The Altarian Empire Factbook [Q/A Open]

[Altaiire]

The Altarian Empire Factbook and National Information

Table of Contents

1. Geography
2. Economy
3. History
4. Military
5. Government
6. People and Population
7. Communications
8. Addendum
9. Current Events

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1. Geography

Relative Location:
• Eastern Europe

Absolute Location:
• 39.00 N 22.00 E

Area:
• Land: 1,871,134 sq km
• Water: 56,972 sq km
• Total: 1,928,106 sq km

Comparative area:
• About three times the size of France

Bordering Nations:
• Russia, Turkey, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, and Italy

Coastline Length:
• 20,813 km

Maritime Claims:
• Territorial Sea: 12 nm
• Continental Shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Terrain:
• extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the south, many mountains and hills with small plains along the coast

Climate:
• in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall); in other parts, continental and Mediterranean climate (relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns)

Lowest Point:
• Mediterranean Sea (0 m)

Highest Point:
• Musala (2,925 m)

Natural Resources:
• lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower, copper, chromite, manganese, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land, natural gas, coal

Land Use:
• Arable Land: 20.85%
• Permanent Crops: 4.86%
• Other: 74.69%

Irrigated Land:
• 55,772 sq km

Natural Hazards:
• Destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods sometimes occur during spring in the north

Environmental Issues:
• Air pollution from metallurgical plants, contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases

Environment International Agreements:
• Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

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2. Economy

Gross Domestic Product:
• $28,697,300,000,000 USD

GDP per Capita:
• $35,782 USD

Overall Government Budget:
• Revenues: $21,560,891,320,345 USD
• Expenditures: $20,698,455,667,531 USD

Labor Force:
• 8.4 Million

Monetary unit:
• κύκλος (English: Kyklos)

Trade Partners:
• Germany, Italy, US, UK, Turkey, China, France, Netherlands, South Korea, Belgium, Spain, and Russia

Exports:
• food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles, tobacco, asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil

Imports:
• machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

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3. History

The Altarian Empire was founded on March 9, 2021 following a chaotic year of anarchy In Eastern Europe. Greece, having sunken back into debt after already twice being bailed out by the EU, encountered increased political turmoil. The EU, already preoccupied with saving their own skins from global a new, massive global depression, declined to assist Greece a third time, leading to an uprising between pro-government conservatives and the generally more radical, reform-seeking youth. Peaceful protests quickly deteriorated into riots, which were followed by government crackdowns that brought about a full-scale rebellion. The fighting soon became widespread, plunging all of Greece into chaos.Frequent skirmishes between warring Greeks along the Greek borders increasingly agitated Albanian and Macedonian forces, who were stationed in the area to protect themselves from the conflict. As casualties began to increase on the Albanian and Macedonian side, fighting between these countries and Greece gradually grew more open and violent, with Greeks making deep incursions into foreign soil and refugees being scattered across the region. Before long, Albania and Macedonia declared war on Greece, attempting to end the conflict that had plagued all three nations.

Pressured from two opposing countries, the politically split Greek forces united as one to fight back Albania and Macedonia, forcing the region into a year-long bloody war that devastated all sides. The EU, UN and NATO, economically strained to the breaking point and not wanting to dirty their hands with the messy situation, officially condemned the fighting but stopped short of providing any direct military aid to the combatants.

At the conclusion of the war, five men, war heroes from all three sides, were able to forge a peace between the countries. They claimed that the war had carried too heavy a toll on Greece, Albania, and Macedonia, and if left alone to lick their wounds, they would never economically recover and descend into darkness and chaos. However, if men and women from all three sides were to unite hand in hand, the combined effort would propel them to a new golden age. Their charismatic words swayed the shell-shocked populaces and governments, and soon a resolution was passed that would unite the three countries as one sovereign empire named in memory of the greatest of the five heroes, Lt. Colonel Altair. The day after, a basic Constitution was drafted and quickly ratified.

Much to the words of the Five Heroes, the Altarian Empire rose from the ashes and quickly managed to rebuild its infrastructure, focusing on using its diverse natural resources to export more than import. Within three years, the Altarian Empire was the most powerful European power and lauded by world powers as a model country. Soon after, the Altarian Empire’s birth from a war torn region led to a large focus on the military and regional security. Compulsory military service and liberal use of propaganda resulted in the creation of a country fanatically devoted to justice, and the presence of the Empire became a method of dissuading war, terrorism, and other illegal activities within the region. After the global depression had ended, Altair's importance did not dissapate. Germany and Russia, both experiencing politcal revolutions of their own, had regressed to more fundamentalist ideals, representing earlier fascist and communist phases. Altair would serve as both a buffer state and a liason between the two, working to promote international peace and well-being.

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4. Military

Military Branches:
• Arch Knight Infantry Corps (INCORE)
• Arch Knight Naval Fleet (NAVFLEET)
• Arch Knight Aerospace Force (AEROFOR)
• Arch Knight Mechanized Division (MECHDIV)
• Arch Knight Automated Corps (AUTOCORE)
• Arch Knight High Command (HICOM)

Manpower:
• Active Personnel: 469,800
• Reserves: 712,500
• Paramilitary: 12,000

Available Manpower:
• Males age 16-49: 3,748,696
• Females age 16-49: 3,762,034

Manpower Fit for Military Service:
• Males age 16-49: 3,098,600
• Females age 16-49: 3,103,518

Manpower Reaching Militarily Significant Age Annually:
• Males age 16-49: 100,884
• Females age 16-49: 93,938

Military Expenditures:
• 6% of GDP

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5. Government

Country Name:
• Long form: The Altarian Empire
• Short form: Altair
• Common reference: Altair

Government Type:
• Three branch system consisting of a judicial branch, a democratically elected legislature, and a military council; The Citadels of Eternity, Serenity, and Tranquility, respectively.

Capital City:
• Altair

Administrative Divisions:
• 99 Prefectures, 7 Provinces

Major Cities:
• Altair, Tombaugh, Skopje, Tirane, Sparta, Thessaloniki, Tallinn

National Holiday:
• Ascension Day (March 9)

Date of Founding:
• March 9, 2021

Constitution:
• March 10, 2021
• civil legal system loosely based on American law

Suffrage:
• 21 years of age; Universal

Citadel of Tranquility:

Tranquility has sovereignty over law enforcement and military affairs, and is included when discussing foreign affairs.

Tranquility is the stratocratic Council of the Altarian government. Military service is required, and at least the rank of Brigadier General must be attained to be eligible for election to the Council. An appointed officer to Tranquility is called a Councilor. Councilors serve ten year terms. If a Councilor dies, retires, or his term ends, a new Councilor is elected by the Citadel of Tranquility. The Council is presided over by the Chief Military Captain (CMC), who is elected by the Council, and the Vice Commander of the Military (VCM), who is chosen by the Chief Military Captain. The CMC position is held for life until he dies, at which point his VCM serves as the interim CMC until Tranquility elects a new CMC. Two-thirds of the Council must vote in favor of a bill to be passed. If the vote fails or succeeds by a 5% margin, the CMC and VMC have the potential to pass or veto the vote.

Citadel of Serenity:

Serenity has sovereignty in all matters concerning solely the Altarian Empire's welfare, and is included when discussing foreign affairs.

Serenity is a representative democracy: Representatives are elected by the citizens of a prefecture to represent in the Assembly; the number of Representatives elected is proportional to the population of the prefecture. Legates are elected by the Altarian Ensemble. The Assembly contains two houses, the Altarian Ensemble and the Prime Legislature. 55% of the Ensemble must vote in favor to pass a bill, and 75% in favor to overturn the Legislature. Afterwards, it is passed to the Prime Legislature, which contains 27 Legates from each of the three major regions of the Altarian Empire. The Prime Legislature must vote 80% in favor to pass a bill. Representatives hold 3 year terms and Legates hold 6 year terms.

Citadel of Eternity:

Eternity oversees and moderates all legal processions conducted by Serenity and Tranquility.

An official of Eternity is called a Tribunal. Eternity is primarily called upon to settle disputes between the two citadels. If a stalemate is reached in the Altarian political system between Tranquility and Serenity, Eternity has the potential to pass a decision or deny it. Once Eternity decides 100% yea or nay, their decision becomes the determined outcome. All Tribunals are appointed by a mutual agreement by the Citadels of Serenity and Tranquility and hold their positions for life. The Citadel of Eternity also functions as the Altarian Supreme Court. Tribunals must be naturally born Altarian citizens and 40 years of age. Tribunal elections are rarely publicized and few Altarian citizens know who they without looking it up.

Political Parties:
• None: The Altarian Empire is de jure (by law) non-partisan. This means that political parties of any sort are illegal.

international organization participation:
• Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC UN

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6. People and Population

Total Population:
• 16,148,773

Age Structure:
• 0-14 years: 14.2%
• 15-64 years: 66.2%
• 65 years and over: 19.6%

Median Age:
• total: 42.5 years
• male: 41.4 years
• female: 43.6 years

Population Growth Rate:
• 0.248%

Net Migration Rate:
• 2.32 migrants/1,000 population

Life Expectancy at Birth:
• Total population: 79.92 years
• Male: 77.36 years
• Female: 82.65 years

Nationality:
• Noun: Altarian(s)
• Adjective: Altarian

Ethnic Groups:
• Population: Altarian: 97%,
• Other (foreign citizens): 3%
Note: percents represent citizenship, since the Altarian Empire does not collect data on ethnicity

Religion:
• Greek Orthodox: 98%
• Muslim: 1.3%
• Other: 0.7%

Languages:
• Greek (Official)
• English (Official)
• Albanian
• Macedonian

Literacy:
Definition: ages over 15 can read and write
• Total population: 96%
• Male: 97.8%
• Female: 94.2%

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7. Communications

Country Code:
• - 30

Telephones - main lines in use:
• 6.74 Million

Telephones - mobile cellular:
• 19.4 Million

Broadcast Media:
• 1,600 privately-owned radio channels, 11 national stations, 3 international stations, and 24 regional stations
• Around 300 privately owned television channels and 9 state-run television channels

Internet Users:
• 6.3 Million

Internet Country Code:
• .aka

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8. Addendum

• Δικαιοσύνη ή Θάνατος, the creed of the Altarian Empire, is Greek for “Justice or Death.”

• As a fairly secure influence in Eastern Europe and no shortage of patriots wanting to fight on the front lines, the Altarian Empire has a large military for its population size. As a result, the Altarian Empire’s military, the Arch Knights of Altair, are renowned and feared for their regimentation, well equipped military, and zealousness.

• The Altarian Empire is extraordinarily concerned with the proliferation of its self-manufactured weapons technology, and takes painstaking measures to ensure that no one can gain access to it. Factories are protected with armed guards and advanced security systems; assembly lines operate on closed systems; accessing technological databases requires complete removal of all personal clothing and subjection to a contained, short range EMP burst to neutralize electronics. Warehouses triple-check their inventories and are patrolled 24/7. Convoys are heavily guarded. No chances are taken. Attempting to smuggle Altarian weapons technology is punishable by up to life in prison or even the death penalty.

Altair remains neutral in all global conflicts unless one of the Altarian Edicts of War and Conflict is broken, at which point military intervention is considered.

• Usage or attempted usage of nuclear, ecocidal, or biochemical weapons in ground conflicts is strictly prohibited.
• Genocide is strictly prohibited.
• Directly and openly attacking the Altarian Empire is strictly prohibited.
• Proliferation and/or usage of Altarian military technology is strictly prohibited.
• Intentional targeting of citizens, including execution, torture, suicide attacks, and other human rights violations, is strictly prohibited.

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Altarian Military Technology

Arms Forts

AF Great Wall

Great Wall is the Altarian Empire's primary Arms Fort, and is described as one of the greatest land-based weapons ever built. Great Wall is a massive, eleven kilometer-long train equipped with high caliber cannons and missile launchers, and can carry an enormous amount of troops and vehicles. Great Wall's massive amount of armor renders it impervous to virtually any attack from conventional weaponry.

AF The Spirit of Motherwill

A giant, six-legged land carrier, the Spirit of Motherwill is an instiller of fear on the battlefield. Armed to the teeth with dozens of vertical missile launchers, autocannons, and long-ranged sniper cannons, the Motherwill can easily obliterate anything in its path. In addition, it has six flight decks that are capable of carrying large amounts of aircraft. The Spirit of Motherwill's heavy armor means that conventional weaponry is all but useless against it. This Arms Fort is quite old, and therefore has a few design flaws, but is still highly effective.

AF Stigro

Stigro is a maritime Arms Fort designed for naval supremacy, and can obliterate entire fleets with ease. Equipped with a large-scale laser blade on its front and bristling with missile pods, Stigro makes short work of everything that gets in its way. Its massive rocket engines grant it incredible speed: In a combat situation, it is common for Stigro to exceed speeds of 1,500 kilometers per hour. The downside is that Stigro is lightly armored compared to the other Arms Forts, but its effectiveness is indisputable. Additionally, Stigro is either remote operated or controlled by an AI, as humans are incapable of withstanding the G-Force it generates in combat.

NEXTs

Lynx: Hector Berlioz

Berlioz is the Altarian Empire's top-ranked Lynx, and is a valuable military and political tool. In combat he is a pragmatic and consumate warrior, but off the battlefield he is charismatic and compassionate. He never underestimates his opponents, and thus can turn any combat situation to his advantage. A true embodiment of the ideals of the Altarian Empire, Berlioz is everything Altair could hope for from a soldier. He leads a squad of top-ranked elite NEXTs that have never seen defeat on the battlefield. Rumors have recently circulated about Berlioz possibly being inducted into the Citadel of Tranquility as a Councilor.

NEXT: Supplice

Lynx: Otsdarva

Second only to Berlioz in terms of skill, Otsdarva is an adept Lynx as a result of living on the battlefield his whole life. Ambitious, arrogant and cocky, he can be easily frustrated when his allies don't live up to his expectations. Typically, he is deployed alongside fellow Lynx CUBE on missions important to the Altarian Empire: partly because anything else would be overkill, and partly because Otsdarva would complain about how boring the operation was afterwards. He strongly dislikes politicians, viewing them as hypocrites and backstabbers.

NEXT: Stasis

Lynx: CUBE

Part man, part machine, CUBE suffered life-threatening injuries in combat and was saved only by prototypical medical technology developed by IoN. Now a cyborg, CUBE has become an inhuman force of destruction on the battlefield, possessing one of the largest kill counts of any Altarian soldier. Despite this, he shows a distaste for combat that is not protracted and challenging, and thus is often deployed on extremely important missions to Altair. Cool and calculating, he creates multiple battle strategies beforehand that are tactically brilliant; however, he tends to over-rely on them, and can be caught off-guard when things don't go according to plan.

NEXT: Fragile

Lynx: Lilium Wolcott
NEXT: Ambient

Lynx: Richard Leonhardt

NEXT: Noblesse Oblige

Lynx: Roadie

A veteran of many wars, Roadie is one of the eldest Lynx of the Arch Knight Mechanized Division. While noted for having a relatively low AMS compatibility, Roadie compensates with raw battle experience. His cheery, casual personality makes him a favorite of those under his command, but he makes doubly sure that his soldiers stay in line. A former Councilor, Roadie is a friendly and reliable face no matter where his is.
NEXT: Feedback

Lynx: Maximilian Thermidor

A mysterious, high-ranking Lynx that commands the highly classified ORCA Brigade, Maximillian Thermidor is a character that few outside of Tranquility know much of. Equal parts romanticist, visionary, and passionate demagogue, when he speaks, people can't help but listen. One of the Councilors of Tranquility, he is quite close to the Chief Military Captain. His unit is composed of highly skilled NEXTs that carry out operations too dirty for the Altarian Empire to publicly manage. His passion and charisma make him respected and admired in both the public eye and the Citadel of Tranquility.