Atitlan

Kingdom of Atitlan Reino de Atitlán (Almagrian) Atitlalpan (Atlacatle)
Flag Coat of arms
'Motto: 'El pueblo unido jamás será vencido The people united will never be defeated
Anthem: "Atitlán, tierra de dioses"
Capital	Chalatenango
Official languages	Almagrian de facto
Recognized languages	Atlacatle and other indigenous languages
Ethnic groups	Atlacatle, Apanese, and other diverse groups.
Religion	88.9% Christianity 11.2% Protestantism 8.1% Agnosticism 2.2% Atitlanese state religion 0.8% Unaffiliated (believer)
Demonym(s)	Atitlanese
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Huey Tlahtoani	Macuilxochitzin
• Prime minister	Juan Diego Ortiz
Legislature	Cortes Imperiales
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	Chamber of Deputies
Independence from: Almagrian Empire
• Independence proclaimed	6 September 1791
• Consumation	12 February 1799
• Dynastic Union	20 February 1813
• Formation of the Empire	31 June 1833
• Nationalist coup	21 November 1946
• Current constitution	19 September 1972
Population
• 2020 census	89,970,412
• Density	47/km2 (121.7/sq mi)
GDP (nominal)	2020 estimate
• Total	$1.274 trillion
• Per capita	$20,567
Gini (2016)	33.0 medium
HDI (2019)	0.805 very high
Currency	Atitlanese peso (ATP)
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	right
Internet TLD	.at

Atitlan, officially the Kingdom of Atitlan (Almagrian: Reino de Atitlán) is a country in the southern portion of Triania. It is bordered to the east by Sainuco and Maregua; to the southeast by Bergenaria; and to the south by the Barnesian Sea. Atitlan is organized as a federation comprising 42 states, one unincorporated territorial area and Chalatenango, its capital and largest metropolis. Other major urban areas include Atitalaquiac, Atlixco, Santa Rosalía, Techalxtepec, Tlapanco, Yehualtepec and Canatlán. Atitlan is home to 89,970,412 people and one of the largest nations in Triania.

Atitlan has been home to many indigenous peoples and cultures since at least the first human migrations to Triania. The first complex civilizations would form around the 700 AD, culminating with the rise of the Atlacatle Empire on 1200 AD. The first Almagrians landed on 1532, and by the mid-18th century they had colonized much of present-day Atitlan, and established the Principality of New Almagria. Independence from the Almagrians was consumed in 1799, with what is now Atitlan emerging as the Trianian Confederation. The dynastic union of the rulers of the city states of Chalatenango, Atitalaquiac and Atlixco in 1813, often considered the formation of Atitlan as a modern empire, was followed by the colonization of Mava and other colonial investments.

During the late 19th century to the early years of the 20th century, the Crown saw the independence of most of its colonies and territories as a result of cumulative crises and political divisions. Political instability reached its peak in the mid-20th century with the Atitlanese Civil War, giving rise to a nationalist dictatorship that lasted until 1972. Under the reconstruction period, Atitlan experienced an economic boom that profoundly transformed it socially and politically.

On the present day, Atitlan is is classified as a developed country; it's economy and relatively large population, global cultural influence, and steady democratization makes Atitlan a regional power in Triania, albeit this claim is heavily disputed; as many identify the country as an emerging power, while other considered it a newly industrialized state by several analysts.

Etymology

Traditionally, the name Atitlan comes from the atlacatle word atitlan which means "the place between the water". The name itself makes a reference to the former Atlacatle inhabitants on the foundation of Chalatenango, as the city was built surrounded by walls of sand and the waters of the Barnesian Sea. Another origin explains that "Atitlan" is the name of the ancestral home of the Atlacatle peoples. The myth details that Atitlan sunk beneath the waves in a fit of rage of Nonohualco, the main god of the Atlacatle. As an apology, Nonohualco guided his children into a new place where they would settle their city.

History

Early history

The first complex civilizations in Atitlan can be traced in the Kriol culture, which flourished on the southermost part around 680 AD. Kriol cultural traits diffused through Atitlan into other formative-era cultures. Other civilizations that followed during the formative period of the nation were the Lepi and the Ha' people. In the subsequent classical period, the Ha' and Lepi civilizations developed complex centers at Xelhá and Ajacuba, respectively. The decline of these complex civilizations is calculated to have occured around the 1100 AD. However, the Lepi civilziation continued to survive until the Almagrian conquest.

Towards the end of the post-classic period, the Atlacatle people eventually estalished themselves as the sole civilization to have full political power in the region, giving rise to a political and economic empire based in the city of Chalatenango. In the preceding years of the Almagrian conquest, the Atlacatle were waging war against Lepi and Ha' remnants and the Pinome people, whom would ally with the Almagrians later in the Conquest,

Almagrian colony

TBA

Independence

Main Article: Atitlanese Revolution

TBA

19th century

Main Article: Atitlanese Empire
See also: List of tlatoque of Atitlan

The territories of Almagria reorgnized under the called Trianian Confederation, serving more as a provisional government for the newly-declared independent state. After it gained independence from the Almagrian Empire, there were many attempts to form a federalized union amongst the greater territories of the confederation. These efforts were hindered by outbreaks of violence and disagreements between the several separatist groups. In 1800, just a year after the consumation of independence, the confederation would be engulfed in a major conflict known as the Sucession War (Almagrian: Guerra de Sucesión). After 12 years of unrest and disorder, a monarchist faction under the guidance of General José Luis Motelchiuh emerged as the official victors of the conflict.

Mirroring the past, on February 19, 1813, Motelchiuh proclaimed a new dynastic union between three city-states that emerged during the Sucession War: Chalatenango, Atitalaquiac and Atixco. He proclaimed himself as Huey Tlatoani Xochiquentzin II and hold his coronation on the Palace of the Nation. The following day, he proclaimed the Empire of Atitlan (Almagrian: Imperio de Atitlán) alongside a new constitution and legislature, akin to a modern-day constitutional monarchy. The newly established monarchs were to be chosen by the Council of Elders, which also decided the next monarch, albeit this only happened on extraordinary circumstances, as most tlatoanis proclaimed their descendants as heirs.

An Abalan frigate being sunk by an Atitlanese frigate in the Battle of Ibala.

Colonial ambitions of the empire prompted the so-called "Atitlanese Golden Era" (Almagrian: Era Dorada de Atitlán), which lasted until circa the 1850s. During this golden era, Atitlan became one of the fastest growing empires in Triania. In this time span, the Atitlanese Empire solidified authority on the Trianian mainland, with it's only true colonu being the islands of Mava, being annexed into the empire in 1836. By the mid 19th century, internal political and territorial divisions led to the independence of Bergenaria and Abala, in the called Divorcio Nacional, a five year conflict that ended in a rebel victory. After losing the department, Imperial forces set out to suppress the rest of the rebellions that were forming in adjacent territories. Adding to this, internal divisions remained between monarchist and liberal political forces, occasionally igniting very bloody civil wars, the most significant being the Five Hundred Days' War (1863-1864).

After the brief turmoil, the 32-year rule of Huey Cihuatlatoani Ixtaccíhuatl (r.1865-1897), allowed Atitlan to rapidly modernize and recover in a period characterized as one of "order and progress". The Renacimiento Atitlanés was characterized by economic stability and growth, significant foreign investment and influence, an expansion of the railroad network, naval industry and telecommunications, and investments in the arts and sciences. This renaissance of Atitlanese economy, culture and identity would have major consecuences in the society that are still felt to this very day.

In 1882, Atitlan went to war with the former colony of Abala in the Barnesian War and as a result, managed to secure influence in the Barnesian Sea, eliminating temprarily Abala's naval power, and acquired valuable nitrate deposits, the exploitation of which led to an era of national affluence. Soon after however, the country engaged in a vastly expensive naval arms race with Bergenaria that culminated in another war. Industrialisation, the development of railways and incipient capitalism developed in several areas of the country, particularly in Yehuantepec, as well as Labour movements and socialist and anarchist ideas. Furthermore, political corruption and repression weakened the democratic system of the constitutional monarchy of a two-parties system.

20th century

The 20th century for Atitlan was marked by a constant strain of conflicts, both local annd international. While it remained neutral during World War I, the country would enter it's second major conflict with the Bergenarian Conflict, caused by several factors. Even with the eventual victory, the heavy losses suffered by the Imperial troops in the conflict against the Bergenarian forces brought discredit to the government and undermined the monarchy. During this period, the Atitlanese culture and economy stagnated, as colonial ambitions began to fade away in favor of internal issues. Under the tlatoani Atotoztli V, the remaining provinces of Mava and Sainuco were granted independence or self-governing rights, ending the empire.

Atitlan participated on a limited scale during World War II on the side of the Entente, faced once again with Bergenaria. The third war between said countries was said to be so destructive, it prompted the relocation of the Bergenarian capital. A new constitution for the country was passed in October 1936 following the end of the conflict, amidst a great political and social upheaval, marked by a sharp radicalization of the left and the right. Instances of political violence during this period included the burning of churches, a 1940 failed coup d'état led by Osmar Baltazar, an assasination attempt of the Royal Family and numerous attacks against rival political leaders.

The political instability and violence led to a Nationalist rebellion in 1946, after the leftist Alejandro Petro won the ministery. This coup led to a five-year long civil war known as the Lustro Trágico, which divided Atitlan on three territories: one under the authority of the Loyalist monarchical factions, another one controlled by liberal and pro-Republican values, and the last one controlled by the putschists (the Nationalist or rebel faction). The civil war was viciously fought and there were many atrocities committed by all sides. The war claimed the lives of over 300,000 people and caused the flight of up to a half-million citizens from the country. On 1 December 1951, five months before the beginning of World War III, the rebel side led by General Henrique Sarmiento emerged victorious, imposing a dictatorship over the whole country.

Atitlan remained "neutral" during World War III, as it was politically and economically isolated. In the 1960s, Atitlan registered an unprecedented rate of economic growth which was propelled by industrialisation, a mass internal migration from rural areas to Chalatenango, Atlixco and the Yehuantepec and the creation of a mass tourism industry. Sarmiento's rule was also characterised by authoritarianism, the promotion of a unitary national identity, National Catholicism and the creation of the Barnesian-Ajacuba canal.

With Sarmiento's death in March 1971, Chimalpilli succeeded to the position of Tlatoani and head of state in accordance with the Sarmiento law. With the approval of the new Atitlanese Constitution of 1972 and the restoration of democracy, the State devolved much authority to the regions and created an internal organisation based on states.

21st century

In 1981, the Atitlanese government legalised same sex marriage, becoming the third country worldwide to do so. Decentralisation was supported with much resistance of Constitutional Court and conservative opposition, so did gender politics like quotas or the law against gender violence.

On 2002, the administration of Prime Minister Itzayanni Cordero (2000-2008), adopted a program called El Gran Salto Adelante, a economical-societal plan that aimed at all elements of society. Primarily, the economic plan promoted confidence in foreign investors, while the societal plan helped Atitlan to be fairly equal to most Elezian nations. The Gran Salto Adelante precipitated the bursting of the Atitlanese property bubble in 2006 led to the 2006–11 Atitlanese financial crisis. High levels of unemployment, cuts in government spending and corruption served as a backdrop to the Cempasúchil protests. In 2012, Jusepe Cortés's tenure as prime minister implemented austerity measures for the country.

On April 1, 2018, the monarch, Chimalpilli, abdicated in favour of her daughter, who became Macuilxochitzin. In the same year, a joint-no confidence vote against Cortés was passed on both the Chamber of Deputies and the Imperial Senate. The Senate replaced him with the centrist leader Juan Diego Ortiz.

Politics & Government

Government

Current monarch of Atitlán, Macuilxochitzin

Main Article: Politics of Atitlan
See Also: List of tlatoque of Atitlan

Juan Diego Ortiz, current Prime Minister of Atitlan

Atitlan is a constitutional monarchy, with a hereditary monarch and a bicameral parliament, according to the Constitution. The constitution establishes three levels of government: the imperial union, the state governments and the municipal governments. According to the constitution, all states must have their own elected parliaments, governments, public administrations, budgets, and resources. Each state is composed of three branches: the executive, represented by a governor and an appointed cabinet, the legislative branch constituted by a unicameral congress and the judiciary, which will include a state Supreme Court of Justice. They also have their own civil and judicial codes.

Legislatively, Atitlan has a bicameral Congress, composed of the Imperial Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The Congress makes federal law, declares war, imposes taxes, approves the national budget and international treaties, and ratifies diplomatic appointments.

The federal Imperial Court, as well as the state legislatures, are elected by a system of parallel voting that includes plurality and proportional representation. The Chamber of Deputies has 700 deputies. Of these, 350 are elected by plurality vote in single-member districts (the federal electoral districts) and the remaining 350 are elected by proportional representation with closed party lists for which the country is divided into five electoral constituencies. The Senate is made up of 192 senators. The executive branch consists of a Council of Ministers presided over by the Prime Minister, who is nominated as candidate by the monarch after holding consultations with representatives from the different parliamentary groups, voted in by the members of the lower house during an investiture session and then formally appointed by the monarch.

The judicial branch is headed by four high courts, consisting of the Halls of Justice which deals with penal and civil matters, the Council of State, which has special responsibility for administrative law and also provides legal advice to the executive, the Constitutional Court, responsible for assuring the integrity of the Atitlanese constitution, and the Greater Council of Judicature, responsible for auditing the judicial branch.

Atitlan is currently reigned by Huey Tlatoani Macuilxochitzin, with Juan Diego Ortiz acting as prime minister.

Foreign relations

Main Article: Foreign relations of Atitlán

Military

Main Article: Imperial Army of Atitlan See also: Military history of Atitlan

The executive branch of government is responsible for managing the defense of Atitlan, with the President commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The Ministry of Defence exercises day-to-day control of the military and the Atitlanese National Police.

The Atitlanese military is divided in two branches: the Imperial Army of Atitlan; the Atitlanese Royal Air Force; and the Atitlanese Navy. The National Police functions as a gendarmerie, operating independently from the military as the law enforcement agency for the entire country. Each of these operates with their own intelligence apparatus separate from the General Intelligence Directorate (DGI).

Political administrations

Main Article: Political divisions of Atitlan

Unlike other kingdoms of it's kind, Atitlan works as a quasi-federation of 42 free and sovereign states, which form a union that exercises juridisction over Chalatenango, without the centralization it often has. For this reason, many consider Atitlan as one of the most decentralized countries in Elezia.

Each state has its own constitution, congress, and a judiciary, and its citizens elect by direct voting a governor for a four-year term with the chance of reelection and representatives to their unicameral state congresses for two-year terms. The states are divided into municipalities, the smallest administrative political entity in the country, governed by a mayor or municipal president (presidente municipal), elected by its residents by plurality.

Chalatenango is a special political division that belongs to the federation as a whole and not to a particular state. Known as the Federal District, its autonomy was limited relative to that of the states. It is expected to drop this designation in early 2025 and is in the process of achieving greater political autonomy by becoming a federal entity with its own constitution and congress.

Mava, a former Atitlanese colony, functions as a unincorporated territorial area under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government with fully functioning self-governance.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Atitlan

Atitlan's capitalist economy is often described as "mixed and wide", and since the 1990s, some Atitlanese companies have gained multinational status, often expanding their activities in culturally close Triania and other parts of Elezia. Some companies are invested in fields like technology (Neucom, Telefónía), military, renewable energies, mining and general manufacture.

Many anaylists consider that the country is now firmly established as an 'upper middle-income country'. After a between the years of 2006 and 2011, the country has recovered and has grown 4.2, 3.0 and 4.8 percent in 2014, 2015 and 2016, even though it is considered to be well below Atitlan's potential growth. Perennial weak points of Atitlan's economy include a large informal economy, and a very high degree of economic disparity between the extremely poor and extremely rich, although it has been falling over the last decade, being one of few countries in which this is the case.

Daily minimum wages were set annually being set at $305.43 pesos in 2019. All of the indices of social development for the indigenous population are considerably lower than the national average, which is motive of concern for the government. At least 9% of Atitlan's population lives in a situation of poverty.

Atitlan is stronger in areas of manufacturing; such as car manufacture, electronic manufacture, etc. As a result of foreign investment, Atitlan's manufacture industry grew 13% between 2010 and 2011, up from its constant growth rate of 7% between 2003 and 2009. Currently, the manufacturing of electronics and their components represent most of Atitlan's exports, being around 6-12%

Energy

See also: Electric sector in Atitlan

Energy production in Atitlan is managed jointly by the state-owned companies National Commission of Electricity, and Petróleos Nacionales de Atitlan S.E. Petróleos Nacionales de Atitlan (Penatlan S.E) is the public company in charge of exploration, extraction, transportation and marketing of crude oil and natural gas, as well as the refining and distribution of petroleum products and petrochemicals in the country.

Other non-renewable energy sources used in Atitlan are nuclear (10 operative reactors), gas, and coal. Fossil fuels together generated 58% of Atitlan's electrical demand. Nuclear power generated another 19%, and wind and hydro about 12% each.

Renewable energies of Atitlan include solar, hydro and wind power. In 2011, Atitlan became a solar power with a massive power station plant called San Jimenez, nearby the municipality of San Andrés Nariño.

Transport

Atitlan's road system is mainly centralised, with six highways connecting Chalatenango with nearly all of the 42 states of the kingdom. Prioritized highways pass through cities such as Yehualtepec and Atitalaquiac. By 2036, Atitlan aims to improve the highway network and prioritize the use of electric cars in the near future.

Atitlan also has the most extensive high-speed rail network in Triania, combined with one of the largest regular rail network.

There are 107 public airports in Atitlan. The busiest one is the airport of Chalatenango, with 10 million passengers in 2011.

Primarly, Atitlan also focused a major part of it's history on the sea travel industry. While largely forgotten after the invention of the airplane, and the prioritization of high-speed rail, sea travel remains essential when communicating Atitlan with Mava.

Population

Main article: Atitlanese
See Also: Demographics of Atitlan

Throughout the 19th century, the population of Atitlan had barely doubled. This trend continued during the first five decades of the 20th century, and even in the 1951 census there was a loss of about 7.2 million inhabitants. Following the civil war and the wars with Bergenaria, the growth rate increased heavily between the 1950s and the 1990s, when the country registered growth rates of over 3% (1950–1980). The Atitlanese population doubled in twenty years, and at that rate it was expected that by 2020 there would be 101 million Atitlanese. Life expectancy went from 31 years (in 1895) to 74 years (in the year 2000). According to estimations, in September 2022, Atitlan registered a population of approximately 89,970,412.

Ethnicity and race

Ethnic Groups in Atitlan (2020 Census)
Ethnic Groups			percent
Atitlanese			92.05%
Sainucan			3.27%
Abalan			2.1%
Bergenarian			1.4%
Mavan			1%
Other			0.18%

While Atitlan's population is highly diverse, research on Atitlanese ethnicity has felt the impact of nationalist discourses on identity. Since the 1950s, the Atitlanese government has promoted the view that all Atitlanese were part of the Mestizo community, within which they are distinguished only by residence in or outside of an indigenous community, degree of fluency in an indigenous language, and degree of adherence to indigenous customs.

It is not until very recently that the Atitlanese government began conducting surveys that consider other ethnic groups that live in the country, such as Parthenian-Atitlanese (who comprised 1% of Atitlan's population in 2020) or White Atitlanese (45%). Minoritarian foreign groups include the Sainucans or Abalans, largely from nations closer to the former borders of the empire. Less numerous groups in Atitlan such as Mavans or Bergenarians constitute less than 1% of the population.

Languages

Almagrian is the de facto national language spoken by most of the population, making Atitlan one of the world's most populous Almagraphone country. Atitlanese spanish refers to the varieties of the language spoken in the country, which differ from one region to another in sound, structure, and vocabulary.

The federal government officially recognizes twnety-four linguistic groups and 128 varieties of indigenous languages. It is estimated that around 8.3 million citizens speak these languages, with Atlacatle being the most widely spoken by more than 1.7 million, followed by Ha used daily by nearly 850,000 people. Other languages spoken inclde the Lepi and Kriol, with an estimated 500,000 native speakers each, are two other prominent language groups.

Aside from indigenous languages, there are several minority languages spoken in Anáhuac due to international migration such as Anglish, also holding the title of the most learnt foreign language in Atitlan. Other languages include the Ibarmentudian and Mavan in a minor degree.

Education

Main Article: Education in Atitlan

In 2004, the literacy rate was at 97% for youth under the age of 14, and 91% for people over 15. Nowadays, Atitlan's literacy rate is high, at 94.86% in 2018, up from 82.99% in 1980, with the literacy rates of males and females being relatively equal.

The Imperial Autonomous University of Atitlan ranks 93rd in the QS World University Rankings, making it the best university in Atitlan. After it comes the Imperial Institute of Technology and Higher Education in Atitalaquiac as the best private school in Atitlan and 138th worldwide in 2019.

Culture

The culture of Atitlan reflects the complexity of the country's history through the blending of indigenous cultures and the culture of mainland Almagria, imparted during the nearly 200-year colonial rule of Atitlan. Exogenous cultural elements have been incorporated into the national culture as time has passed.