Kriastowo Commonwealth

Kriastowo Commonwealth Rzeczpospolita Krystowska
Flag Coat of arms
Capital and largest city	Kałuszyn
Official languages	Kriastowish Suebran Varanian
Recognised national languages	Kriastowish Suebran Varanian
Recognised regional languages	Keilish
Ethnic groups	Kriastowish (43%) Suebran (22%), Varanian (30%), Keilish (5%)
Demonym(s)	Kriastowan
Government	Unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy with elements of a direct democracy
• Monarch	Ania II
• Prime Minister	Brunhilde Zÿmrer
Legislature	Zgromadzenie Narodowe
Area
•	916,597 km2 (353,900 sq mi)
Population
• 2023 estimate	145,204,059
• Density	158/km2 (409.2/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2023 estimate
• Total	$14.881 trillion
• Per capita	$102,482
GDP (nominal)	2023 estimate
• Total	$12.401 trillion
• Per capita	$85,402
Gini (2023)	30.4 medium
HDI (2023)	0.947 very high
Currency	złoty

Geography

The Kriastowo Commonwealth covers an administrative are of 916,597 km2 (353,900 sq mi), and is the largest country in Falore. Topographically, the landscape of the Commonwealth by diverse landforms, water bodies and ecosystems. The Commonwealth is divided into three major geographic regions that correspond to its three constituent nations; Kriastowo, Varani, and Kelmsheim.

Alpine lake in the Iskra Mountains

The central and northern regions of Kriastowo bordering the Hallvic Sea lie within the flat Central Falorian Plain, but its south is hilly and mountainous. The beach coastline of Kriastowo is abundant in sand dune fields or coastal ridges and is indentified by spits, and lagoons. The mountainous belt in the extreme south of Kriastowo is divided into two major mountain ranges; the Kehms in the west and the Hallatians in the east. The highest part of the Hallatian massif are the Iskra Mountains extending along Kriastowo’s southern region.

The landscape of Varani consists mostly of fertile steppes and plateaus, crossed be several rivers as they flow south into the Brokov Sea. To the southwest, the Priester Delta forms the border with (Insert Name Here). Varani’s regions have diverse geographic features, ranging from the highlands to the lowlands. Varani’s only mountains are the Hallatian Mountains in the west. Varani also has a number of highland regions such as the Voryn Upland (in the west) and the Near-Hova Upland (on the right bank of the Hova).

Northern Kelmsheim is an area with varied low mountain ranges, hills, gently rolling fields, deciduous and coniferous forests and arable areas. The landscape of central Kelmsheim is determined by the Priester, the largest river in Kelmsheim, which has carved out a wide plain with many grit and rubble plateaus over time. The Priester flows from west to east through Kelmsheim and is fed by numerous tributaries who all have their sources in the Allens. Eastern Kelmsheim is characterized by low hills, many lakes, plains, and in densely forested mountains in the far east. Southern Kelmsheim has a varied landscape with plains in the north to the Kelmsheim Allens in the south. The Kelmsheim Allens are among the oldest (folding) mountain ranges in the world.

Climate

The climate of Kriastowo is temperate transitional, and varies from oceanic in the north-west to continental in the south-east. The mountainous southern fringes are situated within an alpine climate. Kriastowo is characterised by warm summers, with a mean temperature of around 20 °C (68.0 °F) in July, and moderately cold winters averaging −1 °C (30.2 °F) in December.

Varani is firmly in the mid-latitudes, and generally has a continental climate, except for its southern coasts, which feature cold semi-arid and humid subtropical climates. Average annual temperatures range from 5.5–7 °C (41.9–44.6 °F) in the north, to 11–13 °C (51.8–55.4 °F) in the south. Precipitation is highest in the west and north and lowest in the east and southeast. Western Varani, particularly in the Hallatian Mountains, receives around 120 centimetres (47.2 in) of precipitation annually, while the coastal areas of the Brokov Sea receive around 40 centimetres (15.7 in).

The climate across the Kelmshiem varies. This is mostly due to a high amount of mountains and highlands inside of Kelmsheim. Most parts in the western parts lower than 500–800 metres (1,600–2,600 ft) enjoy an almost year-round mild oceanic climate (cfb in Köppen classification). The climate in the eastern parts of Kelmsheim are more continental. While winters in the warmest areas often lack snow, the Blue Forest, Kelmsheim Allens and the Allens tend to get snow frequently, especially in areas of high elevation. Summers here have more rain than in the valleys, but winters tend to have more sun. Due to the differences of the landscapes, average annual temperatures reach from only 5 °C (41 °F) in the microclimates of Blue Forest and Bresgäu up to 13 °C (55 °F) in the Upper Röszt Valley

Biodiversity

Black stork foraging in the wetlands of the Priester Delta

Phytogeographically, Kriastowo belongs to the Central Falorean province of the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. The country has four Palearctic ecoregions – Central, Northern, Western Falorean temperate broadleaf and mixed forest, and the Hallatian montane conifer. Forests occupy 31% of Kriastowo's land area, the largest of which is the Lower Sóźtie Wilderness. The most common deciduous trees found across the country are oak, maple, and beech; the most common conifers are pine, spruce, and fir. An estimated 69% of all forests are coniferous.

The flora and fauna in Kriastowo is that of Continental Falore. Among the most protected species is the wisent, Falore’s heaviest land animal, as well as the Falor-Hassan beaver, the lynx, the gray wolf and the Iskra chamois. The region was also home to the extinct aurochs, the last individual dying in Kriastowo in 1647. Game animals such as red deer, roe deer, and wild boar are found in most woodlands. Kriastowo is also a significant breeding ground for migratory birds and hosts around one quarter of the global population of black storks.

Varani contains six terrestrial ecoregions: Central Falorean mixed forests, Zohrean Submediterranean forest complex, East Falorean forest steppe, Maddonian mixed forests, Hallatian montane conifer forests, and Karkan steppe. There is somewhat more coniferous than deciduous forest. The most densely forested area is Davisia in the northwest, with pine, oak, and birch. There are 45,000 species of animals (mostly invertebrates). Internationally important wetlands cover over 11,000 square kilometres (6,835 sq mi), with the Priester Delta being important for conservation.

The territory of Kelmsheim can be divided into two terrestrial ecoregions: Western Falorean broadleaf forests and Allens conifer and mixed forests. Plants and animals include those generally common to Central Falore. According to the National Forest Inventory, beeches, oaks, and other deciduous trees constitute just over 40% of the forests; roughly 60% are conifers, particularly spruce and pine. There are many species of ferns, flowers, fungi, and mosses. Wild animals include roe deer, wild boar, mouflon (a subspecies of wild sheep), fox, badger, hare, and small numbers of the Falor-Hassan beaver beaver.

Politics

Queen Ania II

Kriastowo has a somewhat enigmatic political system, which combines elements of absolute monarchy, representative democracy, and direct democracy. The monarch retains extensive executive and legislative powers, and plays a strong active role in the day to day politics of the country, and over all three branches of government. Representative democracy and direct democracy coexist in that elected parliament enacts legislation, and also voters can propose and enact laws and constitutional amendments independently of the legislature. However, as with laws passed by the legislature, these can be vetoed by the monarch.

The reigning Queen is the Head of State and represents Kriastowo in its international relations.

The current Constitution of Kriastowo was adopted in March 2001, amending the 1919 constitution, giving the monarch extensive veto powers, and the ability to dismiss the government and rule by emergency decree, and maintaining the monarch's active role in the legislative process.

Legislative authority is vested in the unicameral Zgromadzenie Narodowe, made up of 636 members elected for maximum four-year terms according to a proportional representation formula. 212 members are elected from the Kriastowo, 212 from Kelmsheim, and 212 from Varania. Parties must receive at least 3% of the national vote to win seats in parliament. Parliament proposes and approves a government, which the Queen formally appoints. Parliament may also pass votes of no confidence in the entire government or individual members.

The government comprises the head of government (prime minister) and eighteen government councillors (ministers), who are appointed by the Queen upon the proposal of parliament and with its concurrence, and reflect the balance of parties in parliament. The constitution stipulates that at least four government members be chosen from each of the three nations. The members of the government are collectively and individually responsible to parliament; parliament may ask the Queen to remove an individual minister or the entire government, or the Queen may do so unilaterally.

Parliament elects from among its members a "Komitet Narodowy" (National Committee) made up of the president of the parliament and twelve additional members. The National Committee is charged with performing functions of parliamentary supervision. Parliament shares the authority to propose new legislation with the Queen, and with the citizenry, as both parliament and the citizenry may initiate referendums.

In 1243, Kriastowo codified full cognatic succession, making it among the first nations on the continent to do so.

Administrative Divisions

Prime Minister Brunhilde Zÿmrer

Kriastowo is divided into 20 provinces or states known as voivodeships. As of 2022, the voivodeships are subdivided into 530 counties (powiats), which are further fragmented into 3,413 municipalities (gminas). Major cities normally have the status of both gmina and powiat. The provinces are largely founded on the borders of historic regions, or named for individual cities. Administrative authority at the voivodeship level is shared between a crown-appointed governor (voivode), an elected regional assembly (sejmik) and a voivodeship marshal, an executive elected by the assembly.

Local government in Kelmsheim is divided into 170 council areas (Gemeindegebiete) with a wide variation in size and population. Each Gemeindegebiet has an elected area council (Gebietsrat) and council president (Ratsvorsitzender) that share administrative duties.

Local government in Varani consists of 14 Princessly provinces (oblasts). As of 2022, the oblasts are subdivided into 63 districts (raions) with major cities often acting as single raions. Oblasts are largely founded on the borders of pre-union Varani princessly domains. Administrative authority at the oblast level is shared between a crown appointed princess and an elected small council (mala rada).

Devolved governments

Main article: Devolution in the Kriastowo Commonwealth

Country	Population	Capital	Parliament	First Minister
Kriastowo	68,245,908	Kałuszyn	none	none
Kelmsheim	29,040,812	Biberach	Landtag	Alaric Heltzer
Varani	33,396,934	Hlyniany	Rada	Kseniya Zayika

Law

The Kriastowo does not have a single legal system as Article 19 of the 1706 Treaty of Union provided for the continuation of Varani's separate legal system. Today Kriastowo has three distinct systems of law: Kriastowan law, Varani law and Kelmsheim law. A new Supreme Court of Kriastowo came into being in October 2003 to replace the Crown Appellate Committee. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, including the same members as the Supreme Court, is the highest court of appeal for several independent Commonwealth countries, the Kriastowan Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies.

Both Kriastowan law, which applies in Kriastowo, and Varani law are based on civil-law principles. The court of Kriastowo is headed by the Senior Courts of Kriastowo, consisting of the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice (for civil cases) and the Crown Court (for criminal cases). Kelmsheim law is a hybrid system based on common-law and civil-law principles. The chief courts are the Court of Session, for civil cases, and the High Court of Justiciary, for criminal cases. The Supreme Court of Kriastowo serves as the highest court of appeal for civil cases under Kelmsheim law.

Kriastowan labour laws entitle staff to have a minimum set of employment rights including a minimum wage, a minimum of 30 days annual holiday, statutory sick pay and a pension. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Kriastowo, Kelmsheim, and Varani since 2000. LGBT equality in Kriastowo is considered advanced by modern standards

Military

Main article: Kriastowo Commonwealth Armed Forces

Kubina Poryw of the Commonwealth Air Force

The Commonwealth Armed Forces are divided into the Commonwealth Army, the Commonwealth Navy, the Commonwealth Marines and the Commonwealth Air Force. As of 2023, the military has around 1.3 million active-duty personnel, and around a million reserve personnel. It is mandatory for all citizens aged 18–27 to be drafted for a year of service in the Armed Forces.

The Commonwealth possesses a large fleet of ballistic missile submarines and is one of a small number of countries operating strategic bombers. The Commonwealth’s military expenditure for 2023 was spending $508.4 billion in 2022, corresponding to around 4.1% of its GDP. In 2023 it was the world's largest arms exporter, and had a large and entirely indigenous defence industry, producing most of its own military equipment

The commonwealth operates numerous bases and facilities abroad and maintains deployments across the world.

The Commonwealth has major military industries and one of the largest aerospace sectors in the world. The country has produced such equipment as the Poryw fighter, the Ludmiła Mrówka aircraft carrier, the Rekin missile and the Kościuszko tank among others. The Commonwealth is a major arms seller, with most of its arsenal's designs available for the export market, except for nuclear-powered devices.

One Commonwealth intelligence unit, the Directorate-General for External Security is considered to be a component of the Armed Forces under the authority of the Ministry of Defense. The other, the Central Directorate for Interior Intelligence is a division of the National Police Force. The Commonwealth’s cybersecurity capabilities are regularly ranked as some of the most robust of any nation in the world

Economy

Overview

The Commonwealth has a mixed market economy, characterised by sizeable government involvement, and economic diversity. For roughly two centuries, the Commonwealth economy has consistently ranked among the ten largest globally; it is currently the world's largest by purchasing power parity, the largest by nominal GDP. The Commonwealth is considered an economic power, with membership in the Group of Seven leading industrialised countries, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the Group of Twenty largest economies.

The Commonwealth's economy is highly diversified; services represent two-thirds of both the workforce and GDP, while the industrial sector accounts for a fifth of GDP and a similar proportion of employment. The Commonwealth is the biggest manufacturing country in Falore, and ranks second in the world by share of global manufacturing output, at 22 per cent. Less than 2 per cent of GDP is generated by the primary sector, namely agriculture; however, The Commonwealth's agricultural sector is among the largest in value and leads Falore in terms of overall production.

In 2018, The Commonwealth was the second-largest trading nation in the world and the largest in Faroe, with the value of exports representing over a fifth of GDP. Despite protectionist policies over certain industries, particularly in agriculture, The Commonwealth has generally played a leading role in fostering free trade and commercial integration in Faroe to enhance its economy. In 2019, it ranked first in Faroe and 3rd in the world in foreign direct investment, with Foroean countries and (Insert Nation Here) being leading sources. According to the Bank of The Commonwealth (founded in 1800), the leading recipients of FDI were manufacturing, real estate, finance and insurance. The Kałuszyn region has the highest concentration of multinational firms in Faroe.

The Commonwealth has historically been one of the world's major agricultural centres and remains a "global agricultural powerhouse"; The Commonwealth is the world's biggest exporter of agricultural products, generating a trade surplus of over $24 billion. Nicknamed "the granary of the old continent", over half its total land area is farmland, of which 45 per cent is devoted to permanent field crops such as cereals. The country's diverse climate, extensive arable land, modern farming technology have made it Faroe's leading agricultural producer and exporter.

Energy

Oil production has been central to the Commonwealth economy for decades

The Commonwealth is the world's second-largest producer of electricity. Energia Elektryczna Wspólnoty Narodów (EEWN), which is majority-owned by the Commonwealth government, is the country's main producer and distributor of electricity, and one of the world's largest electric utility companies, ranking first in revenue globally. In 2018, EEWN produced around two-fifths of Foroean electricity, primarily from nuclear power. As of 2021, The Commonwealth was the biggest energy exporter in Faroe, mostly to neighboring nations, and the largest net exporter of electricity in the world.

Since the 1970s, The Commonwealth has pursued a strong policy of energy security, namely through heavy investment in nuclear energy. It is among the group of countries with nuclear power plants, ranking first in the world by the number of operational nuclear reactors. Consequently, 70% of The Commonwealth's electricity is generated by nuclear power, the highest proportion in the world by a wide margin. The Commonwealth is considered a world leader in nuclear technology, with reactors and fuel products being major exports.

Due to its overwhelming reliance on nuclear power, renewable energies have seen relatively little growth compared to other industialised countries. Nevertheless, between 2008 and 2019, The Commonwealth's production capacity from renewable energies rose consistently and nearly doubled. Hydropower and windpower are by far the leading sources, each accounting for half the country's renewable energy sources and contributing 21% of its electricity, the highest proportion in Faroe after (Blank) and (Blank). As with nuclear power, most hydroelectric plants and wind farms by EEWN. The Commonwealth aims to further expand renewables into 2040.

Oil industry

Export revenues from oil and gas have risen to over 30% of total exports and constitute almost 15% of the GDP. Kriastowo is the fourth-largest oil exporter and second-largest gas exporter in the world. In 1993, the Kriastowan government established the sovereign wealth fund to be funded with oil revenues.

The government controls its petroleum resources through a combination of state ownership in major operators in the oil fields (with approximately 60% ownership in Helincor in 2005) and the fully state-owned Petrolinka, which has a market value of about twice Helincor. Finally, the government controls licensing of exploration and production of fields. The fund invests in developed financial markets outside Kriastowo. Spending from the fund is constrained by the budgetary, which limits spending over time to no more than the real value yield of the fund, lowered in 2017 to 3% of the fund's total value

Transport

A Stoś train traveling through the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth's railway network, which stretches 111, 278 kilometres (69,145 mi) as of 2008, is the most extensive Faroe. It is operated by the KPKK, and high-speed trains include the Poeks and Stoś, which travels at 325 km/h (202 mph). Rail connections exist to all other neighbouring countries in Faroe. Intra-urban connections are also well developed, with most major cities having underground or tramway services complementing bus services.

There are approximately 1,335,338 kilometres (829,741 mi) of serviceable roadway in the Commonwealth, ranking it the most extensive network of the Faroean continent. The Kałuszyn Region is enveloped with the densest network of roads and highways, which connect it with virtually all parts of the country. Commonwealth roads also handle substantial international traffic, connecting with cities in neighbouring (Blank), (Blank), (Blank), (Blank), (Blank), (Blank), (Blank) and (Blank). There is no annual registration fee or road tax; however, usage of the mostly privately-owned motorways is through tolls except in the vicinity of large vovoidships, council areas, or oblasts. The new car market is dominated by domestic brands such as Stoltz, Włace, Haugg, Lugvall, and Kujawa. Diesel and petrol-driven cars and lorries cause a large part of the country's air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

There are 764 airports in The Commonwealth. Kałuszyn Airport, is the largest and busiest airport in the country, handling the vast majority of popular and commercial traffic and connecting Kałuszyn with virtually all major cities across the world. Commonwealth Air is the national carrier airline, although numerous private airline companies provide domestic and international travel services. There are ten major ports in The Commonwealth, the largest of which is in Kalbork, which also is the largest bordering the Hallvic Sea. 15,939 kilometres (9,904 mi) of waterways traverse the Commonwealth.

Demographics

With an estimated January 2024 population of 145,204,059 people, The Commonwealth is the 8th most populous country in the world, the most populous in Falore.

The Commonwealth is an outlier among developed countries, particularly in Falore, for its relatively high rate of natural population growth: By birth rates alone, it was responsible for almost all natural population growth in the Falore in 2006. Between 2006 and 2016, The Commonwealth saw the second-highest overall increase in population in Falore and was one of only four Falorean countries where natural births accounted for the most population growth. This was the highest rate since the end of the baby boom in 1975 and coincides with the rise of the total fertility rate from a nadir of 1.7 in 1994 to 2.0 in 2010.

As of January 2021, the fertility rate declined slightly to 1.84 children per woman, below the replacement rate of 2.1, and considerably below the high of 4.41 in 1800. The Commonwealth's fertility rate and crude birth rate nonetheless remain among the highest in Falore. Unlike like many developed nations, the Commonwealth population is not aging as rapidly; the average age is 33 years, while about a sixth of Commonwealth people are 65 or over. Among the chief reasons for this is the steady increase since the mid-1980s of the rate of immigration into the Commonwealth which has helped maintain positive population growth and maintain a younger population overall. The life expectancy at birth is 83.2 years.

Since 2006, population growth has averaged 0.6 per cent per year. Immigrants are major contributors to this trend; in 2010, 27 per cent of newborns in the Commonwealth had at least one foreign-born parent and another 24 per cent had at least one parent born outside Falore (excluding Commonwealth overseas territories).

Religion

The Commonwealth is a secular country in which freedom of religion is a constitutional right. The Commonwealth policy on religion is based on a strict separation of church and state under which the government and public life are kept completely secular, detached from any religion. According to a national survey of 2020, 67% of the Commonwealth population adhered to Kaliszmi, at the same time, 15% of the Commonwealth population adhered Stürmism, 5% to Lailesh, and 4% to other religions. 9% of the population declared that they had no religion.

To this day, the government is prohibited from recognising specific rights to any religious community (with the exception of legacy statutes like those of military chaplains). It recognises religious organisations according to formal legal criteria that do not address religious doctrine, and religious organisations are expected to refrain from intervening in policymaking. Some religious groups are considered cults (sekta in Kriastowish, which is considered a pejorative term) in the Commonwealth, and therefore they are not granted the same status as recognised religions.

Languages

Kriastowish, Suebran, and Varanian are all official languages of the Commonwealth with Kriastowish being the most widely spoken. Kriastowish is the language of the national government and the Commonwealth promotes the language globally to build connections. It is estimated that 85 per cent of the Commonwealth’s population is at least bilingual. It is estimated that 5 per cent of the population speak languages brought to the Commonwealth as a result of relatively recent immigration.

Keilish is a language spoken by the Keilish ethnic community traditionally practice the Lailesh faith. It is spoken as a first language by a large majority of the Keilish population and gained status as a regional language in 1924. The Keilish language is based Upper Kriastowish and Low Suebran fused with many elements of Lahs. The language developed in the 10th century alongside the ethnogenesis of the Keilish identity among the Lailesh inhabitants that resided along the border regions of between Kriastowish and Suebran speaking peoples.

Education

Chupryna College, the main building of the Wargian Univeristy

Higher education in the Commonwealth is offered by a range of seven universities, specialized colleges, university colleges as well as a range of private colleges. Education follows the Bologna Process involving Bachelor (3 years), Master (2 years) and PhD (3 years) degrees. Acceptance is offered after finishing upper secondary school with general study competence.

Public education is virtually free for citizens from the Commonwealth and IEA member states, but other nationalities need to pay tuition fees. Higher education has historically been free for everyone regardless of nationality, but tuition fees for all students from outside IEA member states was implemented in 2020.

The academic year has two semesters, from August to December and from January to June. The ultimate responsibility for the education lies with the Commonwealth Ministry of Education and Research.

Health

From the 1900s, improvements in public health occurred as a result of development in several areas such as social and living conditions, changes in disease and medical outbreaks, establishment of the health care system, and emphasis on public health matters. Vaccination and increased treatment opportunities with antibiotics resulted in great improvements within the Norwegian population. Improved hygiene and better nutrition were factors that contributed to improved health.

The disease pattern in the Commonwealth changed from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases and chronic diseases as cardiovascular disease. Inequalities and social differences are still present in public health in the Commonwealth.

In 2013 the infant mortality rate was 2.5 per 1,000 live births among children under the age of one. For girls it was 2.3 and for boys 2.7, which is the lowest infant mortality rate for boys ever recorded in the Commonwealth.

Culture

Sports

Stadion w Kriastowie, the national stadium of the Kriastowan national teams

Motorcycle Speedway, motor sports, volleyball, and association football are among the country's most popular sports, with a rich history of international competitions. Track and field, basketball, handball, boxing, MMA, ski jumping, cross-country skiing, ice hockey, tennis, fencing, swimming, and weightlifting are other popular sports. Each member nation of the Commonwealth fields it own club in international tournaments and between the three nations, a total of six world championships have been won by the men’s national clubs and nine by the women’s national clubs.

The Commonwealth has made a distinctive mark in motorcycle speedway racing. The national speedway team of Kriastowo is one of the major teams in international speedway. Individually, Kriastowo has three Speedway Grand Prix World Champions, with the most successful being three-time World Champion Leszek Kuliś who won back-to-back championships in 2019 and 2020 as well as 2022 and 2023.

The Commonwealth is one of the leading motor sports countries in the world. Constructors like Stoltz Auto and Włace are prominent manufacturers in motor sport. Haugg has won the 24 Hours of Lugvall race 19 times, and Kujawa 13 times. The driver Reinhart Oerlin has set many motor sport records during his career, having won seven Formula One World Drivers' Championships. Khrystyna Suprun is also among the most successful Formula One drivers of all time.