Arthasthan
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United Socialist Republic of Arthasthan Name in national languages
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 Flag
 State emblem
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| Motto: यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः "Yato Dharmas-Tato Jayaḥ" "Whence Dharma, thence victory" | |||||||||
 Location of Arthasthan (dark blue) in Coius. | |||||||||
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| Capital and largest city | Nadipatnam | ||||||||
| Official languages | Samundrese Prasumi Utcalan Harringhati | ||||||||
| Recognised regional languages | Tamisari Marani Vijayla Valarna | ||||||||
| Ethnic groups (2019) |
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| Demonym(s) | Arthani | ||||||||
| Government | Ethnofederalist (federal) parlimentary council republic | ||||||||
| Abhijit Kamalanayan | |||||||||
• Premier | Jaidayal Indushekhar | ||||||||
| Legislature | Assembly | ||||||||
| Independence from Etruria | |||||||||
| 1944 | |||||||||
| 1946 | |||||||||
• Reorganisation into the United Socialist Republic | 1967 | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
• Total | 625,945.6 km2 (241,678.9 sq mi) | ||||||||
• Water (%) | 4.5 | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 2020 estimate | 107,281,772 | ||||||||
• Density | 171.39/km2 (443.9/sq mi) | ||||||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2020 estimate | ||||||||
• Total | $865.12 billion | ||||||||
• Per capita | $8,064 | ||||||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2020 estimate | ||||||||
• Total | $270.45 billion | ||||||||
• Per capita | $2,521 | ||||||||
| Gini (2020) | 31.237 medium | ||||||||
| HDI (2020) | 0.620 medium | ||||||||
| Currency | Masha | ||||||||
| Driving side | right | ||||||||
Arthasthan (Samundrese: अर्थस्थान, Utcalan: ଆର୍ଥାସ୍ଥାନ, Prasumi: অর্থথানা, Harringhati अर्थस्थान), officially the United Socialist Republic of Arthasthan, is a sovereign state in Satria, bordered by Padaratha to the west, Rajyaghar to the east, Ajahadya to the southeast, and Baekjeong to the south. It is nominally a federal union of multiple socialist states; in practice traditional social bonds remains strong and the civilian government is weak. Arthasthan is the second most populated country in Satria with a population of nearly 110 million. The country is divided into 5 States, 3 Autonomous States, and the Capital District of Nadipatnam.
The area which makes up Arthasthan has been continuously inhabited for thousands of years, with archaeological remains recording the presence of sedentary agriculture from around 4,300 BCE and the existence of pastoralist groups before this time. Located at the delta of the Bashurat River, Arthasthan was a heartland for the development of the Sataro-Euclean peoples who arrived from the east and subjugated the endemic peoples. The fertile valleys of the Bashurat river helped grow several large states in the antique era, making Arthasthan a centre of religious and philosophical as well as economic exchange. This led to the birth of the Ashrama, philosophical and theological schools which centred upon religious asceticism and pacifism.
Under the Ashramic period, which began around 700 BCE and which would continue until the emergence of the Sangma as a rival power, the region of modern day Arthasthan was the home of several wealthy states. However, at the coming of the common era, the Ashramic princedoms were subjugated by the Sangma dynasty. The region would remain under the Sangma for the majority of the dynasty's history, before the Nadipatnam Thakurate broke away and fought several wars with the central state. As Sangma power receded, more Arthani Thakurates would break away, eventually forming a confederacy of princely states called the Chamtamula Confederacy in the south. In the north, various minor states existed, which would eventually form the Rajadom of Pali. The confederacy was partially conquered by the Togoti Khaganate; its eastern region was directly annexed and its southern region was vassalized. Following the collapse of the Togoti Khaganate, a major general named Akdoğan, established his own fiefdom which became the Rajadom of Akdoğan. The Rajadom of Akdoğan faced strong competition from the Rajadom of Ajahadya to the east, and the Rajadom of Pali to the north. Desiring support, the Rajadoms turned to Euclea and especially Etruria and Narozalica for support. While this was at first manifested by increased trade and military advisors, the Euclean powers began to extract concessions. Kassar, modern day Nagapur, was granted to Narozalica following a limited armed campaign against the Palis, and in 1840s the Pali and Akdoğans were forced to cede their states to Etrurian rule.
During the Great War, Arthasthan supplied troops to Etruria but was also a centre of activity for anti-Euclean resistance. After almost a century of Etrurian colonization and repression, anti-colonialist movements were largely destroyed, but after the war the remaining nationalists and anti-colonialists formed the Satrian Section of the Workers' International. Independence would come during the Solarian War, led by the National Liberation Army which established a Pardal Republic known as the Satrian Commandery, ruled by the Arthani dominated Satrian Section and its Subsections. In 1967, the Commandery was reformed into the United Socialist Republic, marking the end of Arthani Pan-satrianism as a major political force. In the following decades after independence, Arthasthan participated in multiple conflicts in Satria.
Arthasthan is classified as a flawed democracy and as a Southern democracy due to the weakeness of the civilian government and the influence of the Arthani Section. Ethnic and religious divides are also present, due to the diverse nature of the state which unites many different groups and religions. Arthasthan is a developing nation, reliant on agriculture, mining, commercial fishing, and tourism for the nation’s economy. The country is considered a middle power in Kylaris due its population and geographic location. Due to its status as a socialist country, it is a full member of the Association for International Socialism. It is also a member of the Bashurat Cooperation Organization, the Council for Mutual Development, the Community of Nations, and the International Trade Organization.
Etymology
On its own, the Samundrese word अर्थ (ártha) is defined as "meaning", "aim", and "purpose", but when placed into various compound words its definition can vary considerably. The Samundrese word स्थान (sthān) refers to "place", "site", and "location". When this suffix is added, ártha means "wealth" and "prosperity" so the compound word árthasthān literally means "place of wealth" or more figuratively "land of wealth". The first known use of the name "Árthasthān" dates to the 10th century during the High Period of the Sangma Dynasty, where the term appeared in official documents to refer to the Bashurat River Delta as a "place of wealth". As the name first appeared in the record of imperial administrators instead of local officials, it appears that the name originated as an exonym, rather than an endonym.
History
Ancient Arthasthan
Sangma period
Post Sangma period
Early modern period
Colonial period
Satrian Commandery
United Socialist Republic
Geography
Arthasthan’s geography is diverse, varying from low coastal plains to tall mountain ranges. The southern region of the country is characterised by flat plains with large slow moving rivers. Its most prominent feature is the Bashurat River Delta in the southeast. The country is divided by the Pavitra Mountain Range, which runs through the center of the country. The southern slopes of the mountain range features gently sloping foothills compared to the steeper northern slopes. As a result, the northern coast generally has rugged and steeper coasts than the southern coast.
The country can be divided into five distinct geographical regions, the Bashurat River Delta, the Southern Coast, the Interior, the Highlands, and the Northern Coast. The River Delta is a maze of channels, swamps, lakes, and floodplain sediments. As it is the main drainage point for the entire Bashurat River, it makes the region extremely fertile. The southern coastal region’s flat shorelines merge into the Interior, a large region in the center of the country consisting of forests, rolling hills, and valleys. While not as fertile as the river delta, the floodplains formed by the region’s many small rivers provide fertile land. This region makes up the majority of the country and is where most of Arthasthan’s population lives.
The Highlands consist of the Pavitra Mountain Range and its surrounding rugged foothills. It contains the country's highest point, at 2,621 meters above sea level. The mountain divide traditionally marks the boundary between Northern Arthasthan and Central Arthasthan. The mountains also mark the northern boundary of the Sura River’s drainage basin. Due to the high altitude few Arthanis live in this region. The western end of the mountain range descends in altitude to an elevated plateau and foothill near the border with Padaratha. The steeper slope in the north creates a rockier and steeper shoreline in the north; it is common to find small cliffs and bluffs.
Climate
Arthasthan's climate is largely a tropical climate with some isolated regional climates caused by elevation. The majority of Arthasthan is a hot tropical monsoon climate. Parts of the Northern Coast is a tropical rainforest climate, although the climate doesn't reach far inland. The lower regions of the Highlands feature humid continental climates, which forms as a transition zone between the lower elevations and the lower elevations. In the mountain peaks in the eastern Highlands, there is a icy mountain climate, with snow year round.
Only parts of the Northern Coast receive precipitation year round. For the rest of the country, the majority of precipitation arrives between from December to June during the monsoon season. Most of the precipitation from these storms falls in the mountains as snow. Temperatures across most of Arthasthan remain largely consistent with relevantly minor differences based upon the weather.
Biodiversity
Arthasthan is home to diverse tropical floral and fauna, especially within the mountainous regions. There are ten nature reserves and nine national parks in Arthasthan that provide safe haven for many rare and endangered plants and animals. Arthasthan is commonly divided into into the Lowland biome and the Mountain biome, although each biome can be easily divided into a number of different biotic zones.
The Lowland biome is characterised by a tropical climate that is generally considered to cover nearly all of Arthasthan. Tropical forest and shrubland covers a majority of the biome as well as some semi-arid vegetation for the most extreme regions. Arthasthan's tropical forests can be subdivided further into broad categories of canopy density, or the proportion of the area of a forest covered by its tree canopy. The country's very dense forest, whose canopy density is greater than 70%, is largely found in the interior. Due to human habitation in the region, wildlife is most commonly found in these forests. Common wildlife in this area include tigers, elephants, monkeys, and the Satrian river dolphin.
The Mountain biome is characterised by colder and wetter weather with most of the precipitation falling as snow. As a result, the region forms the southern watershed for the northern region Bashurat River Basin and other rivers. Furthermore the rain shadow of the Pavitra Mountain Range causes the southern slope of the mountain to be warmer and drier. The biome is covered by forests at the lower elevations before the trees eventually give way to an subalpine zone. Above the tree line, is an alpine tundra devoid of large vegitation because of its elevation. Common wildlife in the region are suited to the mountainous terrain, which include the Snow Leopard and the Coian Lynx.
Government and politics
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Arthasthan's constitution, the People's Laws of Arthasthan, declares that the country is a federal union of socialist states united to achieve the goal of achieving a socialist society. The Laws officially establishes this socialist federation within the framework of as a federal democratic council republic. However in practice the civilian government is relatively weak and is characterised by a pervasive patronage system and a web of traditional social relationships that drives Arthani society. Instead of the weak civilian government, the Satrian Section of the Worker's International (SSWI) holds significant political power. While Arthasthan's constitution guarantees basic civil and political rights for all of its citizens, the government has inconsistently followed or ignored these protections entirely. For these reasons, Arthasthan is often considered by scholars to be an illiberal democracy, a Southern democracy, or an outright authoritarian state.
Satrian Section
The Arthani-led Satrian Section of the Workers' International is an umbrella organisation of socialist mass movements established in 1934. The People's Laws of Arthasthan declares that the Section "is the regional representative of the Workers' International, the Section shall play a leading role in the development of a socialist state" which constitutionalises its prominent status in Arthani politics. Since the foundation of the United Socialist Republic, the party institutions of the SSWI operate in parallel and in conjunction with normal government institutions. The party directly manages government functions, such as national defence through the Army of the Socialist Revolution, and are under the control of the party's leadership rather than the state. The Section is not a traditional political party, is an alliance of socialist movements in Arthasthan, which consists of factions in the legislature, labour unions, youth organizations, cultural organizations, charities, and other socialist groups.
The highest office within the Section is the First Secretary, who is also the commander in chief of the Army of the Socialist Revolution, and performs numerous key administrative functions of the party by controlling its national organisation. The First Secretary and other high level party officials make up the Secretariat, which functions as a collective body. They are elected by the National Party Congress, which is held annually. The National Congress serves as an official platform for debate within the party as it determines and approves party policy and elects party officials. When the National Congress is not in session, power is vested within the Secretariat.
The last major institution is the People's Congress which is an assembly of representatives from the Section's member organisation. Its main purpose is to coordinate the policies of the national government with its member organisations. In addition it has de facto legislative powers, as many of its members are also Assembly delegates. While the Congress began as a party institution, it is increasingly functioning as part of the federal government, especially since membership of the Congress was opened to groups not directly affiliated with the Section.
Government
The People's Laws defines the President as the head of state of Arthasthan, representing the country both domestically and internationally and maintaining the operation and stability of the federal government. The Premier serves as head of government and is appointed by the President after confirmation by the Assembly. The Premier heads the Government which consists of the Deputy Premier, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and other officials. The Premier wields executive powers, but has also limited legislative powers. The Premier is assisted by the Executive Council, consisting of various important government officials. They are collectively known as the Government. Each government is required to define the broad outline of its policies and present it to the Assembly for a mandatory period of debate. If the Assembly does not reject the government's outline by an absolute majority of deputies, the Government is approved.
The People's Laws defines the legislature of Arthasthan, as the Assembly. It functions as a unicameral body consisting of around 600 members directly elected a two-round system from single member districts. The Assembly wields legislative supremacy, granting it extensive legislative powers. The Assembly also has the authority to modify the constitution through a two-thirds majority vote, although it needs approval by a majority of the Supreme Court. Parliamentary elections are scheduled every four years, but a no-confidence vote by the Assembly can dissolve a government earlier. While it is a de jure state institution, it shares significant ties with the People's Congress of the Satrian Section as many deputies are members of both institutions. The People's Congress and the Assembly often coordinate together with the creation and implementation of national policy.
Judiciary
Before 1967, the highest judicial authority in the country was the Satrian Section's Political and Legal Affairs Commission, which delegated responsibility of managing the judicial system to a series of committees. Since then power over the judiciary has been officially transferred to the Council of Judicial Affairs under the civilian government. Its members are appointed by the Premier and confirmed by the Assembly. The Council of Judicial Affairs is not a court, but serves to organize the judicial system of the country by hiring, firing, promoting, and assigning judges. Although the Council of Justice is an independent body, it continues to cooperates closely with the Political and Legal Affairs Commission.
In turn the Council delegates non-constitutional judicial powers to the Supreme Court of Justice. The Court of Justice is the highest court for criminal and private law and has supreme appellate jurisdiction as well as supreme original jurisdiction over non-constitutional cases. The Council of Justice also appoints the judges of several high courts that serve as regional judicial circuits, although the State government must approve the appointment. A regional judicial council appointed by the Council of Judicial Affairs also appoints the judges that serve the courts of the Local Districts, although it usually appoints a judge recommended by the District.
Law enforcement
The law enforcement of Arthasthan is divided into federal level forces run by the national government and state and local forces managed by the various states. Federal law enforcement is largely controlled by the People's Armed Civil Forces, which consists of three agencies. As they operate in an armed militaristic capacity, and sometimes work alongside the military, the line between law enforcement and military forces are blurred. Academics consider the agencies of the People's Armed Civil Forces to be government paramilitary forces. The largest agency is the Internal Security Force, which is tasked with guarding Arthasthan's internal borders and major roads. Its main role is counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations within Arthasthan. Furthermore there are four different Border Police Forces each tasked with policing the country's land borders in peacetime and preventing trans-border crimes. Finally there is the Special Security Force which protects government sites, key infrastructure, and provides security to government officials. The only federal law enforcement agency under direct control of the civilian government is the National Police Force, which serves as a general law enforcement force dealing with organized crime and other federal crimes. In addition it maintains a quick reaction force that responds to riot and crowd control situations, formed after the 1980 Baisara riots.
Law enforcement below the federal level is handled by over a thousand agencies organised on the local, regional, and state levels. The organisation of these agencies varies considerably, although all States maintain a state wide law enforcement agency along with hundreds of local law enforcement agencies. These agencies are primarily in charge of intrastate law enforcement within the country. These agencies are often marred by corruption, brutality, and conflicting jurisdictions which has led to signficant dissent.
Administrative divisions
| Map | Name | Administrative centre | Population | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| States | ||||||||||
| Samundrese SS | Sevantipur | 26,571,967 | ||||||||
| Prasumi SS | Nadidvar | 20,852,693 | ||||||||
| Utcalani SS | Bogura | 16,253,518 | ||||||||
| Harringhati SS | Shaktibandar | 10,996,264 | ||||||||
| Marani SS | Baisara | 6,436,521 | ||||||||
| Regions | ||||||||||
| Tamisari SR | Minkathala | 6,131,712 | ||||||||
| Vijaylan SR | Kohadpath | 5,900,497 | ||||||||
| Valarna SR | Sliapathar | 5,211,541 | ||||||||
| Other subdivisions | ||||||||||
| Capital District | Nadipatnam | 8,927,059 | ||||||||
Arthasthan has a tiered governmental system consisting of a federal government overseeing states, autonomous regions, zones, and districts. After the federal level, Arthasthan is divided into several ethnically based and politically autonomous subdivisions and the Capital District of Nadipatnam. There are five States and three Autonomous regions for each major ethnicity in the country. The States and regions are subdivided into zones and districts.
The constitution assigns extensive power to its subdivisions, which are governed through the Councilist system of governance as required by the constitution. Each subdivisions has at its apex a state or regional council where members are directly elected to represent zones and districts and the council has legislative and executive power to direct internal affairs of the subdivision. These councils cooperate with District Councils and Zone Councils if they exist, elected by their population to coordinate the creation and implementation of policy.
Below the state level is a complicated system of Zones and Districts. Arthasthan have no formal second-level subdivisions below states. However Districts may create formal partnerships with each other known as Zones which are designed to promote cooperation and coordinate the creation and implementation of policy. These are especially within populated cities and often act as de facto city governments. Zones can have varying levels of political integration, so it is not uncommon for a District to be in multiple Zones of varying integration. This has led to an extremely complex system of overlapping and shared authority, that hinders national administration and governance.
The Districts are the smallest level of administration, equivalent to a municipality. The District system has largely subsumed the traditional tribe-based system by replacing the traditional council of elders with a Councilist system of governance. The main institution of the District is the Local People's Council, consisting of a 11 member council which is responsible for the District. Alongside the Council is the Local People's Assembly consisting of directly elected members and any voters who live in the District. Allowing voters to participate effectively turns it into a forum for their local community, allowing them to propose laws, decide some government spending, submit a report of current issues, and more. While the LPC and the LPA are the main authority, they are assisted by the Local People’s Committee which implements policies and ordinances proposed by the two other bodies.
Foreign relations
As a socialist country, Arthasthan is a member of the Association for International Socialism and its Satrian Section is affiliated with the Congress of the Workers' International. Despite ideological differences, it is also a member of the Senrian-led Bashurat Cooperation Organization, cooperating with Senria on security, military, and economic affairs. Other organizations it is a member of are the Council for Mutual Development, the Community of Nations, and the International Trade Organization. Due to its population, military, and economy it is considered a regional power as the only socialist state in Western Coius. The country's foreign affairs are handled by the International Relations Commission of the Secretariat of the Satrian Section of the Workers' International.
Arthasthan is a founding member of the Association for International Socialism and a member of its predecessor the Association of Emerging Socialist Economies. Through the AIS, Arthasthan cooperates with the rest of the socialist world on military, economic, diplomatic, scientific, and cultural matters. While the country has good relations with the members of the AIS, Arthasthan's ties are the strongest with Dezevau, its oldest ally. Arthasthan's relationship with Lavana and South Kabu are also close due to their location in Coius.
Arthasthan has tepid at best to poor relations with its neighbors due to its state ideology and border disputes. Its relations are especially poor with Ajahadya who lays claim to all of Arthasthan as part of its state ideology of pan-Satrianism. Since independence, Arthasthan has fought three wars against Ajahadya and several conflicts against Ajahadyan backed insurgencies as part of its goal to unify Satria. Relations are also poor with Padaratha as the two countries have a dispute over the island of Minkathala, known as the Tamisari Socialist Region in Arthasthan. Formerly an independent state, the two countries struggled for control over the island since the 1960s. Relations with Rajyaghar and Baekjeong are tepid as even though Arthasthan has ideological differences with its neighbors, they all share Ajahadya as a common enemy.
Arthasthan's relations with capitalist states, especially Euclean ones, are largely tepid at best because of the legacy of colonialism in Satria and ideological differences. The sole exception is its good relations with Senria, which is the warmest diplomatic relations Arthasthan has with a non socialist country. Due to Arthani hostility to Ajahadya, an ally of its geopolitical foe Shangea, Senria views Arthasthan as part of its strategy of countering Shangea and Shangean influence. As a member of the Bashurat Cooperation Organization, Arthasthan closely cooperates with Senria with military and security matters. Arthasthan has become increasingly economically integrated with the rest of BCO despite its state ideology and its existing economic ties through the AIS.
Armed forces
Arthasthan's armed forces, the Army of the Socialist Revolution is one of the largest militaries in Satria, consisting of 545,000 active troops and 350,000 paramilitary personnel, totaling around 800,000 trained troops. The main branches are the Ground Force, the Air Force, and the Navy, which are supported by a large number of paramilitary forces in the country. Functioning as the the armed wing of the Arthani dominated Satrian Section, the civilian government has no direct control over the Army. Instead the Army is coordinated by the Central Military Commission, which consists of representatives from the Satrian Section and the civilian government.
The paramilitary forces affiliated with the ASR include Naval Force, People's Guard, and the People's Armed Civil Forces. During peacetime the paramiltiaries' primary role are maintaining internal security which is chiefly conducted by the People's Armed Civil Forces. The paramilitary naval force primarily functions as a coast guard tasked with securing the nation's waterways, especially around the island of Minkathala. The People's Guard is as a ideologically driven militia force originally formed to operate as a resistance movement in the event of an invasion. Today the People's Guard functions as the Satrian Section's elite security force. During times of war, the paramilitaries are tasked with asymmetric warfare, counterinsurgency, and rear area security.
Economy
Arthasthan is categorised as a rapidly growing lower-middle income developing economy with a nominal GDP of $270.45 billion and a GDP PPP of $865.12 billion. As a socialist state, Arthasthan's economic system resembles market socialism, with high degrees of state ownership and workers' self-management with some foreign direct investment and private ownership based upon a market system. The long-term goal of the Arthani economy as enshrined in the constitution is economic development within a socialist framework to eventually establish a true socialist economy.
Arthansthan's economy is dependent on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and mining of mineral resources and fossil fuels. Arthasthan has a small but growing manufacturing center based around Nadipatnam, that produces textiles, food, and consumer electronics. Despite its development level, Arthasthan maintains a complex river and canal system that the country uses for agriculture and transportation.
Despite rapid growth, Arthasthan remains one of the poorest countries in Satria. To counter this government implements equitable economic policies, designed to improve living standards and reduce inequality. Foreign investors are largely dissuaded from investing because of the country's economic protectionism and its convoluted governmental structure particularly on the regional level and below, which has led to corruption, a gap between legislation and implementation, and unclear or conflicting regulations. The country has a Human Development Index of 0.620 indicating medium development and a Gini coefficient of 31.237 indicating moderate income inequality. As a result, Arthasthan receives development aid from the Association for International Socialism, the Council for Mutual Development, and the Bashurat Cooperation Organization.
Agriculture
The Arthani economy overwhelmingly relies on subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 20% of the nation's GDP but over 70% of the workforce. It largely consists of rice farming by agricultural cooperatives and commercial farming for export. These cooperatives either use the wet-field paddy system, practiced primarily in plains and valleys of the Bashurat River Delta and the Suranadi River Delta, or the slash-and-burn cultivation system, practiced primarily in hillier terrain found in the central and northern regions of the country. Animal husbandry is also common, and is supported by the government to provide better nutrition and additional sources of income for local cooperatives.
Over 75% of agricultural land in the country is used for rice; the remainder grow various agricultural for international export. It is a leading producer of black pepper, coffee, and tea which is exported all over the world. The majority of these farms are privately owned by permitted foreign investors that practice some form of intensive farming.
Despite the introduction mechanised farming equipment for preparing soil, planting, and harvesting crops, traditional methods for agriculture are still widely used. Attempts by the federal government to introduce equipment and educate farmers for its use, have met mixed success due to large regional disparities in adoption. Nevertheless small equipment such as small powered ploughs, has become much more common across the country in recent years.
Mining
Arthasthan maintains a large mining industry that accounts for 10% of national GDP and 5% of the workforce. Coal traditionally was the main international export in thousands of tons, but has been overtaken by iron ore, aluminium, chromite, and bauxite. The country is also a major producer of limestone, copper, and tin. After investment and economic assistance, in 2013 Arthasthan began producing oil in the western regions of the country. Currently there are plans to build a refinery so the country could export processed petroleum products. Mining is either done on the small scale by local cooperatives or on the large scale by state owned companies. Despite many local operations, the majority of resource extraction is done by large private entities.
Industry
Arthasthan maintains a small manufacturing sector centered on the Capital District of Nadipatnam that largely relies on foreign direct investment. It employs around 7% of the country's labour force but contributes over 20% of national GDP. Unlike the rest of Arthasthan, investment in the capital city is signficantly easier due to support from the federal government and streamlined goverance of the capital city. The majority of production is by Senrian-owned companies who largely produce a variety of textiles and basic consumer products. Arthani state owned companies also produce some goods, the most prominent being the Arthani Brewery Company, which produces a variety of beverages.
Services
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Arthasthan has a medium sized service sector, which occupies 18% of the workforce but contributes over 45% of the national GDP. It is dominated by the international travel and tourism industry, which has undergone a rapid growth since the country's borders were opened to tourism in 1994. Foreign tourism is the most common form of tourism in the country, with over 5.3 million arrivals in 2019, up 4% from the year before. The state authority for tourism, the General Agency for Tourism, manages a wide range of fields in the industry from acting as a travel agency, to operating hotels and restaurants. A number of approved foreign hotel chains, mainly Senrian, also operate in Arthasthan.
The main international destination in Arthasthan is the Kassar Peninsula and the city of Baisara. The region is famous for its sandy beaches and active night life and is also popular for its hiking and sailing. Within the past decade, the government has further encouraged further development in Minkathala and the southern coast in the Samundrese SS.
Energy
Arthasthan's energy sector is managed by the state-controlled Arthasthan Electricity Group (AEG), which produces 65% of the country's electricity. The remainder are produced by large private entities or generated locally. Most of Arthasthan's power is generated by fossil fuels, mainly coal from the country's extensive coal reserves. There is some fossil fuel energy production from oil and natural gas although this is limited.
Arthasthan has a growing hydropower sector centered in the Harringhati Socialist State, generated by four dams, several dozen small hydro stations, and hundreds of Micro hydro installations. The large dams are maanged by the Arthasthan Electricity Group, while the rest of the hydro plants are directly managed by local auhtorities. These plants were constructed using development aid from the AIS' Development Fund and support from the AIS Energy Commission.
Transportation
Most of Arthasthan's modern transportation network originates from the Etrurian colonial era when it was used to facilitate the transportation of raw materials to the colony's main ports. It was heavily damaged during the Solarian War and the First Satrian War and was only partially rebuilt. Today it remains is underdeveloped and disconnected; there are two distinct transportation network centered on Baisara in the north and Nadipatnam in the south, but are not connected. However a large scale expansion of the country's transportation network is currently in progress to allow better economic development. Today Arthasthan has over a thousand kilometers of electrified standard gauge railways in service and a further 700 kilometers of railway under construction. These railways are part of a future railway network, the National Railway System which will span over 5,000 km. These railways will allow passenger transport and freight transport across the country. A railway between Yadavpur and Kohadpath is currently under construction; once complete it would connect the existing railway networks in the north and the south.
Bicycles, motorcycles and motor scooters are the most popular forms of private road transport in the country. Public road transportation relies on publicly opereated bus routes. Arthasthan has a total of 150,000 km of paved, gravel, and dirt roads. As part of its Road Development Program, the government has both developed currently existing roads and developed new ones over the past seven years. The majority of new roads within the past couple years are in the Interior near or in Vanavasi land. These new roads have usually resulted in land disputes, as the Vanavasi fear enroachment by outsiders.
Arthasthan has a total of 54 ports which consists of two main ports in Nadipatnam and Baisara and many other smaller ports on the north and south coasts. The ports accommodates cargo and cruise terminals which also serves as unloading docks for containers. Arthani ports handle over 75% of the country's imports and exports to and from the rest of Coius, Euclea, and Asteria.
There are a total of 70 airports in Arthasthan. Among these, only Nadipatnam International Airport and Baisara International Airport accommodate international flights. Arthasthan Airlines, is the country's flag carrier, and is wholly owned by the Government of Arthasthan. The airline operates from its hub in Nadipatnam International Airport, and serves over a hundred international passenger, domestic passenger, and cargo destinations.
Demographics
The country is the second most populated country in Satria behind Ajahadya, with its population estimated to be around 107 million people in 2021. The annual growth rate, calculated by the last census in 2018, was reported to be 1.45%. The total fertility rate is estimated to be 1.7 children per woman, which continues a declining trend over the last couple decades. However the median age of the country is 23.6 years old with the majority of the country below 30 years old. There is an estimated 102.3 males for every 100 females in 2021. The average life expectancy is 72.2 years, with 69.2 years for men and 75.5 years for women.
Migration from rural to urban areas has been an important dynamic in Arthasthan recent history. The 2018 census found that the urban population increased to 31% of the total population, an increase of 4% since the last census. Arthasthan has two well defined population regions which forms a large arc in the country stretching from the Bashurat River Basin, to Yadavpur and Bangnon in the east, to Baleswar and Shaktibandar in the northern coastal region. The majority of Arthasthan's population lives within this general region.
Ethnicity
Arthasthan is widely considered to be a multiethnic country with many diverse ethnic groups within its borders. The people of Arthasthan are divided into four general ethnic categories; Parbhan, Dravidian peoples, Vanavasi, and Other, which are in turn divided into specific ethnic groups. The Parbhanic group represents more than three-quarters (75%) of the population, but there are more than a dozen different ethnic groups within Arthasthan, largely from the Vanavasi.
Around 75% of the population, about 81.3 million people, are Parbhans who speak various Sataro-Euclean langauges. The largest Parbhan subgroup is the Samundrese who make up a majority of the southeastern region and 22% of the country's population. The next largest ethnic subgroup is the Prasumi which are concentrated in the Bashurat River Basin and consists of 19% of the national population. The third largest subgroup are the Utcalans who are largely found in the northern-central region, and make up 11% of the population. The fourth largest ethnic subgroup is the Harringhati who make up around 10% of the national population and are found in two regions in the north. The last major ethnic subgroup are the Vijayla, who make up around 5% and live along the border region with Baekjeong to the south.
Around 13% of the population, about 14 million people, are Tankaris who speak their eponymous languages. The group largely consists of the Tamisari and the Valarna peoples; the Valarna people can be found in the central regions bordering Padaratha, while the Tamisari largely reside on the island of Minkathala. Today Tankaris continue to face cultural and economic discrimination because of their differing cultures.
Since the 2020 Census, the government recongizes the Vanavasi peoples which consist of 9% of the population, around 9.4 million. The Vanavasi are not an ethnic group, but rather a term to refer to over 900 different ethnic groups, through intentional or accidental isolation, have been sheltered from the wider Satrian society. Thus the term refers to an extremely diverse range of different ethnocultural groups, including Sataro-Euclean peoples, Tankari peoples, and a language isolate. Most Vanavasi today live in traditional social groups, such as tribes or clans, based on farming.
During the Socialist Satria Campaign from 1951 to the 1970s, the Vanavasi were the target of cultural and ideological "rectification" policies in order to assimilate them into Arthani society. The most notorious policies included land seizures to forcibly settle them, mandatory enrollment of Vanavasi children in state run schools, and the dismantling of traditional hereditary power structures. These policies led to significant ethnic tensions and the Vanavasi Insurgency which continue to the present day. The Vanavasi continue to face significant discimination in Arthani society, economic deprivation, and the legacy of the Socialist Satria Campaign.
The last ethnic category are "Others", which largely consist of half a million Baeans. The remaining 200 thousand people include Eucleans, and other Coians such as South Coians, Southeast Coians, Rahelians, and Bahians.
Languages
Arthasthan is a multiethnic and multilingual state; the official languages of Arthasthan are the Samundrese, Utcalan, Prasumi, and Harringhati languages. Other languages such as Tamisari, Marani, Vijayla, and Valarna are recognized by the national government and their respective state.
Samundrese is the lingua gaullica and national language designated by the Arthani government. It replaced Vespasian as the language of business, government, law, and education during the Socialist Satria Campaign. The use of other languages for these situations are heavily discouraged, although translations are sometimes provided. Most Arthani citizens are bilingual by using Samundrese as a common language to communicate with other Arthani and their mother-tongue to communicate within their ethnic group. The other languages in Arthasthan are spoken by their constituent ethnic groups such as Prasumi, Tamisari, and Harringhati.
There is significant diversity within the Vanavasi languages with 800 indigenous languages, but most have fewer than 1,000 speakers. The average Vanavasian language has around 7000 speakers, although some languages have gone extinct. No languages of the Vanavasi are recognized; the use of their languages have declined as the use of Samundrese continues to be promoted in these communities by the federal government. The government has not made any attempt to halt the languages' decline or to preserve them, leading to accusations of forced cultural assimilation.
Religion
Largest cities
Education
The Arthasthan government has wide ranging authority over the country's education system and curriculum, although the state governments have some authority to monitor and create specialised curriculum. Education is free and is compulsory from the ages of 5 to 18, although students have the option at 16 to join the workforce through an apprenticeship. The standard school year runs from mid August to late May with some regional variations. The Ministry of Education and the provincial Educational Offices work in cooperation to ensure the quality of education. Homeschooling is an option for students who have severe behavioural or learning difficulties or would be impeded by placement in a school.
Optional kindergarten education is provided by various organisations for all children between two and five years old. Primary education, lasts for five years, which beings at five years of age and ends with students graduating at ten. The school first concentrates on teaching student basic knowledge, skills, and activities before shifting to gauging a student’s abilities. A test administered before graduation will measure a student’s cumulative abilities.
Secondary education is broken into two parts; the General School for general education from ten to fourteen years old and two separate specialised schools from fourteen to eighteen. The High School is for talented and intelligent students, which emphasises academic learning and preparation for universities. Students can also go to a Vocational School, which teaches a student the skills for a particular job. Otherwise they can remain in the General School until graduation. They also offer artistic, gymnasium, and vocational classes. The General School also offers a variety of courses designed to prepare students with essential skills for adulthood. These include learning to pay various taxes and bills, driving a car, gun safety, and culinary classes.
There are 12 universities and over 100 colleges for tertiary education in the country. It is divided into vocational technicals and academic universities. Admission is free for students applying to technicals and universities who have an above average grade. Below that students must pay the admission fee.