Riyata

Riyude, officially the Commonwealth of Riyude, is a country located in northeastern !North America. It consists of 27 states, 2 imperial cities, and 1 special administrative zone. Continental Riyude extends from the !Mountains in the north to the !Lawrence in the south, and from the !Canal in the east to !River in the west. It borders Coranelle in the east, which is its closest economic, political, and military ally. The nation's capital is Isaye, and its largest city is Grana, the historical imperial capital. Other major cities include Citana and Oeya.

The Commonwealth of Riyude is a constitutional monarchy and a federal parliamentary republic. The current monarch is Empress !Someone II, who assumed the throne in early 1959. The Peerage of Riyude is composed of hundreds of noble families descended from the time of the !HRE and Riyudic Empire. Although they hold positions of national and international fame, nobility in Riyude no longer possess exercisable political power.

During the iron age, what is now continental Riyude was inhabited by three distinct ethnic groups: the !TBD, !TBD, and !TBD. However, following the region's annexation by the !Roman Empire, these peoples were either displaced or assimilated into the !Roman cultural sphere, laying the foundations of what would later become the Riydic language and culture. After the !Roman Empire's collapse in the 700s, the !HRE was formed after a chaotic, decades-long power vacuum.

Initially relatively centralized, held together by an early lineage of charismatic and skilled emperors, the !HRE soon splintered into many small and extremely autonomous polities. Although institutions such as the Emperorship and House of Electors formed an extant central government, its powers and influence over member states varied wildly throughout history.

In the late 18th century and early 19th century, increasing levels of industrialization combined with a successive line of increasingly powerful monarchs saw the imperial government grow more centralized than ever before. The Unification of Riyude occurred in February of 1838, when the 27 member states of the !HRE became united under the Riyudic Empire. Throughout the 19th century, the Riyudic Empire would rapidly industrialize, coming into frequent conflict with its neighbors. In particular, two inconclusive wars with Kanasha in the latter 19th century would fuel nationalistic and militaristic fervor in Riyude that culminated in the massive loss of life during !WWI.

In 1922, the May Revolution saw Emperor !Emperor overthrown and replaced with his third daughter, !Empress, who advocated strongly for the creation of a democracy in Riyude. Over the next decade, Riyude transitioned to its modern-day Commonwealth government. However, the Commonwealth retained almost all of the institutions and systems of Imperial Riyude, albeit with significant reform, and it is widely debated whether or not Imperial and Commonwealth Riyude should be considered two distinct historical entities.

The !Fourth Riyudic-Kanashan War from 1940-!YEAR saw continental Riyude fall under Kanashan military occupation. However, a government-in-exile was formed in neighboring allied Coranelle, which eventually succeeded in liberating Riyude from foreign control. This conflict would largely see the Riyudic-Kanashan rivalry fizzle out, replaced by a cooperative !ECSC that eventually would lead to the creation of the !EU. Although Riyude would go on to fight in !WWII, it was not a major participant, and its contributions were mostly limited to naval and aerial theaters.

In the modern day, Riyude has retained its historical status as a great power, forming an integral part of the !EU diplomatic bloc. It is a highly developed economy with a GDP (PPP) of $4.42 trillion. Riyude is a developed nation and ranks very high in the Human Development Index (HDI), with extended social programs including free education for all and a limited universal healthcare system. Although it suffers from high income and wealth inequality compared to similarly developed nations, Riyude has relatively low poverty rates and has placed well on quality of life indexes. Riyude is a founding member of the !EU.

Etymology
In !Ancient Kanashan, Riyude translates to forests of light. Although it was originally only used to refer to the area between the rivers !River and !River, the term was gradually expanded to refer to the entire !HRE. By the early 19th century, Riyude had become a common alternative name for the !HRE, and was widely used by pro-unification organizations in media and propaganda. When the !HRE unified in 1838, it was officially declared the Riyudic Empire.

Geography
Riyude is mostly dominated by relatively flat grasslands and forests. The country has two notable mountain ranges: one straddling its northern border and another in its southeast.

Government and Politics
Officially a monarchy under Empress !Someone II, the Government of Riyude conducts the day-to-day governance of the nation under her name. Riyude has consistently ranked high on the !Democracy Index in recent decades.

The Monarchy of Riyude has been extant since the establishment of the Riyudic Empire in 1838. Although originally ruled as an absolute monarchy, various reforms throughout the 19th and 20th centuries transformed Riyude first into a constitutional monarchy and then into a fully democratic republic.

In the Riyudic federal model, there are two layers of government; the "empire" (federal government) shares power with and exists alongside various constituent "realms" (states) which exercise their power through the Imperial Diet and other methods. This system has existed in some form or another for centuries, stemming from the decentralized model of government that was practiced in the early !HRE.

Branches of Government
Riyude has three branches of government, under the separation of powers model; the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Executive
Although the Monarch theoretically represents the executive branch of the Riyudic Government, in practice it is formed of a Prime Minister and their Imperial Cabinet, elected by the Imperial Diet.

Legislature
The legislative branch of Riyude is formed of the Imperial Diet, a bicameral body split into the House of Representatives and the House of Electors.

Administrative Divisions
The Commonwealth of Riyude is a federal republic of 27 states, 2 imperial cities, and 1 special administrative zone.

Agriculture
Main Riyudic staple crops include potatoes, sweet potatoes, peanuts, squash, beans, and maize. Agricultural products including livestock make up a large portion of the country’s exports.

Population
The 2020 Riyudic Census officially counted 109,328,305 people living within Riyude's borders.

Language
Riyudic is the official and most widespread language spoken in Riyude.

Urbanization
Around 78% of Riyude's population is urban. Urbanization varies significantly by state; while some have urbanization rates as high as 90%, others have rates as low as 35%.

Oene
Although not as prevalent as it was historically, Riyude is home to a weaving technique known as oene. It is very difficult to learn, and many Riyudic children begin learning at a very early age. The practice declined considerably during the 19th and 20th centuries, as the industrial revolution and invention of mass production largely replaced traditional handwaving. However, the practice has seen a resurgence in popularity recently, due to its growing international reputation as a luxurious, expensive material. Oene textiles are considered a luxury good in international markets and have developed a burgeoning commercial relationship with the clothing and tourism industries.