Costak

Costak Koschtak
Flag
Anthem: The Novo Star Rises
Capital	Veirtak
Other languages	Costakian, common.
Religion	Catholicism.
Demonym(s)	Costakian
Government	Democracy.
• Chancellor	Boirs
• Bishop	Zoya
Area
•	76,864 km2 (29,677 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate	8.426 million
• Density	70.6/km2 (182.9/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	213 bllion
• Per capita	39,368
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	117 billion
• Per capita	21,612
Gini	26.3 low
HDI	0.866 very high
Time zone	UTC+5
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+466

Costak, officially the Costakan Sovern States, is a country located in the far South West of Olivacia, a major portion of its population is centered around the capital of Sevrek with a substantial amount also being found in the Svyaz agricultural lands. The nation borders the Kaldaz Ocean which also plays a major role in the nation's history, culture and economy. Among the nations five states live a population of 5.426 million people.

Etymology

The name Costak comes from a combination of words from the Slavic language of Costakian. It combines the word for coast, that being "cost" alongside the word "parak" which means port. The reason for the nation, in essence, being called "port coast" is due to its orgins as a union between costal cities in the region before it was expanded to the Northern mountains.

Language

While common and a few other languages are also spoken across Costak due to immigration, Costakian remains the most spoken in the region. Costakian is a primarily Slavic language, with Costak's first settlers being those who sailed from Slavic lands in the West. There is however also influence from other languages such as common due to Costak's more local neighbors.

History

Pre 1000 AC

Costak's history before roughly 1000 AC remains largely a mystery, it is presumed that a native people inhabited the area in small numbers before this date, however it is also believed that these people were wiped out by foreign diseases with the arrival of the Western Slavs.

Early Costakians and The Kingdom of Costak (1000 - 1670)

Slavic people from the South West of Thrismari, explorers, traveled across the Kaldaz ocean and reached the South West of Olivacia. These people lived off the land for a while before reaching the modern day Sevrek and Svyaz regions which were optimal for settling in small populations thanks to their temperate weather, fertile soil, and seaside position allowing for fishing. A kingdom was eventually established in roughly 1200. The region also remained fairly defendable thanks to the Northern mountains.

The Imperial Protectorate of Costak (1671 to 1845)

As the colonial era began, the at the time king of Costak, Vadim Ivanov realized that the minor nation with its small industry, population, and military, would be unable to fully resist an invasion from a colonial power. With this realization, the king looked to Morrawia for aid and made an agreement in 1671. The royal family of Costak would become puppet rulers loyal to Morrawian interest, and in exchange, Costak would keep a level of autonomy and gain protection from other colonial powers. While Costak enjoyed a greater level of autonomy than other colonies at the time, they would still be required by the royal family to allow free immigration and settling from Morrawia, docking rights in ports, as well as much, much lower prices when trading resources to Morrawia. Primarily due to the economic parts of this agreement, Costak's economy would begin to struggle during this period, with a large portion Costakians being fairly poor though still able to afford cost of living. Rural regions such as those in the Svyaz regions were hit particularly hard by the economic hardship, meanwhile some cities like Suyug did even see some minor economic growth in the period thanks to Morrawian settlers. It is however worth noting that the city of Suyug was under much greater control from Morrawia during this time, being in essence an annexed portion of the country as opposed to the puppet state that controlled the rest of the nation.

First true independence (1846 to 1856)

During a time of instability in Morrawia, Costak would quickly begin to attempt to take the opportunity to gain liberties that had been desired for much of the nation's colonial history. This was aided by new ideas in religion, with reformed Christianity known as Novo Christianity or Novoism quickly rising in popularity in the country due to its more relaxed and inclusive polices that ensured less power in the church and king while also promising more rights for groups such as women due to the belief that within the Bible, God had become far more loving and merciful with the arrival of Jesus Christ. This combined demand for both new religious ideas, increased religious freedom, and more liberties alongside Morrawian instability led to a combination of violent and non-violent protests which would eventually lead to the drafting of a constitution and the king being forced from power. The new constitution required that the king instead be elected and be called a Chancellor, ruling alongside a democratically elected religious leader known as a Bishop who would manage religious matters. While the constitution put many restrictions on these leaders, they still had few other people in power to restrict their power. While many were very happy with the new liberties gained, Costak still struggled during this period. While democratically elected, lack of restrictions on the two government leaders raised concerns and increased instability in the newly freed nation. Additionally, the nation struggled economically without Morrawian aid, despite independence, still keeping many rural citizens poor due to lack of centralization and transportation in the inner regions. This sent much of the nation into a struggling depression, with a poor economy and lack of infrastructure. Even regions like Suyug that had finally seen economic growth began to return to being a poorer region as many of the richer Morrawian settlers in the region returned to their home nation. This was despite the fact that the city of Suyug remained in control of Morrawia at the time, many loyal Morrawians worried that the new nation would move to annex the city.

The Incorporated Autonomous Territory of Costak (1857 to 1906)

Following the economic struggles and depression of the new Nation, it began searching for a way out of its issues. The recently elected Chancellor looked to the now democratic colonizer and considered yet another deal with the nation, similar to the agreement of 1671, however now Costak pushed for even greater autonomy. A deal was signed, it similarly again allowed things like docking rights in ports and Morrawian settlers, as well as discounted trade between the two nations, however the discounts were now much less extreme. Under the agreement, the Chancellor of Costak would also have to be approved by both a Costakian election of Costakian citizens as well as a vote from the Morrawian Federal Congress. There was a lot of controversy around the reunion of the nations; many were hopeful of future economic growth, while many others were skeptical and worried that it would further send the nation into economic collapse while also restricting freedoms that were just recently gained. Thankfully, as a whole, the hopeful were correct. The nation once again saw settlers, slowly resettle major cities like Suyug and Sevrek in increasing numbers. Additionally, investments and the construction of major railways and roads led Costak quickly growing economically. The nation would find new niches in sects like machinery, vehicles (such as trains, ships, and later cars), and electrical equipment. The previous major economic sects such as fishing, agriculture, and base metals also saw major growth. Agriculture particularly saw a lot of growth with infrastructure allowing the goods to be transported for trade. Base metal trade also major growth, though less than agriculture. This was once again thanks to increase infrastructure, better connecting the mines of the Goralya mountains to ports like Gorak. Economic growth would begin to slow down by the early 1900s. Many Costakians were still well off by this point, but the nation largely began to see the restrictions caused by the discounted trade and requirement of leaders to have Morrawian approval. However, many were still in favor of Morrawia for their aid in bringing them out of the depression. This left very few calling for a revolution for freedom, however many still desired it by some means. The Morrawian city of Suyug by the 1860s had largely gained its own cultural identity by this time. It was not quite still Morrawian, but also not fully assimilated as Costakian. This led to the city being put under a more joined rule around the time. While Morrawia still controlled the city, Costak had much greater influence in the city than previously. As the great War began, the Chancellor of Costak saw an opportunity. Costak began working out an agreement with Morrawia in which the war would be joined in exchange for full independence and full annexation of Suyug. The agreement was made, Morrawia seeing it as a way of keeping trade and allianceship with Costak while also gaining aid in an important time.

The Great War (1907 to 1911)

Due to Costak's small size and population, the nation quickly focused its efforts on production. Using its base metals, the nation would quickly focus industrial efforts on arms production and convoys. The nation would also produce a very small number of war ships which it would man to support Morrawia. Despite Costak's very low manpower, the nation would also quickly mobilize a military. The nation managed this largely due to propaganda campaigns which supported the idea of a fight for democracy and full freedom from Morrawia. The nation mobilized two divisions, one which was fairly small and focused on defending the nation from any naval invasions, the other which was a bit larger and would fight alongside Morrawian divisions during the Great War. The nation would also provide humanitarian aid to Morrawia in the form of agriculture produced.

Second true independence (1912 to 1924)

Following victory in the Great War, Costak began recovering from the battle and also preparing for full independence from Morrawia. In 1922, a new constitution was ratified and Costak officially cut all colonial ties with Morrawia. The nation established a largely direct democracy that still kept a Chancellor and Bishop. However, the Chancellor and Bishop had greatly reduced powers, both primarily acting only to propose laws to be voted on rather than establishing laws themselves. The categorical roles however still remained the same, with the Chancellor and their cabinet proposing general laws and policies while the Bishop proposes religious laws and policies. The nation, now free from any international influence, quickly began to once again see economic growth. The econmic sects that thrived during the Incorporated Autonomous Territory of Costak Era once again thrived with the introduction of more free trade. By this point, many Morrawian settlers had become content with the nation, most now staying in the newly free country. States also saw greater autonomy in this new era, being more liberal in what laws may be passed on a state by state basis. A few years later following better Morrawian confidence in Costak maintaining good relations and aligning in favor of them, the city of Suyug was annexed by the nation after the city voted in favor of joining the nation.

The Novoism Golden Age (1925 to 1960)

After gaining independence, Novoists, who made up most of the population, saw a great resurfacing in their beliefs during this era. Now free from Morrawian influence, the progressive ideals thrived under a democracy of majority Novoists. Policies providing better protection for equality quickly began to surface thanks to the election of Novoist Chancellors and Bishops. Women gained full suffrage across all states in 1925. Women would also gain full equality under the law in 1929. Discrimination based on race, religion and sex was also formally outlawed in 1927. Sexual orientation and gender would also be added to this law in 1934. A more progress prison system was also slowly implemented, with a transition from punishing prisoners to rehabilitating them being established. The nation would also implement more socialist polices as well during this period. Universal healthcare would be obtained in 1942. The nation would also target income inequality during this era, particularly targeting the very rich while most upper class individuals were left more free from the policies. The era also saw the rise of government aided unions to better regulate businesses. The nation also generally saw a decrease in crime thanks to these policies. Because of such an increase in business regulation and taxation, the nation saw a slight economic decline during the era as the nation switched its economic strategy. However, with government aid, the nation would once again begin recovering from this slow recession in the 1950s where the nation would regain a steady economy. The recession also caused a breif and slight increase in crime before stabilizing alongside the economy. One of the final prominent events of the Novoism Golden Age was the implementation of same sex marriage in 1957, largely replacing the civil unions established in 1935.

Stabilization (1961 to 1971)

Following the great progression and civil rights implementations seen through the decades of the Novoism Golden Age, the nation began to stabilize, with much less push for civil rights now that nearly all that were desired had been gained. The time saw some minor economic growth but as a whole, was simply characterized by the lack there of, being a simple time for the nation.

The Oil Crisis and the Veligrad Pact (1972 to 1981)

The Oil Crisis would begin in 1972 and would end the era of stabilization. While the nation did have a fair number of programs for public transportation, particularly in the larger cities, many still used personal vehicles to get around. This period particularly hit rural communities, causing economic hardship among some in said communities. Even some parts of well industrialized regions like Sevrak still faced struggles during the period. Leaders in Morrawia would once again contact Costak in 1973. Once again the nation offered protection, now in the form of energy, while still keeping Costak as a fully soverign nation. Costak accepted the agreement and would join the Veligrad Pact later the same year in a vote. This marked the rekindling of the alliance for the first time in 61 years. This would help alleviate much of the economic struggles the nation faced as oil trade between the nations began. Joint research programs would also begin, helping contribute to the modern day dominance nuclear power has in Costak's energy production. Wind and hydro power also saw major growth in the coming years.

The Modern Era (1982 to 2017)

The modern era was very similar to the period of stabilization. During this time, the nation continued to see steady economic growth along side stability. The nation also began the import and production of new technologies like smartphones and home computers. This further boosted economic growth and gave Costakians a new way of understanding the world.

Conflict with the People's Republic of Anavero (2018 to 2024)

While Costak is generally a fairly neutral country, it has experienced troubles with a few countries, particularly those that are not democratic. Among these was the People's Republic of Anavero, an authoritarian communist nation in the far North. While Costak is a nation that prides itself in its lack of corruption, years of consistent stability without issue meant anti corruption polices began to be relaxed and neglected. The PRA would take advantage of this opportunity by implementing spies in the nation and bribing government leaders into making certain proposals and decisions. This activity initially remained quite insignificant. When the war between the PRA and Morrawia began however, PRA activity in Costak heavily increased. Costak was quite heavily funding the VP's war in the name of installing democracy and taking down a hostile nation. The PRA attempted to destabilize Costak as a distraction to the VP. This was effective at the start, debates about religious Christian minorities once again flared. While the communities had once appeared content with their position in the society, more and more demand for Protestant and Catholic based legislation and funding became present. In response to this, the proposal of new states based on religious minorities were passed, once again due to bribery and corruption that went unchecked due to neglect. This legislation led to riots in Sant Olga and numerous deaths. This was a level of violence Costak had not seen in its history. The government and military became more prepared to stop such actions following the disaster. The PRA had become more desperate by this point and bribed a corrupt Minority Bishop by the name of Vera Kozlov to attempt a coup. Her forces captured the city of Suyug due to Costakian forces being distracted with riots in Sevrak. She demanded the cration of the "Theocratic Independent State of Costak" however this was refused by Costak as expected. The coup was extremely unorganized, seeming to be not more than a last ditch attempt to destabilize and distract Costak and stop their supply of weapons to the VP. The Costakian quickly recaptured the city upon arrival, military leaders describing Vera Kozlov's forces as "more armed rioters than a military force." This backfired on the PRA as it finally brought Costak fully into the war against the PRA. Despite the Costakian military's small army, it fought well and aided the VP to install democracy in the nation in the last months of the war.

Geography

Most of Costak's major territory and population lies in the central regions which consists of plains and rolling hills. Its Northern border consists of much more mountainous terrain while the south is largely forest that follows against the coast. There are four major regions of Costak. These are the Goralyas, the Svyaz, the Dalekalya, and the Kaldaz Ocean. The Goralyas consist of the Northern mountains and hills which become particularly high in the North West. In this North West border region is the nations tallest mountain, Mount Matvy, which rises to 2,743 meters. This region also holds most of the nation's mines. The Svyaz region consists of the plains and hills found in the central parts of the nation. Most of the nation's agriculture is done here. The Dalekalya region is found just South of the Svyaz. It remains largely forest due to it remaining fairly underpopulated for much of its history. There is however some agricultural areas and plains found in the far South around the city of Suyug. Lastly, the Kaldaz Ocean runs along the entire coast of Costak. Due to Costak being a coastal nation, the ocean remains fairly easy to get to for most of the population. It also plays a role in various major industries in Costak.

Environment

Costak established its environmental ministry very early in 1946 during the Novoism Golden age, being one of the first nations to do so. Not long before, the great forests of Dalekalya saw decline due to increasingly prevalent timber industries. However, many questioned the sustainability of these practices, especially due to the Dalekalya forests being quite a beloved region by Costakians and tourists alike. Dalekalya for all its history had been seen as a great new and uninhabited land of nature but that appeared to be being threatened. Following a proposal to create a ministry for the issue, many voted in favor, passing the legislation. This would lead to restrictions on the timber industry in the region to make it much more sustainable though less productive. Its also led to the establishment of national parks across the nation, starting particularly in Dalekalya, though also gaining many in Goralya and a small number in the Svyaz states. Costak also boasts quite low carbon dioxide emissions thanks to a combination of legislation and alternative energy such as nuclear that were established largely with Costak's joining of the Veligrad Pact.

Climate

The climate of Costak is almost entirely temperate, being a part of the Southern temperate zone. This temperate climate is maintained thanks to ocean currents of the Kaldaz Ocean. Temperatures between winter and summer typically range between 10 °C (50 °F) and 20 °C (70 °F). There are however exceptions such as the peaks in Goralya and the Southmost city of Suyug which both tend to be colder on average.

Costak's rainfall originates in from currents in the Kaldaz Ocean. Rainfall in the nation as a whole averages 55 inches (1,385 mm). This is seen through out the nations many temperate forests and temperate rain forests alongside its fertile land the in Svyaz regions.

Administrative divisions

There are five semi-autnomous states within Costak, from North to south, these are Goralya, Greater Sevrak, North Svyaz, South Svyaz, Dalekalya, and Suyug. Each state has a level of autonomy to create state only laws, however these laws must also be confirmed by a national vote as well. Goralya is the most mountainous state and is well known for its mining industry. Its capital is Gorak, however its largest city is Dragolya. Greater Sevrak acts as the urban hub of Costak. The Largest cities are located here, with much of the population moving to the state during industrialization. Its population is also the highest of the Costakian states. Its capital and larget city is also the captal of Costak itself, Sevrak. North Svyaz and South Svyaz are both largely plains and hills. Both states are also known for their agriculture and rural communities. North Svyaz has been the historically richer state with its ties to Sevrak, its capital is Sant Natalya. South Svyaz has been noticeably poorer for much of its history, however in more modern times the state remains economically comfortable. South Svyaz is also well known for its more traditionally Christian population thanks to Morrawian missionaries. Most of the Catholics and Protestants remain in the costal regions of this state. The state's capital is Sant Lev. Dalekalya is seen as the nation's wild West. It has a very low population and remains largely uninhabited. Its economy relies mostly on minor lumber companies and more importantly tourism. While not many moved to the region, those who did often were looking for a more natural and free lifestyle away from the indsutrializing Northern regions. Its Capital is Dalak located in the far South near Suyug. Suyug is the South most state in the nation, almost entirely comprising of the city of Suyug. It is simlar to Sevrak in being an important urban port in the area. The state also has a fairly unique culture that mixes both Costakian and Morrawian culture alongside an entirely newly formed culture.

Demographics

Main article: Religion of Costak

Religion in Costak (2020)

  Protestant (11%)

  Catholic (6%)

  Other (7%)

  Non-religious (28%)

  Novoist (48%)

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Ethnic composition of Costak (2020)

  Costakian (63%)

  Morrawian (26%)

  Other (11%)

Costak has a fairly low population at 5.426 million.

Ethnicities and immigration

Costak's has a few major ethnicities. The largest and two most notable being Costakian as well as Morrawian peoples. The majority of Costak is of Costakian descent. Costakians themselves are a Slavic people, originating from explorers in the South of Thrismari. People of Morrawian decent in Costak originate from Morrawian settlers who began settling and immigrating to the country ever since 1671 and the establishment of the Imperial Protectorate of Costak. Morrawian immigration has grown and shrunk across the years, seeing a fair amount between 1680 and 1845, then a much lower amount during the brief years of independence in mid 1800s as many even returned to Morrawia. Morrawian immigration however again picked up with the establishment of the Incorporated Autonomous Territory of Costak in 1857. Particularly as the nation grew economically and bettered its civil rights did many Morrawians move to the nation. The Novoism Golden Age also saw major imigration as many Morrawians moved to Costak as a way of escaping discrimination based on things like race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Following the 1960s, immigration form Morrawia slowed quite a bit, it saw a marginal increase with Costak joining the Veligrad Pact, however, it would still remain fairly low compared to the years before. The nation has also seen immigration from various other regions, the nation has been as a whole fairly accepting of immigrants from other nations. However, due to Costak's isolated position, immigration still remains quite moderate despite this. Most of this immigration from other areas has come within more recent years, particularly starting during the late part of the Era of Civil Wars.

Religion

While the official religion of Costak is Novoism, a sect of Christianity primarily only seen in Costak, the nation guarantees complete freedom of religion. There have been some calls to change Costak's status to a secular nation, however this would change little beyond technicalities. While religious based legislation through votes, it is restricted in that it can not restrict civil rights. All religious sects of the government is also almost fully separate from the primary government.

Major cities

Costak's population is mostly concentrated in its largest cites with the remaining population largely living in the rural Svyaz and Goralya regions. The largest city and also capital is Sevrak with a population of 1,682,653.

Government

Costak is in essence a direct democracy. Nearly all issues are voted on. Despite this, there are many major leaders in the nation. Two of the most well known leaders in Costak are the Chancellor and Bishop. Both are democratically elected. As a whole, most Costakian government workers work and study within a specific sect then propose laws to be voted on by the public relating to that sect. For example, agricultural Ministers propose laws based on agriculture such as pesticide restrictions. However, the chancellor helps to guide these ministers in certain directions based on political beliefs, this does however have heavy limits. The chancellor also commonly makes their own proposals, with said proposals being general rather than based in a specific sect. The Bishop of the nation has a very similar role to the Chancellor as being a guide to Ministers and proposing general legislation. The Bishop and their respective Ministers however are entirely restricted to religious issues, keeping a separation with general issues.

Economy

The Costakian economy is notable with an above average GDP per capita. The economy of Costak is primarily based around fishing, agriculture, mining, machinery, vehicles, and electrical equipment. The various states of Costak sometimes focus in on these products, such as the Svyaz states focusing on agriculture and Goralya focusing on mining. The nation has a few major trade partners which it exports to and imports from, most of them are other Veligrad Pact members. Notable trade partners include Morrawia and Cordomonivence. Other trade partners outside of the VP are typically democratic nations. The government also plays a major role in the economy, certain sectors being federally owned. Most large Costakian companies are owned by the federal government, there are a few large corporations in Costak that are privatley owned, however these are generally heavily regulated and taxed. Government influence in the economy became much larger during the Novoism Golden Age in which some Novoist advocates encouraged heavier government involvement to decrease corruption and abuse from larger corporations. The amount of government influence in the economy leads to fairly high taxes, however this does also vary from state to state. One other notable fact is that, while large corporations often struggle, this has allowed for an environment where smaller businesses often thrive.

Tourism

Tourism in Costak is primarily based around its environment. Tourism is one of the largest industries in Dalekalya. The state contains numerous national parks showcasing its temperate rain forests. While Dalekalya is most well known for its tourism industry, other states also receive substantial tourists. Goralya receives some for its many mountains. Sevrak and Suyug also receive large numbers, being cities with many land marks, beaches, parks, and museums. Suyug is also particularly well loved for its unique cultures.

Energy

Like many other essential industries, most energy companies are federally owned. The Oil Crisis in 1972 led to Costak joining the Veligrad Pact, following this, Costak began joint research programs and construction of nuclear reactors. Thanks to heavy aid from Morrawia, just over half of Costak's power is based around nuclear energy despite heavy safety regulations on the power source. Other major sources of power include gas and hydropower.

Transport

The Costakian railway network consists of 5,634 kilometers (3,501 miles) of rail. The railways are generally owned by nationalized companies or directly owned by the government. Other forms of public transportation are also common in most cities and towns, trams, busses, and even subways are common sights. There are also 53,623 kilometers (33,320 miles) of roadways that run throughout the nation. The automobile market is made up of a combination of local and foreign brands. While Morrawian brands are fairly common alongside other VP vehicles, however Costakian vehicles make up a majority of the automobiles in Costak at around 70%.

Since industrialization began in Costak, many Costakians were resistant to the use of cars as they led to a quickly rising death toll in dense cities like Sevak. There were also concerns as urban sprawl began to show itself in similar nations. To avoid both of these factors, Costak implemented policies and programs to combat the issues. One of the programs implemented was heavy investment into public transportation like trains, trams, busses, and subways. Despite this, the auto industry was also funded, though regulated. Laws were passed to limit the size and weight of vehicles. Cities were also planned to be car compatible but centralized and also walkable. Restrictions on vehicle emissions were also added later. Costakian vehicles are known for being small and efficient.