Polasciana

United Federal Republic of Polasciana зямлізмены (Sarian)
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: "The Nation In Union"
Capital	Karasicena
Largest city	Arvi
Official languages	Sarian
Other languages	Gallian, Vallesian, Ilic
Ethnic groups	68.4% Meridian Sar 21.9% Noric Gal 5.2% Berlangen Valle 1.4% Bari Il'm 3.1% Other
Religion	None
Demonym(s)	Polascianan Polesian
Government	Semi-presidential Federal Ministry
• President	Ivan Tattar
• Prime Minister	Krill Serbin
• Commander General	Major General Vasyl Sydorenko
• Council Leader	Yulian Sharonov
• Presiding Officer	Anton Vladic
Legislature	Federal Executive
• Upper house	Federal Council
• Lower house	Federal Assembly
Formation
• Union Agreement	8 April 1996
• Transition Council	31 December 1996
• Federation of The Republics	12 May 2003
• United Federal Republic	31 May 2003
• Gallian League accession	1 January 2020
Area
• Total	437,595 km2 (168,956 sq mi) (25th)
• Water (%)	3.07
Population
• 2011 estimate	51,754,370 Increase (24th)
• Density	123/km2 (318.6/sq mi) (19th)
GDP (PPP)	2018 estimate
• Total	€1.083 trillion (31st)
• Per capita	€20,925
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
• Total	€681 billion (32nd)
• Per capita	€13,158
Gini (2015)	Positive decrease 36 medium · 33rd
HDI (2017)	Increase 0.765 high · 28th
Currency	Polascianan Kryak (PKR)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CMST)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+66
Patron saint	Saint Severence
ISO 3166 code	POL
Internet TLD	.ufed
Website ufed.world

Polasciana (Sarian: зямлізмены, Gallian: Zedenfëss, Vallesian: Terramedios, Ilic: Zamziliemy), officially the United Federal Republic of Polasciana is a country in The Meridian, situated on the border between the Gallian and Greconian regions, constituting the former disputed territories of The Polamar. Bordered by Eiffelland to the west, Wieserreich , the Centrální Republika and Utainia to the north, Shcerbatskaya to the east and the Upper Great Sea to its south, the country has a population estimated at over 53 million people.

A federation of nine provincial states, three city regions and four island territories, Polasciana was founded in its own right in 2003 after formal unification of the former People's Republic of The Polamar and the Democratic Republic of Saracia-Polamar following several decades of war. The country’s society, economy, culture and political system, are all heavily influenced by a history dominated by instability and division between its Sar majority and Noric Gal, Valle and Il'm minorities. Its capital, Karasicena, is a semi-autonomous city-state which resides within the Provincial State of Kamchetka, whilst its largest city, Arvi, lays in the Provincial State of Amar.

The country is governed by a directly elected President and an elected Central Federal Government headed by a Prime Minister. The current President of Polasciana is former Federal Council Leader Ivan Tattar, a Unionist, who holds a majority in the upper-house. Tattar replaced Gennadiy Artamova in 2020, who was the country's longest serving politician and the first Head of State to be reelected following an historic victory during the 2015 Presidential Election, defeating former Prime Minister Marina Yanaka. The current legislative session began in 2018 and is led by Prime Minister Krill Serbin, leader of the Coalition - who commanded a majority in the lower-house of the Federal Executive until 2023, through the ninth Federal Ministry. The country's Armed Forces are led by an appointed Commander General who is accountable to both houses of the Federal Executive, whilst the Union Court forms the basis of the country’s judiciary.

Following its establishment, Polasciana embraced rapid economic reform, leading to the population becoming more secular and socially progressive under the leadership of Koruin Gruaman of the Center Party, who served as the country's first President, and launched several key initiatives towards offering citizens universal healthcare and expanding its developing comprehensive school system. Between 2007-2008 the Unionist-led Ministry invested heavily in national infrastructure, including significant investment in roads, ports and hospitals.

Since unification, Polasciana experienced a significant rise in the standard of living and its economy has continually expanded. A reliance on fiscal borrowing however resulted in a dramatic rise in its national debt - a significant factor in the country's economic destabilisation triggered by the 2007 Gallian Economic Slowdown - a financial crisis caused by the onset of political instability in the Lierland on the border of the Long Sea and the 2008 Global Economic Crash, prompted by the collapse of the Unified Capital States in Paripana. Preceding contraction, Polasciana had seen stable economic growth led by manufacturing, agriculture and a rise in trade - particularly in fishing as well as an emerging industry in the export of oil and gas from the country's Ilyusha fields. It was not until January 2015 that the economy returned to growth above 0.5%, and the country is not expected to reach its pre-crash level of between 3 to 5% annual growth until at least 2026. Despite increasing economic deregulation since 2003, most large enterprises in industry and utilities also remain under public control and are managed by local state administrations and other national government controlled organisations and bodies. Polasciana is a signatory of the Global Covenant, a member of the World Assembly, WTB, and, since 2020, the Gallian and Centrican League. The country also holds observer status at meetings of the GDF and attended conferences of the ITO alliance in both 2009 and 2020.

Name

Polasciana was formally adopted as the name of the country during the process of unification between the People's Republic of The Polamar and the Democratic Republic of Saracia-Polamar in 1996, stemming from the etymological foundations of the two major rivers which run through the country - the Polasana and Sariana, from which the precursor states had also taken their names. The name was formed from the Sarian 'kірунак' ('polas' or 'mountain') - from which use of the term 'Polamar' (‘peoples of the mountain’) is also taken - 'акіян' ('ci’ or 'sea') and 'ать’ ('ana’, meaning 'river'). Used collectively it was stated that these terms would mean 'from the mountain (Polas) to the sea (ci) by the rivers (ana)'. The decision to name the country using this interpretation was selected above other proposals including 'Polamar', 'Saracia', 'Polesia', 'Galeconia' (a merging of the Gallian and Greconian continents) as well as other historical terms for the region including 'Magilla' and 'Niveria'. Prior to its modern use, 'Polasciana' had also been recorded in documentation as being used interchangeably with 'The Polamar' in referring to the wider region, and peoples, where Meridian Gallia meets Greconia and wider territory across modern-day Polasciana , Shcerbatskaya and the Centrální Republika .

History

Early history (1C-10C)

The Settlements

In the 1st Century, settlers from traditional Gal communities (in what is now modern-day Centric and Lennox in the Free States Union ) began migrating eastwards for further sources of water and better access to the Upper Great Sea for fishing. They formed early settlements on the banks of the two rivers running through modern-day Polasciana - the ‘Norica’ (now the Sariana) running to the west and ‘Bersana’ (now Polasana which runs to the east) - becoming known as the Noric Communities of the Lower Gallian Peninsular, taking their name from the Gallic word ‘Noric’, meaning ‘people from the north’.

By the 3rd Century, settlers from the Sarian Provinces in what is modern-day Saria (meaning ‘home’ or ‘northeast lands’)) and Gunnland had also began migrating southwards, seeking access to natural resources and arable land. This led to the establishment of a number of Sar settlements in the region and the displacement of Gallo-Noric communities, which by this point had existed for several centuries. By the 5th Century, Sar settlements had increased exponentially - creating tensions between ethnic groups and leading to the development of a major cultural dividing barrier between east and west - in what would later become known more widely as The Meridian (meaning ‘middle’).

Continued migration into the region over the next four centuries resulted in further divides between Noric and Sar communities - with the latter establishing cultural, architectural and economic prowess over the lands, which by this time expanded along the Long Sea both eastwards bordering The Il’m , and westwards towards current day Eiffelland , forming the distinct region of 'The Polamar' within The Meridian.

Early states

Under threat by the People of The Il’m , a developed nation state centered on the historic city of Agra, the de-facto leader of the Meridian Sar settlements King Polyansky declared the formation of the Polesian Kingdom , in 980. As a result of the declaration, the Il’m issued a statement of war against Polyansky and the fast developing Holy Centrican Empire , situated to the north, also began to actively defend increasingly isolated Noric communities by forming proto-states - namely the Norican Kingdom, which united many disparate northern settlements, as well as the much smaller but significantly stronger Kingdoms of Krönach and Koranic ruled by King Hahn in the south. In turn, this would escalate tensions significantly, triggering widespread violence between the kingdoms.

At the turn of the century, the increasingly oppressive Polesian state sought to expel the Noric and Il'm populations from its borders - an act that has been more recently been defined as ethnic cleansing. Polyansky launched an assault against Noric settlements within the state’s borders, where many were burned by the King’s forces. At the same time he ordered the full invasion of the Norican Kingdom. A counter-offensive was organised by the Holy Centrican Empire - with fierce fighting centering on the city of Niveri, which had become the Polesian state’s de-facto capital.

Victory for Polyansky at the Battle of Niveri, saw the Polesian state expand further north and west - far beyond the current northern boundary of present day Polasciana and its borders with Utainia , Eiffelland and Wieserreich . In an act of dominance, the King also renamed the state as the ‘Kingdom of Niveri' after the historic losses suffered by the Noric community during the battle. Ever since, the city of Niveri has, controversially, remained an important and historic settlement in the region, and the Niveri Palace is still the seat of Polasciana’s Head of State to this day. Polyansky would then declare war against the other Centrican-backed satellite states in the region - including both Krönach in the south west, from which the name of the modern-day Polascianan state of Kresnovic is inspired, and the south-eastern shoreline communities of the Koranic kingdom, close to modern day Kraunai, seeking total dominance of the region.

Middle Ages (11C-19C)

Fall of Niveri

Conquering the southern Noric coastal regions proved more of an obstacle for Polyansky’s forces. The state faced fierce fighting from both proto-states and the Holy Centrican Empire also attacked the Niveri state from the west. At the same time, the southern islands and border regions of the Meridian peninsular, which had been largely uninhabited and unfortified, were invaded by the Valle-based Livinian Kingdom , of Queen Lezebia. Taking the islands and several key parts of the region’s shoreline, the Vallesians created a foothold in the region which they used to invade the Koranic Kingdom , replacing it with a new Valle-backed satellite state. Establishing trade and supply lines into Gallia and Greconia via modern-day Eiffelland and through a truce with King Hahn, Lezebia’s Berlangen Kingdom (from which the modern-day Polascianan region of Bespura derives its name) created an alliance with the Holy Centrican Empire - leading to the eventual defeat of Polyansky’s northern Niverian Kingdom in 1002. The victors killed Polyansky, pronounced the end of Niveri rule in the Meridian and formed a successor state in its place known as 'Magilla' (or Northern Mountain Kingdom) - where Queen Gesler, of a mixed Noric and Valle family, and the cousin of King Hahn, was installed to reign on the throne from the newly established city of Karasciena - which by this time was highly fortified and situated in the centre of the country's territory. Historical records suggest that Noric and Valle minorities were once again assimilated back into what was considered a ‘multi-cultural society’ - as Sar citizens were participated in civic life under the regions new rulers. Many however disagree with this account and suggest that Sar people were forced to comply with strict cultural and civic rules, or would face expulsion or even execution. Forced migration of many ethnically Valle settlers from surrounding countries to the region also took place around this time.

The Reign of the Three Kingdoms

Supported by neighboring Noric and Valle states, the Kingdoms of Magilla , Berlangen and Krönach would together form an increasingly strong alliance in governing the peninsular - which prompted significant growth and development of each state. This period of stability, with the power of each balanced by the other, became known as the ‘Period of the Holy Trinity’ or the ‘Reign of The Three Kingdoms’ but by the 14th Century, the Magillan state was developing at a faster rate than the Noric and Valle Berlangan and Krönach kingdoms - both of which were significantly outpaced due to the much larger population and geographical size of the much larger Sar-majority state. This would eventually lead to territorial expansion and the formation of the Greater Kingdom of Magilla , which would also later incorporate the Berlangan Kingdom in the 15th Century, with the Gesler-Hahn family ruling until 1696.

The Sar Renaissance

In 1696, King Gesler II (Herman Gesler) was overthrown in the Munsliv Revolution, after Alexander Munzliv launched a bloody battle against supporters of the Magillan rulers in an armed uprising of Polamar nationalists. Munsliv disbanded the Magillan state and formed the Niverian Patriarchy where Noric and Valle communities would once again become marginalised from society and any mixed cultured families were sent to execution – including the children of the Gesler-Hahn family who were still considered at the time as the rightful rulers of the territory by surviving monarchist forces. The Niverian state would then again fight wars with the Krönach Kingdom , Holy Centrican Empire and the Livinian Empire , but defeat in many major battles would result in its retreat from both the west and north, forming something close to the current borders of modern-day Polasciana. During this time the Niverians would also stave off invasion from resurgent and advancing Il'm forces from the east which sought to take advantage of a Sar-majority state under siege. Whilst it reduced the territory held by the state, and caused rifts across the region, the revolution was increasingly successful domestically, with the Patriarchy lasting for almost 200 years - forging a much deeper and expanded culture in the country, as well as the arrival of many more Sar migrants from the north east.

Restoration of the throne

In 1886 however, following the death of Patriarch Munzliv IV, fierce fighting broke out between the Sar-majority and minority Noric and Valle communities once again resulting in thousands of deaths and a prolonged war. In 1889, the Patriarchy was defeated and the Scheigan family, descendants of Noric royals from the Krönach Kingdom, , now known as Kolburg , restored the throne with support from the Holy Centrican Empire and the Livinian Kingdom , as part of a reformed Niverian Kingdom . The restoration of the Noric-Valle monarchy would mark the end of majority-Sar dominance in the region for what would be nearly thirty years, but ushered in a new age of uncertainty, where the Scheigan rule was defined by continued unrest between ethical and cultural groups and ultimately failed to establish a strong and secure state on the peninsular.

Bogdan Horak was the leader of The Communitarian-December Revolution in 1919

Modern history (1919-Present)

The December Revolution

King Scheigan I was assassinated at his Royal Palace in the capital of the Niverian Kingdom , Niveri, on December 19th 1919 when underground nationalist military leaders launched a second revolution. Utilising rising nationalist sentiment across the globe, military leaders in Niveri secured significant support and assistance from the Workers' Republic of Carentania , which had been formed a year earlier through its own communitarian revolution. The December Revolution saw two prominent military leaders instigate a purge against loyal supporters of the monarchy and pronounce the formation of the State of Polamar . It also marked the first time that Polesian nationalism and the Meridian peninsular's wider culture and society had been heavily influenced by communitarian ideology. Whilst the revolution successfully installed communitarian leadership to the region in the form of the State of Polamar , the formation of two rival factions following the declaration ended hopes of an immediate end to violence. Factional leaders in the west, based from Niveri, proposed that the country be governed by a ruling council and rotating civillian presidency - with representation for each of the Sar, Noric and Valle communities of the former Niverian Kingdom - an arrangement opposed by eastern leaders, initially centered in Zahmloy, who sought to return to a Sar-majority controlled state. Both factions refused to compromise and revolution turned to civil war, with fighting continuing and resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths – the majority of which belonged to the Valle and Noric minorities. The factional divide would ultimately usher in a period of instability which would remain until the birth of the modern Polascianan state in 1996, and create many of the ethnic and political dividing lines still present in the country today.

Declaration of War

The Polesian Civil War continued until 1926 when, against international pressure from neighboring states - including the recently independent countries of Franken and Eiffelland - a shared-statehood plan was signed to govern the State of Polamar . Any agreement had initially been rejected by both movements, however domestic pressure for a political settlement grew significantly after a failed putsch against military leaders in Niveri, forcing both actors to negotiate. Meeting in Karasicena on the 9 September 1926, the leaders each respectively abolished their claim to a unified Polesian state and pronounced the formation of two independent states - the mixed-ethnicity State of Saracia in the west, and the predominately Sar-majority Eastern Communitarian Republic of the Polamar in the east. By 1932 both states had adopted the majority of the arrangements detailed in the plan, but neither had declared a formal peace with the other - leading to ongoing tensions and occasional skirmishes. In 1938 both states also rescinded their earlier rejection of a claim to the territory of the other, transitioning to become the People's Republic of The Polamar and the Democratic Republic of Saracia-Polamar respectively by 1941. A formal declaration of war between the states was issued later that year.

Simultaneous attacks throughout the 50 year wars of Retribution brought destruction and chaos

Many communities were attacked and hundreds of thousands died in total from terror attacks

The Wars of Retribution

From 1941 onwards both republics deployed significant national resources targeted at increasing technological development, whilst utilising underground militant groups to plan and undertake terrorist attacks against the other. Killing many citizens, each new attack by one state brought a retaliatory action by the other, with the fighting becoming known as 'The Wars of Retribution'. Designated by many international observers as a civil war, the Global Covenant treated the conflict as one between independent states, but failed at repeated attempts to bring both sides to negotiation. In 1954, two territories in the neighbouring Cibolenland - which would later become Shcerbatskaya and the Centrální Republika - were earmarked by The Il'm to become independent states, utilising a form of democratic civilian leadership. The move bolstered proponents of a wider peace agreement and potential democratic transition for The Polamar , however tensions instead increased further with military border patrols being strengthened as citizens of the People's Republic tried to flee eastwards. Its military leadership also brought in new laws which designated ‘deserters’ as ‘enemies of the state’ - with death considered a rightful punishment. This hard-line approach was then strengthened again in 1955 when Minich Kinvah became the Commanding General of Communitarian Polamar and increased the use of violent attacks against Saracia-Polamar exponentially. With a sharp increase in the number of fatal assaults, an uprising against the western state’s leadership brought Uyri Inauyna to power - a commanding officer who was known for taking ‘brutal’ strategic decisions. The two men rapidly escalated the real and propaganda war between the two sides - resulting again in a significant increase in the use of terrorist attacks and targeted assassinations in the conflict - including the murder of police officers, officials, peacekeepers and international journalists.

By 1961 there was renewed pressure for a peace agreement and plans would be presented both by Eiffelland and The Freestates Union in 1962 and 1963 respectively, as well as a third plan by The Il'm and its former states in 1965. All were rejected, and the population of both republics fell as a result, with internationally backed refugee and resettlement programmes launched, most extensively for Noric and Valle communities from Saracia-Polamar , which were being increasingly targeted in aerial bombing raids by the east. The Royal Livinian Kingdom in an alliance with ten other nations - including regional neighbours Wieserreich and Utainia as well as other Valle and Noric states across the globe such as Aleconia , Lusitania and the Western Free States - supported some 900,000 people to relocate and leave The Polamar region in the period between 1965 and 1971. Communitarian nations such as Kadikistan and Carentania tried to disrupt the passage of refugees, and gave funding and weapons to military leaders of both republics - although heavily favouring the People's Republic . Communitarian support was also used to encourage and pay foreign fighters into the region - most significantly from The Il'm which by this point was collapsing as well as Jurzan and Jazirat in Himyar and Savannah which were experiencing their own civil wars. It is thought that nearly a million Khali, Bari and Urzu fighters resettled in the region - further diversifying the ethnic and religious makeup of The Polamar.