Eikangaard

The State of Eikangaard Y Staten dav Eikangaard
Flag
Motto: Together, Forever Free
Capital	Vastergaad
Largest city	Nentergaad
Official languages	Eikan
Recognised national languages	Eikan English Aichunaguuchi Yasenaguuchi Koicha
Ethnic groups (2019)	67% Eikan 15% Eikan-Mixed 10% Native Corentian 2% Rezuan 1.5% Talvistovan 1.3% Rukonian 1.2% Sunrisian 2% Other
Demonym(s)	Eikan
Government	Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
• Monarch	King Garnaren VIII (1978-Present)
• Premier	Albert Madsen (2010-Present)
Legislature	National Parliament of Eikangaard
• Upper house	House of Governors
• Lower house	House of Commons
Reunified
• Treaty of Eikan Reunification	July 6th, 1995
Population
• 2019 census	85,896,829
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
• Total	NSD 4.4 Trillion
• Per capita	51,386
HDI (2019)	0.796 high
Currency	Eikan Skeid (Sk)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Eikan Time (EIT))
Date format	yyyy.mm.dd
Driving side	right
Calling code	+888
Internet TLD	.ekn

The State of Eikangaard, commonly called Eikangaard, is a Constitutional Monarchy located in the northwest of Corentia in Sunalaya. Eikangaard is a relatively young nation, being formed from the unification of the Kingdom of Eikangaard and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Eikangaard in 1995. In recent years, Eikangaard has seen massive growth in its economy and in urbanization. The Nationa is bordered in the west by the West Corentian Inland Sea, to the south by the ------- Ocean, by ------- to the North and ------- to the West

Etymogolgy

The term Eikangaard originates from the name "Ykangandr", which refers to the great serpent of the same name from Eikan folklore. Known as the Great Coiled Serpent, Ykangandr was said to be the bedrock of mountains as he slumbered, waiting for Ragnarok. The term was applied to the modern state of Eikangaard, as the Eikan Mountain Range, which borders the northwest of the country are highly volcanically active. It was believed by early Eikan settlers that the many resulting volcanic peaks and earthquakes were the result of Yknagandr shifting under the ground as he slept.

The proper way to refer to a citizen of Eikangaard is as an "Eikan".

Demographics

Population

According to the Eikan National Census Department, Eikangaard has a total population of 85,896,829 as of August 12th 2019. The majority of the population resides either on or near the coasts. The Eikan population has seen a geographical shift, with a period of heavy urbanization over the last two decades.

The nation has also seen an increase in immigration in the last 15 years. This is likely due to a combination of economic opportunity, relatively lax immigration laws, and numerous paths to citizenship.

Language

The primary language of Eikangaard is Eikan, a compound language that shares many similarities with older Germanic languages, as well as indigenous dialects from surrounding tribes. Eikan is taught in schools from Kindergarten and onward. English is also taught as a second language beginning third grade of primary school. At this time, students of Indigenous descent may also take elective classes that teach their own native languages.

Census reports from 2019 found that 86% of Eikan citizens reported Eikan as their first language. The other 14% listed indigenous languages as their mother tongue. These languages include Aichunaguuchi, Yasenaguuchi, and Koicha, which are protected under National Heritage laws.

Religion

Religion in Eikangaard
Religion			Percentage
Christianity			56.4%
Eikan Paganism			25.6%
No Religion			4.0%
Judaism			3.5%
Islam			2.2%
Other or Unknown			2.0%
Buddhism			1.8%
Atheism			4.5%

The majority of the Eikan population is Christian in their beliefs, of which Protestantism is the largest subgroup. However, the second-largest religious group concerns devotees to Eikan Paganism, a polytheistic religion that concerns the worship of multiple gods, each representing aspects of nature or concepts. This is largely due to the late arrival of other monotheistic religions to Eikangaard's shores.

Religious devotion has seen a marked dip in recent years, as increasing numbers of citizens do not consider themselves highly religious. This is strongly felt in the younger generations, especially as Eikangaard does not require the teaching of religion in schools, and remains a strongly secular nation.

Health

Since July of 1997, healthcare in Eikangaard is primarily funded through the Eikan National Healthcare System, which covers the basic needs of its citizens. This includes doctor's visits, emergency medical care, childcare, and some prescription medications. However, most citizens are also required to have additional coverage for care such as optometry, dental, elective procedures, and prescriptions not covered under the ENHS, among others. Such care can come from private insurance groups or be covered by an employer.

Education

Education in Eikangaard typically starts around age 5, with children graduating from secondary school around age 16. Education is handled by the department of education and is compulsory up until the student graduates from high school. The school system emphasizes learning and critical thinking over raw test scores, and allows for flexibility in teaching a wide array of learners.

Eikan Primary School is equivalent to Elementary or Primary schools of other nations, teaching children aged 5 through 11. At this time, most students will stay with the same class of children during the school year, however classes are typically revised and changed between school years. There are options for electives to be taken, though are limited to P.E. and languages for Indigenous children. School is held weekly Monday-to-Friday, between 8:00 am. and 4:00 pm.

Secondary school begins at age 11, and lasts until graduation at age 16. A this time, students are provided timetables based on classes and it is rare for one group of students to all be in the same classes throughout the day. A larger selection of elective courses are offered to students. Days are typically shorter in high school, lasting only 6.5 hours from 9 am to 3:30pm to provide more time for extra-curricular studies and homework. However, an additional school day is added on Saturday. While not mandatory, enrollment or membership in an after-school extra-curricular or club is highly encouraged.

After graduating from high-school, children may continue their education in a number of Post-Secondary institutions. This includes Trade Schools, Colleges, and Universities. While Post-Secondary education is covered by the government, it depends largely on the academic performance of the student. If the student completes their year, their expenses are covered for said year. If the student does not and must repeat their year, they will be required to reimburse the government for all tuition expenses. The student and their family are made aware of the price of tuition up-front. Education ins Post-Secondary institutions can last between 2-to-10 years depending on program of choice.

History

Pre-History

The first inhabitants of Eikangaard are descendent from Neolithic hunter-gatherer groups which migrated to North Corentia from Ophion. These migrants were thought to have come from an ancient land-bridge connecting both continents, however other hypotheses have been put forward. Blue Valley and Svengaard Plains are known to be among the oldest human settlements within Eikangaard, dating to between 17,000 and 14,000 BCE.

Multiple tribes existed and competed with each other for territory and resources, and include the modern-day Kweebak, Konondoshe, Sheewak, Konone First Nations. No written records exist from before first-contact with Eikan settlers, and most information from archeological sources is fragmentary. It is estimated that First Nations' populations prior to Eikan Settlement were between 50,000 to one million within the modern territory of Eikangaard, however, the generally accepted figure is 100,000.

Politics and Government

Foreign Relations and Military

Eikangaard is a relatively politically isolated Nation though is recognized as a Regional Power in Western Corentia. Its influence is, however, growing due to its large military and rapidly expanding economic power. Eikangaard has maintained a policy of neutrality since it's reunification, favoring no major power bloc on the world stage. It does, however, contribute towards international aid and relief missions to less-developed nations across Sunalaya.

Eikangaard employs a conscript-based military force comprising 604,840 Active service members and 9,122,430 reservists. Service is required by both men and women starting at age 18, though some exemptions exist. The Armed Forces of Eikangaard comprise the Eikan Ground Defense Forces, the Eikan Maritime Defense Forces, the Eikan Air Defense Forces, Eikan Missile Command, and the Eikan Cyber-Warfare Group. Eikangaard's defense spending totals 141.3 Billion NSD as of March 2020, or around three percent of GDP. Spending is expected to total 204.7 Billion by 2027.