Faldarun
Confederation of Faldarun ᛒᛆᚿᛑᛆᛚᛆᚵ ᚡᛆᛚᛑᛆᛋᚱᚢᚿᛁ Bandalag Valdasruni | |
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Flag
Seal
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Motto: «ᛘᛆᚧᚢᚱ ᛂᚱ ᚮᚴᛂᛦᛔᛁᛋ» «Maður er Ókeypis» "Man is Free" | |
| Location of Faldarun (green) in Vestrim (grey) Location of Faldarun (green) in Vestrim (grey) | |
| Capital | Auðugurhöfn |
| Largest city | Rykborg |
| Official languages | None |
Widely used languages | Faldarunic, Faldarunic Sign, Helderian, others |
| Ethnic groups (2012) | 61.7% White 13.2% Black 8.5% Hispanic 6.4% Toan 5.8% Native 3.3% Multiracial 1.1% other |
| Demonym(s) | Faldarunic |
| Government | Direct democratic confederation of freely associated communes |
| Marijke Heijmans (A) | |
| Katrín Magnisdóttir (U) | |
| Legislature | Alþingifólksins |
| Formation | |
• Discovery | 871 CE |
• First settlement | 912 CE |
• Colony of Navack | 1117–1668 |
• Colony of Lhedwin | 1668–1829 |
• Dominion of Lhedwin | 1829–1900 |
• Occupation | 1900-1906 |
| 18th February 1906 | |
| 21st March 1907 | |
• Confederation | 13th June 1909 |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,674,996 km2 (1,805,026 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2017 estimate | 91,190,000 |
• 2014 census | 89,782,901 |
| GDP (nominal) | 2017 estimate |
• Total | $3.814 trillion |
• Per capita | $41,829 |
| Gini (2014) |  19.5low |
| HDI (2014) |  0.944very high |
| Currency | Faldarunic gull (FDG) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (FST) |
| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy or yyyy/dd/mm (CE; OC) |
| Driving side | left |
| Internet TLD | .fd |
Faldarun (Faldarunic: ᚡᛆᛚᛑᛆᛋᚱᚢᚿ, tr. Valdasrun), officially known as the Confederation of Faldarun (Faldarunic: ᛒᛆᚿᛑᛆᛚᛆᚵ ᚡᛆᛚᛑᛆᛋᚱᚢᚿ, tr. Bandalag Valdasruni), is a direct democratic confederation of roughly 630,000 communes in northwestern Vestrim in Aeia. It borders Attimeka to the north, Popularis Societas to the south, and Valdar's Ocean to the north, west and south. As of 2017 it has an estimated population of around 91 million, and spans a vast land area of roughly 4,674,996 kilometres squared, covering a wide selection of climates and unique geography.
A political anomaly in Aeia, Faldarun is a direct democratic confederation of freely associated communes; this system of government was established after the revolution in 1917, which established a society based on principles of direct democracy, gender equality, social justice and sustainability. Faldarun is managed on the confederal level mostly by the Lawspeaker, Marijke Heijmans, and the multi-member Executive Council. At the local level it is managed by the communes, and direct democracy is commonplace at all levels of government. It's economy champions self-management and is considered the world's leading self managed economy.
According to the Sagaokkarfólk, the first settlements in Faldarun were founded starting in the year 912 CE, 41 years after the continent's discovery by Lhedwic chieftain Valdar Ingursson. In the following centuries, many Lhedwics from across the Lhedwic world settled Faldarun, bringing with them thralls of differing origins. Starting in 1117, the Navish King asserted control over Faldarun, rendering the polity a colony under the protection and control of the Navish crown. This situation would persist until 1668, when control was transferred to the newly-founded United Kingdom of Lhedwin. Starting in 1785 following the Rykborg Insurrection, numerous Faldarunians began to pursue independence from Lhedwin. Following the 1821 Saröheim Massacre, the National Uprising begins; although it is eventually defeated by loyalist forces in 1829, the uprising results in increased autonomy for Faldarun in the form of dominionhood. This would end in 1900 with the occupation following the Millennial Peace at the culmination of the Great War.
The history of Faldarun changed forever when, on the 18th of February 1906, the foreign occupying powers were thrown out during the Faldarunic Revolution, and after a civil war between nationalist and confederal forces, a loose confederation of communes was established. To this day, Faldarun is the only country in Aeia to have fully embraced anarcho-socialist ideals. Faldarun ranks highly in measures of income equality, human development and quality of life. Faldarun is a founding and leading member of the Aeian Accords Organisation, and an observer in the Lhedwin Council.
Etymology
Faldarun, the main English word for the nation, is derived from the Old Norse name for the country; Valdarssrunn (in Runic script, ᚡᛆᛚᛑᛆᚱᛋᛋᚱᚢᚿ), which literally means "Valdar [Ingursson]'s grove", as it is named for the man who discovered Faldarun, Valdar Ingursson. The modern Faldarunic name, ᚡᛆᛚᛑᛆᛋᚱᚢᚿ or Valdasrun, is also a derivative of the Old Norse name, and developed over time from a word of meaning to a mere name deriving enough meaning from its context. After the Faldarunic Revolution, there was speculation that the name of the country would be changed to something with less individualistic and bourgeois connotations, but the motion never gained much traction. Proponents of this movement, however, sometimes refer to Faldarun simply as the Confederation, or in Faldarunic ᛒᛆᚿᛑᛆᛚᛆᚵ or Bandalag.
History
Prehistory
Pre-colonial Faldarun
Norse discovery and settlement
By the late 800s, at the zenith of the Ordic viking age, explorers from the across the viking world had established colonies across Orda, discovered new lands and expanded viking influence. Soon, however, their influence would spread to the continent of Vestrim, as Valdur Ingursson - after having been defeated in battle - vowed to sail to new lands, far away from Orda. He left the homeland with a large group of followers, and after pillaging much of the coast of Orda he would finally sail across the sea from Khornera to the new world. The trip was long and arduous, but eventually in 871 CE they landed in northern Vestrim. Upon landing on the temperate coasts of the continent, Valdur Ingursson proclaimed the discovery of Valdarssrunn, and established the first Norse settlement.
Even after Ingursson's death, the colony continued to survive and expand. Despite constant attacks from the natives (whom the settlers named Skrælings), the colony grew from both birth and assimilation. There are records of some natives, mostly from the coastal tribes, either joining the settlement or trading extensively with it. The Olaf Runestone, which described the death of settler Olaf Eriksson, portrayed some natives fighting alongside the settlers in the battle, suggesting that the settlers had made alliances with some native tribes. One of these alliances is recorded, and was instigated by a marriage between a settler and a tribesman. Nevertheless, early contact between the natives and settlers was mostly confrontational.
Soon enough, the colonies had become mostly self-sustaining and, according to the Sagaokkarfólk, by 910 CE they had somewhat unified into the confederal structure provided by the Faldarunic Commonwealth. The Commonwealth was a democratic institution, in which every male who had completed the rites of passage to adulthood had a voice in the Þingið, along with shieldmaidens and other women of import. Sessions of the Þingið would be conducted for the most part by the Lawspeaker, a learned individual versed in Faldarunic and old Norse law, who would guide the session and prevent total chaos in favour of orderly conduct. By 1258, however, the age of the Commonwealth would come to to an end, as the Second Expedition led by Ásgeirr Hjálmarrsson would bring Faldarun back under the control of the homeland.
Middle Ages
After the Second Expedition of 1258, Faldarun was conquered by the homeland, and became a colony of said country. The once-democratic society created by the Commonwealth was torn down, and a new feudal system was put into place. Homelander noblemen were given vast swathes of land in Faldarun through the use of colonial charters, and the inhabitants became subjects of those nobles. The nobles also brought with them large numbers of thralls, mostly from Khornera, Escar and Osova, in order to work the fields of the continent. Although there had always been thralls in Faldarun, the number increased dramatically with the arrival of the Homelander nobility; in 1230, the Arnór Runestone recorded roughly two hundred thralls across the entirety of Faldarun, whereas in 1300, according to official Homelander records, this number had increased to almost two thousand. These thralls were also accompanied by an increasing number of settlers from the homeland.
Renaissance
Enlightenment Era
Early Modern
FALDARUNIC-HELDERIAN WAR OF 1823 -> Nordehuken/North Hook War?
SO MANY IMMIGRATIONS ERMERGHERD
ALSO INDUSTRIALISATIONIMISMS
WAR OF BROKEN CHAINS
AND STUFF
First Endwar
Revolution
As the First Endwar dragged on further with no end in sight, discontent began to emerge among the Faldarunic population. After the disastrous defeat of the Faldarunic Imperial Navy in the Battle of Björn's Blight at the hands of a smaller but better-led Khorneran fleet, popular support for the Emperor declined drastically, as it was he who commanded that the Fleet leave port before repairs had been completed in order to engage the Khornerans. Furthermore, the naval superiority now displayed by the Khornerans enabled them to blockade the entirety of Faldarun's northern coast, in addition to giving them the opportunity to disrupt merchant shipping. The result was famine and starvation in Rykborg and other large Faldarunic cities. It did not take long before word spread that while the common folk starved, the aristocracy feasted. When the Emperor had the audacity to announce that yet another Faldarunic force had been lost due to poor planning, chaos ensued. Trade unions called for mass-strikes, mothers took to the streets to demand bread for their young, and pacifists once again called for peace. When the Emperor demanded that the soldiery shoot these people en masse, they refused and stood side by side with the people, for these were their mothers and brothers, their fathers and sisters.
With Faldarun's first city of Rykborg descending into open rebellion, the Emperor was advised to retreat to his summer home in the Jarldom of Paradís, however he refused to abandon his city, and instead called in divisions from the less rebellious regions of Faldarun. However, these soldiers would never reach the city of Rykborg, as the trade unions began to close off the railways on which they were travelling. Indeed, they also convinced a great many of these soldiers that the Emperor was not their friend but their enemy, and many of these soldiers either simply returned home or indeed joined the rebellious railwaymen in their fight. One regiment which did reach Rykborg was HIM's Second Sioux Cavalry Regiment, a native cavalry regiment. When they reached Rykborg, however, they two ended up refusing to fire on the protesters, and instead advised the Emperor to concede to the demands of the populace. Once again, however, Vilhjálmur II refused, and ordered his loyal artillery regiments and remaining battleships to shell the city, in order to destroy it utterly. His plans were, however, overheard by a teenage paperboy, Dagur Ingolfsson. In order to prevent the insurmountable suffering that such a shelling would create, Dagur followed the Emperor to one of his now-rare speeches, and as he was talking, Dagur unloaded his revolver into the Emperor. He fired three bullets; two missed, one hit him in the heart.
With the death of the Emperor, Rykborg fully committed to revolutionary ideas. The few remaining loyalist soldiers fired on their rebellious brethren, and the Rykborg Uprising ensued. As the battle in the streets continued, political revolution too occurred. The writings of Lennart Tómasson, Alf Brandrsson, Knútr Johnsson, and other anarchist/left-wing philosophers were dusted off, and became the inspiration for the declaration of the Rykborg Commune, with Lovise Mikaelsdóttir as it's elected speaker. The commune was a direct democracy where trade unions played a significant role. Everyone had a vote and a voice on nearly all matters, however there were certain exceptions, for example, army regiments voted on whether they would participate in any conflict, in order to prevent the needless bloodshed of the First Endwar from being repeated. The soldiery would be dragged into another conflict, however, as while the Rykborg Commune stood for anarcho-socialist ideas, others stood for the old order. Benedikt Mikaelsson of the fascistic Army for National Brotherhood and Ottó Sigurðsson of the loyalist remnants of the Faldarunic Imperial Army were defiant in the face of the anarchist revolution, and sought to fight it every step of the way. The stage for civil war was set.
Civil War
Following the revolution and assassination of Vilhjálmur II, a civil war broke out over the direction of the country. On the one side stood the anarchist and libertarian socialist communes which had sprung up following the revolution, in addition to various left-wing and democratic militias and armies, not least the Black Liberation Army, which was the largest of the leftist armies and essentially led the movement. On the opposing side stood a coalition just as diverse, the members ranging from imperialist aristocrats distraught at the murder of Vilhjálmur to radical fascists, such as Benedikt Mikaelsson, a former artist and train conductor who lead the nationalistic and antisemitic Army for National Brotherhood, the largest army of the nationalist forces. Additionally, the Imperial forces were supplemented by expeditionary forces from Khornera and New Spanishland, while the Confederals were supported by the International Brigades.
International opinion was divided, however many begrudgingly sided with the leftist forces mainly due to the abhorrent and wide-spread war crimes and atrocities committed especially, but not exclusively, by the fascist elements of the national forces. The foreign intervention was widely regarded to be a failure, and the fact that the foreign powers had interfered in the affairs of a sovereign nation would stir somewhat of an international controversy. At the end of the conflict, hundreds of thousands of people lay dead, though the leftist forces had emerged victorious. Out of these, the Black Liberation Army had the most support, and called for a constitutional convention to determine the country's future. The convention was, for the most part, attended by the victorious leftists, but many former aristocrats and conservatives also attended. The end result was the New Social Code, the closest thing Faldarun has to a constitution, which established the current democratic confederalist structure of the nation as a collection of communes.
Second Endwar
Post-War and Modern Era
Geography
Faldarun is located in Vestrim, occupying much of the northwestern portion of the continent, in addition to numerous islands that surround it's coast. It is bordered by the Delmarese Commonwealth to the east, the Thalassic Ocean to the north and west and the Antaric Ocean to the southwest.
Faldarunic territory covers 4,674,996 km2 (1,805,026 sq mi), making it the largest country by area in Vestrim and the 6th largest in the world. It controls the northernmost point in Vestrim, and is also among the coolest due mostly to it's location in the path of the South Thalassic Drift, which cools the otherwise warm waters. The highest point in the country at 5,149 m (16,893 ft) is Mount Vegurhiminsins in the Þórshásæti range. Conversely, the lowest point is the Doderodezee in Nordehuken, which stands at 51 m (167 ft) below sea level.
The northeastern seaboard, which is home to a large population including Faldarun's capital and second largest city, is for the most part comprised of temperate grassland and mostly deciduous mixed forest, while further inland produces more tallgrass prairie and rolling hills. Along the southeastern coastline and throughout much of the east of the country, temperate coniferous forest are widespread. The interior of the country is well-known for it's unique geography; including but not limited to salt flats, mountain ranges, canyon ranges, great plains and arid deserts.
The southwest coast is home to more unique geography, such as rain shadow desert and temperate rainforest, while the far south of Nordehuken is home to wetland, swampland and savanna. In the northwest, the Þórshásæti Mountains are present, alongside a unique form of temperate rainforest known as the Rauðurviði forest.
Climate
Due to Faldarun's large size and vast land area, the climate of Faldarun differs greatly dependent upon region. The north and east is generally more fertile than the west, while the south is home to bogs and even savannah. The climate is humid continental in the northern areas east through Eyjan á Andlit, to humid subtropical from Hárland south to northern Nordehuken. Southern Nordehuken is tropical. Higher-elevation areas of the Þórshásæti Mountains are alpine. Areas on the west coast, such as in coastal Svartdal and Drekiland, are cool oceanic climate.
The primary drivers of weather in Faldarun are the seasonal change in the solar angle, the migration north/south of the subtropical highs, and the seasonal change in the position of the polar jet stream. The climate is moderated by the South Thalassic Drift, the southern extension of the Tartaric Stream. This cooler water affects the areas bordering the Thalassic Sea; ergo the climate on the north and eastern coast is far cooler than the rest of the country, and the country as a whole is more temperate altogether.
Generally, winters in most of the country tend to be cooler, while summers tend to be warmer, and there is a lack of any consistent dry season. Temperatures can on rare occasions exceed 40 °C (104 °F), but tend to stay closer to a 10-30 °C (50-86 °F) range. Mountainous regions tend to be far cooler, with greater chance of snow. On average, Hvíturbera is the coldest department, while Paradís is the warmest. Nationally, average yearly precipitation is around 800 mm (31.5 in). This figure is varies; it is higher in the northeast and Nordehuken, while it is lower in the far west.
Due to being such a vast country the Faldarunic climate is not uniform and as such, Faldarun covers a number of the Köppen climate classifications; Dfb and Dfa are present in the north and northeast, Csb and Csa are found along the west coast, Cfb is found in the some of the country's mountain ranges such as in Svartdal and Hárland, Cfa is found in the country's east and BSk is found in the Faldarunic interior, while Aw and Am are found in southern Nordehuken. Many of Faldarun's islands also have unique climates.
One of the wetland swamps of southern Nordehuken
Many of the interior departments are home to prairies and plains
Faldarun's west is home to some considerably warmer climates...
...while the eastern coast of the country is usually significantly more temperate
Environment
As with other Vestrimian countries, Faldarun is hope to a vast number of species, many of which are indigenous to the continent. Tens of thousands of species of vascular plants can be found in the country, and it is also home to innumerable animal species, including the Faldarunic direwolf which, although close to extinction around the turn of the century, has recently made a revival. The direwolf, as Faldarun's national animal, is a longstanding symbol of the country and, as a species now unique to the country outside of captivity, is representative of Faldarunic wildlife as a whole. The direwolf, though now unique to Faldarun outside of captivity, had a historical range which covered much of Delmara and central Vestrim. Other plants and animals are generally common to Vestrim.
Other than the direwolf, other wild animals include Vestrimian beaver, elk, buffalo, eagle, raccoon and mountain lion, to name a few. Unlike the rest of Aeia, Vestrim - particularly Faldarun - is home to some of the last remaining megafauna in the world, the direwolf being among them. Other megafauna native to Faldarun include aurochs, short-faced bear, Paradís tapir, Vestrimian lion and giant tortoise. Other megafauna, such as the giant sloths, existed in Faldarun at the time of first human contact, but were driven extinct before modern conservation efforts began. Most megafauna is considered endangered in the wild, although vast conservation efforts have been undertaken.
With 60 national parks covering roughly 39% of the country's land area, and hundreds of other protected parks, forests and wilderness areas, Faldarun has the highest proportion of national parks in relation to land area in Aeia. Among the most famous of these national parks is Mikilldýráskilur National Park, in Svartdal, which is well-known for protecting a vast host of wildlife, particularly megafauna native to the region. In addition, Faldarun is home to numerous zoos and animal parks - roughly 500 - many of which count Vestrimian megafauna, mostly the direwolf, short-faced bear and aurochs, among their species collections.
Protection of indigenous wildlife has been of the concern of the Confederation, officially, since the culmination of the civil war, where commitment to conservation was outlined in the New Social Code. Despite this, serious efforts to protect wildlife was not undertaken until the late 50s, after the extinction of the giant beaver. Since then, the Faldarunic nation has prided itself on it's conservation efforts, undergoing - at great expense - numerous projects related to conservation, such as the expansion of national parks and education about local wildlife. The Commissariat for the Environment and it's accompanying Commissary are officially responsible for the protection and conservation of wildlife within Faldarun.
Politics
Faldarun is a direct democratic confederation of freely associated communes. It bears the distinction of being the worlds only officially stateless society, and since the culmination of the civil war has had strong democratic traditions. Since it's unanimous adoption at the constitutional convention in 1919, the Faldarunic political system has been guided by the New Social Code, the governing document of the Confederation. Amendments to most articles of the Code require a three-quarters majority consensus to achieve. Amendments to the first article require a simple majority, however once a right has been added to the charter it is considered to remain there in perpetuity.
The Lawspeaker of the Confederation of Faldarun, currently Marijke Heijmans, is a figure comparable to a head of government in most countries, primarily concerned with the day-to-day governance of the nation and invested with few actual powers or responsibilities. The Lawspeaker is elected directly by universal adult suffrage for a 6-year term. One of the powers that the Lawspeaker does posses is the ability and duty to appoint the Executive Council and select a Spokesperson from it. As the title would suggest, the Spokesperson, currently Katrín Magnisdóttir, is responsible for voicing the opinion of the Executive Council, which in turn is tasked with organising and to some extent governing the nation alongside the Lawspeaker. Collectively, these individuals could be considered the executive branch; although the Confederation does not believe any of it's institutions to be organs of state.
Unlike most other democracies, the legislative power of Faldarun is not invested in a small number of individuals, but rather every citizen of the nation of voting age is considered a member of the Alþingifólksins. As it is a direct democracy, all citizens of Faldarun have a voice and a vote on almost all issues regarding the direction of the nation. Local issues are handled by weekly communal meetings and, more commonly, electronic voting at the local level. Conversely, national or department issues are handled by referenda, which are voted on by the electorate. Usually, multiple issues are voted on at the same time.
Law
Political factions
Faldarun enjoys a non-partisan style of government, absent of political parties - which are effectively banned under the New Social Code - due to the belief that they are antithetical to consensus-based government. Despite this, there are still numerous political factions in Faldarun around which the politicians - and citizens - gather themselves. The Confederates are the faction most likely to support the Faldarunic status quo, although this differs from person to person. They are generally, though not always, non-interventionist, and believe that the current governmental system should remain. The Autonomists believe that the confederal government is too powerful, and that more power should be delegated to the communes. They are usually pacifistic. The Unionists hail from Faldarun's trade unions, and believe that - even though they are already a fundamental part of the Faldarunic system - trade unions should play a greater role in the governance of the nation. Finally, the Totalists believe that Faldarun is too decentralised. They push for Faldarun to become more like Nerotysia in that it would accept a stronger confederal government with broader powers, however they still believe that the communes should hold large amounts of power. A new arrival in the political scene is the Progressive faction, which unites a broad coalition in the name of 'free markets'.
Administrative divisions
The Confederation of Faldarun consists of fifteen departments (deildir), which are each part of one of four regions (svæðin); either Norðriland, Vesturland, Austurland or Suðurland. Each department contain tens of thousands of largely self-governing communes (sambýli); communities of anywhere from tens to hundreds of people. As most government functions are performed through direct democracy at the local communal level, the departments and regions are used for little more than censuses and other minor administrative functions, regardless, the regions, and particularly the departments, have significant cultural and social meaning, as they were drafted to represent the ethno-linguistic, religious and environmental divisions in Faldarun. For example, Nordehuken for the most part speaks the Helderian langauge, and his home to the Helderian people, a minority ethnic group in Faldarun. Each department has an administrative centre - sometimes referred to as a capital - which is the cultural centre of the department.
Foreign relations and military
nordiks congress, ordic league
"skeleton military", people's protection units
Economy
Economic ownership in Faldarun, circa 2015.
In economic terms, Faldarun is considered a self-managed economy. Following the 1917 revolution and subsequent civil war, Faldarun has embraced anarchist, marxist and socialist economic ideas and theories, and experts have described it's current economic and political system as democratic confederalist or anarcho-socialist. Unlike most economies, private enterprise is effectively illegal, and all economic endeavours must be approved by the community in which they are to take place. Private property does not legally exist, although the right to personal property is heavily protected and enforced, and instead all forms of economic ownership are instead, in some form, owned collectively. By far the most common form of economic ownership in Faldarun is collective ownership, in which the means of production is owned by those who work it, usually in the form of a workers' cooperative.
The second most common form of economic ownership is so-called "syndicalist ownership". Similar to collective ownership, the workers own the economic property, however in these cases they are organised into a syndicate which forms a governing body for this means of production; in most cases, this is a trade union. While popular at the outbreak of the revolution and civil war due to their inherent stability, they lost popularity to the more open collective ownership system over time, and now only make up roughly an eighth of the total economic ownership. Additionally, while no state exists in Faldarun, the Confederal government does own property through public ownership, however this is in rare cases, usually in industries which are considered vital to the Confederation's survival, such as much of the armaments industry. Finally, there are some cases of communal ownership, in which the means of production, generally pastureland or other small-scale industry, is owned by effectively no one but the community, yet open to all for use.
In all workplaces across Faldarun, some form of workplace democracy has been implemented since the social revolution that accompanied the revolutionary and civil war period. The form that this democracy takes differs from workplace to workplace, though all are considered forms of workers' self-management. The two most common forms of workplace democracy are directly democratic systems - in which all workers have a say on all decisions - and managerial-elect systems, where specialist managers are elected by the workers to manage the workplace. Many workplaces incorporate aspects of both, with some for example having an elected manager who has control over few decisions, with the rest being controlled via direct democracy. Regardless of differences, all workplaces share the commonality of some explicit form of democracy. Many workplaces that employ elected management also operate on the co-leadership principle.
The Faldarunic economy is a key exporter of foodstuffs and other produce to Nerotysia, and as such the agricultural industry maintains a large presence in Faldarun. In addition to this, another key industry in the Faldarunic economy is the mining and manufacturing sectors. While most developed powers moved to a service-based economy, Faldarun retained a significant portion of it's large industrial economy. The mining industry, centred in Kristurland and Hárland, primarily focuses on the mining of platinum, iron, copper and cobalt, with other metals also found in the country. The mining of coal, while previously widespread, declined drastically at the onset of the 20th century due to the depletion of many mines. It is still mined today, however it's use is relegated to the creation of molding sand and the production of chemicals due to Faldarun's policy on clean energy. Manufacturing is also a key Faldarunic industry, centred in Hvíturbera, Rykborg and Auðugurhöfn. The main goods manufactured in Faldarun are cars and other vehicle parts, with electronic equipment such as integrated circuits another key good produced.
In terms of workers' rights, Faldarun is considered by many to have the highest level of any nation in Aeia. After the signing of the New Social Code and the implementation of democratic confederalism, all workplaces in Faldarun - in some form or another - adopted a form of workers' self-management as mentioned earlier. Due to this, the concerns and rights of workers are among the primary concern of all workplaces. Additionally, the 'confederal standard' has been adopted in most workplaces; this is a set of rights that includes a minimum of 30 days paid vacation, paid family leave and full-paid sick leave. Additionally, there is a regional minimum wage system, implemented based on Department, that ranges from ᚵ9.00 to ᚵ11.00 an hour, based on local living costs.
Demographics
| Rank | Department | Pop. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Rykborg  Auðugurhöfn |
1 | Rykborg | Rykborg | 8,340,000 |  Vesturfalla  Saröheim | ||||
| 2 | Auðugurhöfn | Auðugurhöfn | 5,481,000 | ||||||
| 3 | Vesturfalla | Paradís | 4,282,000 | ||||||
| 4 | Saröheim | Hvíturbera | 2,906,000 | ||||||
| 5 | Nieuw Keulen | Nordehuken | 1,778,000 | ||||||
| 6 | Vúlgæfjörður | Drekiland | 1,291,000 | ||||||
| 7 | Róskoss | Hárland | 1,012,000 | ||||||
| 8 | Gleði | Eyjan á Andlit | 802,000 | ||||||
| 9 | Grárheim | Arnarhreiðrið | 782,000 | ||||||
| 10 | Vonbærinn | Langhús | 652,000 | ||||||
Population and ethnicity
| Race/Ethnicity (2010 Census) | |
|---|---|
| By race: | |
| White | 70.2% |
| Black | 13.2% |
| Toan | 6.4% |
| Native | 5.8% |
| Multiracial | 3.3% |
| other | 1.1% |
| By ethnicity: | |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 8.5% |
| Non-Hispanic (of any race) | 61.7% |
As of the 2014 census, the Faldarunic population was recorded at 48,782,901, while a 2016 estimate by census.fd placed the population at 51,190,000. The population of Faldarun is a diverse one, divided by ethnicity, religion and language. Faldarun has a comparatively low population density when compared to other nations, with roughly eleven people for every one square mile. The cities of Rykborg, Auðugurhöfn, Vesturfalla and Nieuw Keulen are ranked highest in terms of population density, with Saröheim ranked comparatively lower owing to it's larger geographical size. Faldarun is the largest nation on the continent of Vestrim in terms of population, and ranks twelfth by population worldwide.
The Faldarunic population has risen considerably since it's foundation in the 800s and independence in 1517, with the population rising from roughly 619,000 in 1517 to 4,182,000 in 1700, 11,281,000 in 1800 and 19,019,000 in 1900. The country experienced vast waves of immigration both before and after the revolution. During the 1800s, large numbers of people moved to Faldarun to take up the Emperors' offers of land in the west. Some of the most notable migrant-descended communities include the Kolish-Faldarunic in mostly Paradís, the Carwynnian-Faldarunic and Rhauish Faldarunic in mostly Rykborg and the Gothian-Faldarunic across Faldarun. Additionally, the ethnic diversity is furthered by the continued presence of the Native Faldarunic across the country, centred in Skrælingland, and the Helderian people, a large minority group in the mostly Helderian-speaking province of Nordehuken.
Religion
Religious affiliation in Faldarun
Norse Pagan: 36.4%
Christian: 26.7%
- Protestant: 15.3%
- Horizon Catholic: 8.2%
- Madarist: 2.1%
- Eastern Orthodox: 0.6%
- Other Christian: 0.5%
Other faiths: 7.9%
- Jewish: 3.3%
- Kelieski: 1.2%
- Muslim: 0.9%
- Hindu: 0.7%
- Other minor faiths: 1.8%
Irreligious: 25.5%
Don't know/refused answer: 0.6%
Language
Faldarunic
Culture
Film, television and cinema
As a world leader in freedom of the press and a country with no censorship, there is a thriving film, television and cinema industry in the Confederation. Many famous Faldarunic films and television series are translated (or performed) in English or other widely-spoken languages, and are broadcast in many other countries, notably and ironically Khornera, although most broadcasts in Khornera are censored or edited to some degree, therefore the overwhelming majority of Khorneran viewers watch most Faldarunic content through online streaming services. Many
films from or documenting the revolution and the civil war period are also popular in Nerotysia, Gran Altiplano and other communist states.
A prime example of popular Faldarunic media is Samfélag (translated as Community), a critically acclaimed television situational comedy series centred on the exploits of an ensemble cast of unlikely friends; Guðrøðr Vængursson (a former doctor who faked his diploma and had his medical license revoked), Abbas Nedar (a Radziecki-Escari geek who is obsessed with counterculture and cult classics), Ariel Teslasdóttir (a Jewish-Faldarunic workaholic and overachiever), Cherryl Bensdóttir (a cynical atheist married mother), Tröy Bernsson (a former-high-school glíma champion), Bretta Persdóttir (a mainstream anarcho-capitalist) and Pærce Hawþsson (a stuck-up, elderly Auridite man) as they all attend a community college in the fictional town of Grænndala, Skrælingland. The show is exceptionally popular not only in Faldarun, but also in Khornera, Meriad and Kolintha. Another famous example is Phinæs og Franz, an animated musical comedy television series following the misadventures of Phinæs Flink and his Khorneran step-brother Francis Fleccher on their summer holiday.
Music
Faldarunic music is an incredibly disparate mixture of traditional music and rebellious new age themes. The styles of Black Faldarunic music have deeply influenced Faldarunic music at large, and have gone on to form some of Aeia's most popular music genres. Indeed, blues, jazz, country and rhythm and blues have all originated from Faldarunic musicians in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Additionally, in the mid-1950s rock and roll emerged as a musical form, one which would also go on to develop into metal, hard rock, pop rock and punk rock, both in and out of Faldarun. Faldarunic music is celebrated globally; particularly in Nerotysia, Meriad and New Spanishland, where Faldarunic punk rock banks are popular with said countries' youth.
Important Faldarians
- Valdur Ingursson.png
Valdur Ingursson, first settler and explorer of Faldarun
- Ásgeirr Hjálmarrsson.png
Ásgeirr Hjálmarrsson, leader of the Second Expedition
- Ingimárr Snorrisson.jpg
Ingimárr Snorrisson, famous Faldarunic varangaian raider
- Björn I.jpg
Björn I, first king of Faldarun
- Ásbjörn II.jpg
Ásbjörn II, first emperor of Faldarun
- Gebbert Björnsson.jpg
Gebbert Björnsson, famous Marshal of the Imperial Army
- Friðrik Douglassson.png
Friðrik Douglassson, anti-slavery agitator and political theorist
- Róbert Sindrisson.jpg
Róbert Sindrisson, anti-slavery theorist
- Emperor Aleksander I.jpg
Aleksander I, 'the Great Liberator'
Lennart Tómasson, author, poet and first anarchist philosopher
Yngvarr Heimirsson, famous classical composer
Knútr Johnsson, early anarchist philosopher
- Alf Brandrsson.jpg
Alf Brandrsson, anarchist philosopher
- Bjarni Ármannsson.jpg
Bjarni Ármannsson, pioneer of the Faldarunic education system
- Emperor Vilhjálmur II.jpg
Emperor Vilhjálmur II, last reigning monarch of Faldarun
- Dagur Ingolfsson.png
Dagur Ingolfsson, the man who killed Vilhjálmur II
- Lovise Mikaelsdóttir.jpg
Lovise Mikaelsdóttir, first leader of the Rykborg Commune
- Stefán Max Pétursson.jpg
Stefán Max Pétursson, admiral of the Black and Red Revolutionary Fleet
Kristjana Solberg, co-leader of the Black Liberation Army
- Hjálmarr Vilhjalmsson.jpg
Hjálmarr Vilhjalmsson, co-leader of the Black Liberation Army
- Gunnarr Þórirsson.jpg
Gunnarr Þórirsson, commander of the Black Liberation Army
- Saoirse Donohue.jpg
Saoirse Donohue, rebel commander and politician
- Hallr Heimirsson.jpg
Hallr Heimirsson, architect of the Confederation
Gyða Jóhannsdóttir, first modern Lawspeaker of Faldarun
- Aleksander Albertsson.jpg
Aleksander Albertsson, political theorist and councilman
Morten Leuthar Konungrsson, international anarcho-Christian preacher and Lawspeaker
- Mikaela Ólafsdóttir.jpg
Mikaela Ólafsdóttir, former Lawspeaker of Faldarun
- Tecumseh Shikoba.png
Tecumseh Shikoba, current Spokesperson of the Executive Council
- Marijke Heijmans.png
Marijke Heijmans, current Lawspeaker of Faldarun
