Connorianople
United Provinces of Connorianople U'undir Terito'se Konnoriya (Diimortalian) Ενωμένες Επαρχίες της Koννoριανoπλε (Greek) Estados Probinsyas ng Konorianopol (Tagalog) Provincias Unidas de Conorianopla (Spanish) | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
| |
| Motto: Pro Nobis Eis Vobis (Latin: For Us, For Them, For You) | |
| Anthem: Vode An (Diimortalian: Brothers All) | |
 The United Provinces and Commonwealths (green) | |
| Capital | Triannapoli |
| Largest city | Katheriniya, Connori-Katherini |
| Official languages | English, Diimortalian, Greek, Tagalog, Spanish |
| Ethnic groups | Mixed-race, Greek, Malay-Filipino, Ravinic/Celtic, Chinese, Korean, Puropan/Latino-Germanic, Saharan, Arabic |
| Demonym(s) | Connori |
| United Nations | Member |
| Government | Hybrid Federal Presidential Republic |
• Igéti̱s (Leader) | Erick Nielsen el Javier IV MP (IKK) |
• Próedros Voulí̱s (House President) | Hansley Gerald Gallas MP (SKK) |
• Archidikastí̱s (Chief Justice of the ADS) | Ella Marie Paranas |
| Legislature | Parthenekon Connoris |
| Establishment | |
• Treaty of Archipelagic Union | September 1, 1851 |
• Constitution of the Republic of Connorianople | August 8, 1855 |
• Constitution of the United Provinces | March 30, 1950 |
| Population | |
• 2020 census | 351,440,768 |
| GDP (PPP) | 4Q 2020 estimate |
• Total | $35,622,042,144,903 |
• Per capita | $101,224 |
| Gini (2020) | 35 medium |
| HDI (2020) | 0.966 very high |
| Currency | Gold Florin (ƒ)(GFLO) |
| Date format | MM/DD/YYYY AD/CE |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | 1171 |
| Internet TLD | .upc |
The United Provinces of Connorianople (commonly known as the United Provinces, Connorianople or simply UPC) is a transcontinental federal presidential republic with holdings and territories in the continents of Aels, Muhr, North America, Southeast Asia, Western Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
The Aelian lands of the Connorianople Archipelago was originally home to the ancient Diimortalians, an advanced precursor hominid civilization. While the civilization itself disappeared under unknown circumstances approximately 11,000 BCE, relics of the Diimortalians survived to influence the development of various immigrant peoples that settled in their wake.
The Archipelago was home to four polities: the Kaharian ng Bathalana, the Democracy of Karenelipolis-Markovinius, the Basileia Corvinus, and the self-governed colony of New Gloucester, which were eventually unified in 1851, following the War of the Cousins, into the Republic of Connorianople. The Constitution of the Republic ratified in 1893 was arguably the first of its kind in the continent of Aels, guaranteeing many civil liberties and freedoms for all men and women. While the Republic flourished in the early half of the 20th Century, political unrest in the aftermath of World War II would result in the dissolution of the Republic. The United Provinces was formally established as the successor state to the Republic of Connorianople in 1950.
The United Provinces is a developed country with a very high GDP and a very high standard of living. Its economy is heavily dependent on trade, financial and services flows both within the United Provinces, its Commonwealth territories, and the rest of the world. While it could be regarded as a post-industrial economy, it still maintains a substantial manufacturing sector, while it is a net importer in agricultural products. It is a leader in space exploration and related technologies, with substantial space-based investments both by the public and private sectors.
The United Provinces has been an early member of the United Nations, having inherited its membership from the Republic of Connorianople, which was a founding member. It has contributed to UN peacekeeping operations in support of the international community, but it was the Oil Wars of 2009-2011 which confirmed the United Provinces' status as a truly independent global power. The military of the United Provinces is a well-funded and equipped force which has seen significant growth both before and after the Oil Wars, and has extensive experience in peer nation-state conflicts and counter-insurgency. The United Provinces is a confirmed nuclear weapons state, with a very large active arsenal of both strategic and tactical weapons. It maintains a notable diplomatic presence internationally.
Etymology
"Connorianople", as a name, was first used in the 1857 Treaty of Archipelagic Union, which formally united the four original nations of the Northeast Archipelago of Aels. It is named so by and in honour of Connor Constantine la Corvinus, the victor of the War of the Cousins. Over time the name "Connorianople" became used to describe the Archipelago as well as the nation that called it homeland.
The formal name used to call citizens of the Republic and later the United Provinces is Connorianoplian, which is also used as an adjective to describe matters relating to the United Provinces. Often this is shortened to Connori or Conni; the former first coined by people from the nation of Agua del Fuego, while the latter originated from the peoples of the Wentviska region in Aels.
History
Before 0 AD
The first settlements of the Northeast Aelian Archipelago date to at least 40,000 BCE. These belonged to the Diimortalians, generally agreed to be the oldest civilization in Aels, if not in all Terra. By all accounts, the Diimortalians were an enlightened race with knowledge of technology, philosophy and culture far ahead of their time. Among other places, they flourished in the Northern Aelian regions and the southern regions of Muhr, leading archeologists to suspect they concentrated in the polar regions.
For reasons still unknown, the Diimortalians as a civilization disappeared from the Archipelago approximately around 11,000 BCE. No humanoid sapients would live in the Northeastern Archipelago until 1000BCE. It is theorized that due to the climate and the more dangerous fauna, the first Nukts and Denetherians did not settle long or avoided the Northeastern Archipelago when they first arrived to Aels at around 7,000 BCE.
The first humans to permanently settle the Northeastern Archipelago were Malayo-Polynesians from the Pacific, who first arrived in 780 BCE. Various theories have been proposed as to how they arrived at a land extremely distant from their native tropics rather than settle in the Americas or even in Western Aels; all of which have been inconclusive. Regardless, they did arrive and settle on the south-center-west islands of the Northeastern Archipelago. In 600 BCE the Malay peoples, before a loose association of clans and villages known as barangay, began to confederate around a man only known as Bathal. Claiming to have received enlightenment and teaching from "great dragons", he formed his peoples into the Kingdom of Bathalana, which would claim as its capital what is now known as Neriziana, around the ruins where the "dragons enlightened Bathal."
Approximately 50-49 BC, a second group of settlers came to the Northeastern Archipelago. Led by Archmagos Mark Deimos and composed of of a party of custodians and scholars from the Royal Library of Alexandria and their families and retinues, they were sent out sometime early 51 BCE by one of the last decrees of the Pharoah Ptolemy XII. Their mission was "to find knowledge to fill the Royal Library and explore the waters and lands beyond the Pillars of Hercules (the Strait of Gibraltar) in the name of Pharoah and Egypt", led on by information passed to them by Phoenician traders who spoke of a land they discovered beyond the Pillars.
One year later, the Archmagos and the survivors, numbering around 500 (from an original expedition of 1,500), made landfall on the east-most of the Northeastern Archipelago's islands. Stumbling upon another abandoned Diimortalian city, they settled there out of desperation, naming their new home Markovinius after the Archmagos who led them here. Due to the distance between them, Markovinus never reestablished contact with Ptolemian Egypt.
0 AD-1600 AD
The next few centuries would see Bathalana and Markovinius grow separately into stable societies within the Archipelago and its nearby environs. In 220, Markovinius expanded southward, ultimately colonizing and re-settling Karenelipolis, another Diimortalian relic city.
Formal contact between the two polities was established in 800, although surviving records from the times prior indicate that Bathalana was at least aware of Markovinius' existence. Although relations began warmly, disputes over suzerainty of the Central Islands of the Archipelago resulted in the Markov-Bathal War of 898 AD. This war only ended with the beginning of the first Viking raids in 900, forcing the two polities to conclude an uneasy truce to fight off the new threats.
This truce, as well as slow trade links, eventually resulted in the two polities forming an alliance in 929, cemented by arranged marriages. The next five hundred years was a period of peace, only occasionally disturbed by skirmishes with raiding parties from the peoples of nearby Anicka.
1517 AD saw the arrival of a third wave of settlers to the Diimortalian Archipelago. Led by General Jerick li Corvinus, this wave comprised the last remnants of the recently-destroyed Byzantine and Trebizond Empires. Originally gathered by Mikaelos li Corvinus to retake Constantinople, sanity and the fall of Trebizond led to Mikaelos and those he gathered to instead flee westward. They left Europe for Aels on 1516, on a small fleet of vessels paid with what riches they could afford to pare away, and arrived at the gates to Karenelipolis.
Initially treated with suspicion due to the Karenelipolians not having seen Byzantines before, Lazarus li Corvinus, son of Jerick and successor to Mikaelos, negotiated with the city's Matriarch Aridane, then the ruler of Markovinius. He offered his and his soldiers' services and trade in exchange for a place his people could stay. While sympathetic to Lazarus' plight, Aridane was concerned with overcrowding in her city due to the sheer number of Byzantine refugees, and so offered them the Central Islands which had been left largely alone. Thus they settled in a Central Island relic city, now known as Jericko. two years later Lazarus is crowned Basileus (Emperor) of his people, thus establishing the Basileia Corvinus(Empire of Corvinus).
This development outraged Bathalanan Datu (Chief-Lord) Rinoya II; the Datu's Court had always assumed that the Treaty between his ancestors and the Markovinites demanded that settlement of the Central Islands be decided by his consent as well as that of the Markovinites. As he could not consider action against Aridane, a cousin, he turned his attention to the Corvinians. He demanded that the Corvinians pay him tribute as a condition for allowing them to remain in Jericko. Lazarus refused due to both Byzantine pride and the fact that his people could not realistically pay such a tribute. In 1523 the Datu sent a force of a thousand men to Jericko to "collect" from the Corvinians. In what would become known as the Battle of the Jericko Walls, Lazarus and his militia of 720 managed to defeat the Datu's warriors at the walls of Jericko. Firearms such as early muskets and arquebuses, used from the safety of the walls, played an important part at defeating the Datu's men. The survivors of the Bathalanan forces informed the Datu of the events, leading to him abandoning further attacks until he could counter the new weapons. Following Rinoya II's death in 1534, his successor Machete IV reached an unlikely rapproachment with Basileus Lazarus, ending hostilities between the two nations.
1600 AD-1800 AD
English and Scottish settlers led by Sir Andrew Weaselie established trading outposts on the northern edges of the Archipelago in 1628. Eventually they formed a colony named New Gloucester, with its capital centered in Nelsonia; the colony was to be a way-station between England and the New World. As a consequence, it grew to rely heavily on trade and was thus often visited by Royal Navy warships. Contact between New Gloucester and the other three polities of the Archipelago would increase its importance as a profitable trade link between the nascent British Empire and these polities. It is also through New Gloucester that the Archipelago would be exposed to the wider world and its influences. Anglican and later Catholic missionaries from Europe would influence the religious makeup of the Archipelago, and imported technology from Britain would later help the various kingdoms, particularly the Kaharian ng Bathalana and the Basileia Corvinus, start their own industrial revolutions. It also saw the spread of nationalist and unitarian ideas, with societies calling for uniting the Archipelago forming at least as early as the 1770s. The greatest of these, the Unionite Movement, began to take root in Corvinus in 1782. Its influence was rumored to be far reaching enough to involve even the Imperial family itself.
1800 AD-1850 AD
As a natural consequence of industrialization, severe population pressures began to be felt among the Archipelagic Kingdoms. This was particularly acute in Bathalana and the Democracy of Karenelipolis-Markovinius; the former due to rapid population growth, the latter due to restrictions of land area. This led to both nations eying the Northeast land of Harvadon, which was yet unclaimed. Disputes regards the extent either was allowed to colonize Harvadon dragged diplomacy between the two old allies, with both sides wanting all of Harvadon for itself.
As this was going on, Corvinus began expanding into Nótia Gi̱s, the great island at the Archipelago's South, cementing its hold with the establishment of the great city of Katheriniya. This move alarmed Bathalana and its ruler, Datu Malunggad, as it gave him less room for his own population. Matters deteriorated as a crop failure led to the Neriziana Riots of 1852 and calls by more liberal Bathalanans for reforms. Faced with the prospect of an overpopulation and a political crisis, Datu Malunggad was forced to deliver an ultimatum to Karenelipolis-Markovinus' Matriarch Nicolette on May 2, 1848, demanding that Karenelipolis-Markovinius recognize Bathalana's unlimited right to settle Harvadon. It was hoped that Harvadon would give the Datu sufficient resources to address the overpopulation problem and give him room to buy out his liberals with land.
This alarmed Matriarch Nicolette enough to turn to Corvinus for aid. Basileus Edgardis offered to host negotiations on the settlement of the Harvadon Question, sending his son, the popular Basilópais (Prince) Connor Constantine as a mediator. It was hoped that Connor's connections and charisma would be able to bring peace, or at least buy time while Edgardis' own forces were mobilized for conflict, as this presented an opportunity for Corvinus to cement its dominance in the Archipelago. Connor himself believed that either through peace or conflict, the situation provided a rare opportunity to enact the ideals of the Unionite Movement, of which he was a an influential member. Negotiations stalled with Corvinian and Markovinian politicians claiming the Datu's stubbornness to revoke the ultimatum scheduled to end in June 2, 1848 as the cause, while Bathalanan state announcements claimed the Matriarch was being unreasonable and Connor partial to her whims. An attempt on the Datu's life in June 1 cemented Datu Malunggad's refusal to back down. Datu Malunggad mobilized his army and navy on the end of the ultimatum, serving notice to both Basilópais Connor and Matriarch Nicolette that he would seize Harvadon. Hearing of this, Basileus Edgardis issued a declaration of war against Bathalana in defence of Karenelipolis-Markovinus on June 11, 1848.
The resultant war became known as the Pólemos ton Xadélfon (War of the Cousins), due to the historically close familial blood ties between Karenelipolis-Markovinius' and Bathalana's leaders prior to the conflict. It was primarily a naval war, due to the nature of the Archipelago demanding control of the sea as a necessity. The first battle occured in July 2, at the Munda Strait between the northeast islands of Bathalana and Harvadon, and was a victory for Bathalana, sweeping aside the badly outnumbered Markovinian force sent to intercept them. Landing on Harvadon the Bathalanan army had threatened eastward advance towards Markovinius itself, only being stopped by the timely arrival of Corvinian naval forces disrupting the Bathalanan supply chain. Realizing the need to take out Corvinus, Datu Malunggad assembled a large fleet to invade Jericko, but were stopped by the Corvinians in the First Battle of Karnass Strait in September 13, 1848. Both sides emerged from this battle exhausted; no further engagements were fought for the remainder of 1848, save for the Harvadon campaign which later ended in a strategic withdrawal for Bathalana, as the Datu wished to concentrate force for a new offensive the following year.
The Second Battle of Karnass Strait was fought on April 4-7, 1849, where the combined Corvinian/Markovinian fleet destroyed the Bathalanan fleet before it could land on Jericko itself, allowing the Corvinian/Markovinian alliance to take the initiative in the war. The war itself would continue for another nine months until the Battle of the Nerizon Beaches on February 7-10, 1850, where the Corvinian/Markovinian alliance led mainly by Basilópais Connor scored a decisive victory, pushing back and routing the Bathalanans sent to push them into the sea. The Battle of the Nerizon Beaches was also notable for during its course both sides' lead monarchs, the Basileus and the Datu, dying during the battle.
With both Datu Malunggad and Basileus Edgardis dead, the Bathalanan army defeated, and his army dominant, the stage was set for Connor to implement the Unionite dream of a united Archipelago. Marching into Neriziana on February 14, 1850, he announced that rather than simply annex Bathalana as a Corvinian territory, "this war will end with the birth of a united Archipelago and a true union of peoples".
1851 AD-1900 AD
Following Connor's pronouncement, the Treaty of Archipelagic Union was drafted and signed in September 1851, with Basilópais Connor, Matriarch Nicolette, and Datmaga Madarang representing Bathalana signing. In exchange for favourable trade policies towards the British Empire, Basilópais Connor was able to negotiate the incorporation of New Gloucester into the Union as well as recognition from the British. The Treaty of Archipelagic Union provided for a grace period of five years for the Kingdoms before they were formally united via a new constitution. This Constitution was drafted and signed in 1855, formally establishing the Republic of Connorianople, with Connor Constantine la Corvinus relinquishing his title as Basileus-apparent, which was not abolished but vacated, to become Próedros (president). The Republic's constitution granted essential rights and freedoms to men and women of all colour - a necessity given the racial makeup of the Archipelago, suffrage rights for Archipelagic citizens, as well as land reform to solve the population pressures that sparked the War of Cousins.
The Republic quickly grew into an industrial power with the help of massive infrastructure investment and sponsored technological inflows. At the turn of the Nineteenth Century, the Republic began to increase its diplomatic contacts, concluding agreements and alliances with the British Empire, the United States of America, and the nascent Confederacy of Augustinian in Muhr. It also began imperial ventures to support its industries and as a matter of national pride. The Republic established colonies in Oman, in Connorfeldas on Muhr, and Greenland. Concurrent with the Spanish-American War of 1898, the Republic embarked on its first foreign conflict by declaring war on a very weak España, taking both the Philippines and Western Sahara. In taking the Philippines, the Republic soon found itself in loggerheads with the nascent Philippine Indepencence Movement (PIM), leading to a much longer and bitter conflict which only ended in 1902 with the defeat of PIM leader Emilio Aguinaldo's last army in Pangasinan. To placate the Filipinos, and noting the history of Spanish colonization in the region, the Republic offered full citizenship and rights and representation in the Parthenekon.
1901 AD-1950 AD
The Republic of Connorianople fought World War I on the side of the Allies, providing financial and material support to the European Theatre as well as fighting in the Sudzlatan in Southern Aels, eventually securing that country from the Central-Powers-aligned Luar State. The growing Navy of the Republic also contributed to the blockade against Central Powers in Aels until the end of the war.
The Republic suffered from the effects of the Great Depression of the 1930s, and was on the way to recovery when World War II erupted in Europe and Aels in 1939. Initially staying neutral, the Republic eventually became involved in the Pacific Theatre of that war due to the Empire of Japan's invasion of the Philippines. The Republic focused most of its forces to the Pacific, contributing to the eventual defeat of Japan. During the Pacific War the Republic forged a close partnership with the Empire of JVP and deepened ties with the United States, as the Republic shared with these nations a common struggle against Japan. The Republic also provided financial aid to the Allies in Europe and Aels, and contributed to the blockade of Axis-aligned states in Aels. Following World War II, the Republic signed on as a charter member to the United Nations in 1945.
Political unrest began to beset the Republic in 1946 following the Post-War Recession of '46, which threatened a return to Great Depression-era conditions. This came to a head with the results of the 1948 General Election being bitterly contested by Ernest Galapagon, the losing presidential candidate. Before a political compromise could be reached between his group and Eduardo el Javier I, the winner and Próedros-elect, a violent incident between supporters of Javier and Galapagon on September 1, 1948 led to full-scale unrest. Galapagon declared himself president on September 2 without waiting for a final resolution from the Electoral Commission. This lead to the involvement of the Anó̱tato Dikastí̱rio (High Courts), however it itself was paralyzed due to partisan divisions. Violence escalated when the Anó̱tato Dikastí̱rio was destroyed due to a bombing on December 3, 1948, which both sides accused the other of orchestrating. This coincided with protests and clashes taking place in Oman and the Western Sahara over representation issues, forcing Javier to declare Martial Law across the Republic on December 25, 1948. Peace was restored in March 1949 when the navy and a portion of the army loyal to Javier initiated a crackdown. Galapagon and his closest supporters were arrested and subsequently imprisoned for conspiracies against the State. Martial Law was formally lifted in February 1949. To head off further unrest, Próedros Javier decided a major reform was needed to preserve the Republic and its holdings, and so convened the Constitutional Convention of 1949. The product of the Convention was an amended Constitution which reformed the central government and granted full representation (similar to the Philippines and the Home Islands) to all the abroad territories. Signed in February 1950, this officially reformed the Republic into the United Provinces of Connorianople, with Javier as first Igéti̱s.
1951 AD-2000 AD
Igéti̱s Javier I's term was spent rebuilding the country from the damage done during the unrest of 1948-1949, as well as full implementation of the reforms promised by the new Constitution across the United Provinces. Gradual stability brought renewed trade and increased foreign investment which bolstered a government-mandated savings initiative. To further national cohesion, Igéti̱s Javier I launched a space initiative aiming at sending a Connori into space by the 1960s, and clandestinely began the Connori Nuclear Program in 1957. The United Provinces also contributed to the UN intervention in the Korean War, sending troops and ships to defend South Korea, and beginning a long UPC presence there.
Javier I was succeeded as Igéti̱s by Antonikos Servanus in the 1960 Election. Javier I's space initiative began to bear fruit under Servanus' watch with the successful launch of satellite Phoenix Alpha in November 5, 1961, and was followed on June 11, 1968 by the spacecraft Chariot I successfully carrying astronaut Marie-Patricia li Usalan on a 3-day orbit. The first Connori nuclear detonation was achieved in May 1, 1963, with Test Titan of 20 kilotons yield detonated in the middle of the Saharan desert, while the first Connori thermonuclear detonation, "Test Olympus 3" of 1.7 megatons, was achieved in June 17, 1968.
Space Station Noah's Ark was launched in December 1971 under the watch of Igéti̱s Lunamarie Naverios, the first female Connori Igéti̱s. Further space initiatives were funded by Igéti̱s Naverios, with the Noah's Ark followed by several more stations. The first commercial space station, Mile High, was launched in 1979 as the first joint public-private venture in space for the rich.
The United Provinces under Igéti̱s Lukas Gaskard joined the United Kingdom in its war in the Falklands in 1982. This was the first conflict the United Provinces involved itself in since the Korean War. The United Provinces would later take interest in the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, mostly contributing to protecting international tanker traffic in the Persian Gulf during the height of the so-called Tanker Wars and ensuring the Oman Province was not dragged into the war.
The end of the Cold War was the beginning of a period of high economic growth fueled primarily by contracted space operations as commercial operators turned to relatively cost-effective and safer Connori space infrastructure, after the US space program suffered a setback with the Challenger disaster and the Soviet space program collapsed with the USSR. The United Provinces joined the United Nations in resolving the Great Persian Gulf-Arabia War of 1991-1992, which would result in the creation of the Petrolia Confederation.
2001 AD-present
The United Provinces began to get involved in the troubled Puro Pan region in Aels in the 1990s. Igéti̱s Jerome Kavinikos chose to support the newly-independent Puro Pan del Norte, providing it both arms and investment. Support for Puro Pan del Norte did not come without its price; in 2007 the UPC got involved in PPN's troubles with the Confederation of United Europe. While it condemned CUE-sponsored terrorist attacks against Puro Pan del Norte, the United Provinces did not get overtly involved in the resultant CUE War of 2007-2008, although during its prosecution, the UPC temporarily seized several Icelandic territories in retaliation for the 2007 McDonaldland Terrorist attack, which was at the time believed to be conducted by puppet units of the CUE. These territories were relinquished at the conclusion of the CUE war.
The United Provinces would once more be involved in the Persian Gulf region in the mid-2000s, as the Petrolia Confederation began to collapse under the weight of decade-old sectarian intrigues and external subversion from neighboring Namijistani Iran. In 2009, The United Provinces together with the Nation of Curtopia, the Republic of Serdaristan, the State of Frieseland, the Federal Republic of Nova Prussia and several other allied states contributed a peacekeeping mission, which escalated into a full-on intervention following the invasion of Iraqi and Saudi Petrolia by Namijistan in Iran and its ally the Colossal, in an attempt to take advantage of the UN being distracted in Europe. The First Oil War of 2009 was a brief affair abruptly ended by Igéti̱s Kavinikos' controversial use of tactical nuclear weapons to win the First Battle of Damman, forcing all parties to attempt a negotiated settlement lest the conflict escalate. This merely paused the conflict, which following failed negotiations, resumed in 2010 with the much larger Second Oil War. Igéti̱s Erick Nielsen el Javier IV succeeded Kavinkos shortly after the start of this second war, Kavinkos refusing to use emergency powers to prolong his rule. Javier IV successfully mobilized the Petrolian Allies for the conflict while receiving aid from new countries such as the Imperio España y Atlantis and Anicka. The United Provinces and its Allies fought the Namij-led CNGB Axis on a global-scale conflict which saw battles being waged from across the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, though no further use of nuclear weapons was recorded. Although technically unrelated, the Puro Pan Anarchy of 2009-2011 was also widely seen as part of the Second Oil War as it involved the same players in addition to the states of Wentviskan Aels. Hostilities between the Petrolian Allies and the CNGB Axis ended with an Armstice signed in September 2011, although subsequent events would prove the Petrolian Allies the ultimate victors as the Namij state and her allies were successfully contained. Indirectly, the costs of the wars caused the implosion of Namijistan, the Colossal and their allies in 2012 into shattered and weakened polities, leaving the United Provinces with no peer enemies for the foreseeable future.
Geography
The Homeland Archipelago is located to the northeastern edge of Aels. The Archipelago is mostly highland, particularly in the largest northern islands of Dysioucesti (west) and Harvadon Primaris (east), with the Central Island group being mostly flat-to-lowland islands. The center-east island of Anatoli Samai is mostly mountainous save for the east plain. Nótia Gi̱s (west) and Notianatoli Gi̱s (east) make up the largest of the southern islands, and due to its relatively large flatlands comprise most of the Connori' traditional farmland. Iserlohn to the far southwest is the only active volcanic island in the Homeland Archipelago.
Approximately 19% of Homeland land is forested, with the largest forests located in central Harvadon Primaris, Southwest Dysioucesti, and Nótia Gi̱s. These have been declared preserved areas since 1977. 18% of land is used for pastures, 19% for agriculture, 4% for mining and 40% either fully or partially urbanized.
The climate of the Homeland Archipelago is mostly temperate, with plentiful rainfall all year round except for the northernmost regions of Harvadon Primaris, which experiences proportionately more snowfall. Temperatures vary from -11°C (12°F) to 40°C (108-109°F) depending on season, with the warmer temperatures lasting longer in the south and the colder temperatures in the north. The Homeland experiences the four seasons of winter, spring, summer and fall roughly in step with European countries and North America.
The Abroad Provinces of Connorfeldas and the Philippines, like most Pacific island chains, are primarily tropical in climate and are heavily mountainous. Both archipelagos at present have an estimated 11 and 18% forest land coverage respectively. Connorfeldas is heavily urbanized/industrialized with up to 50% of its land covered in industrial and urban areas, while the Philippines at present has 30% of its land urbanized or urbanizing, with 46% used for agriculture and 6% for mining. Temperatures in Connorfeldas and the Philippines range from 21 °C (70 °F) to 32 °C (90 °F) depending on seasons. Both archipelagos primarily experience only two seasons: rainy and dry, with the transition periods being August as the start of the rainy season, and March as the start of the dry season.
The Abroad Province of Western Sahara is mostly dry and inhospitable desert, which places a great burden on services such as water and food. The Omani Province is of a similar arid geographic classification. By contrast, the recently acquired Greenland territory is a mostly ice-covered land with only the coastal areas having any tundra or human settlements.
Politics
The United Provinces, as previously mentioned, is a hybrid federal presidential-style republic. There are three levels of government within the country: federal, provincial and local.
Federal (Omospondiakós)
The head of the federal executive is the Igéti̱s ('leader'). He/she serves as de facto head of state, de jure head of government and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Officially, the office is only head of government, with Commander-in-Chief and Head of State being vested in the throne of the Basileus which has remained vacant since the time of Connor Constantine la Corvinus. The Igéti̱s thus presently exercises these powers in regency. The Igéti̱s is elected by popular vote in a two-stage run-off election to a single ten-year term, with no option for consecutive reelection. In the event of very narrow majorities of under 1%, a third-stage runoff may be called. This office is the effective replacement for the Office of the Próedros (President) from the Republic days. Supporting the Igéti̱s in the administration of government is the Ypsi̱lí̱s Ypourgeío (High Cabinet), composed of up to twelve men and women hand-picked by the Igéti̱s. The present composition of the Ypsi̱lí̱s Ypourgeío as of 4Q 2017 comprises:
- Minister Militarum (Minister of the Military/Defence) - head of the Ypourgeío Àmynas (YA, Defence Ministry) which serves as the civil administration for the military;
- Minister Externis Rebus (Minister of Foreign Affairs) - head of the Ypourgeío Exoterikón (YEx, Foreign Ministry), colloquially known as the Foreign Office. It is primarily charged with conducting diplomacy on behalf of the United Provinces, although in specific subfields such as military diplomacy it works/supports the relevant ministries. It also cooperates with the Home Office on matters of immigration.
- Minister Ekonomicum et Commercium (Minister of Economics and Commerce) - head of the Ypourgeío Oikonomikó (YO, Economic Ministry), which oversees both economic development, trade diplomacy and industrial policy of the United Provinces;
- Minister Energion (Minister of Energy) - head of the Ypourgeío Enérgeias (YEn, Energy Ministry), which oversees energy technology and infrastructure development. The YEn is also responsible for supporting Connori nuclear industry;
- Minister Cultura et Educationem (Minister of Culture and Education) - head of the Ypourgeío Politismoú kai Paideías (YPP, Culture and Education Ministry); oversees public and private education, ensures standards, and supports Connori culture and integration initiatives;
- Minister Technología (Minister of Technology) - head of the Ypourgeío Technologías (YT, Technology Ministry), which is responsible for supporting research and development of new technological lines in concert with the private sector such as cyber technology;
- Minister Sanitarum (Minister for Health) - head of the Ypourgeío Ygeías (YY, Health Ministry), which is responsible for administration of the nation's healthcare system;
- Minister Ametis (Minister for Environment) - head of the Ypourgeío Perivállontos (YP, Environment Ministry), which is responsible for environmental management. The YP also has jurisdiction for the Grafeío Perivallontikís Epivolís (GPE, Environmental Enforcement Office) which has law enforcement and environmental protection powers; and
- Minister Internum (Minister of the Interior) - head of the Ypourgeío Esoterikón (YEs, Interior Ministry), colloquially known as the Home Office, which is responsible for managing affairs between the federal government and provinces. It is also responsible for the Omospondiakí Astynomía (Federal Police Forces) and the Oram Custodes (Coast Guard). It also provides oversight for provincial and metropolitan police forces, although these forces are fairly independent; and
- Director Speculatores (Director of Intelligence) - head of the Intel'Analyka (I'A, Intelligence Office), responsible for all foreign intelligence activities. It works very closely with the YA and the military, as well as the YEs. It is also widely believed to be the office overseeing the Divisio Assassinorum (Assassination Division) which serves in a similar role to American direct action forces of the Central Intelligence Agency.
While the Office of the Igéti̱s enjoys broad powers, he is subject to oversight from the ADS and the Parthenekon Connoris. The Office of the Igéti̱s is located in the Silver House along Coastal Mainway at the capital of Triannapoli.
The federal legislature is the Parthenekon Connoris; it is a unicameral body with a nominal membership of 360, approportioned between the Twenty Provinces based on population. The PC primarily concerns itself with legislation and bringing Provincial matters of Federal import to the attention of the Igéti̱s. Members are elected via a proportional representation, single-transferable-voting system, with a 2.5% minimum threshold for representation. The Parthenekon Connoris meets at the Congregata Palace on Unity Square in Triannapoli.
There are three major political parties in the United Provinces:
- United Connorianoplians' Party (Inomeni Kónori Kómma - IKK) - First founded in 1891, the IKK was the traditionally dominant party in Connori politics during the Republic years, and maintains itself as a potent force in the current day. While largely conservative in politics for the first 60 years, the present IKK follows a progressive-centrist moderate platform of governance, emphasizing equitable economic growth and security and an internationalist foreign policy.
- Socialist Party of Connorianople (Sosialistikó Kónori Kómma - SKK) - Founded in 1908 initially as an alliance of worker unions from both the Aelian Homeland and the colonies, the SKK became a true political force in the 1919 elections. Initially an uneasy combination of both progressive and militant Left forces, the War of the Presidents resulted in most of the militant Left being purged by Próedros Javier I in the name of state security. The SKK has since rebranded and refocused itself as a democratic socialist party, advocating people's democracy at least on a local level, high social spending, putting environment on the forefront of governance and an isolationist or at least largely neutral foreign policy.
- Manifest Destiny Coalition (Symmachía Ekdílosis Peproménou - SEP) - Split off from the IKK when it became more progressive-centrist in 1953, the SEP is thoroughly to the right of the political-economic spectrum. It campaigns on a neoliberal market platform for the economy with minimal social spending and an assertive foreign policy.
As of the most recent 2010 General Elections, the IKK has a narrow majority at 42% of seats, forcing it to form a coalition government with the SKK (20%) and some independent actors (6%), and the SEP (32%) serving as the opposition. The 2015 Parthenekon Elections resulted in the SEP gaining increased seats (38%) at the expense of the IKK.
In addition to the Parthenekon Connoris, further legislative oversight may come in the form of Citizens' Referendums (Di̱mopsí̱fisma to̱n Politó̱n), which may be called by any Citizen of the United Provinces (including the Igéti̱s). Originally a year-long (or longer) undertaking, the passage of the Electronic Participation Act of 2005 has reduced the expected time to conduct a referendum to within a month. In theory any legislation of Federal importance could be subject to a Citizens' Referendum; it has, in practice, only been called for reaffirming/rejecting proposed amendments to the Constitution.
The Anó̱tato Dikastí̱rio Syntagmatikós (ADS, Federal High Court) serves as the de-facto highest court in the country, and serves as the primary check-and-balance to both the Igéti̱s and the Parthenekon Connoris. It is tasked with final interpretation of the Connori Constitution and can nullify any Federal or Provincial legislation/executive proclamation that is found to violate the spirit and/or letter of the Constitution. The ADS is composed of seven Judges; each is confirmed by the Collegia Lexia Unionis (Union Law College) after an endorsement from the Igéti̱s. The ADS was originally located in Triannapoli prior to the unrest of 1948-1950, after the destruction of the original AD Palace the ADS was moved to Markovinius and a new building, the Justicio'Courana, where it remains to the present day.
For ciminal and civil cases, the highest court is the Ypsi̱lí̱ Politikí̱s Dikastí̱rio (YPD, High Civil Court). The YPD is the court of last resort for all civil and criminal cases; its decisions are final with only the ADS being able to overturn YPD decisions, and only on extreme cases where a YPD decision may have bearing on precedent for interpreting Constitutional law. The YPD is composed of 30 panels, each with a presiding judge and 4 judges. Sixteen panels are tasked with hearing civil cases, six with criminal cases and eight for special cases.
Provincial (Eparchiakós)
The UPC is composed of twenty provinces (eparchía) spread across four continents. While each province follows Federal law, not all provinces share the same type of provincial government.
The Aelian Eparchía of Eparchía Corvinus, Iserlohn, Eparchía Katheriniya, Lalisanalia (sans the capital Triannapoli), Néa Bathalani and Néa Glocuesteri as well as the Muhrian Eparchía of Connorfeldas are run as constitutional principalities or peerage provinces. The Heads of the Province de jure are of peerage and noble rank, and can trace their lineages and offices back centuries from the time of the Kaharian and Basileia. The Omani Eparchía in the Arabian Peninsula and the Bangsamoro in the Southern Philippines is governed with a similar system, with the head being the Omani Sultan and the Sultan of Sulu respectively as a political concession following the formation of the United Provinces. Supporting the Heads of Province are the 12-member Provincial Councils (Parthenekon Eparchis) which handle both legislative and executive actions for the Provincial government (with specific roles handled by committees within the Council). Councilors are elected via a single-transferable-vote system.
The Muhrian Eparchía of Sudzmuhr and Connorfelda Dytikí, the African Eparchía of Sahara Occidental and Sahrawi Enclavis, and the Philippine Eparchía of Cebuna, Cordilleras, Luzon Primaris, Mindanao Lumadi and Palawan-Mindoro are governed with an executive-style system, with a Igetis-eparchi (Provincial Leader) being elected to handle executive functions. These offices were created from 1950 as part of the general reforms following the establishment of the United Provinces and an effort for increased representation for these lands, as prior to 1950 they were administered as purely colonial territories with governors appointed by the Próedros.
There are Parthenekon Eparchis in these Eparchía but unlike the peerage provinces these councils handle purely legislative affairs. The Igetis-eparchi is elected via popular vote to a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms, while the Parthenekon Eparchis' members are elected by single-transferable-vote.
The Aelian Eparchía of Karenelipoli and Markovinius Prefectus are unique in that there is neither a peer office to serve as Head of Province nor is there a division between executive and legislature; the primary government is the Parthenekon Prefectus, a 20-member body elected to office via single-transferable-vote.
For councilor elections the three major parties in Connori politics are represented, as well as a number of independent and more locally-oriented and/or unconventional parties.
There is provision in the Provincial Charters for Citizens' Referendums for matters of Provincial importance, similar to that available to the Federal level. The frequency of exercise of this citizens' power varies according to Eparchia, with Oman seeing the least use, while Markovinius sees the most use.
Each Eparchia has its own Civil Court for civil and criminal cases; the majority of such cases usually end at this level.
Local (Topikós)
Local Government in the United Provinces is subdivided between Metropolitan Authority and Councilships. Councilships are similar to town/village councils with a membership of 40-50 seats and have powers to enact various local ordinances - so long as they do not contradict the Councilship's parent Provincial Charter and the United Provinces Constitution. They have limited powers to levy fees and taxes. As with the higher levels of government, membership on the Councilship is decided via single-transferable-vote during the General Elections.
The Metropolitan Authorities are responsible for large cities, and have expanded powers over Councilships given the size of the territory and constituencies. Functions are divided between the executive (headed by a Dí̱marchos (Mayor)) and the legislature in the Metropolitan Council, which consists of representatives derived from the component Councilships of the Metropolitan Area.
Similar to the Federal and Provincial levels, there are established mechanisms for Citizens' Referendums to decide on issues of Councilship or Metropolitan importance. Due to the particular issues of localities it is recorded that local Citizens' Referenda see the most exercise, with a referendum occurring at least once every other year.
Governmental Finance
Tributae (taxes) are levied in order to support government operations at all levels. Income and Value-added taxes are "shared"; i.e. revenue is distributed to the federal, provincial, and local levels of government by proportions mandated by constitutionally prescribed formulae. Property and trade tax income is for the provincial and local levels of government. Most "special items" and energy tax income goes to the federal level. Total tax receipts for fiscal year 2017 amounted to 7.171 trillion GFLOƒ, or 12.190 trillion NSD$. This constitutes an equivalent of 34.22% of the United Provinces' 2020 GDP, which is in line with the general tax-to-GDP ratio trend for the past six years.
Fiscal administration is divided between the federal tax authority and the Eparchiakó Grafeío Esódon (Provincial Revenue authorities.) The Omospondiakó Grafeío Esódon (Federal Revenue Office) is the United Provinces's competent federal tax authority, and is also in charge of most tax refund applications by foreign residents living in Connori territories.
Tax rates with regards to income are generally progressive, with the highest income bracket levied a 35% tax rate compared to 2.5% rate levied to the lowest income bracket, but personal income tax only comprise approximately 20% of total tax receipts. Value added tax, currently set at 18% of current prices, contributes the majority of tax revenue at 32%. Corporate and other group-based taxes collectively supply 21% of tax receipts. These present ratios were generally maintained since the 1970s as a "strategic compromise" between public interest and the interest of the wealthy. The United Provinces was among the first countries to implement extensive automation and digitization of the tax process, beginning in 1995, in a bid to improve transparency, accountability and collection efficiency.
As of the end of fiscal year 2020, the United Provinces public debt level stood at 5.595 trillion GFLOƒ, or 26.7% of nominal 2020 GDP. Public debt has been on a steady downward trend from the Second Oil War's high of 25.846 trillion GFLOƒ, due to federal measures to control deficit spending.
Foreign Relations
The United Provinces has been a full member of the United Nations since 1951, inheriting its seat from the Republic which had been a member since the founding of the UN. It has supported several UN peacekeeping efforts since the Korean War and currently supports the efforts of the United Nations particularly the UN Development Program (UNDP). Despite this it has consistently refused multiple UN resolutions and international treaties relating to arms controls, particularly refusing to sign or ratify the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the Ottawa Treaty on anti-personnel mines, although it has unilaterally chosen to follow certain aspects of these treaties.
Asides from its membership in the United Nations, it maintains cordial relationships and alliances with multiple nations. Noted is its "special relationship" with the Nation of Curtopia, which shares a history stretching back to the days of the Republic. The Connori-Curtopian Treaty of Mutual Defense and Cooperation commits both nations to the defence of the other. Both countries engage in very close economic cooperation agreements. Originally both the United Provinces and Curtopia were joined with the Imperio España y Atlantis, however following that polity's collapse in 2012 both countries have progressively disengaged themselves from the Imperio's remnants. Another separate but similar relationship exists between the United Provinces and the Confederacy of Augustinian; culturally both countries identify with a Diimortalian legacy and are both hybrid federal systems. Both countries cooperate heavily particularly in the development of military hardware, and have a mutual defence alliance with each other. The United Provinces also shares a special relationship with the Empire of JVP, dating back to World War II, with both countries committing to the defense of the Korean Peninsula. Other alliances the United Provinces honors includes those with the Kingdom of Barnopea and the Republic of Serdaristan. The United Provinces at present enjoys holds cordial relations with most other Aelian states, save for the Monarchy of Denethier and the formerly Rhamosian province of Osatia, as the United Provinces sees these as renegade states that are disruptive to the global order and must be checked accordingly. Apart from the Confederacy of Augustinian, the United Provinces does not hold any alliances with non-Aelian nations. From 2013-onward, the United Provinces has pursued increased cooperation with the Republic of Carthage in regards to security matters, effectively replacing the old partnership with España y Atlantis.
The United Provinces is a provider of international aid, with an estimated 2.5% of the Government's budget going to aid as of the end of 2013. This is an all-time low; from 2004-2011 the United Provinces had devoted as much as 8% of its government budget to international aid to nations both in Aels, Africa, Asia and Muhr. However, a string of publicly embarrassing aid failures such as in Puro Pan del Norte, Krakavia and the failed Nukt experiment of Beostoan, have dramatically curtailed official interest in providing direct foreign aid to governments. Aid now is mainly coursed to and through non-government organizations, particularly for African and South Asian countries; with only the nations of Cynicadonia, Getriddia and Sudzlatan still receiving direct UPC financial aid as of 2017.
Military
The Akaan’edese Konnoriya (Connori Armed Forces) consist of three primary services: the Stratós Connorianopolis (Connori Army), the I̱no̱ménes Eparchíes Naf̱tikoú (United Provinces Navy) and the Inoménes Eparchíes Aerodiastimikí Dynámeis (United Provinces Aerospace Forces). The Services are managed by the Ypourgeío Àmynas and controlled by the Éno̱si̱ Myi̱méno Symvoúlio (EMS, Union Privy Council), headed by the Igéti̱s on behalf of the presently vacant Corvinian throne.
Economy
The United Provinces has a stable and very prosperous economy with a collective PPP value of 35.622 trillion NSD$ as of 4Q 2020. Connori citizens enjoy great wealth and place consistently high in various international rankings for per-capita wealth as well as wealth per adult citizen. It is one of the largest economies in Aels by far. The Connori economy is a mixed-market system; while 81% of the economy is by the private sector, there is a significant state-owned sector, although in recent years the Government has been moving to privatize certain sectors not deemed of the national interest.
Major industries in the United Provinces include shipbuilding, aerospace, information technology, space services, telecommunications, nuclear technology, logistics, education, healthcare, agriculture and finance services. There is an active effort by the Connori Federal government, in partnership with the private sector, to integrate Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies and new industries, such as additive manufacturing and the Internet of Things (IoT) into the economy since 2017.
The Bank of the Union (Trápeza ti̱s Éno̱si̱s) is the central bank of the United Provinces and is responsible for issuing notes and coins in the Gold Florin, the UPC's currency. Originally a unified currency between Curtopia, España y Atlantis and the UPC first minted in 2009, the collapse of España and the stagnation of Curtopia has led to the United Provinces becoming the primary guarantor for the Gold Florin. Given the size and general stability of the Connori economy, it has been gaining some ground as a reserve currency.
The Connori service sector comprises approximately 64% of GDP, while industry and agriculture have shares of 26% and 2% respectively of GDP. The creative industries sector now represents 8% of GDP, and is currently seeing steady growth at a rate of 6% per annum. The overall GDP growth rate for the whole Connori economy has slipped to an average of 1.02% for the period 2012-2017, compared to an average high of 7.18% for 2001-2011, with this high mainly brought about as a result of Oil Wars-era spending.
The Connori economy was one of the first Aelian economies to industrialize in a pattern similar to that of the British, giving it an early advantage over the continental powers and fueling its early colonial expansion. Although its competitive advantages in classical industries began to dwindle as other nations within Aels and the rest of the world industrialized in turn, the Connori continue to have an active manufacturing sector.
The automotive industry enjoyed a brief period of dominance in the 1960s before foreign competition forced several downsizings. It has recently been revitalized with the widespread adoption of hybrid technology. Furlow Motors presently leads the industry in hybrid vehicles, particularly for trucks and other heavy commercial and military vehicles. Other companies supply components both for domestic giants like Furlow Motors, and the global automotive production chain in whole, serving Japanese and European manufacturers.
The traditional "core" of Connori industry is its shipbuilding, which enjoyed great support from government since the 1890s as it was seen as one of the "great tools for promoting and enhancing Connori power". Although the industry has seen several downsizings since the 1950s following growing competition from other shipbuilding countries, Connori shipyards to this day continue to be known as an efficient producer of high class vessels for several niche civil markets, such as luxury yachts and high-speed transports. Military shipbuilding is considered a critical subsector of the industry, and a large number of both state-owned/supported Navy Yards and private-owned contractor yards exist to supply and support the United Provinces Navy.
The Connori enjoy a very active aerospace sector which produces first-class homegrown aircraft for both civil and military use, single-use and reusable space launch systems for the massive Connori space program, and contributes to the global supply chain of other international aerospace manufacturers. Katheriniya Aerospace in particular is the largest aerospace firm in the United Provinces and in Aels as a whole, and ranks highly among the top aerospace firms of the world.
Transportation
The United Provinces relies heavily on sea transportation for its bulk trade and commerce, given the disparate and archipelagic nature of many of the core Provinces. It is estimated that at any given time, over 6,000 ships of all sizes (with a total gross tonnage of approximately 103.38 million tons) enter and leave major ports in the Connori, Philippine and Connorfeldas archipelagoes alone every day. Over 60% of this is bound for foreign destinations, while intra-Province trade accounts for 31% with the remainder being miscelleneous (luxury, passenger, military). The United Provinces has an Open Seas policy since 1976, wherein foreign as well as Connori shipping companies can freely participate in seaborne commerce without discrimination, with exceptions and restrictions only granted during wartime or if deemed in the national interest. The busiest seaports are at Castronopolis, Katheriniya, Karenelipolis and Markovinius in the Connori Archipelago; Abu Dhabi and Muscat in Oman; Subic, Manila, Cebu and Davao in the Philippines; Shanelion in Connorfeldas; and Laayoune in the Western Sahara.
Air transport is similarly important to the United Provinces. Across the UPC it is estimated over 5,700 civilian aircraft are in Connori airspace at any given time. The Connori Open Skies Policy was enacted in 1980, which allowed foreign carriers to operate for UPC international routes. The principal Connori air carriers in terms of size and market share are Triannapoli Airways, Philippine Airlines and Emirates.
Since 2000, spaceflight has become a steadily increasing sector within the United Provinces, averaging over 150 launches every year as of 2015. The majority (75%) of these are conducted by the public-funded United Provinces Space Initiative (UPSI) which services both the UPC Government and commercial clients; since 2005 there has been a veritable expansion of private space launch services, primarily for smaller payloads and small private space trips.
Energy
It is estimated that the yearly energy consumption of the United Provinces stands at about 6,815 terawatts per year, or 15.7 kilowatts per day per capita as of 2015. Per-capita consumption is recorded to be at a twenty-year low as of 2017, in part due to increasing popularity of more energy-efficient products as well as relative reductions in industrial activity. The United Provinces is one of the first states in Aels to adopt a smart grid system; having begun its adoption on Earth Day 2001 and fully implemented beginning September 2015.
Since the 1960s, a key objective of Connori energy strategy was to reduce dependence on imports of oil and fossil-fuel products, which was judged to be a critical vulnerability due to the physical separation of the Oman Province from the rest of the UPC. Consequently, the United Provinces has been investing heavily in non-fossil fuel energy sources. Nuclear energy is one such source, with sustained public and private investment in the industry ongoing since the 1960s, particularly in enhancing nuclear safety and efficiency. Nuclear power presently answers approximately 56% of present energy demand and provides the primary base-load capability, although growth of power plant numbers plateaued in 2005. Most nuclear plants are located in the Aelian, Connorfeldasi and Western Saharan Provinces, with only two plants located in the Philippines and another two in Oman due to concerns from tectonic activity in the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Indian Ocean respectively.
Current industry activity involves replacing older second-generation reactors with newer and safer fourth-generation designs. The United Provinces leads in the development of prismatic block core reactor technology, successfully commissioning the first commercial reactors of that design beginning in 2013. From 2020-onward, the United Provinces also intends to commission supercritical water reactor designs for commercial use, with the first such reactor currently under construction in the Western Sahara.
The United Provinces also invests heavily in non-nuclear renewable energy sources. Windpower and tidal power collectively answer 18% of Connori energy demand, with solar providing 13%. Windpower and oceanic tidal hydropower are the most developed and refined of Connori renewable energy technologies, especially offshore wind/tidal platforms that take advantage of the strong currents that pass near the Connori Aelian, Connorfeldasi and Philippine archipelagos. Solar technology is primarily used in the Omani and Saharan Provinces with several massive terrestrial solar farms being constructed in the deserts near major metropolitan areas.
Fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas make up the remainder of the present Connori energy mix at 13%; at such levels, the United Provinces is theoretically capable of self-sufficiency due to substantial oil and natural gas reserves in the Oman Province and in the West Philippine Sea. Omani production peaked at 1.01 million barrels per day during the 1970s to take advantage of the global energy crisis, although since then production has tapered over the years to its present low of 500,000 barrels per day.
The Connori Energy Strategy 2016-2026 planning document indicates a desire to further decrease the fossil fuel share to less than 10%, via construction of further renewable energy plants; this is to meet Connori environmental commitments to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Omani oil and natural gas deposits, as well as deposits in the West Philippine Sea, are considered to be strategic reserves to only be exploited in event of crisis. Roughly half of all presently active Omani oil fields and gas fields are scheduled to be mothballed by 2026.
Science and Technology
The United Provinces invests significant sums into science and technology, and as such is observed as one of the top 1% of the most technologically advanced countries in the world; it is certainly recognized as the most advanced country in Aels. Connori scientists and personalities have won several awards and recognitions for scientific contributions, and are prolific contributors in most reputable academic publications. Public scientific expenditure including research and development supported by the YT in 2020 was recorded as being 297.023 billion GFLOƒ or 501.97 billion NSD$, constituting a little under 7% of the annual federal budget. Important Connori technology sectors include space exploration and related technologies, nuclear technology, machine intelligence and computing, maritime and marine environment-related technologies, genetic engineering technologies, and materials sciences.
The Universitas Coronais Triannapolis, the Unibersidad ng Pilipinas-Diliman, the Jamiea Nizwa, the Unibersidad ng Pilipinas-Los Baños and the Universitas Karenelipolis are the top five Connori research institutions by total grants earned, and consistently rank among the top 500 universities globally, and are among the top universities in their respective regions in Aels, East Asia and the Middle East. Apart from the universities, the Ypourgeío Technologías in concert with other ministries maintain several National Laboratories, particularly aimed at scientific research that is of "significance" to Connori national interest. Notable National Laboratories include the Cawl National Laboratory in Katheriniya that specializes in genetic engineering, and the Arkhamion National Laboratory in Greenland which specializes in nuclear and particle physics research. Arkhamion National Laboratory is also home of the Connori Next Generation Cyclotronic System, one of the largest particle accelerators in the world, which has been in operation since 2014.
Apart from abovementioned facilitator of launch capability for public and private clients, the UPSI is first and foremost the primary Connori governmental space agency, with the main purpose of leading what then-Igéti̱s Eduardo el Javier called in 1956 the "Connori Race to the Stars" and establishing the United Provinces in space, specifically by promoting if not spearheading Connori space exploration, exploitation, research and settlement. The UPSI oversaw the great Connori space-related achievements of the 1960s to 1980s; and while the mid-2000s to 2010s have seen significant expansion of private sector companies into space operations, the UPSI is still seen as the primary Connori trailblazer, especially with regards to projects and technologies that no private company could realistically undertake. The launch of the Argo, the first Connori voidship to use nuclear pulse propulsion, in 2017, was a UPSI-led initiative with cooperation from the major aerospace and space firms of the United Provinces.
Demographics & Population
The 2020 Census of Population, as published by the Grafeío Omospondiakón Statistikón (Office of Federal Statistics), estimates the population of the entire United Provinces at 351,840,768. From the beginning of UPC Censuses in 1950, this translates to more than tripling of the population, made possible by economic growth and improvements in agriculture and healthcare. The total population had exceeded the 300 million mark by 2003; since then, growth has decelerated significantly, with an average annual growth rate of 0.97% for the period 2010-2015. The estimated birth rate is approximately 18 births per 1000 persons as of 2017.
| Census Population 1950-2020 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1975 | 1980 | 1985 | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 |
| 112,964,227 | 162,437,454 | 218,302,355 | 235,843,908 | 242,098,460 | 253,567,118 | 263,703,206 | 281,616,536 | 294,374,099 | 307,251,301 | 322,924,206 | 338,892,831 | 351,440,768 |