*{{increase}} $512 billion (31 December 2027 est.)
*{{increase}} Abroad: $8 million (31 December 2027 est.)}}
| current account = $37,033 million (2028 est.)
| gross external debt = $1,086,181,153,981 (31 December 2027 est.)
| NIIP =
| debt = {{decreasePositive}} 77% of GDP (FY 2027)
| balance = + 0.7% of CDP
| revenue =
| expenses =
| aid =
| credit = {{plainlist|
*Scope:
*BB
*Outlook: Stable}}
| reserves = $105.2 billion
}}
}}
'''Levantia''' is a continent in the northern hemisphere of [[Otarsis]]. Levantia is bound by the [[Kilikas Sea]] to the northwest, the [[Sea of Nordska]] to the northeast, the [[Levantine Ocean]] to the east, the [[Odoneru Ocean]] to the west, and by the [[Sea of Canete]] to the south. [[Kiro-Borealis]] lies to its immediate north and distant northwest and [[Sarpedon]] to its south. As a landmass, Levantia is enormous, with a massive variety of environs, tectonic formations, peoples, flora and fauna, and landforms such as inlets, lakes, and peninsulas which are not obvious from its generally cohesive cartographic shape, and its history is one of the most densely recorded and prominent in world culture. Socially, Levantia is arguably the preeminent cultural and economic hub of the [[Occidental world]], and inarguably so when considered as inclusive of its states' associated territories and including the Coscivian-inclusive definition of Greater Levantia.
== Etymology ==
{{SeeAlso|Levantine naming dispute}}
==Geography, Topography, and Climate==
The economy of Puertego is a mixed socialist-oriented market economy with the private sector allowed to operate in much of the economy though state control still being common in many industries such as utilities and natural resources. The economy is one of the fastest growing on the continent with it consistently measuring 8-9% GDP growth every year with the economy showing no real signs of slowing in its growth any time soon unless a catastrophic event hits the economy unexpectedly. While the economy has seen rapid and continuous growth ever since 2008 there are still many people who critique many aspects of the economy such as the massive income inequality and poverty allowed to exist in it with Puertego having some of the worst income inequality in the entire world, there has also been criticism towards the countries heavy corruption in state run industries, lack of wage growth despite the growing economy, and the lack of a lot of social welfare commonly found in other countries.
Levantia in and of itself is a large landmass skirted by a number of islands and islets, closely bordering [[Kiroborea]] to the immediate north. Is southern end is relatively close to the island of [[Urlazio]], which itself links Levantia to northern [[Sarpedon]]. Due to their close proximity and the tangled net of islands between the two, Levantia is sometimes described as including the arctic circle and even mainland [[Kiravia]] in a definition commonly referred to as Greater Levantia. Kiravians themselves distinguish distinguish between their own island continent and the Levantine mainland, and the terms ''Levantiax'' ("Levantine") and ''Levantiem''("Levantines") refer specifically to the mainland, while ''Ambrélevantiax'' and ''Bâvnélevantiax'' ("Greater Levantine" and "Wider Levantine") can include [[Kiravia|Great Kirav]].
Levantia's climate runs the gamut from tropical equatorial jungle in the southern tip of Urcea to tundra and arctic climates in [[Caergwynn]] and other north Levantine nations. Northern Levantia is known for its infamous [[Kilikas Sea|Kilikas Storm Belt]], which encompasses northern Ultmar and [[Fiannria]] and is characterized by frequent and powerful temperate cyclones, thunderstorms, and blizzards that have historically made marine navigation extremely dangerous in the area.
The Puertegan economy was formerly almost exclusively based on farming cash crops and selling them abroad with things such as sugar and rubber however in recent times the economy has been moving to a more industrialized one with the country making it very easy and profitable for companies to outsource their production to Puertego, in recent times Puertego has become a large producer of things such as steel, textiles, chemicals, various refined metals, and aluminum though natural resource extraction still remains a large sector of the economy with mining copper, tin, zinc, nickel and other minerals as well as farming sugar, rubber, and tobacco still being large industries in Puertego. Services are a small sector of the economy with the government prioritizing industry and the only real service jobs are in shipping, finance, or banking or government operated utility companies. Remittances are the last part of the Puertegan economy with the country receiving an estimated $70 billion back from the 14 million Puertegan working abroad often in [[Pelaxia]], [[Cartadinia]], and [[Caphiria]]. The economy of Puertego is largely export based with exports outnumbering imports on a scale of 12 to 1, the country is one of the world's largest importers of energy with them buying coal, oil, and natural gas from almost anyone aboard who will sell it to them as well as being a large importer of food.
The topography of Levantia is defined by several major rivers including the [[Urce River|Urce]], the [[Deir River|Deir]], and others, as well as the Levantine Caldera, a series of three major mountain and highlands formations which divide Ultmar and North Levantia into portions as well as dividing the Urce Basin and it surrounds from central and north Levantia. The north and south of Ultmar and their respectging mountain formations are divided by the Vandarch Basin, which surrounds the freshwater [[Vandarch|Vandarch Sea]], which is the largest inland sea in the world and both warms northern Levantia and cools the southern regions of the continent.
== Economic Sectors ==
=== Agriculture ===
Human habitation has had a large impact on Levantia, most obviously through the creation of the [[Grand Vandarch Canal]] to the north and by the [[Carolina Grand Canal]] to the south of the Vandarch, connecting it to the Kilikas and Urce River respectively. Less obviously, human habitation has resulted in both increased soil erosion and decreased erosion in some areas, the manipulation of river flows through centuries of built-up embankments and dams, the formation of artificial lakes, the draining of marshy areas, and the creation of artificial islands in some regions.
=== Mining ===
=== Regions ===
[[File:Potosi Décembre 2007 - Industrie Minière.jpg|thumb|left|A mine in the eastern mountains of Puertego]]
==== Ultmar ====
Mining has always been and remains a large part of the Puertegan economy with the country producing according to 2025 data 18,500 tons of tin, 1,400,000 tons of zinc, 270,000 tons of nickel, 24,500 tons of cobalt, 2,400 tons of lithium, 120 tons of gold, 4,160 tons of silver, and 45,000,000 tons of iron ore. It is estimated through official state numbers that 14% of the population is employed through mining with wages in the sector being barely below average for Puertego and all being employed in the state-run mining company with private companies in that sector being disallowed by law granting the state a complete monopoly on mining operations in Puertego.
==== North Levantia ====
=== Manufacturing ===
Known historically by residents of [[Catholic Levantia]] as the ''far north'', Northern Levantia is often considered as the northern part of [[Ultmar]], with the country of [[Fiannria]] forming a borderland between Ultmar and Latin-influenced Levantia. Typically, it consists of land generally covering Levantia north of the southern point of the [[Vandarch]], except those regions west of the sea, which are a large portion of [[Gothica]].
==== Gothica ====
Consisting of the majority of southern Levantia west of the Vandarch's southern point, Gothica is named for the Gothic people who originate there. Gothica forms the larger and southern portion of [[Ultmar]] and is sometimes considered to be Ultmar in its entirety depending on source.
==== Eastern Levantia ====
While generally relegated to the northeast rather than the eastern seaboard of the continent, Eastern Levantia generally is used to refer to the Peninsula of [[Orenstia (Old country)|Orenstia]] and its immediate surrounds. In some regions, [[Burgundie]] is included in Eastern Levantia, but is more commonly included in Central Levantia in holistic works due to cultural reasons.
==== Central Levantia ====
Politically known as [[Dericania]], central Levantia is bounded by mountains to the north and south, with plains forming an outlet to the eastern coast of the continent and [[Burgundie]]. Central Levantia for most of its history has been a disparate battleground for large numbers of conflicts, and due to its broken geography is one of the more complex regions of the continent. Central Levantia arguably includes the north of [[Burgundie]] or all of it in some texts.
==== South Levantia ====
Dominated by the [[Urce River|Urce River Basin]], southern Levantia is primarily dominated by the country of [[Urcea]] and bounded by mountains which both insulate it from the remainder of the continent and help cut it off from overland travel from many directions. Along with Central Levantia, the South is often referred to as [[Catholic Levantia]].
==Human History and Geography==
Levantia is home to a number of diverse cultural groups, with a number of faiths, ethnicities, and cultural heritages creating a wide array of traditions and peoples throughout the continent.
=== Ethnic Groups ===
The largest overarching ethnic classifications of modern Levantines are the Romance and Gaelic peoples, followed closely by Goths. Each of these major groups has experienced large migratory changes throughout history and as a result are of mixed stock to varying degrees. In addition, smaller minority peoples such as the [[Orenstia (Old country)|Orenstines]] exist throughout the continent.
The ethnic groups prior to the Sarpo-Levantine peoples arrived in Levantia prior to the {{wp|Last Glacial Period}}, consisting on a large number of migratory tribes, many of whom are no longer extant. Of these, the Fenni in the modern Vandarch and the Orenstians in eastern Levantia are the most well-known.
The manufacturing industry in Puertego has experienced rapid growth in recent years with the countries cities becoming heavily industrialized, manufacturing accounts for 2/3rds of GDP in Puertego and employs 1/3rd of the countries workforce. In 2030 the government of Puertego announced that the manufacturing industry had been completely privatized with the last few factories of the state-owned cement company being liquidated and the company being disbanded, growth in the sector remains extremely high with it experiencing a growth rate of around 14% yearly. The largest manufacturing sectors in Puertego are metallurgy, cement, chemicals, and textiles with smaller industries in arms, alcohol, machinery, food processing, and arms. In Puertego it's estimated that around 80% of manufacturing businesses are foreign owned with the 20% domestic owned ones almost universally being owned by high-ranking government officials in Puertego.
Gaelic peoples occupied a territory approximately coterminous with the modern [[Levantine Union]] and northern [[Ultmar]] circa 2000 BC and were the largest group on the continent, having erased the Fenni peoples in the southern Vandarch Basin and intermingled with them in northern [[Ultmar]]. Gothic tribes primarily occupied southwestern Levantia in more dense population centers. [[Istroya|Istroyan people]] settled small cities on the southeastern coast of the continent but evidently did not scout or explore much of the continent, while [[Coscivians]] similarly settles along the northwest coastline and travelled inland around the Vandarch and as far south as some Istroyan colonies seeking trade routes.
=== Construction ===
The arrival of [[Latinic people]] in the millennium BC inaugurated Levantia into the [[Occident|Occidental world]] and dramatically changed the human landscape of the continent, as a population explosion of Latins into Levantia lead to the creation of the empire of [[Great Levantia]] (not to be confused with Greater Levantia) and laid the foundations for much of [[Catholic Levantia]] as understood today. As a result, many (primarily Gaelic) peoples were either enslaved, enthralled as vassal peoples, or erased by Latin conquerors, who would intermarry with their subject peoples to create the many modern Romance cultures of the southern and central continent. Large segments of Great Levantia were overrun by Gothic people from the 3rd to 6th centuries AD, creating many of the modern cultural boundaries that presently exist in Levantia.
Construction in Puertego has been a booming sector since the onset of the nation's rapid industrialization with the demand for new factories in the nation with the building of new factories and infrastructure to accommodate the countries rapidly growing industry as well as the governments large scale projects across the country. Construction in Puertego is privately owned with the state-run construction company being liquidated in 2019 with 4 large-scale privately-owned construction companies all filling its place almost immediately with the companies being owned by the current minister of Internal Security, two former members of the National Assembly, and a high-ranking general in the Puertegan army, however besides the big four construction companies in Puertego there are several much smaller privately owned construction companies which often operate on the grey market in an attempt to dodge taxes on their work with construction estimated to be the largest grey market industry in Puertego by far.
Of the modern peoples of the continent, some of the most notable are the [[Urcean people]], descended from Latin migrants and Celtic peoples, the [[Faeskt]], a 'true' Gaelic people, the [[Fhainnin civilization|Fhainn]], a people descended from primarily pre-Sarpo-Levantine Fenni and Gaelic conquerors, the [[Derian identity|Derian]] and [[Bergendii]] peoples, and the [[Anglei|Anglish/Aenglish]], a Gothic people with some Romance stock primarily from [[Urcea]] and [[Yonderre]].
=== Energy & Other Utilities ===
Of the smaller ethnic groups in Levantia, the Orenstians are by far the largest non-Occidental group, and are characterized by their unique language. Several other minorities, namely the [[Khunyer]], who migrated to modern [[Hendalarsk]] in the middle ages, are descended from Orenstian migrants and posses status as a recognized minority with official language status. Other minority groups include [[Gassavelian people|Gassavelians]], [[Uroms]], [[Caenish people|Caens]], [[Coscivians]] and [[Garán people|Garánii]].
The energy and other utility sectors of Puertego remain under complete state control with the state granting itself a monopoly on the sector. The energy sector is primarily fueled through natural gas, crude oil, and coal though hydropower also makes up a sizeable portion of energy generated however the government has made an attempt to switch to less environmentally destructive methods of energy generation with multiple nuclear power plants currently being built in order to meet the nation's growing energy needs. The national energy grid often has trouble producing enough energy to sustain the national energy consumption which spiked significantly after the nations rapid industrialization with the government choosing to save energy for the industrial sector leading to only 1 in every 4-5 streetlights being kept on and scheduled black outs in the nation's cities being a daily occurrence often lasting around 2.5 hours each day and only buildings deemed necessities like government offices and hospitals being unaffected, though there have been initiatives by the government to increase the percentage of the population with access to electricity in their homes only around 45% of Puertegans currently have access with the presence of large amounts of informal housing being a primary obstacle to achiving higher levels. The water industry in Puertego is also state owned just like the electricity industry with many recent improvements to the water supply of Puertego in recent years such as vastly improved sanitation and disinfecting along with access to clean drinking water in cities being almost universal and in rural areas reaching an average of 75% with access.
=== Languages ===
Aenglish is the most common language on the continent, being spoken as a first language by many in southern Levantia and as a secondary language by large numbers of north Levantines as a ''lingua franca'' for trade and diplomacy. Its most common form, [[Julian Ænglish|Julian Ænglish,]] is spoken primarily in Urcea. Other countries typically have their own languages, with most of the Gaelic tongues outside of [[Lebhan language|Lebhan]], [[Caergwynn|Caeric]], and [[Fhasen]] being somewhat mutually intelligible. Lebhan and Caeric are not as closely related to the other Celtic tongues due to cultural divide, whereas Fhasen was originally a conglomeration of local dialects, Coscivian influences, and Gothic loanwords intended as an administrative language.
=== Religion ===
[[File:1916 Arbour Hill Wreath Laying 2010 (4581359710).jpg|thumb|{{wp|Christianity}} plays a key role in Levantine life]]
Levantia is the home of Christian [[Catholicism]], centered on the [[Papal State]] in [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], in line with Levantia hosting more Catholic laity than any other Continent. Catholicism is the predominant faith of Levantia, though the continent is also the birthplace of both the original Protestant reformist faiths and many current Protestant churches. Some non-Christian faiths exist in Levantia, primarily in the form of pagan rites or syncretic religions practiced on a small scale. Since the 19th Century, atheism, agnosticism, and local pagan faiths have become more commonplace on the continent, especially in [[Ultmar]], which has often sought to differentiate itself from [[Catholic Levantia]]. In spite of this, Catholic shrines and other holy sites abound and rates of religious practice remain consistently high across the continent.
===''Western Levantia''===
''Known by the residents of so-called "[[Catholic Levantia]]" as [[Gothica]] since the time of the [[Ancient Goths]] and considered part of the greater concept of [[Ultmar]], Western Levantia is typically understood to mean the territory west of the [[Deric States]], north of [[Urcea]] and south of the [[Vandarch]]. Gothica was historically relatively isolated from the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], both by a series of mountain ranges between the Vandarch and the [[Odoneru Ocean]] and by the native Gothic peoples' stubborn military resistance to Levantine-Catholic encroachment. This stalemate was only broken in the fifteenth century, as a [[Conquest of East Gothica|crusade]] saw [[Joanus de Martigueux]] installed as the ruler of the new state of [[Yonderre]]. Yonderre has served as a bridge between the Catholic Levantine sphere and the Gothic world to this day, while its southern neighbour [[Carna]] - likewise a fusion of Gothic and foreign cultures, although in this case Ænglish and Gaelic rather than Yonderre's East Gothic and [[Burgoignesc language|Burgoignesc]] - has often acted more as a barrier against [[Urcea|Urcean]] expansion westwards.''
''Beyond the hybridised states of the borderlands, Gothica remains thoroughly Gothic. The southern Vandarch states of [[Hendalarsk]] and [[Eldmora-Regulus]] were never conquered by Latins, and evolved in their own ways. Hendalarsk is home to a heavily syncretic version of Christianity, known as the [[Hendalarskara Catholic Church]]<ref>Latin Catholics emphatically reject the Hendalarskara Catholic Church's claim to be "Catholic".</ref>, the legacy of an incomplete Christianisation by Latin Catholic missionaries, while [[Hendalarskisch|its native Gothic language]] has undergone far more influence from [[Khunyer language|Khunyer]] and the autochthonous [[Nünsyi language]] than any Latin tongue.''
=== Banking & Finance ===
''The Vandarch Gothic states have largely kept their distance from the wider Urcean sphere through the centuries, although in recent decades this has begun to change. This process was accelerated by the opening of the [[Carolina-Grand Canal]] in the nineteenth century and the [[Grand Vandarch Canal]] in the twentieth and an attendant integration of the entire Vandarch littoral into the international system of trade. Yonderre has latterly become the first state outside the bounds of the Holy Levantine Empire to join the [[Levantine Union]]. The Odoneru Gothic states had undergone this process of integration long before, a consequence of their easy access to the great sea lanes between [[Kiroborea]] and [[Sarpedon]]. Carna forged a continental empire in [[Crona]], eventually birthing the nation of [[Arcerion]], while Carnish troops even fought alongside Urcea in a brief rapprochement during the Second Great War, although this thaw was thoroughly reversed by the subsequent [[Carnish Revolution]].''
==History==
===''Prehistory and pre-classic Levantia''===
''In the prehistoric period, Levantia was home to an extremely diverse array of {{wp|Material culture|material cultures}}. It is thought that the number of ancient peoples and societies on the continent were kept separate due to the prevalence of mountainous topography as well as the [[Vandarch]], which bisects the northern part of the continent, though it may have been significantly smaller in the past due to sea level rises. Out of these material cultures emerged the [[Paleo-Levantine peoples]] during the {{wp|Neolithic revolution}}; these peoples, who are not related in substantial, significant ways, formed the earliest civilizations on the continent approximately 2 millennia BC. The majority of these peoples did not have written records and are only recorded in the archaeological record or passing references in later Celtic legends; the only major surviving group are the [[Orenstian people]] who occupy the eastern peninsula of Levantia. In approximately 1500 BC, Celtic people - who lived in a strip of land approximately along the eastern shore of the [[Vandarch]] - began a massive expansion throughout the eastern half continent. Their expansion - both through war and non-violent means - created an expansive Celtic civilization in Levantia which encompassed most of modern [[Catholic Levantia]]. To their west, the Paleo-Levantine peoples also faced the expansion of the [[Gothic people]] in the region now known as [[Gothica]]. By 1000 BC, the vast majority of the Levantine landmass was occupied by Gothic or Celtic people, with small Paleo-Levantine pockets existing throughout the continent. The expansion of these groups was thought by historians in the past to have meant the genocide of the Paleo-Levantine peoples; however, most Celtic and Gothic-descent people in [[Ultmar]] and [[Fiannria]] today can trace a genetic descent from an ancient Paleo-Levantine group, proving that most of these peoples were integrated into these societies.''
''The period between approximately 1000 BC and 500 BC is referred to as "pre-classic Levantia", and during this time [[Ancient Istroyan civilization|Ancient Istroyan]] and [[Adonerum|Adonerii]] colonies began being established in modern [[Urcea]] and [[Burgundie]] in small numbers, including [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]]. During this period, the dominant Celtic culture interacted extensively with the Istroyans and Latins, and the cultural exchange began to create unique cultural cornerstones and technological developments for both sides. Few native Celtic cities existed prior to the arrival of the people from [[Sarpedon]] and [[Urlazio]], with the majority being expansive hillforts in what is today northwestern [[Dericania]] and southern [[Fiannria]]. Following interactions with the Istroyans and Adonerii, however, many previously semi-nomadic Celtic tribes which employed seasonal farming techniques began to form advanced cities patterned especially after the Istroyan model, including [[Corcra (City)|Corcra]].''
===''Latin colonization''===
{{Main|Latin Heroic Age}}
===''Great Levantia''===
===''Post-Levantine collapse period''===
===''Holy Levantine Empire and northern states''===
===''Burgundie''===
{{Main|History of Burgundie}}{{Main|Category: History of Urcea}}{{Main|Timeline of major world events}}<br />
==''Economy''==
''Levantia is the world's most prosperous continent. It is home to the [[Levantine Union]], the world's most powerful joint economy including [[Urcea]], which has the world's highest {{wp|gross domestic product}} as well as several other high-income developed nations. Most countries in Levantia - and especially in the southern portion of the continent - are considered highly developed, with strong tertiary and quaternary sectors and high standards of living. Levantine economic strength has been bolstered by continental and regional integration under [[Levantine Union]] trade agreements and the [[KATI]] free trade zone.''
''Arms manufacturing and other defense-related industries are a major component of the Levantine economy, meeting a strong demand for weapons systems fueled by the active foreign policies of its members. Numerous major arms firms with an global presence base their corporate and manufacturing operations in Levantia, including [[Armenwerke|Kiro-Fiannrian Armenwerke]], [[Royal Sealift Company]], [[Lansing-Mitchell Weaponeering]] and [[Royal Hunting and Munitions Company]]. A massive domestic, non-governmental arms market exists due to high rates of gun ownership in [[Urcea]] and elsewhere, and a strong firearms and sporting tradition across much of the continent.''
=== Gambling ===
==''Polities and Territories''==
''After the turmoil of the early twentieth century drew to a close, Levantia has been a comparatively stable area. The continent is largely governed by centre-right to right-wing governments, particularly within the sphere of the Levantine Union, although [[Carna]] is notable as the continent's only one-party socialist state, while [[Hendalarsk]]'s relative distance from the Union and caution in foreign affairs has allowed it to preserve a broadly democratic-socialist government from the end of its civil war down to the present day.''
===''Political Geography''===
====''Sovereign States''====
*[[Alba Concordia|''Alba Concordia'']]
*''[[Allaria]]''
*''[[Anglei]]''
*''[[Burgundie]]''
*''[[Caergwynn]]''
*''[[Carna]]''
*''[[Corcra]]''
*''[[Faneria]]''
*''[[Fiannria]]''
*''[[Hendalarsk]]''
*[[Hollona and Diorisia|''Hollona and Diorisia'']]
[[File:Policing.png|300px|right|''Different kinds of policing''|link=Special:FilePath/Policing.png]]
''Levantine policing is known for being centralized, state-run, and overt. It is the original civilian, publicly-funded policing model but newer more localized and egalitarian have taken hold in [[Crona]] and [[Sarpedon]], known as {{wpl|Peelian_principles#Policing_by_consent|policing by consent}}. Thus, by exclusion, the older, more centralized model has coined the neologism "Levantine policing".''
''<br />
The gambling industry in Puertego was originally outlawed in by the 2002 Moral Standards Act which outlawed all unauthorized forms of gambling and provided for penalties ranging from monetary fines to short prison sentences, although the Puertegan government does not list gambling as an offense which someone is able to go to prison over. However, while gambling is still officially illegal in Puertego the law only applies to Puertegan citizens allowing many casinos to operate inside Puertego's borders designed to cater to the interests of tourists with 22 such establishments existing in Puertego. However, despite the restrictions on gambling imposed by the government gambling as a past time has been deeply ingrained in Puertegan culture with men who refuse to take part in gambling often being labeled as unmasculine or cowards with a fear of any risks causing illegal gambling to be a large black-market sector in Puertego with the police force often being paid bribes to look the other way on it. Common forms of illegal gambling in Puertego include cockfights or dogfights, card rooms, and sports books with most of those run by organized crime, the large number of opportunities for gambling plus many Puertegan men feeling they need to gamble due to cultural expectations has led to widespread gambling addiction plaguing Puertego.
The word "police" was borrowed from the Latin word '''politia''', meaning an agent of the state or civil administration. It was first used in the modern sense in the mid 17th century in [[Urcea]], but soon spread throughout Levantia. It was often associated with political and religious policing but was also used in other sundry functions of government administration, depending on the country. The word has modernized to police in the many modern languages through its adoption in the 18th and 19th centuries. However, outside of Levantia, the word, and the concept of police itself, was disliked as a symbol of foreign oppression.''
=== ''Occidental Civilization'' ===
== Trade & Foreign investment ==
=== ''Political Traditions'' ===
=== Foreign Trade ===
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
=== Free Trade ===
[[Category:Levantia]]
[[Category: Continents]]
=== Foreign Debt, Aid, and Investment ===
[[Category:IXWB]]
[[Category:Common Core]]
== Labor Market ==
=== Unionization ===
=== Wages ===
=== Labor Export ===
=== Welfare ===
== Enviornmental Damages ==
Revision as of 10:51, 4 July 2023
This article is a work-in-progress because it is incomplete and pending further input from an author. Note: The contents of this article are not considered canonical and may be inaccurate. Please comment on this article's talk page to share your input, comments and questions.
All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars.
The economy of Puertego is a mixed socialist-oriented market economy with the private sector allowed to operate in much of the economy though state control still being common in many industries such as utilities and natural resources. The economy is one of the fastest growing on the continent with it consistently measuring 8-9% GDP growth every year with the economy showing no real signs of slowing in its growth any time soon unless a catastrophic event hits the economy unexpectedly. While the economy has seen rapid and continuous growth ever since 2008 there are still many people who critique many aspects of the economy such as the massive income inequality and poverty allowed to exist in it with Puertego having some of the worst income inequality in the entire world, there has also been criticism towards the countries heavy corruption in state run industries, lack of wage growth despite the growing economy, and the lack of a lot of social welfare commonly found in other countries.
The Puertegan economy was formerly almost exclusively based on farming cash crops and selling them abroad with things such as sugar and rubber however in recent times the economy has been moving to a more industrialized one with the country making it very easy and profitable for companies to outsource their production to Puertego, in recent times Puertego has become a large producer of things such as steel, textiles, chemicals, various refined metals, and aluminum though natural resource extraction still remains a large sector of the economy with mining copper, tin, zinc, nickel and other minerals as well as farming sugar, rubber, and tobacco still being large industries in Puertego. Services are a small sector of the economy with the government prioritizing industry and the only real service jobs are in shipping, finance, or banking or government operated utility companies. Remittances are the last part of the Puertegan economy with the country receiving an estimated $70 billion back from the 14 million Puertegan working abroad often in Pelaxia, Cartadinia, and Caphiria. The economy of Puertego is largely export based with exports outnumbering imports on a scale of 12 to 1, the country is one of the world's largest importers of energy with them buying coal, oil, and natural gas from almost anyone aboard who will sell it to them as well as being a large importer of food.
Mining has always been and remains a large part of the Puertegan economy with the country producing according to 2025 data 18,500 tons of tin, 1,400,000 tons of zinc, 270,000 tons of nickel, 24,500 tons of cobalt, 2,400 tons of lithium, 120 tons of gold, 4,160 tons of silver, and 45,000,000 tons of iron ore. It is estimated through official state numbers that 14% of the population is employed through mining with wages in the sector being barely below average for Puertego and all being employed in the state-run mining company with private companies in that sector being disallowed by law granting the state a complete monopoly on mining operations in Puertego.
Manufacturing
The manufacturing industry in Puertego has experienced rapid growth in recent years with the countries cities becoming heavily industrialized, manufacturing accounts for 2/3rds of GDP in Puertego and employs 1/3rd of the countries workforce. In 2030 the government of Puertego announced that the manufacturing industry had been completely privatized with the last few factories of the state-owned cement company being liquidated and the company being disbanded, growth in the sector remains extremely high with it experiencing a growth rate of around 14% yearly. The largest manufacturing sectors in Puertego are metallurgy, cement, chemicals, and textiles with smaller industries in arms, alcohol, machinery, food processing, and arms. In Puertego it's estimated that around 80% of manufacturing businesses are foreign owned with the 20% domestic owned ones almost universally being owned by high-ranking government officials in Puertego.
Construction
Construction in Puertego has been a booming sector since the onset of the nation's rapid industrialization with the demand for new factories in the nation with the building of new factories and infrastructure to accommodate the countries rapidly growing industry as well as the governments large scale projects across the country. Construction in Puertego is privately owned with the state-run construction company being liquidated in 2019 with 4 large-scale privately-owned construction companies all filling its place almost immediately with the companies being owned by the current minister of Internal Security, two former members of the National Assembly, and a high-ranking general in the Puertegan army, however besides the big four construction companies in Puertego there are several much smaller privately owned construction companies which often operate on the grey market in an attempt to dodge taxes on their work with construction estimated to be the largest grey market industry in Puertego by far.
Energy & Other Utilities
The energy and other utility sectors of Puertego remain under complete state control with the state granting itself a monopoly on the sector. The energy sector is primarily fueled through natural gas, crude oil, and coal though hydropower also makes up a sizeable portion of energy generated however the government has made an attempt to switch to less environmentally destructive methods of energy generation with multiple nuclear power plants currently being built in order to meet the nation's growing energy needs. The national energy grid often has trouble producing enough energy to sustain the national energy consumption which spiked significantly after the nations rapid industrialization with the government choosing to save energy for the industrial sector leading to only 1 in every 4-5 streetlights being kept on and scheduled black outs in the nation's cities being a daily occurrence often lasting around 2.5 hours each day and only buildings deemed necessities like government offices and hospitals being unaffected, though there have been initiatives by the government to increase the percentage of the population with access to electricity in their homes only around 45% of Puertegans currently have access with the presence of large amounts of informal housing being a primary obstacle to achiving higher levels. The water industry in Puertego is also state owned just like the electricity industry with many recent improvements to the water supply of Puertego in recent years such as vastly improved sanitation and disinfecting along with access to clean drinking water in cities being almost universal and in rural areas reaching an average of 75% with access.
Banking & Finance
Gambling
The gambling industry in Puertego was originally outlawed in by the 2002 Moral Standards Act which outlawed all unauthorized forms of gambling and provided for penalties ranging from monetary fines to short prison sentences, although the Puertegan government does not list gambling as an offense which someone is able to go to prison over. However, while gambling is still officially illegal in Puertego the law only applies to Puertegan citizens allowing many casinos to operate inside Puertego's borders designed to cater to the interests of tourists with 22 such establishments existing in Puertego. However, despite the restrictions on gambling imposed by the government gambling as a past time has been deeply ingrained in Puertegan culture with men who refuse to take part in gambling often being labeled as unmasculine or cowards with a fear of any risks causing illegal gambling to be a large black-market sector in Puertego with the police force often being paid bribes to look the other way on it. Common forms of illegal gambling in Puertego include cockfights or dogfights, card rooms, and sports books with most of those run by organized crime, the large number of opportunities for gambling plus many Puertegan men feeling they need to gamble due to cultural expectations has led to widespread gambling addiction plaguing Puertego.
$1,108,410,624,000 (nominal, 2027 est.)
36% living at or below $3.20 a day (2026)
50.8 high
