Fratanica

Fratanica, also known as the Federal Republic of Fratanica, is a sovereign country located in the North Pacific. Fratanica is a federal semi-presidential constitutional republic. Fratanica itself covers an area of 699,693 square kilometers, or 270,153 square miles, holding a population of over 92 million in 14 provinces. Around 3.1 million live within the metropolitan area of Viras, the nation's capital. The capital city serves as a political, diplomatic, and tourist hub.

Geography
The country of Fratanica itself encompasses 699,693 square kilometers, or 270,153 square miles. With the overseas territories of Whitney Island and Augustine Island, as well as the autonomous territory of Aspera, the total area is 715,333 square kilometers. The land is bordered to the west and to the south, however, Fratanica possesses both northern and eastern coasts.

Due to its larger size, Fratanica has varying topographical sets and natural landscapes throughout the country. The highest point in the country is Mt. Scelesta, reaching 3,730 m above sea level.

Climate
Fratanica's climate is mostly temperate, with cooler temperatures and a plentiful amount of rainfall.

Government
The Federal Republic of Fratanica is a federal semi-presidential constitutional republic, with a multi-party system. The structure of government is determined by the Constitution of Fratanica, ratified in 1941. Like many democracies, the federal government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Federal executive power is shared between the President as the head of state, with the Prime Minister being head of the Executive Council of Fratanica. The President has the power to appoint the Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet, but only with parliamentary approval. The Prime Minister is in charge of supervising ministries, organizing cabinet meetings, maintaining the federal bureaucracy, and dealing with the National Diet. The Prime Minister is in charge of the federal bureaucracy and economic matters, however, the President is in charge of military and foreign affairs. When both the Prime Minister and the President are from the same party, the President often exercises power of all realms of policy de facto.

The National Assembly may issue a vote of no confidence with a simple majority against either the entire Cabinet or individual members, forcing those ministers to resign. The President may dissolve the National Assembly and call for a snap election, given that the National Assembly had not been dissolved for 12 months prior.

Federal legislative power falls under the bicameral National Diet. The lower house is called the National Assembly. The upper house is called the Federation Council. 292 seats of the National Assembly are directly voted in by constituents from each of the 14 provinces (administrative divisions) and serve 4-year terms, with a 2-term limit. The other 233 seats are determined by proportional representation. The number of seats awarded for each province are determined by the population proportion of each province, determined by the National Census. The Federation Council consists of 63 seats, which are indirectly voted in for up to two 6-year terms through provincial legislative representatives. 2 seats are offered to each province and the self-autonomous capital city of Viras. Both non-autonomous, overseas territories can also elect one representative for the Federation Council as well.

Supreme judicial power falls under the Supreme Court of Fratanica, headed by the President of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the highest appellate court of the land, with their decisions binding to all lower courts through the principle of stare decisis. With their role in judicial review, constitutional decisions in the Supreme Court become legal precedents, notably straying from Fratanica's civil law system.

Fratanica follows a system of federalism, with authority being shared between federal and provincial governments. Both federal and provincial governments have exclusive powers assigned to them, as well as concurrent powers between them.

Administrative districts
Fratanica consists of 14 provinces and 1 autonomous city (Viras). Each administrative district, or province, has its own Constitutional charter, legislature, executive, law enforcement, and courts. Like in other federal republics, powers not enumerated to the federal government are retained by each province. The powers reserved for the federal government include national defense, foreign affairs, immigration, monetary policy, citizenship, and measurements.

Each executive branch of a provincial government is led by a provincial governor. Each governor is in charge of a provincial government, and is directly elected by provincial residents.

Most provincial legislatures are unicameral, but exceptions can be made. The form of the legislature and the voting on provincial measures can be altered through amendments of their respective charters. Provincial referendums have become increasingly popular, as a means of increasing democratic participation and removing less steps between enactment of law and the citizens themselves.

Law
Fratanica has a civil law system, where the authority of law comes from the codified statues themselves, limiting judges to the interpretation of codified law. This system of civil law is based off of Roman law. The supreme document of law is considered to be the Constitution of Fratanica.

Fratanican law is divided into two sections: private and criminal law. Federal private law is codified within the Fratanican Civil Code, whereas penal law is codified within the Fratanican Penal Code.

Law enforcement in Fratanica is a concurrent power between the federal and provincial governments. Provincial governments maintain the exclusive right to develop and manage lower-level police agencies, however, the federal government maintains its own law enforcement agencies for specialized purposes or investigative purposes. The National Police Agency also serves as reserve forces which can be called up on behalf of the Provincial Administrator of a province.

Economy
Fratanica has a highly developed and market-oriented mixed economy.

Fratanica's diversified and highly industrialized economy is dominated by the services sector, accounting for 78.3% of its GDP. The manufacturing sector of Fratanica is also decently large, accounting for 11.8% of its economic output and 9.6% of the workforce.

Research and development is an integral part of Fratanica's economy, with R&D expenditures making up around 1.7% of the country's GDP. Prioritized technologies include medical treatments, aerospace technologies, electronics, sustainable technologies, and military technologies.

In Fratanica, the Central Bank of Fratanica is the central bank which serves as the national banker and overlooks the Frat currency. The central bank is in charge of issuing both notes and coins. The Ministry of Economic Affairs determines public finance and economic policy for the federal government. Furthermore, the monetary policy of Fratanica is controlled by the bank's Monetary Planning Council, who are allowed to set interest rates or control the money supply in order to decrease inflation and maintain the stability of the currency.

Agriculture
The varied terrain and temperate climate make Fratanica a viable place for agricultural products. The awarding of government subsidies to agricultural firms and the innovation of agricultural technology have made Fratanica an agricultural powerhouse, exporting goods such as wheat, corn, beef, poultry, apples, grapes, and more. Agriculture and food products make up 4.1% of the total GDP, as well as 2.5% of the workforce.

Infrastructure
Due to its coastal position, Fratanica serves as a water shipping hub and transportation hub. Fratanica's interconnected highways, under the National Transportation Initiative, serve as a means of transporting international imports through the country into its major cities. Furthermore, the country serves as an entrance for goods which are inbound for other neighboring countries. Fratanica also has major airports for both cargo and tourists, the most notable being Viras International Airport and Dansburg International Airport.

Energy in Fratanica is mainly derived from nuclear power (57.8%), renewable energy (25.4%), and fossil fuels (16.8%). There are currently 61 nuclear power plants scattered throughout the country. The use of natural gases are slowly being phased out in favor of renewable energy sources, as part of the National Energy Sustainment Stratagem. Fratanica and their electricity sector have a "90% renewable energy" goal by 2030.

Tourism
With 56.3 million international tourists coming into Fratanica each year, the tourism industry in Fratanica has become a large percentage of Fratanica's income. The most visited tourist destinations are Viras, Dansburg, Lake Ruhig, the Northern Riviera, Pieciatus Valley, and the Heider Mountain Range.

Ethnic groups
Most Fratanicans are of ethnic Fratanican origin, accounting for 87% of the total population. Scerians, Franks, and Gauls are also intermixed with ethnic Fratanican descent.

The influx of immigration and pro-immigration polices over the last few decades has diversified the ethnic landscape of Fratanica. Based on the 2018 National Census, ethnic Fratanicans make up 87% of the total population, whereas other ethnicities make up the other 13%. The influx of immigrants has both promulgated cultural diversity, while simultaneously fomenting xenophobic tensions amongst some Fratanicans. Most notably, second-generation and even third-generation Fratanicans are becoming increasingly common, further increasing ethnic diversity in the country.

Languages
The official language used in Fratanica is English, however, many Fratanicans are multilingual. German, French, and Scerian are recognized as "central languages", as they are the most popular secondary languages used throughout the country. Many school systems require that, in addition to English, pupils learn any one of those three central languages. There are no regulations enforcing the use of English in any communications, however, the federal government's political business and diplomatic efforts are conducted in English.

Regional languages are diverse, and the permeation of immigrants has also introduced cultural diasporas and communities. Among the most common regional languages include Atsali, Oprimean, Uccosa, and various dialects of the aforementioned national and central languages. Many other languages from foreign countries are also spoken due to the open immigration policies by the Fratanican government.

Religion
Fratanica itself is considered to be a secular country, without a national religion. This stems from the notion of separation between church and state. The freedom of religion is established within Article 2 of the Fratanican Constitution, allowing for the creation of religious institutions and the building of religious buildings.

The most widely practiced religion in Fratanica is considered to be Ardouinian Christianity, with 38.3% of Fratanicans identifying as Ardouinian Christian. This statistic came from a 2014 study from the Gottes Public Opinion Group. Other widely practiced religions include Catholicism (14.4%), Islam (4.2%), Judaism (2.1%), among other religions. Fratanica is considered to be a multiconfessional nation, stemming from its divided and storied history prior.