West Miersa
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Miersan Sotirian Republic Mierska rzeczpospolita sotyrska | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
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Motto: "Bóg, Naród, Rodzina" "God, Nation, Family" | |
 Location of West Miersa (dark green) and claimed but uncontrolled territories (light green) in Euclea. | |
| Capital | Żobrodź (de jure) West Żobrodź (de facto) |
| Largest city | Krada |
| Official languages | Miersan |
| Recognised regional languages | Soravian |
| Ethnic groups (2019) | Miersan (68.7%) Soravian (18.7%) Other (12.6%) |
| Religion (2019) | Episemialism (85.0%) Catholicism (12.1%) Other (2.9%) |
| Demonym(s) | West Miersan Miersan |
| Government | Unitary dominant-party presidential republic |
| Adrian Rozak | |
| Legislature | National Assembly |
| Formation | |
| 1257 | |
| 1623 | |
| 1687 | |
| 1936 | |
| 1982 | |
| Area | |
• Total | 232,252 km2 (89,673 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2017 census | 17,906,711 |
• Density | 77.10/km2 (199.7/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2015 estimate |
• Total | $372.818 billion |
• Per capita | $20,820 |
| GDP (nominal) | 2015 estimate |
• Total | $115.982 billion |
• Per capita | $6,477 |
| Gini (2019) | 31.2 medium |
| HDI (2018) | 0.764 high |
| Currency | West Miersan grosz (MZG) |
| Time zone | UTC-1 (Miersan Standard Time) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+0 (Miersan Summer Time) |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +97 |
| Internet TLD | .mz |
The Miersan Sotirian Republic (Miersan: Mierska rzeczpospolita sotyrska), also known as West Miersa (Miersan: Mierska Zachodnia), is a sovereign state in central Euclea, comprising the western portion of the historical nation of Miersa. It shares borders with Soravia, Bistravia and Vedmed to the west, Kantemosha to the north, and Champania, as well as the self-proclaimed state of Lemovicia, to the south. To the east, it is bordered by East Miersa, though it claims that the entirity of the Miersan basin, like its eastern counterpart. Żobrodź functions as the capital of West Miersa, although de facto only West Żobrodź is under their administration, and Krada is the nation's largest city. West Miersa has a population of 17.9 million and an area of 232,252 km2 (89,673 sq mi) under its administration, of a claimed 443,367 km2 (171,185 sq mi), including East Miersa, and the partially-recognized Lemovicia.
Miersa was first inhabited by the early Marolevs in the late classical period, as the Solarian Empire expanded into the Miersan hinterlands. Although not conquered by Solaria, the Solarians left a definite legacy in the region. The three first significant Miersan states were known as the Three Crowns, with West Miersa largely constituting Zachódnia and Firencja. They were united with Wybrzeże by Romuald the Bold in 1257. The subsequent Miersan Commonwealth became a significant power in central Euclea, at times rivalling neighbouring powers such as Kirenia. In 1623, the Cesarz died without issue, leading to the Miersan Interregnum and the rise of the Miersan Republic. The Republic would be short-lived, with the monarchs of Gaullica and Soravia both claiming the Miersan throne. The conclusion of the War of the Miersan Succession in 1638 put an end to the Interregnum, with land ceded to both Empires and the Duchy of Żobrodź buffer state created. In 1687 the First Miersan Revolt saw the final partition of the country. The western provinces became part of Soravia, under which they retained their status as part of the breadbasket of Euclea.
Following the Great War, Miersa was largely under the occupation of Soravia. Following Soravian posturing and the outbreak of a major general strike, West Miersa was created as a part of the Godfredson Plan, and a CN-monitored DMZ was created. Following in the footsteps of their Soravian benefactor, West Miersa became a rival to the Kirenian-backed Miersan Socialist Republic. The West Miersan economy, reliant on indemnities from the East, contracted in 1953, following East Miersan refusal to pay further indemnities. In 1979, West Miersa was isolated from Soravia, and an East Miersan invasion sparked the Miersan War. The interference of the Community of Nations led to the signing of the Treaty of San Alessandro in 1982, which attempted to normalise relations between the two states and saw West Miersa cede Ziarnokosz to the east.
Today, West Miersa is a unitary dominant-party presidential republic which operates a mixed economy that focuses on natural resources. The current President is Adrian Rozak. It has a GDP per capita of $11,430. West Miersa is heavily aligned with Soravia, with some commentators considering West Miersa a puppet state. It is a member of the Community of Nations, the International Council for Democracy and Samorspi.
Etymology
Miersa is an Estmerish translation of the endonym Mierska, which is believed to be derived from the name of a tribe. The name of the tribe is believed to translate to peaceful tribe, as the term Mier(a) means peaceful in Ambrazkan, and the name bears similarities to the Proto-Rutto-Marolevic meiˀras, which stands for peace.
The dominant view in academia is because unlike other Marolevic tribes, the Miersans did not leave the Miersan Basin, which was seen by most historians and anthropologists as the original Marolevic homeland. By this view, the Miersans were peaceful because they did not conquer other lands, unlike other Marolevic tribes. However, a prominent dissenting view was that because Miersans saw themselves as less prone to dynastic and civil conflict than other Marolevs, they saw their domains as the "land of peace."
History
Prehistory
Antiquity
Three Crowns
Commonwealth
Disestablishment and foreign rule
Godfredson Plan
After the conclusion of the Great War in 1935 on Euclea, Soravia occupied the areas of Miersa that were under the control of the Gaullicans, as part of their pan-Marolevic ambitions, thereby reuniting all of Miersa under one government, albeit not a sovereign government, with the Gaullican communities being expelled by the Soravian authorities.
However, from the beginning of the Soravian occupation of the eastern regions of Miersa, tensions began rising, particularly as with Kirenian assistance, socialist movements emerged in the east, particularly centred in the city of Dyńsk, where the following year, the general strike began and spread across all of Miersa. Despite efforts by the Soravian government to suppress the general strike, the speed that it spread caused the central authorities in Samistopol to either decide on creating a puppet state in the western regions of Miersa, or lose control of the entirety of Miersa.
Thus, the Community of Nations was forced to resolve the situation, ultimately deciding on dividing Miersa via the Godfredson Plan, which saw the creation of West and East Miersa as two independent states, with the former being under the influence of Soravia, and the latter under the influence of Kirenia. The two were separated by a demilitarised zone, which was monitored by the Community of Nations.
Thus, in September 1936, elections were held, which saw the election of Świętosław Wojdyla as the first President, while the National Assembly was also elected, seeing the Miersan National Party take power. Thus, on October 3rd, 1936, with the inauguration of Świętosław Wojdyla as President, and the official adoption of the West Miersan constitution, the Miersan Sotirian Republic officially gained its independence from Soravia.
Under Świętosław's presidency, West Miersa's economic growth was quickly overtaken by that of the East, as East Miersa experienced a post-war economic boom, although as the east was forced to pay indemnities to the west, the West Miersan economy continued to grow, albeit relatively slowly. Under his tenure, Świętosław centralized power within himself and his family, at the expense of both the voivodeships and the Minister-President, and instituted Miersanisation policies against the Lemovician and Savader minorities, but also to a lesser extent against other minorities.
After being re-elected in 1941, he was succeeded in 1946 by his younger brother, Maurycy Wojdyla, who continued much of Świętosław's policies. During Maurycy's tenure, he maintained close relations with the Soravian government. After securing a second term in 1951, Maurycy became more critical of East Miersa to the point that in 1953, East Miersa refused to pay any further indemnities, alleging corruption on the part of the West. This led to West Miersa's economy contracting, as well as nearly plunging the two states into war. However, once peace prevailed, West Miersa became further dependent on Soravia.
In 1956, Maurycy was succeeded by his nephew, and the son of Świętosław Wojdyla, Iwon Wojdyla. During Iwon's tenure as President, he attempted to entice investors to invest in the West Miersan economy, as he sought to catch up with the east. While Krada, Sechia, and Żobrodź did grow thanks to Iwon's economic policies, Iwon's attempt to move towards eastern Euclea was criticised by the Soravian government, while Iwon's efforts to recognise minority cultures, particularly the Soravians, Lemovicians, and Savaders, grew flack from the conservative faction of his party. Thus, in 1961, the Nationalists selected Iwon's brother, Romuald Wojdyla, to be their candidate for the Presidency.
Under Romuald's presidency, he focused more on relations with Soravia, abandoning Iwon's attempts to curry favour with eastern Euclea. While economic growth slowed under his presidency, Romuald followed Soravia in introducing universal healthcare, doing so in 1965, allowing him to secure a second term in 1966. In terms of domestic policy, Romuald resumed Mierisation policies that were abandoned by his brother, although Soravians were recognised as an ethnic minority, partially due to their size of the population, and partially to appease the Soravian government.
In 1971, with Romuald reaching his term limit, he was succeeded by his cousin, and the son of Maurycy Wojdyla, Tadeusz Wojdyla. Tadeusz Wojdyla continued his predecessor's policies, growing increasingly close with Vilem Gardos' government, while embracing cultural and social conservative policies. This enabled him to secure a second term in 1976, but three years later, with the outbreak of the Sostava War, Soravian was thrown into chaos, leading West Miersa without a protector or ally. In this situation, East Miersa took the opportunity to invade the West, starting the Miersan War, while in the south, Lemovicians declared the independence of Lemovicia from West Miersa.
Despite initial victories for the Eastern forces, the advance slowed in Środek, until it was stopped with the Battle of Krada, where the west unexpectedly won against the eastern army, with the help of Episemialist militias. Due to international concerns, both sides eventually agreed to the Treaty of San Alessandro in 1982, ending the Miersan War, and ceding Ziarnokosz to the east.
Modern era
With the end of the Miersan War in 1982, although the West Miersans were able to stop the East Miersans from taking over the West and reunifying the country under their control, it crippled the Western government economically, and politically. However, as the Lemovician War continued raging between West Miersa and Lemovicia, it left the government unable to focus on reconstructing the country. Despite this, West Miersa joined the newly-established Samorspi in 1983.
In 1986, elections were held for the first time in ten years, as the 1981 elections were cancelled due to the war. Incumbent President Tadeusz Wojdyla, having reached his term limit, endorsed his son, Florentyn Wojdyla. However, Florentyn Wojdyla of the Miersan National Party lost to the Naprzód candidate Maksymilian Trzeciak, making Trzeciak both the first President to come from a party other than the Miersan National Party, and the first President not to come from the Wojdyla family.
During Trzeciak's first term, while he continued focusing on the Lemovician War, as it grew into a stalemate, he began focusing on rebuilding West Miersa from the devastation caused by the Miersan War. This helped him get re-elected in 1991, and the following year, he secured an end to the Lemovician War with the Arciluco Agreement, establishing a cease-fire between the West Miersan government and the Lemovician separatists. This allowed for the West Miersan government to finally focus on economic reconstruction, with the economy reaching pre-1979 levels by 1995.
In 1996, Trzeciak was succeeded by Damian Jackowiak of Naprzód. Under Jackowiak's tenure as President, he sought to increase cooperation with Samorspi, signing the Tsivebi Military Agreement in 1997. As well, Jackowiak deregulated the West Miersan economy, helping continue West Miersa's economic growth, which in conjunction with him allowing the voivodeships to exercise powers with little interference from the central government in West Żobrodź, led to his re-election in 2001. During his second term, Jackowiak launched detente with the East Miersan government, which although it was controversial among many West Miersans, particularly those who fled from Ziarnokosz in the aftermath of the Miersan War, was met with acclaim from outside the country. However, with the 2005 financial crisis affecting West Miersa, Jackowiak and Naprzód sought to organize effective relief efforts to help ensure a "just economic recovery."
This allowed Naprzód to win the 2006 elections, with their candidate, Tomisław Sobolewski becoming President. Under Sobolewski's tenure as President, he continued his predecessor's liberalisation policies, with power delegated towards his Minister-President Oskar Palubicki. As well, he continued to help oversee West Miersa's economic recovery: thus, by 2008, West Miersa exited the recession, while the democratic liberalization boosted his government's popularity.
However, in 2011, while Sobolewski of Naprzód remained President, the Miersan National Party took control of the National Assembly for the first time since 1986, leading to Gerard Wojdyla becoming Minister-President. Thus, in Sobolewski's second term, Sobolewski took powers that he "granted" to Palubicki back, despite those powers being legally under the jurisdiction of the Minister-President according to the West Miersan constitution. This led to accusations that Naprzód was being authoritarian, and led to criticism by international agencies: Sobolewski argued that it was hypocritical, given that the Miersan National Party had been authoritarian during their time in power.
Due to this deadlock, and the tensions between the legislative and the executive branches of the government, in 2013, Sobolewski attempted to dismiss Gerard Wojdyla from the position of Minister-President. Wojdyla refused, and instead led an effort to impeach President Sobolewski, leading to a constitutional crisis, as both Sobolewski and Wojdyla refused to yield to the other.
Thus, in June 2013, after the Soravian government officially backed Gerard Wojdyla, Sobolewski resigned from the Presidency, thereby making Gerard Wojdyla acting President, per the West Miersan constitution. Wojdyla appointed his cousin, Aleksandra Wojdyla as Minister-President, making her the first woman to be Minister-President in West Miersan history. This drew substantial criticism from Naprzód, with acting leader Sylwester Wrzesiński calling the situation a "coup d'etat," and refusing to recognise Aleksandra Wojdyla as being a legitimate Minister-President.
Although initially, the Miersan National Party was more popular than Naprzód, the circumstances upon which Gerard Wojdyla became Acting President, combined with the Miersan economy contracting as a result of the constitutional crisis led to the Miersan National Party becoming less popular, while the appointment of a woman to the position of Minister-President alienated many social conservatives in West Miersa. This was not helped by allegations by Naprzód that Wojdyla was centralizing power in the Presidency, which made the Miersan National Party appear untrustworthy.
Thus, by the time of the 2016 election, it appeared likely that Gerard Wojdyla and the Miersan National Party would be elected to the Presidency for the first time since 1986. However, despite support from many pro-Soravian political figures for the Miersan National Party, Naprzód critcised Gerard Wojdyla's conduct in office, and appealed to Miersan nationalism, portraying the ouster of Sobolewski as a "foreign-backed coup." This helped enable Naprzód to win an upset victory, securing control of both the National Assembly, and the Presidency, leading to Sylwester Wrzesiński becoming President, and Adrian Rozak becoming Minister-President.
Sylwester Wrzesiński, now with full control of both the presidency and the legislature, was able to recentralize power that had been decentralized by Tomisław Sobolewski and Damian Jackowiak: the Minister-President became effectively subordinated to the President, while the powers of the voivodeships were once again de-facto curtailed, as the central government engaged in more interference. However, in terms of foreign policy, Wrzesiński reaffirmed West Miersa's commitments to Samorspi and to Soravia. Economically, Wrzesiński maintained his predecessor's policies in maintaining a mixed economy.
Geography
Most of West Miersa is situated in the Miersan Basin, resulting in the country being largely flat. However, the western and southern regions are flanked by hills and mountains, such as the Pogórze Hills, which are situated along the western border with Vedmed and Soravia, and the Mendija Mountains in Małomiersa.
The Miersan Basin is part of the greater Euclean Steppe. Due to its flat geography and its climate, the area has traditionally supported agriculture, which has historically allowed sizable populations to exist. However, the geography has made it vulnerable to foreign incursions, such as efforts by the Solarian Empire to take control of the area, by Vedmedis during the migration to present-day Vedmed, and by Soravians and Gaullicans, who partitioned the country between themselves. The average elevation is around 200 metres above sea level, although sea level decreases the further east one goes, with the lowest point being at the easternmost point under West Miersan control, Chochołów, at only 77 metres above sea level.
The Mendija Mountains is largely situated along the border with Bistravia, Champania, and the breakaway state of Lemovicia. Officially, the country's highest point, at 2,655 metres high, is at Mount Sztiawnica, along the border with Champania, but as it is situated in the breakway state of Lemovicia, the highest point under West Miersan control is at the 2,072 metre high Mount Szczesny, also along the border with Champania.
Climate
Due to its geography and position in central Euclea, West Miersa is a warm-summer humid continental climate, with the warmest months averaging a maximum of 25.1 °C and the coldest months averaging a minimum of -10 °C. The hottest temperature was set on 8 August, 2019, in Sechia, where it reached 40.3 °C.
However, in the Mendija Mountains, although it is closer to the equator and tropics than the rest of the country, as the elevation is higher, on average, the Mendija Mountains a hot dry-summer continental climate, with average temperatures ranging form a low of −8.0 °C in January to a high of 30.8 °C in July, while the highest elevations give an alpine climate. The lowest recorded temperature was set on 2 February, 1962, on the summit of Mount Sztiawnica, at -43.9 °C on the summit.
Environment
Government and politics
The Miersan Sotirian Republic was, until the passage of the third amendment in October 2020, officially a federal semi-presidential republic, although in practice, there was heavy de-facto centralisation, with the voivodeships effectively being subservient to the central government in West Żobrodź, in conjunction with the centralization of powers in the position of the Presidency. Since the passage of the Third Amendment in October 2020, the Miersan Sotirian Republic has adopted a unitary form of government to better "reflect the supremacy of the national government," with the government taking de-jure control over voivodial affairs.
The head of state and head of government of the Miersan Sotirian Republic is President Adrian Rozak: prior to 2021, the President served as the head of state, while the Minister-Presidency served as the head of government, although in practice, for most of West Miersan history, the Presidency held all of the power, while the Minister-President was a rubber-stamp.
The legislature of West Miersa is the National Assembly, comprising of 307 seats, of which 138 seats are represented by elected legislators from the nine voivodeships under West Miersan control, while the remaining 169 seats are appointed by the President to represent the voivodeships who "remain under socialist tyranny" until such time that "all Miersa is reunited." The Minister-President is a member of the National Assembly, and is traditionally the leader of the largest party or coalition in the National Assembly.
Elections are held every five years for the National Assembly and the Presidency, although since the 1986 general election, Naprzód has been the dominant party, succeeding the Miersan National Party, which governed from West Miersa's independence from Soravia in 1936 under the Godfredson Plan until that point. All elections in the Miersan Sotirian Republic use first-past-the-post.
Administrative divisions
West Miersa is officially divided into seventeen voivodeships (Miersan: województwo), of which nine are entirely or partially under the control of the West Miersan government. Under the West Miersan constitution, the voivodeships officially have extensive powers, but in practice, their authority has been curtailed by the central government.
| Map | Voivodeship | Capital | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chernowskie | Łószcław | 0 | |
| Czękanie | Zanica | 1,958,772 | |
| Dolne Pogórze | Podgórzyca | 3,125,697 | |
| Górne Pogórze | Zieruń | 1,747,797 | |
| Lówniak | Ryża | 0 | |
| Małomiersa | Sechia | 1,487,711 | |
| Małowaskie | Lunań | 0 | |
| Morskie | Dyńsk | 0 | |
| Nadjeziorze | Kordyn | 0 | |
| Śródmierskie | Dąmyśl | 778,666 | |
| Święciżar | Krada | 4,195,787 | |
| Wielkowaskie | Czeławy | 0 | |
| Wyżyny | Gorgard | 719,596 | |
| Zamkobrzeg | Mikołůw | 0 | |
| Zanawiwasie | Gdawiec | 815,779 | |
| Ziarnokosz | Nowyburg | 0 | |
| Żobrodź | Żobrodź | 3,076,906 |
Foreign relations
The foreign relations of the Miersan Sotirian Republic have been influenced by Soravia's own foreign policy, with West Miersa following in tandem with Soravia's foreign policy. As a close ally of Soravia, West Miersa is a full member of Samorspi since the signing of the Treaty of Maljubav in 1983, and participates in the Tsivebi Military Agreement. This level of integration within Samorspi has meant that West Miersa very rarely exercises an independent policy from the rest of Samorspi.
However, relations are hostile towards the socialist states, particularly East Miersa, which according to the West Miersan constitution is defined as the "eastern voivodeships under Kirenian occupation." These poor relations have been exacerbated by both the Miersa War from 1979 to 1982, and by the Lemovician War, which saw much of Malomiersa break away from West Miersa during the Miersan War, and was supported by many socialist states in Euclea. Since the end of the Lemovician War in 1992, tensions remain in place, although there have been periods of detente with the east, most notably in the late 2000s under Tomisław Sobolewski's presidency.
Due to its small population and lack of influence on the international stage outside of Samorspi, West Miersa's diplomatic missions are largely confined to Euclea, with only a handful of embassies outside of Euclea, mainly in countries with a sizable Miersan diaspora, or major powers.
Military
The Miersan National Armed Forces are the military forces of West Miersa, comprising of 384,178 total personnel as of 2019. It is divided into the Miersan National Army, who numbers 263,265 active-duty soldiers, the Miersan National Air Force, with 18,700 active-duty personnel, and the Miersan Riverine Guard, with 525 active-duty personnel. Despite its large size, and its higher budget (at 3.1% of the country's gross domestic product), it is technologically inferior than the East Miersan People's Protection Forces.
Conscription is still practiced in the Miersan National Armed Forces, with all men aged 18-30 required to serve an eighteen month term in the Miersan National Armed Forces, excluding those who have a disability "which hinders their ability to serve." Conscientious objectors who object based on religious grounds (i.e. Witterites) are required to serve an equivalent term as medics or as construction workers.
In addition to the Miersan National Armed Forces, the Miersan Sotirian Republic is a participant in the Tsivebi Military Agreement, allowing Soravia to establish military bases on West Miersan territory, and there are several paramilitary forces affiliated with the West Miersan government to assist with defence if needed.
Law
The legal system of West Miersa has been heavily based off of the Soravian legal system, as a result of centuries of rule by Soravian and Gaullica. Thus, upon West Miersa's independence in 1936, the existing legal system was kept as is.
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Economy
As of 2015, the nominal gross domestic product of the Miersan Sotirian Republic was at $115.982 billion, with a nominal gross domestic product per capita at $6,477. If purchasing power parity is used, the West Miersan economy is valued at $372.818 billion, with a purchasing power parity per capita of $20,820, making it poorer than East Miersa.
West Miersa is a mixed economy, as while many private companies exist, such as budget airline Tad, TBD, and the Miersan National Bank, the government has substantial involvement in the economy, such as GAZM, which has a legal monopoly on the production and distribution of natural gas, KrayElektry, which has a legal monopoly on the production of electricity in the Miersan Sotirian Republic, and TeleMiers, which until the 1990s had a monopoly on telephony and telegraphy, and to this day also serves as an internet service provider.
In 2015, 53% of the working population were employed in the tertiary sector, mostly in service industry jobs, while 39% of the working population were employed by the secondary sector, mostly in mining, with very few still working in the manufacturing sector, and the remainder of the working population employed in agriculture. 75% of the total population are employed, while around seventeen percent are in education, and the remaining eight percent are unemployed.
The currency of the Miersan Sotirian Republic is the grosz (gr), officially divided into 100 kopyky, although in practice, the kopyky has never been used in decades.
Transportation
West Miersa, due to its geographical position in the centre of Euclea, is well-connected to most of its neighbours by rail, road, and air. It has a fairly large railway network, operated by Miersan National Railways, which not only maintains the railway network, but also provides passenger and cargo service. Although plans are in existence for the potential development of a high-speed rail line connecting Krada with West Żobrodź, there is no definitive start date planned for the construction of the line.
West Miersa's road infrastructure is not well-developed by Euclean standards: although there are 412,264 kilometres of roads as of 2017, including 4,203 kilometres of motorways, which connect the major cities of West Miersa to each other, and to Kantemosha, Champania, Bistravia, Vedmed, and Soravia, 131,863 kilometres were unpaved in that year. While the motorways (numbered A-XX) are of good quality, most roads, particularly in rural areas, are of poor quality.
There are three major international airports, those being the Krada International Airport in Krada, Świętosław Wojdyla International Airport in West Żobrodź, and Sechia International Airport in Sechia, while there are two major airlines based in West Miersa: flag carrier Miersair and budget airline Tad.
Demographics
As of the 2017 census, the Miersan Sotirian Republic officially has 17,906,711 people in its territory, excluding those in the eastern voivodeships, as well as those under separatist control in southern Malomiersa.
Education
Education in West Miersa has generally followed the Soravian education model, and thus, like Soravia, education is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16.
From the age of six weeks to 3 years of age, children can attend a żłobek programme, while from the ages of 3 and 4, they can attend a przedszkole. While these are optional and are equivalent to daycares in other Euclean countries, they are taught basic skills, such as letters, basic vocabulary, basic mathematics, and how to cooperate with others. At the age of 5, mandatory education begins, with all students required to go to a dzieciniec, though the dzieciniec is similar to the przedszkole.
When students turn 6, they begin primary education: like Soravia, while Year One starts out similar to a dzieciniec, more formalized structures get put into place, with students building on the skills they learnt in the previous year, until by the end of the year, the formalized structures are put into place. This structured learning environment is maintained with little alterations until students turn 11, when they take the State Assessments: if one gets high scores, they go to more prestigious schools: otherwise, they go to less prestigious schools.
Thus, students enter high school when there 11-12 years of age, and although students now go from class-to-class, and they can start to choose courses, they still have to learn mandatory subjects until they're 15-16, when they have the option of either going to the workforce or enrolling in college, where they can spend the next two years studying for classes so they can pass the college exams.
If one passes the college exams, they can attend a university, with five accredited universities existing as of 2019: the University of Żobrodź, the University of Krada, the University of Sechia, the University of Lojola, and Podgórzyca University. If they do not pass, they attend a vocational institute, or otherwise go straight into the workforce.
Ethnicity
Of the 17,906,711 people residing in the Miersan Sotirian Republic, the largest ethnic group are the Miersans, comprising 68.7% of the population, or 12,298,192 people, and spread out across West Miersa. The next largest ethnicity are the Soravians, comprising 18.7% of the population, or 3,349,476 people, and predominantly concentrated near the border with Soravia, Vedmed, and Kantemosha, and also in major cities like Krada, Sechia, and West Żobrodź.
Of the remaining 12.6% of the population, major minority groups among the remainder of the population include the Radushians, who form 3.1% of the population, or 555,108 people, followed by the Vedmedis, forming approximately 1.8% of the population, or 314,770 people, Lemovicians, forming 1.1% of the population, or 199,061 people, Savaders, forming 0.8% of the population, or 149,345 people, and Kantemoshans, who form 0.7% of the population, or 125,347 people. A wide array of ethnic groups form the remainder of the population.
Religion
The largest religion in the Miersan Sotirian Republic is Episemialist Sotirianity, comprising approximately 85.0% of the population, or 15,228,956 people. Virtually all Episemialists in West Miersa are members of the Miersan Episemialist Church, with only a handful of recent Episemialist immigrants not being members of the Miersan Episemialist Church. The next largest religion in the country is the Solarian Catholic Church, followed by 12.1% of the population, or 2,168,236 people.
Finally, of the remaining 2.9% of the population, or 509,519 people, 254,767 people, or 1.4% of the population, are irreligious, while the remainder follow other religions, with the largest minority religions being Witterism, Marolevic neopaganism, and TBD.
Per the West Miersan constitution, Sotirianity is the state religion, although the document specifies that "all sects of Sotirianity shall be considered official, in order to accommodate both those who follow the Episemialist and the Catholic Churches," in addition to allowing practice of beliefs other than Sotirianity.
Language
Under the West Miersan constitution, the Miersan Sotirian Republic only recognises Miersan as the official language. However, per the first amendment in 1957, the government has permitted the granting of minority language status, although since 1961, only Soravian has been designated a minority language.
As of the 2017 census, around 66.9% of the population, or 11,979,590 people, declared Miersan to be their first language. This is followed by Soravian, spoken by around 23.5% of the population, or 4,208,077 people, as a first language. Finally, 9.6% of the population, or 1,719,044 people have declared other languages, primarily Vedmedi, Lemovician, or Savader, to be their first language.
Largest cities
Largest cities or towns in West Miersa
2017 census | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Voivodeship | Pop. | Rank | Voivodeship | Pop. | ||||
 Krada .JPG) Sechia |
1 | Krada | Swiecizar | 891,411 | 11 | Dlugopol | Starykrol | 63,672 |  Podgorzyca  Gorgard |
| 2 | Sechia | Malomiersa | 297,137 | 12 | Most Bytnara | Swiecizar | 59,427 | ||
| 3 | Podgorzyca | Starykrol | 222,843 | 13 | Bonczek | West Zobrodz | 55,713 | ||
| 4 | Gorgard | Wyzyny | 178,281 | 14 | Bystok | Starykrol | 52,436 | ||
| 5 | Zanica | Czekanie | 127,344 | 15 | Domwiej | Malomiersa | 46,916 | ||
| 6 | Rycerow | Zanawiwasie | 111,426 | 16 | Zamek Strazniczy | Krowielie | 44,571 | ||
| 7 | Tarclaw | Swieciżar | 99,046 | 17 | Debowo Lesne | Swiecizar | 42,448 | ||
| 8 | Damsyl | Krowielie | 89,146 | 18 | Mostar | Malomiersa | 40,519 | ||
| 9 | Zierun | Jelenawie | 81,037 | ||||||
| 10 | Wisniow | West Zobrodz | 68,571 | ||||||
Culture
Art
Cuisine
Cuisine in West Miersa has been traditionally informed by Miersan cuisine. To this end, Miersan cuisine has many elements in common with neighbouring cuisines, due to the history of Miersa, both as an independent state, and under foreign rule. However, Miersan cuisine is traditionally very hearty, and rich in meat, as well as a whole host of vegetables.
Traditionally, Miersans eat two meals a day: breakfast (śniadanie), and dinner (kolacja), with each meal being divided into three courses.
The first course is the soup course, with popular varieties of soup consumed in West Miersa including sour cucumber soup, mushroom soup, rosół, and flaki. Following the soup course, there is the main course, with popular Miersan dishes including bigos, pierogi, gołąbki, and kielbasa. Finally, dessert is served, which usually comprises of a makowiec, a kremówka, or cheesecake.
A third meal, lunch (obiad), is often consumed, particularly among those living in cities, and among younger generations. However, it often only comprises of one course, usually purchased from restaurants specialising in street food. Popular street foods in West Miersa include chaczapuri, kebabs, sausages, and zapiekanka.
Media
West Miersan media has, and continues to be, heavily affected by censorship and restrictions that infringe on the ability of journalists to report the news. While these have been relaxed from the early 1990s until the mid-2010s, since the election of Sylwester Wrzesiński in 2016, media censorship has increased, particularly among left-wing outlets and those critical of the West Miersan government.
The main television and radio network is Telewizja Mierska, a state-run broadcaster which operates television stations, and the state run Radio Mierska, which operates radio stations. However, since the 1980s, there has been a growth in privately-owned radio and television stations, with most of the new radio and television stations basing themselves in Krada, with the largest privately-owned radio network being TERAZ! Radio, and the largest privately-owned television network being Telewizja Środkrai. The most popular newspapers are the Obserwator and Codzienny, which are based in Krada, and are broadsheet newspapers, which focus on national news. Most cities in West Miersa have a newspaper of some kind tailored to local news.
While until the mid-2010s, the internet had not been tightly regulated, since the mid-2010s, internet censorship has increased, particularly against sites critical of the West Miersan government and against left-wing outlets.
Sports
Due to the geography of Miersa, equestrianism has historically been popular among the Miersan people, although since the nineteenth century, the most popular equestrian sport in present-day West Miersa is zadany, although other equestrian sports, such as dressage are still popular in Miersa.
Due to Soravian influence over West Miersa as a result of its rule, basketball and football have become popular sports, with West Miersa having the MZK as the highest basketball league in the country, and the Miersan Football League as the country's main football league. The national basketball and football teams have competed in many competitions. In recent decades, ice hockey has grown in popularity, although it pales in comparison to Soravian's ice hockey team.
As a result of its division, West Miersa's primary rival is East Miersa, although in recent decades, they have entered competitions as a joint Miersan team.
Public holidays
| Date | Estmerish name | Miersan name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day | Nowy Rok | Celebrates the start of the year |
| 6 January | Nativity Eve | Wigilia | Celebrates the birth of Jesus Sotiras |
| 7 January | Nativity Day | Boże Narodzenie | Celebrates the birth of Jesus Sotiras |
| 19 January | Epiphany | Olśnienie | Commemorates the baptism of Jesus Sotiras |
| A Sunday in Spring | Paschal Sunday | Wielkanoc | Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Sotiras |
| 40 days after Paschal Sunday | Holy Thursday | Święty czwartek | Celebrates the ascension of Jesus Sotiras to heaven |
| 50 days after Paschal Sunday | Pentecost | Zielone Świątki | Commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit |
| TBD | Memorial Day | Dzień zabójstwa | Commemorates the end of the Miersan War and all those killed on the line of duty |
| 15 August | The Dormition | Zaśnięcie | Commemorates Mary entering Heaven alive at the end of her life |
| 7 September | Labour Day | Święto Pracy | Celebrates the achievements of the workers |
| 3 October | Independence Day | Dzień Niepodległości | Celebrates the independence of the Miersan Sotirian Republic from Soravia |
| 31 December | New Year's Eve | Sylwester | Celebrates the end of the year |