Sylvia

The Most Serene Kingdom of Sylvia (Sérénissime Regne de Sylvie [sylviesɛɾɛnissimɛ rɛɲɛ dɛ silviɛ]), commonly known as Sylvia (Silvonian: [silviɛ]) or La Sérénissime is a country in West Artopa, off the West Coast of mainland Artopa. Sylvia comprises of the Liliec Isles, Rubia, Kerland, Midthril and other small islands both within and without the Sylvian Archipelego. Sylvia does not border any nations, instead being completely surrounded by the Avansic Ocean, Avedoran Sea, Liliec Strait, Vikland Strait, and the Aventian Channel. The Total Area of Sylvia is 654,313.2 square kilometres (252,631.7 sq mi.), with the main isles being 544,978.40 square kilometres (210,417.34 sq mi.) with an estimated population of more than 50 million people in 1955. Sylvia is a unitary constitutional parliamentary monarchy with its capital in Aris, the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre. The government is seated in La Marina, which is the second largest city. other major urban areas include Neicoline, Adinoch, Lunapole, Lucie, Cerimel and Erepole.

One of the oldest countries in West Artopa, its territory has settled since prehistoric times. First inhabited by the Kyrilisc Feldic people, and later invaded by the Nicatorians then Avedorans from modern day Glasea, the Island formed a unique culture distinct from its' contemporaries of continental West Artopa. The Nicatorians formed the Aurelian Kingdom, which laid the foundation of a centralised Sylvia. The fall of the Nicatorian Empire in 389 caused a domino effect leading to the collapse of the Aurelian Kingdom, and to the brief recapture of Liliec at the hands of the Aventians, which ended with the Avedoran migration. In the High Middle Ages, Sylvia was a powerful but isolationist kingdom. The earlier signing of of the Carta Iurium and the subsequent power struggle between the crown and the nobility saw Sylvia transition from an absolute monarchy to an early form of democracy. This period also saw the Sylvian Kingdom plunged into a series of conflicts involving the southern Aventian kingdoms, collectively known as the Agni Wars. The following peace, known as the Ure de Sérénité saw art and culture flourish. Free from continental responsibilities in virtue of its' position as an island nation, Sylvia could much focus its' resources in the establishment of a global empire, which grew to be one of the largest in the world. The mid 16th century was a time of religious conflicts. much caused by the establishment of the Silestrian Church as a distinct entity from the mainstream Peteran Church. The subsequent mass taxation to fund the enforcement of the Silestrian Church in the rebellious Aventian provinces caused the rift between the crown and the parliament to widen, culminating in the Parliamentary War, which briefly saw the kingdom replaced by a republic.

Sylvia continued to maintain an isolationist attitude in regards to continental maters for the majority of the 19th and 20th century, and continued efforts abroad in expanding trade and influence across the rest of Mytas. It became one of the forerunners of industrialisation. Conquering the majority of the Near East and expanding influence around the Dunic and Rhoddic oceans, Sylvia reached its political zenith in the mid 19th century, enjoying stable growth and relative stability. in the turn of the century, Sylvia signed a military agreement with St. Actilla, fearing Epreian hegemony over the continent. The alliance with St. Actilla caused the Sylvian entry into the Great War, from which it emerged victorious at a great human and economic cost. The Great War became the turning point in the Sylvian Empire as the majority of the colonies declared independence taking advantage of the conflict being mainly taking place in Western Artopa. Despite this, Sylvia still holds great influence within its former colonies, and maintains close ties with them.

Sylvia retains its centuries-long status as a global centre of art, science and philosophy. It hosts many of the world's most iconic monuments and is one of the world's most popular tourist destination, receiving millions of visitors annually. Sylvia is a developed country with one of the highest HDI in the world, and boasting the world's 4th largest economy. Sylvian citizens are one of the most wealthiest peoples in the world, with average household income ranking fifth in the world. Sylvia performs well in international rankings of education, health care, and life expectancy. Despite its shrinking influence, it remains great power status in global affairs, being one of the five permanent members of the Concord of Nations Security Council and an official nuclear-weapon state. Sylvia is the leader of the Accord Cordial, a loose union of it and its former colonies, as well as a key member of the Association Internationale des Langues Avedoréennes (AILA)

Etymology and terminology
The name Sylvia was used to refer to the Islands that makes up Sylvia today, especially concerning the island of Liliec since Antiquity. The Feldic natives of the islands referred the land as Kyrilsc. During the Avedoran migration, the invading Avedorans called themselves Silvonians (Silvoneis) to differentiate themselves from the natives of the islands. It is widely accepted that the word Sylvia originates from the Nicatorian word Silva, or Sylva meaning "Forest". The first recorded mention of the Sylvian Isles with this name was in 86 AT, by a Nicatorian explorer Carausius, who sailed the Avedoran sea. He noted that the coast of Liliec was entirely covered in trees, making observing further in-land impossible from the coasts.

In recent years the usage of Silvonian to refer to people of the Sylvian Islands has fallen out of style, with most including the government opting to use "Sylvian" to better reflect the status of Krilish and Viclandic nationalities that also resides within the isles.

The adjective "Sylvian" is commonly used to refer to matters relating to Sylvia and is used in law to refer to Sylvian citizenship and matters to do with nationality. People of Sylvia use several different terms to describe their national identity and may identify themselves as being Sylvian, Silvonian or Aventian (Krilish); or as having a combination of different national identities. The official designation for a citizen of Sylvia is "Sylvian citizen".

History
Main article: History of Sylvia

Prehistory and antiquity
Main article: Prehistory in the Sylvian Isles, Feldic Period of Sylvia and Aurelian kingdom







The earliest known evidence of human presence in the islands of Sylvia was the Homo antecessor, dating to approximately 800,000 years ago. The oldest proto-human bones discovered in Sylvia date from 500,000 years ago. Modern homo sapiens are known to have inhabited the area during the Upper Paleolithic period, though permanent settlements were only established within the last 6,000 years. After the last ice age only large mammals such as mammoths, bison and woolly rhinoceros remained. Roughly 11,000 years ago, when the ice sheets began to recede, humans repopulated the area; genetic research suggests they came from the northern part of the Actillan peninsula. The sea level was lower than the present day and Liliec was connected by land bridges to the rest of the Sylvian isles, Zerutsica and mainland Artopa. As the seas rose, it was separated from Artopa 10,000 years ago and from Zerutsica three millennia later. The Beaker culture arrived around 2,500 BC, introducing drinking and food vessels constructed from clay, as well as vessels used as reduction pots to smelt copper ores. It was during this time that major Neolithic monuments were constructed. By heating together tin and copper, which were in abundance in the area, the Beaker culture people made bronze, and later iron from iron ores. The development of iron smelting allowed the construction of better ploughs, advancing agriculture, as well as the production of more effective weapons.During the Iron Age, Feldic culture arrived from Northwestern Artopa. Kyrilisc was the majority spoken language during this time, along other smaller and regional languages of the same linguistic family. Kyrilisc society at this time was tribal, with more than 50 tribes scattered across the islands. Earlier divisions that may have proceeded these tribes are unknown as no written record of these exist.

The first instance of Sylvia appearing in written documents were in 86 AT, by Nicatorian explorer Carausius in his book Annales Artopaei. In 65 AT, three small attempts were launched by a Nicatorian general to conquer the isles, in which all thee ended in failure.The Nicatorians maintained relatively cordial relations with the Kyrilisc tribes of the isles, maintaining trade of largely copper and iron which the islands were abdunant of. Archaeological evidence suggests that this trade may have happened as early as 20 AT. This era saw heavy Nicatorian cultural influence in the isles, with introduction of Nicatorian coinage and weaponary. In 124 PT, a rogue Nicatorian General Gaius Aurelius Postumus was invited by a Kyrilisc chief to act as a mercenary army against his contemporaries. However Postumus instead betrayed the chief and campaigned against the entire island. His wars lasted until 131 AT when Postumus' legions defeated the combined Kyrilisc army in the battle of Elsynhoek (present day Elsencourt). It is estimated that the wars of Postumus caused the death of 200,000 and 350,000 people from a population of perhaps 3,000,000. The Liliec Isle came under Aurelian rule for over three hundred years, however the Nicatorian Republic, and later the Nicatorian Empire did not recognise the Liliec as Nicatorian territory, and did not attempt to bring Postumus' or his successors into the Empire. In this period Nicatorian rule, Nicatorian culture flourished in Liliec, with the introduction of Nicatorian law, architecture, aqueducts, sewers, many agricultural items and silk.

Theodarity was first introduced to the isles in 200 PT, when Rex Gaius Sextus Postumus invited missionaries from Novaria to settle the outstanding religious debate between the ruling Nicatorian elite and the Kyrilisc natives. In this period Kyrilisc Theodaric monastic and missionary movements flourished. This subset of Theodarity was influenced by ancient Kyrilisc culture in its sensibilities, polity, practices and theology. Local "congregations" were centred in the monastic community and monastic leaders were more like chieftains, as peers, rather than in the more hierarchical system of the Nicatorian-dominated church. Many of the doctrinal thoughts were also vastly different from that of Peteran Theodarity, with Kyrilisc culture much more open to concepts such as absolute primogeniture and same-sex relationships, what may be seen as taboo in contemporary Theodarity saw less or even no persecution under the Kyrilisc system.

Early Middle Ages
Main article: Avedoran Migration, The Ennearchy, and de Muneforte Dynasty

The fall of Nicatoria saw the trade between Sylvia and mainland Artopa collapse, and local economies that relied on copper exports to Nicatoria completely destroyed. in 389 PT during the complete destruction of Nicatoria in mainland Artopa, Rex Gaius Silvius Octavius declared the Aurelian kingdom the legitimate continuation of Nicatoria. However this claimant to Nicatoria only lasted another 32 years, as invading Kyrilisc tribes from Kerterre and Midthril, along with the continuing economic strife in Liliec saw the downfall of the Aurelian Kingdom. The fall of the Aurelian Kingdom left Liliec defenceless of further invasions from continental Artopa, chiefly the Avedorans. The Avedorans conquered the Liliec in quick succesion with the aid of the Nicatorian remanent of Sylvia, who preferred the rule of the much more culturally close Avedorans than the foreign Kyriliscs. Avedoran nobleman Henry Muneforte who had notably been a decisive factor in the success of the conquests was ostracised by the rest of the nobles, fearing his power and prowess, and were subsequently excluded from the partition of Liliec. Munfeorte sailed northwards with his retinue, and happened upon the coasts of Rubia. There he established his own petty Kingdom, and consolidated his own power on the island. The nature and progression of the Avedoran settlement of Liliec is consequently subject to considerable disagreement; the emerging consensus is that it occurred on a large scale in the northeast but was less substantial to the southwest, where the Nicatorian language prevailed for many more decades. Kyrilisc style Theodarity had, in general, been replaced in the conquered territories by the more mainstream Nicatorian styled Avedoran Theodarity, Disputes between the many forms of Theodarity now present in the isle was settled in the Congression of Averaut (478), which established the Liliec Theodaric doctrine which became the predecesor of Silestrianism .The land of Liliec and Rubie had coalesced into nine kingdoms, named Rubie, Albumie, Anecost, Ruchestria, Aris, Montecello, Noringe, Vlamonte, Evenrie. Over the following centuries, process of political consolidation continued. This period, known as The Ennearchy saw a struggle for hegemony between the nine kingdoms, especially between the most powerful and influencial kingdoms of Rubie and Aris. In 543 the fall of Evenrie and Noringe by the Kingdom of Aris established Aris as the predominant power of the isle, however Aris could not hold this tentative position for long, as all remaining kingdoms of Liliec almost unanimously saw Aris as the pariah state of the isle. Fearing the power of Aris, many of the kingdoms, especially situated on the western coast of Liliec pledged fealty to the King of Rubie, turning them into de-facto vassal states. When the King of non-aligned Montecello died without an heir, a dispute over the succession to the throne of the kingdom led to the Consolidation War. This war led to the collapse of Aris, and the preeminance of Rubie over all of Liliec. Rubian consolidation saw the island of Liliec unified for the first time since the Aurelian kingdom almost 400 years ago, and the formation of the Kingdom of Sylvia. The Munefort dynasty slowly expanded Sylvia's borders southwards into the Southern Liliec Isles and the island of Ierre. The northern frontier of Rubie was also reconquered against the Viklandic raiders who took over the area during the collapse of the Aurelian Kingdom. In 1356 the Bubonic Plague hit Sylvia, killing the royal family and depopulating most of the capital city of Cerimel. The plague decimated the population of Sylvia, killing over half of its inhabitants. Without a direct heir, two claimants to the Liliec throne emerged in the form of the House of Aleuois, Barnet and Aris. From 1412 to 1431 civil war occurred between the three competing families– known as the Liliec Wars. The Arisian forces were quickly beaten and Louis d'Aris fled to continental Artopa, and the war was mainly fought between Aleuois and Barnet. However in the closing days of the war, Louis returned with an army of Salinean and Achysian mercenaries and defeated his contemporaries in the battle of Sombre and the battle of Anhost against Edward Aleuois and Silvois Barnet respectively. Upon the ascension of Louis d'Aris however, the nobility refused to cooperate with the new regime unless given explicit rights in state affaires, leading to the signing of Carta Iurium.

Early modern period
Main article: and the d’Aris Dynasty The period following the Liliec Wars brought upon spectacular cultural development and economic prosperity, known as the Ure de Sérénité. The Silvonian language also saw its first attempts at standardisation, resulting in most distinct dialects going extinct. Sylvia was also involved in a series of wars south of its border, known as the Agni Wars, Sylvia waged a war of conquest the southern Aventian Kingdoms. Naval and sailing techniques also saw revolutionary development in this period, leading to Sylvian explorers charted Baltecan lands, and claimed the island of Trebia for Sylvia, paving the way for the expansion of the Sylvian Empire. The Sylvian Church, which was de-facto independent from the Arch-Primate split off from the Peteran Church officially in the mid 16th century, forming the Silestrian Church, with the office of Archbishop of Aquelais becoming the head of the church. Sylvia under the rule of Louis II d'Aris represented the apogee of Sylvian art, poetry, music and literature, producing some of the country's most famous playwrights and philosophers. Sylvia in this time had also become an efficient centralised state, due to earlier Arisian Reforms.

Competing with the likes of Glasea and Vesta, Sylvia established its first colonies in Balteca in the form of La Vertie in present day Almeria and in present day Dunica. In the East, Sylvia competed with its contemporaries for the control of the Rhoddic and Dunic Ocean. The late 16th century also saw the Agni Wars come to a close. The Aventian kingdoms attempted a naval invasion on the Liliec Isle three times, all ending in failure as the much more advanced Sylvian navy was able to repel the invasion fleet. Taking advantage of the weakened Aventian navy, Sylvian forces made its first beachhead on the island of Midthril, and was able to quickly overcome the disorganised Aventian armies. The war came to a close when the combined Aventian army was decisively defeated by the Sylvian army in the Battle of Garns in 1589. The conquest of the isles however seemed to only bring more hardship for Sylvia than previously anticipated. The Aventian people frequently launched rebelions, and were staunchly against conversion to Silestrianism. Sylvia was forced to station a large amount of troops in the Aventian isles, causing the La Vertie colony to take advantage of the situation to break away from Sylvia. To better spread the Silestrian doctrine to the newly conquered Aventians, Queen Theodosia authorised the writing of the Theodosian Sivren, creating the standard version of the Sivren used by the Silestrian Church to this day. The East Kawaye Company was chartered in 1605, and Sylvian colonialisation of the islands around the Rhoddic ocean began in this time.

The effort to increase control over the Aventian isles strained the economy of Sylvia, forcing the crown to continuously increase taxes over the next few decades without consultation with the parliament. This violation of the Carta Iurium caused the tension between the Crown and the parliament to reach a breaking-point, culminating in the Parliamentary Wars, The struggle between the Crown and Parliament lasted from 1647 to 1660. With over a decade of war and no decisive winners, the war ended in a compromise, where the King agreed to relinquish the majority of his political power in favour of the Parliament, and in return the Crown was made a protected institution. The landed nobility was also abolished in the aftermaths of the war, with most nobles being paid token compensation in return. The Sylvian Constitution was written shortly after in 1662, outlining the workings of the Sylvian government. It established among other things the rights of the people over the crown in matters such as taxation, and establishing the prefectural system still used in Sylvia to this day. Sylvia's oldest political parties, the Conservators and Liberals also has origins rooted from this period. Naval technology and Sylvian interest in maritime trade led to increased funding for the navy, and soon Sylvia boasted the largest merchant fleet in West Artopa. In 1678 the Royal Institution of technology was established, sponsored by the newly coronated Queen Charlotte I, who had a keen interest in science. She also pushed for the separation of church and the law during her reign, which came into effect posthumously in 1702. In 1689, a series of fires destroyed the city of Aris, and reconstruction took nearly a decade to complete. To fund the reconstruction, the Sylvian government implemented subsidiary plans in the colonies of Dunica, dividing the colony into 7 territories. The government moved to La Marina during the reconstruction, and has stayed there since then, making La Marina the de facto government seat of Sylvia.

Imperial period and early to mid-20th century
Main article: Sylvian Empire By 1730, Sylvia lost its last remaining colony in Balteca, as the government sold its shares in the holding to fund the chartering of companies in more lucrative regions such as the Kawaye and in the Near East. Despite this, Sylvia's position in global trade remained dominant, as overseas trade grew enormously under the protection of the Royal Navy. This preeminent position gave way for the rise of the Sylvian Empire to become one of the world's most powerful. Domestically the industrial revolution also found its way to the Sylvian isles, with many innovations such as industrialised agriculture, manufacture, engineering and mining being realised. Road, rail and water infrastructure also saw massive development and expansion in this time, with Sylvia' oldest rail network being established in 1829. The need for resources to fuel the growing economy of Sylvia saw the empire increase its efforts in the colonialisation of Kanta, with the establishment of Kangal, Kaocusus, and Inossele colonies. The empire reached it's territorial zenith in the late 19th century, when the combined and under Sylvian sovereignty reached a size of over 18 million square kilometres, or 14.8% of the world's land.

The empire operated under interventionist policies, and a gradual support for widening of the voting franchise grew. During the century, the population of Sylvia reached extremely high growth rates, accompanied by rapid urbanisation, causing significant social and economic stresses. To seek new markets and resources, the government increased funding for the expansion of economic operations in Kanta, and colonies such as Kangal became self-governing dominions. By the start of the 20th century, Sylvia's industrial dominance was challanged by the rising powers of Epreia, Nauros and Almeria. By the mid-1920s, usage of the radio became widespread. Scheduled programmes of the SRS was established, along with the start of experimental television broadcast following shortly. The Aventian isles were given a short period of self-rule in 1927, however this right was revoked on the onset of the Great War. Due to slowing economic growth and less demands of Sylvian goods led to a period of stagnation. A wave of strikes and protests i the mid 20s culminated with the formation of a wave of left-wing political parties, including the Unionist, Socialist, and the Social Democrat parties. The general election of 1928 was won by the Social Democratic party in a landslide, leading to the first left-wing coalition government in Sylvia. Despite its hardships, Sylvia maintained a globe-spanning influence, and a formidable army stationed in various parts of the world. When St. Achtilla joined the Great War, Sylvia joined alongside with them under treaty obligation. Sylvia entered the Great War by declaring war on Epreia and Ke-Atsung in 1935.

The Sylvian navy was successful in containing the fleets of the ADL, and contributed massively to the blockade of Ke-Atsung. The Royal Air Force carried out bombing campaigns across Glasea and Epreia. Although far enough from the conflict to avoid direct harm, the colonies took advantage of the absence of Sylvian military presence to declare independence, causing the Imperial Schism, which saw the de-facto end of the Sylvian Empire. Hard fought victories in the battle in the colonies, and the eventual naval invasion of Glsea caused the war to turn to the favour of the Holy Accord, and the Epreian surrender saw the war come to an end in 1941, concluding the most deadly conflict in human history.

Contemporary period
During the Great War, Sylvia was one of the three major victorious powers (along with Actilla and Surovia) who met to plan the post-war world; it was an original signatory to the Declaration by Concord of Nations. After the war, Sylvia became one of the five permanent members of the Concord of Nations Security Council. The post-war also saw the development of the Accord Cordial, creating a bloc of Sylvia and former colonies. The war left Sylvia severely weakened and financially crippled. With continuing unrest in the remaining colonies, Sylvia was largely dependent on loans to sustain its economy, however Sylvia avoided the total devastation that was common in continental West Artopa.

In the imediate post-war years, the Labour government initiated a radical programme of reforms, nationalising key industries and public utilities. A Welfare state was established and a publicly funded healthcare system was created. Rising nationalism in the remaining colonies however continued to take a toll on Sylvia's economy, however the government refused to grant independence, instead offering several concessions to the colonies. While these were met with satisfaction in some, many other colonies continued to rebel, culminating in the Lunareine Civil War that continues to this day.

Sylvia was one of the first country to develop a nuclear weapons arsenal, as well as nuclear power. The international spread of the Silvonian language, and by extension the Avedoran Language family as a whole ensured the continuing international influence of its literature and culture. As a result of a shortage of workers in the 1950s, the government encouraged immigration from the colonies and from Accord Cordial members, resulting in a foreign-born population that make up almost 5% of Sylvia's population.

Geography
Main article: Geography of Sylvia

The vast majority of Sylvia's territory and population is situated in West Artopa, designated as Metropolitan Sylvia to distinguish it from the country's overseas polities. It is bordered by the Avansic Ocean to the west, Avedoran Sea and Liliec Strait to the East,  Vikland Strait to the north, and the Aventian Channel to the south. Metropolitan Sylvia does not share any land borders with any country's however it does share maritime borders with Zerutsica to the East and Rasprossa to the North. Metropolitan Sylvia is comprised of several islands, of which the largest are the Liliec, Rubie, Midthril, Kerterre and Ierre.

The Prime Meridian runs through Ansonnet Observatory. Metropolitan Sylvia covers 544,978 square kilometres (210,417 sq mi), making it the 7th largest West Artopan nation. Sylvia's total land area, with its maritime prefectures and territories is 715,292 km2 (276,175 sq mi), 0.58% of the total land area on Mytas. Metropolitan Sylvia contains 6 major terrestrial ecoregions, that being North Sylvian Highlandic broadleaf forests, Liliec Coastal beech forests, Evenrie Lowland beech forests, Rubie conifer forests, Aventian montane forests, and South Aventian mixed forests.

Sylvia has several overseas regions across the world, which are organised as follows:
 * five have the same status as mainland Sylvia's regions and prefectures:
 * Sylvian East Trebia in the Avansic;
 * Cecil et Petiprince in the Avansic;
 * Cademosher in North Kanta;
 * Saelbies Islands in North Kanta;
 * Baltegua in Southern Balteca.
 * eight have special legal status distinct from mainland Sylvia's regions and prefecture:
 * In the Avansic Ocean: Noterre, Sylvian Southern Avansic Territory and Aloie.
 * In the Rhoddic Ocean: Sylvian Rhoddic Ocean Territory.
 * In the Dunic Ocean, Marachia, Carlotta and Bensalem.
 * In the Antarctic: Adélie Land.
 * four are autonomous polities within the Sylvian crownL
 * Inossele and Lunareine in East Kanta;
 * West Kawaye in the Rhoddic;
 * Sylvian Antoka in North Kanta.

Sylvia shares land borders with Sulim and Actilla via Antoka, Kaocusus via Inossele, and Zerutsica via Trebia. It also shares maritimes borders with Vesta, Sehwang, Kőrythir, Carrisia, Almeria,Vyadera, Serujji and South Surov via its overseas possessions.

Due to its numerous overseas territories, Sylvia possesses the world's largest Exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Covering an area of 17,520,000 km2 (6,764,500 sq mi), more than double that of the EEZ of Vesta, which ranks as the 2nd largest. Its EEZ covers approximately 13.25% of the total surface of all EEZs in the world.

Climate
Three main climatic zones can be separated, according to geographical situation and orographic conditions:


 * The Subtorrian climate, characterised by warm/hot and dry summers, is present in parts of Southeast Liliec, South Liliec, and in the Aventian isles. It has two varieties: Csa and Csb according to the Köppen climate classification
 * The Csa zone is associated to areas with hot summers. It is predominant in Midthril and parts of Kerterre.
 * The Csb zone has warm rather than hot summers, and extends to additional cool-winter areas not typically associated with a Subtorrian climate, such as much of Keterre and into much rainier areas (notably Evenrie). Note areas with substantial summer rainfall such as much of Côteyaume are classed as oceanic.
 * The subtropical highland climate (Cwb), is predominant in the mountainous regions of Liliec and Rubie, but is also present in other areas of Sylvia. It covers most of Central Liliec and North Rubie. The dry season extends beyond the summer and average temperature depends on altitude and latitude.
 * The oceanic climate (Cfb) is the most dominant climate zone in Sylvia, especially in the Avansic region (East Liliec, Much of Rubie, Ierre, and South Midthril).

Apart from these main types, other sub-types can be found, like the alpine climate in areas with very high altitude, the continental climates (Dfc, Dfb / Dsc, Dsb) in the Revins as well as parts of the Avesse range.

Topography
In the 1950, 56 per cent of Sylvia was forested, 15 per cent used for pastures and 6 per cent cultivated for agriculture. The primarily rugged and mountainous terrain is restricted for habitation. Thus the habitable zones, mainly in the coastal areas, have very high population densities. Sylvia is substantially prone to earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic eruptions because of its location in between tectonic plates. It has one of the highest natural disaster risk. Sylvia has 72 active volcanoes. Destructive earthquakes, often resulting in tsunamis occur several times each century. The biggest earthquake measured in Sylvia occured in 1689 partially causing the Fires of Aris. The disaster killed over 180,000 inhabitants across Sylvia. Due to the nature of Sylvia being a chain of volcanic islands, Sylvia has some of the highest mountains in the world, with it's highest: Mount Selphie being 4,985 metres tall.

The coasts of Sylvia contrast dramatically with the mountainous inland areas. The country's largest plains, such as the Ruchestre plain, Arisian plain and the Anecost host massive population centres. Coastal cliffs such as the strait of Rubrain and Lacun cliff also dots the coasts. Sylvia has a small but important river system consisting of five major rivers, located on the five major islands, being: river Revin in Liliec, Vedre in Rubie, Morincq in Ierre, Wysdam in Keterre and Rjivier in Midthril. These rivers, including their tributaries covers almost half of the entire metropolitan territory.

The sovereign
Sylvia is a unitary state under a constitutional monarchy. The monarch is formally vested with executive authority as the personal embodiment of the Crown. However the disposition of such power is vested in the democratically elected Prime Minister and their Cabinet. The Monarch however does practice some executive powers. These are:


 * 1) Appointment of (and in theory, the dismissal) the Prime Minister as designated by Parliament.
 * 2) Appointment of (and in theory, the dismissal) the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as designated by Parliament.
 * 3) Enactment of the Subitis Edictum
 * 4) Dissolution of Parliament
 * 5) Proclamation of general election.
 * 6) Attestation of instruments of ratification and other diplomatic documents as provided for by law.
 * 7) Receiving foreign ambassadors and ministers.
 * 8) Command of the Armed Forces. This power is exercised by the War Office in the Monarch's name.
 * 9) The power to issue, suspend, cancel, recall, impound, withdraw or revoke Sylvian passports and the general power to provide or deny Sylvian passport facilities to Sylvian citizens and Sylvian nationals.
 * 10) Pardoning of any convictions
 * 11) Granting or cancelling and annulling of any honours.
 * 12) Creating corporations (including the status of being a city, with its own corporation) by royal charter, and to amend, replace and revoke existing charters.
 * 13) Performance of ceremonial functions.

In addition, the Supreme Court does not hold judicial authority above the Monarch.

King Richard IV is the current monarch and head of state of Sylvia and the Sylvian Crown as a whole, which includes Antoka, Inossele, Lunareine and Kawaye. He ascended to the throne at the abdication of his brother, Eduard II in 1913, starting the fourth Ricardian era in Sylvian history.

Prime Minister
The Prime Minister is the head of government in Sylvia. The office is designated by the national assembly and serves a term of six years or less; with no limits imposed on the number of terms the Prime Minister can hold. The Prime Minister heads the cabinet and exercises general supervision of the executive branch, and serves as the commander-in-chief of the Royal Sylvian Armed Forces. The Prime Minister is vested with the power to sign laws and present bills into the Diet. The Prime Minister is responsible for the appointment, or dismissal of the Cabinet Ministers of which they preside over.

Both houses of the Parliament designates the Prime Minister with a ballot cast. Under the Constitution, should both houses not agree on a common candidate, then the Monarch is appointed to establish an agreement on the matter; specifically within a period of two weeks. If no consensus is reached after this period, the decision of the National Assembly supersedes that of the National Diet, and the chosen candidate of the Assembly is appointed Prime Minister. Upon designation, the Prime Minister is presented with their commission, and then formally appointed to office by the Monarch.

Parliament
Sylvia is a parliamentary democracy operating under the Liliec Model. The Parliament of Sylvia is considered sovereign. It is made up of the National Diet and the National Assembly, as well as the Crown. The main business of the parliament takes place in the two houses, but royal assent is required for a bill to become an act of parliament.

For general elections (elections of the national assembly), Sylvia is divided into 700 constituencies, each of which is represented by a member of Parliament. MPs hold office for up to six years with no term limit imposed upon them. 351 seats in the national assembly is required for a majority. Members of the house must be of Sylvian nationality, or nationality of one of 4 constituencies of the Sylvian Crown; those aged 18 years and older may vote, while those aged 25 years and older may run for office in the upper house.

Mid-term elections (elections of the national diet) happen concurrently with the general election, as well as the mid-point between two general elections. Half of the members of the house is elected once every three years for a six-year term. There are 116 seats in the national diet with two representative elected per prefecture. Legislature passed by the national assembly requires the approval of the national diet to pass onto the monarch for the bill to receive royal assent. Members of the house must be of Sylvian nationality, or nationality of one of 4 constituencies of the Sylvian Crown; those aged 18 years and older may vote, while those aged 25 years and older may run for office in the upper house.

Law
Sylvia Law is historically heavily influenced a mix of Nicatorian law and ancient Kyrilisc "Assembly of Justice" (Rjochting). The judicial branch of Sylvia consists of the Supreme Court, and five other lower courts; Prefectural Courts, Municipal Courts, Appeal Courts, Family Courts and Summary Courts. Divided into four tiers, the Court's independence from the executive and legislative branches are guaranteed by the Constitution (excluding the Crown). Court judges are independent in the exercise of their own conscience and that they are only bounded by the Constitution and the laws. Court judges are removable only by public impeachment, and can only be removed, without impeachment, when they are judicially declared mentally or physically incompetent to perform their duties. Trials must be that of a declared public nature, unless the Court unanimously determines that such occurring may be "dangerous to public order or moral", with the exception for trials of political offenses, offenses involving the press, and in offenses involving the Armed Forces. Court judges are appointed by the Cabinet, and the Chief Justice is appointment by the Monarch after being nominated by the Cabinet. The courts of Sylvia are headed by the Senior Courts of Sylvia, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court of Justice. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land for both criminal and civil appeal cases in Sylvia, as well as its constituencies. Any decision it makes is binding on every other court in the same jurisdiction, often having a persuasive effect in other jurisdictions. The Sylvian legal system is unique in having three possible verdicts for a criminal trial: "guilty", "not guilty" and "not proven". The "not proven" Verdict results in an acquittal, however parties involved in the trial has the opportunity to call for a retrial in the following 6 years after the initial trial.

Sylvia does not recognise religious law as a motivation for the enactment of prohibitions or persecution. Laws regarding "acts of blasphemy" were abolished in 1767, and acts regarding homosexuality were only commonplace for two centuries in the aftermath of the Avedoran Migration. While homosexual marriage is not permitted, civil unions has been legal since 1456 and adoption since 1814. Laws prohibiting discriminatory speech in the press were enacted in 1936, in the aftermath of the Renné Riots, after a newspaper incitation led to the killing of 42 Glasean immigrants living in Renné. No laws regarding racial discrimination are in the Sylvian judicial system, instead such acts are persecuted under different offenses.

Administrative Divisions
Main article: Administrative Geography of Sylvia

The top tier of administrative divisions in Sylvia are the 58 prefectural entities: 41 prefectures proper, eight urban prefectures, eight overseas prefectures and one metropolis (Aris). Although different in name, they are functionally the same. Each prefecture is overseen by an elected governor. These prefectures are further divided into 700 municipalities, of which there are _ types; Prefectural Level City (For cities over 500,000 inhabitants), Municipal City (For cities over 250,000 inhabitants), Regional City (For cities over 100,000 inhabiants), City (For cities over 50,000 inhabitants), Town, Village, and Districts (For metropolitan and urban prefectures).

Dependencies
Main articles: Sylvian Overseas Territories

In addition to Metropolitan Sylvia, the Sylvian Crown includes four integrated dependencies (Inossele, Lunareine, Antoka and Kawaye), and seven overseas territories (Norterre, South Avansic Territories, Carlotta and Bensalem, Rhoddic Ocean Territories, Marachia, Baltegua and Sylvian Vespera.

Collectively Sylvia's overseas territories encompass an approximate land area of 2,262,747 square kilometres (873,651 sq mi), with a total population of approximately 25 million. The overseas territories also give Sylvia the world's largest exclusive economic zone at 17,520,000 km2 (6,764,500 sq mi).

Foreign relations
Sylvia is a permanent member of the Concord of Nations Security Council, a member of the Accord Cordial, Association Internationale des Langues Avedoréennes (AILA), and other organisations. Despite the desolution of the Holy Accord, Sylvia maintains close relations with St. Achtilla, as well as other states such as Carrisia and Vesta. Recently, relations with the State of Dunica has rekindled as well, with many Sylvian companies looking to invest into the nation. Sylvia's global presence and influence is further amplified through its trading relations, foreign investments, official development assistance and military engagements. Sulim, Dunica, and Kangal, all of which are former colonies of the Sylvian Empire maintains close ties. Sylvia maintains the world's fourth-largest diplomatic network in the world.

Military
Main article: Royal Sylvian Armed Forces The Royal Sylvian Armed Forces (Forces Armées Royales Sylveis) are the military and paramilitary forces of Sylvia, under the Prime Minister as the commander-in-chief, and led by the War Office and the Secretary of War. They are headquartered in the Palais de la Marina, and consists of the Royal Sylvian Army (Armée Royale Sylveis), The Royal Sylvian Navy (Marine Royale Sylveis), The Royal Marine Corp (Corps des Fusiliers Marins Royaux), the Royal Sylvian Airforce (Force Aérienne Royale Sylveis), and the Military Police called the Royal Marechaussee (Marechaussee Royale). Together they are among the largest armed forces in the world, employing over 750,000 combat and civilian personnels in active duty. The Royal Reserve Service brings that number up to 4.1 million. Sylvia's annual military expenditure in 1955 was $28.0 billion, or 7.8% of its GDP, making it one of the biggest military spender in the world. The Armed Forces are charged with protecting Sylvia and its overseas territories, promoting the Sylvia's global security interests and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. Overseas garrisons and facilities are maintained in Aloie, Baltegua, Vespera, Bensalem, Buyan, Rhoddic Territories and Marachia. Sylvia's integrated dependencies operate their own armed forces under the Royal Sylvian Armed Forces' command. These independent forces are responsible for the protection of their jurisdiction, and maintains a combined force of over 200,000.

Sylvia has major military industries with one of the largest aerospace industries in the world. Nearly all equipment used by the RSAF are developed and manufactured in Sylvia, with such equipment as the Colibri fighter, the Sovereign class carriers, Lynx tank, and the AFA54 rifles among others.

The Sylvian Intelligence unit, the National Security Service (Service National de Surete (SENA)) is considered to be a component of the Armed Forces under the authority of the War Office. The agency employees over 25,000 personnel and is responsible for foreign and domestic intelligence.

Overview
Sylvia uses the Cerin Lamella, which is one of the world' oldest continuously used currency. It is currently the fourth most traded currency in the foreign exchange market and is the world's fourth-largest reserve currency after the Almer, Kron and Am. Sylvia boasts the world's third-largest economy by nominal GDP, after that of Almeria and Nauros. As of 1955, Sylvia has a low unemployment rate of around 3.1%. Its poverty rate is around 14.7%. Sylvia has a regulated market economy. The finance office, headed by the secretary of finance is responsible for developing and executing the government's public finance and economic policy. The Royal Bank of Sylvia is Sylvia's central bank and is responsible for minting the nation's currency.

Manufacturing is Sylvia's biggest economic sector, with it accounting for over 27% of GVA. The service sector is the second largest, with 21%. Aris is one of the world's largest financial centres. It boasts the largest GDP in west Artopa. Tourism is also a major factor in the Sylvian economy, with it being one of the most popular travel destinations in west Artopa, especially amongst Almerian and Dunican tourists.

Agriculture
The Sylvian agricultural sector accounts for about 3.5% of the total country's GDP. Only less than a quarter of Sylvia's land is suitable for cultivation. Due to the low availability of arable land, a system of terraces is used to farm in small areas. Because of this, Sylvia boasts a very high level of crop yields per unit area, with an agricultural self-sufficiency rate of about 80%. Sylvia ranked first in the world in tonnage of fish caught, accounting for nearly 6% of global catch.

Sylvia has a prominently flourishing viticulture and caseiculture scene. It is one of the world's biggest producer of wine, with many varieties enjoying global renown, such as Tagnes and Chanac; domestic consumption is also high. Other types of alcohol such as spirit and rum are widely produced. Sylvia is the world's biggest producer of goat cheese, with it being incorporated into many of Sylvia's national dishes.

Energy
Sylvia is one of the world's largrest consumer and producer of energy. It is the headquarters of some of the most prominent energy companies, including one of the major oil companies- Petsi.

In 1955, Oil supplied half of Sylvia's energy needs, hydroelectricity and geothermal one-third, and coal and nuclear the rest. Recently, a strong desire to increase the nuclear powers programme in Sylvia has emerged, headed mostly by the Labour-Unionist Coalition. There currently exists one nuclear power plant in Sylvia, in Anecost prefecture, with two more planned and one under construction. The existing reactor supplies approximately 3 per cent of the total annual electricity generated in Sylvia, with the addition of the new reactors, that number is projected to reach up to 10 per cent.

Rail
Rail transport makes up the majority means of passenger transport in Sylvia, especially for transport between two major cities, and for computer transport in metropolitan areas. Since 1948, nearly all Sylvian railways are owned by Rail Sylvia, a state owned enterprise. Some privately owned rail exists, however these are rare outside of rural communities and developing areas. Most major cities with more than 400,000 residence in its metropolitan area have subway systems.

Total railways of 21,502 km is comprised of 1,067 mm narrow gauge. 12,501 km of the railway is electrified.

Roads
Sylvia in 1955 had approximately 1,142,000 kilometres of raods made up of 85.2 per cent urban roads, 10.8 per cent prefectural roads, 3.1 per cent highways and 0.4 per cent other types of roads. All five major islands and Trebia have separate motorways connecting major population centres to each other, however plans for an underground tunnel between Kerterre and Midthril have been in development for quite some time. Sylvian highways have higher toll fees than most nations, prompting citizens to take either a train or plane in longer distance domestic trips. Tolls are collected by Road Sylvia, owned in full by the Sylvian Transportation Authority under the Transportation Office.

Airways
Sylvia had one of the largest passenger air markets in the world in 1955. Sylvia maintains 81 airports across the nation, with 42 more in the Integrated Dependencies. The main international hubs are Reiline International Airport (Aris area), La Marina International Airport (La Marina/Marie area), Rubian International Airport (Cerimel/Neicoline/Keraaspole area), and Lunapole International Airport (Lunapole/Anecost/Bissourt area). The main domestic hub is Aris Central Airport, one of West Artopa's busiest airports.

The main airline of Sylvia is Air Sylvia, a state owned enterprise under the Transportation Office. Other passenger carriers include Liliec Expressways, Starlight Airlines and Avedoric Airways. All are headquartered and operate in Aris near Reiline Airport.

Maritime
As an island nation, maritime travel had always been prevalent in Sylvia. Seagoing crafts ply all coastal inland seas.

There are 1093 ports in Sylvia as of 1955. There are overlapping classification of these ports, some of which are multi-purpose. There are 8 designated "Heavy Industrial Ports", in Salles, Ruchestre, Lunapole, Erepole, Buscheins, Mestais, Cerimel, and Cydemes. All ports in major cities are classified as international ports.

There are 1770 km of waterways in Japan; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas.

Sylvia has over one thousand ships of 1,000 gross tonnage or over on its civilian naval registery, totalling 71,000,000 tonnes deadweight. However, not all ships are owned by Sylvian, as Sylvia is a popular country to register ships in, it is estimated that almost 40 per cent of all ships registered in Sylvia are foreign-owned.

Ferries connect Rubia to Liliec, Alaine to Trebia and all islands in the Liliec sea. They also connect other smaller islands and the main islands. There exists scheduled passenger routes to Zerutsica, St. Actilla, Rasprossa, Vesta, Epreia, Kolsia, and Glasea, as well as to Vestan North Trebia (via Trebia) and Uyita (via Saelbies Islands). Due to the large distances between islands making the use of bridges and expressways between them almost impossible, ferries remain a popular service in Sylvia, with more than 30,000,000 annual passengership.

Water Supply and Sanitation
Access to water supplies and sanitation is universal in Sylvia. Up to 95 per cent of households are connected to sewer networks. Despite this, only a little over 60 per cent of households have access to tap water. Almost all water and sewage service in Sylvia is provided by the government owned Hydro Sylvia. Private options do exist, however Hydro Sylvia remains to be the most popular choice due to its low price, and better infrastructure and support. According to inspections by the National Heath Authority, drinking water in Sylvia is far above national standards. Despite this, many waterways, especially in urban regions do not meet national standards, especially the River Essons, which runs through the centre of Aris, and the River Nys running through Lunapole, Sylvia's historical manufacturing capital.

Science and Technology
Sylvia is one of the world's leading nations in scientific research, particularly specialising in engineering and natural sciences. The country is ranked one of the highest in innovation. The Sylvian government also invests heavily into research and education, with almost $46 billion (12.7 per cent of GDP) being invested into the sector.

The Sylvian consumer electronics industry is in slow rise ever since 1941. Nearly all household applications are made domestically, with many more exported abroad.

The Sylvian Centre of Aeronautics (Centre Aéronautique Sylveis (CAS)) is Sylvia's national space agency. Ever since it's establishm5,423,561ent, it has conducted research pertaining to space and aviation, and leads development of rockets.

Demographics
Main article: Demography of Sylvia and Sylvian people

Metropolitan Sylvia has a population of 48.0 million, of which 47.8 million hold Sylvian nationality. A small population of foreign residents makes up the remainder. In 1955, 65% of the total Sylvian population lived in cities. The capital city of Aris has a population of 5.4 million (1955). Together with neighbouring cities, it makes up the Arisian metropolitan area, one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the world with over 7 million residents (1955). Sylvian society is culturally homogeneous, although not ethnically homogeneous. The biggest ethnic groups of Silvonians and Aventians (Including foreign-born Sylvians (Outremarin)) make up almost 97.7 per cent of the total population. Other ethnic groups include Kanto-Sylvians, Epreians and Actillans (Mostly from Kolsia), Glaseans, Almerians, Dunicans, Kangalese, Carrisians and Zerutsicans.

Languages
Main article: Languages of Sylvia

Silvonian is Sylvia's de facto national language and the primary written and spoken language of most people in the country. Silvonian writing uses the Nicatorian alphabet and numerals. Due to linguistic ties, many Sylvians knows Almerian and Glasean as second languages. Language education is mandatory in Sylvia, with schools often teaching Actillan, Rasprossan, Almerian and Glasean. Sylvian Sign Language is widespread, however not been officially recognised as of 1955.

Besides Silvonian, the Aventian language are native to Kerterre and Midthril, although barely any native speakers exist, it is tought as a secondary language in most schools in the Southern Aventian isles to promote cultural awareness.

Religion
Main articles: Religion in Sylvia and Silestrianism

Forms of Theodarity have dominated religious life in Sylvia for more than 1,600 years. Majority of citizens identify as Silestrian Theodarists in government surveys, and regular church attendance is common (although not mandated by religious doctrine). While immigration and demographic change have contributed to the growth of other faiths somewhat, they still remain miniscule compared to Silestrianism.

In a 1950 survey, 90.5 per cent of all respondents indicated that they were Theodarists, with the next largest faiths being Sohonism (2.5 per cent), Tamirism (0.3 per cent), and all other faiths accounting for only 0.05 per cent. Of the respondents, 5.6 per cent stated that they had no religion.

The Silestrian Church is the established chruch in Sylvia. Although it no longer retains representation in the Sylvian Parliament, the Sylvian monarch remains as its Supreme Governor. it has been estimated that 93 per cent of Theodarists are Silestrian, 6 per cent Peteran, and the remainder other denominations (Delvanism, Bogovinism)

Immigration
Immigration quotas for Sylvia is notably very harsh. Outside of migrations from Integrated Dependencies, foreign immigration is uncommon. After the Great War, many Epreians and Actillans from Sylvian-occupied Epreia (present-day Kolsia) migrated to Sylvia to escape economic hardship. Almost 200,000 Kolsian born nationals and their children currently live in Sylvia, making up the biggest group of migrants in the country. In the aftermath of the Colonial Schism, Sylvians living in the colonies, as well as Kantan loyalists fled to Sylvia, resulting in a migration of over 1,500,000 people, of which 950,000 were Sylvians born abroad, and 550,000 were Kantan natives. Post independence also saw a steady migration of Kangalese nationals to Sylvia, totalling to 40,000 as of 1955.

Education
Education in Sylvia is managed by the Education and Research Office, Since the 1950 Education Reforms, compulsory education in Sylvia comprises of primary and secondary school, which together last for thirteen years. Private institutions are not commonplace in Sylvia, instead there exists public institutions for accelerated studies known colloquially as the Clementine Academies. Spending on education as a proportion of GDP in 1955 was 5.2 per cent. 45.2 per cent of Sylvians aged 25 to 34 have attained some form of tertiary education, and bachelor's degrees are held by 32.2 per cent of Sylvians aged 25 to 64. On average, Sylvian females are more highly educated compared to their male counterparts, with a 5 per cent difference in degrees held. Recently, stricter education requirements have started developing in the Sylvian job market, with many employers expecting tertiary education from their employees, particularly in fields regarding science and research.

Healthcare
Healthcare in Sylvia is provided by the government via the National Health Authority (ASN) (Autorité Sanitaire Nationale). Payment for personal medical services is offered through a universal health insurance system that provides relative equality of access.

Health care in Japan is provided by national and local governments. Payment for personal medical services is offered through a universal health insurance system that provides relative equality of access, with fees set by a government committee. People without insurance through employers can participate in a national health insurance program administered by local governments. Since 1973, all elderly persons have been covered by government-sponsored insurance.

Sylvia spent 9.45% of total GDP on healthcare in 1955. Overall life expectancy in Sylvia was 69.7 years (66.4 years for males and 72 years for femaes).