Gagium

The Gagian Republic La République Gagienne
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: Ex Notitia, Victory
Location of Gagium in Stratea
Location	Northeastern Stratea
Capital	Laurillac
Largest city	Fort-Anfree
Official languages	Gagian, Anikgan
Recognised national languages	Gagian, Anikgan, not!catalan, not!latin
Ethnic groups	By race: 86.5% Gagian 7.4% Anikgan 6.1% Other
Religion	100.0% TBD
Demonym(s)	Gagian
Government	Bicameral Parliamentary Republic
• President	Cédric Leavitt
• Prime Minister	Céleste de Saint-Pierre
• Orateur of the Assembly	TBD
• Orateur of the Chamber	TBD
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Gagian Assembly
• Lower house	Chamber of Representatives
Establishment
• Kingdom of Gagium	1274
• First Gagian Republic	1835
• Modern Republic	1953
Area
•	2,527,339 km2 (975,811 sq mi)
• Water (%)	5
Population
• 2022 estimate	143,860,000 (TBD)
• 2020 census	143,293,214
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	$5.610 trillion
• Per capita	$39,000 (TBD)
HDI (2018)	0.917 very high
Currency	Gagi (GAG)
Time zone	+TBD
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	TBD
Internet TLD	.ga

Gagium, officially the Gagian Republic (Gagian: la République Gagienne), is a country located in Stratea that covers an area of ZZZ. Gagium shares a border with Pätschlàn and the León Monarchy to the west and southwest, respectively, as well as the ZZZ Ocean to the north and the Tenific Ocean to the east. The nation's largest city is Fort-Anfree, which serves as the nation's economic and social hub alongside being the home to over over 6 million inhabitants, while other large cities include Agen, Chatrois, Nouveau Vitre, Allen, and the nation's capital city of Laurillac. Gagium is the fourth most populated country in the world, with most of its population of 143.8 million people concentrated in the warmer south and the eastern coast.

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Gagium is a federal state subdivided into 20 commonwealths. These subdivisions have their own constitutions and laws, but are subject to the Constitution of the Gagian Republic and any laws passed by the federal government. The nation is a highly developed industrial country, with a slight majority of the nation's inhabitants residing in urban areas and with the nation's labor force employing 52.1% of Gagians. The country ranks highly in several socioeconomic indicators, ranking XXXth in the Human Development Index, the YYYth highest in Stratea, and possessing the world's 3rd largest economy. Gagium is a member of INTERREGIONALORG1, INTERREGIONALORG2, and INTERREGIONALORG3.

History

Prehistoric History

Definitive records suggest that the first humans arrived in modern-day Gagium roughly 22,000 years ago by crossing an ancient route connecting Abos to Stratea. Stratea has been isolated from Abos for much of the past millennia, up until the last glacial period in which new routes were opened between Abos and Stratea. It is unknown what incentivized the migration to Stratea through the frigid northern wastes of the world. At the end of this glacial period, however, the global climate became much more mild, driving the inhabitants of both northern Abos and Stratea to adopt a sedentary lifestyle. At around 10,000 BCE, inhabitants of modern-day Abagail independently developed agriculture; it was around this same time that the end of the glacial periods gave way to prehistoric cultures.

These cultural groups included the Baninians, Provitians, and precursors to the Anikgans of subarctic Gagium. The Baninians were based in modern-day southern Gagium around modern Abagail and Guyansailles, while the Provitians dominated in the northeast. Numerous archaeological sites suggest that both of these cultures established permanent settlements and eventually practiced agriculture and domestication.

Ancient History and Baninian Culture

Ancient Gagian history is most commonly defined with the founding of the city of Masidria near present-day Villemontry, Meuzac by a Baninian tribe at around 2700 BCE. Archaeologists suspect that the initial Baninians did not develop language independently, but it is known that ancient Gagium eventually adopted languages derived from modern-day Fluvannia. The residents of Masidria practiced an early form of deity worship that eventually spread to the majority of modern-day Gagium and held significant influence in early Mavona. Writing was developed by the Baninians between 1100-1000 BCE. Shortly following the development of TBD Script was the formation of Baninia, one of the earliest nationstates on the Stratean continent.

Baninia encompassed the majority of modern-day Guyansailles, Meuzac, and Abagail, with the majority of the population located within 200km of the shore. The Poisouge Bay was a key point of Baninian trade, with the shallow waters providing a safehaven for early traders and their vessels. Baninian culture was fanatically devoted to Gagian mythology; The Temple of TBD, devoted to the ancient god of sunlight and fertility, still stands in Calzatoja. Baninian legal code and practice was heavily interweaved with the stories of mythology. At around 370 BCE, the rivalling nation-state of Provitia was formed in modern-day Suntone. The First Toustrellian War fought between the two nations proved to be indecisive, but the Second Toustrellian War would lead to the complete collapse of Baninia by 200 BCE.

Government & Politics

Administrative Divisions

Gagium is divided into 20 commonwealths, each with certain rights and privileges regarding self-governance. The 20 commonwealths are governed by an executive cabinet led by a governor, together with their commonwealth parliaments. The commonwealths operate as parliamentary republics, with their relationship with the cabinet mimicking what is practiced on the national level: the legislatures are elected by constituencies to serve for 4 year terms, and the governor is then voted into confidence with a majority vote in the commonwealth parliament. The governor is tasked with appointing a cabinet to manage the commonwealth's affairs and to carry out the executive duties of the commonwealth government. The legislature has the ability to vote out a governor with a vote of no confidence.

The commonwealths are further divided into parishes, which hold broad responsibilities including funding local infrastructure projects and operating public school districts. These parishes vary widely in structure, with some rural parishes being home to only a few thousand citizens while other urban parishes function as miniature commonwealths and have populations in the millions. Some parishes act as commonwealths in that they operate numbered highway systems.

Government

The Gagian Republic is a bicameral parliamentary republic, with the nation’s Parliament consisting of the Gagian Assembly and Chamber of Representatives. The nation’s executive branch is led by the Prime Minister, who serves as head of government and is voted through a expression of confidence by Parliament. The Prime Minister is tasked with appointing Ministers, who are usually experienced members of Parliament. The President, the nation’s formal head of state, is elected by the Council of Representatives, a body formed every 5 years from members chosen by the 20 Commonwealths. The government of the Gagian Republic can be described as broadly liberal and progressive, with a large presence from progressive, socialist, and centrist-traditionalist factions.

The Parliament of the Gagian Republic, consisting of the Gagian Assembly and the Chamber of Representatives, is the legislative authority in Gagium, tasked with lawmaking and overseeing the government. The Chamber of Representatives is comprised of 189 seats, which are filled through party-list votes conducted within the commonwealth legislatures, typically at the beginning of each term. Members of the Chamber of Representatives do not have a term limit, and serve until they are voted out of their seat by their commonwealth's legislature. They are tasked with representing their commonwealth. The Gagian Assembly, on the other hand, is composed of 335 representatives from across the country. 284 of these are directly elected from constituencies in a first-past-the-post manner, while the remaining 51 are apportioned based off of mixed-member proportional representation. The members of the Gagian Assembly are not bound to serve the commonwealth from which they originate. The Gagian Assembly is presided over by the Orateur of the Assembly, currently TBD, while the Chamber of Representatives is presided over by the Orateur of the Chamber, currently TBD2.

Elections

Gagium has national elections in order to elect the members of the Gagian Assembly, the upper house of the Parliament of the Gagian Republic. These members are elected every four years from the 284 Assembly constituencies, with an additional 51 seats being apportioned based off of mixed-member proportional representation. That way, even smaller political parties who may not be competitive within the constituencies may win seats within the Gagian Assembly. The last Assembly elections were held on 31 May of 2019, and the XXth Assembly took office on 30 June 2019.

There are also Presidential elections conducted within the Council of Representatives, a body consisting of the members of the Chamber of Representatives as well as an additional 188 members apportioned based off of the results of the last concluded legislative election via party lists. Elections are conducted in the Council of Representatives using a secret ballot and numerous rounds until a candidate obtains a majority of the votes. The Council of Representatives last convened on 16 July 2017 to elect President Cédric Leavitt, and is expected to convene again on 16 July 2022.

On a subnational level, all 20 commonwealths of Gagium conduct elections to elect members of the commonwealth legislatures, who in turn have the role of electing members to the lower house of the Gagian Parliament, the Chamber of Representatives. Elections are also often conducted within municipalities to elect lawmakers and government officials.

Foreign Relations

The Gagian Republic conducts foreign relations with a multitude of different countries across the globe, generally having friendly relations with countries with similar ideology in regards to both domestic policy and foreign policy. On the world stage, the Gagian Republic generally takes an active stance in advocating for free trade and human rights. This includes Gagium's partnerships with nations like Saint Sienia and The Furbish Islands. The nation's foreign policy has come under criticism from domestic parties due to allegations of ignoring human rights violations when convenient. Furthermore, Gagium has been accused of exerting control over Saint Sienia like a puppet state.

Economy

Gagium is home to a diversified service economy with relatively large manufacturing and agricultural sectors. The nation has a liberal free market economy, though Gagium’s government maintains significant control over the energy and transportation sectors.

Infrastructure and Transportation

The Gagian Republic is home to a sprawling infrastructure network consisting of an extensive roadway network combined with a modern, efficient high-speed rail network that connects the urbanized Eastern Corridor with the rest of the nation. The main Gagian highway network is the Gagian Expressway System, which consists of numerous controlled-access routes across the country. Gagium’s high speed rail is primarily operated by Boréale, a state-funded high speed rail operator. Boréale operates a number of lines connecting Gagium's major cities to each other.

Being a developed nation, Gagium also has an extensive air transport system. The largest and busiest airport in Gagium, Fort-Anfree's Georges Deloffre International Airport, annually services over 30 million passengers. A number of airlines operate in Gagium, with the largest being Air Gagium, which earns over $19 billion in revenue each year. Nearly every major city and a number of minor cities are connected via airport, and serviced by a mixture of international, national, and regional airlines.

Demographics

Education

Primary and Secondary Education

Compulsory primary and secondary education in the Gagian Republic extends from ages 6-7 and 17-18, for a total of roughly 12 years. This education is split into 12 grade levels, in which grades 1-6 include primary elementary level education, 7-9 include junior high school secondary education, and 10-12 include high school secondary education. There are some public institutions that deviate from this structure, however, with high school encompassing grades 9-12 and junior high, or middle school, including students from grades 7-8. Education is typically interdisciplinary and is conducted on a public level, though a small number of private academies are permitted to exist, with many of these institutions being religiously affiliated. Compulsory subjects taught at the primary and secondary level include: Mathematics, Science (Physics, Chemistry, and Astronomy), Language (Both National and Foreign), Social Studies (History, Geography, and Civics), Physical Education, and the Humanities (Arts/Music).

The average Gagian secondary school, whether it be junior high or high, has a wide range of extracurricular activities promoted towards students so that they can develop outside of the classroom setting. The most common extracurriculars offered are through the form of athletic clubs or music clubs (involving either instrument use or singing), though other commonly offered extracurricular activities include theater, debate, further academic study, and scouting. Scouting programs in Gagium are most often operated by the school district, and teach students a wide variety of skills, including developing physical fitness and individual talents and strengths.

Postsecondary

About 41% of Gagians who graduate from high school go on to attain a 4-year degree from a University, while 18% attain both a 4-year degree and a graduate-level degree. The vast majority of Universities in Gagium are operated by the Commonwealths, with many receiving funding from the national government to conduct research. University of Rachelia Cadeneaux, a public research institution operated by the commonwealth of Rachelia, is generally considered to be the leading institution in Gagium. The Rodier College of Laurillac is a prime example of a Gagian hybrid university, being operated by a board of trustees consisting of both state officials and private employees. A number of fully privately-operated Universities do exist, but are not typically popular due to higher tuition rates and a bad public image as a result of a number of scandals. According to TBD's University Ranking metrics, 3 of the top 10 universities in Gagium are private institutions.

The vast majority of universities offer a wide selection of courses and offer degrees in numerous fields, though some specialized institutions that only offer degrees in a specific field or area do exist. These institutions include the private Levasseur College of Fine Arts and the public Diarville University of the Sciences, which exclusively offer degrees in the liberal arts and STEM fields, respectively.

Culture

Gender & Family

Historically, and especially after the Progressive Revolution, more genders than male and female have been recognized, especially amongst the Anikgan population. In Gagian society, third genders (such as identifying as nonbinary) are widely accepted, and official identification documents recognize third genders.

Fashion

Gagian fashion trends are similar to that of other industrialized nations, though (especially in the Northern parts of the country) fashion revolves more around practicality/utility to deal with weather conditions as opposed to style. Furthermore, Gagians, on average, tend to dress more modestly than those in warmer nations. However, Gagium also has a sizable industry for custom-made attire, especially within the Anikgan community. The primary center of fashion in Gagium is Chatrois.

Sports

The most popular sports in Gagium are association football, ice hockey, baseball, and basketball. Three national tiers professional of association football exist, while two levels of professional ice hockey exist as well. The Baseball Association of Gagium and Gagian Club Basketball League are the national professional baseball and basketball leagues, respectively. The market for professional sports in Gagium is worth approximately TBD billion, which is the TBDth largest in the world.

The national sport of Gagium is generally considered to be association football. The Gagian Premier League Football holds an average attendance of 44,000 people, the largest of any sports league based in Gagium. 18 teams compete in a total of 306 games during the Premier League season, with the season culminating in the TBD. The Gagian Ice Hockey League is the second largest sports league in Gagium, holding an average attendance of 18,000 people. 20 teams compete in the Gagian Ice Hockey League for a grand total of 740 games. The International Hockey League has a significant following in Gagium, and the nation's team has generally performed well in the league.

Furthermore, athletics is a key component of primary and secondary education in Gagium. Many schools operate sports teams in sports such as association football, gridiron football, basketball, and ice hockey. On the university-level, several sports are played under the Gagian Association of Collegiate Athletics. These include the more popular sports in the nation, such as association football, as well as less popular team and individual sports, including volleyball, lacrosse, swimming, and the martial arts. College-level association football, ice hockey, and gridiron are especially competitive. These sports generally have high attendance from both students as well as alumni and non-alumni fans, and often generate a profit for their respective universities.

Drug Use

For the most part, recreational drug use is legal in the Gagian Republic to individuals over the age of 18, including alcohol and marijuana use. However, the use of certain drugs, such as many opiates and methamphetamines, remain illegal and punishable by incarceration. Some variation in drug laws exist between the Commonwealths. The national government operates several programs designed to reduce fatalities from drug usage and reduce illegal drug use.

In Gagium, the legal drinking age is 18, but despite this, there is a prominent drinking culture in many schools. This includes acts of hazing, as well as drinks offered at parties and other events where minors are present. In 2009, the TBDNEWS1 ran an article on alcoholic beverages offered at an Etrine University Arx tour event that included both parents and prospective students. According to police records, two students were transported to the hospital due to intoxication at the event; the incident was not reported to media outlets until a week later. As a response to this, a number of public and private universities have committed to enforcing drinking bans on campus even for those who are above the age of majority. It is estimated that this has had little to no impact on the amount of drinking that actually occurs on these campuses.

Both alcohol use and marijuana use are prominent at sporting events, especially at football and baseball events. Marijuana is one of the most popular drugs amongst Gagiums, with marijuana use also being a part of many university and workplace cultures. Marijuana was publicized in part due to a campaign run by TBDCOMPANY in the 70s and 80s advertising the drug as an escape from the issues of the time, including the ongoing Third Great War. In contemporary times, cannabis products are sold through both physical and digital outlets, and are used for both medical and recreational purposes.

However, the vast majority of drugs circulating in Gagium are illegal, and their use and transportation is punishable by incarceration. Especially harsh penalties are enacted for the trafficking of drugs such as fentanyl and heroin. Before 2015, it is estimated that over a dozen executions have occurred in Gagium for drug trafficking offenses (with over half of them estimated to have occurred in Guyansailles). Incidentally, southern commonwealths such as Guyansailles and Budierre suffer the most from drug overdose deaths.