Gifftan
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Kingdom of Ynys Gifftan Teyrnas Ynys Gifftan | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
| Motto: "Gwerth cynnydd yw gwarth cenedl" | |
| Capital | Caerwydn |
| Official languages | Gifftanian |
| Religion | Theoin |
| Demonym(s) | Gifftanian |
| Government | Absolute Monarchy and Parliamentary Democracy |
• Monarch | King Eric |
| Establishment | |
• Unified | 1342 |
| Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 59,4302,010 |
| GDP (nominal) | estimate |
• Total | ฿591,406,937,735 |
| Currency | Gifftanian Pound |
| Date format | DD/MM/YYYY (A.D.) |
| Driving side | left |
| Calling code | +77 |
The Kingdom of Ynys Gifftan, commonly known as Gifftan or Ynys Gifftan, is a sovereign country in Greater Olympus, located off the western coast of continental Kanchaka. It is home to 59,4302,010 citizens.
Gifftan is a parliamentary democracy, but has an absolute monarch as it's head of state. The current monarch is King Eric Meirion, who has reigned since 1988. The nation's capital and largest city is Caerwydn. Other major cities include Porthnewydd, and Abergelyn.
History
Gifftan has been inhabited by modern humans for at least 29,000 years, but Gifftan did not become a single nation until 1057, when Llywelyn of Caerfeirion united the island under one Kingdom and became the first king of Gifftan. Before this, Gifftan was split into many kingdoms and principalities. By the 20th century Gifftan was a prosperous nation--importing and exporting goods such as lead and aluminium. By the 21st century Gifftan had become a largely impoverished and primitive nation.
Geography & Climate
Gifftan is a fairly mountainous island which means it contains many hills and valleys. Natural resources include lead and bauxite, the mining of which are large industries employing many Gifftanians.
Gifftan has a humid subtropical climate, meaning it has hot, humid summers and cold or mild winters. This climate has meant that Gifftan produces, and exports, a large amount of tobacco, chocolate, and cotton, which aside from mining are it's most important industries. This climate also means that rain is frequent in Gifftan and flooding is especially prevalent in some of the nation's valleys.
Politics and Government
The nation is an absolute monarchy, meaning the current monarch has almost complete control over how the nation is run. Despite this, Gifftan does have an elected parliament which participates in governing the nation. As the nation is an absolute monarchy, there is technically no one party that governs the country, so in an election the 'winning' party is the party with the most seats (and therefore the most votes). Laws can be created either by the monarch himself or by individual parties or members of the parliament. These laws are then voted on by everyone in the parliament [excluding the monarch] and if it gains enough votes it is given royal assent, and is passed. Gifftan has numerous political parties.
Military
Gifftan has a medium-sized army, navy, and air-force, the largest being the army and navy. The armed forces are quite capable, but in extreme circumstances when more men are needed during wartime, a temporary conscription is put in place.
Army
The Gifftanian Army is the largest part of the armed forces, consisting of 70,000 trained soldiers. The army has 50 tanks and the tank regiment consists of about 200 men. It also possesses about 200 other ground vehicles, operates by the land vehicles regiment of about 300 men. The typical gear found on an infantryman are: a steel helmet or a cap, a rifle with bayonet, a whistle, a truncheon, a revolver, a knife, a gas-mask and three grenades. Soldiers are also issued steel cups and plates, a fork and spoon, tea, cigarettes, and a water canteen.
The second largest part is the Gifftanian Navy, which includes about 200 ships and consisting of 70,000 sailors. The largest ship is the S.S. Anrhydedd, an aircraft carrier. The navy also operates some 1,000 aircraft and 2,000 airmen. Soldiers are issued with a revolver, a whistle, a water canteen, tea, and cigarettes. Rifles are kept aboard all ships, should they be needed.
Air-Force
The smallest part of the armed forces is the Gifftanian Air Force. It has about 5,000 aircraft and about 10,000 airmen. These include fighter planes and heavy bombers. A typical airman is issued with a revolver, a whistle, tea, cigarettes, water, and a parachute.
Vehicles
The Gifftanian military has an aging fleet of different vehicles. From Aircraft Carriers to bicycles, and all in between. Bicycles and motorcycles are used for reconnaissance, delivering messages, and in some cases, moving between battlefields.
Cars are used for transporting higher rank soldiers, whilst infantry are transported via truck. Some small trucks carry supplies, or mounted weaponry.
A variety of planes are used, most are light jet aircraft whilst some are large bombers. Others are propeller planes used mainly for reconnaissance.
As an island nation, ships are greatly important. Gifftan has two aircraft carriers, and several other large ships. Gifftan also has many submarines.
Foreign Relations
Gifftan maintains shaky relations with the former Tero Malstreciga after it collapsed, for it contains the Nikelo Canal--an important passage for Gifftanian exports
Economy
The Gifftanian economy is mostly dependent on exporting. Goods such as lead and aluminium from the nation's mines, and chocolate, tobacco, leather, and cotton from it's farms.
Energy
The nation is mainly powered by biomass power stations, this in the past has lead to a great deal of smog over the nation's cities. Recently hydropower dams have began being built as part of King Eric's 'clean air campaign'. The nation has two aging nuclear power stations built during the 1980s.
Industry
The largest industry in Gifftan is the mining industry, the two main resources found in Gifftan are lead and bauxite. These materials are exported across the world. Gifftan also grows many resources such as cocoa, tobacco, tea, sugar, and cotton. These are sold both raw and as finished products such as chocolate, clothing, cigarettes, ect. Cows, sheep, and various birds provide Gifftan not only with food, but with leather, wool, and feathers which are also used to make various things.
Infrastructure
Gifftan has rather basic infrastructure, water, electricity, sewage, and gas. Apart from electricity, which is carried on pylons, these are all carried by underground pipelines. Telephone lines are also carried overhead. In some rural areas telegraph poles can still be seen, though these have been out of service since the 1970s.
Transport
The nation's transport network is largely outdated in comparison with other nations. Trains built in the 1960s are still in operation, and old steamers still ferry people to and from the Kanchakan mainland. The nation has one state-owned airline company, the Gwennol Airways Company (G.A.C.), Which flies to many destinations around the globe.
Demographics
The population is about 87% Gifftanian, about 5% from Kanchaka, about 4% from Mu-Kal, about 2% from Nori, and about 2% from Lira.
Education
It is compulsory, in Gifftan, for every child under the age of 15 to attend school. Children between the ages of 5 and 11 attend primary school, then from 11 to 15 secondary school. An optional further two years is also available before university. The largest university in Gifftan is the university of Caerfeirion, established in 1872.
Religion
The largest religion is a Gifftanian form of Theoism and is followed zealously by most members of the population.
Culture
Gifftan has a very unique culture, at the centre of which stand the Festival of Gifftan, which is an annual event held in the summer to celebrate Gifftan, it's language, and it's culture.
Music and Art
Most traditional music in Gifftan is played on the harp, but brass bands have also been a large part of the nation's culture since the 19th century. Popular music in Gifftan is largely dominated by traditional pop, such as crooning, but other genres are beginning to catch up. Visual art is also an important part of the culture, such as paintings, carvings, sculptures, and in recent years photography are all very popular on the island.
Cuisine
Gifftan is not very well known for it's food, and it does not have a very apparent cooking-culture. Gifftanian cuisine has been called 'bland', 'tasteless', and 'uninteresting' by several foreign critics in the past. Meat, potatoes, and vegetables are the typical Gifftanian meal, and lard, butter, and suet are also common ingredients in Gifftanian food.
Sports
Football is the most popular sport in Gifftan, and is played by many people throughout the nation. The second most popular sport is boxing, which is taught in schools. Both sports are televised. Famous sportsmen do earn money, but due to maximum wage laws, all of them have separate 'main' jobs. Horse and dog racing is also popular, especially with gamblers, for betting is also very popular in Gifftan.