Alva

The Free State of Alvakalia, (Teutonian: Freistaat Alvak) (Greek: ελεύθερη κατάσταση της Alvακ) (Hollansk: Vrije staat van Alvakalia) is a Federal Parliamentary Democracy located in Kesh, specifically in the northeastern part. It comprises of eight provinces and one special territory in a desert-like climate spanning (insert size here). With 41 million people inside its borders, three quarters of which live no more than 40km from the coast, the country itself is only somewhat of an influence in the affairs of Artemian countries. Its government also does not want to interfere with and distances itself from the politics of Keshitic countries.

Etymology
The name “Alvakalia” originates from the name of the largest bay on its coast, it being Alvak Bay. However, it may also be a corruption of a word from the now extinct native Juiji language “halvak”, meaning hills.

Early Greek city-states
In the early 700’s, Hellenic peoples settled down on what is now the coastal regions. These people built up small settlements, dotted around the area. However, the surrounding Arabic and Armenian tribes usually traded, scuttled with, or settled down in the settlements. For several centuries, it would stay that way until the age of colonialism came.

Teuton landings
Teutonic colonizers first set foot on what was then Attiri, now modern-day Attenberg, in 1870. The colony began when Wilhelm Potzdorf, an adventurer who founded the Society for Teuton Colonization, signed treaties with several leaders of the settlements in the area. On January 25th, 1871, the Teuton government announced that it had granted an imperial charter, which was then already approved by the Teuton king on January 2nd, 1871. The charter was granted to Wilhelm's company and was intended to establish a protectorate in the region. Wilhelm then recruited specialists who began exploring along the coast and further inland.

By 1874, the Teutons had established a fully-fledged colony, with no other than Wilhelm Potzdorf at its head as the governor. Officially called Teuton Alvaland, the borders were settled with the Alzhari, Armani, and Khodesh Treaties, establishing its western, southern, and eastern borders. However, the northern border lay unclear, as surveyors had not reached it due to a lack of supplies and an already existing border conflict with Lagoria.

Hellenic Revolt
In early 1877, the Hellenic Revolt, also known as the Greco-Arab Insurgency, occurred. In the past years, the Teutonian-majority local government continuously put out reforms that attempted to put down any Hellenic people living inside the borders. On the 8th of May, the infamous Camp Order (Teutonian: Lagerordnung) (Greek: Ταξινόμηση κατασκήνωσης) was passed, which stated that any people of Hellenic ancestry were to be sent to “reintegration camps” down south in the desert. Immediately after the bill was passed, riots popped up across the country. In the country’s capital, Alvastadt, a rogue jezail rifleman fired a shot at the crowd and promptly missed, which made the city militia who was on riot duty to in turn, fire their own shots into the crowd, mistakenly thinking the shot came from there. This sparked the revolt, which lasted for the next two years. To this day, historians still do not know who the rifleman was, or whom their allegiance was to.

Several notable battles happened during the revolt, such as the Battle of Baron, where in August of 1878, Hellenic forces, underequipped and undersupplied, managed to take a Colonial Teuton stronghold, albeit with moderate to heavy casualties, and capture supplies for themselves. Hellenic reinforcements arrived and held the stronghold for the remainder of the war. Another one is the Battle of Akatri Fields, where Colonial Alvak forces encircled and decimated two regiment’s worth of Hellenic and Arab forces. The last major battle of the revolt was the Defense of Alvastadt, where Alvak defenders successfully held off a surprise attack by Hellenic forces and Arab mercenaries while being outnumbered and unprepared. By then, all government officials were moved to Attenberg.

The revolt ended only months after the passing of the Emergency Order (Teutonian: Notfallbestellung) (Greek: Εντολή έκτακτης ανάγκης), which stated that the local government would request several Teuton divisions to put down the revolt. In May of 1878, the Teuton 171th Infanterie-Abteilung, 148th Infanterie-Abteilung, and the 204th Infanterie-Abteilung arrived at Attenberg. The Hellenic forces surrendered after the decisive Battle of Korinti Heights. The Arab forces, however, would take yet another month to finally lay down their arms at the Battle of Al Wazir Ridge. In total, at least 45,000 people died on both sides. The highest estimate puts it at more than 90,000 dead.

The Treaty of Alvastadt was signed on July 3rd, 1878 between Governor Potzdorf and the Hellenic insurgents. It assured that no further action would be attempted to diminish, destroy, expel, or relocate the Hellenic peoples of the area by the government. Also, the Hellenic peoples would have to become or stay loyal and pledge allegiance to the Teuton king.

Aftermath and new leadership
What followed after the revolt were several reforms, especially administrative ones. The Hellenic population calmed down quickly after Governor Potzdorf, to them, the instigator of the revolt, died of a stroke while attending a meeting on the 3rd of February, 1879. He was 57 at the time of his death. He was replaced by Oskar Stieglitz, one of the governor-candidates at the time.

Governor Stieglitz implemented more reforms, especially one that allowed Hellenic and Arab peoples to join the newly-founded Alvakischer Kolonialarmee. Another important reform was the Regional Parliament Order (Teutonian: Verordnung des Regionalbundestag) (Greek: Πράξη του Κοινοβουλίου) in 1886, which created the more advanced Alvakische Bundestag, a successor to the Teutonen-Alvakische Kolonialparlement.

Out of the Regional Parliament Order also came the reorganization of territory into the eight provinces and special territory. The nine created were:
 * Atten Province | Provinz Atten
 * Majority population: Teuton
 * Capital city: Attenberg
 * Victoria Province | Provinz Victoria
 * Majority population: Teuton
 * Capital city: Lubach
 * Alva Province | Provinz Alva
 * Majority population: Teuton
 * Capital city: Karlshelm
 * Karissa Province | Provinz Karissa
 * Majority population: Greek/Hellenic
 * Capital city: Astrafylios
 * Pyrgos Province | Provinz Pyrgos
 * Majority population: Greek/Hellenic
 * Capital city: Kyproi
 * Shoba Province | Provinz Shoba
 * Majority population: Arabic
 * Capital city: Hafir Al Duzem
 * Dulum Province | Provinz Dulum
 * Majority population: Arabic
 * Capital city: Al Duluma
 * Suder Province | Provinz Suder
 * Majority population: Teuton
 * Capital city: Desingen
 * Capital Territory | Hauptstadtgebiet
 * Majority population: Teuton/Hellenic
 * Capital city: Alvastadt

In the following years, the colony would start to separate itself from Teutonia. With Lagoria’s claim on Kush now expired and the expedition fully supplied, one last surveying run would be taken with the Border Expedition. The later Nord Treaty would be signed, finally formalizing the colony’s borders.

Road to Independence
In the following years, the colony would start to separate itself from Teutonia. At the turn of the century, relations between Teutonia and its colony were becoming tenser and tenser. However, on the 21st of December, 1899, the Teutonian government passed an order to allow Alvaland limited autonomy. It would come into effect on January 1st, 1900.

In the years between 1900 and 1915, several reforms were passed by the Bundestag that attempted to modernize the dominion and keep it up to date with the time. This included the expansion and upgrade of the then meagerly state railways that linked the coastal cities together, the establishment of a Research and Development facility for the Alvakischer Herrschaftarmee, and the approval and expansion of several cities.

By the start of the Grand Campaigns, the Dominion had a sizeable defence force of about 30,000 in active service, and 10,000 in reserve for a total of 40,000 in the army. It comprised of four divisions: 1. Alvakische Division, 2. Hellenische Division, 3. Arabische Division, and 4. Allgemeine Grenzwacht. The first three had participated in active service, and the fourth was for anyone willing to enlist in the reserve forces.

As was stated in the Conferences during the period of early colonization, the colonies would not be involved in any wars the colonizers were part of. However, the guidelines the conference stated were forgotten and Alvaland was pulled into the war in early 1919. Despite constant urges from Teutonia to send troops, Governor Stieglitz refused on the basis that there was a chance that an enemy fleet in the Eurybian Sea like the AyG navy was in their path. Instead, the troops moved towards the inner borders and prepared for a defence of Alvaland.

However, on the 24th of November, 1918, the Grubeck Conference, without the knowledge of the Teutons, was held between all government officials in Alvaland. Plans were made to declare independence from Teutonia and declare neutrality.

The Grubeck Plan went into action on the 25th of January, 1920. All communications from Teutonia to Alvaland was cut. A telegram was sent to Tiperyn stating that the Dominion had declared independence but was neutral in the war. All Teutonic merchant ships had their captains either turn back to Teutonia or take down their flag and replace it if they were loyal to the new Alvak state. Three military ships, the patrol boats Von Hippel and Teutonen, and the light cruiser Vereinigte switched from Teuton to Alvak while they were docked. Also, two airports, albeit both very basic, were seized along with 12 Teike M.18 biplanes. However, only one of the pilots remained. Any stragglers or any Teuton soldiers that wanted to stay in Alvakalia were organized and formed into the undermanned 5. Teutonen Division.

Communist uprising and stable democracy
In 1924, Teutonia underwent a communist uprising. Alvak communists attempted to copy the Teuton communists' success and implement it in Alvakalia. At the realization that the communists in Teutonia were winning, the communists in Alvakalia rose up, albeit disorganized. Several members of the communist faction in the Bundestag, the Worker's Party of Alvakalia, attempted to break into the Upper House chambers and into the Chancellor's office but failed to do so. The other uprisings were put down by the 5. Division either with or without conflict. Other than the uprisings in Kettenburg, most revolters went away and back to their homes. However, protesters and revolters in Kettenburg had to be sent to either the jail or the hospital. By the end of the year, there was little to no communist presence after state propaganda spread the word that there was now an international effort to contain and stop the spread of communism. There were also raids conducted on communist strongholds. On the 14th of June, 1925, the military junta that had been controlling the country for five years announced that it would hold its first election in the next month. It still continues to this day, with elections every three years to choose a president. In turn, the parliament elects a chancellor.

"Brain drain" from Teutonia
In 1925, a minor influx of Teuton refugees fled to Alvakalia. Most refugees were doctors, engineers, scientists, politicians, or any other profession that was targeted by the new communist regime in Teutonia. A majority came aboard the freighter ship Imo. Others fled on smaller boats like fishing trawlers and sailboats. A notable example is the crew of the Teuton submarine Simon, who, at their location 70km away from the AyG eastern coast, upon learning that the Teuton loyalists had fallen, immediately plotted a course for the port at Alvastadt.

In the following years, a community of Teutons would set up around Alvastadt. The community now forms the administrative division of Neu Teuton in Alvastadt.

Findings of rich oil reserves and ore deposits
In early 1942, then Chancellor Armaan Stahlberg launched gradual industrialization and modernization policies. One included the surveying the Southern Desert for oil reserves.

On the 2nd of April, 1942, one of the surveying groups reported that they had found not only an untapped large underground oil reserve but several rich ore deposits near the base of the mountains that made up the southern border. Immediately, the government signed a contract with Hakken-Holt Stahl GmbH to produce mining and drilling equipment for the thousands of workers that were now headed to the area.

Today, the two southern Arab provinces are the most industrialized out of the eight because of the oil and ore findings.

Military advancements
The original R&D department, today the Alvakische Abteilung für Militärforschung, had been experimenting with semi-automatic rifles in the '30s and 40s to replace the ageing bolt-actions at the time. In 1946, the ageing G-09 bolt-action rifle was replaced with the K-40, a simple but effective semi-auto rifle. However, production issues flared up occasionally, and it was replaced by the improved K-40/A. It stayed in service until 1963, when it was replaced by an export version of the AyG M.59 battle rifle, renamed the K-59i. The rifle stayed in service until 1990, when it was replaced by the Alvak-designed SGR-1. All rifles used the 8mm cartridge, except the SGR-1 and later variants, which used a smaller 5.7x39mm cartridge. In 2005, a modernized version of the SGR-1 was put into production and reclassified as the SGR-1/A. It is still in use to this day by the Alvakische Bundeswehr.

The original airforce of Alvakalia, the Alvakische Luftwaffe, started off with 12 fighters and 1 dismantled bomber, both biplanes. Over time, engineers developed the Avia KFZ.36 fighter plane and later, its dive bomber variant. By 1968, the Luftwaffe had over 8 squadrons comprised of these planes. In 1940, the Messt B.39 bomber rolled into production. Twenty years after its end of production in 1948, there were a total of 3 squadrons of bombers in action. Today, the air force uses the Avia 262 jet fighter and Kosse 234 jet bomber, of which there are 7 and 2 squadrons, respectively. The three major air bases in Alvakalia are Alvastadt Air Base, Al Wazir Air Base, and Astrafylios Air Base.

The navy, also known as the Alvakische Kriegsmarine, had started off with only four ships: the light cruiser Vereinigte, the patrol boats Teutonen and Von Hippel, and the submarine Simon. In later years, the navy grew slowly with the later additions of the patrol boats Atlas, Schwalbe and Entschuldigung sie! in 1934, and the Alvastadt-class heavy cruiser Republik the year after. In 1949, the Vereinigte was decommissioned and the Teutonen and Von Hippel upgraded and modernized. Today, the  Vereinigte is now a museum dedicated to displaying the naval battles in the Great Campaigns. In 1965, several new ships would be built to replace the ageing fleet, like the Ketten-class cruisers Nord, Jaeger, Jezail, and Neu Teutonen. Every ship in the old fleet, with the exception of Republik, was scrapped at Kaza Flow. Today, there are 7 Ketten-class cruisers, 10 Vereinigte-class patrol boats, and two modernized Alvastadt-class heavy cruisers in action.

Economic advancements
The economic boom after the discovery of oil in the Askari Plains and rich ore deposits on the North Kesh Mountain Range provided enough of a boost to Alvakalia that it could sustain its trade, oil, and metal needs for decades or centuries if need be. However, in later years, the economic priorities shifted from oil and ore production to refinement, trade, and tourism. Today, Alvakalia is one of Anterra's top sellers in refined metals, petroleum, other oil-based products, and to add to it, opens its borders to 950,000 tourists per year and growing.

Political advancements
Ever since the establishment of the Bundestag, not much has changed except the political parties and their leaders that take part in running the country. The country has mostly shifted between the conservative Die Alvakische Recht party, the liberal Liberale Partei von Alvakalia, and the centrist Alternativ für Alvakalia. Other notable political parties include the Hellenic separatist party Ellinikí Anexartisía and the Arab separatist party Alhuriyat Lilearab. However, expressing communist, socialist, or anarchical ideas are frowned upon, as the general populace, as well as a majority of politicians, do not support it.

Other advancements
Alvaks in the medical field have been influential in today's practice of modern medicine. An honourable mention is Annika Al-Bashar, who was a highly influential supporter of vaccines in the early 40s and on. Another is Albert Kisling, who along with fellow scientists Asad Amman and Alfred Eliades, discovered a vaccine for influenza in 1933. Today, Alvakalia has earned recognition for its efforts in medicine.

Geography
Alvakalia is located on the northeastern part of Kesh. Its southern lands are comprised of the North Kesh Mountain Range and Golduk Desert. One major river flows from the mountains down through the desert and into the Eurybian through the Alva Bay, named the Alva River. Its tributaries include the Atten River, which splits off at the edge of the desert and into the eastern edge of the Alva Bay, and many small creeks downriver. Alvakalia's coastal regions are not as desertified as the inland region is, and hosts small plots of farmland near the bay area. The largest lake is Lake Ko, formed as a reservoir from the building of Ko Dam in 1932.

Alvakalia's highest point is Kebi Peak, located on its southern border on the North Kesh Mountain Range. Precipitation is at its heaviest on the coastal regions, with as much as 300mm to 840mm of rainfall annually.

Not many animals live in the desert area, but notable examples include the red-billed falcon, the state animal, the Keshian desert vulture, and the Haaka sandpiper, which resides in the delta region of the bay area. An exception to this is the Lake Ko area, where both flora and fauna have flourished in the abundance of fresh water.

Government
Alvakalia is a federal, parliamentary, representative democratic republic. The Alvak political system operates under a framework laid out in the 1918 constitution drafted in the Grubeck Conference known as the Grundgesetz (Basic Laws). New amendments, bills, and policies generally require a two-thirds majority of both the Bundesrat and the Bundestag; the fundamental principles of the constitution, as expressed in the articles guaranteeing human dignity, the separation of powers, the federal structure, and the rule of law are valid in perpetuity.

The president, Katerina Katrakis (1st March 2018–present), is the head of state and invested primarily with representative responsibilities and powers. The chancellor, Karl Steiglitz (24th December 2006–present), is the head of government and exercises executive power through their Cabinet, similar to the role of a prime minister in other parliamentary democracies. Federal legislative power is vested in the parliament consisting of the Bundestag (as the lower house) and Bundesrat (as the upper house), which together form the legislative body. The Bundestag is elected through direct elections, by proportional representation (mixed-member). The members of the Bundesrat represent the governments of the eight provinces and are members of the state cabinets.

Relations
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Economy
Alvakalia's economy depends mainly on trade, petroleum and other oil-based exports, the export of refined ores, and tourism; there are also more than one million Alvaks working abroad, mainly in Tiperyn and Jungastia. The completion of the Ko Dam in 1932 and the resultant Lake Ko have altered the place of the Alva River in the agriculture and ecology of Alvakalia.

Demographics
As a former Teuton colony, Alvakalia has a significant Teutonic population of around 47%. However, Hellenic and Arab peoples settled the area long before colonization, and represent around 33% and 19% of the population. The remaining 1% of the population either comes from foreigners like the Tiperyn, or the Chaldean peoples who are sparsely settled near the western border with Asharistan.

Ethnic groups and languages
Before colonization by Teutonia, the land was mostly inhabited by Hellenic peoples. In the south, however, Arabic clans lived there. Today, the coastal regions are inhabited by both Hellenic and Teuton peoples. The inland regions are still Arab-dominated, but there is a small Teuton presence there.

As expected, all Hellenic peoples speak Greek, Alvak Teutons speak Teutonian, and Arabs speak Arabic. However, there is a small community of Chaldean speakers in the western areas, and also another community of Hollansk speakers located in Kettenburg.

Religion
Alvakalia has no official church, and the Alvak government is officially committed to religious pluralism. A large amount of Alvaks consider religion to be unimportant in their daily lives.

Around 32% of the population (mostly Teuton) consider themselves to be atheist. The remainder is made up of Greek Orthodox (30%), Shia Muslims (19%), Teuton Christian (18%) and other groups (1%).

Cities
Alvak provinces with capital cities

Culture
Much of Alvak culture is formed from parts of mostly Teutonic, Hellenic, and some Chaldean and Arab lifestyles. Alvakalia has placed emphasis on equality and inclusiveness for all its people. Multiculturalism is often cited as one of Alvakalia's significant accomplishments, and a key distinguishing element of Alvak identity. In the Arab regions, cultural identity is strong, and many commentators speak of an Arab-Alvak culture that is distinct from the more abundant Hellene-Teutonic culture. However, as a whole, Alvakalia is, in theory, a cultural mosaic - a collection of regional ethnic cultures.

Music
From the late '30s to the '50s, jazz was widely popular in Alvakalia. One notable person is Albert Mödel, who was instrumental in spreading the influence of jazz, blues, and many other genres. In 1949, he released his bestselling album, "My Favourite Things". The album went worldwide, with not one million but thirty million copies sold. More recently, an album was released, posthumously in his name, in 2006, named "Workings", selling 46,000,000 copies as of 2019. Today, jazz music still makes up a considerable amount of music Alvakalia exports, and it still has an influence on the music modern Alvak musicians, producers, and composers procure today.