Istalia

Istalia (formerly Repubblica Istaliana) is a nation that lies on the south-eastern top of the Majatran continent, bordering with the Solentian Empire on the west, surrounded by the Sea of Lost Souls on the north and by the Perarctic Ocean on the south. The nation consists of 5 regions, called regioni, of which 3 are located on the peninsular part of the country, and the other two lie on an east island (called Eastalia) of the peninsula.

First settlers
Historians set the most ancient documentation about human presence on the Istalian region back in 3000 BC: several small towns were discovered on 1950 in the Estali island in which lived a society that relied on a rudimental fishing economy. Therefore this group never expanded outside of the isle as conquering the semi-arid peninsula would have been too much of a worry rather than an opportunity for the islanders. Famous is however the travel of Federicus the Brown, a mythical navigator who explored the continent's coast, arriving to the inner sea of Majatra.

The Eastalian Kingdoms
After years of turbulence, on 520 AD the first Eastalian kingdom was created. Lorenzo I took the power on Palerno and expanded his influence throughout the entire region. The famous Eastalian galees allowed complete dominance over the Sea of Souls, thus giving a strong boost towards the development of a healthy trading economy. In the same time, the first colonization of the peninsula started with the foundation of the cities of Reggio Ingris and Barri.

On the subsequent century, the Eastaliani continued to colonize the peninsula, but the growing distance from the kingdom capital situated on the island and its influence became an excuse for local lords of the peninsula to gain more power and autonomy, as the central government progressively lost authority over these lands. The internal division was explicit when, on 1434, the duke of Milona Vincenzo Negroni proclaimed himself re di Padagna, causing a political fragmentation that would endure for the next three centuries. Therefore, at this stage there were two kingdoms possessing the same cultural roots: the Eastalian Kingdom, whose inhabitants were the former and first Eastalians, and the Padagna Kingdom, as a result of the declaration of indipendence carried out by Vincenzo Negroni.

Many were the reasons of this division: cultural, because the inhabitants of the peninsula started to differ from those of the isle as in language and common habits; political, since the central government had an oppressive tax policy over their colonies; economical, as the isle was slowly becoming dependant on these colonies that were growing and becoming quite productive: the presence of such government was perceived only as a heavy toll suffucating their possibilities of development.

Rise of the Quanzar Emirate
The fledging kingdom of Padagna held a territory rich of raw materials. It had a wide capability of supporting a strong economy and a flourishing society, although it was very poor at start. Things started out well however for the newborn kingdom, while the originary Eastalian kingdom faced trouble on struggling to mantain economical growth and avoid a depression, as the government had mantained throughout years of well-being very lax economical policies, having been semi-dependant from the colonies until their indipendence. This state of transitory weakness of both kingdoms led the emergent Q'nzars, an ethnicity originary from east of the continent (probably from the current Al'Badara nation), to set their aim upon the Eastalian region. The Padagna army, formed principally by reservists and volunteers was defeated in four months, as the kingdom spent two centuries in raising from scratch a good economy: military was neither an issue nor a priority nor they could afford such an expense in those times of relative peace. Continuing its offensive campaign, the foreigners took, on 1771, the entire control of the peninsula, with the decisive battle at the gates of Reggio Ingris. Resistants fled the country asking for political asylum to the old Nicomese kingdom, which accepts them in name of their traditional national brotherhood.

Ended the war, the Q'nzars create the Quanzari Emirate, an oligarchy ruled by the emir Muhammad Al'Bner.

Istalian Parties - Partiti Istaliani
Istalian parties are bound in two coalitions: the Fronte di Liberazione Nazionale (centre-right) and the Fronte Popolare Istaliano (centre-left). Although these coalitions do not always reflect an unanimous expression of their parties' ideology, it is safe to declare that they express a coherent opposition in terms of economics, while social matters represent instead a completely different 'wing' or union of Istalian politics. In 2309, a new party arose from the shreds of the old Quanzarian oppressors of the nation of Istalia: the Quanzari Islamic Liberation Front represents the fundamentalist and traditionalist minority who always refused integration with the majority of Istalians.

Currently, there are 8 parties in Istalia:

Fronte di Liberazione Nazionale:
 * Avanti Istalia!
 * Democrazia Nazionale
 * Partito Nazionale Istaliano

Fronte Popolare Istaliano:
 * Partito Social-Liberista Istaliano
 * Partito Collettivista Internazionalista
 * Partito Borisista Istaliano
 * Partito Laico Riformista

Unaligned:
 * Quanzari Islamic Liberation Front

Last Election Results - Risultato Ultime Elezioni
http://80.237.164.51/particracy/main/viewnews.php?newsid=70385

Current Cabinet - Governo Attuale
http://80.237.164.51/particracy/main/viewcabinet.php?nationid=39

GDP Variation - Variazione del PIL
The chart below depicts GDP relevations during the whole history of Istalia.

Population
In July 2309, there are 80.267.344 people residing in Istalia.

Important Marks
As in August 2308, Istalian population reaches mark 80 millions: 2308 census reports 80.006.029 people living in Istalia.