Rizealand

Federation of Rizealand
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Progress in Union"
Anthem: "God Bless Rizealand"
Rizealand (dark blue) located within Asteria Superior (light blue).
Capital	Camden
Largest city	Liberty City
Official languages	none at the federal level
Recognised national languages	Estmerish
Recognised regional languages	Ghailish Gaullican Marchenian Powhatan
Demonym(s)	Rizealander
Government	Federal presidential constitutional republic
• President	Barbara Ward
• Deputy President	Oscar Willis
Legislature	Central Assembly
• Upper house	Federation Council
• Lower house	House of Representatives
Independence from Gaullica
• Independence declared	1764
• Continental Convention	1765
• Joined United Colonies	1765
• Treaty of Vicalvi	1771
• Federation established	1775
Area
•	1,831,549.44 km2 (707,165.19 sq mi)
Population
• 2020 census	64,571,281
• Density	35.25/km2 (91.3/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2021 estimate
• Total	$2,719,874,492,256
• Per capita	$42,582
GDP (nominal)	2021 estimate
• Total	$2,652,743,120,048‬
• Per capita	$41,531
Gini (2021)	32.2 medium
HDI (2021)	.898 very high
Currency	Rizealand rizal (RIR)
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy
Driving side	right
ISO 3166 code	RI
Internet TLD	.ri

The Federation of Rizealand, commonly known as Rizealand, is a sovereign stated located in Asteria Superior on the planet Kylaris. It is bordered by Cassier in the north, Chistovodia to the east, the Asterian Federative Republic to the south, and the Vehemens Ocean to the west. It consists of 9 states, three sovereign indigenous nations, and two territories including a capital territory. With an area of 1.8 million square kilometers, it is the fifth largest country by total area in Asteria. At more than 64 million people, it is the eighteenth most populous country in Kylaris. The national capital is Camden and the most populous city is Liberty City.

Indigenous peoples first migrated to Rizealand more than 12 millennia ago and Euclean colonists began arriving in the 1500s. Rizealand emerged from former Gaullican colonies that had gained independence after the Asterian War of Secession (1764-1771). From the late 1700s to middle 1800s, Rizealand expanded eastward and south through establishing new territories by annexation and conquest of indigenous peoples. By 1890, Rizealand occupied all the land in the east up to Lake Weanoke and forced the remaining indigenous populations onto reservations. After ending a period of isolation by participating in the Great War and Solarian War, Rizealand emerged as a global power. Protests and unrest in the 1960s and 1970s led to the 1975 Civil Rights Reforms, which resulted in drastic liberalization and civil rights for women, people of color, minorities, and indigenous peoples.

Rizealand is a federation organized as a democratic representative republic with three branches of government. These three branches include a bicameral legislature, a president as the head of the executive branch, and an independent judiciary, although some consider the administrative state to operate as a fourth branch of government. It is a member of the World Assembly, Community of Nations, Association for Economic Development and Cooperation, International Council for Democracy, International Trade Organization, North Vehemens Organization, Organization of Asterian Nations, and the Atomic Energy Commission, as well as an observer in the Arucian Cooperation Organization.

Etymology

Historians dispute the exact origin of the name "Rizealand" but agree it was likely derived from local indigenous languages. The majority view is that Rizealand was derived from the Onnohish word "Risi'Wa," meaning "bountiful land" or "bountiful country." The Onnohou people used the name often to describe present-day Rizealand. Another view is that Rizealand is derived from the Nehinawish word "Rizal," which was used by the Nehinaw people to describe gold. During contact between Estmerish colonists and the indigenous tribes of Rizealand, either "Risi'Wa" or "Rizal" were likely transcripted into "Rizea." This is one of the main reasons why a majority of historians reject "Rizal" as being the inspiration for Rizealand, given it was used separately by colonists to refer to money and after the Federation of Rizealand was established, Rizal was used to describe the Federation's new currency.

The first documented use of the word Rizealand was in the diary of John Stokes in 1651, where it was spelled "Rizea Land." Since then, Rizea Land or Rizealand was informally used by Estmerish colonists to describe the colonies of New Estmere and Lothicania. During the Asterian War of Secession, Rizealand became more popular as a descriptor for the rebelling former Gaullican colonies of New Estmere, Lothicania, and Fáel. Following the failed attempt to form a union with Marchenia after the Treaty of Vicalvi, the Articles of Federation established "Rizealand" as as the Federation's official name.

Government and politics

Main articles: Federal government of Rizealand and Politics of Rizealand

The Central Executive Complex, workplace of the President

The People's Hall, meeting place of the Central Assembly

The Palace of Justice, meeting place of the High Court and workplace of the Attorney General

Rizealand is a constitutional representative democracy organized as a federal presidential republic. As a federation, power is divided between the federal government and Rizealand's political divisions which include 9 states, 2 territories, and 3 sovereign indigenous nations. Rizealand's political divisions are further divided into smaller administrative divisions as well as cities and towns. While Rizealand's political divisions exercise varying levels of sovereignty guaranteed by the Articles of Federation, the sovereignty of administrative divisions, cities, and towns depends on the laws of their political division.

The Articles of Federation, first ratified in 1773, are the "highest law in the land," meaning no other treaty, legislation, decree, or state constitution can conflict with their provisions. The Articles establish Rizealand's federal system of government by outlining the powers of the federal government as well as imposing restrictions on the federal government and the political divisions. The restrictions limit the federal government's power to those authorized in the Articles and preserve any power of the political divisions that has not been restricted by the Articles. The Articles also impose a separation of powers on the federal government by dividing legislative power, executive power, and judicial power among three separate branches of the government.

Legislative power is exercised by the legislative branch, which is the bicameral Central Assembly. The House of Representatives is the larger and lower house of the Central Assembly with 535 seats. The House of Representatives' seats are apportioned among the political divisions based on their population. Each state and territory's seats in the House of Representatives are filled through closed list proportional representation elections held every five years. Each sovereign indigenous nation adopts its own format for elections to fill its seats in the House of Representatives. The Federation Council is the upper house of the Central Assembly with 38 seats. Unlike the House of Representatives, the Federation Council's seats are apportioned equally among the states and sovereign indigenous nations of Rizealand, with each state or nation receiving three seats, while territories only receive one seat each. Each territory's seat and two of each state's seats in the Federation Council are filled in two round direct elections every five years. Each state's remaining seat in the Federation Council is filled by that state's legislature and that councilor's term lasts until they are removed by the legislature. Each sovereign indigenous nation's seats are filled by their own procedures or customs.

A majority vote of both the Federation Council and House of Representatives is required to pass legislation and take most forms of legislative action. However, amendments to the Articles of Federation, overrides of presidential vetoes, and enactment of super laws require a three-fourths majority in each house. The House of Representatives is also responsible for initiating all taxation and appropriation legislation, approving the President's executive nominations, and impeaching government officials. The Federation Council is also responsible for ratifying all treaties, approving the President's nominations for diplomatic and ambassador posts, and removing government officials from office.

Executive power is exercised by the executive branch of Rizealand. At the top as head of state and government is the President and Deputy President. The President and Deputy President are elected in national two round direct elections for five year terms with a two term limit. The President is responsible for signing legislation into law; appointing executive agency heads, ambassadors, and judges; and ensuring the laws of the federal government are being enforced through overseeing federal executive agencies. While historically the President exercised all executive power, the President now shares some of that power with independent administrative agencies and the Attorney General.

Independent administrative agencies are executive agencies not under the President's direct control. They are not established individually in the Articles of Federation but the Articles authorize their formation by the Central Assembly through super laws and they operate with specific functions such as law enforcement, rulemaking, or adjudication. The Attorney General however is a position established by the Articles and although he is considered a member of the judicial branch, his powers are primarily executive. The Attorney General is responsible for criminal prosecutions, fighting corruption, protecting civil rights, issuing opinions, and enforcing the orders or mandates of the federal courts. The Attorney General also has the authority to issue a constitutional challenge to legislation passed by the Central Assembly which suspends it from taking effect until the High Court has reviewed it. The Attorney General is appointed by the High Court for a single 10 year term and cannot serve more than one term.

Judicial power is exercised by the judicial branch, which is headed by the High Court of the Federation. The High Court is the only federal court established by the Articles of Federation and is the highest court of last resort. Below the High Court is the federation courts of justice, which are divided into five circuit courts. Within each circuit, there is a trial division and appeals division. The trial divisions of federal circuit courts are staffed by federal magistrate judges while the appeals divisions are staffed by federal appellate judges who hear appeals from the decisions of trial divisions. The High Court consists of seven justices and handles appeals from the federation courts of justice as well as cases where it has original jurisdiction. All federal justices, judges, and magistrates are appointed for life by the President from a slate nominated by the Federal Judicial Selection Committee. Federal courts have the power of judicial review. At the federal level, they operate under a common law legal system with Estmerish influences, although some states with Gaullican influence follow civil law instead.

The Articles of Federation establish a list of individual rights for Rizealanders including the freedom of speech, right to petition the government, freedom of conscience, right to self-defense, and right to privacy, among others. Citizens in Rizealand also have the right to recall federal government officials, refer legislation to a referendum vote, enact legislation via an initiative vote, and approve amendments to the Articles of Federation.

Political divisions

Map	Name	Capital City	Largest City	Joined Federation	Population	Area (km2)	Council Seats	House Seats
New Estmere ON Charlotte Lothicania Assimia St. Ellen Providence NN CT Fáel San Andreas Lyhoming PN Cahoka	States of Rizealand
	Assimia	Pendleton		9th	2,910,542	42,147.84	3	24
	Cahoka	Cahoka City	Gadsen	8th	3,824,043	325,264.91	3	32
	Charlotte	Ardougne		4th	3,597,600	247,845.34	3	30
	Fáel	Tyrell		3rd	3,938,200	104,330.06	3	33
	Lothicania	Liberty City		2nd	18,456,321	97,409.49	3	152
	Lyhoming	McDowell		7th	6,016,900	283,733.60	3	50
	New Estmere	Portmouth		1st	10,456,900	245,195.34	3	86
	Providence	Winchester		5th	3,337,791	155,730.39	3	28
	San Andreas	Fremont	Los Santos	6th	9,373,100	170,390.68	3	77
	Territories of Rizealand
	Capital Territory	Camden		2nd	2,067,539	1,196.46	1	17
	St. Ellen	Ellensport		1st	58,108	1,128.96	1	1
	Sovereign indigenous nations in Rizealand
	Nehinaw Nation	Enkoodabooaoo		2nd	75,336	11,788.59	3	1
	Onnohou Nation	Fort Liberty		1st	111,567	16,137.62	3	1
	Powhatan Nation	Wahchintonka		3rd	347,334	129,250.16	3	3

Culture

Sports

According to a 2022 Mullen Analytics poll, the most popular spectator sports in Rizealand, in order of popularity, are association football, baseball, hockey, basketball, and rugby union. Major professional sports leagues in Rizealand include the Rizealand Football League (men's association football), Pro League (women's association football), National Basketball League (men's basketball), and Major League Rugby (men's rugby union). In addition to these domestic leagues, Rizealand also has professional sports clubs that participate in Premier League Baseball and the Asterian Hockey League.