Assimas County

Assimas County Contea delle Assime
County
File:AssimasIsland.png
Flag of Assimas County Flag
Country	Imagua and the Assimas
Founded	1946
Capital	San Pietro
Government
• Sheriff	Edgardo Moccio
Area
• Land	4,937.6 km2 (1,906.4 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	301,549
• Rank	2nd in Imagua and the Assimas
• Density	61.1/km2 (158/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+11 (Imaguan Standard Time)
• Summer (DST)	not observed

The Assimas County (Vespasian: Contea delle Assime) is the largest county of Imagua and the Assimas in area, at 9,282.56 square kilometers in area, and the second-most populous county in the country, with the 2011 census reporting its population at 301,549 people.

Comprising the entirety of the Assimas Islands, it was ruled first by the Caldish from the mid-1530s to 1564, then by Geatland until Eldmark gained its independence from Geatland. Eldmark maintained sovereignty over the Assimas until it was sold to Etruria in 1813, which maintained it under their rule until its defeat in the Solarian War. Afterwards, the islands were seized by Estmere, who attached it to the self-governing colony of Imagua, which two years later became independent as Imagua and the Assimas.

Despite the institution of official bilingualism via the Imaguan constitution via the First Amendment, during the 1950s and early 1960s, tensions between the Estmerish and Vespasian populations escalated, with the establishment of separatist movements. Thus, in the mid-1960s under the premiership of Efrem Lacovara, the Fifth Amendment was passed, and in 1969, the Assimas Autonomy Act of 1969 was passed.

In the mid-1990s, under Austin Houghton, he attempted to repeal these policies, as he argued that it was inherently unfair to the people of Imagua, which helped fuel increasing tensions between the two. Following his defeat in 1997, the constitution was amended again to entrench the protections given to the Assimas with the Seventh Amendment.

Etymology

The name of the Assimas County derives from the name of Assim Asteris, who was the first non-indigenous explorer to have discovered Asterias Superior and Asterias Inferior. The name of the islands were given by the first Caldish explorers to settle the large island of Imagua.

Government

Palazzo Governale, 2011

The Assimas County, like any other county (except for the city of Cuanstad is run by the county council (Vespasian: consiglio di contea), comprising of sixty members, making it the largest county council in Imagua and the Assimas. The county council is led by a Sheriff (Sceriffo or Sceriffa), currently Edgardo Moccio of the 17-seat Democratic Labour Party, who was elected by the council in 2016. Other parties represented on the county council include the 14-seat Movement for a New Imagua, the 13-seat Sotirian Labour Party, the 11-seat Assiman Independence Party, two members from the Greens, two independents, and one from the Farmer's Party.

Unlike all the other counties the Assimas County has received substantial autonomy under the Assimas Autonomy Act of 1969, with the county government having substantial powers over education, welfare, and social development within the islands, as well as being able to alter municipal borders without permission from Parliament. Due to the Assimas' autonomy, turnout for county elections in the Assimas averages around 75%, compared to 65% for Cuanstad, and 25% for other counties.

As of 2018, there are 95 municipalities (Vespasian: comuni) within the county borders, and is one of only two counties (the other being Cuanstad) to not have any area not part of a municipality.

Economy

Industrial ruins, 2009

While the Assimas Islands had historically been based on subsistence farming and fishing, following the fall of Cuanstad to Estmerish forces in 1658, Peterstad became a major economic center for the Assimas.

In the nineteenth century, following Etruria's purchase of the islands, it became an industrialized economy, with factories opening, which helped ensure the development of a manufacturing sector, which quickly became dominant in the area. It would remain dominant until the 1960s and 1970s, when deindustrialisation took place.

Unlike Cuanstad, which transitioned to being based on tourism and the financial sector, the Assimas economy shifted towards tourism, which led many on the islands to leave for Imagua, or for other countries in order to find work. This trend continued until the late 1990s when the dot-com boom occurred, and San Pietro became a centre for the local information technology sector.