Catam Pon

Republic of Catam Pon
Flag
Motto: Majo Catam! Onward Catam!
Anthem: Majo Catam! Onward Catam!
Map of Catam Pon
Capital and largest city	Cixado
Official languages	Catamese
Religion	34.7% No religion 26.7% Christianity 18.7% Animism/Folk religion 19.9% other
Demonym(s)	Catamese
Government	Unitary dominant-party parliamentary republic
• Prime Minister	Láxo Ko
• Speaker of the National Assembly	Yimá Hòn
Legislature	National Assembly
Establishment
• Colonized by Aquatilean Empire	1815
• Aquatilean protectorate	1915
• Full independence declared	1922
• "Restoratory Coup"	1949
Area
• Total	126,046.3 km2 (48,666.7 sq mi)
Population
• 2025 census	41,212,000
• Density	326.96/km2 (846.8/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	$4.210T
• Per capita	$102,163
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	$2.603T
• Per capita	$63,169
HDI (2025)	0.908 very high
Time zone	UTC-08:00 (CST)
Date format	yyyy/mm/dd
Driving side	right
Calling code	+49
Internet TLD	.ca

Catam Pon, officially the Republic of Catam Pon (ipa: /ɕätʰäm poɴ/), is a small nation on the southern end of the Tagrae continent, bordering both the Marlos and Sareen Oceans. The nation controls a series of islands and coastal enclaves in its vicinity, giving it control over the strategic straits nearby. It is known for having one of the highest population densities in all of Telrova, as well as being relatively technologically advanced. The country has utilized both its relative neutrality and strategic position to allow for vast, semi-centralized economic prosperity and development, being a bustling trade hub, and a tax haven for others. Many ethnic groups, religions, and languages make up the region, mostly due to its past colonization, geography, and trade. Because of this, multi-racialism has been enshrined in the nation's legal code, with most government documents and decrees having to be issued in most of the country's major languages, though Catamese serves as a lingua franca.

It's long history as a maritime emporium, naval base, and thalassocracy continue to influence to the modern era. With this, the country has always retained close ties to its former colonial owners, the Aquatilean Empire. This partnership, among others, has helped the nation to develop and prosper, and to become both an economic and technological hub in Telrova. It is also notorious for its "dominant party" state structure, where it is nominally a democracy, but the largest party, the People's Party took over in the late 1940s due to rampant corruption, cries for succession, and communist insurrections taking place. They have since "mellowed," but have democratically ruled the country every year since they took over in 1949 with the help of the Armed Forces of Catam Pon. Their policies, though sometimes being stronghanded and authoritarian, are often credited with keeping the country together and allowing for it to develop as it has.

Since 1971, the country has undergone significant amounts of democratization, often being referred to as a "flawed democracy," though the People's Party prefer to call their policies "orderly." This obsession with order is one of the defining characteristics of Catamese society, often being accredited to their rapid financial success in the latter half of the 20th century to the modern decade, though the growth has substantially slowed in recent years. The country is, in most areas, also relatively safe, with many cosnidering it a "police state," though most international observers stick by an "authoritarian democracy" label.

Etymology

The namesake of Catam Pon comes from before the times of Aquatilean colonization, where the Catam monarchy ruled over most of what is now the mainland and the Ponian confederacy ruled over the island of Pon, to the southeast of the mainland. Originally they were treated as separate colonies, but Pon was too ethnically unstable to function on its own, as the rival Watijan ethnic group outnumbered them on the easternmost side of the island. As a result, the colony of Pon joined Catam in the 1920s as a means of preserving peace on the island. This led to the name "Catam and Pon," or more commonly "Catam Pon."

History

Pre-Colonization

The exact date of the first human arrival in what is now Catam Pon is not known; however estimates have been made to around 3-4 thousand years ago, with the oldest remains found being from a brief period prior to that. The earliest estimates and evidence of habitation do go back nearly 4500 years, with early settlers being of unknown or mixed origins, primarily separated geographically by jungles and mountains.

Around 2700-2800 years ago, some of the earliest civilizations arose in this region, including a series of smaller nomadic tribes scurrying throughout coastal areas. Sedentarization did not fully occur until closer to 400BCE, with the early Ceð (ipa: /ɕe̞ð/) civilization popping up around the modern city of Lácaj.

During the Ceð period, another rival group rose up, inhabiting the modern regions of Catam and Keoje, this group later came to be known as the Catam, but were at the time called the “Qatén.” Eventually, this led to the mainland being controlled primarily by the Catamese, who exerted a decentralized rule throughout the area.

In this time, from 400BCE to around 500CE, a 900 year “Pax Catamica” arose, allowing for extensive seafaring and mass sedentarization and urbanization centered around many coastal areas. It also allowed for the intermingling with indigenous peoples of the nearby islands of Pon and Karac, who had been settled around 1000BCE to 800BCE. Altogether, this period saw a heavy intermingling of the various modern-day ethnic groups that make up the nation of Catam Pon.

However, it came to its demise around the year 500CE, where northern and inland groups rose up against the Catamese authority, establishing the kingdoms of Kucsa and Teme. It was also during this time that the Watijans on Western Pon decided to repeatedly invade the Pon confederation, weakening their trade with Catam. For these reasons, much of the maritime halted, and the various nations remained fairly stagnant with only minor conflicts and border changes for the next 1000 to 1100 years.

Around 1500CE to 1600CE was when the setup for the modern nation was really made. During these years the first Christian missionaries arrived, and were most potent in Karac (Dagran) and Watija, with limited successful efforts in Kucsa. This caused a rise in contentious attitudes among the various small nations, with Kucsa going so far as to wage a failed “Holy War” against Catam in 1686-1692. And Watija launched its own “Holy War” to attempt to take back land from the Pon confederation around the early 1700s. This era is known as the “Warring States” period, and led to the various groups seeking alliances and building up armies and navies to prepare for war. Watija’s monarchy was also established in 1578, with that line of succession lasting to the modern day, while the modern Catamese dynasty was established in 1691 after Kucsan rebels assassinated the previous monarch.

In spite of the heightened tensions, things did ultimately settle down by the end of the 1700s; however, it was around this time that trade with very distant nations also began to ramp up.

Colonization

The first attempt at colonization was by [Makko Oko] in [1790], wherein a naval incursion accompanied by a military landing occurred near modern day Bajkon, then a part of the Teme Kingdom. Catam and Kucsa forces aided in besieging the enemy forces for a week and a half before their eventual withdrawal, and Bajkon, then a small coastal town, became a popular meeting place and important symbol to many of the surrounding regions.

However, 25 years later, this togetherness declined significantly, leading to continued infighting and the Catamese growing weak compared to their neighbors on land and at sea. In response to this, the King of Catam managed to sell off the island of Cixato to the Aquatilean Empire, who sought it for its strategic location and maritime importance, causing the island to be sold to them in exchange for modern weaponry, ships, and guns in 1815.

Within two years, through also secretly funding the rival regions, the Aquatileans managed to purchase most of modern Keoje, merging it administratively with Cixato, which they had begun to modernize. By 1832, after 17 years of colonial expansion in the region, the Aquatilean Empire managed to control most of Catam, the city of Horinqé, the Daxa peninsula, and some of Polða. They also continued to grow through the 19th century, where all of Karac/Dagran and the Pon Confederacy were seized as well as the entire Kucsa and Teme kingdoms, mostly through exploitative or diplomatic means.

The only and final region taken by violence was the Watijans, to the East of Pon, who largely disagreed with the Aquatilean presence and border rulings on the island of Pon, leading to two wars. The first was the Aquatilean-Watijan War or 1880-1883, lasted 30 months, and settled much of the modern border, mostly in favor of the Aquatileans. After that was the Aquatilean Annexation of Watija, where they invaded and fought off a guerrilla insurgency in Watija from 1897-1913.

Throughout this time, the Aquatilean government and colonial regime had sought to develop the regions of Cixato and Keoje, among others, into self-sufficient overseas bases, primarily to host their large navies.

Independence

In 1915, amidst the collapse of the Aquatilean government in modern day Acadia, the entirety of Catam Pon was knocked up to a protectorate status, being given a nominal independence. This nominal independence and direct reliance on the Acadian government lasted until 1922, when, with the complete collapse of the Aquatileans, the separate colonies of Catam and Pon (Horinqé, Pon and Watija). This was because the Ponians were having issues fending off Watijan rebels, and the Catamese offered this help, causing the two to join together into “Catam and Pon,” or “Catam Pon.”

It was during the era of independence that various other factional groups rose up, reflecting the conflict back in the Aquatilean empire. Local ethnic groups sought their own independence along the pre-colonial borders, and communists and various other ideologically-aligned groups attempted to make things in the fashion they envisioned. The conflict also led over 200,000 Vanaladan laborers stranded in what was now Catam Pon, leading to even more problems.

As a result of this, the multiple ongoing conflicts led to a crisis in the form of government, what was a confederation between Catam and Pon, rather than a centralized republic of any sort. This meant there was no cohesive military or political effort to fend off the various rebellions, and this led to most remaining in a sort of stalemate, and the government growing weak.

Eventually, this led to the 1929 “Cixato Accord,” wherein the conjoined regions of Pon and Catam agreed to form a formal centralized republic, with a bicameral parliament and would allow for the administrative division of the nation into Watija, Pon, Catam, Cixato, Teme, Kucsa, and Dagran (Karac), as well as regions that would be under “Federal control.” This new government managed to last for a good while, and still closely allied itself with the largely defunct Aquatilean government, from which it was derived, and from which it sought arms and protection. Through this, the various ethnic insurgencies were also put down, mostly through peaceful means as many now how regional autonomy and political representation, but the communists and other groups still refused to give up.

This communist uprising, lasting from 1928-1952, was known as the “Catam Emergency,” and the communists managed to pull off a long series of minor victories against the new government, dampening its legitimacy. This eventually led to various ethnic groups rising up yet again in 1939 when martial law was declared against the communists, leading to the start of the Dagran/Karac Wars (the first lasting 1939-1949) and the Watijan insurgency (1939-present). The government soon ran into a vote of no confidence, and new elections were declared.

After the crises of 1939, the government continued on, quite weakly, with the economy centered primarily around hosting foreign ships, which was rendered nearly impossible due to high rates of piracy and the ongoing conflict. And, eventually, the leader of the “People’s Party,” a conservative, national-democratic party, inspired by the events of 1947 in Patolia and the rise in the ideology of national democracy. It’s leader, Tzorigtoj Áv, used his ties with the military to establish the “Restoratory Coup” of 1949, where they seamlessly took over the government, and subsequently won the 1950 elections in an alleged landslide, and continued fighting against the communists and Karac until their defeats in 1952. The Watijan insurgents were also beaten back into a mild irrelevancy by 1958, at which point the People’s Party was solidly in control. The bicameral parliament was also abolished in favor of a simpler unicameral one.

The People’s Party, during this period, ruled under martial law, which was partially lifted by 1970, though the military was legally entitled to much of the duties they would have under martial law, allowing for a *de facto* martial law situation. During the 22 year period from 1949 to 1971, many parties were also banned, including any that advocated for democracy or any variant of “leftism.” The government took a stern hand in stabilizing the nation, and Tzorigtoj Áv used this as an opportunity to shape the nation in his idealized design, allowing for many of the then-young corporations and conglomerates to get privileged positions in the economy, and he expanded the military, calling Catam Pon “the Durian of Tagrae.” Due to the strategic location of the nation, he also capitalized on foreign trade, pledging a heavy sort of neutrality while also remaining close ties to the former colonial government in the Aquatiles.

This allowed for the rapid development of the nation, with roads, tunnels, railways, and smaller skyscrapers popping up almost overnight. The People’s Party also adopted a very syncretic platform, advocating for strict and conservative social policies, and a rigid pro-capitalist, almost Laissez-Faire economic policy, alongside high enough taxes to support a secure social safety net and strong infrastructural system. This led to the rise of a strong educational system, a strong economy, a strong healthcare system, and a desire for foreign labor, mostly from Patolia. Much of this was also brought on by the discovery of mass oil reserves in Pon and Watija (primarily the latter) that helped to fund most of these developments, often at the expense of the Watijans.

Modern Era

However, by 1971, much of the youth who had not grown up prior to the establishment of the coup government began to resent the lack of actual democratic choice, and rose up in a mass protest, occupying universities and high schools, blocking the streets and clashing with police. However, after a couple months of deadly protests, the government gave in and allowed for a variety of pro-democracy and reformist parties to become legal again, though any “subversive” and “radical” parties that sought to “disturb the national imperative of law and order,” like communists and socialists, were still banned. These reforms managed to placate the protestors enough so that the protests largely resolved on their own by early 1973.

However, the People’s Party continued to get a lot of support from the older population, and their still near-total control of the country and cooperation with the “Vapols” (mega corporations/conglomerates) managed to stay in power, though this was often through legally grey means, such as media manipulation.

From 1971 on, the People’s Party has continued to win each and every election, progressively using less and less corrupt means in the long process of democratization. Today the People’s Party controls 130 out of the 245 seats in parliament, and continues to heavily influence the entire country due to its modern day support, successful policies, and sheer political weight and experience. This has primarily been from the party encouraging the country to embrace its multi-ethnic and multilingual identity, and banned parties dedicated to any single ethnic or linguistic group, even the People’s Party is made up of only 50% Catamese individuals, who make up 45% of the population. As well, discrimination on the basis of gender (defined as male and female only) or race, nationality, ethnicity, and creed are all strictly banned. There have however been significant problems with informal discrimination against foreign workers, like Patolians, and against native Watijans, who are often viewed as poor and uneducated, and are thus denied jobs more often than other groups.

During the 1970s and 80s, a variety of regional redistricting took place, with “Federal Territories” being made into law, and new administrative districts carved up to help allow for proportional ethnic representation in parliament. This resulted in the modern form of the Catamese state.

Nonetheless, the country has progressed to be one of the most technologically advanced nations in Telrova, with many of the Vapols competing internationally, and the wide array of maritime trade and construction taking place allows for it to maintain relevancy. The nation, despite its flaws, has continued to grow, though at a decreasing rate, and is home to one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, the 1228m-tall “Bionic Tower” located in Cixato.

Government and Politics

Parliament

Catamese Parliament, 2027

The Catamese parliament is a unicameral legislature composed of 245 democratically elected seats. It has historically been dominated by the People's Party, who took over in a coup in 1949, establishing 22 years of martial law before easing back into a democratic system.

Voting is carried out in a representaive manner, with seats allocated based on the population of the various regions (federal territories included). However, significant voter fraud and manipulation has allegedly occurred in the past, with the ruling People's Party controlling most of the major media and having deep ties with many of the large corporations, including those responsible for providing the logistics and machinery necessary to carry out democratic elections.

The People's Party has begun to wane in its influence and popularity in recent years, but manages to hang on to the older, more conservative demographics, as well as the upper class and business owners, who contribute heavily to their campaigns.

Historically, many parties also remained banned for some time, with the 1949 coup seeing the communists and other "leftist" parties banned for 22 years until a series of left-winged and pro-democratic protests forced the government to unban only those parties deemed "pro-democratic," "pro-markets," and "committed to institutional reform." But the communist party was finally unbanned from taking part in national politics in 1996, though it is believed they are still closely, but legally, monitored by the government, as are many other major opposition parties.

Parties

Parties with seats in Parliament

Party Name	Ideology	Position	Seats in Parliament	Members
People's Party	National Conservativism National Democracy	Right-wing	130 / 245	~160,000
Social Democratic Party	Social Democracy Democratic Socialism	Center-Left to left-wing	76 / 245	~96,000
Liberal Party	Classical Liberalism National Liberalism	Center to center-right	19 / 245	~18,000
Communist Party	Socialism Communism	Far-left	15 / 245	~17,000
Green Party	Environmentalism Democratic Socialism	Left-wing	4 / 245	~4,000
Tele League	Tele Regionalism Monarchism	Right-wing	1 / 245	~2,000

Administrative divisions

Catamese Regions with 2025 census results.

Catamese Regions with names.

Catam Pon is composed of 12 regions and 3 federal territories. 3 of the regions have their own Monarchies, though they are legally powerless and barred from holding any positions in government. The 3 federal territories are utilized for a variety of purposes, with the islands of Ilérancso being used as an offshore international financial center. Meanwhile the federal city of Bajkon is used as a planned city to house the judicial branch of government, and possibly the executive (meanwhile parliament will stay in Cixato). Lastly, there is Daxa peninsula, under control of the federal government, which is used both as a free trade zone and major military base.

Watija, the westernmost geographical region of Catam Pon, is the poorest regions in the country, despite producing most of the country's oil, anthracite coal, and bauxite (aluminum ore). The ongoing Watijan insurgency has gone on since the 1940s fueled by the wealth disparities between the people of this region and those of the rest of the country, though in recent decades the conflict has died down to having less than 10 deaths per year. Watija is also the only region that is majority Christian, and was the last to be colonized by the Aquatileans. The Watijan monarchy has held some form of power there since the late 1500s, where it ruled as a miniature thalassocracy over the nearby archipelago, bringing it substantial wealth in that era. After colonization, and post-colonization, much of the wealth had stolen and the newfound Republic of Catam Pon decided to sell of most of the mineral and oil-rich lands of the region to many of Catam Pon's notable modern day megacorporations, giving them their start. The Watiyan people also make up the second largest ethnic group in the country, and the largest indigenous language other than the Catamese. The region also has the lowest rates of bilingualism as many people either lack the access to proper education or refuse to teach their children the Catamese language. Ethnic Watiyans face significant discrimination in other regions of the country, where they are often viewed as wild and/or uneducated and poor.

The Pon region was crucial in forming the early state of Catam Pon, hence the name. This came primarily as a means for the Pon to prevent themselves from being exploited like the Watijans next door, and to strike back at the Watiyans. As a result, Pon is well-developed like most of the mainland, having adequate infrastructure and industry, as well as being the largest agriculturally productive regions in the country. However, the island's population has been diluted, and the Ponian language is waning as many Catamese and foreigners have or were moved to the region historically, and many ethnic Ponians have settled in the homeland to pursue better economic oppurtunities. The city of Horinqé was set aside as its own region in 1980 to settle this, providing the Ponians with more direct political representation in parliament. Both regions are also minor oil producers, though they see shares greater than that of Watija. Lastly, Horinqé hosts the headquarters to the Pon corporation, one of the big six Catamese corporations.

Teme is the northernmost region on the mainland of Catam Pon, whose capital city, Temen, is a large port similar in size to Bajkon, which was formerly an undeveloped part of Teme (and was made a federal territory in 1988). Teme is one of the few regions, like Watija to have its own monarchy, who have ruled the region continuously since the early 1700s. This region makes money primarily from trade, industry, and agriculture, as well as limited mining prospects.

South of Teme are the regions of Kuczán and Kutzac, who split in 1980 during constitutional reforms, having formerly been called Kucsa. This split came amongst the people of Kutzac, who by this point were mostly Catamese, not wanting to have taxes set aside for, or association with, the Kusca royal family. This led to the two regions splitting, and the former maintaining its monarchy. Both regions have minor agricultural production, but focus primarily on industry and energy production, with Kutzac also having a port and natural bay through which it can actively partake in maritime trade.

Lácaj city was historically a part of the region of Catam, but was split upon the country gaining independence, mostly to balance out the economic and political power of the Catam region. Nowadays, Lácaj operates as one of the primary ports for the entire country, hosting a variety of drydocks, refueling stations, wharfs, etc. Today the city is notable for hosting the headquarters of STX corporation, which hosts one of the tallest skyscrapers in the country and brings a lot of revenue to the city, consistently placing it amongst the most well-developed and safest in the world.

The region of Catam historically included, at the time of Aquatilean colonization, the regions of Lácaj, Cixato, and Keojo, although the island of Cixato was sold to the Aquatileans in 1815, and the region of Keojo was granted to them 9 years later. The old region of Catam was historically the most powerful and populous in the region, though the post-colonial divisions left Catam proper quite weak (having divided it up into Catam and the 3 other aforementioned regions). This region is the fourth and final one to host a monarch of its own, and due to its proximity with other economically sufficient regions, it maintains its own economic power within the country, as well as playing an important role in the country's history. To the south of Catam is the region of Keoje, formerly a part of Catam, which is a major industry hub, producing many commercial ships for international maritime trade, and hosting the 4 (soon to be 5) bridges linking the island city of Cixato to the mainland. Keoje is also the third most populous region in the country, mostly due to its proximity to Cixato and its large industrial and manufacturing base. It also hosts the headquarters to Syjenþ and Tsywy groups, two major mega corporations.

The city of Cixato is the current capital city and economic center of Catam Pon, with a population in excess of 10 million people packed into an area of 1,323.74 sqkm, resulting in a population density of over 7,700 per square kilometer. This city hosts most of the major corporations, including the headquarters for KráVo (KV) corporation and the Tajqe Moncy (TM) Group, as well as one of the headquarters for Catabank, the largest in the country. The city hosts its own airport and military air/naval base, with a wide array of tourist attractions, manufacturing plants, drydocks, wharfs, financial buildings, etc. It continues to serve as an important entrepôt in global trade, with hundreds of ships stopping or passing by each day.

To the north is the small region of Polða, which has limited oil reserves and a small population relative to other non-federal regions. Other than being used as a major military hub and having a relatively sizable industrial base, there is not much to note other than the Dodomny Lake situated square in the middle of the region, home to many tourist resorts.

Dagran, the easternmost non-federal territory, is rather sizable, but also has one of the smallest population densities in the country as a whole. Other than limited mining prospects, it is home to only one notable seaport, but also provides plenty of area for the military to train, mostly as a result of successful counter-insurgency missions in the region in the Karax (or Dagran) insurgencies that persisted into the early 2000s as the region faces a situation similar to that of Watija, though not nearly as repressive.

Human Rights

Catam Pon is broadly considered a "flawed democracy" with its dominant-party, unitary system. The People's party has avoided losing a single election since 1950 and are accused of using a variety of underhanded tactics, historically and into the modern day, to maintain their control over the country. These "underhanded tactics" include the past banning of parties, including the current ban on parties who "seek to undermine the sovereignty of the nation" and "those parties whose platforms explicitly or tacitly advocates treason and secession." Because of this, many regional parties have been banned, or forced to take watered-down tones including advocating for regional autonomy as opposed to outright succession.

The People's Party also takes part in widespread election interference, including spying on competitors, often under the guise of the opposition being, or potentially being "foreign agents," related to a law stating that one cannot run for office if they have received funds from foreign entities, whether they be individuals, corporations, or governments. As well, the aforementioned laws on advocating for succession or "undermining sovereignty" are utilized for the secret, but technically legal surveillance of opposition parties. The PP also has connections to many of the major Vapols, some of whom are responsible for the equipment and logistics of elections, as well as media coverage and polling (which is nominally without government influence) that heavily influences voters in the days prior. However, these accusations of corrupt election practices have decreased in recent years as the PP has "opened up" to a purer form of democracy as a means of being on good grounds with many trade partners.

Protests and petitions are heavily restricted, with protest permits being nearly impossible to attain unless it is conveniently for something pro-government, or something deemed unproblematic. In many cases, spontaneously occurring protests and riots do happen every now and then, and are often put down violently by police, under the guise of restoring "law and order" as stipulated in the constitution. Many petition websites are also blocked in the country due to their "potentially subversive nature" and any petitions posted on government websites have to vetted and approved, often at the whim of whoever is in charge of reviewing it at that time.

In terms of civil rights, the multilingual and multiethnic nature of the country is endowed into the constitution, where it ensures equally oppurtunity and rights for all citizens, regardless of sex, religion, ethnicity, language, etc. The ban on many ethnic/regionalist parties is also justified using this constitutional clause, as "any attempt to omit another countryman" is considered immoral and "unfair." However, in practice, Catamese society is highly patriarchical, though recent bounds have been made in regard to female representation in companies and government (including having women make up approximately 20% of parliament). The issue is different languages has also been supplanted by making Catamese the lingua franca of Catam Pon, though this is an informal title and all legislation and government docusments have to be offered in at least 3-4 of the primary national languages. Some policies have also led to minority languages declining as Catamese becomes more popular, causing some controversy, though this is typically disregarded. Some ethnic groups, namely the Watijans and Karaxi (Dagranians) due experience some forms of discrimination, as do those often "imported" from other countries to make up for labor shortages, namely Patolians.

Issues like gay rights are also highly contentious, as the ruling conservative People's Party refuses to legalize it, though it has been decriminalized in recent years, with a nationwide order for decriminalization occurring in 2019. However, some regions like Watija continue to prosecute homosexuals, often with the federal government turning a blind eye. Transgenderism has also not been decriminalized nationally, but is in many localities and entire regions out of the lack of desire to pursue such cases, especially as there is little legal precedent. Many new age religious movements have also been cracked down upon, as well as religious sects deemed to have violated some of the laws mentioned previously.

Capital punishment is also actively enforced, with the majority of cases being applied to drug trafficking, terrorism, and mass murder. This has brought some international contention amongst other developed nations, but very few cases actually end with such a punishment, averaging only 5 per year. The government does not practice any form of corporal punishment, nor does it take part in extrajudicial killings or summary executions and forced disappearances, in line with most established international norms and laws.

Infrastructure

Catam Pon is considered a highly developed nation, with great sums of its budget put towards maintaining and expanding its infrastructure for economic and military purposes. Among this, the many cities of Catam Pon boast various engineering marvels, including multiple bridges, tunnels, skyscrapers, extensive seaports, etc. One example is the Bionic Tower in central Cixato, one of the tallest skyscrapers in all of Telrova at 1228m (4,029 ft) tall, having been completed in 2026 after 8 years of on and off construction.

gallery

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  Millenium Tower in Cixato, 840m (2,760 ft) tall

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  Bionic Tower in Cixato, 1,228m (4,029 ft) tall, 3rd tallest in the world

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  Dream Tower in Lácaj, 665m (2,182 ft) tall

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  Cixato International Airport

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  Tsurumi bridge linking Cixato to Keoje

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  Horinqé seaport

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  Downtown Cixato

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  Cixato port

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  MRT station in Cixato

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  Double decker bus in Lácaj

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  The International Trade Center of Cixato, 484m (1588ft) tall.

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  The Pearl, set to be finished in 2029, 1060m (3500ft) tall when finished.

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  Nuclear Power plant outside Keoje.

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  CapoCity high speed rail line in Bajkon City.

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  Underwater section of the Sejkan Tunnel connecting Lácaj to Horinqé (55km).

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  E5 high-speed rail in Keoje.

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  Nuclear power plant near Lácaj.

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  Lácaj International Airport

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  Inter-city expressway (north-south)

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  Ara canal, runs 18km through Cixato

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  Tusgár Togtnol tower, in Bajkon, 680.5m (2233ft) tall.

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  Bajkon command center, tasked with coordinating the development of Bajkon

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  Semi-submersible Oil Platform in Watija

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  Bajkon bridge

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  Loþe World Tower, Lácaj, 555m (1821ft) tall.

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  The Exchange, Lácaj, 453m (1486ft) tall.

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  Guoco Tower, Horinqé, 283.7m (931ft) tall.

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  Temee Tower, Teme, 314m (1030ft) tall.

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  TM Telecom Tower, Bajkon, 310m (1020ft) tall.

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  LC Place, Lácaj, 341.5m (1124ft) tall.

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  CMU Admin building, ranked 17th internationally

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  Kucsa Launch Center 1

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  Tradewinds Square Tower, Lácaj, 775m (2543ft) tall, tbc in 2030.

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  Tower M complex rendering, Teme, 700m (2297ft) tall, tbc in 2035.

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  Áv Tower, Bajkon, 613m (2011ft) tall, tbc in 2028.

Telecommunications

In Catam Pon, various Vapols control key aspects of the country’s infrastructure, including electronics and telecommunications, which is heavily dominated by SG and Tajqe Moncy. These two companies provide around 85% of internet and telephone services to the entire nation, in addition to having a large presence internationally. In spite of this oligarchic control, and government regulations, censorship, and surveillance, Catam Pon’s population has some of the fastest and most reliable internet access in the world.

Nearly every city has been connected to 5G networks, with only a few outlier regions and Watija remaining primarily on 4G networks. As well, Catam Pon is a hub for underwater internet cables, with many important global cables being run through the waters surrounding the country, giving it fast access to much of the World Wide Web.

As well, approximately 98% of the population owns a cell phone, with nearly 100% having at least a limited access to and limited interactions with the internet. This trend is credited to the government’s own modernization and globalization efforts, where it seeks to make itself dependent on the global economy, requiring an educated and technologically literate populace.

There also exists a wide array of Catamese satellites, the majority of which are telecommunication satellites. Most of these have been launched and constructed by other nations, but Catam Pon has also worked towards making this process a somewhat indigenous one, allowing for indigenous production of satellites (ongoing since 1995) and space launch vehicles (first successful launch in 2022). The Catamese Space Program works closely with the CAFSCF and various Vapols to coordinate and develop an indigenous and consistent space launch capability.

Additionally, emergency aerostats are often deployed to provide emergency cell coverage in times of crisis or in remote areas.

Transportation

On land their exist a variety of transport means, including but not limited to MRT (Mass rapid transit), a large road system, public transport (including Light rail transit (LRT)), and trains. The MRT systems exist in 6 cities throughout the country, with the most advanced of course being Cixato, which has 7 MRT lines and 4 LRT lines, as well as having various bus services (including double decker buses). Cras are also a limited commodity in the urban regions of Catam Pon, especially Cixato due to it being situated on an island. For example, the various causeways linking Cixato to Keoje are among the busiest in the world, with 300 to 400 thousand travellers crossing daily, in addition to various rail networks. For this reason, car ownership in the cities is made extremely difficult via high taxes, regional quotas, and fines to prevent overcrowdedness and congestion.

There also exist 4 international airports in Catam Pon, one in Cixato, one in Keoje, one in Lácaj, and one in Horinqé. These are headed primarily by Catam airlines, the flagship airline carrier, following by TM&S Airlines, who altogether bring in 4 to 5 million passengers annually. In addition to proper planes, some companies have started introducing dirigible aerostats for long-range transport.

At sea, Catam Pon's location gives it a significant advantage globally, with Cixato being one of the busiest port in all of Telrova, which was first constructed in the 1820s by the Aquatileans. It handles nearly 3 million gross tons of shipping annually, and in terms of containerized traffic, it processes nearly 40 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). In addition to this, the port is the world's busiest for transshipment traffic and the world's biggest ship refueling center.

Energy

There exist three active nuclear power plants in Catam Pon, one is located in the Keoje province, providing power to part of that province and a chunk of neighboring Cixato. The second powers a large percentage of Lácaj and surrounding areas, with a third constructed on Cixato proper, and an addition to it is expected to be finished by early 2031. The majority of the country's power supply comes from hydroelectric, with a series of multiple small dams providing power to various inland and coastal regions. Meanwhile some areas still use fossil fuels as a means of energy production, with coal plants being placed throughout Watija, Pon, and Dagran. Renewable energy has gained traction in recent ears though as the major companies have sought to slowly transition from oil and coal profits to renewables, like wind and solar, both of which are being utlized in urban and rural areas to provide power.

Kori Nuclear Power Plant near Cixato

Given the aforementioned distribution of electricity production in Catam Pon, it is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels, namely oil and imported natural gas, of which it is one of the largest importers in the world. The approximate percentages range around 43% of Catam’s energy production coming from nuclear power. Approximately 31% comes from fossil fuels, with 10% being hydroelectric and the other 16% being a variety of renewable energy sources.

Due to the small size and seasonal variations, Catam Pon is unable to sustain more than a 12% share of hydroelectric power, and it has been criticized for its apparent reliance on fossil fuels. However, this is being mitigated under “Catam Pon 2030,” a government plan to revolutionize wind and solar usage in the country, especially in cities. With this, they hope to increase the use of renewables to 25% by 2030, and 30% by 2032, with fossil fuel reliance declining to around 15% in that same period.

Water supply & sanitation

Despite investments in hydroelectricity and desalination plants, the country of Catam Pon is still at a slight deficit for fresh water, leading to the mass importation of fresh water as a means of supplanting the need. In spite of this trouble, the country maintains a highly developed water system, with much of it being only a couple decades old. Around 98% of the nation has direct access to fresh water on demand, with most of the 2% being located in Watija, a sign of wealth and ethnic disparity.

Economy

Overview

The economy of Catam Pon is a highly developed mixed economy, one in which the government (via nationalized government services) plays a substantial role alongside private businesses in the economy. The country in renowned for being considered a tax haven, and a large global financial hub, as well as a notable dependence on entrepôt trade. The economy is commonly described as being free, innovative, dynamic, and business-friendly. Despite the free market system in place, the government does have a strong stake in the economy, contributing nearly 18% of nation's GDP.

The heart of the Catamese economy lies in its highly trained, educated and advanced workforce, which is crucial to its service and manufacturing sectors. It also has an abundance of conglomerate corporations, known locally as "Vapol," that are involved in several different economic sectors and hold quite a sway over the country's politics. Some of these conglomerates are as follows:

• STX Corporation: Finance/trade, commercial shipbuilding, heavy equipment, and energy production.
• KrháVo Corporation: Construction, airplane manufacturing, shipbuilding, fashion, energy production, and electronics.
• Tajqe Moncy Group: Shipbuilding, automotive, aircraft manufacturing, heavy industries, electronics, and telecommunications.
• Syjenþ Group: Electronics, telecommunications, construction, finance/trade, automotive, retail, advertising, and commercial shipbuilding.
• Pon Corporation: Mining, construction, oil refining, finance/trade, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and real estate.
• Tsywy Group: Oil refining, real estate, electronics, commercial manufacturing, retail, and entertainment.
• Cata Bank: Finance/trade, real estate, and retail.

The primary trading partners of Catam Pon are Nibelia, Patolia, Fleet of Oceans, Acadia, and Ruotsaland, and the country's armed netrality and strategic location along global trade routes makes it an ideal location for many nations to have conferences and meetings. Most of the international activity is focused around the largest city, and capital of Catam Pon, Cixato (IPA: /ɕiχäto/).

Shipbuilding

KV and STX shipbuilding facilities near Keoje

Starting with the end of martial law in the early 1970s, the government of Catam Pon in cooperation with many of the Vapols began to develop a series of key industrial sectors, one of the largest being shipbuilding. The reason for this was that much of the coastline was already perfect for the creation of drydocks and wharfs. As well, the Aquatilean colonization brought a lot of early industry and the construction of seaports, as the Aquatilean sought to build up the region into a large overseas naval base, though this did not entirely play out due to the collapse of the Aquatilean empire. By the late 1980s, multiple drydocks had been built with some having up to a 1.2 Million ton capacity. The majority of ships produced are commercial vessels and tankers, but the industry also produces a variety of luxury and military-related vessels, in addition to those meant for scientific research. Some of the notable companies in this sector include KV Heavy Industries, TM Heavy Industries, Syjenþ Ocean & Shipping, and STX Offshore & Shipbuilding.

Today, the country as a whole is responsible for a sizable portion of the world's shipbuilding, which mostly takes places in and around the cities and the region of Keoje in the south. As a result, high-end ship manufacturing provides one of the fundamental bases for the Catamese economy, contributing greatly to the GDP and serving as the foundation for many of the Vapols. Using profits from these industries, the country also maintains a moderately-sized but powerful fleet of ships in its navy as a means of deterrence.

This industry in particular has been linked to a variety of past sabotage and espionage cases, as well as past terrorist attacks during many waves of insurgent groups throughout the nation, which itself led to the creation of a robust private security/military industry in the nation.

Electronics

A variety of Syjenþ Electronic products.

Multiple Vapols control varying aspects of the electronics industry in Catam Pon, the most notable among them being the Syjenþ Group's subsidiary "SG Electronics," or "Syjenþ Electronics," responsible for a large line of computers, tablets, phones, etc. The SG Electronics is even one of the primary members of the Syjenþ Vapol, bringing in nearly 50-60% of the group's annual revenue. SG Electronics operates as one of Telrova's primary electronic device/appliance manufacturers, with plants and sales networks set up in many countries around the globe.

The company also brings in over half a trillion Rovas in revenue annually, contributing more to the GDP than almost any other independent corporation or Vapol in Catam Pon. It also dabbles in medical technology, consumer electronics, home appliances, IoT, computer hardware, and semiconductor memory manufacturing, the lattermost being one of its most vital industries, where it reigns near the top globally in production of semiconductor memory manufacturing. Furthermore, they are responsible for the production of various electronic components, including lithium-ion batteries, sensors, and TV displays, among others.

Other than Syjenþ Electronics, Vapols like Tajqe Moncy (TM) are heavily involved in industries like telecommunications, rivaling with Syjenþ for the plurality of Catam Pon's domestic internet provider market, with each controlling just over 40% of the market. However, internationally, TM has proven superior to Syjenþ on the telecommunications market, insofar as it has more coverage and customers globally connected to its networks than any other Catamese corporation.

Automobiles

Catamese Proton Prevé

Catamese Xiundaj Sonata

Catamese Isutzu Panel truck

Catamese Dajwu Matis

In Catam Pon, there are three primary Catamese-owned automotive manufacturers and their subsidiaries, all of these together make up around 12% of Catam Pon's GDP, and nearly 30 to 40% of the industrial sector, falling just behind shipbuilding but superseding arms manufacturing. These companies comprise an important leg of Catamese economic power and diplomacy. The companies are as follows:

• Proton Motor: Owned by Tajqe Moncy Group, Proton Motor's primary market is in Catam Pon, where it provides low-cost vehicles and employs over 100,000 workers. Proton Motor also owns the Peroda company, thus being responsibke for most of their output as well, though its market is not purely limited to Catam Pon, as it orovides low-cost cars to a variety of foreign nations, including Makko Oko and Patolia, among others.

• Xiundaj Motor Company: Pronounced [χjɯ̟ndäj], the company has various subsidiaries, including luxiry car lines, and is Catam Pon's largest automotive manufacturer, being owned by the Syjenþ Group. In turn, Xiundaj owns the majority of Kia, another smaller Catamese manufacturer, though most of Kia's industrial base is located outside of Catam Pon. The company has also reached a 15% threshold on electric vehicles, and both Xiundaj and Kia make a variety of military vehicles. Xiundaj is one of the primary corporations in the Syjenþ Group conglomerate. Kia is also, by extension a part of the Syjenþ group, though its role is very minor. Using support from Syjenþ Electronics, Xiundaj Motor has managed to more efficiently shift into the fledgling electric vehucle market, being the second largest member of the Syjenþ Vapol, allowing for direct transfers of necessary electronics and batteries between the companies.

• Isutzu Automotive: Pronounced [isɯ̟t͡sɯ̟], this company is partially owned by both STX and KráVo corporations, with STX making up the plurality at 39.88% of the stock. Isutzu primarily builds a variety of trucks and SUVs, as well as diesel engines and generators. It is, other than Xjundaj and its subsidiaries, one of the most internationalized car brands in Catam Pon, with nearly a dozen subsidiaries, the majority of which are located in other countries. In addition to making a variety of commercial trucks and SUVs, Isutzu also makes military trucks (though production has declined in recent decades) and a variety of buses, light trains, and racecars (historically).

• Dajwu Motors: Pronounced [däjwɯ̟], this company is headquartered in Catam Pon, but was bought out by Nibelian investors in 2002 after it filed bankruptcy. After this, the company found its industrial base split between Nibelia and Catam Pon, with most of its market still being Catam Pon due to the smaller cars have lower taxes imposed in the cities. Around 20% is still owned by Dajwu, which itself is owned by CataBank as a result of it's 2002 collapse.

Finance & Banking

280m tall CataBank HQ, Cixato

The Ilérancso Islands, a federal territory, is utilized primarily as an offshore financial center, used to offset the influence of Cixato, and allow for a more distributive economic output throughout the nation. However, the Cixato stock exchange, and the various Vapols centered around the mainland and Cixato still concentrate the power pretty heavily in their respective regions.

Banking is dominated by the largest bank in the country, and nominal Vapol, CataBank. However, there also exists the "Bank of Catam and Pon," the central bank of the country, and the Catam Development Institute, both of which are responsible for periodically releasing indicators of economic growth and trends, nationally and internationally.

The country also maintains many free trade agreements with other nations, including Patolia, Nibelia, and Ruotsaland. Many foreign companies also have subsidiary branches located in and operating out of Catam Pon's financial districts. A big reason for this is that the fairly corruption-free government, efficient infrastructure, and resilient economy (having recovered well from crises in 2001-2002 and 2018 due to a mixture of austere and laissez-faire policies) are very attractive to foreign investors.

Demographics

Language & Ethnicity

There are 8 primary ethnic groups in Catam Pon, that are as follow:

• Catamese: 18,565,000 (45.05% of the population)
• Watiyan: 5,462,000 (13.25% of the population)
• Ponian: 4,122,000 (10% of the population)
• Teme: 3,526,600 (8.64% of the population)
• Vanalada: 3,290,200 (7.98% of the population)
• Karaci (Dagranian): 1,875,000 (4.55% of the population)
• Patolian: 1,405,400 (3.41% of the population)
• Elven: 795,200 (1.93% of the population)
• Mixed/other: 5.19% of the population (2,136,600)