Keppland

Federated States of Keppland Käpplands förbundsstater (Blostlandic)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Vårt folk, vårt hemland, vår framtid "Our people, our homeland, our future"
Anthem: "Guldstoft och palmblad" "Gold Dust and Palm Leaves"
Capital and largest city	Vajki
Official languages	Blostlandic
Recognised national languages	Chanuche
Ethnic groups	74.2% Blandfolk 14.5% Bahian 8.1% Euclean 1.4% Indigenous 1.8% Other
Demonym(s)	Kepplandic, Kepplander
Government	Federal presidential republic
• President	Olov Dahlberg
Legislature	Förbundsting
Independence from Blostland
• Declared	19 June 1765
• Recognized	13 September 1771
• Current state form	15 August 1979
• Current constitution	7 January 1981
Area
• Total	663,264 km2 (256,088 sq mi)
Population
• 2020 census	20,865,930
• Density	31.5/km2 (81.6/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2022 estimate
• Total	$587 billion
• Per capita	$28,132
GDP (nominal)	2022 estimate
• Total	$320 billion
• Per capita	$15,336
HDI (2022)	0.831 very high
Currency	Daler (KPD)
Time zone	UTC-1
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Driving side	right

Keppland (Blostlandic: Käppland), officially the Federated States of Keppland (Blostlandic: Käpplands förbundsstater), is a sovereign state in eastern Asteria Inferior. It borders Arbolada to the southwest, Puramape to the west, and Gapolania to the north. Geographically, Keppland lies between the Sierra Bianca Range in the west and the Lumine Ocean in the south and east. The nation's capital and largest city is Vajki, with other major cities including Gunnarstad, Åkapan, Lugnstad, and Anitashamn.

Keppland was occupied by Indigenous Asterians for at least 12,000 years before the arrival of Euclean explorers in 1552. The first permanent settlements were established by Blostlandic colonists in 1621, turning Keppland into a major source of sugarcane, gold, and rubber for Euclea. Keppland declared independence from Blostland in 1765, sparking six years of warfare against its former colonial metropole. Blostland recognized the nation's independence in 1771, but the fledgling First Kepplandic Republic was quickly plunged into internal turmoil. A series of coups and revolts plagued the country until 1820, when the republic was overthrown in a coup d'état and replaced by the Kepplandic Empire under Emperor Mats I. The Empire expanded through eastern Asteria Inferior during the X Wars in an effort to become the first great power in the Asterias, but was defeated by the X Coalition in 1852.  The war was financially devastating for Keppland, and the newly established Second Kepplandic Republic did not fully recover until the mid-1860s. Keppland's political situation stabilized during the presidency of X, who reopened the nation to foreign investment and accelerated its economic recovery.  Keppland experienced an economic boom during the late 19th century as a result of the Second Industrial Revolution, attracting significant numbers of new immigrants in the process.

By the beginning of the 20th century, Keppland had reestablished itself as a strong middle power with one of the highest per capita GDPs in the Asterias. However, its decades-long growth came to an end with the Great Collapse in 1913, leading to a military coup d'état that brought President Henrik Steen to power. A populist who rejected conventional left- and right-wing politics, Steen instituted reforms to help the working class and halt the rise of extremism. Keppland remained neutral in the Great War, but had close trade relationships with many of the Entente powers. The collapse of the Entente during the last years of the war proved detrimental to the Kepplandic economy, and the unexpected death of Steen in late 1934 left a significant power vacuum.  The tense internal situation culminated in the outbreak of civil war during the summer of 1935, with the troubled Second Republic facing uprisings from both Chistovodian-backed councilists and far-right nationalists. A major offensive in the fall of 1936 turned the tide in favor of the councilists, resulting in the capture of Vajki and establishment of the Kepplandic Council Republic in February of 1937. Keppland's economy stabilized during the 1940s and 1950s due to substantial aid from the socialist world, with Chistovodia alone constituting more than half of the nation's international trade volume. However, the outbreak of the Great Asterian War in the 1960s caused Chistovodian economic assistance to evaporate, and the Kepplandic economy began to stagnate as a result. After an attempted transition to market socialism during the 1970s, the councilist state was overthrown in the Kepplandic Revolution of 1979, leading to the restoration of democracy under the Third Kepplandic Republic.  Keppland embraced neoliberalism under a series of Liberal Democratic governments during the 1980s and 1990s, but began to drift back towards populism following the 2005 global financial crisis.  The National Activation Party has held power since the 2005 elections, during which time Keppland has experienced democratic backsliding and an erosion of civil liberties.

Keppland is a developed country, boasting a high-income economy that ranks highly in measures of human development, economic freedom, and standard of living.  Historically a regional leader in sociopolitical stability, modern Keppland is often considered to be an illiberal democracy or hybrid regime that increasingly struggles with corruption and strongman politics. Keppland is a member of the Community of Nations, International Council for Democracy, and Organization of Asterian Nations, and is generally considered to be a middle power in the international community.  

Etymology

The Blostlandic name Käppland was first recorded by Blostlandic explorer Gunnar Backlund, the first Euclean to set foot in modern day Keppland. The name is derived from the Blostlandic word käpp, meaning "cane" or "walking stick". According to Backlund's own writings, the name is a reference to the indigenous Chanuche people. Backlund writes that the Mapuche often used walking sticks when traversing the Kepplandic landscape: "the natives showed us to their camp, not one without a cane (käpp) for the long journey ahead". However, other sources dispute Backlund's account, writing that the name is a reference to a specific Mapuche leader named "Aucaman". These sources include Gustaf Olsson, a physician on Backlund's expedition, who claims to have suggested the name to Backlund.

The Estmericisation Keppland was used interchangeably with Kappland until the 18th century, when the former emerged as the preferred name for the area. However, some sources continued to use Kappland until the Kepplandic Declaration of Independence in 1765, which used Keppland in its first Estmerish translation.

Politics

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Keppland

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Vajki.

Compared to its peers in Asteria Inferior, Keppland's foreign policy in the post-Asterian Spring era is somewhat unique. While most nations on the continent generally fall under the Satucine sphere of influence, Keppland demonstrates significant latitude in its decision making, preferring to build a network of bilateral relationships instead of aligning with any one political bloc. The nation's diplomatic posture is broadly characterized by pragmatism, and tends to prioritize economic growth and Chistovodian containment over other interests. Kepplandic foreign policy is frequently studied in international relations departments at universities around the world, and has been described as "the epitome of middle power realpolitik".

Keppland's approach towards foreign affairs is largely a product of its councilist period, during which time the nation was almost entirely isolated from neighboring states and relied heavily on Chistovodia for support. Relations between the two polities began to sour after the Kepplandic Revolution of 1979, and fears of a potential Chistovodian invasion led Keppland to pursue defensive guarantees from the Asterian Federative Republic. Although an armed confrontation never materialized, Keppland and the AFR formalized their military alliance in 1982, and reached an agreement in 1985 for Grande Asterian forces to be permanently stationed at Anitashamn Naval Base. The two nations also expanded their economic ties, signing a bilateral free trade agreement in 1986. These developments strongly contrasted with the post-Asterian Spring policies of most nations in Asteria Inferior, which had begun to distance themselves from the AFR due to its prior support of their recently toppled authoritarian regimes. These nations generally preferred close ties with Satucin, and together established the Asteria Inferior Common Market (ASTCOM) in 1992. Although Keppland did enter negotiations to join ASTCOM in the early 1990s, it ultimately rejected full membership in favor of a free trade agreement with the bloc. This decision is widely considered to be a key moment in the history of Kepplandic diplomacy, solidifying the nation's position as an independent actor in the foreign policy arena. Keppland generally refrained from openly displaying any clear preference between its international partners until 2005, when the National Activation Party (NAP) came to power. The NAP has increasingly prioritized Keppland's relationship with the AFR during its time in power, leading many observers to question whether or not pragmatism is still the primary driver of the nation's foreign policy.

Keppland is a member of the Community of Nations, Organization of Asterian Nations, and International Council for Democracy. However, the nation still prefers to work primarily through its bilateral relationships. Keppland's particularly strong partnership with the AFR is frequently characterized as a special relationship by foreign policy experts, and remains its most significant avenue for international coooperation. The nation has also cultivated similar bilateral relationships with Eldmark, Soravia, and Etruria. These ties serve to balance against Satucine dominance, empowering Kepplandic policymakers to exercise autonomy in their approach to statecraft without having to rely on support from any one partner. Nevertheless, Keppland does enjoy cordial relations with the Satucine sphere, and continues to maintain its aforementioned free trade agreement with ASTCOM.

Military

Main article: Kepplandic Armed Forces

Soldiers of the Kepplandic Republican Guard on patrol during a training exercise in 2018.

The Kepplandic Armed Forces (Blostlandic: Käppländska krigsmakten) are the national military forces of Keppland. They consist of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Republican Guard, with a total of 107,000 active and 40,000 reserve personnel as of 2023. The President of Keppland serves as commander-in-chief, although day-to-day operations are overseen by the Minister of War. The Kepplandic government spent $8.32 billion, or 2.6% of the nation’s total nominal GDP, on defense in 2022.

Keppland has historically maintened one of the strongest armed forces in the region, dating back to the militaristic policies of the Kepplandic Empire. During the councilist period, Keppland reorganized its military around AIS doctrine and was primarily equipped by Chistovodia and Valduvia. Defense spending declined dramatically after the Kepplandic Revolution, and the Kepplandic Armed Forces were among the most poorly trained and equipped militaries in the Asterias by the end of the 1990s. However, funding began to increase again after the National Activation Party (NAP) took power in 2005, prompting an extensive modernization and reorganization program initiated by the Ministry of War during the 2010s. By 2020, the Kepplandic military had re-emerged as a formidable force in Asteria Inferior, with the capacity to project power on a regional scale.

The modern Kepplandic Armed Forces are primarily organized around national defense, international peacekeeping, and regional expeditionary operations. Keppland's Navy is a modern, green-water force capable of sustaining operations around the Asterias. The Republican Guard, formerly a gendarmerie force, was reconstituted during the 2010s as an elite unit answerable only to the President, and now consists of Keppland's most well trained and equipped soldiers. Keppland maintains strong bilateral defensive ties with the Asterian Federative Republic, which maintains a permanent military presence at Anitashamn Naval Base and serves as the nation’s single largest foreign supplier of arms. Keppland’s domestic arms industry is also relatively strong for a nation of its size, with major companies such as TBA, TBA, and TBA producing a variety of defense material.