NationStates Jolt Archive


Jamalya Factbook Entry

20-02-2004, 07:38
Background:
The People's Republic of Jamalya is a large, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its devotion to social welfare. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 80 million enjoy extensive civil rights and enjoy a level social equality free of the usual accompanying government corruption.
Since declaring inpendace (01 Feb 2004) Jamalya has implemented economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements.
The large, liberal, socially-minded government is primarily concerned with Social Welfare, Education, and the Environment. The average income tax rate is 54%, and even higher for the wealthy. A small private sector is dominated by the Dairy Products and Glass industries.
All guns must be registered, Jamalya's educational system is the envy of many and regarded as a pinnacle of educational acheivement, Organ donation is compulsory upon death, and surveillance cameras are banned. Crime is totally unknown. The native wildlife frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests. The Currency is the Dollar (JD$) which currently trades at 0.61 US$.

Geography

Location: Jamalya is found in Downunder, bordering the South Pacific and to the east Nonchalia.

Area:
total: 235,634 sq km
water: 8,030 sq km
land: 227,604 sq km

Area Comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: The Fenns River forms the basis of a 400 km boundary with Nonchalia.

Coastline: 12,429 km

Climate: generally cool winters and mild summers; occasional strong, cold, dry, south-to-southwesterly wind known as mistral that can cause frost and crop damage.

Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; levels to rolling plains in east and northeast


Natural resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, gypsum, timber, fish.

Land Use:
arable land: 29.4%
permanent crops: 1.66%
other: 68.94%

People

Population: 80 million

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.3%
15-64 years: 65.1%
65 years and over: 11.6%

Population growth rate: 0.3%

Life expectancy at birth: 74.35 years

Languages: English primarily with other european influences

Religions: Agnostic/Atheist(40%), Gaian(30%), Uniting (25%), Other (inc. Chrisitan, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist & Hindi).

Literacy: 100%

Government

Country Full name: The Free People's Republic of Jamalya.
short form: Jamalya

Government type: Republic

Capital: Hawthorn (5 million)

Administrative divisions: 8 States

Independence: 1 Feb 2004

Constitution: Extensive legal document outlining basic laws and rights, signed 1 Feb 2004.
Legislative requires a two-thirds majority to ammend.

Suffrage: universal at 18

Executive branch:
consists of a President (Head of State) and 20 ministers (cabinet) each with specific portfolio's. Once a president is elected they pick the cabinet with ministers of: finance, economy, trade, tourism, environment, health, major events, education, sport, language, foreign policy, defence, welfare, law enforcement, justice (courts & prisons), development (construction and infrastructure), interior (special services), research, natural resources, power (electricity, gas & oil).

Legislative branch:
The legislative is split into 2 houses a senate and a legislative house. The legislative house has 200 seats from each of 7 states, whomever has majority in the legislative house forms government, appointing a prime minister (Head of Government) and working closely with the exectutive writes bills that if passed are handed to the senate.
The senate has 90 seats with 24 as elected representatives of: industry, unions, health, science, defence, and environment. The remaining 66 seats are filled a preferential vote for a party. Each of Jamalya's 14 political partys is represented in the senate with the major 2 parties controlling many of the seats but the minor parties are advantaged in the calculation of seats such that many of the smaller parties have 2-4 seats each. Thus it is very unusual for the a single party to have a clear majority in both Houses.
If a bill is passed by the legislative house then the senate reviews the bill and if it has no problem then it can be passed to the president to be signed into law. If however the senate knocks back a bill it can be re-worded by the legislative house. If an identicle bill is knocked back twice by the senate then the president may call an extra-ordinary meeting of parliament where all 300 members of the legislature vote to either pass or knock a bill once and for all.
Once the legislature has passed a bill the president must sign it into law, if the president refuses then an election is called.
All bills only require a 50% majority in the house to be passed but an amendment to the constitution requires a two-thirds majority.

Judicial branch:
The judiciary is made up by a series of courts, with most courts being decided by a panel of 7 majistrates or judges. The lowest court is the small claims court where there is no legal representation just claimants, witnesses and 2 majistrates. A case once heard by 1 court can only be appealed to a higher court and only one appeal can be heard.
The highest court of appeal is the supreme court presided over by the most senior judges, this court is only called for matters of extreme importance and can hear a case even after it hs been heard by 2 inferirior courts.

Political parties: The two major political parties are the: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and Jamalya Labour Party (JLP). These two parties control most of the seats in the legislative branch and almost any bill would require the support of one these two major parties.
Minor parties: Moderate Party (conservative), Liberal People's Party, Green Party, Social Democratic Party, National Party, Advance Party, Earth First, Libertarian Party, Centre Party, Socialist Alternative, One Jamalya Party (conservative), Christian Party.

Elections: First Saturday of November, usually avery 5 years.
voting is compulsory and preferential
(eg. If I vote for C but A and B have more primary votes than C then all of the votes that were for C are divided between A and B as indicated by the preference).

Flag description: light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller.

Economy:
GDP: US$1,325 billion
GDP per capita: US$16,562.6
Annual GDP Growth: 3.9%

GDP - composition:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 29%
services: 67%

GINI index: 23

Revenues: US$874.7 billion
Expenditures: US$874.8 billion

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1%

Unemployment rate: 4.5%

Major Industries: Dairy Products, Glass Products, Machinery, Refined Chemicals, Petroleum.

Legal Ages:
Voting: 18 (Universal Suffrage)
Driving: 18 (Limited), 21 (Full)
Alcohol: 16 (<3% alcohol), 18 (Beer & Wine), 21 (Full)
Smoking: NA

Military

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8%

Military expenditures - US$: 15.8 Billion

Military branches:
Army: 1 Army (337,500 personel)
Navy: 1 Army (337,500 personel)
Air Force: 1 Army (337,500 personel)
Total size ~ 1 million people

Military structure :

name - size - command
Squad = 10 people; Corporal
Section = 2 Squads = 20; Sgt.
Platoon = 5 sections = 100; Lt.
Company = 5 platoons = 500; Major
Battalion = 5 companies = 2,500; Lt. Colonel
Brigade = 5 battalions = 12,500; Brigadier General
Division = 3 brigades = 37,500; Major General
Corps = 3 divisions = 112,500; Lt. General
Army = 3 corps = 337,500; General

Military Availability:
fit for military service (15-45): 29,611,000
Reserves (Basic Military Training): 2,723,000
20-02-2004, 07:53
Oh, and all elections use a preferential system!

(If I vote for C but A and B both have more primary votes than C then all of the votes that were for C are divided between A and B as indicated by the preference)

no silly greens stealing democrat votes arguments.