Saridan

Saridan
Republiek van Seridjan
Republic of Saridan

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Flag of Saridan Location of Saridan Motto Hael Ons Menser! Hael Oorwinning! (Duntrekker) ("Hail Our People! Hail Victory!")
Capital	Koeistad
Largest city	Pietersburg
Language	Dunktrekker
Religion	Hosianism
Demonym	Saridani
Government	Unitary semi-presidential republic
Drives on the	Right
Internet TLD	.sd

Saridan, formally known as the Republic of Saridan (Duntrekaans: Republiek van Seridjan), is a sovereign nation located in south-western Seleya. It borders Aldegar to the north and Mordusia to the south and east.

Etymology

The origin of the name "Saridan" is not known at present.

History

Sometime prior to the beginning of the common era, the Ikpi people developed within modern-day Saridan. Historians and anthropologists are somewhat divided on how the Ikpis arrived in the region and on their relationship with other indigenous groups, such as the Aldegarians. For centuries, the Ikpi lived a realtively isolated existence until the settlement of the region by the Canrillaise-speaking people from Alduria, who would later become the Euphitriens. Finally, modern Duntrekker people are descended from Dundorfians who arrived in Seleya sometime towards the end of the second millennium.

Geography

Saridan occupies an area of approximately 1,631,100 km² and covers the region from the eastern coast of south Seleya to the southern Aldegarian border across to the eastern regions of Mordusia.

Climate

Saridan has a generally tropical climate. Throughout most of Saridan, there is a tropical savanna climate, with a relatively short dry season in comparison to comparable nations. Along the southern coastline and the interior regions of the Boerestaat province, there is a tropical rainforest climate. Within these regions, there's no dry season and rainfall is consistently high. Across the country, temperatures remain hot throughout the year. Saridan's climate has played a substantial role in shaping the structure. By facilitating the growth of vast forested areas, this has enabled the country to develop an extremely lucrative logging industry.

Government and politics

Saridan is a semi-presidential parliamentary republic, in which the Stadtholder is the democratically elected head of state. The Grand Pensionary, the country's head of government, chairs the cabinet and together with the Stadtholder forms the executive branch. Legislative power lies with the States General and the legislative branch is generally regarded as the most powerful, with the ability to amend the constitution, sign international treaties and mandate early elections. At the top of the juridical branch is the Supreme Court of Saridan.

Government

Saridan's government is led by the country's democratically elected Stadtholder (Duntrekaans: Stadhouder). Although this title and position has connotations of monarchy, the role of the stadtholder is more roughly similar to that of a president in other forms of government. In addition to providing political leadership and direction to the country, the stadtholder holds numerous significant patronage powers. In spite of this, it is the Grand Pensionary (Duntrekaans: Raadpensionaris) who is generally regarded as being Saridan's head of government. The Grand Pensionary is often equated to the role of Prime Minister in other nations, in that they are responsible for chairing cabinet meetings and operate on the principle of primus inter pares (meaning "first among equals"). As a result, the Grand Pensionary must be approved by the national legislature in the same manner that all cabinet members are appointed.

Politics and elections

Political parties are central to the county's governmance. Saridan is a representative democracy, in which all members of the legislature must be associated with a registered political party. The Saridanese Voting and Elections Authority (SVEA) regulates political parties in Saridan. In order to stand in a national election, candidates must be registered with a recognised political party. The SVEA monitors the spending and revenues of political parties as well as ensuring that they conform to regulation surrounding the promotion of violence.

Administrative divisions

Saridan's five provinces

Saridan is divided into five provinces, each with a provincial government. Provincial government differs from government at the national in that there is no separate executive branch. Instead, each province is run by a 'Provincial Assembly'. Each assembly is empowered to legislation in areas determined by the national government and the agenda in the legislative agenda is determined by the Speaker of the Assembly, who is the leader of the largest political party. Unlike in other nations, provincial elections are not held separately to national elections and the regional results in elections for the States General determine the composition of the Provincial Assemblies.

Each province is further broken down into a number of municipalities.

Foreign relations

In the past, Saridan has relied extensively on the support of the Majatran nation Vanuku in foreign affairs, notably in the World Congress slavery stand-off.

Military

Saridan's armed forces are composed of the Saridani Air Force (Duntrekaans:Seridjaner Luchtmacht), Saridani Navy (Duntrekaans:Seridjaner Marin) and Army of Saridan (Duntrekaans:Seridjaner Landmacht). At present, there are an estimated 550,000 active personnel and a further 480,000 reservists. The commander-in-chief is the national head of state.

Economy

Agriculture

Traditionally, the economy of Saridan has been based nearly entirely on agriculture. Nowadays however agriculture still makes up for 64% of the Saridani economy with the service sector and the industrial sector making up for the rest. Coffee plantations in Tasselstaat, Boerestaat and Ijkpieland produce one of the world's finest coffee blend which is desired by foreign markets. Another prestigious resource in Saridan is tea, it is grown in Sint Pietereiland and on a small scale in Tasselstaat. In the past tea plantations were managed by rich families in a nearly feudal-like way, today they are owned mainly by modern corporations which treat their workers ethically and pay them well.

Tourism

Saridan's tourist industry has seen a decrease in size as a result of political instability and international controversy.

Transport

Saridan's transport network is diverse.

Demographics

Compared to other Seleyan nations, Saridan has a relatively low level of urbanisation. It has a high rural population composed of a mixture of Duntrekker farmers and native Ikpi people, both choosing to locate themselves in small agriculture-oriented villages. The few cities in Saridan are located close to the coast and are small in comparison to the nation's neighbours, like Aldegar.

Urbanisation by province

Province	Urban population (%)
Sint Pietereiland	61
Kaap	59
Tasselstaat	27
Ijkpieland	24
Boerestaat	17

Ethnic groups

Saridanese people primarily come from one of three ethnic groups: Duntrekkers, Euphitriens and Ikpis. In addition, there are the Iftgoerroon, who have mixed heritage of some form. Native to Saridan, the Ikpi people were forced into the north-eastern regions of the country due to the arrival of white Artanian settlers from Dundorf. Over time, these settlers became the Duntrekker people, who now form the majority of the population. In particular, they are focused in the provinces of Tasselstaat and Kaap. Today, Ikpis hold significant areas of land as "reservations".

Euphitriens are closely related to the Canrillaise people of southern Seleya (especially Rildanor, Alduria and Kanjor). Alongside some Mordusian people, they are primarily located in the province of Boerestaat. Iftgoerroon people are mulattoes who dominate the island of Sint Pietereiland. Although they can be found across the country, the island's location and history as a target for immigration means that it has firmly multi-ethnic identity. For many centuries, the white settlers were split from Iftgoerroon on Sint Pietereiland but this has now changed.

Language

The most widely spoken language in Saridan is Duntrekaans. Canrillaise and Luthorian are also spoken as well as other minority languages.

Religion

At present, around 95% of the Saridanese population professes Hosianism as their religion, the vast majority of which ascribe to the Restored Ameliorate Church of Saridan. In addition, there is a significant minority population following Yazdism. Most of these are Ikpi people. A further 1% follow various other religions while 3% claim they hold no religious beliefs.

Culture

Saridan is divided culturally, with the two northern-most states (Kaap and Sint Pietereiland) being significantly influenced by modernist ideals since the mid 39th century. Tasselstaat, Boerestaat and Ijkpieland still remain purely Saridani Duntrekker culturally with agriculture and religion playing the main role in these staats' inahbitants' lives. Typical Duntrekker villages still are dominant in these staats with only a few small cities that don't resemble the busy northern metropolies of Sint Pietereiland or Kaap in any way existent. Kaap's culture combines the modern culture of Sint Pietereiland with the traditional culture of the rural Staats.

Art

Saridani art is notable for its realism.

Music

Saridanese music has been influenced by the native traditions of the Ikpi people as well as by contemporary Artanian music.

Sport

The national sport of Saridan is Rugby.