Ostboland

Ostboland (: Östberige) officially the Kingdom of Ostboland (: Kungariket Östberige) is a country in Northern Artemia that spans along the Skagerrak Straits and into the center of the continent. Ostboland has a total land area of 897,550 square kilometers (346,546 sq mi) and a population of 42,893,202 (as of the 2016 Census). Ostboland is bordered by Northern Veikaia to the south and west, Modrovia to the south, Gardarike to the southeast, and Ringerike across the Skagerrak Straits. North Ostboland's predominately sub-arctic climate is characterized by long, very cold winters and mild summers, while the southern regions of the country are more temperate with longer summers. Northwest Ostboland in particular is a sparsely populated region covered in dense, whereas the south is primarily agricultural.

Ostboland is a state with a  and developed. The current King of Ostboland is Christian III, reigning since 1998, however, since 2016 the nation has been under a given the King's  from a mental illness. The current Prime Minister is Karl Järnberg of the National Center Party, which has been in government for most of the past 30 years. Politically, Ostboland is also known for its large, but peaceful movement headed by several  federations. This lead to reforms in local government in 2014, which some powers to the nation's counties.

Ostboland has a highly developed  economy with a large, providing  and  for its citizens. The country's primary industries include forestry products, machinery, electronics, telecommunications, and financial services, with a heavy emphasis on. Ostboland ranks highly on measures of economic competitiveness, social equality, rule of law, civil liberties, and.

Ostboland maintains an official foreign policy of, however the country is an active participant in several , such as the Northern Coregnancy and the Artemian Economic Area. The country is also the home of the Anterran International Tribunal‎ and several.

Modern Era
Following changes to the of Ostboland, Queen Alicia was crowned as the first Queen Regnant of Ostboland in 1898. She is still widely considered the most beloved of Ostboland's monarchs in the 20th century.

Grand Campaigns & Civil Unrest
Ostboland was official neutral during the 10 years of the Great War from 1915 to 1925. However, the country faced immense pressure as Ostben were routinely harassed by both Republican and Crown Alliance  in the Baleric Sea. Ostben pursued a policy of during the war, guarding its ships and citizens abroad. Ostboland did allow volunteers to fight in the war. Crown Alliance volunteers were called, while members of Republicans brigades were called. In the mid-1920s Ostboland supplied missions to war-torn areas, and took in  from across Artemia. Ostboland emerged from the war with a completely intact industrial base, expanding its economy to help supply the rebuilding of Artemian nations like Gardarike. Ostboland fervently supported the Lusjvan Oil and Steel Commission, and acted a between Modrovia and Gardarike.

Post-war Ostben politics were extremely divisive, especially given the rise of and militant  in the country. Poor economic management lead to in the early 1930s, and industrial conditions gradually worsened. Political campaigns were exceedingly bitter in 1930, and 1934 as fragile Conservative-Agrarian-Liberal coalitions were followed by Progressive-Labour governments. Left wing and trade union militancy gradually increased, culminating in the General Strike of 1933, where up to 1/4th of went on strike in May. Violence against the and  forces then broke out throughout the country. Though revolutionary activity subsided, it syndicalism in Ostboland increased in the 1930s, with its autonomous organizations actively funding, equipping, and supporting the coup attempt in Modrovia in 1937.

Ironically, the failed intervention lead to a sharp decline in the in Ostboland. In the 1938 election, the Labour Party, which distanced itself from the, won an  in the Riskdag. The Labor Party went on to dominate politics in Ostboland for the next 20 years. The government, lead by prime minister Lorens Alvarsson, embarked on a program of, economic planning, the of select heavy industries, co-operation between  and , and. The Alvarsson governemnt also extended the pre-war, most notably by making free. In the mid-1940s, Ostboland was one of the leading nations in research thanks to labs like the Ekström Institute, in large part funded by the Labour government.

Recent History
Ostboland was one of the original signatories of the Treaty of Ulnsc, which created the Artemian Coal and Steel Commission in 1950. This sparked a period of what Ostben historians call the Integrationist Era, which lasted in Ostboland from the early 1940s till the 1973 Treaty of Oradea. This era marked a break with Ostboland's history of strict and cautious, moving the nation towards an active role in , , and. This shift in foreign policy was most identified with the Lefson government in the late 1950s. The Lefson government is most well known for supporting the Northern Coregnancy and signing the 1962 Treaty of Oradea, which created the Common Artemian Energy Market. The Lefson government also introduced a nationally integrated and  network, and reformed.

By the mid 1970, the Ostben rate of growth slowed compared to surrounding states. The overall rose dramatically in the late 1960s, while  increased, then peaked in 1974 at 47% of. Several key industries underwent significant : the small oil and y was completely discontinued, lumber production shifted into, and the steel industry dramatically shrank. averaged double digits for several consecutive years. The post-war consensus came to an end under the Labour led government of Oliver Lindström, culminating with the 1973 Treaty of Oradea. The proposed Artemian Defense Community and the mutual sparked  against the Treaty in Ostboland, with the public fearing Ostboland would be drawn into a. The Lindström government's efforts to ratify the treaty created a and constitutional crisis, which ended with the collapse of the Lindström government and Ostboland refusing to ratify the treaty.

The crisis fractured Labour and the political left, and also revived a, peaceful,  movement. The late 1970s and early 1980s brought to power a Alliance government lead by the first female Prime Minister, Klåre Renberg. The new Renberg government's response to was to cut spending and institute a multitude of reforms to improve Ostboland's competitiveness, including simplifying the  and  and goods, tax cuts,, and a tight monetary policy to curb. This shift in policy was confirmed by the successive Labor-led government of Anna Granholm, which was known for focusing on, most prominently liberalizing abortion laws.

Ostboland continued to engage constructively with the PAC, but showed the public strongly preferring the country continue to remain. In a nonbinding in 1992, voters overwhelming rejected harmonizing  and  with the PAC. The mid 1990s saw a large and deep  in Ostboland, and a groundswell of popular discontent with the  of the previous decade, particularly on the issue of. The 1994 election lead to the formation of an  government in over 100 years, lead by the National Center Party and Prime Minister Karl Järnberg. The Center Party has been in government for most of the period since the 1990s, its vacillating between various  policies on the right and left.

Much of the late 1990s economic growth was fueled by the success of Ostboland's larger companies, and a shift in central bank management. The current King of Ostboland, Christian III was on June 4th 1998. In 2000, the government announced Green 2050, a plan to reduce Ostboland to net zero by mid-century. Ostboland was also an early adopter of and advanced  technology, making it one of the most digitized  in Anterra by 2010. Following the large increase in support in the 2014 election, the government  some services to local counties and organizations upon negotiations.

In 2016 Ostboland entered a as the King's mental health deteriorated, the King officially signing over his duties to a  headed by his eldest child and heir, Princess Julia. The Center Party was reelected in 2018, this time with Järnberg heading up a majority coalition of and.

Government & Politics
The Kingdom of Ostboland is a  and. According to the Constitution of Ostboland, adopted on January 29, 1808, power is divided among the, , and branches of government. In accordance with the Constitution, executive power is exercised by the Monarch upon ministerial advice. The King of Ostboland is the with primarily representative and  functions. Constitutionally, the Monarch wields, which must be exercised through the Cabinet. Depending on the Monarch's personality and relationship with their ministers, a individual Monarch may wield tremendous political influence.

Most are in fact exercised by the elected Government. The Government is comprised of the Council of Ministers (Ministerrådet), otherwise known as the Cabinet and a Prime Minister (Statsminister). The Cabinet is generally comprised of between 10 and 20, state secretaries, and. The Prime Minister is the and leader of the Cabinet - who is appointed or dismissed by the King on the advice of the Riksdag. The Prime Minister, in turn traditionally nominates the Cabinet, drawn from members of the same or  of parties. Traditionally, the Prime Minister is the leader of their in the Riksdag. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet, are for the conduct of day to day  and are responsible to the Riksdag. As a single party often lack the power to form a government its own, Ostboland is routinely run by.

in Ostboland officially vested in a Parliament, the Riksdag, and an unofficial : the State Council (Statsrådet). The 401 members of the Riksdag are via a system of  for a maximum 4 year term. Of the 100 members of the State Council, 80 are chosen by an electoral college to serve 8 year terms (with 20 elected every 2 years), and 20 are by the monarch (upon advice). The Riksdag initiates primary legislation, controls, and may appoint or dismiss the government. The State Council's legislative powers are limited; in the event of disagreement between the two chambers, the Riksdag has the final say. require a two-thirds majority from both bodies, followed by a public.

Judicial powers are vested in a Supreme Court and a system of legal from the national to the county and municipal level. The Supreme Court of 20 judges and one. The Prime Minister nominates Supreme Court justices from a list of judges currently serving on the. These nominees must then be approved by the Riksdag and formally confirmed by the Monarch sitting in the State Council. for are formally appointed by the Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister or Justice Minister. Unique to Ostboland's constitutional structure is a body known as the Council of Revision (Revisionsrådet), which acts as the in the nation, and officially advises the Monarchy on the use of the. The Council of Revision consists of some Supreme Court Justices, ex-Justice Ministers, and appointed. The Council's main activity is to rule on the of Riksdag legislation (and whether it should be ), and/or the legality of  acts. The Council of Review receives cases submitted to it by the Riksdag, the Supreme Court, or via citizen.

Political Parties
Ostboland has a with, meaning it is very rare for a single party to have a majority in the Riskdag. The last time a single party won a majority was in the General Election of 1942. Since the advent of in the 1910, the Ostban political system has been dominated by two coalitions of political parties: the strongest were the, represented now by the Labour Party, and the  represented today by the Progressive Conservatives. The Labour Party was traditionally more dominant and could form single party or pacts, while the Progressive Conservatives regularly had to form  with, , or  to form governments.

Since the 1970s, the party system became more volatile: the Labour Party lost much of its rural voters, while new parties became successful, such as the populist and agrarian Center Party, the Green Party, and a revived Liberal Reform Party. Additionally, the Workers Federation, the  party began competing more vigorously in national elections. The Workers Federation aims to secure a majority in parliament and block the formation of a national government; since its revival it has polled no more than 10% of the vote.

In the 1994 election, the Labour Party lost its dominant position, with a cabinet formed by the Center Party, the Chrisitan Democrats, and the Progressive Conservatives, lead by Prime Minister Karl Järnberg. The new set out on a pledge of immigration restrictions, halting further  legislation, and investing in rural areas. In 1998 a new Labour, Green, Center coalition was formed under a new ministry, but halfway through its term Järnberg returned, which pursued an ambitious. In the 2002 a new cabinet was formed again from the Center, Christian Democratic, and Progressive Conservative parties lead by Järnberg, devoted to market reforms and transportation.

Järnberg and the Center Party would continue to be in government for much of the early 21st century. The Center Party would win the most votes in several elections, and have the opportunity to form coalitions across the political spectrum, depending on the election outcome. The election of 2006, for example, brought to power a  cabinet of the Greens and Radical Liberals, but after 2010 the Center Party formed a coalition with the Progressive Conservatives and the Greens. Järnberg's personal popularity and political strategy lead many commentators to label him the Svängdörr ("revolving door").

In the most recent election, in election of 2018, Järnberg formed a government composed of the Center Party, the Radical Liberals, and the Christian Democrats.

Both trade unions and employers organizations are consulted before majority policymaking issues. These organizations regularly meet with the government on various governmental bodies. Ostboland has a long political traditions of social tolerance and pluralism, though populism was a rising force in the late 1990s due to the rejection of the political consensus.

Administrative Divisions
Ostboland is a divided into 17 Counties (Län). Each county is administered through its town directly elected county council (landsting) and led by a County Governor (landshövding), who is now elected rather than. The government and the King are represented by an County Commissioner (Kommissionär), and officially coordinate policy with localities. The counties are further sub-divided into 682 (kommuner), which in turn are administered by their own municipal council. Local governments operate under with a local.

Counties and municipalities have different governmental functions and responsibilities. Health care,, tertiary education, and strategic planning are administered by the Counties. Primary and secondary schooling,, garbage disposal, , and are administered by the municipalities. The localities are funded by a combination of government grants,, and business rates.

The municipalities with larger populations are officially designated as. The cities of Elleholm and Nordsham are the nation's most populous municipalities, with a further 104 settlements are classified as in Ostboland. In most cases, the city borders are contiguous with the municipality, and may be redrawn or merged with surrounding areas to reflect boundary changes. Finally, there are several thousand historic parishes (församlingar) which are subdivisions of the Church of Ostboland, and three ceremonial Län.

Law
Ostboland has a system but without a, relying instead on. The judicial system of Ostboland is divided between regular courts (allmänna domstolar) with regular civil and criminal jurisdiction, and administrative courts (allmänna förvaltningsdomstolar) with jurisdiction over cases between individuals and the authorities. Each system has an appellate tier at the county level. There are special courts created by statute, which hear on narrow specific cases (such as or ). The Constitution guarantees judicial independence, providing that judges shall only interpret the law, and monitor the other government branches. The Supreme Court is the highest civil and criminal court. Cases concerning are reviewed by the Council of Revision.

The Constitution itself outlines a set of universal for defendants, including subsidized. Government and searches only allowable via signed judicial. is also extremely regulated. In a supermajority of a judicial panel, which includes, must vote to convict. The is controversial: having at various times been abolished then reinstated (and is an ongoing political issue). However, the has only ever been applied to crimes involving. The most recent application of the in Ostboland was in 2004, via firing squad.

Ostboland has an average crime rates compared to its neighbors. The nation has above-average levels of assaults, burglary, and consumer fraud. By contrast, the nation has low levels of homicides, auto theft, and drug problems. Ostboland uses a system, where fines increase with wealth (especially on automobile citations). In general, institutions in Ostboland are characterized by a high degree of transparency, and accountability: and the perception and the occurrence of are seen as low. Ostboland prisons are known for emphasizing ; the rate is considered one of the lowest in the region.

The law is enforced by the Ostboland Police Service, comprised of County Police (länspolisen) districts and several specialist agencies. For example, the Special Crimes Agency (SBB) assists in specific criminal investigations such as, gang related activity, and particularly violent offenses. The Ostboland Security Service (Säk) is the smallest agency, administering, , and operations. Each police district and agency is headed by a Commissioner, appointed via an independent. The Police Service and the specialist agencies are run by the National Police Directorate, which itself reports to the Ministry of Justice.

Military
The Royal Armed Forces are the of the Kingdom of Ostboland, with the Ostben Ministry of Defense being responsible for the operation of the armed forces. The of the Ostben Military is  the King, but in reality all functions are overseen by the  (Överbefälhavaren, ÖB) and the Military Directorate, who jointly report to the Minister of Defense. According to the Constitution, the Military can only be deployed in a, complicating the country's role in operations. By law, all oversees military operations can only be composed of. Foreign and Military Intelligence operate out of a single agency: UTÄ/Jän (Utländsk Underrättelsetjänst).

Ostboland has 2 years of compulsory for all  and some women (women were first included in 1989) who have reached adulthood, which can be served in the military. is still mandatory once every 3 years, though the government has considered abolishing this requirement.

In 2020 military expenditures were approximately $80.5 Billion, or 3.2% of GDP. The Royal Armed Forces has slightly over 400,000 active duty personnel divided into three branches, an Army, Navy, and Air Force, along with a Home Guard. The Ostben Army is capable of fielding up to 10 divisions and a further number of reserve divisions. Its primary task is the defense of the homeland; the Army is mainly concentrated in the west near the Northern Veikaia border. The Ostben Navy is a navy, comprised mainly of  and, is tasked with defending Ostben's trading interests along the Skagerrak Straits and in the Boreal Ocean. The Ostben Air Force, as it is constructed, participates in few tactical operations and largey coordinates with the Army in defense of the frontiers. The Ostben Home Guard is a special and  consisting mainly of local,  units. Most members of the Home Guard maintain a civilian jobs and serve part-time. The Home Guard generally is only called upon in the event of a  to aid local law enforcement or defense, a power which has not been exercised in the 21st century.

Ostboland does not have, though the country maintains an active program for reactors in Naval vessels.

Foreign Relations
Article 31 of the Ostben Constitution declares that Ostboland adheres to a twin policy of and, and that the state's primary objectives are to maintain the  and the welfare of its citizens. The Larson Memo of 1926, largely seen as an interpretation by the Crown, outlines additional foreign policy goals such as:


 * Alleviate global poverty;
 * Promote and ;
 * Promote the of nations;
 * Advocate for the preservation of natural resources. (Added in 1978)

These objectives reflect Ostboland's pledge to to undertake social, economic, and humanitarian activities which should contribute to world peace and prosperity. This is manifested by the country's diplomatic activity, assistance to less developed countries, and support for the extension and maintenance of.

Ostboland has a strict policy of avoiding or political  which would compel military action. Ostboland thus rejected full membership of the Pan-Artemian Coalition. Ostboland strives to maintain diplomatic relations with all countries, maintain its neutrality, and has historically served as a neutral intermediary and host to international treaty conferences. The country has no ongoing dispute in its bilateral relations. Ostboland (primarily the capital Elleholm) is home to many international organizations.

Economy
Ostboland has a, characterized by a high level of government-provided services (health care, child care and education), large , streamlined government , and a high dependence on. Ostboland is considered a, with a of over $55,000,  at about 2.8% per annum and  at just over 5.25% in 2020. After taxes and public transfers, in Ostboland is low compared to the regional average. The Ostben economy ranks highly on indices measuring, , and ease of doing business. Ostboland has a vibrant start-up culture, with representing almost 13.5% of Ostben companies.

Ostben are considered flexible by international standards, and are largely self-regulated by  actors. Trade unions, employers' associations and collective agreements cover large portions of the nation's workforce. As much as 56% of the workforce in Ostbolan belonging to a union or. The prominent role of and high rate of coverage have reduced the state's active involvement in. For example, Ostboland has one of the highest rates on the continent, but no official. The government actively promotes policies between management and employees: mandating company works councils or employees serving on corporate boards of its larger firms. Given the country's active movement,  are popular and incentivized. The Ostboland Co-Operative Alliance (OKA) is one of the largest in Anterra.

The Ostben economy is dominated by the, which comprises 60% of GDP, followed by comprising 36% and the  less than 4% of GDP. The nation's top industries include, forestry, , , , , food processing, and. The country's main export goods include lumber,, , , , , , , and. Ostboland is one of the largest exporters of commercial. Deregulation, globalization, and high R&D investment have been key productivity drivers over the past decade. Regulations of and  are relatively light. Starting a business takes an average of 7 days, with no capital requirements. Ostben banks are among the securest in Anterra, and bank privacy customs are notoriously tight.

As a medium-sized, Ostboland is heavily reliant on international trade and adheres to a broadly , with exports and imports making up approximately 66% of. The country actively purses and  agreements with many other countries. Ostboland's top trading partners are Gardarike, Modrovia, XXXXX, Ringerike, and Akiteiwa.

The Nordshamn Stock Exchange is the country's leading, and hosts the main Ostben stock index: the AB 100, a weighted index of the country's top 100 firms.

Ostboland's national currency is the Ostben Krona (OSK) or Okie. The issuance of the Krona and the conduct of the nation's is regulated by the Royal Bank of Ostboland, or Riksbank. Founded in 1671, the Riskbank it is one of the region's oldest. The Riksbank's has a mandate to stabilize nominal economic growth, which it achieves by adopting a of 4.5% each year. Since the adoption of its current policy, the Riksbank is judged as one of the top performing in Anterra. Inflation has averaged between 1.5 and 2% in the past decade, and as of Q1 2020, the Ostben economy had gone over 25 years since it was last technically in. Bank failures or liquidations are still regarded as highly rare events.

The 10 largest Ostben companies (by turnover) in 2018 were: Fordon (automobiles), HEJA (furniture), Maraton (pharmaceuticals), Utilware (software), Gavle (electronics), FAAB (appliances), Wallin-Nelsson (financial Services), Boreal Chemical (chemicals), E-Tek (electrical equipment), and Rhythm (streaming).

Religion
In the late 10th century, the peoples of the Ostboland region practiced a form of, worshiping a pantheon similar among other. It's religious capital was the Temple of Laussbund, which was a major pilgrimage site up until Christianisation in the early 11th century, when public worship of the old gods was prohibited. The in Ostboland was broadly in line with the Marian Communion for the next five centuries. In the mid 16th century a more, movement lead by the clergyman , abolished the old Marianite Church and established the , known today as the Church of Ostboland. After the Råd (Council) of 1545, Petrinism became the official. With the Edict on Religion in 1608, other smaller were tolerated so long as they did not worship openly in public. However public offices were only available to Petrinites as prescribed in the Articles on Communion.

After the Constitutional Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th century, the restrictions on believers other faiths, were repealed. By 1835, were open to all faiths. It remained illegal for citizens to convert away from Petrinism until 1857 with the passage of the. The 19th century also saw the arrival of, which has steady increased in Ostboland to this very day. In 1993, the Church of Ostboland was officially disestablished.

As of 2015, 61% of the population belonged to the Church of Ostboland, far lower than the 93% in 1905. Only about 2-5% of the church member's attend weekly services. However, a recent revival in the church has lead to an uptick in the number of and  officiated in the church. Of the 39% of the rest of the population, the vast majority identify as "Irreligious". About 5% of the population identify with another Christian sect, the most popular being churches belonging to the Marian Communion. Finally, about 2-3% of the population belong to non-Christian faiths.

Education
State education is compulsory in Ostboland for those between the ages of 7 and 16. All newborn children are guaranteed spaces in a public (forskola). The Ministry of Education is responsible for the oversight of independent and public schools, but local counties and municipalities have special funds for the maintenance of school buildings and buses. All primary and secondary schools are funded by a system of education (kupong), granting the same amount per child. Ostboland's network of are funded by tuition fees and scholarship funds. Anyone can establish an independent charter school, and the municipalities must pay new schools the same amount. School meals, including breakfast or lunch, are free for all.

Those wishing to further their education apply to upper (ages 16-19), preparing students for one of the three tracks in Ostboland's higher education system:, , or. Through aptitude and placement exams, students automatically qualify for the school they are placed into. This classification is considered quite fluid, as students may retake the exams. (Handelsskola) prepare students for manual or practical professions and require three years of study. (Polytekniska) schools encompass professions requiring more rigorous background education; a degree requires anywhere between 3-6 years of education. the most prestigious and cover the, , and research fields. University and Polytechnic schools accept cross-over professions like and, though certain technical schools have emerged specifically for such fields. Higher education is free for Ostboland citizens, funded by the government.

The Ostben is approximately 98.7%, with over 35% of the adult population holding some form of  or higher.

Health
Ostboland has a system financed by a system of compulsory. Ostben residents are automatically insured by a basic government plan (Socialtjänstplan or '['STP'[') that covers s or semi-permanent hospitalizations. Citizens choose their own private insurance plans (hälsoplan) for short term medical treatments and care. have to offer a universal package, regardless of age or state of health – and it is illegal to refuse an application or impose special conditions. However, the government partially pays the of those with. Affordability is guaranteed through a system of. Other smaller sources of funding include payments, employer contributions, and. In 2018, Ostboland spent 10.1% of its on health care. average about 525 ₭r per month (about $100) with a yearly of 3000 ₭r ($571).

The Ministry of Health is responsible for administering the healthcare system and regulating the structure of hospitals and providers. Local general hospitals (Allmänna sjukhuset) may be charitable, not-for profit, or publicly run by local governments. In addition to local hospitals, there are also, specialized medical centers which focus on the treatment of select illnesses. One example is the Erquist-Javenson Institute of Oncology, Ostboland's leading medical facility in the study and treatment of. There are approximately 3.95 doctors per 1,000 people.

The average in Ostboland is 79.5 years (75.6 years for men and 81.4 years for women). In 2017 the rate was 2.5 per 1,000 live births. Chronic diseases like, , and are among the most endemic conditions. Ostbans are considered healthy for the region, but are though to drink at rates slightly higher than local averages. Ostboland has low levels of as measured by  and toxic. By one environmental assesement, the amount of toxic particulates in the and water is far lower than most. This is largely seen as a result of a reliance on cleaner energy, tough, and a high level of environmental consciousness among citizens.