NationStates Jolt Archive

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"Ex Scientia Tridens" (From knowledge, sea power)

TABLE OF CONTENTS


A Short History of the Bautizan Islands (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13328686&postcount=2)

Geography (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13328689&postcount=3)

Population (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13328691&postcount=4)

Government (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13328694&postcount=5)

Economy (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13328697&postcount=6)

Communications and Transportation (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13328701&postcount=7)

Military (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13328702&postcount=8)

Political Representation Abroad (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13328705&postcount=9)

A Short History of the Bautizan Islands

Late 9th Century: Several Viking colonies are established on King’s Island, probably by raiding parties returning from voyages to the English coast. They are later abandoned.

January 1516: A Dutch expedition led by Johan van Bautizar rediscovers present-day King’s Island and Bishop’s Island. The settlement of Haalbriis is quickly established at the site of present-day Ash River, but it is later abandoned when an unseasonably bad and long-lasting winter descends on the islands. Early records from this period detail a bleak landscape home to limited amounts of wildlife and a soil that supported only the hardiest of crops, both of which were considered obstacles to permanent settlement.

1706-1712: The settlements of New Strathill, Yorkvasser, Ash River, and Port Allansberry are founded by English colonists. Originally small ports which supported farming settlements which sprung up during five years of unusually mild summers and winters, they turn into important English outposts in the North Sea. By 1734 they are considered vital stopovers on the dangerous trip to Scandinavian ports.

October 1719: First recorded import of cattle to the islands, by Lord Esquith Blake of Yorkvasser. Within a decade cattle have become a key staple of the agricultural industry.

August 1777: A three-ship American privateer squadron raids Ash River, burning warehouses and looting ships at anchor. Outraged merchants petition the King of England to increase the garrison at the port to protect them from future attacks.

March 1799: French forces invade and seize New Strathill and Yorkvasser, quickly overwhelming token Royal Navy garrisons at both ports. After a six-month guerrilla campaign, local forces led by John Bishop (aided by ships of the Royal Navy) succeed in expelling the invaders from both ports. In gratitude to Bishop, by order of the King of England the southern island is renamed “Bishop’s Island.”

June 1821: Local farmers occupy the provincial governor’s office in Port Allansberry in protest over high taxes and the recent imposition of customs duties on tools destined for use on farms on King’s Island. They are quickly arrested by Royal Marines: the majority receive stiff sentences and time in local jails. The incident becomes known on the islands as the “Farmer’s Occupation.”

June 1836: Protestors on King's Island, angered by new taxes levied on the agriculture industry, seize ships at anchor and block access to the port, preventing a Royal Navy squadron from anchoring. 15 are killed and 21 wounded when the ships are forcibly boarded and retaken. Another six are hung on charges of piracy by order of Governor James Blake.

Jan. 1889: The crown incorporates both King’s Island and Bishop’s Island into a single colony (Bautizar).

First World War (1914-1918): The islands raise two regiments of infantry and one of artillery to send abroad in support of the crown, while shipyards in Ash River, Port Allansberry, New Strathill, and Fort Slicciberg soon become familiar homes to ships of the Royal Navy operating on the North Sea blockade. At Gallipoli the 119th Bautizan Regiment is devastated with 70% casualties and is later disbanded and absorbed into other units. In Africa the 214th Bautizan Regiment suffers heavily from disease but later becomes one of the first European military units to enter Damascus. After going on to win a string of military victories against the tottering Ottoman Empire, and after distinguished postwar service in the European occupation force of Constantinople, the 214th is renamed the 214th Royal Bautizan Regiment. The unit continues in existence to the present day.

Great Depression (1928-1939): King’s Island is hit hard by the Great Depression as exports to the United States of America slow amidst tariffs and other economic restrictions. Bishop’s Island quickly becomes a booming job area after rich oil deposits are found just offshore and high in the mountains, sparking the “Twenty-Niner Mountain Dash” of 1929-1930. Recovery is slow on King’s Island and continues up until the end of the Second World War.

Second World War (1939-1945): Although at first neutral and seeking to avoid involvement in the war, the islands escape Nazi occupation in 1940 when Royal Navy destroyers and the carrier Ark Royal succeed in deterring a German invasion. Galvanized to action by this perceived near-miss, both islands raise several regiments of infantry and artillery and send units to the Pacific Theater and the Mediterranean. The islands suffer over 5,000 civilian casualties from German attacks by bombers and fighters, shellings by submarines and surface units, a second invasion attempt in 1943, and strikes by V-2 rockets later in the war. Damage is particularly heavy in the factories found on King’s Island and to the oil platforms off the coast of Bishop’s Island.

May 1957: In a landslide (96.3%) victory for political proponents at home, Bautizar votes for independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island. Later in the year it joins the British Commonwealth.

July 1964: Bowing to political pressure from the House of Assembly and the people, the government formally moves to withdraw from the British Commonwealth and achieve complete political independence from the crown. Her Majesty Queen Emily Bishop-Kentwick, great-great-granddaughter of John Bishop, becomes the first monarch of the government after passage of the 1965 Constitution by popular vote.

Geography

Overview: The Kingdom is highly mountainous, with dominant mountain chains on King's Island (to the north) and Bishop's Island (to the south). These ranges run the lengths of both islands, and has the highest point in total on Mount Silvermouth on King's Island, with a height of 2,469 m (8,100 ft). Almost all of Symystal is high ground; on King's Island steep mountain ranges and near-vertical drops to the coastline in some areas preclude permanent settlement in the interior, and on Bishop's Island the few settlements and cities are separated by a steep mountain range that runs for half the length of the island. The only areas of semi-flat ground are between the cities of Port Fallenwick and New Strathill on King's Island, and around Old Redwarren and Yorkvasser on Bishop's Island. Over two-thirds of the country is tundra, rock, or snowfields, and over half is forested, making good agricultural land rare. Less than 9% of the kingdom is cultivated, and these areas are mostly concentrated on the Redwarren Plateau in the south, and along the coastal plain between New Strathill and Port Fallenwick in the north. The mountains of Bautizar are rich in minerals; there are deposits of iron ore, copper, titanium, coal, zinc, lead, nickel, and pyrite, and large offshore reserves of petroleum and natural gas.

Location: North Sea, halfway between Norway and the Shetland Islands
Land Boundaries: None
Maritime Claims
Territorial sea: 12nm
Continguous zone: 24nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200nm
Continental shelf: 200nm
Cities (January 2009 est.)
Capital: Port Allansberry (6,839,240)
Other cities: Fort Slicciberg, Port Fallenwick, Halbrigpoint, Bishop's Halishine, Port Lanham, New Strathill, Ash River, Yorkvasser, Old Redwarren, New Brase, Port Gantrickmouth, Bishop's Poundshine
Climate: Cold marine along the coast; strong westerly winds, cloudy; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Port Allansberry; occasional snow all year in inland regions, except in June and July
Terrain: Rocky, hilly and mountainous, occasional plains or flat areas near the coast; coast indented with bays and fjords
Natural Resources: Fish, geothermal power, wildlife, squid, oil, natural gas, coal, iron, tin, lead, zinc, copper, timber
Note: Formidable obstacles of terrain, climate, and lack of major paved roads to inland areas hinder exploitation of resources in interior
Land Use
Arable land: 8.7%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 91.3%
Elevation Extremes
Lowest: sea level
Highest: Mount Silvermouth, 2,469m
Environment, Current Issues: Acid rain, air pollution from heavy industry and vehicles, runoff pollution from industry and other urban wastes, deforestation, erosion, urban solid waste management, abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides

Population

Overview: Ethnically, Bautizans are predominantly English, although there are some Germanic, Russian, and Norwegian communities that have emigrated to the islands over the last two centuries. In recent years, the kingdom has become home to increasing numbers of immigrants, foreign workers, and asylum-seekers from various parts of the world. Immigrants now total over 350,000; some have obtained citizenship. All immigrants and immigrant affairs fall under the jurisdiction of the Home Department.

Although the Evangelical Lutheran Church is the state church, the kingdom has complete religious freedom. From ages 6 to 16, children attend compulsory schooling. After completing the ninth grade, more than 90% of children elect to attend one of three state-run universities for either academic or technical education. At least 24 months of military service and training are required of every eligible male; there are no compulsory requirements for females in military service, although plans have reportedly been discussed at the higher levels of government to institute such measures within the next decade.

The kingdom ranks as having one of the most bureaucratically-minded health care systems in the world, with the average worker required to file at least six forms just to take time off due to sickness or ill health. Vacation time is strictly regulated and monitored, and it is not uncommon for His Majesty's Customs Agency (HCMA) officers, corporate police officers, or low-level bureaucrats to send emails, faxes, or place phone calls to worker's homes due to improperly-filed paperwork. Despite this the health system is considered comprehensive, including corporate cash benefits and mandatory time off during illness and pregnancy, and other medical and dental plans. Most corporations maintain some sort of pension system; all pension plans are monitored and strictly regulated by the State and Region Bank.

Current: 617,254,766 (31 Jan 09 est.)
Age Structure
0-14: 14.6%
15-64: 71.1%
65 and over: 14.4%
Median Age: Total 38.2 years; Male 35 years; Female 41.3 years
Population Growth Rate: 0.41%
Sex Ratio: 0.859 male(s)/female
Ethnic Groups: Symystan 79.8%, English 6.3%, Argentinian 8.9%, other or unspecified 5.0%
Religions: Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.3%, Russian Orthodox 22.3%, Muslim 3.7%, unspecified or other 2.7%
Languages: English (official), Arabic, various Slavic
Literacy: 99.91%

Government

Overview: The monarchy has remained important as not only a source of political power and influence, but as symbols of national unity. The Royal Family is aided in reaching important decisions by the King's Council. The King's Council (also known as the Council of Ministers) is headed by a prime minister and includes representatives from the political parties in the House of Assembly.

A separate, but no less important, advisory council is the Advisory Trade Group (ATG), who advises the Royal Family on domestic and foreign economic policy. The CEP consists of the CEOs of the eleven largest corporations in the kingdom (Britannia Steel, Symystal Provisions, Stratburgh Corporation, State and Regional Bank, Hammershine Trade Goods, Science and Trade Institute, Kaaalakiota Corporation, Sukuuvestaa Corporation, Northern Industries Corporation, Halishine Mining and Manufacturing, Riverside Transportation Industries). The Chairmanship of the ATG rotates every eighteen months.

The 262 members of the unicameral House of Assembly are elected from 43 counties for seven-year terms; the Assembly is generally in session from October until mid-June but rarely convenes in practice, with most affairs handled by the monarchy and its agents.

Each county is headed by a governor, who is nominated by the king and then approved by the House of Assembly. Each governor and their assistants are responsible to the government for the maintenance of education, public transportation, health and medical care, and maintaining stringent fiscal control over the complex system of taxation that is assessed on all commodities, goods, and services sold or traded within the territory of the kingdom.

His Majesty's Judicial Agency (HMJA) handles all court cases that take place within the kingdom; internally it is subdivided into the Supreme Court (17 permanent judges and a president; handles all impeachment cases), courts of appeal, city and county courts, and the labor court. Judges can be transferred between departments, but only on a case-by-case basis with the approval of the monarchy.

Political Conditions: Until the 1986 scandal caused by the change in leadership at the State and Region Bank (and the subsequent abdication of the throne by King Greyson IV), foreign and domestic policy was largely controlled by the Patriots. This political bloc is considered one of the more hawkish within the Kingdom, advocating cutthroat economic policies abroad and a larger military. However the minority Practical bloc swept to power with His Majesty King Anthony Kentwick VII coming to the throne. The king has long been considered a friend to the more peaceful Practicals, who have long irritated the Patriots by espousing more focus on foreign relations and working with the Kingdom's strategic partners.

In one of the more controversial moves to date, the government issued a Southern Policy Directive in September 2007 that represented a compromise between Patriots and Practicals over the future of petroleum, fishing, and environmental interests in the southern offshore area. Southern Policy Directive No. 5 has since become a cornerstone of government policy, laying out a "roadmap" for development and responsible management of the abundant resources found within the kingdom's 200NM economic zone. The fact that it was issued unilaterally and without consultations of close allies of the kingdom, however, has caused some controversy abroad.

Conventional long form: Kingdom of the Bautizan Islands (alt. Kingdom of the Islands of Bautizar)
Conventional short form: Kingdom of Bautizar, The Kingdom, Bautizan Islands, King's Island, Bishop's Island
Abbreviation: BA
Government type: Constitutional Monarchy
Government policies: Inoffensive Centrist Democracy
Government Priority: Law & Order
Capital: Port Allansberry
National holiday: Day of Independence (12 Nov. 1964)
Constitution: 26 Aug. 1965; amended many times
Legal system: mixture of business law, customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; the Supreme Court branch of His Majesty's Judicial Agency renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked
Head of state: His Majesty King Anthony KENTWICK VII (since 14 Sept. 1971)
Head of government: Prime Minister Donald GRACE (since 26 Oct. 2006)
Cabinet: King's Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of the House of Assembly; Chief Executive Panel, consisting of representatives from the eleven largest economic corporations in the Bautizan Islands (Britannia Steel, Symystal Provisions, Stratburgh Corporation, State and Regional Bank, Hammershine Trade Goods, Science and Trade Institute, Kaaalakiota Corporation, Sukuuvestaa Corporation, Northern Industries Corporation, Halishine Mining and Manufacturing, Riverside Transportation Industries), appointed by the corporations themselves to advise on matters of economic and domestic policy
Legislative branch: Unicameral House of Assembly (262 seats)
Elections: none for monarch or prime minister; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament; House of Assembly - last held 15 Jan. 2004 (next to be held Jan. 2011)

Economy

Overview: The kingdom stands alone as one of the few northern European countries to have rejected the more traditional model of welfare capitalism, having embraced a near-cutthroat high-tech capitalist economy that relies more on free market activity with limited governmental oversight. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector, through partnerships with key corporations and state-sponsored enterprises. 90% of all public economic activity is conducted with or through subsidiaries of one of eleven major corporations in the Bautizan Islands (Britannia Steel, Symystal Provisions, Stratburgh Corporation, State and Regional Bank, Hammershine Trade Goods, Science and Trade Institute, Kaaalakiota Corporation, Sukuuvestaa Corporation, Northern Industries Corporation, Halishine Mining and Manufacturing, Riverside Transportation Industries). The kingdom is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, fish, forests, and minerals - and over the last two decades has begun diversifying its heavy industry to better compete in overseas markets. Oil and natural gas production are not believed to have peaked yet, but despite this the Chief Executive Panel recommended the creation of a government-run fund in which revenues from foreign oil and gas sales could be invested, a proposal which has not yet been acted upon by the government despite approval by His Majesty King Anthony Kentwick in late 2005. Domestic economic activity is, and will continue to be, the main driver of GDP growth throughout the next decade, supported by high consumer confidence and strong investment spending into the offshore oil and gas sector, the mining sector, and the manufacturing/industry sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity, 2007 est.): $114,136,811,421,576.70
GDP - per capita (PPP): $30,698.44
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 5.9%
industry: 29%
services: 65.1%
Unemployment rate: 2.56%
Budget
revenues: $121,593,481,109,100.05
expenditures: $111,866,002,620,372.05
Natural resources: Coal, oil, natural gas, geothermal power, iron, tin, copper, lead, zinc, timber
Agriculture (5.9% of GDP)
products: cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables, cattle, sheep, poultry, fish
Industry
types: steel, heavy engineering and metal manufacturing, textiles, motor vehicles and aircraft, construction, electronics, chemicals
Trade
exports of goods and services: $15,462,554,393,229.68 (manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, food, beverages)
imports of goods and services: $13,191,745,592,025.00 (manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, foodstuffs)
trade surplus: $2,270,808,801,204.67
Exchange rates: Bautizar gold coin per US dollar - 1.63 (2009)
Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.12 billion (2008)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.39 billion (2008)
Telephone system
general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: the Bautizan Islands have a domestic satellite system; the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile systems instead of fixed-wire systems
Radio broadcast stations: AM at least 400, FM at least 700, shortwave 35 (1999)
Television broadcast stations: 615 (plus 3,419 repeaters) (1995)
Internet hosts: 12,315 (2008)
Internet users: 1,319 million (2008)

Transportation

Airports: 227 (2008)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 85
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 45 (2008)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 18 (2008)
Heliports: 3 (2008)
Railways
total: 11,528 km
standard gauge: 11,528 km 1.435-m gauge (2,509 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways
total: 105,681 km
paved: 81,213 km (includes 491 km of expressways)
unpaved: 24,468 km (2005)
Merchant marine
total: 2,314 ships (1000 GRT or over)
by type: bulk carrier 79, cargo 434, carrier 12, chemical tanker 384, combination ore/oil 183, container 136, liquefied gas 187, passenger/cargo 512, petroleum tanker 112, refrigerated cargo 137, roll on/roll off 54, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 81
foreign-owned: 174 (China 47, Cyprus 2, Denmark 26, Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 3, Germany 2, Greece 6, Hong Kong 5, Iceland 3, Italy 4, Japan 1, Lithuania 1, Monaco 5, Netherlands 1, Poland 3, Saudi Arabia 4, Sweden 31, UAE 10, US 18)
Ports and terminals: Port Allansberry, Port Lanham, Bishop's Halishine, Halbrigpoint, New Strathill, Port Fallenwick, Fort Slicciberg, Ash River, Yorkvasser, New Brase, Port Gantrickmouth, Bishop's Poundshine

Military

Overview: The military of the kingdom is small, but considered highly efficient by Western standards. Unlike its regional neighbors the kingdom does not have a standing army, instead relying on marine forces for coastal defense and overseas missions, supported by the Royal Bautizan Navy (RBN) and the Royal Bautizan Air Force (RSAF).

Primary missions for the RBN and RBAF include patrolling and assisting the His Majesty's Customs Agency (HMCA) and the Royal Bautizan Coast Guard (RBCG) in the enforcement of customs regulations and maritime authority within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone, maintaining the security of the kingdom's sea lanes of communication, providing forward-strike capabilities against threat forces, defending the kingdom in wartime, and providing search-and-rescue, logistical support, and manpower in humanitarian and disaster situations.

In wartime the Home Guard (a military reserve) can only be activated by the Ministry of Defense with the approval of the king; in wartime the king also serves as the commander-in-chief of the military. In peacetime any military deployment abroad exceeding 120 days requires further approval by the House of Assembly as per constitutional requirements. Recent efforts have focused on a long-running modernization of the armed forces and on acquiring new military units from foreign suppliers, despite a healthy and robust arms industry in the kingdom.

Military branches: Royal Bautizan Navy; includes Coastal Rangers and Marines, Royal Bautizan Air Force, Home Guard, Royal Bautizan Coast Guard (2006)
Military service age and obligation: 18-44 years of age for compulsory male military service; 17 years of age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women; 24-month service obligation, in practice shortened to 18 or 19 months; although all males between ages of 18 and 44 are liable for service, in practice they are seldom called to duty after age 30; reserve obligation to age 35-60; 16 years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard, who serve 12-month duty tours (2006)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49: 625,898,065
females age 18-49: 375,201,935
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 14.55% ($6,157,185,444,897.61) (2008 est.)*

Political Representation Abroad

Eastern Westlands of Sorthern Northland (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13340200&postcount=8)
- Ambassador: Sir James Grace, ISO
- Address: 2 Revolution Square
- Staff: 25 diplomatic, 10 security

Free Republic of Lamoni (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13340213&postcount=68)
- Ambassador: Sir Excester Chesterlock, ISO
- Address: 8 Jerwa St.
- Staff: 20 diplomatic, 20 security

Grand Duchy of Van Luxembourg (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13340250&postcount=63)
- Ambassador: Sir Corward Falhampton, ISO
- Attaches: First Lieutenant Straton Tunvil (military), Elizabeth Malbry (cultural), Portsmoor Colcambe (economic), Strathone Cleewater (diplomatic)
- Address: Quai Saint Nicholas 171
- Staff: 100 diplomatic, 15 security

Republic of the Indonesian States (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13432274&postcount=83)
- Ambassador: Sir Duncan Marstock, ISO
- Address: Floor 52, Republic of the Indonesian States capital city
- Staff: 25 diplomatic, 20 security

Empire of Neo-Ixania (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13437970&postcount=130)
- Ambassador: Sir Paul Bromsbay, ISO
- Address: 12 Tzar Nicholas II Street
- Staff: 30 diplomatic, 20 security