NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Ok, my first factbook sucked, so I'm trying again using the factbook guide i found in a sticky.

Geography

Relative Location: Approx. 200mi NNW of N. Zealand

Area: 2,486,250 sq. mi.

Bordering Nations: None

Maritime Claims: 100mi from coastline on all islands

Terrain: Widely varied, mostly subtropical savanna but mountainous in the south. Small desert region in the southwest corner of the main island. Area comprises one main island and several smaller ones surrounding it.

Climate: Hot and wet summers, moderate to cool winters in majority of the country. In mountains, temperatures can dip into the freezing range in the winter.

Highest Point: Mt. Prestonia, 19,571ft.

Lowest Point: Sea Level

Natural Hazards: Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Landslides, Floods, Tsunamis.

Economy

Overview: The economy of Central Prestonia is a mixed system. While capitalism is allowed, the government places tight restrictions on businesses to ensure that workers' rights are not infringed upon. The government also enforces a price window on commodities to keep prices from going too high or low.

GDP Per Capita: P$20,000

Population Below Poverty Line: 2.7%

Unemployment Rate: 5%

Currency: Prestonian Dollar (P$)

Exchange Rate: Approx. P$2.05=USD1

History
Ancient Prestonia
The land now known as Prestonia was first settled by nomadic Polynesian tribes around 2500 B.C.E. Unlike other tribes, this one kept good records, and we know much about them. The land was bountiful and they decided to stay rather than move on. Records show that they were similar to the tribe that would inhabit Easter Island in terms of culture and religion. They were traders and warriors, and by 1000 B.C.E. had built an empire that stretched across the Pacific. Prestonian goods reached as far as Japan at the peak of prosperity. However, a series of external wars and internal divisions gradually chipped away at the hegemony over the Pacific, and by 500 C.E. the ancient Prestonians were again confined to their immediate area.

European Exploration
The islands were situated near a favorable current, so from around 1400 on many ships passed by, though none settled. Magellan and Cook recorded the barrier islands in their logs, though neither man approached due to the coral reef extending out from the islands. In 1721, however, the white man finally came knocking. A British expedition, led by Lord Preston (for whom the land was named), claimed the main island and all barriers in the name of the Empire. This was the end for most of the ancient tribesmen, as smallpox and other European diseases ran their course with deadly efficiency. A small number went into the mountains, unexplored by the British due to their size, and remain there to this day.

Civil Unrest
The British exploited their new colony for the valuable tea, fruit, and gold it contained, and for a time used the islands as a penal colony. This left a bitter taste in the colonists' mouths, and there were revolts in 1820, 1853, and 1900. Each one of these revolts was put down with much bloodshed, widening the divide between the Prestonians and their British masters.

World Wars
The unrest in the colony was forgotten with the outbreak of war in 1914. Thousands of young men rushed to join up and fight for King and Country. Records show that Prestonian regiments fought bravely, with one, the Hudson Volunteer Rifles, earning 21 Victoria Crosses total. The Prestonians were essential in the First Battle of The Marne, helping to push back the Germans and establish a front line. With the end of WWI, the colony was relatively peaceful until 1939 and the aggressions of the Japanese brought them into war again. By 1940 Prestonia was in Japanese hands. In stark contrast to their treatment of other conquered islands, the islands of Prestonia were treated relatively well, with the populace allowed many freedoms. The Japanese were pushed out by advancing American armies in 1944, and the territory was ceded back to the British postwar. The four year occupation left an Eastern mark on Prestonia that can still be seen today.

Independence to Present Day
In 1985, with taxes again raised on the colonists, the rebellion restarted. This time, however, it was led by the cunning Aaron H. Preston, one of Lord Preston's descendants fresh from Sandhurst Military Academy. The fighting continued off and on until 2002, when independence was finally granted. After being given freedom, the Prestonians elected Preston as their new President. Under his leadership, the economy and military were overhauled, and Prestonia rocketed into the First World. The nation also joined the international alliance UFAN, which they remain a member of to this day. However, Preston's eagerness to prove his nation's worth often led to national and international hot water, with many considering him a warmonger. In 2010, Preston's term ended, and elections are currently underway to decide who will lead the nation into the future.

Military

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Homeland Defense Corps

Manpower: 3,000,000

Available Manpower: 41,865,000

Percent of Total Pop.: 1-2.5%

Expenditures: 7% of national budget

Allies: UFAN, ViZion

Annual Nationals Reaching Military Age: 2,500,000

Manpower Fit for Military Service: 17,541,328

Government

Country Name: Socialist Republic of Central Prestonia (official form), SRCP (short form), Prestonia (common form)

Government Type: Socialist Republic

Capital City: Hudson, being transferred to Prestongrad

Administrative Divisions: 5 states

Major Cities: Hudson, Prestongrad, St. Andrew, Davidsburg

Independence Day: June 18th, 2002

National Holidays:
Independence Day: June 18th
Flag Day: August 14th
President's Day: March 27th
Christmas: December 25th
Easter

Suffrage: Universal at 17

Major Political Parties: Democratic Socialist, Republican, Democratic

Reserved for People & Population

Reserved for Communications

ORBAT of Prestonian Armed Forces

Prestonian Army (Commander: Field Marshal David Oliver)
I Army Group (Commander: General Erin McLaughlin)
1st Infantry Div.
2nd Armored Div.
4th Infantry Div.
7th Armored Div.
14th Transportation Rg.
45th Supply Bn.
9th Infantry Div.
91st Special Operations Bn.
II Army Group (Commander: General Mikhail Ivanov)
2nd Infantry Div.
1st Armored Div.
3rd Infantry Div.
177th Airborne Div.
8th Armored Div.
13th Supply & Logistics Bn.
60th Transportation Rg.
III Army Group (Commander: General Alexander Larson)
1st Airborne Div.
27th Special Operations Div.
6th Armored Div.
7th Infantry Div.
9th Infantry Div.
5th Armored Div.
1st Supply & Logistics Bn.
44th Transportation Rg.