Alstin

The United Republic of Alstin, commonly known as the United Republic or Alstin, is a sovereign state comprising the entirety of the Alstinian Isles off the coast of Crona. Covering an area of more than 569 thousand km² and hosting a population of more 93 million, the United Republic is divided into 21 provinces, 6 territories and a federal district - with its capital and largest city being Alstin.

The United Republic of Alstin is a highly developed country, with its economy ranking within the "Top 20 in the Globe", both in terms of nominal GDP and PPP. Though its population is only 0.5% of the global total, Alstinians hold nearly 7% of the total wealth in the world. The United Republic ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP, and productivity per person. While the Alstinian economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of both the service and information industry, the manufacturing sector remains one largest in the world. Accounting for approximately a tenth of global GDP and an eighth of global military spending, the United Republic is one of the world's foremost economic and military powers. The United Republic is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations.

Etymology
The nation's name derives from the city of Alstin. The city's name itself, according to its founding myth, is believed to have been derived from the city's supposed founder and first king, Alstanus.

The standard way to refer to a citizen of Alstin is as an "Alstinian."

History
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Politics and government
Further Reading: Government of the United Republic; List of provinces and territories of Alstin The United Republic is the world's oldest surviving federal republic. It is a representative democracy, "in which majority rule is tempered by minority rights protected by law". The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances defined by the Constitution of the United Republic, which serves as the country's supreme legal document.

In the Alstinian federalist system, citizens are usually subject to three levels of government: federal, provincial, and local. The local government's duties are commonly split between county and municipal governments. In almost all cases, executive and legislative officials are elected by a plurality vote of citizens by district. There is no proportional representation at the federal level, and it is rare at lower levels.

The federal government is composed of three branches:

-Legislative: The bicameral Parliament, made up of the Senate and the National Council, makes federal law, declares war, approves treaties, has the power of the purse, and has the power of impeachment, by which it can remove sitting members of the government. -Executive: The President is the commander-in-chief of the military, can veto legislative bills before they become law (subject to Parliamentary override), and appoints the members of the Cabinet (subject to Senate approval) and other officers, who administer and enforce federal laws and policies. -Judicial: The Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the President with Senate approval, interpret laws and overturn those they find unconstitutional.

The National Council currently has 369 voting members and 4 non-voting delegates, with each of the former representing a parliamentary district for a two-year term, while each of the latter representing an incorporated overseas territory. Council seats are apportioned among the provinces by population every tenth year, with the constitutional minimum being that at least one council seat be allotted for each province. With the most recent census, five provinces plus the Capital District each had the least amount of councilors at three, while Cecelia, the most populous province, had twenty-four.

The Senate has 44 members, with each province plus the Capital District having two senators, elected at-large to six-year terms; one third of Senate seats are up for election every other year. The President serves a four-year term and may be elected to the office no more than twice. The President is not elected by direct vote, but by an indirect electoral college system in which the determining votes are apportioned to the provinces and the Capital District. The Supreme Court, led by the Chief Magistrate of the United Republic, has nine members, who serve for life.

The provincial governments are structured in roughly similar fashion. The governor, or an official of equivalent nature, of each province is directly elected. Some provincial judges and cabinet officers are appointed by the governors of the respective provinces, while others are elected by popular vote.

The original text of the Constitution establishes the structure and responsibilities of the federal government and its relationship with the individual provinces. Article One protects the right to the "great writ" of habeas corpus. The Constitution has been amended 42 times; the first ten amendments, which make up the Bill of Rights, and the Fourteenth Amendment form the central basis of Alstinians' individual rights. All laws and governmental procedures are subject to judicial review and any law ruled by the courts to be in violation of the Constitution is voided.

Foreign Relations
The United Republic has an established structure of foreign relations. It is a founding member of the League of Nations, and was a member of the now-defunct Southern Defense Coalition. Almost all countries have embassies in Alstin, and many have consulates around the country. Likewise, nearly all nations host Alstinian diplomatic missions.

Military
See Main Article: United Republic Armed Forces he President holds the title of commander-in-chief of the United Republic Armed Forces (URAF) and appoints its leaders, the Minister of Defense and the Armed Forces Council. The Ministry of Defense administers the various branches of the armed forces, including the Army (URA), Marine Corps (URMC), Navy (URN), and Air Corps (URAC). Currently, the armed forces has approximately 1.3 million personnel on active duty, which, when combined with those personnel serving in both the Reserve Forces of the each of the service branches and the various provincial Home Guard units brings the total number of troops to about 2.1 million. In addition, the Department of Defense also employs about 815,000 civilians, not including contractors.

Military service is voluntary, though conscription may occur in wartime through the Selective Service System. Alstinian forces can be rapidly deployed by the Air Corps' large fleet of transport aircraft, the Navy's thirteen active aircraft carriers, and Marine expeditionary units at sea with the Navy's Home, Orixtal, and Cathaic fleets. The military operates 69 bases and facilities abroad, and maintains deployments greater than 100 active duty personnel in seven foreign countries.

Geography
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Economy
Main Article: Economy of Alstin The United Republic has a capitalist mixed economy, which is fueled by abundant natural resources and high productivity. With a nominal GDP of $5.53 trillion, the private sector is estimated to constitute 76% of the economy, with federal government activity accounting for 9.8% and provincial and local activity (including federal transfers) the remaining 14.2%. Unemployment is at 2.78%, in spite of the amount of employment regulations throughout the country.

Alstin is one of the world's largest exporter of goods, with a trade surplus of_____. ____, ____, and ____ are three of Alstin's largest trading partners.

Information technology is currently the nation's largest industry, followed by tourism, arms manufacturing, and book publishing. Mining, agriculture, and other facets of the manufacturing sector are other important drivers of the Alstinian economy.

Demographics
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Infrastructure
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Education
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Culture
Mainstream Alstinian culture is a Western culture largely derived from a number of factors including: the nation's key commercial location centered on the Alstinian Isle; its history as a western liberal democracy and a major power; traditions originating from foreign immigrants; and cultural practices stemming back several centuries. This has resulted in a cultural mix that has been described as both a homogenizing melting pot, and a heterogeneous salad bowl in which immigrants and their descendants retain distinctive cultural characteristics while also promoting Alstinian cultural values as a whole. The substantial cultural influence of the United Republic has led it to be described as a "cultural superpower".

Core Alstinian culture was established by the initial Levantian settlers and shaped by the centuries-long frontier settlement and expansion process, with the traits derived passed down to descendants and transmitted to immigrants through assimilation. Alstinians have traditionally been characterized by a strong work ethic, competitiveness, and individualism, as well as a unifying belief in an "Alstinian creed" emphasizing liberty, equality, private property, democracy, rule of law, and a preference for limited, yet effective, government.

The Alstinian Dream, or the perception that Alstinians enjoy high social mobility, plays a key role in attracting immigrants. Whether this perception is realistic has been a topic of debate. While mainstream culture holds that the United Republic is a classless society, scholars identify significant differences between the country's social classes, affecting socialization, language, and values. Alstinians' self-images, social viewpoints, and cultural expectations are associated with their occupations to an unusually close degree. While Alstinians tend greatly to value socioeconomic achievement, being ordinary or average is generally seen as a positive attribute.