Valruzia

Valruzia (/væl'ruzja/), officially the Valruzian Empire (Valrizen: Cesarstwo Walruzyjskie, pronounced [/ʦ̑ɛˈsarstfɔ vælruz'ɪjskje/]), is a devolved authoritarian empire in Northern Seleya. It is bordered by Likatonia and Lodamun to the north, Baltusia to the east, Tukarali to the south, and the Southern Ocean to the west. It is the largest state in Seleya with an area of 1,930,500 km² (745 370 sq mi), and it is also the state with the largest metropolitan territory in the world.

Etymology
The name Valruzia comes from the archaic name for the nation, " Valruz", which was an abbreviation signifying the union between the Valonian and Ruzian peoples, the two largest archaic ethnic groups in the country.

In the Valrizen language, the letter "v" does not freely exist in speech or script (though it is used in several instances of English derivatives, such as "TV" or "DVD"), and is instead replaced by a hard "w". In this instance, the common name for Valruzia is "Walruzja".

Endonyms
The Valrizen words for a Valruzian are Walruz (masculine) and Walruzka (feminine), with the plural forms being Walruzki (plural feminine) and Walruzcy (general plural). The adjective "Valruzian" translates to Valrizen in three forms: Walruzyjski (masculine), Walruzyjska (feminine), and Walruzyjskie (neutral or plural).

Ancient and Medieval Valruzia

 * Main articles: History of Valonia, History of Ruzia, and History of Zuma

Valruzian Kingdom and Unification
In 1456, the Treaty of Quinterra united the Valonian and Ruzian Unions into the Valruzian Kingdom. This was done to withstand pressure from foreign powers. Each of the constituent kingdoms retained control of its own territories, giving the King little more than a nominal title. The Bandorran King was chosen as ruler to ensure that kingdom remained stable and free from dynastic quarrels. This reasoning was due to the fact that he ruled over the smallest of the four kingdom (at that time what we now call North Kampania was a part of Zuma) and would not be prone or capable to remove any of the fellow Royal Houses.

In 1911, a civil war broke out in the kingdom's northern neighbour Zuma, which controlled what is now known as Tormaszek and northern Kampania. The Valruzian Kingdom exploited the situation and attacked the industrially underdeveloped nation. The forces under command of the King quickly gained control of the nation and replaced the Council of Nuzria with a new Queen (the House of Tirkalara). In 1919, the western part of the nation became a part of Bandorra, while the eastern was called Tirkalara, in honor of the new Royal House. Since that time, there have been repeated attempts to once again create a Zuman state, but these have failed to gain support numerous times. The first time that an independence movement became a real threat was upon the foundation of the Eccentric Farmer List by Almhod Tito in the 1970s. As this group gained more and more support the Valruzian rulers saw no other way than to remove him and he became the victim of an assassination in 1995. This led to great instability in the Zuman areas and in 2001 a militant group calling themselves Titoists took up arms.

The insurgency in the Zuman areas and the newly-found power of the House of Bandorra further destabilized the Kingdom. In 2028, republicans in both Valonia and Ruzia took up arms against the monarchs. The struggle lasted for 8 years and ended as the monarchs fled into exile. The year after, in 2037, the first elections in the new Valruzian Federation were held.

Valruzian Federation
In July 2037, the first elections for the Valruzian Federation were held, with the Democratic Republican Party winning most of the elections until 2150. The party always won with more than 50% of the votes, leaving the other parties in the dust, so to speak. With that power at hand, the Democrats refused to make a coalition government with the others, and they went about many executive changes around the nation, such as the ending of the Protectionist Economical Action Plan (PEAP) set by the Emperor at the time, whom they also managed to exile. In addition, they created a liberal state in Valruzia; however, it was one that did not focus adequately on social policies, especially with such outrageous results such as the end of the PEAP (which ultimately led to an economic crisis in 2149), which in turn resulted in the layoffs and salary cuts in many corporations in Valruzia. By this action, the unemployment rate in Valruzia jumped to 20%, which caused Valruzia to enter an economic crisis from which it took decades to recover.

In 2150, an election was held that would change the course of Valruzia. The extreme rigth (Fascists) had 15% of the votes, The Monarchists lost many suporters and had a few 4%, The liberals (Republican Party) lost many votes and had only 8%, the Center (Democratic Party) had 18%, the Social-Democrats had 25%, The Socialists Had 20%, and for big suprise of all the Comunists had 10% of the votes.

A Popular Front Government Was created, the Social Democrats leaded the new government, constitued by them, the Socialists, and the comunists.

They taked policies inspired in Keynes, allowed the strikes, the sindicates, created a minimun wage, and bougth many companies from the Key-Sectors of the economy.

But the oposition of the other parties to this measures growth, despite the end of the economical crise, the Fascists created milicias and destroyed many sindicates, the Republican Party went to the extreme rigth, and defended an authoritarian Government to eleminate the Comunism, the monarchists tryed 2 State Coups, the Democratics lost pratically all their suporters.

Ín the next elections, the coalition Anti-Comunism (coalition between the Fascists, the Republicans, and the monarchists) had 40% of the votes, the Social-Democratic Party had 25%, the socialists had 25% of the votes and the comunists mantained the 10%....

The Coalition Anti-Comunism, started a civil war in 2270, the militairs that suported them marched against the capital, taked the parliament, the government building and executed the government, the deputies of the popular front, the sindicalists, and several populares that tryed to stop them, 4000 persosns died in this assault.

They took the cities of the north, and around the capital, the Popular Front soldiers organized them selves in the south, they recruted many people, This army was liderated by a council of 10 persons, 7 of them were militairs, and the other 3 were politics that were able to run away from the parliament and that assumed the leadership of their parties, from this council 5 of them were comunists, 4 socialists and only one was from the social-democrats, this army were defeated in the first major battle in 2279, but due to popular support they reorganized and marched against the capital in 2283, they defeated the Fascist Coalition, and assumed the control of Valruzia again.

The Fascists killed in this war 150.000 populares, and 50.000 militairs, the Popular Front killed 1500 civilians that suported the Fascists, and that were involved in Fascist Terror, and killed 36.000 militairs.

The right parties were forbidden, and the socialists led the new order: the Socialist Union of Valruzia.

Socialist Union of Valruzia
The Socialist Union of Valruzia lasted for a period of time from March 2284 to November 2487, after which it returned to being a Federation.

Commonwealth of Valruzia
The Commonwealth of Valruzia existed from 2845 to 2850.

Post-Union Valruzia and the Formation of the Republic
Following the dissolution of the Commonwealth in 2850, the nation reverted back into a federation once more, thereby solidifying peace and prosperity for the nation for quite some time. In fact, Valruzia remained largely unchanged for over 800 years. During that time, politicians came and went, wars were fought and ended, and the Valruzian Federation continued to prosper and grow during this time. However, this progress began to stagnate, and the people started to grow restless and tired. A new way of life had to be introduced, and this hope was finally realized in October 3090, when the Walruzyjski Związek Ludowy (Valruzian People's Union) ended the tyranny of almost a millennium of rule and brought about the Rzeczpospolita Walruzyjska, or the "First Republic of Valruzia" in the common tongue. However, this joyous time was short-lived, as the WZL was soon unseated and removed from political affairs by the previous Libertarian government, which sought to return Valruzia to the Federation it had been. As a result of this motion, a vote was carried out in September 3107 to revert the nation back to the Valruzian Federation (for a third time). While this decision got a majority vote in the government, the name was ultimately left unchanged, due to the high spirits of the people that was attributed to the formation of the Republic. By this notion, the Valruzian Republic was solidified as the prospect of the nation, and has remained as such.

Sometime before the turn of the 33rd century, Valruzia was going through a culture crisis. It was at this time that the nation itself was left in chaos, with no forseeable end to the conflict. It was at this time that the Sojusz Lewicy Chrześcijańskiej (Christian Left Party) began to reorganize and unify the nation under a single banner. However, the damage done by this crisis to the Republic seemed irreparable. Thus, the decision was made to officially end the Republic, in all name and association, and to replace it with a second, more unified and more solidified nation. Thus, the Druga Rzeczpospolita Walruzyjska (Second Republic of Valruzia) came to be in October 3198.

The First Valruzian Empire
Following centuries of conflict, debate, reformation, and internal struggle, Valruzia ceased to be a force to be reckoned with in the world. Awareness of this situation grew and grew within the nation, fuelling a general state of depression and weakness within the nation. Disappointed with their fortunes at the turn of the 33rd century, the Valruzian people began to seek out a new order of rule that would restore respect and admiration for their nation. As if by God's work, a new movement, led by Aleksander Sterzyński of the Walruzyjski Związek Narodowy (Valruzian National Union), began to garner support in Valruzia, promising a return to being a world power in Terran politics. Thus, it was time for change. It was time for power. It was time for strength. It was time for an empire. On August 8th, 3222, Valruzia ceased to be a Republic, and instead became an Imperial power under the command of Emperor Aleksander I (the Strong), with the aid of the Walruzyjskie Dowódstwo Cesarskie (Valruzian Imperial High Command), the evolved administrative body of the WZN. At the first sign of this development, many international communities shared both joy and discontent, though this proved to be temporary, as the Empire began to foster new, strong relations with nations within Northern Seleya. With treaties resulting between Valruzia and Kalistan, as well as with Indrala, Valruzia moved into a safer position on the global scheme of things, ensuring prosperity and safety for the future.

In the late 3250s, a new political power rose in Valruzia, threatening the position of the slowly-diminishing Valruzian High Command. Naming themselves "The Democratic Party", they attracted support that was left unaccounted for by the ruling party, which had grown lazy over the years with little to no political competition. Eventually, the Imperial High Command was unseated from power by the Democrats, who had managed to gain enough support to remove the officials politically and install representatives of their own. This action distressed many citizens of Valruzia, who then began a revolt in several governates as a result. In addition to the revolts, another political entity took advantage of these weakened conditions in the nation, beginning a movement to return Valruzia to its state as a Federation. This party, the Communist Party of Valruzia (CPV), aimed to remove all new cultural influences and to revert the nation into its archaic state, as it was over 200 years prior to the establishement of the Valruzian Empire. This notion brought more turmoil to the internally-struggling country, resulting in further protests nation-wide. Due to the increasing political pressure from other parties, as well as increasing instability within the nation, the Emperor of Valruzia at the time, Lord Henryk I, abdicated his throne and fled to Gaduridos. Having no heir to the throne, Valruzia had no choice but to elect an interim president to lead the nation, until its fate as an empire could be decided.

The First Valruzian Empire was officially abolished on December 15th, 3266, having lasted for 44 years. With that, the whole government was reorganized into a republican state once more, thus commencing the existance of the Third Republic of Valruzia.

The Third Republic of Valruzia From the ashes of the Valruzian Empire came the birth of a nation with a new goal and a new purpose. Voting for a more democratic system of government, Valruzia became a republic once again on December 15th, 3266.

The Second Valruzian Empire
On January 1st, 3382, Valruzia ceased its existence as a republic once again, and undertook the mantle of "empire" once more, under the leadership of the former President Walentin Zukowski, now Walentin I.

Administrative Divisions
Valruzia is made up of 5 distinct regions, each called a Province. These regions are: Kampania, Połysk, Wielkowalruzja, Małowalruzja, and Chulbark. Each province is overlooked by a Moff, who is the highest regional authority for a province. Moffs are elected once every ten years, though the Premier and the President have the authority to veto any appointment. Provinces are further subdivided into municipal districts, of which there are 68 in total.

Political Parties

 * See also: List of Political Parties in Valruzia

Ethnic groups
As of the August 2292 census, people of Valruzian ancestory made up 95.53% of the Valruzian population, with 44.46% Ruzians, 32.16% Valonians, and 18.91% Zumans. The Valruzian Federation is also the home to people of non-Valruzian descent, with Likatons making up the largest proportion of the group.

The Ruzian people form the largest ethnic group in Valruzia. Their population is concentrated in the lowland plains in the west of the country. Due to geographical reasons, the Ruzians were never separated like the Valonian were, instead remaining a homogenous social group.

The Valonian people form the second largest ethnic group in Valruzia. A diverse people, they can be further divided into the Bandorran and Dugatine Valonians. The Bandorran Valonians are the descendents of the Vurlun. Dugaine. However, with the exception of the Grey Volon, most Dugatine Valonians are not pure Valonian, due to centuries of inter-marriage with the Kaenirelonan people. Nevertheless, while assimilating many Kaenirelonan traditions and customs, these Dugatines consider themselves to be first Dugatine and Valonian.

The Zuman people form the third largest ethnic group in Valruzia. Most dominant in Tirkalara and northern Bandorra, the Zumans are only related to the Valruzians distantly, being more related to Likatons.

Additionally, in Dugathan and southeastern Tirkalara, there exists the Kaenirelona, a medley of mountain tribes officially treated as one demographic by the government. The former Tse'khene party is made up of one of the many Kaenirelonan tribes. Most Kaenirelonan practise their native religion, Pha'elem.

Languages
The most widely spoken language in Valruzia is the Valrizen, which is also the sole official language of the nation. The Zuman, Dugati, and the Kaenirelonan languages are also spoken in areas of Zuman and Kaenirelonan majority, respectively. Old Volonian was once the main language of Valruzia, and was the precursor to modern-day Valrizen. It fell into disuse in the late 27th century, replaced by the more popular Valrizen. Only a handful of rural communities in Kampania and Tormaszek still use the language.

Religion
Religion plays a rather small role in the lives of most Valruzians, with approximately less than 40% of the population identifying themselves as an adherent of a particular religion. This is a relatively modern development, as historically, Valruzia was known to be an adamantly religious nation, with over 90% of the nation being Terran Catholic at one point in time. This change can be attributed to a massive growth in the population of atheists, agnostics, as well as deists and other irreligious beliefs, leading some to believe in a future possibility of a plurality of completely nonreligious Valruzians.

Secularization is one of the foundations of modern-day Valruzia, with religion being largely kept out of the public forum. Several religious holidays are still observed as a celebration of tradition and history; however, they carry very little religious weight for the population, and are therefore generally accepted in public.

Sports
In the field of sports, Valruzia is best known for their professionalism and committment to football (also commonly referred to as "soccer"). As the modern era dawned on Valruzia, the general interest in the game grew in the nation, prompting many cities and towns across the nation to form their own local squads. It was not until the turn of the 32nd century that a formal football administrative body, the Valruzian Football Association (VFA) was formed, and an league system was established in the nation. Currently, there are 28 official football clubs, 18 of which are in the Valruzian Ekstraklasa, with the remaining 9 clubs being in the Valruzian Second League, the less prestigeous of the two leagues. At the end of each season, the bottom two clubs of the Ekstraklasa are relegated into the second league, while the top two of the second league are promoted to first league play. Additionally, the top 8 clubs of the Ekstraklasa qualify for next season's Valruzian Super Puchar (Valruzian Super Cup), a small cup tournament featuring the best in Valruzian football. Some prominent clubs include Hel FC, FC Białograd, and FK Relonanki.

In addition to domestic football, Valruzia is recognized as a footballing power on the world stage, having membership in both the Terran FIFA, as well as the Seleyan Association of Footballing Nations (SAFN). One of the first to apply for membership into FIFA, Valruzia has a reputation for sensational football on an international level, having won several international tournaments to date. The national team, officially known as the Walruzyjski Zespół Piłki Nożnej ( WZPN; translates to "Valruzian Football Squad" ), is a beacon of skill, ability, and perseverence that is seldom seen in the football scene today.

Apart from football, Valruzians enjoy other sports such as volleyball, handball, and horse racing, with the latter gaining surprising popularity in recent times.