Sutorina

Governorate of Sutorina Governatorato sutorina
Flag of Flag of Coat of arms
Location of Sutorina (Red box) in Anterra (light blue & grey) in Oretania (light blue) Location of Sutorina (Red box) in Anterra (light blue & grey) in Oretania (light blue)
Map of the islands of Sutorina Map of the islands of Sutorina
Status	Overseas Governorate of Etruria
Capital and largest city	Santa Chiara
Official languages	Italian Croatian Slovenian
Ethnic groups (2016)	90% Italian 4% Croat 4% Slovene 2% Arabs
Religion (2016)	98% Poveglian Catholic 2% Islam
Demonym(s)	Sutorini
Government	Overseas Governorate
• Prefect	Giovanni Paolo Bassani
• President of the Assembly	Donnatella Emmanuello
Legislature	Assembly
•	5th century BC
• End of Mulsim rule	11 October 1588
• Ceded to Torrazza	3 November 1589
• Absorbed by the Kingdom of Vespasia	11 June 1810
• Governorate status	February 5 1856
• Separate status	November 11 1972
Area
• Total	1,025 km2 (396 sq mi)
• Water (%)	X
Population
• 2017 estimate	10,107
• 2014 census	9,333
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	$217.3 million
• Per capita	$21,501
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	$190.82 million
• Per capita	$18,880
Gini	46.9 high
HDI	0.843 very high
Currency	Etrurian florin (₣)
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy
Driving side	left

Sutorina or officially the Governorate of Sutorina (Vespasian: Governatorato sutorina), is an Etrurian Overseas Governorate consisting of the islands of the Nettuniano Archipelago located off the cost of north-western Oretania. The islands are located equidistantly between Qurac to the east and Jungastia to the west, with Rahia located to the south.

They are known primarily for tourism and as an offshore financial centre. The resident population is 10,107 as of 2017 with 5,886 living on Santa Chiara island.

The islands have a Mediterranean climate and a total area of 1,025km² (396 sq m).

The first recorded evidence of habitation was 558 BC when nomadic tribes from northern Oretania crossed the sea and settled on what this now Santa Chiara island, however their stay lasted only an estimated 150 years. The islands were settled again by ancient Vespasic traders from modern day Etruria in 431 BC, with Vespasic habitation continuing until 551 AD when the islands were taken by Arabs. In 1588, Torrazzi traders eager to reestablish a base from which to trade spices and jewels with the Oretanian states seized the islands from the Arabs and officially annexed them in 1589. The island would then be transferred to the Kingdom of Vespasia in 1810 following Vespasian unification. For many years the islands were governed indirectly through Rahia when it was merged with Sutorina to form Oretania settentrionale etruriana (OSE) in 1858. When it was announced that Rahia would be granted independence in 1973, OSE was dismantled in 1972 with Sutorina being granted autonomy as a separate governorate.

Since then Sutorina has become one of the most exclusive tourist resorts in the world and an official offshore financial centre for Etruria and Artemia. Since independence, Sutorina has become a symbol of the wealth and extravagance of the Etrurian elites, becoming the target of anti-elite and left-wing activists. It has also become a key way point for Etruria to project influence into Oretania according to many analysts.

History

Pre-history and Poveglian times

The island has been inhabited since per-antiquity. Evidence of human settlement was discovered during the Poveglian era; according to Paremius, when the foundations for the villa of Vespasian were being excavated, giant bones and 'weapons of stone' were discovered. The emperor ordered these to be displayed in the garden of his main residence, the Palace of Neptune. Modern excavations have shown that human presence on the island can be dated to the Neolithic and the Bronze Age. Vespasian developed Sutorina; he built temples, villas, aqueducts, and planted gardens so he could enjoy his private paradise, for whenever he wished to travel to the Poveglian territories in North XXX.

Prior to the arrival of Poveglian colonists enroute to North XXX, an ancient precursor to the Berbers inhabited the islands for the fish and grapes that grow on the island. However it is surmised by modern archeologists that they abandoned the islands following some sort of plague, following the discover of a large burial ground on Nouvo Gianna Minore in 1976.

Throughout the history of the Poveglian Empire, the islands had seen the construction of lavish imperial villas, but were regularly visited by Emperors, rather the islands began a stop-off point for ships traveling between Northern XX and the Poveglian heartland in modern Etruria to the north.

Modern period

Following the collapse of the Vespasian monarchy and the succession of the Kingdom into the Transetrurian Federation, Sutorina along with Rahia became the focus of modernisation efforts by the republican regime in Poveglia.

The Modernisation program, which began in 1926, eradicated malaria, and constructed hospitals, aqueducts, a power plant to provide Santa Chiara with electric lighting, and established the Sutorini Cadastre. The historical Torrazzi castle at Ponte Resoluti was rebuilt. The churches and the Monastery of Santa Cecilia were renovated and expanded, Santa Chiara also received a new college to enable children to be taught up to the ages of 18 rather than the traditional 14. Between 1928 and 1930, the Etrurian Navy laid electrical cables throughout Sutorina's internal waters to enable the electrification of the other islands. Between 1938 and 1940 the Etrurian Navy constructed a refueling station and a small submarine pen, drawing further citizens to the islands and government investment.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Sutorina was advertised as the ultimate holiday spot for the country's wealthy elites, which led to the emergence of Sutorina as an exclusive resort for the world's wealthiest tourists.

During the 1980s, many wealthy Etrurian business people, politicians and celebrities began to buy villas or contract the construction of villas across the islands of Sutorina.

Geography

The island group is located in north-western Oretania, in the Bay of Qurac. The islands are located equidistantly to Jungastia to the west, Qurac to the east and Rahia to the south.

The two main islands and more than 100 smaller islands have a total land area of 1,025 square kilometres (396 square miles), consisting primarily of rocky, hilly and volcanic rises and 332 square kilometres (128 sq mi) of beach front. The weather is usually sunny (it is generally regarded that the islands receive 350 days of sun each year) and relatively dry. The islands have limited natural fresh water resources; private cisterns collect rainwater for drinking. The primary natural resources are citrus fruits, fish and limited livestock.

File:SantaChiaraTown.png

Santa Chiara is the largest island in the Suntorina group.

The largest island Santa Chiara, is roughly trapezoidal in shape and is formed by a complex volcano immediately southwest of the Campo di Giano area in the central region of the Gulf of Qurac. The eruption of the trachytic Green Tuff ignimbrite about 56,000 years ago was followed by caldera formation. The highest point of the island, Monte Giano (788 m), is a volcanic horst consisting of a Green Tuff ignimbrite deposit that was submerged after its eruption and then uplifted. Volcanism on the island has been significantly affected by tectonism that formed a series of horsts and grabens; at least 800 m (2,624.67 ft) of uplift has formed as a result of resurgent doming during the past 33,000 years. Many small monogenetic volcanoes were formed around the uplifted block. Volcanism during the Holocene produced a series of pumiceous tephras, tuff rings, lava domes, and lava flows. The latest eruption of Monte Giano, in 1302, produced a spatter cone and the Tartaruga lava flow, which reached the NE coast.

Government and politics

Sutorina is a Etrurian Overseas Governorate, as such it shares the same autonomy and powers as an Constituent state except for two major differences. The first is that home rule can be dissolved at any moment should the national Etrurian government wish so, constitutionally this is reserved for times of emergency, such as a natural disaster, civil unrest, political instability or conflict. The second is that due to the size of the two EOGs (Sutorina has 10,100 people and Cattaro has 82,000), both are governed as a directorial democracy with elements of direct democracy.

Sutorina's legislature is the unicameral Popular Assembly, a ten-seat council located in Santa Chiara which is elected from multi-member constituencies every four years. Various numbers of seats in the Legislature correspond with an electoral constituency. During elections, the Legislature is elected by first-past-the-post. An early election can be either called via a vote of no confidence by a majority of the deputies, or through a public Legislative Recall, which requires thirty percent or more of the electorate's support to create a referendum concerning the matter requiring a simple majority.

The Popular Assembly also acts as the state's executive, with two elected internally to chair the assembly and head the executive responsibilities; the former being President of the Assembly and the latter being Prefect of State. The Prefect has limited powers, mainly regarding administration, although the incumbent can also individually propose legislation. Since the Popular Assembly also forms the executive, the conventions support a consensus government meaning all members of assembly have an equal share of power and responsibility.

Economy

In 2016, GDP contributions were as follows: Hotels & Restaurants 34.67%, Financial Services 13.12%, Construction 7.83%, Transport, Storage & Communication 9.90%, and Real Estate, Renting & Business Activities 9.56%. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported from Etruria.

In 2015/2016, major sources of government revenue included Import Duties (43.31%), Stamp Duty on Land Transaction (8.82%), Work Permits and Residency Fees (10.03%) and Accommodation Tax (24.95%). The territory's gross domestic product as of late 2016 is approximately US$96.42 million (per capita $18,880).

Sutorina receives $8.5 million per year in economic aid from the Etrurian federal government, this includes the covering of the islands' energy costs and funds to support the territory's social services such as the two hospitals, clinics and police force.

Tourism

Etruria was the leading source of tourists in 2016, accounting for more than half of the 417,863 visitors; another major source of tourists is Tiperyn. A vast majority of tourists however are from wealthy or elite backgrounds, with many commentators calling Sutorina the most exclusive holiday destination in Oretania.

The government is pursuing a two-pronged strategy to increase tourism. Upscale resorts are aimed at the wealthy, while a large new cruise ship port and recreation centre has been built for the masses visiting Santa Chiara. Santa Chiara has one of the longest coral reefs in the world and the longest in Oretania.

File:HotelNettuno.jpg

The Hotel Nettuno is the largest resort in Sutorina and draws visitors from exclusive backgrounds.

Several Etrurian stars and leading figures have built homes in Sutorina, including Salvatore Messe and Giancarlo Giorgio. Stefania Pagano (daughter of former President Matteo Pagano) married Mario Tauriello (son of Tauriello Investment CEO Giovanni Tauriello) on Santa Clara Beach in 2014 in a wedding that cost over $15 million. Current president Francesco Carcaterra owns two villas on Santa Chiara, one for him and his wife and another shared between his three children.

In 2010, the government founded the Sutorina Oceanic Festival, inviting hundreds of musicians from multiple genres to host concerts on Santa Clara Beach, the music festival draws over 65,000 people annually and in 2014 the government founded the Oceanic Vibration, a house and electronic music festival that draws over 100,000 people annually.

Resorts

• Hotel Nettuno
• Club Azure
• Blue Horizon Resort
• Santa Cecelia Resort
• AquaLife Resort

Villa della Felicità

In 1980, the Prefect of Sutorina, Piersilvio Gramsci ordered the construction of a high luxury resort that would be exclusive only to sitting members of the Etrurian senate and state council. The Villa della Felicità (Villa of Hapiness) was opened in 1983 and cost $55 million to build, it is rated as seven star and is only usually full during the summer and Christmas recesses. According to the resort, the guests can enjoy an all-inclusive stay with bespoke accomodation for sitting politicians. In 1990 the resort was expanded to accommodate all members of both houses of parliament.

File:VillaofHappiness.png

An overview of the terrace of the Villa della Felicità in 2016.

The resort is a major source of criticism by activists who campaign against opulence and corruption within Etrurian politics, with the Citizen's Campaign for Clean Governance claiming that the resort represents everything "wrong with politics".

The Villa della Felicità is one of two exclusive resorts in business that accommodates only sitting members of the lower and upper houses, the other being the Palazzo Agnese on Lake Imperia.

Demographics

As of 2016, the population of Sutorina was 5,107; making it the smallest of Etrurian states by population.

Of the 10,107 inhabitants, 90% are ethnic Vespasian, roughly 9,096 citizens; 4% were Novalian, roughly 404, a near identical number of Carinthians live in Sutorina at 403. The remaining 2% (201 citizens) identify themselves as ethnically Arab. It is also widely noted that of the 10,107 citizens of Sutorina, 255 are millionaires and 11 of them are billionaires, making Sutorina the territory with the greatest concentration of high net worth individuals (per head) in Oretania and Artemia.

In the same year, 98% of inhabitants are Catholic and the remaining 2% are Muslim, this correlates with the ethnic distribution of the population, with the Vespasians, Novalians and Carinthians being exclusively Catholic and the Arabs exclusive Muslim.

The total Arab population are recorded as migrants from the Islamic World and work in the hotel industry as support staff.

Islands

Island	Capital	Area (km²)	Population
Santa Chiara	Santa Chiara	21.2	5,886
San Andrea	Nouvo Sciacca	21.2	2,004
Isola di Uva	Castello Resoluti	21.2	1,131
Nouvo Gianna	Vincenza	21.2	764
Santa Cecilia	Santa Cecilia	21.2	214
Isola dei Santi	San Bartolomeo	21.2	108
Sutorina	Santa Chiara	1,025	10,107

Transport

Sutorina is only accessible by sea or air (the latter being Jabal Nafusa International Airport in Rahia), which offers then direct ferry or hydrofoil access. Santa Chiara also has a large cruise ship port and marina to serve larger passenger and private vessels; there is currently a direct cruise line from San Alessandro in Etruria to the island. Boats arrive in the morning and leave after lunch (3–4 pm).

From Rahia, the ferry takes eight hours, and the hydrofoil six hours. In 2014 it was announced that the Santa Chiara Airport would be expanded to accommodate short haul flights from JNIA, it was completed in late 2016 and the first connecting flights from JNIA will begin landing in April 2017.

All of the islands are served by a domestic ferry service, as well as taxi boats.