Glanodel

Crowned Republic of Glanodel WIP
Flag Great Seal
Motto: "O le a tatou tumau." "We shall endure."
WIP
Capital	WIP
Largest	Graylund
Official languages	None federally recognized
Recognised national languages	Gaganaiian, English (Equivalent)
Ethnic groups	Glanish (80.2%), Newreyan (8.3%), Vrnallian (6.5%), Nausikaan (2.1%), Oser (1.9%), Other Lhedwinic (1%)
Demonym(s)	Glanish · Glens
Government	Federal presidential constitutional republic
• President	Noah A. Mikkelsen
• House Speaker (President pro tempore)	Karla L. Kruse
• Chancellor	David L. Vestergaard
Legislature	Congress of the Commonwealth (Kongres Glanodæl)
• Upper house	Council of State (Senatet)
• Lower house	National Council (Nationalråd)
Establishment
• King's Day	1 February 954
• Two Chambers Day	5 March 1158
• Revival Day	5 March 1900
Area
•	236,326 km2 (91,246 sq mi)
• Water (%)	18%
Population
• 2016 estimate	14,869,859
• 2015 census	14,019,103
• Density	62.921/km2 (163.0/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2016 estimate
• Total	$0.89 trillion
• Per capita	$59,864
GDP (nominal)	2016 estimate
• Total	$0.965 trillion
• Per capita	$64,948
Gini (2014)	29.5 low
HDI (2014)	0.930 very high
Currency	Gælder (Gilder) (GO)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+55
Internet TLD	.gln

Glanodel (Glanish-Lhedwinic: Glanódæl), officially the Glanish Commonwealth (Glanish-Lhedwinic: Glansk Fristatens), is a federal republic in Asura. It consists of 13, semi-autonomous cantons and the city of Vænholm is the seat of the federal government. The country is situated along the Northeast side of the archipelago Lhedwin and is bordered by Navack to the south, the Arctic Ocean to the north and west, and the Asuran Channel to the east. Glanodel is a mostly island, maritime country geographically separated into three areas by Norfeld defining its northern border and Sørfeld defining its southern, spanning an area of 236,326 square kilometres (91,246 sq mi). The Glanish population of 14.8 million, 4.2 million of whom are of a foreign background, is concentrated mostly within its major coastal cities, where the largest Glanish cities are found: among them are the two global cities and economic centers Graylund and Ellesø.

The origins of the modern Glanish culture can be traced back to the emergence of the Dalish tribes at the start of the Iron Age which dominated most of the region now known as Glanodel. As a single, unified country, the nation owes its origins to the establishment of the Kingdom of Glanodel in 1158 with the crowning of King Ögri Vænström. From the 14th to the 17th century, the Northern Renaissance shaped much of modern Glanish political, economic, and social ideology. It also led to the emergence of the nascent, liberal-leaning movement which dominated national policy towards the mid-17th century until the Kingdom joined the union of the United Kingdom of Lhedwin alongside the former Kingdoms of Navack and Crylante. Lhedwinic occupation of Glanodel ended with the nation's liberation by the Grand Alliance in 1899. The subsequent ratifying of the Grundlov (National Constitution) on 5 March 1900, established the Glanish Commonwealth. Facing great challenges following the end of the Great War due in large part to war losses, a majority of the first half of the 20th century was spent on reconstruction, inspiring the name "Reconstruction Era". Glanodel emerged as a dominant manufacturer in the growing world economy throughout the 1930s and 40s. The 1950s saw the empowerment of unions, numerous economic reforms, and unemployment benefits, as well as publicly-funded pensions, universal health care, and greater investments in both public and private education.

In its current form, Glanodel's national legislature is the elected, bicameral Congress of the Commonwealth: composed of the Council of State (Senatet; upper house), presided over by Chancellor David Vestergaard; and the National Council (Nationalråd, lower house), presided over by House Speaker Karla Kruse. Executive political power is exercised by the Cabinet, presided over by President of the Commonwealth Noah Mikkelsen, who serves as the nation's head of state and government.

The Glanish people enjoy one of the highest standards of living and the country ranks highly in numerous comparisons of national performance such as education, healthcare, protection of civil liberties, democratic governance, prosperity and human development. Glanodel is frequently ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world and has the world's highest social mobility rate with a high level of income equality and one of the world's highest per capita incomes. Glanodel also has one of the most ethnically diverse populations in Asura, with non-Glanish ethnicities making up roughly 45% of the nation's population. Glanish national identity is rooted in widely shared values of equality, the main inspiration behind its frequent use of referendums. As guaranteed by its Constitution, Glanish citizens reserve the right to freely practice any religion they chose, with Trúathi and Alydianism being the two most commonly practiced religions.

The 21st century saw the rise of Glanodel as a major power in Lhedwinic foreign affairs and a minor power within Asuran politics. Since the nation's rise to economic power in the 1990s, Glanodel has held a consistent place as having the highest per capita income in the world and one of the most economically competitive nations in the world. Glanodel has also emerged as a primary contributor to the 's northern missions, along side Newrey, and is a key proponent in the formation of the Lhedwin Council and the CDN. Glanodel is often referred to by numerous multinational magazines, tourism industries, and news outlets as both one of the world's major "cultural hubs", as well as a "hub of debauchery and indulgence". Glanish cultural achievements are widely known and Glanodel is most commonly known around the world for its famous authors, critically acclaimed musicians and classical orchestras, and its internationally recognizable movies and television shows. In addition, Glanodel is known for having far-libertarian social policies especially in comparison to other developed nations, such as legalized public nudity and even prostitution, as well as a plethora of controlled substances approved for recreational use.

Etymology and name

Linguistic anthropologists still differ on the exact origin of the name "Glanodel" (Glanish: Glanodæl), especially regarding its relationship with the Glanish people and the unified Kingdom of Glanodel. Most historians agree that the name is a compound. While the word's suffix, del (dæl) is widely accepted as a reference to the Glanish lands and is most likely derived from the Old Lhedwinic word for "valley", the first half of the name, glano is the primary subject of debate.

Originally believed to be a devolved form of an early usage of the word glen, which also refers to a "valley" or even "fjord", most historians now believe the word originates from the Old Lhaeraidh term for "clean", glano(s). Around the start of the 10th century, Lhaeraidh traders regularly made excursions into Glanish territory and one of the most notable differences between the two peoples was the fact that Glens seldom engaged in body modification, tattooing, or body painting. Additionally, the fair, pale skin of Lhedwin natives only stood out even more so in contrast to the darker complexion of the Lhaeraidh. Thus, around the middle of the 11th century, Glanaidh became a widely used term among the Lhaeraidh to describe and refer to the people of modern Glanodel. Consisting of the prefix glano ("clean") and the suffix -aidh ("people" or "folk"), the term essentially translated to the "clean people".

By the start of the 14th century, the Lhaeraidh trading network had spread throughout much of the known world and the term became commonly used even outside of Lhaeraidh territories. As a result, historians believe that "Glanaidh" later became commonly used among Glanish traders as well to facilitate trade agreements. Most historians agree the terms Glansk (tr. "Glanish"; "that of Glanish origin") and Glanska (tr. "Glens"; "Glanish people") became widespread by the early 14th century.

History

Main articles: History of Glanodel

Geography

Main Article: Geography of Glanodel

A map depicting an outline of Glanish geography, highways, and city locations.

The geography of Glanodel is extremely varied, with the most notable differences being between the arable, lowlands of the south and east coasts and the cold, mountainous landscape of the northern and western regions. Among Glanodel's most recognizable features are the Íssvegr and Jokulheim fjords, the Norfeld Mountains, the flat, low areas of Sørland, Østbjorth, and Siwald, and its Arctic archipelagos to the northwest. Sørland, the canton holding its capital city, has many lakes and bogs while the cantons of Østbjorth and Siwald hold numerous moraines. Much of the western and northern side of the country is dominated by mountainous or high terrain, with a great variety of natural features caused by prehistoric glaciers and varied topography, while the east side is mostly grasslands and fens.

Glanodel comprises all land along the Lhedwinic Isles east and northeast of the mountain range Sørfeld, which defines its only land border with another nation (Navack). The rugged coastline, broken by huge fjords and thousands of islands, stretches nearly 14,582 kilometres including the fjords and islands. The longest is Ileinskafjord at 204 kilometres (127 mi) in the city of Vallsberget in Ileinskali. Særlandfjord in the city of Notmarkskov in northern Særland is the world's second deepest fjord. Bors Lake between the cantons of Sumisetr and Helloreg is the deepest lake in Glanodel. Frozen ground can be found all year long in the higher mountain areas along Norfeld and Sørfeld, both of which stretch across the country, from coast to coast. The land is mostly made of hard granite and gneiss rock, but slate, sandstone, and limestone are also common, and the lowest elevations contain marine deposits.

Climate

Iglsø (or Igle Lake) is the largest lake in Glanodel and is located in South Sumisetr/Northeast Helloreg.

The whole of Glanodel lies in the boreal zone, characterized by warm summers and freezing winters. With coastal territories subject to both oceanic and gulf water currents and inland areas blocked from such effects by mountains, the temperateness varies considerably between the western and eastern coastal regions and the inlands, showing characteristics of both a maritime and a continental climate. Glanodel receives consistent warm currents along its coasts which combine with the moderating effects of the sea to the north resulting in the unusually warm climate compared with other regions that share the same latitude. The interior provinces receive mostly warm weather as well, which has a climate well suited for agriculture. The rest of Glanodel's climate is suitable for cereal farming only in the easternmost regions, while the western regions are suitable for animal husbandry.

Winters in eastern Glanodel (when mean daily temperature remains below 0 °C or 32 °F) are usually about 100 days long, and in the inland the snow typically covers the land from about late November to April, and on the coastal areas, snow often covers the land from late December to late March. Even in the east, the harshest winter nights can see the temperatures fall to −30 °C (−22 °F) although on coastal areas, temperatures below −30 °C (−22 °F) are very rare. Climatic summers (when mean daily temperature remains above 10 °C or 50 °F) in eastern Glanodel last from about late May to mid-September, and in the inland, the warmest days of July can reach over 35 °C (95 °F). Although most of Glanodel lies on the taiga belt, the easternmost coastal regions are sometimes classified as hemiboreal. In contrast, the provinces of Norfell, Siwald, and Saerland have long and cold winters, and relatively warm but short summers. The most severe winter days can see the temperature fall down to −45 °C (−49 °F). The winter of the north lasts for about 200 days with permanent snow cover from about mid-October to early May. Summers in the north are quite short, only two to three months, but can still see maximum daily temperatures above 25 °C (77 °F) during heat waves. No part of Glanodel has Arctic tundra, but Alpine tundra can be found in the highest regions of Norfell.

A third of Glanodel lies within the Arctic Circle and the midnight sun can be experienced for more days the farther north one travels. At Glanodel's northernmost point, the sun does not set for 73 consecutive days during summer, and does not rise at all for 51 days during winter.

Biodiversity

Long believed a myth, the narwhal is a toothed whale that possesses a "tusk" from a protruding canine tooth. It lives year-round in the the Arctic waters of Ileinskali, Keledalr, and Særmark.

According to the Environmental and Ecological Research Institute, the territory of Glanodel can be subdivided into three ecoregions: the subarctic taiga, Sarmatic mixed forests, and Montane Birch forest and grasslands. Taiga covers most of Glanodel from the far eastern side of its northern regions, to the southwestern parts of Villradäl. The coasts of southern Hafland and most of Sørland are covered by mixed forests. In Feniland and Siwald, Montane Birch forests and grasslands are common.

Similarly, Glanodel has a diverse and extensive range of fauna. There are at least sixty native mammalian species, 248 breeding bird species, over 70 fish species, and 11 reptile and frog species present today, many migrating from neighboring countries thousands of years ago. Large and widely recognized wildlife mammals found in Glanodel are the brown bear, arctic wolf, wolverine, and elk.

Three of the more striking birds are the whooper swan, a large swan found throughout the arctic; the capercaillie, a large, black-plumaged member of the grouse family; and the European eagle-owl. The latter is considered an indicator of old-growth forest connectivity, and has been declining because of landscape fragmentation. The most common breeding birds are the willow warbler, common chaffinch, and redwing. Of some seventy species of freshwater fish, the northern pike, perch, and others are plentiful. Atlantic salmon remains the favourite of fly rod enthusiasts.

The endangered Teks ringed seal, one of only three lake seal species in the world, exists only in the Teks lake system of southeastern Glanodel, down to only 300 seals today. It has become the emblem of the Wildlife Preservation Programs.

Politics and government

Main articles: Politics of Glanodel, Administrative divisions, Constitution of the Glanish Commonwealth, Congress of the Commonwealth, Federal Government

Foreign relations and international institutions

Main Article: Foreign relations

Military

Main Article: Armed Forces of Glanodel

Economy

Main article: Economy of Glanodel

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Glanodel

Culture

Main articles: Culture of Glanodel