Nidwalden

Grand Duchy of Nidwalden Großherzogtum Nidwalden (German)
Flag Coat Of Arms
Motto: Remain Independent
Anthem: Unserer Heimatland (German) Our Homeland
Nidwalden (dark green) in Lorecian Community (light green)
Capital	Cologne
Largest	Saint Moritz
Official languages	German
Demonym(s)	Nidwaldeser
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Grand Duke	Charles Lechner
• Prime Minister	Charlotte Mann
Area
•	41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi)
• Water (%)	4.5
Population
• 2019 estimate	5,350,000
• 2017 census	5,323,933
• Density	202/km2 (523.2/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2016 estimate
• Total	$377.100 billion
• Per capita	$100,991
GDP (nominal)	2016 estimate
• Total	$391.959 billion
• Per capita	$104,359
Gini (2015)	23.5 low
HDI (2015)	0.935 very high
Currency	Nidwaldeser Krone (NWK)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+77
Internet TLD	.nw

Nidwalden, officially the Grand Duchy of Nidwalden (German: Großherzogtum Nidwalden) is a landlocked mountainous country located in Lorecia bordering Noordenstaat to the west, Fyngaria to the north and Scanonia to the south and east. Cologne is the seat of the Nidwaldester crown and Government, as well as a major financial centre for the country. The population is equally distributed in the complex mountainous territory of Nidwalden, the country has an area of 41,285 km² that is home to 5,323,933 inhabitants, that in recent studies, 23.3% of whom declared a close foreign background from other Lorecian countries. The official language is German, however, the closeness and free movement with its neighbouring countries has made of Dutch, Scanonian and Albish widely understood languages.

Like in the surrounding countries, the past of the Nidwaldester people has a stretch relation with the Arlethic peoples and several Viking tribes from Scanonia, which coexisted and mixed with the Arlethi, developing what is known today as a unique Nidwaldester identity. Christianization took place in the 8th century with the arrival of the first missionaries from [] and lasted until the 12th century. Despite the small territory of Nidwalden, the conversion to Christianity is documented slow and nominally as the terrain difficulty requested additional efforts. Nidwalden was constituted by small Duchies and city-states when it joined the Nassau Union and around 1350 a unified Grand Duchy was formed existing without interruptions since then. After withdrawing from the Nassau Union, Nidwalden faced the Protestantisms with the foundation of the Church of Nidwalden during the 16th century. The first Constitution of Nidwalden was signed on 24 July 1815 turning Nidwalden into a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, founded in the sovereignty of the people, human rights, and separation of power.

After signing the constitution, Nidwalden ended being an absolute monarchy starting a new era of socially progressive changes that deepened the democratic culture of the Grand Duchy. During the 20th century, Nidwalden maintained a neutral position in the several conflicts of Astyria, in 1920 Prime Minister Helle Johansen signed the Sankt Moritz Agreement that set bases of the large Nidwaldester welfare state model with members of all the political parties of Nidwalden. During the first decades of the century, the population reached advanced social rights like civil marriage, divorce and the separation of the state from the church that created the bases to later accomplish the recognition of Same-sex unions in 1989, abortion in 1984 and Same-sex marriage in 2001.

The country is a founder member of the Lorecian Community, the Astyrian Peace Organization and the E10 Council of Nations, it is a member of the World Assembly since 1998. With a very developed and mixed economy, Nidwalden has a very large welfare state providing universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens. The Nidwaldester economy is based around the financial and banking sector, the pharmaceutics and the technology with large contributions of tourism and agriculture. The country ranks at or near the top globally in several metrics of national performance, including government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, economic competitiveness, and human development.

History

Twentieth century

Ludwig Mann, Prime Minister of Nidwalden between 1903-1907 and 1911-1915.

The twentieth century started in Nidwalden with the national elections of 1903 and the assumption of Ludwig Mann to the position of Prime Minister, he was the first politician elected for the position from the social democrat side of the Rechte Party, one of the traditional parties of Nidwalden. The agenda of Ludwig during his first term was not also riddled with social reforms that later ensured a welfare state in Nidwalden, but also with a 'second' reform in the Church that ended with the official separation of the Church of Nidwalden from the State. Ludwig Mann held the office between 1903-1907 and 1911-1915, during both terms Nidwalden banned crucifixes in hospitals by 1906, and eliminated references to God and the Gospel in public oaths, Divorce (1907) laws and amends on unemployment compensation (1914) and eight-hour workdays (1915) were also established during this time.

The progress created during both terms of Ludwig led a political movement called Ludwigism that ruled political agendas of the next Prime Minister during the 60 years that preceded the terms of Ludwig setting a consensus among traditional and new parties on a vision of general welfare state for Nidwalden.

With the formation of a large welfare state, Nidwaldesters started to have highest lifestyle in Lorecia. A typical house and shop of a town in Nidwalden during the 20s.

During most of the first years of the twentieth century, Nidwalden remained as a rural country with agriculture and stockbreeding being the bases of its economy. While Ludwighist were in favour of an industrialisation of the Nidwaldester economy, the politicians of the Nationalist Party maintained in opposition to this arguing that Nidwalden should turn into the Barn of Lorecia. The Nationalist Party was backed up in its majority by the Rural Society of Nidwalden, an organisation composed by most of the aristocracy of Nidwalden during the time. The aspirations of the Nationalist Party to reach the power seemed frustrated after the second term of Ludwig Mann and the assumption of Christen Holsteinborg.

The term of Christen Holsteinborg (1915-1919) was divided between the first half, where the government continued with the avance on social rights and welfare, and the second half, where the state delve into the economy performing a great involvement, breaking private monopolies and nationalising strategic industries and services, a factor that contributed to the economical growth that Nidwalden experienced during the Great Astyrian War.

Great Astyrian War

For the last year of the administration term of Christen Holsteinborg, Nidwalden and the rest of Lorecia was sure about a war bursting into the region. The fears of a war rapidly turn into the most important issue on the agenda of Christen and the next Prime Minister, Adam Brum, who spent his entire administration with the rest of the region fighting the Great Astyrian War.

With a little industrial sector, the economy of Nidwalden was based in the countryside, drove in its majority by the aristocracy through the Rural Society. The wealth that feeded the Nidwaldester welfare state during the first years of the century, was on its majority stemming from the exportation of agricultural products. The decrease in the demand of Nidwaldester products and the lack of manufactured articles (primarily from Noordenstaat and Scanonia) impulsed the ISI Model.

In 1920, seeing the decline on the Nidwaldester economy, Adam Brum reunited in Saint Moritz with members of the high-society in a movement to show confidence in the national labour force. The plan of Brum was to motivate them in creating industries by the exoneration of taxes and other benefits but counting with the competence of state-owned companies, the plan would create an increase on the cities population, a rapid industrialisation and an emerging aristocracy from the cities that would oppose to the Rural Society.

The government rapidly achieved success with the plan and Nidwalden saw a rapid industrialisation that increased exportations of goods to the neighbouring countries immersed in the Great Astyrian War.

Geography

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  Klöntalersee Lake in Bergig

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  Forests and mountains in Vorarlberg

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  Fall foliage

Politics and Government

Nidwaldeser Parlament, Cologne, Nidwalden.

Nidwalden is considered to be one of the most developed democracies and states of justice in the world. According to the constitution adopted in 1815, the Grand Ducky is a unitary constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government, wherein the Duke is the head of state and the Prime Minister is the head of government. Power is separated between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government. The Grand Duke had the power to dissolve the legislature and used to retain executive power but since the parliamentary system of government, the duties of the monarchs is purely ceremonial and representative. During 2017 polls revealed that a 70-80% of the Nidwaldester people supported the continuation of the monarchy.

County Council of Diekrich.

In practice, the Prime Minister exercises the executive powers and the legislative power is in charge of the Nidwaldeser Parlament, a unicameral legislative body composed of 169 Deputies which are elected every five years during the national elections. The members of the Parliament are elected by the same way the Prime Minister is, with lists and universal suffrage in all Nidwaldester territory, the consular vote has been an important issue during 2015 but the efforts of the Rechte to allow it were unsuccessful. Deputies work during the five-year term acting independently from the Monarch who was a minimum power in the organism. The building of the Parliament is located in the Old Town of Cologne.

The Parliament is in charge of adopting state's budgets, approving the cabinet, passing acts that apply in Nidwalden and supervising the government actions, which in case of being declared unconstitutional, members of the Executive can be impeached; however, this never happened.

Nidwalden has a wide range of political parties, however, the Rechte and the Social Democrat Party have played leading roles during the Nidwaldester history. Historically, the Rechte and the Nationalist Party are known as the traditional parties as they were the first political parties to represent the Nidwaldester society. The current Prime Minister is Charlotte Mann, a member of the historical social democrat side of the Rechte. Politics in Nidwalden are known internationally for being serious and responsible, since 1920 all political parties are part of the Sankt Moritz Agreement that sets the bases for the establishment of the Nidwaldester welfare state model expanding labor rights, the devaluation of the Krone and subsidies to farmers and small industries.

Administrative Divisions

Nidwalden as a unitary country is divided into eleven first-level administrative counties. Every County has its own local elections separated from the national ones where a County Council is elected. Like the Parliament, Councils discusses county issues, adopts budgets and passes acts that are for use in the territory of the county. Counties are also in charge of upper secondary schools, public transport, county roads, culture affairs and heritage management. County Governors are also part of the councils. The Grand Duke and the government are represented by a Governor that supervises the county and municipality administrations.

Canton		N°	Capital
	Rhine	1	Cologne
	Grevenmacher	2	Vaduz
	Vorarlberg	3	Feldkirch
	Wiltz	4	Zell am See
	Fribourg	5	Lech
	Bergig	6	Bremen
	Diekrich	7	Innsein
	Solothurn	8	Aspen
	Saanen	9	Erzberg
	Thurgau	10	Saint Moritz
	Schaffhausen	11	Glarus

Foreign Relations

Nidwalden has long been a supporter of Lorecian political and economic integration, as a result of this, the country is a founder member of the Lorecian Community after signing the Bruningen Accord in Noordenstaat. The country maintains embassies in almost every country of Astyria, Nidwalden supports international cooperation and the peaceful settlement of disputes, recognising the need for maintaining a strong national defence through collective security, the country is also an active supporter of the international development and the international aid during catastrophes, conflicts and wars.

Although there is a rising nationalism in the country like in many others of the region, the ministers of foreign affairs maintain clear and strong positions in issues like immigration, international aid and in conflicts that are often opposed to many nationalists politics.

Military

• Main Airticle: Nidwaldester Defence Forces
  

  Tanks of the Army during exercises in winter.

The Defence Forces of Nidwalden are composed by the Army, the Air Force and the Home Guard, besides of not having a sea side, Nidwalden does maintain a small navy in bordering lakes. The forces numbers about 6,500 active personnel, including civilian employees. Its Army and Air Force are known for being one of the most modern armed forces in Astyria, this has made of Nidwalden an important factor for the actions taken in international conflicts by the Lorecian Community, this is mainly due to the fact that many of the Nidwaldester governments were pro to a common security and defense policy in the countries members of the Community.

The formal commander-in-chief is Duke Charles Lechner; however, the de facto supreme decision-making is made by the Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, a position which is currently taken by a right-centre party.

Economy

Financial centre of Saint Moritz. This city has the biggest financial district of the country.

The economy of Nidwalden is one of the most stable economies in Lorecia. The political stability and the long culture of human rights has given to Nidwalden millions of safe investors creating an independent, safe and huge economy. The country has a stable and high-income market economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and a high level of innovation, the unemployment rate has been traditionally low and it is actually positioned in 2.5% of the population. The country is one of the richest countries of the world with a nominal GDP per capita at $104,359.

The financial sector is one of the most traditional sectors of the Nidwaldester economy, banking and finance play a very important role in the economical scene of the country, like others countries in Astyria, Nidwalden plays a role, specially for the Lorecian Community, as a place of low taxes, political and economical stability and safety for saving great amounts of money. Saint Mortiz and its financial centre are known for being the core of many of the economic decisions taken in Nidwalden.

The Saint Moritz Airport is a major connection n the Lorecian Community.

The service sector comprises the majority of the Nidwaldester GDP and in recent years the numbers saw an increment due to the enlargement of the information and technology sector. Nidwalden has positioned itself as one of the most technologized countries in the Lorecian Community, the city of Vaduz in the south of the country has the highest number of startups per person in Lorecia and has been named as one of the best cities of Astyria to start or move a technology focused enterprise.

The city Lech is one of the homes of the modern car in Astyria, the automotive industry comprises also an important part of the GDP as it is considered to be one of the most competitive and innovative of the world. However, since the 80s the Nidwaldester society has faced an important environmental conscience that has take it to produce more eco-friendly products in the industrial sector, changing the aluminium production for high-value-added, non-polluting industries, such as cosmetics and biothermics.

Energy and Infrastructure

NidEnergie wind park.

The electricity generated in Nidwalden is fully produced by the state-owned company NidEnergie, in 2018 a 95%of Nidwalden’s energy was made by renewable energy methods such as hydroelectric power stations and windparks, the geographical situation of Nidwalden, with a great amount of lakes and rivers and high mountains gives it an enormous advantage.

Nidwalden has one of the most dense rail network in Lorecia. The vast majority of the network is operated by the national company [ name here ] which has focused its business into improving the reliability and quality of service of its conventional rail network. The difficult terrain of Nidwalden and the short distances between cities and towns has been a challenge for the company in building high-speed networks, there are currently three major high-speed lines, Cologne-Saint Moritz, Cologne-Vaduz and Vaduz-Saint Moritz, the three of them are connected with Noordenstaat and Scanonia.

The mountainous country has five international airports, Cologne International Airport, Vaduz International Airport, Aspen International Airport, Lech Airport and Saint Moritz International Airport, the last one is the largest one and a major connection hub with the rest of the Lorecian Community and Astyria for the flag carrier airline, Air Nid, the Aspen International Airport operates international flights only during winter and has only ten destinations in total. However, most of the cities in Nidwalden count with facilities for airplanes.

Demographics

Estimations done in 2018 agreed that the population of Nidwalden was of 5,323,933 inhabitants. As the rest of the countries of Lorecia, Nidwalden increased its population together with the industrialization of the economy between 1800 and 1990, however, this growth has been slow and stable, estimations done by specialist of the World Assembly say that the Nidwaldester population will remain without exceeding the number of 5,400,000 until 2030. Immigration and an exceptional quality of life is what gives to the population of Nidwalden this character of stable.

As a developed country in Lorecia, Nidwalden counts with a vast community of foreigners, 23.3% of the population has recognised having a foreign background from his close past. Most of the immigration comes from neighbouring countries like Scanonia, Noordenstaat, Fyngaria or Albeinland thanks to the possibilities given by the free movement accords of the Lorecian Community. During the early 2000s several social institutions and political parties (mainly from left backgrounds) expressed its concerns for an increasing xenophobia in the Nidwaldester society and populist political campaigns, in reply to this, the Ducal government stated that ‘the situation of xenophobia was unacceptable in a country like Nidwalden’, in the following years actions were taken in schools and in the social scene to ensure rapid and unproblematic integration of foreigners.

Healthcare

Astrid Lindgren Hospital, Cologne.

The government of Nidwalden follows a system of insurances that every citizen should have. Legal citizens of Nidwalden and visitors have the right to a quality healthcare service that is given in an enormous network of hospitals and clinics funded by the state. Insurances are generally from private companies, once the applicant needs the service these are free (as it is paid with a mensual fee) and include emergency facilities, treatments and specialized medicine. While the cost of the system is among the highest, it compares well with other Lorecian countries in terms of health outcomes; patients have been reported as being, in general, highly satisfied with it and the state keeps a very high engagement of the population into insurance plans, an overwhelming 99% count with a life insurance that ensures quality healthcare at any moment.

Religion

Cathedral of Bremen and seat of the Church of Nidwalden.

Nidwalden has no official religion, church and state has been officially separated since 1917 and the religious freedom is guaranteed by the constitution since then. However, a survey done by the official agency of statics of the Grand Duchy showed that Protestantism remained as the main religion with a 57.9% of adherence in the population, it was followed by atheists and/or agnostics with a 40.7%. According to political observers, Nidwalden is one of the most secular countries of Astyria, for many, this process of secularization began during the protestant reformations of the churches where new ideas were spread along the country.

In 1837 civil marriage was recognized, and in 1861 the state took over the running of public cemeteries. In 1907 divorce was legalized and, in 1909 all religious instruction was banned from state school, much more time after the church reformation the innovative Prime Minister Ludwig Mann (1903–1911) completed the separation of the church from the state.

The protestant reform of the church and then the secularization process of Nidwalden is thought to be one of the reasons why the society of the small country has been very open and receptive to innovative laws and ideas. In modern times the population has supported the recognition of Same-sex unions in 1989 and the later Law that approved Same-sex marriage in 2001, years before, in 1984 Nidwalden was also one of the first countries to fully legalize the Abortion.

Largest cities

The population of Nidwalden is equally divided between cities. As a country with a largely rural past, Nidwaldester cities have grown during the first decades of the nineteenth century, however, this process of urbanisation has been sustainable and the population is today equally divided between the urban spots. Historically, Saint Moritz and Cologne have been the largest cities of Nidwalden but recently other cities like Lech, Vaduz, Bremen and Innsein.

Education

Like the neighbouring countries of Noordenstaat and Scanonia, Nidwalden has a developed education in which students have a performance that overpass regional averages. The education system is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education in all the Nidwaldester territory. Optional Kindergarten is offered for all children between one and six years old, after it, primary and secondary school are compulsory and last six years each one, secondary school is divided between the first three years and then another three years, in the last two years children can choose an ‘orientation’ where the education imparted more specialized in different areas. All children graduated from secondary school are able to speak English on level B2 and a third optional language on level B1.

Nidwalden has a long tradition of higher education, most universities are public institutions and students can attend without fee payment. The country has one of the highest rates of student enrolment in Universities, this contributes to having a very specialized workforce. Nidwalden is home of the Kiefern Group, a group of the best five public universities, the name of the group is often synonymous of academic excellence.

• Universities of the Kiefern Group
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  Vaduz-Hohenheim University

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  University of Cologne

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  University of Saint Moritz

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  Bremen-Nassau University

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  Lech-Hildesheim University

Culture

Leitza in Bergig

Nidwalden shares many strong cultural and historical ties with the neighbouring countries of Scanonia and Noordenstaat. The country has been historically one of the most progressive cultures of the world, Nidwalden was one of the first countries in Astyria and the world to allow same-sex unions in 1989, abortion in 1984 and legal same-sex marriage in 2001. Modesty and social equality are important parts of a culture that has been shaped through history by major intellectuals, artist and new thinkers that later became important for the new waves of think in Astyria.

Architecture and design

Theatre Grand Duchess Margaretha

Nidwaldester design and architecture has grown while being characterized by the simplicity, minimalism and functionality, it is a style worldwide famous. Initially influenced by the Bauhaus school, Nidwaldester designers and architects took different ways to persuade a different style, however, the culture for design in Nidwalden dates from long before the 20th century, despite the small size of the country, different areas developed different styles, this contributed to a major diversity in architectural styles. The most typical constructions along the central valley date from the Middle Ages and follow Romanesque styles. Gothic architecture flourished during the high and late medieval period and with this large Gothic influence, castles started to be constructed appearing through the whole country and being today the most distinctive architectural pieces of Nidwalden, most of them are located in the cores or up in hills near towns, where half-timbered buildings became part of the Nidwaldester culture.

The progressive industrialization and the years of stable growth helped to develop a more modern side of the architecture in Nidwalden, large cities like Saint Moritz, Cologne and Lech are known for its modern buildings of distinctive Nidwaldester Design. The Mégeve County Councils and the Bremen City Hall, the Kirchberg borough of Cologne, the skyscrapers of Saint Moritz and many of the contemporary developments in the cities of Vaduz and Lech are just some of the most recognised pieces of modern Nidwaldester design.