Valithoria

The Confederated States of Valithoria (Kathic: Delherandair Khonotir Valithorasir) is a confederation of five former Kathic colonies in central Veharia. It borders the Allonian Ocean to its northeast, Maskinaw to its north, Shinlim to the northwest, and a large mountain range to the south. Valithoria is home to approximately 57 million citizens, over half of those living in the state of Valithoria. Prior to Kathic colonization, the lands that now comprise Valithoria were inhabited by various native groups, the largest of which were the Preostians and the Ustilians, from which two Valithorian states take their name. These natives were largely nomadic, though some settlements existed along the Ustilas and Preost rivers.

Kathic settlers landed in current day Valithoria in 1142 and established a colony near the modern day city of Daszau in 1153. Linavia was founded as a colony of the Kingdom of Kathia in 1157. More settlements were established along the coast and further inland, causing native push back. The colony of Preostas was established in 1179, and the colony of Ustilas was given autonomy from Preostas in 1210 to appease the natives of the region. In 1240, as a part of the Wars of the Faith, the Kingdom of Kathia conquered the northern reaches of modern Valithoria along the Tiszian Peninsula and its surrounding islands. The colony of Tiszia was established from these gained lands in 1247 alongside the founding of the Kathic Empire. Decades after the founding after the founding of the Kathic Empire, feeling the increasing overreach and militarization of their parent state, the colonies fell into unrest. During the late 1200’s and early 1300’s, numerous small secessionist rebellions popped up throughout the colonies. Tensions boiled over into a full-scale revolution in the late 1300's, with the CSV declaring its independence on 20 Highscald, 1378. The faltering empire quickly lost grips on the newly formed CSV, being focused on the struggle to remain in power in the Kathic homeland and ill prepared to deal with a war overseas. Valithoria acted quickly to establish trade relations with Aurora, believing it to be important for continued economic growth, which lead Valithoria to advance quickly alongside the Auroran nations. Valithoria remained neutral during the great wars, using a tactic of defensive neutrality. During the Second Great War, protests raged across the nation urging action, but the confederate government was unwilling to take a stance, deciding instead to focus on domestic issues.

Today, Valithoria is a highly developed nation with a GDP of 2.34 trillion and varying levels of urbanization between states. The state of Valithoria is the dominant economic and cultural force within the nation due to its high population and technological development. Valithoria is a member of the World Concordat and the Aid Corps. Valithoria has a developed national military, but does not possess nuclear warheads. Valithoria is officially a confederation, and its national government operates as a series of democratically elected representative councils. Each state has its own local government that has the power to create laws, operate judiciary and punitive systems, and tax its citizens. While this creates a clear divide between regions, the nationalized military, currency, and freedom of travel within the nation create a unified national identity.

Indigenous peoples and Kathic colonization
It is believed that the native people of modern day Valithoria arrived from the north (modern day Florencia) and the southwest of the region, with the northern tribes being largely nomadic and the southern tribes containing a greater variety of cultures, both nomadic and sedentary. The Preostians settled largely along the Preost river basin and the Ustilians along the Ustilas river basin and the nearby mountains. The Preostians and Ustilians were the two largest native tribes encountered by Kathic settlers, with initial accounts describing the natives as having large settlements and a complex society. Though friendly interactions were not uncommon, many of these native settlements were met with hostility by Kathic settlers, with natives being sold into slavery or killed. Despite any good intentions to establish trade with the natives, disease was often spread between the settlers and the natives, leading to severe depopulation in dense native settlements. These combined forces greatly weakened the natives' ability to prevent the establishment of Kathic settlements on their lands.

The first Kathic settlement was established in Daszau in 1153, 11 years after the first Kathic settlers arrived in the region. Valithoria was founded as a colony of the Kingdom of Kathia in 1157. Other settlements, such as Lauras, Valithal, and Locida were founded soon after, leading to higher tensions and frequent battles between the settlers and the natives. Numerous agreements to preserve native lands and restrict the settlers' expansion were made, however, settlers continued to initiate conflicts and claim land that violated these agreements. The natives that chose to assimilate to the Kathic culture were often accepted into society, though many were also sold into slavery. The colony of Preostas was established in 1179, and the colony of Ustilas was given autonomy from Preostas in 1220 to appease the natives of the region. In 1234, hearing news of Kathia's defeat to Daeron, some northern regions of Valithoria along the Tiszian Peninsula attempted to unilaterally secede, believing that a Kathic state in political turmoil would be unable to enforce sovereignty. The rebellion proved unsuccessful, though the colony of Tiszia was established in 1247 alongside the founding of the Kathic Empire.

Confederation
Following the founding of the Kathic Empire in 1247, the Valithorian colonies fell into unrest. Numerous protests and small rebellions cropped up throughout the colonies during this time, though the vast resources supplied to the Kathic homeland made maintaining control worth the extra cost. Despite unrest in the colonies and the increasing militarization of the Kathic Empire, the colonies continued under Kathic rule much as they had prior to the founding of the empire. This changed following the Kathic Empire losing the War of Hijjmayan Independence; the defeat made the Kathic empire look weak in the eyes of the colonists. On 20 Highscald, 1378, the four colonies declared the independence from the Kathic Empire and the formation of the Confederated States of Valithoria. The empire, already dealing with pressures at home, was unable to support a counter revolutionary operation in Valithoria and was forced to allow it to secede. The confederation mandated the formation of a national military, created the national bank and the national currency, created the National Legislative Council, and the National Council, which acts as the executive branch of government. The judiciary exists at a state level, however, each state has a national judiciary that is run by the confederation.

Modern Valithoria
In the early 1400's, Florencia was in turmoil. The revolution taking place spurred conflicts along the Valithoria-Florencia border, which the Valithorian National Military was called to defend. While the conflicts did not ultimately result in a full scale war, it was an early sign of future political tension between the nations. Later that century, the industrial revolution was in full swing. As Valithoria industrialized, the states began to invest more into improving working conditions and minority rights. The move toward an industrialized nation caused an economic boom in Tiszia, where oil deposits along the Tiszian coast were found. The following years would see a mass immigration to Tiszia, mostly concentrated in the northern tip of the peninsula where oil and jobs were plentiful. In 1458, Preostas was the last Valithorian state to outlaw slavery. Women's suffrage was achieved nationwide during the civil protests of 1477.

Because a consensus on who to support could not be achieved, Valithoria remained neutral during the great wars, deciding to focus on issues at home. This internal division lead to the Valithorian Second Great War Protests in which mainly pro-autocrats demonstrated in the streets across the nation. During both wars Valithoria announced a state of defensive neutrality, where any foreign military operations within Valithorian territory would be met with immediate action. This proved an effective deterrent despite Valithoria's somewhat weak military. Among the projects pioneered by the National Council during this time, perhaps the most significant was the construction of a robust national transportation system. By 1560, the Valithorian High-Speed Rail System completed its initial construction plans, operating five lines and connecting 37 major cities across all four states. The rail system has since expanded, adding five more lines and expanding service to six more major cities.

Valithoria today is highly developed and is a generally rich nation, though due to its wealth inequality there is an estimated 1.6%, or approximately 950,000 people living in poverty (defined as earning below $5 PPP per day). Wealth inequality continues to grow slowly in Valithoria, though the poverty rate has been trending down since 1539. The notable exception exists in Tiszia, where wealth inequality has been trending downward since 1557. Tiszia is by far the most urbanized state in the nation, with approximately 90% of its population living within cities. Nationwide, the urbanization is significantly lower, at around 65%, though this is trending upward. Valithoria is a member of the World Concordat. Valithoria is not currently a nuclear weapons state and has no official plans for the development of nuclear weapons.

Geographical features
Valithoria has a warm but varied climate, with a geography ranging from mountains along the southern border to humid lowlands in central Valithoria to the Aszivan Desert in the north. The Tiszian Peninsula, and more broadly the northern coastline, is generally more rugged and less humid than central and southern Valithoria. Two major river systems, the Ustili and Preost, run through central Valithoria and terminate at the port cities of Valithal and Vira. Far eastern Valithoria is heavily forested and swampy, largely due to the region's hot and wet climate. The Daza Islands contain 5 active volcanoes, though they have not erupted in several decades. Off the coast of the mainland, there are nine major islands (each with an area greater than 3500 km²) and approximately 150 minor islands. Valithoria has over 250,000 km of coastline facing the Allonian ocean. Valithoria's point of highest elevation, Istipotu (literally translating to "clear sight" from Ustilian), is located within south-central Ustilas.

Climate


Valithoria's climate is generally warm/hot, but precipitation varies greatly between regions. The Daza Islands and the Alonne province in Preostas are subject to intense summer rainfall, often in coming in the form of summer storms systems and hurricanes. This region's tropical climate is unique from the rest of the country. The entire country experiences drier winters than summers, though this is exaggerated in regions with high elevation, the Tiszian peninsula, and the northern regions of the state of Valithoria. Central Valithoria's climate and river systems make it highly suitable for agriculture, though flooding is common in the region. Flooding tends to occur most often along the Ustili river, it being the largest river basin within Valithoria and receiving high levels of rainfall during the summer. The Tiszian peninsula consists largely arid of shrublands, with cooler and more humid coastal regions. The Aszivan Desert stretches from !(neighboring country to the west) in the west to [Tiszia]] in the east, fading into shrubland due to proximity to the coast. Valithoria's two northernmost major islands experience a similar climate to central Valithoria, although they experience cooler winters and are marginally drier. The mountains defining Valithoria's southern border are exceptionally dry, but experience cooler temperatures than the lowlands.

Government
The Valithorian government is made up of two governing bodies, the Valithorian National Legislative Council and the Valithorian Executive Council. The Valithorian National Legislative Council is made up of 180 representatives, each elected at a state level every five years. The number of seats per state are apportioned by population, with the state of Valithoria receiving a commanding majority of 103 seats. This is somewhat counteracted by the state of Valithoria's method of distributing seats, where each sub-state within the state also receive seats proportional to their population. This sub-state system is shared with Preostas. Every state uses a system of electoral districts to select their representatives.

The Valithorian Executive Council is made up of four democratically elected councillors, elected at a state level every 5 years. These elections are run in an Instant-runoff format by national law. The current councillors are Talin Szagad of Valithoria, Maria Daci of Tiszia, Theron Elva of Preostas, and Stana Kalpero of Ustilas. The longest serving councillor is Stana Kalpero, who was elected in 1995, entering office in 1996, and was elected for his sixth term in 2020. The newest member to the council is Theron Elva, elected for the first time in 2020.

The Valithorian National Legislative Council has the power to draft and vote on national laws, create various councils to deal with environmental research and aid, transportation, health, and many other fields. The Valithorian Executive Council must approve the laws drafted by the legislative council for them to enter national law. This process is sometimes criticized for being overly restrictive and inefficient, as at least three councillors must pass the law for it to be approved. The executive councillors are more often thought of as the "face" of their state, having political power, but not being able to create laws or direct the military on their own.

Foreign relations
Valithoria is a member of the World Concordat and the Aid Corps. Valithoria maintains close ties to Kathia and the Azoran Community, though it is not a member state.

Military
The Valithorian National Military was created upon the founding of the nation. It consists of the Valithorian Army and Valithorian Navy. Both departments are primarily concerned with the defense of the homeland, as Valithoria is not currently involved in any international warfare. There are approximately 3,200,000 active duty personnel nation wide, comprising roughly 5.3% of the population. Valithoria practices mandatory conscription for the majority of its citizenry, with each citizen completing two years of military service following completion of their secondary education or at age 18 for those that are not enrolled. Citizens pursuing their higher education are not required to serve, though many choose to do so anyway. The military training granted by the state consists of education in foreign relations and affairs, both economic and political, technological training, and physical training. All citizens under the age of 36 may be drafted during wartime.

States
The Confederated States of Valithoria contains four member states, each of which is granted a significant amount of political autonomy. The states are unified under a confederal government, but each state still retains many powers for regulating industry, judicial processes, taxation of its population, and distributing governing power within their state.

Medical Industry and Education
Valithoria's economy is largely based on its medical industry. This industry is quite diverse, with equipment manufacturing hubs in Auvile, Aridans, and the Cilivia-Locida metro area, telemedicine (largely based throughout Tiszia and coastal Valithoria), and biotechnology in Valithal and Vos Vydau. Education also plays a major role in the Valithorian economy. The University of Tiszia, Kayonna is well known for its intensive medical school with a job placement rate of 98.8% in 2020. The Northern Valithoria cities of Malizau and Ravaszau are also well known for their higher education and tech sector jobs, many being based in data science.

Electrical Manufacturing
Valithoria has a moderate copper mining industry, largely in the northern regions, that contributes to the country's ability to produce electronics and machinery. The country produces medical machinery and electronics, agricultural machinery, computers and computer components, consumer electronics, network infrastructure, batteries, and electrical wiring in large quantities. This manufacturing industry is present throughout the country, with hubs in Ravaszau, Auvile, Valithal, Preosau, Aithal, and Maria. Ravaszau and Auvile are major hubs for manufacturing electronics, accounting for 57% of the country's electrical manufacturing industry combined.

Agriculture
Valithoria began as a largely agriculturally based country, and while the relative size of the industry has shrunk, it remains a major part of the Valithorian economy. The interior of the country is far more involved in agriculture than the coasts, though the coastal cities of Valithal, Brevanau, and Vira are all major shipping ports that distribute agricultural goods. Valithoria's plant based agriculture focuses on rice, corn and assorted fruits and nuts. Cattle, poultry, and fish are all important aspects of the agricultural industry as well. Preosau is the largest manufacturer of animal feed and agricultural machinery in the nation, with cities such as St. Ire, Maria, Vira, and Brevanau being major contributors to the industry.