Argata

Argata (Gada: 𐐂𐐽𐑍𐐪𐐳𐐱, Argate), officially the United Lands of Argata (Gada: 𐐌𐑄𐐻𐑈𐑀𐐱𐐽𐑄𐐳𐑄𐐪 𐑈𐐱 𐐂𐐽𐑍𐐪𐐳𐐱, Lodišerota ie Argate) is a nation in Northern Avalonia. Argata has a population of 65,861,112 and a total land area of 272,125 square kilometers (105,068 square miles). Argata is dominated by two climate zones, and. The climate in Argata is characterized by significant variation in seasonal climate, with hot summers and cold winters.

Argata is a, with a monarch as the head of state and the prime minister as head of government. The federal legislature of Argata is, split between an upper house, the Senate, and a lower house, the House of Deputies. Argata is administratively divided into states with significant powers delegated to them by the national government. These include royal states, which are given special autonomous status and have their own monarchs. The capital and largest city of the country is Asprad.

Argata has existed as a nation in some form since the 12th century, when a number of states in the region united to form the Gada Confederation. This confederation of tribes expanded in the region mostly by diplomatic means, offering smaller states a place in the confederation in order to protect against outside threats. In the 17th century, Gada was colonized by the Samot-Seratofian Empire along with their neighbor to the west, Badzevalari. Upon their independence in 1872, Argata would split from Samot-Seratof as a dominion. Upon the empire's collapse in 1925, Argata would become completely independent. From then on, Argata pursued a policy of neutrality, opting to resolve foreign affairs through diplomatic means.

Argata is a, characterized by above-average financial freedoms. The Argan economy is highly advanced and diverse, dominated by a strong. Argata is considered a and scores high on rankings of human development and personal freedom.

Early History
Argata has been consistenly inhabited by indigenous peoples for millenia. It's thought that these early humans arrived in the region from the south and the west, through modern-day Badzevalari. Artifacts such as stone knives and spears have been found in southern Argata, and are dated as far back as 15,000 BCE. These first peoples were, subsisting mainly off wild berries before developing tools and beginning to hunt large game.

The Bronze Age in Argata began around the 1000 BCE, and during this time, the first Argan civilizations would emerge, mainly in the form of independent polities that would rule over a small area of land usually centered around a single large settlement. These early nation-states often conducted diplomacy and formed alliances, as their shared language and culture gave the states a sense of relation with each other. However, some of these states had a less diplomatic approach when it came to relations with neighboring polities. Some city-states were outwardly aggressive towards their neighbors, and others were completely isolationist.

Zalode Empire
The strongest nation of early Argata was the Zalode Empire, located on the southeastern coast of what is now Argata. As the Zalods expanded, they dominated lesser states and by 1 AD had beceome most dominant power in the region. With their monopoly on power in Argata, Zalode began a period of technological and scientific advancement. Medicine in particular became one of Zalod's most advanced fields, with Zalod practitioners pioneering numerous innovations in surgical and medical procedures. Zalod society also excelled in architectural development, with the Zalod capital of Kazok being the site of numerous temples and monuments.

The Zalode Empire would last for almost 500 years, but starting in 445 AD, the nation would begin to experience widespread instability. As a result of the empire's conquest and subjugation of neighboring states, increased resistance against the empire's government began to manifest across the region in the following decade. Riots broke out in cities across the empire, and several states would fall into anarchy as the imperial government lost control of the country. In 459 AD, the rebellions that had gripped the nation for 14 years would finally end as the Zalod emperor and his family would be ushered from their residence in Kazok and executed in the streets. With the collapse of the Zalode Empire, Argata would once again split into dozens of independent states, vying for territory and dominance.

Argata, for the most part, would remain a conglomeration of separate states for several decades, with no state making any major territorial gains during this time. As a result of the chaos wrought by the collapse of the Zalode Empire, no state had enough wealth or manpower to be capable of domination on the level of the Zalods. Eventually, between 485 and 500 AD, all but a couple of these independent states would become subjects of neighboring kingdoms.

Middle Ages
For the next several centuries, the territory that makes up present-day Argata would be ruled by several different empires. At the same time, Argan society evolved with influence from both Zalod traditions and the cultures of the empires which dominated the region in that time. In 890, the first independent Argan state since 500 AD would break away during a period of instability in the area. Suvog, as it became to be called, would, in the coming century, be followed in their independence by several other new Argan states. by 1000, there were 6 independent Argan nations, all of which were concentrated in the south of the country. In the following decades, these states would establish diplomatic relations with one another, and in 1050, these 6 nations formed the Gada Confederation, with the aim of protecting their sovereignty. Under the rulership of the House of Sodek, The confederation remained largely isolationist for the following century, as none of the confederation's states wanted to threaten their own independence through conflict with other nations.

The confederation began expanding into northern Argata in the 12th century. As more states gained independence, many were offered to join the confederation, and some of these states accepted the offer. By 1230, The Gada Confederation had expanded all the way to Argata's northern coast, and 17 states had become members of the confederation. Several more states would enter the confederation during the 13th century, and the nation continued to consolidate its power and wealth. Gada sought economic development through trading with its neighbors and via the sea, and foreign trade became a staple of the Gadar economy. In the following centuries, the Gada Confederation would do its best to avoid foreign interference, maintaining a neutral, pacifist state while attempting to avoid outside influence.

Argata's economic and military strength would begin to stagnate as the nation isolated itself from its neighbors even further. By 1510, the nation was weak enough that their western neighbor, Badzevalari, saw an opportunity to expand. Badzevalari invaded Gada, and a 3-year war ensued. Initially, Gada was able to defend its soil, but as the war progressed and the Gadar military suffered heavy losses, it became evident that the confederation would lose. In 1513, A devastated Gada would surrender to Badzevalari. The nation was completely annexed, and the House of Sodek was removed from power, with the lineage ceasing to exist around 1600.

Colonial History
In the early 17th century, Gada, and by extension the entirety of Avalonia, was explored by several Artemian nations, most notably the Samot-Seratofian Empire. At this point, Gada had been a Badzevalan territory for a little less than a century. Samot-Seratof would establish colonial rule in North Avalonia, and as a result, Gada was split from Badzevalari under the policy of.

Argata remained a colony of the Samot-Seratofian Empire for several centuries. Its location as an important gateway into the Brigantic Gulf made it a valuable asset to the Empire, and to let the colony slip away from their control would constitute a crucial loss in the region. However, as colonial control in Avalonia began to wane in the 19th century, it became much more difficult to assert control in the region. In 1872, Gada would gain nominal independence along with Badzevalari, taking the name Argata, with a high level of autonomy being granted to both nations, even though Argata technically had the status of a dominion. Even if this technically wasn't complete independence, many Argans consider this the foundation of Argata as a modern nation. The newly-established Argan throne was taken by the House of Taran, a noble family whose lineage traces back to the former Gadar state of Vekenis̄.

Independence
Upon independence, Argata would maintain cordial relations with the Samot-Seratofian Empire, but the nation's government would act almost completely independently of the Empire's. After gaining their autonomy, Argata would rapidly industrialize, free from the strict economic regulations imposed upon them by Samot-Seratof. Argata would federalize during this time as well, abolishing the colonial system of departments in favor of states, inspired by the organization of the Gada Confederation. Argata maintained cordial relations with many other former colonies in Avalonia, except for Badzevalari, as the centuries-long rivalry between the two nations had only slightly improved since the days of the confederation.

Upon Samot-Seratof's entrance into the Grand Campaigns in 1918, Argata remained hesitant to get involved, but under pressure from the imperial government, they eventually sent troops to assist in the fighting in Artemia. Argata would find itself on the losing side of the war, however, as in 1925, the Samot-Seratofian Empire was defeated and subsequently dissolved. As a result of the war, Argata was forced to pay war debts, although due to the collapse of their suzerain, Argata now had full control over both domestic and foreign affairs.

Argan policy from this point on was largely based around neutrality, as the people of Argata sought not to get involved in another war that mirrored their forced entry into the Grand Campaigns. With their newfound freedom, the Argan government also began a campaign to advance the economy, relaxing business laws and strengthening industry through subsidization. The economy would see rapid growth as a result, and the Argan economy would begin expanding into newly-created industries, such as aviation and automobile manufacturing. Argata would become a center of manufacturing in Avalonia, and the nation's GDP growth would peak in 1965 at 8.1%.

The rapid economic growth Argata experienced in the mid-20th century did have consequences. Inequality in the country would skyrocket as a result of lax economic regulation, and blue-collar workers would suffer the most as a result. Poverty became a major issue in the nation during the 50s and 60s, but despite this, a string of laissez-faire conservative governments offered no effective solutions. In 1969, as the level of inequality in the country continued to spike, violent riots began to break out across Argata. Martial law was imposed in several major metropolitan areas, but military intervention likely worsened an already fragile situation. During the 1969-70 riots, over 250 people would be killed, and thousands more would be injured. The conflict marked a massive loss of civilian trust in the Argan government, and the fallout from the riots can still be felt today.

Geography
Argata is located in Northern Avalonia, on the Brigantic Sea. It shares a single land border in the west with Badzevalari. Argata is 272,125 square kilometers (105,068 square miles) in size, making it smaller than most other Avalonian nations. Two main climate zones encompass the country: humid continental and humid subtropical. The climate across Argata is characterized by hot summers and cool to cold winters. Most of Argata is connected by land to the Avalonian continent, however there are several islands in the Brigantic Gulf that also fall under Argan jurisdiction.

Due to being located on a divergent fault line, Argata doesn't have much variation in altitude. Eastern Argata is mostly lowlands, and besides some minor hilly areas, has little elevation fluctuation. Meanwhile, the Western Argan Highlands are home to most of Argata's highest altitudes, including the highest mountain in the country, Mount Sok, at 1,350 meters (4,429 feet) above sea level. The increased altitude in the west of the country has little effect on the climate, save for the highest parts of some mountains, where snow can be observed much more frequently then usual.

Climate
The entirety of Argata's territory is split into two Köppen climate zones: humid subtropical (Cfa) in the south and hot-summer humid continental (Dfa) in the north. The majority of the country's area falls in the latter category, around 2/3 of the nation. North Argata's humid continental area is characterized by wide variations in seasonal climate, with summer temperatures in the region commonly exceeding 20° Celsius, or 68° Fahrenheit. Conversely, temperatures in northern Argata regulary drop below freezing during the winter, and snowfall is a common occurence. Argata's southern humid subtropical regions are warmer on average than the north, and snowfall occurs much less commonly during the winter months.

Monarchy
According to the Argan Constitution, Argata is a constitutional monarchy, operating under a system of, with power divided between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. The highest executive authority in the nation is the monarch, who is considered the the head of state. The monarch has the final authority on any bills passed by Parliament, and also acts as commander-in-chief of the Royal Argan Forces. The monarch also has the power to recommend constitutional amendments, however the power to actually amend the constitution is held by Parliament. The Argan throne is currently in control of the House of Taran, and the current monarch of Argata is Mosik IV, who ascended to the throne after the death of his father, Mosik III, on January 30, 2002. The royal family resides in Reneso Palace, in the capital city of Asprad, but there are several other royal properties across Argata.

The Argan Royal Family, despite having a largely ceremonial role in the country's government, are major political symbols of Argata. The Argan monarch often makes international visits as a representative of Argata, and overseas, the monarch is usually seen as the face of the country as well as the "leader" of Argata, rather than the prime minister.

Legislature
Legislative power is vested in the bicameral parliament, split between the Senate and the House of Deputies. Parliament is headed by a prime minister, who manages the legislative affairs of the country. The current prime minister of Argata is Vĕs Koloda, who was inaugurated on 16 July 2017, after winning the 2017 election two weeks prior. The Argan Senate consists of representatives of their home state, elected every two years. The House of Deputies is made up of 300 members, also elected in two-year cycles, who each represent their respective electoral ridings, each with an average population of 200,000. Electoral ridings are determined after every election cycle by a bipartisan committee made up of 2 members from each party in Parliament. Members of both houses are limited to five terms in office. After an election, chief ministers for Argata's various government ministries are appointed by the prime minister.

Voting is a right in Argata regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. However, those under the age of 18 and over the age of 80 are disenfranchised. The voting age in Argata was 21 up until 2005, when a constitutional amendment lowered the age of suffrage to 18. Women were also disenfranchised in Argata until 1965.

Bills can be introduced into Parliament by members of either house, and a 3/5 vote in both houses is required before the bill is sent to the King/Queen, who must approve the bill before it is signed into law. The process of Royal Assent is largely ceremonial, and the throne hasn't denied a single bill from becoming law since 1924. In addition to bills, Parliament also has the responsibility of passing an annual budget for the Argan government, a process which is also subject to ceremonial approval from the throne.

The prime minister and other members of Parliament can be removed from office by impeachment, which requires a 3/5 vote in the House of Deputies and a 2/3 vote in the Senate. If a prime minister is removed from office, the deputy prime minister takes over their position. If a member of Parliament is removed, a snap election is held to determine their successor.

Judiciary
The Argan judicial system operates on several levels, with the highest court in the nation being the Argan High Court. The High Court consists of 9 justices, who are nominated by the prime minister before being voted on by the Senate. A 3/5 majority is needed in the Senate to confirm a justice, and upon confimation, justices serve until death or retirement.

The next level of courts are the State Courts, which preside over state law. The lowest level of courts in Argata are District Courts, each of which presides over the law in a given district. The system of judicial appeals in Argata starts at the district level, and goes all the way up to the High Court. Civil cases almost never reach the Supreme Court, however, and are usually decided at the state level. This is true especially for royal states, many of which have their own high courts, completely separate from the Argan High Court.

Administrative Divisions
Argata is a federal nation, divided into x talodi, or states. The states of Argata fall under one of two categories - federal or royal. Federal states are led by a premier, who acts as the head of government. Royal states are a special category of state that includes a designated monarch who acts as the head of state. Royal states are more autonomous than federal states, and their status as "royal" usually has historical context, since many royal families at the state level have ruled over their lands for hundreds of years. Both categories of states have bicameral parliaments, which operate almost identically to the federal parliament. Royal states can be either constitutional or absolute monarchies, however the last absolute royal state converted to a constitutional system in 1949.

The states of Argata are further subdivided into districts, each governed by a local council headed by a commissioner. The final level of administrative rule in Argata are municipalities, a category that includes cities, towns, and other built-up settlements. Municipalities are governed by a city council, in turn headed by a mayor. Municipality status is only given to settlements which have a population of at least 500.

Politics
Argata is functionally a, with the two main political parties in the country being the Royalist Party and the Liberal Party. The Royalist Party platform is largely conservative and laissez-faire, including support for the monarchy, free-market economic policies, and traditional values. The Liberal Party, on the other hand, supports liberal policies such as government intervention and social welfare. The Liberal Party does not oppose the monarchy, but at the same time does not express outward support for it like the Royalist Party. There are several smaller parties that regularly obtain seats in the Parliament, but only the aforementioned main parties have ever gained a majority in either house.

These parties also have counterparts which operate at the state, district, and municipal levels. There is no significant difference between these parties and their federal equivalent, as they function more as divisions of the party at-large than as separate entities. However, some state political parties in Argata are exclusive to their respective states. These state-exclusive parties are more common in royal states, where there is more historical significance to the party's existence.

Military
Argata's military is known as the Royal Argan Forces, and consists of four branches: The Argan Army, Argan Navy, Argan Air Force, and the Royal Gendarmerie. Argata practices a strict policy of, with every male aged 18 or older having to serve at least 150 days in the RAF. The Argan military consists of approximately 244,000 active-duty troops, and because of conscription, has a formidable reserve force, amounting to about 1,300,000 troops, or almost 2% of the country's population.

The commander-in-chief of the Argan Forces is the nation's monarch, who acts as the final authority on defense matters in the nation. Control over the nation's military policy is one of the few powers the Argan monarch actually has, and as a result, the monarch plays a large role in military culture in Argata.

Economy
Argata possesses a higly developed and diversified economy, with some of the nation's largest industries including electronics, finance, aviation, lumbering, and fishing.. The Argan GDP(PPP) was estimated to be $3.027 trillion in 2020, making it the 5th richest country in Avalonia, behind Kaya, Zahava, Chezzetcook, and Tavaluda. Historically, Argata's economy relied heavily on manufacturing, which in turn originated from Argata's position as one of the largest shipbuilders on the continent. As the Industrial Revolution progressed, The Argan tradition of shipbuilding morphed into the production of dozens of other manufactured goods, eventually peaking as one of the largest exporters in the world in the early 1900s. As the century progressed, however, the Argan economy was soon eclipsed by other world powers. Currently, the Argan economy is dominated by the service sector, comprising 70.8% of Argata's annual GDP, followed by the industrial sector at 27.7% and the agricultural sector at 1.5%. Argata is classified as a, with the nation's per capita GDP(PPP) being $45,965 as of 2020.

Industry
Argata's industrial sector accounts for 27.7% of the nation's annual GDP, and has historically been a driving force in the nation's economy. Argata is a leading manufacturer of materials such as aircaft and automotive parts, electronics, ships, chemicals, and consumer goods. Much of Argata's industrial output is concentrated in the northeastern portion of the country, which is the most densely populated region in the nation, housing many of Argata's largest cities. One of Argata's largest manufacturing fields is in aircraft manufacturing, which accounts for a large portion of Argata's industrial output. Much of this comes from just two companies - AAF and Vadas. Both of these companies are among the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world, and are also two of Argata's largest employers.

Electronics is another industry which accounts for a considerable portion of the Argan industrial sector. Argata's largest city, Asprad, is one of Avalonia's largest centers for electronics, being home to the headquarters of numerous global tech firms.

Agriculture
Agriculture is present in Argata, however it does not account for a significant portion of the economy. The entire agricultural sector in Argata is estimated to make up just 1.5% of the national GDP. Some of Argata's largest crops include wheat, corn, potatoes, and soy. While agriculture has historically been a large part of the Argan economy, the Industrial Revolution greatly change the Argan way of life, and agricultural production largely slowed down during the early-to-mid 20th century.

Tourism
While Argata's tourism industry occupies only a small part of the nation's GDP, it is still a thriving sector of the Argan economy. Much of Argata's promotion of tourism centers on the country's abundant beaches, which are particularly idyllic in the southern portion of the country. Thus, south Argata is home to many tourist destinations and resorts. The Argan Highlands are another focus for tourism, with hiking in particular being an often-promoted activity in the west of Argata. Cultural tourism is also significant in Argata, with traditional Argan temples often being a hotspot for tourist activity.

Demography
With a population of 58,861,112, Argata is a densely-populated nation. The population density is 216.30 people per square kilometer (560.2 per square mile). Argata's largest city is Asprad, with an estimated population of 5,300,000, or about 9% of the country's total population. Much of Argata's population is concentrated in the coastal regions in the eastern portion of the country. As much as 25% of the population resides in the Asprad-Galdalas Corridor, a densely-populated agglomeration of urban areas stretching over 130 kilometers up the eastern coast of the country.

Ethnicities
The majority of Argata's population are of Argan ethnicity, approximately 78.3% of the population. There are several other Tavic ethnic groups inhabiting the country, mostly in the northwest. These include the Badzevala, at 4.1% of the population, and the Govel, who are 2% of the population. The largest Artemian ethnicity in the nation are Samots, who constitute 10.5% of the population, owing to Seratof's colonization of the region in the 17th century. Numerous different immigrant groups also have significant populations in Argata, many of which are concentrated in the nation's urban areas.

Language
Gada is the largest language group in Argata, and it is spoken fluently by at least 95% of the population. Argata is home to numerous other Tavic languages, but the biggest ones are Badzevala, spoken by approximately 4% of the population, and Govel, spoken by 2% of the population. The most widely-spoken Artemian language in Argata is Samot, spoken fluently by about 15% of the Argan population.

Religion
Most Argans practice a sect of Zovatêle called x, which combines traditional Argan beliefs with those of Tavaludan polytheism. x is practiced at some level by an estimated 68% of the Argan population. The second largest religion is x, practiced by a further 7% of the population. Atheists and agnostics compose approximately 20% of Argata's population.