Berique

Berique
Flag
Official languages	French
Area
• Total	635,372 km2 (245,319 sq mi)
Currency	Beriquois Livre (BQL)
Time zone	UTC−2 (WTT)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+668
Internet TLD	.bq

Berique is a developed country and sovereign state on the Mederano Peninsula of western Teudallum, the westernmost major continent in Astyria. It is bordered to the north by Nikolia and to the east by Smertolina and Mhm Yes; to the west and south it possesses a long coastline fronting on the Mederano Sea.

Berique has been settled since prehistoric times; cave art and other archaeological finds demonstrate inhabitation as early as blah blah blah. In the second millennium BC a hillfort-dwelling culture developed in the region, which then enjoyed a much warmer climate and was noted as a source of something, and by the end of the millennium the region's many ports were key centres of trade with the empires of the Sea of Jajich and the petty kingdoms of the Mederano Peninsula. In the 4th century BC, the southwest coast was settled by migrating Ethlorek peoples, some of whom subjected themselves to local rulers; others established independent statelets along the south coast, founding cities such as Menda and Vimrette.

Medieval history here :)

Empire; settlement of Cassonne; revolution; flight of royal family to Cassonne; Bernadottic Wars under Emperor Longin Bernadotte.

The modern Beriquois state is governed as a constitutional republic, its laws codified in a civil law system. Berique is unique in Astyria for possessing a tricameral legislature. Blah blah president.

Etymology

Well irl it's named after Berwick but that's not gonna hold up in an NS canon

History

Earliest settlement by a pre-Romance-language pop.; obv., because we can't give them French if there's no Latin yet. Also probably shouldn't speak Gaulish since that's a Celtic language; but the name Gaul comes from a Celtic word (cf. Galatian) so we need a different name for the Gaulic League maybe. Maybe.

Geography

Bays on the west coast.

Politics

The modern Beriquois state is governed as a constitutional republic, its laws codified in a civil law system. Berique is unique in Astyria for possessing a tricameral legislature. Blah blah president.

Administrative divisions

Berique is divided in three major categories of division: the highest subdivision is the region (province?), followed by the department or something; the smallest major subdivision is the paroisse (civil parish), originally called a fédération paroissiale, i.e. a grouping of ecclesiastical parishes. A paroisse generally corresponds to the area of between three and eight church parishes.

Foreign relations

Berique is a member of some stuff.

Culture and society

Cuisine

Beriquois cuisine makes distinctive use of meats, breads, vegetables and sauces. Pastry. Wine. It's nice.

Religion

Berique is a majority Catholic country. Extensive Huguenot-lookalike populations in the southeast...? Some Nikolians on the border with, you guessed it, Nikolia.