Overview

The United States of Arthralonia commonly called Arthralonia, is located in Eastern Milari. It is bordered by Rockemsockem to the North. Arthralonia covers 683.514 square kilometers and has has an estimated population of 48 million. Arthralonia comprises of 15 states, which form a Federation. Each state has between 20 and 100 counties, and each county can have multiple communities within. A community consists of either a group of villages, a small town, or a part of a larger city and is the smallest administrative unit of Arthralonia.

The Federation tries to be a neutral science oriented nation, always open to help it's friends and those who are in trouble. Arthralonia pursues a mixed policy of globalism and protectionism. The country tries to establish beneficial relationships with as many partners as possible, and wants to leave a mark on the world. Arthralonia has a policy of helping other less developed nations, welcomes migrants and asylum seekers, and is generally left leaning in it's politics, even if it runs a hybrid system.

Etymology

The name of Arthralonia comes from the old spelling of the Alkal Kingdom's name, which used to be written as Arthral, back in the medieval era. They managed to unite all the other kingdoms and tribes around them and develop them, under the name of Arthralonia.

The standard way to refer to a citizen of Arthralonia is as an "Arthralonian". However, you can also refer to the citizens by their ethnicity:
The dominant ethnicities in the country are: "Kashinobian" "Kalan" "Alkalian" "Sundereese" "Uskalian".

History

2880 UC - 806 CE - Tribal and migratory era. This is where the first signs of civilization form.
806 CE - 1232 CE - Kingdom era. Characterized by minor wars, alliances and drama. The first signs of democracy appear during this time.
1233 CE - 1313 CE - The 80 years war. A very important and long war between the kingdoms. It considerably shaped the region.
1313 CE - 1866 CE - The First Arthralonian Empire era. This is the first time the name of Arthralonia is seen. This was when the nation was at it's largest extent, and even had a colony.
1866 CE - 1920 CE - The shattered era. No conflicts happened during this time. Each republic was mostly focused on rebuilding itself, granting more rights and progressing to democracy.
1920 CE - 2020 CE - The Second Arthralonian Empire era. Generally regarded as the worst time to be alive for Arthralonians. During this time, human rights repression reached record levels.
2020 CE - 2022 CE - The Federal Era. A mass liberalization and increase in rights, quality of life and a democratic outlook for the future.
2022 CE - 2022 CE - the Popular Republic Era. A slightly more authoritarain and unity focused state, which tries to respect the civil rights at the cost of political rights. The state collapsed, and there were a few months of anarchy until a compromise has been reached.
2022 CE - now - The United States Era. It remains to be seen how the new state handles itself.

For more details about history, click here.

Geography

Arthralonia's geography is pretty diverse. There are plains, tall mountains, beaches and even a depression. The country is protected by two mountain ranges, the Kural Mountains in the west, and the Vuresk Mountains in the center. One of the most special characteristics of the geography is the Volost Delta. It has become a protected area, although the local authorities in Kalelki don't take enough measures to take care of it. There are two forests, Kaizuka and Vitika, and three larger plains. Kol'imat forms a depression, being almost completely surrounded by mountains and hills, and it was for a long time the place of the oldest and largest city, Vor'kuz, which used to be the capital before the Federation was proclaimed because of this. It is also an area of fairly moderate seismic activity. The Kural mountains are tall, and a very good place for winter sports and tourism. The Vuresk mountains have lots of caves and they are also a tourist spot. A huge iceberg is located in the Lag-dorulk cave. The country has an extensive river network, which has been exploited ever since the Kingdom Era. The largest body of water is Lake Vyl, which can be observed from outer space. There are a lot of hydropower plants.

The climate of the Federation is mostly temperate-continental for the parts situated in the West of the Vuresk Mountains, and oceanic for what's situated in the East. Alpine climate has been observed in the Kural Mounatins. The average annual temperature is roughly 6.5 degrees Celsius. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -64.2 degrees Celsius in the Kural Mountains in 1942, and the hottest temperature ever recorded was 43.2 degrees Celsius in the Dob'kitad Plains in 2003. Storms are very common, and they tend to get very bad. Staying outside during them is not recommended. The government has a public announcement system and citizens get alerted on their phones in case they must hurry to shelter.

The environment of the Federation used to be very polluted, until special care was taken, and many environmental laws and programs were passed, even if some measures proved detrimental to the economy. Today, Arthralonia boasts a pristine environment, with lush forests, clear skies and a lot of wildlife.

Maps can be found here.

Demographics

Population
The population of the United States of Arthralonia is very diverse. There are approximately 48 million citizens. There are multiple ethnic groups living within it, and even some foreign minorities.
The population is spread like this:
17% - Kashinobians
31% - Alkalians
11% - Uskalians
18% - Kalans
15% - Sundereese
7% - Ballistikovians
1% - Katrzynijans

Language
The native languages spoken in the United States of Arthralonia are:
Alkalian, Kal'el'kali, Sundereese, Uskalian and Shinhonto.

Kal'el'kali, Sundereese, Uskalian and Shinhonto contain about a 40% shared vocabulary with Alkalian, due to the fact that historically, the Alkalians have dominated the area for hundreds of years, shaping even the languages of those near them.

Shinhonto is the most alien out of all languages. Kashinobians trace their origins from another continent, most experts believe it to be Hyronvul. They use 2 separate writing sets, both of which are similar to Chinese and Japanese, and this is why all street signs and highway indicators are written in in multiple languages.

For details about the dominant Alkalian language, click here.

Religion

Religion was banned in Arthralonia in 1935. Since then, churches and temples have been converted into libraries.
Freedom of religion has been re-introduced once again in the Federation. Despite this, after almost 100 years of enforced atheism, the vast majority does not partake in religion. The Federation adopts no official religion.
The former religion popular in Arthralonia used to be Kanoshimism. It is a local religion, created mostly by the Kashinobians. They spread it in the region when they arrived. In Kanoshimism, there were multiple patron gods, each responsible for a certain geographical feature, virtue, event, and so on. (It somewhat resembles Japanese Kami).
People used to pray to them in temples, which contained Kanos - which were highly revered spiritual objects (mostly rare crystals, cryptic statues, even mummified "transcended" priests). They have been preserved and can be admired to this day too.
Some names retrieved from archives include:
Kagami - god of life/creation
He is respected through red traditional gates, which everyone passes through before entering a temple.
Namami - goddess of family/prosperity
She is respected through giant, ornamental bells, decorating her temples.
Matura - goddess of nature
She is respected through the spring cleaning festivals, and through shrines built in forests.
Pindarus - god of death
He is not to be respected, but instead, feared and kept away through science and medicine.
Matakani - god of war
During wartime, he manifests through the courage, discipline and luck he brings in battles.
Tirami - goddess of beauty and love
She is respected through traditional marriages and by playing the Arthralonian Piano as couples.
Akohino - god of courage
He is pleased when his followers defy their fears and show bravery in their lives
Shirazaki - goddess of revenge
Lakonia - goddess of despair
Ayoka - Pindarus's wife. She ferries people to Kirigani - Hell.

Kirigani is described as a dimension where people endure pain and suffer, until their soul is purified, and their memories are erased. After purification, they may leave to be reborn, until they live properly and ascend to Hasana - the equivalent of Heaven.

Race
Arthralonians are humans. They are similar to Caucasians in their facial structure and features. They have blonde hair and blue eyes. (Kashinobians have black hair and brown eyes)
Their skin color is mostly white.
Other races might include Katrzynijans and other migrants.

Largest Cities

Rank	City	Metro area population	State
1	Vor'kuz	3.4 million	Eastern and Western Alkal
2	Tabriki	1.8 million	Kalelki
3	Sunder	1.2 million	Sunderland
4	Kolosaki	1.1 million	Kashinobi
5	Sekai	800.000	Kashinobi
6	Varshana	760.000	Sunderland
7	Vona	690.000	Kalelki
8	Uskalin	540.000	Va-Uskalnia
9	Akorim	520.000	Western Alkal
10	Tar'kuz	490.000	Eastern Alkal

Government

The Federal Government is a very complex mechanism. The Federal Government proposes laws and major actions. The Federal Congress is the body which votes the laws proposed by the government, and enforces their implementation.

The Congress also gathers representatives from each state, including the governors, especially during important decisions, and the Auxiliary Council (AI).

There are two types of elections, Federal Level Elections and State Level Elections.
The ruling federal level party manages the budget of the nation, it's policies, it's international presence and many other laws and regulations that apply to all the states.
The ruling state level party manages the local laws, local policies, local economic system, local budget, etc.
Each state has a bicameral parliament, which consists of two chambers: The Senate (upper chamber) and The House of Deputies (lower chamber). They influence and vote on local laws.

The President is supposed to lead the United States in a direction, and implement his/her agenda. It is their duty to get along with the governors of the states, so that everyone agrees on federal laws.
The President can propose and veto laws. His mandate lasts 5 years.
The President is also an international representative of the Federation.
Decisions take a long time to be implemented, and there's a lot of bureaucracy and corruption that goes along with each decision.

The Federal Government, Congress and President are voted by the civilians of the entire Federation, through proportional representation.
Local Parliaments, Governors and Governments are voted by the civilians of the state which is holding elections.

The Ministers are designated by the President. His formula must receive a vote of "trust" by the state governors before it can be implemented.

The State Governers are elected via state level elections, and act as a president to the region they govern.

There are no prime ministers, and the president acts as the prime minister, on the Federal level.

Foreign Relations and Military

Although a member of The Imperial Nations, Arthralonia currently pursues a foreign policy of non-interventionalism and neutrality. The country tries to be non-aligned, by maintaining good relations with both the socialist and communist world, and the capitalist world. The country is open to foreign relations. More information about foreign relations can be found here.

The military is decently strong. It serves both offensive and defensive roles. After the civil war, it was rebranded to match a more left-oriented structure. Stralan commissars are present in the army, and the government is still unsure about it's loyalty. It has decent funding and there is an incresed interest to keep it well funded, upgraded and operational.

The military is currently rebuilding itself, after months of anarchy and internal strife. It is occupied with mitigating the effects of a recent bio-weapon attack and dealing with various internal factors.

Economy

The Arthralonian economy is very big and developed, this is mostly because during the Second Empire Era the country was vastly industrialized, with disregard to the environment. The country specializes in Information Technology and Arms Manufacturing. The Manufacturing sector is also very developed. The main exports of Arthralonia are: laser rifles, armored vehicles, electronic devices.

One of the most surprising surges happened to the Tourism sector. After the civil war ended, tourists from around the world started to pour into Arthralonia. This is also because the socialist administration focused on liberalizing the nation and granting more rights.

The economy is tightly controlled by the Central Command and the AI developed by Nimesis in collaboration with Myotoshi. Supply and demand are controlled by the Ministry of Economic Planning.

More details about the economy can be found here.

Culture

The Arthralonian culture is vastly different, depending on which republic you decide to visit. One thing they have in common, besides the shared Alkalian vocabulary, is the Sacrifice Day (Kagami-Nikkito). This is a widely celebrated festival throughout the Federation. It takes place on July 7th each year, and is a national holiday. Festivals are held during the night, where people wear traditional clothes and visit temples, where they sell home made objects and most importantly, sacrifice something to "the fires of Kagami, god of life and creation". This is one of the few surviving holidays, despite it's religious nature.

As far as music goes, Arthralonia deeply enjoys rock and roll and metal, but has a fine taste for 80's sounding pop as well. Classical music is also appreciated, and each important city has it's own opera and orchestra. They are all enjoyed by the population.
The national instrument of the Federation is the Arthralonian Piano, which features more keys and is supposed to be played in two. In traditional weddings, the couple is supposed to play a song for the audience.

To present the ethnicities and their general vibes, we should have the following things in consideration:

-Kashinobians is regarded as the technological experts of the Federation. They are by far the most advanced, and they are focused on professionalism and quality. They are the hardest workers of the Federation, and they are usually peaceful when dealing with the other ethnicities. They are also the ones who brought Kanoshimism in the region, although this religion is more appreciated by the other ethnicities. The HQ of ASEEA and Nimesis are located in Kashinobian inhabited areas.

-Alkalians are regarded as the oldest and most cultural ethnicity. They used to be split in two republics, and the Federation is named after their older, medieval name. It was the first to unite everyone under one flag. Alkalians usually tend to see themselves above everyone else in the Federation. Their lands are considered very popular tourist destinations.

-Kalans are the masters of bureaucracy and commerce. The richest citizens in the Federation are Kalans. Most Kalans are talented on managing positions and deeply enjoy their position as the home of the Federal Government. The HQ of the Federal Government and the Federal Bank are located in Kalan territories. They can be found in the capitalist states, and are adepts of this economic system.

-The Sundereese are the military collosus of the region. They have dominated the area during the Second Empire era. Most of them are employed in weapons manufacturing plants and military research or the armed forces. Strangely enough, their inhabited lands are also a very popular tourist destination, despite their past. They are the most armed ethnic group, and tend to be very aggressive when dealing with others. They usually negotiate their demands through force, unless the Federal Government mounts a coalition to enforce peace. The HQ of the People's Federal Army is located in Sunder. This ethnic group used to be the biggest supporter of the Military Junta and Nationalist Party.

-The Uskalans are mostly a quiet, industrious, left leaning, freedom loving ethnic group. They are less advanced technologically, but enjoy being quiet and peaceful. They just follow the majority's consensus when it comes to governmental dealings. Most of the mining and heavy, industrial processes take place here. They have always supported democracy in Arthralonia, and most of them tend to be communists.

Infrastructure

The Federation enjoys a good infrastructural network. A complex rail system covers the entire region and facilitates the transport of both cargo and civilians. The highway system is also pretty big and there are no isolated cities. Most of it was built during the Imperial Era, mostly during the Second Empire era, through forced labor.

The infrastructure has been severely damaged after the civil war, and heavy reconstruction processes took place throughout the entire Federation to ensure everything can function properly.

Public transport is free of charge in all cities, and trains/trams are more common than busses. The infrastructure was rebuilt after the civil war with help from the Myotoshi Corporation from The Municipalities of Antarctica. All transportation uses electrical energy, as petrol cars have been banned throughout the Federation.

The big river network is also widely used for transportation. There are plans of digging canals and connecting rivers, but the feasibility and environmental impact studies are still underway.

Energy
The nation relies mostly on hydroelectric dams and nuclear power plants for it's energy production. Solar panel farms and off shore wind farms are also deployed. Coal is no longer used for generating electricity.

The power of Arthralonia comes from the following sources:
39% Hydroelectric dams
41% Nuclear power
15% Off shore wind farms
5% Solar panels, others methods

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