Radictistan
The Grand Duchy of Radictistan De Grasdukat Radictistans | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
| Motto: "They have rights who dare maintain them." | |
 Political map of Radictistan with major cities indicated. | |
| Capital and | Nuxenstat |
| Official languages | Radictistani |
| Recognised national languages | Radictistani, German, English |
| Ethnic groups | 94% White Radictistani 3% Arab 3% Other |
| Demonym(s) | Radictistani |
| Government | Constitutional Monarchy |
• Grand Duke | HRH Xenocimedes Radicti |
• Prime Minister | Zahir Radicleb |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,964,453 km2 (758,480 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 528,440,000 |
• Density | 269/km2 (696.7/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | estimate |
• Total | $5,304,681,527,200 |
• Per capita | $10,038 |
| GDP (nominal) | estimate |
• Total | $2,883,121,080,400 |
• Per capita | $5,456 |
| Gini | 50.6 high |
| HDI | 0.687 medium |
| Currency | Radin (RARD) |
• Summer (DST) | Not observed |
| Date format | mm-dd-yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | 12 |
| ISO 3166 code | RDS |
| Internet TLD | .rd |
Radictistan, officially The Grand Duchy of Radictistan (Radictistani: De Grasdukat Radictistans), is a unitary constitutional monarchy located on a large peninsula to the west of the Greater Apathian Sea. Radictistan is a densely populated developing nation with subsequently high poverty rates. A history of political stability and a large well-educated workforce open up the possibilities for improved levels of economic growth in the future.
The exact details of Radictistan’s founding are unclear, but it is know that the area was first settled by a cadet branch of the eccentric Radicti family. Since then the country has grown in population, if not in wealth, eclipsing its origins as the unplanned destination of a group of gentlemen adventurers.
In recent years the northern part of Radictistan has been wracked by a long terrorist campaign conducted by Communist revolutionaries and anti-Communist paramilitary groups. Over two thousand people have been killed, most in the County of Norcustsur.
Radictistan has historically been a bit player in the international community. The government has pursued a consistent policy of nonalignment, keeping the country out of the great international controversies of slavery and communism. Aside from a few small peacekeeping operations, Radictistani troops have not operated on foreign soil. As the Radictistani economy grows, more pressure has been placed on the establishment to become more engaged with the world, to ensure that economic links are maintained and the security of Radictistanis abroad is respected.
History
Communist Insurgency in Norcustsur
The most critical test for the Radictistani state and society in recent years has been the ongoing insurgency by the Communist Party of Radictistan which began with the bombing of an office building in Hartfer, followed by a mass shooting at a nearby shopping center. Since then, the Communist Party has undertaken a low level campaign of bombings against utility plants, police stations, government offices, and recreational facilities patronized by Radictistan's elite. Their stated objective is the overthrow of the present Radictistani state through a wholesale revolution of the working classes and its replacement with a single-party Communist state.
The Radictistani government has responded to this terrorist campaign by closing off the Hartfer blutstats with Army and Police units. This strategy of containment with high numbers of personnel has done little to stem the violence. The Communist Party of Radictistan continues to execute lethal attacks under the eyes of the state security apparatus, such as the bombing of a Radictistan Automotive Works flight which killed several senior executives. The next seven years saw the conflict begin to undermine fundamental state authority with citizens increasingly looking for private means of protection against relentless terrorist attacks. By the end of 2017 the KPR was mostly a spent force but splinter groups continued attacks on a smaller scale.
Geography
The Grand Duchy of Radictistan is located on a peninsula jutting out from the main continent of Apathia. The northern border is delineated by the fast-flowing Nor River. The northernmost quarter of the country contains the mountainous Norcust region where most of Radictistan’s mineral wealth is found. The Hartfer River flows to the east toward the sea and serves as a major transportation artery. The landmass to the south of this region is flatter. The Radicti River flows due south through a heavily forested region before veering west in order to meet up with the sea. To the east, vast plains account for the nation’s agricultural requirements, fed by the mighty Eastval River.
The Grand Duchy of Radictistan has a total land area of 1,964,453 square kilometers. Almost all of Radictistan's land mass is contiguous, the one exception being the island of Ailand Vakka which is located off the coast of the county of Eastval. The highest point is the summit of the Haganbarg, located in the Norbargen chain, at 4,736 meters. There are no points in Radictistan below sea level.
Climate
Most of Radictistan has a humid continental climate of the Dfb subtype with warm summers and relatively long, cold winters. The Hyarp Cape and the east and west coasts favor an oceanic climate. Some of the most extreme northern areas of Norcustsur experience a subarctic climate with only a very short, cool summer.
Politics
Administrative Divisions
The highest level political subdivision in Radictistan is the County, of which thare are seven: Greater Nuxenstat, Norcustsur, Yestingsur, Eastval, Hyarpsur, Erdwoodsur, and Westwoodsur. Each of these, with the exception of Greater Nuxenstat, are further subdivided into Departments and Municipalities. Departments are units of rural political administration, found wherever there is no incorporated urban area. The incorporated areas are the Municipalities. The two types of local government divisions never overlap; if an urban aggregation chooses to incorporate and manages to secure a royal charter permitting it to do so, then it will be detached from its Department and become its own Municipality. It has been extremely rare for a charter to be granted unless the proposed Municipality would have a population of at least ten thousand persons. Charters have often been denied even if the population condition is met. There is now an effective moratorium on new charters. Uninorporated towns are a common feature of the Radictistani landscape because of these policies. Departments are led by an elected Department Council (Radictistani: Departmentsrat) chaired by a Ratsprasident. All members of the Departmentsrat including the chief executive are elected by residents on a nonpartisan ballot. The exact nature of Municipal government varies according to each particular municipal charter but Municipalities are always headed by an elected Mayor (Radictistani: Statmeister) with a municipal council (Statsrat) acting in an advisory and legislative role.
The exception to this system is Greater Nuxenstat, which as an entirely urbanized area is divided into nine Metropolitan Departments. These units lack the autonomy of subdivisions found in other counties, lacking the power to tax or to maintain their own police forces. They exist almost entirely for administrative convenience.
Government
Radictistan is a constitutional monarchy of a sort rarely seen today. In essence, it is a semi-presidential system with the elected president replaced by a hereditary monarch, the Grand Duke. The Crown and Prime Minister share executive power, with the former's responsibility existing mostly in the realms of national defense, internal security, and foreign affairs. The Prime Minister handles most other affairs of state. Both men appoint members of the cabinet within their own areas of responsibility. The Grand Duke is assisted by a staff known officially as the Crown Office. Radictistan has a parliamentary system where the Prime Minister, as head of government, is selected by and responsible to Parliament rather than directly elected by voters.
Radictistan has a bicameral parliament. The lower house, the House of Delegates consists of two hundred members elected by the people on a first-past-the-post voting system for single member districts. The upper house is the House of Peeers, which consists of members of the Radictistani nobility. They receive their seats along with their titles on a hereditary basis. The House of Peers has forty members. Of the two houses, the Delegates are the more powerful. A Prime Minister must maintain the support of a majority of the Delegates to remain in power; a confidence vote can end a premiership at any time. All bills of supply must originate from the Delegates and all members of the Cabinet appointed by the Prime Minister must be members. There are four political parties represented in the Radictistani parliament at this time: the centrist Fascist Democratic Party, the center-left Liberal Democratic Party, the far-left Labor Party of Radictistan, and the far-right National Conservative Party. By law, a general election must be held if a government lasts five years. Under ordinary circumstances, an election is held ninety days after Parliament is dissolved.
The Radictistani political system is highly centralized. County and local governments have only limited powers assigned to them by the central government. The seven Counties are governed by an elected County Assembly and a Royal Governor appointed by the Grand Duke with the advice and consent of the assembly. These assemblies have little power besides approving the County budget. Even the ability to approve gubernatorial appointments is circumscribed by the Grand Duke's ability to repeatedly appoint either the same or a different individual to the post. It is rare that a county legislature does not acquiesce to an appointment. Royal Governors are traditionally granted a knighthood on appointment.
Law
Radictistan follows a pluralistic legal system. Radictistani courts operate primarily by civil law with some elements of common law jurisdictions such as greater weight being placed on precedent, the use of adversarial legal procedure, and a strict requirement that juries be employed in most legal cases. As is the case with political authority, the right to pass legislation is jealously guarded by the central government. Subnational governments are not permitted to promulgate criminal laws requiring imprisonment or which invoke otherwise harsher penalties than national laws do.
Radictistan has a strict hierarchy of courts. At the national level, Crown Courts serve as the court of first instance in criminal cases. Appeals are heard by the Crown Court of Appeal. Any further appeals are heard by the Supreme Court. As the Counties have only limited legislative rights, there exist fewer levels of criminal courts, which also handle civil cases. Such cases originate in the County Courts. Each county also has a Court of Appeal which listens to both criminal and civil cases. There are also Magistrate's Courts for quasi-criminal actions, such as parking citation appeals. Radictistani trials are notorious for being long in duration, frequently resulting in one or more mistrials before a verdict.
All judges in Radictistan are appointed, either by the Crown or the respective Lord Governor in the case of County courts.
Foreign Relations
The guiding doctrine of Radictistani foreign policy has been nonalignment. It has therefore made few permanent alliances with other countries and has stayed out of great international disputes such as the slave trade and communism. Radictistan has occasionally intervened to prevent humanitarian catastrophes abroad, such as by flying in relief supplies and taking in refugees. Another high priority has been the maintenance of vital international trade links, such as the importation of petroleum products. The Radictistani government as a policy of not tying economic incentives to the outcome of political disputes and the country continues to have profitable trading relationships with persons and companies from countries which are considered abhorrent by the Radictistani people at large and which do not always see eye-to-eye with His Royal Highness' Government.
Military
The military of Radictistan is comprised of three independent branches: the Royal Radictistan Army, the Royal Radictistan Navy, and the Royal Radictistan Air Force. A mass paramilitary force, the National Defense Organization, existed until 2018 when it was replaced by the Home Guard, a smaller and more professional organization. The three main branches have a total of approximately 2.9 million active and reserve personnel. The Army is the largest branch in terms of manpower with a total of almost two and a half million active and reserve troops. The Home Guard has a strength of approximately two million. The Radictistani military is oriented towards home defense, with limited power projection capability. The Radictistani military possesses a modest stockpile of chemical weapons but has not pursued other types of weapons of mass destruction. Military intelligence activities are supervised by the Office of Military Intelligence.
Radictistan utilizes a system of conscription to fill its ranks. Military service is theoretically compulsory for all native-born Radictistani citizens of two or three years duration depending on the branch of service assigned. In practice, this obligation is not universally enforced. The pool of available recruits is far greater than the military's requirements so a lottery system is used to choose those who will serve. Conscripts are inducted at age seventeen. Conscientious Objector status is available and relatively easy to obtain because of the personnel surplus. Conscientious objectors serve for three years in nonmilitary public service. Conscripts who decided to stay in the military after their compulsory service is over are placed on a track towards becoming noncommissioned officers.
By constitutional mandate, the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces is HRH the Grand Duke Xenocimedes Radicti. A Minister of Defense is appointed as a member of the cabinet. The current Minister of Defense is Field Marshal Randolph Murk, Count of Eastval.
Law enforcement
Responsibility for law enforcement in Radictistan is shared between the central, county, and local governments with the greatest level of power and responsibility invested in the central government. The primary law enforcement agency at the national level is the Royal Security Police which is responsible for high policing, counterterrorism, protection of government and royal VIPs, border patrol, infrastructure protection, and the suppression of organized crime. The Royal Security Police is organized on a paramilitary basis with a rank structure almost identical to that of the army. Below the national level, each County has its own police force. These are tasked with investigating serious crimes and providing for the security of county facilities as well as motorway patrol and general policing duties in rural areas. The national government also has at its disposal two law enforcement bodies of special jurisdiction. The Royal Maritime Police is responsible for security of the nation's ports, patrolling the exclusive economic zone, enforcing maritime laws and regulations, and offshore search-and-rescue. The Royal Mint also has its own security service, appropriately titled as the Royal Mint Police. The Royal Mint Police provides security for mint facilities and personnel, investigates counterfeiting, and handles transfers of currency and bullion between mint facilities and banks.
Departments and Municipalities also have their own police organizations. These personnel are little more than glorified traffic wardens, tasked with little more than handing out citations and arresting persons guilty of petty offenses. Most real police work is done at the county or national level. Corruption is endemic within local police agencies; kickbacks, shakedowns, and various other forms of bribery are a common means of augmenting a local policeman's meager salary. Somewhat lower levels of corruption are found within county departments. Conversely, the Royal Security Police has a reputation for honesty in its agents' dealings with the public, slighted only by the occasional scandal.
The current internal conflict in Norcustsur has caused Radictistani law enforcement organizations to suffer severe losses both to their prestige and in terms of manpower. Scores of police officers have been killed in attacks perpetrated by the Communist Party of Radictistan. Radictistani law enforcement has traditionally been held to an extremely high standard of conduct, particularly in respect to the civil liberties of the Radictistani population. Historically, Radictistanis have considered any loss of effectiveness in combating crime to be an acceptable and necessary sacrifice to preserve liberty.
While technically not a law enforcement agency, the secretive Directorate of Constitutional Protection is tasked with the protection of the Radictistani democratic, constitutional order.
Economy
Radictistan has a mixed economy focused mostly on mineral extraction and heavy industry. Many large concerns such as the railway network, national airline, and energy grid are under state ownership. Others, such as Radictistan Automotive Works, are privately held by individuals close to the government, receiving a preferential regulatory environment compared to other less politically connected firms. This endemic cronyism has historically been one of the major factors holding back economic growth.
The Radictistani economy has struggled to provide enough jobs for the expanding population or ensure that standards of living increase over time. With the private sector providing few opportunities, many people accrue a portion or the entirety of their income through informal economic activity, both criminal and otherwise. Subsequently, a large percentage of the economy goes unrecorded and untaxed which puts additional pressure on the government's ability to finance the infrastructure improvements necessary to make the most efficient use of Radictistani capital and labor. Levels of per capita income very greatly by region. Greater Nuxenstat is the wealthiest County, with per capita GDP four times the national average. The Western counties, Westwoodsur and Erdwoodsur, and the northern county of Norcustsur, are the next three wealthiest regions. Hyarpsur lags behind the rest of the country due to the limited development of industry there and the low productivity of the dominant agricultural sector. Subsequently the poverty rate there exceeds the already high national average by a significant percentage.
While the main sources of legitimate economic activity in Radictistan are within the agricultural, manufacturing, and mining sectors, a flourishing tertiary sector of the economy is present in major cities. Nuxenstat in particular is home to numerous financial institutions, not only banks but brokerage firms, insurance companies, and the Nuxenstat Stock Exchange.
The national currency is the Radin which is issued as both coins and banknotes. The Radin is further subdivided into one hundred cents. Coins are minted in denominations of 1, 5, 10, and 25 cents as well as 1 Radin. Banknotes are found in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 Radin. The currency, money supply, and interest rates are managed by The Bank of Radictistan, a government-owned corporation which serves as the central bank. The Radin is a relatively weak currency, having undergone severe depreciation as a result of the Norcustsur internal conflict.
Agriculture
Agriculture is a major part of the Radictistani economy, and a key source of foreign exchange. The characteristics of the agricultural sector vary by region. In the counties of Eastval and Yestingsur, agriculture is a capital-intensive process with large commercial farms predominating. Many of these farms cover thousands of hectares. Monoculture is the norm, with most farms specializing in one or two crops for domestic consumption or export. Dairy and beef products are also produced in large quantities on the eastern plains. Eastern farms are usually operated either under the terms of a long-term lease or managerially, with wage-earning laborers working under an owner-proprietor. Many of the larger enterprises are owned by members of the nobility. In other parts of the country, primarily the southern country of Hyarpsur, agriculture is less developed. Farms there are smaller and mechanized to a lesser degree. Vegetables are the preferred crops in the southern regions of Radictistan rather than grains. As these less prosperous farming enterprises lack the clout to enter into large, formal distribution channels, truck farming is the norm. Every sizable settlement in Hyarpsur contains a daily or weekly farmer's market where the numerous smallholders attempt to eke out a living selling fresh produce to urban residents. The losers of this economic contest are a major source of emigrants to the slum-like blutstats. The economic map of Radictistani agriculture is a product of the country's foundation through settler colonialism. The early adventurer-colonists who arrived with Xenocimedes Radicti carved up the new land between themselves and became large farming magnates. Over time, the aristocrats sold off much of their holdings, but the pattern of large rural conglomerations has continued.
Agricultural products amount to a large percentage of Radictistan's total exports. The main export crops are wheat, rye, potatoes, barley, with dairy products also acting as a major source of export earnings.
Mining
Mining is a vital component of the Radictistani economy, both as a source of employment and as a generator of wealth. Mining operations are mostly found within the County of Norcustsur, the northern tip of Westwoodsur, and the southwestern corner of Yestingsur. The most economically important minerals produced in Radictistan are iron, lead, zinc, copper, nickel, aluminum, and uranium ores. These metals fuel Radictistani heavy industry and are exported to other countries in bulk. The aluminum industry is especially prominent in Norcustsur, dominating entire city economies through extraction, smelting, and fabrication concerns. Radictistan also produces large amounts of bituminous coal, which serve primarily as a raw material for coke production. The Radictistani mining sector is dominated by a relatively small number of mining conglomerates which are able to afford advanced technology to optimize the efficiency of their operations. Despite the level of capital sophistication, the Radictistani mining industry is estimated to employ about five hundred and ninety thousand persons directly. The largest mining company, Kazdan Mining and Metals, employs close to a fifth of that number.[1]
Manufacturing
Manufacturing in Radictistan is focused primarily on the processing of the country's mineral wealth. Steelmaking is one of the largest industries and is centered around the Norcustsur county seat of Hartfer. Radictistani steel mills produce roughly ninety-eight million metric tons of crude steel annually and employ about one hundred and sixty-eight thousand people. Other heavy industries, such as smelting, shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing, and chemicals have flourished in Norcustsur and Yestingsur. The bulk of Radictistani industrial employment is found in these industries. To the south, in the relatively wealthy western counties, more light industry can be found. Textiles and other low-technology consumer-focused industries are the old staples, but semiconductor fabrication and other more technologically sophisticated industries are increasing in prominence.
The greatest single industrial concern is Radictistan Automotive Works. RAW manufactures wheeled vehicles for both civil and military purposes, ranging from small sedans, to commercial trucks, to BTR-90 infantry fighting vehicles. It employs two hundred and eighty thousand people, mostly in eastern Norcustsur, making it the single largest private employer in Radictistan. The manufacturing sector as a whole benefits from an almost fanatical dedication to basic infrastructure on the part of the Radictistani government and the great extent to which the public education system is geared towards producing individuals highly trained in the mechanical arts. Most manufacturing industries in Radictistan are heavily unionized.
Transport
The Grand Duchy of Radictistan has a well-developed transportation network on the ground, at sea, and in the air. For intercity passenger and cargo transportation, the railway system is the most important. Radictistan has 56,362 route-kilometers of rail track, of which 33,852 route-kilometers are electrified at 15 kV AC. Almost all presently operating rail lines in Radictistan are built to 1435 mm gauge. A state-owned concern, Royal Radictistan Railways, enjoys a legal monopoly on rail traffic, both of passengers and freight with an exception for some mineral traffic on privately-owned lines.
Royal Radictistan Railways operates four types of passenger services. Local and Regional services are characterized by frequent stops and relatively low speeds. They are by definition restricted to within a single county. The two differ in the level of onboard service. Regional trains have first class seating and food service while Local trains are glorified commuter services with none of those amenities. Intercity trains are faster and do not stop at all stations like the lower-level trains. These services are longer reaching and cross country boundaries. The highest level of service is displayed by the Intercity Express, operating exclusively on the high-speed Nuxenstat-Hartfer and Nuxenstat-Beschertal Main Lines. Passengers on these trains enjoy in-seat food service and speeds up to 220 kilometers per hour, allowing them to complete their entire journey in only a few hours.
Freight transport by rail is essential to the health of the Radictistani economy. It is for this reason that the rail network is most dense in Norcustsur, where trains carry the metal ores, coal, and other raw materials demanded by Radictistani industry as well as the finished products. Freight carriage in many instances acts as a financial counterweight, allowing RRR to operate local passenger services at a loss. Rail transport is the primary means of carrying the Royal Mail.
There are 44,184 route-kilometers of motorways in the Grand Duchy of Radictistan connecting Nuxenstat with all the provincial capitals. In the densely-populated western half of the country, motorways frequently contain three or more lanes in each direction. In the predominately rural Counties of Yestingsur and Eastval, motorways usually comprise two and sometimes only one lane in each direction. The maximum speed limit on Radictistani motorways is 130 km/h. With the country's low level of motor vehicle ownership, high petrol prices, and the predominance of the rail network, the motorway does not approach the railway network in terms of economic importance. Radictistani motorways are numbered based on their cardinal direction. Motorways running roughly north to south receive even numbers while motorways running east to west are given odd numbers.
Radictistan has a large merchant marine to transport its essential exports and imports. This consists of 394 ships of over 1,000 gross tonnage flying the Radictistani ensign. These include bulk carriers (25), general cargo vessels (40), chemical tankers (39), container vessels (102), LNG tankers (7), petroleum tankers (18), reefers (17), vehicle carriers (2), and passenger vessels (6). A large number of Radictistani-owned ships are flagged in foreign countries, 517 at the last official count. The main commercial ports are located at Ghorma and Baronshas on the east coast, Brightburg on the west coast, and Kalanach on the Hyarp Cape. Ghorma and Baronshas are the main points of departure for Radictistani mineral and agricultural exports respectively, while Brightburg is used more commonly to send and receive finished goods as well as petroleum and chemical products. Coastal traffic is also important, primarily in bringing raw minerals from Norcustsur down to production facilities on the West Coast. In addition to the Royal Radictistani Merchant Marine, Radictistani seamen can be commonly found on foreign-flagged ships. Radictistan has several world-class training facilities for merchant mariners including two national government-funded institutions: Brightburg Maritime Academy and Kalanach Maritime Academy. The low price level in Radictistani allows them to undercut foreign nationals in the global labor market.
Radictistan has 339 civil airfields, of which 224 have paved runways. The largest are the international airports, Nuxenstat Xenocimedes Radicti International Airport (NXR) and Norcust-Hartfer International Airport (NH) The state carrier, Royal Radictistan Airways, has the largest market share for domestic scheduled passenger services and a legal monopoly on international flights. Its main competitor is Norcust Aviation, based at Norcust-Hartfer in Norcustusr. Two low-cost carriers, Blue Kestrel Airways and Eastval Airlines also perform scheduled passenger flights within the country. Tupolev airliners are the most common in Radictistani fleets for domestic flights. Long-haul routes are most frequently served by Ilyushin and Boeing models. Air travel has always been a secondary means of internal transport compared to rail and will be for the foreseeable future. Few Radictistanis can afford to travel by air often. However, many of Radictistan's higher-valued imports and exports travel by air. The main gateway for international air freight is Norcust-Hartfer.
Energy
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Electricity generation in Radictistan is managed by the state power monopoly, Royal Radictistan Energy. About sixty-four percent of Radictistan's electricity comes from nuclear power, with the remaining percentage mostly accounted for by hydroelectric plants and wind turbines. Only a small number of fossil fuel plants are in operation on the national grid. A number of industrial plants, mostly aluminum smelters, have their own coal-powered power stations on site. These are not connected to the main power grid and only serve the adjacent factory.
The Radictistani economy, like most others, demands large quantities of petroleum products. About 3.8 million barrels of oil are consumed each day. While Radictistan does have domestic supplies of petroleum in the form of offshore oil platforms and coal liquefaction, it has to import the majority of its supply from overseas. Most of this external supply comes from Orkjestad, Yaroslavl, and the Glorious Empire of the Scandinvans. To maximize the efficacy of petroleum usage, Radictistanis have long been accustomed to taking measure to increase energy efficiency. Radictistani buildings tend to be very well insulated with thick outer walls, and petrol is heavily taxed to minimize personal consumption.
Demographics
The population of Radictistan according to the most recent official census is 528,440,000. However it is acknowledged that the official figure is likely to undercount the actual population by up to a couple million persons due to the presence of difficult to reach groups such as the inhabitants of blutstats. The fertility rate remains slightly above the replacement rate. Despite historically high unemployment rates, the Radictistani government has encouraged immigration with generous visa policies, particularly for skilled workers and relatives of Radictistani citizens. Population density is 269 persons per square kilometer with the western counties being the most densely populated.
Urbanization
Largest cities or towns in Radictistan
Radictistan Census Bureau | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Counties of Radictistan | Pop. | |||||||
 Nuxenstat  Hartfer |
1 | Nuxenstat | Greater Nuxenstat | 17,209,833 | |||||
| 2 | Hartfer | Norcustsur | 14,389,674 | ||||||
| 3 | Brightburg | Erdwoodsur | 7,438,120 | ||||||
| 4 | Wussrhas | Hyarpsur | 6,725,214 | ||||||
| 5 | Luerkraft | Norcustsur | 6,497,568 | ||||||
| 6 | Barking | Westwoodsur | 6,159,343 | ||||||
| 7 | Ghorma | Yestingsur | 5,603,261 | ||||||
| 8 | Beschertal | Eastval | 5,257,442 | ||||||
| 9 | Baronshas | Eastval | 4,730,871 | ||||||
| 10 | Redclay | Norcustsur | 3,065,284 | ||||||
Ethnic groups
Radictistan is an extremely homogeneous country, with ninety-four percent of the population being of "white" racial extraction. Most of these are of Germanic or Slavic descent. The most statistically significant minority ethnic groups are the Radictistani Arabs who comprise about three percent of the population. There is no history of serious tension between these three groups.
Language
The Constitution of Radictistan declares the Radictistani language to be the national language of the country. Legal status is also given to the German and English languages. All government business is conducted in Radictistani, although members of the public may request that any document or proceeding be served in either German or English. In practice, official forms for use by citizens are almost always provided in all three languages. The Radictistani government does not in any way proscribe the use of other languages in private communication.
Radictistani is a West Germanic language mutually intelligible to the standard German language. It is often considered a mere dialect of German, sharing most of the elder language's vocabulary albeit with significant orthographic and pronunciation differences in many cases. A particularly prominent feature of the language is a relative lack of diphthongs compared to standard German. Radictistani includes a significant amount of Slavic vocabulary as a result of the country's immigrant heritage.
Religion
Radictistan is a fiercely secular country. A rigid separation between the state and religion is mandated by the Constitution. Subsequently, the public sphere is kept free of religious influences to the point where it is almost unheard of for a politician to invoke the name of a deity in their public rhetoric. Religious symbols of any kind are prohibited on public property with the exception of small items on clothing. Most Radictistanis favor the status quo in terms of religious policy and public displays of religious fervor, especially proselytizing, are frowned upon. Only a very small number of religion-themed broadcasters, such as Puissant Word Radio in Nuxenstat, are tolerated by the broadcast regulator.
The government does not record statistics of people's religious preference, but the majority of religious Radictistanis adhere to various sects of Christianity. Islam is commonly practiced by members of the Arab minority.
Health
Radictistan has a single-payer health care system which provides theoretically universal coverage to Radictistani residents. Most hospitals, clinics, and other medical providers are privately owned and operated. Funding for the system comes from taxation and copayments made by patients. In practice the system is underfunded and leaves numerous gaps in the provision of care to the population. This leads many to either avoid the government payment system or forego care. Radictistan has only 2.33 hospital beds per 1000 persons, well below the availability in developed countries.
Life expectancy in Radictistan at birth is 69.2 years for males and 73.6 years for females. Major factors which affect public health in Radictistan include high rates of alcoholism and tobacco use as well as elevated rates of infectious disease in blutstats and other deprived areas.
Education
Primary and secondary education
School attendance in Radictistan is compulsory for twelve years until age seventeen, the age of majority in Radictistan. This includes five years of primary school beginning at age five, then two years of Preparatory School. The students then take the Comprehensive Aptitude Assessment (CAA) at age 13. Based on this exam, students are then placed into either Gymnasium (for university-bound students) or a Vocational School for those bound for the traditional workforce such as manufacturing. These programs last for four years. Gymnasium graduates will often then attend university for four years. Apprenticeship programs are commonly integrated into Vocational School programs. Some vocational students take further education at the tertiary level to acquire more advanced technical skills.
Most primary and secondary students in Radictistan attend state schools, which are funded by County governments although a common national curriculum must be followed. The quality of the education provided by state schools varies from region to region depending on the prosperity of the County and the emphasis placed on education there. Students in state-funded secondary schools receive limited paramilitary training during one of their final two years.
Private schools are also present in Radictistan. Their students originate primarily from the upper classes and especially the nobility. Many are boarding institutions catering to the very wealthy and well-connected. All private schools in Radictistan must follow the national curriculum in order to legally operate. Home schooling is extremely rare, but legal if the parent-instructor follows national curriculum requirements. Graduates of home schooling must undertake a battery of tests to receive their certification that they have completed their compulsory education.
In practice, many Radictistani children do not attend school. These are mostly blutstaters who cannot be located by school officials and whose parents distrust the government too much to allow their children to attend. These parents generally cannot afford private education for their children and so the children remain uneducated except at home.
Tertiary education
Radictistan has a number of prestigious universities. The University of Nuxenstat is academically rigorous as well as politically well-connected. Along with Krassner University, Baron's College, and Weiss College it is a top-notch liberal arts insitution. The Nuxenstat Institute of Technology and the University of Eastval cater to those seeking to master engineering and the sciences. Many of Radictistan's premier universities are members of the Radictistan Research and Education Network, a special high-capacity internet protocol backbone network for research and education purposes.
Overall the Radictistani educational system produces a surplus number of persons each year with marketable trade skills. Many of these persons emigrate to foreign countries as merchant mariners and guest-workers in both agricultural and industrial settings. Their remittances from abroad represent an essential source of earnings for many people who continue to reside in more impoverished departments and municipalities within Radictistan.
Culture
Radictistanis are commonly stereotyped as being crude and cynical. There is a certain amount of truth to that assumed reputation, borne from the underperforming economy and a government which is often ineffective at providing basic services. Radictistanis often have to make do or do without and this leaves an indelible mark on the national character. This is especially evident within Radictistani humor, which is often self or culturally-deprecating and almost always sardonic in nature.
Radictistanis tend to love their country but hate their government and its institutions. The military is practically the only public institution to arouse anything but contempt from the majority of the population. While it is generally respected, foreign visitors are often shocked by the lack of deferential treatment accorded to military personnel by civilians. Despite being cynical about their own country, Radictistanis are prone to cultural posturing bordering on xenophobia. There is a commonly held belief that Radictistan is the most desirable country to live in because it is the most free, the conception being that other countries are authoritarian in nature.
Sexual mores are fairly relaxed in Radictistan. A majority of Radictistanis become sexually active prior to marriage. Prostitution and other sexually-related industries operate "above ground" and with little additional scrutiny. A number of municipalities have attempted to establish themselves as destinations for sex tourism.
One aspect of Radictistani culture which rarely fails to bemuse foreigners is the national fascination with firearms. It has been said, with absolute truth, that Radictistan has more guns than people. Private ownership of firearms is completely unregulated and almost every household has one or more. There is a strong feeling that firearm ownership is an essential part of citizenship. For many, the high level of violent crime makes it a necessity. The government encourages private stockpiling of arms by providing tax incentives for the purchase of assault rifles compatible with the ammunition used by the military. This schutzkultur as the Radictistanis call it is an indispensable part of the national way of life.
Media
Television
A public broadcaster, the Radictistan Broadcasting Service, dominates the television market. The RBS has five national and seven regional channels, one for each County. The RBS is wholly-owned by the Radictistani government but is largely free of outside editorial pressure. It operates using terrestrial broadcast as well as cable and satellite services. There are two private satellite providers, SkyRad and Worldview, plus one national cable provider, Westlink. Internet Protocol Television is available in some major cities. All television providers are required to include all RBS channels in their channel lineup. The RBS is funded by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
All remaining analog television broadcasts were shut off in February 2020.
Radictistani broadcasting laws make it impossible for large private terrestrial television networks to form. For that reason many television programs not developed for the RBS are distributed via first-run syndication. This practice allows local television stations which lack the resources to create an all-day schedule using their own programming to remain on air at all hours.
The RadSat constellation of satellites provides global transmission of both Radictistani and foreign television channels.
The major newspapers are the Radictistan Times which holds a center-right editorial stance and the Nuxenstat Word which serves as a mouthpiece for left-wing politics. Second-tier papers include the far-right Radictistan Patriotic Daily and the Brightburg Times. Political parties are not legally permitted to own newspapers or any other form of media outlet. However this regulation is easily circumvented through individual ownership by party leaders.
Radio
There are roughly 2,700 licensed radio stations in the Grand Duchy of Radictistan. A majority are FM stations broadcasting over a limited area in the 87.5 to 108 MHz band. Many other stations, including eleven affiliated with the RBS, broadcast using amplitude modulation within the 531 to 1611 KHz band. There are also two licensed shortwave stations in Radictistan. The first is used by the RBS World Service. The other license is held by a station catering to deep sea fishermen and merchant mariners. Radictistani law prevents the concentration of radio station ownership, ensuring the continued independence of most stations to higher corporate authority. Public radio is also common at the lower level, with many municipalities operating AM or FM stations. Longwave transmission is used for time signals.
Cuisine
Radictistani cuisine is best described as simple but filling. Preserved meats, fish, root vegetables, and cereals are the primary elements of the national diet. "Eating out" is generally associated only with the wealthier classes. A variety of street food can be purchased in urban areas, with the level of complexity and hygience varying depending on the level of propserity in the region. The primacy of specific meals varies between different parts of the country, dinner being the largest and most elaborate in urban areas while lunch retains primacy in some rural places. The array of dishes available varies little by region except for greater prominence of seafood in the western Counties. Radictistanis are generally willing to embrace foreign cuisines if the latter meets the demands of their palates. A variety of ethnic restaurants can be found in larger cities. Few Radictistanis can afford to eat outside the home often, but those who can are often the cosmopolitan sort most willing to try new and exotic dishes.
Radictistanis have a reputation for being hard drinkers and local drinking establishments serve a very important role in both rural and urban social life. Beer and vodka are the preferred beverages. Hard cider has a following in the western Counties, Westwoodsur and Erdwoodsur, but is virtually unknown in other parts of the country. The mass market beverage industry is controlled in large part by the Continental Beverage Company headquartered in Beschertal, Eastval. Public consumption of alcohol is legally and socially accepted everywhere in Radictistan. It is not uncommon to see people enjoying beer or another beverage on the street or even on public transit when food and drink are not prohibited.
Cinema
The Radictistani film industry is mostly centered in Nuxenstat and Brightburg. The industry is only a minor contributor to the Radictistani economy as rampant copyright infringement and a general lack of disposable income discourage investment. Budgets tend to be small and international distribution is rare. Among the few great box office successes are the ultra low-budget Codzilla: Guardian of the Deep, the first of three films in the Codzilla franchise, and the satirical The Kids Are Dead and We Ran Out of Soy Milk about a disgruntled policeman.
Sports
Popular team sports in Radictistan include football, rugby football, and ice hockey. Professional football operates under the aegis of the Radictistani Football Association. Shooting sports are extremely popular as a byproduct of the country's deeply rooted gun culture.
Notes
- ↑ Does not include employees of KMM engaged in non-mining activities.