Talakh

Emirate of Talakh الأردنية الإمارات Al-Imārāt Al-Talakh
Flag Coat of Arms of Talakh Coat of Arms
Motto:  الله، الوطن ، الملك" Allah, Al-Waṭan, Al-Malik God, Country, King
Royal anthem:  نشيد السلام السلطاني as-Salām as-Sultānī Royal Salute
Area controlled by Talakh shown in green Area controlled by Talakh shown in green
Capital and largest city	Nashifah
Official languages	Arabic
Recognised regional languages	Tuareg Berber
Religion	24.46% Sunni 45.9% Twelver Shia 22.55% Khawarijite 3.01% Fabrian Catholic 2% Coptic 1.62% Jewish 0.46% Folk religion
Ethnic groups (2017)	83.41% Arab-Berber 10.21% Tuareg 6.38% Arab
Demonym(s)	Talaki
Government	Unitary Semi-constitutional monarchy
• Emir	Abdul-Hassan III
• Prime Minister	Ahmad al-Jalawi
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	House of Representatives
• Lower house	House of Deputies
Independence from Arthurista
• Sultante	1919
• Independence	1960
• Constitution	1963
Area
• Total	136,656 km2 (52,763 sq mi)
• Water (%)	1.3%
Population
• 2017 estimate	11,676,115
• 2010 census	9,887,430
GDP (PPP)	2017 estimate
• Total	$163.24 billion
• Per capita	$13,981
GDP (nominal)	2017 estimate
• Total	$134.97 billion
• Per capita	$11,555
Gini	35.4 medium
HDI (2014)	0.748 high
Currency	Minam (TKM)
Date format	dd.mm.yy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+411
ISO 3166 code	TAL
Internet TLD	.tl

Talakh (Arabic: الكويت‎ al-Talakh), officially the Emirate of Talakh (Arabic: الأردنية الإمارات‎, Al-Imārāt Al-Talakh), is a country in Western Scipia. Situated in the north-western region of Scipia, it shares borders with Nahlia to the west and Marad to the west. As of 2017, Talakh has a population of 11.6 million people, it is a multi-ethnic and multi-sect nation, with Arab-Berbers constituting the majority, but with a sizeable population of Tuaregs and Arabs. Its capital and largest city is Nashifah.

Oil reserves were discovered in commercial quantities in 1938. From 1946 to 1982, the country underwent large-scale modernization. In the 1980s, Talakh experienced a period of geopolitical instability and an economic crisis following the stock market crash. Talakh underwent major political and social reform in the 1990s to repair the damage caused by the crises of the previous decade, these resulted in a liberalisation of social norms and laws, introduction of a semi-constitutional monarchy and a vibrant multi-party democracy under a strong monarch. The pace of reforms in Talakh resulted in a breakdown of relations between several socio-political groups and the government and the continued Arab domination of the Arab-Berber population has caused resentment. The 2000s saw extensive economic growth and development, yet this was uneven by sectarian terms and Talakh faces renewed sectarian unrest.

Islam is the official religion of Talakh, though minority faiths including Christianity, Judaism and Folkish faiths are protected by the constitution. It is a constitutional state with a semi-democratic political system. It has a middle-income economy backed by the world's eight largest oil reserves. Talakh is a major cultural and educational hub in the Islamic World and North Scipia, it also considered to be the major supplier of television shows, movies and soap operas, while several of its universities are top ranking within Scipia.

Talakh is a member of the Periclean Forum, United Conference for Islamic Nations and Peoples, Economic Development Forum and the XX.

Geography

Climate

The climate of Talakh is generally consisted of a temperate Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild to cool, wet winters, modified by elevation. But most of the in-land country was an arid desert climate. The terrain in the lower east of the nation is generally mountainous, which, moving south, gives way to a hot, dry central plain. The south is semiarid and merges into the large deserts.

Politics

Talakh is a unitary state under a semi-constitutional monarchy. Talakh's constitution, adopted in 1963 and amended a number of times since, is the legal framework that governs the monarch, government, bicameral legislature and judiciary. The emir retains wide executive and legislative powers from the government and parliament. The emir exercises his powers through the government that he appoints for a four-year term following a general election, by convention the emir selects the leader of the largest party as prime minister, which is responsible before the parliament that is made up of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the House of Deputies. The judiciary is independent according to the constitution and is widely considered highly effective and independent in comparison to other Scipian governments.

The emir is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He can declare war and peace, ratify laws and treaties, convene and close legislative sessions, call and postpone elections, dismiss the government and dissolve the parliament. The appointed government can also be dismissed through a majority vote of no confidence by the elected House of Deputies. After a bill is proposed by the government, it must be approved by the House of Deputies then the House of Representatives, and becomes law after being ratified by the emir. A royal veto on legislation can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in a joint session of both houses.

Emir Abdul-Hassan III in 2016.

The 70 members of the upper House of Representatives are directly appointed by the emir, the constitution mandates that they be veteran politicians, judges and generals who previously served in the government or in the House of Deputies, though in a constitutional amendment made in 2002, the emir may appoint people of "national esteem", artists, business people, teachers and scientists. The 145 members of the lower House of Deputies are elected through first-past-the-post in single-member constituencies for a 4-year term. Minimum quotas exist in the House of Deputies for women (15 seats, though they won 20 seats in the 2016 election), Tuaregs (10 seats), Christians (5 seats) and Jews (3 seats).

Prime Minister Ahmad al-Jalawi.

Courts are divided into three categories: civil, religious, and special. The civil courts deal with civil and criminal matters, including cases brought against the government. The civil courts include Magistrate Courts, Courts of First Instance, Courts of Appeal, High Administrative Courts which hear cases relating to administrative matters, and the Constitutional Court which was set up in 2002 in order to hear cases regarding the constitutionality of laws. Although Islam is the state religion, the constitution preserves religious and personal freedoms. Religious law only extends to matters of personal status such as divorce and inheritance in religious courts, and is partially based on Islamic Sharia law. The special court deals with cases forwarded by the civil one. The emir was formerly responsible for the appointment of all senior judicial officials, but following the 2002 constitutional reform, the became independently appointed through the National Bar Association.

The current emir, Abdul-Hassan III, ascended to the throne on 11 March 1995 after the death of his father Mohammad bin Hussein who was shot dead by a Jewish nationalist. The current prime minister, Ahmad al-Jalawi has held the office since 2014 when his party received a working majority in the year's elections. Talakh's democracy is described as a "vibrant multi-party system" by the Belisarian Community, however in recent years the party system has devolved into very narrow-focused entities, often representing individual ethno-sectarian groups, the best example being the Al-Sadiqoun Party, which is a Shia Islamist party closely aligned to Marad.

Foreign relations

The Emirate has followed a pro-Belisarian foreign policy and maintained close relations with the former colonial power Arthurista and its ally, Latium. It's relationship with the two nations has strengthened in recent years with a renewed focus on security and economic cooperation. This relationship has been mostly driven by Talakh's often tense relationship with its larger neighbours Marad and Nahlia to the east and west respectively. Relations with Marad since 2001 have become immensely strained over the repeated accusations of Marad supporting Shi'ite activist groups and funding the Al-Sadiqoun Party. Since 2009 there have been six major clashes between the two countries over the southern border, which is caused by long-standing disputes by the countries' respective nomadic peoples.

Talakh is the only majority Muslim country to enjoy cordial relations with Yisrael, driven by their mutual relationship with Arthurista. The Emir of Talakh has been a regular guest of the Yisraeli monarch and the two countries have a strong trade-relationship, while they also enjoy a burgeoning joint-effort to expand security cooperation. It also maintains strong relations with Abalessa, the only friendly Arab country. Both nations share a colonial past with Arthurista and the al-Khalidi dynasty of Abalessa are blood relatives of the Hassan family.

Talakh is a founding member of the United Conference for Islamic Nations and Peoples, a member of the Periclean Forum and XX.

Military

Main article: Royal Armed Forces of Talakh

The Royal Armed Forces of Talakh consist of three branches of service: the Royal Talakhi Army, the Royal Talakhi Navy, the Royal Talakhi Air Force and the Royal Talakhi Border Force. They are administered by the Emirate’s Ministry of Defence, but the de jure head of the Talakh Armed Forces is the country’s Emir.

Talakhi Boudica tanks during military exercises.

Talakh has invested heavily in recent years in modernising its military, including the purchasing of tanks, aircraft and naval vessels from Arthurista and Latium.

Demographics

According to the Talaki government, as of 2017, Talakh has an estimated population of 11,676,115 inhabitants. The capital and largest city of Talakh is Nashifah, which is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities and one of the most liberal in the Arab world. Talaki society is largely tribal and encompasses three major identities: that of the tribe, the Ibadi faith, and maritime trade. The third identity pertains mostly to the coastal areas of Talakh, and is reflected by business, trade, and the diverse origins of many Talakis, consequently, the third identity is generally seen to be more open and tolerant towards others, and is often in tension with the more traditional and insular identities of the interior.

Ethnic groups

According to the 2010 Talaki census, Talakh had a population at the time of 9,887,430 residents, of which mainly Berbers and Arabs. There remains a significant proportion of speakers of Berber dialects within the population. Other peoples have also migrated to Talakh during different periods of time, including Arab, Latins, Phoenicians, Jews, and Arthuristan settlers. The first people known to history in what is now Talakh were the Berbers. Numerous civilizations and peoples have invaded, migrated to, or have been assimilated into the population over the millennia, with influences of the population from Phoenicians, Latins, Arabs, Salmanid and Arthuristans. There was a continuing inflow of nomadic Arab tribes from Nahlia, Intermaria and Marad.

Language

The official language of Talakh is Arabic. However, Berber is also used by a large majority of the population. Colloquial Talaki Arabic is heavily infused with borrowings from Berber. Berber. has been recognized as a "national language" by the constitution. The Berber language, is taught and is partially co-official (with a few restrictions) in parts of the country. There are plans to change the constitution that would make Berber an official language alongside Arabic.

Religion

Officially Islam is the state religion with the majority follow the Ibadi School of Islam and fewer Sunni and Shia. However, Talakh has large communities of non-Muslim religious groups include various groups of Jains, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Sikhs, Jews, Hindus and Christians. Christian communities include Catholic, Coptic, and various other congregations, organizing along linguistic and ethnic lines. There are also small communities of local ethnic tribal faiths, but as the government does not keep statistics on religious affiliation statistics are difficult to find.

See also

• Abalessa
• Arthurista
• Ajax