Alva

Confederation of the Alva ; Alvabund (Goetic) ; Συνομοσπονδία των Άλβα (Thalassian) ; اتحاد ألفا (Aravan)
	Flag
	Motto: Goetic: “Gott mit uns" ; (English: ‘'God with us)
	Anthem: Rufst du, mein Vaterland? ; English: Call'st thou, my fatherland?
Capital	Alvastadt
Official languages	Goetic, Thalassian, Aravan
Demonym	Alvak
Government	Confederal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• President	Irene von Halle
• Confederal Council	Hera Cosmiade (Chancellor); Qais al-Taheri (Deputy Chancellor)
Legislature	Bundestag
Establishment
• New Thalassia	~1500 AD
• Treaty of Tsim Sha	25 January 1853
• Erweiterung	25 January 1945
• Constitution Act	1st May 1984
Area
•	705,150 km2 (272,260 sq mi)
Population
• 2019 census	41,103,882
• Density	0.017/km2 (0.0/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2019 estimate
• Total	$1.362 trillion (no clue)
• Per capita	$33,135
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
• Total	$778 billion (wha?)
• Per capita	$18,934
Gini (2019)	31.4; medium
HDI (2014)	.927; very high
Currency	Alvak Mark (AVM)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+212
Internet TLD	.av

Alva, officially the Confederation of the Alva, (Goetic: Alvabund) (Thalassian: Συνομοσπονδία των Άλβα, Synomospondía ton Álva) (Aravan: اتحاد ألفا, aitihad 'alfa) is a country in Kesh. Alva is situated between the Eurybian Sea to the north, and the Kesh Alps to the south; it covers an area of xxx,xxx square kilometres (xxx,xxx sq mi), with a population of over 41 million within its 8 constituent states. Situated at the crossroads between northern and eastern Kesh, Alva is bordered by xxx to the west, Kodeshia to the south, and Bakfong to the northeast. Alvastadt is the nation's capital and its largest city.

Early settlement by Aravan tribes began during the spread of Haqiqatan in the early 900s. With the hostile environment outside of the coast and the Alva River, and extreme distance from any sort of authority, the region became infamous for becoming a hotspot for banditry and piracy as well as a money sink for any prospecting invader. Multiple attempts to pacify the region by Bakfong and Haqiqatani emirates all ended in failure. The arrival of Thalassian Tovik traders along the North Kesh coast in the late 1300s provided the incentive for one last attempt at pacification; the establishment of multiple trade ports on the Alvak coast by 1380 marked the end of the golden age of Aravan piracy on the North Kesh coast.

Thalassian traders had established their presence in North Kesh by the 1300s, setting up small trade outposts along the coastline. The collapse of the Tovik Empire in the 1400s forced their disestablishment, in turn depriving those traders of a trade link to Kodeshia. Revived colonial efforts were carried out by the privately owned Propyrian South Seas Company by the 1600s, re-establishing old posts and creating new settlements in modern-day coastal Alva. Incursions into the Alvak hinterland and down the Alva River were repeatedly met with failure, as were Aravan attempts to kick Thalassian settlers out.

Goetic ambitions in Alva originated with the 1851 de Chavigny Expedition that forced Bakanese ports to open up to Goetic shipping. The 1853 Goeto-Bakanese Treaty transferred the overlordship of the territories surrounding the Alva River to Goetia, as well as what would become modern-day Sungkou. Shortly after, the territory was split into two: the directly governed Alvastadt Colony, and the Imperial Protectorate of Upper Alva. By 1900, the South Seas Company had long since fallen out of favour of the Propyrian government and into the hands of the administration in Alvastadt, effectively turning its holdings in Alva into an informal protectorate.

Of the three states, only Alvastadt (by 1900, renamed as "Lower Alva") entered into the Grand Campaigns in 1915. Lower Alva's impact on the war was minimal. With the downfall of the Goetic Empire in 1925, the three states entered into a state of martial law as the Goetic Provisional Government exercised its power and influence. Lower Alva became a military dictatorship by 1926, and New Thalassia and Upper Alva's autonomy were reined back in. By 1941, ultranationalist military figures seized power in a coup. In 1945, the Erweiterung was passed; New Thalassia and Upper Alva was absorbed into Lower Alva, forming the Imperial State of Alva.

Alvak participation in the Great Kesh War was limited; civil unrest prior to and following the 1945 Erweiterung and internecine conflict within Alva's military structure eventually led to the 1958 May Putsch, ending two years of conflict with Kodeshia over disputed territory. Under more moderate leadership, Alva entered a period of rapid economic growth before being stunted by the Yindong Economic Crisis. Following widespread civil unrest in the wake of the Red Wave, Alva ended its 54-year-long state of martial law and held its first free elections in 1980, starting a new era of multi-party democracy. The Imperial State was dissolved in 1984 in favour of its current Confederation form.

Alva is a federal parliamentary democracy and de facto constitutional monarchy. The current head of state is Irene von Halle, who has reigned since 2012 after her grandmother's resignation. Alva is considered both a regional and middle power. The Alvak economy is the second-largest in North Kesh (behind Jungastia) and is the nth-largest in the world. Alva is a developed country, ranking nth in GDP per capita. It is ranked highly in terms of political and civil liberties, education, health care and human development.

Sources of petroleum were discovered on 18 May 1911 and followed up by several other major finds in the East Bank in the following decades; the largest find, the Al Ghassan field, was discovered on 5 September 1943 and is still being used today. Alva has since become the world's third-largest oil producer (behind Kodeshia and Yarova) and the world's largest oil exporter, controlling the world's nth-largest oil reserves and the nth-largest gas reserves.

Etymology

History

Early settlement (to 1500)

filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler filler

Thalassian colonization (1500s-1853)

Initial colonization efforts in the region were spearheaded by Thalassian merchants hoping to create a new route to Kodeshia via the Alva River and through the Kesh Alps. The first major settlement, Abdyrna (Thalassian: Άβδυρνα), located on the mouth of the Alva River, was founded in the early 1500s. Impressed by local irrigation and farming despite the harsh conditions of the region, Thalassian merchants returning to Propyria attempted to convince their guilds the benefits to be had in constructing more permanent stations in the region to better facilitate trade between Kodeshia and the rest of Artemia despite their own lack of knowledge regarding viable routes through the Alps.

Despite major setbacks with the outbreak of the Queens' War, the idea gained some support from several guilds. The idea also gained the tacit support of the Propyrgian government in the form of financing. As the Propyrgian government was averse to any sort of colonial experiments, it settled for partial control over Abdyna's ports. An expedition was finalized in 1652 led by Yiannis Stathas, who constructed a fort and established proper agricultural facilities in Abdyrna. Landing outside Abdyrna, Stathas took control over the town, and after ten years of governing the fledgling colony, he stepped down as Governor in 1662. During his time as Governor, he oversaw the construction of Abdyrna Port and the arrival of a meagre Propyrgian colonial garrison.

As the colony was not under the direct rule of the Propyrian government but rather a council of trade guilds, the colony became difficult to administer. The resignation of Stathas as Abdyrna's Governor in 1662 marked the beginning of efforts to streamline administration and funding, starting with the formation of the Propyrian South Sea Company (Thalassian: Εταιρεία Νότια Θάλασσα) the following year. The ENT, chaired by the prior guilds, continued managing colonial efforts up until its eventual takeover by Goetic authorities in 1853. In the following decades, Abdyrna and the Alvak coast would see their Thalassian population increase incrementally. Thalassian population growth centered around the mouth of the Alva River and Dujaila Lake in modern Dysia. To accommodate the growing population, new settlements began to appear along the Alvak coast; the modern cities of Edessa, Avarinos, and Cherson were established during this boom.

The expansion of Propyrian colonists often conflicted with the established Aravan communities in the region, further gaining the ire of the Propyrgian government; in response to local militia being formed to combat native tribes, the Propyrgian garrison at Abdyrna was relieved of their duties, leaving the ENT and New Thalassia to fend for themselves. The ensuing conflict that followed would be known as the Frontier Wars; both sides fought over pastureland around the Alva River, as the land was suitable for livestock. Both sides launched bloody but inconclusive offensives, and sporadic violence, often accompanied by livestock theft, remained common for several decades. The wars reached an inconclusive end by Goetia’s arrival; the ENT would pivot their attention southwestwards along the Alvak coast instead of down the Alva River, opting to focus on secondary routes through central Kesh.

Under the directorships of Iraklis Zerviadis (1740 to 1754) and Florentios Vassallatos (1754 to 1781), the colony saw its largest growth. Zerviadis and Vassallatos' authoritarian tendencies (telling farmers what to grow for what price, controlling immigration, and monopolising trade) saw settlers flee inland and downriver to escape their rule. To counteract this, Zerviadis established magistracies at Myrsina at the southern end of Dujaila Lake in 1745 and another at Tahta further inland in 1750. A third magistracy was established in Keratokampos (modern day Ar Rastan) by Vassallatos in 1771; his border declarations at the Ioulia Range in 1776 and the wider Gerasimos Mountains in 1780 marked the end of New Thalassian expansion inland.

Goetic rule (1853-1925)

On 25 January 1853, the Goetic East Kesh Company landed a large force of mercenaries at what is now Alvastadt. Their aims were to establish a supply port and stop attacks by Aravan and Thalassian pirates against Goetic shipping headed eastwards. The Goetic Government thereafter considered Alva to be an essential settlement due to its location, as the Eurybian fleet of the Imperial Navy could easily access the port for resupply and repairs. Later, Goetic influence extended progressively into the hinterland, both west and south, leading to the establishment of the Protectorate of Upper Alva through a formal treaty of protection in 1854, and the Alvastadt Colony. Rulers within the Upper Alva and eventually the New Thalassia protectorates kept their sovereignty. In Upper Alva, banners of local kingdoms and city-states would remain flying over their government buildings. In New Thalassia, governing of the land continued to be carried out by the ENT or in their name. This contrasted with the Alvastadt Colony, where the Goetic sovereign was the head of state.

This state of affairs between Goetia, New Thalassia, and Upper Alva remained unchanged up until the appointment of Karl Adelman to the post of Governor of Alvastadt in 1882. A staunch imperialist with ties to prominent industry magnates in Goetia, Adelman pushed for greater integration of the Upper Alvak and New Thalassian economies with the burgeoning Alvastadt industrial landscape in order to remove the Bakanese monopoly on trade in the southern Eurybian region. His policies included massive and far-reaching infrastructure construction and revitalization projects like the Alexandria-Alvastadt Rail Corridor upgrade and the Adelmanprogramm which formed the basis for the 1945 Act of Union. In 1899, Lower Alva was given home rule; the establishment of the Legislative Council, the forerunner to today's Reichstag, occured during this time.

The appointment of Sebastian Kleinheisterkamp as Adelman's successor in 1900 brought the full brunt of industrialization to the Alvak region. New Thalassia's issue with its myriads of trade families competing for attention from Goetia and Propyrgia was exploited by Kleinheisterkamp through intermediaries in the New Thalassian administration, providing Goetia much-needed incentive to invest in the region instead of its more profitable colonies in Sungkou or Singaradscha. The 1907 Al Khasiybah incident brought to light the deficiencies regarding the lack of oversight when it came to the governance of Upper Alva; Kleinheisterkamp's "New Policies" sought to pacify dissenting voices in both New Thalassia and Upper Alva via concessions and government interference.

Kleinheisterkamp's New Policies came to an abrupt halt with the start of the Grand Campaigns. Lower Alva, under the direct overlordship of Goetia, was called into the war while New Thalassia and Upper Alva remained out. With all materiel and efforts directed towards the war, talks of federalizing the three polities into one came into the spotlight as a way to support Goetic ambitions back home. However, with the 1920 Goetic Revolution and the subsequent exile of the Goetic Empire to Lower Alva, these initiatives were shelved to focus on the rapidly changing political scene in the region.

Interwar era (1925-1945)

Oil baron Marc von Steineke in El Haud, 1940

The communist takeover in the homeland proved to be the determining factor in Alvak foreign and internal policy. As expected, thousands of members of the Goetic nobility, businesspeople, right-wing politicians, as well as ordinary but wealthy people, frightened by the prospect of radical purges and violence, went into exile in Alva, the closest part of the Goetic Empire that was not as touched by the revolutionary waves unlike her allies in Mero-Curgovina and the rapidly disintegrating Samot-Seratofian Empire. In the process, the Goetic Provisional Government re-established itself in Alvastadt, having lost its last Artemian stronghold in the Tettauer Spit on the 7th of June, 1925. Crown Prince Adalbert was crowned Emperor the month prior, in the Imperial Residence in Alvastadt.

Along with the exiles, the elements of the Goetic Army and Navy that had not mutinied crossed the Eurybian as well. This resulted in Alva quickly taking the role of leader of the remnants of the Empire such as Sungkou, Singaradscha, and Neuleithe. This role would be short-lived from the start due to Alva's position; it was too far away, too underdeveloped, and too small to influence anything. Sungkou would eventually join the Confederate States of Northern Avalonia after a plebiscite in 1935, and the short-lived state of Neuleithanien-Shimakawa was quickly taken down by the Akitei occupation force, which set up the current Protectorate regime. The local administration in Singaradscha managed to negotiate a deal with neighbouring East Ramay in order to preserve its autonomy; the treaty port would continue as a condominium between the Goetic and East Ramayan governments.

Although most exiles had hoped that the situation would soon be resolved as the newly created Socialist Republic of Goetia would undoubtedly either quickly collapse on itself, or be put down by the Crown Alliance. Neither happened and instead, a peace treaty was concluded between the Crown Alliance and Goetia, with little to no regard for the exiled government. The Socialist Republic was recognized as the successor of the Goetic Empire by most of the world, while the exiles remained seen as the legitimate government by those who had fought beside them in the Grand Campaigns.

The arrival of the exiles caused a great upheaval in Alvak political life. After Governor Ansgar Preisner's refusal to let what remained of the Goetic government in exile replace the Alvak government (most of the government had fled to Sungkou instead), drastic measures were taken by pro-Goetic members of Lower Alva's Legislative Council in order to curb Preisner and his Autonomists. Preisner himself was ousted from his governorship; his position was abolished, later to be replaced by the ceremonial role of Minister-President. Grand Campaigns veteran Johann Weiss would take Preisner's place. To combat issues in command in the then-ongoing February Uprising, the Lower Alvak and Goetic militaries were merged under mixed leadership. The state of martial law, in place since 1915, would continue indefinitely.

Despite the Lower Alva government firmly in the hands of pro-Goetic forces (themselves under the command of the Goetic Provisional Government), divisions began to spring up in regards to the future of the colony. With reclamation in the near future unlikely, a consensus was reached; stability and reconstruction would form the basis of the new government's policies for the foreseeable future. Under Weiss and his successor Christoph Leitgeb, saw Lower Alva exercise its influence in New Thalassia and Upper Alva to shore up capital. Exploiting the ENT's corruption, growing administrative costs, and long-lasting conflict with the Propyrian government, the corporation fell under complete de facto control of Upper Alva by the late 1930s. In 1938, vast reserves of oil were discovered in western Upper Alva, and full-scale development of the oil fields began in 1941 under the Tiperyn-controlled Noard-Keske Oaljemaatskippij (North Kesh Oil Company). Oil provided the region with economic prosperity and substantial political leverage internationally. Cultural life rapidly developed, primarily in the vicinity of the Alva River, which were the center for newspapers and radio as well as the lifeline of the country. However, the large influx of foreign workers in the south in the oil industry increased the pre-existing propensity for xenophobia in the Aravan communities. At the same time, the regime became increasingly wasteful and extravagant.

July Movement and the Erweiterung

Growing enmity between Goetic and Thalassian workers and Aravan locals culminated in the July Movement in mid-1940. Fueled yet tempered by memories of the failed February Uprising, the protest movement sought to achieve total independence from Goetic-Lower Alvak overlordship. Thirty-three Aravan political, cultural, and religious leaders issued a proclamation, supported by thousands of students and civilians in the capital city of El Haud. There were over 1,000 demonstrations in many other cities. These were brutally suppressed, with estimates of 7,500 killed and 16,000 wounded, and 46,000 arrested. The mishandling of the protests fueled discontent within the Lower Alvak administration, who hoped to cement their influence through a complete annexation of the region. Finding widespread support amongst elements of the military still hoping for reclamation, the clique became known as the Reclamationists.

Unhappy with Lower Alva's continued isolation and perceived stagnation, the Reclamationists staged a silent coup on the 11th of September, 1941. Leitgeb, widely seen as ineffective and senile compared to his predecessor, was ousted in favour of Colonel Oskar Arendt. As Minister-President, Arendt oversaw a period of rapid export-led economic growth enforced by political repression. Fulfilling one of the commitments of the Reclamationist movement, his administration put into motion the Erweiterung; the protectorates of New Thalassia and Upper Alva would be directly annexed into Lower Alva, forming one continuous colony. The Erweiterung was given immediate effect by legislative act on the 20th of January, subject to ratification by plebiscites. Said plebiscites were held on the 23rd of January in both New Thalassia and Upper Alva, and officially recorded a support of 81.2% and 73.8% of the voters respectively. Voter turnout was never recorded; modern estimates put turnout rates at 72.2% in New Thalassia and 59.4% in Upper Alva. The voting process was neither free or secret; while votes were accurately counted, the presence of military forces at voting stations, the presence of officials directly beside voting booths, and the lack of secret ballots contributed to the wildly skewed results. On the 25th of January, 1945, the Imperial State of Alva was formed, consisting of the former territories of New Thalassia, Lower Alva, and Upper Alva. The ENT's holdings in New Thalassia were simply handed over to the new Alvak administration, while Propyria's holdings in the ports of Cherson, Avarinos, and Edessa were vacated within a week of the declaration under threat of escalation.

Arendt and the Triumvirate (1945-1980)

Before the Kesh War (1945-1956)

The new Alvak state closely followed the general structure of the old Goetic Empire. In line with the latter's constitution, the new Alvak constitution specified the new empire as a federation of 7 states under the permanent presidency of Alvastadt, the state hosting the capital. The presidency of the federation, also acting as a representative of the Goetic crown, was appointed by the Goetic Emperor, who also held the title of Emperor of Alva. The Emperor appointed the Chancellor, the head of government and chairman of the Reichsrat, the council of representatives from the 7 states. Laws were enacted by the Reichsrat and the Reichstag, the Imperial DIet elected by male citizens above the age of 21. In practice, the constitution only served to further legitimize the annexations of New Thalassia and Upper Alva, and was frequently circumvented through the use of enabling acts and the pre-existing state of martial law. The special elections of 1945 took the form of a single-question referendum asking whether voters approved of a single list of pro-junta candidates under the National Unity Party (Goetic: Nationale Einheitspartei) (Thalassian: Κόμμα Εθνικής Ενότητας) (Aravan: حزب الوحدة الوطنية, hizb alwahdat alwatania) for the 278-member Reichstag. Turnout was officially 85.2% with 96.9% voting 'yes'.

Great Kesh War (1956-1959)

Arendt's regime pushed for cooperation with Tiperyn and its allies, distancing itself from its traditional Keshian allies in Bakfong, Akiteiwa, and Kodeshia. The aggressive expansion of Alva's natural resource extraction projects was an issue and a major worry for Kodeshia, whose own oil fields (still under Selengerian control at the time) would soon be dwarfed by Alva's own. With the additional issue that was Alva's re-alignment with Tiperyn, tensions boiled over frequently along the Alvak-Kodeshian border, resulting in dozens of border conflicts. The Kodeshi incursion into Alvak territory in the Beiguan Ridge Incident on the 9th of November, 1956, ultimately brought Alva into the Great Kesh War on the side of the Crown Alliance, resulting in a declaration of war by Alva on the 10th.

The Kodeshian frontline proved to be deadly and demoralizing. Feldmarschall Nicola von Bodenheimer gained the moniker of "the Blind Butcher" due to his management of the battles of the heavily contested Pelzer Pass. Von Bodenheimer's repeated offensives across the mountains and through the valley were in an attempt to secure control of the Kodeshian end of the Pelzer and the capture of the ancient fortress of Wulongcheng, which would give Alva a defensive advantage against the Kodeshians. Despite his overall success in holding the line, the failures of most of his offensives cost the lives of tens of thousands of men, which led to an investigation into his actions (especially during the last of his offensives, when he fled the front, leaving his soldiers to fend for themselves) and his eventual sacking in 1957.

Arendt's regime proved increasingly unpopular with each passing year, leading to the successful May 1958 countercoup by the Moderate faction of the army. Arendt was placed on a show trial and found guilty of high treason, leading to his execution by firing squad. The new Alvak government sued for peace in June 1958, ending its participation in the Great Kesh War. The resulting Wujin Armistice ceded border strips to Kodeshia, placed a limit on the size of Alva's armed forces, as well as a hefty Hz 125,000,000 for Alvak war reparations. However, these terms would be repealed in 1959 with Kodeshia and her allies' defeat in the Great Kesh War and the following Treaty of Isfahan. While Alva's territorial losses and financial drains had been reversed, the new government relied heavily on financial support from Tiperyn.

Post-war (1959-1980)

Following the expulsion of the Reclamationists from Alva's political scene, the Moderates installed the three heads of the countercoup in positions of power. General Maximilian Höss filled the discreetly powerful position of Minister of War, Aloïs Kranz was appointed President, and Lavrentis Rodinoglou filled Arendt's former position of Chancellor. The conservative Höss died in 1965 following a long battle with lung cancer; Rodinoglou's majority-reformist cabinet would increasingly acquire more swaying power over him from 1965 onwards. Alva joined the North-South Concordant in 1964 in a continuation of Arendt's pro-Tiperyn policies, but the death of Guo Guotai and the subusequent Xuanyi Restoration in Kodeshia the same year brought doubts to the idea of a fruitful partnership between Alva and Tiperyn.

Initially staving off an economic crisis following the end of the Great Kesh War, the Alvak economy developed significantly during Rodinoglou's tenure. His government revitalized and expanded upon the Autobahn highway network, built the Alvastadt subway system, and laid the foundation for the economic development of modern Alva. Rodinoglou implemented a protectionist economic policy, encouraging the Alvak upper class to revitalize internal markets. Farmers, long neglected by the state, were bolstered by agrarian reforms: land distribution was carried out in several waves in the 1960s. The Alvak financial system was nationalized in order to bolster the state's coffers. Rodinoglou oversaw the implementation of five-year plans; the wider Alvak economy saw increased state intervention compared to the relative autonomy it saw during Arendt's era. Taking a note from Sungkou's own development, the state incorporated private corporations in its economic planning. These corporations, usually family-run, received state incentives such as tax breaks, legality for their exploitation system and cheap or free financing: the state bank facilitated the planning of concentrated loans by item according to each five-year plan, and by economic group selected to lead it.

Alva's rapid economic growth was stunted with the Yindong Economic Crisis of the late 1970s; with Rodinoglou's health deteriorating, he resigned in 1976. The conservative General Alexander von Dohna took his place; correspondence found in the Imperial Archives suggest Rodinoglou was blackmailed into choosing Dohna over Leon Schilling, a Reichstag member on good terms with Rodinoglou. Dohna's tenure was marked by a number of protests against his rule due to the military's re-encroachment on politics. As a distraction, he sent over Alvak forces to support Tiperyn's efforts in the Veikan Civil War in 1977. The gesture of support marked the first time in over 50 years that Goetic forces loyal to the Goetic Crown had stepped foot in Artemia. The disastrous results of the expeditionary force by 1979 incensed the population; in attempting to quell the subsequent protests, he only further enraged them with the deaths of Savvas Baratos, Lili Schenck, Qutb al-Lodi, and Himma al-Youssef, all university students. The demonstrations would evolve into the Democratic Alva movement, and the protests, now known as the Alvak Spring, would envelop all of Alva by 1980. Dohna's party, the National Unity Party, and its leader, Lavrentios Comelis, forced Dohna to concede to the protesters' demands on the 29th of June. Martial law ended the next day, and elections were called for the 20th of July. Dohna resigned in disgrace, leaving Comelis to take up the position as a caretaker.

Contemporary era (1980 onwards)

The transition from autocracy to modern democracy was marked in 1980 by the election of Kim Bönsch, who was sworn in as the fourth chancellor of Alva on July 25, 1980. His election was significant given that an election to the position would have been impossible under normal circumstances; he had in earlier years been a political prisoner sentenced to death (later commuted to house arrest). With Bönsch's rise to power, Alva began reorienting itself once more, further weaning off Tiperyn and North-South Concordant support and rebuilding relations with Kodeshia, Bakfong, and Akiteiwa. Bönsch's first tenure as chancellor saw the rehabilitation of thousands of political prisoners and the subsequent investigation into crimes that occurred during the era of martial law.

Following Alva's transition to democracy, it bounced between a socialist and neoliberal model of governance. The constitutional reforms of 1980 transformed Alva into a fully parliamentary monarchy. The reforms, which took effect on 28 October 1980, made the office of chancellor dependent on the confidence of the Reichstag rather than that of the Alvak sovereign and required the consent of both the Reichstag and the Reichsrat for declarations of war and for peace agreements. The 4-year period that followed marked Alva's brief stint as a true parliamentary monarchy in its own right, much to the discontent of its populace.

Confederation and onwards

Despite democratization, popular discontent spread over the federal system that Alva had built itself around. The unpopular conservative upper class, finding leadership in Opposition head Ileas Makreas, sought to keep the status quo. Popular support for change leaned towards a confederative model first popularized by leftist leader Aamir el-Hai and endorsed by Bönsch. More radical sects called for complete decolonization, the dissolution of the Alvak state, and independence for majority-Aravan regions; these groups found widespread disapproval from the public. In a televised address, Bönsch derided the pro-independence movements, saying “the damage had already been done” and decrying their ambitions as “unnecessary amputations”.

Over the course of his 4-year term as chancellor, Bönsch was plagued with frequent negotiations regarding confederalization. A majority of Goets and Thalassians supported confederalization, a sentiment that was not mirrored in the Aravan-dominant Upper Alva region. There, public opinion was evenly split between independence and confederalization, in part due to anti-Artemian sentiments conflicting with a general leftist lean in the collective Aravan population. Negotiations between Bönsch’s government and the seven provincial governments continued intermittently from 1980 to 1983 until the Neukyritz Conference of January 1984 solidified a plan for a confederalized Alva. A final opinion poll was held in April of the same year; 74% of Goets, 71% of Thalassians, and 58% of Aravans supported Confederation. On May 1, 1984, the Alvak Reichstag convened for the last time to ratify the Constitution Act, completely replacing the 1980 Constitution. In a televised public address later that day, Bönsch announced the dissolution of the Imperial State of Alva, and the establishment of the Confederation of the Alva in its place. Elections, already slated for that year, were to be held at the normal time; Bönsch would remain as interim Chancellor until then.

Under Bönsch's successor Silas Constantinakous, land reform and nationalizations were enforced, taking power away from Alva's corporations. The establishment of KTEC in 1994 following repeated successes in talks with Alva's neighbours marked the high point of the era of early Alvak democracy. Akram al-Sattar's tenure as Alva's first democratically elected right-wing chancellor saw a re-evaluation of Alva's participation in the North-South Concordant; initially, he sought to nurture a sort of rapprochement with fellow NSC members like Tiperyn and Agrana y Griegro. However, because of discontent among the population for fruitless approaches to said countries under the previous administrations and, amid Agranan provocations, a leftist government was elected in 2004 led by Chancellor Ibrahim El-Odeh, former mayor of El Haud.

El-Odeh's successor, Lavrentis Baras, was formally accused of corruption, bribery, and influence-peddling for the involvement of close friend Mubarak al-Munir in state affairs. Following the revelation, a series of massive public demonstrations from January 2012, precipitating Baras' departure from office. In the fallout of the scandal, the 2012 elections saw the resurgence of leftists in politics; Ferdinand von Kapp of the Social Democratic Party of Alva was elected Chancellor, assuming office on the 13th of May that year. His tenure saw an improving political relationship with the member-states of KTEC, alongside increasing divergence in the military alliance with Tiperyn. Lavrentis Baras was also sentenced to 30 years imprisonment on charges of corruption, bribery, and abuse of power in April 2017. Following the Casinta Incident in 2019 where an Alvak news crew was murdered by Agranan security forces, Alva retracted its membership from the North-South Concordant. Alva reached another milestone in 2020 with the first ever female Chancellor, Hera Cosmiade, to be elected and assume office.

Geography

it's all desert man

Politics

Government

Constituent states

Laws

Foreign relations

Alva maintains diplomatic relations with most countries in the world. Its relative power has increased somewhat from when it was a colony prior to the turn of the 20th century, and it maintains a moderate status in world affairs. Formal diplomatic relations are primarily maintained by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Country	Status	Current state of relations	Mutual Embassies	Visa Requirement
Aftarestan	Strained	Alva has no diplomatic relations with this nation due to the latter's socialist government.	No	N/A
Agrana y Griegro	Hostile	Both countries have cut ties with each other after the Casinta shooting incident in 2019 and the subsequent withdrawal from the NSC by Alva.	No	N/A
Airgialla	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Akiteiwa	Allied	Member of KTEC	Yes	No
Albel	Strained	Alva has no diplomatic relations with this nation due to the latter's socialist government.	No	N/A
Arroyo-Abeille	No relations	Alva has no diplomatic relations with this nation	No	N/A
Atargistan	Strained	Alva has no diplomatic relations with this nation due to the latter's socialist government.	No	N/A
Austrasia	Neutral	Although part of the NSC, relations between the two countries have stabilized fairly quickly.	Yes	Yes
Baileneu Ma	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Bakfong	Allied	Member of KTEC	Yes	No
Boaga	Neutral	Although part of the NSC, relations between the two countries have stabilized fairly quickly.	Yes	Yes
Brigantica	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Chezzetcook	Friendly	Observer of KTEC	Yes	Yes
Confederate States of Northern Avalonia	Friendly	The Confederate States houses a large Goetic population within the State of Sungkou.	Yes	Yes
Gardarike	Friendly	Member of the Pan-Artemian Coalition	Yes	No
Hosuman	No relations	Alva has no diplomatic relations with this nation	No	N/A
Jinhang	No relations	Alva has no diplomatic relations with this nation	No	N/A
Jungastia	Friendly	Jungastia is the largest trade partner of Alva concerning refined oils and plastics.	Yes	Yes
Kaya	Neutral	Although part of the NSC, relations between the two countries have stabilized fairly quickly.	Yes	Yes
Kitoko	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Kodeshia	Allied	Member of KTEC	Yes	No
Lestykhol	Strained	Alva has taken a hostile stance against Lestykhol after the the latter's 2020 invasion and occupation of Aukalnia and Sartland.	Yes	Yes
File:Flag (2).png Lusjki	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Mero-Curgovina	Friendly	Member of the Pan-Artemian Coalition	Yes	No
File:Mespaliaflag.png Mespalia	Neutral		Yes	Yes
File:Lonk darket.png Modrovia	Friendly	Member of the Pan-Artemian Coalition	Yes	No
Mursland	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Nasiria	Strained	Alva has taken a hostile stance against Nasiria after Alva's 2019 withdrawal from the NSC.	No	N/A
New Valentina	Neutral	Although part of the NSC, relations between the two countries have stabilized fairly quickly.	Yes	Yes
Veikaia	Strained	Alva has no diplomatic relations with this nation due to the latter's socialist government.	No	N/A
Nyland	Strained	Alva has no diplomatic relations with this nation due to the latter's socialist government.	No	N/A
Osorra	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Ostboland	Friendly	Member of the Pan-Artemian Coalition	Yes	No
Paseiwa	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Prabhat	Allied	Member of KTEC	Yes	No
File:Propyflagfinal.png Propyrgia	Friendly	(something about Thalassian unity or some other bullshit)	Yes	No
Pukara	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Qingcheng	Allied	Member of KTEC	Yes	No
Qurac	No relations	Alva has no diplomatic relations with this nation	No	N/A
Ramay	Strained	Alva has no diplomatic relations with this nation due to the latter's socialist government.	No	N/A
Ringerike	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Rovsnoska	Strained	Alva has taken a hostile stance against Rovsnoska after the latter's 2020 invasion and occupation of Graznava.	Yes	Yes
Samotkhe	Friendly	Member of the Pan-Artemian Coalition	Yes	No
Santa Magdalena	No relations	Alva has no diplomatic relations with this nation	No	N/A
Selengeria	Strained	Alva has taken a hostile stance against Selengeria after Alva's 2019 withdrawal from the NSC.	No	N/A
Seratof	Friendly	Member of the Pan-Artemian Coalition	Yes	No
Sinaya	No relations	Alva has no diplomatic relations with this nation	No	N/A
SiWallqanqa	Neutral		Yes	Yes
South Kesh	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Svenskt	Neutral	Although part of the NSC, relations between the two countries have stabilized fairly quickly.	Yes	Yes
Tavaluda	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Goetia	Hostile	Alva does not recognize the government of Goetia and recognizes the Imperial Goetic Government in Exile to be the legitimate government.	No	N/A
Theyka	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Thuyiquakliq	Friendly	Member of the Pan-Artemian Coalition	Yes	No
Tilenno	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Tiperyn	Strained	Alva has taken a hostile stance against Tiperyn after Alva's 2019 withdrawal from the NSC.	No	N/A
Velselexo	Friendly	Member of the Pan-Artemian Coalition	Yes	No
Yarova	Strained	Alva has taken a hostile stance against Yarova after the latter's 2020 invasion and occupation of Aukalnia and Sartland.	Yes	Yes
Zahava	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Zaporizhia	Neutral		Yes	Yes

Military

Alva's military, the Reichswehr, is organized into the Heer (Army and special forces), Marine (Navy), Luftstreitkräfte (Air Force), Sanitätsdienst (Medical Service) and Streitkräftebasis (Joint Support Service) branches. In 2020, Alvak military expenditures took up Mxx.x billion, around x.x% of the national GDP.

As of January 2020, the Reichswehr has a strength of 200,000 active soldiers and 900,000 reservists. Reservists are available to the armed forces and participate in defence exercises and deployments abroad. Military service is compulsory for men at age 18. However, calls have been made in recent years to suspend conscription and replace it with voluntary service. Since 2002 women may serve in all functions of service without restriction.

In peacetime, the Reichswehr is commanded by the Minister of Defence. In a state of defence, the Chancellor would become commander-in-chief of the Reichswehr. The role of the Reichswehr is described in the 1980 revision of the Constitution of Alva as defensive only. But after a ruling of the Imperial Constitutional Court in 1995, the term "defence" has been defined to not only include protection of the borders of Alva, but also crisis reaction and conflict prevention, or more broadly as guarding the security of Alva anywhere in the world.

Economy

Alva has a major advanced mixed economy, dependent mainly on agriculture, media, petroleum exports, natural gas, and tourism. The completion of the Adhaim Hydroelectric Complex in 1963 and the resultant Adhaim Lake have vastly altered the pre-existing place of the Alva River in the agriculture and ecology of Alva. A rapidly growing population, limited arable land, and dependence on the region's limited water resources all continue to put a strain on the state's resources and stress the economy. The nation's growing manufacturing sector is characterized by a small number of global multinational corporations surrounded by many dynamic small and medium-sized enterprises clustered in several industrial regions. This has produced a manufacturing sector often focused on the export of niche market and luxury products; this has brought Alva into conflict with its fellow Keshian neighbours in Kodeshia and Bakfong, who outcompete Alvak quality-based production with quantity and low labour costs. Modern manufacturing practices have widened this production gap, as Kodeshian and Bakanese products continue to reach parity with or surpass Alvak standards.

The largest buyer for Alvak oil is Jungastia's Petrostado.

Although one of the main obstacles still facing the Alvak economy is the limited trickle down of wealth to the average population, many Alvaks criticize their government for higher prices of basic goods while their standards of living or purchasing power remains relatively stagnant. A gaping North–South divide is a major factor of socio-economic weakness, stemming from colonial and junta-era exploitation of the South. It can be noted by the huge difference in statistical income between the coastal northern and inland southern regions. The richest province, the Capital District, earns 171% of the national GDP per capita, while the poorest southern province, East Bank, earns 59%. The national unemployment rate (7.3%) stands slightly below the KTEC average, but the disaggregated figure is 5.3% in the North and 18.9% in the South. The youth unemployment rate (14.9% as of 2020) is moderately below average compared to KTEC standards.

Demographics

Ethnic groups and languages

Religion

Administrative districts

Culture

what the hell is going on?

Health

Healthcare in Alva is delivered through the state system of publicly funded health care. It is guided by the provisions of the Alva Health Acts of 1967 and 1978 and is universal. Universal access to publicly funded health services is often considered by Alvaks as a fundamental value that ensures national health care insurance for everyone wherever they live in the country. However, 30% of Alvaks' healthcare is paid for through the private sector. This mostly goes towards services not covered or partially covered by the health care system, such as prescription drugs, dentistry and optometry. Approximately 65% to 75% of Alvaks have some form of supplementary health insurance related to the aforementioned reasons; many receive it through their employers or utilizes secondary social service programs related to extended coverage for families receiving social assistance or vulnerable demographics, such as seniors, minors, and those with disabilities.

Education

Alva is one of the more educated countries in the world; the country ranks nth worldwide in the number of adults having tertiary education, with 62% of Alvak adults having attained at least an undergraduate college or university degree. Alva spends about 5.3% of its GDP on education. The country invests heavily in tertiary education (more than RM 20,000 per student). As of 2014, 79% of adults aged 25 to 64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, compared to the worldwide average of 75%.

Since the adoption of section 14 of the 1981 Education Act, education in Goetic, Thalassian, and Aravan have been available across Alva. Alvak provinces are responsible for the provision of education. The mandatory school age ranges between 5–7 to 16–18 years, contributing to an adult literacy rate of 97%. In 2002, 43% of Alvaks aged 25 to 64 possessed a post-secondary education; for those aged 25 to 34, the rate of post-secondary education reached 56%.

insert info dropdown box here

Alva

Contents

Etymology