Ta’aroha

Ta’aroha, officially the Ta’arohan Republic, is a located in northeast Vidina. It shares the bulk of the Vatupic subcontinent with Riyata and Tiepu to the east, and the Teleri Republic to the west across the Bay of Guasu. With a mainland area of 1,056,480 km2, Ta’aroha is among the largest countries in its hemisphere. It is divided into twelve provinces and one special administrative district on the island of Asupe, which is disputed with the Teleri Republic and is de facto under its control. Each province has its own constitution, but exists within the wider federal system. Ta’aroha claims sovereignty over the island of Asupe in an ongoing dispute with the Teleri Republic.

The earliest recorded human presence in modern-day Ta’aroha dates back to the Paleolithic period. The First Kingdom of Aunaye rose to prominence in 350 BC, before collapsing nearly two centuries later. The more prolific Second Kingdom began in 40 BC, eventually growing through military conquest into the Aunic Empire, also called the “Union of the Four Pillars,” becoming a leading cultural, political, and religious center. Aunic supremacy would last for nearly four centuries, until the empire’s collapse due to a combination of internal stresses and invasion by outside powers. Beginning in the 8th and 13th centuries, attempts by succeeding powers to reunite the former empire reached moderate success, but were eventually reversed. During the 18th century, the region became central to a series of cultural and political reforms that included usage of the name Ta’aroha for the first time, under the efforts of Minister-Chancellor Kauane. Despite these efforts and renewed spirit, Ta’aroha was unable to unite its former territories, and following its defeat in the Summer War fell to control by military junta. In 1998, the nation’s military government held a referendum which resulted in its relinquishing of power, establishing a civilian government for the first time in over half a century.

Ta’aroha is a developing country, although it has enjoyed a strong increase in productivity and wealth in certain sectors following the end of the military government and return to civilian rule. Following its defeat in the Summer War, Ta’aroha descended into economic decline and political repression that pushed it back into underdevelopment. The military government persecuted and murdered numerous political critics, activists, and opposition figures during this time of state-backed terrorism and civil unrest, although it had been reduced significantly by the time of the 1998 national referendum. Today, Ta’aroha is a regional power in Vatupaya and retains its historic status as a middle power in international affairs. It maintains a large but stilted economy, and is a member of the Vatupic Treaty Community.

Etymology
The name Ta’aroha comes from the Kanasa for, “land of bundled spears,” a name for the country that began to be used under the reign of Minister-Chancellor Kaune II when his list of political, cultural, and military reforms were enacted in 1846, meant to reflect the nation’s new, modern philosophy.

Prehistory
The earliest traces of human life in what we now know as Ta’aroha are dated from the Paleolithic period, with further traces in the Mesolithic and Neolithic. Until the time of the First Kingdom, the region was relatively sparsely populated by a wide number of diverse cultures with different social hierarchies, which can be divided into three main groups. The first group were basic hunter-gatherers without the development of pottery, namely the Ahélia and Sype in the extreme north. The second group were advanced hunter-gatherers including the Ogapy, Ahoja, and Taguato in the center-east; and the Pumbyry in the north - all of them conquered by the Aunaye expanding from the south - and the Tembiguái and Avati in the north. The last group are the farmers with pottery, like the Tanimbu, Jatyta, and Monda in the southeast, with slash and burn semi sedentary existences; the advanced Aunaye sedentary trading culture in the southwest which would eventually grow into the First Kingdom culture; the Mandyju and Tymbachu-Tañykã in the country’s center, and the Rerekua in the center-west, a culture that was among the first to raise Vatupic ground sloths and was strongly influenced by the Aunaye.

First and Second Kingdom eras
The early Aunaye civilization quickly developed as the foremost of these, renowned for their complex irrigation systems, sophisticated pottery, lofty architecture, and fine metalwork. They began as a loose confederation of walled cities scattered along the southern coast, largely centered around trade between east and west. In 350 BC, these cities were united for the first time under a single ruler, a king named Tekojoja who ruled from the city of Upi’a (outside modern-day Mitara). In the northern highlands, both the Ajegua near Lake Ogyke and the Inamava cultures developed similar urban settlements and societies, albeit smaller in scale. Despite periods of conflict, these two cultures generally lived peaceably with the Aunaye, regularly participating in trade and sharing many common religious elements between their pantheons. After the decline of the Inamava in the mid third century BC, the Aunaye First Kingdom entered what many refer to as its Golden Age, due to its relative peace and stability as well as control over the region’s trade routes. However, after reigning King Temimono died in 144 BC without an heir, the kingdom soon dissolved into fighting between his former generals, bringing an end to the First Kingdom period.

The Second Kingdom era would prove a longer, more far-reaching one than the first, beginning in 40 BC. At this point, the Aunaye had emerged once again as a decisively influential culture under the leadership of Angejevy, who crowned himself “Son of the Sun, Lord of Lords” in that year. Angejevy, usually referred to with the title of emperor, was responsible for a radical departure in spiritual tradition, declaring the sun deity Nembo as the foremost deity in their pantheon, and that he himself was a kind of demigod descended from him. Accompanying this tradition was a new capital, at Yrembe (modern day Pirami), which housed many new and luxuriously built temples. Prior to Angejevy’s rule, the Aunaye represented a minority in many of the regions they ruled. Under his guidance, the process of expansion and incorporation of neighboring peoples into the empire allowed for greater stability. The pace of conquest accelerated under his son, Angejevy II, who was responsible for several military campaigns, including the conquest of territory consisting of what is now the Teleri Republic. Angejevy II also promulgated a comprehensive code of laws to govern his expanding empire, while consolidating his absolute temporal and spiritual authority as the Son of the Sun who ruled from the sacred city of Yrembe.

Over the next three centuries, the Second Kingdom (also called the Aunic Empire) used a variety of methods, from conquest to peaceful assimilation, to incorporate a large portion of northeastern Vidina. The official language of the Second Kingdom was Old Kanasa, although hundreds of local languages and dialects were spoken. The Aunaye referred to their empire as “The Four United Pillars” or “Four United Provinces” in reference to the subdivisions, with each province overseen by a Vice-King. Many local forms of worship persisted in the empire, most of them concerning local deities, but the Aunaye leadership encouraged worship of Nembo, their sun deity, and imposed sovereignty above other major cults. In its day, the Aunic Empire was the foremost economic, cultural, political, military, and religious force in the region. This legacy has deeply influenced civilizations in the region since; among the many legacies of Aunic dominance are the widespread use of Aunic languages derived from Old Kanasa, the numerical system, the modern regional calendars, the codes of law first handed down by Angejevy II, and the emergence of Haimbe as a major regional faith. Teleri-Aunic trade relations, beginning around the 1st century AD, testify to extensive Aunic trade in faraway regions; many reminders of commercial trade with the Second Kingdom have been found as far away as Huenarno.

Beginning a slow decline in the fourth century AD, the Second Kingdom collapsed in 370 AD under the pressure of external invasion, internal revolts and rebellions, and other factors including drought and pestilence. What was once a continent-spanning empire atrophied into various states carved out either by ambitious generals or regional rebels. Some continued to pay lip service to the throne while essentially enjoying de-facto independence, growing further and further apart as time passed.

Middle Ages
Itatĩ the Great was a famous post-imperial leader who united much of the former’s empire’s core territories in the year 774 AD. Although the empire would dissolve 43 years later in 817, it represented the strongest central authority within the former imperial heartland since its collapse. Leaders under the Itatĩ line encouraged settlement along their territorial frontiers to the north and east and prospered in the expansion of trade in the region. In 1226, the rise of the Koraso line represented a more stable return to higher order under Koraso I. A new legal system initiated by a series of Imperial Reforms provided for significant local autonomy while bringing regions closer to the capital than before. The Koraso line would hold the throne until the death of Tekosa VI in the 18th century. Called the Korasic Empire, this entity was marked by increasing conflicts with Riyata, perhaps most notably over the mineral-rich strip of land that now makes up the nation of Tiepu. After the death of Koraso I, his daughter Kyri ruled as empress consort to her husband, Areso I, before serving as empress consort yet again for their eldest son until he reached proper age.

Early modern era
With the end of the Koraso Line in 1709, the nation was thrown into chaos. Various noble families and generals vyed relentlessly for power, until the principality of Arandu united most of the former kingdom under its banner. Its leader, however, made it clear that he would not simply rule as king as others had. Kauane II had previously been Duke of Arandu, but in the bloodbath that was the Post-Korasic Civil War, he had grown disillusioned with the old order. In 1841, he proclaimed an official end to the monarchy, although lesser titles would remain. Instead, the nation would be ruled by a Minister-Chancellor to guide it, to be appointed by a Federal Cabinet. Kauane would be the nation’s first Minister-Chancellor, which was announced in the Ta’aroha Declaration, characterized by its name - the name chosen by Kauane to serve as the label for his new nation: the “nation of bundled spears.” Foundational to this movement was Kauane’s desire to modernize his nation culturally, as well as unite all former parts of the Aunic Empire under a single banner. This caused tensions to ignite with neighboring nations such as Riyata, particularly once more over the region of Tiepu. Despite greatly renewed national fervor and marked improvements in areas such as education, infrastructure, and military logistics, Kauane was unable to strike a decisive enough blow against Riyata or its satellites, meaning that the status quo was largely maintained geopolitically.

Modern era
Tensions flared up once again in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in a series of wars that grew increasingly in size leading to the Summer War; by this point, Ta’aroha had reached the zenith of its desire for conquest. In a series of lightning-fast invasions, it quickly overwhelmed its economically beleaguered neighbors, such as the Teleri Republic and Riyata. Despite seizing a substantial portion of Riyata’s navy, Ta’aroha soon found itself cut off from key resources and faced dwindling troop numbers. As it began to be set upon on nearly all sides, the nation’s last Minister Chancellor Amapytu Ubirata was overthrown in a military coup by his generals. Ta’aroha entered a period of military government, led by a council of generals and other key military figures. Peace was hastily negotiated with its neighbors, and for half a century the nation was governed by the junta. This era was marked by continued political repression that was slowly relaxed in certain areas, with the claim that civilian government would eventually return under the leadership of Tente Sirionó.

In 1998, 54% of the country voted in a national referendum to end the period of military government and hold elections. Despite concerns from the international community, the military relented and permitted elections to be held, and a new national constitution was drafted in 1999 that declared Ta’aroha a federal republic. Despite social unrest and division that has followed, as well as a lingering presence of the military in some functions of government and numerous instances of corruption, Ta’aroha has endured for the past two decades with entirely peaceful transfers of power between regimes.

Geography
With a mainland area of 1,056,480.39 square km, Ta’aroha is located in the Vatupic subcontinent of Vidina, sharing land borders with Tiepu and Riyata to the east, and the Teleri Republic across the Bay of Guasu. Ta’aroha’s highest point is Mount Kerana in Mbaretekue Province (693 m). Its lowest point is Lake Tohajy in the Jasy Depression Naro Province (-46 m) below sea level. Ta’aroha is divided into two well-differentiated geographic regions; the south-southeastern region (called The Mbotavy), and the central-northwestern region (called the Kaguay).

The Mbotavy is characterized by grassy plains and wooded hills, with low, marshy plains near much of the coast. The majority of the nation’s population is found in this region, which has historically been a cradle to several early cultures leading up to the First Kingdom. Likewise, the Kaguay is a colder, hillier, and more forested region, which is historically much more rural and less populated, home to features such as Yvatyaña. This has led to its becoming famous as an almost idyllic place to the rest of the nation, a land of clean water, plentiful game, and open spaces. However, heavy mining operations in the past two centuries have jeopardized this image.

Climate
In general, Ta’aroha has three main climate types: humid subtropical, warm humid continental, and cold humid continental, all determined by the expanse across latitude, range in altitude, and relief features. Although the most populated areas are generally temperate, Ta’aroha has an exceptional amount of climate diversity, ranging from the subtropical in the south to semi-polar in some northern reaches. Because of its location in the interior of the continent, Ta’aroha tends to experience extremes in temperatures. Lacking either large mountains or oceans nearby to moderate its temperature, its climate is alternately influenced by polar air from the north and the hot and humid seasonal currents from the Bay of Guasu.

As a result, temperature fluctuations of 17 C on average and 22 C in the span of a day is common. Although the mean Summer temperature is only 23/24 C, it is not uncommon for the temperature to reach 38 C at least three concurrent days each week in these months. The average annual precipitation ranges from 5 cm in the driest months to 12.7 in the wettest, with 103.75 cm of rain annually being average. The Northwestern Winds usually moderate cold temperatures but bring very heavy rains, rough seas, and coastal flooding in certain years. It is most common in late autumn and winter along Ta’aroha’s southern coastline.

Climate change in Ta’aroha is predicted to have significant effects on the living conditions of those living there; the climate of Ta’aroha is changing with regards to precipitation patterns and temperatures. The highest increases in precipitation have occurred in the inland-eastern parts of the county, leading to more variability in precipitation annually in that part of the country. This has led to a higher risk of prolonged droughts, disfavoring agriculture in these areas.

Biodiversity
Ta’aroha is home to a wide variety of ecosystems; within it can be found three primary climate zones and one marine zone, providing for a great deal of diversity among its ecosystems. It is believed that the nation was one of several sites where the Vatupic ground sloth was originally domesticated, and is home to hundreds of thousands of the creatures today, including the central Vidinan ugo.

The region’s grasslands were originally host to native trees, but imported species from nations such as Edury now make up a large number of plant species both domestically and in the wild. The surface soils of these plains are a deep black color, primarily consisting of mollisols. This makes the region incredibly productive in terms of agriculture, but is also responsible for decimating much of the original ecosystem to make way for commercial agriculture. Strip mining in the north has harmed native life as well.

Politics
In the 20th century, Ta’aroha experienced significant political repression and turmoil. Between the end of the Summer War and 1998, the armed forces overthrew the previous authoritarian government and ruled directly via military junta. Limited democratic expressions were permitted beginning in 1976 with referendums on certain issues presented, until the 1998 National Referendum that announced the desire for the end of military rule. The following year, elections were held and a new constitution drafted, outlining the multi-year transitional process that eventually led to the establishment of the current federal republic. Ta’aroha’s democracy has endured through various national crises and is regarded as being fairly robust despite lingering issues such as the legacy of military involvement in the government and corruption.

Government
Ta’aroha is a federal constitutional republic and representative democracy. The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances defined by the 1998 Constitution, the country’s supreme legal document. The seat of government is the city of Pirami, as designated by its legislature. Suffrage is universal, equal, and secret. The federal government is composed of three branches:

The legislative branch consists of the bicameral Congress, made up of the Chamber of the Republic and the National Assembly. The Congress makes national law, declares war, approves treaties, and has the power of finances and impeachment, by which it may remove sitting members of the government. The National Assembly represents the people and has 500 People’s Deputies elected to a four year term directly by the entire nation, with seats apportioned among the Provinces by population every eight years. The Chamber of the Republic represents the Provinces, with each Province allotted six senators. The Chamber of the Republic has 72 members in total, elected to six year terms; one third of Republican Deputies (also called Senators) are up for election every other year from their respective Provinces.

In the executive branch, the President is the commander in chief of the military, can veto legislative bills (subject to Congressional override) and appoints members of their Cabinet and other officers, who administer and enforce national laws and policies. The President is elected directly by the people, serves a five year term, and may elected to serve no more than twice in a row. The current President is Kuarahyresê Moroti.

The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court and lower federal courts tasked with the interpretation and application of the nation’s laws. The judiciary is independent of the executive and legislative branches - a recent development that Ta’arohans have fought to maintain. The Supreme Court has thirteen Justices appointed by the President who serve for 18 non-repeatable terms. The nation’s judges collectively belong to and are proposed by the College of Magistracy (a secretariat composed of the nation’s judges as well as representatives of lawyers, researchers, the executive, and the legislature), and are appointed by the President with the approval of the Chamber of the Republic.

Provinces
Ta’aroha is a federation of twelve provinces. Provinces are divided for administrative purposes into departments and communes. Provinces hold all power not delegated to the federal government by the constitution, although they are required to have representative and republican forms of government and not pass laws that contradict the constitution itself. Beyond this they are fully autonomous; they enact their own constitutions (referred to as Charters), freely organize local governments, and own and manage their natural and financial resources. Some Provinces have bicameral legislatures, while others have unicameral ones.

The original ten Provinces reflect historical and cultural divisions of what was one the First and Second Kingdoms, and the successor states that followed. These divisions were abolished with the centralization of the state beginning in 1714, and would only return following the establishment of the 1998 Constitution. Further divisions were made in order to better balance the Provinces both according to land area and population.

Foreign relations
Foreign policy is handled by the Department of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Faith, which answers directly to the President. Despite historically icy relations with many of its neighbors such as Riyata, the country is a member of multiple regional organizations dedicated to commerce and improving diplomatic ties. It has held on to its claim on the island of Asupe to its south, overlapping with those of the Teleri Republic. Although it initially relinquished sovereignty over the island at the close of the Summer War, it soon reversed this policy, and retains this claim into the modern day as a point of national pride.

Armed forces
The President holds the title of commander-in-chief of the Ta’arohan Armed Forces as part of the new legal framework, which imposes a strict separation between the areas of national defense and internal security systems.

The National Defense System, an exclusive responsibility of the federal government, is contained mostly within the Department of War and comprises the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. Controlled and monitored closely by Congress through the National Assembly’s War Committees, it is organized on the essential principle of legitimate war and self defense: the repelling of any external military aggression in order to guarantee freedom of the people, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Its secondary missions include establishing a sub-regional defense system, participating in internal support missions, assisting friendly countries, and committing support to multinational operations aligned with its objectives.

Military service is voluntary, with enlistment age between 18 and 24 years old and conscription expressly banned by the nation’s constitution save for instances of national emergency. Ta’aroha’s defense has historically been one of the best equipped in the region, managing its own weapon research facilities, shipyards, ordnance, tank, and plane factories. However, real military expenditures declined steadily following 1998 and the defense budget in 2011 was about 0.74%, a historical minimum and below regional average. Within the defense budget itself funding for training and even basic maintenance has been significantly cut, a factor contributing to the accidental loss of the Ta’arohan submarine Kurupa in 2011. With Riyata also actively pushing to restrict even modest Ta’arohan military modernization efforts, the result has been a steady erosion of Ta’arohan military capabilities.

The Public Security System, jointly administered by the federal and subscribing Provincial governments, is Ta’aroha’s primary public security service. At the federal level it is coordinated by the Departments of the Interior, Security, and Justice, while being monitored by Congress. It is enforced by the Federal Police, the Ta’arohan Naval Prefecture (Coast Guard), the National Gendarme (which serves border guard tasks), and the Airport Security Police. At the Provincial level it is coordinated by respective internal security ministries and enforced by local police agencies.

In 2017, a Ta’arohan contingent including helicopters, boats, and water purification plants was sent to help Tiepu against some of their worst floods in decades, a rapid show of competence that surprised many in the international community. Ta’aroha’s Armed Forces have been involved in numerous humanitarian responses abroad after national disasters of many kinds.

Economy
Ta’aroha’s estimated gross domestic product (GDP) totalled just over $3 trillion in the year 2020, and despite a series of domestic and political setbacks between 2006 and 2009, the new democratic government has spurred growth higher than at any point in the preceding half century. The growth was accompanied by a moderate decrease in inequality; under the democratic regime per capita GDP increased significantly. GDP growth since 98 has averaged 5 percent a year, rivaling all others in the region.

A major blow to the Ta’arohan economy came with the drastic fall in the price of tin in the late 1970s, which impacted one of the nation’s chief sources of income and one of its major minor industries. Since 1985, the government has implemented far-reaching programs relating to macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform aimed at maintaining price stability, creating conditions for sustained growth, and alleviating scarcity. A major reform of the nation’s customs service has significantly improved transparency in this area. Parallel legislative reforms have locked into place liberal market policies, especially in the hydrocarbon and telecommunications sectors, which have encouraged private investment. Investors from within the regional economic sphere are afforded national treatment accordingly.

A middle emerging economy and one of the world’s top developing nations, Ta’aroha’s economic performance has historically been very uneven, with high economic growth alternating with severe recessions, income maldistribution, and-in recent decades-increasing poverty. High inflation-a weakness of the Ta’arohan economy for decades-has become a trouble once again in recent years. To deter inflation, the government has imposed foreign currency controls, which have proved unpopular internationally.

Industry
In 2012, manufacturing accounted for 20.3% of the GDP-the largest sector in the nation’s economy. Well-integrated into the nation’s agriculture, half of the industrial exports have rural origin. With a 6.5% production growth rate in the previous year, the diversified manufacturing sector rests on a steadily growing network of industrial parks.

In 2012, the leading sectors were: food processing, beverages and tobacco products, machinery (such as gas turbines, insulated wiring, and broadcasting equipment), textiles and leather, chemical products (chiefly fertilizer), steel, aluminium, iron, and other minerals, industrial and farm machinery, home appliances and furniture, and recording and print media. In addition, Ta’aroha is a large-scale production of ka'a. However, it has also been classified as being among the nations where child labor and forced labor have been ovserved and mentioned in a 2014 report coauthored by various international organizations. The same report shows that most goods produced by child labor or forced labor come from the agricultural sector.

Cities in the nation’s southeast such as Pirami and Atúa makeup Ta’aroha’s major industrial center, hosting metalworking and motor vehicle and auto parts manufacturers. The Greater Pirami area in particular is known for food processing, metallurgy, motor vehicles and auto parts, chemicals and petrochemicals, consumer durables, textiles, and printing. Other regional industries include manufacture of farm machinery, oil refining, steel milling, zinc and copper smelting, flour milling, fruit processing, and sawmills.

Agriculture
Agriculture in Ta’aroha encompasses a wide range of different activities due to its particular geography, climate, and geology as well as human factors. Historically, agriculture is one of the bases of the nation’s economy. Now agriculture and allied sectors such as forestry, logging, and fishing account for only 5% of the GDP as of 2008 and employ 13.6% of the country’s labor force. Major agriculture products include grapes, apples, pears, onions, maize, wheat, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans, beef, poultry, wool, fish, timber, and hemp. Due to its strict customs policies, Ta’aroha is free of diseases such as mad cow disease, fruit flies, and Phylloxera.

Mineral resources
Ta’aroha is rich in mineral resources, especially tin, copper, iron, and lithium. It is thought that due to the importance for electric vehicles and stabilization of electric grids with large proportions of intermittent renewables in the electricity mix, Ta’aroha could be strengthened geopolitically. However, this perspective has also been criticized for underestimating the power of economic incentives for expanded production in other parts of the world.

Transport
Due to Ta’aroha’s topography, a functioning transport network is vital to its economy. Buses are now the main means of long-distance transportation, following the decline of the nation’s railway network in the mid to late 1980s. The bus system covers the entire country, providing a surprising degree of coverage in the country’s rural north. Ta’aroha has a total of 374 runways (64 paved and 310 unpaved). The nation’s key civilian airports are found in the south, but many in the north see a great deal of industrial traffic.

Starting in the late nineteenth century, Ta’aroha was one of the first Vidinic nations to promote railways development. Despite declines in rail spending in recent decades, the Department of Communications and Transport has recently proposed a high-speed rail link to transport its passengers from east to west down Ta’aroha’s coast at nearly 300 kilometers per hour. The project is projected to cost about $25 billion and is planned to be paid for jointly by the Ta’arohan government and the private sector, including the Eduran Western Region United Locomotive Manufacturers (VWRLF). The government has also considered funding the construction of high speed lines connecting industrial urban centers in the south to key mining and logging areas in the north to promote industrial growth in the corresponding sectors.

Media and communications
Print media industry is highly developed in Ta’aroha, with more than two hundred newspapers available nationwide. Major national papers include Avamombe’u (centrist, best selling in the nation), Mongava (center-right, published since 1881), Togue (center-left, once a popular undergrad trade union paper), and Arapytu (a liberal, business-minded paper dating back to 1896, among the first to be permitted to be printed again by the military government).

Ta’aroha began its first regular radio broadcasting in 1920 when medical students in Pirami began a regular radio show featuring their favorite music. By 2002, there were 260 AM and 1150 FM registered radio stations across the country, a number that had exploded after most state restrictions were lifted in 1998.

The Ta’arohan television industry is fairly large, diverse, and popular across the region given its relative infancy. Since 1998, Ta’arohans have enjoyed free media, and as of 2014, 74.7% of the country’s households nationwide had some kind of television within. By 2011 Ta’aroha also had among the highest coverage of networked communications in the region; about 57% of its population had internet access. Many credit this infrastructural advancement with priorities held by the military government’s programs related to informative connectedness and wartime readiness.

Science and technology
Despite its modest budget and numerous setbacks, academics and the sciences in Ta’aroha have enjoyed international respect since 1922, when Ta’arohan scientists were able to successfully extract, purify, and inject insulin for medical purposes into another human being for the first time in human history. Ta’arohan scientists remain as key contributors in fields such as nanotechnology, physics, computer sciences, molecular biology, oncology, ecology, and cardiology. Research and development efforts form an integral part of the Ta’arohan economy; Ta’aroha ranks well above other like nations in terms of science and engineering research papers published.

Space research has also become increasingly active in Ta’aroha. Ta’aroha built and launched satellites in 1990, 1994, and 1996, as well as later in 2007. It possesses its own satellite program today, as well as a public nuclear energy company providing several countries with the means of producing nuclear reactors.

Demographics
The 2020 census counted 128,824,358 individuals, making Ta’aroha among the highest ranking nations in terms of population in Vidina. Its population density of 121 persons per square kilometer makes it above the world average, but the population is largely concentrated in the country’s warmer southern coastal reaches. Population growth is estimated to be 2.25% annually. Some 64.49% of Ta’arohans live in urban areas, while the remaining 35.51% reside in rural ones. Ta’aroha is in the midst of a demographic transition to an older and slower-growing population, as birth rates continue to stabilize and the population continues to increase in age by median.

Ethnography
The vast majority of Ta’arohans are either primarily or entirely of indigenous descent. Over three dozen groups are officially recognized by the government for census purposes. Exact numbers vary based on the wording of the ethnicity question and available response choices, resulting in responses varying from year to year. Key groups include the Kanasa, Aka, Pira, Nuhya, Riyata, and Tiupe. Small numbers of immigrants from elsewhere, chiefly Edury, make up a small but prominent population in Ta’aroha and have since the 19th century.

Language
Ta’aroha has great linguistic diversity as a result of its multiculturalism. While Kanasa is the only national language, Provinces are free to adopt official languages at the Provincial level, with some having up to 36 official languages. Kansas is spoken natively by two-thirds of the population, and all legal and official documents issued by the state, including the Constitution, the main private and public institutions, the media, and commercial activities, are in Kanasa. Bilingual education has been implemented at the Provincial level as well, with programs placing emphasis on the expansion of indigenous languages in the educational systems of the country.

Religion
Ta’aroha is a constitutionally secular state has guarantees the freedom of religion and the independence of government from religion, although the traditional faith of Ypegua has legally been granted preferential status. According to a 2001 census, 78% of the population follows Ypegua. Much of the population adheres to different traditional beliefs marked by inculturation of syncretism with Ypegua.

Culture
Ta’arohan culture has been heavily influenced by the Kanasa and other major ethnic groups in the region. Ta’aroha has a rich tradition of folklore. Its regional folk music is distinctive and varied; “spirit dances” at annual festivals are among the great folkloric events in the region. Cultural development is divided into three distinct periods: Pre-imperial, imperial, and post-imperial. Important archeological ruins, gold and silver ornaments, stone monuments, ceramics, and weavings remain from several pre-imperial cultures. Major ruins have been found, often beneath the city streets of busy urban centers.

The founding of the empire brought new traditions of religious art which developed into a rich and distinctive style of architecture, art, and sculpture. The imperial period produced not only new paintings, but also new stonecutters, woodcarvers, and metalsmiths. An important body of imperial-era music was recovered in 1994 and has been performed internationally to wide acclaim since. Other art recovered fairly recently includes much of the body of work belonging to painter Amambái Kamé, considered to be the most internationally renowned painter hailing from Ta'aroha. Today, museums, cinemas, and galleries are all abundant in all the large urban centers, as well as traditional establishments such as literary bars, or bars offering live music of a variety of genres. The other big influence is the rural culture of the north; the Vetoven, as they are called, and their traditional rural lifestyle of self reliance.

Education
The Ta’arohan education system consists of four level: an initial level for children younger than 5 years old, a lower school mandatory level lasting 6 years, a secondary mandatory level lasting 6 years, and a higher level. The higher level is divided in tertiary, university, and postgraduate sub-levels. In 2010, the nation’s literacy rate was 98.07%, and 38.5% of people over 20 had completed secondary school. In 2013, there were 47 national public universities across the country, and 46 private ones. In 2010, 7.1% of people over 20 had graduated from university.

The state guarantees universal, secular, and free public education up to secondary school. Responsibility for educational supervision is organized largely at the Provincial level, although the private sector has played an increasingly large role since the early 1990s across all educational stages.

Healthcare
Healthcare is provided through a combination of employer and union-sponsored plans, government insurance plans, public hospitals and clinics, and through private health insurance plans. Healthcare cooperatives number over 200 (more than half of which are related to unions) and provide healthcare for half the population. There are more than 380,000 hospital beds, 302,000 physicians, and 92,000 dentists. Relatively high access to medical care has historically resulted in mortality patterns and trends similar to more developed nations; from 1953 to 2003, deaths from cardiovascular disease increased from 20% to 25% of the total, those form tumors from 14% to 20%, respiratory problems from 7% ro 14%, digestive maladies (non infectious) from 7% to 11%, strokes a steady 7%, injuries 6%, and infectious diseases 4%. Causes related to senility led to many of the rest, while infant deaths from fallen from 19% of all deaths in 1953 to 3% in 2003.

Availability of healthcare has also reduced infant mortality from 70 per 1000 live births in 1948 t0 22.1 in 2008 and raised life expectancy at birth from 60 years to 73. Though these figures compare favorably with global averages, they fall short of levels in developed nations in most aspects.

Literature
Although Ta’aroha’s rich literary history reaches back to the sixth century, it reached what most recognize as its true beginning in the sixteenth, with Purua, a literary landmark that played a significant role in the development of the 18th century Ta’arohan national narrative. A remarkable episode in Ta’arohan literary history is the social and literary dialectica between the Yvoty Group, named because its members met together in bars on Yvoty Sreet in Pirami.

Music
Ta’aroha developed strong classical music and dance scenes that gave rise to multiple renowned artists and singers during the late 19th century. A national folk style emerged in the 1920s from dozens of regional musical genres and went on the influence music in the wider region in the modern day.

Theater
Pirami is among the great theater capitals in the world, with a scene of international caliber centered on Sunida Avenue, sometimes referred to as the intellectual avenue of the capital. The National Theater is a national landmark for opera and classical performances; its acoustics are considered among the world’s best. Ta’arohan theater traces its origins to the first century to tragedies such as the Siripo, a lost work of which only the second act remains. Theater has continued to be among the foremost of the arts in Ta’aroha, often reflecting the societies of its day.

Architecture
The imperial period brought the Ta’arohan Classical style of architecture, which can still be appreciated at numerous historical sites and went on to inspire Neoclassical designs in the 19th century. Foreign influences from what is now Velorenkya and Edury in particular increased in the early 19th century as well, with strong eclectic overtones that gave local architecture in some areas a unique feel. Numerous Ta’arohan architects have enriched their own country’s cityscapes and those around the world.

Cuisine
Ta’arohans enjoy a wide variety of traditional dishes, including Jeheha, a mixture of corn, beans, meat, bacon, onion, and gourds. The country has a relatively high consumption of read meat thanks to its robust agricultural sector, with both indigenous and imported livestock. Various dishes using sweetbreads, chitterlings, and blood sausage are also common. Common deserts include various ovencakes and griddlecakes, often sandwiched together with various syrups or sauces served atop. Traditional steamed or fried cakes are also commonly enjoyed. Pytã is the national beverage, enjoyed by millions every year and often regarded as among the nation’s most high-profile exports.