Valkea

Republic of Valkea Valken Tasavalta
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: "Ikuisesti Valkea!" (Valkean) Forever Valkea! (English)
Capital and largest city	Våren Livet
Official languages	Valkean
Demonym(s)	Valkean
Government	Semi-presidential parliamentary republic
• President	Afanasi Koski
• Prime Minister	Iris Sirkka
Legislature	Parliament
Population
• 2016 estimate	43,176,845
• 2015 census	42,679,351
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	$1.13 trillion
• Per capita	$26,401
Gini (2015)	0.34 low
HDI (2015)	0.917 very high
Currency	Krona (Kr)
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+91
Internet TLD	.vk

The Republic of Valkea (Valkean: Valken Tasavalta), more commonly known as Valkea, is a sovereign country in Western Sythith, in the region of Astyria. It is bordered by the Northern Ocean to the north, as well as the Teudallic Ocean and the Luminen Approaches to the west. It also shares a land border with Riysa to the southwest. Valkea has a population of over 44 million people, and over 70% of the population living in the southernmost third of the country. Its capital and largest city is Våren Livet, located in the southernmost region.

Valkea was inhabited soon after the end of the last Ice Age at approximately 8500 BC. Pottery was introduced in 3000 BC, followed by agriculture in 1500 BC. The Bronze and Iron Ages were characterized by contact with other cultures in Western Sythith as well as the slow introduction of sedentary communities. Three distinct cultures developed around this time: Southern Valkea, Lumimaa, and the Valkean Interior.

Beginning from the 11th century, settlers from eastern Lorecia arrived and colonized coastal Valkea, establishing small kingdoms and duchies in the area. These kingdoms slowly coalesced into larger entities, becoming the Kingdom of Valkea by the 16th century. After being torn by civil war in the early 20th century, Valkea was declared a republic in 1923. It established a policy of neutrality since the 1940s, though it has made many close partnerships with countries from different blocs.

Valkea was a relative latecomer to industrialization, remaining largely agrarian until the 1930s. The country rapidly developed an advanced economy while also building an extensive welfare state, which has resulted in widespread prosperity and one of the highest per capita incomes in Astyria. It has been a top performer in many metrics such as education, economic competitiveness, civil liberties, quality of life, human development, and standard of living.

Etymology

The name Valkea has uncertain origins, but a possible source could be attributed to the Old Valkean word valke, meaning "white", used to describe the appearance of the region during winter. Originally the name referred to the southernmost regions of the country, with other regions such as Maarinnat sometimes excluded until later. Another similar source could be from the name valkemaa—the earliest known mention of this word can be found in a travel document dating from the 14th century.

History

Vikalki Era

The first Lorecian settlers arrived in southern Valkea in 1216, establishing coastal settlements and trading posts such as Dagsmark and Sorvisto. These settlers were called "Vikalki" by the Valkean natives. The Vikalki brought concepts from the outside world such as feudalism and Christianity, slowly introducing it to the interior over the course of decades. From their settlements arose small kingdoms and duchies of their own led by feudal lords or princes.

As the Vikalki lords began carving up the south in the middle of the 13th century, some Valkean tribes rose up in rebellion. The most notable conflict between the two groups was the Koivunen War, which was waged by the Koivunen Confederation against the Kingdom of Osterlund between 1317 and 1346.

Kingdom of Valkea

Mannerheim Dynasty

While the Mannerheims still ruled from Mannerheim Castle, the royal family moved to the nearby settlement of Våren Livet in 1547, establishing it as the kingdom's capital. From then on, Våren Livet would become the political, economic, and cultural heart of the nation.

Wilhelm II died in his sleep in 1633, leaving behind only a 5 year-old son as his presumptive heir. Under suspicious conditions, the child disappeared under the auspices of his regent, the Duke of Vissmark. Rivals were quick to fill the power vacuum left by the king's death, resulting in the War of Valkean Succession that lasted from 1635 to 1647. Two major pretenders to the throne arose during this time: Canute of Westerlund and Robert, Duke of Korsholm. Robert was assassinated in his sleep by two of his household guards in 1646, paving the way for Canute to become king.

Civil war and the Kansallist Era

The transitional government of Valkea was quickly taken over by the National Movement, a powerful and influential faction that espoused syndicalism and fascism. In August 1922, the movement declared the establishment of a republic in Valkea, ratifying a new constitution and holding elections later that year. The signing of the Valkean Constitution on January 25, 1923 was notorious for the public execution of King Gustav IV and his family at Pohjola Square. The Nationalists reorganized as the National People's Party (Kansallinen Kansanpoulue) and won most of the seats in the Valkean Parliament in the 1924 election. Markku Vuotola was elected as the nation's first president, while Kaarlo Hietanen was elected as Prime Minister.

Under Vuotola's administration, the Kansallists began to transform Valkea's predominantly agrarian society into an industrialized one. The state began creating various companies in manufacturing, service, and trade, built infrastructure across the country, modernized its military, and established a robust welfare system. The new jobs attracted thousands of people to the cities, especially those on the coast. Valkeans were also encouraged to start their own businesses to further supplement manufacturing output, especially in rural areas. While the standard of living was rising among Valkeans, centralized planning led to millions of people dying of starvation—particularly during the Famine of 1930. The Kansallists were also known to suppress freedom of the press and limit freedom of speech.

The Kansallists maintained Valkea's policy of neutrality during the 2nd Great Astyrian War. This allowed the Valkean government able to forge stronger relationships with countries from various military and economic blocs. The establishment of trade with the outside world caused Valkea's industrialization to develop rapidly, successfully completing the nation's transition to an industrialized economy. In 1950, 52% of Valkean workers were employed in the agricultural sector and a quarter of the population lived in urban areas. By 1975 the number of agricultural workers dropped to 28%. Over the years new jobs in manufacturing, services, and trade drew more people to these urban areas.

However, failed macroeconomic decisions and global economic turmoil led to the Valkean Recession of 1969. The unemployment rate reached an all-time high of 23.2% in 1971. Even though the Kansallists reversed the economic crisis by 1974, civil unrest grew significantly in Valkea's major cities, culminating in the Grand March of January 1975. Frustrated Valkeans demanded that the Kansallist Party relinquish its monopoly on power and the decentralization of the economy. The government reluctantly held a snap election in October that same year, and the Democratic Centrist Party won majority seats. The new president, Paavo Itkonen, took his inauguration the following year.

Post-Kansallist Era and the Contemporary Period

Under Itkonen's administration, the Valkean government began enacting sweeping reforms over the remainder of the 1970s, as well as the early 1980s. The economy was decentralized in 1977 and many state enterprises were privatized in 1982. There were also many economic regulations that were loosened and modest tax cuts enacted. In the 1980s and 1990s, the economy began seeing record growth for the first time since the 1969 Recession, fueled by the success of private companies such as car manufacturer Sidus, along with rising electronic giants such as Valkea Electric and Architect. Architect at one point held a unique position representing 80% of market capitalizaion on the Våren Livet Stock Exchange.

Geography and Climate

Valkea is located on the western edge of Sythith, surrounded by water to the north and west and sharing a known land border with Riysa to the southwest. It is one of the northernmost countries in Astyria.

The northern and western regions of the country are dominated by mountain ranges, while the interior is mostly comprised of forested highlands. The Piikikiviä Mountains contain Lumikynsi at 5,562 m, the country's tallest peak.

The landscape is mostly covered by taiga forests and ferns, with little land deemed suitable for cultivation. The forests consist mainly of pine, spruce, birch, and other related species. The southernmost regions of the country are suitable for farming, while the remainder is suitable for animal husbandry.

Much of Valkea shares a subpolar or boreal climate, but its coastal areas and the entirety of the lowland south are described to be maritime or continental. Because of its northerly location, it experiences long winters and short summers each year. The warm stream from the coasts of Lorecia serves to moderate the extreme temperatures.

Government and Politics

Military

The Valkean Armed Forces is comprised of the army, navy, and air force, all of which are under the command of the Ministry of Defence. The border guard and coast guard is under the command of the Ministry of the Interior but can be placed under the Ministry of Defence in times of war. The president serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

The country's military doctrine relies on a highly mobile field army backed up by local defense units. Its military strategy employs the use of the country's mountainous terrain and forested geography to wear down any invading force, instead of attempting to hold the attacking army on the frontier.

Its peacetime strength numbers at approximately 203,600 personnel in uniform (520,000 in wartime). Valkea employs universal male conscription, under which all male Valkean citizens above 18 years of age serve for 12 to 24 months of armed service or 24 months of non-combatant service. However, both men and women can choose to voluntarily serve in the military.

Economy

The economy of Valkea is one of the most vibrant in Astyria, having a per capita output comparable to other developed Astyrian economies. Its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015 was $1.13 trillion ($1.21 trillion in PPP). Its key economic sector is manufacturing, with the largest industries being electronics (24.7%), machinery, vehicles, and other metal-based products (22.1%), forestry (12%), and chemicals (11%). However, the largest sector of the economy is the services sector, amounting to 61% of GDP, with manufacturing at 30%.

Valkea is highly integrated within the Astyrian economy—international trade currently produces 35% of GDP. Its largest trading partners include Hindia Belanda, Riysa, the Conite Republic, the Blackhelm Confederacy, Ionicus, ViZion, and Nikolia.

The country is blessed with mineral and aquatic resources, as well as timber. Forests play a key role in Valkea's economy, making it one of Astyria's largest wood producers. The government has long played a role in the forestry industry, regulating tree cutting, sponsoring technical improvements, and ensuring that the country's forests continue to provide raw materials for wood-processing industries.

The private sector currently employs about 14 million Valkeans, and nearly half of employees have attained tertiary education. 65% of the workforce is currently employed by small enterprise and accounted for 52% of economic output. Females outnumber males in the workplace, consisting of 57% of all employees working in Valkea. In 2014, the largest private sector employers in Valkea include Architect, VIC, Sidus, Valkean Railway Group, AVS Financial, Juhola, Sorsa and Eloranta.

The unemployment rate was 7.5% in 2015, having declined from 8.3% in 2014. Economists note that this recent data is an anomaly in a trend of rising unemployment. However, youth unemployment rose from 15.7% in 2006 to 20.2% in 2016. Nearly one million people throughout the country currently live on minimal wages or wages not enough to cover their costs of living.

Transport

The main land arteries of Valkea consist of extensive road and rail networks, mostly utilized by cargo and passenger traffic. These networks cost about $1.8 billion to maintain, which are wholly paid by vehicle and fuel taxes.

The main international passenger gateway is Vuotola Airport, with about 25 million passengers in 2015. The Vuotola Airport-based Valkea Airlines, Air Klemetti, and Sky High sell flights domestically and internationally. Våren Livet has an optimal location for great circle routes between Teudallum, Lorecia, and Eastern Sythith.

Most international cargo arrives in Valkea by sea. Laaksonen Port in Våren Livet is the largest container port in the country with a capacity of 31.4 million metric tons.

Demographics

The population of Valkea is currently about 44 million inhabitants as of 2017. Valkea's population has always been concentrated in the southernmost regions of the country, a phenomenon that became more pronounced with urbanization. 7 out of 10 of Valkea's largest cities are located in the south (3 of which can be found in the Våren Livet metropolitan area).

Valkean is the official language of Valkea. Valkean is predominant across most of the country, although a small minority of people near the Riysan border speak Riysan. 91% of the population speak Valkean as their primary language.

Education

The Valkean education system is considered by many surveys to be one of the best in Astyria. Primary and secondary education is arranged at the municipal level. Most students in Valkea are enrolled in public schools—the remaining 5% are enrolled in private schools (mostly specialist language and international schools). Pre-school education is rare and formal education is usually started at the age of 7. Primary school lasts for six years and lower secondary school three years.

Education is compulsory between the ages of 7 and 16. After lower secondary school, graduates may either enter the workforce directly or continue to pursue further education by applying to a trade school or gymnasium (upper secondary school). Trade schools offer a vocational education while gymnasiums are more oriented towards the academics. Graduation from either formally qualifies for tertiary education.