Mordusia

Mordusia is located in the southern hemisphere on the continent Seleya. It is bordered by Aldegar in the north, Saridan in the west, Alduria in the south and Rildanor in the east. Mordusia has a population of 682,303,615. The official language is Mordusian. The capital of the Imperial Republic, Rechtenburg, has an estimated twenty one million inhabitants (metropolitan area).

It has access to the Schismatic Sea in the east and the Sea of Lost Souls in the west. Mordusia was previously neutral but now maintains strong links with states across the globe. Mordusia is an applying member of the Aldusia Union.

History
see History of Mordusia

Government and Politics
Main Article: Government of Mordusia

Mordusia has a unicameral parliament known as the Imperial Diet, which is elected every six years. The Imperial Diet has 750 seats.

The Emperor of Mordusia acts as the nation's Head of State. The Emperor is a hereditary position and can only be held by a descendant of King Mordus I.

Various pressure groups existed throughout Mordusia, more information can be found here Mordusian Pressure Groups.

The Mordusian Government has also recently begun to categorized important legislation. They have created the Mordusian Legislative Archive to help in the location of Acts of the Diet for easy reference.

Mordusian Aristocracy
Main Article: Mordusian Aristocracy

The Mordusian Aristocracy is the old landed aristocracy of Mordusia. Some of these aristocrats date their lineage as far back as the initial unification of Mordusia under Mordus I. Many of Mordusia's old aristocratic families continue to hold their old lands but many new families have also come to prominence in the centuries. Many members of the landed gentry have been very involved in politics and have shown their influence in the various parties across Mordusia.

Geography and Climate
Because of Mordusia's long coast line, population density in those areas is very high. Most of the cities are located along the shore. Further inland lies the central plateau. This is a smooth, slowly rising area that has many fertile valleys and is irrigated by many waterways. The border between the Province of Sammodra and the Provinces of Hosamia and Talasor forms the highest area in the Republic, and quite rugged.

The climate is very mild and constant. Average temperature in July is 18° C (64 °F), and 24 °C (75 °F) in January.

Regions
Mordusia is divided into five regions: Hosamia, Sayoon, Sammodra, Adubura, Talasor on the mainland. Each separate province is ruled by a duke and maintains its own government, infrastructure, police force and military (in the form of the State National Guards). Modusia also used to have a colonial Province, New Mordusia in Dovani.

Demographics
There is a Grand Ethnicity, Language, and Religion Census (GELRC) in Mordusia every ten years which gathers information about the ethnic and religious background of all citizens. It is to note that members of the Mordusian ethnicity speak Mordusian (an evolution of Luthori) and are of Artanian Luthori descent.

The Most recent data available is from the 3001 GELRC

Facts about Ethnicity


 * Mordusian: 90.7% (620,802,947)
 * Aldurian: 5.7% (39,014,075)
 * Hulstrian: 1.3% (8,897,945)
 * Immigrant: 2.3% (15,742,521)

Facts about Language
 * Mordusian only: 76% - 520,187,668
 * Mordusian second: 9.3% - 63,654,543 (Primary language spoken by those in this group and their percent of total Mordusian population)
 * Aldurian - 5.7%
 * Hulstrian - 1.9%
 * other - 2.3%
 * Mordusian First, Others Second: 14.7% - 100,615,246 (Second language spoken by those in this group and their percent of total Mordusian population)
 * Aldurian - 10.4%
 * Hulstrian - 4.3%

Facts about Religion


 * Christian: 78%
 * Muslim: 4%
 * Jewish: 5.5%
 * Buddhist/Taoist: &lt;o.5%
 * Nonreligious: 12.5%

For more detailed information about ethnicity and religions in Mordusia, visit the http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill.php?billid=300939 page.

Religion
Mordusia's populace are generally affiliated with a religion, with only 12.5% of atheists. The largest religion in Mordusia is the Coptic Catholic Church which is also the official State religion. This is a Catholic Church based on the teachings of St Coptus, the Coptic patron Saint. Their spiritual leader is the Pope who is based in the city of Clann. The Holiest day in the Coptic calendar is St Coptus day on the ides of March (March 15th).

The remaining Christian Churches are all protestant with the Evangelical Church of Mordusia being the largest Protestant Church. The Baptists, Pentecostalism and Presbyterians also have a presence in the country.

A growing Jewish minority lives in the western states. Since the establishment of he FRP in 2572, the Jewish Community has grown to be the largest non-Christian religion in Mordusia. This is in large parts thanks to the FRP, one of the first parties in Mordusia that prides itself in being Judeo-Christian. The main Jewish celebrations are Yom Kipour, the day of forgiveness and Rosh Hashanah, the new year.

There is also a small Muslim minority in the nation. They are a quiet group due to the repression of their faith by the state following terrorist attacks they committed in the 2890s. The most prominent Muslim festival is the month of Ramadan.

Annual Festivals and Events
Beginning early in the morning on New Years Eve, Mordusians traditionally travel to their Provinces capital city, or to Rechtenburg for the official celebrations. Parks are full of games, rides and show bags for the children, music and concerts, along with food and drinks. The celebrations and music in the parks typically come to an end at around 11:30pm, when the Rechtenburg New Years March begins. In the Rechtenburg March, Mordusians walk from the parks towards the City Centre Square and line the surrounding streets. It is here that the official countdown to midnight takes place. Lights inside the skyscrapers surrounding the City Centre Square are electronically controlled to display the countdown from 10 seconds to midnight, when the huge fireworks show begins. On the 4th of April each year, citizens of Mordusia come together on the River Styx in Rechtenburg to celebrate the anniversary of the creation of the Capital City. This event is considered the family friendly festival, promoting children's activities. The day begins with a float parade competition along the River Styx. These floats are made by High Schools throughout Mordusia, often taking Art and Creativity students months to complete. Each year a theme is chosen, ranging from sports, to cinema, to history. The winning floats are chosen by the Mayor of Rechtenburg and receives a small cash bursary to the school. Later on in the afternoon the annual Rubber Ducky Competition is held. Sold throughout the morning right throughout Rechtenburg, these rubber duckies are released from a boat down-stream on the River Styx. The first to reach the finish line 1km down the river wins its owner a prize. The day ends with a water sports show on the River Styx, followed by a large fireworks display across all of Rechtenburg. This festival takes place in Meech, Adubura, the nation's city with the largest French population. It takes place every year during the week of the 14th of July. A largely Catholic festival, reflecting the religion of 98% of Mordusia's French, this week is a week of celebration. The French tell the stories of how they immigrated from the Francophone countries in the south, from Alduria and Rildanor. It is also an occasion for all the inhabitants of Meech to enjoy the celebrations and have a good time. Two weeks each Summer are dedicated to the Gay and Lesbian Summer Festival. After its creation in Rechtenburg, the festival has since been relocated to the less-religious streets of Hosamia. During the two week festival, famous Mordusian rock and pop bands play in the parks and stages, cinemas play gay-orientated films and various other competitions and events are held all around Hosamia.
 * New Years Festival
 * Parade on River Styx
 * Week of the French/Semaine Française
 * Gay and Lesbian Summer Festival

The Festival has drawn controversy in Mordusia, each year attracting protesters from the religious-right. On a number of occasions the protests have led to more serious incidences, such as the 2480 stabbing of four gay youths and the 2532 shooting in a Hosamia nightclub. Each April the Rechtenburg Regent Theatre and Masters' Cinema run four weeks worth of short films made by hopeful directors all across Mordusia. The Short Film Festival attracts visitors from all across Mordusia and even across Selaya as it is highly respected as producing some of the greatest talent in the Terran movie industry. The month-long festival also includes and inter -School competition with entrants from all across Mordusia. Considered one of the biggest music events in all of Selaya, the Rechtenburg Music Marathon features five stages with non-stop live music over four full days in September each year. The event attracts many of the most successful pop, rock, house and hip-hop bands in Selaya and attracts tens of thousands of visitors from across the world. Huge properties of land near the event are set aside to house thousands of tent-campers wanting to experience the Music Marathon over the whole four days.
 * Mordusian Short Film Festival
 * Rechtenburg Music Marathon

Special National Days
The 20th of January is the day of each year that is dedicated to celebrating the existence of Mordusia. The army and all it's previous members march down the streets of Rechtenburg, the anthem is aired on all radio stations at the beginning of each hour and is sung by all school students at 11am, flags are raised in front of most homes and businesses. At night, a candle-lit vigil occurs in parks nation-wide with prayers being said in respect of all the people who have lost their lives protecting and defending Mordusia, in respect of all the people who created this nation, in respect of all the people who have led and controlled this country throughout its long history. Federation Day is in remembrance of the initial federation of the provinces of Mordusia. On the 30th of November in 2047, the states of Sammodra, Hosamia, Adubura, Talasor and Sayoon officially signed the Act of Federation and formed the Mordusian Federal Republic.
 * Mordusia Day
 * Federation Day

Somewhat ironically, the Mordusian Institute of Sport chose for this day, a day of unity and nationalism, to hold the final of the annual Inter-State Cricket Series, a competition pitting the five states against each other to find out which is the best at the sport of cricket. In a nation where, historically, the rights of the workers' were not always satisfied, it seems curious that there would be a day of each year dedicated to the respect of workers across Mordusia. On the 5th of May, businesses are expected to close for the day to allow all workers an extra day of rest. Not surprisingly, some businesses have recently attempted to force their employees to work on National Workers' Day, but this often resulted in strikes. On the 29th of February every leap year, Mordusians celebrate the year's extra day with a public holiday. All business and schools close for this day. Traditionally on this day, Mordusians would spend the day reflecting on the past by giving up all modern luxuries for those 24 hours, including cars and electricity. This tradition faded out during the 2400s, but rose again in the late 2500s with the rise of fear about the environment and pollution.
 * Workers' Day
 * Diamond Year Celebration

Religious Events
An important day in the Christian year, marking the birth of Jesus Christ. Dedicated Christians will attend the many special Christmas masses at Church, whilst others will choose to spend the day with their families. The day has become a mass-marketed commercialized event, no longer respecting the true historical values of the birth of Christ. It has become tradition that people, of all faiths, will give gifts to their families and friends. The Christian day of Easter marks the rising of Jesus Christ after his sacrifice three days earlier. Similar to the event of Christmas, Easter has lost much of its historical significance, being known to many of the recent generations as merely an event where all must give chocolate eggs to their friends and family. The most important festival in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kipour if the day of forgiveness. Every Jew fasts for a day, asking others and God to forgive him for all the sins they have committed in the past year. The whole day is usually spent at the Synagogue, where a variety of prayers are sung, asking forgiveness. The month of Ramadan is considered the most blessed month of the Islamic year. It is believed to be the month that the Qu'ran was first revealed. A significant practice during this month is the act of fasting. All Muslims are expected to fast from the end of the dawn prayer to the end of each day's sunset prayer. Also during this month, Muslims are expected to read through the entire Qu'ran and attend a mosque more often. Gifts are often given to family and friends, along with less-fortunate members of society. The holiest day in the Coptic calendar, also known as Copdies is the day when, in the long forgotten past, Coptus, a wealthy citizen of Mordusia, abandoned his wealth to go to the city of Clann, then besieged by its powerful rival, Bayonne and its cruel, pagan king. Coptus told the people of Clann to pray God to save them. Legend says that at the moment the king of Bayonne was going to order the attack on Clann, he was struck by a mysterious illness and died on the spot. His soldiers, retreated to Bayonne, Clann was saved. Coptus led a long life, helping all people and preaching tolerance for all. He died peacefully in what was then Ardommas. When the bishop of Ardommas learned of Coptus' death, he was struck by grief, and canonized Coptus the day after his death.
 * Christmas
 * Easter
 * Yom Kipour
 * Ramadan
 * St Coptus Day

Sports
Mordusia's national sport is highly popular. This involves two individuals using blunted rapiers attempting to use quick movements and wit to hit their opponent. The largest dueling tournament is the Mordusian National Dueling Assembly. Over 1000 of the nation's best duelists come together in Rechtenburg and compete in single elimination to see who is crowned Master Duelist of Mordusia.
 * Dueling

Dueling has a special place in Mordusian history. In medieval times individuals would duel over personal grievances. Many local, and some national leaders, died in duels with rivals. By 1770 over 200 duels were taking place across Mordusia every year, many ending in either the death or severe injury of one or both of the duelists. However, at the dawn of the 20th century the various nations that would become Mordusia decided to regulate dueling and ensure the there were no more fatalities. In 1952 the International Dueling Federation was founded and dueling once again began to grow in popularity eventually overshadowing every other sport in Mordusia. At the time of Mordusian Unification, dueling was the most popular sport in Mordusia and has remained so to this day though it has been facing strong competition from other sports.

Mordusia features the very unique National Swimming Championships. Up to one hundred competitors take part in fourteen rounds over twenty eight weeks. Competing in events ranging from one hundred meters to two kilometers, in various strokes, the swimmers' receive points based on their finishing times. At the years' end, the eight leading swimmers on the points tally take part in the 100m medley, to compete for the Golden Cup. Men and women compete separately and, in recent times only, people under the age of eighteen compete in the Junior Division Championships.
 * Swimming

The National Swimming Championships have been a popular sport of Mordusia since its beginning in 2256. Legends of the sport include Jacques de la Mons who won the Golden Cup five consecutive times (2592-2596) and Melford Daley who won the two kilometer endurance swim for eight consecutive years (2605-2612) along with two Golden Cups (2608 and 2611). Following the popular success of the National Swimming Championships, the Mordusian Institute of Sport established the Adubura Track Championships. Similar to the Swimming Championships, up to one hundred entrants compete in a range of events over twenty four weeks. The eight leading athletes at the seasons' end compete in the Grand Finale Round to win the Platinum Boot Trophy. The Grand Finale consists of ten track events over an intense two-day competition.
 * Athletics

The Adubura Track Championships never had the large fan-base of the Swimming Championships, but extra fans have come along since the series expanded to include field events such as long jump, high jump and discus throw. Legends of the sport include Samantha Cross who won the Women's Platinum Boot six consecutive years (2521-2526) and Maryk Dawson who became the oldest winner of the Platinum Boot, at the age of 41 in 2590. The former national sport of Mordusia, soccer, has recently begun to fade away as a popular sport amongst society. Poor showings at recent Soccer World Cups has eroded numbers of fans of the sport. However, the National Soccer League continues to satisfy the few remaining fans. The lack of financial support from sponsors has resulted in a decrease in the quality of players in series. Many high profile Mordusian soccer players have chosen to travel internationally to find a better contract and team. Beginning as a sport only competed between High Schools across Mordusia, the Mordusian Basketball Premiership has since evolved into a huge competition featuring hundreds of teams. Teams are divided into categories of sixteen, with the top four and bottom four being promoted and relegated to the series above or below. The top tier series is known as the Mordusian Basketball Premier Series and typically features the best basketball players ever to be seen in Mordusia. In the 2400s, the series underwent a radical change when rules began to allow the use of non-Mordusian players, resulting in a huge rush of Aldurian and Malivian basketball players entering the competition. Recently, however, increased sport and health education within schools over Mordusia has allowed Mordusia to produce its own basketball stars.
 * Soccer/Football
 * Basketball

High Schools across Mordusia continue to compete in the All-Schools Basketball League. Taking place over a two week competition, the Annual Styx Rowing Championships (ASRC) have become a popular beloved sport of Mordusians, typically the French, who have dominated the competition since its creation several centuries ago. The ASRC pits each provinces top rowers against each other to win Gold Medals. The province that wins the most Gold Medals come the end of the two week competition is awarded the official ASRC Trophy for that year. Events include sculls from one to eight people, each competing in their respective sex and age group categories. Over the two weeks, up to forty gold medals are awarded to the winners. Ever since the Mordusian motor industry began, motorsport has been a popular past-time of Mordusian society. Several racing categories exist, competing in a range of styles. Popular series include the Mordusian Rally Championship, the Production Car Series, the Formula M open-wheel series and the ultimate Super-Touring (SuTo) Car Championships. These series' compete on Mordusia's six permanent motorsport circuits, four temporary city street circuits and two nine-stage rally tracks. Most motorsport series feature rules stipulating that entrant vehicles must have been constructed in Mordusia.
 * Rowing
 * Motorsport 

Legends of the sport include Ricardo Eguen who dominated the SuTo Car Championship, winning nine championships over fourteen years. Chris Algretti also became a world-wide legend when he won the Production Car Series (2520, 2522), the Formula M Series (2523-2524), the SuTo Championship (2531-2533) and then went on to compete in international motorsport series.

Economy
Mordusia is a highly industrialized nation. Many factories of all kinds can be found all over Mordusia. Mordusia also has a very strong financial sector. Banks and insurance companies, along with other financial services, have strong showings across the nation. With the recent trend towards deregulation, many other industries have begun to establish themselves in Mordusia as well including but not limited to defense contractors, aerospace companies, and ecological cleanup companies.

Foreign Policy
Historically, Mordusia was a nation that was extremely visible on the international stage, involving itself in a number of wars and conflicts. The current Mordusian Government wishes to maintain the sovereignty of its own nation and that of other nations. For this reason, a general policy of the Imperial Diet is to not intervene in other nations domestic issues, as the Mordusian Government might traditionally have done. The Government is also much less willing to enter into international disputes, unless Mordusian interests are involved.

Axis Alliance of Terra
Despite most international organizations being unconstitutional due to mandated legislation, Mordusia is a vocal member of the powerful Axis Alliance of Terra (AAT). The AAT is one of the largest international organizations within Terra and it does not enforce anything upon its members. It strongly encourages member nations to enter into trade and diplomatic negotiations with fellow members. It also encourages nations to come to the aid of fellow members should a military conflict arise. It does not, however, attempt to enforce any of these upon member nations.

Commonwealth Nations of Terra Alliance
Upon the restoration of the House of Orange-Villayn to the Mordusian Throne, the Imperial Diet join the Commonwealth Nations of Terra. This is the group of nations held in personal union under the House of Orange-Villayn. Member-states share both economic and military aid and union to each other. Being one of the main Imperial Thrones held by the House of Orange-Villayn, Mordusia has much say in the Commonwealth if it desires to become involved.

Intelligence and Counter-terrorism Agencies
In addition of the Mordusian military, the country has a number of intelligence and security agencies:

External Security:

SOCOM, Special Operations Command - counter terrorism and intelligence abroad (Department of Defence)

FCCA, Foreign Counterintelligence and Counter-terrorism Agency - civilian counter intelligence (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Internal Security:

DISS, Domestic Intelligence and Security Service - civilian domestic counter terrorism, intelligence and security (Department of Internal Affairs)

MCA, Military Counterintelligence Agency - same as DISS instead military (Department of Defence)

Military
see Armed Forces of Mordusia