Castelana

Castelan Republic Republica Castelana (Castelan) Gwerinaeth Castelunaeg (Rianic)
Flag
Motto: Liberda e Unida "Liberty and Unity"
Anthem: Castelanha subrel todos Castelun iuchbenand "Castelana above all"
Capital and largest city	Sãda Mõdanha
Official languages	Castelan Rianic
Ethnic groups (2018)	74% Castelan 21% Rianic 5% Other
Demonym(s)	Castelan
Government	Federal parliamentary directorial republic
• Consuls	Ruis Frayas (MpC) Anha Estiorõ (PT)
Legislature	Senate
Establishment
• Unification	1129
• Annexation of Riania	1697
• Opal Uprising	1804
• Golden Uprising	1879
Area
•	176,973 km2 (68,330 sq mi)
Population
• 2018 census	9,824,873
• Density	55.51/km2 (143.8/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	$353.02 billion
• Per capita	$35,931
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	$295.75 billion
• Per capita	$30,102
Gini (2017)	25.9 low
HDI (2018)	0.807 very high
Currency	Castelan argenda
Driving side	right
Calling code	+69
Internet TLD	.cs

Castelana (Castelan: Castelanha [kastɛlaɲa], Rianic: Castelun [kastɛːlʊn]), officially the Castelan Republic (Castelan: Republica Castelana [ɾɛpublika kastɛlana], Rianic: Gwerinaeth Castelunaeg [ɡwɛɾɪnaɪ̯θ kastɛluːnaɪ̯ɡ]), is a country located in western Auressia at the start of the Angulas peninsula, bordering Palia to the east. Its northern and western fringes are notably rather mountainous, while much of the rest of the nation is rather flat and it is in these parts where the vast majority of the population is located, including the two largest cities in the Republic, Cendraçuda and Sãda Mõdanha, the capital. The nation is governed as a federal parliamentary directorial republic and is currently led by Consuls Ruis Frayas and Anha Estiorõ.

The Castelan Republic has existed in some form since 1129, when much of the country's current territories, bar Riania, were unified under a centralised authority in Sãda Mõdanha. The nation was long run as a noble republic, with membership of the Senate being hereditary and thus confined to a few select families, who mostly came from the region around the capital. This led to tensions in the 18th and 19th centuries, as the absorption of Riania in 1697 and the growth of the middle classes led to powerful sections of society feeling unrepresented in the government.

As industrialisation concentrated the population and shifted society further, the republic experienced two waves of revolutionary sentiment. The first, the Rythenean Revolution-inspired Opal Uprising of 1804, was ultimately unsuccessful but led to a shift towards a more representative form of government as reforms in its aftermath gave the vote to some of the growing middle classes. However, the 1879 Golden Uprising successfully deposed the old republic and established the modern republic with representative democracy and universal suffrage at its core.

Castelana's republican virtues play a strong role in its national identity and international outlook, as does its unique religious heritage under the Minervan faith and its continued relevance in Castelan society. A history of trade unionism has led to the nation adopting an economic system largely based on tripartite corporatism, with negotiations between employers, unions and the government being central to the nation's economy. The nation, as a result, has relatively low levels of income inequality. It also has a generous welfare state, with the government providing free tertiary education and universal healthcare, as well as some of the world's longest maternity leave.

However, the nation has been marred by social conflicts between modernising, secular forces and traditional religious values, and has seen conflict over the past few decades between Rianic nationalists and seperatists and the central government.

Politics and Government

Ruis Frayas Consul	Anha Estiorõ Consul

Castelana works within the framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic; the Consuls serve as head of state and government. Executive power is excercised by the Government of Castelana, legislative power is excercised by the Senate of Castelana and judicial power is independent from both the legislature and the executive.

The Senate of Castelana is given legislative power, and on top of this gives confidence to the Government and Consuls of Castelana, approves the budget and ratifies treaties with other nations. The Senate is elected every two years by mixed-member proportional representation, with 50 of its members being elected to represent single-member constituencies and 50 being elected to regional lists representing Castelana's five Provinces.

At the start of each term, the Senate elects two Consuls from among itself, who are then inaugurated as both heads of government and state. A Government consisting of 10 Ministers is then appointed by the Consuls and confirmed by the Senate, which is then responsible for the governance of the nation and holds executive power. This Government, along with the two Consuls chairing it, must hold the continued confidence of the Senate and may be dismissed by a motion of no confidence if it no longer holds the confidence of the Senate.

Castelana has a multi-party system, in which it is very rare for a party to win a majority, and thus the nation has often been governed by grand coalitions in which both major parties will hold a consular position to counterbalance each other. The three largest parties in modern Castelana are the Perendist democratic and Castelan nationalist Movement for Castelana, the social democratic and Perendist socialist Labour Party and The Democrats, a classical liberal, republican and secular party. The Movement for Castelana and the Labour Party are currently in a governing coalition, with the Movement's Ruis Frayas and Labour's Anha Estiorõ serving as Consuls.

A host of smaller parties also have representation, the largest of which is Dialogue, an anti-clerical progressive party, known for its strong rejection of the influence of religion on Castelan politics. The party is in a political alliance with the Green Party, which focuses on environmentalism and left-wing populism, and the Party for Riania, a left-wing party advocating greater autonomy for Riania. The only other party with representation is Our Home, a national conservative party of the Minervan right. The rise of both forces has been tied to a rejection of the status quo by a more secular youth and a reaction by more conservative Minervans against modernity, as well as economic woes.

Demographics

The 2018 census gave Castelana a population of 9,824,873, which represents an increase of 128,703 from the 2011 census, which represents an average yearly growth rate of 0.189%. This population gives Castelana a population density of around 55.5 people per square kilometre, a relatively low population density compared to other countries in Auressia.

This population density varies across the country and is lower in many of the rural, mountainous northern terrain of Les Borias and northern Riania, where the population is largely clustered in valleys - both Sãda Mõdanha and Cendraçuda are set in valleys between the traditional border of Les Borias and Les Ostras. In Les Ostras itself, much of the population is clustered along the coast, with a significant conurbation stretching from southeastern Riania in cities like Porth Mellon towards cities such as Iglesia Nuva and Pordo Safiro.

Castelana has a fairly high fertility rate for an Auressian country at 2.32 babies per woman, above the replacement rate of 2.1. The life expectancy is significantly high, at around 82.0 years on average, increasing to 84.3 for women and decreasing to 79.7 for men. Small communities exist in coastal Castelana where, due to their very high life expectancies and relatively low rates of heart disease and cancer, have been classified as blue zones.

Culture

As a result of its historical position at the borderlines of the Sabarian Empire, Castelana possesses a unique culture informed by both a heavy Sabarine influence common to much of the Occidental Confederacy and the !Celtic traditions of many nations on the Angulas Peninsula. Castelan society is also defined by the heavy influence of Perendism, with the religion's social teachings influencing many cultural norms and taboos.

The nation is also noted for many cultural divides between its various regions: the culture of Les Ostras is influenced heavily by its !Mediterranean climate of and its strong maritime tradition, while the culture of Les Borias owes more to its mountainous terrain and !Alpine climate and Riania is defined heavily in terms of culture by its status as the only federal entity of Castelana with a !Celtic-speaking majority.

Music and Art

Castelana is noted for a rich folk music tradition which makes use of instruments such as the cauquinho, a small four-stringed guitar developed in the Les Ostras area, as well as the gaidas and other woodwind instruments and percussive instruments such as tambourines and drums.

One of the most prominent styles of Castelan folk music is muzica calharõ, or street music. This genre features largely sparse instrumentation, often being performed by solo acts accompanied by a cauquinho backing in a minor key, with sorrowful vocals and lyrics often detailing feelings of longing and troubled romance. However, in terms of international reputation, this is rivalled by muzica noite, or night music. In opposition to street music, this is performed by bands and features complicated percussive rhythms and simple, major key driven melodies and often instrumental, being intended for dancing.

The nation also has a somewhat significant classical music tradition, with distinct operatic and orchestral traditions, with opera singers such as Flavia Rosas and Alessãdra Areya, pianists such as Nico del Rublo and composers such as Ãdonio las Piras and Mattio Ventrilho providing international recognition to this tradition.

Castelana also possesses a somewhat significant pop music scene, with many attempts at crossover between Castelan folk music and contemporary pop music having gained popularity, such as nuva calharõ, which takes the sorrowful vocals and minor keys of Castelan street music and combines it with electronic instrumentation, and roqua-noite, an electric ukelele-driven, politically charged fusion of rock music styles such as punk, new wave and garage rock with night music. Both of these styles have become very popular since their emergence in the 1980s and 1990s, and have dominated the Castelan popular music charts. The nation has also contributed to electronic music styles, with the development of Castebeat and Castrance being cited as the nation's largest contributions to the genre.