Vardana

Not to be confused with Varadna.

Republic of Vardana Վարդենիս հանրապետություն (Vardani)
Flag Coat of Arms
Anthem: Պետական հիմնը Petakan himny State Anthem
Cockade:
Location of Vardana (green) – claimed territories (light green) – in Scipia (grey)
Political Map of Vardana
Capital	Metsamor
Largest city	Hrazdan
Official language and national language	Vardani
Other spoken languages	List Gharbaic Dardaloni Lerazgan Zashissani
Ethnic groups (2018)	73% Vardani 9% Dardaloni 8% Gharbiyyun 4% Turkic peoples 2% Kardish 1% Perateian 3% other
Demonym(s)	Vardani
Government	Federal directorial republic
• Directory	Anastas Barkhudar (First Secretary) Tamar Zakarian, Ashot Vorsapetn, Lucine Argutian, Aslan Atazhukin, Kurken Hovsepyan, Nebez Gewirk, Nikolaos Koutoufides, Bizan Avanian, David Kiurikian, Aspar Dzebysat, Badrig Mazkeni
• President of Congress	Gamsar Pokayuni
Legislature	National Congress
Formation
• Nesilian era	7th century BCE
• Kardish rule	5th century BCE
• Latin era	1st century CE
• Peratene era	5th century CE
• Caliphate era	11th century
• Hazaraspid dynasty	1323
• Republic declared	5 April 1924
• Current constitution	11 July 1985
Area
•	357,680 km2 (138,100 sq mi)
• Water (%)	7.1%
Population
• 2021 estimate	64,202,572
• 2016 census	62,576,085
GDP (nominal)	2022 estimate
• Total	$997.707 billion (34th)
• Per capita	$15,540 (59th)
Gini	35.4 medium
HDI	0.740 high
Currency	Dram (Ð) (VAD)
Time zone	UTC+4:30 (VAT)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy (CE)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+560
ISO 3166 code	VA
Internet TLD	.va

Vardana (Vardani: Վարդենիս; tanslit.Vardenis), officially the Republic of Vardana (Vardani: Վարդենիս հանրապետություն; Vardenis Hanrapetut’yun), is a sovereign state on the continent of Scipia. It is boarded to the west by Alanahr, Fahran to the south, Charnea to the southwest, and to the east by the Perateia, while having a maritime border to the south along the Ozeros Sea, and Periclean Sea to the northwest. With just over 64 million inhabitants, it is the Xth largest nation in the world, and 3rd largest on Scipia.

Vardana was first used to describe a tribe near the ancient kingdom of Armavia around 1000 BC, centered on what is now the city of Thospia in the Kalzashi Mountains. Prior to the 15th century, the area of what is now known as Vardana was commonly referred to as Nesilia and derived its name from the ancient Nesilians, who are historically considered one of the area's earliest recorded inhabitants. By the time of the Latin arrival in the 1st century CE, Nesilia was largely Helianized due to the multitude of Helianic city-states throughout the area. The territory formed a core of far-eastern Latin provinces until 485 when became territory the Peratene Empire, and formed its political core for nearly the next thousand years. Perateia, though Latin in its roots, began to Helianized resulting in a divergent Peratene culture throughout most of what is now Vardana. However, successive invasions and occupations by the Bayarid Empire and Yen Caliphates weakened the Peratene's and allowed the Vardani, a mountainous tribe led by Hazarasp Gazi to invade the Nesilian themes of Perateia. The subsequent invasion and expansion of Vardani culture led to additional conversions among the native population to Azdarin and the establishment of the Hazaraspid Kingdom.

By 1920, growing popular unrest was leading to constitutional reforms with the once absolute monarchy, but quickly turned into a violent revolution between royalists and an alliance of left and right-wing republican groups, ultimately culminating in the establishment of the First Republic in 1924. By 1948 popular sentiment turned against the republic resulting a series of coups that ultimately led to the authoritarian dictatorship of Samuel Najaryan. The dictatorship advanced the technocratic nature of the state, but collapsed following Najaryan's death and a brief civil war.

The Government of Vardana is a secular federal directorial republic, in which the Directory is the collective head of state and government. Since 1992, the First Secretary wielded significant influence over the directory and has attracted criticism for its lack of responsibility to national elections. According to international reports, human rights in Vardana are considered poor. The regime is considered a flawed democracy or hybrid regime due to increasingly suspect elections and contravening of the constitution.

Vardana is the 34th largest economy in the world. Though the economy has grown in recent years, it still suffers from high unemployment rate and poverty, and with high income inequality. Vardana is a member of the Association of Ozeros Nations and the Periclean Forum, though aligns as an at-large nation within the Forum of Nations. Historically a multicultural state, Vardana remains home to a number of ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups, with the largest being Vardani, Dardaloni, Gharbiyyun, Turkic peoples, Kards, and Perateians.

Etymology

The region had many names prior to the proto-Vardani settlement, most notably as Nesilia which was the homeland of the ancient Nesilians.

The name Vardeni first appears in historical records around the 1000 BC and was first used to describe a kingdom centered on what is now the city of Thopisa, while Vardani was applied by ancient Latins to a number of tribes in the Kalzashi Mountains. Vardana did not come into common use for the area until the 18th or 19th centuries, and only became the most widely used name for the area following the revolution.

There is no single accepted etymology for Vardana. One theory asserts that the name Vardana is derived from the Vardani phrase Վարդենիս (vardenis), literally translating to "rosy lands". Another from the Ancient Helianic "Hyrcania" and Ancient Farsian inscriptions of Varkâna (𐎺𐎼𐎣𐎠𐎴). Verkā means wolf in Ancient Farsian, resulting in Hyrcania meaning "wolf land". However, these applications were originally only applied to a limited territory in the Kalzashi Mountains, along the modern Alanahr-Vardana border.

Geography

Vardana is located on the continent of Scipia. The territory controlled by Vardana is 357,680 km². It is bordered to the south by the Ozeros Sea, which is its longest maritime border; it also borders the Periclean Sea in the north. The country consists of low coastal plains leading into high plateaus inland, stretching to the Kalzashi Mountains that form the border with neighboring Alanahr.

Climate

Vardana features a diverse climate, ranging from temperate Periclean climate along the Periclean and northern Ozeros coasts. Further south along the Ozeros in the region of Machelona, the climate is temperate oceanic – this coastal area receives the highest annual rainfall in Vardana. These coastal areas often are transitional between Periclean and oceanic climates. Inland, the climate is continental and leads to more varied seasons and at times snowfall in higher elevations.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Vardana

According to the constitution, Vardana is a federal directorial republic, wherein the directory is the collective head of state and head of government. The constitution sets out the governing principles and established Vardana as a federal democratic state. The nation consists of 12 federated provinces with varying degrees of autonomy and protections for minority groups and regional languages. This system, adopted in 1985, is structured as a multi-party democracy with an elected head of state and government, unicameral legislature, and appointed judiciary.

Members of Directory are directly elected by popular vote every four years with elections staggered, serving as the head of state, and government. The Directory is the collective executive of the nation and directs the federal administration. Directorial elections are staggered, allowing for membership to change annually. While there is no constitutional provision, the Directory is led by the First Secretary of State. Legislative power is vested in the unicameral National Congress, whose members are elected to two year terms. The judiciary is nominally independent from both the executive and legislative branches of government, though the Directory is given expansive powers in appointing or dismissing judges. The High Constitutional Court is the highest court in the country, and is charged with determinations of constitutionality of laws and decrees, while also hearing cases on appeal from lower courts, stripping political parties of funding or outright banning them.

Constituent states

See also: Federal subjects of Vardana

Law and criminal justice

The Constitution of Vardana was adopted on 29 August 1984 by popular referendum with 55.4% approval, and took effect on 11 July 1985. The constitution sets out the fundamentals of the government, rule of law, an ideological neutrality of the state, political pluralism, competitive elections, and a separation of powers, guaranteeing fundamental human rights to all citizens regardless of religion.

The Directory appoints all members of the civil judiciary, and chief public prosecutor. The High Constitutional Court is the court of last resort and chief appellate court. It retains appellate jurisdiction over ordinary, constitutional, administrative matters, and resolving disputes between provinces or federal and provincial laws. Special courts are convened for crimes of treason, and attempts to subvert the Republic.

Foreign Relations

Vardana presently maintains relations with all nations of the world, however relations with neighboring Perateia are widely considered hostile due to competing territorial claims over one another's territory. Vardana is chiefly allied with Fahran and Ludvosiya, while maintaining strong relations with Ostrozava and Tsurushima.

Vardana is a member of numerous international organizations, chiefly the Forum of Nations, Association of Ozeros Nations, and Z.

Military

See also: Armed Forces of Vardana, People's Army of Vardana, and Republican Guard of Vardana

The Directory of Vardana is collectively responsible for managing the military of Vardana and serving as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. However, the First Secretary is considered the functional commander-in-chief since 1992. Day-to-day management is undertaken by the Ministry of Defense and the Republican Guard. Vardana has over 400,000 active members in the armed forces throughout its three branches and independent military agencies.

Vardani armed forces can be broken down into two groups, the People's Army of Vardana and the Republican Guard. The People's Army consists of three branches: Army, Navy, Air Force. All agencies within the People's Army and the Republican Guard operate their own intelligence apparatus, though the Department for the Protection of the Republic is the nation's premier domestic and foreign intelligence agency.

The country has developed its own minor arms industry, but has primarily relied upon foreign suppliers since the collapse of the dictatorial regime in 1986.

Demographics

Largest cities

Vardana has experienced rapid urbanization since the 1950s, with nearly 40% of all citizens living in urban areas. The Forum of Nations projects that nearly 75% of the population will be urban by 2045. The largest settlements are Metsamor, Hrazdan, Pelias, Dara, Derzene, and Aydinzik. Overall, there are 7 cities with populations over 1 million, and a total of 13 with a population over 450,000.

Metsamor is the capital of Vardana, and has a population approximately 7 million. It was long considered the cultural center of ancient Nesilia and capital of imperial provincial governments throughout history.

The second largest city in Vardana is Hrazdan, with a population of approximately 5.8 million. Hrazdan also serves as the capital of Bayazet and seat of the High Constitutional Court.

Ethnic Groups

Ethnic groups within Vardana mirror the composition of languages spoken within the country. As with language, Vardani make up the largest ethnic group in the country; however as with language, there is a political motive suspected to be behind census numbers. The most recent government census reported that 92% of inhabitants were Vardani. Opponents suggest that this statistic is caused by confusing census questions and documents that lead to a desired outcome. Estimates from NGOs place ethnic Vardani are anywhere from 60-73% of the population.

Ethnic Dardaloni, Gharabic, and Perateian groups make up the second largest ethnic group, with NGOs placing around 9% of the population each. Dardaloni make up the single largest minority group in Vardana, and descend from [not!Iranic] peoples settled by the Bayarids in the 10th century. Due to its coastal location, a significant Perateian population remains along Vardana's Periclean coastal regions. The Perateian population once consisted of a majority of the population until widespread assimilation and conversion efforts by 18th century royal governments that continued through the transition to republic. Widespread emigration following the 1924 revolution occurred among Christian Peratians. Gharabins make up a majority of the population in the province of Kordaya, while Dardaloni consist of a plurality of the population of Dardalona.

The Kalzashi Mountains in western Vardana, near the Alanahri border, are inhabited by various Zashissani tribal peoples. Zashissani are broadly considered Vardani due to the similarities in language; however, hold themselves as a different ethnic group. There are enclaves of Zashissani throughout the Kalzashi Mountains, and throughout the Alanahri-Vardani border region. Since the early 1990s, Zashissani groups in Vardana have sought the pursue greater cultural and linguistic rights, as well as autonomy or even independence.

Languages

Vardani is the sole official language of Vardana, and is spoken by an overwhelming majority of the population. Several other dialects are spoken throughout the country. Most provinces have their own official languages, which are regarded nationally as recognized minority languages. The most recent census shows that nearly 98% of all inhabitants speak Vardani, though this remains a topic of debate as many point out that such a statistic is politically motivated.

Dardaloni is the most widely spoken minority language spoken as a primary tongue in Vardana, with its speakers primarily composed of the ethnic group of the same name. It is largely located in the eastern provinces of the country, and nearest to Ochran.

Other notable minority first languages include Alatikan, Gharabic, Mysian, Lerazgan, Teispid, and Zashissani.

Gharabic is one of the most widely spoken second languages in Vardana for religious purposes.

Religion

Religious Demographics of Vardana

  Azdarin (81%)

  Nazarism (6.6%)

  Christianity (1.4%)

  Unaffiliated/non-religious (6%)

  Other faiths (5%)

Vardana is a secular state with no state religion and freedom of religion guaranteed under the 1984 Constitution. Historically, Vardana has had widespread religious diversity, however Azdarin was the dominant faith and state faith until 1924, and again from 1950 to 1985. Today, a majority of Vardani adhere to a sect of Azdarin. Nazarist faiths are the second largest religious affiliation in Vardana. Christianity, particularly the Perateian Ecumenical Church was historically the largest and most prominent faith in what is now Vardana from the the 5th to 16th centuries, however, now only consists of less than 2% of the population, with many original adherents either converting of emigrating due to historical persecution. Spiritual or not religious consists of a growing portion of the population, currently approximately 10%.

Ormazdism and Judaism also have a significant presence in Vardana, the former among the Lerazgan minority. Before the 1924 revolution, followers of the Jewish faith consisted of almost 3% of the population, but the revolution and Yisraeli return laws have seen that number drop to under 1% of the country's modern population. Other faiths make up at least 5% of the population include: Ormazdism, Judaism, Asalism, Sadhana and N'nhivara.

Health and care

Healthcare in Vardana has steadily improved since the early 2000s, with the institution of universal healthcare. The State and Provincial Healthcare Act was enacted in 2000, which established a public health insurance option offered by provincial governments. These provincial health plans allow all citizens or permanent residents in a province to opt into a public healthcare program, nationally known as General Healthcare System. The SPHA also enacted mandatory health insurance requirements, whether public or private.

Life expectancy in Vardana has risen since the last census, averaging 74.8 years – 71.1 for males and 78.6 for females.