Economy of Arcerion
Economy and Infrastructure
Economy
The Arcer economy can be considered to be robust, and is appraised by most to be a mix market economy, although some government regulators wish to see a greater emphasis on command-style economic policies to protect Arco interests. This leads to the population of ~89,000,000 having a GDP per capita of $52,301, and a total national GDP of $2.957 trillion. Economists would consider the Arcer economy to be Agrarian/Industrial, with most pointing out that Arcerion can't seem to decide if it wants to fully embrace industry or retain its agricultural and traditional economic practices. The Arcer economy revolves predominantly around its exports, and is an export-focused economy, being almost self-sufficient. Its main exports are usually defined by the governate that they emanate from, with each of the four governates having a distinctly different economic intake and output. Foxhey, the smallest of the Arco governates, has a mostly agrarian economy. It also boasts a healthy fishing sector, which thrives during the Malentine Sea's spring and summer. Characterized by its traditional economy, the small towns and villages export wheat, barley, and other grain crops. It is ranked as one of the most productive economies from a provincial-standpoint in Arcerion. The second-smallest economy comes from Norham, in the Northeast. Due to political instability along the Northern Arco border, Norham is essentially a slightly larger version of Foxhey. Small cottage farms and local market industry define its exports, and its lone port town, Norpool Cross, is the most Northern port in the Malentine, making it a central hub for imports to much of the Upper Peninsula. The two giants of the Arcer economy, the twin governates of Northlea and Moorden can at best be contrasted by their cities and rural areas. In Northlea, the cities are bustling centers of market economic power, with stock exchanges, banks, and financial institutions serving as the white-collar backbone of the governate's economy. Beyond the cities, Northlea's vast size and rolling plains are covered in patchwork industrial farms, with government subsidies on farming machinery and equipment allowing it to become the breadbasket of the South-Eastern Peninsula. This serves in direct contrast to Moorden. Moorden's large mountains are home to some of Crona's largest industrial mining facilities, and the governate's capital, Easthampton, is a massive industrial city with large manufacturing centers and raw ore processing facilities, giving it the nickname 'Steelhampton.'
Economic Sectors
| Sector | % of Economic Output |
|---|---|
| Mining | 32 |
| Agriculture | 34 |
| Fishing | 12 |
| Banking/Finance | 11 |
| Manufacturing | 7 |
| Tourism | 2 |
| Hydroelectric | 2 |
Transportation and Infrastructure
The keystone of Arcerion is the Arco National Railway Service (ANRS). Founded shortly after economic independence from Carna, the ANRS serves as the lifeline for much of the country's rural communities for the efficient transportation of goods and services. The ANRS is also one of the largest employers in the Arco public sector, and with dozens of rail lines operating across all four governates, it is a critical piece of infrastructure. Within cities, the ANRS has several smaller, governate-specific or province/city-specific rail lines including light rail systems for commuting, although these are usually prevalent in more affluent cities such as Kurst or Kinnaird. The ANRS itself is managed by the Ministry of the Interior, under the Department of Infrastructure. Maintenance of rail lines and engines is one of the largest sectors of the Department's budget, surpassing road maintenance year-on-year. The road networks in Arcerion are classified into three categories, Federal Highway Systems (the Transnational), governate highways and thoroughfares, and local streets or surface roads. In general, the federal government maintains the Transnational which connects all the major governate cities, and is again politically managed by the Department of Infrastructure. Governate highways are usually dependent on the governate respectively, with roads in Northlea for example being better maintained closer to the capital than in the rural Northern stretches. Individual provinces within the governates also have a difficult time repairing roads during the North's harsher winter, with snow clearance and removal services being a provincial responsibility.
For air travel, most major cities boast large airports, the three largest being in Kurst, Kinnaird and Easthampton. The national airline, Air Arco operates a number of domestic flights to connect the medium-sized airports, from the smallest airport on Foxhey to the most Northern in Northlea. Additionally, it also provides intra-Crona flights regularly through Kurst and Kinnaird, with travellers being able to reach destinations in neighbouring countries or across the Malentine/Songun seas. Internationally, Air Arco services flights to Carna and Urcea regularly.