Jelbania

Jelbania (Jelbék: Ѥлбе Jelbe), officially the Khanate of Jelbania (Jelbék: Ѥлбєк Хайәнкнстат Jelbék Hajánknstat) is a nation in central Majatra. The country consists of 5 taghe, and its capital and largest city is Baofluz. Jelbania covers an area of 1,369,500 square kilometers (528,767 sq mi) and has a steppe climate susceptible to extreme cold in the winter and extreme heat in the summer. It has a population of roughly 100 million inhabitants.

Jelbania shares borders with Deltaria to the south, Zardugal to the west and Vanuku to the north. Jelbania's easternmost province, Rilmos, has a long coastline on the Sea of Majatra.

Geography
Jelbania is a country located in south-west central Majatra. Its neighbours are Vanuku to the north west, Zardugal to the west and Deltaria to the south east. The Majatran Sea borders the north east of the country while Lake Majatra borders the south.



About a third of entire country is covered with the Great Perimor Steppe, This great temperate steppe extends from the western half of the taghe of Rilmos, through nearly all of Perimor and west to the eastern half and south of Nemawar. Eastern Rilmos is covered by plains while a small desert area is located in the heart of the Rilmos taghe with dunes rising to the north eastern mountains of the same taghe. The mountain range rises to 4,778m - the highest point being the peak of Mount Prsakijsrljitrk and stretches out for more than 850 km.to eastern Baniray.

Northern Baniray is dominated by grasslands which stretch all the way to the basin of the country's greatest river Drtéréksrne in the north of Baniray. A smaller steppe is found in the south of Turadrad, a taghe dominated by plains similar to those in eastern Rilmos. Plains dominate the north of Nemawar and a small portion of southern Baniray.

Climate
Jelbania has a generally continental climate, temperatures are known to rise above 30°C in summer and can fall below -40<°C. In desert areas, a semi arid climate is noted. Average annual precipitation is generally low - below 200mm per annum.

Government and politics
The Khanate of Jelbania is a absolute monarchy. The head of State, the Khan, retains considerable political power, far exceeding the powers granted to him by the constitution. He also serves as the Supreme Commander of the Great Jelbek Horde (the national army) In his absence or incapacity, a Regent-Atabek rules in his place. The 25 Jelbek clans play an important part of government with senior clan Beks often serving as federal Ministers. They enjoy self government in their clan territory. Jelbania has a very decentralised government with cities, clan territories and taghes enjoying much autonomy.

The Kurultai of Jelbania meets in the capital of Baofluz. The unicameral legislative has 104 seats, whose members are elected by popular vote in single-member districts by landowners and nobles to serve six-year terms. Although the constitution grants the Kurultai supreme legislative power, in practice that power is severely restricted, as the Cabinet implements only legislation it approves of and also submits most of the legislation the Kurultai considers.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Jelbania is headed by the Wrntusrljikai(literally "Forward-souled Person"), who is appointed by the Khan. The Cabinet is responsible solely to the Kurultai and has to command a working majority in the Kurultai. There are 13 Departments each headed by a senior Minister. Currently, the ruling political movement is the Hldjez Jeztaghe Spjogad.

The judiciary of Jelbania is structured into several levels, the highest being the Judicial Committee of the Kurultai. Each taghe, clan territory and autonomous city has its own judicial structure, often with a High Court being the highest court of appeal on issues reserved to local government.Traditional courts presided over by chiefs and chieftains handle the bulk of family law disputes.

Although the constitution provides for freedom of the press, the government does not in reality practice it, as it controls most media outlets. Activities of all but the officially recognized Terran Patriarchal Church and Queranzari Ahmadi faiths are severely limited. Practitioners of other religions have allegedly been harassed, imprisoned, and/or tortured, according to some outside human rights advocacy groups. The government takes a middle course of neutrality towards established religions, far from the active persecution of the 36th century.

Foreign relations
Jelbania has traditionally restricted her forays in the field of foreign affairs to her home continent of Majatra and has primarily focused on engagements with Jelbic countries such as Barmenia, Vanuku etc. Jelbania is a member of the Jelbic Union of the North, the Union of Majatra. Anti-Augustan/Zardic sentiment is strong in the Jelbanian government and the country was once a member of the Anti-Zardic Imperialism Majatran Front and was a founding member of the Anti-Augustan League. In recent years, Jelbania has begun extending her diplomatic network and has opened embassies in a number of countries. With Jelbania's defeat in the Jelbanian-Deltarian War in the early 3520s, Jelbania became a vassal state of the Deltarian Empire. This offered the defeated kingdom the military protection of the Deltarian Czar and the Empire in exchange for acknowledging the Czar as suzerain. In the Treaty of Baofluz, the peace document signed in 3523 to end the war, Jelbania was forbidden from engaging in certain behavior in the future: "Jelbania shall henceforth be barred from fielding any form of armed forces, save that which is required for the domestic policing of their own soil and territorial waters."

- Treaty of Baofluz, Article IV, Section IV.

"Jelbania shall henceforth be barred from entering into military alliances or pacts with third parties, unless express authorisation is granted by the legislative assembly of Deltaria."

- Treaty of Baofluz, Article IV, Section V.

Jelbania was an active member of the Union of Majatran Nations from December 3523 until August 3526 when it withdrew from that body in support of Deltaria's humanitarian invasion to end apartheid rule in Cobura. It rejoined in April 3527 following the incorporation of Cobura into the Deltarian Empire in an effort to use the UMN to pressure Zardugal to account for its part in the IHRM Espionage Scandal, particularly allegations that Zardugal coerced then-president Krsyijkai Jeztri to invade Deltaria, thus causing the Jelbanian-Deltarian War.

When Jelbania declared its independence in 3564, the Treaty of Baofluz was declared null and void. After the restored House of Sebastian was overthrown in 3578, Jelbania's foreign policy has been focused on establishing ties with Jelbic nations, by creating a new version of the Jelbic Union of the North. Jelbania also has a policy of cooperation with anti-Zardic nations, particularly within the Anti-Zardic Imperialism Majatran Front, the Anti-Augustan League and the Embargo on Solentia.

In 3624 after decades of tension, the Khanate declared war on the Augustan Empire. The war briefly went well for the Jelbanians and they managed to capture the Zardic city of Augusta Justiniana but after that,the Augustan Northern Army invaded, defeated and occupied the Khanate, with two major battles in the southern taghe of Nemawar. A pro Augustan Government was installed. In 3686 the Khanate became a vassal state of the Razamid Caliphate and left the Caliphate in 3697.

Administrative divisions
Jelbania is divided into five regions called Taghe (literally "field"). Jelbek clans also retain considerable power on domestic affairs.

Law enforcement
Law enforcement in Jelbania is handled by the country's police and law courts, largely responsible to local and clan governments. It is shared between the country's federal Ministry of Internal Affairs and local ministries, the Office of Internal Security and the Prosecutor General.



The police force come under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (in federal territory) while in areas under the control of local governments, they are usually under a local Ministry of Police. The Office of Internal Security and that of the Prosecutor General are also under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and are responsible for intelligence gathering and investigation respectively.

Jelbania's court system operates at a number of levels, the lowest being local magistrate courts, followed by provincial courts (at a level with High Clan courts) and higher is the federal Superior Court, usually the court of last resort for non constitutional matters. The highest court of the land is the Kurultai which also functions as the national legislature. It specialises in hearing cases of high treason and constitutional disputes. A parallel clan based court system exists for inter clan affairs and solving family disputes. Clan Beks and other elders preside over these cases and an appeal is possible to the Khan who has the final say on all such maters.

Economy of Jelbania
Economy of Jelbania

Infrastructure
The Trans-Jelbanian Railway connects the far western city of Amsadomura to the eastern border city of Brnfiàsrl through the capital, Baofluz - a distance of more than 1,600 km. It was built in the late 35th century. There are numerous airports in Jelbania - the main international airport is the newly remained Khan Shlajkai Airport, located about 15 km north of Baofluz. AeroJelbe is the main airline in the Khanate, serving domestic and regional routes. Overland roads are mostly gravel and cross country tracks with just about 6,300 km of paved roads across the Khanate.

Education
The Jelbek clans have traditionally valued only informal education in the military arts for males and housekeeping/handicraft lessons for females. Attitudes towards formal schooling have changed and schools are to be found even among nomadic clans despite education remaining purely voluntary, clans have begun realising the value of it in a rapidly modernising world.



Primary schools starts at the age of 6 and runs from Grade 1 to 5. At 11, students progress to lower secondary school from the fifth to the ninth grade. Upon leaving lower secondary school., there are a number of options available. They may progress on to Grades 10 and 11 where a general education course is offered and onwards to grades 12 and 13 in the same path, or go on to a training school to learn a skilled profession which may be combined with an academic education in certain specialist colleges. A large minority drop out after the ninth grade but this number is decreasing.



Public schools are managed and funded by local government structures include the clans themselves in their rural homelands. Illiteracy remains fairly high especially amongst elder rural citizens - it was estimated to be around 32% in 3600. The country has 38 institutions of higher education, 17 of them being universities. The largest schools of higher education are the University of Baofluz, Nemawar School of Mines, Jelbanian Business Institute, Jelbanian Defence University and the Agrarian University of Baniray.

Demographics
Jelbania has a population of .99,771,491 and its largest cities include Baofluz and Asmadomura. Only 42% of Jelbanians live in cities, the rest in rural areas - mostly as nomads on the steppes and farmers in the apple growing regions in the far south.

In the recent census of 3604, 63% of Jelbanians indentified themselves as Jelbeks, 15% as Jelbaniens, 11% as Majatrans and 6% as Delltarians while 5% identified themselves as other minority ethnics.

Jelbania has a long history of state secularism and the people have adopted similar attidues although the vast majority identify with one religion or another. In the 3604 census, 59% of Jelbanians identified themselves as Ahmadis, 28% as Hosians, 3% as belonging to other faiths while 10% call themselves irreligious. Amongst the Jelbek people, high levels of syncreticism are noted, with many often combining Ahmadism or Hosianism with the old pagan faith (sky worship) of the Jelbeks.

Culture
The Jelbeks have a colourful culture, based on their pastoral nomadic lifestyle. Many of their customs relate to livestock, a key part of any nomadic culture. Jelbeks are passionate about their animals, especially horses and horse riding is an extremely popular activity. The creation of the Khanate has led to a re-flowering of the Jelbek culture and traditional dress is increasingly popular even in cities amongst educated settled Jelbeks. An Artanian based culture is evident amongst the Jelbanien minority, with many of them preferring Artanian activities and diet along with some settled Jelbeks. Most Jelbanian Majatrans look to Jakania for cultural inspiration while Jelbanian Deltarians favour the cultures of Deltaria.

Cuisine
National Jelbek cuisine is dominated by meat and bread dishes cooked in a variety of ways and always, a large number of appetisers and soup. Popular refreshments include fermented mare's milk and black tea. Beer is popular amongst Jelbaniens and Jelbanian Deltarians love their spirits and much bootlegging takes place in the community.

Sports
Jelbeks love sport and Jelbeks of all ages take part, watch and follow with much interest. The most popular sport is girl chasing (also known as the kissing game), a curious equestrian game involving a young man and woman on horses chasing one another, the young man intent on catching the lady and planting a kiss on her, while the lady wields a whip, ready to use it on an unsuccessful partner.



All equestrian sports are popular in Jelbania and Jelbeks enthusiastically participate in show jumping, horse racing, dressage, eventing etc.

Another highly popular sport is weightlifting, which with boxing rank second and third in popularity after the equestrian sports. The Jelbek football team is an international joke and often invoked in speech by Jelbeks when attempting to describe just how bad something is. The Grey Pups have lost almost every international match they have played. Their luck has turned around and they won the 3620 FIFA World Cup held in Dorvik

Holidays
New Years' Day (1-2 January), the Khan's Birthday and Day of Liberation (November 4) are the most important holidays on the Jelbanian calendar. Each holiday is typically celebrated in very high spirits with many public events and much imbibing of alcoholic drinks. Several other religious holidays are celebrated by the devout few but are not recognised by the State as public holidays.