NationStates Jolt Archive

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/IndioRazaRepublica/Skib2.gif

OOC:
Still constructing--will be adding a detaled history.
This style of Factbook has taken its general template from the Sumer Factbook. Nice Job DL.

Contents

- Geography (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10019529&postcount=3)
- People (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10023817&postcount=4)
- Government (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10026863&postcount=5)
- Economy (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10611512&postcount=6)
- Communications (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12832572&postcount=7)
- Transportation (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12832608&postcount=9)
- Military (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12832590&postcount=8)
- Foreign Relations
- History

Reserved

Introduction
Skibereen is an island group on the X-direction fringe of Greater Dienstad between latitude 51 1/2+/- and 55 1/2+/- degrees , and longitude 5 1/2+/- to 10 1/2+/- degrees . Its greatest length, from X-n in the north to X-s in the south, is X-km km and its greatest width from east to west is approximately XW-km km. Since 1890 the islands have been divided politically into several parts(until the recent elections of last year). The entire twenty-six county area, comprising X^2 sq. km, has a population of 10bn (as of last census). Southern Skibereen, contains a small part of the Macabee Empire of the Golden Throne.

Location: X-direction most nation of Greater Dienstad

Map References:
Greater Dienstad

Area:
Area:
total:
land:
water:
comparative: slightly smaller then New Empire

Maritime Claims:
Territorial Sea: 12 nm
Continental Shelf: 24 nm
Contiguous Zone: 24 nm
Economic Exclusion Zone: 200 nm


Climate:
temperate maritime; modified by North Sea Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time, the southern half of Skibereen laying in a subtropical zone

Terrain:
rolling steppe in the north, gradual slope south to mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west and northern coasts

Elevation Extremes:
lowest point: the North Sea 0m
highest point: Jotunheim Mountain on Jotunheim Island; 3096m

Natural Resources:


lignite
emeralds
phosphorites
gypsum
arable land
hydropower
limestone
natural gas
coal
peat
copper
iron ore
lead
nickel
zinc
gold
silver
barite
gypsum
limestone
dolomite



Land Use:
Arable Land: 32.3%
Permanent Crops: 16.7%
Other: 51.0%

Natural hazards:
NA

Geography - note:
Skibereen holds a land border with a Doomingsland colony which borders the colonies of several other nations. This is a beneficial factor for trade in Greater Dienstad as these are not considered to be within the region.
Skibereen is the economic bridge between Greater Dienstad and its Western neighbors in Antarchon.

Physical Landscape
Two great mountain systems of Greater Dienstad converge Xwards to meet and mingle in Skibereen. The ranges have different names in different nations in Skibereen the ranges are the northern most Errigal Range and the southern most Blackstairs(which form the Southern Cliffs of Tara).In these, long-continued denudation of a great anticlinal structure has exposed a granite core which now forms rounded peat-covered uplands, the crests being notched in places by glacial cirques. Jotunheim Island is actually the Southeastern most peak in the Blackstairs mountains this is what makes Jotunheim such a formidable place as it is soley upon a giant granit peak.

The peaks in the north west along the Errigal range are high quartzite peaks, which weather to bear stone peaks whick form the famous Barren Hills region in the northwest.

The Islands are penetrated by deep glacially modified valleys of which the best known is Is Hell's Bay on Hibernia Island. However what is less obvious is that before the last glacial period Skibereen was a single island and not three.

On Hibernia the valleys separating the eastern extension of these mountains have been flooded by the sea, giving rise to a number of long deep inlets.

In north-eastern Skibereen basaltic lavas spread widely over the existing rocks in Eocene times and now form the bleak plateau of east Antrimfall. Westwards the basalt is downwarped and the resultant drift-covered lowland is occupied in part by Laff Neef, the largest lake in Skibereen.

The heart of the country is a limestone- floored lowland bounded on the south by the Blackstairs ridges and on the north and west by the Errigal mountains.

Much of Skibereen was covered by ice during the Pleistocene period. This ice finally melted away about twelve thousand years ago, leaving behind evidence of its former presence in most of the minor physical features of the landscape. Throughout the greater part of the lowland the bedrock is hidden by glacial deposits which, in the north central part of the country, form a broad belt of small hills (drumlins). The glacial cover also modified the early drainage pattern and in places created groundwater conditions which facilitated the growth of peat bogs.

Rivers
The lowland is drained by numerous slow- flowing streams, the largest of which is the River Erin, 840 km in length. In its middle course this river broadens into a number of attractive lakes but as it approaches the sea its gradient steepens. The Great Serpent River while being longer then the River Erin is actually not a river, but a channel connecting the North Sea to the Irysh-Finegall Sea. At one time the Great Serpent River was listed as the longest river in Skibereen, this is no longer the case. The River Erin is the location Skibereen's earliest hydro-electric power scheme.

Climate
Skibereen's mild and equable climate is a reflection of the fact that its shores are bathed by the relatively warm ocean waters of the North Sea Drift. Utgard, in the extreme south-east, has an average January temperature of 7oC and a July temperature of 15oC, a range of only eight degrees. The figures for New Dublin are 4.5oC in January and 1 5.5oC in July, a range of eleven degrees. Extremely high or low temperatures are virtually unknown.

Rainfall is heaviest on the westward facing slopes of the hills where it may exceed 3,000 mm in Arendal, Tralee and Hamar. The east is much drier and New Dublin records on average only 785 mm annually.

The outstanding feature of the Skibereenian weather is its changeability, a characteristic which it shares with all the countries that lie in the path of the temperate depressions. However more stable atmospheric conditions may arise in winter with the extension of the continental high pressure system bringing clear skies and cool conditions, especially to the eastern part of the country. In summer an extension of the Azores high pressure system may bring periods of light easterly winds and bright sunny weather.

Soils
Most of the soils of Skibereen are derived from glacial drift and reflect its varied composition and texture. There are vast areas of fertile grey-brown podzolic soils on the better drained parts of the lowland. These give way to less fertile acid brown earths where the parent material is low in lime or to gleyed soils where the drainage is poor. Thin acid peaty soils are widespread on the hills.

Vegetation
The visitor to Skibereen is immediately impressed by two aspects of the vegetation cover. The first is an impression of intense greenness, the result of the abundant grasses responding to the mild moist air. The second is the great expanse of trees, though completely lacking along the western seaboard where strong winds are the main limiting factor to growth. The extensive oak woodlands of the midlands were spared being cleared over most of the country in the seventeenth century and remain today. The flora is of more limited variety than elsewhere in Greater Dienstad but it has some interesting features. In the extreme south- west (Dana County/Macabee Region) there is a vegetation with Mediterranean affinities which includes the Arbutus. The numerous bryophytes and lichens reflect the mildness and high humidity of this part of Skibereen. In the Burren in O'Murchadha County an Arctic-Alpine flora survives from a colder period in the past.

In truth the vegetation of the Republic is dependent on the climactic conditions of the different region of the country. The vegetable such as various fruits, grains, sugar beets, tobacco and many other species grow largely in the forests of the country.

At the highest (3,000–4,600 m/10,000–15,000 ft) and coldest level of mountain meadows, called paramonts, the soil supports grasses, small herbaceous plants, and dense masses of low bushes. In the intermountain basins some vegetables, European-introduced grains, and corn are found, along with the bushes, trees, and meadow grasses indigenous to the region. The temperate areas support extensive and luxuriant forests, ferns, mosses, trees of the laurel family, Spanish cedars, vegetables, and grain crops.

Fauna
Apart from seals which breed around the coast and whales which occasionally visit coastal waters, Skibereen has thrity-three species of mammal. These include the red deer, wild pigs, wild bison, pine marten, badger, otter, hare and stoat which are native to the country, as well as introduced species such as the fallow deer, mooses horse, wolf, leopard, rabbit, squirrel, and other rodents. Skibereen's only reptile is a small lizard and there are three amphibia, the newt, the frog and the toad. The rivers and lakes have salmon, trout, char, pollan, perch, pike and eels. Of the three hundred and eighty species of wild bird recorded in Skibereen, only about one-third breed in the country.

Tourism
The tourist attractions of Skibereen include the relaxed atmosphere and friendliness of the people, the clean rural environment, the varied and attractive scenery, the important historical and literary associations and the opportunities to participate in recreational activities. There is also a major ethnic factor, with emigrants returning home on holiday and people of Irysh-Finegall descent visiting relatives and places of ancestral connection. Tourism is strongly oriented towards the coastal zone, which offers the attractions of the sea, scenic landscapes and the major cities and towns. New Dublin is the single most important center but the western seaboard is the part of the country having the greatest tourist appeal, as it suffers least from the political violence Skibereen was most famous for producing. The fact that all manner of gambling is legal and there are little in the way of "Morality" laws also helps bolster tourism.

Population: 10,000,000,000.

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.8%
15-64 years: 67.5%
65 years and over: 11.7%

Median age:
total: 33.3 years
male: 33.1 years
female: 34.1 years

Population growth rate:
2.143%

Net migration rate:
3.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.9 years
male: 70.17 years
female: 74.7 years

Nationality:
noun: Iryman(men), Irywoman(women), Irysh (collective plural)
adjective: Irysh-Finegall, Irysh, Finegall

Ethnic groups:
Irysh-Finegall, Gael, Celtic, English , Mulatto, Various African, Various Asian

Religions: Irysh-Finegall Orthodox Church, Catholic Church, Protestant, Islam, Animist, Buddhist, Judaism.

Languages:
Official: Irysh-Finegall Gaelic, Old Western Norse
Common: Irish Gaelic, Norwegian, English, Afro-Asiatic and Niger-Congo Dialects, Hindi, Spanish.

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9%(Literacy is compulsory under Irysh-Finegall Law)
male: 99.9%
female: 99.9%

Country Name:
English Long Form: The Three Isles of the Armed Republic of Skibereen
English Short Form: Skibereen
Local Long Form: Tri Povlakt Armda Skibereen
Local Short Form: Skibereen

Government Type: Republic

Capital City: New Dublin

Administrative Divisions:

Formation: 807 AD

National Holiday: August 9th(Founding Day)

Legal System: Common Law

Suffrage: 18 universal(compulsory)

Executive Branch:

Legislative Branch:

Judicial Branch:

Gross Domestic Product:Per Capita: $32,228.59
Real Growth Rate: 2.13%


GDP Composition by Sector:
Agriculture: 21%
Industry: 38 %
Services: 41 %

Unemployment Rate: 2.56%

Inflation Rate: 1.45%


Agriculture - products:


vegetables
fruits
spirits
grain,
sugar beets
sunflower seed
tobacco
beef
pork
mutton
goat
poultry
turnips
barley
corn
potatoes
wheat
dairy products
cut flowers
sugarcane
oilseed
forest products
shrimp


Industries:


Gambling
Arms manufacturing
Passenger and Commercial vehicles
Brewing,
Food processing,
Cement
Agricultural machinery
Foundry equipment
Refrigerators and freezers
Washing machines
Hosiery
Beverages
Sugar
Vegetable oil
Clothing and Footwear
Textiles
Steel
Lead
Zinc, Silver, Gold, Coal, Emeralds, Aluminum, Barite
and Gypsum mining and processing
Food products
Industrial Chemicals
Pharmaceuticals
Machinery
Rail transportation equipment
Ship construction and refurbishment
Glass and crystal
Software
Tourism



Electricity:
Production: 122 trillion kWh
Consumption:102 trillion kWh
Exports: 10 trillion kWh
Imports: None
Source: 32% Nuclear, 24% Hydroelectric, 22% Startech, 13% Biomass Fired, 9% Solar/Wind.

Oil:
Production: nil
consumption: 270,000 bbl/day
Exports: None
Imports: None
Proven Reserves: nil

Natural Gas:
Production: 6.169 million cu m/year
Consumption: 6.069 million cu m/year
Exports: 100,000 cu m/annually
Imports: None
Proven Reserves: 137.311 billion cu m/year

Currency: IryshPound

Currency Code: IP

Exchange Rate: 1 IP equals 1.6(fixed)

Fiscal Year: Calender Year

Telephones:
- Main Lines in Use: 8 bn
- Mobile Cellular: 4.7 bn
- Mobile Satellite: 2.3 bn

Telephone system: Large decentralized technologically advanced multipurpose communication system.

Radio Broadcast:
AM Stations: 11,356
FM Stations 12,333
Shortwave: 23

Television Broadcast:
Broadcast Stations: 34+
Broadcast Breakdown: 1-3 Public Access/National Public Sponsored Television, 4-34 National Networks, 35+ and all Independent Private Pay Television.


Internet:
Internet Service Providers: 7
Internet Hosts: 44
Internet Users: 3,500,000,000
Internet Country Code: .skb

Irysh-Finegall Armed Forces(IFAF)
Irysh-Finegall Army (SIFA)
Irysh-Finegall Air Force (SIFAF)
Irysh-Finegall Navy(SIFN)
Joint Specialist Operational Services(JSOS) (Special Operations Branch)
Joint Special Support Service(JSSS) (Logistics Branch)
Strategic Operational Military Intergrated Intelligence(SOMII)(Military/National Intelligence)

Military Manpower (Military Age, and Obligation ): 17 compulsory, 24 month service(or special deferment)

Military Manpower (Availability): Universal: 3,425,500,000

Military Manpower (Percentage of Total Population): 2.1%(Including National Defense Reserve Force)

Transportation:
Airports:
Total: 142
Paved: 12
Unpaved: 130

Heliports: 6,045

Pipelines:
Petroleum: 395 km
Natural Gas: 800,000 km

Railways:
Total: 320,000 km
Standard gauge: 202,600km 2140mm gauge

Roadways:
Total: 12,456,670 km
Paved: 8,450,900 km(includes 5000 km of express way)
Unpaved: 4,005,770 km

Waterways: 58545 km(12,005 km used for commerce)

Merchant Marine: 534 ships (1,000 GRT or over)

Major Ports and Harbors: Utgard, Hamar, Tralee, Port City, Naas, New Dublin, San Patris, Finegall City.

Nations with relation with Skibereen-

The Empire of Angaor - Embassies Exchanged
The Atreidond Islands - Embassies Exchanged
The Sovereign Kingdom of Bruxella - Embassies Exchanged(Very Warm)
Principality of Damirez - Embassies Exchanged
Imperial Republic of Greston - Embassies Exchanged
The Great Han Empire - Embassies Exchanged (Very Warm)
The Kingdom of Imbrinium - Embassies Exchanged
The Republic of the Indonesian States - Embassies Exchanged
Republic of Jeuna - Embassies Exchanged(Very Warm)
The People's Republic of Kaibal - Embassies Exchanged
The Principality of Kurona - Embassies Exchanged
Stratocratic Republic of Magdha - Embassies Exchanged
The Republic of Michiganica - Embassies Exchanged
Meritocracy of Raw Unadulterated Evil - Embassies Exchanged(Academic/Cultural Exchange ongoing)

The Resi Corporation - Trade Diplomacy Open
Commonwealth of Rosdivan - Diplomatic Relations
The Incorporated States of Sarzonia - Embassies Exchanged
Islamic Holy Republic of Shiistan - Diplomatic and Cultural Presence in Shiistan
The Holy Empire of Stevid - Embassies Exchanged
The United Royal Provinces of Yanitaria

Mekugian Commonwealth members--Special Status A
Aequatian Republic--Special Status A
Imperial Doomingsland--Special Status A
Questarian Empire and Commonwealth--Special Status A