Meridon

Federal Republic of Meridon Haumanhwe (Tangaran)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Fortitudinem per Concordia "Strength through Unity"
Anthem: I Vow to Thee
The Meridonian archipelago, including the outlying island of TBD.
Capital	Cordelia
Largest city	Port Sistine
Recognised national languages	English
Ethnic groups (2019)	74.5% Amphian, 18.4% Tangaran, 7.1% others
Religion	Various
Demonym(s)	Meridonian
Government	Federal semi-parliamentary constitutional republic
• President	Yui Townley
• Vice President	Vacant
Legislature	Meridonian Federal Council
Formation
• Union Day	May 9, 1747
• Masserat Constitution	July 15, 1761
• Current Constitution	August 3rd, 1986
Population
• 2022 estimate	290 million
• 2020 census	288,323,288
GDP (nominal)	2020 estimate
• Total	$9,788,719,000,000
• Per capita	33,871
Gini (2016)	41.3 medium
HDI (2016)	0.796 high (high)
Currency	Meridonian Dollar $ (MND)
Time zone	Meridon Standard Time
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+88
Internet TLD	.mer

Meridon, officially the Federal Republic of Meridon (Tangaran: Haumanhwe; formally Repupirikana e hānga ana haumanhwe), also known as Meridion, is an island nation located in the southeastern hemisphere. Meridon consists of over 1,600 islands, organized into 11 subdivisions known as Territories.

Meridon has been continously inhabited for at least nearly 6,000 years, with the arrival of the earliest descendants of the Tangaran people attributed to the presence of preserved boats and sailing material on Alexandria Island. Amphian explorers first landed on the island in 1554, starting a series of expansions and wars which saw the continent united into the Union of Meridon in 1640. Meridon experienced a rapid demographic shift with the mass arrival of Anglians during the Great Displacement, an event that among others fueled a pair of wars that saw Meridon emerge as a federal republic. Industrializing and growing its economy rapidly through the 19th century, by the 20th Meridon began to actively participate in external world affairs and remains a great power to this day.

Meridon is a federal semi-parliamentary constitutional republic, organized around 11 federated territories. Meridon's population is fairly distributed between rural and urban population centers. Cordelia is the capital city while Port Sistine is its largest by population, both located on Alexandria Island- some of Meridon's largest cities include Alanstown, Kohina, Tullamarina and Maratea.Meridon is a highly developed country with a high-income economy, it has the world's # largest economy, #-highest per capita income and # highest HDI. Meridon consistently ranks highly in quality of life, democracy, health, education, economic and civil liberty, and political rights. Meridon is considered a great power and is a member of a large amount of international organizations, including the United Nations, the !OECD, and the !WTO, among others.

Etymology

Meridon comes from the Almyrian word for 'southern' - meridionale. It was first coined as La terre meridionale by Almyrian explorer Leonardo Maratea, who helped to settle the TBD area. Meridionale was commonly referred to as such until the establishment of the first organized states within the territory.

Meridon and its territory were generally known as Meridion or Meridiona from the 17th to the 18th century in most states. It was referred to, often interchangably, as Meridion and Meridon by Anglian settlers. The name 'Meridon' was first formally used when the Meridon Congress was formed in 1640, as the deliberative body of the group formed in the midst of the Second Colonial War. This spelling carried on to the eventual forming of the formal Union of Meridon, which would later become the Federal Republic.

The Tangaran word for Meridon, Haumanwhe, means 'Land of Warm Winds'. It is not known by who or exactly when the terminology was first used, as pre-colonization records are scarce. Oral recollections place the earliest mentions of this term between 1,300 BCE and 860 BCE. Although this term primarily related to the loose collection of eastern islands in the Meridonian archipelago, its use was expanded to include the entirety of the archipelago during the advent of colonization.

(tangaran= people of the trees, haumanwhe= land of warm winds)

History

Main article: History of Meridon, History of the Meridonian Archipelago

rough timeline

Discovery and early settlement

The first Amphian explorers of the Meridonian archipelago first charted what would later be known as Alexandria Island in 1554. Historians still debate the accuracy of reports of the first discoverer of the archipelago, however it is generally attributed either to Almyrian explorer Alessandro Verraci or Anglian explorer Richard Tafts. At first, interactions with native Tangaran population groups were limited. Settlers maintained very limited trade relations with tribes and nations, primarily doing so with Alexandria island tribes, and very rarely done at a commercial scale.

The first settlement made by Amphian explorers was in an area that would later develop into Port Sistine, in early 1560. Early settlements were mostly concentrated on northern Alexandria islands, due to a combination of disease, hostile natives, and unhospitable climes on other locations on the archipelago. Other significant settlements on Alexandria island included TBD, TBD and TBD. These initial colonies were usually designed around a model of semi self-sufficiency, with a combination of cash and sustenance crop farming performed as means of sustaining economies, though approaches varied. These colonies were financed often by dispossessed nobility, merchants, and religious offcast groups, leading to a wide spread of micro-cultures and governance systems across towns and colonies. Colonies, however, received very little support from Amphian governments as they were not as profitable as other areas, which lead to large degrees of autonomy and a lack of any real unity.

While approaches to the native population varied widely across individual settlements, ranging from integration to extermination, Tangaran reception to the Amphian settlements quickly became hostile after the spread of diseases and attacks on their settlements. By 1582, repeated trespasses encouraged the TBD tribe to gather up surrounding tribes in an attempt to eject a large number of the settlements from the island.

First and Second Colonial Wars

The First Colonial War, also known as the First Tangaran war, was initiated at the insistence of the TBD tribe, forming a loose alliance through mixture of force and diplomacy with other tribes on Alexandria. War actions were largely uncoordinated and the war was defined more by periods of increased raids and hostility between Amphian settlers and Tangaran tribes. The start of the war is generally established as the first raid on the settlement of Maretta on 18 June 1582, which resulted in the deaths of over a hundred settlers. Raids prior to these point had generally been limited in scale and mostly based as harassment attacks, so the shock of mass deaths in the raid took many settlements across Alexandria off guard. Several other settlements fought dispersed raids and attacks off with varying degrees of success in the following months. Maretta was however the site of the most severe escalation of the conflict when it was raided by a massive force in 1584 and burned to the ground, with the death of hundreds of settlers.

Horrified at the scale of attacks on the settlements, certain settlements began to take punitive action against the raider tribes, entering tribal lands and killing indiscriminately in retribution attacks. This intensified conflict and drew indecisive tribes, for fear of being attacked themselves, into the conflict. By 1586, a large portion of settlements had formed militia groups that had grown highly effective at repulsing enemy raids and conducting attacks into Tangaran tribal lands. These escalations lead to large-scale warfare by early 1586, and by late 1587 a rough coalition had formed between armed settlements with the stated aim of the expulsion of Tangarans from Alexandria island. The actions of the militias are widely considered today as genocide, and lead to the death and displacement of tens of thousands of tribal peoples. By 1588 this was largely complete, and with the lack of threats from decimated tribes, most militia groups disbanded and were reduced in size.

In the aftermath of the First Colonial War, smaller settlements were drawn closer through military and political ties to larger settlements, who would offer protection in exchange for economic tributes. More complex and delineated political structures emerged in these settlements through the need to streamline the administrative process of cities that were steadily growing in size, output, and population. These citystates varied in size, power, and outreach- the largest of which consisted of the cities of Alanstown, Port Sistine, and Cossetton. Feuds did occur between citystates, but were often limited in scale and few lasted longer than a year.

The expansion and consolidation of power of these citystates eventually saw the exploration and settlement of islands beyond Alexandria, which began very early in the 17th century. Natives occupying other islands of the archipelago were fiercely resistant of further Amphian expansion, fearful of further genocides against their peoples, and resisted fiercely. Ships were attacked by fireboats, colonists were fought on their landings, and settlements were raided and massacred regularly. These aggressive tactics were considerably effective at repelling Amphian advances. Representatives from Port Sistine, Cossetton, Alanstown, and 4 other citystates met aboard the galley Loubret, where the Loubret Accord was signed. Generally recognized as the official start of the Second Colonial War, the agreement stipulated that the citystates would coordinate military action to suppress attacks on their vessels and settlements. The war effort was initially uncoordinated and levels of military and financial support varied widely between citystates- however as even direct military actions were repelled, cooperation increased rapidly and the allied citystates became able to defeat and repel attacks at sea, and gained sea supremacy in the entirety of the archipelago by 1608. With the sea secured, settlements and forts were established across the entirety of the island, with no lack of resistance from Tangaran native populations. However, Amphian forces lacked the manpower to conduct widespread pacifications as they had on Alexandria Island, and warfare stagnated as neither side made further significant gains. The war ended in 1615 as tribal attacks gradually ceased on settlements.

Settlement and the Third Colonial War

The creation of settlements across the islands created a new challenge for citystates, which had to manage far-flung colonies and the growth of populations on Alexandria Island. These issues were exacerbated by the inefficiencies of city governments, which were designed around maximizing profits from crop growth and resource extraction and less for managing polities.

Unlike early settlements on Alexandria Island, colonial holdings beyond were heavily reliant on support from the citystates, owing to hostile terrain and natives and the inability to expand further. However, these settlements produced valuable commodities including rare woods, spices, pearls, and seafoods that were highly valued, making them essential holdings. In order to better administrate these provinces, governments began to take influences from their homelands, which varied from the emergence of a democratic state in Port Sistine to an elective quasi-monarchy in Cossetton.

The period following the Second Colonial War saw a rapid growth of population in Alexandrian cities as they became safer and more profitable. Governments established urban planning projects, funded roads and infrastructure, and saw the emergence of the first regular military formations in the form of town militias and guard groups. Wealth gained from trade and production saw cities begin to shift from coast-hugging walled towns to more expansive metropolitan areas with concrete buildings and paved streets, and this period saw the first emergence of domestic art and culture emerging, most popularly in the form of art and song.

In late August of 1639, over the period of a week, massive attacks perpetrated by Tangaran groups across the entirety of the peninsula killed thousands of Amphian settlers in a series of attacks known as the Nights of Fire. Targeted attacks on primarily Amphian settlements, coordinated by Tangarans under the auspices of their leader Ianga Piripi, were conducted as part of a broader terror campaign to attempt to dislodge settlements from the eastern islands.

The attacks took the citystates completely off guard, and goaded by an enraged populace, the islands entered the Third Colonial War. This war was unique in the fact that it was the first that both Amphian and Tangaran groups were coordinated on a broad level. City-state governments met on 3 July 1640 to declare the First Union of Meridon, which was the first unified Amphian organization over the Meridonian islands.

Fighting was severe and brutal and spanned 5 years. Genocides, atrocities, and reprisals were undertaken by both sides, however the technological and numerical advantage possessed by Amphian forces by this time denied the Tangaran front any major gains. Following a decisive defeat at the Battle of the Nine Nights, the Tangaran front was forced to sue for peace with a large amount of their military destroyed. The Concordat of Kohina stripped Tangaran tribes of all independent authority and while preserving some tribal organizations, subjugated them under authorities from the citystates and forbade them from forming military forces.

The Great Displacement and the First Civil War

The aftermath of the Third Colonial War saw a massive transformation in the culture and society of the archipelago. The establishment of the Union of Meridon as a central government was a first for citystates who were not used to answering to higher authorities. Made a necessity during wartime, there were immediate debates about its importance following the end of the war. Divisions fell primarily between the classes- rich merchants and other higher-class individuals did not appreciate the overreaching bureaucracy and mandates from the central government, while individual farmers and laborers appreciated the steady source of business and sense of involvement and security they gained from it.

Starting in the early 1660s and continuing until the mid 18th century, another element contributing to radical shifts in Meridonian societies was a massive influx of Anglian immigrants from mainland Amphia. While Meridonian society had remained relatively diverse since its establishment, immigrating Anglians were often poor and displaced and fit poorly into existing socioeconomic structures in many citystates. This lead to a rising sentiment of discontent at all levels of the population.

An excessively hot summer in 1655 lead to an unprecedented crop failure, resulting to food shortages across Meridon. Protests and rioting broke out across multiple cities, and despite Union officials attempts to intervene to mediate the issues, many of the upper-class landowners in these cities utilized militias and private guards to put down riots. These incidents occurred shortly before the Union Council was due to meet in 1646 to renew itself, and the prevailing opinion of it's inevitable dissolution hampered its response. These riots turned into citywide revolts, and by early 1646 Alexandria island had broken out into full-scale civil war. The Unionist faction fought the Sovereignty front in a decade's worth of sporadic but bloody war, whose early years saw no significant process. The continuation of the Displacement, however, saw a burgeoning in the Unionist ranks, who were able to better organize and out-produce the Sovereign faction. The war ended in 1666 with a ceasefire and an agreement between the factions to form a confederate union state with the First Articles of Union.

Interbellum and Second Civil War

Following the conclusion of the civil war and the permanent establishment of a central authority- albeit a weak one- Meridonian society continued to undergo widespread changes. The Great Displacement was accelerated during the war, with Amphians of Anglian descent attaining a plurality of the Amphian population by 1700. By 1700 they had in significant numbers overcome societal barriers to their entry and established themselves in nearly all strati of public life. They brought with them a large amount of cultural influence from their homelands, including their systems of government and administration, which began to shape the structure of the Unionist government.

The Interbellum period saw the deconstruction of city identities and the establishment of a more national one, though strong local commitments remained an important part of culture. Anglian language began to supplant Almyrian as a common tongue among Amphians by 1713. With the establishment of a central authority, trade between cities became much more commonplace, and ties quickly grew on cooperative rather than competitive bases.

During this time, Union authorities- increasingly composed of liberal-leaning and lower-class citizens- began to expand central authority, including the levying of taxes for roads, postal services, and other central functions. Upper-class merchants, who remained largely intact following the first Civil War, chafed at having to contribute increasing amounts of money to institutions that did not directly benefit them. Complaints such as these directly lead to the instigation of the Second Meridonian Civil War in 1738, in which a coalition of upper class merchants and city-states banded to dissolve the union, once more under the Sovereignist banner. They were also joined by dependent settlements on the eastern islands, who reaped few of the benefits of the union system. From 1738 until 1747, an unprecedentedly widescale war took the entirety of the archipelago by storm. These developments saw the emergence of the first professional and permanent military forces on both sides, and a radical empowerment of the Union government. The war was won by Unionist forces decisively during the Battle of Kaharoa in January 1747. Wide-scale reprisals and disbursement of lands owned by Sovereignist forces followed the war. In 1749, the Articles of Federation were signed, which established Meridon as a federal republic.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Meridon

Weaver Federal Nature Reserve in Alexandria Territory. Grassland territories are a prominent feature of northwestern Alexandria.

Meridon is a island nation composing of approximately 1,600 islands, including 10 major islands, with a total landmass of TBD KM2. The largest and northwesternmost island, Alexandria Island, takes up an estimated TBD km2, while other islands range in size greatly. A vast majority of islands have little vertical development above 400 meters above sea level, but most are uneven. Meridonian landmasses tend to be highly fertile, owing to rich soils and high amounts of local moisture and humidity. Agricultural farming production remains an important part of Meridonian society and economy. Almost all major urban centers are located on coastal areas or upon rivers. In recent years, Meridon has increasingly been using reclaimed land, especially for urban transport infrastructure such as ports and airports which constitutes 0.2% of the total landmass of the islands. Generally, northern areas of Meridon remain relatively flat or gently sloped, and the average elevation of the entire archipelago is about 32 meters above sea level. The highest point on the islands is Mount Rorke, an active volcano located on TBD Island, at 2,612 meters above sea level. The archipelago sits in close vicinity to multiple tectonic plates, and is volcanically active, hosting a total of 32 active volcanoes, some of which are submerged.

Meridonian landmass is heavily forested, especially in eastern islands. Alexandria Island consists of the greatest variety of biomes, including tropical forests, savanna land, and small arid strips on the western edges of the islands. Some southern islands are arid or rocky, and support only minimal grassy vegetation.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Meridon
Meridon's climate consists primarily of humid subtropical zones. Generally, it experiences temperate winters and hot summers, however temperatures on the higher altitudes of Alexandria Island are somewhat more temperate. Wet and dry seasons are mild, with wet seasons ranging from early May to late August. Warmer temperatures are mostly recorded in Mahine, Smith Island and Kalua territories. The average winter temperature in Meridon is 10°C and the average summer temperature is 30.5°C. The highest temperature ever measured in Meridon, 59.4°C, was recorded on July 9 2006 in Aruta Village, Helena Territory.

Biodiversity

Main article: Wildlife of Meridon

The Wedge-tailed eagle, a species endemic to the archipelago, is the national animal of Meridon.

Considered one of the megadiverse countries of the world, the Meridonian Archipelago is home to an enormous array of plant and animal life. Most of Meridon is covered in subtropical forests, and some islands in the northwestern areas of the archipelago feature savannah, wetlands, and grassland as well as sparse arid locales. This range of climate has allowed for a wide array of wildlife, including over 340 endemic animal and 1,000 endemic flora species.

Environment

Main article: Environmental issues in Meridon
Environmentalism in Meridon has long been a contentious issue. The Colonial Wars were fought over increasing exploitation of land in the archipelago, as Tangaran culture has long held the land and nature of the islands in high esteem. Large amounts of civil unrest in the 19th century in response to rapid industrialization saw Meridon implement some of the earliest laws regarding environmental protection, including the sorting of refuse and limitation of certain industrial pollutants. Throughout the 20th century, successive governments have made efforts to constrain industrial growth in the interest of natural preservation. Meridon is among the leading countries in wildlife preservation in the world.

Meridon, however, has historically produced a large amount of power from oil-based petroleum plants, owing to large oil deposits offshore. This has decreased in recent years with the advent of wind and solar technologies. Since Meridon lies in a location of particularly favorable winds, however, microplastic deposits and sea waste have become considerable issues in recent years. Waste management, also owing to limited amount of space for disposal, public resistance to wildlife clearance for such activities, and the cost of transport are also concerns. Meridonian governments have made international cooperation on these issues a foreign policy goal since at least 2002.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Meridon

Government

Main article: Government of Meridon

Federal Council Building in Cordelia, Alexandria Territory, is the meeting place of Meridon's legislature.

Meridon is a federal state composing of 11 territories and 1 Federal Capital Area. Native Tangaran tribes widely practiced early forms of direct democracy for thousands of years, and some tribal organizations continue to conduct affairs in this manner. Amphian colonists introduced republicanism and liberal democracy early during the establishment of their colonies, which translated into the parliamentary system first utilized in the Union Congress in 1640, and later in the Meridonian Federal Council established in 1761.

The Constitution of Meridon delineates the government into a federal, semi-presidential republic, with executive power rested in the President of Meridon, who has the power to appoint a cabinet, known as the Executive Council, to assist in executing the duties of their office.

The legislative branch, known as the Federal Council of Meridon, is a unicameral parliament with 364 seats, which meets in Cordelia, consisting of a single house known as the Meridonian Federal Council. Senators are elected for 5 year terms and are popularly elected, with senators representing both electoral districts and territories. The parliament consists of a wide range of political parties, the most prominent among these are the Federal Party and the Liberal Party. While the President and Vice President are elected separate from the Federal Council, the legislature may initiate a vote of no confidence if trust is lost in the executive.

Meridon's elections are overseen by the Commission for Federal Integrity, an independent government funded watchdog agency that is responsible for oversight of all federal electoral activities.

Yui Townley of the Federal Party is the incumbent President of the Federal Republic. The Federal Party's coalition currently controls the Council with ### number of seats.

Composition of the Federal Council as of 2022.

Judiciary and law enforcement

Main article: Judicial system of Meridon, Law enforcement in Meridon

Judicial systems in Meridon stem strong influence from imported Amphian traditions. Its strongest basis is in Almyrian law, which fused in the 18th and 19th centuries with Anglian ideas to form the basis of law and enforcement that is known in Meridon today. Meridonian federal law is codified in the Standard Table of Law, which has been maintained since its establishment in 1760. Federal law maintains supremacy over Territorial and any lower levels of legislation passed within the Republic, however in practice this varies depending on subject matter.

Law enforcement in Meridon is generally decentralized and conducted on a variety of different levels, with no formal federal oversight. Federal police generally only provide protective and policing services to areas of special interest, including government sites, special events, and certain correctional facilities, as well as providing specialized services unavailable to lower level formations. Territorial and local police handle a large majority of enforcement duties, and in many cases cooperate in their duties and work together. Territorial police generally handle specialized units including aviation, divers, bomb squads and emergency response, although some more populous areas may provide these services themselves.

The Naval Patrol Service, a service branch of the Meridonian Navy, serves as the coast guard of the Federal Republic, alongside units from the Border and Customs Control Force. These two agencies are responsible for most maritime enforcement actions conducted across the archipelago, including against smuggling, piracy, illegal fishery and immigration, as well as having a secondary role as a defense agency.

Meridon is one of few states in the world where the right to bear arms is guaranteed constitutionally, a right which has proven extremely contentious and has been interpreted widely across different locales.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Territories of Meridon, Local administrative units in Meridon

Administrative division of Meridon. Meridon is divided into 11 regions known as Territories.

Meridon is a federal republic, which is organized into 11 territories and one Capital Region. Territories are overseen by governors, who are either directly elected or appointed by their territorial legislature. Territories are further divided into districts, counties, and metropolitan areas dependent on territory.

Foreign relations

Main articles: Foreign relations of Meridon
Meridonian foreign affairs are overseen by the State Department . Meridon is a founding member of the United Nations, the Pacific Forum, the !OECD, and the !WTO, among other organizations. Meridon maintains a position of neutrality officially.

Meridon enjoys warm relations with a majority of Amphian countries.

Military

Main article: Meridon Defense Forces

Meridonian Army HMMAV infantry fighting vehicles on maneuvers. Meridon maintains a professional and highly modernized military.

The Meridon Defense Forces, consisting of the Meridonian Army, Meridonian Navy, and Meridonian Air Forces, are the armed forces of Meridon. It is composed of 562,480 active and 52,000 reserve personnel, and maintains a presence throughout the archipelago. It traces its roots back to the Second Civil War in the 1700s with the formal establishment of the armed forces. The MDF is a highly modern, well-trained and well-equipped force that is capable of rapid expeditionary operations both locally and regionally.

The MDF is supported by a burgeoning domestic arms industry, however it licenses or imports a number of technologies. It is designed to be extremely mobile and rapidly deployable in times of conflict. It has blue-water navy capabilities, a large number of tactical and support aircraft, and a well-developed special operations and intelligence community. Although not a member of any military alliances, the MDF regularly cooperates and trains with forces from other nations.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Meridon
Meridon, considered a wealthy country, is a market economy, and has relatively high GDP per capita and low rates of poverty. Meridon has a relatively diverse spread of economic sectors across service, production and manufacturing. Meridon is rich in natural resources both on and offshore. Meridon's industrial capacity rapidly increased in the late 19th and early 20th century, and today makes it an innovator in many areas. Meridon's economy continues to experience relatively high levels of growth.

Meridon's labor force consists of 219.1 million, with an unemployment rate of 10%, and has roughly 8% of the population under the poverty line as of 2015. This is primarily attributed to limited opportunities for economic growth in areas of Tangaran majorities, which has aroused criticism of wealth disparities and unequal opportunities.

Meridon's main export partners are global, with a good spread of trade spread global sectors. Its main exports include foodstuffs, industrial products, oil and petroleum products, bauxite, gold and other minerals, and textiles, while its main imports include industrial products, foodstuffs, steel and iron, and computer components. The Meridonian economic sector is relatively open and faces competition from international companies, however Meridonian businesses have held the majority of the market share in most sectors due to existing robust industry.

Meridonian corporate culture takes large amounts of influence from both Japanese and European models in what has been called one of the healthiest corporate cultures in the world. Companies are regularly regulated by union activity, whose actions are often protected by law, and whose activities are often overseen by the Commerce Department, which generally acts to mediate labor disputes. However, this development rarely extends to companies that are typically smaller and agriculturally-based, in which labor disputes often go unmediated. Most economists attribute this to an over-emphasis on large corporate cultures in regards to labor laws.

Industry

A Tarrass-Ortum Defender. Meridonian automotive industries produce world-renowned utility and offroading vehicles.

Meridonian industry is diverse and well-developed and maintains modern and efficient methods of production across nearly all industrial sectors. Meridonian industry produces large amounts of automobiles, aircraft, marine vessels of multiple sizes, textiles, industrial machinery, petroleum products, gold, and clothing products, and processed foodstuffs. Meridonian industry comprises of roughly 49% of GDP. Large Meridonian industrial companies include Tarrass-Ortum Motor Company, Blackriver Industrial, Mastersons, and Aitika Petroleum.

Meridon is among the largest exporters of rubber and petroleum-based products in the world.

Services and tourism

A resort on Kalua Island. Meridon is famous for its vibrant tourism industry, and is home to many chains of resort hotels.

Meridon's service industry is a varied and significant part of the economy. Tourism and hospitality has been a large part of the Meridonian economy since the mid-19th centuries, when hotels and resorts began to emerge especially on Silvers and Kalua Island. Today, tourism and hospitality contributes to nearly 6% of the economy. Hotel chains such as Elysium and Whiteswan offer a variety of property types for both international and domestic tourists. Meridon is also host to a number of significant service industries in fields of banking, telecommunications and transportation. Meridon has a large amount of water and air taxi networks in addition to commercial traffic, a large majority run by small businesses.

Agriculture and fishery

Agriculture in Meridon occupies about 25% of the GDP, and covers a diverse range of products, including fruits, nuts, spices, sugar, fish, rice, beans, and grains. Farming occupies the vast majority of economic activity outside of Alexandria Island, and contributes heavily in many locales. Meridon contributes to just under a third of the global spice trade, and a majority of food produced in Meridon is exported, as the climate and terrain of most agricultural areas is best suited to the growth of cash crops. Meridon imports a large amount of foodstuffs, primarily grains, livestock, salt and dairy products.

Agriculture has for most of Meridon's history been conducted at the local farm level, but increasingly since the 1960s farming conglomerates and industrial farming has begun to encroach on traditional methods. Meridon's government has subsidized certain industries, especially in the spice, sugar and luxury production areas.

Science and technology

Main article: Science and technology in Meridon

Meridonian research and development sectors are overseen under the support of the Federal Development Organization, which was established in 1974 to spur technological innovation in Meridon. Particular interest has been given towards environmental sciences. Research organizations include the Blue Waters Project, established in 1989, which researches large-scale, cost-effective options at containing and reducing ocean pollution levels worldwide.

The Federal Spatial Advancement Administration is responsible for space-related developments. Meridon introduced its first satellite, MERSAT 1, into orbit in 1972, and conducted a series of five successful lunar landings in the Marina Program that lasted from 1991 to 1998. Meridon operated a shuttle-launch program from 2000 to 2011 using a pair of semi-reusable orbiters, and introduced the world's first operational SSTO units, the Aries Crew Transfer Vehicle and Hercules Shuttle Cargo Transport Orbital, in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

Meridon has a widespread adoption of mobile cellular phones- it is estimated 3 in every 5 people owns at least one cellular phone. Instant messaging and chatrooms remain highly popular, and the Federal Telecommunications Commission estimates an average of 2 billion messages are sent every day as of 2012. Internet connectivity was prioritized nationwide as an infrastructure goal in 2015, which provided high-speed internet to locations across the archipelago. Meridon has limited laws on internet censorship, and as such is the home of a number of major internet companies including search engine Eureka and global retailer Silkroad.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Main article: Transport in Meridon

A Lancair Monarch 200 on the tarmac at an airport near Otahu. Meridon has one of the largest private air transport sectors in the world.

Meridon, composed of a large amount of islands spread at varying distances, lacks road and rail infrastructure between many of these due to the distances involved. Most inter-island transportation is handled by private companies through road and air taxis, including ferries, shuttles, cargo boats, and passenger and cargo jets of varying sizes. Transportation companies are overseen and regulated by the Federal Transportation Commission, which helps to set prices and supervise the private sector. Despite rather close oversight, Meridon has one of the largest private aviation sectors in the world. The Federal Aviation Commission reported nearly 1,000 airports as of 2020, with 103 of these able to accept international travel. Jeanne Arvoir International Airport in Port Sistine is Meridon's busiest, with other major airports including Cordelia Oreste International Airport in Cordelia, Kamoi International Airport in Kohina, and Great Southern International in Kohaku.

Railways are generally used only for limited passenger service or the transportation of cargo from ports to industrial centers. Meridon only has about 5,900 km of railroad track, most of it located on Alexandria Island. Rail lines are privately maintained, primarily done by the Alexandria Rail Company. Passenger rail service had declined with the advent of air taxi service and highways in the 1950s, but has been making a significant comeback with increased investment since the early 2000s

Shipping and maritime traffic serves a vast majority of Meridonian inter-island travel, including water taxis and ferries. Shipping also accounts for a large proportion of international trade. Meridon had 654 ports in 2019, the largest being Sistine Harbor in Port Sistine.

Energy

Main article: Energy in Meridon

Owing to large amounts of oil and petroleum deposits offshore and on the archipelago, Meridon derives a large majority of its power. As of 2018, 30.2% of Meridon's power was supplied by fossil fueled plants. Since the advent of renewable technologies, particularly wind and thermal technologies, Meridon has been making a shift to green energy, with the goal of net zero emissions by 2060. Meridon's prime positioning for windpower allows it to generate large amounts of energy in this manner- 18.2% of Meridon's energy grid is powered in this manner. Other significant power sources include thermal energy, biomass, nuclear, and others. Meridon is self-sufficient in producing for its energy. Meridon also has an extensive network of undersea cables for electric transmission.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics in Meridon
As per the 2020 census, Meridon's population is 288,323,288 of which 281,790,356 are Meridonian nationals or citizens. Meridon's population is spread relatively evenly between urban and rural areas. The largest city in Meridon, Port Sistine, has a population of 6,614,200. Alexandria Island contains a majority of Meridonian urban centers of over 1 million people and maintains a larger population then the next 2 largest islands combined, Smith Island and Mahine.

Meridonian society is often considered a melting pot of various European cultures along with Tangaran influences. As of the 2019 census, 64.5% of the population identified as having Amphian ancestry, while 28.4% identified as having Tangaran. 7.1% of the population is made up by other groups, the largest of which are Asian nationalities such as Japanese. Meridonian immigration policies are relatively lax, accepting roughly 140,000 foreigners as naturalized citizens each year.

Owing to a gradual increase of living standards as was witnessed throughout the mid-late 20th century, Meridon has a relatively young population, the average age being around 28.5 as of 2019's census. It has a life expectancy at birth of 81.9 years.

Language

Main articles: Languages in Meridon, Tangaran language

As enshrined in the Constitution, the language of Meridon is Anglian, which has been a source of contention especially between Tangaran communities. While Tangaran has been recognized as a minority language since 1840, Anglian is the language spoken and written in all business and formal settings. Public schools have increasingly offered Tangaran as a secondary language course, alongside the more traditional secondary languages of Yashiman and Almyrian. Roughly 50-60% of high school graduates report being conversationally fluent in a second language according to the 2019 census.

Religion

Main articles: Religion in Meridon, Tangaran belief system
Amphian religions, including varieties of Christianity is by far the most practiced religion in Meridon, with roughly 40% of the population subscribing to such beliefs. The Constitution ensures religious freedom for all citizens and makes no establishment of an official religion. A majority of Tangarans in Meridon practice their indigenous system of beliefs, a set of beliefs that have existed for thousands of years and rank as one of the world's oldest religions by some metrics. Intermingling has occured, such as the Meridonian Christian Harmonialist Church, which interprets traditional Tangaran beliefs in a Messianic lens.

Other religions observed include Shinto, imported in limited numbers from Japan; Sikhism and Buddhism.

Education

Main article: Education in Meridon

Two Japanese exchange students with a Meridonian student. Japan and Meridon share similar educational models.

Education has been compulsory in Meridon since 1855, and draws heavy influence from Japanese models, who helped to design the early Meridonian educational system. This exists largely in the organization and operation of schools, and visibly with the utilization of military style uniforms such as sefuku for both boys and girls continuing even to the modern day. Education is mandatory for both primary and secondary schools. Collegiate level education for certain occupations is subsidized by the Education Department, while pushes to allow universal free collegiate education have been increasing in recent years. Top Meridonian universities include St. Maria University in Cordelia, Auburk University in Alanstown, and Reimers Technological Institute in Marin Bay.

Meridonian students regularly perform above average in metrics for reading, writing, mathematics and sciences worldwide, and perform at some of the highest levels in the region. Education in Meridon accounts for 6% of it's GDP. Meridon regularly produces and is able to retain scientists, engineers, and other highly skilled professionals who find employment in a stable and expansive economic market.

Health

Main article: Healthcare in Meridon
Traditionally, healthcare in Meridon has been provided with little to no supplement from the government, however following the reforms of the Maine administration in 2000, the implementation of a nationwide healthcare system has become a priority. The government does offer assistance for impoverished and disabled individuals through special programs, however the rollout of a proper universal healthcare system has been slow to implement. MeriHealth, the Acton government's universal healthcare system, was approved by the Federal Council in July of 2021 and is slated for a full rollout in 2023.

Meridon has relatively high levels of gun violence and substance abuse among developed countries. The leading cause of death in Meridon is cardiovascular disease, followed by cancer.

Culture

Main article: Meridon culture
Meridonian culture is a rich blend of Amphian, Tangaran and Asian cultures influenced by centuries of immigration, interaction, colonization and assimilation. Predominantly, cultural influences are based or rooted in Anglian traditions but take influences from many places. Recognizable elements of Meridonian culture include the barbeque, surfing, automotive sports, and hula, among others.

Art and architecture

Tangaran art carved into the wood of a meeting house circa 1880. The Tangaran people have a rich tradition of art and culture dating thousands of years back.

Most Meridonian art takes inspiration from trends in Amphia or Asia, and artists have generally imitated trends or fused ideas from both cultures to create their works. Meridonian art generally takes influence from natural scenes in the environment and still-life images. Tangaran art is a vibrant and varied style of art produced by native Tangaran cultures that has evolved throughout centuries of history.

Architecture is mainly derived from Amphian influences, especially Anglian, however especially in Alexandria Island, there are influences from a wide variety of different cultures such as Almyrian, Hyspanian, and Redonian. This is especially prevalent in the cities of Alanstown and Cosseton, whose multicultural influences since settlement have lead to the development of unique and vibrant styles of buildings. Most modern construction however follows conventional styles prevalent in Amphia and Asia, and only until recently have major efforts been made to preserve older Meridonian buildings.

Literature and philosophy

The Epic of Matsuhari is one of the oldest known recorded stories, preserved by symbols in a cave until its translation to written text. Tangaran stories have been widely popular and compared to epics or ballads in traditional Amphian culture, although many had to be translated from oral records. Colonial period literature was limited and drew heavily upon Amphian literary influences. The first emergence of domestic literature was in the 1700s, which often told tales of exploits against Tangaran natives. Several books and recollections of this period have left a racially biased legacy in literature. These pieces, however, provided influences especially in the vernacular of modern Meridonian language, the perception of the nation, and the national persona.

Performing arts

Meridonian music takes unique influence from musical instruments brought from abroad. Early settlers often plaid stringed instruments including banjo, lute, and guitar in the early days of colonial Meridon, and have since remained popular instruments. The increase of the popularity of orchestral music saw the establishment of the first such band organized in Cosseton in 1712, and there has since been a wider distribution of orchestral and operatic music. Jazz music became increasingly popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, with singers such as Nate Fennows becoming legends in musical annals.

Musical trends in the mid 20th century were dominated by the explosion of J-Pop, a Japanese form of music, which remains incredibly influential to this day, and has seen the offshoot of Meridonian variations, sometimes referred to as M-Pop.

Cuisine

Sailors of the Meridonian Navy having a cookout at sea. Barbecuing is an important part of Meridonian culture.

Meridonian cuisine takes heavy influences from the realities of colonial life as well as Amphian influences. Emphasis on food is on taste and portion size, with presentation and sourced quality often being secondary to the overall quality of the meal. Popular dishes include meat pies, which evolved into the introduction of eel and fish pies due to their prevalence across the territories. Barbecueing, which evolved from Tangaran practices of feasts with roasted meats, became quickly popular with Amphian settlers. The availability of spices and the influence of Asian cuisines have made noodles a highly popular street food, alongside more traditionally Amphian options such as sausages and burgers, which were imported from TBD.

Coffee and cocoa culture were developed as a result of the rapid development seen in the mid 1800s, and both drinks helped to fuel a cafe culture that emerged in Meridonian cities in the later 19th century. Wine and rice are popular alcoholic beverages, fueled by their domestic availability and the influence of Almyrian and Japanese cultures.

Media

Television, radio and internet sites take up a majority of Meridonian media consumption as of 2015. Reportedly, 81% of Meridonians watch some television daily, while 67% report using the internet daily. Internet usage has been steadily climbing and is expected to overtake television usage by 2027.

Television programming is provided by a number of broadcasting companies, including the Meridon Broadcasting Corporation, Central Television Network, and Helena Broadcasting Company. These 3 corporations account for 93% of all programming currently broadcasted to Meridon. Most of Meridonian television includes drama series, news broadcasts, reality telivision, and contest shows.

Newspaper and magazine use has been on the decline in Meridon following concerns about environmental impact and the rise of electronic transmission of these productions. The Cordelian is the most popular newspaper, followed by the Port Sistine Tribune and the Meridon Daily.

Meridon has a small but influential movie market, although it regularly competes against blockbusters from Amphia and Asia. Famous Meridonian films include The Outlaw Morgan, Tailhookers, and Limeri. The Tactical Surface Fighters franchise, taking inspiration from Japanese mecha genres, is incredibly popular, with worldwide audiences.

Sports and games

Two football players fighting for the ball during a competition game. Football is the most popular sport in Meridon.

Sports have taken influences from imported and adapted games from Amphia as well as Tangaran traditions. The most popular is Meridonian Football, a contact sport with the aim of scoring points through putting a ball through a small goal area. Also popular are lacrosse and association football. Meridon participates in the OOF World Cup since its formation, and has won the competition on a number of occasions.

Gun sports, including competition shooting, are extremely popular in Meridon, especially outside of urban areas. The Meridon Sport Shooting association regulates these activities and hosts national championships for these events. Practical shooting competitions have become popular in recent years, but there is significant debate about the morality of competitive shooting of this nature. Archery is also popular in this regard, and is practiced in both Amphian and Asian styles of shooting. Wrestling and boxing have been steadfastly popular since the early 1900s. Meridon also has a particularly strong equestrian culture, even in some Tangaran groups. Horse racing is among the most popular spectator sports in the country.

Meridon also has significant involvement in motorsports, particularly offroading and demolition derbies- the latter of which originated in Meridon in the late 1940s. Boat and air races are often popular. A world renowned competition known as the LAWAIR Rally, consisting of a race of ground, water, and air vehicles, takes place in Marin Bay every two years.

Popular board games include traditional chess and checkers, as well as Go and Mahjong from Asian states. Video games have been a rapidly growing industry since the 1990s, developing originally from both Japanese influence and the funding of moviemakers to help promote films.