Wale

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Democratic Republic of the Walé

7 other official names
  • Tujari:Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Walé
    Welke:Wetakima pan ë Walė mac baai
    Ilangi:Ròɓàgóƙáawík ná Walɛ
    Kamba:Jàmbúríyà Jàmàlá Wàlè
    tbd:tbd
    Mai:tbd
    Badawiyan:جمهورية ويل الديمقراطية
Flag of Walé
Flag
of Walé
Coat of arms
Capital
and
Jagurta
Official languages
Religion
GovernmentFederal semi-presidential republic
• President
Ayen Aliir
• Prime Minister
Asani Okonjo
LegislatureNational Congress
Senate
House of Assembly
Independence
• from Estmere
3 February 1948
Population
• 2018 census
29,586,340

Wale or Walé, officially the Democratic Republic of the Walé (Tujari: Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Walé, Badawiyic: جمهورية والي الديمقراطية, Jumhuriat wa'iilay al-diymuqratia), is a country in Northern Bahia. The population of Wale is 29.5 million. Its capital and largest city is Jagurta. Wale consists of 29 states and its borders in the west reach deep into the middle of the Hamada Desert, while the country's eastern region, where the majority of inhabitants live, features the Walé and Rawaya rivers. The country's economy is centred on agriculture and mining, with some of its prominent natural resources including silver, rhodium, and other rare metals, it being the largest producer of silver in Bahia. It borders Djedet to the west, Habasha to the south, Tusania to the north, and the Coast of Bahia to the east.

Present-day Wale was once part of four North Bahian empires that controlled trans-Hamadan trade: the Galassan Empire, the Dholo Empire, and the Gwarzi Kingdom, and the short-lived Dauda Empire. The area became a protectorate of Estmere in 1846 and was consolidated as a Estmerish colony in 1895. It achieved independence in 1948.

Wale is a unitary semi-presidential republic, with strong executive power vested in its president. Through its strong mining industry, the country was an economic powerhouse in North Bahia during the 1950s and 1960s, though it went through an economic crisis in the 1970s, contributing to a period of political and social upheaval. After a slow recovery, the western region of Cirta unilaterally declared independence in 1994. Its independence remained contested until the 2006 Morton House agreement drafted a new constitutional arrangement and restored Cirta as part of Wale.

The co-official languages of the republic are Estmerish and Tujari, with local indigenous languages also being widely used that include x, and y. In total, there are around 54 different languages spoken in Walé. The country has large populations of Irfanics, Sotirians (primarily Amendists), and various indigenous religions.

Etymology

History

Prehistory

Classical

Early classical Wale, usually accepted as beginning sometime before the 3rd century is characterised by the Sâre system seen across Bahia. This was a highly decentralised system, with the basic polity consisting of a village, and larger polities marked by tribal and ethnic affiliations tended to be more temporary and highly unstable. Though often seen as a democratic system, with village elders ceding authority to decisions by village assemblies, the power of religious figures was great and they eventually came to dominate assembly proceedings.

By the middle half of the 6th century this system had begun to break down with the growth of larger urban centres, known as Mijini, which formed part of the Dayira system. The Mijini were city-states able to exert economic influence on their surrounding areas. They were characterised by a new mercantile elite, who solidified their position through patronage of religious institutions and domination of popular assemblies. Most of the Mijini were initially run by citizen's assemblies, though in time these were largely usurped by oligarchic councils. In time most Mijini were dominated by several large families (Koo), who often combined religious and mercantile roles.

The establishment of the Mijini was due to a large increase in the population, considered in part to be from the transfer of agricultural knowledge from Ancient Djedet, and due to a greater and more efficient extraction of resources, such as gold, silver, and salt. This coincided with a period of increased warfare, as the Mijini cities warred over resources and control over lucrative trade routes. the majority of the fighting in this early period was conducted by ad-hoc citizen militias, but as it became increasingly sophisticated the wealthiest cities were able to establish professional standing forces, supported by tribal mercenaries.

The late classical period saw the rise of the city of Galassa, a wealthy urban centre located on the upper Dawaya river. Galassa was typical of the Mijini system, being ruled by an oligarchic council, the Hundred Council, led by three Balozi, which dominated various assemblies, and was itself dominated by a small number of koo. Galassa benefited from both a large population, due to the fertility of the surrounding Dawaya Plain, and its control of the Shimo silver mine. With these, Galassa was able to dominate its surrounding area, first bringing nearby Sâre under its control, before exacting tribute from neighbouring Mijini. Reforms to its military system under the Balozi name surname allowed it to exert even more control oversubjugated Mijini, stationing them with garrisons and selecting the members of their councils.

Antiquity

The establishment of the Galassan Empire is often taken to be the start of the antique period of Walean history, in the mid-8th century. From the mid-8th century to the mid-9th century Galassa underwent a great deal of political and social change. The empire became more centralised, subsuming the identity of other Mijini, which were now counted fully as subjects, where earlier they held a legal pretence as allied cities. The city of Galassa itself became larger, accommodating a growing plebeian population enhanced by rural immigration. The Koo and the Hundred Council became polarised by those who championed the aristocracy, gaining support from tribal affiliates and mercantile companies, and those who championed the growing citizenry, gaining support from the military and the poorer parts of society.

Galassa underwent a period of civil war from 852 to 876, in which the various Koo fought for greater influence, and in which the subjugated Mijini attempted to assert their independence. The result was a radical political transformation, as the nameKoo seized power under King Name, instituting an autocracy and abolishing the Hundred Council. The early kings ruled through the citizen's assemblies, relying upon a mixture of religious and military accomplishments and roles to legitimise their rule. Though often considered a monarchy, the system was not hereditary, the king being elected by a mixture of intra-clan politicking and popular acclamation.

This period saw the growth of Galassan influence in the region, buoyed by a strong army and steady economy, which was only strengthened by access to the sea by the early 10th century. Galassan kings at this time were traditional faith, though some are believed to have converted to Irfan and Sotirianity, though these conversions were often superficial and conducted for mercantile and diplomatic reasons. War with Galassa's traditional rival, Habasha kingdom(s) was endemic and often drained the treasury.

Later Galassan kings became more autocratic, relying upon military support and often abolishing or reducing to irrelevancy numerous assemblies and councils. The Mijini system largely collapsed as the cities in the core of the empire became entirely subsumed into an increasingly centralised system. By the 11th century a series of civil wars, droughts, famines, and costly expeditions into Djedet, and increased Ifranic missionary activity, had largely eradicated the classical system of rule for Galassan kings. Kings began relying upon regional military and tribal leaders to exert authority. This saw the establishment of the Hourege system and the medieval period of Wale.

Medieval

Early Modern

Estmerish colonial rule

Modern period

Western conflict

Contemporary period

Geography

Administrative divisions

Politics

Government

The Democratic Republic of the Wale is a federal semi-presidential representative democratic republic combining democratic traditions both native and those inherited from Estmere. The current constitution of Wale was drafted and ratified in 2007, granting more powers and authority to the states, while also bringing its model of governance more into line with Estmere. The executive branch itself has two leaders: the President, currently Ayen Aliir, who is head of state, and commander-in-chief, and is elected directly by universal adult suffrage for a 5-year term, and the Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, currently Asani Okonjo, and is usually the leader of the largest party, who is appointed by the president.

The National Congress is a bicameral legislature comprising a House of Assembly and a Senate. The House of Assembly members represent local constituencies and are directly elected for 4-year terms. The Assembly has the power to dismiss the government, and thus the majority in the Assembly determines the choice of government. Senators are chosen by state governments for 6-year terms, and one half of the seats are submitted to selection every 3 years. The House must ratify the selection of senators.

Though strengthened by the 2007 constitution, the powers of the Senate are limited in comparison to the Assembly. Though considered the senior chamber, in the event of a disagreement, the Assembly has the final say. The Senate is also limited on budgetary matters, being unable to block it, and requiring a 3/4 majority to send it back to the Assembly for amendments.

Since independence, Wale's politics have been dominated by a strong but divided left-wing political force. The Popular All-People's Union-Community of Bahian Nationalities (PAPU-CBN), a party characterised by its links to Swetanian communism, socialist policies and adherence to pan-Bahian thought, has been the leading party in Popular Front coalitions for 54 years, out of the 78 since independence. Its main opposition has been the Wale Labour Party, which originated as a social-democratic party but since the 80s has become more conservative and right-wing. In the 2018 elections the centrist New Movement, the party of president Ayen Aliir, became the third-largest party and joined the ruling Popular Front coalition.

Economy

Demographics

Education

Health

Culture