Sekowo

Sekowo (pronounced English:/sɛˈkoʊwoʊ/), officially the Federal Commonwealth of Sekowo, is a nation located on the continent of Dovani. It is bordered by the Greater Hulstria to the north, Bay of Lodo to the west, the Free Republic of Lourenne to the south-west and the Federal Protectorate of Argos to the east.

History
The history of Sekowo is a long and complicated one, reaching back over two-thousand years. A significant amount of Sekowo's history up until the age of Aretism was recorded by various peoples for even more various reasons. Unfortunately an estimated 40% of historical records were destroyed during the Aretic reign, however thanks to preservation efforts during and shortly after the Aretic era around half of this information has been recovered.

Sekowan history is split into five "eras"; Ancient, Classic, Colonial, Aretic and Modern Sekowo has no one original peoples, but rather has been comprised of many different cultures and civilizations.

However, while Sekowo has been the home to many different cultures, only three have shaped modern Sekowo, the most affluent being the Greco-Roman culture(s) of the coastal city-states, in which influence can be seen in Bizena, Lorrod, and to a less extent Hikhala. The Gao-Showa people and there ancestors have lived in the region for over a thousand years, however there influence is only truly seen in Undarro. The third major culture was the Nordic peoples, a group related to Kazulians, who lived primarily in the North-East regions of Sekowo, there presence can be seen the most in Hikhala, in which the old Nordic names for the regions are still used as the names for the Polis of Hikhala today. Sekowo has seen significant change, going from the many kingdoms and city-states of the Ancient and Classical eras to the bringing of 'Western' civilization during the Colonial period to the dark days of the Aretic era.

The modern era is considered to have started in the early 24th century, though the true modern Sekowo has only existed since 2440.

Government and Politics
The Federal Commonwealth of Sekowo is a Federal Semi-Presidential Commonwealth, with the Prytanis being the Head of Government and the Tennō being Head of State. The Head of State is voted on every three years

The Sekowan legislature, the Folkstämma, is a Unicameral Parliament comprised of 600 seats. Debate in the Folkstämma has been known to, on rare occasions become violent, one such event incapacitating several representatives in 2439.

Military
The Federal Armed Forces of Sekowo, collectively known as the Sekowan military is comprised of the Army, Air Force and Navy.

The Sekowan military is comprised almost entirely of new vehicles and equipment, mostly do to massive expansions in the size of the military in the last twenty years.

Geography & Climate
Sekowo is comprised mostly of three different geographic zones.

The Northern part of the country is comprised of high mountains, because of this the area has a temperate climate in the summer and cold and snowy winters. The middle of the country is comprised of small mountains and mostly hilly terrain. The climate in the area is a mixture of Temperate and Sub-tropic with Summer and Winter temperatures varying year by year, though in all it is a mild and comfortable climate. The Lower South-East of the country is comprised of the Western most part of the Great Dovani plains. The climate in the area tends to be very warm, with summer highs in the triple digits.

Administrative Divisions
The Federal Commonwealth of Sekowo is comprised of five administrative divisions known as Federal Districts.

Since Sekowo is a Federation, each Federal District has some semblance of a state itself, with a democratically elected Executive and Legislature and the ability to decide on there own local issues, but overall is a subsidiary geopolitical unit of the Sekowan Federal Commonwealth as a whole.

Protectorates
Sekowo is also comprised of eight Federal Protectorates, Argos, Cho'kun, Kurageri, Lýore, Midway, Rapa Pile, Shiratoku and Tropica.

Each of these areas, along with Sekowo itself are all states in the Sekowan Federation with their own elected head of government, head of state and Legislature.

While all areas have their own regional local and municipal governments and local legislature, only Sekowo has voting representatives in the Apella, though each of the other four regions each have two non-voting representatives in the Folkstämma.

Economy
Sekowo has a mixed economy, as well as a very developed social protection system. After the economically counter-productive Aretist period, Sekowo begun a very long and painful process of market liberalization and modernization quite successfully. Following its first decade of post-Aretist government, when the economic situation was disastrous, Sekowo has made an impressive recovery, building a modern and diversified economy. Now the country is classified as a middle-income country, with large possibilities of development.

The actions of the cabinets during the last two decades to implement a far-reaching program of macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform aimed at maintaining price-stability, creating conditions for sustained growth, and alleviating scarcity are seen as the cause of Sekowo's recent economic growth, as well as the rise of a new dynamic middle-class capable of economic expansion. Due to the feudalization of the economy during Aretism, urban life has been in a decline until recently, but the sustained effort of the Sekowan population has brought prosperity back to the cities.

The population in extreme poverty has decreased from 54.7% to 20.6% in the general population and from 74.1% to 29.7% in rural areas since 2460, and the GDP annual average growth for the period of 2455–2462 was 7.1%. Sekowo is a founding member of the Dovani Common Market Area, though it trades extensively with other countries as well.

Demographics
With a population of 170 million, Sekowo is the 4th most populous country in Dovani. Sekowo's annual population growth has substantially increased from 0.30% in 2470 to 2.15% in 2500. Life expectancy in 2493 was estimated to be at 85 years (81 male and 87 female).

Immigration
Sekowo is home to a large number of immigrants from the surrounding countries, mostly from Gishoto (25%), Lourenne (17%) and Kazulia (12%). Many of the other significant immigrant groups are from the various territories of Eastern Dovani, including Gao-Showa and Kli'kut.

A growing number of immigrants have come from Talmoria and the Protectorate of Midway and Kurageri.

Ethnicity
Like most nations in Dovani, Sekowan ethnicity is characterized by being a melting pot of different peoples both from within the country itself as well as immigrants. The largest ethnicity is that of Caucasians, both immigrants and descendants of the early settlers. The Asiatic ethnicity, mostly comprised of Gao-Showans makes up the second largest ethnicity. The native Amerindian ethnicities, including, but not limited to the Kli'kut make up about 10% of the country in terms of ethnicity.

Seleyan-Sekowans, formerly a significant minority (Basileus Umoja Bantu belonged to this community), are now concentrated in the rural areas in the South. Also many Creoles fled Sekowo to return to their native countries when Aretism came to power in 2402.

Language
Sekowo has one of the most diverse countries in terms of languages. Sekowo has six official languages and three primary languages.

The three most spoken first languages in Sekowo are Pailesian (37%), English (20%) and Modern Sekowan (15%).

French and the Gao-Showa language make up the two largest minority languages with 9% and 8% first language speakers respectively.

In recent years the Normand sub-family, a separate but related language to French has developed, primarily in Undarro.

Culture
Sekowan culture is incredibly diverse do to Sekowo's population being comprised of many different groups from differing cultures. However Sekowan culture is most influenced by the Greco-Roman cultures of the coastal city-states, Nordic culture of the North-East, the Kli'kut and related cultures of the South and the Gao-Showan cultures that permiate the Eastern half of the country.

Holidays
While many holidays are celebrated in different regions there are several national holidays celebrated throughout the nation.

Three multi day celebrations are also celebrated throughout the country, the Summer Celebration that lasts from June 27th to July 10th, the Winter Holiday that lasts from December 19th to December 31st and the New Years menagerie which lasts from January 1st to the 5th.