Pacitalia
28-01-2006, 03:35
Lonely Planet presents the official guide to
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/Pacitalia/lpPac_front.jpg
Soft fragrances of coconuts, orchids, lemons and aloe hang delicately in the warm, drowsy air. Along the beach, tall palms, crooked and curvy, sway lazily over a pure white beach, loaded with clean sand. Cerulean waves lap ashore and contrast the vibrant cherry sun in a mandarin-orange and honeydew sky. Sunset has arrived; a warm breeze sweeps through, yielding to nothing, billowing clothing gently. People, old, young and in between, sit in bright, clean teak recliners, as bees move benevolently from orchid to lily to gladiolus and hummingbirds drink excitedly from orange flowers, wildly vibrating their wings as they scoot from place to place.
Those very same people lay in even lines on the beach, perpendicular to the shore. They try to soak up the sun's last vestiges, while more begin to create the staple nightlife, bringing with them candle towers, stereos, sambuca and prawns con tomatina. They dance with a definite polarity - some have the moves; some, sadly, do not. But the mood is still ecstatic. It's good to be alive. The tide and encroaching twilight reflect the happiness, the optimism, the tenacity, the waters calm like glass.
Fires burn joyfully on copper plates. People are walking, jogging, dancing and calling out to each other while laughing. The music drenches the dark air, turning it to light. The food defeats all defences, like an angry bull trapped in a crystalware shop, its aroma and aura draw people instantly, just like magnetism. Street vendors add to this complex cultural flavour, selling hats, shirts, roasted nuts, Abrutina and freshly-brewed cola, among other things. Custom blends with commerce, old with new, ordinary with extraordinary.
But then it seems to stop. All is quiet, the air is cool, the people dream as fans gently brush cool air over their smiling faces. Crickets chirp, birds call softly and the stars reflect brilliantly in the still ocean water. It has only been a few hours since the music stopped, but the sun has no cares. It rises, pink, blue and gold filling the sky. A light breeze works its way through the growing crowds and the warmth seeps down, touching everything. A new day has begun. This is where the cycle comes together. This is the place they all talk about in the travel magazines.
Pacitalia is happiness. Pacitalia is mystery. Pacitalia is an anomaly. From sweeping, clean and white beaches to sun-drenched hills in wine country, from the charming rural hospitality of the western uplands to the stunning centuries-old architecture in Timiocato and Mandragora, and from the financial heart that is this capitalist republic to the fiercely democratic government that runs it, Pacitalia is a land of astounding contrasts, but eternal unity. Sixteen provinces are united here under the banner of freedom and high quality of life, regardless of political stripe or religious affiliation. Pacitalia is and has always been one of the true beacons of equality and togetherness the world has seen, and it doesn't seem to be changing.
Despite the formality, politeness and punctuality of this western-style nation, it seems that wherever you go, someone is always around to help you when you need it. As the national motto so aptly puts it, a man is the sum of his accomplishments and his compassion. And while Pacitalians are faithful to their country before anything else, they're welcoming to anyone who wants to share their country's outstanding natural and cultural beauty.
Pacitalia: The Basics
Capital: Timiocato
Population: 3.722 billion
Languages: Pacitalian, English (official); Greek, Romanian, Spanish
Currency: Douro (Đ) = 100 fouta (f)
Avoid at all costs: Political debates
Make a new friend by saying: La cola Pacitaliana è molta stravanza! (Pacitalian cola is definitely superior.)
Facts about Pacitalia
History
Roman sailors reached eastern Pacitalia around about 20 AD, founding the city-state of Pacis Nova (present-day Murano). Soon after the development of Pacis Nova as a maritime shipping and military power, some of the Roman settlers moved south, creating city-states at Canconum (today's Cancona) and Athalonium along the Probator delta (today's Athalone).
However, in the true Roman spirit, the muscle-flexing competitions between these three major city-states soon turned to fullout war, when, in 77, Marcus Octavianus Felix, the Athalonian consul, ordered his city-state to war against Pacis Nova. The twenty-six-year war was a brutal one - nearly 200,000 soldiers died in total, and Marcus Octavianus fell on his own sword (to put it lightly). Even worse, when the two states reached a truce in 105, Canconum came up suddenly and floored the two states, earning political and militaristic supremacy in the immediate region. Pacis Nova was the most humiliated - the original and nominally superior state, they were nearly defeated by the smaller Athalonian force before the truce but were able to save face... that is, until the sudden attack by the Canconans.
It took 110 years for the Pacis Nova state to regain supremacy. It launched a revolt in 215 which caught the Canconans by surprise and returned the balance of power to Pacis Nova, and a lesser extent to Athalonium. The two states signed the Protection Pact, which guaranteed one would come to the other's aid if ever attacked in future by Canconan forces. Strategically, it was a sound idea. Pacis Nova held Cancona back from the north while Athalonium watched vigilantly from the south. And with the addition of Dobragantium to the Pact membership in 219, there was a western shore-up. Canconum was effectively and efficiently surrounded, and the state was eradicated in 221. The modern Cancona is a resort city built around the excavated ruins of the old city-state.
In 285, the five major remaining city-states (Pacis Nova, Athalonium, Carinthium, Paestum and Dobragantium) merged to form the Holy Empire of Occidoroma, a name reflective of the language differences that were developing as Latin evolved into the Pacitalian dialect. By 342, the unified empire saw its first military action, as they easily defeated the indigenous Mayans at Capus-Carninum, a valley town along the Rio Timiocato. The Mayans and Occidoromans sparred thrice more, at Chichen Itza in 356, Raputa-Logorinum in 416, and finally, at Samusoria in 552. The last battle managed to kill off all but about 2500 Mayans, which led to the defeated indigenous people's surrender in exchange for a cultural protection agreement. The sacred Mayan sites of Xpu-Ha and Xel-Ha, southwest of Cancona, have been designated Protected Territories since 553.
However, the Mayan race could not be saved from one thing: disease. With so few left, the Great Plague of 604-610 (believed to be caused by a combination of leprosy, influenza and unclean drinking water) killed off every single remaining Mayan, plus almost 55% of the Occidoroman population. Celebrated orator Augustus Palatinus Omnipotentus was among those to fall victim to the plague; he died a young 42.
A general sense of cultural and geographical separation from the mother country led to the Superlative Reform Programme, around 656-7. The Occidoromans dropped any previous references, looking for a fresh start, and created the Domani Regali di Terra Occidentalia (Kingdom of the Western Lands) with the existing assets and population. The Occidentalians formed nine official administrative subdivisions, one of the first sovereign nations to have a primitive form of what we today call provinces, states or districts. The divisions they created in 656 are, today, nine provinces within the current form of Pacitalia - Amalfia, Antigonia, Beracanto, Capitale, Caribero, Fentomeria, Gulfera, Liguria and Pomentane. In their first taste of democracy, the Occidentalians chose to elect their first king, and then form a royal family from his marital bonds and descendants. They chose Rodolpho Maniganto, an astronomer and descendant himself of a Roman senator, as their inceptive king, and he adopted the name Rodolphus I. The king's lineage was established in a dynasty thereafter, as the House of Maniganto–Carcossa. A palace was built at Carcossa, 80km northwest of Puntafora on the Amalfian coast, as the king's permanent residence and the seat of the Pacitalian monarchy.
Unfortunately for the House of Maniganto–Carcossa, the kingdom idea wasn't as successful as the Occidentalians had hoped, and by the latter half of the 12th century, most of the king's "loyal" subjects were crippled from starvation, poverty and unemployment. King Luis IV ascended to the throne in 1201 at the age of 24, but there was little he could do since the kingdom was a totalitarian entity and all decisions went through the Royal Throne anyway. He was unable to solve most of the social issues affecting his subjects, was a serial rapist and was notorious for battering all of his twenty wives (19 of which died). He was quickly labelled a tyrant and an inconsiderate lame duck, and as a final detriment to his legacy, was overthrown and murdered -- but not until 1219.
In 1221, the disbanded kingdom was reorganised into the Conorganista Contingencia degli Provinciati Pacitaliana (Temporary Collective of Pacitalian Provinces). The leaders of the nine provinces, known as the premerati, gathered in Mandragora, the capital of Beracanto, to try and find a permanent system to replace the old kingdom. By 1284, the Federation of Pacitalian Provinces was established as a transitional phase to democracy, the political system the premerati agreed was the best method of governing a unified state they referred to as "Pacitalia". All sixteen present-day provinces were part of the federation by the inception of the current form, the Democratic Capitalist Republic of Pacitalia, on 21 November 1503.
Post-establishment Pacitalia was remarkably stable, switching governments frequently, with the Conservatives - today's equivalent of the Republican Party in the United States - earning power first, then sharing it relatively equally with the Liberals until the 1900s and the introduction of the Pacifist Party, which now dominates Pacitalian politics as the right-of-centre Federation of Progressive Democrats. The last two prime ministers of Pacitalia, Francesco Santo Ragazzo and Timothy Ell, are both at home and abroad, widely considered two of the best leaders the world has ever seen for their diplomatic ability and stunning intellect, have brought Pacitalia international attention and a place among nationstates as one of the world's most powerful nations in many capacities, most prominent among them, diplomatic, economic and cultural.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/Pacitalia/pacitalia_roadmap_2006finalAO.jpg
Geography and ecology
Pacitalia measures 3,898,290 sq km and stretches about 2014km from north to south, compared with a west-east maximum distance of 1832km. The smooth, beach-laden coastline extends for a tantalising 71,492km. The Sierra Pacitalia, complete with, of all things, snow-capped peaks, active volcanoes and pretty much everything in between, is the major mountain formation in the country. It forms a backbone right down the middle of Pacitalia from Potenza in the north to Saronno in the south. Other small mountain ranges branch off to the west or east, such as the stunning, volcanically-formed Sierra di Monterio in the northeast of the country, which geographically isolates the province of Margheria from the rest of Pacitalia (and is probably at least partially responsible for the light separatist sentiment in the region). Pacitalia's land is quite fertile, with valuable brown peat and some iron-rich alluvium. Most of Pacitalia, otherwise, is generally softly rolling hills, chock-full of nearly 150 species of palm trees (coincidentally, the national tree).
Climate
Pacitalia is very hot during the summer and warm during the winter. Nationally, about 81 days per year have some rainfall, but the total rainfall varies from place to place. Alternately measuring by volume, the average rainfall in Pacitalia is around 820 mm. Thundershowers are common during the summer evenings, but they are considered molta refrescati by the people and they do dare go outside even when lightning is coming down around them. The average July maximum temperature in the capital, Timiocato, is 40°C, while in January the average high is about 24°C. However, inland, in drier places like Beracanto, the summer temperatures can hit as high as 50°C thanks to the insulating effect of the Sierra Pacitalia.
Government and politics
Pacitalia is world-renowned for its stable democratic system. La Repubblica employs a semi-presidential system with an elected archonate, the head of state, serving up to six two-year terms. The head of government is the prime minister — he or she accedes the office provided his or her party controls at least a plurality of seats in the lower and upper houses so that a coalition or stable minority can be formed. In rare cases, a grand coalition must be formed to avoid a hung parliament. The most recent one lasted 13 months between October 2006 and November 2007 – the first in nearly 200 years. The parliament is bicameral: the lower house is known as the Constazione Ampoliticato ("general political theatre"), the upper house as the Senatoro (senate). Each are elected directly every four to five years. The last few years have seen relative instability compared to the thirty years prior, with five prime ministers and one switch in governing party in the past three years.
Population and people
The population at the unification of the city-states in 285 was 25.4 million, according to the National Census taken soon after. Prior to the Great Plague in 604-10, the population of Occidoroma was about 119 million. Today, Pacitalia's population is just over nine billion. Most are Pacitalian-descended but there are significant minorities of Greeks, Romanians and Spaniards (Margherians). Empordia, in the country's northwest, is a significantly Catalan-heritage region. There are also respectable pockets of Turkish and Portuguese immigrants. A growing Chinese minority exists in Timiocato and Puntafora.
Society and conduct
The Pacitalians are generally easygoing, friendly, fun-loving and definitely embrace provocative, though not crass or garish, behaviour. They are most definitely used to, and welcoming to, tourists, and there are very few social taboos, despite the seemingly wide rejection of secularisation (see Religion). Don't take Pacitalian cynicism or sarcasm too seriously, but avoid debates - Pacitalians think of themselves as very skilled at political arguments, especially with tourists... and to be frank, they are. If you have an idea in your head about how Pacitalian government works, or how it should work, a Pacitalian would be more than happy to tell you in no uncertain terms that you're wrong. The worst thing you can do is come to Pacitalia and start a political debate on the premise that you oppose Pacitalian foreign policy. Even though they are of course indirectly responsible for their country's foreign policy by virtue of electing the people that engineer such policy, Pacitalians resent being told off for actions they themselves don't commit. Above all, choose your battles carefully — some tourists find themselves down for the count after as little as five minutes, so if you're not looking for that kind of fight, don't take the bait (yes, sometimes the debates will come to you, try as you might to take our advice).
Religion
Pacitalians are mainly Roman Catholic with a significant Eastern Orthodox minority. There are also large Islamic and Buddhist communities and everyone is generally tolerant of other faiths. However, despite Pacitalia's social liberalisation, most still hold on to their faith, meanwhile disagreeing with many of the more conservative values of their religion (especially true for Christians and Muslims, who have embraced a more humanist approach to practising their faiths).
Language
Pacitalian and English are the official languages in the Pacitalian Republic. Greek, Romanian, Empordian and Spanish are also widely spoken. Pacitalian is the only native language but the quick growth of English (almost everybody speaks it fluently, but it has only been around Pacitalia for about 100 years) is remarkable. The national government is now focusing on preserving the integrity of the Margherian and Empordian languages in the face of the popularity and spread of Pacitalian and English, reintroducing them in instruction at primary and secondary schools in the north, as well as funding cultural enhancement and protection initiatives on a massive scale.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/Pacitalia/lpPac_front.jpg
Soft fragrances of coconuts, orchids, lemons and aloe hang delicately in the warm, drowsy air. Along the beach, tall palms, crooked and curvy, sway lazily over a pure white beach, loaded with clean sand. Cerulean waves lap ashore and contrast the vibrant cherry sun in a mandarin-orange and honeydew sky. Sunset has arrived; a warm breeze sweeps through, yielding to nothing, billowing clothing gently. People, old, young and in between, sit in bright, clean teak recliners, as bees move benevolently from orchid to lily to gladiolus and hummingbirds drink excitedly from orange flowers, wildly vibrating their wings as they scoot from place to place.
Those very same people lay in even lines on the beach, perpendicular to the shore. They try to soak up the sun's last vestiges, while more begin to create the staple nightlife, bringing with them candle towers, stereos, sambuca and prawns con tomatina. They dance with a definite polarity - some have the moves; some, sadly, do not. But the mood is still ecstatic. It's good to be alive. The tide and encroaching twilight reflect the happiness, the optimism, the tenacity, the waters calm like glass.
Fires burn joyfully on copper plates. People are walking, jogging, dancing and calling out to each other while laughing. The music drenches the dark air, turning it to light. The food defeats all defences, like an angry bull trapped in a crystalware shop, its aroma and aura draw people instantly, just like magnetism. Street vendors add to this complex cultural flavour, selling hats, shirts, roasted nuts, Abrutina and freshly-brewed cola, among other things. Custom blends with commerce, old with new, ordinary with extraordinary.
But then it seems to stop. All is quiet, the air is cool, the people dream as fans gently brush cool air over their smiling faces. Crickets chirp, birds call softly and the stars reflect brilliantly in the still ocean water. It has only been a few hours since the music stopped, but the sun has no cares. It rises, pink, blue and gold filling the sky. A light breeze works its way through the growing crowds and the warmth seeps down, touching everything. A new day has begun. This is where the cycle comes together. This is the place they all talk about in the travel magazines.
Pacitalia is happiness. Pacitalia is mystery. Pacitalia is an anomaly. From sweeping, clean and white beaches to sun-drenched hills in wine country, from the charming rural hospitality of the western uplands to the stunning centuries-old architecture in Timiocato and Mandragora, and from the financial heart that is this capitalist republic to the fiercely democratic government that runs it, Pacitalia is a land of astounding contrasts, but eternal unity. Sixteen provinces are united here under the banner of freedom and high quality of life, regardless of political stripe or religious affiliation. Pacitalia is and has always been one of the true beacons of equality and togetherness the world has seen, and it doesn't seem to be changing.
Despite the formality, politeness and punctuality of this western-style nation, it seems that wherever you go, someone is always around to help you when you need it. As the national motto so aptly puts it, a man is the sum of his accomplishments and his compassion. And while Pacitalians are faithful to their country before anything else, they're welcoming to anyone who wants to share their country's outstanding natural and cultural beauty.
Pacitalia: The Basics
Capital: Timiocato
Population: 3.722 billion
Languages: Pacitalian, English (official); Greek, Romanian, Spanish
Currency: Douro (Đ) = 100 fouta (f)
Avoid at all costs: Political debates
Make a new friend by saying: La cola Pacitaliana è molta stravanza! (Pacitalian cola is definitely superior.)
Facts about Pacitalia
History
Roman sailors reached eastern Pacitalia around about 20 AD, founding the city-state of Pacis Nova (present-day Murano). Soon after the development of Pacis Nova as a maritime shipping and military power, some of the Roman settlers moved south, creating city-states at Canconum (today's Cancona) and Athalonium along the Probator delta (today's Athalone).
However, in the true Roman spirit, the muscle-flexing competitions between these three major city-states soon turned to fullout war, when, in 77, Marcus Octavianus Felix, the Athalonian consul, ordered his city-state to war against Pacis Nova. The twenty-six-year war was a brutal one - nearly 200,000 soldiers died in total, and Marcus Octavianus fell on his own sword (to put it lightly). Even worse, when the two states reached a truce in 105, Canconum came up suddenly and floored the two states, earning political and militaristic supremacy in the immediate region. Pacis Nova was the most humiliated - the original and nominally superior state, they were nearly defeated by the smaller Athalonian force before the truce but were able to save face... that is, until the sudden attack by the Canconans.
It took 110 years for the Pacis Nova state to regain supremacy. It launched a revolt in 215 which caught the Canconans by surprise and returned the balance of power to Pacis Nova, and a lesser extent to Athalonium. The two states signed the Protection Pact, which guaranteed one would come to the other's aid if ever attacked in future by Canconan forces. Strategically, it was a sound idea. Pacis Nova held Cancona back from the north while Athalonium watched vigilantly from the south. And with the addition of Dobragantium to the Pact membership in 219, there was a western shore-up. Canconum was effectively and efficiently surrounded, and the state was eradicated in 221. The modern Cancona is a resort city built around the excavated ruins of the old city-state.
In 285, the five major remaining city-states (Pacis Nova, Athalonium, Carinthium, Paestum and Dobragantium) merged to form the Holy Empire of Occidoroma, a name reflective of the language differences that were developing as Latin evolved into the Pacitalian dialect. By 342, the unified empire saw its first military action, as they easily defeated the indigenous Mayans at Capus-Carninum, a valley town along the Rio Timiocato. The Mayans and Occidoromans sparred thrice more, at Chichen Itza in 356, Raputa-Logorinum in 416, and finally, at Samusoria in 552. The last battle managed to kill off all but about 2500 Mayans, which led to the defeated indigenous people's surrender in exchange for a cultural protection agreement. The sacred Mayan sites of Xpu-Ha and Xel-Ha, southwest of Cancona, have been designated Protected Territories since 553.
However, the Mayan race could not be saved from one thing: disease. With so few left, the Great Plague of 604-610 (believed to be caused by a combination of leprosy, influenza and unclean drinking water) killed off every single remaining Mayan, plus almost 55% of the Occidoroman population. Celebrated orator Augustus Palatinus Omnipotentus was among those to fall victim to the plague; he died a young 42.
A general sense of cultural and geographical separation from the mother country led to the Superlative Reform Programme, around 656-7. The Occidoromans dropped any previous references, looking for a fresh start, and created the Domani Regali di Terra Occidentalia (Kingdom of the Western Lands) with the existing assets and population. The Occidentalians formed nine official administrative subdivisions, one of the first sovereign nations to have a primitive form of what we today call provinces, states or districts. The divisions they created in 656 are, today, nine provinces within the current form of Pacitalia - Amalfia, Antigonia, Beracanto, Capitale, Caribero, Fentomeria, Gulfera, Liguria and Pomentane. In their first taste of democracy, the Occidentalians chose to elect their first king, and then form a royal family from his marital bonds and descendants. They chose Rodolpho Maniganto, an astronomer and descendant himself of a Roman senator, as their inceptive king, and he adopted the name Rodolphus I. The king's lineage was established in a dynasty thereafter, as the House of Maniganto–Carcossa. A palace was built at Carcossa, 80km northwest of Puntafora on the Amalfian coast, as the king's permanent residence and the seat of the Pacitalian monarchy.
Unfortunately for the House of Maniganto–Carcossa, the kingdom idea wasn't as successful as the Occidentalians had hoped, and by the latter half of the 12th century, most of the king's "loyal" subjects were crippled from starvation, poverty and unemployment. King Luis IV ascended to the throne in 1201 at the age of 24, but there was little he could do since the kingdom was a totalitarian entity and all decisions went through the Royal Throne anyway. He was unable to solve most of the social issues affecting his subjects, was a serial rapist and was notorious for battering all of his twenty wives (19 of which died). He was quickly labelled a tyrant and an inconsiderate lame duck, and as a final detriment to his legacy, was overthrown and murdered -- but not until 1219.
In 1221, the disbanded kingdom was reorganised into the Conorganista Contingencia degli Provinciati Pacitaliana (Temporary Collective of Pacitalian Provinces). The leaders of the nine provinces, known as the premerati, gathered in Mandragora, the capital of Beracanto, to try and find a permanent system to replace the old kingdom. By 1284, the Federation of Pacitalian Provinces was established as a transitional phase to democracy, the political system the premerati agreed was the best method of governing a unified state they referred to as "Pacitalia". All sixteen present-day provinces were part of the federation by the inception of the current form, the Democratic Capitalist Republic of Pacitalia, on 21 November 1503.
Post-establishment Pacitalia was remarkably stable, switching governments frequently, with the Conservatives - today's equivalent of the Republican Party in the United States - earning power first, then sharing it relatively equally with the Liberals until the 1900s and the introduction of the Pacifist Party, which now dominates Pacitalian politics as the right-of-centre Federation of Progressive Democrats. The last two prime ministers of Pacitalia, Francesco Santo Ragazzo and Timothy Ell, are both at home and abroad, widely considered two of the best leaders the world has ever seen for their diplomatic ability and stunning intellect, have brought Pacitalia international attention and a place among nationstates as one of the world's most powerful nations in many capacities, most prominent among them, diplomatic, economic and cultural.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/Pacitalia/pacitalia_roadmap_2006finalAO.jpg
Geography and ecology
Pacitalia measures 3,898,290 sq km and stretches about 2014km from north to south, compared with a west-east maximum distance of 1832km. The smooth, beach-laden coastline extends for a tantalising 71,492km. The Sierra Pacitalia, complete with, of all things, snow-capped peaks, active volcanoes and pretty much everything in between, is the major mountain formation in the country. It forms a backbone right down the middle of Pacitalia from Potenza in the north to Saronno in the south. Other small mountain ranges branch off to the west or east, such as the stunning, volcanically-formed Sierra di Monterio in the northeast of the country, which geographically isolates the province of Margheria from the rest of Pacitalia (and is probably at least partially responsible for the light separatist sentiment in the region). Pacitalia's land is quite fertile, with valuable brown peat and some iron-rich alluvium. Most of Pacitalia, otherwise, is generally softly rolling hills, chock-full of nearly 150 species of palm trees (coincidentally, the national tree).
Climate
Pacitalia is very hot during the summer and warm during the winter. Nationally, about 81 days per year have some rainfall, but the total rainfall varies from place to place. Alternately measuring by volume, the average rainfall in Pacitalia is around 820 mm. Thundershowers are common during the summer evenings, but they are considered molta refrescati by the people and they do dare go outside even when lightning is coming down around them. The average July maximum temperature in the capital, Timiocato, is 40°C, while in January the average high is about 24°C. However, inland, in drier places like Beracanto, the summer temperatures can hit as high as 50°C thanks to the insulating effect of the Sierra Pacitalia.
Government and politics
Pacitalia is world-renowned for its stable democratic system. La Repubblica employs a semi-presidential system with an elected archonate, the head of state, serving up to six two-year terms. The head of government is the prime minister — he or she accedes the office provided his or her party controls at least a plurality of seats in the lower and upper houses so that a coalition or stable minority can be formed. In rare cases, a grand coalition must be formed to avoid a hung parliament. The most recent one lasted 13 months between October 2006 and November 2007 – the first in nearly 200 years. The parliament is bicameral: the lower house is known as the Constazione Ampoliticato ("general political theatre"), the upper house as the Senatoro (senate). Each are elected directly every four to five years. The last few years have seen relative instability compared to the thirty years prior, with five prime ministers and one switch in governing party in the past three years.
Population and people
The population at the unification of the city-states in 285 was 25.4 million, according to the National Census taken soon after. Prior to the Great Plague in 604-10, the population of Occidoroma was about 119 million. Today, Pacitalia's population is just over nine billion. Most are Pacitalian-descended but there are significant minorities of Greeks, Romanians and Spaniards (Margherians). Empordia, in the country's northwest, is a significantly Catalan-heritage region. There are also respectable pockets of Turkish and Portuguese immigrants. A growing Chinese minority exists in Timiocato and Puntafora.
Society and conduct
The Pacitalians are generally easygoing, friendly, fun-loving and definitely embrace provocative, though not crass or garish, behaviour. They are most definitely used to, and welcoming to, tourists, and there are very few social taboos, despite the seemingly wide rejection of secularisation (see Religion). Don't take Pacitalian cynicism or sarcasm too seriously, but avoid debates - Pacitalians think of themselves as very skilled at political arguments, especially with tourists... and to be frank, they are. If you have an idea in your head about how Pacitalian government works, or how it should work, a Pacitalian would be more than happy to tell you in no uncertain terms that you're wrong. The worst thing you can do is come to Pacitalia and start a political debate on the premise that you oppose Pacitalian foreign policy. Even though they are of course indirectly responsible for their country's foreign policy by virtue of electing the people that engineer such policy, Pacitalians resent being told off for actions they themselves don't commit. Above all, choose your battles carefully — some tourists find themselves down for the count after as little as five minutes, so if you're not looking for that kind of fight, don't take the bait (yes, sometimes the debates will come to you, try as you might to take our advice).
Religion
Pacitalians are mainly Roman Catholic with a significant Eastern Orthodox minority. There are also large Islamic and Buddhist communities and everyone is generally tolerant of other faiths. However, despite Pacitalia's social liberalisation, most still hold on to their faith, meanwhile disagreeing with many of the more conservative values of their religion (especially true for Christians and Muslims, who have embraced a more humanist approach to practising their faiths).
Language
Pacitalian and English are the official languages in the Pacitalian Republic. Greek, Romanian, Empordian and Spanish are also widely spoken. Pacitalian is the only native language but the quick growth of English (almost everybody speaks it fluently, but it has only been around Pacitalia for about 100 years) is remarkable. The national government is now focusing on preserving the integrity of the Margherian and Empordian languages in the face of the popularity and spread of Pacitalian and English, reintroducing them in instruction at primary and secondary schools in the north, as well as funding cultural enhancement and protection initiatives on a massive scale.