Ulfheimr

Land of the Wolves Ulfheimr
Flag
Motto: Úlfar meðal sauðfjár
Location of Ulfheimr
Capital and largest city	Ulfar
Official languages	úlfapeak
Ethnic groups	Norse Germanic
Demonym(s)	Ulfan
Government	Tribal Oligarchy
• Erilaz	Kromeus Dauthaaeta
Legislature	The Divine Authority of Erilaz
Divine
Area
• Total	334,500 km2 (129,200 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate	30,000,000
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	450 million
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Per capita	$15,000
Currency	Mjolnir Mynt (MM)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+33
ISO 3166 code	UH
Internet TLD	.uh

Ulfheimr is a tribal oligarchy of independent tribes guided by a god-king erilaz. It lies to the east side of Argis. Ulfheimr is a largely rural nation. It covers an area of 334,500 square kilometres and is home to 30 million people spread out in tribes in the country. Ulfar is the largest city and the spiritual and govermental centre for the country, housing the Erilaz and his family.

Ulfheimr has a rich culture, much of the ancient history is lost as it was written on perishable materials. It is instead passed down by oral tradition. The Ulfans are the original natives of the land and do not eagerly welcome outsiders. Each of the tribes claims lineage to a god or jotnar.

The country is very isolated, but the erilaz uses his ravens, a task force dedicated to learning about the outside world, to bring back to him new ways and information. The nations many industries are often monopolized by various tribes, enforcing the need for trade and cooperation, or instead fostering jealousy and war. Various tribes are working hard to update their technology to modern standards. The country is known for its non-judeo christian morality system, and its open distaste for the religions in general. Ulfheimr is a heavily pagan and occcult country. The populace vehemently believes in their gods and concepts such as magick.

History

Early settlements

    The original history of Ulfheimr is lost to time, now only mythos remains. It was said that Odin, Vili and VI found two tree trunks, perhaps pieces of driftwood, lying on the beach. They were shaped like a man and a woman, but they were lifeless and powerless. So the three gods decided to give them what they lacked and make them true humans. Odin blew into them the breath of life, while his two companions imparted inspired mental activity, a healthy complexion, and the ability to speak, hear, and see. They dressed them in suitable clothes and named the man “Ask” and the woman “Embla.” Ask and Embla were then given Ulfheimr for their dwelling-place. They became the father and mother of the entire human species, and through them they would breed a race of men that could conquer even their gods. 

Geography

The nation of Ulfheimr consists of a Taiga, rolling hills, plains intersected with rivers, and a sliver of mountains to the east. The country has several islands held tightly by the tribe of Farmadr. It has short summers, long winters, and sporadic forest fires. The country is heavily irrigated thanks to the efforts of the tribe of Brunnr and is covered in extensive grasslands.

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  The southern coast

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  one of many rivers in Ulfheimr

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  One of many cleansing forest fires in the Taiga

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  The non-forested areas of Ulfheimr

Climate

Ulfheimr has a subarctic climate with very large temperature range between seasons. −20 °C (−4 °F) Would be a typical winter day temperature and 18 °C (64 °F) an average summer day, but the long, cold winter is the dominant feature. The growing season, when the vegetation in the taiga comes alive, is usually slightly longer than the climatic definition of summer as the plants of the boreal biome have a lower temperature threshold to trigger growth than other plants. The longest growing season is found in the smaller areas with oceanic influences; in coastal areas, the growing season of the boreal forest can be 145–180 days. Ulfheimr experiences relatively low precipitation throughout the year, 39 inches annually, primarily as rain during the summer months, but also as snow or fog. Snow may remain on the ground for as long as nine months in the northernmost extensions. As evaporation is consequently low for most of the year, annual precipitation exceeds evaporation, and is sufficient to sustain the dense vegetation growth including large trees.

Politics

File:Kromeus Erilaz.jpg

Kromeus Dauthaaeta
Erilaz of Ulfheimr

Kelonna is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy in which the King, Leopold II, acts as Head of State of the Kingdom while the Prime Minister, Christiaan Nieuwoudt, acts as Head of Government. The legislative power of the Kingdom is vested in the bicameral Parliament of Kelonna; its two chambers are differentiated by their composition as the Upper House consists of the Kingdom's hereditary nobles and life peers (currently 218) while members of the Lower House are elected by universal suffrage every five years together with the Prime Minister; few governments have achieved an absolute majority in the last decades, which has led to elected Prime Ministers forming coalition governments to gain confidence in the Parliament. In the last few elections, the government has been dominated by a centre and right-wing coalition of Christian Democrats and Liberals that have steered Kelonna out of cultural isolationism and into a period of increased regional ties. In recent years, Prime Minister Christiaan Nieuwoudt has concluded several economic and political agreements with other Astyrian leaders in an effort to cement and capitalise on the recent changes in Kelonnan society and politics.

After the introduction of reforms in 1927, the presence of the monarch in Kelonnan politics has been purely ceremonial, being restricted to the appointment of ambassadors, the formation of governments and calling for elections. As well as in the case of the Prime Minister that acts on advice of Ministers during the Council of Government, a council that meets weekly with presence of all the ministers and the King to take decisions and dictate policy, the King can not act without first consulting the Crown Council of Kelonna, a council comprising the King, the Prime Minister and advisers of the monarch .

Foreign relations

Prime Minister Christiaan Nieuwoudt with the Jarridian Ambassador.

The foreign policy of Kelonnan foreign policy has traditionally been characterised by a strong isolationism from the rest of Astyria and a policy of neutrality during regional conflicts. In recent years, however, and under successive Christian Democrat-Liberals administrations Kelonna has reshaped its foreign relations with a strongly liberal approach favouring economic openness and with a preference for the Astyrian Treaty Organisation in regional geopolitics. The country's relations focus on strengthening relations with developed and democratic nations, with Trellin, Cadenza and Jarridia among the Kingdom's main commercial partners. The recent change of policy in Kelonnan politics, from a mainly isolationist nation to a widely open nation, has been accompanied by a strong promotion of free trade relations and the inclusion of the country as observer or associated member in many trade blocs, particularly the Lorecian Community, whose members are important trade partners of Kelonna.

The Kingdom of Kelonna is well-represented in international organisations, regionally and globally. It was a founding member of the World Assembly and the Astyrian Peace Organization. In recent times, the government has applied an environmentalist approach to its foreign relations, promoting sustainable methods of consumption and generation of energy. Consequently, the country is a strong advocate of organisations such as the Regional Environmental and Ecological Fund and hosted the first all-Astyrian conference on climate change in 2019.

Local government

Kelonna is divided into eleven political units known as ridings. These units are administrated by elected councils, or ruydetingen. Riding governments are responsible for the provision of services such as education, including libraries, healthcare and emergency services. Cities and large towns (mainly riding's capitals) are administrated by their own councils with similar responsibilities.

Heflonda Rona Sudedal Beccewyda Marylonda Esuelonda Sudisch Brunnalonda Maedastrimme Kalenhuda Skurebrecen Akseschyre

Military

Ships of the Kelonnan Navy during joint warfare exercises in the Sea of Jajich.

Kelonna's armed forces — the Kelonnan Defence Forces — comprise the Kelonnan Navy (KN), the Kelonnan Army (KA) and the Kelonnan Air Force (KAF). While the three branches are subordinated to the Ministry of Defence and led by the holder of that ministerial office, the King of Kelonna, Leopold II, is still regarded as the Commander-in-Chief. The Kingdom maintains a strong and capable army with a stable budget, whose presence is limited to the self-defense of the nation and the protection of its sovereignty in the Kelonnan archipelago and territorial waters. Although it is limited in its presence in Astyria, the Kelonnan Defence Forces have made significant contributions to anti-piracy initiatives, regional peacekeeping operations and joint warfare exercises.

In the 2017-18 budget, defence spending was 1.5% of total GDP, a level of spending which has been maintained more or less consistently under the previous Labour administrations and current Christian Democrat-Liberal coalitions. The Kelonnan Defence Forces employ 6,492 men and women, inclusive of active, reserve and civil personnel. Of that total, Kelonnan overseas peacekeeping deployments total 1,578 personnel in Pangus, Caranad and Belka.

Economy

The central business district of Marianport.

Kelonna benefited from a long and stable period of protectionism before undergoing a transformation to an open economy during the 1980s. Over the years the country has regularly ranked in the top ten of several international welfare, economic and social indices. The Kingdom has a high-income economy with a nominal GDP per capita of $38,176, one of the lowest unemployment rates in Astyria and a relatively low rate of poverty. The capital city, Marianport, is a major financial centre for the country and the region.

The country's agricultural industry, in addition to notable contributions from pastoral and arable farming, is dominated by market gardens with a diversified production of fruits and vegetables with apples, kiwifruits, grapes, peaches and in very concentrated areas of the south, blueberries. It is estimated that 85% of fruits and vegetables grown in the country are consumed in Kelonna. Together with the forestry, mining and fishing industries, the primary sector employs 14.6% of the country's labour force. As a nation with a large primary sector, Kelonna is heavily dependent on exports. Exports constitute approximately 25% of the Kelonnan economy and have played a substantial role in its growth; during 2017, agricultural raw materials accounted for over 20% while processed aliments were estimated at 50% of the total exports. Throughout most of the twentieth century, the main Kelonnan export was wool. However, competition from other countries led to lower market prices which almost caused the collapse of the national wool industry. This pushed Kelonna's farmers to find a new place in global trade with dairy farming products. Today, the dairy industry is among the most important sectors of the Kelonnan economy. Milk its derivatives, cured meats, wine and wheat now constitute the majority of the agricultural exported products.

Vineyards in Helderberg, Sudisch Brunnalonda.

Historically, Kelonna has boasted a large wine industry, especially in valleys and coastal areas. A 2017 statistic reported that nearly 80% of national wine product is exported, especially to the Lorecian Community, Caledonia and Trellin. A recent increment on the exports was seen since 2017 with a revenue record of KLK 1.71 billion that same year. Since 1990, Kelonna has experienced substantial investment in the development of oenology in order to maintain the country's competitive advantage over newer wine producers.

The services sector is a key contributor to the national economy and is particularly well developed in its main metropolitan areas. In recent years, Marianport has grown as a gateway to the rest of Kelonna: the city is considered a financial and technological centre and an image of the strong and stable growth of the Kingdom. The city is home to three of the five largest banks in the country and has one of the largest numbers of internet-based small companies. The services industry in Kelonna is based around the ridings' capital cities and currently accounts for more than half of the national GDP. Kelonna benefits from a well-developed infrastructure in telecommunications and transport that has impulsed large scale tourism from across the region.

Energy and infrastructure

Brecischpola International Airport, with 2-5 million passengers annually it is the second busiest airport in Kelonna after Marianport.

Kelonna's advanced infrastructure corresponds to its position as a very developed nation. The country has a dense network of roads, concentrated mainly in the north of the island, that connects the major urban centres of Marianport and Brecischpola with the rest of Kelngsa. Despite having a mostly rural population sprawled across the main island, most national governments have actively pursued infrastructural development across the national territory as a key policy point. As a result, the country has a comprehensive telecommunications and transport infrastructure that has contributed to the continued improvement in quality of life outside cities. Kelonna is well integrated in regional transport networks, with approximately 120 airports and aerodromes nationwide connecting it to the rest of Astyria. Marianport International Aiport, the largest airport, is a regional hub that connects the city with hundreds of international destinations: in 2018 it was catalogued as one of the busiest in Astyria, handling 10-15 million passengers annually. The country is well served by international airlines and the flag carrier, Kelonnan Airlines.

Approximately 80.1% of the energy in Kelonna is domestically produced using renewable sources. Its diverse geography has facilitated the development of various renewable resources. In 2018, hydroelectric stations provided about 75% of primary energy, the share of wind farms was 10% and the share of geothermal stations was 5%. Solar technologies are a fast-growing industry after prices became more accessible in Kelonna as, since 2010, the government has subsidised homeowners for transitioning to this type of energy production.

Demographics

During the 2017 census, Kelonna had population of 17,480,641 living mostly in the northern ridings of the nation. In recent years, socio-economic development, a wider cultural openness and several students exchange treaties with other Astyrian nations, mostly from Trellin and the Lorecian Community have brought large waves of immigration; however, a regular and stable influx of people arriving to Kelonna has been reported by local authorities since the 1910s with occasional peaks between 1920 and 1930, due to the Great Astyrian War. As a developed nation, the Kelonnan population has a long life expectancy with an average 79.5 year; however, as a main difference with other nations with similar life quality standards, the population of the island has a large percentage of young people owing to recent economic development.

In 2019, a publication carried out by the Kelonnbarometer Institute reported that while Kelonnans remain the largest ethnic group, there was a 17,4% of the population that self-indicated with a close foreign background either they were second or third generation born in Kelonna. Largest immigrant groups consist in Jarridians with 4.12% and Cassonnaise with 1.94%. Ethnically, the Kelonnan society tends to be generally homogeneous with whites consisting on the largest ethnic group. While the Kingdom has a large rate of rural population that differentiates from other Astyrian developed nations, specially with Lorecian ones, the country's largest conglomerations, Marianport and Brecischpola count with a growing urbanisation rate.

Healthcare

Public hospital in Brecischpola

Healthcare in Kelonna is led by the Ministry of Public Health of the Kingdom, which is the cabinet-level administrative office in charge of the planning and decision-making of the health policy dictated by the Government of Kelonna. The country follows a system of universal healthcare lead by the National Health Fund, an institution led by the government and funded by the public in which all employees are charged a 6.9% of their monthly income. In the Kelonnan healthcare model, public hospitals and healthcare services are paired with private institutions that own private hospitals and workers opt in which they attend, fees in the private service are costed by the 6.9% percentage charged to all employees regardless of their monthly income. Private insurance companies are not part of the National Health Fund and are often more exclusive and costly.

The country has counted with a successful healthcare policy over the years, which results in a relative high life expectancy, a low rate of child mortality and the total or partial elimination or control of diseases like tuberculosis and AIDS. The country counts with a high vaccination rate and the recent fight against smoking has resulted in a decrease of 14.2% of the smokers. Kelonna counts with approximately 480 hospitals (between public and private) distributed along the three main islands and a large network of clinics operated privately or by riding's governments.

Religion

Religion in Kelonna
Religion			Percent
Roman Catholicism			55%
No religion or agnostics			27%
Other Christians			14.8%
Ladath Thaerinë			2.2%
Other			1%

St Francis' Church in Brecischpola is one of the oldest Catholic churches in Kelonna.

Although the Kelonnan monarchy is openly adherent to the Catholic faith, Kelonna has no state religion and the constitution guarantees the protection of the freedom of religion. In rough numbers, the largest religious group in Kelonna is constituted by Christians, which represent the 70.8% of the population; although they are mostly Catholics, Lutherans and Anglicans represent a large population inside the Catholic community with the latest being the smallest group. Christian faith is believed to have been brought to the island by the first Lorecian settlers, on its majority from Noordenstaat, Scanonia, Albeinland and in a small quantity, Nidwalden; Catholicism is believed to have been introduced to the population in the early 17th century by Exponential explorers and merchants that counted with a large adherence on their missions in the island. While Protestants and others forms of Christians remain as a small group in front of Catholics during the 18th century, these grew in numbers with the arrival of immigrants during the Great Astyrian War.

During the latest census, it was reported that although the country is living a growth on its irreligious or agnostic population, Catholicism remains being the largest faith with a 55% declaring themselves as adherents; they are followed by a large group of irreligious and agnostics (27%), Protestants (14.8%) that constitute mainly descendants of the first Lorecian settlers and finally adherents to the Ethlorek Ladath Thaerinë religion (2.2%) and others (1%). While the social importance of the Catholic Church in Kelonna has decreased over the last decades and the separation between state and church is expressed in the Constitution, Kelonna counts with Catholic and Christian advocacy groups in defence of life and families, opposing to the legalisation of abortion, euthanasia and same-sex marriages; most recently, the Catholic Church in Kelonna has been criticised for its economical weight and its exclusivity in the tertiary education.

Largest cities

Kelonna is a largely rural nation, with few large settlements outside of its provincial capitals. Being one of the most sparsely populated countries in Astyria, Kelonna's population is concentrated on the northernmost coasts between Marianport, considered the financial engine of the Kingdom with a population of 3.8 million, and Brecischpola, the seat of the government, which counts with a metropolitan population of 1.7 million. Despite being a developed nation and although the urbanisation rate is growing, the country still counts with a large percentage of its population living in rural areas.

Education

Heastrem University, Maedastrimme riding.

Kelonna's education system falls under the authority of the Ministry of Education and Sports. The country's system is divided between primary and intermediate schools, followed by secondary schools (high schools) and tertiary education at universities and polytechnics. Primary and secondary school are compulsory for all students between 5 and 17 and the country has 16.3 of expected years of schooling years; successful educative policies have ensured a 99% of literacy rate and a high percentage of tertiary education degrees. The State of Kelonna dictates the educative policy and system all public (either primary and secondary) schools must follow while it maintains a strict control over private educative institutes. Primary and secondary education in public institutes are free while private institutes have the freedom to charge a fee to its students.

Tertiary education in Kelonna follows a similar system of public and private institutions. The largest and oldest public tertiary education institute is the University of Brecischpola, which was founded in _ under the _ reign. Most ridings count with their own public founded universities and the provincial governments administrate several students mobility programs between universities inside and outside Kelonna with others affiliates, specially in the Lorecian Community. Public tertiary education institutions, like universities and technology institutes, are generally ranked high in teaching quality and students performance. After graduation and while working, students must return a percentage of their monthly income to their university.