Aretias

Kingdom of Aretias Թագավորության Արետիաս (Vardanan) Βασίλειον τῆς Ἀρητιάς (Mysian)
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: Զիջել ոչ մեկին Zijel voch’ mekin ("Yield to none")
Anthem: Վարդի մարտ Vardi mart March of the Rose
Location of Aretias (dark green) – in Belisaria (dark grey)
Political Map of Aretias Political Map of Aretias
Capital and largest city	Evros
Official languages	Mysian Vardanan
Recognised regional languages	Latin
Ethnic groups (2019)	52% Vardanan 36% Mysian 4% Slavic group 3% Ayrumi 5% other
Religion	State religion: Vardanan Apostolic Other recognized: Eastern Orthodoxy, Fabrian Catholicism, Azdarin, Alban Emendatic, Judaism, Irreligion
Demonym(s)	Aretian
Government	Unitary absolute monarchy
• Basileus	Basil III
Legislature	None
Independence from the Second Vardanan Republic
• Declaration	19 July 1924
Area
• Total	3,616 km2 (1,396 sq mi) (nth)
• Water (%)	1.5%
Population
• 2020 estimate	965,577
• 2015 census	850,996
• Density	235.34/km2 (609.5/sq mi)
Currency	Dram (Դ) (ARD)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy (AD)
Driving side	left
Calling code	+377
ISO 3166 code	AE
Internet TLD	.ae

Aretias, officially the Kingdom of Aretias (Vardanan: Թագավորության Արետիաս; Mysian: Βασίλειον τῆς Ἀρητιάς), is a semi-recognized sovereign state located off the western coast of the Chersonian Peninsula. It is located on an archipelago in the Periclean Sea, and shares maritime borders with Thraysia to the north, Vardana to the east, and Perateia to the southwest. Its capital, and largest city, is Evros.

The first human settlements in Aretias date back to the 11th century BCE, with the first Aradian and Lihnidosi Hellene colonies established in the 8th and 9th centuries BCE. Aretias has long been a territory of successive empires and kingdoms since the 6th century BCE. Until 1832, Aretias was a county of the Kingdom of Vardana within the Province of Mysia, and from 1832 until 1901 a province of the Kingdom of Mysia. The islands remained under control of the House of Bznuni after re-integration into Hazaraspid Vardana. During the 1924 Revolution, the Lord of Aretias maintained control of the islands and attempted to re-establish control of the mainland until his death in 1933. Since 1924, Aretias has laid claim to Vardana and Mysia by way of both royal titles.

Aretias is a unitary absolute monarchy, with a limited consultative assembly. Its population is near evenly split between a plurality of Mysians and Vardanans, along with other minority groups. Aretians are overwhelmingly christian, primarily following the Vardanan Apostolic faith, which is the official state religion.

Name

The Kingdom of Aretias rests on a minor archipelago surrounding a large, main island from which the country takes its name. The territory consisting of modern Aretias has held numerous names since the first recorded human settlements. Aretias was first used as a name for the main island in the 2nd century BCE, coming from the Hellenic meaning "Island of Ares". During the period of Latin control, from the 2nd to 5th centuries CE, the islands were referred to as Aretium in imperial documents, roughly meaning "Island of Mars", however Aretias remained the most widely used name.

Geography

Aretias has an area of 3,616 square kilometers, which consists of the main island, also named Aretias, and a series of smaller islands surrounding it. The main island has an area of 3,200 km², equating nearly 88% of the nation's territory. The country is X kilometers off the coast of the Vardanan province of Mysia, X kilometers from the Latin-helf Perateia, and X kilometers from the coast of Thraysia.

The main island is dominated by a small mountain range, the Agrafa Mountains, and a central-to-coastal plain crossing the island. The Agrafa Mountains cover most of the northern end of the island, and together with southern hills surround the central plain. The Evros River runs through the center of the country, and is the longest river in Aretias. Mount Baghats, as part of the Agrafa Mountains, is the highest point in Aretias at 2,109 meters.

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  River Evros is the largest river in Aretias

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  Landscape around Evros

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  Beaches near Teos along the Periclean Sea

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  Winter snowfall in the Agrafa Mountains

Climate

Aretias has a typical Periclean climate, with semi-arid tendencies inland at mid-level elevations of mountains. Coastal winters are mild, with hot summers. Coastal communities experience some of the hottest days in the Periclean during the summer, reaching upwards of 80 °F during the day, on average, during the peak of summer.

Winters remain warm in Aretias. The average winter temperature in the capital of Evros sees a daily average of 66°F, with nightly lows near 45°F. Snow is possible at the highest peaks of the Agrafa Mountains, particularly Mount Baghats.

Politics

Basil III Basileus of Aretias

Main articles: Monarchy of Aretias and Royal Council

Aretias is an absolute monarchy ruled by the House of Bznuni. The Bznuni have been ruling Aretias since the 15th century, originally as Lords or Princes of Aretias as a vassal of the Monarch of Vardana. The current Basileus is Basil III, who succeed his father as ruler on 19 November 2002. The Basileus has the sole power to appoint and remove ministers of the Crown, who together form the Royal Council. Aretias has no codified constitution, which places most legislative, executive, and judicial authority in the hands of the Basileus.

Aretias features no political parties, which have been banned by decree since 1940. There is no national legislature, though various proposals eventually led to the creation of a consultative assembly of 40 individuals appointed by the Basileus. This consultative assembly has no ability to propose legislation, but regularly votes on legislation originating from the Basileus or Royal Council. There are no national elections, but elections on a local level are commonplace. Through customary law, all adult citizens have the right to petition the Basileus. However, local elections are often subject to fraud or voter intimidation according to human rights groups.

Administrative divisions

Aretias is a unitary state divided into counties and municipalities. There are three counties, which are used for statistical and judicial boundary purposes. There are 80 municipalities, which serve as the primary avenue for local government. These municipalities control most local matters, such as education, transportation, and zoning.

Evros is the largest municipality, with a population of approximately 300,000 residents, or roughly one-third of the country's population. Teos is the second largest municipality, with a population of close to 100,000.

International status and foreign relations

Aretias asserted its independence on 19 July 1924, following the execution of King Stepan IV of Vardana, with its local ruler Basil, Prince of Aretias proclaiming himself Basileus of Mysia and the former Lihnidosi-Vardanan union by right of his wife and co-ruler Irene of Mysia. Since 1924, Aretias has claimed to be the government of all of Vardana, which has resulted in non-recognition of Aretias by successive Vardanan governments. However, even among nations that recognize Aretias as an independent state, few recognize its claim over Vardana. These historical claims have resulted in complex relations with cordial states as well.

A stated primary goal of Aretias is to achieve the reunification of "Greater Vardana" under monarchist rule. In practice, however, Aretias's primary goal is noted to be defense and security of its territory, which has faced various tests since 1933.

Aretias is a member of the Forum of Nations, [org], and [org].

Law

Main articles: Law of Aretias and Judiciary of Aretias

Law in Aretias primary operates under a civil law system, with customary law serving as a secondary source of law when not officially codified or superseded by codified law. Civil law in Aretias is heavily based on Latin and Thraysian law.

Aretias lacks an independent judiciary, and as a result the court system is heavily influenced by the central government and the Basileus, who may intervene in cases or issue a verdict on appeal. Despite this, the judiciary underwent a series of reforms in the mid-20th century primarily based on judicial systems in Western Belisaria. It features royal circuit courts serving as the general trial court for all civil and criminal matters. There are four circuit courts, one per country except in Evros which hosts two circuit courts. Aretias lacks an intermediate appellate court in the traditional sense, as the Court of Cassation is the de facto court of last resort and features a criminal and civil division.

Armed Forces

Main article: Aretian Defense Force

The Aretian Defense Force is the main military institution of Aretias. It is a combined arms force, with air, land, and sea elements. The Defense Force has featured conscription since its inception, requiring all males to serve a compulsory 16 months of service beginning on their 17th birthday. Though primarily a conscripted force, since 1989 the Defense Force features a growing professional enlisted involvement.

Aretias also features a number of paramilitary services, such as the Royal Guard, and the Civil Guard. The Royal Guard serves as the personal protection service of the Basileus and his family. Members of the Royal Guard are often some of the most trained soldiers in Aretias and are granted privileges not commonly found in the Defense Force or the Civil Guard. The Civil Guard is the national police force of Aretias, which has in recent years been marginalized in favor or expanded authority of the Defense Force.

Economy

The economy of Aretias has a mixed economy, featuring a modernizing industrial sector, transitioning service sector and robust. Aretias continues to rely on mining, as it is mineral rich and relies on exporting rare earth minerals as a key segment of its economy. Agriculture consists of a small, shrinking sector of the Aretian economy. As of 2019, its unemployment rate is estimated around 13%. Its largest trading partners are Besmenia, Garima, Latium, Lihnidos, Thraysia, and Vardana. The dram is the country's currency, though currencies from neighboring nations such as Latium and Thraysia are often accepted by merchants.

Evros and Teos comprise the economic centers of Aretias due to being the largest population centers and most modern cities in the country. Nearly all of the most major domestic companies and corporations have headquarters located in Evros. While economic growth in Aretias has remained continued since 1960, it is at a steady pace and not considered among a fast growing economy.

Transport

Transportation in Aretias has undergone rapid change since the 1990s, featuring an expansion of motorways and additional air, rail, and water passage; however, outside of major cities such as Evros and Teos motorways are not fully to modern standards throughout Aretias. Basil II International Airport in Evros is the nation's only international airport, which was first constructed in 1966. Smaller regional airports are located in Teos and [city], and connect the country's islands with the main island and close neighboring nations. The port of Akn is the country's main seaport and is located on the main island of Aretias along the Periclean Sea coast.

Demographics

The population of Aretias sits at 850,996 as of the 2013 census. Recent estimates place the population near 965,000. The largest ethnic group in Aretias consists of Vardanans, estimated at 49-52% of the population. Ethnic Mysians form nearly 40% of the population, and consist of the second largest group.

Vardanans have increased in number since the 1960s, which was preceded by a swell in Mysians fleeing the civil war in Vardana. It was estimated that from 1910 to 1960, Mysians created a majority of the population. Other ethnic groups present in the country are Ayrumi, [slavic group], Kards, Cherkes, and [group].

Mysian and Vardanan are the two official languages of Aretias, as both are widely spoken and understood by nearly all of the county's inhabitants. However, Vardanan holds the dignity of being the official court languages and as such is the primary language of government throughout the country. All civil servants are required to speak Vardanan.

Religion

The Vardanan Apostolic Church is the state church of Aretias. Religious minorities typically do not have the freedom to practice their religion unless it is a religion officially recognized by the government. Recognized minority religions include Fabrian Catholicism, Vardanan Rite Orthodox, Judaism, and various Yen sects. Minority religions in Aretias are strictly regulated and controlled, though for what are understood to be political reasons, Catholic and Orthodox christians retain greater freedoms and autonomy than other minority religious groups.

While the historical leader of the Vardanan Apostolic Church is the Apostolic Patriarch of Aparan, and the Patriarch of All of Vardana is a leader figured in neighboring Vardana, the Patriarch of Teos serves as the chief religious authority in Aretias. The government is known to regularly insert itself into selection of the Patriarch of Teos upon a vacancy, as it does with other major religious figures within the country. Official census records place 73% of the population as Apostolic Christians, however this number is believed to be more accurately stated around 65-70%. Nearly 20% of the population is believed to follow the Orthodox church.

See also

• Vardana
• Mysia