Melasia

Federal Republic of Melasia Bundesrepublik Melasien (Hesurian)
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: Stärke und Einheit (Hesurian) Strength and unity
Anthem: Voran, ihr freien Leute! Forward, you free people!
Capital and largest city	Jürgenshafen
Official languages	Hesurian
Recognised national languages	See National languages in Melasia
Ethnic groups (2018)	TBD
Religion	Various 67.5% Zohist 17.2% Alydian 11.5% No religion 2.4% Trúathi 1.4% Other
Demonym(s)	Melasian
Government	Federal constitutional parliamentary republic
• President	Gustaf Sorbo
• Prime Minister	Erik Brandt
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	House of Representatives
Independence from Mascylla
• Council of Mascyllary Melasia	31 January 1904
• Fleicher accord	13 May 1921
• Melasian Crisis	10 May 1941 – 5 September 1943
• Current Constitution	11 November, 1969
Area
• Total	981,186.1 km2 (378,838.1 sq mi)
• Water (%)	3.8
Population
• September 2020 estimate	39,872,511 (42)
• June 2019 census	39,983,117
GDP (PPP)	2019 estimate
• Total	$2.28 trillion
• Per capita	$56,915
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
• Total	$2.19 trillion
• Per capita	$54,722
Gini (2018)	34.7 medium
HDI (2017)	0.921 very high
Currency	krona (Kr)
Time zone	AST +8 to +9
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+375
ISO 3166 code	ME
Internet TLD	.me

Melasia, officially the Federal Republic of Melasia (Hesurian: Bundesrepublik Melasien), is a sovereign country on the continent of Melasia and Mavronesia. At 981,186.1 square kilometres (378,838.1 sq mi), Melasia is the nth largest country in the world by area, and the xth most populous, with slightly below 23 million people living in the country as of 2019. Melasia's capital, Jürgenshafen, is the largest city in the country and a major port on the sea route between Eastern Pamira and Berea, situated in the König Lukas Strait between the Manatan Sea and the Sea of Saba; other major cities include Braunfliess, Grünshagen, Eriksburg, Pulau, Stoschmund, Neukirch and Unionshafen. The territory of the country is situated within the BST +8 to +9 time zones.

Melasia consists of 5 major islands forming the subconstinent of Melasia within Melasia and Mavronesia, as well as up to 350 small and volcanic islands in the Caroline Sea, Manatan Sea, Sea of Saba, Sea of Pulau, Reef Sea and Ludwig Sea. The Melasian subcontinent is a result of past volcanic activity on the Melasian tectonic plate, while the smaller Caroline Islands archipelago is situated on the border between the Melasian, Equatorian and Notosian tectonic plates and is one of the most volcanically and seismically active regions in the world. The seismological activity leads to frequent earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic erruptions, especially in the Caroline Sea. This area is considered one of the most dangerous ones in the world. The territory of the country is located close to the equator and is relatively flat, which makes it exposed to monsoons. Almost all of the northern territory of the country is covered by rainforests and is located within the subtropical rainforest climate region, while the southern islands of the Melasian chain, including the southern portion of König Lukas Island, New Jusland Island and the König Ludwig islands experience more arid climate and even some small deserts can be found within the islands.

It is confirmed that various tribes have crossed the strait between Pamira and Melasia as early as 2200 BCE. The first documented civilizations date from the 18000 BCE. As suggested by its geographical location, the islands of modern-day Melasia played a vital role in ancient and medieval naval trade between the east and the west. Melasian tribes were known as excellent sailors, and evidences of their expeditions can be found around the Melasian and even Mavronesian archipelago and as far as southern Pamira and the Caroline Islands. During the Middle ages the area was heavily influenced by various Pamiran nations like Kenlong. Until the 19th century the area was never unified under one flag, with parts of the islands in strategic locations being owned by more powerful Pamiran empires, with the rest of modern-day Melasia being divided among various feudals, tribal alliances and isolated communities.

The islands were first discovered by Bereans in the 17th century. The first colonial empire to aquire full control over the territory of modern-day Melasia was Mascylla in 1804. After a series of conflicts between the Berean colonizers and the local warlords, the Crown Colony of Mascyllary Melasia was formed in 1823. Melasia as a concept arose after the Great War, when the area experienced a rise of national identity among its native peoples. Due to rising internal tensions, the colony was given increased autonomy from its metropole following a number of reforms between 1905-1919, and declared independence in 1929, however, remained highly dependent on its former metropole. In the 1930s, Melasian leaders attempted to gain complete independence from Mascylla and to perform independent international politics, creating stronger ties with Cuthland-Waldrich in Berea. This resulted in the Melasian Crisis and armed conflicts in both Berea and in Melasia. The country managed to gain polito-economic autonomy from Mascylla as a result of the war, an authoritarian regime was established for the next several decades. Following a severe economical crisis and unsuccessful political reforms in the late 1960s, the country experienced a revolution in 1967, when its government was disbanded and President Salemon Linberg was imprisoned. Melasia constructed a stable liberal democratic political system over the course of forty years, slowly rebuilding its economy. Today Melasia is a federation consisting of 6 states and 4 autonomous territories, including the disputed Walter Island Chain in the Sea of Saba.

The economy of Melasia is one of the largest in Pamira and the largest on the continent of Melasia and Mavronesia. It is ranked nth by nominal GDP per capita. Melasia is in top positions in quality of life, human development and income per capita. The country is widely renowned for its freedom of speech, high democracy index, and protection of human rights. Jürgenshafen, the country's capital, is the fifth city in the global livability survey. Melasia has a modern service-based economy. Its primary exports include consumer electronics, IT software and hardware, automobiles, heavy industrial machinery, and natural resources, most notably rubber, with other important resources being petroleum, palm oil, lignite and polymetal ore. The country is a major tourist destination, and tourism is a major part of its current economy. Melasia is a member of the Assembly of Nations, !CPIS and the Mavronesian Council for Economic Development.

Etymology

The etymology of the name Melasia has two possible origins. According to Mascyllary linguists of the twentieth century, the name most probably was derived from the Erytheric words μέλος (melos), meaning melody, and νῆσος (nesos), meaning islands, to form the name "the island of melodies", probably due to the songs of the native tribes.

According to another theory, the ancient name of one of the islands was derived from the Malayam word മുല്ലപ്പൂ (mullappu), meaning jasmine, which slowly evolved into melati. When the Dulebian colonists arrived to the islands in the 19th century they would eventually use the word melati as name for the native tribes. By adding the Greek word νῆσος (nesos), meaning island, they formed the name Melasia, "islands of the Melati".

History

Main article: History of Melasia

Early history

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Colonial period

The fortress of Palmeiras, currently known as Jurgenshafen

The first contact between the Melasian states and the Bereans happened in 1538, when the Lavish explorer Antônio Bragança discovered the Caroline Island chain and later established contact with the kings on the island of Manatan. In 1567, after a brief conflict between the Lavish and the Sultanate of Pulau, an expeditionary corps led by Francisco Solimões captured the southern bank of the current Strait of Jurgenshafen and established the fort of Palmeiras. In the next 100 years, several other Berean states established trading outposts on the island of Manatan and in southern Kenlong, including Cuthland and Falland. Following the Cuthish Revolution and the Unification of Mascylla, the Cuthish colonial possessions were transferred to the newly-reformed Mascyllary East Baihu Company (VOG).

Map of the Empire of Melasia in 1891

Following the Mascyllo-Lavish Treaty of 1799, the VOG received all Lavish and former Cuthish colonial possessions in Melasia, leaving Mavronesia to Lavaria. The Mascyllary colonial administration, which absorbed the VOG in 1819 led an agressive expansion into the region, subjugating the small feudal states and fighting a number of armed conflicts against the Empire of Kenlong, which was the hegemon in the region. In contrast with most of its other colonies, in Melasia the Mascyllary metropoly allowed the loal warchiefs to retain control of their possessions as long as they remain under the protectorate of the metropoly itself. By 1823, Mascylla managed to gain control over all of the modern-day Melasia, as well as a portion of Kenlong. The Empire of Melasia was established the same year as an unitary state, consisting of three states under direct Mascyllary rule and a number of so-called princely states, which were vassals of Mascylla. On paper, the state acted as a realm being ruled by the Emperor of Mascylla via the Viceroy of Melasia. Under the colonial administartion, the country lost its economic independence and only exported raw materials to the metropoly in Berea. The Empire of Melasia also lacked its own armed forces, having to rely on the Mascyllary navy to protect its sovereignity. On the other hand, Melasia benefitted from the technological and social advances of Berea: being extremely resource-rich, the country fairly early compared to other colonies received a network of railroads, paved roads and major harbours. Education became widespread in the second part of the 19th century. The first telegraph cable was set between Jurgenshafen (former Palmeiras) and Braunfliess.

The Siege of Simpang during the Melasian Uprising in 1902

Numerous attempts of the colonial administration to perform social reforms of the native population were met with severe disapproval, culminating with the widespread unrest of 1901-1903, known as the Melasian Uprising. While the rebellion was successfully put down by 1903, its main result was the reformation of the country. The former colonial institutes were dissolved, while the country itself was transformed into a federation of 36 small states and received its first constitution and a bicameral parliament, becoming known as the Federated Melasian States. However, the country was still under strict rule of the Mascyllary metropole. Former members of the colonial administration received high-ranking posts in the government of the federation and all seats in the Melasian Senate, the upper house of the parliament. The Viceroy of Melasia became the Governor-General. The Governor-General's power was still significant, as they had to form the Senate, and no bill accepted by both the lower and upper house of the parliament could be accepted without their approval. Beyond that, the Governor-General had the right to dissolve the Council of States (the lower house of the parliament). Despite receiving nominal right to govern itself, the Federated Melasian States did not gain the status of a Dominion, remaining under almost full control of its former metropole. The Federation participated in the Great War on the side of the Armala coalition and fought actively both in Berea and on home territory, initially receiving a mandate over all of Kenlong. After the war, the country was hit by a powerful financial crisis and saw a drastic drop in foreign investment, which eventually let to a massive protest activity, mainly among the white population and the middle class in the country. A number of fruitless economic reforms performed under Mascyllary supervision and continuing social unrest gave the rise to a radical far-right party in the country in the late 1920s led by Wilhelm Keller. After a series of negotiations, Mascylla and the Federated Melasian States eventually signed the Fleicher Accords that gave the state a full autonomy in 1929. The same accord disbanded the Mascyllary institutes in the country and restructured it to a unitary presidential republic, with Wilhelm Keller becoming the first elected president in 1930.

Republican period

Main article: Republic of Melasia

Wilhelm Keller, the first elected president of Melasia

The Fleicher Accords established the country as a unitary republic, in a manner very similar to Mascylla. All citizens of the country older than 18 received voting rights, including women and natives. The Republic was officially formed on 13 May 1929, with a provisional government being formed until the first democratic elections. However, with the provisional government being formed mostly from supporters of the ultra-nationalist white political movement, the country's election code was amended already before the first scheduled election in May 1930: the voting rights of Melasian citizens were severely restrictioned, with only owners of property within the country receiving the right to vote. As most of the property in the nation was in the hands of landlords of Berean origin, the native population remained almost entirely unrepresented on the first democratic elections in 1930, despite forming more than half of the country's enite population. As a result, the ultra-nationalist Party of United Melasia won the elections, with its leader Wilhelm Keller becoming the first president.

First years and the Melasian Crisis

Main article: Melasian Crisis

Under Wilhelm Keller, the country finally managed to overcome the financial crisis of the previous decade. In the first years of his rule, Keller focused primarily on investment from Mascylla, which in turn entered a period of economic boom. Melasia managed to restructure it's sovereign debt, and a campaign of industrialization was initiated, fueled mostly by Mascyllary investment. The economic success of Keller allowed him to be reelected as president in 1934 for a second term. The next four years of Keller's rule saw a far more aggressive foreign policy, mainly targeted against Mascylla itself. With the rise of Cuthland after the post-Great war crisis, Melasia shifted towards greater cooperation and even partial economic integration with the former member of the Central Alliance. The constitution of the country was amended several times between 1935 and 1938, giving the president almost absolute power. Keller's anti-mascyllary policy culminated with the nationalization of all coal mines and rubber farms, which remained under Mascyllary jurisdiction according to the Fleicher accord, in 1938. This led to economic sanctions imposed on the country by Mascylla. In 1941, Melasian troops staged several provocations against Mascyllary military bases in the country, which eventually led to the Mascyllary declaration of war on 10 May 1941 and the outbreak of the Melasian Crisis.

Session of the Assembly of Nations in January 1942 addressing the Melasian Crisis

The conflict between the two countries quickly rose to a stand-off between Mascylla and Cuthland, which heavily supported Melasia, and threatened to escalate into another major conflict between the two states, with various skirmishes happening in the summer and autumn of 1941. The conflict was initally successfully regulated by the Assembly of Nations, with the negotiations lasting between the late 1941 and September 1943. While the primary focus of the negotiations remained the regulation of the Cutho-Mascyllary border dispute, Melasia and Mascylla achieved only recognition of several Mascyllary naval bases on Melasian territory, the economic sovereignity of Melasia and the results of the nationalizations of the previous decade in Melasia. Despite the limited significance of the Mascyllo-Melasian negotiations for both countries, they become a crushing blow for Mascyllary international prestige and eventually led to the collapse of the country's colonial empire. For Melasia, the crisis proved to be a failure as well, as the relations between the country and most of the international community worsened, and it lost power in Kenlong, with the latter quickly rising to a regional power and beginning to threaten Melasian sovereignity.

End of the republic

Main article: Melasian revolution of 1967

Protests in the Reservation of Pulau in early 1968, with armed Melasian policemen seen on the foreground

Following the Melasian crisis, Melasia became economically isolated from most of the world, while also finding itself in a conflict with its newly-formed neighbour, the Kingdom of Kenlong. Melasian industry saw a gradual decline, with the economy switching almost entirely to raw resource exports in the second half of the 1940s'. The economic stagnation led to a drop of the income of the Melasian citizens. Media and journalists were constantly pressured by the state and the freedom of speech in the country became non-existend. The state continued to pressure its native population as well: in the early 1950s, a system of native reservations was established, effectively banning all non-Bereans from free travel within the country. In 1958, all non-Bereans also lost their citizenship and the right to leave the country. Despite all those factors, the political situation in Melasia remained relatively stable in the 1950s' and the first half of the 1960s', mostly thanks to the high oil prices. This changed in 1964-1966, when the world was hit by another financial crisis and the crude oil prices saw a drastic drop, which immediately affected the Melasian economy and led to its complete collapse. The Melasian government's attempts to save the economy proved inadequate, and major protests mainly among the Berean population started in 1967. The protests targeted against the ultra-nationalist ruling party soon spread to the native population. While protests in major cities were generally not suppressed by the government, the protests in native reservations met fierce police brutality, leading to a huge number of victims among the protesters and international condemnation of state action. Native and non-native protesters eventually united in their attempts to overthrow the Party of United Melasia and the president Salemon Linberg. Eventually, the Linberg administration resigned in July 1968 with the president himself being imprisoned, and elections were held in February 1969, when all restrictions on voting were removed and all citizens were able to give their vote. Later the same year, the country was restructured into a federation of 6 states and 3 autonomous territories.

Geography

A map of Melasia