Atitlan

Atitlan República Democrática de Atitlán
Flag Coat of arms
'Motto: 'El pueblo unido jamás será vencido The united people will never be defeated
Anthem: "Atitlán, tierra de dioses"
Capital	Chalatenango
Official languages	Almagrian de facto
Recognized languages	Atlacatle and other indigenous languages
Ethnic groups	Atlacatle, Apanese, and other diverse groups.
Religion	88.9% Christianity 77.7% Roman Catholic 11.2% Protestantism 8.1% Irreligious 0.2% Others 2.5% Unaffiliated (believer)
Demonym(s)	Atitlanese
Government	Federal presidential republic.
• President of the Republic	Jesús Juárez Hurtado
• Vice President of the Republic	Magdalena Cedillo Gómez
Legislature	Congreso Nacional
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	Chamber of Deputies
Independence
• Independence from: Almagrian Empire	6 September 1791
• Consumation	12 February 1799
• Establishment of the Atitlanese Empire	20 February 1813
• Atitlanese Divorce	31 June 1852
• Proclamation of the Republic	21 November 1946
• El Lustro Trágico	6 September 1951
Area
• Total
Population
• 2020 census	89,970,412
• Density	47/km2 (121.7/sq mi)
GDP (nominal)	2020 estimate
• Total	$1.274 trillion
• Per capita	$20,567
Gini (2016)	33.0 medium
HDI (2019)	0.805 very high
Currency	Atitlanese peso (ATP)
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	right
Internet TLD	.at

Atitlan, officially the Democratic Republic of Atitlan (Almagrian: República Democrática de Atitlán) is a country in the southern portion of Triania. It is bordered to the east by Sainuco and Maregua; to the souteast by Bergenaria; and to the south by the Barnesian Sea . Atitlan is organized as a federation comprising 42 states and Chalatenango, its capital and largest metropolis. Other major urban areas include Acolmán, Santa Rosalía, Techalxtepec, Tlapanco, Yehualtepec and Canatlán. Atitlan is home to 89,970,412 people and one of the largest nations in Triania.

Atitlan has been home to many indigenous peoples and cultures since at least the first human migrations to Triania. The first complex civilizations would form around the 700 AD, culminating with the rise of the Atlacatle Empire on 1200 AD. The first Almagrians landed on 1532, and by the mid-18th century they had colonized much of present-day Atitlan, and established the Kingdom of New Almagria. Independence from the Almagrians was achieved in 1799, with what is now Atitlan emerging as the Trianian Confederation. Disagreements on the political system, eventually led to the formation of the Atitlanese Empire in 1811. After major decades of decline, the empire was dissolved in 1946 and federalism was installed. After a five-year civil war in 1951, Atitlan has since shown suprising economic growth and social progress. On the present day,

Atitlan is is classified as a developed country; it's economy and relatively large population, global cultural influence, and steady democratization makes Atitlan a regional power in Triania, albeit this claim is heavily disputed; as many identify the country as an emerging power, while other considered it a newly industrialized state by several analysts.

Etymology

Atitlan comes from the atlacatle word atitlan which means "place between the water". The name itself makes a reference to the former Atlacatle inhabitants on the foundation of Chalatenango, as the city was built surrounded by walls of sand and the waters of the Barnesian Sea. Another origin explains that "Atitlan" is the name of the ancestral home of the Atlacatle peoples. The myth details that Atitlan sunk beneath the waves in a fit of rage of Nonohualco, the main god of the Atlacatle. As an apology, Nonohualco guided his children into a new place where they would settle their city.

History

Early history

The first complex civilizations in Atitlan can be traced in the Kriol culture, which flourished on the southermost part around 680 AD. Kriol cultural traits diffused through Atitlan into other formative-era cultures. Other civilizations that followed during the formative period of the nation were the Lepi and the Ha' people. In the subsequent classical period, the Ha' and Lepi civilizations developed complex centers at Xelhá and Ajacuba, respectively. The decline of these complex civilizations is calculated to have occured around the 1100 AD. However, the Lepi civilziation continued to survive until the Almagrian conquest.

Towards the end of the post-classic period, the Atlacatle people eventually estalished themselves as the sole civilization to have full political power in the region, giving rise to a political and economic empire based in the city of Chalatenango. In the preceding years of the Almagrian conquest, the Atlacatle were waging war against Lepi and Ha' remnants and the Pinome people, whom would ally with the Almagrians later in the Conquest,

Almagrian colony

TBA

Independence

Main Article: Atitlanese Revolution

TBA

19th century

Main Article: Atitlanese Empire See also: List of Tlatoanis of Atitlan

After it gained independence from the Almagrian Empire, there were many attempts to form a federalized union amongst the greater territories of Atitlan. These efforts were hindered by outbreaks of violence and disagreements between the several separatist groups. In 1800, just a year after the consumation of independence, Atitlan would enter a major conflict known as the Sucession War (Almagrian: Guerra de Sucesión). After 12 years of unrest and disorder, a monarchist faction under the guidance of General José Luis Motelchiuh emerged as the official victors of the conflict.

On February 19, 1813, Motelchiuh proclaimed himself Huey Tlatoani Xochiquentzin II and hold his coronation on the Palace of the Nation. The following day, he proclaimed the Great Empire of Atitlan (Almagrian: Gran Imperio de Atitlán) alongside a new constitution and legislature, akin to a modern-day constitutional monarchy. The newly established monarchs were to be chosen by the Council of Elders, which also decided the next monarch, albeit this only happened on extraordinary circumstances, as most tlatoanis proclaimed their descendants as heirs. The territory of the empire, organized as a union of the current territories of Atitlán, Sainuco, Abala and Bergenaria.

An Abalan frigate being sunk by an Atitlanese frigate in the Battle of Ibala.

The formation and colonial ambitions of the empire prompted the so-called "Atitlanese Golden Era" (Almagrian: Era Dorada de Atitlán), which lasted until circa the 1850s. During this golden era, Atitlan became one of the fastest growing empires in Triania. Internal political and territorial divisions led to the independence of Abala and Bergenaria, in the called Divorcio Nacional, a five year conflict that ended in a rebel victory. After losing both territories, Imperial forces set out to suppress the rest of the rebellions. Adding to this, internal divisions remained between monarchist and liberal political forces, occasionally igniting very bloody civil wars, the most significant being the Five Hundred Days' War (1863-1864).

After the brief turmoil, the 32-year rule of Huey Cihuatlatoani Ixtaccíhuatl (r.1865-1897), allowed Atitlan to rapidly modernize and recover in a period characterized as one of "order and progress". The Renacimiento Atitlanés was characterized by economic stability and growth, significant foreign investment and influence, an expansion of the railroad network, naval industry and telecommunications, and investments in the arts and sciences. This renaissance of Atitlanese economy, culture and identity would have major consecuences in the society that are still felt to this very day.

In 1882, Atitlan went to war with the former colony of Abala and Bergenaria in the Barnesian War and as a result, managed to secure influence in Lake Ajacuba, eliminating Abala's naval power, and acquired valuable nitrate deposits, the exploitation of which led to an era of national affluence. Soon after, the country engaged in a vastly expensive naval arms race with Bergenaria that culminated in war.

20th century

During the final days of World War I, Bergenaria and Atitlan would have their first major conflict in the First Bergenarian-Atitlanese War. Both nations would have another major clash during World War II, both occasions ending with an Atitlanese victory, and the capital of Bergenaria being relocated in the latter conflict. Even before said conflicts, signs of the empire's decline were felt and seen abroad.

Atitlanese culture and economy stagnated and colonial ambitions began to fade away in favor of internal issues. Under the Huey Tlatoani Atotoztli V, the remaining provinces of Mava and Sainuco were granted independence peacefully, virtually ending the empire. Officially however, the Great Empire of Aititlan ended on 1946, after the death of Atotztli V. Given that there was no clear line of succesion, a republic was declared in the aftermath of his death. After 133 years, the Great Empire of Atitlan ceased to exist.

In 1951, a military coup led by General Salvador Da Silva set off a period of political instability that lasted until 1957. This peroid is known as the Lustro Trágico and is coloquially described as a civil war.

By the late 1970s, largely as a result of events such as a economic collapse in 1962, the government gradually permitted greater freedom of assembly, speech, and association, to include trade union and political activity. The government also launched market-oriented reforms. Atitlan moved toward a free market economy that saw an increase in domestic and foreign private investment, although the copper industry and other important mineral resources were not opened to competition.

Beginning in the mid-1970s Atitlanese drug cartels became major producers, processors and exporters of illegal drugs, primarily marijuana and cocaine in the Trianian continent.

21st century

Jesús Juaréz Hurtado in the celebrations after his victory in the 2020 presidential elections

In 1993, Atitlan and Bergenaria would face again for a third time, this time as an asymmetric low-intensity armed conflict along the border of both countries and the Barnesian Sea. This conflict lasted until 2001, when the countries called for mutual agreements that ended the violence.

On 4 July 2001, a new Constitution was promulgated. The changes generated by the new constitution are viewed as positive by Atitlanese society. On 2002, the administration of President Dana Tovar (2000-2008), adopted a program called El Gran Salto Adelante, a economical-societal plan that aimed at all elements of society. Primarily, the economic plan promoted confidence in foreign investors, while the societal plan helped Atitlan to be fairly equal to most Elezian nations.

In 2020, a leftist candidate, the 42-year-old former student protest leader Jesús Juaréz Hurtado, won Atitlan's presidential election to become the country's youngest ever leader. On 11 March 2021, Juaréz was sworn in as president to succeed outgoing President Augusto Ruz, becoming the country's first leftist president.