Swerdia

Swerdia Sverland (Swathish)
State
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname:  The Evergreen State
Motto(s):  Þurh vẹrc, griþ "Through labour, propserity"
Anthem: Ẹld Lang Syþþn
Location of Swerdia within Estmere Location of Swerdia within Estmere
Country	Template:Country data Estmere
Established	13 June 1938
Capital	Tolbury
Government
• Type	Semi-parliamentary constituent state within a federal republic
• Body	Folkmoot
• First Minister	Herm Vaġner (PSD)
• Governing parties	PSD / PS
Population  (2018)
• Total	6,761,165
Demonym	Swerdian
Official languages	Estmerish Swathish

Swerdia (Swathish: Sverland), sometimes archaically known as Lower Swerdia (Swathish: Niþersverland), is a state within Estmere. It has a population of 6,761,165. Tolbury is the capital and largest city of Swerdia, while Longwood and Witburgh are other important Swerdian cities. The state shares internal borders with the West Counties, Midland and Scitterland, and borders the countries of Kirenia, Alsland, Werania and Borland.

Swerdia was the name of a historical region that stretched across northern Estmere and eastern Alsland, named for the ancient Swerdians, one of the Old Swathish tribes. The region was part of Saint Edward's realm of Northmoria, and remained under the rule of his descendants even after the Conquest of Estmere. Swerdia was the birthplace of Johanne Stearn, and was at the heart of the Amendist Reaction: to this day, the region remains part of the Amendist Belt. The northern peripheries of the region were fought over in the Neevan Wars, and much of the region was occupied by the Weranian Republic during the Weranian Revolutionary Wars. The region was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution, and the 17th and 18th centuries saw rapid economic growth in the region, in addition to some of the first trade unions. A revival of Swathish language and culture also occurred. Swerdia was home to the Estmerish resistance during the Great War. After the war, the region saw deindustrialisation. Modern Swerdia was created in 1938, as a majority Swathish-speaking state.

Swerdia is dominated by the Neeves, which separates the northernmost county of Longwoodshire from the counties of Tolburshire, Swarbershire, Witburshire and Halfhilshire. The presence of the Neeves has impacted the culture of the region, and Swerdia is considered distinctly Neevan. Swerdia shares cultural ties with the Swathish Community in Alsland, which was historically considered part of the greater Swerdian region.

The state has a varied economy. Historically, Tolbury was a major market town and there were many salt mines. Swerdia had ample easily-accessible coal and iron, which fueled the Industrial Revolution in Estmere. This created new jobs and industries in the region. Most of these jobs were in mines, agriculture also remained a major employer in the region. The local coal and iron became less profitable by the Great War as reserves were harder to extract, but the industry continued, in large part due to the nationalisation of the iron and coal industries. They had entered a managed decline by the 1950s, and deindustrialisation began, adversly affecting local living standards. Starting in the 1960s, tourism took off as a major industry in the Neeves, and this now forms a core component of the modern Swerdian economy. More recently, the discovery of valuable minerals such as lithium has led to a small local boom. The University of Tolbury, one of the ancient Molbridge universities, remains a major employer, investor and driver of economic growth.

As an Estmerish state, Swerdia has an elected state government. The state government is assembled based in its ability to command the confidence of the region’s legislature, the Folkmoot. Swathish independence is a salient political issue in the state. The current government is a coalition between the Swerdian Progressive Social Democrats and the Party of the Swathish, led by First Minister Herm Vaġner.