Soravia

Narozalic Republic Hoрoзалик Републіка Norozalik Republika ᠨᡇᠷᡇᡓᠠᠯᡇ ᡐᠠᡊᡎᡒ
Flag Seal
Motto: Unitum in victoria United in victory
Anthem: Березень, земляки ("March On, O Countrymen")
Narozalica and George Ruset Land shown within Euclea in green, the occupied territory of Sarkola shown in light green
Capital and largest city	Samistopol
Official languages	Narodyn, Zalyk
Recognised regional languages	Vichod, Seniak, Vedmedi, Yavorstri
Ethnic groups (2017)	Narodyns (61.3%) Zalyks (27.8%) Other (10.9%)
Religion (2017)	Episemialism (89.7%) Irreligious (5.6%) Other (4.7%)
Demonym(s)	Narozalic, Narozalican
Government	Authoritarian dominant-party federal semi-presidential constitutional republic
• President	Samuel Czenko
• Prime Minister	Dimitri Dubrinsky
Legislature	Federal Assembly
• Upper house	Vojnaskul
• Lower house	Federal Council
Establishment
• Duchy of Pavatria formed	910
• Zalyk tribes arrive	1256
• Union between Pavatria and Zalykia	1317
• Grand Duchy of Narozalica proclaimed	1498
• Empire proclaimed	1567
• Republic proclaimed	1861
Population
• 2020 estimate	89,142,866
• 2017 census	88,081,653
GDP (PPP)	2020 estimate
• Total	$3.028 trillion
• Per capita	$33,971
GDP (nominal)	2017 estimate
• Total	$1.829 trillion
• Per capita	$20,514
Gini (2017)	26.6 low
HDI (2020)	0.823 very high
Currency	Narozalic Zolota (NZZ)
Date format	yyyy/mm/dd
Driving side	right
Calling code	+72
Internet TLD	.nr

Narozalica, officially the Narozalic Republic is a sovereign state in western Euclea. It is the second largest country in Euclea by land area, behind Yavorstrana, and the most populous country in Euclea, with just over 89 million people. Clockwise, it borders Velzemia, Vedmed and Yavorstrana. It has coastal territory on the Lumine Ocean, Perovo Sea and Haillet's Sea through the territory of George Ruset Land. Narozalica is comprised of 16 provinces, each with federal devolvement. The capital and largest city of Narozalica is Samistopol, sitting on the northern coast of the country, with a population of five million.

While the ancestors of the Narodyns did roam the land beforehand, the land of what is eastern Narozalica was first consolidated and unified into one state, the Duchy of Pavatria, in 910 by Nuruk. The Duchy of Pavatria was centred in the east around modern-day Patovatra, competing to an extent with the Verliquoian Empire, who still dominated eastern Euclean affairs, over the power of the continent. Zalyk tribes arrived in the area around Lake Nimgan in 956, forming the Zalyk Khanate. The two states initially tussled over affairs in western Narozalica in the Pavaric-Zalyk Wars in the latter half of the 11th century, but Pavaric victory in the wars forced the Zalyks to surrender and become a vassal state of the expanding western duchy. The unity between the two countries was solidified in 1317 when Duke Nikolai of Lipa ascended to the Zalyk throne, and become the first person to be crowned as Duke of Pavatria and Khan of Zalykia. Over 170 years of union led to the proclamation of the Grand Duchy of Narozalica, the first instance of a unified Narozalic state, in 1498, to compete with the growing influence of the eastern Euclean states. Further consolidation led to the Empire of Narozalica being proclaimed in 1567 and the colonisation of the Ludoy Islands in the north in 1570.

In 1691 George Ruset Land was colonised, marking Narozalica's first Asterian colonial holding. Tribal presence in the military, and the cavalry-based tactics of the Zalyks led to military reformations and the creation of the Mornorda - entirely cavalry-based divisions, in 1694. The Zalyks' prowess on horseback and the lack of anything similar to the armies prior made them extremely effective armies throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, striking a large victory in the Ten Years' War, gaining most of Velzemia and some Yavorstri land in the Congress of Cislania, as well the land of the East Asterian Trading Company, now Chervolesia. The Empire would dominate Euclean affairs until the War of the Triple Alliance, where successive defeats by the Weranic-Estmerish armies caused the Zalyks - who felt they were ineffectively led by Narodyn generals chosen by the monarch, as well as some republicans who thought that the monarchy of Gaullica was exerted too much influence on the country, to revolt against the monarchy in 1857, creating the Seven Province Union, which would eventually come to be the Narozalic Republic under Eduard Olsov in 1861. Chervolesia was granted self-rule and dominionhood although remained part of the Narozalic Empire until 1960. Narozalica participated in the side of the Grand Alliance in the Great War, gaining little materially in West Arciluco and regaining land lost to Yavorstrana, but becoming extremely influential on the world stage. The Second Narozalic Civil War broke out in 1978 over Vilem Gardos' presidency, with the two sides eventually compromising and creating limited presidential terms.

In the modern-day, Narozalica is a founding member of the Community of Nations and the ICD, and a member of other organisations such as the ITO and the GIFA, and still projects its influence over western Euclea. Narozalica's economy is fast-growing as it pursues industrial measures for its natural resources, which include coal, oil and gas, and in 2020, its GDP was around $3 trillion, making it one of the strongest in Euclea.

History

Duchy of Narodinia

Following the Zalyk migrations and settlements near Lake Nimgan, charismatic warlord and prophet Nuruk formed the united Duchy of Narodinia in 910 AD after the conquest of various Narodyn tribes who had previously only been unified in fighting against the Empire of Arciluco - and scarcely even then. The newly-formed duchy succeeded in conquering land from the dwindling and declining Solarian Empire and expanded its influence into central Euclea through various conquests led mainly by Nuruk himself. By the turn of the millennium, owing both to Nuruk's conquest and the fall of the Solarian Empire, Narodinia had become a forefront power in both western and central Euclea.

The Duchy turned west toward the Zalyk Khanates beginning in the 10th century, following numerous raids on the duchy's wealthy western cities - namely Nimganopol - and began the almost three-century-long series of Narod-Zalyk Wars, which would dominate the scene of western Euclean politics (especially in Narozalica). The Narod-Zalyk Wars would form the fabric of Narozalic military tactics up until the War of the Triple Alliance as well as the Great War. The first war began in 1013 AD with the war itself ending in a stalemate as the Narodyn armies were hesitant to advance over the flatlands near the Nimgan, a commonplace tactic that defined most of the wars. It wasn't until 1176 - the seventh such war - where the Narodyn armies successfully defeated the Zalyk hordes at the Fifth Battle of Ulan Khol, successfully occupying, and subsequently annexing, the flatlands the Narodyn had feared beforehand. Following the Seventh Narod-Zalyk War, the tides of the conflicts began to turn heavily in favour of the Duchy, with the hilly terrain of western Narozalica proving difficult for the Zalyk hordes to fight on, and so the tributes demanded by the Narodyn kept increasing until 1285 - the Eleventh Narod-Zalyk War - where Ayuga Khan successfully defeated the Narodyn armies and began laying siege to Nimganopol for the first time in a hundred years. The siege is renowned for Nikolai of Lipa's defense of the city that repelled the Khanate from the city and killed the heir to the Zalyk throne. When Ayuga Khan died in 1317, Nikolai ascended to the throne of Zalykia as Khan, officially unifying the two states and concluding the Narod-Zalyk Wars.

The two countries were ruled as two entities under the Narodyn Duke between Nikolai's unification of the countries in 1317 until the proclamation of the Grand Duchy of Narozalica in 1498. The 14th and 15th centuries were shaped largely by dormancy and economic recuperation following the expenses of three centuries of almost-constant conflict. The Duchy of Narodinia lost much of its eastern land to ethnic revolt as the centralised government in Samistopol struggled to keep a firm grip on the land, especially with independence movements flourishing during the Narod-Zalyk Wars.

Grand Duchy and Tsardom of Narozalica

The Grand Duchy of Narozalica was proclaimed by Grand Duke Ivan II on the 16th of December, 1498, and aimed to formally unite the two constituent states of Narozalica by constitution, with the document being ratified by Ivan II on the 18th, establishing the Narodyn and Zalyk as an equal people under Narozalic law, although the Narodyn people were usually favoured socially and by the higher-classes of Narozalic society. Ivan II and his successor, Ivan III, largely continued the economic reforms that has shaped the previous two centuries, with Narozalica still in some debt to various guilds across Euclea as a result of the Narod-Zalyk Wars. The Royal Narozalic Bank was established in 1516 by Ivan III in an attempt to alleviate some of the fiscal pressure the country faced.

A 19th-century painting depicting a 16th-century family in Ust-Tolya

With states in eastern Euclea quickly growing in strength relative to Narozalica (who did still dominate western Euclean affairs), the Tsardom of Narozalica was proclaimed in 1567 to solidify the country's empirical status in Euclea, with expeditions into unclaimed eastern territory - then belonging to an assortment of tribal confederacies and rump states - swiftly beginning as Narozalica conquered much of the land uncontested between 1569 and 1584. In 1570, Narozalica's first colonial expeditions began, and the Ludoy Islands colony was successfully set up, with a trading base at Ust-Tolya, still the largest city on the islands to date. While Narozalica was by no means a colonial power in the sense that the eastern Euclean powers were, Assim Asteris' discovery of the Asterias peaked the interest of many Narozalic rulers, who saw it as a prime interest of the country to establish a power base in the newly-discovered continent, both as a matter of national strengthening and the royals' egotistical personalities coming to light. Various plans to begin expeditions east of Euclea were planned, and the Narozalic Navy was built up for deep-sea and long-haul voyages to the Asterias.

Jan IV in 1641

Tsar Jan IV issued the New Ovdapol Charter in 1646, staking a Narozalic claim to islands now part of Cassier under the name of New Ovdapol, an expedition to formally and officially claim the islands for Narozalica set sail a year later, but a joint Estmere-Caldia naval force prevented the Narozalic ships from passing the straits that pass between Werania and Ordennya, wishing to prevent another major Euclean nation from landing on the continent and challenging Estmerish and Caldian hegemony on the continent. The military and government of Narozalica saw the blockading of the straits from Narozalic ships as a form of attack on the nation, and plans to declare war on the two nations were devised but eventually scrapped by Jan IV in 1651 who didn't wish to embroil the country in a naval conflict. When the Gilded Wars began, Narozalica loosely and indirectly alligned itself with Gaullica, seeking revenge for the events of 1647, and actively sought to sabotage Estmerish actions during the wars. It was unsuccessful and the Estmerish League became the dominant trading force in the colonial world.

The futility of eastwards exploration and colonialism for Narozalica posed a question to many Narozalic scientists, with the discovery of Kylaris' spherical shape, would it not be feasible to travel to the Asterias westwards instead of east? This was the question posed by scientist John Aanholt, a Hennish scientist working in the employ of the Narozalic royal courts, and at the time during a conversation with Tsar Jan V. Jan V was convinced by Aanholt's proposal and set aside funding for an expedition westwards, setting off from Samistopol with admiral Michel Jarabinec as the lead, with Aanholt also on board, in 1688. Five months later, in 1689, Jarabinec and his crew reached land around 40 miles north of modern-day Volosovo. While not sure, they assumed the land to be Asterian, and thus founded the East Asterian Trading Company in 1689. The Company quickly expanded to dominate fur trading, a valuable market, in the Asterias, and Narozalica became wealthy back home from the company's profits. A separate expedition established the colony of Svobinsk in 1693. As the company was not a separate state in its own right, independence movements were scarce as the Asterian War of Secession broke out, of which neither the company nor Narozalica participated in. However, the success of the war for the independence of many Asterian states spiked the interests of Narozalic Asterians to declare their own country, independence of Narozalica, who had been exploiting the company for profit for a long time.

Gaullica and Narozalica officially began their alliance in 1722, setting a new precedent for Euclean conflicts with Gaullica and Narozalica together controlling a large majority of the colonial Asterias by themselves. In the same year, Velzemia was annexed in the Tsardom's first major expansion outside of Asterias in the early-modern period. With Narozalica now creeping closer to eastern Euclea, Narozalica was swiftly becoming a major global power, able to compete with those in eastern Euclea. Brosia was partitioned between Narozalica and Gaullica in 1790, and with the two countries now bordering each other, the Narozalic Empire was proclaimed in 1790.

Narozalic Empire

The high of the Narozalic rulers following the proclamation of the empire would not last long as the country quickly saw itself failing to progress at the same rate as the eastern powers. It entered a large social and economic dormancy period between 1790 and 1797 where little was done by Emperor Ivan V to combat the rapidly increasing poverty of the peasantry of Narozalica, concentrated mainly in Samistopol and Patovatra, which culminated in the Samistopol Revolt of 1797, a peasants' revolt inspired by the success of the Etrurian Revolution and the formation of the First Etrurian Republic. Ivan V cracked down hard on the revolts and the military disbanded them quickly with many people being killed and many more being injured and wounded. The peasantry's situation would continue to worsen as the Industrial Revolution spread throughout eastern Euclea, but Ivan V's reluctancy to implement reforms meant the technology of the Industrial Revolution did not reach Narozalica until much later. The employment created by the Industrial Revolution never came to fruition in Ivan V's reign, and so the peasant's population continued to expand and the unemployment rates continued to rise. Homelessness became a large problem in Samistopol in particular, but the military would often kick people off the streets if they saw them. Begging and busking was outlawed in 1823 throughout the empire, which put immense pressure on the homeless to either migrate or find a job within the city's borders. In a stroke of bad luck, the harvest of 1823 was extremely poor due to a large dip in temperatures and reduction in sunlight hours throughout the year, leading to the Famine of 1823 and increasing the unrest between the peasantry as many watched their friends and family die in the famine. As many as 300,000 people died as a direct result.

Samistopol, an 1853 painting by Catherine Beaumonoir, one of her last.

Conditions would not improve when Ivan VI succeeded to the throne in 1829, and he largely continued the brutal policies of his father. As unrest broiled, the peasantry were at breaking point. With liberalism taking hold throughout Euclea, the peasantry of Samistopol stormed the Nuruk Palace in 1848, and almost succeeded in breaching the palace gates. The storming led Ivan VI to seclude himself within in palace for the rest of the year, and he was not seen outside the palace until he made a public address in the February of 1849 explaining his absence. Ivan promised "great riches" and "the progression of all mankind" in his 1849 address, but scarcely acted on it between the speech and his reforms - which were the opposite of what he promised. Ivan VI's reforms were anything but, and they changed largely irrelevant and arbitrary things while ignoring or brushing aside the main problems that the empire had been facing for the past 60 years. The country's economy was in one of the worst recessions it had seen in years and the lack of farmers as well as the situations faced let many to resort to subsistence farming to help themselves and their family survived, only amplifying the hunger problem the country was facing. Ivan's reformed outlawed subsistence farming entirely in favour of a better system that would provide for both the farmer and the peasant. In the first year of the implementation of this new system, both farmers and urban peasants were starving as the food the farmers grew was simply not enough to sustain the growing urban population of the empire. Farmer's began resorting to hiding their food in the floorboards or under hay bales to avoid having to send it all away (a farmer had to provide a certain amount of food before they could keep some for themselves). This pushed the poverty imbalance back towards the urban centres, and the unrest broiled once again. Fearing a threat to his reign, Ivan VI attempted to unify the nation under a single cause when he declared war on Werania in support of Gaullica in 1852 and entered the War of the Triple Alliance.

Initial success was found when Narozalica entered the war in 1852, and small victories spurred on by Narozalic cavalry regiments were occurring in the theatres of the conflict, mainly against Estmere. The success faded however as aforementioned discrimination between the Zalyks and Narodyns meant inexperienced generals were commanding armies of Zalyk cavalry, which were ineffective utilising the tactics of a Narodyn army. These discrepancies ultimately culminating in the large Narozalic defeats at the Battle of Trierburg and the Siege of Rokrika, which would plunge the country into civil war, with the western republicans, under Eduard Olsov, fighting the eastern monarchists, led indirectly by Ivan VI.

Narozalic Republic

The Narozalic Republic was proclaimed in 1861 as Olsov and his republican faction emerged victorious from the civil war. The republic was shaky, being one of the first of its type in Euclea. The formation of the republic and the civil war did have grave consequences for Narozalic power though, with debts incurring from both the civil war and the War of the Triple Alliance, Chervolesia declared independence from the Narozalic Empire, and with it took Narozalica's main colonial holdings, although it retained control of Svobinsk after the civil war. Olsov quickly sought about reforms that would benefit the peasantry he was once a part of, and established a sort of welfare exchange, where the Narozalic government would promise livable wages and pensions for those who served in the military. As expected, military numbers in Narozalica rose quickly. However, the Olsov reign was scarcely one of positivity, authoritarianism, totalitarianism, and corruption were rife within the new Narozalic government, and Olsov ruled as if he were a monarch, with absolute power.

Olsov solidified his presidential power in the 1877 constitution, which established the Presidency as a position of absolute power, although he would amend this in 1901 to limit Presidential powers as the threat of deposition loomed. Olsov did well to keep stability in a rapidly-changing Narozalic society, especially one that had relied on monarchical idolisation for so long, he oversaw many changes to society, notably reducing the size of the upper-class considerably, whom he believed had been stealing wealth from the nation as a whole, although he did not describe himself as a communist, nor left-wing. Olsov was assassinated by monarchists in Patovatra in 1904, sparking a successional crisis that ended with Pyotr Petrovich taking the Presidency.

Vladislav Pudovkin overlooking a regiment of soldiers during the Great War.

The reigns of Petrovich and his successor Artjom Frecek were uneventful, and major change did not occur until Vladislav Pudovkin was elected as the fourth President of Narozalica. He was a firm believer in the teachings of Olsov, and was a Narozalic imperialist who supported various causes to reclaim the empire's once-expansive borders. With tension mounting in eastern Euclea, Pudovkin pushed the Narozalic government into signing an Anti-Gaullica Pact with Estmere, Etruria and Werania as the threat of a Gaullican global hegemony through its colonial empire was looming. He reigned in the island of Svobinsk, where an independence movement had been brewing, in 1921, by increasing military presence on the Asterian island. Narozalica joined the Great War in 1926, and contributed heavily to the defeat of Gaullica at the end of the war, gaining hefty reparations as a result, albeit no land. Narozalica was a founding member of the Community of Nations in 1935.

Upon the outbreak of the Solarian War, Pudovkin called for the invasion of Velzemia, a country who housed some ethnic Narodyns, while the rest of Euclea was embroiled in conflict. The invasion was a great success, and his public opinion grew favourably as a result. Despite this, Pudovkin resigned in 1950 to make way for a more moderate Mikhail Petrenko, whom he believed was the right man to "take Narozalica through the 20th century" and that Narozalica was "in a new age".

A second civil war eventually broke out in Narozalica, between the traditional republicans and the New Narozalica faction - an assortment of those who believed Narozalica practised an outdated ideology. The traditional republicans retained control of the country, although Velzemia gained its de facto independence as a result, with Narozalica still controlling and occupying the Narodyn majority areas of the country to this date. Since the civil war, Narozalica has generally pursued an anti-eastern foreign policy, being a vocal critic of the Euclean Community and any sort of Euclean integration. Narozalica is often seen as a geopolitical wildcard, not being a member of, or affiliated with, either of COMSED or ROSPO, with the country generally pursuing its own individual goals.

Geography

The peak of Mt. Tuzla, the largest mountain in Narozalica, is part of the Ostrug Mountain Range.

Narozalica is the largest country in Euclea, with an area of over 1.5 million square kilometres, over 200,000 square kilometres larger than second-placed Yavorstrana. Narozalica is divided into 16 provinces, each with federal powers devolved from the main government. Narozalica is one of three countries (along with Estmere and Gaullica) that retains overseas territory in other continents, with the island of George Ruset Land in Asteria Superior. Narozalica was the last country to decolonise in the Asterias, with the independence of Chervolesia in 1960.

Narozalica also has access to large amounts of natural resources, including coal, oil, liquefied natural gas, and uranium, most of which has been or is exported to other countries.

Climate

The climate of Narozalica is one of the most varied in Euclea. Temperature can range from as high as 35°C inland and can drop to as low as –15°C in the northern provinces in the winter. Most of Narozalica is designated as a temperate climate, with most of its larger cities experiencing temperate climates. The warmest and brightest summers are usually located in Zalykia and Shumsk, with average summer temperatures in the provinces often exceeding 25°C, while the coolest summers and often Kriklivets and Sarkola, with temperatures sometimes dropping to near-freezing levels in the summer months. Unlike many other countries, Narozalica cannot be divided into general geographical climate zones, as they vary across the country.

Precipitation is experienced by all of the country, and can be particularly heavy in the north-east, particularly the Samistopol region which can sometimes experience daily rainfall levels of up to 40mm. However it is comparatively frequent compared to much of western Euclea. Snowfall is also common in the winter months and is more common at inland areas and especially areas near the Ostrug Mountains.

A bridge over the Dolomit at Ulan Khol.

Environment

Narozalica's environment is extremely diverse, and many geographical phenomena are located throughout Narozalica, with the Dolomit, the longest river in Euclea, passing straight through the country. Other major rivers include the Aldar, Kvasy, Sarpa, Tsyr and Vikna. In the east of the country, the province of Sarkola is renowned for its colourful autumnal forests and picturesque lake landscapes. The Ostrug Mountains lie between the tributaries of the Dolomit and Vikna and form an expansive ridge that spans most of the western Lushkina and eastern Terekhivka province, historically providing ample natural defense for the country. In the centre of the country, Lake Nimgan, one of the largest in Euclea, forms the basis for most cities settled in Terekhivka. The northern provinces of Rykovychi and Myrutyn and characterised by their colder climates and landscapes, while Shumsk and Zalykia are known for their vast plains and grasslands.

Politics and Government

President Samuel Czenko

Prime Minister Dimitry Dubrinsky

The current Narozalic constitution states the Narozalica is a federal semi-presidential republic, with the President being the head of state while the Chairmen are the heads of the government. Narozalica is unique in that it has two simultaneously heads of government, the Chairman of the Vojnaskul and the Chairman of the Federal Council. Narozalica is structured as a multi-party democracy, but the leading party the Patriots' Front, dominate both houses. The government is comprised of three main branches:

• Legislative: The bicameral Federal Assembly of Narozalica, made up of the 100-seat Vojnaskul and the 500-seat Federal Council, has the power to draft, debate, and enact law, declare war, impeach the incumbent President, and decide on the budget.
• Executive: The President has the power the veto bills before they become laws, although this can be overturned by a three-quarters majority in the Vojnaskul. The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and can also appoint their 10-man cabinet.
• Judiciary: The judiciary are responsible for interpreting law and overturning laws they deem unconstitutional.

Until 1981, the President of Narozalica was a life-long title, with a successor chosen by the predecessor, since then, they have been elected for a 7-year-term, where any incumbent President can run an indefinite amount of times. The Chairmen of the Vojnaskul and Federal Council are appointed by the President with consent from the relevant bodies. The Patriots' Front is the current and historical main party in Narozalica, and holds a large majority in both the Vojnaskul and Federal Council, because of this, Narozalica is often ranked low in democracy indexes and indexes for political freedom.

Military

The Narozalic military is comprised into four main branches: the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Forces. Narozalica maintains one of the leading global militaries and is often described as more militarised than its Euclean counterparts. The army has 760,000 active duty soldiers as of 2019, and the air force and navy are some of the largest still active in Euclea. Narozalica retains the second largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, behind Senria. Narozalica was one of the first countries to complete a successful nuclear test, with Orel-1 in 1956.

It is mandatory for Narozalic males aged 18-30 to complete 18 months mandatory military service, due to this, the total number of reserve troops in Narozalic can be as high as 10 million, one of the largest in the world. Narozalica has one of the highest military budgets in Euclea, with 5.4% of its GDP being spent on it.

Foreign Relations

Narozalica's foreign relations mainly stem from its align to the EC, and the country often finds itself aligning slightly with the countries of ROSPO, although the country is not a member of the organisation. Narozalica can often trace lengthy rivalries with the countries of eastern Euclea, with some, like Estmere, going as far back as the 17th-century Gilded Wars. Despite this, Narozalica maintains a diplomatic presence in every member of the EC, with the same being true vice versa.

Narozalica is widely regarded as one of the world's great powers, being a founding member of the Community of Nations and a permanent member of its Security Council, the country holds significant influence in global affairs, particularly those in western Euclea. Narozalica is a founding member of the Samistopol Cooperation Organisation, strengthening ties on western Euclea, particularly states once part of the Empire of Narozalica. Narozalica has begun to attempt to expand its influence in Coius, through its Narozalic Development Fund, aiming to fund infrastructure in less developed countries across the continent.