Burgundie

The Grand Thalattocratic Republican Principality of Burgundie and her Commonwealth, commonly known as the Burgoignesc Thalattocracy, the Thalattocracy, or Burgundie, is a nation composed of 4 constituent countries, four self-governing territories, and three colonial possessions. At just over 2.9 million square kilometers (1.1 million sqmi), Burgundie is moderately sized country. With a population of around 380 million people, Burgundie is a highly-density nation with 132 people per square kilometer (342 people/sqmi). The capital of Burgundie is Vilauristre, located on the Ile Burgundie, which is also the capital country, located just off the coast of southeastern Levantia across the L'Estrech Alavarienne. The country of Nostrestran is located along the southeastern coast of Levantia bound by the Sea of Istroya in the east, the Deric States in the north and west, and the Burgoignesc country of Faramount to the south. Faramount is adjacent to Nostrestran along the southeastern coast of Levantia. It is bound by the Sea of Istroya in the east and south, the Deric States in the north, and Urcea in the west. Equitorial Ostiecia is along the confluence of the Odoneru Ocean and the Tainean Sea. The four self-governing territories are the Alshari Overseas Territories (consisting of Alcairet, Antilles, Salarive, and Chaukhira), Iles Evangeline in the northeastern Sea of St. John,  Wintergen in the Kilikas Sea north of Levantia, and Sudmoll in the Okatian Sea. Burgundie’s three colonies are Nauta Normand in the Coscivian Sea north of Kiravia, Torlen in the Levantine Ocean, and Argaea in the Omnium Ocean off the coast of Australis.

Burgundie and its territories stretch across 19 of the 24 time zones from Sudmoll in UTC -9 to Iles Evangeline in UTC +9. The extremely diverse geography, climate, and wildlife of Burgundie and its possessions make it one of the world's megadiverse countries.

Burgundie is a meaning that it considers itself primarily a maritime empire whose land holdings are secondary in importance to its maritime claims. This posture leads Burgundie to take enforcement of open and fair trade across the waterways very seriously and personally. The nation’s head of state, and its executive branch, the Court of St. Alphador, is a, a term that recognizes that the Prince of Burgundie is superior in authority all other provincial leaders, including the princes of Equitorial Ostiecia, Faramount, and the Duke of Marialianus who nominally services as the prince of Nostrestran, the constituent principalities within the Thalattocracy. Because it is a its hosts a parliament called the Citizens Court of the National Assembly (|Burg: La Assemblee de Ciutadans de l'Assemblee Nacional, ACAN). The Assembly is the unicameral legislative body of the nation with representatives from the citizenry, the Church, the nobility, and the Royal Family. Each member of the council is afforded one vote and the great prince is legally bound to represent the decisions of the National Assembly. The country's third branch of government, the judicial branch, is called the Lazarine Court, and serves as the nation's supreme court.

Burgundie is a founding member of the League of Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, International Maritime Organization, World Food Program, International Red Cross, and other international organizations]]. Burgundie is a highly developed country, with a GDP of $19.1 trillion and a GDPPC of $50,170. It accounts for approximately a 47% of the world’s maritime shipping traffic which has made the country rich. However, since it lacks a diverse native manufacturing base it is susceptible to fluctuations in the global markets. The economy is largely, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge-based activities, although the nation's shipyards keep the manufacturing sector world class. Burgundie is the world's largest importer operating on a massive trade deficit that it offsets with its taxes on the shipping industry as well an aggressive international loan policy. Burgundie ranks among the highest nations in several measures of socioeconomic performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP, and productivity per person. Burgundie has a sizable military power in the world and is a preeminent political, cultural, and scientific force giving it significant power projection both in real and soft terms.

Being formally recognized in its current form in 1875, Burgundie, as a unified nation, is relatively new. Levantine Burgundie was inhabited by Celtic peoples known as the starting around 2800 BC. In the 500s BC the seafaring Adonerii civilization arrived along the southern coast of Levantia. In 158 AD the Latinic commander Julian Marcilius Corvus crushed native resistance on the Ile Burgundie, then called Ipar, and established the Bergenddium, a state that lasted until it was broken up in the 1090s. Following the Great Confessional War the Burgoignesc, Estienne, and Martillian trading companies created massive overseas empires, free from the confines of Imperial rule. The greatest of these empires, the Burgoignesc South Levantive Trading Company started to collapse in on itself from overextension in the 1780s. Around the same time, the enlightenment and scientific revolution and then later the industrial revolution led to a series of anti-monarchist and pro-democratic/social revolts across the southern coast of the Kingdom of Dericania. The reactionary powers attempted to crush these revolts and led to the First Fratricide, which mediatized much of the Kingdom of Dericania and formed Burgundie from a number of the southern coastal principalities. The new nation set about a course of standardization, driven by scientists, industrialists, and new governments wanted to be considered a modern nation. By the early 20th century Burgundie was becoming as powerful in continental politics as the whole of the Kingdom of Dericania, in its own right. During the Second Great War Burgundie fought on the side of the Western Coalition, bringing it into the global spotlight. It was one of the powers, along with its ally Urcea that fought on all fronts of the Second Great War. After the end of the Second Great War Burgundie helped to establish many of the new globalist institutions that cropped up in that era. Burgundie did this as part of its self determined new mission and duty, as it sought ot find a place for itself in the post-Great War world. Burgundie set out to protect the liberties and freedoms it held dear, for all peoples around the world. This Occidental view of what the basic human rights were and its role in upholding them led to a series of anti-communist wars in Audonia and Alshar. This cotributed to and coincided with an urban and cultural revolution across the Thalattocracy that changed the country from a moderately authoritarian and reactionary holdover from the Holy Levantine Empire to a modern liberal. and the advent of both of which brought Burgundie into the 21st century at full tilt.

Traditions and national ethos
Burgundie is a, a tradition it attributes and claims continuity with the ancient Adonerum. It is also a Latino-Istroyan cultural hybrid and as such claims foundational continuity with the origins of Occidental culture. It furthermore played a key role in the rule and maintenance of the middle and late Holy Levantine Empire which Burgoigniacs believe give their nation cache earned in the political affairs of Levantia. Lastly, Burgundie spent much of the Age of Navigation in search of the Three Magi and their cultural analogues. As such, it sought and became enmeshed with the affairs of Audonia and Alshar via the Burgoignesc colonial empire.

It is only recently that Burgundie has taken a softer, more diplomatic and aide-focused approach to global politics. It has often resorted to, , and colonialism to maintain its standing and achieve its national objectives. As such its: military is enormous, has more political cache, and maintains more direct agreements (treaties, pacts, trade agreements) than is necessary for its size and position in the world. Additionally, its culture and language is endemic in many parts of the world as a vestige of its colonial past.

Etymology
Burgundie derives its name from the brugan (Eng. ), a that thrives in the  of the Belrac caldera's higher elevations on the Ile Burgundie. In the classical era the heather was considered the "lighthouse at the end of Istroyan civilization" while there were additional settlements by the Ancient Istroyan civilization further north in eastern Levantia they never achieved the status of the principal core city-states that dotted northeastern Sarpedon and southern Levantia.

The spelling has been corrupted over three major linguistic shifts, suffering degradation in each of these transliterative occurrences. While the heather itself is still spelled and pronounced brug- (Burg: le brugose), the nation itself lost its direct connection to the heather and was no longer linguistically tied to it when Latin became the lingua franca of the area around 100 BC.

Economy
Burgundie is a founding member of a number of global the League of Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, International Maritime Organization, World Food Program, International Red Cross, and other international organizations. Burgundie is a highly developed country, with a GDP of $19.1 trillion and a GDPPC of $50,170. It accounts for approximately a 47% of the world’s maritime shipping traffic which has made the country rich. However, since it lacks a diverse native manufacturing base it is susceptible to fluctuations in the global markets.

Burgundie is the world's largest importer operating on a massive trade deficit that it offsets with its taxes on the shipping industry as well an aggressive international loan policy. Burgundie ranks among the highest nations in several measures of socioeconomic performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP, and productivity per person.

Burgundie is a highly developed,, - economy. Services, particularly maritime logistics, medical, and education make us the largest sector of financial activity. However, constitute the largest sector by number of employee. Based in the Latinic concept of, and later colonial ships, large-scale, commercial agriculture is cornerstone of the Burgoignesc economic engine both in the Burgoignesc Metropole and its overseas territories.

Key maritime shipping companies

 * O'Shea Container Shipping
 * Burgoignesc North Levantine Trading Company
 * Burgoignesc South Levantine Trading Company
 * Port Extranjero

Key shipwrights

 * Doppel Gangway
 * Lansing Lines
 * O'Shea Container Shipping

Key defense companies

 * Gerin-Lajoie Weaponeering
 * Lansing Lines
 * Lansing-Mitchell Weaponeering
 * Cross Trucking Company

Mining and mineral extraction

 * Subbitumimous coal
 * Amber
 * Amber

Key Mineral extraction companies

 * Baiereal Petrochemical
 * Shalerod Mining

Econonmic history
During the 17th and 18th century, due to the technological explosion of the, later , and its resulting colonial empire, Burgundie had a preeminent role in the global economy, accounting for 5.1% of the world's GDP in 1770. The loss of much of its colonial empire, lagging behind in the adoption of industrialization in the 19th century, and the cost of fighting both the First and Second Great Wars as well as Operation Kipling further weakened Burgundie's relative position in the 20th century. Despite a relative decline in its global dominance, in the 21st century Burgundie retains the ability to project significant power and influence around the world.

In the 18th century, Burgundie was among the first nations to industrialise.

History
Main article: History of Burgundie

Classical History in Burgundie
Main article: Great Levantine Province of Brugandia In the classical period the lands that make up the Burgoignesc Metropole were predominantly controlled by city-states of the Ancient Istroyan civilization or as a province of Great Levantia.

Medieval History in Burgundie
Main article: History of Dericania During the medieval period the lands that make up the Burgoignesc Metropole were controlled by princelings of the Kingdom of Dericania. They has very little in common and each perused their own destiny.

Early Modern History in Burgundie
Main article: History of Dericania During the early modern period the lands that make up the Burgoignesc Metropole were still controlled by princelings of the Kingdom of Dericania. They has very little in common but they began to express common themes that began to differentiate them from the remainder of Dericania. This is especially true of the Burgoignesc colonial empire, a neolog applied to the colonial enterprises of the Duchies of Martilles, Marialianus, and Burgundie.

Late Modern History in Burgundie
Main article: History of Burgundie Burgundie emerged from the First Fratricide unifying many of the coastal states of the Kingdom of Dericania and sought its own future, leaving the kingdom all together. It became a moderate player in global politics but continued the trend of its predecessor states of being a major global shipping and trade partner. It was a primary belligerent in the First and Second Great Wars as well as a co-founding member of many of the global aid organizations that were convened as a result.

Government
Main article: Government of Burgundie

Military
Main article: Burgoignesc Security Forces

Foreign Relations
Main article: Foreign Relations of Burgundie

Burgundie has been seen as a historical aggressor with a long history of colonialism, purveyor of chattel slavery, military and economic interventionist paternalism, and Christian proselytization. This has led to a number of global conspiracies regarding Burgundie from Global Burgieman to Levantine Creep, and unflattering characterizations like Brother Auggie. This attitude colors both Burgundie's relations with the world and the world's perception of Burgoignesc intent. In this post-Operation Kipling era, specifically under the Palacin Dynasty (Pasqual I and his heir apparent Crown Princess Amelia) the country has taken a much softer tone with recognition of its role in the aforementioned grievances. Since the 1990s the country, spearheaded by the Palacin family has sought to focus on the role Burgundie has played in the modernization of the world since the end of the Second Great War (containerization), the minimalization of death and suffering across the globe, the multi-lateral approach the country now takes with its participation in transnational organizations like the League of Nations and the Levantine Union, the efforts to not suppress economic growth in its post-colonial countries, but to develop healthy, wealthy, global markets. These efforts are recognized as just the beginning of a long period of global healing that Burgundie needs to lead. They have proven to be fruitful in the short term as the opening and expanding of markets, both economic and of academic, have given Burgundie access to incredible human and financial capital the world over.

Burgundie has historically sided with the southern Levantine powerhouse Urcea in global politics. However, Burgundie is the first to extend the olive branch in the name of open commerce and global stabilization which it has done with both Caphiria and Kiravia. Burgundie currently maintains good relations with all three countries nations and is sometimes used as an intermediary between the three superpowers when tension is on the verge of breaking out into violence, or when tensions are coming down and a de-escalation is sought. However, Burgundie is attached at the hip to Urcea through history, culture, and institutions like the Levantine Union and Caphiria and Kiravia see Burgundie through that lens.

With the remainder of the Occidental world and the regional powers of Daxia and Stenza, Burgundie maintains good and open relationships. Burgundie serves with many of these nations on global institutions like the League of Nations but not in permanent seat status, as well as organizations like the Red Cross, the World Bank, etc. Burgundie is particularly close/allied to the nations of Arcerion, Cartadania, Pelaxia, Paulastra, and Yonderre.

Territory disputes
Burgundie has two low-intensity but open territory disputes. They are over ownership of Sudmoll and Wintergen.

Sudmoll controversy
Main article: Sudmoll Island Conflicts

Following its independence in 1921, Stenza laid claim to the Burgoignesc island of Sudmoll. On a number of politically advantageous occasions, the Stenzan Armed Forces have been dispatched to occupy the island often leading to an escalation of tension between Stenza and Burgundie. There have also been a number of flashpoints between Stenzan and Sudmollese fishing and merchant fleets that have had to be broken up by the coast guards of both countries. To this day the matter remains unsettled with both nations claiming the island, but Stenza's last concerted effort to exert control over the island was in 1984.

Wintergen controversy
Main article: Stewardship of Wintergen (government-in-exile)

Geography
Main article: Geography of Burgundie

Culture
Main article: Culture in Burgundie

Culturally, Burgundie is one of the least vernacular and most mechanical nations in the world. This means that there is a level of homongony across the diverse and vast thalattocracy. This is an accidental side effect of the centralized, planned mechanization put forward by the various royal institutions since the First Fratricide, but especially since the Second Great War. These mechanization efforts, namely in the wide spread use of air conditioning, mass transit, and subsidized domestic migration have allowed the Burgoigniacs to live anywhere in the world under the same conditions as they would on the Ile Burgundie. Many international sociologists term this Laissez-faire Vilauristrification in reference to the fact that the phenomenon was accidental and that the Burgoignesc cultural experience is becoming more like that of the capital in Vilauristre. This has been more noticeable in the Burgoignesc territories outside of the Burgoignesc Metropole, as Levantine Burgoignesc culture is the core that many other vernacular cultures within the thalattocracy are being pulled towards. Outside of Burgundie, this has been observed across southern Audonia and western Alshar. Many in these areas see Burgundie as the paragon of modernization and progress and thus have adopted many of the mechanizations that have led to this shift in Burgundie.

However, over the last 50 years Equatorial Ostiecia has come be the cultural and economic center of Burgundie, in essence, creating a foil to the Burgoignesc Metropole.

Burgoignesc Metropole
Main Article: Burgoignesc Metropole

Ile Burgundie
Main Article: Ile Burgundie

Nostrestran
Main Article: Nostrestran

Faramount
Main Article: Faramount

Equitorial Ostiecia
Main Article: Equitorial Ostiecia

BORA
Main Article: BORA

Plant Hardiness Maps
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