Samotkhe

Samotkhe, offically the Federal Republic of Somkartvelia (: სომკართველია ფედერაციული რესპუბლიკა // : འེདེརལ སམོཏཀེ རེསྤཨུབལིཀསི) is a sovereign state located in southeastern Artemia, it borders Gardarike to the north, and Seratof to the west. To the south, Samotkhe has a coastline on the eurybian sea. it is one of the most sparsely populated sovereign states in Anterra, on par with countries like Tilenno. Samotkhe is an ancient state, stemming its roots from the Meolakile civilization that existed since 500 BCE. The name Samotkhe roughly translates to 'Paradise', as the country has some of the most beautiful natrual Beaches in the world.

One of the world's earliest permanently settled regions, present-day Samotkhe was home to important Neolithic sites, and was inhabited by various civilizations. The area was first settled by the ancient Aopoan civilization in the Manba river valley. The Tillish began migrating in the 11th century, and the Tillish Khanate of Amina ruled Samotkhe until the Heltic invasion in 1243, when it disintegrated into small Turkish principalities. Beginning in the late 13th century, the Samots started uniting the principalities and conquering the Tovlis and Mtebi mountain ranges, and the Samotification of the Tovlis increased during this period. After the Violet revolution in 1350, Samotkhe was formed into a rudimentary parliamentary Republic and pioneered many elements of modern democracies. In the late 17th century the newly formed Samot Empire under the rule of Azamat the Great was able to conquer most of modern day Vrtgora and the Northern panhandle. By certain unrecovered circumstances the Samot Empire and the Kingdom of Seratof was able to form into a Diarchy known as the Samot-Seratofian Empire. The empire was able to acquire several overseas colonies and expanded into becoming one of the dominant powers in both Artemia and the world. Following the dissolution of the Samot-Seratofian Empire after the grand campaigns, Nazism was able to take a foothold in the region, establishing itself as the Samot Central State. During this period, there was mass amounts of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Tillish, who were considered as a "ruling minority class" by those in power. The Samot central state collapsed after a period of unsuccessful expansionsism caused it to be invaded and deposed by the League of Free Nations. Since the collapse of the Nazi regime, Samotkhe have adopted a more liberal and democratic government.

Samotkhe is a developed country, a regional power, industrialized country, with a geopolitically strategic location. It is an observer of the LoFN, an early member of PAC, and a former founding member of the UNC. Samotkhe's entry into the Pan-Artemian Coalition was approved in 2003 after a lengthy process of integration and standardization talks. It was originally a member of the UNC but left after the Pan-Artemian Coalition accepted its membership. Samotkhe is a secular, unitary, formerly parliamentary republic that adopted a presidential system with a referendum in 1997, with the new system having been in effect since 2000.

History
this section is WIP

Prehistory
Something something hunters and gatherers

Meolakile Civilization
The Meolakile Civilization originated in what is now southwestern Samotkhe, near the "bend" in the Izvor river. The Meolakile Civilization is attributed to some very unique languages and social structures of the region, including a basis for co-rulership between a King and a Queen. This society collapsed due to a variety of factors, including a particularly heavy drought impacting the very centralized economy, causing a breakdown of societal structures, this event occurred around 450 AD, which some historians speculate can also be the product of the rise of the Tovik Empire.

Dark Ages
Samotkhe is whole again, now it broke again [repeat 50x]

After the collapse of the Meolakile civilization, the region underwent several fractures and is characterized by evidence of great social decline and famine. Art forms became less complex, evidence of religious sites being abandoned also occurred during this period. There has been no recorded use of the Meolakile language after 650 AD. Concurrently, modern-day Samot and Tillish ethnic groups migrated from the eastern Artemian steppes, particularly around the region that Yerzhan occupied, signs show some form of great exodus, in relation to the Tovik Empire's religious integration and persecution during that time. These ethic groups likely believed in a form of proto-Uyandism, which would be viewed as heretical by Tovik Orthodoxy.

the Violet Revolution
The Violet Revolution was an event in 1350 AD in which Samotkhe was united as a republic for ~125 years. It was considered very unusual for its time that a republic could exist. The revolution occurred when King Irmitashvili IX ordered workers to collect shellfish for the manufacturing of violet dye, which he intended to use to assert dominance to the people. this caused mass civil unrest within the lower class, which sparked the revolution.

Rule of the Tilla Dynasty
It is unknown how the Tillish were able to establish themselves as the rulers as geological records from the period were scarce. What is known is that the Tillish people did not originate geographically from Samotkhe. Buddhist literature from the time referred to them as "People from the Lowlands".

Samot-Seratofian Empire
The Samot-Seratofian Empire was a dual monarchy that existed between 1850 and 1925, it was formed when The Declaration of Mutual Continuity was signed between Samotkhe and Seratof. The Samot-Seratofian Empire was a major power in the grand campaigns, as it initiated the eastern from via Operation Mountain Lion, the invasion of Gardarike. The advance of the empire was cut short by the Modrovian reinforcements, which performed a pincer movement and forced the Imperial troops to be Retreat.As the empire allied itself with the losing Teutonic alliance, the treaty of Holmgard forced the dissolution of the empire.

Ecomonic Depression
In the aftermath of the Grand Campaigns, Samotkhe was able to establish itself as an independent state, however, this was followed by the largest economic recession known to date. Slammed by war reparations and with hyperinflation, the Samot people's republic had no choice but to sell its territory for money. Three separate provinces are sold, one to Svenskt. Shortly after, another province declared independence and became the Ingush-Kabardino People's republic.

Mikeil Kobakhia and the Samot Central State
In 1931, Samot armed forces general Mikeil Kobakhia staged a coup d'etat on the government, he successfully took control of the government and established a fascist regime called the Samot Central State. He then invaded and annexed the Ingush-Kabardino People's republic. After massively rearming the military, Samotkhe then joined the Seratof-CAPS war against Svenskt; with a massive military advantage, this was completed without difficulty. Kobakhia then began a program of mass indoctrination and destruction of historical sites, referred to as the " Cultural re-education program ". In total, around 80% of all artifacts and historical texts related to the Tillish dynasty was destroyed or modified. In addition, any and all descendants of the Tillish royal family, the Buddhist high council and the house of Batons were executed, Along with a majority of Tillish people, which has an estimated casualty count of 4,000,000 people. He was assassinated on July 7th,1947 on a visit to Lestykhol.

Decline in Power and age of nuclear development
After the death of Kobakhia, Samotkhe was in massive political turmoil. With the struggle for power almost engulfing the entire nation. However, one man stood above all other. Tamar Qetevan ruled Samotkhe from 1947 to his eventual death in 1974. He instituted many political reforms and dissolved the Samartilano Constitution, which gave the people more political freedom, although not by much. He also commissioned the destruction of all Departure Facilities (execution camps) within Samotkhe. During the period of his rule, Samotkhe's military power declined significantly, From an estimated 5 million active-duty troops to only about 1 million. Qetevan also established an extensive nuclear program, however, this would be cut short by the Liberation War.

Liberation war and Civil war
Nearing the end of the decade of expansion, the Samot Central State has set it's eyes on Vrtgora, a country that was historically part of the Samot-Seratofian Empire. The initial invasion was quite successful, as the oversized Central Military were able to overrun Vrtgoran positions with ease. This act of revanchism was not overlooked by the international community unlike the previous expansions into Lusjki and Pozrika. The League of Free Nations were amongst the first ones to condemn the attack and were quickly gathering forces to resist the Central State's occupation.

During the 10-month period of occupation, many local organized resistance groups formed. The Central Military was inexperienced in fighting asymmetrical warfare and was not able to resist these partisan groups effectively, which may have contributed to the expedient collapse later on. These partisan groups also cooperated with the League of Free Nations in their military efforts by gathering information and sabotaging supply lines.

Period of Reconstruction
After the Civil War, the New Samot administration realized the country is in great need of Reconstruction and Reformation of the country. Thus, it became one of the founding members of the Unaligned Nations Consortium. As one of the founders of the UNC, Samotkhe had a strong emphasis on economic and scientific advancements. A few years later, Samotkhe joined the AnterCosmos Space agency in order to promote scientific developments.

Economy
Samotkhe has a with strong contributions from both the  and the government, the level of government control within the economy is considered to be significant. It is currently the biggest economy in southern Artemia by PPP measures, and the 14th biggest worldwide. Much of the Samot economy is driven by a manufacturing, design and service industries. Large contributions from the and the  also help shape the Samot economy.

As a member-state of the PAC since 2003, Samotkhe has enabled itself to integrate into the common market of the coalition and expand the reaches of its own products and services. Significant economic growth was recorded upon entry into the PAC, with trends foreseeable for the future mimicking those of though on a much more lenient curve. Although part of the common market, the PAC does not possess a single currency and all transactions done within Samotkhe must be conducted using the Som, although in certain provinces the Zakka is also accepted. Yuksekent was the Political and Intellectual capital of the Samot-Seratofian Empire during the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as being the cultural centre of the empire. Software and electronics engineering has become extremely popular within Samotkhe since the late 20th century's economic boom, with many electronic brands such as Cornblub, North Star Enterprises, and HMD being based in Samotkhe. Apart from electronics manufacturing and software engineering, Samotkhe's automotive manufacturing is also world renowned, with the Khalia automobile company being renowned throughout Anterra. The top 5 exports of Samotkhe are (in decreasing order of value):, , , , and.

In contrast to many other nations, the Samot government exerts a significant amount of control over the economy and markets of Samotkhe, to a point where it could be resemblant of a command economy. This level of control stems from the various reforms in the late 20th century that has allowed to government to gain more power in the influence of the nation. This level of control has attracted various forms of criticism and controversy with other the citizens of Samotkhe and even other PAC nations. The level of influence is slowly decreasing however, due to a trend of political reforms.

The number of small businesses have been rising steadily in Samotkhe over the past decade, with the economic situation dramatically improving since the recession in 2005. This has allowed the service sector of Samotkhe to grow in size and the government's influence upon it to decrease. Around 6 million Samot Citizens is employed in this sector.

Infrastructure
Samotkhe's central position within the Artemian continent, as well as its history as a passageway between western and eastern artemia both contribute towards the very dense road and rail network which connects the nation domestically and internationally despite the harsh terrain in some regions. The rail and road network in the Tovlis and Mtebi mountains are some of the highest and most architectually advanced. A defining characteristic of Samot "National Highways", which are high speed roads connecting several provinces, is that they do not have a speed limit, but any accidents have severe penalties. The system of roads in Samotkhe falls under the jurisdiction of the State Infrastructure Department, where the ministry calculated the total number of roads per capital in Samotkhe, both paved and unpaved, to reach approximately 40 km per 1000 people. In addition to the extensive road network, Samotkhe's public transport is also one of the most developed in Central Artemia.

Samotkhe has a large number of international airports, with 2 serving the capital alone. The Tavisuplebani International Airport in Samotkhe serves as the country's main hub and the main Transport into the capital region. Many airlines fly to Yuksekent in order to have lower-capacity connecting flights to various eastern artemian nations in order to reduce cost and increase demand, this in turn has made the Tavisuplebani international airport one of the biggest in anterra. The national airline, Samoavia, is a luxury provider serving many destinations to Samotkhe and worldwide.

As of 2019, Samotkhe was the largest consumer of electricity in Southern Artemia. Since 1997, the government has increased the portion of by adding  and  farms. In addition to the two, energy production has also utilized the Manba and Izvor rivers for. A large percentage of power is also produced by nuclear power, which has become quite popular in Samotkhe despite controversies.

Tourism
Tourism is very popular in Samotkhe, particularly in the northern provinces. This has contributed significantly to certain provincial economies. Tourism in Samotkhe, in contrast to other central Artemian countries such as Seratof or Velselexo, is chiefly focused on the aspect of. With many services catering to those who would like to discover the historical and religious aspects of Samotkhe.

Skiing, particularly in the area around Akhalkalaki, is a very popular venture for domestic tourists. Additionally, the historic quarter of Tstelivish is a big tourist attraction. Those who plan on traveling to the Mtebi mountains can experience the unique Ski-Gliding or Paraskiing activity, considered an by many. Several monasteries and palaces used during the time of the Samot-Seratofian empire and the Khanate of Tilla are also of great interest for tourists, with over 3 million visits recorded in 2017. The Amethyst palace, located on the slope of a mountain not far from Yuksekent is also a very popular tourist attraction.

The northern mountains and the western steppes are great cross-country vacation spots, where "tourist towns" have been set up to attract Seratofian and Gardic travelers into Samotkhe. These towns hold all-inclusive resorts and have bilingual service. Many resorts within Iere are also catered towards Samot travelers, using unique postmodern architecture as well as on-water bungalows in order to express luxury. As Iere is considered a commonwealth state, visiters do not need a Visa to stay in the country.

Military
The Samot Armed Forces (სომქართველის Შეიარაღებული ძალები) are the military and paramilitary forces of Samotkhe, under the President of the Republic as supreme commander. They consist of Samot Republican Army (სომქართველის რესპუბლიკური არმია), Samot Republican Navy (სომქართველის რესპუბლიკური ფლოტი), the Samot Republican Air Force (ეროვნული საჰაერო სამხედროები), The PAAD (Pan artemian aerospace defence command) and the Military Police called National Guard (ეროვნული გვარდია), which also fulfils civil police duties in the rural areas of Samotkhe. Together they are among the largest armed forces in the world and the the third largest in the PAC. Samotkhe has several large military industries, with a moderate Aviation industry. Its industries have produced such equipment as the Zogavia G-line of fighters, the Martveli-class aircraft carrier, and the Vt-96 tank among others.

Major defense spending has been justified by the fact that an under-funded and under-equipped military led to the embarrassment of Samotkhe internationally in the form of the Tovlis War. As an effect of the Tovlis war, the entire 776 Kilometer long Border between Samotkhe and Gradinska is made up of a 5-km wide Demilitarized zone, Heavily guarded on either side. Another reason for the size of the Samot military is due to the need to project power to Samotkhe's overseas territories. In fact, despite having one of the shortest coastlines, Samotkhe has a navy on par with other major powers.

Samotkhe's Air Force is a dominant component of the nation's armed forces, providing Air Support to both the Army and Naval forces. Unlike in other nations, Naval Aviation is considered a component of the Air Force, rather than navy. The naval aviation component operates mainly from the Aircraft Carriers and the Amphibious Assault ships used by the Samot Navy. In addition to operating most of the nation's military fixed-wing aircraft, They also operate rotary wing aircraft in conjunction to the Army.

The Samot Marine Forces conducts most of its expeditionary warfare, and is a component of the navy. They are usually the first troops deployed to new overseas areas and are usually stationed away from the Samot Mainland in Foreign bases.

The Ervnuli Gvardia (National Guard) are a core component of the Samot Armed forces, They act as a civil police force in "Frontier provinces", Mostly in the nothern panhandle, they can be called for a variety of both conflict and humanitarian needs. They are also considered as reserve armed forces, they can be called into active duty via the president. The elite Counterterrorism unit SIG is part of the Ervnuli Gvardia. As a branch of the military, the Ervnuli Gvardia operate their own Aircraft and Naval regiment.

Samotkhe operates many bases overseas, the main ones being located in Lusjki, St. Vorbeia, Badzevalari, and Iere. These bases act to project Samotkhe's powers overseas and maintain strategic control in different parts of the world. There are 2 Bases in Lusjki, a joint Army-Air force base near the capital and a naval base near Ulëz. Installations in Badzevalari are in the process of decommissioning as of 2020.

Government
Samotkhe is a   with a  as the  and a  as the. Power at a national level is vested into the federal government and the federal legislature comprising of. Further levels of government include those in the and the, which each have their own. Legislative assemblies in the cultural regions are while those in the provinces are also unicameral. All the branches of government are based on the of the Federal Republic of Samotkhe that was ratified in 1976 and revised in 1996. By convention, the Prime minister of Samotkhe is the most powerful post in the country with the ability to appoint and dismiss presidents and cabinet members with approval of parliament as well as the general oversight of the national legislature. The prime minister could be impeached by the legislature only after a carried out by the parliament with a 2/3s ruling. Before 1996, Samotkhe was a full with the prime minister being nominated by the legislature. The title of head of government now goes to the second most powerful post in Samotkhe by convention, the president of Samotkhe. The president is officially appointed by the prime minister, but in practice is always the leader of the party or coalition in government at that period. The prime minister is directly elected by the people once every 4 years using a simple. The house of the people is elected using in an   setting once every tow years. Upper houses of legislatures are simply elected using once every two years.

The Samot legislature has remained mostly identical to its form since the inception of the constitution in 1976. The Hall of the State acts as the upper house and represents the regions with each entity sending two representatives regardless of the population. The Hall of the People acts as the lower house and is directly elected by the voting population within multi-member constituencies comprising of 2 to 6 members depending on the population. A total of 265 representatives are present within the Hall of the People.

Administrative Divisions
The Federal Republic of Samotkhe is divided into 22 administrative divisions that re controlled by a central government, with varying levels of autonomy. These include 17 provinces, three province-level cities, one national wilderness reserve and one de-militarized zone. The capital Yūksekent houses the national assembly as well as the parliament.

Human Rights
Samotkhe's human rights situation is described as poor by independent observers. The 2015 Human Rights Watch report on Samotkhe said that the country "heavily restricts freedom of assembly, speech, and religion. In 2015, authorities closed newspapers, jailed or fined dozens of people after peaceful but unsanctioned protests, and fined or detained worshipers for practising religion outside state controls. Government critics, including opposition leader Yusisayin Marner, remained in detention after unfair trials. In mid-2015, Samotkhe adopted new criminal, criminal executive, criminal procedural, and administrative codes, and a new law on trade unions, which contain articles restricting fundamental freedoms and are incompatible with international standards. Torture remains common in places of detention."

According to a Modrov government report released in 2015, in Samotkhe:

"The law does not require police to inform detainees that they have the right to an attorney, and police did not do so. Human rights observers alleged that law enforcement officials dissuaded detainees from seeing an attorney, gathered evidence through preliminary questioning before a detainee’s attorney arrived, and in some cases used corrupt defence attorneys to gather evidence. [...]" "The law does not adequately provide for an independent judiciary. The executive branch sharply limited judicial independence. Prosecutors enjoyed a quasi-judicial role and had the authority to suspend court decisions. Corruption was evident at every stage of the judicial process. Although judges were among the most highly paid government employees, lawyers and human rights monitors alleged that judges, prosecutors, and other officials solicited bribes in exchange for favourable rulings in the majority of criminal cases."

Samotkhe's global rank in the World Justice Project's 2015 Rule of Law Index was 65 out of 102; the country scored well on "Order and Security" (global rank 32/102), and poorly on "Constraints on Government Powers" (global rank 93/102), "Open Government" (85/102) and "Fundamental Rights" (84/102, with a downward trend marking a deterioration in conditions).

Culture
The symbol on the Samot Flag is a Buddhist symbol known as the eternal knot, representing the endless cycles of life and the traditional Buddhist view on the universe.

Architecture
Traditional Samot Architecture consists of stable and functional buildings, constructed with a variety of materials. In the south, the style of traditional architecture more closely resembled that of other Central Artemian cultures at the time. The southern style are built with similar appearance to Seratofian-style architecture, albeit with less complexity. However, the northern style is completely unique, with colorful white and red buildings constructed out of clay, wood, and sometimes stone. This style of has many unique features brought about by its adaptation to the cold, generally arid, high-altitude climate of the Central Artemian Mountain Range.

Religious structures fall into two main types: temples, which are used for religious ceremonies and worship; and shrines, which are for a more demonstrative purpose. Temples (Ibodatkhona) come in a great variety of styles, generally reflecting local architectural traditions. The design of the Samot Shrines can vary, from Castle-Like structures in Hvallica to Geometrical Mounds in Orshi. In a few regions, especially in the Mtebi Mountains, one may see Structures overhung from cliffsides and built directly into them, with many standing several hundred feet above a steep drop.

Typically, Traditional Northern Samot structures are constructed of natural materials such as stone, clay, and wood. Since 1950, concrete has also come into use extensively. Flat roofs are used in most parts of central and northern Samotkhe where rainfall is slight; however in the Southern plains where summer rains are heavier, sloping roofs, covered either in slate, shingles, and increasingly ceramic tile, are popular. Some traditional Samot residential buildings are build directly into the side of a mountain, these structures can have very large interiors and maintain a stable temperature throughout the year, which is favorable in more hot, but alpine landscapes. Manor homes that belonged to the Tillish aristocracy before 1932 have all but been destroyed by the Samot Central State; however at least one, Okholtin Manor in Vernestis County, Giganti K'ibe province, which dates from the 14th century, has been restored.

During the rule of the Samot Central State, many traditional temples and shrines have been destroyed by the radically atheistic government, many of which contained important historical artifacts. The restoration of these temples have been a major efforts by the current democratic government. The architectural style of the Samot Central State closely resembles, with large concrete structures without excessive features other than a simple geometric layout. The choice for this design style is purely ideological, with the party focusing on the efficiency and simplicity of a building rather than any form of aesthetic appearance. The style also symbolizes the need for a strong and unified people, that are self-sufficient, which is a core tenet to National Collectivist theory.

Art
Prior to the 20th century, most works of fine arts in Samotkhe are of religious or ceremonial purpose. Traditional Buddhist artworks called Thangka were often made for depicting historical and cultural scenes. After the beginning of the 20th century, artists in Samotkhe started using more modern and contemporary styles and themes. Under fascism, Samot art was unable to be spread internationally. Only after the fall of fascism in Samotkhe was modern art truly able to be noticed in the world scene. Notable artists from Samotkhe include Josip Tzkhoidze, Qatalina Abasi and Sheev Lannisson.

Cuisine
Rice, Buckwheat, and Bread are the staples of Samot Cuisine. The most common meat is mutton in the central steppes, Substituted in the Northern Plains by Pork and Chicken, and in the Mountains by Beef (including Yak). Many types of soups and stews are prepared with dried spices and chilis, with cheese as a notable ingredient in many such dishes. Dairy foods, particularly butter and cheese from yaks and cows, are also popular, and indeed almost all milk is turned into butter and cheese. The influence of Samot Cuisine from neighboring cultures such as Seratof have had an effect on popular dishes, especially on the local level. Historically, many significant dishes of Samotkhe were influenced and taken from those of Samot-Seratofian colonies, such as the addition of the prickly pear and pumpkin from Badzevalari, Chili peppers and Avocados from Iere, and Satay from South Kesh. Notable dishes include Khinkali (dumplings with soup fillings), Shesha Masala (Grilled Yak meat in a creamy orange curry sauce), and Sousi (A blood soup made from beef or mutton).

Sports
Samotkhe has a vibrant enthusiasm on Soccer, being consistently rated as one of the best countries in the world at the sport, part of this can be attributed by Soccer's similarity to a traditional sport called Goliburti, in which players have to score a goal on the other team by throwing a spear into the other team's target area.

Geography
Samotkhe has a relatively diverse terrain and climate, with mountains in the north and several major rivers. On the northern border with Gardarike lies the Tovlis range, which has several Ultra-Prominent peaks. The Manba river spans the country from north to south, emptying into the Eurybian sea. Norther Samotkhe is known for its mountains and the Buddhist monasteries that are constructed on their cliffs. Central Samotkhe is home to The capital- Yūksekent, which contains 25% of the nation's population. Central Samotkhe is home to one of the largest oil reserves. which, in recent years, has skyrocketed the nation's economy. Southern Samotkhe is mainly split up into two parts, the Ch'aobshi national park, which has many endemic flora and fauna found nowhere else in Anterra. and the Costal city of Tstelivish, a major tourist destination, known for its black sand beaches.

Geology
The Central Samot steppe is among the oldest on Anterra, with regions dating from 2.5 to 4.2 billion years. The multitude of rivers and lakes in the entire region is caused by the watersheds of the area being so young and in a state of sorting themselves out with the added effect of post-glacial rebound. The steppe was originally an area of very large, very tall mountains (about 12,000 meters or 39,000 feet) with much volcanic activity, but over hundreds of millions of years and much glacial activity, the area has been eroded to its current topographic appearance of relatively low relief. It has some of the oldest (extinct) volcanoes on the planet. It has over 150 volcanic belts (now deformed and eroded down to nearly flat plains) whose bedrock ranges from 600 to 1200 million years old.

Climate
Samotkhe can be roughly separated into three climate zones. Northern Samotkhe has a Cold Semi-arid climate (Köppen Bsk) In contrast, central Samotkhe has a humid continental climate. (Köppen Dsa), and southern Samotkhe has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csc). Near the western border, the climate becomes Semi-arid (Köppen Bwk) and even more continental, with rather hot summers and very cold winters.