Iere

Iere (Land of the Hummingbird), also known as the Hummingbird Isles is a Parliamentary Commonwealth Republic located on a chain of islands off the coast of Eastern Liao. Home to a population of just 16,313,220 million is among the world's smallest states by population and area. The nation has a long history of colonization and immigration that has led to it being a very culturally diverse nation and some dare say it is the most Cosmopolitan Place in the world owing to the fact cultural segregation has not been allowed to thrive. Following a doctrine of Pacifism and Neutrality the Nation posses no Military but instead maintains a small SDF force responsible for protecting the Sovereignty of the nation from outside forces however there are several Samotkhe military installments located in the Country. Due in part to Iere's complicated political status Samotkhe is responsible for Iere's defense.

Despite the economy rebounding from the recent recession and the inflation crisis 5% of the population is still unemployed, Crime is becoming more of a issue though still relatively low, rising wealth inequality has led to a increase of the percent of the population living below the poverty line and overall economic growth has managed to see a full head recory starting in the second quarter of 2020.

Politics
Until the recent election the two dominant parties were the United Congress (UC) and the People Prosperity Union(PPU) support for these parties appears to fall along Ethnic and Provincial lines, with the UC consistently playing along ethnic lines in the Zair and the Far Northern states to gain enough seats to maintain a near strangle hold on the Government, and the PPU using a similar tactic in the Southern Provinces only managing to gain power by chipping away at votes in Buel and Bihar. The country previously possessed a first past the pole system and was in constant gridlock as the two major parties did not share much viewpoint and seemed content to just block the other all this was to come to a end when the Coalition for Change (CC) a united Coalition of many important small parties and the Harmony Party united to challenge the two ruling parties control of the government. By relying on the vote of many young voters and independent voters the coalition won a sweeping 65% of the 120 seats up for grabs winning more than enough to pass laws and change the constitution the win was in part due to the major Urban areas rebelling against their parties for the economic turmoil that ravaged the country.

On January the 17th of 2017 the parties first term in government a referendum was held to get the people's opinion on whether the electoral system should be changed to a proportional representation system. With a huge 75% of those who participated voting in favor of the Electoral Changes the following year with the people's mandate the government peacefully transitioned to the proportional representation system in 2022 the first National election under the new system will be held.

Administrative Divisions
Administrative Divisions of Iere Iere is divided into eight administrative divisions that are controlled by a central government, with significant levels of autonomy though the central government has the ability to intervene in any matter that Provinces are given control over. The HummingBird Isles Governing Act first enacted in 1870 by the Imperial Government led to the creation of the eight provinces that now make up Iere. The Act is the fundamental base upon which Iere's current post-1967 government was form at the time of it inception Iere in its entirety was considered to be a Province of Samotkhe so the the eight provinces simply functioned as lower level divisions of the Province known as a counties. The Act was amended in 1967 to make it that each state would each have two senators representing them with Andor, Buel and Zair having three senators each a additional 6 senators are independently selected and selected on the basis that they remain neutral and only seek out the best interest for Ierian on a whole previously Iere. Due to the more recent developments amendments were made to to the HummingBird Isles Governing Act Iere transitioned from what was becoming a highly toxic first past the poll system to a proportional representation system with each party now receiving seats based on the number of votes they received this has led to a interesting situation in which more minority fringe parties have gained more say in government the amendment to allowed a clause that allows smaller provinces to not be disenfranchised by making it that a person's vote in said province to be worth 2 votes.

Demographics
Iere is a highly urbanized society of 16,313,220 people. The country is currently believed to be in Stage 4 of the demographer transition model which has heavily influenced Iere's interesting immigration policy. Iere posseses the highest life Expectancy in Anterra indicative of the nation's strong health sector and sound social services.

Iere is ethnically comprised of groups from Central Avalonia, North Avalonia, South and East Kesh the unique blend of cultures and people have created what is arguably the Most Cosmopolitan Place in Anterra if not Avalonia. Officially Iere recognizes 19+ ethnic groups with the system being fairly complex with some ethnic groups based on region of origin and some based on names based on exonyms and endonyms.

Some Demographers and Urban Planners have come to say that Iere is arguably a city-state with how more than 85% of the population is concentrated into three Large Metropolitan areas Buel, Zair and Andor. These three Metros or Cities due to the high almost seamless level of connectivity between each other and Iere's two other Metros share many charateristics of a single unified city.

Ethnicity
The people of Iere is representative of a long history of immigration and testament to the SSE that spanned three continents Iere's role within it as well as its successor state and its policies after separating from the rule of Samotkhe. Iere is Majority-minority country with the historic inhabitants generally called Native Ierians now making up 33% (5,383,288) of the Archipelago's population. Many intellectuals have however pointed out the number of racially Native Ierians may be higher or lower depending on how it is viewed as Iere's ethnicities are in a large part based on self identification tied to culture rather than the idea of race which is further complicated by some groups identification being based on country of origin one example being South Keshian. This is to extent that there is no concrete data on the exact racial makeup of Iere however some estimates have placed the Native Ierian Population at 41-51% of the Archipelago's population and Mixed Ierian sometimes also called Mixed Race (which is in part due to the larger prominence of mixed raced children of non-native Ierian ancestry) at 20-25% of the Archipelago's population. Estimates vary widely one demographer once said the reason for this is in part how much of what genes should determine which race a person belongs for the time being the exact numbers will never be known due to the complexity and social impacts this can have on Ierian society just know at the end of the day regardless of gender, race, religion, culture those who call these islands home are Ierians.

It is estimated 4,730,000 Native Ierians live outside of Iere which is a estimate 47% of all Native Ierians in the world. The actual figure is not known as this is but one estimate and the figures used to make the calculations have aren't solid as the Native Ierian population figure used for Iere is based is based on the census which has its own problems and the figure used for the population that lives in Badzevalari unknown as the government of the country recognizes only one ethnic group Badzevalari which is everyone in the country regardless of ancestry. So using historic information recorded on birth rates among other factors in Badzevalari and historic migration of Native Ierians from Iere to Badzevalari the estimate of Native Ierians living in the country is 400,000. The estimated total population of Native Ierians in the world 10,113,288 with a wide margin of error with some saying it as much as 20% bigger while other say it is much smaller.

Iere's second and third largest Ethnic groups in order are Samots and Seratofians (jokingly referred to as Seratofian original flavor in Iere) respectively making up 17% and 16% of Iere's population. These two groups have quite arguably the least dramatic history as far as it comes to there presence in Iere with their population seeing some fluctuation over the course of time starting from Iere's complete "admission" to the SSE only fully stabilizing at the in the late 19th century growing to their present respective population shares.

Tillishians make up the Iere's fifth largest ethnic group, with 4% of Iere population. Iere has had a very small Tillish mostly members of the upperclass until 1937 the beginning of the Tillish Genocide Iere at the time was able to prevent the Genocide from occurring in Iere largely due to its limited self autonomy at the time and most of Iere's population sympathizing with the Tillish thereby leading to becoming one of the few territories of Samotkhe with the capabilities to become a Tillish Safe Haven with the Tillish culture being greatly preserved. Iere's large geographic distance from Samotkhe also prevented it from being impacted by the dangerous ideologies that affected Samotkhe that fueled the actions that lead to the genocide historians have also pointed out to this moment in history leading to Iere's current situation where it offers asylum to many and its immigration policies. Lusjki/ans are Iere's sixth largest Ethnic group at 3% of the population most have found their way to Iere during the economic boom of Iere that started in 1950 fleeing extreme poverty and hardships in their homeland to date many of Iere's recent immigrants are of Lusjki stock seeing that the economically deprived country is still united with Iere through the commonwealth and the ease at which Lusjki/ans can obtain citizenship with the diaspora in Iere also helping fund migrants in most cases family members ability to travel to Iere. Iere has recognized that it has moral obligation to help Luskji stand on its own and uplift the people of the country out of poverty as such many economic and social policies are being funded by Iere.

Iere's seventh largest (technically the eight if the demographic who responded as Other is viewed as a ethnic group), South Keshian which comprised of the ethnicities which originated from South Kesh. This ethnic group is actually like others in Iere is made up of many other distinct ethnic groups so it is not expected for people of South Keshian origin to have widely different cultural practices. The first South Keshian migrants were poor laborers who came to Iere in the in the late 19th century the result of a labor shortage plaguing Iere's agricultural sector as as local moved towards higher paying sectors or migrated to Samotkhe and Seratof to pursue jobs in the factories of the Empire. A second wave of South Keshians to Iere began with when South Kesh feel to a apartheid political movement. Iere already home to many South Keshians at the time had welcomed the refugees who managed to find their way to Iere.

Immigration
Iere arguably has one of the most liberal immigration policies in Avalonia potentially the world in stark contrast to its neighbors which has greatly fed into Iere's multiculturality with the country experiencing a net migration of approximately 65,252 people annually.

Iere grants former SSE states citizens the ability to claim Ierian citizenship without any extra requirements for example residency being required as long as proper identification is provided dual citizenship is encouraged for some of these countries.

Citizens of countries to which Iere has historical and cultural ties known as Special Status Countries (SSC) examples being Kodeshia, Arbenz and Tavaluda have the ability to claim Ierian citizenship after two months of residency in Iere, proper identification documents, if above the age of eighteen a secondary school diploma or its equivalent and no criminal record in country of origin that is recognized as being criminal in Iere if there is a criminal record (anything classified as not destruction of human life by Ierian Law) the applicant is required to serve six months of service to the Ierian government.

Citizens of other countries to claim citizenship must be a permanent resident, have lived in Iere for two out of the last 3 years, paid taxes, pass a citizenship test and prove their language skills must be at the level of a ten year old and is above the age of eighteen a secondary school diploma or its equivalent is mandatory. No criminal record in country of origin that is recognized as being criminal activity in Iere if there is a criminal record (anything classified as not destruction of human life by Ierian Law) the applicant is required to serve ten months of service to the Ierian government and report to a designated police station once a month.

Iere also offers near immediate asylum to refugees and grants them the ability to claim citizenship under the same requirement as SSC countries where they do not possess identification documents they are required to serve one year of service to the Ierian government and report to a immigration official twice each month for three years. Iere defines refugees as "persons who have fled their country because their lives, safety or freedom have been threatened by generalized violence, foreign aggression, internal conflicts, massive violation of human rights or other circumstances which have seriously disturbed public order".

All new citizens are required to swear an oath of loyalty not to Iere but Samotkhe in line with Iere's commonwealth Status and a carry over from Iere's history and dedication to the crown the swearing of the oath also reinforces the fact that Iere is very much apart of Samotkhe even though it for all intents and purposes it is an independent state.

Despite its Liberal approach to immigration Iere is suffering from a identity crisis as society reached a crossroad on what Iere's society wants to become to maintain its shining beacon of hope that opens it arms to those seeking better lives or to close its door to the world and step back into the shadow as weary voices say Iere needs to be more conservative with its immigration policy.

Demographic Transition


The country is in stage 4 of the Demographics Transition model but many believe the Iere is expected to be within this stage for a long time to come due to immigration with immigrants from Central Avalonia making up the largest share and the county's fertility rate which hovers around 2.06. Iere is not expected to see any decline in population for years to come with many predicting that Iere' population may reach 18 million at the least before beginning a steady decline.

Iere's Population pyramid illustrates a interesting story about the nation's immigration and the events history has had on it. Of which many bumps and changes are attributed to large scale immigration into Iere results of policies enacted by the Governments of the time and regional crises one example being the Arbenzan Civil War. Other than migration into Iere signs of immigration out of it is greatly shown of which reconstruction efforts in Samotkhe and predominantly native Ierian migration to other SSE territories drew down on the largest share of outbound migrants.

Many Prominent Demographers have estimated that Iere experienced a estimated loss within the middle estimate of 4.4 million people population growth which would of made Iere's population 20.7 million instead of it current 16.3 million people if the rate of inbound inbound immigrants to Iere and other factors were to remain the same.

Urbanization
Urbanization is Iere has maintained constant growth throughout most of the 20th century after 1929 with most choosing to live in 1 of the five Metropolitan Areas that are the economic engines of the country. Iere's metropolises are the results of Iere's great city-states even when Iere started deepening ties with the SSE and consolidated more of the powers of the city-states into the central government they still maintained a level of autonomy that allowed them each to choose their own paths of development aided by Iere's government. Their paths followed by many other socioeconomic factors has allowed these cities to be densely populated.

The Buel, Andor and Zair metropolitan Areas houses 85.73% of Iere's entire population of that percent Buel is by far the largest Metro area with 37.21 percent of the Iere's population which is approximately 6.07 million people. Zair and Buel are far behind with Zair having 26.5% of the population approximately 4.3 million people and Buel 22.02% of the population approximately 3.6milliom people. As of the last official city ranking (note Iere defines it's cities in two manners metropolitan cities and city proper) the city of Buel is the largest city in Iere followed closely by Zair at second, Andor at third and the city of Cipertine at fourth. Geographically speaking most Ierians live in northern Iere which includes the metropolitan areas of Zair, Buel and Kudo.

With a total urban population of 89.45% Iere is among the world's most Urbanized countries with most people in Iere especially Urban planners see this as a good thing with most people living within Urban Areas the provision of services in a country like Iere it far much easier some economist say it also allows Iere to have a much more integrated economy due in part to the vast majority of its citizens socializing with each other.

The nature of Iere's high density urban areas makes it easier to insure that Iere's natural environment remains one of the best worldwide as it allows Iere to better allocate resources and create a much more sustainable eco-friendly urban environment.

Economy
Iere’s economy has achieved a high ranking among the world's smallest countries greatly due to its highly diversified economic portfolio of note the largest industries are Tourism, Financial Services, Petroleum and Manufacturing are important to the local economy. Iere though unable to meet all of its food needs is among the highest per capita food and agricultural exporters.

Although one would assume the Mineral exports would contribute to the largest share of Iere's GDP this is far from the truth once the mainstay of pre 1970 Iere's economy the sector has seen a gradual decline in share of contribution to GDP. Iere imports all of its oil and gas which it then refines to products needed by the economy from fuel to useful parts for many machines.

The current Administration only recently fully legalized all natural psychedelic plants and their derivatives a move long predicted with Iere signing on to the CAPSA treaty and one can't forget the historic moment 7 years ago when in a referendum held alongside provincial elections Ierians voted to decriminalize it and for the government to work on a framework to regulate it before fully legalizing the sector. Interestingly enough before the referendum Drug companies were allowed to use the plants that were then considered illegal drugs to develop medicines with no legal consequences. It is this exception that allowed Iere to develop a modest at the time Pharmaceuticals Sector nowadays the industry has been seeing year on year growth due in part to the opening of new Markets and proper regulations to operate under it also helps that Iere has in sense created a stable environment for the sector. The Ierian economy isn’t dominated by any one major city/urban area instead three different economic hubs are prominent in the Country all three working together in a deep symbiotic relationship. The Capital city of Buel in the west where the HeadQuarters of most International and Local Businesses that have branches in Iere are located. Buel is also the location of the largest Stock Exchange in Iere and quite possibly all of Central Avalonia with the Buel Stock Exchange (B.S.E) listing companies from Baileneu Ma, The Commonwealth Memberstates, Ecoseas and many other countries.

Andor in the south the tourism hub of the nation. Andor has one of the largest Casinos in the World the Grand Paradise Casino, the city is home to quite a number of Casinos many geared towards foreigners. Andor is also the fashion capital of Iere and quite possibly all of Central Avalonia the Andor Metropolitan area alone produces ##tons of clothing regular Fashion Shows are hosted weekly in Andor with all manner of styles most designed to be pleasing while easy on the wallet.

Zair in the northeast the industrial hub. Zair is where most of Iere's heavy industries are located however as time has passed this reliance on heavy industries has declined with the emergence of new competitors on the market from LDCs. However this decline has been meet with investments into industries higher up the value chain with Ship Building, Semiconductors, Renewable energy products to name a few. Zair was hit the most by the financial crisis with a significant portion of the population becoming unemployed however due to many government initiatives it is quickly making a rebound.

The 2015 Financial Crisis and accompanying Recession essentially wiped out 4.5% of Iere's economy between the period 11th March 2015 and 21st January 2017. The Crisis nicknamed the Great Unknown due to the factors that actually caused the Crisis being still Unknown. The Crisis and Recession resulted in Iere suffering from a high unemployment rate coming down to the last days of the event, hyperinflation and slow economic growth two years after the recession had officially ended. Iere's economy is on track for record growth for 2020 due in part to the many initiatives the government signed unto during after the recession of note is the CAPSA Treaty, the modernization of staple Ierian Industries and the various trade initiatives launched and encouraged by the government.

Mining
Copper mining in Iere, has been a major industry since the 19th century. In 2017 Iere was producing 750 thousand metric tons of copper, worth a record $XX billion. Iere's copper production was X % of the total global supply. Copper mining also produces gold and silver as byproducts. Byproduct molybdenum from copper mining gives Iere additional economic benefits. Copper in Iere is used mainly in construction (10%) and electric equipment (69%). In 2014, the nation produced 74% of the copper it used, relying on imports from other for the remaining 26%. A number of byproducts are recovered from Ierian copper mining. In 2017, Ierian copper mining produced XX metric tons of molybdenum, worth about $XX million. In 2018, copper mining produced about X metric tons of gold, worth $XX million, which represented 77% of silver production. Other byproducts of the copper extraction process included gold, and minor amounts of rhenium and platinum-group metals. Sulfuric acid is recovered at copper smelters. Iere's mining industry due to strict laws have been forced into maintaining one of the highest level of efficiency and integration in the world due to government incentives and aid though hit hard by environmentalalist laws the sector is healthy and flourishing. Iere focuses on producing high value quality products for the international market from electronics, electrical wiring, anti-microbial and anti-microbial products and many other industrial goods. One of Iere's prized alloys and works of art depending on who you ask is Shakudō (赤銅) is a Japanese billon of gold and copper (typically 4–10% gold, 96–90% copper), one of the irogane class of colored metals, which can be treated to develop a black, or sometimes indigo, patina, resembling lacquer. Unpatinated shakudō visually resembles bronze; the dark color is induced by the niiro artificial patination process, involving boiling in a solution, generally including rokushō. This alloy is used in many luxury products Iere produces.

Tourism
Tourism in Iere is one of the major industries and contributor to the economy of Iere. In 2019, Iere received roughly 9.8 million international visitors of which 2.1 million where Cruise Ship Visitors. Iere mostly gets a large share of its tourist arrivals from Samotkhe followed by Seratof and a number of Artemian countries with Avalonian and Kesh tourist making up the rest. The sector though heavily focused on Andor is more spread out across Iere than other most other sectors due in part due to Iere not focusing on soley one tourist product. The Tourism sector is mostly focused on Ecotourism, the classic three S, Health tourism, Cultural tourism, Gambling and Sex Tourism. The Nations boosts vast swathes of land teeming with wildlife.

Iere is home to one the largest collections of artifacts and historical texts related to the SSE and the Dynasty most of which was saved during what was called the Kokhabia era and the huge societal turmoil Samotkhe was engulfed in. These artifacts are store in Iere's Grand Museum alongside Artifacts from Iere pre SSE monarchy and civilization. Iere is also home to many ancient ruins remenants of Iere's Pre SSE civilization and as well as still prestine native architecture that are still in use and in good condition. A walk down Old Andor and you would stumble upon the Iere Palace once the seat of Iere's monarchy surrounding it is Moria Plaza a beautiful ancient garden that has long been the property of the public.

Iere is also host to a large array of cultural activities of which its festivals are likely the most widely known one the biggest is the Grand Walk or by its other name the Grand Parades is the largest Carnival/Parade/Show in the world, where hundreds of thousands of Ierians and foriegners dress up in splendid costumes and hold grand parades across the the Archipelago over the course of three days that end in large parties. The first day is dedicated to Parades for children it sometimes called the cutest show on the planet and to some the most colorful. During the festival Iere's entire police force with assistance from other services are out in full force to protect the lives of all particpants, drunken brawls are at times know to break out during the final day of the festival though largely harmless with few serious results. There are many other festivals from the Run of the Heart, the Chocolate Fair, Iere's yearly Floral Expo, SteelPan Show, Food Day and more.

The nation has many sites to behold and its greatest natural treasure is Heaven's Reef one of the world’s largest barrier reef located on the east coast of the largest island, Zenith Cloud forest. the Great Sea Plain a large sea grass field, the limestone caves of Oooh, Coru Rainforest and many other sites.

Manufacturing
The Manufacturing Sector in Iere has over the past decade have been through tough times and only over the past couple of years has the industry scene a rapid rebound though not seeing immediate effects on the country's GDP growth rate, in the early years due to some factors outside of Iere's complete control some of which was more or less facilitated by more competition in Iere's traditional markets (Samotkhe and Seratof), the country's shedding of low value manufacturing and some critics claim Iere's stringent environmental laws had a significant impact. However Iere has managed to successfully revitalize the sector with access to newer markets the results of new trade deals, the CAPSA treaty which strenghtened the Pharmacuetical sector, the full implementization of a new business friendly policies for agriculture and the government greatly reducing electricity prices to lower input prices the manufacturing sector was also aided by early Ierian investments to high value manufacturing that has only recently started to bear fruit.

Iere has a fairly large industrial capacity for its size and is home to both home grown and foreign producers of cosmetics, perfumes, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, semiconductors, chemical substances, medicines, solar panels, parts for wind turbines, pharmacuetical drugs, recreational drugs, electronics, jewellery, fuel, toys and processed foods. Iere's industrial sector makes up approximately 27.5% of its GDP.

Zair remains Iere's manufacturing hub and is home to 65% of the country's manufacturing. Though it has been through brief a period of deindustrialization it has come back better than ever while fully prepared for a more globalized economy and more service and high value oriented world.

Iere takes immense pride in its Pharmacueticals Sector of which more than 50% of the the companies are truly Ierian and have contributed immensely to healthcare locally and internationaly.

Agriculture
Agriculture has for most of Iere's history has played a integral role in it is economic prosperity and development and has continued to remain so even though the sector has seen a steady decline in its share of exports and in terms of employment it has continued to remain vibrant and continues to grow annually in value even if at a smaller pace than other sectors. As with modernization Iere's agricultural sector has changed a lot interestingly enough Flowers have become one of Iere's largest agricultural exports.

Though Iere's farmland once guaranteed that it was self-sufficient when it came to placing food on its table, and it is still a significant agricultural goods exporter to the Fatherlands and many other countries. Though no longer in its glory days agricultural products still makeup a significant share of Iere's export. Corruption, Government neglect and the country's incredibly stringent environmental laws has led to swathes of highly productive land that was once under cultivation being returned to nature or in some cases being turned into industrial and residential areas and the country becoming reliant on food imports to meet some of its needs. However Ierian agricultural productivity continues to climb as new technologies are implemented and a focus on improving yields are maintained interestingly enough the stringent environmental laws that hurts agriculture on one hand helps it on the other the laws have to Iere being a major player in organically grown produce and focusing more on crops that won't degrade environment at a unsustainable level. In some areas where people once clear cut the hillsides for growing crops not suited for the area people have turned to much more sustainable agroforestry this has greatly reduced soil erosion and movement, and flash flood in those areas as well as helped in water retention in the soil this is more important in southern Iere where the dry season can at times be harsh and the rainy season a problem with a couple storms hitting Iere.

Iere has also brought to the world many various high quality agricultural products the esteemed Zenith Coffee (Blue Mountain Coffee) only grown on the slopes of Mount Zenith the only place in the world with the right microclimate and soil conditions to nurture this coffee and give its unique flavor. The Imperial Cocoa (Trinitario Cocoa) is a hybrid cocoa that was believed to be the result of natural hybridization that created the new species Iere has maintained a strangle hold on the the plants genetic material with Iere possessing a seedbank in which more than 100 varieties are recorded with only Arbenz and Badzevala being the only two main countries to be growing more than five varieties of the Cocoa. Iere has also brought the world the Buffalypso and many varieties of hot peppers the most notable being the Scorpion pepper.

Iere still is able to meet 3/5 of its food needs and exports large amounts of seafood, rice, hot peppers, fruits, lumber, high quality chocolate and coffee. Iere's seafood exports comprise mainly of Tuna, Lobster, Crab, Clams and Herring with some other species accounting for the rest. Poultry, Pigs, Goat, Sheep and Cattle are mostly grown for local consumption with some products made from them being also exported for example Paradise Goat Cheese. Iere imports a wide range of agricultural goods mostly wheat and temperate crops. What agricultural products Iere needs it imports from BM, Arbenz and its Commonwealth family.

Financial Services
One of Iere's most important economic sector lies in its role as major financial hub in Avalonia and the wider global economy. The Country's securities industry, accounting for XXXX jobs in 2018, continues to form the largest segment of its financial sector and an important economic engine. This high earning industry contributes significantly to the general economy of Iere, with 1 in XX jobs being associated with the industry, and an estimated two jobs created per one job created in the industry. Many large financial companies have regional HQs in Iere, and the country is also home to a growing number of financial startup companies.

Iere's capital Buel is home to the Buel Stock Exchange, at 165 Gardenway, representing one of the largest stock exchanges in Avalonia, when measured both by overall average daily trading volume and by total market capitalization of its listed companies. Investment banking fees in Iere totaled approximately XX billion in 2018. Iere remains one of the largest global centers for trading in public equity and debt capital markets, driven in part by the size and financial development of the Samotkhe economy and many other nations with which Iere has established relations. Iere is also a regional leader in hedge fund management; private equity; and the monetary volume of mergers and acquisitions. Several investment banks and investment managers headquartered in the country are important participants in other global financial centers. Some of the largest commercial and investment banks in the world have HQs regional or otherwise in Iere benefiting from its business friendly environment.

Technology
The Tech sector has been the most recent benefactor of government policies with the most major development being the complete removal of all taxes on electronic manufacturers and cuts to Iere's taxes on Eservice providers from game developers to social media companies based in Iere. Iere in this sector has developed a pattern where Iere's metropolises have specialized into different markets with Buel more focused on programming, biotech and online financial services, Zair manufacturing semiconductors, robots and Andor geared towards online entertainment, online gambling of note home to Greenbird's HQ.

The crown jewel of Iere's push to bring a major tech hub is New Iere Science Park a Industrial and Office complex which finished construction two years ago after two decades in controversy and going a estimated 120million above budget. The Park is geared towards many sectors of which key ones are bioengineering, biotechnology, robotics and programming. The New Iere Science Park is also home to the state of the art Iron Bird University which finished construction 3 years ago. The university is geared towards providing internationally recognized degrees in the computer sciences, robotics, engineering and video game design. Already the Complex has started to show serious promise with many young designers who have enrolled in video game development, developing games that are gaining popularity worldwide. The university also has one of the best faculties when it comes to the development of psychedelic drugs and research medicines derived from natural products.

Iere is by no means new to many technological sectors it has long held a relatively good piece of the especially in the e-services, video games and semiconductors sectors. Iere is home to GreenBird one of the world's largest digital library home to fanfics and original content both novels and comics, Digital Adventures a large video game producer who has brought the world four well known rpg franchises Dragons Age of Equestria, Final Crystal, Farm Town and Digifriends.

Trade
Iere is one of the most trade dependent countries in the world lacking a large population and not having access to a multitude of resources within its borders, the Ierian economy has had to turn outwards to the wider world to facilitate robust economic growth and provide for its citizens all the good and services they desire. Iere's Trade dependency ratio is amongst the highest in the world a testament to how much the Ierian economy is globalized and dependent on trade. Iere exports goods and services valued at approximately 69% of GDP and imports goods and services valued at approximately 63.4% of GDP. Overall total trade (external trade rate) import and export of goods and services account for approximate 132.4% of GDP which quickly places Iere as having one of the highest trade to GDP ratios in the world. Exports of goods is valued at $322.92 billion dollars while import of goods is valued at $346.164 billion dollars. Exports of services is valued at $215.28 billion dollars while import of services is valued at $148.356 billion dollars. The Ierian economy though healthy and has been seeing growth government policies particularly in taxation, as well as high prices in many goods has led to the nations PPP being lower than its Nominal GDP leading to the country being one of the few countries with this occurrence. When data was collected for the end of last year's fourth quarter Iere had a overall trade surplus at a estimated $43.68 billion the estimated surpus for this financial year is anywhere between $30 and $41 billion. Iere's largest trading partners who account for over 66.7% of Iere's trade are Samotkhe, Seratof, Arbenz, Baileneu Ma, Badzevalari, AVI, Ossora, Brigantica, Tavaluda, Albattera, New Valentina, Embrea, Jungastia and South Kesh. The remainder of Iere's trade is conducted with the rest of Anterra.



Geography
Iere is a Archipelago Country comprised of 164 islands in East Avalonia located South of Brigantica, and East and North of the Confederate States of Northern Avalonia. The main island is characterized by the Cirris Mountain range which divides the island into fives zones. The Buel-Andor Plain on the western coast is where the majority of the island's flat land is concentrated as such it has naturally become the breadbasket of the country. ne is he with east being more dominated by hilly terrain. The largest share of Iere's population reside on the west coast (Andor-Buel Plain) on the main island a significant share of the of the population live on the east coast.

There are many mountain peaks over 1000 feet, the highest being Mount Andor at 1622m tall, followed by Mount Zenith at 1589. Iere as it located not far from a active plate boundary experiences earthquakes commonly with few being highly destructive the most recent destructive earthquake being in 1969 which had led to the death of 300 people and 100,000 people becoming homeless due to extensive damages to and loss of homes. There are also many active submarine volcanoes within Iere's Exclusive Economic Zones.

Iere contains six terrestrial ecoregions: the Amitami Subtropical evergreen forest, Sea of Iere Islands, Andor Savannah, Buel Subtropical forest, Zair Subtropical rainforests and Cirris subtropical evergreen forests.[141] The archipelago is heavily forested and home to a diverse range of wildlife, with the land around the large settlements being intensively used and lacking natural vegetation. The country had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 9.54/10, ranking it 76th globally out of 172 countries

Climate
Iere lies on the Tropic of Cancer, and its general climate is marine tropical. The Northern islands and the north and central regions(of the main island) experiences a subtropical climate whereas the south with the majority of the Southern islands experience a tropical savanna climate with some isolate areas having tropical rainforest and monsoon climates. Some of the mountains in the north experience temperate conditions at their higher elevations The average rainfall is 2,600 millimetres (100 inches) per year for the archipelago proper the rainy season is concurrent with the onset of the summer  Monsoon in May and June. The entire island experiences hot, humid weather from June through September. Typhoons are common in July, August and September. During the winter (November to March), the northeast experiences steady rain, while the central and southern parts of the archipelago are mostly sunny

Biodiversity
Iere lies on the continental shelf of Avalonia, a million years ago it was physically connected to the mainland, its biological diversity is quite high has much in common with that of the Confederate States Of North Avalonia but it has developed a much more diverse ecosystem. Iere becoming disconnected from the Mainland has allowed it to become in essence is time capsule for species that have long gone extinct on the mainland while also giving rise to entirely new species. The main ecosystems are: coastal and marine (coral reefs, mangrove swamps, open ocean and seagrass beds); forest ( temperate rain-forest, subtropical decidious forest, seasonal tropical forest, tropical rain-forest); freshwater (rivers and streams); karst; man-made ecosystems (agricultural land, secondary forest); and savanna. On January the 17th 1985, Iere signed into law the Biological Diversity Act, and it has implemented several biodiversity action plans and every three years reports describing the state of country's biodiversity. These reports help protect the the biodiversity of the archipelago which has been recognized by law as being important to the well-being of the country's people through provision of ecosystem services.

Information about vertebrates is good, with 633 bird species (96 endemics), about 110 mammals, about 123 reptiles (20 endemics), about 69 amphibians (including several endemics), 90 freshwater fish and at least 950 marine fish 1040. Notable mammal species include the ocelot, West Indian manatee,red-rumped agouti, red brocket deer, Neotropical river otter, weeper capuchin, ringed-tail lemur and red howler monkey; there are also some 30 species of bat, including the vampire bat and fringe-lipped bat. The larger reptiles present include 6 species of marine turtles known to nest on the islands' beaches, the Boa constrictor and the spectacled caiman. There are at least 20 species of snakes, including only four dangerous venomous species, lizards such as the green iguana, the cryptic golden tegu and a few species of fresh water turtles and land tortoises are present. Of the amphibians, the golden tree frog is found only in the highest peaks of the Southern Samot Range and Marine life is abundant, with several species of sea urchin, coral, lobster, anemone, starfish, manta ray, dolphin, porpoise and whale shark present in Iere's waters. Iere is noted particularly for its large number of bird species, and is a excellent place for bird watchers. Notable species include the scarlet ibis, cocrico, egret, shiny cowbird, bananaquit, oilbird and various species of honeycreeper, trogon, toucan, parrot, tanager, woodpecker, antbird, kites, hawks, boobies, pelicans and vultures; there are also 50 species of hummingbird, including the tufted coquette which is the world's third smallest. Information about invertebrates is dispersed and very incomplete. About 650 butterflies, at least 672 beetles (from the Buel province alone)and 40 coral have been recorded.Other notable invertebrates include the cockroach, leaf-cutter ant and numerous species of mosquitoes, termites, spiders and tarantulas.

Although the list is far from complete, 2,447 species of fungi, including lichens, have been recorded. The true total number of fungi is likely to be far higher, given the generally accepted estimate that only a small percent of all fungi worldwide have so far been discovered. A first effort to estimate the number of endemic fungi tentatively listed 407 species.

Information about micro-organisms is dispersed and very incomplete. Nearly 200 species of marine algae have been recorded. The true total number of micro-organism species must be much higher.

Thanks to a recently published checklist, plant diversity in Iere is well documented with about 3,300 species (409 endemic) recorded. Despite significant felling, forests still cover about 66% of the country, and there are about 750 different species of tree. A notable tree is the manchineel which isn't extremely poisonous to humans, and even just touching its sap can cause severe blistering of the skin; the tree is often covered with warning signs. four other notable trees are the Giant Silk Cotton tree, Formosan cypress, Camphor tree and the Cherry Blossom tree

Transport
Iere despite being a country fragmented on a geographical and demographic level has managed to develop a well well connected, sophisticated transport system despite its many challenges. Per million Iere's road density is 170 km of which only 60% of paved road are in good condition this is in part due to Iere's size and most of its population being mostly concentrated into five urban areas which has led to most being serviced by one of the other key transport sectors and not much focus being placed on developing Iere's road network. There is only depending on who you ask one or two highways in Iere the supposed two highways are actually one and it is mostly due to people's perception that it is divided into two. The Imperial Highway as it is officially called runs all the way from Zair to Buel where it finally ends in Oreborough east of Andor.

Railway
Iere nation boasts one the most modernized rail networks in the world befitting of a developed nation. Almost all major Urban Areas are connected by rail with the Esreau-Buel-Kudo route being serviced by four High Speed Bullet Trains. Currently there are plans to expand the route to service more areas though the area the route already services is large and there are plans to add a additional three Bullet trains. Iere's rail network has been and will continue to be a major gear in the ticking Ierian Economy since the start of Iere's history under the SSE and as such the entire network is run by one state owned company the Hummingbird Express. The Hummingbird Express has managed to remain one of Iere's most trusted, dependable and financially prosperous companies despite arguably being state owned.

Ports
Iere by virtue of being surrounded on all sides by water and by a archipelago divided by water by water has been by necessity developed a functioning maritime transportation sector. There are only four port of significance with the Zair Port being the largest in part due to the city and its surrounding area large industrial sector and the direct access to the open seas 30% of imports come through the port and 60% of exports of export by tonnage. Andor's Port receives 80 % of all cruise ships that visit Iere and surprisingly exports quite a significant share of Iere's agricultural goods in part due to its large catchment area and the City's thriving agroprocessing sector, the port is the third largest in Iere. Buel's and Werdna's ports also play significant roles in Iere's economy with Buel's Port being the second largest in terms of exports and imports by tonnage but the largest in exports of high value. The city of Werdna is not a far distance from Buel but but its port is only able to be relevant in part due to the Hydrocarbon sector which has many stages of the value chain located in the city and its port. The rest of Iere is serviced by smaller ports which essentially only cater for small cargo vessels with most goods first arriving in one of the four large ports where they are then shipped to the rest of Iere in smaller vessels

Ferry
Unlike Iere's railway network Iere's ferry service is primarily dominated by the private sector with some state/provincial ferry services also competing in the sector in part due to the realization that government funded ferry services are necessary for some areas are needed since there is little financial incentives for the private sector to enter those arenas. The Grand Coral Ferry is the largest and most profitable ferry service in Iere the company facilitating a large share of the market for transporting goods and people in three state/provinces these particular states being the most dependent on water travel.

Air
By air Iere is connected to far corners of the world but to a far greater extent the Commonwealth the country is a is an major aviation center for Avalonia and a stopover for trans-Lapetus flights. This in part the result of Iere's significant investments between the 50-70s in the aviation sector of note was the provincial government at time seeking investments and partnerships with Jungastia to gain the favor of its major airlines. Iere also possess Fifth freedom agreements with many Avalonian states as well as a countries just across the Lapetus. Iere's largest airport is in Buel due in part to its large market and it centrality. Unity Airport is the de facto hub of Ierian air travel though both Andor and Buel have international airports. Some areas are serviced by small airports that are mostly linked to one or more of the big three. Iere has one flag carrier Heaven's Air Also known as Paradise Air which has been doing well recently with the company expected to expand the routes it flies to other destinations.

Sports
Iere amongst the smallest populated states in the world has managed to develop a few competent sports teams that can more than take on internationals players. The most popular sports in Iere are Calcio Storico, Football, Sport Car Racing, Synchronized Swimming, Surfing and Triathlons. These Six sports are considered by many Ierians to be the most nationally respected forms of Athletic competition to the extent most young men are expected to participate in one out of the six competitions in their life most have however according to surveys mostly tried surfing, synchronized swimming and triathlons some citing their parents didn't want dead children or maimed children. The amount of deaths that once plagued the Calcio Storico sport had lead to a protest by the association of Mothers which had resulted in a law making it illegal for those under 22 to play the game.

Calcio Storico
Calcio fiorentino more popularly known also known as Calcio Storico historic football is considered by some as a more primitive yet tantalizingly brutal form early of football (soccer and rugby) that originated in the Empire of Cipertine a sovereign state located in Central East Avalonia. A widely played sport it is thought to have started in Cipertine city. Due in part to Lord Fiorentino who introduced the sport in Iere in the city of Andor during his five year visit to Iere visiting the the Trinitario Cocoa Estate, the Sapphire Mines of Kyogre and his attempt to find a ancient city. There approximately 10 Calcio Storico League operating in Iere of which the most popular local league is the Ierian Protective Services League comprising of teams representing all of Iere's protective Services. The league was born out of the result of the decision by the then Governor Moriarty in 1915 deciding that the game being implemented in to the training of Polices, Coast Guard and Army( now the Defense Force) to better encourage discipline and train the psychical body. After time the game was implemented into the other Ierian Protective Services and what became training eventually evolved into each force creating teams to compete against each other. The Game is also seen as the beginning of the Gender Ierian Gender Equality movement in the 1920's with the first all women team, first team to have women and first women's team to compete against men and first women's team to win a Calcio Storico league. The Team led by the Infamous Big Bertha and comprised mainly of women from the Defense force and quite a few psychically grueling sports is said to have steam rolled the competition making many men head home with broken limbs to be comforted by their mother.