Ecoralia

Ecoralia (Ecoral: Ikrogaalië, pronounced ), officially the Kingdom of Ecoralia, is a country in northern Alutra. It is bordered by Edury to the east and by Ordrey and Lathadu to the southeast. The majority of the country's population lives near the country's northern coastline. The country's capital and largest city is Monstad. Ecoralia covers an area of 1,900,119 square kilometres, and its population in 2020 was estimated to be approximately 63.3 million people.

Many different peoples have inhabited the lands of modern day Ecoralia, and today, Ecoralian is a. Ethnic Ecoralanders are the largest ethnic group in the country, although the country has increasingly diversified, especially over the past century. The southern half of the country has been continually inhabited by the ethnic Sedic Tir people for millennia. The political rights of Sedes in Ecoralia have been a contentious political issue for much of the country's history.

Ecoralia is uniquely one of the few remaining in northeastern Alutra. The Ecoralian royal family has occupied Monberg Castle as its seat of power since the 1100s. Over the country's history, the Ecoralian royal family has gradually ceded powers to democratic governance, with the most recent transformation occurring in 1966 and the adoption of the Ecoralian Charter of Human Dignity.

Etymology
The country's name comes from the Ordrish term Icrochal, the furred people, in reference to the heavy furs worn by the people across the Gaal River estruary.

For centuries, the country was known as Ecoraland until a national referendum in 1982 successfully changed the name, in response to pressure from the Sedic peoples' movement.

Early history
The earliest written histories in Ecoralia date from around 230BCE, with the emergence of Stroomism in the Gaal River estuary. A collapse of the trading routes supported by the Great Sedic Confederation caused a massive famine throughout much of the Alutran Steppe. This, in turn, encouraged Sedes living in the steppe to move north and interact with Ecoralers.

Evidence of initial political structures across the Gaal River estuary emerge in around 300CE. After initial contact, a number of Ecoralander traders move north and begin regular trading along the Gaal, Sams, and Netje Rivers. This begins a new system of economic trade of raw materials, especially precious metals, among the southern Sedes and fish from Ecoralander ports.

Initial economic flourishing
Market ports along the northern Alutran coastline align into Samenwater trading network just after the first millennium. The emergence of the Samenwater network marks the first economic flourishing in the region and extends the Ecoral language throughout the region.

The importance of the trading network leads to the development of the Samenwaterijk trading rules, enforced by a private navy funded through taxes collected in participating ports. This practice also leads to the foundation of zolthuisen,, across northern Alutra, creating the precursor to some of the world's first permanent diplomatic missions in the 1100s.

A number of religiously-supported universities across the plains of northern Alutra began to take hold in the 1200s. First supported by the emergence of Stroomism and Ayekism, the universities begin to compete for "students" and converts to the competing faiths. This tension starts the Eduran schism and the eventual independence of Edury. Early Stroomist institutions, such as Zoas and Netjemond universities, would serve as the foundation of the modern institutions today.

Ecoraland
The economic boom of the Samenwaterijk period and the drive for new markets drove Ecoralanders to expand their territory. Following an initial attempt to further integrate (nationality TBC) ports along the North Alutran Sea into the network, (nationality TBC; land to the west of Ecoralia)

This conflict led to a land-based invasion by (nationality TBC) through the Upper Gaal River Valley in mid-1100s. The voogd (feudal lord) based in the Ecoralander city of Monstad, Kees the Great successfully stopped the invasion and returned home with the title of Ikrogaals koning, King of the Ecoralanders.

This claim is credited as the start of the Ecoralian monarchy, although it was not until the marriage of his son, Andries to Heleentje of Rodhar in 1189 that the monarchy began to consolidate multiple feudal dominions into a single kingdom.

The early days of Ecoralander regal history were a dark period. The economy shrunk as more and more ports opted out of the Samenwaterijk agreements for freer trade with other countries. The royal family, desperate to prevent similar political, social, and religious transformations as were ongoing in neighbouring Edury, closed much of the country to external interactions.

Colonial era
The Ecoralian colonial era started on Alutra. Ecoralanders, noting the mineral richness of the hilly terrain surrounding them to the south, began to move further and further inland. This caused a number of tensions with the primarily Sedic peoples living on the margins of the Alutran Steppe.

However, the largest land advancements were made over the course of the 1400s as a series of dry seasons caused low harvests throughout the Sams River basin. Ecoralanders used the desperate situation to entice the Sedic peoples living along the river to convert to Stroomism and argued that the drought were the result of theistic imbalance.

(Rest of section left blank, as colonial details get confirmed.)

(There may also be a section here about the Sedic-Salian conflicts and the roles of Ecoralanders, as details emerge.)

The country's consequents through the colonial era come to a close as conflicts emerge across northeastern Alutra. Ordric and Lathadun independence movements cause concern among the noble families of Ecoraland and call for further powers in their dominions. These demands are codified into the First Constitution of Ecoraland, which reserve political rights to native Ecoralanders.

Ecoral Enlightenment
The 1800s brought about a commonly known as the Ecoral Enlightenment. Cornerstones to this period were the completion of the East Ecoraland Canal, which opened up a year-round trading route between the North Alutran Sea and the Netjezee Bay, and the rapid development of a rail network. These new advancements reduced trading costs and delays and enabled faster travel across the vast geographic distances of the country's northern points into the Alutran Steppe.

(Assumed war/battles here. It's about time, and yes, the Ecoralanders are charging heavy taxes to foreigners for use of the canal.)

During this period, a liberal political movement in Ecoraland’s cities calls for a Second Constitution, which grants additional political rights for those in Ecoraland proper as voogds, long-held titles of nobility, become popularly elected counsellors to the monarch, and nobles inherit equivalent titles as beheerders (stewards) of their realms in a dual-counsel system. The Second Constitution also includes the continued exclusion of political rights for the primarily Sedic communities across the Alturan Steppe. The Constitution also includes the nomination of a Governor, an appointee of the Ecoralian monarch who assumes many of the executive functions of the Royal House.

Modern democracy
Desiring for political rights and self-determination and embolden by the republican revolutions in Lathadu and Ordrey, ethnic Tir groups organise an economic blockade in the mines throughout the southern part of the country, especially in Samsdal and Oostendall regions. This blockade, the 1907 Ecoralian economic blockade, supported by the Ordrish and Lathadun governments, causes an economic crisis in Ecoraland, and the government agrees to negotiations with representatives from Sedic communities in the country.

The Constitution Act 1908 brought full democracy to Ecoraland, with a unicameral parliament, the Pratenplaats, with a reserved quota of seats elected from the primarily Sedic Alutran Steppe. The head of government, the Governor-General, becomes an elected position by the members of the parliament. The Constitution also establishes a Constitutional Court of Ecoraland

Since then, further political reforms have been passed into Ecoralian law. Bolstered by a number of social movements across the country, the Ecoralian Charter of Human Dignity, Het Handvest van menselijke waardigheid, was adopted in the 1966. This Charter created a number of constitution rights for individuals and gave the Constitutional Court the authority to hear Charter appeals. In the same year, the legislative quota system in the Pratenplaats switched to nationally-eligible ethnic voter rolls, the kiezerslijsten, with reserved seats for ethnic communities based on population.

Once again facing a crisis of identity, the country held a national referendum in 1982 to rename the country. Ecoraland, as the historical name for the region in the middle of the country that has been the homeland for ethnic Ecoralanders, evoked domestic tensions among minority communities. With leverage in the Pratenplaats, left-wing and ethnic minority members pushed for a renaming of the country to a more neutral and internationalised Ecoralia.

Geography
Ecoralia, due to its expansive size across northern Alutra, holds a large geographic diversity. It includes most of the Alutran Steppe across its southern half, which remains mostly uninhabited except for the eastern side bordering Ordrey and Lathadu. The central part of the Ecoralia covers mostly flat and fertile plains with rivers feeding into the North Alutran Sea or the Netjezee Bay.

Heading further north, the land narrows into the Witland peninsula, with rocky terrain, cold weather, and modest isolate most villages in this area except by sea routes. The northern tip of the Witland peninsula is annually surrounded by sea ice.

Ecoralia also holds claim over a series of uninhabited islands in the north and a fractional claim of the polar continent, Polairland. These islands, however, due to their expansive position across the ^ Sea, represent the northernmost, westernmost, and easternmost points in Ecoralia.

Most Ecoralians experience two major seasons: a bitterly cold and icy winter (winter in Ecoral) and a temperate warm season (zomer in Ecoral). However, the northernmost parts of the Witland peninsula remain frozen year-round, just as the southernmost parts of the country are consistently cold and dry.

Due to the country's northernly position, the length of days varies widely with two major seasons. During the winter months, days will shrink to around 7-8 hours of sunlight; in the summer, this can extend up to 15 hours of sunlight.

Ecology
With its varied geography, Ecoralia also holds a wide ecological diversity. Originally densely forested through most of the central and northern parts of the country, the through much of Ecoraland have been destroyed or reduced for agricultural production. The more mountainous terrain to the north has retained more of its forestation.

The country's cool but temperate climate and geographic orientation around the North Alutran Sea has allowed a unique ecology to develop. Polar otters thrive in the waters of Onse Bay and feature on the coat of arms for Ecoralia. Other major animals unique to the area include deer across much of the central plains and bears and reindeer further north along the peninsula.

The southern steppe retains much of its own climate and ecology compared to the rest of the country. Given the limited precipitation and river drainage through the region, most of the region has limited flora and fauna; however, some unique shrubs and low-lying plants grow along the Eastern Hills region to the southwestern corner of the country.



Administrative divisions
Ecoralia is divided into thirteen wards (Ecoral: gebieden). The country's northernmost territory, Polar Ecoralia, is separately administered through the central government. The gebieden reflect the amalgamation of the historic wards given to noble lords by the monarch.

Most of the current wards were created with the Local Government Act 1967, primarily motivated to split the heavily populated Gaalland ward into two, with the capital city of Monstad forming the core of its own gebied. The two exceptions to this are the Eastern Hills and Hartir wards, created in 1977 as a result of a Charter legal case alleged the combination all southern lands into a single district constituted a violation of the Tir peoples' Charter rights.

Politics
Ecoralia is a mature democracy with robust, multiparty politics. Its government is divided into three branches: the executive, headed by the Governor-General on behalf of the Monarch; the legislative, formed by the Pratenplaats; and the judicial, including the Constitutional Court of Ecoralia. These institutions and their relationships are defined by the Ecoralian Constitution.

Elections are held every five years on the second Monday in May, unless the government loses the confidence of the Pratenplaats. Voting is compulsory, and absenteeism without a permitted excuse incurs a civil fine. Voters may register for one of three voter rolls, kiezerslijsten: the national roll, open to any citizen; the Tir voter roll; or the Sedic peoples voting roll. Non-citizen residents may also vote in municipal elections.

Monarchy
Ecoralia has retained its monarchy through centuries, and the Royal Family of Ecoralia still plays an important part of public life. The current King of Ecoralia is King Mathijs II, who has held the throne since 2018 with the of Queen Matilda I before her 65th birthday. A modernist, King Mathijs II has been substantially more active in international politics than his predecessors, with particular efforts to champion political responses to climate change and energy production.

Since the Third Constitution of Ecoralia, the monarchy has held primarily ceremonial duties. While the monarch continues to hold the formal right to chair meetings of the Cabinet of Ecoralia, this privilege is rarely exercised. The monarch is also and may not be held for any criminal or civil penalty. The monarch resides in Monberg Castle.

Political parties
Several political parties contest the elections at all levels of administration. Currently, twelve parties have members in the Pratenplaats as of the 2018 election.

Government
The government of Ecoralia performs its functions in line with the 1908 Constitution of Ecoralia. It provides for an elected, representative body, a parliament. It is called the Pratenplaats in Ecoral, literally translating to the speaking place. The parliament has 398 members, elected proportionally according to the votes won in each electoral ward.

The executive branch is represented by the Government of Ecoralia. It is headed by the Governor-General of Ecoralia, and the current Governor-General is the leader of the Conservative Union, Jozias Fris. While this position is formally appointed by the monarch, it has been an office typically occupied by the leader of the largest party in the Ecoralian parliament for over a century.

As a robust, multiparty democracy, the governance of Ecoralia typically depends on a coalition government of multiple parties. After the 2018 election, the Conservative Union, Stewards Party, the Free Democrats, and Liberal Party entered into a coalition arrangement. The coalition receives regular support from the Ecoral Nationalists.

Law and judicial system
The Ecoralian legal system is comprised of two parallel structures: criminal law; and civil and administrative law. The court system operates in a unitary hierarchy, with the civil and administrative legal system being much more centralised than the criminal legal system. The civil and administrative courts operate primarily from the national capital city, Monstad, while the criminal system operates at the ward level before reaching into a nationalised appeals system.

The Ecoralian criminal justice system is considered one of the most progressive systems in the world. It holds a deep integration with its, and many criminal penalties defer in favour of  services, psychiatric care, and reintegration. Ecoralia was one of the first countries to abolish the death penalty, with the last state execution in the 1860s. Indefinite imprisonment without the possibility of parole was eliminated as part of Ecoralian Charter of Human Dignity in 1966.

The criminal system has been a frequent target of criticism. Many right-wing political parties campaign for the toughening up of the criminal system through longer sentences and harsher penal conditions. Others have critiqued the Ecoralian system has a form of social manipulation and brainwashing to achieve its goals.

Foreign relations
Ecoralia, as one of the world's largest economies, participates regularly on the global stage and was a founding member of the World Forum. The country has mostly remained concerned about political affairs in the northern hemisphere and avoided entrapment into conflicts with southern powers. However, the country does maintain an army, navy, air force, and intelligence agency. All of these report to the Governor of Defence.

Ecoralia has historically had mixed relations with its Sedic neighbours to the east. In particular, Ordrish and Lathadun political instabilities have been pivotal points in early Ecoralian history. Instability in this region caused the advancement of further military powers to local nobles in the First Constitution of Ecoraland. The continued tensions around Tir nationalism and the rights of Sedic peoples' in the country have been frequently diplomatic flash points between Ecoralia and its neighbours. Today, the border between Ecoralia and Lathadu remains heavily monitored by Ecoralian border guards due to the permissive gun laws in the country and support for Tir nationalism in the neighbouring Hartir ward.

Beyond its immediate region, Ecoralia is an active participant country in. It coordinates its efforts through the Global Affairs Office and the semi-autonomous Ecoralian International Cooperation Agency (IAIS, for its initials in Ecoral). It contributes one of the largest proportions of its national income to foreign aid. In addition to national efforts, the country is a founding member of the Ecoral Community and is a key funder of Ecoral Spaces, Ikrogaalsplaats, an international network of cultural centres across the globe showcasing Ecoralian and Eduran culture.

Economy
Ecoralia has a developed mixed economy that is classified as a high-income economy. Economic conditions are highly diverse within the country. Most of the country's wealth is generated in the heavily urbanised central parts of the country along the Ecoral plain. The southern wards, particularly those whose geography is defined by their proximity to the Alutran Steppe, have substantially lower average incomes and employment rates.

Ecoralia had its first historical economic boom during the Samenwaterijk period from the 1050s through to the mid-1100s. (Something about colonial period here – dependent on the rest of the world map.) In the early 1800s, the country experienced the Ecoral Enlightenment and a rapid economic transformation with the proliferation of railroads, completion of the East Ecoraland Canal, and urbanisation through the Ecoral plain.

Income inequality and wealth distribution across the country have been recurring political issues. While the government is considered in national polling to mostly provide for the essential needs of all citizens, access to wealth remains inconsistent across the country's diverse geography. Citizens from a Tir or Sedic background have consistently lower average incomes than their Ecoralander or Eduran neighbours. Unemployment is high in Ecoralia's desert regions and has continued to rise over the past two decades through its hilly Samsdal and Oostendal wards.

Major industries
International trade is a key part of the Ecoralian economy. The country imports a number of raw or partially-manufactured goods and exports a number of high-value finished goods. The country has a long history of manufacturing transportation equipment, in particular and. In recent history, the country's sector has also grown to be one of the largest in the world. Ecoratel operates mobile networks across Alutra and in other parts of the work, while the tech firm Lea is one of the world's leading mobile device manufacturers.

The country also has a large medical manufacturing sector, in part supported by research through Zoas University and its medical school. Uniquely, the medical patents generated by the university are held by the Ecoralian Crown Trust, which manages the patent rights and royalties. Through the success of Ecoralian medicine since its Enlightenment period, the trust has become a major endowment for public spending. While formally separate from the general revenue of the government's budget, the trust makes regular donations to the government on an annual basis.

Transportation
Ecoralia has a well-developed transportation sector. Across much of Ecoraland, Ecoralians have some of the highest usage rates of public transportation and therefore some of the lowest rates of car ownership, especially within urban cores. Both intracity rapid transit and intercity rail systems operate on a 24-hour basis.

It has one of the world's largest electrified rail networks and also one of the densest networks in and around the capital city, Monstad. The city has a rail rapid transit system, along with a suburban rail transit network extending into Tweestromen and Gaalland, and serves as the terminus for several national and international rail services. Monstad is also home to King Gijsbert Monstad International Airport and a hub for KIL Royal Ecoralian Air Service, Koninklijke Ikrograalische Luchtdienst.

However, infrastructural inequalities exist. Glanarnyw, the capital city of the predominantly Tir Hartir ward, is the largest Ecoralian city without a rail rapid transit system and is larger than many cities that do. Much of the rail infrastructure in the northern part of the country, beyond Roodham, remains unelectrified due to climatic conditions. This means Roodham serves as a frequent changing point for onward travellers in either direction. Two wards, Nieuw Bos and Oostenheuvels, lack any passenger rail services.

Demography
The population of Ecoralia is currently just over 63 million people, making it one of the most populous countries in northeastern Alutra. At a national level, Ecoralia is one of the least densely-populated countries in the region, at 33.3 people per square kilometre. This is less than half of neighbouring countries Edury (73.5) and Ordrey (81.4) and nearly a fourth of the population density in Lathadu (129). However, due to the country's unique environment, vast parts of the country's northern and southern regions are sparsely populated.

Ecoraland proper has a much more dense population. More than 38 million people (over half of the country's population) live in just the three central wards. The country has six cities with a population of more than two million people, including the capital city, Monstad, which is one of the world's most populous cities.

Ecoralia is a diverse nation. Just under two-thirds of the country's population (65.6%) are ethnic Ecoralanders. Tir people, the other indigenous community to Ecoralia, represent just over 10% of the national population. In addition, 6.3 million people (10%) from Ecoralander colonies live in Ecoralia, primarily in its coastal cities. The remaining population comes from Ecoralia's neighbours, including 3.3 million Edurans, 1.2 million Ordrish, almost 1 million Lathaduns, and 681 thousand Myrish.

Languages
Ecoral is the official and native language of Ecoralia. It predominates across the country, and nearly half of the world's Ecoral speakers live within the country. However, the language is the second-most spoken language in the remote Alutres Zanden, Oostenheuvels, and Hartir wards, where a majority of speakers are Tirophones. Ordrish is also commonly spoken in Alutres Zanden, and Gundioc in Hartir.

Language has been an important political issue for centuries in Ecoralia. The Ecoral language is constitutionally recognised as the country's official language. This has been an impediment for several Tir and Sedic activists who have campaigned for majority-Sedic wards to operate in both languages and for more resources to be made available in these languages. However, to date, Ecoral remains the only official language in the country, and all schools in Ecoralia teach in the Ecoral language.

Religion
Stroomism is the dominant religion in Ecoralia. Originally founded in Noordenland, the religion is the constitutional faith of the Ecoralian monarch. Despite the large cultural importance of Stroomism in the country, congregation memberships have been steadily declining for the past century. In recent polling, only 35% of Ecoralians consider religion to be an important part of their life.

Despite its social secularism, Ecoralia has a number of religious sites across the country. Heiligedam Bødehuis remains a site on regular pilgrimage for Stroomists around the globe. Monstad Bødehuis and Keesham Bødehuis are also major buildings and key examples of Ecoralian architecture. In the southeast, a number of sand dunes and caves remain key sites of religious importance to predominantly Tir Prithists and Ayekists.

Education
Much of the Ecoralian education system is decentrally organised through the library system. Some of the earliest schools in the country open to the general public were sponsored by the local libraries, which provided books, teachers, and in some cases, classrooms. This structure still exists today, and the Head Librarian of a municipality is usually the most senior educator in the public education system.

This longlasting relationship has meant teaching and library professions have been closely aligned in Ecoralian society and, today, the Ecoralian Federation of Librarians is one of the strongest in the country, representing almost all librarians and the vast majority of educators in the country. The institutions have also worked together to promote a culture of lifelong learning, with libraries providing continued education courses to the general public for little or no cost.

The Ecoralian curriculum is globally unique for its emphasis on play. The denken-doen system, first advocated by librarian Lodewijk Noteboom and widely adopted by the 1850s, emphasised practical application of taught material through role plays and dynamic scenarios. As such, Ecoralian schoolchildren have much larger periods of their school day left unstructured and open-ended, based on children's engagement with the material. This pedagogical style, which remains widespread across Ecoralia, is also the teaching style used by Ecoral Spaces institutions, a number of which provide independent education in the cities around the world where they exist.

Culture
Modern Ecoralian culture brings together staples of the country's cultural heritage with imported features from its neighbouring and related countries, especially its Sedic neighbours. Due to its geography, the cold, water, and fishing have played a crucial part to the development of Ecoralian culture. Fishing villages along the Ecoralian coast are essential ingredients to in the country and appear frequently in cultural staples such as the Ecoralian novel, My Strand in Time.

Today, Ecoralian cultural celebrates much of the cultural diversity throughout its heavily urbanised central corridor, from Monstad's theatre district to the Netjegeluid musical festival. The country's public broadcaster, IOM Ecoralian Public Media, allocates reserved budget towards minority-produced content for radio and television across the country.

Other features of traditional Ecoralian culture include and Tir whistling. Library culture is another national tradition of pride among Ecoralians, who have some of the world's highest library usage rates.

Mass media
Ecoralia has a thriving and diverse sector, with several newspapers, radio stations, television channels, and online outlets providing news and entertainment. The most recognisable brand is the country's public broadcaster, IOM Ecoralian Public Media, which runs five nationwide radio stations and six television channels: IOM1, IOM2, IOM-Tir, IOM Pratenplaats, and IOM Kinderen. Some of the country's most prominent newspapers include the Monstad Globe-Herald and the Netjemond Times.

Fine arts
The fine arts have played an important part in Ecoralian culture over time. Important national features include painters like the Noordenland masters, authors like Gustaaf van Heide and Saara De Nijs, and natural photographers like Epke Hoornik. The largest collection of fine arts are held at the Monstad Fine Art Museum.

Performing arts
Ecoralian performing arts are some of the country's strongest cultural exports. reached widespread popularity after earning the early affection of King Stielf. The Ecoralian film industry is one of the world's most prolific national film cultures, and Ecoralian films are seen by millions of people every year. The annual Ecoralian cinematic awards, the Vangsts (literally, catches), are considered some of the world's most prestigious awards.

The film industry enjoys a warm relationship with the country's theatre community, most iconically represented by the theatres in Monstad's Ochtendveld neighbourhood.

Sports
Given the cold and mostly flat terrain in central Ecoralia, is considered the national sport. In the !Olympics, Ecoralians regularly medal in the speed skating events. is also a common sport, especially in the northern part of the country. The Baaientocht skating race is an annual event from Witmarkt to Noordbaai in northern Ecoralia.