Commonwealth of Nations (Altereal)
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The Commonwealth of Nations | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Marlinspike Hall, New Avalon, Emmeria |
| Working Language | Emmerian |
| Type | Intergovernmental Organization |
| Membership | 14 members
4 associates
|
| Leaders | |
• Head | Catherine I |
• Secretary-General | Emilia Jones |
• Chair-in-Office | Gerald Morgan |
| Establishment | |
• Wilson Declaration | 19 November 1926 |
• Statute of Northwood 1931 | 11 December 1931 |
• New Avalon Declaration | 28 April 1949 |
| Area | |
• Total | 21,878,560 km2 (8,447,360 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2019 estimate | 713,930,593 |
• Density | 33/km2 (85.5/sq mi) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2019 estimate |
• Total | $19.372 trillion (OFD) |
• Per capita | $27,135 (OFD) |
The Commonwealth of Nations, generally known simply as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 14 member states, all of them former territories or mandate territories of the Emmerian Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Commonwealth Secretariat, which focuses on intergovernmental aspects, and the Commonwealth Foundation, which focuses on non-governmental relations between member states.
The Commonwealth dates back to the first half of the 20th century with the decolonization of the Emmerian Empire through increased self-governance of its territories. It was originally created as the Emmerian Commonwealth of Nations through the Wilson Declaration at the 1926 Imperial Conference, and formalized by the United Kingdom of Emmeria through the Statute of Northwood in 1931. The current Commonwealth of Nations was formally constituted by the New Avalon Declaration in 1949, which modernized the community and established the member states as "free and equal".
The human symbol of this free association is the Head of the Commonwealth, currently Queen Catherine I, and the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting appointed William, Prince of Cambria to be her designated successor, although the position is not technically hereditary. The Queen is the head of state of 10 member states, known as the Commonwealth realms, while 4 other members are republics.
Member states are connected through their use of the Emmerian language and historical ties. Their stated shared values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law are enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter and promoted by the quadrennial Commonwealth Games.
The Commonwealth Defense Pact (formed 1949) and Commonwealth Economic Area (formed 1973) have enhanced military and economic ties between the 14 member states, along with 4 associated nations (Nordennavic, Estovakia, Levant and Rasheedi Tamudia) which are not full members of the Commonwealth itself.
The countries of the Commonwealth cover more than 21,842,660 sq km (8,433,500 sq mi), and span all four inhabited continents.
History
Structure
Membership
Politics
Economy
Commonwealth Economic Area
Main Article: Commonwealth Economic Area
The Imperial Preference system was established by the Emmerian Empire Economic Conference of 1931, as a further development of the existing economic ties between nations of the sterling zone. Free trade and reduction of tariffs was encouraged between all colonies and dominions, with external trade barriers against economies outside of the Empire (most notably Osea and the Usean nations).
Imperial Preference was then expanded into the Commonwealth Economic Area after the end of the Second Global War with the 1951 Treaty of Norwich. The CEA was formed to ensure that low trade barriers and harmonized regulations between Commonwealth nations would continue in the age of decolonization. Due to the benefits of continued association with the Emmerian economy, the world's second-largest at the time, the various imperial dominions and colonies were in favor of the CEA as long as their own economic interests were taken into account. Nordennavic, Estovakia, the Levant and Rasheedi Tamudia would also join the CEA after becoming associate nations of the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth Economic Area has become a key part of the international economy, with an internal market of hundreds of millions of people. Along with the North Osean Free Trade Agreement and the Federation of Central Usea, it has become one of the world's most influential multilateral economic zones.
Defense
Commonwealth Defense Pact
Main Article: Commonwealth Defense Pact
The Commonwealth Defense Pact's roots can be traced back to the participation of the Emmerian Empire in the two Global Wars, and the subsequent rise of Yuktobania as a threat to imperial interests. The Security Cooperation Protocol of the 1949 New Avalon Declaration created a formal mutual defense agreement between Commonwealth nations, with Commonwealth nations tasked with both defending their own areas of responsibilities and coming to the aid of other members threatened by external military aggression. As such, a number of regional commands were established around the globe, with multinational Commonwealth forces under their jurisdiction.
Commonwealth Forces have participated in numerous conflicts around the world, including the 1980 Aurelian War, the 1988~91 Continental War, and the 2004 Lighthouse War. These conflicts have proven the Commonwealth's global military reach, and the principle of collective defense of Commonwealth nations.
Commonwealth Nuclear Sharing
The first Emmerian atomic weapon was tested on 3 October 1948, a few months before the New Avalon Declaration. On 29 August 1949, Yuktobania tested an atomic weapon of its own. This lead to calls by Commonwealth nations for a 'nuclear umbrella' and nuclear sharing agreements to deter Yuktobania from an invasion of Verusan nations. These requests were granted by the Commonwealth Atomic Energy and Security Agreement of 1951, with Emmerian nuclear weapons eventually being deployed to Aurelia, North Point, South Sotoa, West Clavis, Estovakia, Europa, West Clavis and the Levant.
Given the difficulty of establishing a nuclear umbrella for Aurelia with existing Emmerian nuclear forces, and the significant economic and military power of Aurelia, it was given special permission under the Emmeria-Aurelia Mutual Defense Agreement of 1968 to have theater-level domestic nuclear capabilities. The Aurelian Prime Minister can authorize the use of nuclear weapons in a regional nuclear conflict within southern Osea (most likely against Leasath). Aurelia also possesses some nuclear maintenance and refurbishment facilities, making it a de facto nuclear power.
Today, 190 Emmerian air-deployed tactical nuclear bombs are deployed in Estovakia (50), North Point (30), South Sotoa (20), Europa (40) and the Levant (50). Emmeria also possesses another 1,364 active and 1,810 reserve warheads located at domestic bases and on ships and submarines of the Royal Emmerian Navy. Aurelia maintains 215 of its own nuclear weapons, with a mix of gravity bombs, air-launched cruise missiles and submarine-launched cruise missiles.