Walakia
The Walakian Union Unia Wołoska | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
Motto: Do zwycięstwa, do rewolucji; Do rewolucji, do sprawiedliwości (Walakian: To victory, for revolution; To revolution, for justice) | |
 Walakia in Northwest Meridon | |
| Capital | Podogorov |
| Largest city | Janusawa |
| Official languages | Walakian |
| Recognised regional languages | Nyubessed |
| Ethnic groups |
|
| Demonym(s) | Walakian, Walakians |
| Government | Single Party State |
• Premier | Cibor Donat Jankowski |
| Legislature | Politburo |
| Establishment | |
• Formation of a unified Walakian Kingdom | 1362 |
• Establishment of the modern era Kingdom of Walakia | 16th of October 1816 |
• Pronouncement of the Walakian Union | 19th of November 1928 |
| Area | |
• | 514,682 km2 (198,720 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2018 estimate | 82,867,120 (5) |
• 2010 census | 81,521,910 |
• Density | 161,006/km2 (417,003.6/sq mi) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | $1,020,922,918,400 NSD (8) |
• Per capita | $12,320 NSD |
| Currency | Suwerenny |
| Date format | dd-mm-yyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Internet TLD | .wu |
The Walakian Union (Walakian: Unia Wołoska) is a unitary single party state located on the Northwest coast of the Meridonian continent of Greater Meridon. It is an ethnically homogeneous state with a handful of notable minorities. Under the guidance of the single Vanguardist ruling party, Walakia has gone from a badly weakened Kingdom to a stable, powerful modern, if poorer than many of the more developed nations, republic. Walakia in spite of its nonparticipation in most multinational organizations remains a significant influencer in Northwest Meridon.
The first human populations arrived in Walakia roughly 7,000 years ago. Human populations remained relatively small throughout most of the early human period as, at first, game animals were quite difficult to hunt, and later because the land was poorly suited to agriculture. As a result the formation of complex societies in the region that would become Walakia was delayed for an extensive period of time, with the population remaining in fairly small tribes until roughly 2,500 years ago when larger fishing settlements were established on the south Walakian coast. Due to the small population, Walakia survived the plagues that swept through the region at the end of the Classical Period relatively intact.
During the early Post-Classical period, societies in the Walakian region would grow more complex. Throughout the 9th centuries a number of petty kingdoms would be established. It was the ethnically Bessed Kingdom of Bessia however, that would come to dominate the region for two centuries after its foundation in the early 11th. It wouldn't be until the mid 13th century that a Walakian Kingdom under a succession of ambitious kings that ethnic Walakians would rule the region. When Răscumpărare spread to the region in the early 16th century, the ruling dynasty quickly adopted the new faith, and in an attempt to immortalize the dynasty appropriated an ancient religious and temporal title of Watażki (roughly translated as Holy Warlord), embarking on a series of holy wars to "civilize" the animist tribal areas in the far north of the Walakian region. These efforts would see Walakia's northern frontier pushed roughly to its modern border. Walakia would resist the liberal revolutionary period of the 18th century and maintain instead dramatically centralize the previous feudal order under a nearly totalitarian absolute monarchy.
Throughout the 19th century, Walakia would engage in several wars of aggression against its Datch neighbors seeking to secure the resource rich Stor Flod Valleys and Northern Wolfbriar slopes of the region, while simultaneously defending against aggression from Göke. The Walakian Kingdom would end during the Valden War, with the casualties and suffering caused by the war resulting in the overthrow of the Kingdom and the establishment of a Vanguardist Republic in Walakia, followed by its prompt withdrawal from the war. The socialist government of Walakia isolated itself for most of the rest of the 20th century, focusing instead on the modernization and expansion of the Walakian nation. Following the Capisarian revolution, Walakia became slightly more active in international affairs, aligning itself loosely with Capisaria.
Walakia is a large nation, but backward in comparison to many of the other great nations of Meridon. It possesses the 8th largest economy in Greater Meridon, but is only barely a developed nation according to the Meridonian Economic Development Index. Walakia's population is highly concentrated in the Western and Southern regions of the nation with the North and East fairly empty in comparison. Living standards are spartan in Walakia, but basic needs are regularly met. Walakia is a major military power in Northwest Meridon second only to Finorskia in the size of its military and third in defense spending.
Etymology
The term Walakia is derived from an ancient deity in the region in the traditional regional animist religions. Wułaskun the protector was widely considered the most important of the spirits in the ancient faiths, and the followers of that tradition gradually adopted the deity's name as a demonym, and when unified under a single kingdom, the people of the region called the new state Walakia. The demonym for denizens of Walakia is Walakian; the plural is Walakians.
History
Human Settlement and Early History
Anatomically modern humans first arrived in the Walakian region roughly 7,000 years ago, spreading over the Gökan steppe as hunter-gatherers. Initial population counts remained low for several thousand years as the cold climate made food sources scarce in comparison to warmer lands to the south. Small tribal groups would remain the dominant form of social organization for several thousand years. Agriculture would come to the Walakian region, but would remain small scale. The first permanent settlements, largely fishing villages with some agricultural lands, would eventually be established in the Walakian region along the south coast roughly 2,500 years ago. Smaller scale settlements would slowly spread further north throughout the Late Classical Period. Population density however, would remain low, resulting in far less damage caused to Walakia when the Plague of the Late Classical swept through Northwest Meridon.
In the early Post-Classical, centralized tribal structures eventually became more organized until early feudal petty kings established states in the western and southern areas of the Walakian region. The first major power in the region would rise under the Bessed Tarczany Dynasty which established the Kingdom of Bessia in 1011. Bessia would dominate politics in the Southwest Walak region for nearly two centuries, exerting influence over, or absorbing smaller petty kingdoms, though it would avoid contact with Datch Kingdoms which were much stronger even than Bessia. The ethnic Walakian petty kingdoms would fail to unify throughout most of the Post-Classical period, though stronger petty kings proved better able to resist Bessia's influence.
When the Gökan Diktatör a staunch Răscumpărarist moved into the eastern steppes of Walakia, at that time a small Petty Kingdom, the ruler of the land, Cibor II Krankowski, was presented with an ultimatum, convert of be conquered. Cibor II elected to convert, and engaged in a mass conversion event throughout his realm. Cibor II would take to his conversion with abandon, adopting the cause of spreading the Răscumpărare faith. Adopting and re-purposing an ancient title, Watażki, Cibor II set about the unification of the region under the banner of Walakia and Răscumpărarist religious doctrine.
Unification Wars
Under the direction of the Krankowski Dynasty, Walakia would launch a series of wars to unify the Walakian region under a single banner. Initial invasions occurred in the first decade of the 16th century when Walakia successfully invaded and conquered the petty Kingdoms of Halinów, Żyrardów, and Kolima, maintaining control either by making existing rulers convert and serve as vassals, or establishing new Răscumpărarist vassals in the conquered realms. Cibor II would die shortly after the campaign in Kolima however, leading to the ascension of Konstanty I. Konstanty proved less radical than his father in his adoption of Răscumpărare and his brief, seven year reign would prove peaceful in comparison to other rulers during this time period. He was replaced with his younger brother Cibor III in 1517 who, as a puppet for Cibor II's hardliner vassals continued the wars of unification.
Walakia turned its attentions to the petty Kingdom of Janusawa, one of the more powerful petty kingdoms in Walakia, in 1519, defeating the Janusawan armies at the battles of Dánsk, Krunkow, and Stiblenz before settling into besiege Janusawa itself. Janusawa would seek the support of another nearby petty Kingdoms of Stisgrod and Falkengrod of whom Stisgrod would respond. An attempt was made by the Stisgrader army to relieve the city of Janusawa, but was crushed at the battle of the Jankowski Estates which would result in the bending of the knee of Stisgrod's king to Walakia, and the continuing siege of Janusawa which would surrender after two years in early 1521, securing Walakia's access to the sea, and establishing the Kingdom as the dominant force in the region. After a number of other feudal rulers submitted to Walakian authority over the next three years, Cibor III would be crowned as King of the Walakians in 1524.
Walakia would come into conflict with Bessia in 1527 as Bessia launched an attempted campaign to contain Walakian expansion. In the summer campaign of 1527, Bessia would launch a deeply penetrative attack into South Walakia rapidly cutting a swath through the territory and effectively cutting the Kingdom of Walakia in half while the Walakians began to gather their levies into an effective fighting force. In the winter of 1527-1528 however, Walakia struck back, utterly destroying the Bessian Army at the battle of Watazkis, and then launching a prolonged campaign in the spring and summer of 1528 that captured a number of Bessian towns, and rampaged throughout the countryside. In the sieges of 1528-1529, Walakia would force the eventual capitulation and absorbtion of Bessia into the expanding Walakian Kingdom, leaving Walakia the sole major power in the Walakian region and having completed the unification of the "civilized" regions of Walakia.
Northern Świętwojna
During the mid and late 16th century, the kings of the Krankowski dynasty would attempt to spread the Răscumpărarist faith to the tribal peoples of the north. To this effect, Cibor IV would declare the Świętwojna or holy war against the tribal peoples in 1534. Unlike the more centralized and sedentary peoples of the Southern Walakian region, the northerners proved difficult to subjugate and despite years of frequent campaigning in the region, barely any territory was captured, and the efforts of missionaries proved no more effective than that of armies. Campaigns in Northern Walakia began to stall out more significantly by 1540, with little being accomplished more than the destruction of the some villages in the border region. Tribal groups proved resilient raiding Walakian villages and forts, and avoiding a direct confrontation with the Walakians in open battle.
After the death of Cibor IV in 1546, a succession of weak Krankowski Watażkis were unable to penetrate the tribal lands, and even suffered a number of humiliating defeats throughout the 1550s and 1560s. The growing frustration with the direction of the conflict led to a coup against the Krankowski rulers by a prominent noble, and Captain General of the Walakian Army, Janus Pierwszy who ascended to the throne as Janus II of Walakia, immediately changing tactics in the conflict. The Campaign of 1572 would see a deep penetration of tribal lands to attack one of the few sizable permanent settlements at Zabki in order to force open battle from the tribes. Pierwszy got his field battle in the Battle of Zabki where the tribals were crushed utterly, and made largely ineffective as a military force. Most of the tribes were subjugated by 1575 with only a few surviving tribes fleeing into territory nominally claimed by the Kingdom of Falkenslovask. With this victory, Walakia was finally considered united, and the tribes of the north were considered civilized when converted to Răscumpărare.
The Era of Absolutism
After the unification of Walakia, the Kingdom would enter an extended period of relative peace. The Pierwszy dynasty would rule with increasing authority throughout the 17th century. However, efforts at the consolidation at power would prove unpopular, and much of the nobility would attempt to revolt against the rule of the Pierwszy family. Revolts were swiftly crushed however, with the deployment of mercenaries from the south, the execution of rebel leaders, and their replacement with more loyal families. It was ironically the nobility of Old Bessia that would prove the most loyal in this time, having been partially assimilated into the ethnic Walakian ruling class. By the end of the 17th century, Walakia had successfully transitioned from a feudal to an absolute monarchy, and had began to assemble a powerful professional army that would act as the enforcing arm of the monarchy.
During the early 18th century, Walakia would see an era of peace as the Pierwszys finalized their control of the realm. During the middle decades of the century however, Walakia would engage in several minor border conflicts with Gökan tribes in the east, to a limited extent in the north in Falkenslovak, and with Datchlia to the south. These conflicts however, resulted only in minor border changes. Walakia would fall into chaos in the late 18th century when liberal revolutionaries spurred on by enlightenment philosophy, which had spread to the region through Datchlia, began to engage in frequent revolts and terror attacks. The monarchy responded with the relentless application of military force, once again hiring mercenaries and using the loyal professional army to smash nascent rebellions and destroy liberal organizations. The largest rebellion, in 1792, nearly succeeded in marching on Podogorov, before being crushed at the gates of the city. Ongoing struggle would continue into the 19th century, but the position Watażki would remain secure.
In the 19th century, Walakia would engage in several wars particularly in the later half of the century. Walakia would be the aggressor in the first of these conflicts, invading the Datch Union with the support of Narendia in the First Walakian Datchium War, and successfully annexing nearly two thirds of Unionist territory. The Second Walakian Datchium War would be less successful as the target Datchlia had secured outside alliances. The Third Walakian Datchium War would succeed in the seizure of the resource rich western bank of the Stor Flod. Wars in Datchlia would come to an end however, when Göke launche several campaigns to secure mineral fields in the steppes. The Plains Wars, fought between 1888 and 1894 saw Walakia lose significant stretches of territory to the Gökans, though the second attempt at a Gökan invasion would fail. The years of constant warfare resulted in serious weakening of the professional Walakian Army, and revealed to the Watażki, Adrianos Pierwszy, that a professional force was no longer capable of fighting the wars that Walakia needed to face, and in 1898 conscription was instated, increasing available military manpower, though many suspect this came at the cost of political loyalty to the crown.
In the early 20th century, the Walakian monarchy faced low level acts of terrorism at the behest of militant socialists, who were inspired by the works of Mariana Ortega and Renauld Artald as well as successful revolution in Bozton. The monarchy would maintain control however, until the Kingdom of Walakia's fateful intervention in the Valden War. Joining the war in 1925 by invading Göke to reclaim the mineral rich eastern plains. Disastrous campaigns in 1925, 1926 resulted in devastation for Walakians. Gökan raids destroyed food stores throughout the eastern parts of the country. Socialist riots broke out against the monarchy as early as late 1927 destabilize the regime, and with the increasingly disloyal military refusing to crush the rebellion, or even defecting to the rebel cause further weakened the monarchy. Backed by elements of the military, the Vanguardist Party under Jens Pilsdkuski seizes power in the capital in March of 1928 overthrowing the Watażki and establishing a socialist republic. Walakia would withdraw from the Valden War in the following month.
Walakian Union
The fledgling Walakian Union struggled to rebuild its diplomatic relations after decades of war waged under the monarchy, and their own withdrawal from a wartime alliance. It instead pursued a more isolationist foreign policy paired with a push to dramatically increase the economic capacity of the Walakian state. Several consecutive economic three year plans would see rapid industrialization, particularly in the comparatively underdeveloped north. Such developments would come at a cost however, when a decline in agricultural output, partially the result of favoring industrial production over food production, resulted in several years of famine, with the most intense part of the famine in 1941 proving to be worst year with nearly 300,000 dying of starvation. During the Continuation War, the Walakians would produce arms for the forces resisting Valden in exchange for food, this arrangement would stabilize and eventually put an end to the famine and secure funding for further development in Walakia.
In the 1960s, Walakian policy under Premier Gerwazy Ryba would be to expand the population of Walakia and to exploit natural resources in regions previously undeveloped regions. The population of Walakia would explode throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s, with small population centers in remote regions becoming major cities as mining and extraction operations popped up throughout northern and eastern Walakia, and even Stor Flod cities expanded in size. Over the course of three decades, Walakia went from backwater to northwestern industrial power. The 80s in particular would see a dramatic increase in Walakian sales as the increasing unrest in many nations broke into outright civil war. Walakia would take particular interesting in supplying socialist rebels in Capisaria and securing the overthrow the Federal Republic.
After the success of the 1991 revolutions, a more peaceful region saw the decline of Walakian industry as exports became less necessary in the new order. The Walakian economy went into a slight decline in the 1990s. A more socialist regional order however, caused Walakia to begin a realignment itself towards newly established socialist regimes. Though it would remain outside of multinational organizations, Walakia began to establish more active relationships with leftist regimes throughout Meridon. Simultaneously, Walakia took a more aggressive stance against its capitalist neighbors.
Geography
The Walakian Union possesses a land area of square kilometers 514,682, and is located in Northwest Meridon bordering Finorskia, Göke, Golaria, Narendia, Datchlia, and the Datch Union, and is composed of a varied terrain. Environmental degredation is severe in Walakia and remains a serious problem for the nation in spite of efforts in the most recent three year plans to correct this problem.
Climate and Physical Geography
Walakia is in the northern temperate and northern subpolar climate regions. The southernmost parts of Walakia are part of the Maritime region, while most of the interior is of the Hemiboreal in nature. The northern coast is of a subpolar oceanic climate, while the northern interior is Subarctic in nature. Walakia's southern border is defined by the Stor Flod, but aside from this, there are few large rivers in Walakia with the interior having smaller rivers and streams. Walakia also has few large mountains despite possessing hilly terrain throughout the nation. The highest point in Walakia is the Góra Rozpaczy at 1,410 meters in height and its lowest is in Bessia at half a meter below sea level.
Biodiversity and Conservation
Walakia is lacking somewhat in biodiversity with only 500 species of animals and vascular plants in spite of being comprised of several climate regions. This is often in large part due to the damage caused to the ecosystem caused by decades of heavy industrial activity in the nation which has caused severe environmental degredation. In recent years however, efforts have been made by the Walakian government to improve environmental conditions under the banner of the Ministry for Environmental Conservation (formerly the Ministry of Forestry and Parks) with the last few three year plans emphasizing a need to correct damage done to the ecosystem as an economic imperative as much as an ecological one.
Demographics
According to the most recent, 2012 Walakian census, Walakia has a population of 82,867,120. The population of Walakia has been growing fairly quickly, at a rate of roughly .416% per annum. Walakia is an ethnically homogeneous nation with a the Walakian ethnic group representing 82% of the total population, with one notable minority, the Bessed peoples having a significant population (7%), primarily located along the Northwest coast. Additionally local minorities of Datch, Falkenslovask, and Gökan peoples exist, particularly in the border regions. Walakia is largely areligious with 60% of the population not-affiliating with any organized religion. The largest religious group is the Răscumpărare group at 29% of the population, the Beshai-Atlug faith of the Bessed people is a popular regional religion, and there are a some Diternal traditionalists, and a following of traditional Animism. Roughly 63% reports being lgbt, with a large number being practioners of Răscumpărare.
Walakia is fairly heavily urbanized with seven tenths of the population living in urban areas (being defined as settlements with a population greater than twenty thousand); 34% of the population lives in the twenty largest urban centers. There are currently 35 cities in Walakia with a population greater than one hundred thousand, eleven with a population over one million, and four with a population greater than two million. Most of the population lives on the coast, with most of the larger urban centers being within one hundred fifty kilometers of the coast or less. Walakia has seen a slowdown in rates of urbanization in comparison to past years.
Largest cities or towns in Walakia
2012 Census | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Prefecture | Pop. | Rank | Prefecture | Pop. | ||||
 Janusawa  Stisgrod |
1 | Janusawa | Janusawa | 2,816,191 | 11 | Sowia Wola | Sowia Wola | 1,068,125 |  Falkengrod  Bessia |
| 2 | Stisgrod | Stisgrod | 2,456,671 | 12 | Halinów | Halinów | 885,112 | ||
| 3 | Falkengrod | Falkengrod | 2,371,195 | 13 | Mokre | Janusawa | 866,647 | ||
| 4 | Bessia | Bessia | 2,172,681 | 14 | Pecsz | Pecsz | 762,872 | ||
| 5 | Podogorov | Podogorov | 1,971,899 | 15 | Teresin | Teresin | 747,486 | ||
| 6 | Zabki | Zabki | 1,896,570 | 16 | Żyrardów | Żyrardów | 632,564 | ||
| 7 | Pruszków | Pruszków | 1,711,079 | 17 | Sokule | Julinek | 567,960 | ||
| 8 | Truskaw | Truskaw | 1,470,805 | 18 | Wostkitki | Zabki | 498,540 | ||
| 9 | Otwok | Otwok | 1,419,115 | 19 | Ellend | Bessia | 423,871 | ||
| 10 | Julinek | Julinek | 1,376,986 | 20 | Boda | Bessia | 401,109 | ||
Government
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The Walakian Union is a unitary republic and single party state led by the Walakian People's Vanguardist Party. Political involvement is limited only to members of that party, with party members electing high level government officials. The rights of minorities are protected by the Vanguardist Walakian Constitution, protections which are strictly enforced by constitution provisions. The Walakian Politburo is the dominant element of the national government, responsible for the legislation of new laws, power of purse, and ratification of treaties. In comparison the executive Premier, is nearly powerless with only some legislative review powers and the ability to appoint administration officials to enforce laws. There is no independent judiciary. Below the national government there are the Prefectures, which govern Walakian cities and their metropolitan areas.
Foreign Policy
Walakia maintains peaceable but distant relations with other Meridonian states. The Walakian Union maintains embassies in most Meridonian nations and maintains formal diplomatic relations with all Meridonian nations, possessing Consulates or Representative offices in nations too small to justify full embassies. Walakia however, refuses to formally participate in any multinational organizations. Walakia has had a realignment since the 1991 establishment of the Socialist Republic of Capisaria, from strict isolation towards a more active stance, aligning itself with the socialist states of Capisaria, Verde, and Bozton, while becoming more distant with other more right leaning nations, with some recent flare ups with the Datch State over the Stor Flod Valley.
Economy
Economic Indicators
| Monetary Unit: Suwerenny
Conversion Rate: ɕ = $.91261 NSD Fiscal Year: Calendar Year Nominal GDP: $1,020,922,918,400 NSD GDP per Capita: $12,320 NSD Labor Force: 53,863,628 Unemployment: 3,501,135 (6.5%) |
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The Walakian economy operates on a centrally planned, socialist model, with the state overseeing most aspects of economic development and planning, with some independence granted to research and development groups in order to spur technical innovation. Walakia is and exporter of goods, with the indigenous armaments industry providing for the bulk value of exports, followed closely by fossil fuels. Walakia uses the Suwerenny (ɕ) as its main form of currency, though some Walakians, particularly in coastal cities will sometimes accept Meridonian units instead.
The Walakian labor force is 53,863,628 strong. The state is the largest employer, providing 34% of the jobs in Walakia, this is followed by light manufacturing (17%), arms manufacturing (10%) and fossil fuel extraction (9%). Union membership in Walakia is mandatory and nearly every adult participates in union activity to some extent.
Unemployment and Poverty
Poverty is fairly uncommon in the Walakian Union, and highly concentrated in rural areas, and among the unemployed. Roughly 14% of the Walakian populace lives below the Meridonian poverty line. The Walakian government has taken significant steps to reduce poverty, but state efforts have been concentrated in cities with the countryside fairly unattended. Though Walakia nominally guarantees employment for all members of its workforce, heavy automation of industry created significant structural unemployment within the past fifteen years, structural unemployment that has only been partially accounted for. Unemployed persons represent roughly 6.5% of the work force with half of these being structurally unemployed people undergoing retraining.
Infrastructure
Walakia is a developed nation with infrastructure having received significant investment from the state. Transit overland is largely done by via an extensive rail network. Air travel is uncommon among the general populace but there are several airports for long distance cargo hauling, and fifteen airports capable of handling international traffic. There are several deepwater ports in Western Walakia, with Janusawa being the largest, and furthest south, the only port that does not freeze over on a regular basis. The telecom infrastructure is reliant on cable networks with satellite communication and over the air communication relatively limited. Power is provided by fossil fuels, usually natural gas extracted from Walakia itself.
Government Finance
The government primarily remains solvent as a result of profits generated from state operated enterprises, particularly arms manufacturing and resource extraction enterprises, which is supplemented by taxation and tariffs. Government expenditure accounts for 55% of the Walakian economy, or $561,507,605,120 NSD. The Walakian Union's national government receives the sum total of all budgeting power, spending money in the devolved administrations as necessary.
Military
The Walakian Union's national defense force is represented wholly in the extensive Walakian People's Defense Force (LSOW), which is under the control of the Walakian Minister for National Defense. It is divided into three branches the Walakian People's Ground Forces (SLLW), the Walakian People's Maritime Forces (SMLW), and the Walakian People's Aerospace Forces (SPKW). The Walakian armed forces are funded directly by the state and supplied by the state as well. Walakia operates on a limited conscription model, with some military personnel being conscripted via lottery. There are currently 725,804 personnel serving in the Walakian armed forces, with the overwhelming majority over five hundred thousand serve in the ground forces, with roughly one hundred thousand each in the maritime and aerospace forces, and roughly a third of the personnel serving being conscripts. Defense spending constitutes 4.1% gdp of Walakia's gdp ($41,857,839,654 NSD per annum). The lion's share, roughly half, of Walakia's defense spending goes towards the ground force, with three tenths going towards the maritime force, and two tenths going to the aerospace forces. Though this has been vehemently denied by the Walakian government, it is widely believed that Walakia possesses a modest nuclear arsenal to deter against Datch nuclear aggression.
Law Enforcement
Law Enforcement is largely provided by Prefecture in the Walakian Union, and is quite extensive in its presence. Prefecture law enforcement is largely responsible for most traditional policing duties; traffic enforcement, beat policing, criminal investigation and counter-terrorism, as well as a few bureaucratic duties outside traditional policing such as vehicle registration. Aside from Prefecture policing agencies, there is the Walakian Ministry for State Security which is responsible for riot control, as well as maintaining the extensive spying network that allows the state to monitor the citizen body. There are currently 1,486,014 persons serving in Walakian law enforcement which receives $51,046,145,920 in aggregate funding.
Human Development
Walakia is a low level Developed nation according to the Meridonian Economic Development Index, with human development somewhat higher than is expected of a nation with its level of development. Walakian development has continued broadly with the central government investing heavily in education specifically, with healthcare also a priority. In recent years, as Walakia's industrial base has become more diversified, there have been efforts made to increase local consumption and as a result improve the living standards of Walakian citizens.
Education
Walakian education is free and mandatory until the age of 18 for all citizens with free but optional university education afterwards. Education funding is significant with the Walakian state prioritizing education in recent years to foster the development of a better educatied workforce, and to provide a stronger base of educated intelligentsia to increase the prestige of Walakian culture. As a result the education system is one of the finer systems in Northwest Meridon. Literacy rates for adults over 15 was recorded at 99.8% as of the 2012 Walakian census.
Healthcare
The Walakian healthcare system, though not as well funded as its education system, is well developed for one of the poorer nations in Meridon. Healthcare for Walakian citizens is free at the point of access, though noncitizens must provide for their own expenses. Healthcare expectations, though lower than some its better develoed neighbors is decent with life expectancy reaching as high as seventy-two years of age.
Daily Life
Daily lifestyles for the average Walakian citizen are fairly spartan in comparison to those of other countries. The Walakian state heavily emphasized meeting basic needs and reconstructing the economy to fully develop the nation in comparison to the Great Powers of the Meridonian continent. As economic parity comes closer to reality however, consumer goods industry has become more important, and now Walakians are beginning to enjoy a lifestyle somewhat approaching those of their wealthier neighbors. Consumer goods have gradually become more common to the average Walakian, but reliance on those technologies is still not as common as they are for more wealthy states.
Culture
Walakia in spite of its fairly homogeneous ethnic makeup is fairly culturally diverse with several distinct regional cultures, particularly in the North-South trajectory. Walakia is broadly atheistic, but many cultural norms, particularly those concerning the family are derived from a Răscumpărare basis. Dance styles vary by region, but generally favor large groups in formalized balls and galas over smaller group dances. Musical styles vary from more traditional (Csárdás being common in Bessia for example) to more modern patriotic styles, and more recently forms of Rock, Jazz, and Hip-hop. Walakia does have a fairly sizable domestic television and film industry, but few Walakian films are shown overseas. Since the revolution pragmatic architecture has been dominant in all public construction. Walakian cuisine tends to be calorie dense with stews, root vegetables, and meats being common food sources, particularly in the northern areas of Walakia. Walakia is a proud sporting nation with Gymnastics and Hockey being the most favored sports, followed by Biathlon, Skiing, and other winter sports also being widely played with Meridonian favored football being comparatively disliked.