The Royal Sultante of Abu al-Salih
Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:23 pmThe Royal Sultanate of Abu Salih
ملكي سلطنة أبو
Flag of the Royal Sultanate. The design in the middle is the symbol of Abuhism while the field of red represents the blood of those who died for the Abu Salih.
((Abu al-Salih is Abu Salih. I just forgot my password and for some reason I couldn't restore it.))
Motto: Prosperity, Country, Women, The Sultan
Anthem: 'Long live the Sultan'
Capitol and largest city: Oujda
Official Languages: Arabic, Dhivehi, English
Government: Absolute Monarchy
-Sultan Abdullah al-Salih
-Sultaness Rania al-Salih
Independance/Formation of present day Abu Salih: 1659 (Regional Islamic Clerics)
Area: 843,759 sq mi
-Water 4.86%
Population: 67,699,342 (2008 census)
Currency: al-Salih's Riyal (Commonly referred to as 'Ria')
Literacy Rate: 93%
Brief History:
Abu Salih up until 1659 was divded into dozens of several caliphates ruled by several Islamic clerics, self-proclaimed prohpets are un-rightful sultans. It was constantly submerged in bloody warfare, but most caliphates were generally somewhat advanced for their time and very intelligent. Religion, however, tore these, what would have been powerful nations, apart for centuries.
In 1659, a man named Farooq al-Salih, commonly referred to as 'Father (Of Abu Salih) organized a force of merecenaries, intellectuals and peasants and united the northern caliphates. He then turned his then powerful army against the southern Muslims and toppled their fundamentalist and extremist 'empires' uniting the nation into one 'Royal Sultanate of Abu Salih' Farooq proclaimed himself Sultan with much popularity. The Sultanate purged Abu Salih of the fundamentalists, extremists and clerics. After which, he banned the public showing of religion. Eliminating the threat of extreme religion, Abu Salih then advanced tremendously in the scientific, social and technological fields. Farooq died in 1701, but handed his position down to his son.
Abu Salih remained in al-Salih hands until a 15 year gap starting in 1974 when a power hungry General al-Sadr took control of the Sultanate brutally. He ruled, with much dismay from the population, for 15 long years until 1989 when a great descendent of Farooq al-Salih, Abdullah al-Salih and his fierce lover, Rania, overthrew (In a extremely bloody, extremely brutal and extremely popular coup) the al-Sadr government and brought back the Sultanate, much like his great ancestor. Abu Salih, other than clashes with Islamic fundamentalists, has lived in peace since under Sultan Abdullah and Sultaness Rania.
Government/Politics:
Head of State: Sultaness Rania al-salih/Sultan Abdullah al-Salih
Head of Government: Sultaness Rania
Crown Princess: Junahia al-Salih
Crown Prince: Malik al-Salih
Ministress of the Interior: Junahia al-Salih
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Jafar bin Jafaari
Minister of Defense: Malik al-Salih
Chief of General Staff: Faisal al-Salih
In 1989, the military junta that was ruling Abu Salih was overthrown in a violent, bloody and popular coup de 'etat, led by the royalist Abdullah al-Salih and his fierce lover, Rania al-Salih. After 15 years of military rule, al-Salih, his lover, 15,000 civillians and royalist-friendly parts of the military overthrew the military junta after an 8 week civil war that finally ended in the siege of the capitol, Oujda. Several cities were heavily damaged from the savage tactics carried out by both sides and total casualties are estimated around 35,000 Salihans (Military and civillian).
Abu Salih is a complete Monarchy at the moment although reforms may be on the way. The nation is ruled by decree by the Sultan and the Sultaness and the individual emirates (There are 28 excluding the separate capitol emirate) are ruled by Shiekhs who are usually close friends or family of the Royal Family. The Royal Family is vigorously trained for politics, administration and other fields to prepare them to lead the nation. If the Royal Family is deemed unfit to rule the nation it is 'the population's responsibility' to take care of it though this has never happened.
Politics are negligible other than winning of the populations support as there are no democratically elected bodies or positions (Other than local mayors, councils, D.As), and there are no political parties. The Royal Family is headed by the Sultaness, but her powers are almost equaled by her husband Abdullah al-Salih. The al-Salih's have had 9 children (3 boys, 6 girls) and the power then travels through the immediate family, starting with the eldest girl then descending regardless of gender. The positions of Crown Prince and Princess are somewhat strange. The Crown Princess is the immediate succesor and her husband will become Sultan so the Crown Prince is irrelevant in regards to head of government/state unless the Crown Princess dies or is unable to fill her position and then the Crown Prince would become Sultan and his wife would become Sultaness. The 2010 census polled the citizens for the support of the Sultan and the Sultaness. The Sultan recieved a respectable 64% approval rating, while his fierce lover Rania won an astounding 98% support.
Abu Salih is divided into 28 Administrative Districts which are then divided again into Counties of which there are hundreds. Counties and cities are the only place for democracy in the country where citizens can vote for local mayors and/or councils as well as other institutions such as school board, district attorney, etc. These elected officials can, however, be vetoed by the A.D (Administrative District) government which is appointed by the national government. A.D's and counties are entrusted by the national government with quite a bit of freedom and power.
The judicial system is headed by a Supreme Council that consists of 15 judges appointed by the national government. The A.D Supreme Councils are also appointed by the national government but district attorneys are appointed. This is also one of the only areas where the national government can be overturned. An appointment for the National Supreme Council can be overturned by a vote of over 18 A.D Supreme Councils in which it must be unanimous within the A.D Supreme Council to count as a 'Nay' vote. Suffrage is 16 years old.
National holidays that are celebrated are Independence Day, Farooq Day, Earth Day, Sultaness Day (Birthday), Sultan Day (Birthday) and the birthdays of the Crown Prince and Princess.
Sultaness Rania
Climate/Geography/Flora and Fauna:
Abu Salih is a very large island surrounded by the warm water body of water, the Sea of Hajida. The island is in the very rough shape of a crescent moon. It has generally rocky coasts on 'The Knoll' which is the bulging side of the crescent moon, and fine, white sand beaches on 'The Blade', the other side. While the coasts are tropical/sub-tropical, the majority of the land is vast sand grassland which makes up the inland portion. In the southern area, there are also some small (Area) yet very rough, jagged granite mountains. 'The Teardrops' as it is known, though the technical name is the Abu Archipelago (Hence the Abu Islanders), is an archipelago that comes off the southern tip. These islands are full of wildlife and tropical, one of which has an active volcano on it. Each is usually small individually, but they are all very close together and easily accessible by a small boat or canoe. There are also some (Not as many) similar islands off the coast of 'the Blade'. The Climate follows the landscape. Tropical along the coasts and the Teardrops, continental/semi-arid inland and in the southern mountains (Locally called the 'al-Manifa mountain range despite it not being a 'range) it is arid.
Abu Salih has significant copper, nickel, zinc, and other metal deposits as well as considerable natural gas fields. Rock, such as limestone and granite are also easily found. Thorium, a nuclear material that is used in Salihan nuclear power plants, is abundant.
Abu Salih has a wide and diverse selection of flora and fauna which attracts tourists and researchers alike. The national animal the fossa, a large mongoose-like animal, lives in the sub-tropical coasts. A variety of animals commonly found in Africa are founding the savannahs in the center of the country. The 'al-Manifa Mountrain Range attracts hunters and sightseers with animals like the bighorn sheep, ibex and a few snow leopards and the only pinions in the country. This is also the only place where snow is seen in Abu Salih. the Teardrops, the islands off the edge attract many animals unique to Abu Salih due to their isolated nature. This has attracted many evolutionary scientists and tourists. Sea life is some of the most abundant in the world, especially around the reefs, and snorkeling and scuba diving is a very common attraction for foreigners and recreation for Salihans and Abu Islanders.
Economy:
GDP: 616.345 billion USD
Per Capita: 91,000 USD
GDP by Sector: 61% Services| 32% Industry | 7% Agriculture
Employment by Sector: 31% Services | 59% Industry | 10% Agriculture
Unemployment: 8.35%
Percent of population below poverty line: 14.6%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: Highest 32% | Lowest 29%
Inflation: 7%
Industrial Production growth rate: 21%
The economy of Abu Salih is very advanced due to its 'perfect' storm of economic pluses. Since the Sultanate is an island, many opportunities opened up when it was formed. The nation served as a major trading port and rest stop for sailors, and continues to serve as a major port nation today. The beautiful 'Blade Coast' and the 'Teardrop's' also rake in billions a year for tourism. Real estate and retreats are also common on Abu Salih.
The Royal Sultanate underwent somewhat of an industrial revolution in the mid-late nineties. this revolution eliminated widespread poverty and increased the manufactured exports of the nation tremendously. Despite this there remains a large separation of wealth with a large upper class, an average sized middle class and a large lower class. Services and industry are by far the largest sectors of the economy, with services making up around 61%, industry making up 32% and agriculture only making up the remaining 7%. The majority of the land in Abu Salih is semi-arid and not very appealing to farmers; the majority of the agriculture comes from the tropical coasts and most of the products are tropical (coffee, sugar, spices) but in limited quantity. The industries are mainly banking and other financial services, IT, natural gas production and electronics/other high-tech products.
In the mid-late nineties, FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) also swept the nation, boosting the industrial and overall economic climb. Several banking, real-estate, petrol, chemical, and manufacturing companies opened up plants and offices all around the nation.
There are several financial centers around the nation, but the major financial centers are in the capitol of Oujda where the Oujda Stock Exchange is located, and the second largest city of al-Abwa. These cities and many others benefitted from the massive transportation project launched in 2000 by the Sultaness which created massive 'arteries' that ran north-south and east-west. The economy is boasting a 8.9% growth rate for 2009.
Demographics:
Population: 67,699,342
Male/Female: 42% Male, 58% female
Age Structure: 0-14 years- 21%| 15-64 years- 67%| 64+ years- 12%
Birth Rate: 34.20/1,000
Religion: 76% Abuhists|12% Non-religious|10% Shi'a Islam
Ethnic Groups: 60% Salihan|22.5% Abu Islander|17.5% Foreign born
Population Growth Rate: 4.6%
Urbanization: 65% (Growth 2% annum)
Unemployment: 8.35%
Foreign Born: 17.5%
Major Cities:
--Oujda (Capital)--
A view of the Oudjan Marina
Oujda, the capital, is a planned city of around 7,000,000. It began construction right after the end of the civil war and has grown immensely and rapidly. It has become the center of government and economic activity in the country. Oujda, which is situated on the blade of the crescent enjoys fine, white sand beaches, pure blue, hot tub like water and is a popular tourist center. It's architect who planned the city nearly 30 years ago, Nouri Abdullah Abdullah, was recently appointed mayor by Rania.
--al-Abwa--
An example of a portion of 'Old Abwa'
al-Abwa is the cultural and historical center of the Salihan people. Situated on the northern knoll of the crescent the city, constantly populated for over 800 years is Abu Salih's major tourist site. Since the beaches are mainly rocky and rough the inland lake nearby, Lake Chameleon, serves as the major recreational activity for tourists, but the history of the city and nation in the 'Old City' is what most people come for. Once a part of the caliphates before Abu Salih, al-Abwa is the birthplace of Father Farooq al-Salih. Despite it's age and history, the city of 5,000,000 is also a major financial and economic hub in the country.
--Buakonikai--
An example of the surrounding islands where many Abu Islanders still happily live
Buakonikai, commonly referred to as Koni, is the center of Abu Islander life. The Abu Islanders, who live in the Teardrops, an island chain off the southern tip of the country where Koni is, number only a few million, yet their vibrant culture comprises a lot of the average Salihan's life. Their shallow atolls and reefs are surrounded by sapphire colored waters that can reach 95 degrees Fahrenheit at times, however the reefs and bountiful wildlife make swimming more dangerous than the Oudjan beaches. Koni is a wonderful city for those who can handle it. Abu Islanders, while still managing a modern economy, hold on to their culture which might be a shock to some tourists. The city and islands in general is a wonderful tourist site for the more adventurous brand.
Culture:
The Salihan Culture and Abu Islander Culture (Both almost identical) are a very unique cultures only found in Abu Salih and the surrounding islands. The cultures focus heavily on the arts such as art, dancing, theatre and song. The Abuhists, which are native to Abu Salih are very unique and sophisticated humans. They celebrate science, specifically astrology, geology and anthropology. Women are also regarded very highly in the society.
The strangest trait of most Abuhists and most residents of Abu Salih is that sex and reproduction are highly celebrated, revered and open. Beautiful women are very highly held and revered as some of the highest members of society. Also, talk about sex and the act itself, unlike many other nations, is extremely open and public acts of sex are encouraged. The legal age for sex is 14 years of age. This openness paired with common reproduction has helped Abu Salih avoid many of the demographic problems many advanced industrial nations currently face, primarily the lack of labor force.
This is the reason why Abu Salih has such a high birth rate and high growth rate. Salihans and specifically Abuhists usually do not marry until 45+ (Royalty and other special cases) and usually experiment with 100s of partners before finally marrying when they are older. While this contributes to a plethora of problems, Salihans embrace this part of their culture and it has made Abu Salih one of the happiest places on earth.
Current Issues:
-Abu Salih is a stop and a root for human trafficking around the region and the world. Police and Royal Forces have and are attempting to subdue this problem.
-Due to the openness with sex and the young age, there are very high numbers of orphans, abortions, STDs and rape. However, this comes at a cost of the Salihan culture and will not be given up anytime soon.
-Abu Salih is a major producer of opium and cocaine and is also a very large consumer of it. While marijuana is legalized (55 grams and under for personal use) all other narcotics are illegal and Police and Royal Forces are trying to subdue this.
-Several underground anti-royalty and Islamic fundamentalist secessionist groups have spotted up around Abu Salih in the past few decades. Clashes with the House's National Guard are not uncommon.
The House's Royal Armed Forces:
HSRA uniform
House of Salih Royal Army (HSRA)
Structure:
In Abu Salih, the Army is usually made up of around 150,000 volunteers, although, in Abu Salih public service is required (6-12 months military service| 12 months non-military service). The volunteers make up the actually active Royal Army, Special Forces etc. (Any combat units) as they are much better trained and equipped, and the conscripts make up the National Guard and other non-combat units. The Army has heavily relied on quick and efficient movements using a lot of mechanized infantry. Abu Salih is more or less flat inland so the Army can move across large swaths of land very quickly. Mech Infantry is usually the first into battle which is complimented by armour and artillery and then basic infantry mops up. The Royal Army is divided into large Divisions which contain around 12,000-15,000 troops, and those are divided into Brigades (4,000-5,000), Battalions (Around 900 men), Regiments (Around 300-450 men) Companies (120 men) and Platoons (Around 24 men) and then Fireteams (5-8 men).The HSRA is commander by Major General Faisal al-Salih, the Sultan's brother.
Equipment:
Much of the small arms used by the Salihan Armed Forces (Regularly called SAF) are procured via Sequoia Weaponworks. Many of the vehicles used are procured via Haruspex International Armaments
--Small Arms, Standard--
P270B “Diablo” (Sidearm)
G500 Modular Weapon System (Assault Rifle, Battle Rifle, Assault Carbine, Designated Marksman, Sniper System, Light Machine Gun)
G430A1 Tactical Precision Rifle (Sniper System)
MP510/511/512K (Submachine Guns)
SA-12 “Viper” (Shotgun)
MG70B Universal Machine Gun (All-Purpose Machine Gun)
G500C Assault Carbine
--Vehicles, Major--
500 MBT142 Grizzly (Main Battle Tank)
200 Cbetan (Light Tank)
300 155mm SPG Taytmo Vmufan (SPG)
600 TAC-12 155mm (Towed Artillery)
150 ASTROS II (MLRS)
1,500 LIFV2070 (Various, IFV, Engineering, Mobile Hospital, APC, etc)
500 S-12 (APC, Various)
2,000 Yttan (Utility)
1,250 Golan (MRAP)
500 AR-6W Armadillo (Light APC)
House of Salih Royal Air Force (HSRAF)
Structure:
The HSRAF is the smallest but one of the most important branches. It contains several hundred combat aircraft and has 60,000 personnel though most are support, technicians, etc. The HSRAF has recently been undergoing a major upgrade to help quell uprisings across the country when sending Gendarmerie or Army is illogical or impossible. Rather than bulk numbers the HSRAF focuses on quick and effective strikes coupled with a major focus on cooperation with the Army and Gendarmerie, able to move them very fast. Several Air Cavalry units have been formed over the years because of this tactic. Unusually, the Army does not command any aircraft of its own so it must cooperate heavily and often with the HSRAF. It is commanded by Air Marshal Feleti Sevele, an Abu Islander.
Some of the aircraft operated by the HSRAF is procured via Haruspex.
--Equipment, Fixed-Wing/Tiltorotor--
180 HAD S39 Viper (Air-Air, Strike)
50 HIA S30 Sylrada (Dedicated Ground Attack)
40 HAD HT-01 'Vycd Muytan' (Tactical Transport)
90 TR-02 'Aykma' (Transport, SAR, ASW, Gunship, Assault)
7 KC-135 (Air Borne Refuel)
20 C-5 Galaxy (Heavy Transport)
5 AC-130U (Gunship)
30 T-50 (Advanced Trainer/Light Attack)
8 E-3 (AWACS)
6 EMB-145 (AWACS)
HAD S39 Viper
--Equipment, Rotorcraft--
45 AH-64D (Attack)
150 UH-1Y (Light Transport, Assault, SAR)
100 EH-101 (Medium Transport, Assault, SAR, AEW)
15 Mi-26 (Heavy Transport)
50 UH-60 (Medium Transport)
--Equipment, UAV--
4 RQ-4 Global Hawk
35 RQ-1 Predator
50 RQ-11 Raven
20 RQ-8 Fire Scout
House of Salih Royal Navy (HSRN)
Abu Salih's Navy is likely the most important, largest and most advanced, being an island nation. The coasts all around the country are dotted with naval bases and the fleets constantly patrol. Not only are they the primary defense, they would also be the primary offense if Abu Salih needed. The Navy and it's Marines (Somewhat separate branches, technically the same) pose a lethal and effective offensive force and can deploy quickly. Recently the Navy and Marines have been used to battle Royalists and Islamists near the coasts. The carriers and their battle groups form the heart and soul of the navy and the armed forces in general. There are about 80,000 in the Navy, excluding marines
--Equipment, Carriers/AAS/LSD/LHD--
4 Queen Elizabeth Class (Carrier)
2 Hornet Class (Carrier)
8 Wasp Class (AAS)
10 Shadow harbour Class (LHD)
--Equipment, Battleship/Cruiser/Frigate--
8 Iowa Class (Modernized Battleship)
8 Ticonderoga Class (Cruiser)
12 KDX-III (Destroyer)
8 Delhi Class (Destroyer)
8 Saschen Class (AA Frigate)
12 FREMM (Frigate)
12 Horizon (Frigate)
14 La Fayette (Frigate)
HSRN Magnificent and the HSFN Majestic sailing with the Air Wing off the coast of Oujda
--Equipment, Submarine--
18 Type 214 (Attack)
8 Ohio (Ballistic Missile)
8 Sea Wolf (Attack)
8 Los Angeles (Attack)
--Equipment, Patrol Craft (House of Salih Coast Guard)--
40 Armidale Class
25 Sa'ar 4.5 Class
50 Chimera Special Operations Craft
8 Visby Class (Corvette)
--Equipment, Air Wing--
115 F-35C (Attack, Air-Air, Strike)
120 UH-1Y (Transport, Assault, SAR)
50 Westland Lynx (ASW, ASuW)
65 V-22 (Transport, Assault, SAR)
40 AH1Z Super Cobra (Attack)
House of Salih Royal Marines
Royal Marines during an exercise, operating off of HSRN Majestic
The Royal Marines are the major offensive weapon of Abu Salih. Numbering 100,000 strong (Including support, auxiliary) they are a formidable force. They operate in tandem with the Navy and are technically a part of it, but are given a large amount of freedom. The Royal Marines use the same small arms as the Army and the other branches with the G500 being their main, modular weapon system. They also use the Air Wing of the Royal Navy.
--Equipment, Landing Craft--
12 Zubr Class Hovercraft
100 Mechanized Landing Craft
120 Landing Craft Utility
40 landing Craft, Air Cushoined
Special Forces
Instead of several different special forces units Abu Salih operates one Special Operations Brigade (SOB) that is capable of operating in any conditions and in tandem with any of the other branches. They number an estimated 20,000 and operate the same small arms as the Army and utilize the Air Force and Navy's air capabilities. SOB is technically a part of the Air Force.
--House of Salih Gendermarie--
HSG
The Gendarmerie serves as the national guard of Abu Salih. Numbering about 350,000-400,000 this is where the majority of conscripts go. The Gendarmerie are commonly called in to quell small uprisings but are either replaced or supplemented with the Armed Forces when it gets out of hand. They operate older equipment, such as the IMI Galil, G3, and FN FAL and the only vehicles they command are lightly armoured civilian trucks and cars. If anything bigger is needed, the Army is usually called in. Though th Gendarmerie is not fit for major battle (Though they would be called into service in an invasion situation and can be organized into an effective fighting force) they are portions of it that are highly specialized in tasks such as SIGIT, computer tech, bomb diffusion, hostage negotiation, etc.
ملكي سلطنة أبو
Flag of the Royal Sultanate. The design in the middle is the symbol of Abuhism while the field of red represents the blood of those who died for the Abu Salih.
((Abu al-Salih is Abu Salih. I just forgot my password and for some reason I couldn't restore it.))
Motto: Prosperity, Country, Women, The Sultan
Anthem: 'Long live the Sultan'
Capitol and largest city: Oujda
Official Languages: Arabic, Dhivehi, English
Government: Absolute Monarchy
-Sultan Abdullah al-Salih
-Sultaness Rania al-Salih
Independance/Formation of present day Abu Salih: 1659 (Regional Islamic Clerics)
Area: 843,759 sq mi
-Water 4.86%
Population: 67,699,342 (2008 census)
Currency: al-Salih's Riyal (Commonly referred to as 'Ria')
Literacy Rate: 93%
Brief History:
Abu Salih up until 1659 was divded into dozens of several caliphates ruled by several Islamic clerics, self-proclaimed prohpets are un-rightful sultans. It was constantly submerged in bloody warfare, but most caliphates were generally somewhat advanced for their time and very intelligent. Religion, however, tore these, what would have been powerful nations, apart for centuries.
In 1659, a man named Farooq al-Salih, commonly referred to as 'Father (Of Abu Salih) organized a force of merecenaries, intellectuals and peasants and united the northern caliphates. He then turned his then powerful army against the southern Muslims and toppled their fundamentalist and extremist 'empires' uniting the nation into one 'Royal Sultanate of Abu Salih' Farooq proclaimed himself Sultan with much popularity. The Sultanate purged Abu Salih of the fundamentalists, extremists and clerics. After which, he banned the public showing of religion. Eliminating the threat of extreme religion, Abu Salih then advanced tremendously in the scientific, social and technological fields. Farooq died in 1701, but handed his position down to his son.
Abu Salih remained in al-Salih hands until a 15 year gap starting in 1974 when a power hungry General al-Sadr took control of the Sultanate brutally. He ruled, with much dismay from the population, for 15 long years until 1989 when a great descendent of Farooq al-Salih, Abdullah al-Salih and his fierce lover, Rania, overthrew (In a extremely bloody, extremely brutal and extremely popular coup) the al-Sadr government and brought back the Sultanate, much like his great ancestor. Abu Salih, other than clashes with Islamic fundamentalists, has lived in peace since under Sultan Abdullah and Sultaness Rania.
Government/Politics:
Head of State: Sultaness Rania al-salih/Sultan Abdullah al-Salih
Head of Government: Sultaness Rania
Crown Princess: Junahia al-Salih
Crown Prince: Malik al-Salih
Ministress of the Interior: Junahia al-Salih
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Jafar bin Jafaari
Minister of Defense: Malik al-Salih
Chief of General Staff: Faisal al-Salih
In 1989, the military junta that was ruling Abu Salih was overthrown in a violent, bloody and popular coup de 'etat, led by the royalist Abdullah al-Salih and his fierce lover, Rania al-Salih. After 15 years of military rule, al-Salih, his lover, 15,000 civillians and royalist-friendly parts of the military overthrew the military junta after an 8 week civil war that finally ended in the siege of the capitol, Oujda. Several cities were heavily damaged from the savage tactics carried out by both sides and total casualties are estimated around 35,000 Salihans (Military and civillian).
Abu Salih is a complete Monarchy at the moment although reforms may be on the way. The nation is ruled by decree by the Sultan and the Sultaness and the individual emirates (There are 28 excluding the separate capitol emirate) are ruled by Shiekhs who are usually close friends or family of the Royal Family. The Royal Family is vigorously trained for politics, administration and other fields to prepare them to lead the nation. If the Royal Family is deemed unfit to rule the nation it is 'the population's responsibility' to take care of it though this has never happened.
Politics are negligible other than winning of the populations support as there are no democratically elected bodies or positions (Other than local mayors, councils, D.As), and there are no political parties. The Royal Family is headed by the Sultaness, but her powers are almost equaled by her husband Abdullah al-Salih. The al-Salih's have had 9 children (3 boys, 6 girls) and the power then travels through the immediate family, starting with the eldest girl then descending regardless of gender. The positions of Crown Prince and Princess are somewhat strange. The Crown Princess is the immediate succesor and her husband will become Sultan so the Crown Prince is irrelevant in regards to head of government/state unless the Crown Princess dies or is unable to fill her position and then the Crown Prince would become Sultan and his wife would become Sultaness. The 2010 census polled the citizens for the support of the Sultan and the Sultaness. The Sultan recieved a respectable 64% approval rating, while his fierce lover Rania won an astounding 98% support.
Abu Salih is divided into 28 Administrative Districts which are then divided again into Counties of which there are hundreds. Counties and cities are the only place for democracy in the country where citizens can vote for local mayors and/or councils as well as other institutions such as school board, district attorney, etc. These elected officials can, however, be vetoed by the A.D (Administrative District) government which is appointed by the national government. A.D's and counties are entrusted by the national government with quite a bit of freedom and power.
The judicial system is headed by a Supreme Council that consists of 15 judges appointed by the national government. The A.D Supreme Councils are also appointed by the national government but district attorneys are appointed. This is also one of the only areas where the national government can be overturned. An appointment for the National Supreme Council can be overturned by a vote of over 18 A.D Supreme Councils in which it must be unanimous within the A.D Supreme Council to count as a 'Nay' vote. Suffrage is 16 years old.
National holidays that are celebrated are Independence Day, Farooq Day, Earth Day, Sultaness Day (Birthday), Sultan Day (Birthday) and the birthdays of the Crown Prince and Princess.
Sultaness Rania
Climate/Geography/Flora and Fauna:
Abu Salih is a very large island surrounded by the warm water body of water, the Sea of Hajida. The island is in the very rough shape of a crescent moon. It has generally rocky coasts on 'The Knoll' which is the bulging side of the crescent moon, and fine, white sand beaches on 'The Blade', the other side. While the coasts are tropical/sub-tropical, the majority of the land is vast sand grassland which makes up the inland portion. In the southern area, there are also some small (Area) yet very rough, jagged granite mountains. 'The Teardrops' as it is known, though the technical name is the Abu Archipelago (Hence the Abu Islanders), is an archipelago that comes off the southern tip. These islands are full of wildlife and tropical, one of which has an active volcano on it. Each is usually small individually, but they are all very close together and easily accessible by a small boat or canoe. There are also some (Not as many) similar islands off the coast of 'the Blade'. The Climate follows the landscape. Tropical along the coasts and the Teardrops, continental/semi-arid inland and in the southern mountains (Locally called the 'al-Manifa mountain range despite it not being a 'range) it is arid.
Abu Salih has significant copper, nickel, zinc, and other metal deposits as well as considerable natural gas fields. Rock, such as limestone and granite are also easily found. Thorium, a nuclear material that is used in Salihan nuclear power plants, is abundant.
Abu Salih has a wide and diverse selection of flora and fauna which attracts tourists and researchers alike. The national animal the fossa, a large mongoose-like animal, lives in the sub-tropical coasts. A variety of animals commonly found in Africa are founding the savannahs in the center of the country. The 'al-Manifa Mountrain Range attracts hunters and sightseers with animals like the bighorn sheep, ibex and a few snow leopards and the only pinions in the country. This is also the only place where snow is seen in Abu Salih. the Teardrops, the islands off the edge attract many animals unique to Abu Salih due to their isolated nature. This has attracted many evolutionary scientists and tourists. Sea life is some of the most abundant in the world, especially around the reefs, and snorkeling and scuba diving is a very common attraction for foreigners and recreation for Salihans and Abu Islanders.
Economy:
GDP: 616.345 billion USD
Per Capita: 91,000 USD
GDP by Sector: 61% Services| 32% Industry | 7% Agriculture
Employment by Sector: 31% Services | 59% Industry | 10% Agriculture
Unemployment: 8.35%
Percent of population below poverty line: 14.6%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: Highest 32% | Lowest 29%
Inflation: 7%
Industrial Production growth rate: 21%
The economy of Abu Salih is very advanced due to its 'perfect' storm of economic pluses. Since the Sultanate is an island, many opportunities opened up when it was formed. The nation served as a major trading port and rest stop for sailors, and continues to serve as a major port nation today. The beautiful 'Blade Coast' and the 'Teardrop's' also rake in billions a year for tourism. Real estate and retreats are also common on Abu Salih.
The Royal Sultanate underwent somewhat of an industrial revolution in the mid-late nineties. this revolution eliminated widespread poverty and increased the manufactured exports of the nation tremendously. Despite this there remains a large separation of wealth with a large upper class, an average sized middle class and a large lower class. Services and industry are by far the largest sectors of the economy, with services making up around 61%, industry making up 32% and agriculture only making up the remaining 7%. The majority of the land in Abu Salih is semi-arid and not very appealing to farmers; the majority of the agriculture comes from the tropical coasts and most of the products are tropical (coffee, sugar, spices) but in limited quantity. The industries are mainly banking and other financial services, IT, natural gas production and electronics/other high-tech products.
In the mid-late nineties, FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) also swept the nation, boosting the industrial and overall economic climb. Several banking, real-estate, petrol, chemical, and manufacturing companies opened up plants and offices all around the nation.
There are several financial centers around the nation, but the major financial centers are in the capitol of Oujda where the Oujda Stock Exchange is located, and the second largest city of al-Abwa. These cities and many others benefitted from the massive transportation project launched in 2000 by the Sultaness which created massive 'arteries' that ran north-south and east-west. The economy is boasting a 8.9% growth rate for 2009.
Demographics:
Population: 67,699,342
Male/Female: 42% Male, 58% female
Age Structure: 0-14 years- 21%| 15-64 years- 67%| 64+ years- 12%
Birth Rate: 34.20/1,000
Religion: 76% Abuhists|12% Non-religious|10% Shi'a Islam
Ethnic Groups: 60% Salihan|22.5% Abu Islander|17.5% Foreign born
Population Growth Rate: 4.6%
Urbanization: 65% (Growth 2% annum)
Unemployment: 8.35%
Foreign Born: 17.5%
Major Cities:
--Oujda (Capital)--
A view of the Oudjan Marina
Oujda, the capital, is a planned city of around 7,000,000. It began construction right after the end of the civil war and has grown immensely and rapidly. It has become the center of government and economic activity in the country. Oujda, which is situated on the blade of the crescent enjoys fine, white sand beaches, pure blue, hot tub like water and is a popular tourist center. It's architect who planned the city nearly 30 years ago, Nouri Abdullah Abdullah, was recently appointed mayor by Rania.
--al-Abwa--
An example of a portion of 'Old Abwa'
al-Abwa is the cultural and historical center of the Salihan people. Situated on the northern knoll of the crescent the city, constantly populated for over 800 years is Abu Salih's major tourist site. Since the beaches are mainly rocky and rough the inland lake nearby, Lake Chameleon, serves as the major recreational activity for tourists, but the history of the city and nation in the 'Old City' is what most people come for. Once a part of the caliphates before Abu Salih, al-Abwa is the birthplace of Father Farooq al-Salih. Despite it's age and history, the city of 5,000,000 is also a major financial and economic hub in the country.
--Buakonikai--
An example of the surrounding islands where many Abu Islanders still happily live
Buakonikai, commonly referred to as Koni, is the center of Abu Islander life. The Abu Islanders, who live in the Teardrops, an island chain off the southern tip of the country where Koni is, number only a few million, yet their vibrant culture comprises a lot of the average Salihan's life. Their shallow atolls and reefs are surrounded by sapphire colored waters that can reach 95 degrees Fahrenheit at times, however the reefs and bountiful wildlife make swimming more dangerous than the Oudjan beaches. Koni is a wonderful city for those who can handle it. Abu Islanders, while still managing a modern economy, hold on to their culture which might be a shock to some tourists. The city and islands in general is a wonderful tourist site for the more adventurous brand.
Culture:
The Salihan Culture and Abu Islander Culture (Both almost identical) are a very unique cultures only found in Abu Salih and the surrounding islands. The cultures focus heavily on the arts such as art, dancing, theatre and song. The Abuhists, which are native to Abu Salih are very unique and sophisticated humans. They celebrate science, specifically astrology, geology and anthropology. Women are also regarded very highly in the society.
The strangest trait of most Abuhists and most residents of Abu Salih is that sex and reproduction are highly celebrated, revered and open. Beautiful women are very highly held and revered as some of the highest members of society. Also, talk about sex and the act itself, unlike many other nations, is extremely open and public acts of sex are encouraged. The legal age for sex is 14 years of age. This openness paired with common reproduction has helped Abu Salih avoid many of the demographic problems many advanced industrial nations currently face, primarily the lack of labor force.
This is the reason why Abu Salih has such a high birth rate and high growth rate. Salihans and specifically Abuhists usually do not marry until 45+ (Royalty and other special cases) and usually experiment with 100s of partners before finally marrying when they are older. While this contributes to a plethora of problems, Salihans embrace this part of their culture and it has made Abu Salih one of the happiest places on earth.
Current Issues:
-Abu Salih is a stop and a root for human trafficking around the region and the world. Police and Royal Forces have and are attempting to subdue this problem.
-Due to the openness with sex and the young age, there are very high numbers of orphans, abortions, STDs and rape. However, this comes at a cost of the Salihan culture and will not be given up anytime soon.
-Abu Salih is a major producer of opium and cocaine and is also a very large consumer of it. While marijuana is legalized (55 grams and under for personal use) all other narcotics are illegal and Police and Royal Forces are trying to subdue this.
-Several underground anti-royalty and Islamic fundamentalist secessionist groups have spotted up around Abu Salih in the past few decades. Clashes with the House's National Guard are not uncommon.
The House's Royal Armed Forces:
HSRA uniform
House of Salih Royal Army (HSRA)
Structure:
In Abu Salih, the Army is usually made up of around 150,000 volunteers, although, in Abu Salih public service is required (6-12 months military service| 12 months non-military service). The volunteers make up the actually active Royal Army, Special Forces etc. (Any combat units) as they are much better trained and equipped, and the conscripts make up the National Guard and other non-combat units. The Army has heavily relied on quick and efficient movements using a lot of mechanized infantry. Abu Salih is more or less flat inland so the Army can move across large swaths of land very quickly. Mech Infantry is usually the first into battle which is complimented by armour and artillery and then basic infantry mops up. The Royal Army is divided into large Divisions which contain around 12,000-15,000 troops, and those are divided into Brigades (4,000-5,000), Battalions (Around 900 men), Regiments (Around 300-450 men) Companies (120 men) and Platoons (Around 24 men) and then Fireteams (5-8 men).The HSRA is commander by Major General Faisal al-Salih, the Sultan's brother.
Equipment:
Much of the small arms used by the Salihan Armed Forces (Regularly called SAF) are procured via Sequoia Weaponworks. Many of the vehicles used are procured via Haruspex International Armaments
--Small Arms, Standard--
P270B “Diablo” (Sidearm)
G500 Modular Weapon System (Assault Rifle, Battle Rifle, Assault Carbine, Designated Marksman, Sniper System, Light Machine Gun)
G430A1 Tactical Precision Rifle (Sniper System)
MP510/511/512K (Submachine Guns)
SA-12 “Viper” (Shotgun)
MG70B Universal Machine Gun (All-Purpose Machine Gun)
G500C Assault Carbine
--Vehicles, Major--
500 MBT142 Grizzly (Main Battle Tank)
200 Cbetan (Light Tank)
300 155mm SPG Taytmo Vmufan (SPG)
600 TAC-12 155mm (Towed Artillery)
150 ASTROS II (MLRS)
1,500 LIFV2070 (Various, IFV, Engineering, Mobile Hospital, APC, etc)
500 S-12 (APC, Various)
2,000 Yttan (Utility)
1,250 Golan (MRAP)
500 AR-6W Armadillo (Light APC)
House of Salih Royal Air Force (HSRAF)
Structure:
The HSRAF is the smallest but one of the most important branches. It contains several hundred combat aircraft and has 60,000 personnel though most are support, technicians, etc. The HSRAF has recently been undergoing a major upgrade to help quell uprisings across the country when sending Gendarmerie or Army is illogical or impossible. Rather than bulk numbers the HSRAF focuses on quick and effective strikes coupled with a major focus on cooperation with the Army and Gendarmerie, able to move them very fast. Several Air Cavalry units have been formed over the years because of this tactic. Unusually, the Army does not command any aircraft of its own so it must cooperate heavily and often with the HSRAF. It is commanded by Air Marshal Feleti Sevele, an Abu Islander.
Some of the aircraft operated by the HSRAF is procured via Haruspex.
--Equipment, Fixed-Wing/Tiltorotor--
180 HAD S39 Viper (Air-Air, Strike)
50 HIA S30 Sylrada (Dedicated Ground Attack)
40 HAD HT-01 'Vycd Muytan' (Tactical Transport)
90 TR-02 'Aykma' (Transport, SAR, ASW, Gunship, Assault)
7 KC-135 (Air Borne Refuel)
20 C-5 Galaxy (Heavy Transport)
5 AC-130U (Gunship)
30 T-50 (Advanced Trainer/Light Attack)
8 E-3 (AWACS)
6 EMB-145 (AWACS)
HAD S39 Viper
--Equipment, Rotorcraft--
45 AH-64D (Attack)
150 UH-1Y (Light Transport, Assault, SAR)
100 EH-101 (Medium Transport, Assault, SAR, AEW)
15 Mi-26 (Heavy Transport)
50 UH-60 (Medium Transport)
--Equipment, UAV--
4 RQ-4 Global Hawk
35 RQ-1 Predator
50 RQ-11 Raven
20 RQ-8 Fire Scout
House of Salih Royal Navy (HSRN)
Abu Salih's Navy is likely the most important, largest and most advanced, being an island nation. The coasts all around the country are dotted with naval bases and the fleets constantly patrol. Not only are they the primary defense, they would also be the primary offense if Abu Salih needed. The Navy and it's Marines (Somewhat separate branches, technically the same) pose a lethal and effective offensive force and can deploy quickly. Recently the Navy and Marines have been used to battle Royalists and Islamists near the coasts. The carriers and their battle groups form the heart and soul of the navy and the armed forces in general. There are about 80,000 in the Navy, excluding marines
--Equipment, Carriers/AAS/LSD/LHD--
4 Queen Elizabeth Class (Carrier)
2 Hornet Class (Carrier)
8 Wasp Class (AAS)
10 Shadow harbour Class (LHD)
--Equipment, Battleship/Cruiser/Frigate--
8 Iowa Class (Modernized Battleship)
8 Ticonderoga Class (Cruiser)
12 KDX-III (Destroyer)
8 Delhi Class (Destroyer)
8 Saschen Class (AA Frigate)
12 FREMM (Frigate)
12 Horizon (Frigate)
14 La Fayette (Frigate)
HSRN Magnificent and the HSFN Majestic sailing with the Air Wing off the coast of Oujda
--Equipment, Submarine--
18 Type 214 (Attack)
8 Ohio (Ballistic Missile)
8 Sea Wolf (Attack)
8 Los Angeles (Attack)
--Equipment, Patrol Craft (House of Salih Coast Guard)--
40 Armidale Class
25 Sa'ar 4.5 Class
50 Chimera Special Operations Craft
8 Visby Class (Corvette)
--Equipment, Air Wing--
115 F-35C (Attack, Air-Air, Strike)
120 UH-1Y (Transport, Assault, SAR)
50 Westland Lynx (ASW, ASuW)
65 V-22 (Transport, Assault, SAR)
40 AH1Z Super Cobra (Attack)
House of Salih Royal Marines
Royal Marines during an exercise, operating off of HSRN Majestic
The Royal Marines are the major offensive weapon of Abu Salih. Numbering 100,000 strong (Including support, auxiliary) they are a formidable force. They operate in tandem with the Navy and are technically a part of it, but are given a large amount of freedom. The Royal Marines use the same small arms as the Army and the other branches with the G500 being their main, modular weapon system. They also use the Air Wing of the Royal Navy.
--Equipment, Landing Craft--
12 Zubr Class Hovercraft
100 Mechanized Landing Craft
120 Landing Craft Utility
40 landing Craft, Air Cushoined
Special Forces
Instead of several different special forces units Abu Salih operates one Special Operations Brigade (SOB) that is capable of operating in any conditions and in tandem with any of the other branches. They number an estimated 20,000 and operate the same small arms as the Army and utilize the Air Force and Navy's air capabilities. SOB is technically a part of the Air Force.
--House of Salih Gendermarie--
HSG
The Gendarmerie serves as the national guard of Abu Salih. Numbering about 350,000-400,000 this is where the majority of conscripts go. The Gendarmerie are commonly called in to quell small uprisings but are either replaced or supplemented with the Armed Forces when it gets out of hand. They operate older equipment, such as the IMI Galil, G3, and FN FAL and the only vehicles they command are lightly armoured civilian trucks and cars. If anything bigger is needed, the Army is usually called in. Though th Gendarmerie is not fit for major battle (Though they would be called into service in an invasion situation and can be organized into an effective fighting force) they are portions of it that are highly specialized in tasks such as SIGIT, computer tech, bomb diffusion, hostage negotiation, etc.
