National Answer-to-Ask [CLOSED | ASTYRIA]

[Ord Caprica]

National Answer-to-Ask

Questionnaire

The idea is that the vast majority of canon isn't even remotely thought of until something comes up through the course of your time on NS that instigates you developing that piece of national history. I hope this thread is that catalyst that will provoke you to improve and expand upon your nation. The premise is really simple, you answer the question posted directly above you and you in turn ask a question for whoever posts behind you into perpetuity. So without further ado, let's kick the metaphorical shit.

Question: What is the most popular sport in your country?

Answer:Capricans love their sports. We love watching them, betting on them and most importantly playing them. Go anywhere in the republic and you'll find someone, somewhere willing to strike up a conversation over their favorite team or player in any number of sports that hold sway over the country.

Arguably the most popular is association football, alternatively called ''soccer'' abroad in some of our less enlightened neighbors. It's popularity can be traced by to 1892, when a common set of rules were codified and the first of more than two hundred National Cup games was played by the team that eventually became Yale United F.C and the Wesson Reds F.C which sparked the century long rivalry that continues to this day. The major competitive teams in the U.S National League(USNL) are Yale United, Wesson, Anchorhead Buccaneers, Caprica City Titans & Ulysses F.C.

A close second to football is auto racing lead by the Formula One racing circuit. Formula One races which feature F1 cars which are the fastest racing cares in the world are watched by upwards of one hundred million people during the course of the 2016 season.Both drivers are watched very closely during the season and many have reached celebrity status through their careers.

Question: What is the most popular sport in your country?

[Scottopian Isles]

Question by Ord Caprica: What is the most popular sport in your country?

Answer: Association Football is the prime sport within the Royal CommonWealth of Scottopian Isles, although Baseball, Formula 1, Golf, Hockey & Rugby have large followings as well.

The Scottopian Isles Football Association(SIFA), one of the eldest football associations in Astyria, has overseen the operations of the domestic league since 1872 when they hosted the first competitive season between 8 teams, all of which were from the cities of New Greenock & Urquhart which are just 17 miles from each other across the Urquhart Channel. 4 teams still remain today from these original 8, which are New Greenock Football Club, New Greenock United, Rangers Football Club & Urquhart Rampants. Travel between more distant islands was difficult for a grass-roots operation at first and was confined to the 2 cities.

By 1902, the game had become extremely popular across the islands and SIFA moved forward with the establishment of the Island League for teams from the Council of the San Joaquin Isles and The Northern League was created for those hailing from the northern & eastern regions of the Isle of Scottopia while rebranding the New Greenock/Urquhart competition as the Southern League. East Kilbride Football Club, MacKenzie City, MacKenzie Whitecaps, Milpitas Bay, North Shore United & Real Junipero Serra are all teams that still exist to this day from these expansion leagues.

By the 1920s, transportation technology had allowed further distances to be made in shorter times allowing the merger between the separate divisions within Scottopian Football into a singular body in 1926. To great success, 20 teams now competed in 2 divisions with a promotion/relegation system between them. Unfortunately, the Scottopian Civil War was to break out soon after which placed a hold on the activities of SIFA until the closure of hostilities almost a decade later. Many teams ceased to exist during this time.

With the resumption of games following the end of the Civil War, several new clubs were created by funds of the SIFA to fill in positions left by teams that no longer existed, to continue with the 20 Team/2 League system with such teams as Cappielow Cavaliers, Davanzas United, Port Elisabeth, Scottopia City and Scottopian Capitols joining the fray. To create a bond of national unity following the war, the option to crate a National Team was also undertaken.

In the decades following, many teams came and went but the league had expanded to 32 teams who competed in 3 divisions and continued this fashion until 2015 at the creation of the Elite Astyrian Football League, of which the Scottopian Isles Football Association is a founding member. At that time, 16 Scottopian teams were chosen to represent their home nation in the first Multi-National Football League in the region which consisted of 64 teams from 12 countries in 2016. The EAFL was created to bring a higher professional level of play to more Astyrian nations in hopes to create further excitement and talent region wide.

Question by Scottopian Isles: By what means & how did your nation become independent?

[Aswick]

Question by Scottopia: By what means & how did your nation become independent?

Answer:
Aswick declared its independence from Aquitayne in 1923, during the Great Astyrian War. Over the previous century, there had been a growing desire for independence, and some was given in varying degrees. During the war, Aquitayne called upon increasingly large number of men. At the start of the war, the Aswickan Imperial Force was formed from the 50.000 men that volunteered for service on the mainland. While junior officers were Aswickan, they could not hope to rise beyond the rank of Captain, and anything up from Battalion level command consisted of Aquitaynian officers.

As casualty numbers grew, and more volunteers were needed, the Aswickan Colonial leadership demanded that the A.I.F be led by an officer corps consisting of only Aswickan officers. Furthermore, they wanted the A.I.F to be one unit in charge of its own piece of the line of trenches. This was granted, and they were given a place to themselves on arguably one of the worst places in the line, and not in direct contact with Aquitaynian forces. The Aquitaynian High Command had thought this to be a way to both appease the Aswickans by making them think they received some independence, while at the same time letting them feel the consequences of a life without Aquitaynian support. The A.I.F did more than what was asked of them, though, and it proved to the men that Aswickan independence was something that could actually happen.

While preparing to declare independence, the Governor of Aswick, James Rendower, negotiated with Gaulish and Kobali commanders to force a ceasefire between the Aquitaynian and the Aswickan troops once Aswick declared its independence. It would be difficult, if not impossible to get these men back to Aswick, as a result of the Aquitaynian naval blockade that would surely be placed. As such, the Governor felt that the Aswickan troops there might as well stay there and be useful. Even though they'd get almost no reinforcements, and would have to rely on Gaul and Kobolis for supplies, until the blockade could be broken.

When Aswick did finally declare its independence, Aquitayne blockaded the country and prepared to invade the stray colony. Aswick received foreign support, and some recognition from the international community for their actions on the line, and the invasion was therefore put on hold indefinitely. Apart from minor landings by Aquitaynian Marines, that would subsequently be beaten back by the Aswickan Militia, Aswick would not be invaded.

With help from an as yet unknown international ally, the blockade was broken, and Aquitayne was forced to accept Aswick's independence. After all, the troops that were preparing to invade, and the naval forces blockading could be better used elsewhere.


My question for the next: What is your country's largest export?

[Ionicus]

Question submitted by Aswick: What is your country's largest export?

Answer:
Coming in at 23% of the UTRI's total exports by dollar amount, Ionicus's largest export is integrated electronic circuits. This is followed by exports in refined petrochemicals and arms, coming in at 12% and 6% respectively. Ionicus is well-known abroad for its exports in computer software and consumer appliances.

The Ionician economy has, historically, been severely underdeveloped compared to nations of similar size. The economy stagnated with numerous natural resources being left untapped until after the nation's revolution in the mid 1940s. Following the revolution, an oligarchic government took control and established a centrally planned economy. The nation was rebuilt through a series of five year plans, which focused heavily on modernizing the nation as a whole, developing the economy, and increasing the standard of living for all. Conscripts from all across the nation were called upon to work on massive building projects, new collectivized farms, and in factories. In exchange for work, conscripts were offered state housing which included, at that time, unheard of luxuries such as air conditioning, refrigerators, and television sets.

Though initially focused on rebuilding and modernizing the nation, during the 1960s the economy became heavily focused on producing electronic goods, such as televisions and radios for domestic use and for export abroad. Ionician consumer goods quickly gained a reputation in overseas nations for their reliability and build quality. It was also during the 1960s that the Ionicus saw it's transition from an oligarchic government to a democracy, and, consequently a transition to a market economy. Though the state kept its ownership in certain sectors such as agriculture, arms, housing, and telecommunications.

Computers were widely embraced in the 1970s. At the time, the odd introduction of mini-computers and later micro-computers in state houses would later prove to become one of the nation's defining characteristics. High computer ownership rates among the populace led to a huge boom in computer software development much sooner than in other countries, as a result Ionicus gained an early foothold in the computer software industry. Ionicus continues to be a hub of software development to this day, being one if it's most well-known exports.

The following decades have seen the further reduction of government control in many sectors. Today, the largest state industries are in agriculture, energy, and arms, although private corporations are now allowed to compete with these state corporations. The centrally planned economy has left the nation with a highly developed and expansive industries in electronics, consumer goods, and arms.

Question: How did your nation decide which city was to be its capital?

[Ord Caprica]

Question by Ionicus:How did your nation decide which city was to be its capital?

Answer:Ulysses, C.D., alternatively the ''Capitol District'', colloquially known as Ulysses, The District, C.D or the Big U, is the capital of the United Republic of Caprica.

Early on in the United Republic, history the need for a centrally located national capital, free from sectionalism that had plagued the government since it's formation and many attempts were made to name a neutral location to relocate the government. These efforts were without success until the 6th President of the United States, Ulysses G. Ford passed a law that made federal land exempt from local state laws, duties and taxes. On June 16, 1786, legislation was approved by the United Republic Congress approving the creation of a capital district on federal land, directly under federal justification. In between 1788 and 1793, roughly two hundred kilometers were acquired by the federal government from the state governments of Yukon, Victoria, and Acadia. These acquisitions now form the entirety of the present day capital district with exception of minor boundary revisions in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Ulysses is home to the centers of all three branches of the federal government, including both houses of Congress, the President and Supreme Court. Some of the United Republic's most prestigious monuments and museums call Ulysses home, most being primarily located in or in the vicinity of Freedom Square. The city also hosts the vast majority of foreign diplomatic missions in the country as well as the headquarters of influential international organizations, trade unions, non-governmental organizations and lobbying groups.

The cities' permanent population numbers around four hundred thousand people though commuters from neighboring Victoria and Acadia cause the population to swell to over one million during the five-day workweek. As a result Ulysses possesses one of the most advanced public transportation systems in the world with daily use upwards of one hundred thousand people.

Question: What is the most significant foreign policy goal for your nation's current government?

[Blackhelm Confederacy]

Question submitted by Ord Caprica: What is the most significant foreign policy goal for your nation's current government?

The primary goal of the Blackhelm Confederacy right now is to maintain the hegemony of the EATA, especially in Eastern Astyria, and to undermine the growth of both the ATO and the TARP. Aquitayne and Kobolis, in particular, are seen as threats to the region because of their recent bids at expansion, however Kobolis in recent years appears to have been quelled to a large degree, denoting a tremendous press victory for most people in the Confederacy. With Kobolis, and their lackeys in Berique, for the most part removed from international affairs, the Confederacy is now more free to direct her focus against Aquitayne and her ilk.

The Confederacy seeks to avoid open conflict when possible, and instead prefers to utilize more covert methods, such as funding opposition groups and even election rigging in order to ensure that designated enemy nations remain off balance for as long as possible. At the same time, the Confederacy seeks to put tremendous amounts of money and material into the development of allied infrastructure and militaries, in order to ensure that all EATA nations are at the peak of their performance abilities should the time ever come that war does engulf the region. Finally, the Confederacy routinely attempts to build friendly relations with the non-aligned nations of the region, in order to hopefully draw them into the EATA as well.

Question: What are the largest minority groups in your nation?

[Aswick]

Question from BC: What are the largest minority groups in your nation?

Aswick didn't have a native population when it was discovered and colonised. Therefore, any minority group would come from other countries.
This can be answered in two ways.

First, you have the unrecognised Darian folks. As Daria is not a recognised nation, officially these people are Aswickan though many of them consider themselves to be Darian.

Then we have groups from other nations. Due to the close relationship Aswick has with Aquitayne, there are a lot of Aquitaynian expats living in Aswick.These Aquitaynians account for at least 15% of the country's population. Following that, I would imagine that there's a fair few immigrants from the neighbouring countries such as Mesoland, Caprica, and possibly even Nova Deseret. And after those, the percentages get almost negligible I'd think.

Question: What are the gun laws of your country?

[Blackhelm Confederacy]

Question submitted by Aswick: What are the gun laws of your country?

They are, outside of the cities, fairly lax, and most if not all of the homesteaders and farmers in the Backlands own at least one automatic weapon. This comes in part from a long standing tradition of independence and self-sustainability in the area, as well as more practical reasons, such as the presence of armed groups that lurk the jungles, as well as wildlife that can at times be particularly dangerous to farm life.

Within cities, however, the laws vary. Paradise City proper has relatively strict gun laws, and most inhabitants do not find the need to arm themselves. They certainly cannot open carry, although a CCP (Concealed Carry Permit) is not incredibly difficult to come into. A background check and some other basic tests are all that is really needed, but the main thing that keeps the Paradisian masses from concealed carry is the reasoanbly high fee involved in filing. Typically costing upwards of a thousand credits this means the CCP is a luxury only the rich can afford.

The slums of Paradise City and most other urbanized areas, however, are rife with guns, and it is not entirely uncommon to see people openly carrying automatic weapons in the street. This is due, in large part, to the reluctance of law enforcement to actually move into these areas and enforce the law, rather than the lack of such laws being in existence.

Question: What is considered the "Darkest Day" in your nation's history?

[Ord Caprica]

Question by The Blackhelm Confederacy : What is considered the "Darkest Day" in your nation's history?

Answer: Ask any Caprican of any age and they'll all give you the same answer. The darkest day in the history of the republic was May 9th, 2000. It was the day that religious extremists working in conjunction with Caprican separatists with financial and material support coming from international terrorist networks abroad conducted the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in the history of the nation.

At approximately, noon on May 9th, 2000, a group of religious extremists affiliated with the terrorist organization, the ''Soldiers of the One'', detonated three suicide vests packed with C4 on separate maglev trains in downtown Caprica City, Allegheny and two more at the underground train station and a final one as emergency personnel responded to the explosions.

Once the dust settled, more than fourteen hundred Capricans had lost their lives and another three thousand were seriously injured during the attack. The bombings caused more than two hundred billion talents in damages, insurance payouts and lost revenue between the federal and local governments and the private sector and brought Caprica City to it's knees. By the next day, May 9th, 2000 had cemented it's place in history as the deadliest day in Caprican history and secured it's place as the darkest day in the entire existence of the United States of Caprica.

Question: Who is the most famous celebrity in your nation?

[British Hifax]

Question by The Ord Caprica: Who is the most famous celebrity in your nation?

Answer: For many Hifaxians in Princetown and in St. Barth the most famous person is Sebastian Hadid, he's a socialite and philanthropist that born in Punta Cana in 1951 but he lives now in Princetown. in 2001 by a decree of the Principal Knight of the Sovereign Order of Montesa-Hifax, Sebastian was accorded the medal of the Legion of Honor in the grade of ''Officier'', the recognition shows all his work with poor childrens in the world and his inversions in the educational system of Hifax.

Since 1990 S. Hadid is owner of the most impressive art collection in Astyria with unique pieces that he keeps in his house, Villa Leopolda in the east of Princetown, and in the Palais de Tokyo Museum that is also a charity foundation that helps children living in poor conditions and in war zones in the region of Astyria.

In the last edtion of Forbes the net worth of Hadid was estimated in SGD 1.5 billion but he gave in 2016 SGD 750 million to his charity foundations and investments in public education through the world.

Question: Most expensive and poorest zones in your capital (prices, safety, etc)?

[Consular]

Question by British Hifax: Most expensive and poorest zones in your capital (prices, safety, etc)?

It's been a few weeks so guess I'll try to answer this, though it is maybe not an ideal question for my nation, as in maybe not the answer you're looking for.

Let's start by establishing that the CCR is not capitalist -- it is in some ways an unusual nation. It is broadly speaking remarkably egalitarian, with most citizens earning an enforced similar income regardless of occupation (or, indeed, lack thereof, though welfare support is less than wages), and so does without the massive income disparities of many other nations. This means it also does without the striking disparities between expensive and poor zones of many other nations. This is the consequence of a society that has adopted universal guaranteed income, and where the government does not hesitate to directly intervene in people's lives to ensure they have necessities.

The majority of the populace live in apartments in very tall high rise buildings -- a necessity considering the very high population density of the nation. These apartments are generally reasonably large, though care is taken in design to minimize wasted space. All are well furnished, have access to extensive utilities such as restaurants contained within the towers, and perhaps most importantly are designed with large windows of the outside, considered essential to combat potential depression associated with apartment living. The windows in more recently constructed buildings use smart glass that can act as a large screen, showing a view different to reality at request.

Some apartments are larger than others -- this is usually a product of security necessities associated with ranking government leaders rather than wealth. It is better to think of power disparities than wealth, and these are more apparent in terms of height than horizontal zoning. Powerful individuals are based at the top of buildings, in penthouses, while average citizens house the levels going down the towers to the bottom.

That said -- there are certainly differences in zones in the capital. The perhaps unoriginally named Republic district is home to the Assembly, and the headquarters of the various Offices of government. This district is generally more spacious, home to open spaces and such that are rarely found elsewhere in the city -- in a heavily urbanised environment open spaces are an important marker of importance and power. It is deliberately monumental in style, being the heart of the nation. The Assembly itself is elegant and dramatic but not overly opulent, the latter thought to be very unclassy. This area is heavily patrolled by Peacekeepers.
Most districts are much more compact, with many high rises spaced as close as possible without creating the feeling of constraint. That is to say, the buildings are placed strategically and with minimum distances to avoid situations where the only view one has is into another apartment, at least as far as possible in the limited space. The ground floor of buildings tends to host commercial businesses, while the towers themselves host office space or residential apartments.
The district that would appear the poorest to an observer would be that housing students near Ulysses University. These students generally have shared kitchens and small personal bedrooms, but the accommodation is clean and conveniently located.

Extensive camera infrastructure and a security organization that can ignore privacy concerns mean safety is not a particular concern. Crime is uncommon and Peacekeepers tend to catch those who pursue it.

Next Question: What powers and restraints does your police force (or other primary security agency) possess?

[Lexmark]

Question by Consular: What powers and restraints does your police force (or other primary security agency) possess?

The National Constabulary of the City-State Valle Crucis is considered the Gendarme of the city's military,
so in effect, the only police force in Valle Crucis is a wing of their military organization. As such, any and all powers afforded the military by the Constitutional Charter of Valle Crucis are de facto afforded the National Constabulary and its auxiliary agencies,
including Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Sky Patrol, etc.

As per the Uniform Code of Civil Ordinances, the Valle Crucis Police Force have the capacity to conduct raids with a court-issued warrant, make arrests and conduct search and seizures with probable cause, and can use basic interrogation techniques as permitted by regional human rights conventions hitherto agreed upon by the Government of Valle Crucis.

Question: What is the single greatest threat, be it natural/meteorological, political or social unrest, that your country faces today?

[Blackhelm Confederacy]

Question by Lexmark: What is the single greatest threat, be it natural/meteorological, political or social unrest, that your country faces today?

Undoubtedly, it is social unrest. The country is not only rigidly divided along racial lines, but there is a severe level of income inequality that can at any moment boil over into outright revolution. The vast majority of the country lives in squalor, crammed into densely packed urban slums or in underdeveloped jungle villages, while the rich enjoy their lives in villas and mega-penthouses high above the major cities. The racial problem is not as bad as in neighboring Red River, but it too is still a major problem, and remnants of the Seorsus, or the apartheid system that was the norm under the previous empire, still remain. Dark skinned natives are still not able to purchase real estate in many areas (not by law, but by general custom), nor serve in front line military roles outside of a select few units. There are several other racial issues at play within the country as well. And, to top it off, the Muslim population, driven almost to extinction during the genocidal campaigns of the 2011 civil uprising, is slowly starting to reform, with many refugees who fled persecution beginning to make their way back and try to restart their lives.

This also all plays out on top of the fact that there is a low simmering, decades long armed struggle in parts of the jungle against communist groups and drug cartels, all of which struggle for domination over a lucrative opioid trade. So, in a nutshell, the Confederacy is at best unstable at its foundation, and is held together primarily by a charismatic ruling class and a massive amount of military spending.

Question: What is the War on Drugs like in your country?

[Ord Caprica]

Question by The Blackhelm Confederacy : What is the War on Drugs like in your country?


Answer: There is no ''War on Drugs'' per say in Caprica. Soft drugs like Marijuana and Alcohol have never been criminalized and cocaine and other ''harder'' drugs are fought with a robust healthcare system as opposed to arrest and stiff incarceration sentences.

The result being that while drugs are for the most part available to the average Caprican; the likelihood of them becoming hooked or otherwise dependent on either the usage or sale of narcotics is significantly reduced. The trade-off to this arrangement is that Caprica is a net exporter of drugs of all kinds to the rest of Astyria with harsher penalties for and higher risk to reward ratios for the sale of such commodities.

Question: Who is considered the ''father/mother'' of your modern nation?

[British Hifax]

Question by Ord Caprica: Who is considered the ''father/mother'' of your modern nation?

Answer: Hifax has 2 fathers of the ‘modern’ state, Felipe I and Ismael I. Both Princes implemented advanced social policies to protect the lowest social classes using a motto: Hifax as a beneficent, interventionist and redistributor of the incomes.

During the Felipe's reign one of the first topics of his time ruling the country was the international recognition of the tiny state. The Prince achieved this through the Grand Prix and the stability of the democracy and the hifaxian political system, according to Felipe the stability of the political affairs were not only to give a democrat image to the world but it also was emphasised to give a special culture to the hifaxian population, recognized years later as one of the most defenders of the democratic values.

After his reign, Ismael I assumed as the new head of state and he also implemented the Felipist ideas but modified to the new era were Hifax was, this meant the creation of a place in the banking industry and the increse of the prestigious and international tourism. Following this increasement the Prince was also known by the development and embellishment of the city through the implement of flora and the increase of the infrastructure (the AKY Airport, the A1 Motorway and the public escalators between streets).

Question: How are the inmigration procedures in your country?

[Nikolia]

Question by British Hifax: How are the inmigration procedures in your country?

Answer: The immigration policy of Nikolia is regulated by the Immigration Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the accompanying laws. All foreign nationals wishing to enter Nikolia are required to have a proper visa in accordance with their reason and length of stay. (This excludes nationals of countries with which Nikolia has visa liberation agreement).

There are several classes of visas depending of the length and nature of stay. There's a standardised fee for visas.

• Class A visas are short-term visas for temporary stay of up to 90 days. These include:
  
  • Tourist visa - 90 days maximum stay (Fee: 160 Kr / 20 NSD)
  • Business visa - 90 days maximum stay (Fee: 250 Kr / 31.25 NSD)
  • Transit visa - 7 days maximum stay (No fee)
  • Short-term entertainment visa - For the duration of concert/tour + 10 days (Fee: 300 Kr / 37.5 NSD)
• Class B visas are intended for short-term residency (longer than 90 days) visas and generally include certain working permissions.
  
  • Tourist visa - No less than 90 days and no more than 1 year of stay. No work is permitted with this visa (Fee: 400 Kr / 50 NSD)
  • Business visa - No less than 90 days and no more than 2 years of stay.(Fee: 480 Kr / 60 NSD)
  • Student visa - length of the full course + 6 months. Part-time job is allowed. (Fee: 400 Kr / 50 NSD)
  • Temporary work visa - Maximum of 2 years of stay. A letter of invitation by the Nikolian employer is required. (Fee: 400 Kr / 50 NSD)
  • Medical visa - for undertaking medical procedures and treatment in Nikolia. Visa validity is the length of treatment + 3 months. (No fee)
  • Diplomatic visa - for recognised diplomats and staff. (No fee)
  • Internship visa - for recent graduates to attend up to 18 months paid work in Nikolia. (Fee: 400 Kr / 50 NSD)
• Class C visas are intended for foreign citizens who will take up permanent residence in Nikolia and possibly citizenship.
  
  • Permanent residency visa - may be obtained after 2 years of continuous work in Nikolia, that is, it can be requested after the expiration of the Temporary work visa. (Fee: 800 Kr / 100 NSD)
  • Refugee visa - indefinite duration visa. (No fee)
  • Asylum visa - issued as stopgap to GPR visa for approved claimants. (Fee: 400 Kr / 50 NSD)

Visas from the Class A can be obtained through online application or at the points of entry. Class B visas can be obtained at the Nikolian diplomatic mission or missions of other countries that deal with Nikolian consular affairs. Class C visas must be applied within Nikolia to the Immigration Office.

A process of obtaining Nikolian citizenship is explained on its IIwiki article - http://iiwiki.com/wiki/Citizenship_of_Nikolia

Question: What does the educational system of your country look like?

[Mizialand]

Education

Education in Mizialand is free and compulsory for 5 years to 16 years old. Most of the schools are public though private schools (mainly Catholic schools) and international schools exist. Children can also attend private pre-schools, though due to the cost involved very few children do so.

The primary education in Mizialand lasts for 8 years (there are no middle schools). Students are taught arithmetic, geometry, reading, writing, history, geography and basic sciences. Participation in sports, arts, crafts, school function and hobbies is compulsory. Students also take moral education and public speaking classes. Students study one of the three official languages as the second language. A third language which in most schools is English is introduced in the sixth grade. At the end of primary education, students take a nation wide exam. On the basis of the exam and teachers' and students suggestions, students are segregated into three streams.

Euskanina Technical University

The Vocational Education Stream lasts for four years. It stresses on vocational training along with theoretical study of language, and mathematics. Students can directly enter the job market after obtaining their diploma.

The Higher Education Stream lasts for five years, in the first two of which pupils are taught same subjects: languages, science, mathematics, social studies and arts. In the last three years they can specialize in Science, Commerce or Humanities stream. The mother tongue, an official language which is not the mother tongue and a third language is compulsory. After obtaining this diploma, students can enter polytechnic institutions.

The Pre-University Stream lasts for six years, in the first two of which pupils are taught same subjects: languages, science, mathematics, social studies and arts. In the remaining four years pupils can specialize in the streams of their choice. After obtaining this diploma, students can enter universities.

There are 25 universities in Mizialand all of which are private. The cost of tertiary education is very high in the country. A lot of stress is laid upon research in these universities.

Question: How has the life in your country changed in the past 10 years?

[Ord Caprica]

Question by Mizialand:How has the life in your country changed in the past 10 years?

Answer:Over the last ten years, the United Republic has seen a number of social,cultural and economic changes that have completely rearranged the fabric of Caprican society.

Firstly, the U.R's economy has exploded in the last decade with the growth of the precision manufacturing, technology and clean energy industries. This ushered in the rise of a new generation of young,educated, professionals earning high powered salaried and spearheading social changes in the domestic sphere. These liberal professionals who bore the main responsibility for the rise of liberal power politics, which itself brought about the modern U.R social welfare state which a staple of Caprican life today. On the flip side, U.R intervention abroad has enlarged the military industrial complex and opened the door for a number of hawkish interventionists to be elected to Congress, many of whom served on important Congressional committees. These changes have combined to produce a U.R that is headlined by a younger generation of educated, socially and globally conscience professionals that champion a variety of causes ranging from climate change, sustainable energy, civil rights, national and global security.

In specific cases, Caprican household incomes have increased by more than 20%, U.R. Defense spending has more than doubled since 2009, the population recently reached two hundred million, average life expectancy surpassed 80, the United Republic stood up it's welfare state, and marijuana was decriminalized in 2012.

Question: What is your nation's stance on nuclear weapons?

[Aswick]

Question: What is your nation's stance on nuclear weapons?

Have 'em, love 'em, 11 out of 10 would use 'em!

I jest, of course. Originally, Aswick had the V-bomber force as its nuclear deterrent, but in the 80's the Royal Navy began taking over that role. Aswick currently has nuclear weapons in the form of the Trident-II missiles. These are placed aboard Aswick's 6 Vanguard-class submarines, with each sub having 8-10 missiles each. We then also have an undisclosed number of missiles at shore facilities to rotate for maintenance and the likes.

Question: Does your nation have conscription, why so or why not?

[Consular]

Question: Does your nation have conscription, why so or why not?

Membership in the military is entirely voluntary, compulsory service is not required at any point -- But all Conite citizens do receive unarmed defence training from a young age, then essential firearms, combat, and strategy training as a part of their high school education. Because of this it is arguable that some level of compulsory service is integrated into normal education, though this does not include a period of actual on duty service.

Conscription is explicitly illegal except in desperate situations. Exactly what kind of situation would be grave enough to give the Marshal conscription powers is not entirely clear, the law is fairly unspecific -- and the powers have not been invoked to date. It is generally accepted that only a large scale invasion of the Conite homeland would meet this threshold, and anything less would almost certainly result in a wave of legal challenges.

In recent years there has been increasing political agitation in the Assembly, as pro military interests seek to overturn the anti conscription laws. This debate is not likely to resolve one way or another any time soon.

Question: Can the judiciary strike down laws in your nation? Why/why not?

[Hindia Belanda]

Question: Can the judiciary strike down laws in your nation? Why/why not?

The Hindia Belandan judiciary cannot 'strike down' any primary legislation that has been passed by both the Dewan Deputi (lower house of Parliament) and the Dewan Bangsawan (upper house of Parliament) and has subsequently received a koninklijke goedkeuring, or Royal Assent from the Monarch (in practice, it is given by the Governor-General through the exercise of viceregal prerogatives). In fact, no body or person may challenge the validity of primary legislation except Staten-Generaal (Parliament) itself, due to the concept of parliamentary supremacy.

The judiciary, however, has a supervisory role over secondary legislation, which are laws enacted by the Government in accordance with a primary legislation. Since a secondary legislation is subordinate to primary legislation, the judiciary has the power to declare secondary legislation invalid only on the grounds that it does not conform with the provisions of the 'parent' primary legislation.

Question: What does a typical breakfast in your nation consist of?

[Great Nortend]

Question: What does a typical breakfast in your nation consist of?

A typical breakfast in Great Nortend differs between the classes and genders. A typical male, working class breakfast is likely to be a form of left-over soup, wheaten porridge, or steel-cut oats, the latter two with milk, as well as the ubiquitous wholemeal bread, which is usually toasted and spread with one of or a combination of jams, lard, drippings, butter, marmalade, oxelade (vegemite, marmite, bovril, bonox equivalent) or cold meats. A glass of small beer usually accompanies. A working class woman's breakfast is likely to be similar, but either water or tea is to be had instead. Seasonal fruits and vegetables, such as watercress, apples, cherries &c. are also commonly eaten with breakfast. Eggs may be served as well.

A middle class breakfast, with some domestic service, will often be cooked, and include things such as sausages, mushrooms, eggs, bacon, ham, stewed fruits, fish, fritters, cheese, smoked meats or fish, and the like on a single plate, though it is not seen as becoming for women to eat too much meat in the morning. Fresh fruit and vegetables too are likely to be served, as well as white bread with butter and preserves or cold meats. Tea is de rigeur for breakfast in the middle classes. Small, sweet pastries may also be served with a light cocoa, but this is the preserve of the more wealthy and females or children.

Upper class breakfasts are similar to middle class breakfasts; however, each food is cooked into and served as its own dish and served as desired. Toast may be served for an informal breakfast, with butter, preserves or cold meats. Light wines or spirits may be served, though gin and tonic is popular in the morning.

Question: What is the most distinctive symbol of your country that would be most likely to be recognised elsewhere?

[Blackhelm Confederacy]

Question: What is the most distinctive symbol of your country that would be most likely to be recognised elsewhere?

The dragon is used by nationalists across the country as the physical embodiment of the Blackhelm Confederacy, and ethnically Confederate street gangs abroad frequently make use of dragon imagery - especially in the form of tattoos. The dragon is believed to trace its origin back to the original settlement of Hesperidesia by Roman refugees, and is believed to have come from the banner of a Roman cavalryman who accompanied the expedition. In this way, the dragon served as a bridge to the world they left behind, and today endures as a symbol of the Blackhelm Confederacy's descendence from the ancient Roman Empire.

Question: Who is your nation's closest ally and why?

[Nildwalden]

Question by The Blackhelm Confederacy: Who is your nation's closest ally and why?

Answer: Despite being a concerned country about the regional situation with active participation in actions taken by the LC, Nidwalden has stayed as a large supporter of international development and aid, because of this, since the Great Astyrian War the country hasn't had any major ''attack'' where allies were needed, however, the member states of the Lorecian Community, specially its surrounding neighbours (Noordenstaat and Scanonia) with which also shares mutual historic ties, are the principal allies of Nidwalden.

Question: What is the vision of the current government on the ''modern family''? is divorce and same-sex marriage (social and legally) allowed?

[Hindia Belanda]

Question: What is the vision of the current government on the ''modern family''? is divorce and same-sex marriage (social and legally) allowed?

The Hindia Belandan Government does not have a position with respect to the notion of the 'modern family', in the sense that it differs from the traditional view that a nuclear family consists of a mother, a father and children. However, it is important to note that in Hindia Belanda, the notion of the ‘traditional family’ itself has had different meanings altogether throughout the history of the Commonwealth.

One may find that in Somatra, an island known for its comparatively conservative society where animism, ancestor worship and folk belief intermingle with 'foreign' religions such as Islam and Christianity, the traditional family unit continues to revolve around the figure of the mother due in part to the matriarchal structure of that society. Fathers do not make decisions for the household, instead are relegated to the role of primary earners who provide for their family. In Java, an island known for its rigid aristocratic ideals, the father is a strong figure in the traditional household. Sons and daughters in a traditional Javanese family often found themselves having to seek their father’s approval before marrying into another family. The phenomena of the strong father figure found in traditional Javanese families is also found in Hindia Belandan Chinese and Peranakan families. In Northeastern Hindia Belanda, where Catholicism is predominant, Western traditional family structure mirroring the vision of the Catholic Church prevails over the local one. Indo families, or families with part Hindia Belandan and part Noordenstaater descent, are known for their openness to and acceptance of diversity within the family unit, be it religious difference or sexual orientation.

These traditional family structures have largely been replaced by new or ‘modern’ ones since the turn of the twenty-first century, as cohabitation and same-sex marriage become more commonplace, especially in urban areas and their satellite cities. There is more births outside marriage now, but couples who have a child out of wedlock tend to marry within the year of their child’s birth.

Divorce has been legal since before the independence of Hindia Belanda and it is socially acceptable. Divorce rate remains low but when compared to the past half-century, it has increased somewhat. Single parents comprise about two percent of family units in Hindia Belanda.

On the topic of same-sex marriage, the Hindia Belandan Government of the Day believes that marriage is a fundamental right that should be extended not only to heterosexual couples but also to same-sex couples. The Commonwealth abolished sodomy laws in 1946, which were one of the last Noordenstaater colonial relics to be purged. It decriminalised homosexuality the next year. Same-sex couples have been allowed to cohabit since 1949 and, since 1990, to be in civil partnership, but it was not until 2015 that the institution of marriage was open to them with the passage of Marriage Equality Act 2015.

Marriage Equality Act 2015 enables the Crown to solemnise same-sex marriages and allows conversion of same-sex civil partnerships to marriages. At the same time, the legislation affords religious institutions the right to refuse to solemnise same-sex marriages. At present, the only Hindia Belandan religious institution that solemnises same-sex marriage is the Church of Hindia Belanda, a Lutheran church which separated from the Protestant Church in Noordenstaat upon independence of Hindia Belanda in 1929. There have been calls for The Shia Convocation to recognise same-sex marriages, but no Auxiliary Imams to date has consented to such request as they continue to view marriage as a religious institution, a union between a man and a woman. The Roman Catholic Church in Hindia Belanda similarly views marriage as a faithful and permanent union between a man and a woman, and as a covenant with God. The Catholic Church was the only religious institution that openly protested against the passage of Marriage Equality Act 2015.

Socially speaking, the majority of Hindia Belandans nowadays accept same-sex marriage as a reality of national life. Most practicing faithfuls, whilst disapproving of same-sex marriage on the grounds of their beliefs, no longer view LGBT people with disdain. As Hindia Belandan society becomes more secular, religious beliefs are losing influence in public life and Hindia Belandans are becoming more accepting and open-minded.

Question: Does your government fund the arts? And, if so, is arts funding given with 'no strings attached'?