Lakau

Lakau, officially the State of Lakau, is a in western Tiridinia. It is a unitary parliamentary republic consisting of 81 prefectures, often grouped into five regions, covering approximately 1.8 million square kilometers, and bordered by the Locufaric Ocean to the west, !NorthernNeighbor to the north, !SouthernNeighbor to the south, and the !TiridinianRanges to the east. Most of the land consists of rolling hills and plains, with low lying mountains only in the northwest, southwest, and east. The capital and largest city, ‘Āina Lā, is at the mouth of the Nohea River, along which many of the nation's largest population centers lie. The country is a modern hub for finance, education, and energy in Tiridinia. With a population of just over 190 million, Lakau is the third most populous country and second largest economy in the world.

The lands that are now Lakau were first settled some 20,000 years ago by sailors from Osamia. Agriculture and permanent settlements arose circa 5000 BCE, primarily along the Nohea river and in coastal regions. As society and trade developed, these settlements became more integrated with one another. The nation first united under King Keahilani 'Aukai circa 970-930 BCE. The nation would experience growth and contraction over the following centuries, with its territorial peak occurring during the Alana Dynasty from 1150 CE - 1230 CE. Following the Alana Dynasty and the collapse of the dynastic system in 1297, the nation experienced mass instability under feudal lords.

The nation was reunited in 1511, roughly 100 years before first contact with Salian traders looking to establish trade routes to Tiridinia and Vidinia. The following centuries would see increasing trade between Alutra and Lakau, the spreading of Ayekist faith in Lakau, and immigration of Alutrans (primarily Salians) into Lakauan port cities. Ayekist practices were outlawed in Lakau in 1817 by King Haku Alana, though this was met with growing resentment and a covert Salian campaign to realign Lakau with Salian interests primarily by supporting the Kūʻokoʻa revolutionaries. This eventually boiled over to a revolution in 1851 in which the royal family was deposed and a republic was established. This new government would go on to support Salia throughout all three world wars, though the democratic institutions were dismantled in 1922 under Koa Mahi'ai o ‘Āina Lā.

Koa Mahi'ai would go on to lead a genocidal campaign against political dissidents and residents of conquered territories, along with those non-Alutran and non-Mākou within Lakau's terriroty. This genocide, known as the Ma'ema'e, was one of the bloodiest in history, and continues to be a scar on the nation to this day. Following a defeat in World War III, conquered territories were relinquished and the government dismantled. An emergency government led by the Concert of Nations powers was put in place in 1957. In 1958, the second republic was established and approved by the Concert powers. The World Forum's founding coincided with this new government, with Lakau being brought in as a founding member. The following years were focused on rebuilding in Alutra and Tiridinia, with Riyata investing heavily into Lakau's financial sector and Alutran nations investing into various other Lakauan sectors, such as energy and transportation. Occupation ended in 1972.

In the modern day, Lakau is a fully globalized nation with a high standard of living. Residents enjoy access to public healthcare, tuition free education, and robust social programs. The nation's economy and population continue to grow, though growth has slowed in recent years. Most economic growth in Lakau is in the energy and research/education sectors. The growth of green energy solutions, especially solar, has been a boon to Lakau's economy due to natural resources and manufacturing and technology capabilities. Lakau faces issues with corruption, both corporate and political, especially in its historically dominant party, the Free Trade Party. For the first time, in 2022, this party was not included in the governing coalition, with a coalition forming between the Labor Party, Ecological Party, and New Urbanist Party. The nation has only recently begun to attempt to reckon with the social consequences of the Ma'ema'e, with this new coalition considering the issue of special concern. Lakau continues to be a regional power and a prominent nation on the world stage, being the location of multiple major global corporations and institutions such as Kalena Solar, Hanohano Inc, and the University of Lakau.

Economy
Lakau has a developed, high income mixed economy that as of 2022 is the largest in Tiridinia and third largest globally in both nominal and purchasing power parity. It has a skilled labor force and a high level of innovation. The Lakauan economy is highly globalized, with many sectors relying on the international import and export of goods to stay afloat. Lakau has a moderately sized public sector, comprising roughly 19% of employment, and ranks highly for economic competitiveness and freedom. Lakau has a low unemployment rate of around 2.9% and a poverty rate of 1-2% (using the international standard of <Ꝟ5.50 per day).

The currency used in Lakau is the Memo. Following WWIII, the Memo was fixed to the Vatupic Dollar at an exchange rate of 60 Memo to 1 VAD. Following concert occupation, the Memo was decoupled from the VTD. As of Q4 2022, exchange rates stand at approximately 76 Memo to 1 VAD.

Lakau's largest industries are Finance, Education, Energy, Technology, and Agriculture. Green energy manufacturing and research has become an integral part of Lakau's modern economy due in part to the country's lack of oil and plentiful resources used in solar manufacturing. This sector continues to grow while other sectors remain largely stagnant. Finance remains the largest sector in Lakau, with ‘Āina Lā being the the economic as well as the political capital.

Education
The basis of the Lakauan public education system dates back to the Alana Dynasty, when King Kianalu Alana founded the Royal University of ‘Āina Lā in 1067. The following decades would see the opening of several more universities under the Royal University system (including, notably, the Royal Universities of Noelani, Pukalani, and Wai Nani). The Royal University system collapsed during the Feudal Period, with the universities operating under various fiefdoms or completely closing doors. Unfortunately, during this time, many of the original structures were destroyed. The Royal University was reestablished during the New Alana Dynasty in 1513. It was renamed to the University of Lakau in 1851 upon the establishment of the First Republic.

Education in Lakau is divided into seven grades, each corresponding to between two and four years of education. The state also sponsors universal child care for new parents and a professional training program in which businesses are given special funding for training new employees. The first three grades are required to be completed by all citizens, and together correspond to twelve years of schooling. These grades are operated by the School of Lakau, founded upon the establishment of the first republic. The fourth grade, called "Specialization", lasts two years and is usually also required of citizens. Exemptions are available to citizens depending on job status with parental consent. The completion of the fourth grade is required to enter the state-sponsored professional training and for entrance into higher education.

Grades five through seven correspond to a four year, six year, and eight year university degree, though these are not as rigidly defined and may differ depending on the individual program. Private institutions must meet state education requirements to continue operating, though most students attend either the University of Lakau (KL) or Lakau National University (LKA). The KL system, which has roots in the Royal University, is generally seen as the more prestigious of the two. It has a focus on international and graduate (grades 6 and 7) education, with most classes being taught in both Interspeech and Mākouan. The top 5% of students graduating from Specialization must be admitted to the KL system, though they may not necessarily be admitted to their location of choice. The KL system, as of 2022, consists of 21 campuses and has 628,822 students enrolled. The LKA system, on the other hand, has a larger focus on undergraduate (grade 5) education of Lakauan residents. Classes are primarily taught in Mākouan. The LKA system has 30 campuses and 924,110 students enrolled across the entire system. Additional public universities exist, though they are not organized under the LKA or KL systems and are instead managed by individual cities (though they must still comply to national standards).

Educational outcomes in Lakau are very good by national standards, with over 90% completing the fourth grade and ~35% completing the fifth grade or higher. These numbers have risen steadily following the end of the Third World War, but began to plateau around the turn of the millennium. One clear trend that has continued is the share of foreign students increasing - this is especially true in the KL system. Providing a good education to all residents continues to be a focus of the national government, with a new LKA campus currently in the process of being constructed in Alapai that will enroll 33,500 students in 2024.