Ascion

Asia Pacific Union 東方太洋国 (Japanese)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:     Humanity Prevail
Anthem: All Stars Burn onto One
Capital	Honolulu
Largest city	Los Angeles Tokyo Lima Sydney
Official languages	Japanese
Recognised national languages	English Korean Russian Chinese Tagalog Melanesian Micronesian Tokelauan Hawaiian Samoan Marquesan Niuean Tongan Maori Navajo Spanish Quechua Guarani Nahuatl Aymara
Ethnic groups (2047)	36% Altais 32% Austronesians 18% Indo-Europeans 11% Mestizo 3% Amerindians
Religion	34.2% Islam 23.1% Christianity 18.7% Shintoism 14.6% Buddhism 4.8% Folk religion 4.6% Irreligion
Demonym(s)	Ascionese Union people
Government	Federal Presidential Constitutional Republic
• President	Yūko Aoyama
• Vice President	Kim Ji-hyeon
• House Speaker	Sasha Tulliver
• Chief Justice	María Gabriela González
Legislature	Union Congress
• Upper house	Union Senate
• Lower house	Union Representatives
Establishment
• Independent Nations	1776~2035
• Pan-Asian Alliance	2037 (disputed)
• Independence Proclaimed	July 17, 2043
• Union Establishment	May 24, 2046
Area
• Total	287,062,884 km2 (110,835,599 sq mi)
Population
• 2048 estimate	658,475,772
• Density	146/km2 (378.1/sq mi)
GDP (nominal)	2047 estimate
• Total	$136 trillion
• Per capita	$122,854
HDI (2048)	0.812 very high
Currency	Union Won (W)
Driving side	right, left (Inner Region only)
Internet TLD	.un

Ascion (/ɑːsɪɒn/), officially the Asia Pacific Union, commonly known as The Union is a country primarily located in the Pacific Ocean of Realm 63, spanning from the continent of Asia, Oceania, Zealandia to the Americas. At 287 million square kilometers (110 million square miles), it is the world's second, or third largest country by total area. With a population of almost 688 million people, it is the second most populous country in the world. The national capital is Honolulu, and the most populous city is Los Angeles.

Since the constitutional reform in 2045, Ascion has become a federal republic with vast autonomy given to most of its territories, and is (arguably) the only republican state existing on Earth. Being a transcontinental, and transocean country, Ascion is a melting pot for various ethnicities such as Austronesians, Altais, Indo-Europeans, Mestizo and Amerindians. The Union is also the only country with second-highest concentration of Awakened humans (approximately 1~1.5% of the population) despite being non-theocratic.

A highly developed country, the Union accounts for approximately a quarter of global gross domestic product (GDP) and is the world's largest economy by nominal GDP. By value, the Union is the world's largest exporter of goods. It is a high-income social market economy that places emphasis on automobile and technology manufacturing, with a burgeoning service sector and mining industry. Arguably, the Union also holds the highest rank for Human Development Index rating in the world, and performs favourably in a number of national performance listings including health, education and quality of life.

Etymology

Ascion was derived from the name "Asia Pacific Union", a similar concept to the European Union proposed by Yūko Aoyama in 2040. The name itself represents the vast ocean it lies on, and the extremely diverse culture among its regions. The short form "Asia Pacific" is also standard.

The phrase "Union" in English was originally plural in usage. It described a collection of states—e.g., "the Unions are. " The singular form became popular after the reform and is now standard usage in Ascion. A citizen of the Union is an "Ascionese". "Union", "Ascionese" refer to the country adjectivally ("Ascionese values", "Union forces").

History

Lemurian Era

The pacific ocean of what is now part of Ascion's territory, was the site of the lost continent "Lemuria". The continent was heavily contested by many kingdoms ruled Jinns, each competing over for resources. The unending war resulted in the destruction of the continent, rendering it inhabitable. God would later sunk the continent deep into earth's crust, and transformed the Jinns into a supernatural being of energy that cannot be touched, felt, or heard unless through a medium or accumulate a massive energy enough to merely appear.

Antiquity

Mass Migration

Around 3000 BC, the ancestors of Austronesian people in Ascion made their migration to the south in waves. The invention of ocean-going sailing technology made the migration possible, as a mean to resolve population growth. The first settlers landed in the archipelago of the Philippines, intermingling with the earlier Australo-Melanesian population who had inhabited the islands since about 23,000 years earlier. Over the next thousand years, Austronesian peoples migrated southeast to the rest of the Philippines, and into the islands Borneo, and Indonesia. Centuries later, they also reached Remote Oceania, and subsequently, reached the Polynesian islands of Samoa and Tonga by around 900 to 800 BCE. They also reached the Cook Islands, Tahiti, and the Marquesas by 700 CE; Hawaiʻi by 900 CE; Rapa Nui by 1000 CE; and New Zealand by 1200 CE. They'd later form small kingdoms and oceanic kingdoms, which Ascion traced it roots from. There is also an evidence that Austronesians may have reached South America from Polynesia where they traded with Amerindians.

While the Austronesian people migrated to the pacific, many of the Altaic people made expansion eastward to North Asia and East Asia. Some of them stayed and grew into Japanese people and Korean people, while some migrated further to America across Beringia, a land bridge that connected Siberia to present-day Alaska during the Last Glacial Period, and then spread southward throughout the Americas over subsequent generations. Altaic people who migrated to the Americas would later become the ancestor of Amerindians.

Feudal Era

During the feudal era, most of Ascion's territory was under control of feudal kingdoms and empires. Few of the most notable empire during this period was the Empire of Japan, which ruled over the Japanese archipelago, the Chinese Empire that extended its territory to Formosa, and the ancient Inca empire that ruled over the western part of South America.

Geography

Extending across the north, south, west and east on the eastern part of the globe, Ascion encompasses a great diversity of landscapes and climates on a limited area of 110,835,599 square miles (287,062,884 km2). The population is about 680 million, resulting in an average population density of around 163 people per square kilometre (378/sq mi). The island chain part of the country in the south is far more sparsely populated than the northern part of the country. In the largest region of Oceania, lying entirely in the continent of Australia and its surrounding islands, population density falls to 27 /km2 (70 /sq mi).

Ascion lies between latitudes 68° W and 117° E, and longitudes 71° N and 54° S, making it the largest country in the world,; a transcontinental and transoceanic country spanning much of the Pacific Ocean, and territories spanning from the two Americas, Oceania, and Asia. American Ascion is roughly 10,318,306 km2, which is around 4% of the total landmass of America, making Ascion the third largest country in the Americas; Oceanic Ascion is roughly at the same size of the pacific ocean itself, making Ascion ranked first in coastline size, as well as the largest country in the world. It is larger, by size, than any continents except Eurasia.

The Commonwealth has been susceptible to earthquakes long before independence, as most of its territories lie above the Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped belt about 40,000 km (25,000 mi) long and up to about 500 km (310 mi) wide around much of the rim of the Pacific Ocean where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. Earthquakes happen very often, mainly in the Inner Region, the Outer Region, and the state of Alaska in the Western Reaches.

Climate

Snow in Kamchatka Peninsula, Inner Region, Ascion

The enormous size of Ascion and the close proximity of many areas from the sea result in the dominance of the oceanic climate, which is prevalent in all parts of the country except for the tundra and the extreme southwest. Most of the territories located in the Northern hemisphere have either humid oceanic climate or subarctic climate, with

The dry and hot Atacama Desert, Chile, Ascion

extremely severe winters in the northern areas of the State of Vladivostok and Alaska, where the lowest temperature can reach −63.0 °C (−81.4 °F), and more moderate winters elsewhere. Both the strip of land along the shore of the Arctic Ocean and the small Ascionese Arctic islands also have the same climate.

The Southern territories, most notably Oceania, possess either tropical rainforest climate, or oceanic climate. In many states of New Zealand and Australia, summer is hot and dry while in other parts of the country such as the Philippines and Polynesian island chains experience more precipitation where summer is hot and wet. The South American part of the territory however, possess either tropical rainforest climate, or desert climate. This is mainly due to the extensive lush Amazon forest in the northern part of the area, and the existence of Atacama desert near the coast, spanning from the north to the south close to Antarctica.

Politics

Government

According to the Constitution of Ascion, the country is an asymmetric federation and semi-presidential republic, wherein the president is the head of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. The Union is fundamentally structured as a multi-party representative democracy, with the federal government composed of three branches:

• Legislative: The bicameral Federal Supreme Congress, made up of the 450-member Representatives and the 170-member Senators, adopts federal law, declares war, approves treaties, has the power of the purse and the power of impeachment of the president.
• Executive: The president is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, can veto legislative bills before they become law, and appoints the Government of Ascion (Cabinet) and other officers, who administer and enforce federal laws and policies.
• Judiciary: The Constitutional Court, Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the Federation Council on the recommendation of the president, interpret laws and can overturn laws they deem unconstitutional.

The president is elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term, but not for a third consecutive term). Ministries of the government are composed of the premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other individuals; all are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister (whereas the appointment of the latter requires the consent of the Congress).

Administrative divisions

According to the constitution, the Union is comprised of 28 federal subjects. In 2046, when the new constitution was adopted, there were 38 federal subjects listed, but some were later merged. These objects have equal representation—two delegates each—in the Senate. The federal subjects have equal representation—two delegates each—in the Senate, the upper house of the Federal Supreme Congress. They do, however, differ in the degree of autonomy they enjoy.

• States

The most common type of federal subject with a governor and locally elected legislature. Commonly named after their administrative centres. Ascion has 13 states.

• Republics

Each is nominally autonomous; home to a specific ethnic minority, and has its own constitution, language, and legislature, but is represented by the federal government in international affairs. Currently there are 3 republics.

• Federal Cities

Major cities that function as separate regions (Honolulu, Canberra, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Lima).

• Territories

Each territories feature a state government holding authority over a defined geographic territory, with a state legislature, the Legislative Assembly, that is democratically elected. Currently there are 3 territories.

• Autonomous Region

The only autonomous region is the Jewish Autonomous Region.

Economy

The economy of the Asia Pacific Union is a mixed free-market economy which is composed of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and domestic and foreign private businesses. The private sector is estimated to constitute 86.4% of the economy by 2049. While its economy has reached a postindustrial level of development, the Union remains an industrial power.

Agriculture & Fishing

Ascion is one of the world's largest producer and consumer of agricultural products – and some 30~40% of the entire population is working in the farming industry. Virtually all arable land is used for food crops. Ascion is the world's largest producer of fish and wheat, and is among the principal sources of rice, corn (maize), tobacco, soybeans, potatoes and other staple foods. Major non-food crops furnish Ascion with a small proportion of its foreign trade revenue. Yields are high because of intensive cultivation, for example, Ascion's cropland area is only 55% of the Amenria total, but still produces a large amount, as a result of the current breakthrough in farming technology such as vertical farming, hydroponics, and terraforming deserts into farmlands.

Since 2045, Ascion has been the world largest exporter of fish and fish products. In 2047, exports, including aquatic plants, were valued at UNW 7.7 billion, with African Union and the Europe as its main consumer. In 2047, the Ascionese fishing industry harvested 3,190,946 tonnes of fish from wild fisheries and another 114,752 tonnes from aquaculture, making Ascion the leading producer of fish.

Energy

Cabo de Hornos windfarm in Chile

Before 2045, Ascion's energy production has grown dramatically, as has the proportion allocated to domestic consumption. Currently, some 50 percent of all power is generated from wind and solar power, with about 30 percent at nuclear energy installations; around 15 percent from geothermal installations and the remaining percentage from coal and oil. In addition, each geographical regions are often abundant of most energy sectors, making each States self-sufficient in generating energy. For example, the State of San Andreas alone has both on-shore and off-shore wind farm, a solar farm, fusion reactors, as well as geothermal stations, enough to supply the republic and sometimes experience a over-supplied in which the surplus are transferred into other neighbouring states.

Darwin Solar Farm in Simpson Desert, Australia

Currently, the largest wind farm is the off-shore windfarm of Cabo de Hornos, located about 15km from the tip of the South American continent, generating almost 20 TW (Terawatt) electricity. While Darwin Solar Farm, located in the north-central part of Australia is currently the largest solar-power installation, generating almost 5000 MW, currently supplying the whole area of Oceania and Zealandia via a 4,500km high-voltage direct current (HVDC) network.

Mining

Mining contributes about 5.6% of Ascion's Gross Domestic Product. This is up from only 2.6% in 2044. In contrast, mineral exports contribute around 35% of Ascion's exports. Ascion is the world's largest exporter of coal (35% of international trade), iron ore, lead, diamonds, rutile, zinc and zirconium, gold and uranium, and second largest of aluminium. A number of large state-owned and private enterprises conducts their mining operation mostly in Australia and Alaska.

Science & Technology

Ascion has made significant investments in scientific research and is quickly catching up with the Amenria in R&D spending, thanks to its massive population of awakeneds. Science and technology are seen as vital for achieving Ascion's economic and political goals, and are held as a source of national pride to a degree sometimes described as "techno-nationalism".

Ascion is developing its education system with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Ascionese technology companies such as Antares and Halcyon have become world leaders in telecommunications and personal computing, and Ascionese supercomputers are consistently ranked among the world's most powerful. Most of these companies are remnants of the American and Japanese multinational conglomerates. Ascion has been the world's largest market for industrial robots and androids since 2045 and will account for 45% of newly installed robots and household androids.

Demographics

Ascion has a population of 658 million in the 2047 census, however this number is expected to have exceeded 660 million in 2048. It is the second most populous country on the planet. This population is primarily dominated by Austronesians (Polynesians, Melanesians, Micronesians and Malayo-Polynesians) who make up around 36% of the population, with the next largest demographic being the Altais (East Asians and Northern Asians) at around 32%, with the remaining are Indo-Europeans (Anglo-Americans, Hispanics, Eastern Slavs), and Amerindians.

Ascion has a fairly high birth rate, with 12.8 people born per 1000 women, higher than the average seen in the planet, but this is beginning to decrease as technology progresses within the country and more families choose to not have children. Life expectancy in Ascion is 94.6 years for men and 99.1 years for women, which has risen in recent years due to a major breakthrough in technological advancement. Ascion encourages immigration, especially from states formally within its borders, and the government has launched many programs to assist immigrations in settling down in Ascion.

Trivia

• Ascion is also known as the alternative universe version of Orientia, due to their similarity, with the only difference being all of its citizens are gender-swapped. For example, Yūko Aoyama is the cis female version of Yūji Aoyama.

See Also

• Orientia
• Realms of the Multiverse