Ústekia and Dýnaria
The United Kingdom of Ústekia and Dýnaria Ujedinjeno Ústečko Dýnarsko Kraljevstvo | |
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 Flag
Coat of arms
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| Map of Ústekia and Dýnaria Map of Ústekia and Dýnaria | |
| Capital | Domanov |
| Largest | Brassida |
| Official languages | Ústekian |
| Demonym(s) | Ústekians |
| Government | Semi-parliamentary monarchy |
• Monarch | Queen Katarina XXVII |
• Ban | TBA |
| Legislature | Vrhovna Rada |
| Area | |
• | 495,556 km2 (191,335 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 32,837,917 (2015) |
• Density | 66.26/km2 (171.6/sq mi) |
| GDP (nominal) | estimate |
• Per capita | $$24,103 |
| Gini (2014) |  39.9medium |
| HDI (2014) |  .898very high |
| Currency | Florin (flr) |
| Time zone | UTC+3:45 (EST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3:45 (not observed) |
| Date format | dd.mm.yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Internet TLD | .ud |
Ústekia and Dýnaria (Ústekian: Ústečka i Dýnarska), officially the United Kingdom of Ústekia and Dýnaria, is a sovereign state and semi-parliamentary monarchy in Aeia whose territory consists of the mainland, as well as two overseas territories Git Long and Minoa. The mainland Ústekia and Dýnaria is located in south-western Catai and is bordered by Kodesh to the south, Uwhistan and Ostrovia to the west and Vynozhia to the north. It consists of Ústekia, which is the coastal and northern area and Dýnaria, which is located in the interior and was a part of the Aeian Socialist Union until it was reunited with Ústekia in 1981 after the ASU collapsed. Ústekia is known to be a richer, more populated and more developed part of the country, while Dýnaria is known to be mostly mountainous region that is less developed and has been isolated for a long time. Administratively, the state is divided into 25 Voivodeships (14 in Ústekia and 11 in Dýnaria and 2 overseas) and two autonomous cities – Domanov, which is the capital city and Brassida, which is the largest city. Other major urban centres include Srebrengród, Git Long, Safron, Kanalóvo, Celje, Huditz and Florenca.
Ústekia and Dýnaria is geographically divided between the coastal area that is mostly temperate in the north and subtropical in the south and the Dýnarian Alps in the interior. For that reason, the economy in coastal Ústekia is based on services, tourism, agriculture and industry while Dýnarian economy is mostly based on cattle breeding, forestry and the winter tourism that have been growing since the reunification.
The total area of Ústekia and Dýnaria is 495,556 square kilometres. The country's population is 32.8 million, most of whom are Ústekians with the most common religious denomination being Puritan Alydianism. There are also a significant number of Uwhistani and Ostrovian people in Dýnaria near borders with Uwhistan and Ostrovia as well as significant number of immigrants, mostly from eastern Catai, Savai and Majula, in the big cities and the coastal area of Ústekia.
Ústekia and Dýnaria is a developed and democratic country, which maintains a high-income economy along with high standards of living, safety, education, political freedoms and one of the lowest crime rates in the region. The country provides free university education, a good social security and a affordable health care system for all its citizens.
Executive power is shared by a monarch and directly elected prime minister, sometimes called ban. The legislative power is held by tricameral parliament called Supreme Rada. It consists of the National assembly, the Senate and the unelected Chamber of the Estates. The judicial branch consists of the Supreme Court and a large number of lower courts.
Ústekia and Dýnaria developed a rich cultural and natural heritage, including numerous historical monuments and many national parks.
History
Prehistory
Although it is known that the territory of today's Dýnaria is inhabited for tens of thousands of years, little is known about the people who lived here during the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic times. Some fossils of prehistoric people dating to the middle Palaeolithic period have been found in several caves in the central and eastern Dýnaria, most notably in Orljište and Burkanija. However, very little is known about their way or life and whether they have developed any type of prehistoric civilization. Much more evidence is found about the life of people in this region during the Neolithic and Chalcolithic times. Remnants of several Neolithic and Chalcolithic cultures were found in all regions of the country. According to the archeological evidence, it appears that the region was populated by a number of different people speaking distinct languages. The most notable cultures of this era were found in Pazar, Haljevo, Višnjevac, Minoa and near the city of Brassida.
Chalcian rule and Antheon
During the third century BC, Chalcian army, led by king Macharios conquered the area of today Ústekia and Dýnaria and established his empire that stretched from Chalcia to the Sea of Brassida. After king Macharios' death the empire the empire fell apart at several smaller Chalcian kingdoms and polises. Emolichid Kingdom was established in the area of today's Ústekia, named after king Emolichos, who was one of Macharios' sons. Also, some of the cities in the kingdom were Olynthos, Ethos and Eudonia, which was also the capital city of the kingdom.
Apart from the Emolichid Kingdom, Chalcians established the kingdom of Antheon on the island of Minoa, which is also a part of today's Ústekia and Dýnaria. Antheon is considered as one of the greatest and culturally the richest civilizations in history.
Emolichid Kingdom fell during the arrival of Elhazians in the 8th century. Ústekian people preserved much of its cultural heritage while Chalcian population was mostly assimilated under slavic influence. Some of the earliest Ústekian dutchies were established in the line with Chalcian civilization and therefore the Emolichid Kingdom is sometimes considered as one of the predecessors of Ústekia.
On the other hand, the kingdom of Antheon survived a few centuries longer, thanks to Minoa's isolation until it was conquered by Irsadic forces. The exact period of time is unknown, but most historians believe that it was between 10th and 13th cetury.
Malbanian rule
During the second half of 5th century, Malbanian emperor Jalyit the Great conquered the territories of today's norhern Ústekia and north-eastern Dýnaria. During the years after the conquest, Malbanian Empire established several southern provinces of the Empire, including Baktobe and Khambyl. The provinces were named after indigenous people of the area Baktobans and Khambyls. Initially their reign was successful. Although, over time, the Malbanian rule has become increasingly opressive towards the indigenous peoples, but also weaker. Until the 9th century, the Empire was in crisis and southern provinces is de facto ruled by anarchy.
The arrival of Ústekians and early years
The first Ústekian tribe came from today's Dreyvisevich and was originated from Curonazatian intellectuals who advocated Curonazatian independence from Chezderino Kingdom in the 7th century. Pro-independence groups waged a rebel uprising in the northeastern part of the Kingdom. The uprising started in the Curonazatian town of Elhaz and several thousand people, mostly Curonazatians but also some Czenazatyans and Slovnikans supported it. The rise has escalated into the civil war which saw the creation of the short-lived Czecuronazya that was a rebel breakaway state. It is estimated that Czecuronazya existed during the late 7th and early 8th century before it was defeated by Chezderino Kingdom and its king Stepan Bogdanov in one of the bloodiest conflicts of that era. After that, Bogdanov exiled thousands of rebels while even more people fled in fear of retribution and persecution. They formed a new tribe named after the town of Ústek, where the uprising started. The new tribe have fled to the south.
Elhaz people had arrived in what is today Ústekia in the late 8th century, however that claim is disputed and competing hypotheses date the event between the early 8th and the early 9th centuries. They settled in the southern provinces of the shrunken Malbanian Empire and united with Baktobans and Khambyls against the Malbanian rule. After only a few conflicts, the Empire left these areas, although many Malbanian people stayed. Therefore, Elhazian rule has been established. Eventually several dukedoms were formed including Duchy of Umakia, Duchy of Liczia and Duchy of Goricza. As a reward for their co-operation in the war, Khambylians and Baktobans were also allowed to establish their own dukedoms. Each duchy was ruled by dukes and The Council of the Ancients which consisted of 50 oldest men. Principals were generally peaceful and in good relationships, although there were occasional conflicts.
In the early 10th century, Duchy of Liczia and Duchy of Umakia formed the Kingdom of Elhazia that was located in today's Voivodeships of Umakia, Boldania and Rilska. That is a reason this area is sometimes called "Old Ústekia". It is estimated that Alydianization of Ústekians began at about the same time.
During the 980s, queen Janisa came to power in the kingdom of Elhazia and established strong authoritarian rule that many historians today consider tyrannical. It is estimated that Janisa killed more than 80 000 people she considered trustless. Some of the most cruel torture devices were used during that time, including the brazen bull, neck torture, lead sprinkler and the chair of torture. For that reason, the reign of Janis and her successors, which lasted about 100 years, is often called "The long winter".
The long winter ended in 1080, when knight Petar, along with his brother and two sisters, defeated king Filip, who was Janisa's grandson and established a new, more peaceful and benevolent, monarchy in Ústekia.
Geography
Climate
The climate of Ústekia and Dýnaria is diverse due to the multitude of geographic features found within the state. It can vary greatly between the regions, from glacial conditions on the mountain tops to the subtropical and mediterranean climate at the coastal area.
There are two main climatic zones. The coastal area of Ústekia has the warmest, humid subtropical climate with long, hot and humid summers, and short, mild winters. Temperatures average about 27°C in July and about 9 °C in January. Because of warm sea currents, the sea is very warm and usually reaches 30 degrees during the summer months. Also, the late summer and fall is the seasonal period of risk for hurricanes moving inland from the central Sea of Brassida, especially in the southern part of the state.
The second climate zone is located in Dýnaria, which is located in the interior of the country. Dýnaria is very mountainous region dominated by Dýnarian Alps as well as many plateaus and highlands. Because of the high altitude, the temperatures are much lower than on the coast and can vary between the localities, but the average is about 17°C in July and about -3°C in January. However, the subtropical influence of the coast also affects the interior in the way that the interior is dominated by the humid climate with a lot of precipitation. For this reason, the winters are usually very snowy in this area while summers are temperate and rainy.
The far northwestern area near the border with Ostrovia is characterized by the continental climate. Some people consider this area as the "third" climate zone, although most climatologists believe that this is just the foot of of the Alpine area.
In the Köppen climate classification, the Ústekian coast is classed as Humid subtropical (Cfa) or, in some areas, Mediterranean climate (Csa) while the Dýnarian Alps are considered Humid continental (Dfb), Subarctic (Dfc, Dfc) or Tundra climate (ET), depending on the location and elevation.
Flora and Fauna
Ústekia and Dýnaria is the one of the most forested country in the region. Most of the Ústekian teritorry is covered by pine and boreal forests in the mainland and laurel and temperate forests on the coast.
Ústekia and Dýnaria has a diverse and extensive range of fauna. Because of its high landscape diversity, Ústekia and Dýnaria is home to about 12,200 species of animals, including about 500 endemic. Some of the most common animal species are Red deer, Mountain beaver, Dove, Red-throated loon and many other species. Some of the species that are currently living in the warm coastal area such as Meerkat, Scarlet macaw and Majulan grey parrot were imported from Overseas territories.
Ústekia and Dýnaria is the most important breeding ground for a variety of migratory birds every year.
The country's ecosystems can also be particularly fragile, because the many delicate valleys separated by high mountains often form unique ecologies.
Environment
Ústekia was one of the first countries to create an environment ministry, in 1978 and is known as one of the cleanest and environmentally conscious countries. Forests account for 63% of the country's land area and are some of the most diverse in the world due to its diverse climate and strict environmental protection.
Ústekia and Dýnaria has 41 National parks. The most famous ones are Kijani Forest, Blue Lakes, Rocky Central Belt, Elhazian Mirrors and Golden Island.
More than 150 registered zoos and animal parks operate in Ústekia and Dýnaria. The Domanov Zoo, opened in 1848, is the largest and oldest zoo in Elhazia.
Administrative divisions
Ústekia and Dýnaria is divided into 25 Voivodeship, two autonomous cities - Domanov, the capital city and Brassida, the largest city and 2 overseas territories including Minoa and Git Long.
Politics
Executive branch
Monarchy
Ban and government
Legislative branch
| Senate |
|---|
| Template:UstekiaLegislature |
| National Assembly |
| TBA |
The Vrhovna Rada (Supreme Assembly) is the bicameral legislature of the Federal government of the Ústekia and Dýnaria. The legislature consists of two chambers: the Senate (Senate) and the National Assembly (Narodna Skupština).
The Senate of Ústekia and Dýnaria is the upper chamber of the Vrhovna Rada that is composed of 150 Senators. Each Senator represents one of the Senate districts that are allocated on a basis of population. Senators serve terms of six years each; the terms are staggered so that one-third (50) of the seats are up for election every two years. Therefore, every two years the Senate elections are held using the alternative vote system.
The National Assembly is the lower chamber of the Vrhovna Rada that is composed of 250 MPs elected by the single transferable vote system of proportional representation in the multi-member constituencies. Each constituency is represented by 6-10 MPs. The elections for the National Assembly are held every four years along with the elections for the prime minister (also called General elections). Therefore one term in the National Assembly lasts four years.
Judical branch
The judical power is made of the Supreme Court and lower courts. The Supreme Court consists of 9 judges appointed by several law faculties and associations with both houses Vrhovna Rada approval that requires two-thirds majority as well as the approval of the monarch. People of Ustekia and Dynaria also have the right to veto the appointment of a judge. If 300,000 signatures against the appointment were collected, the appointment must be approved on the referendum too. Once appointed, justices have lifetime tenure unless they resign, retire, or are impeached. The judges are often categorized as having conservative, moderate, or liberal philosophies of judicial interpretation. Their duty is to interpret laws and overturn those that are unconstitutional.
To overturn an existing law, a three-quarters majority is required (7 judges), while to ban a law that has not yet been passed or have been passed very recently, 5-4 majority is sufficient.
Economy
Agriculture
Tourism
Transport
Science and technology
Demographics
Ethnic groups
Since 1985, Ústekian and Dýnarian Census have classified ethnicity into several groups: Ustekians, three native minority groups - including Uwhistanis, Ostrovians and Parenski, East Cataian, Savaian, Majulan, mixed and other. However, some demographers claim that many people from ethnically mixed marriages (especially between one Ústekian and one immigrant parent) do not identify as 'mixed', but as Ústekian or as some other ethnic group.
| Ethnic group | Population (2015) | Percentage of total population |
|---|---|---|
| Ústekian | 27,337,566 | 83.25 |
| Uwhistani | 1,050,813 | 3.20 |
| Ostrovian | 994,989 | 3.03 |
| Parenski | 252,852 | 0.77 |
| East Cataian: Git Longian | 679,745 | 2.07 |
| East Cataian: Ashiharan | 262,703 | 0.80 |
| East Cataian: Qyredian | 187,176 | 0.57 |
| East Cataian: other | 423,609 | 1.29 |
| East Cataian: Total | 1,546,665 | 4.71 |
| Savaian: Daongian | 607,501 | 1.85 |
| Savaian: Indragirian | 203,595 | 0.62 |
| Savaian: other | 141,203 | 0.43 |
| Savaian: Total | 952,299 | 2.90 |
| Majulan: Kagonian/Black Majulan | 216,731 | 0.66 |
| Majulan: Vijayadeshi | 114,933 | 0.35 |
| Majulan: Total | 331,664 | 1.01 |
| mixed | 325,095 | 0.99 |
| other | 45,973 | 0.14 |
| TOTAL | 32,837,917 | 100 |
The most numerous ethnic minority groups in the mainland Ústekia and Dýnaria are Uwhistani and Ostrovian people. These two ethnic groups, along with Parenski people, are sometimes called 'Native minorities' as they are not descendants of immigrants but their ancestors have been living in the territory of what is today Dýnaria for centuries. Uwhistani and Ostrovian minorities are mostly living in the western Dýnaria close to the borders with Uwhistan and Ostrovia. While relationship between Ústekian majority and Uwhistani minority have always been good and without any major conflicts, the relationship with Ostrovians is known to be somewhat strained mostly because many conflicts that had happened during the 20th century, including discrimination and crimes committed against Ostrovian minority during the right-wing Dubicki regime and crimes committed by Ostrovians against Ústekian people during 1980s conflicts. For that reason, Ostrovians frequently demand higher autonomy of regions with Ostrovian majority and over 80% of Ostrovian people vote for political parties that represent Ostrovian minority, mostly for Parti Doma, the Ostrovian party that is known, who has never taken part in the government and is known for the protests and boycotts of the parliament, and for the more moderate Independent Ostrovian Party, that is known for their constant conflicts with Ústekian right wing politicians and parties. The third native minority are Parenski people. Parenski people are a slavic ethnic group that doesn't have their own state but they mostly live in the areas of Ústekia, Uwhistan and Kodesh. Although there were several conflicts in the past, since Ústekia and Dýnaria guarantees cultural and political autonomy to the Parenski minority, relations with Parenski people is mostly peaceful.
As for minority groups who are descendants of immigrants or from colonies, the most numerous are East Cataian people. While most of them arrived from, or live in Git Long (the Ústekian colony in the East Catai), many of them also came from Ashihara, Qyred and other Eastern Cataian countries. The majorty of East Cataian people live eather in Git Long or in big cities of the coastal and central Ústekia. For that reason, there are many Cataitowns, the ethnic enclaves of East Cataian people, in major Ústekian cities. Cataitowns are also one of the major tourist attractions visited by hundreds of thousand people every year.
Apart from East Cataian people, the most common immigrant minority group are Savaian people, mostly Daongian people. The Ústekia government actively encourages settlement of Daongian people to Ústekia and Dýnaria since early 2000s because of the similarities in religion between Daongian and Ústekian people, and because they are known for work ethic, peacefulness and easy integration to the Ústekian society. For that reason, they are the fastest growing minority. The second largest minority from Savai are Indragirian people who mostly arrived as political refugees between 1981 and 2004.
As Ústekian immigration policy enforces higher immigrant quotas for women than for man, there are twice as many women as men among the immigrant population. Although such policy is controversial and many in the international community consider it sexist, the Ústekian government justifies it with the fact that women are less likely to participate in conflicts and more likely to integrate.
Language
Religion
Religion in Ústekia and Dýnaria (2015 census)
The Constitution of Ústekia and Dýnaria guarantees freedom of religion. An overwhelming majority of the population identify themselves as Alydians. At the country's 2015 census, 81.3% of respondents identified as Puritan Alydians. Other denominations include Amish Alydianism (3.4%) and Orthodox Alydianism. From the remaining population, 4.1% of the people, mosly East Cataian people, identify themselves as Cotrists, 3% of the population, mostly Uwhistanis and immigrants from Indragiri, are Irsadic and 0.3% are Mashahi. 4.5% are irreligious.
People in Ústekia and Dýnaria are known to be highly religious and conservative. 77% of respondents in Ústekia and Dýnaria stated that religion is "very important" or "somewhat important" in their lives, while 41% of Ústekian and Dýnarian citizens said that they attended church once a week or almost every week. However, religiosity varies depending on the part of the country. Southern part of the country, as well as the mountainish area of Dýnaria are the most religious whyle urban centres in the north are less religious, although still more than most of the CDN nations.
Family
As of 2010, 63% of Ústekians age 18 and over were married, 8% were widowed, 4% were divorced, and 25% had never been married. Women now work mostly outside the home and receive a majority of bachelor's degrees.
The total fertility rate was estimated for 2010 at 2.97 births per woman. Therefore, Ústekia and Dýnaria has one of the highest birth rate compared to other developed countries. This phenomenon can be attributed to high child benefits and paid maternity leave supported by the government and partialy to Ústekian conservative culture. Adoption in Ústekia is common and relatively easy compared to other countries. Same-sex marriage and polygamy are illegal nationwide, while medically assisted fertilization and sperm donation are legal and common in most Voivodeships, although not nationwide.
The Ústekian teenage pregnancy rate is 12.5 per 1,000 women and declining. Abortion laws vary by Voivodeship but is mostly legal under certain circumstances. In 2013, the average age at first birth was 25, although higher among highly educated population, and only 11% of births were to unmarried women.
Health
Healthcare in Ústekia and Dýnaria is free and accessible to everyone. It is similar in quality to other developed nations. Infant mortality is 3.5 per 1000 births, which is relatively low, life expectancy is 81 (79.9 for men and 82.2 for women), which is very high compared to the other nations. However, like in the other developed nations, obesity is a growing problem as it is estimated that 22-25% of the Ústekian and Dýnarian population is overweight.
Education
Literacy in Ústekia and Dýnaria stands at 98.4 per cent.
Primary education in Ústekia and Dýnaria starts at the age of seven or eight and consists of five grades of the elementary school followed by three grades of middle school. Compulsory education consists of eight grades of primary and middle school. Secondary education is provided by gymnasiums and vocational schools and usually lasts four years. As of 2012, there are more than 15,000 elementary schools and more than 5,000 schools providing various forms of secondary education.
Ústekia and Dýnaria has 20 public universities. The University of Domanov, the first university in Ústekia and Dýnaria, was founded in 1299 and remained active.
Homeschooling as an option is available to all children and parents, although regulations and limitations vary by Voivodeship. It is estimated that 5-6% of all children were homeschooled at some point.
Primary education
Primary education is often divided into two phases, elementary school and middle school. Elementary school lasts five years, while middle school lasts three years.
Elementary schools in Ústekia and Dýnaria are known to be very flexible and adapted to children. During first 2-3 years almost everything, including reading, writing and math, is learned through play, teaching is highly interactive and lessons are linked with everyday life. Singing, drawing, creative work and sports are very important parts of children's everyday life in school. There are no grades during first three years. The main purpose of this is to facilitate the transition between kindergarten and school, not to force children to grow up before they are ready and to encourage creative expression. Even there is no clear distinction between them, subjects are reading and writting, math, nature, art, music, physical education and, optionally, religious education. Public elementary schools are the most common, although some parents choose to send children to a religious school or to homeschool them. Non-religious private elementary schools are almost non-existant.
In middle school, students are usually given more independence, moving to different classrooms for different subjects. They are allowed to choose a few of their class subjects and activities in order to expand their interests and learn about topics they are interested in. Although, about 75-80% of the subjects and obligations are still same for everybody. Middle school subjects include: Ústekian language, Foreign language, Math, Science, History, Geography, Art, Music, Household, Etiquette and Religion or Ethics. Private and religious middle schools are quite common and more parents homeschool their children during these years.
Secondary education
High education
Cities
Culture
Music
Music
Ústekian traditional music specifically deals with the folk music traditions of the ethnic Ústekian people. The performance and promulgation of ethnic music in Ústekia has a long tradition. Initially it was intertwined with various forms of art music, however, in the late 18th century it began to take on a life of its own with the rise in popularity of folkloric ensembles. Folk music is closely tied in with village life and traditions. It was usually not performed by professional musicians. Today, Ústekia invests a lot of resources in preserving traditional music. And it's quite successful.
In the late twentieth century, a new genre of music has been developed that combines elements of traditional folk music with modern types of music such as pop, rock and punk. The lyrics are usually patriotic. This genre is Ústekian type of folk rock and is sometimes called Brza narodna glazba ("Fast folk music"). It is very popular among young Ústekians. Such music is sometimes considered controversial. While some people believe that it unites young people and spread patriotic values among them, others believe that it is nothing but spreading hatred and nationalism amongst Ústekian youth.
In recent years this has led to the development of a new subculture called patriotic hyperlinks, or "Pipsters" for short. Although they do not show signs of physical violence, many left and liberal activists and media have already called them Nazi hipsters (or Nipsters, for short).
Ústekia is also known for country music, especially the southern parts. Ústekian country music often consists of simple ballads and dance tunes accompanied by mostly string instruments such as banjos, various guitars and fiddles. Country music is sometimes considered to be the most popular music genre in Ústekia.
The term country music is used today to describe many styles and subgenres. The origins of country music are the folk music of working-class Ústekians, while, the new generation of the country continued the crossover between traditional country and more modern types of pop music.
Apart from the mentioned traditional genres, many other modern genres are also present in Ústekia, but are not as popular as in other countries.