Gagium

The Gagian Republic La République Gagienne
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: Ex Notitia, Victory
Location of Gagium in Stratea
Location	Northeastern Stratea
Capital	Laurillac
Largest city	Fort-Anfree
Official languages	Gagian, Anikgan
Recognised national languages	Gagian, Anikgan, not!catalan, Pätschlàni, not-latin
Ethnic groups (2020)	By race: 84.5% Gagian 7.3% Anikgan 3.2% Vaideha 0.7% Agnian 0.7% Pätschlàni 3.6% Other
Religion (2020)	45% Benevianism 3% Catholicism 1% Other Christians 31% No religion 6% Bhaism 3% TBD 4% Other religions 7% Undeclared
Demonym(s)	Gagian
Government	Bicameral Parliamentary Republic
• President	Cédric Leavitt
• Prime Minister	Céleste de Saint-Pierre
• Orateur of the Assembly	Clément Forestier
• Orateur of the Chamber	Albert Caron
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Gagian Assembly
• Lower house	Chamber of Representatives
Establishment
• Kingdom of Gagium	1274
• First Gagian Republic	1835
• Modern Republic	1953
Area
•	2,527,339 km2 (975,811 sq mi)
• Water (%)	5
Population
• 2022 estimate	233,300,000 (TBD)
• 2020 census	232,621,620
• Density	92/km2 (238.3/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	₭8.607 trillion
• Per capita	₭37,000 (TBD)
Gini	32.8 medium
HDI (2018)	0.917 very high
Currency	Gagi (GAG)
Time zone	+TBD
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+2
Internet TLD	.ga

Gagium, officially the Gagian Republic (Gagian: la République Gagienne), is a country located in Stratea that covers an area of 2,527,339 km² (975,811 sq mi). Gagium shares land borders with Agnia to the far south, Shkodër to the southwest, Pätschlàn to the west, as well as the Tenific Ocean to the north and east. The island nation of Saint Sienia is located approximately 30km off the southern coast of Gagium. The nation's largest city is Fort-Anfree, which serves as the nation's economic and social hub alongside being the home to over over 6 million inhabitants, while other large cities include Agen, Chatrois, Nouveau Vitre, Allen, and the nation's capital city of Laurillac. Gagium is the fourth most populated country in the world, with a population of 232.6 million people.

Humans have continuously populated modern-day Gagium since at least 10,000 BCE, when anthropologists believe that the region's inhabitants independently developed agriculture. Several distinct cultural groups, namely the Baninians and Provitians, came to being during antiquity. The Baninians created the city of Masidria, the first named settlement in Gagium that anthropologists are aware of, around 2700 BCE in present-day Meuzac. The Baninian culture centered around the Poisouge Bay would later be overtaken by the Provitians after the Second Toustrellian War, though the Provitians too would be subjugated, this time to the rule of the Mavonan Empire, who had conquered Masridia by 1 CE.

INSERT MODERNER HISTORY HERE

Gagium is a federal state subdivided into 20 commonwealths. These subdivisions have their own constitutions and laws, but are subject to the Constitution of the Gagian Republic and any laws passed by the federal government. The nation is a highly developed industrial country, with a slight majority of the nation's inhabitants residing in urban areas and with the nation's labor force employing 52.1% of Gagians. The country ranks highly in several socioeconomic indicators, ranking XXXth in the Human Development Index, the 2nd highest in Stratea, and possessing the world's 4th largest economy. Gagium is a member of the Trans-Tenific Partnership, Stratean League, and Northern Economic Forum.

Etymology

It is widely accepted that the name Gagium is derived from the ancient and later notlatin! words 'Gaia' and 'Gagium', meaning "dense forest" (Though 'Gagium' was also used to reference an enclosed forest used for medieval hunts). The name most likely did not originate within Gagium, but was a term used by rulers from the Mavonan Empire to describe the subdued territory. The first records of the name Gagium have been dated to roughly 300 CE, during the late Mavonan Empire.

History

Prehistoric history

Definitive records suggest that the first humans arrived in modern-day Gagium roughly 22,000 years ago by crossing an ancient route connecting Abos to Stratea. Stratea has been isolated from Abos for much of the past millennia, up until the last glacial period in which new routes were opened between Abos and Stratea. It is unknown what incentivized the migration to Stratea through the frigid northern wastes of the world. At the end of this glacial period, however, the global climate became much more mild, driving the inhabitants of both northern Abos and Stratea to adopt a sedentary lifestyle. At around 10,000 BCE, inhabitants of modern-day Abagail independently developed agriculture; it was around this same time that the end of the glacial periods gave way to prehistoric cultures.

These cultural groups included the Baninians, Provitians, and precursors to the Anikgans of subarctic Gagium. The Baninians were based in modern-day southern Gagium around modern Abagail and Guyansailles, while the Provitians dominated in the northeast. Numerous archaeological sites suggest that both of these cultures established permanent settlements and eventually practiced agriculture and domestication.

Ancient history

States in Gagium after the First Toustrellian War, circa 290 BCE

Ancient Gagian history is most commonly defined with the founding of the city of Masidria near present-day Villemontry, Meuzac by a Baninian tribe at around 2700 BCE. Archaeologists suspect that the initial Baninians did not develop language independently, but it is known that ancient Gagium eventually adopted languages derived from modern-day Fluvannia. The residents of Masidria practiced an early form of deity worship that eventually spread to the majority of modern-day Gagium and held significant influence in early Mavona. Writing was developed by the Baninians between 1100-1000 BCE. Shortly following the development of TBD Script was the formation of Baninia, one of the earliest nationstates on the Stratean continent.

Baninia encompassed the majority of modern-day Guyansailles, Meuzac, and Abagail, with the majority of the population located within 200km of the shore. The Poisouge Bay was a key point of Baninian trade, with the shallow waters providing a safehaven for early traders and their vessels. Baninian culture was fanatically devoted to Gagian mythology; The Temple of Glycius, devoted to the ancient god of sunlight and fertility, still stands in Calzatoja. Baninian legal code and practice was heavily interweaved with the stories of mythology. At around 370 BCE, the rivalling nation-state of Provitia was formed in modern-day Suntone. The First Toustrellian War fought between the two nations proved to be indecisive, but the Second Toustrellian War would lead to the complete collapse of Baninia by 200 BCE.

Provitian era

The Temple of Glycius in present-day Calzatoja.

In the aftermath of the Second Toustrellian War, the council-led state of Provitia was in a period of rapid expansion under Consul Eucylus. Provitia was already a state that worshipped the same dieties and figures of myth as Baninia, but these ties only grew stronger as Eucylus ordered for the complete integration of former Baninian domains. In 183 BCE, Eucylus moved the capital of Provitia from its former location in Tourniac to Masidria, the former cultural center of Baninia. Eucylus' death in 178 BCE caused a brief skirmish for the leadership of Provitia. After Eucylus's rule, Provitia continued to expand to encompass territory as far north as modern-day Laurillac, and Provitia's trade networks brought in wealth from the northern and western parts of the continent.

In 8 BCE, the ruling council of Provitia collapsed under a challenge from Nicolas Parmentus, a high-ranking military official in the Provitian army known for his activities during the Provitian Conquest of Sunton (modern-day Suntone). However, the collapse of the council quickly proved to be fatal for Provitia. Riots between 7-4 BCE resulted in damage to the Temple of Glycius and widespread looting and crime in Masidria, as well as the collapse of the slavery system. Desertions among the Provitian legions quickly forced Parmentus to resign his position as Consul to Celsus Bucche, a distant relative of the INSERTLEADERHERE of the Mavonan Empire, which Provitia had skirmished with during the Battle of TBD in 5 BCE.

However, the situation continued to spiral out of control as the former ruling council demanded TBD to resign and renounce his ties to Mavona. After word that TBD was losing control of his forces and was under threat reached Mavona, INSERTLEADERHERE gathered his forces for an incursion into Provitia. This incursion resulted in the Battle of Masidria in 1 CE, which proved to be a fatal defeat for Provitia. As the Mavonan forces approached the city, nearly half of the Provitian force deserted, according to a record from the Provitian writer Messor. The disorganization of the remaining forces resulted in loss of Masidria, and soon after the complete annexation of Provitian territories to the Mavonan Empire. Of the conquest, Messor wrote that "bands of thugs had overtaken the highways to celebrate the fall of the city. They jeered at lost soldiers who walked past, and saw a large force arriving; assuming that the soldiers were Provitian, they hurled insults at the force. However, the force was not Provitian, but Mavonan, and today the heads of those thugs stand on stakes outside of Masidria." The territories of Provitia were fully annexed by the Mavonan Empire by 4 CE.

Mavonan Empire

In 6 CE, the Mavonan Emperor INSERTLEADERHERE divided Provitia into five provinces: Baninia, encompassing the southernmost territories of the former Baninian state; Abagia, encompassing the northernmost region of Baninia and southern region of Provitia; Provitia, including the land around the city of Tourniac; Sunton, which comprised the northernmost regions of Provitia; and Occidens Provitia, which lay at the western borders of former Provitia (around what is now Ouestorlande). However, the new Mavonan provinces were seeded with unrest as Emperor INSERTLEADERHERE led efforts to suppress worship of the Gagian gods. After a brief uprising known as Glycius' war in 15 CE, however, INSERTLEADERHERE greatly relaxed persecution of those worshipping the Gagian pantheon, which would later have significant influence on the development of early Christianity in Stratea.

During their occupation, the Mavonans notably founded many cities that would grow into vital commerce and industrial centers. The city of Agen, today the second most populous in Gagium, was founded by the Mavonan general TBD in 229. However, while the Mavonans constructed new cities, old cities devastated by the Mavonan conquest were left to decay. Masidria, which had an estimated 90,000 inhabitants in 50 BCE, was completely abandoned by 200 CE, in part due to a plague that ravaged Mavonan Provitia in the 170s CE.

19th and 20th centuries

Revolutionary Committee

Ulysse Cohen held onto power in Gagium from 1971-1983.

Throughout the late 60s and into the early 70s, Gagium began to head into a recession and experienced increasing prices and inflation. One of the reasons for this is policies pursued by the newly-popular Green Realist Party, who won a majority in the Gagian Assembly in the 1963 election. These policies included foreign policy prohibiting the purchase of oil from authoritarian regimes surrounding the Gulf of Atily, as well as limits on domestic oil production. Furthermore, a series of droughts in the late 60s severely harmed agriculture production. The Revolutionary Committee for Reform, a political party founded in 1968 by author and former soldier Ulysse Cohen, began to be seen as a viable alternative to the Green Realist and Liberal Democratic Party-dominated government as the economic situation deteriorated.

In the 1971 Gagian Assembly Election, held on 31 May 1971, the Revolutionary Committee won a narrow majority in the Assembly. The Assembly subsequently nominated and voted in Ulysse Cohen to be the first far-left Prime Minister of the nation. In a speech held on 14 August, Ulysse Cohen announced a series of reforms, including harsh measures aimed at reducing unemployment and rejuvenating Gagium's industrial base. However, these measures only caused inflation to become worse, which was used by the Revolutionary Committee's opponents. On 7-9 September, nearly 3 months after the Revolutionary Committee won the Assembly, a series of protests were held in Fort-Anfree against the deteriorating situation. In response, Cohen and the Revolutionary Committee vowed to meet with the protestors and respond to their demands. Several days later, Cohen announced that he would be reevaluating his economic policy and taking additional efforts against inflation, reviving his popularity among the public. However, throughout the following years, the Revolutionary Committee would slowly return to their original plans.

In the same time period, the Revolutionary Committee began a propaganda campaign to 1) convince the public that the Committee had revived the economy and 2) label the former government as traitors who were planning on destroying the nation. This campaign was met with limited success, but was aided by publications such as the Fort-Anfree Times and Chatrois Mail who were staunch critics of the Green Realist Party. By early 1973, the Committee had obtained a majority in the Chamber of Representatives through a combination of regular and special elections. On 1 September 1973, Revolutionary Committee member Thibault Cottin was elected President of Gagium by the 5th Council of Representatives. It is alleged that the Committee used scare tactics and threats to force the Commonwealths to nominate pro-Committe members to the Council of Representatives. The 1975 Gagian Assembly Election saw the use of military force (justified by alleged threats from the Green Realist Party - it is now thought that most, if not all, of these were fabricated by the Committee) to intimidate voters. This would continue through the 1983 Gagian Assembly Election.

After the 1975 election, a number of politicians from the Green Realist, Liberal Democratic, and Rally for Social Democracy parties would be arrested for alleged conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism to topple the Revolutionary Committee-dominated government.

Geography

Climate

Köppen climate classification types of Gagium

Average winter and summer high temperatures across Gagium vary from region to region. Winters can be harsh in many parts of the country, particularly in the interior and northern commonwealths, which experience a continental climate, where daily average temperatures are near −15 °C (5 °F), but can drop below −40 °C (−40 °F) with severe wind chills. In some parts of the northern commonwealths, snow can cover the ground for up to six months of the year. The southern commonwealths, such as Chapais, enjoy a temperate climate with a mild and rainy winter and average summer temperatures of up to 30°C. In contrast, the average summer high temperature in Veyrac is in the low 20s °C. Temperatures in interior commonwealths such as Etrine and Ouestorlande can fluctuate heavily, with winter lows below -15°C and winter highs of up to 10°C or greater. Across, the world, and especially in other Stratean nations,

Gagium is stereotyped as being generally cold. However, no part of the nation is covered by year-round ice and permafrost. Furthermore, as a result of climate change, the nation's average annual temperature has risen by approximately 1.6°C. This has left the fate of Gagium's subarctic regions uncertain. In addition to this, aridification is expected to become a future concern in some southern parts of Gagium if global rise in temperatures continue. Furthermore, air pollution from primarily the Eastern Corridor—caused by metal smelting, burning coal to power utilities, and vehicle emissions—has resulted in acid rain, which has severely impacted waterways, forest growth and agricultural productivity in Gagium.

Biodiversity

Due to the nation's wide variation in temperature and elevation, several thousand species of fauna can be found across the nation. The southern parts of Gagium is the most diverse, being home to a wide variety of habitats. Alligators, snapping turtles, foxes, and deer can be found across the south, along with anoles and skinks. Hundreds of species of birds and insects also thrive in this area, including a large variety of mosquitos, wasps, and other undesirable insects.

Photo of the boreal forests close to Blieges, Veyrac.

In the center of the nation concentrated around the Etrine River, many different species of animals thrive in the forests and mountains, including deer, bears, foxes, raccoons, bob cats, squirrels, and woodchucks. The beaver is common to all Commonwealths in central Gagium, along with the white-tailed deer. Bats can also be found in this part of the nation, though they are becoming increasingly threatened. Along with the southern part of the nation, several hundred species of fish also thrive in the rivers and lakes of this part of the nation.

The northern parts of Gagium, largely dominated by short, warm summers and long, cold winters, are home to several species of foxes, caribou, mooses, elk, deer, lynxes, beavers, and bears. In the extreme north of the nation, arctic foxes, muskoxen, and polar bears can be found. Salmon and trout can prominently be found in the freshwater bodies of northern Gagium.

Off the shores of eastern Gagium, some species of orcas, seals, dolphins, and whales, and small populations of sharks, along with numerous species of fish, thrive in the Tenific Ocean. Belugas and some northern species of seals have been spotted along the northern coasts of Gagium.

Government and politics

Administrative divisions

Gagium is divided into 20 commonwealths, each with certain rights and privileges regarding self-governance. The 20 commonwealths are governed by an executive cabinet led by a governor, together with their commonwealth parliaments. The commonwealths operate as parliamentary republics, with their relationship with the cabinet mimicking what is practiced on the national level: the legislatures are elected by constituencies to serve for 4 year terms, and the governor is then voted into confidence with a majority vote in the commonwealth parliament. The governor is tasked with appointing a cabinet to manage the commonwealth's affairs and to carry out the executive duties of the commonwealth government. The legislature has the ability to vote out a governor with a vote of no confidence.

The commonwealths are further divided into parishes, which hold broad responsibilities including funding local infrastructure projects and operating public school districts. These parishes vary widely in structure, with some rural parishes being home to only a few thousand citizens while other urban parishes function as miniature commonwealths and have populations in the millions. Some parishes act as commonwealths in that they operate numbered highway systems.

Government

The Gagian Republic is a bicameral parliamentary republic, with the nation’s Parliament consisting of the Gagian Assembly and Chamber of Representatives. The nation’s executive branch is led by the Prime Minister, who serves as head of government and is voted through a expression of confidence by Parliament. The Prime Minister is tasked with appointing Ministers, who are usually experienced members of Parliament. The President, the nation’s formal head of state, is elected by the Council of Representatives, a body formed every 5 years from members chosen by the 20 Commonwealths. The government of the Gagian Republic can be described as broadly liberal and progressive, with a large presence from progressive, socialist, and centrist-traditionalist factions.

The Parliament of the Gagian Republic, consisting of the Gagian Assembly and the Chamber of Representatives, is the legislative authority in Gagium, tasked with lawmaking and overseeing the government. The Chamber of Representatives is comprised of 189 seats, which are filled through party-list votes conducted within the commonwealth legislatures, typically at the beginning of each term. Members of the Chamber of Representatives do not have a term limit, and serve until they are voted out of their seat by their commonwealth's legislature. They are tasked with representing their commonwealth. The Gagian Assembly, on the other hand, is composed of 335 representatives from across the country. 284 of these are directly elected from constituencies in a first-past-the-post manner, while the remaining 51 are apportioned based off of mixed-member proportional representation. The members of the Gagian Assembly are not bound to serve the commonwealth from which they originate. The Gagian Assembly is presided over by the Orateur of the Assembly, currently TBD, while the Chamber of Representatives is presided over by the Orateur of the Chamber, currently TBD2.

Elections

Gagium has national elections in order to elect the members of the Gagian Assembly, the upper house of the Parliament of the Gagian Republic. These members are elected every four years from the 284 Assembly constituencies, with an additional 51 seats being apportioned based off of mixed-member proportional representation. That way, even smaller political parties who may not be competitive within the constituencies may win seats within the Gagian Assembly. The last Assembly elections were held on 31 May of 2019, and the XXth Assembly took office on 30 June 2019.

There are also Presidential elections conducted within the Council of Representatives, a body consisting of the members of the Chamber of Representatives as well as an additional 188 members apportioned based off of the results of the last concluded legislative election via party lists. Elections are conducted in the Council of Representatives using a secret ballot and numerous rounds until a candidate obtains a majority of the votes. The Council of Representatives last convened on 16 July 2017 to elect President Cédric Leavitt, and is expected to convene again on 16 July 2022.

On a subnational level, all 20 commonwealths of Gagium conduct elections to elect members of the commonwealth legislatures, who in turn have the role of electing members to the lower house of the Gagian Parliament, the Chamber of Representatives. Elections are also often conducted within municipalities to elect lawmakers and government officials.

Foreign relations

The Gagian Republic conducts foreign relations with a multitude of different countries across the globe, generally having friendly relations with countries with similar ideology in regards to both domestic policy and foreign policy. On the world stage, the Gagian Republic generally takes an active stance in advocating for free trade and human rights. This includes Gagium's partnerships with nations like Saint Sienia and The Furbish Islands. The nation's foreign policy has come under criticism from domestic parties due to allegations of ignoring human rights violations when convenient. Furthermore, Gagium has been accused of exerting control over Saint Sienia like a puppet state.

Economy

Gagium is home to a diversified service economy with relatively large manufacturing and agricultural sectors. The nation has a liberal free market economy, though Gagium’s government maintains significant control over the energy and transportation sectors.

Infrastructure and transportation

The Gagian Republic is home to a sprawling infrastructure network consisting of an extensive roadway network combined with a modern, efficient high-speed rail network that connects the urbanized Eastern Corridor with the rest of the nation. The main Gagian highway network is the Gagian Expressway System, which consists of numerous controlled-access routes across the country. Gagium’s high speed rail is primarily operated by Boréale, a state-funded high speed rail operator. Boréale operates a number of lines connecting Gagium's major cities to each other.

Being a developed nation, Gagium also has an extensive air transport system. The largest and busiest airport in Gagium, Fort-Anfree's Georges Deloffre International Airport, annually services over 30 million passengers. A number of airlines operate in Gagium, with the largest being Air Gagium, which earns over ₭19 billion in revenue each year. Nearly every major city and a number of minor cities are connected via airport, and serviced by a mixture of international, national, and regional airlines.

Demographics

Education

Historically, education in Gagium was restricted to the wealthy and noble classes, with very few peasants interested in seeking formal education. However, by the time of the Enlightenment, the state had taken an interest in expanding the availability of education. In 1678, TBDKING announced the Proclamation on Universities and Academies, paving the way for the universities of Gagium to eventually adopt a structure focusing on education of the masses. In 1803, Vaugrenet created the lycée, a stage of secondary education designed to prepare students for higher education or advanced professions. After the declaration of the First Republic in 1835, concentrated efforts were made to establish free, compulsory education.

Primary and secondary education

Compulsory primary and secondary education in the Gagian Republic extends from ages 6-7 and 17-18, for a total of roughly 12 years. This education is split into 12 grade levels, in which grades 1-6 include primary elementary level education, 7-9 include junior high school secondary education, and 10-12 include high school secondary education. There are some public institutions that deviate from this structure, however, with high school encompassing grades 9-12 and junior high, or middle school, including students from grades 7-8. Education is typically interdisciplinary and is conducted on a public level, though a small number of private academies are permitted to exist, with many of these institutions being religiously affiliated. Compulsory subjects taught at the primary and secondary level include: Mathematics, Science (Physics, Chemistry, and Astronomy), Language (Both National and Foreign), Social Studies (History, Geography, and Civics), Physical Education, and the Humanities (Arts/Music).

The average Gagian secondary school, whether it be junior high or high, has a wide range of extracurricular activities promoted towards students so that they can develop outside of the classroom setting. The most common extracurriculars offered are through the form of athletic clubs or music clubs (involving either instrument use or singing), though other commonly offered extracurricular activities include theater, debate, further academic study, and scouting. Scouting programs in Gagium are most often operated by the school district, and teach students a wide variety of skills, including developing physical fitness and individual talents and strengths.

Postsecondary

About 41% of Gagians who graduate from high school go on to attain a 4-year degree from a University, while 18% attain both a 4-year degree and a graduate-level degree. The vast majority of Universities in Gagium are operated by the Commonwealths, with many receiving funding from the national government to conduct research. University of Rachelia Cadeneaux, a public research institution operated by the commonwealth of Rachelia, is generally considered to be the leading institution in Gagium. The Rodier College of Laurillac is a prime example of a Gagian hybrid university, being operated by a board of trustees consisting of both state officials and private employees. A number of fully privately-operated Universities do exist, but are not typically popular due to higher tuition rates and a bad public image as a result of a number of scandals. According to TBD's University Ranking metrics, 3 of the top 10 universities in Gagium are private institutions.

The vast majority of universities offer a wide selection of courses and offer degrees in numerous fields, though some specialized institutions that only offer degrees in a specific field or area do exist. These institutions include the private Levasseur College of Fine Arts and the public Diarville University of the Sciences, which exclusively offer degrees in the liberal arts and STEM fields, respectively.

Urbanization

Largest metropolitan areas in Gagium 2020 census
	Rank		Commonwealth	Pop.	Rank		Commonwealth	Pop.
Fort-Anfree Agen	1	Fort-Anfree	Rachelia	8,941,750	11	Balceuvy	Gourel	1,168,485	Chatrois Allen
	2	Agen	Ouestorlande	4,523,867	12	Calzatoja	Meuzac	1,034,474
	3	Chatrois	Chapais	3,321,354	13	Austrel	Suntone	959,764
	4	Allen	Gourel	2,536,926	14	Escounets	Veyrac	932,515
	5	Nouveau Vitre	Valmenier	2,213,985	15	Prahas	Etrine	911,763
	6	Laurillac	Suntone	1,731,788	16	Buthiers	Langres	899,429
	7	Crowsea	Mayres	1,584,128	17	Massil	Poissac	860,026
	8	Lochen	Bressency	1,464,278	18	Gapennes	Budierre	816,158
	9	Lescavan	Etrine	1,281,030	19	Pignol	Celleroy	788,137
	10	Sarre	Abagail	1,178,599	20	Hirsingen	Suntone	724,106

Culture

Gender and family

Historically, and especially after the Progressive Revolution, more genders than male and female have been recognized, especially amongst the Anikgan population. In Gagian society, third genders (such as identifying as nonbinary) are widely accepted, and official identification documents recognize third genders.

Fashion

Gagian fashion trends are similar to that of other industrialized nations, though (especially in the Northern parts of the country) fashion revolves more around practicality/utility to deal with weather conditions as opposed to style. Furthermore, Gagians, on average, tend to dress more modestly than those in warmer nations. However, Gagium also has a sizable industry for custom-made attire, especially within the Anikgan community. The primary center of fashion in Gagium is Chatrois.

Sports

The most popular sports in Gagium are association football, ice hockey, fullball, and basketball. Three national tiers professional of association football exist, while two levels of professional ice hockey exist as well. The Gagian Fullball Championship and Gagian Club Basketball League are the national professional fullball and basketball leagues, respectively. The market for professional sports in Gagium is worth approximately TBD billion, which is the TBDth largest in the world.

The national sport of Gagium is officially fullball, though it is not the most popular sport in the nation. The Gagian Premier League (association football) holds an average attendance of 44,000 people, the largest of any sports league based in Gagium. 18 teams compete in a total of 306 games during the Premier League season, with the season culminating in the TBD. The Gagian Ice Hockey League is the second largest sports league in Gagium, holding an average attendance of 18,000 people. 20 teams compete in the Gagian Ice Hockey League for a grand total of 740 games. The Gagian Fullball Championship is the third largest sports league domestically, though it enjoys a significant international following due to being associated with the creation of the sport.

Furthermore, athletics is a key component of primary and secondary education in Gagium. Many schools operate sports teams in sports such as association football, fullball, basketball, and ice hockey. On the university-level, several sports are played under the Gagian Association of Collegiate Athletics. These include the more popular sports in the nation, such as association football, as well as less popular team and individual sports, including volleyball, lacrosse, swimming, and the martial arts. College-level association football, ice hockey, and fullball are especially competitive. However, while college sports are popular among students, alumni, and the surrounding communities, they do not enjoy the same appeal as professional sports in Gagium. College sporting facilities often have much smaller seating capacities than their counterparts.

Drug use

For the most part, recreational drug use is legal in the Gagian Republic to individuals over the age of 18, including alcohol and marijuana use. However, the use of certain drugs, such as many opiates and methamphetamines, remain illegal and punishable by incarceration. Some variation in drug laws exist between the Commonwealths. The national government operates several programs designed to reduce fatalities from drug usage and reduce illegal drug use.

In Gagium, the legal drinking age is 18, but despite this, there is a prominent drinking culture in many schools. This includes acts of hazing, as well as drinks offered at parties and other events where minors are present. In 2009, the TBDNEWS1 ran an article on alcoholic beverages offered at an Etrine University Arx tour event that included both parents and prospective students. According to police records, two students were transported to the hospital due to intoxication at the event; the incident was not reported to media outlets until a week later. As a response to this, a number of public and private universities have committed to enforcing drinking bans on campus even for those who are above the age of majority. It is estimated that this has had little to no impact on the amount of drinking that actually occurs on these campuses.

Both alcohol use and marijuana use are prominent at sporting events, especially at football and baseball events. Marijuana is one of the most popular drugs amongst Gagiums, with marijuana use also being a part of many university and workplace cultures. Marijuana was publicized in part due to a campaign run by TBDCOMPANY in the 70s and 80s advertising the drug as an escape from the issues of the time, including the ongoing Third Great War. The campaign was promoted by the Revolutionary Committee for Reform, who saw the drug as an easy way to placate regions that were opposed to the Committee. In contemporary times, cannabis products are sold through both physical and digital outlets, and are used for both medical and recreational purposes.

However, the vast majority of drugs circulating in Gagium are illegal, and their use and transportation is punishable by incarceration. Especially harsh penalties are enacted for the trafficking of drugs such as fentanyl and heroin. Before 2015, it is estimated that over a dozen executions have occurred in Gagium for drug trafficking offenses (with over half of them estimated to have occurred in Guyansailles). Incidentally, southern commonwealths such as Guyansailles and Budierre suffer the most from drug overdose deaths. The León Monarchy is believed to be the source for many of the drugs in circulation.