Porlos

Porlos (Western Valley Qabóri: Porosakee, Soqweux: Porsaahi), officially the Woqalate of Porlos (Western Valley Qabóri: Porosakee Woqalatái, Soqweux: Wayyihikeelito Porsaahi), is a sovereign country in southwestern Crona. Located in the heart of the Old Cartadanian colonies, Porlos shares land borders with the UR Territories of Veraise and Betlands, along with Asteria and Ormatia. The country covers an area of 391,265 square kilometres (151,068 sq mi), making it the world's 56th-largest country by area, but with around 14.5 million inhabitants, it is one of the least populous nations worldwide. It has a largely tropical climate with some subarctic zones, predominantly in the northern interior. The country's capital is Pacuí, near the central interior of the country, and it's largest city and financial center is the coastal metropolis of Naqili, situated on the Sea of St. John.

Woqalate of Porlos 2 official names Soqweux: Wayyihikeelito Porsaahi Western Valley Qabóri: Porosakee Woqalatái
Flag
Motto: "Eyyakihilíq iyu Posaakahilitik" "Determination and prosperity"
Anthem: Ohi, mui Porsaahi
Capital	Pacuí
Largest city	Naqili
Official languages	Soqweux Western Valley Qabóri
Recognised regional languages	Tierradorian Cartadanian
Ethnic groups	61.8% Soqweux 27.4% Mestizo 10.2% Ængle 0.6% Other
Demonym(s)	Porlosi Porsaahian Maleno-Odridian (antiquated)
Government	Unitary Semi-Constitutional Woqalate
• Woqali	Furtado II
• Prime Minister	Daniel Lopes
Legislature	Assembly of the Woqalate
Establishment
• Qabóri Colonization	722–1351
• Woqalate of Soqweux	1351–1712
• Formation as a satellite colony	1713
• Territory created	1718
• United with West Bay Colony	1806
• Carto-Porlosi Conflict	1937-1938
• Porlosi Autonomy Act	1938
• Woqalate restored	1940
Area
• Total	391,265 km2 (151,068 sq mi)
Population
• 2030 census	14,529,217
• Density	92.1/km2 (238.5/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2031 estimate
• Total	$894 billion
• Per capita	$41,526
GDP (nominal)	2031 estimate
• Total	$871 billion
• Per capita	$40,457
Gini (2031)	51.7 high
HDI (2031)	0.737 high
Currency	Ponča (P)
Mains electricity	230 V, 50 Hz
Driving side	right
Calling code	+7
Internet TLD	.po

Although inhabited since the Paleolithic Era, what is now Porlos was molded by a mix of Cartadanian and Qabór-Tierric civilization, due to the colonization from both empires. It began with the conquering of the Betlands region, which at the time would be referred to as the Soqweux, named after the Soqweux people, by Imperial Qabór. There, for close to 700 years, the Qabóri settlers established several colonies and ports, which were typically limited to just coastal settlements and trading posts, as the areas being as far as they were from the Qabóri proper area were heavily neglected by the central government of the Woqalate. In 1351, modern-day Porlos and the surrounding areas were granted independence as the Woqalate of Soqweux. Relations between Qabór and the Soqweux would remain tightly-knit, as most economic, social and political influences would still be brought upon from the Woqalate. Eventually, following Aster's expedition and the colonization of present-day Asteria by Faneria, settlers from Cartadania arrived and established several colonies and posts of their own, starting in the 16th century as the West Bay Colony. In the 19th century, Cognatian settlers slowly and hesitantly began to establish themselves in the interior. The Cartadanian colony that became Porlos did not have its present borders until the early 20th century due to resistance by native groups and Tierrador. The Cartadanian settlements were very unstable, due to outsider influence from various indigenous nations led by Tierrador, and in 1938, following a brutal year-long conflict, Porlos was granted its independence from Cartadania. Eventually, the Porlosi Woqalate would be restored, as it stands today.

Porlos has vast mineral and petroleum reserves, and its economy is among the fastest-growing in the world, especially since the end of its civil war. Its standard of living is amongst one of the highest in Crona. Porlos has a high-income economy and is one of the most economically and socially stable nations in Crona, ranking highly in competitiveness, per capita income, globalization, peace, and economic freedom. Porlos also performs well in the region in terms of sustainability of the state and democratic development, and boasts one of the lowest homicide rates in South Crona. Porlos is regarded as one of the most socially progressive countries in Crona. It ranks high on global measures of personal rights, tolerance, democracy, and inclusion issues, including its acceptance of the LGBT community. It was the first Cronan country to fully legalize cannabis, doing so in 1967, as well as same-sex marriage (legalized in 1972).

History

Carto-Porlosi Conflict

Saula Sá and Elísio Medina, two local leaders of PLIAD, held in San Ysidro Jail in 1938

The Carto-Porlosi conflict, sometimes referred to as the Luso Wars, was a series of conflicts between Cartadania and an insurgency in Porlos in the late 1930s, supported by the Walakee State of Tierrador. Cartadania had been the sovereign of much of southwestern Crona for just over 200 years at the beginning of the conflicts, reflecting a colonial ambition that was, at the time it began in 1691, one of the most far-flung in the western world. The conflict stemmed from a rebel militia, known as PLIAD, that had previously been present in the Porlosi capital city, Pacuí, storming the Aster-Porlosi border town of San Ysidro, where the toponymously named San Ysidro Army Base was located. Initially, the group of approximately 250 men and women entered the town square, looting a local department store and assaulting its employees and patrons. The group continued causing civil unrest, and while San Ysidro was quite small for a "city", with just over 8,000 inhabitants at the time, the community was largely military personnel, and the assault occurring throughout the area triggered a response from the Department of Defense.

Initially, military police began the response effort to curtail the rebellion by a series of arrests primarily around San Ysidro Falls, but when members of the militia began to storm the base itself, the Army mobilized in an effort to quell the rebellion altogether. In the coming days and weeks, the rebel militia, at this point known as Internal Liberal Party for Action and Defense (Cartadanian: Partido liberal interno para ação e defesa, PLIAD), had grown to well over a thousand people in the area, accounting for 1/8th of the bodycount in San Ysidro. The base was instructed to refrain from using live ammunition as Alahuela wanted to avoid a global response, but due to PLIAD's unbiased usage of lethal weaponry, President Leila Cavalcani executed the order. The basis for the conflict was assumed to be independence due to ongoing talks about an autonomous government, but due to Alahuela's grasp on the region, it was reluctant to let go, and as similar sentiments continued to form across Porlos, the military had to mobilize its other forces.

Because Porlos is largely inland, the Department of Defense relied mostly on army and air force support. The conflict, more or less, went in favor of Alahuela, but due to the growing issues in Sarpedon around the Great Wars, it was forced to end the campaign to subdue the militia. As a result, on 8 August 1938, the National Congress authorized the Porlosi Autonomy Act, granting the people of Porlos the right to govern themselves. For many living in Porlos, PLIAD had painted an idea of prosperity and cooperation, especially between Porlos and Tierrador. While the relationship with Ceylonia has always been amicable and the independence it would receive 26 years later would be one of the most peaceful in history, the drawback of Cartadania from Porlos was extremely aggressive and abrupt, which devastated the country's new economy. As a consequence of the act, Alahuela nullified all operations in the country and essentially forced all Cartadania-based businesses to withdraw from the country, dealing a bitter blow to the newly formed country. The blowback was so bitter that talks of re-annexation came up multiple times, but Alahuela had turned its sight domestic and essentially cut all ties with the country. Cartadania's Air Force continued to patrol the surrounding airspace of Ormatia, however, and reconnaissance near the border showed the disarray in Porlos, not caused by the combat in San Ysidro, but by optimistic independence.

Cold War era and present day

Despite the devastation of the Porlosi economy following the withdrawal of all Cartadanian economic activites, it would not last for long. In 1940, the newly-founded government of Porlos would eventually be reorganized, with the assistance of the Walakee State under Grand Woqali Satola Sanléc. The same government structure that was seen under the Woqalate of Soqweux would be restored as the Woqalate of Porlos, establishing Sonta I as the first Woqali of Porlos since 1712. As the return took place, most colonial aspects from Cartadania would slowly be scrapped and replaced with indigenous Cronan influences. This included demoting Cartadanian as an official language and replacing it with Soqweux. Along with the many cultural changes, the Porlosi government also allowed many Tierradorian companies and organization to open subsidiaries within the nation. Auqali Lithium, one of the largest mineral extraction companies in the world, began operations in the country in 1951, boosting the nation's economy by a significant margin.

During the Occidental Cold War, Porlos established a neutral stance, however it was involved in numerous South Cronan conflicts, mostly on the side of Tierrador and Ceylonia. In 1965, the Porlosi Defense Force sent 350 peacekeeping troops to fight alongside the TDF in the Calico Bay War. In late 1965, During the onset of the Mosquito War, the Porlosi government issued an ultimatum to various Istrenyan-based drug cartels operating within the Porlosi borders to cease all operations within the nation. When the demands were not met, the Porlosi government began a purge in many cities, arresting over 95,000 cartel members, along with an additional 45,000 conspirators, over the span of a few months. Another way that Porlos fought cartel activity was by legalizing marijuana and copium in 1967. This made it so the trade of both substances, which were the two most popular drugs sold by cartels, would become much safer and more regulated. Following this, the PDF would send military support to Tierrador in its fight against Istrenya and the cartels. In 1969, Woqali Sonta I was shot and killed by Istrenyan national Ka'wole Tatami, prompting Porlos to officially enter the war against Istrenya. While this involvement did not last long, the PDF managed to halt several of Istrenya's advances and even push further back into key Istrenyan areas. After the Dalton Accords in 1970, the PDF withdrew its troops from Istrenya.

Following the PDF's withdrawal from the Mosquito War, the country began mass reforms in all sectors, which included abolishing mandatory conscription in 1971, along with reducing the military's size by a significant margin, legalizing same-sex marriage in 1972 (the first country in South Crona to do so). The Woqalate also reduced the military budget, and only mobilized troops to the border with Ormatia, where there were multiple instances of border clashes between the two countries. The Mountain War, which lasted from May to August of 1974 saw the mobilization of Ormatian troops, fighting for small strips of land on the border, which Ormatia claimed was rightfully theirs. The increased tensions with Asteria also brought upon difficulties with the new military policies, as growing Asterian aggression towards Tierrador reflected also on Porlos. Several incidents in 1978 took place in San Ysidro, where the city was placed on high alert numerous times due to the constant threats of missile strikes from the ADF. In 1981, Porlos, along with Ceylonia, sent a combined 1,100 troops to the Tulangia Commonwealth during the Cowboy Crisis to assist the TDF in combatting hostile Asterian forces.

The 1980s saw one of the biggest cultural and economic advancements in Porlosi history. Porlosi media became widely consumed across South Crona, and some films, songs, and television series' became household names in Tierrador, Alstin, Ceylonia, and even in Varshan, where it was illegally smuggled into the country. The country's largest city, Naqili, was the most visited city in South Crona for five straight years in the 1980s, due to its cultural and economic significance. However, the country was severely impacted by the 1993 Tierradorian financial crisis, due to a lot of Porlosi investments and funds being tied to Tierradorian economic funds, and the country's use of the Ponča, which depreciated by a significant margin due to the onset of the crisis.

Once the country recovered from the financial crisis, it began to see a sharp rise in economic activity. In 1997, Nathan Kuisaalio became the first Repataahiaka Prime Minister since 1961, and began a series of governmental reforms throughout the country. This included reducing the powers of the Woqali, who at the time was newly-coronated Furtado I. The 1997–2000 Porlosi reforms saw Porlos being shifted to a constitutional monarchy, with the Woqali holding limited power in the day-to-day administration of the country. The administrative divisions of the country were also redrawn, adding three new provinces (qoyyalaatisi) in the southern end of the country, and expanding the Assembly of the Woqalate from 188 members to 206 members. Porlos received large amounts of economic support from Tierrador following the crisis, and began to welcome many Tierradorian-based companies, such as Orixtal Telecommunications, Pasco Retail, Summit Petroleum (from 2002 to 2013 only), and Prontoburger.

Porlos received international recognition and condemnation following the 2011 Naqili coast oil spill, where an oil rig operated by Summit Petroleum suffered a massive wellhead blowout. This was caused by vague safety regulations and the refusal to follow them by Summit Petroleum. Anti-foreign oil protesters began fighting for the expulsion of Summit, along with four other foreign oil-drilling companies from Porlos. In 2013, Summit was banned from Porlos.

In 2027, the ice hockey club Naqili Hornets became the first non-Tierradorian OHL club to win the Watson Cup, sweeping the Tawakee Hurricanes. The last club to achieve this feat was the Istrenya-based Karaba Mountaineers in 2018.

Geography

Porlos is located on the southwestern coast of Crona overlooking the Sea of St. John. The country covers almost 400,000 square kilometers of South Crona, making it the third-smallest country in that region, only larger than Asteria and Malentina. Porlos shares land borders with Betlands and Asteria to the south, Ormatia to the east, and Veraise and a small land border with Ehemo to the north. The country’s shape on a map is very similar to a dagger, earning it the moniker “Ludaaopikais”, which roughly translates to “the dagger”.

The country is very mountainous, with the Qalhéq mountain range splitting the country into two geographical regions; qoastaali (coast), the smaller but most populous of the two, and the yaapilati (highlands), which houses the country’s capital city, Pacuí. The yaapilati also features the highest peak in Porlos, Mt. Chavez, at approximately 6,521 meters, located on the country’s border with Ormatia.

Porlos’ coastline also serves as the source for the Wakiteelaai River, which runs throughout the entire country. Wakieelaai also splits into the Betlands River, which runs southwest into the Betlands region. Porlos has many small freshwater lakes spread across the highland region. The largest of these lakes, Lake Qihaati, is the largest source of tap water for the capital city of Pacuí. The coastline also features many barrier islands, which serve as prominent tourist destinations among many of the locals.

Climate

The Porlosi climate is generally temperate, though it can vary throughout the different localities. Typically, it varies from glacial conditions in the southeast portion of the country, to a more tropical, Mediterranean climate in the more populous western coast. There is an abundance of tall palm trees across the coastline. Summers are generally warm and humid, with enough rainfall for large cow pastures seen on the foot of the Qalhéq Mountains. The winters in Porlos are the opposite, with some mountainous qoyalets even experiencing heavy snowfall during the middle of the season. Porlos is unusual as it is one of the coolest countries on average in South Crona, a region which typically has much warmer, tropical nations. The country’s climate is comparable to the likes of Tierrador’s, another very mountainous country, though Tierrador sees less extreme winters, and is more so in the middle of extreme summer and winter conditions.

Climate data for Porlos
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	12.2 (54.0)	14.6 (58.3)	18.9 (66.0)	21.7 (71.1)	25.6 (78.1)	27.3 (81.1)	29.4 (84.9)	28.9 (84.0)	27.7 (81.9)	23.1 (73.6)	19.0 (66.2)	14.3 (57.7)	21.9 (71.4)
Daily mean °C (°F)	10.4 (50.7)	12.7 (54.9)	15.5 (59.9)	19.9 (67.8)	22.4 (72.3)	25.3 (77.5)	27.9 (82.2)	27.1 (80.8)	24.0 (75.2)	21.9 (71.4)	16.4 (61.5)	12.1 (53.8)	19.6 (67.3)
Average low °C (°F)	7.6 (45.7)	10.1 (50.2)	13.3 (55.9)	17.2 (63.0)	19.6 (67.3)	23.4 (74.1)	25.1 (77.2)	24.7 (76.5)	21.6 (70.9)	17.5 (63.5)	13.9 (57.0)	9.4 (48.9)	17.0 (62.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	224 (8.8)	247 (9.7)	279 (11.0)	388 (15.3)	459 (18.1)	501 (19.7)	513 (20.2)	497 (19.6)	454 (17.9)	327 (12.9)	289 (11.4)	265 (10.4)	4,443 (175)
Source: Ixnay Climatological Society

Politics

Porlos is one of two Woqalates in Crona, the other being Tierrador. The country has maintained a liberal democratic system under its 1941 Constitution, which replaced the territorial constitution that leaned the government towards Alahuela's governance. Porlos is also a unitary state, comprising of twelve provinces, with a strong central government. The Porlosi government features many elements from the political systems and institutions of Tierrador, such as a unicameral legislature, written constitution, the implementation of Woqalate Law, and an overlapping dual-court system.

Woqali Furtado II serves as the head of state of Porlos, however, unlike the Tierradorian monarch, the role of the Porlosi monarch is limited to ceremonial and representative functions. Under the provisions of the 1991 Porlosi constitutional revisions, the Woqala lacks any formal political power. The Woqala opens the annual Assembly session, chairs the Higher Council held during a change of Government, holds regular Information Councils with the Prime Minister and the Government, chairs the meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council (Soqweux: Akaahaliinapaa), and receives diplomatic credentials of foreign ambassadors to Porlos and signs those of Porlosi ambassadors sent abroad. In addition, the Woqala pays state visits abroad and hosts those incoming.

Legislative power is vested in the unicameral Assembly of the Woqalate. The Assembly consists of 206 members. General elections for the Assembly are held every five years, with members of the Assembly being elected based on population. Once elected, members serve a five-year term, with a limit of three terms, or fifteen years overall. The internal workings of the Assembly are, in addition to the 1941 Constitution, regulated by the Assembly Act (Soqweux: Asseehamalica), and the branch operates in cooperation with the executive and judicial branch under a checks-and-balances system. Despite this, many consider the Assembly to be the most powerful entity in Porlos, as it can override many judicial and executive rulings, often with little to no objection from those branches.

Judicial power is almost entirely represented by the two main courts; the Hihkaalaasi (High Court) and the Taarsakaalaasi (Tribunal Court). Both of these courts are tasked with enforcing Woqalate Law throughout the country, though each court has different means of enforcing Woqalate Law. The dual-court system in Porlos is almost entirely derived from the Judicial system of Tierrador, where the High Court usually oversees criminal law cases, while the Tribunal Court oversees administrative law and civil disputes, such as lawsuits.

Administrative divisions

12 provinces of Porlos

Porlos is a unitary state, divided into twelve first-level administrative provinces (qoyyalaatisi). The provinces are administered through directly elected provincial assemblies (qoyyalaasekoliaat), who in turn elect the Provincial Governor (wotaashiaake). The provinces are sub-divided into 411 second-level parishes (parsahikaatia), which in turn are administered by a directly elected parish council, headed by a commissioner and a small executive cabinet. The cities of Pacuí and Naqili are referred to as cahilaatika, which does not translate into Ænglish, however in most Ænglish descriptions, they are considered as province-parishes. The 1941 Constitution grants provinces the right to possess partial fiscal autonomy, being able to create their own budgets and allocate resources for their Gross Domestic Products. Similar to the regions of Tierrador, the central government can temporarily dissolve and allow the provinces to take control against a foreign enemy in the event of armed conflict on Porlosi soil.

Military

The Porlosi Defense Forces are constitutionally subordinate to both the Prime Minister, via the Porlosi Defense Office, and the Assembly of the Woqalate, via the various Defense Committees. As of 2034, there are 96,000 personnel serving in the Porlosi Army, 31,000 in the Porlosi Navy, and 28,000 in the Porlosi Air Force. The PDF is organized on the essential principle of legitimate Porlosi self-defense: the repelling of any external military aggression in order to guarantee freedom of the Porlosi people, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Its secondary missions include committing to multinational operations within the framework of the League of Nations, participating in internal support missions, assisting allied nations, and establishing a sub-regional defense system. Military service is voluntary, with enlistment age between 18 and 24 years old and no conscription. Decades of Tierradorian military influence and support allowed for the PDF to evolve into what it is today, with the PDF being considered as one of the best equipped in South Crona. The PDF manages its own weapon research facilities, shipyards, ordnance, tank and plane factories, mostly using resources imported from Tierrador and Alstin. Following the end of The Deluge, real military expenditures declined steadily and the defense budget in 2026 was only about 0.56% of GDP, a historical minimum, below the Cronan average. Within the defense budget itself, funding for training and even basic maintenance has been significantly cut, a factor contributing to the accidental loss of the Porlosi submarine Kuaahalisa in 2029.

Economy

Porlos boasts a gross domestic product of $871 billion, which is one of the highest in South Crona. Being on the more developed side of the continent, Porlos enjoys many tightly-knit economic agreements with the fellow Woqalate of Tierrador, along with close ties to other regional powers such as Alstin, Arcerion, Ceylonia, and Paulastra, which also happen to be their largest trade partners in that order. Porlos is a welfare state, and has a mixed economy, with free private enterprise along with some government ownership. Since 1940, Porlos has mostly been at the helm of more liberalized administrations, which influenced the drastic changes to what the economy is today. Public healthcare in Porlos is accessible to all citizens for free, using the same model as the Tierradorian and Ceylonian systems, and new parents enjoy 50 weeks of paid parental leave. The country's total income is derived from the production and distribution of its many resources, mostly petroleum and natural gas.

Porlos has a low unemployment rate of 2.6%, with about 71% of the population between the ages of 15–74 being employed. Porlosi residents in the labor force are either employed or looking for work. 6.5% of Porlosi residents between the ages of 18–65 receive a disability pension and 38% of the country's labor force are employed by the Porlosi government, which is the highest in South Crona. The country also boasts some of the highest hourly productivity levels and average hourly wages in Crona. Porlosi society employs strict egalitarian values, which has allowed the country to see a smaller gap in the incomes of the lowest paid worker and the most wealthy CEOs in the country. This is also evident in Porlos' low Gini coefficient.

The country is richly endowed with various natural resources including petroleum, natural gas, hydropower, forests, and minerals. Large reserves of petroleum and natural gas were discovered in the 1970s, which led to the country's GDP increasing by double over the span of ten years following the discovery. Due to the vast natural resource deposit compared to its population size, Porlos has been able to boast of the highest standards of living in Crona. In 2031, almost 27% of state revenues were generated from the petroleum industry, with an additional 21% being generated from mineral extraction.

Resources

Porlos exports a large amount of petroleum and natural gas. The country's economy is mostly built on the oil industry, with export revenues making up 36% of the country's total revenue. Petropor is the country's main state-owned oil and natural gas extractor and distributor. The country is the 3rd-largest exporter of oil in Crona. In 2004, the Porlosi government established the country's first sovereign wealth fund Wealsaachatiki 2004, nicknamed the "Petrochatiki" (Oil fund), using revenues generated from oil exports. Along with Petropor, the Porlosi government controls its petroleum resorces through other state ownership ventures in different companies, such as Soqweux Drilling, PNPDC, and NODC.

Porlosi companies drilled close to 7,000 oil wells between 1972 and 2023, the majority coming from the mountainous regions of the country. The Waasten Fields are the most productive oil drilling areas in the country, producing between 78 and 166 million barrels of oil in 2023. The Naqili Coast Fields are located in the St. John's Sea, and are the largest underwater drilling areas in the country.

Porlos contains a significant amount of various mineral resources. In 2027, its mineral production output was valued at close to $2.6 billion. The most valuable minerals found in the country include gold, titanium, lithium, calcium carbonate or limestone, granite, nickel, and iron ore. Tierradorian-based Western Mining Company and Auqali Lithium operate within the country's borders, in cooperation with Porlosi state-owned mining firms, such as Minepor, Naqili Lithium (a direct subsidiary of Auqali Lithium), and Twaasaiki.

As of 2032, Porlos had forests that covered 61% of the land. Since at least 2029, there has been a substantial increase in logging, and logging occurs not only nationwide in private land, but even in supposedly protected land like the national park system. There have been many logging reforms in response to pressure from foreign influencers like Tierrador and Ceylonia, Despite this, the logging still continues in the country at an exorbitant rate, with the Porsaahi Forsteerikatiak (Porlosi Forest Administration) recording increased profits as a result.

Transport

The Porlosi road network consists of about 105,261 kilometers of total roads, with 77,522 kilometers being paved and 2,400 kilometers being Autoosorouutaiki motorways. Porlosi roads follow a hierarchy, in the order of Autoosorouutaiki (motorway), naasikoleeki (national), qoyyalaatisiai (provincial), and parsahikaataai (parish). The Autoosorouutaiki system was established in 1957 by Woqali Dausi I, and with foreign funding from Tierrador and Ceylonia, the motorways were steadily built over the course of 40 years. They are used almost daily by logistics companies and Porlosi citizens who wish to travel to and from different cities, with the purpose of reducing heavy traffic by implementing exit ramps rather than intersections or roundabouts. Naasikoleeki roads follow a similar path to the Autoosorouutaiki system, but are mostly two-lane, evolving into dual-carriageway routes only in large cities, such as Pacuí and Naqili.

Rail transit in Porlos is controlled by Porsaahi Ratikayaai (POR). Porlos' main railway network consists of 4,232 kilometers of standard gauge lines, with about 956 kilometers operating as high-speed rail. Porsaahi Ratikayaai holds a state-owned rail monopoly in the country, controlling both freight and passenger rail. POR's passenger rail service transported over 97 million passengers on average in the 2034 fiscal year. Investment in new infrastructure and maintenance is financed through the state budget, and subsidies are provided for passenger train operations. POR operates long-haul trains, including night trains, regional services and four commuter train systems, around Pacuí, Naqili, Waatijia, Tovaaski, and Anteerii.

There are 65 public airports in Porlos, 54 of which are owned by the state-owned Aairtesaahik. The busiest airport in Porlos is the Naqili-Dausi International Airport, which is one of nine Porlosi airports that serves 1 million passengers annually. Naqili-Dausi serves as the gateway to Porlos, with 20 different international airlines offering services to the airport. It also serves as one of three hubs for the state-owned airline Aairlaakosi Porsaahi, with the other two being Pacuí-Muntaaisi Intenational Airport and Anteerii International Airport. A total of 84 million passengers passed through Porlosi airports in 2034, of whom 21 million were international.

Tourism

Tourism contributed to 17.2% of the Porlosi economy. Tourism dominates the country's service sector, with every 1 in 13 residents in the Porlosi workforce holds a job in the tourism industry. For the most part, tourism in the country is seasonal, with most tourists visiting the country during the months of June and August. The industry's positive effects are felt throughout Porlos, increasing business in retail, restaurants and bars, and increasing seasonal employment. The industry is considered an export business due to the foreign visitor spending significantly reducing the country's trade imbalance. The tourist industry in Porlos has seen a sharp growth since the 1990s, attracting more than 23 million visitors each year (as of 2027). Tierrador, Alstin, Asteria, Arcerion, Ormatia, Kelekona, Paulastra, Istrenya, the Cape, Ceylonia, Kiravia and Porlos itself provide the most visitors. Tourist stays averaged 5.2 days in 2029.

The most popular tourist destinations in Porlos are the coastal cities of Naqili, Anteerii and Ukusaaki, and the inland, more mountainous cities of Pacuí, Waatijia, Tovaaski, and Kawskeevi. While the country's coastline is relatively small, there is an abundance of unpolluted marine areas with nature reserves, along with 102 beaches that meet tourism standards. There are also many ski resorts in the inland portion of the country, attracting more than 12 million visitors in the winter months. Porlos is one of five South Cronan countries that develop commercial naturist resorts, the other four being Tierrador, Ceylonia, Istrenya, and Ormatia.

Demographics

In the third quarter of 2034, Porlos had an estimated population of 14,529,217. Around 62% of Porlosi residents are ethnic Soqweux, a Cronan indigenous group which historically dominated the country and its surrounding areas. Before Occidental colonization, Porlos was almost 100% indigenous Cronan, with a small percentage of Ængle-origin traders scattered throughout the country. During and after being colonized by Cartadania, the country began to see a rise in Mestizo individuals, who now make up 27.4% of all Porlosi residents. In 2029, 62% of Porlosi residents age 18 and over were married, 8% were widowed, 19% were divorced, and 11% had never been married. In 2031, the total fertility rate for Porlos stood at 1.6 children per women, and it is estimated that the average household in the nation consists of two or more children. It has been estimated that about 16% of all children live in a single-parent household, with 7% living with the mother and 9% with the father, as of 2029.

Language

Porlos has two official languages: Soqweux and Western Valley Qabóri. About 56% of the population declared Soqweux as their native language, with another 21% declaring Western Valley Qabóri as their native language, and 17% declared Cartadanian. No other language reached more than 6% in that number. The most spoken languages beside the two official languages are Tierradorian, Cartadanian, Ænglish, Kelekonese, and Kiravic-Coscivian. A 2021 survey revealed that 64% of Porlosi residents claim knowledge of at least one foreign language. According to a 2015 EC survey, 42% of Porlosi residents speak Ænglish as the second language, 36% speak Tierradorian, 11% speak Cartadanian, and 10% speak Burgoignesc. Latin is spoken by 4%, and 2% of Porlosi residents speak Pelaxian.

Education

Literacy rates in Porlos stand at 99.6%. Primary education in the country is compulsory and begins at the ages of five or six, and continues for the first eight years. Upon completing primary education, students then must complete four years of secondary school until they turn eighteen. Students then have the option of attending a free public university, of which there are 30 in the country.

As of 2029, there are over 5600 schools in the country, with 4600 providing elementary education and 1000 providing secondary education. There are 450 private schools in Porlos, mostly located in major cities, such as Pacuí and Naqili. The University of Naqili, the first university in Porlos, was founded in 1448 and is still active today. The University of Pacuí, founded in 1654, is the second oldest continuously operating university in South Crona. There are also 13 polytechnics, of which two are private, and 30 higher education institutions, of which 27 are private. In total, there are 70 institutions of higher education in Porlos, attended by more than 177 thousand students.

Culture

Cinema & television

The popular Porlosi dark comedy and pseudo-documentary series Wealsaadafun (Wealth Idiots), which ran from 2007 to 2016 on TV9 Porsaahi, focuses on a fictional group of incompetent investors who attempt to allocate the fund's billions while operating within the ethical investment guidelines set by a fictional group of even more incompetent Porlosi politicians. Each episode revolves around one or more of the investors accidentally breaking one insignificant guideline, which in turns starts a chain reaction of severely negative failures. The show was created as political satire, taking shots at the country's pension office for not specifying a specific list of straightforward investment guidelines, giving the investors who were in charge full freedom to invest the funds in whatever they chose, which lead to severe mishandling and many close calls of collapse. Eventually, the Assembly of the Woqalate would approve harsh ethical guidelines in 2012, ironically similar to those seen in the series.

Music

Porlosi music is regarded as one of the last remnants of pure Soqweux culture.