Siovanija and Teusland
United Republics of Siovanija and Teusland Siowenien und Teusland, Siovanija i Teusland | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
Motto: Concordia, Patria, Libertatem | |
Anthem: High Mountain Skies | |
| Capital | Borograd |
| Largest | St. Jakob an der Drai |
| Official languages | Siovanijan, Teus |
| Ethnic groups | Teus (54.62%), Siovanijan (43.31%), Other (2.07%) |
| Demonym(s) | Siovanijan, Teus |
| Government | Federal parliamentary republic |
• President | Magdalena Hoskova |
• Chancellor | Dominik Meier |
| Legislature | National Chancellery |
| Establishment | |
• Unification under First Siovanijan Empire | 1147 |
• Unification under Teus Empire | 1417 |
• Establishment of Siovanijan Republic | 1808 |
• United Republics of Siovanija & Teusland established | 1896 |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 74,250,000 |
| Currency | Tolars (T) |
| Time zone | National time (AOTC -1) |
| Date format | mm-dd-yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +96 |
| Internet TLD | .st |
Siovanija & Teusland, officially the United Republics of Siovanija and Teusland, is a country in southwestern Atlantian Oceania. An island nation, it lies between what are known within the country as the Nordsee, Ostsee, Sudsee and Westsee. To the east, the closest neighbour is Torisakia, while to the north and west, the closest neighbour is Valanora.
For thousands of years, various nomadic tribes have inhabited the island on both ends. In Teusland, various groups eventually formed around urban centres, and during the medieval age these groups developed into various principalities. In Siovanija, a similar situation was seen. The Siovanijan people managed to unite first, however, and conquered the various Teus groups during the 1100s, forming the First Siovanijan Empire. Rebellion in Teusland, however, defeated this Empire and once again freed the Teus lands. Infighting between the various duchies, however, led to the creation of the Kingdom of Teusland, and after conquering the Siovanijan lands in 1417, the declaration of the Teus Empire. The Teus Empire was a colonial power which colonized various states including Sankt Konrad and Prinz-Eugens-Land amongst others. In 1808, the Siovanijan Revolution began in Borograd, where liberal republicans revolted against the imperial government and an independent Siovanijan Republic was declared. Tension between the two independent states built up over the next decades, eventually culminating in the Great War in 1888. The war, which lasted until 1895, cost a total of 3.4 million lives, and led to the collapse of both nation's governments and the creation of the United Republics of Siovanija and Teusland. Despite an attempt at a coup d'etat in the 1940s by a group of Teus ultranationalists, the nation has largely progressed on a united and democratic path since.
Today, the United Republics is a federal parliamentary republic whose head of state is a President, and head of government is the Chancellor. The role of President is mostly ceremonial, while the Chancellor is the day-to-day leader of the state. The country has a population of nearly 75 million, and its capital city is Borograd. The largest urban centre, and financial capital, is in St. Jakob, while the 'cultural capital' is the city of Stelburg. The largest urban area is Neuteussen, the industrial region between Stelburg and St. Jakob.
Siovanija & Teusland is a power with a strong economy, and is known as a leader in industrial and technological fields. A highly developed country with a very high standard of living, it offers universal health care, vast social programs, tuition-free university education and environmental protection regulations. While spending much of the 20th century in isolation on the foreign stage, in recent years the country has looked to expand its ties within the region, including forming a strategic alliance with the Kingdom of Banija. The country is also known for its great deal of cultural history.
Etymology
In the Teus language, the name 'Teusland' (tɔɪz-lænd) comes from the Old High Teus word 'tiuri,' which translates as 'dear' or 'rich'. The world 'tiuri' in modern Teus is the word 'teuer,' which means 'expensive.' The nation name began as 'Teuerste-land,' or 'dearest land,' and eventually was shortened to 'Teusland.' The word 'Teus' eventually came to be seen as separate from its original meaning, and instead the term for the people of Teusland, including in various forms as 'Teussen' or 'Teussische.' The Latin name 'Teussia' was often used to refer to the land in antiquity. In the Siovanijan language, the Teus lands were originally known as simply 'Tuje' or 'Tuci,' meaning 'foreign' or 'foreigners.' Pronunciation difficulties in later years meant many Siovanijans referred to it as 'Tujeland,' however, in standardized modern Siovanijan the country is simply known as 'Teusland,' though some older generations may still use the old name.
In the Siovanijan language, the name 'Siovanija' (siː-əʊ-veɪn-iː-jə) comes from the term 'Land of the Siovanes,' the old demonym of the Siovanijan people. The etymology of Siovanijan is more uncertain. Some have theorized that it comes from the term 'slava,' meaning glory, and others from the term 'slovo', meaning people who speak the same language as each other. The country name has often been standardized as 'Siovania' or, in Teus, 'Siowenien.' The Teus word 'Siowenien' is simply a direct translation of 'Siovania.' Another Teus term that was common in the middle ages was 'Westerreich,' or 'Western Empire,' given Siovanija's location on the western half of the island. The term 'Westler' is still sometimes used in Teusland to refer to Siovanijans, particulary in older generations, and it was most common during the 1800s.
History
Humans have been present in Siovanija & Teusland for hundreds of thousands of years, with fossil records dating back at least that far in both halves of the country. The earliest artifact found in the country is a 43,000-year-old flute, found in the Stelburg area, which is the earliest proof of human existence.
Ancient History
WIP
Siovanijan Empire and Rebellion
WIP
Creation of the Teus Empire
WIP
The Imperial Golden Age
WIP
Siovanijan Revolution and Build-up to War
WIP
The Great War
WIP
Unification
WIP
Modern Era
WIP
Geography
WIP
Politics
WIP
Economy
WIP
Demographics
WIP
Culture
Siovanija & Teusland is well known for several traditions and holidays, including the celebration of various Siovanijan pagan Gods/Goddesses, festivals and events surrounding Christmas and Easter in Teusland, and other practices. Over 100 places are listed on the government's National Heritage List, relating to culturally and historically significant landmarks. There are a number of public holidays in the country, and some which are public in only one republic. The most known holiday in the country is Unification Day on May the Fourth.
Music
Classically, the Teus were well-regarded as musicians and composers. Influential composers of the baroque period include Adelmar Brecht, Stanislaus Dahn, and most famously Armin Backhaus. In the later romantic era, Christof von Handke, Florentin Steiner and Ludwig Schultz were some of the most influential composers. Siovanijan composers of the romantic era included Sebastian Musil, generally regarded as the best-known Siovanijan composer. In the more modern era, Vincent Kisling was well-known for his operas, which often dealt with themes of old Teus pagan traditions and national history. He is celebrated each year during a festival in his home town of Bad Lingau.
The city of Stelburg was the centre of classical music in the country. Composers were drawn to the city due to its status as the crown jewel of the Teus Empire, and the imperial patronage therefore available to them. Stelburg's rise as a cultural centre began in the mid-1500s, and by the early 1800s it was one of the world capitals of culture. The city is best-known for its operas, including the Stelburg State Opera, and the National Opera. Ballets are also common in the city, with the Teus National Ballet and the Stelburg Imperial Ballet still based in the city today. Balls were a very common occurrence during the Teus Empire, with balls hosted biweekly in the city by various groups, and this tradition is still continued even today with a series of famous balls taking place in the city.
Music is, of course, still popular within Siovanija & Teusland. Foreign popular music has become more popular in recent years, but acts such as Romana Adamova, Niels Hochheim and groups such as Der Mowen and Torpedi are still chart-toppers. The best-selling domestic singer of all time remains Katja Scheck, a Teus actress and singer who rose to popularity during the 1960s, and quickly became the most popular singer in the country.
Art and Design
Artistically, Siovanija has been known as a producer of highly-talented painters in the past. The most famous artist of the romance period was Tadeas Horvath, while on the Teus side painter Hugo Meidner helped usher in the impressionist era.
The nation is well-known for its influence on architectural design. The most influential architectural style in the country today is that of the late Wilhelmine period of the late 1700s, during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm VII. Teus building in most areas is well-known for its timber framing. Some of these influences are also present in Siovanijan architecture. The post-revolution period in Siovanija ushered in a great deal of new architectural design and thinking, which can be compared to expressionist architecture.
Even today, architects from the United Republics are leaders on the world stage. The most famous modern architect in the country was Erhardt Palme, and his design firm, Architektur Erhardt-Palme, is still the largest in the country. AEP was responsible for developing 3 of the 4 largest football stadiums in the country (Nationalstadion, Franz-Gorz-Stadion, Draistadion) as well as developing the Stadium of the Restoration in Busukuma, Banija, and the Istria Olympic Stadium in Istria, Banija. These projects were completed to open World Cup 81 and the 14th Summer Olympic Games respectively.
Literature and Philosophy
A strong tradition of literature has existed, particularly in Teusland, since the middle ages. The works of writers such as Marius Delbruck, Joel Baum and Boris Novak are famous in this early period. Delbruck in particular is considered to be the most well-known Teus author in history, and has been called the 'Vincent Kisling of Teus literature,' as his themes often dealt with Teus folklore. His works are studied by most Teus, and Siovanijan, children in schools. The most famous poet of Siovanijan history was Leopold Vlach, who also composed the early Siovanijan anthem 'Hej, Siovani!'
The Teus have also developed various technological advancements relating to literature. Delbruck's writings were important in standardizing the Teus language, while Hans von Hardenberg's invention of the printing press allowed books to be produced quickly, and in some ways contributed to the spread of Christianity throughout the Teus Empire. The United Republics' book market is one of the largest in the world, and the Stelburg Book Fair is the largest in the country and attracts important authors and dealers from across the world, with a history over 500 years long.
Philosophy in the country is also a strong tradition. Many early thinkers were Teus, often a result of Siovanijans having less of an opportunity at success during the dominion of the Teus Empire. Reinhard Fittkau is a famous Teus philosopher well-known for his contributions to enlightenment. Teus idealism is a strain built out of Fittkau's ideas and expanded on by thinkers like Benedicht Drauchmann and Wolfgang Rott. In the lead-up to the 1808 Siovanijan Revolution, various Siovanijan thinkers like Bronislav Tomasic, Jaromir Marek and Simon Hanak made major contributions to the ideas of the rights of man and classical liberalism. The Siovanijan thinker Anton Dialikov's ideas on the rights of workers and new ideas of history have been major contributions to left-wing groups in the country, who often refer to themselves as 'Dialikovite' parties. In the more modern era, Frank Schonherr made significant contributions to psychoanalysis.
Science
Various scientific breakthroughs and advancements give their credit to Siovanijan or Teus scientists. Medicine has always been a focus of the country, and scientists like Slavomir Kraus, Felix Proll and Jens Knoerr have made significant contributions to the field. The development of the automobile within Teusland is often credited to engineer Elias Lasner, who founded Teussische Motoren Werke (TMW) and helped design its first cars. Other automotive pioneers include the Siovanijan Anton Velikov, as well as Bonifac Slavek, who founded the Pomorie Avto Fabrika (PAF). TMW and PAF are today two of the most well-known automotive manufacturers in the country.
Mathematicians like Edmund Hafer, Marco Berchtold and Maria Holderin formed part of the 'Stelburg circle' of the early 1900s. Famous psychologists in the country included Reinhard Himmelfarb and Slavomir Turek. In the development of nuclear weaponry, the creation of the Fessler-type centrifuge by Dr. Martin Fessler was a major breakthrough. Mathematicians and other technical jobs, such as engineers, are a specialty in the country and Siovanija & Teusland is recognized as a leader in many of these fields.
Economic thinkers from the country have included the aforementioned Anton Dialikov, who has inspired left-wing economic thinking within the country. The Drai School, founded by various economists at the Universitat Sankt-Jakob in the mid-1800s, includes famous economists Gunter Klotz, Bernd Goldhaber and Harald Ulmer amongst some of its key developers.
Stelburg National Prize
At the end of each year, leading thinkers in the country are awarded with a Stelburg National Prize. The Prize was first created by the Stelburg Academy for Arts and Science in the early 1700s, and has in the past received patronage from the old Teus Empire's government. Prizes are available in various fields, including: mathematics, physics, economics, chemistry, biology, philosophy, literature, sport (amateur only) and music. The winners of the prize are honoured each year in a celebration at Stelburg's Sanssouci Palace, the former home of the imperial family, and are presented with commemorative medals by the President of the United Republics.
Media
The largest operating international media companies in the country include the Republika Press, Der Welt and Engelberg SE. The television market in Siovanija & Teusland has over 32 million households. Due to the bilingual nature of the country, the majority of the programming is split between the two official languages. Many television programs and shows, however, and produced bilingually, with both languages present in the broadcast. Over 90% of households in the country have cable or satellite television. Nationally, RBC (Republic Broadcasting Corporation) is the public broadcaster. It broadcasts on television with channels including RBC National News, RBC Siovanija, RBC Teusland and RBC Sports, all of which are free-to-air channels. It also broadcasts in both official languages by radio. Famous newspapers in the country include the Stelburger Zeitung, Die St. Jakob Presse, Borograd Dnevnik and Die Zeit, as well as The Borograd Times, which is an international paper.
Cinema is an important aspect of national culture, with important contributions coming from both sides of the mountains. Silent films were first developed in Siovanija, with actors such as Dominik Vicek becoming popular nation-wide. Today, the city of Stelburg remains the centre of the national entertainment industry. Studios such as the famous Gustloff AG and the Studio Stelburg are based in the city and produce some of the country's most famous movies. The most popular movie of all-time in the United Republics remains Das Haus, a movie about a family who experienced the Great War. War films are some of the most popular, due to the long legacy of the Great War in the country, however, other genres also retain popularity. Critically acclaimed directors include Casper Kahler, Ewald Loewe and Josef Kucaj.
Cuisine
Cuisine in the United Republics varies between the two states, however often shares similarities. In addition, international dishes such as pizza, pasta and other common dishes are popular.
Bread is a very significant part of both nations' cuisine, and Teus bread is the most famous and most popular. Teus cheese and meat, particularly Teufelswald ham, are very popular in the country. Siovanijan meats are also famous, however, even they will usually defer to a Teus-produced beef, pork or chicken meal. Sausages are also popular in Teusland, and various brands such as those from the cities of Felsenkirchen and Kaiserhaven are often well-known. A 'Marziger' is what is commonly-known as a 'hamburger' in the rest of the world, and a 'Stahlberger' is what is commonly-known as a 'frankfurter.'
Beverages are also naturally popular in the country. Beer is a staple in Teusland, and is the national alcoholic drink. Beer halls and other such venues are commonly-found across the country, and the citizens are quite proud of their beer: regulations were passed in the 1500s ensuring purity of ingredients. As part of this, foreign beer is banned from being imported into the country. Teus are some of the world's highest consumers of beer. In Siovanija, while beer is popular, the usual alcoholic drink of choice is vodka (commonly known in the country as 'Ljublanski vode,' or 'Ljublanica water' after the largest river in Siovanija. Beer versus vodka is often a common debate between Teus and Siovanijans, and the passion it stirs in both sides has led to both drinks becoming a symbol of their respective nations.
Sport
Ice hockey is the most popular sport in Siovanija & Teusland. Hockey Siovanija & Teusland is the largest athletic union in the country, with over 6.5 million members, and it runs club and international competition at youth and senior levels. The national professional league, the Ehrenliga, is one of the top leagues in the world and also one of its most-watched. Siovanija & Teusland's national hockey team won World Cup of Hockey 40, and the national junior team won the 14th World Junior Hockey Championship.
The second most popular sport in the country is football. The Siovanija & Teusland Football Associatoin is the second largest athletic union in the country, and it also operates club and international competition. The national professional league, the Republikaliga, has quickly risen to become one of the world's top leagues, currently ranked 14th in the IFCF rankings. The Siovanija and Teusland national football team have qualified for the finals of World Cup 84, World Cup 85 and World Cup 86, while also participating in the AOCAF Cup regional tournament. At the youth level, the under-21 team captured the bronze medal at Di Bradini Cup 46. Footballer Thorsten Kramer is the nation's internationally best-known athlete, playing for the national team as well as Audioslav club 1830 Cathair, where he became the first Teus player to win the IFCF Champions League.
In Teusland, cricket is also a popular sport, and Teusland's representative team has quickly become a major force on the international test cricket stage, including winning GCF World Test Challenge season 11. Gridiron football (often called 'Banijan football' in the country) has gained popularity in recent years, while basketball remains somewhat popular in Siovanija. Indoor volleyball and water polo are other examples of popular team sports in the country
The country has participated in the Summer Olympics twice, winning a total of 20 medals (3 gold, 7 silver, 10 bronze). Olympic champions from the country include Thomas Fischer (sailing), Ferdinand Starker and Liselotte Schierer (archery) and Klara Hovorkova (boxing). In the summer Olympics, the most successful sports for the country have been archery (4 medals), gymnastics (8 medals) and boxing (4 medals). The Olympia Athletic Club is renowned as a premier gymnastics program in the world, and has developed every single Olympic gymnast to ever compete for the country. At the winter Olympics, the country has yet to participate in the games, however, the country is a strong well-rounded winter sports nation.
Motorsport is also popular in the country, and is perhaps the most well-known and most-popular individual sport. The National Grand Prix Championship includes manufacturers and drivers from across the country. Its most famous and most successful team has been Teussische Motoren Werke (TMW), and the most successful historical driver was Peter Honigsman, who won 7 Drivers' Championships driving for TMW. Today, driver Niklas Schonbaum has been tipped as a driver with the potential to succeed on the international stage.
The country has played host to international sport events including the 9th Under 18 World Cup (also known as the Sporting World Cup) and the 14th World Junior Hockey Championship.