Cosivian National Facts

[Cosivia]

National Facts About the Principality of Cosivia
Geography: Mostly mountainous climate that becomes flatter the farther south one goes in the country. Temperate climate in most of the nation except for South Cosivia and the Costan Islands, where the climate is more Subtropical
Economy:Mixed-market economy, however, more and more industries are becoming privatized.
-Key Nationalized Industries: Argo Oil and Petroleum (Originally Royal Cosiv-Allyrian Oil Company); Rialta World Inc. (Investment and real estate company); COSCOM (COSivian COMmunications-Telecommunications company)
History: Originally a region made up of several different ethnic kingdoms, such as the Sorans (Soranavia), Costazi (Costan Islands), and Allyrians (Allyria), they bonded together in mutual defense due to a common language and somewhat common ancient history. Originally a Royal Confederation, once deeply divided during the Protestant Reformation, the region became a unitary state under one line of Princes. Parliamentary Democracy was introduced in 1910 and subsequently gave birth to a new constitution. This led to the modern Cosivian State known today.
Military:Headed by the Supreme Commander of the Royal Armed Forces, Currently Com. Thad H. Byzantia. The Armed Forces consists of the Royal Army of Cosivia, the Cosivian Navy, the Cosivian Air Force, Cosivian Coast Guard, Cosivian Royal Marines, and several Military Intelligence Organizations.
Government and Politics:The government of Cosivia is a semi-constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. The Head of State is the Prince, currently Prince Patrick I, of the House of Milano-Weatherford. Although there are constitutional limits on the Prince's power, he also retains important veto power, the power to dissolve parliament, call elections, restructure the military (in cooperation with the Supreme Commander), appoint the Supreme Commander, and issue special national decrees in times of crisis.

The current Head of Government is Prime Minister Hugo Athenia, of the Cosivian Social Movement, an authoritarian, syncretic political party that incorporates elements of both the right and left. The Prime Minister is elected by the Parliament, originally nominated by the party with the most seats, although this is not always the case. Members of Parliament are elected directly by the people of their province. Currently, the Parliament has 180 seats, in which each province is assigned 2 seats. 87 of these seats belong to the CSM, with the party coming in second being the Cosivian Party of the Masses, a Democratic Socialist Party, with 50 seats.

People and Population of Cosivia:
The current population is a little more than 1 million. The majority of the population is in the 30-55 year range, with 40% of the population being ethnically Soran, 30% Allyrian, and 30% Costazi.
-Religion: Of the Cosivian Population, 75% of the population is Christian. Among the 75% of Christians , 35% go to the Church of Cosvia, the official national church, according to the Constitution. Officially the Church is named the Cosivian Athanasian Episcopal Christian Church. Originally part of the Roman Catholic Church, during the Reformation, a man named Saran Athanasia, a Soran Catholic Theologian, entered the government of the original Soran-Allyrian Royal Confederation and advocated a splitting of the Church from Rome, and Prince Maximillian V granted the request, and so made it a new national church, under episcopal government with the Archbishop of Liria as the Head. Soon after, the Church of Cosivia would enter into communion with the Anglican Communion, and is still in communion today. The rest of the Christian community falls into 25% Roman Catholic, and 15% under the newly formed United Reformed Protestant Church, an alliance of Presbyterian and Congregationalist Churches.
The rest of the population is 20% Muslim, with 10 % Shia and 10% Sunni, 3% Jewish, 1% Druze, and 1% of no religious faith.

[Cosivia]

Political Ideologies and Issues within Cosivia

Issues:
-South Cosivia: The issue of independence for South Cosivia has been a long standing issue. Although the people in the South are of the same basic ethnic heritage, major differences prevail. The area, climate, and lifestyle are different. The British held influence in the South as in the rest of Cosivia, however, Spain also held power there as well, however briefly. South Cosivia has officially declared independence and have had very limited recognition. Border violence, economic sanctions, and irredentism all figure in to the issue of either bringing the South back in, or letting it go.

-Costan Islands: The Costan Islands are to Cosivia what Puerto Rico is to the United States. It is an unincorporated crown territory of the Principality. It elects it's own first minister, and does not have to pay Central taxes, however, they cannot vote for Prime Minister or representation within Parliament. They do, however, have appointed ministers who sit on the Prince's Privy Council. In recent years, Costazi nationalism has come into play, and has been pressing the Royal government on the future of the Islands' sovereignty.

-The Cosivian Social Movement: The CSM is the current party in power, headed by Prime Minister Hugo Athenia. The CSM has remained in power since the days of the Old Royal Confederacy, in one form or another. Many are concerned that the CSM's monopoly on power has been a cause of Southern agitation and for the way things are now in terms of ineffectual domestic government. On the foreign front, the CSM has earned points for it's practical and sound foreign policy, recently engaging with Kirav, a powerful nation that shares the same ethnic heritage as Cosivia. However, this does not mean the CSM is scot-free. In fact, government is at a stand still right now due to factional infighting within the party and accusations of vote buying from opposition party members.

-The Monarchy: The position of the Prince of Cosivia was established in the pre-confederacy days, with a brief interregnum where there was a military, republican government. The approval rate for the monarchy has been low in recent times, because it is seen as propping up the CSM, which is slowly decreasing in popularity and membership. The elegant and lavish lifestyle of Patrick I, a bachelor, is seen as wasteful, and leaving a bad impression of the country in the eyes of others. Recently, there has been a strong Republican movement, with the Party of the Masses, the main opposition party, the Greens, and the New Democracy Party, a new party that is illegal on the central level, advocating for an abdication of the Crown.

-Church and State: The Principality has an officially designated state religion, Christianity, and a state funded church, the Church of Cosivia, and has had one for many years. A growing number of citizens are advocating for a separation of church and state, saying that the constitutional reference and power given to the Church shows an official preference for one denomination in a nation that has seen growing immigration and cultural changes. Others have advocated that the church take a middle ground, as being a "National Church" but not a state church. This way, it acknowledges the role that the church has played for the nation, but it does not receive funding.