Argata

Argata (Govic: 𐌰𐍂𐌲𐌰𐍄𐌰, tr. Argata), officially the Commonwealth Union of Argata (Govic: 𐌺𐍉𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌲𐍉𐌳𐌴 𐍆𐌿𐌽𐌰𐌳 𐌹𐌴 𐌰𐍂𐌲𐌰𐍄𐌰, tr. Comingode Vunad ie Argata) is an island nation in Northern Avalonia. Argata has a population of n and a total land area of 272,125 square kilometers (105,068 square miles). Argata is dominated by two climate zones, and. The climate in Argata is characterized by warmer weather in the south, and not much snow, to cool summers and freezing winters and snowfall in the north.

Argata is a, with the prime minister being the head of government and the ceremonial head of state being the Mero-Curgovan monarch. The federal legislature of Argata is, split between an upper house, the Senate, and a lower house, the House of Deputies. Argata is split into several states with significant powers delegated to them by the national government. The capital and largest city of the country is Asprad.

Argata is a, characterized by above-average financial freedoms. The Argan economy is highly advanced and diverse, dominated by a strong. Some of Argata's largest industries include x, y, and z. Argata's capital and largest city, Asprad, is located in an important area in the Merchant's Strait that allows it to preside over a large amount of trade in the region. As a result, Asprad is home to one of the largest ports in the region, and this strength in the area has helped a great amount in the development of the Argan economy. Argata is considered a and scores high on rankings of human development and personal freedom.

Argata was first inhabited by several native tribes, the strongest of which was the Saauta Nation, which controlled almost all of the territory of present-day Argata for centuries. in 1619, an expedition from Mero-Curgovina made landfall on the southern coast of Argata. The territory was explored further in the decades following, and Argata was established as a Mero-Curgovan colony 31 years later, in 1650. Upon gaining full independence in 1925, Argata adopted a policy of diplomatic isolationism, in an attempt to avoid conflict with neighboring countries. At the same time, Argata sought economic development, resulting in a policy of increased trade and economic relations internationally. Argata has maintained its policy of neutrality to the present day.

Early History
Argata has been consistenly inhabited by indigenous peoples for millenia, with the first recorded evidence of human activity being dated to 9,000 BCE. Prior to Artemian discovery of Argata, the area was the home of numerous native tribes and nations, the largest of these being the Saauta Nation. Most of the territory which constitutes present-day Argata had been conquered by the Saauta upon first Artemian contact. The Saauta led wars of conquest across the island, assimilating less powerful tribes and establishing itself as one of the largest empires in the area by the 1600s.

Colonial History
In the initial years of Argata's status as a Mero-Curgovan colony, interaction with the Saauta was minimal, as they did not see the new settlers as a threat to their hegemony in the region. As the colony developed, however, relations between the two nations became strained, and confrontations between settlers and natives became more common. The Saauta saw the Govs as invaders, and sought to eliminate the threat they posed to their homeland. In 1711, the Saauta cut all ties with the Argan colonial government and formally declared war via a written letter delivered to the governor of the territory. Known as the Faurthas Letter, the document is today a national artifact, considered by many Argans as a major milestone in their history.

The Saauta war, which lasted 37 years from 1711 to 1748, was one of the deadliest wars of the era, with more than 50,000 people being killed during the fighting. The intensity of the war was largely in part due to the position of both parties involved; The Saauta were far more advanced than any other indigenous nation in the area, and knowing this, they refused to surrender, believing the Argan forces were inferior. The colonial military prevailed in the end, however, pushing the Saauta forces almost entirely out of present-day south Argata. With their military crippled and thousands of their people dead, the Saauta had no choice but to concede. The Treaty of Hattaazg, signed in the Saauta town of the same name on October 25, 1748, ended the fighting and resulted in the island being split into two sections - one controlled by Mero-Curgovina, and one controlled by the Saauta.

Geography
Argata is an island located in Northern Avalonia, in the Gulf of Brigantica. Argata is 517,925 quare kilometers (199,972 square miles) in size. Two main climate zones encompass the country: oceanic and subarctic. The climate in Argata is characterized by hot summers and cool to cold winters. Argata does not have much variation in altitude. Being located on a divergent fault line, there are no mountain ranges in the country, and the highest point in the country is just n meters above sea level.

The oceanic portion of Argata is located in the south of the country, and is home to flatter terrain than the rest of the country, hence why farming is more concentrated in the south. South Argata does sometimes receive snowfall during the winter, however it is usually less than three inches. Much of north Argata is characterized by a subarctic climate, which makes it more prone to cold weather and snowfall in winter. This region also experiences some variation in annual temperatures, with the temperature during the summer sometimes reaching above 25 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit). Meanwhile, in the winter, temperatures often drop below freezing, and snowfall is an usual occurence.

Government
According to the Argan Constitution, Argata is a constitutional monarchy, operating under a system of, with power divided between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. The highest government position in the nation is the prime minister, who is considered the the head of government. The head of state is represented by the monarch of Mero-Curgovina, however this is purely a figurehead position, and the monarch holds almost no executive power. The president is elected every three years, with a single candidate being limited to three terms in office. Legislative power is vested in the bicameral parliament, split between the Senate and the House of Deputies. Members of the Senate are representatives of their home state, elected every two years. Members of the House of Deputies represent a given electoral district, and are also elected in two-year cycles. Members of both houses are limited to five terms in office.

The states of Argata each have their own government, which operates similarly to the federal government. Executive power at the state level is vested in a premier, and the state legislatures operate almost identically to their federal counterpart. Elections occur depending on the state, so there is no set date on which all state elections take place.

Economy
Argata is an advanced nation with a highly diversified economy. The Argan economy was estimated to be worth n in 2020, making it the nth largest economy in Avalonia, behind x, y, and z. Historically, Argata's economy relied heavily on manufacturing, which in turn originated from Argata's position as one of the largest shipbuilders on the continent. As the Industrial Revolution progressed, The Argan tradition of shipbuilding morphed into the production of dozens of other manufactured goods, eventually peaking as one of the largest exporters in the world in the early 1900s. As the century progressed, however, the Argan economy was soon eclipsed by other world powers.

Currently, the Argan economy is dominated by the service sector, comprising 75.5% of Argata's annual GDP, followed by the industrial sector at 23.3% and the agricultural sector at 1.2%.

Demographics
Owing to it's history as a colony of Mero-Curgovina, as well as it's indigenous history, Argata is a rather diverse nation. The largest group in the country is Curgovs, accounting for 30% of the population. The second largest group are Sateras (people who are of half Saauta ancestry and half Artemian ancestry), at 27% of the population. Merands account for the third-largest portion of the population, at 21% of the population. Fully-Saauta individuals are concentrated in the north, and are 10% of the total population. Argata is also home to many immigrant communities, the largest being the Ramay, comprising 7% of the population.

The sole official language of Argata is Govic, spoken fluently by almost all in the country. The Saauta language still survives in some areas of the country, however; particulary in the north. There are numerous other native and immigrant languages spoken as a first language throughout the country, but all these speakers combined are only about 5% of the total population.

The dominant religion in Argata is Christianity, practiced by 49% of the population. The largest Christian denomination in the country is Marianism, which is practiced by at least 30% of Christians in the country. The Mero-Curgovan religion of Panecorism also has a large presence in Argata, and is practiced by a further 21% of the population. Atheists and agnostics are 23% of the population. Saauta polytheism, a remnant of Argata's indigenous past, is practiced by 2% of the country, mainly by the fully Saauta residents of northern Argata.