Update One: Welcome to Insulo
This Update will be all the background on Insulo, this is the same info used for my COFR Application. Sorry to bore you with details:
Factbook
Political
Name (Official): Republic of Insulo
Name (Short): Insulo
Union Membership: Yes (COFR)
Capital: Cxefurbo (Until January 1, 2011) Erikkson (After January 1, 2011)
Political Divisions: Provinces (East Insulo - 12 Counties, Middle Insulo - 8 Counties, Okcidenton - 6 Counties, and Varmeta - 4 Counties)
Government: Federal Republic
President: Timothy Clarke
Vice-President: Andrés Garcia
Assemblies: 3 (Lower Senate - Members per County - Popular Election, Upper Senate - 15 Members per Province - Popular Election , Parliament - 5 Members per Province - Elected by Senators from respective Provinces)
Highest Court: Supreme Court (American System)
Presidential Terms: 5 years, 2 Maximum (Next Election 2014)
Vice-Presidential Terms: 5 years, 3 Maximum (Chosen by Parliament)
Senatorial Terms: 2 Years, 8 Maximum (Yearly Elections for Half of each Senate)
Parliamentary Terms: 5 Years, No Maximum (Selection Coincides with Presidential Inauguration)
Major Political Parties: Parties not Allowed
People and Culture
Population: 11,023,000 (Census 2005)
3 Largest Metros: East Insulo Triplet Cities - Erikkson (4,040,000), Nueva Valencia(2,200,000), and Scio(70,000) (6,310,000), Cxefurbo (2,591,000), and Okcidenton (760,000)
Official Languages: English, Spanish
Major Languages (Percent Spoken, 1st and 2nd): English (90%), Spanish (49%), Arabic (7%), and Other (5%)
State Religion: None
Major Religions: Christianity (89%), Islam (8%), Judaism (<1%), and Other (<1%)
Major Ethnicities: English (44%), Iberian - Spanish, Portuguese (44%), Moroccan (9%), and Other (3%)
State Holidays: Victory (Fuerta Azul) Day (January 7), Discovery Day (July 17), and Republic Day (November 6)
Geography and Climate
Map (Location):
Map (Political):
Area: 21,683.56 km2
Water Authority: 100 km of Atlantic Ocean from Coastline, Gulf of Insulo, and Various Bays.
Borders: Atlantic Ocean
Climate: Temperate (Although it is at a high latitude, the Gulf Stream keeps Insulo fairly mild, although the Northwest can get quite cold in the Winter. The Island can also be hit by fierce storms in the Winter, there is little snow, sleet and freezing rain can cause major problems)
Time Zones: GMT -2
Highest Point: Alexander Hill (150m)
Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean (0m)
Economy and Transportation
Currency: Insulo Valuto
Paper Currency Design:
National GDP: 473.014 Billion USD
GDP per Capita: 43,000 USD
GDP by Sector: Services (73%), Industry (25%), Agriculture (2%)
Unemployment Rate: 5.6%
Transportation Authority: Insulo Department of Transportation
National Highway System: Trans-Insulo Expressways (TIE's), Insulo Highways (I-Ways)
Percent of Car Ownership: 84%
Percent Roads Paved: 99%
Percent Public Transportation Users: 71%
Metro Areas with Commuter Rail: 4
National Airline: None (Planning Stages)
International Airports: 2 (Cxefurbo International - CXX, and East Insulo International - EII)
Regional and Municipal Airports: 12
National Symbols
Flag:
Coat of Arms:
National Animal: Atlantic Puffin
National Color: Blue (Hex: #2f4054)
Motto: "Solvo Terra Fraterculus" - "Free Land of Little Brothers" or "Free Land of Puffins"
History
Discovery
The Island was first discovered in 907 CE by Norse explorers from Scandinavia, lead by Erik the Red. They landed on Hlífumtangen (Cape Madrigal) during a strong storm for shelter, hence the name they gave the cape. They lost at least one ship during the storm, and left a small group behind on the island, which moved west in search of more fertile soil and a more sheltered harbor. They eventually found a place near the town of Simmon, and built a small settlement. There is evidence that there might have been native people living on the Island, but it is suspected they were eliminated by disease and attacks from the Scandinavian settlement. The settlement was extremely isolated and remained virtually unchanged until the 15th century CE, largely because the documentation of the settlement was lost in a fire on a ship sailing back from Greenland to Scandinavia, and the distraction from disease outbreaks experienced in Greenland that claimed Erik the Red’s life.
Spanish Settlement
The Spaniards arrived on the island in 1436 CE, and established a settlement on the eastern portion of the Island (near where the Norse Exploration party had taken shelter) and called it Nueva Valencia, after the home city of the leader of the Expedition, Carlos Barrera. After exploring the Island they realized they were not alone, and attempted to convince the older Scandinavian settlers (who had not heard from the outside world in more than four centuries, and now numbered around 1,000) to convert to Catholicism and cede their land to the crown. They resisted, and were put to siege by the Spaniards who were much more technologically advanced, and quickly extracted a surrender. The island, now called Isla Frailecillos, flourished, especially during the inquisitions as it became a refuge for the groups being persecuted in mainland Spain. The island escaped the inquisitions until 1579 CE, when Phillip I decided that it had gone long enough, and sent an army to the island to force conversion of the non-Catholics living there. However, the army was held up by the rebellion in the Spanish Netherlands, and arrived on the island in late November, the cold was almost unbearable to the Spanish soldiers, and to further assist the residents of the Island a large storm hit the Island a few days after the Spanish landed. Although they initially submitted to the Spanish demands, the islanders took advantage of the storm to rise up against them, and force their surrender after besieging them for a month in Fuerte Azul. Only 29 of the 700 soldiers survived the incident, and the now rebels declared a resounding victory, and quickly declared independence from Spain. Phillip, struggling with funding his vast empire and numerous wars, and under pressure from the public, recognized them as an Independent country. They created a flag with the island’s namesake Puffin in the center surrounded by White for peace and Blue to commemorate the battle where they defeated the Spanish.
The Republican Monarchy
The First Republic of Insulo became independent on January 11th, 1580 CE by a formal treaty with Spain negotiated in the city of Troyes, France. The government still had a Monarch, but the power mostly rested in the hands of the Parliament. The first King of Insulo was Fernando I of Nueva Valencia. In the 1640’s there was a large influx of English citizens fleeing the Civil War and the reign of Oliver Cromwell, and soon they nearly outnumbered people of Spanish descent in the country. The Republican Monarchy worked very well until 1801, when a movement for complete removal King Francisco II prompted him to seize complete power with the Military and form an Absolute Monarchy thus ending the First republic of Insulo.
The Esperanto Republic
After almost a Century of absolute rule, in 1893 CE the people of Insulo, tired of the King’s decrees and angered by a decrease in trade due to a depression in their largest trading partner, The United Sates, overthrew King Alexander I. They installed a government based loosely on the United States Constitution, and adopted the constructed language Esperanto as the new official language, and renamed the country Insulo, the Esperanto word for Island. This action was extremely unpopular with the common people, who spoke English and Spanish, but the leaders had exploited the Constitution because it did not allow anyone with less than a college education run for Office, they made Insulonian Colleges teach only in Esperanto, making it nearly impossible for the language to be changed by a parliamentary vote. Gradually, the government became stricter and stricter about the use of Languages, and in 1937 CE they banned the use of any language other than Esperanto for place names. They went too far in 1983 CE, banning the use of non-Esperanto names. The enraged populace began fighting the government, and in 1985 CE removed it from power, and formed the current government, the Third Republic of Insulo.
Teaser Pictures
Finally some teaser pics just to reward you for reading (hopefully) this whole thing.
Closing Comments
This new CJ will be a redo of the previously failed Insulo CJ on Simtropolis.
International Events Hosted: Chihiro 2010 Simlympics Torch Relay - Leg Seven
This CJ should alternate between weekly and bi-weekly updated depending on how busy I am.
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