Sohar

Republic of Sohar Rahelian: جمهورية صحار
Flag Emblem
Motto:  العدل والوئام والازدهار Justice, Harmony, Prosperity
Anthem:  أغنية لوطننا Song to Our Homeland
Location of Sohar (dark blue) in Coius (light blue)
Capital and largest city	Tarihi
Official languages	Rahelian
Ethnic groups (2019)	Rahelian (82%) Anniserian (10%) Atudite (8%) Other (1%)
Religion (2019)	Irfan (92%) Atudism (7%) Other (1%)
Demonym(s)	Soharan
Government	Unitary dominant-party semi-presidential republic
• President	Hamid el-Bari
• Premier	Asmar al-Kaba
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	People's Council
• Lower house	National Assembly
Establishment
• Independence from Estmere	9 September 1948
• Admission to the Community of Nations	14 October 1953
• Current Constitution	15 June 1985
Area
• Total	1,534,132.2 km2 (592,331.8 sq mi)
• Water (%)	1.2%
Population
• 2021 estimate	25,159,042
• 2019 census	24,675,988
• Density	16.4/km2 (42.5/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2021 estimate
• Total	$373 billion
• Per capita	$14,864
GDP (nominal)	2020 estimate
• Total	$103 billion
• Per capita	$4,103
Gini (2018)	51.4 high
HDI (2019)	0.728 high
Currency	Soharan Dinar (SHD)
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy (AD)
Driving side	left
Calling code	+103
Internet TLD	.sh

Sohar (Rahelian: صحار), officially the Republic of Sohar (Rahelian: جمهورية صحار), is a country in the Rahelia region of Coius. With a population of over 25 million as of 2021, it is the 15th most populous nation in Coius. Located close to the border between Rahelia and Bahia, it is the northernmost nation on the Coian mainland, and is bordered by the Gulf of Assonaire to the north and east, Nise and Tsabara to the southwest, x to the south, and xx to the east.

Sohar was one of the first areas in Rahelia to be inhabited by humans, with the earliest human settlements in the region dating back X years. In the ninth century BCE, the coastal regions were settled by the !Phonecians, who constructed small settlements and trading posts in the area. The !Phonecians began trading with the First Heavenly Dominion in the first century CE, leading to the Irfanicization of the region. Between the 400s and 1400s, Sohar was controlled by various empires, including the (various dynasties), the Khalij Sultanate, and eventually the Estmerish colonial empire. After a brief Gaullican occupation during the Great War; Estmerish rule was reasserted in 1933, and Sohar would become independent in 1950 under the rule of Sultan Abdelhafid. The Sultan's rule was overthrown in the Soharan Revolution of 1961, leading to the formation of the communist Soharan Council Republic (SCR). The SCR government was unable to assert its legitimacy over the country, leading to a military coup six years later and the establishment of a military dictatorship. Amid an economic crisis and growing public opposition, the military government abdicated in 1985, leading to the democratization of Sohar, though the military continues to have a dominant role in the country's governance.

Since the transition to democracy in 1985, Sohar has generally been one of the more stable nations in Rahelia, despite an ongoing insurgency by the communist Soharan Democratic Liberation Front. It is generally considered a regional power and wields considerable influence in northern Coius. The relative stability of Sohar compared to its neighbors has made it one of the most attractive destinations in Rahelia for migrants, and the 2005-2015 civil war in Nise and the ongoing Tsabaran Civil War have led to a considerable influx of refugees. Sohar's constitution defines it as a unitary semi-presidential republic, though since 1998 it has in practice operated more as a presidential republic, with the premier wielding very little actual power. Though military rule officially ended in 1985, the government remains corrupt and highly authoritarian in nature. The pro-military National Preservation Party has governed Sohar continuously since 1985, and the Soharan Defense Forces continue to dominate Sohar's government and politics. A number of Euclean commentators have described Sohar as a "junta in all but name" and a "southern democracy". Sohar is strongly allied with Zorasan and Xiaodong, and has been a member of ROSPO since 2007. Since the discovery of oil and gas reserves in the 1920s, the Soharan economy has largely been dominated by oil and gas exports, though there have been efforts at diversification in recent years. Sohar is one of the most unequal states in the world, with its Gini coefficient of 51.4 being the highest in Rahelia. This is largely due to a persistent wealth gap between the coastal and interior regions of the country. Like all internationally recognized states, Sohar holds membership in the Community of Nations, as well as ROSPO, the Bank for United Development, and the Irfanic Cooperative Conference.

Government and politics

Sohar's 1985 constitution defines it as a unitary democratic republic under a semi-presidential system. In practice however, voters and elected politicians hold little to no sway over national affairs, with the vast majority of actual political power resting with a small group of business and military leaders. In particular, the chiefs of staff of the Soharan Defense Forces are widely seen as the de facto leaders of the country. (TBA, various generals jockeying for power)

Hamid el-Bari, President of Sohar since 2009

Asmar al-Kaba, Premier of Sohar since 2018

The President of Sohar is the official head of state, who is elected every five years, most recently in 2016. Since 2009, the position has been occupied by Hamid el-Bari. Until 1998, the president was limited to a single six-year term, but Amendment X of the Soharan Constitution abolished this. The President is commander-in-chief of the Soharan Defense Forces and the cabinet, and appoints the Premier, who serves as head of government. The members of the cabinet are appointed by the President on the Premier's advice, and can be dismissed either by the president or by a motion of no confidence from the National Assembly, as can the Premier. Until 1998, executive power was roughly evenly divided between the president and premier, with the latter being elected by and serving at the pleasure of the National Assembly. In addition, cabinet members were nominated by the premier and approved by the National Assembly. However, the constitutional reforms in the aftermath of the 1997-98 Soharan constitutional crisis stripped the office of premier of much of its powers, most of which were transferred to the president. As a result, the premier has since 1998 acted as little more as head of the cabinet and adviser to the president.

The Parliament of Sohar is bicameral, being divided between the National Assembly and the People's Council. The National Assembly is the lower house, and has 300 seats, elected every five years through a parallel voting system in which 200 members are elected in single-member districts through plurality voting, and the remaining 100 are elected through party-list proportional representation on a single nationwide list. Prior to 1998, the National Assembly acted as a unicameral legislature, but Amendment X of the Soharan Constitution established an upper house, the People's Council. Of the 72 seats of the People's Council, 48 are directly elected by the voters of each province through the single non-transferable vote, with each province and the Capital Administrative Region electing three members. The remaining 24 members are appointed by the chiefs of staff of the Soharan Defense Forces and serve at their pleasure. Proposed amendments to the constitution must be passed by a two-thirds supermajority in both houses of parliament before being submitted to a nationwide referendum, which effectively gives the military a veto over any proposed changes to the constitution.

(TBA: courts)