nuvania remains a diverse nation both socially and in terms of biodiversity, with one of the highest rates of biodiversity anywhere in the world. The country, however, continues to struggle with social issues surrounding wealth inequality and indigenous rights. It is a member of several supranational organisations, namely the Community of Nations, the Organisation of Asterian Nations, and the International Council for Democracy.

History

The Great Experiment

The Great Experiment is a term originating from a 2015 documentary series that was coined to describe the era of social and economic liberalisation between 1973 and 2005.

Geography

Nuvania covers an area of approximately 1.037 million square kilometres, making it the third largest country in Asteria Inferior. Contained within it are numerous geographical formations, rivers, and lakes that give Nuvania a unique landscape. The country is divided into several general geographical and environmental regions reflective of this diversity.

Northern Nuvania beyond the Arucian Range is dominated by the kustveld, a tropical coastal plain that extends beyond Nuvania's border with Aucuria to the east and stops at the Mascarenhas Peninsula to the west, on the border with the Van Horn Strait and the western Arucian Sea. Because of its proximity to the equator, the kustveld is one of the wettest and lushest areas in Nuvania, with fertile soils and numerous streams and rivers. Wetlands and mangrove swamps can be found in the immediate littoral in the north of the country, particularly where rivers and streams flow into the Arucian Sea. Most of these areas were reclaimed, either to support farmland or urban development. In some areas, mangrove swamps were also present, although these too have mostly been lost, save for a few protected or uninhabited areas along the coast. Further inland, the kustveld becomes a wide area of floodplains which gradually rise into the foothills of the Arucian Range in the south. On the Mascarenhas Peninsula, the floodplains give way to a series of low hills call the Westrand, which run up the western portion of the peninsular perpendicular to the Arucian Range. It is formed from an ancient seabed, raised during the same tectonic forces that created the Arucian Sea and the Arucian Range to the southeast.

The Arucian Range runs along most of northern Nuvania and into neighbouring Aucuria. It is the second largest mountain range in the country after the South Asterian Range in the south. The Arucian Range was formed by tectonic activity caused by the rifting in the Arucian Basin which formed the Arucian Sea. The range was considerably higher throughout most of its existence, however erosion has reduced the mountains in terms of shape and altitude, although they are still high enough to significantly affect the climate in the north of the country. Because of this, the Arucian Range has different overall climates dependant on location and altitude, with the northern side hotter and wetter, central parts cooler and drier, and southern areas hotter and drier. Contained within the Arucian Range are numerous valleys, which contain numerous cities and towns that were founded to facilitate trade through the mountains. In addition the sources of some of Nuvania's longest rivers can be found within the Arucian Range. At 2,620 metres in altitude, Mount Daalen is the highest point in the Arucian Range.

Central Nuvania is dominated by the bosveld, a vast, open area between the Arucian Range to the north and the South Asterian Range to the south. It is an area of broad flat lands characterised by low, rising terrain and a dry climate. The soils here are as fertile as those on the kustveld, with the climate being the primary factor in the lack of widespread crop agriculture in the region, with much of the region given over to the raising of livestock. The bosveld is one of the most mineral rich areas of Nuvania, producing gold, silver, platinum, iron ore, tin, as well as large amounts of coal. Other minerals can be found in the fringes of the bosveld, which has an economic and cultural significance in Nuvania. Much of the region is fed by seasonal melt from the South Asterian Range that separates the southern coast from the interior.

The South Arucian Range is an extensive mountain chain that runs along southern Nuvania, northern Belmonte, Aucuria and the southern extremes of Satucin. The range was formed from tectonic activity through the clashing of the x Plate and the x Plate. Because of this, the mountains are active seismically and include a number of volcanoes which are among the highest peaks in the Asterias. In addition, the mountains provide a significant proportion of the fresh water that flows down both sides of the range into central and southern areas. Much of the range is composed of mountains although a number of the peaks are volcanoes. The highest peak in Nuvania is Mount Constantyn at a height of 5,147 metres (16,886 feet).

Many rivers flow through Nuvania, with many flowing out from the major mountain ranges. The largest and longest of these is the Ardron River, which flows from the Southeast Highlands in Veld, and flows into the Van Horn Strait, with a length of 1,254 kilometres. The Ardron is important to central Nuvania as it provides much needed drinking and irrigation water for agriculture, as well as important habitat for numerous species of birds, fish, insects, and reptiles. Where the Ardron flows into the Van Horn Strait is the location of the Kinsella Wetlands, the largest in Nuvania.

Climate

Nuvania is under the influence of a variety of tropical climates which are influenced heavily by prevailing winds, ocean currents, and topography. Generally the climates in the north and parts of the northeast of the country are much wetter than climates across the rest of Nuvania, which is heavily dependent on seasonal rainfall.

North of the Arucian Range, as well as the northern slopes of the range itself, is under the influence of a tropical rainforest climate with no defined dry season. The climate is influenced predominantly by the South Arucian Current, a warm current that runs along the northwest coast of Asteria Inferior from western Satucin through to Nuvania. It brings much of the warm moisture systems which bring the majority of the rainfall along the northern coast. The Arucian Sea moderates the climate along the coast with onshore breezes, whereas the climate becomes much wetter inland, especially along the north-facing slopes of the Arucian Range which catch the rainfall and prevent it from reaching central regions of Nuvania. Rainfall in northern regions can exceed 1,000 millimetres annually in the wettest spots, with temperatures warm and humid throughout the year.

Nuvania's southern coast and southeast of the country are also under the influence of a tropical rainforest climate. This climate is influenced by the Vehemens Ocean, which acts as both a moderator and a generator of the weather systems that affect the southern coastline. Like the northern coast, the southern coast is humid and tropical, although there is a greater differentiation between wet and dry seasons. However, the South Asterian Range traps much of the moisture-laden weather systems that are generated in the eastern Vehemens Ocean, and as a result, rainfall is often high in these areas during the wet season.

While the Arucian Range prevents northern moisture bearing systems from reaching central and southern Nuvania, and it catches the seasonal rainfall that flows from the east, allowing for the existence of large areas of forests and scrubland in spite of the Hofmeyr Current which runs along the western coast of the continent. In this respect its northern slopes are under the influence of a rainforest climate, while its southern slopes are drier and more monsoonal. In the valleys and basins in the centre of the ranges exists a subtropical highland climate with a much more moderate climate, with rainfall totals around 700-900 millimetres annually.

Central Nuvania is dominated by a tropical savannah climate with monsoonal influences, as the wet season typically produces over 90% of the area's rainfall. As with other tropical climates, temperatures remain warm to hot throughout the year, although a large number of these areas have climates that verge on semi arid, and here the seasonal temperature variations are greatest. The wet season lasts between November and April, and produces over 90% of the total annual rainfall in these areas. Eastern regions of central Nuvania are wetter due to their proximity to the [[Wikipedia:}rainforests|}rainforests]] in central Asteria Inferior, while central and western regions have much drier climates, with western regions bordering on semi-arid.

The South Asterian Range is the most defining topographic feature when it comes to climate, with different areas of the range experiencing different climates, depending on location and altitude. Typically the southern side of the range experiences climates that are much wetter than those on the northern side, with lower elevations experiencing tropical climates and higher elevations subtropical alpine climates. The northern side experiences tropical savanna and semi-arid climates, with higher elevations experiencing more Solarian like climates.

Nuvania's highest recorded temperature is 45.6°C, observed at Dawson's Plain, Veld on November 18, 1979. The lowest recorded temperature is -26.5°C, observed at Windermere in the South Asterian Range on September 15, Template:Wpl1979.

Government

Nuvania is a constitutional parliamentary republic with a codified constitution and separation of powers between the Template:WpL, executive, and judiciary. Like many former colonies of Estmere, Nuvania's government and parliament are administered along the lines of the Northabbey model of government.

Historically Nuvania has been considered to be an authoritarian nation and was considered to be unfree for much of its existence, owing to the electoral rules in which much of its indigenous populations had restricted rights and voting privileges. A series of reforms in the early 1990's improved Nuvania's political image and the voting rights for its indigenous population, but problems remain.

Constitution

The Constitution of Nuvania is the founding document of the Free State, and was drafted between 1884 and 1885 during a series of conventions. On June 6, 1886, the Constitution was formally adopted by Parliament as a prelude to the formal independence of the Free State.

It outlines the relationship between the head of state and the head of government and powers vested in those offices, the roles and responsibilities of the Parliament, and the relationship between the provinces of Nuvania and the state. The constitution does not provide protections for certain rights and privileges, something which has been the subject of considerable controversy.

In its role as the supreme law in Nuvania, the constitution functions as the metric through which government legislation, government decision making, and government policy is measured.

Parliament

The Parliament of Nuvania is the bicameral legislature of Nuvania. It is a continuation of the colonial parliament that existed between 1811 and 1886, and retains much of the same laws and procedures as the pre-republican parliament in Estmere. It is split between two houses: the General Council and the Provincial Council.

The General Council is the lower house of Parliament and is composed of 410 elected members. Officially each member is referred to as a Member of the General Council but the Asteriaans acronym LAK is commonly used. Each member is elected to a renewable term of four years. The General Council's primary function is the creation, amendment, and passing of legislation, as well as the approval of the government's budget and special financial appropriations. Declarations of war, and the approval of candidates for the Supreme and Constitutional Courts are also functions of the General Council.

The Provincial Council is the Template:Wplupper house of Parliament and is composed of 96 elected members, or 12 members for each province in Nuvania. The purpose of the Provincial Council in Parliament is much like that of upper chambers elsewhere, in that it can introduce, amend, and pass legislation, and hold inquiries and hearings into government conduct or significant events. In addition, the Provincial Council has the additional powers of making candidate recommendations to the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court. Members of the Provincial Council are known as MAKs, and are elected to the same renewable four year term as the General Council.

State President

The State President is the head of state of Nuvania. The position was created upon independence in 1886 in which the office of State President replaced that of the Governor-General. It is an elected partisan office despite the role being largely ceremonial with limited legislative intervention.

Officially as the head of state, the State President is the foremost representative of the Free State internationally and thus is the primary host of state visits by other heads of state, heads of government, and other important dignitaries. They also function as the Commander in Chief of the armed forces, and is the only authority in Nuvania that can formally declare war. In addition, the State President appoints all judges to the Supreme Court, all judges to the Constitutional Court, the head of the Reserve Bank of Nuvania, and formally issues promotions to commissioned officers within all branches of the armed forces. In addition, the State President issues pardons to prisoners, signs legislation passed by Parliament into law, and sits as the ceremonial president of the President's Fund, a philanthropic organisation. The State President may also become a patron of an additional charity of their choice.

Requirements to become State President are more stringent than those of Chief Minister. Candidates for State President must have served for a minimum of 10 years in either the General or Provincial Councils, they must have served in Cabinet or some other important function for a minimum of five years, in addition to the same requirements of political party membership and no mental or physical health problems preventing them from fulfilling duties.

Chief Minister

The Chief Minister is the head of government of Nuvania, a position inherited from the colonial home rule government which lasted between 1811 and 1886. The Chief Minister functions similarly to the roles of Prime Minister in other former Estmerish colonies as well as the role of Prime Minister in Estmere itself.

Powers vested in the office are principally administrative and advisory, with the Chief Minister's role defined in the Constitution of Nuvania as the most senior role in government and as a "first among equals". They have the powers to set government agendas and policies, appoint and remove ministers from Cabinet, assign Cabinet portfolios, and give advice to the State President on the conferment of Nuvania's honours system, call general elections, and gives advice on the appointment of officials to important positions.

There are few requirements around who can be Chief Minister. An individual must be an elected member of the General Council, be the leader of the party with a majority in the General Council or the leader of the largest party in the governing coalition, and must not be suffering from any physical or mental illnesses that could impact their ability to govern. Chief Ministers are elected to the same renewable four year terms as both houses of Parliament.

Elections

Elections in Nuvania are overseen by the National Election Authority which is a child agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is responsible for the organisation of elections at the national, provincial, and local level, the maintenance of voting registries, advising the government on electoral law, and participating in the redrawing of constituencies for national elections.

Elections are primarily regulated by the National Elections Act 1886, which entitles all Nuvanian citizens to participate in all elections. Initially this was restricted to property owning men, with suffrage extended to all men who pass literacy requirements in 1918, and to all women subject to the same requirements in 1930. Literacy requirements are still enforced in Nuvania, with approximately 5.35% of the population unable to meet the literacy standard required to be able to vote. In addition, all individuals incarcerated in Nuvania lose their voting rights once they enter prison. As of November 2019, around 118,000 people are imprisoned in Nuvania, representing 0.25% of the population. Nuvania's literacy requirements are the subject of domestic and international criticism, as they predominantly affect Nuvania's mixed and indigenous peoples.

General elections are held every four years and determine the composition of both houses of Parliament. Each member of the General Council represents one constituency, divided according to population. The electoral system for the General Council is first-past-the-post voting, with the Provincial Council utilising a ranked voting system due to the lower number of seats.

Presidential elections are held every seven years, with political parties determining presidential candidates through closed primaries. The system to elect the President is two-round instant runoff voting, with different rounds of elections mandated to be separated by a period not exceeding three months. Candidates who fail to obtain at least 15% of the vote in the first round are eliminated from the second round of voting. A candidate must obtain a majority of the vote in order to be elected President. If candidates fail to obtain a majority, a tiebreaker election is held six months from the second round.

Provincial and local elections use similar electoral systems to national elections. Provincial legislatures are elected in the same manner as Parliament, opting for a first-past-the-post system. District and municipal elections utilise open list instant runoff voting to elect district and municipal councilors. Unlike provincial elections, district and municipal elections are largely non-partisan and often have a large number of candidates.

Judiciary

Nuvania has a mixed judicial system combining aspects of both civil and common law. Nuvania's laws are codified in the National Law Code but are open to interpretation by judges, with judicial rulings also setting legal precedents. The National Law Code, the role of the judiciary, as well as the structure of the judicial system and the role of government agencies within the system are defined in Section 7 of the constitution. Nuvania does not have trial by jury.

Courts in Nuvania are divided between different levels of government, and by the roles they play. They are divided into three principal categories: general, administrative, and appellate, and are also divided by local government.

General courts are divided into two types: municipal and district. Municipal courts handle low level criminal offending, civil disputes, and small claims. These are often presided over by one judge and do not have the means of appealing to higher courts. District courts handle more serious civil and criminal cases, randing from criminal trials, to civil matters such as lawsuits, legal challenges, as well as family court cases such as divorce settlements and custody cases.

Administrative courts are those that cover aspects outside of civil disputes and criminal trials, primarily covering aspects of government administration as well as disputes relating to Nuvania's labour and employment laws. There are five courts within the administrative court system: the Administrative Court, which deals with disputes and legal challenges regarding local and central government, the Constitutional Court, the Labour Court, which deals with disputes and challenges regarding labour and employment law, the Environment Court, which relates to challenges involving environment law, and Electoral Court. All are provided over by a panel of three to five judges who are experts in their particular fields of law.

Appellate courts are those that hear appeals from general and administrative courts. These consist of two courts: a Court of Appeals, of which one can be found in each province, and the Supreme Court, which is the final court of appeal. All appellate courts are presided over by a panel of five judges.

Two significant courts in Nuvania are the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court. The Constitutional Court acts both in a judicial and as an advisory role, the former used to review government laws, rules, and other actions against the constitution, and the latter to provide advice to the government. The Supreme Court hears cases referred to from the Court of Appeals, or applied to the court directly, and are tasked with affirming a final decision on a case or legal challenge. The Supreme Court has the power to establish legal precedents in Nuvania. Both the Constitutional Court and Supreme Court are composed of panels of five judges who are appointed for life by the State President.

The National Prosecution Service is the primary agency for conducting criminal prosecutions in Nuvania. The agency employs over 4,500 staff, mostly solicitors and barristers, as well as other legal staff and officials. It's official role is prosecuting criminal cases, offering legal advice to police and other investigative agencies, and to decide whether or not to bring criminal charges against individuals. It is headed by the Prosecutor-General, whose role is primarily administrative. The Prosecutor-General serves a single term of six years and is appointed by the Minister of Justice.

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement in Nuvania is predominantly carried out by the National Police Service, whose role is to prevent and investigate crime, uphold and enforce laws, and protect all persons and property in Nuvania. It also plays an important role in maintaining internal stability and security. It is one of the largest government agencies in Nuvania, employing approximately 186,846 officers and personnel.

In addition to the National Police Service, there are numerous municipal police services in Nuvania, whose primary role is to provide assistance to the National Police Service when requested, as well as enforce local bylaws and regulations, conduct traffic enforcement, and prevent crime. Municipal police forces have limited powers of detention and enforcement. There are an additional 44,500 or so staff and police officers employed in 187 municipal police forces across Nuvania.

Outside of police, there are other agencies with powers to enforce laws, detain individuals, and have other law enforcement powers. Among these is the National Prison Service, the National Customs and Revenue Service, the National Parks and Conservation Service, and the Financial Crimes Office.

Foreign Affairs

Nuvania has official bilateral relations with 32 countries across Euclea, Coius, the Asterias, and Sublustria. In addition, it is a member of several international organisations. Nuvania's diplomatic relationships stem primarily from three principal categories: geographic proximity, historical or cultural ties, and closer trade relationships.

Nuvania maintains embassies and close bilateral relations with most countries in Asteria Inferior, especially neighbouring countries such as Aucuria, Belmonte and Satavia. Further afield, Nuvania maintains embassies in Caluchia, Satucin, and Zaralaja. In addition to being on the same continent, Nuvania has a good working relationship with all countries, with foreign policy traditionally oriented towards these countries in terms of trade agreements, travel agreements, and regional cooperation. Historically ties between Nuvania and the countries of Satavia and Satucin have been the closest, the former for its cultural and historical similarities as former colonies of Estmere and Hennish states before independence. Satavia is also the only country with which Nuvania maintains a free travel agreement. Relations with Sautcin date after Nuvania became an independent state, and were particularly close during the Kylaris. Since then, both countries have cooperated on setting economic policies and directions for the remainder of the continent. Relations between Nuvania and Aucuria and Belmonte have improved significantly since the end of the Great War, and today form two of the largest trade partners with Nuvania.

Further afield in the Asterias, Nuvania maintains embassies and bilateral relations with most countries in Asteria Superior and in the West Arucian Sea, save for Chistovoda, Maracao, and Marirana. Nuvania previously maintained an embassy in the latter until 2015, when the embassy in Aquinas was closed owing to the outbreak of the civil war. Nuvania also previously maintained an embassy in Porto Leste in Maracao prior to the invasion of Dunhelm Island in 1955. Of these relations, the most important to Nuvania are Halland and Nuxica, both of which have significant economic investments in Nuvania, especially in manufacturing. Nuvania also shares some cultural links with Halland, as both countries have substantial Caldish populations and both were former Estmerish colonies, and have Estmerish as recognised official languages. Relations with Nuxica developed primarily after the Great War, with both countries looking to expand their economies and trade with other nations, as well as a mutual interest in preventing the spread of communism.

Outside of the Asterias, Nuvania maintains relations with 13 nations in Euclea, principally nations that have had an influence on Nuvania through economic or cultural links. Of these nations, Estmere and Hennehouwe are considered the most important. Nuvania is an Estophone nation and a former Estmerish colony, and is considered the principal diplomatic conveyor between ASTCOM and Estmere, as well as other nations in Asteria Inferior. As a former Hennish colony before becoming part of the Estmerish colonial empire, relations with Hennehouwe are close, with a substantial proportion of Nuvanian culture influenced from Hennehouwe. Outside of these two nations, Nuvania also has bilateral relations with Caldia, Etruria, Gaullica, Montecara, Narozalica, and Poliania among others. In Coius, Nuvania maintains bilateral relations with Senria, Xiaodong, and Zorasan, Senria and Xiaodong especially having significant economic investments in Nuvania.

Nuvania is one of the founding members of the Asteria Inferior Common Market and has been instrumental in its development as well as the maintenance of the organisation. It is also a founding member of the Organisation of Asterian Nations. Nuvania also maintains membership of the Community of Nations, the International Council for Democracy, the Global Institute for Fiscal Affairs, the International Trade Organisation, and the League of Oil Producing States.

Military

The Nuvanian Armed Forces perform the military functions of the Nuvanian Free State. It is the third largest in terms of personnel in Asteria Inferior, with approximately 87,564 men and women on active service or as reserve personnel. As with other militaries, the Nuvanian Armed Forces consists of three branches: the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy. Nuvania transitioned from a conscription-based military to a professional armed force during the 1980's, although provisions are in place to institute conscription should the need arise.

Nuvania's military has historically been used in both conventional and unconventional conflicts and is directly descended from the colonial military formations raised by both the Hennish and Estmerish colonial governments to maintain stability within the colonies prior to independence, with Nuvania having fought in two conventional wars since independence, in addition to having participated to some extent in unconventional conflicts following the end of the Kylaris. It has also had to become involved in internal policing and internal security operations, especially during times of social unrest. Because of this, the Army and Air Force are among the best trained and experienced in counter-insurgency operations.

Administrative Divisions

Provinces

Provinces are the highest tier of local governance in Nuvania, with the country divided between eight of them. The roles, responsibilities, and powers of the provinces are outlined in the Constitution of Nuvania, with most provinces coming into existence upon independence in 1886.

Each province has its own elected government divided between the Provincial Assembly (Provinsiale Vergadering) and the Executive Council (Uitvoerende Raad). The latter is headed by a Chief Executive (Uitvoerendehoof) who serves as the province's executive.

Provincial Assemblies essentially are deliberative bodies as opposed to a legislative body as in the national legislature. Membership of the assemblies is part time, and many members often have other jobs in addition to their roles as members. Their role is primarily to hold the Executive Council and the Chief Executive to account, as well as approve spending, infrastructure projects, and other provincial matters that require deliberation. Members can chose to be partisan, and are limited to renewable six year terms. The numbers of members are decided upon by population, and members are elected from constituencies.

Executive Councils are the upper tier of provincial governments, and are mandated to contain no more than 15 members and more than five members. Each council is responsible for the governance of a province and utilising the powers that provincial authorities have. These are controls over environmental management, including air and water quality, local civil defence, and the planning and construction of infrastructure. In addition, provinces may institute or otherwise issue contracts for inter-urban public transportation. Each councilor is elected from an at large open list for a renewable term of six years using single transferable vote, with the person on the list with the most votes becoming the Chief Excutive.

Districts

Districts (distrikte) are the second tier administrative level in Nuvania. There are approximately 154 districts in Nuvania, with an average of 19 districts per province. Districts are not covered by the constitution but instead have their structure and powers laid out in the Local Government Reform Act 1945.

Districts are divided between urban districts and rural districts based on population. Urban districts, often referred to as city councils, are defined as urban areas with over 50,000 inhabitants. Rural districts are defined as all other districts not meeting the definition of an urban district. District borders are established through the provincial branch of the Local Government Board. Each district council has between five and ten elected councilors elected through single transferable vote from an at-large list every six years.

Districts have the responsibility to provide direct utility services to their residents, these primarily being sewage, water, and waste collection, but occasionally include electricity and household gas supplies. Districts are responsible for the maintenance of infrastructure and roads that are not already under the responsibility of provincial and central governments, as well as the planning and provision of public transport.

Municipalities

Municipalities (munisipaliteite) are the lowest form of internal administration in Nuvania. Municipalities have the least amount of powers and responsibilities within local administration, but do have some important roles. There are approximately 1,124 municipalities in Nuvania.

Municipalities are usually centered around a specific part of larger cities, individual towns in some rural areas, or a collection of villages, hamlets, and settlements, usually with a few thousand residents. They are entirely reliant on provincial and central government for funding. Municipal councils are limited to exactly five persons plus a mayor, and are subject to the same electoral procedures as districts.

Powers reserved for municipalities include establishing zoning laws for residential, commercial, and industrial developments, and local police. In addition, urban municipalities can provide some of the utilities usually reserved for districts, as well as public transport.

Reserves

Most of Nuvania's Asterindian inhabitants live within what is officially termed as Lands Reserved For the Indigenous Peoples of Nuvania (Lande Gereserveer vir die Inheemse Volke van Nuwanië, LGIVN), commonly known as "reserves" (reserwes). Reserves were first created in the mid-19th century as a way of relocating Asterindian off productive agricultural land or to expand urban settlement. These were largely informal and temporary settlements which either grew into some of the poorest suburbs in Nuvania's largest cities, or fulfilled their role and the inhabitants allowed to settle elsewhere. The reserves that exist today stem from the policy of containment (bevalling) introduced by Chief Minister Phillippus Van Straaten and expanded under Frederich Steytler. These reserves were created purely as a method of concentrating and containing Asterindian populations within designated areas, often at the fringes of society.

Reserves effectively functioned as permanent concentration camps until 1960, when the government changed policy from containment to separation (skeiding) where those living in reserves could govern themselves as a state within a state. This allowed for the government to withdraw personnel and services from these reserves, with the intention that the reserves would be self managing and self funding. Despite this, the government still has some responsibilities over the reserves and has begun reinvesting in these areas to address high crime rates, as well as high unemployment and illiteracy.

Officially reserves have powers over most of their affairs, including governance, taxation, law enforcement, and some statutory laws. The latter have mostly been to address issues such as alcohol abuse, with central government providing some services such as education, healthcare, vehicle licencing, as well as assistance in natural disasters. Judicial matters and disputes involving reserve residents or reserves themselves are resolved through the provincial court system outside of the reserves. Residents of reserves require separate identification cards and are subject to travel restrictions. Access to these reserves is restricted, and permission from both the reserve management and the [[Ministry of Indigenous Affairs\\ is needed in order to visit them.

As of 2019, approximately 8.32 million Asterindian in Nuvania live within 150 registered reserves, accounting for 87.3% of the Asterindian population.

Economy

Nuvania has a nominal GDP of ₲4.38 trillion ($530.33 billion), making it the second largest economy in Asteria Inferior, after Satucin (or third behind Valentir). Nuvania's economy is classified as mixed market, with ordoliberalist influences. Economic liberalisation has resulted in steady economic growth since the first reforms were introduced in 1976, and these were largely halted after the economic crisis of 2005. Growth has continued at a subdued but steady pace since 2005, allowing for the government to properly direct and manage economic growth.

Nuvania's economy is dominated by the services sector, with manufacturing, agriculture, and mining also significant contributors to the national GDP.

Nuvania has a total workforce of 19,477,800 people, the second largest labour force in Asteria Inferior. Unemployment rates are difficult to produce accurately, as the government only counts unemployment figures for whites and mixed peoples. Officially the unemployment rate is 7.9%, with whites having an unemployment rate of 3.3%, and mixed 6.4%. Unofficially the unemployment rate of natives is around 45%, but difficulties in access to native reserves make accurate figures largely impossible.

Agriculture

Agriculture remains a significant sector of Nuvania's economy, accounting for 7.5% of the GDP, or approximately $39.9 billion. Agriculture accounts for 7.1% of total exports, a value of $11 billion. The sector employs 4.6% of Nuvania's labour force, just under one million people. Nuvania's agricultural sector is divided between the fruit, dairy, and meat industries with a smaller crop industry.

Fruit growing is the largest agricultural industry in Nuvania, with the industry contributing $13.9 billion to the national economy annually. Nuvania produces eleven million tonnes of fruit a year, with principal fruit crops being avocados, bananas, mangoes, plantains, and pineapples. The plantain is the largest fruit crop grown in Nuvania in terms of tonnes produced annually, as well as value. It also makes Nuvania the largest cultivator of plantains in the world, and one of the world's largest suppliers of avocados and bananas. Most of the fruit is harvested from independent farmers who are members of Consolidated Fruit, a cooperative whereby the farmers are paid international wholesale prices for their fruit and in turn, receive monthly payments from the profits earned. Consolidated Fruit buys approximately 60% of avocados, 71% of bananas, 80% of mangoes, papayas, and pineapples, and 45% of plantains grown in Nuvania. The rest of the fruit is grown and sold by independent farmers, or by other companies.

Nuvania's meat industry is among the continent's largest, producing 4.39 million tonnes of meat annually, worth $13.6 billion, slightly less than the fruit industry. It is almost exclusively focused on the production of beef, chicken, and pork, with the largest component of the industry being chicken in terms of overall tonnage of meat produced. The most valuable industry is beef. The majority of Nuvania's meat production comes from the central provinces in the veld region of the country, and most of the beef cattle are raised on large cattle ranches. The meat industry is an important employer in this region, and is the second largest contributor to local economies behind mining. Unlike many abattoirs around the world, the vast majority of Nuvania's meat is processed at a vrieswerke, or "freezing works", which makes extensive usage of {{wpl|refrigeration{{wpl| technology to preserve meat for longer periods. These processing facilities are also commonly found in countries such as Valentir. Unlike the fruit industry, meat processing is less dominated a quasi-monopoly and several companies own and operate various freezing works in Nuvania. The largest companies operating these facilities are Arendse, which has the largest market share, and the United Beef Company (VBK).

The dairy industry remains significant in Nuvania's agricultural sector, and is primarily geared towards domestic consumption rather than for export. The industry contributes $3.6 billion to the national GDP, most of which comes from the production and sale of milk. Milk production is centred around the centre-northwest and the northern slopes of the Grootreeks, which have the right climatic conditions for grass growing. Virtually the entirety of the cattle used to produce Nuvania's dairy products are fed by grass, which coupled with ideal conditions make Nuvania an outlier among tropical countries in terms of having a significant dairy industry. Nuvania's dairy production is the one with the largest being Laterra, a Valentirian company, having the largest market share. Nuvania's dairy company is Numelk, which has the second largest market share.

A wide variety of crops are grown in Nuvania. As a whole, crop growing contributes $8.8 billion to the economy, and 18.2 million tonnes of produce, making crop growing the largest industry in the agricultural sector by volume of produce. Nuvania's most important crops are cassava, potatoes, rice, sorghum, and sugar cane, the latter largely refined to produce sugar. As with other industries, crop growers are almost universally independent farmers, who sell produce to manufacturers for wholesale market prices. Unlike other industries, no major companies dominate the market, instead a multitude of local and foreign companies compete for produce. Nuvania is the world's largest produce of cassava, and one of the largest producers of potatoes.

Agricultural exports are determined largely through cooperation between various lobbying groups and representative boards, and the Ministry of Agriculture. These have resulted in Nuvania maintaining export quotas, which range between 20-80% of crops being exported to foreign markets. Most of the produce and other agricultural products exported from Nuvania are exported within the Asterias, owing to large markets and comparatively few import tariffs in comparison with Euclea.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing is a significant component of the Nuvanian economy, contributing approximately 19.6% to the national GDP, or $98.6 billion. Most of the manufacturing base is located in the north of the country, where transport connections and infrastructure are best.

The automotive industry in Nuvania is one of the largest in Asteria Inferior, with Nuvania second only to Satucin in terms of total automobile production and number of manufacturers present. In 2018, Nuvania produced 1.07 million vehicles from 14 different manufacturers. Traditionally the automotive industry in Nuvania has existed thanks to a combination of protective regional tariffs from AFDC members and government tax incentives. Nuvania's position as a lower middle income economy allows for vehicles to be produced much cheaper than other places. Approximately 40% of the vehicles manufactured in Nuvania are exported outside of the country, primarily to developing markets in Asteria Inferior and Asteria Superior. The sector employs just over 57,000 people, under one percent of the total workforce.

Heavy industry accounted for a quarter of manufacturing output and value, with the industry primarily concentrated around the manufacturing of steel and aluminium. In 2018, Nuvania produced 1.17 million tonnes of aluminium and 13.5 million tonnes of raw steel, making it the second largest producer of these metals respectively in Asteria Inferior. Around two thirds of steel production and one third of aluminium production is controlled by domestic companies, the largest being Genstaal OBM.

Energy

Nuvania is a significant energy producer within Asteria Inferior. It has the second largest oil reserves after Satucin, and the largest coal reserves. It is the largest producer of coal and crude oil within Asteria Inferior. Fuel extraction and production contributes approximately $34.4 billion to the economy annually, with Nuvania being a net exporter of fuels.

Nuvania produces 830,271 barrels of oil per day, with an annual production value of $19.1 billion. In addition, Nuvania produces $3.7 billion worth of petroleum, and $3.1 billion worth of fuel oil annually. Most of these products are produced at refineries located in northern Nuvania, in particular the Kronenburg Refinery near Pietersburg, the largest in Nuvania with a production capacity of 430,000 barrels per day. There are six oil refineries located around Nuvania, with the Arucian Oil Company (AOC) and the Nuwanse Oliemaatskappy (NOM) the two largest oil and gas companies operating in Nuvania.

Approximately $14.4 billion in liquid and solid fuels are exported overseas annually, with the majority of these exports going to other nations within the Asterian Forum for Development and Cooperation (AFDC), notably Imagua and the Assimas, of which Nuvania supplies 47% of its oil and gas needs, and Vilcasuamanas. Energy exports account for 9.15% of total exports.

Nuvania produces 90.6 million tonnes of coal worth $5.5 billion annually, with coal production accounting for 15.9% of total fuel production and $33.5% of fuel exports. Nuvanian coal is known for its low pollution and high heat generation when burned. Much of the coal is consumed domestically for electricity generation, with coal exports to primarily AFDC countries accounting for the remainder of production. Alkmaar and Veld Koolmaatskappy (VKM) are among the many companies that operate coal mines in Nuvania, with both Alkmaar and VKM the largest coal producers.

The electricity sector in Nuvania is one of the largest in Asteria Inferior, worth $23.3 billion. Nuvania generates an average of 203.18 TWh of electricity annually, second only to that of Satucin. Of that electricity generated, 62.2% comes from fossil fuels and 37.7% comes from renewable sources, with a total of 62,287 MW of installed capacity. The latter is dominated by hydroelectricity, with Nuvania home to the second largest hydroelectric power plant in Asteria Inferior, the Herstelling Dam. Nuvania's electricity generation and retail sectors are dominated by Enerkom, one of Nuvania's largest companies.

Around 26.1 TWh of electricity is exported annually, worth $36.8 billion, the higher value due to the average higher prices demanded by Nuvanian electricity companies. The majority of these exports go to neighbouring countries, with Vilcasuamanas receiving the majority of the supply, followed by Vlissingemond.

Demographics

Ethnicity

Nuvania is multi-ethnic in its composition with significant native and mixed minorities. The largest people group are the Eucleans, referred to in Nuvania as blankes. Eucleans occupy the highest social and political positions in Nuvania, hold the majority of wealth, and have the highest quality of life. Eucleans as a whole constitute 55.1% of the population, or around 21.1 million people. The largest of this group is the Asterianer people, who are the most culturally distinct of all the Euclean groups in Nuvania and are the descendants of successive waves of Hennish colonists. The population as of the 2017 Nuvanian Census, is 15.1 million, approximately 59.7% of Eucleans and 31.9% of the total population. Estmerish is the second largest group within Eucleans, and are the descendants of the Estmerish colonists who settled in Nuvania during the 18th and 19th centuries. At 10.5 million people, Estmerish compose 40.2% of the Euclean population and 22.1% of the total population. Approximately 496,736, or around one percent of the total population, are classified within Eucleans as "other". These include additional ethnic groups such as Piraeans, Vespasians, and Weranians.

Mixed peoples, or menges, are the second largest people group in Nuvania. The population of mixed peoples in Nuvania is 10.7 million, approximately 22.7% of the population. Mixed peoples generally have worse economic outcomes than Eucleans but are regarded better than the native inhabitants. However, they have lower incomes and lower quality of life in Nuvania, with most generally falling within the working class socio-economic demographic. However, around one third of mixed peoples in Nuvania live below the poverty line, classified as less than ₲82.60 ($10.00) per day.

Indigenous peoples, or inheemse, are the third largest people group in Nuvania, with a population of 9.5 million or 20.1% of the population. Indigenous peoples generally are regarded as having the worst economic outcomes and have the greatest levels of poverty in Nuvania. At least 70% of the indigenous population lives below the poverty line, and 87.3% of the population live on reserves, and are thus subject to significant restrictions. Furthermore the remaining 12.7% that do not live on reservations occupy some of the most impoverished communities in Nuvania. Indigenous peoples have some of the highest crime statistics, and compose approximately 40% of the prison population. Most indigenous peoples are descended from the pre-Euclean inhabitants of Nuvania. The Nuvanian government does not keep track of how many indigenous people groups there are in its census information.

Language

Asteriaans is the sole official language in Nuvania and is spoken as a first language by 47.6% of the population as a first language, 42.9% of the population as a second language. The remaining 9.5% of the population speaks Asteriaans as a third or even fourth language. Asteriaans is a Weranic language descended from Hennish spoken in the 17th century. It has developed since then into a distinct language, retaining the broad vocabulary structure but with different spelling of words, or even different vocabulary altogether. It became the sole official language of Nuvania in 1892, replacing Estmerish.

Estmerish is the second most spoken language in Nuvania with 44.3% of the population speaking it as a first language, and 42.4% speaking it as a second language. Approximately 13.3% of Nuvanians speak Estmerish as a third language or do not speak it at all.

Numerous different indigenous language groups are spoken in Nuvania. These languages have been subject to controvery as the Nuvanian government's language policy has seen the promotion of Asteriaans over indigenous languages, with no indigenous language being recognised officially nor receiving any government protections. Linguists have estimated that there are four principal language families and over two dozen languages. Most of these languages are severely threatened, although some of the largest ones continue to be preserved in Nuvania's reserve system.

Education

Education in Nuvania is a joint responsibility by the Ministry of Education and provincial educational departments who jointly provide for and fund schools around Nuvania. Furthermore education is split between public schools, private schools, and reserve schools. Nuvania has one of the lower overall literacy rates in Asteria Inferior, with a combined rate of 88% of its population literate. Approximately 12%, or 5.6 million people, are illiterate. Euclean Nuvanians have the highest literacy rate with less than one percent illiterate. Approximately 18.7% of mixed and 38.7% of indigenous Nuvanians are illiterate. As of 2018, the Nuvanian government spent 7.9% of its GDP, approximately ₲346.06 billion ($41.89 billion) annually on education.

The structure of education in Nuvania is influence by both Estmerish and Hennish schooling, with local adaptations, one of these being the existence of transitional schools (oorgangskole) which bridge the educational gap between primary schools and secondary schools. These were implemented in the 1970's and have since become common place around Nuvania. Schooling is compulsory until age 16, when students may be able to leave provided they have employment and with parental permission. Most primary and secondary schools fall within the public sphere, with 84.9% of students attending public schools, and 15.1% attending private schools.

Nuvania has some of the largest and most prestigious universities in Asteria Inferior. Nuvania has what is known locally as the "Big Three" universities, being the University of Pietersburg, the University of Windstrand, and Straatenburg University. Tertiary education in Nuvania is split between universities, vocational schools, and technological institutes. Universities are oriented towards academic studies, vocational schools provide practical training for trades and other related industries, and technological institutes are oriented towards scientific studies. Both universities and technological institutes are split between public and private universities, and vocational schools receive public funding and government subsidises for specific courses.

Healthcare

Nuvania has a mixed system of public and private hospitals, medical centres, doctors, and other medical institutions. It is ranked as the third most effective healthcare system in Asteria Inferior, and third for quality of care. The system reflects the disparities between Euclean, mixed, and indigenous Nuvanians, with the better healthcare services found in areas that are predominantly Euclean and wealthy. Poorer areas do not have as greater access to the same kinds of facilities and services that wealthier areas enjoy, which contributes to a wider disparity in terms of health outcomes and life expectancy.

Public healthcare in Nuvania is funded primarily by central government but administered by each province through a localised Department of Public Health. Each department is responsible for the maintenance of public hospitals and health clinics in each province, and also implements central government health policy. The system covers 3,863 health clinics and medical centres, and 407 public hospitals. These provide free at the point of use medical care for all citizens of Nuvania, and permanent residents with citizenship from certain countries.

Private healthcare is provided through a number of private healthcare providers, with the majority of specialist practioners operating within the private healthcare system. It is illegal for private healthcare providers to refuse treatment for those that cannot otherwise afford it, and much of the treatment that private healthcare providers provide is covered under some form of government subsidy. The private healthcare system covers approximately 610 medical centres and health clinics, and 203 hospitals.

Each citizen in Nuvania is legally required to have some form of health insurance, which guarantees that person free or subsidised healthcare no matter if they receive treatment in the private or public health system. Children under the age of 18 are covered by the health insurance plan of their parents or legal guardians. The Nuvanian government provides a Basic Health Plan (Basiese Gesondheidsplan, BGP) which is administered by the National Insurance Commission (Nasionale Versekeringskommissie, NVK), a child agency of the Ministry of Health. It provides insurance plans that cover 67.8% of all Nuvanians.

Emergency medical services are provided through both public and private institutions. Nuvania maintains a National Ambulance Service (Nasionale Ambulansdiens, NAD) which is provided for by the Ministry of Health. NAD personnel and vehicles are usually attached to fire stations around Nuvania. Each province also provides an ambulance service which is subsidised. These services are provided for areas which have minimal coverage from the National Ambulance Service.

As of 2018 the Nuvanian government spends 8.7% of its GDP on healthcare, approximately ₲381.18 billion ($46.13 billion), or ₲8,033 ($972) per person.