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| AO Forum :: > National Information > Keyne Island Factbook |
| Posted by: Krytenia May 28 2007, 03:33 PM |
| BASIC INFORMATION Full Name: The Kingdom of Keyne Island State Structure: Non-constitutional bicameral monarchy Official Language: English Capital: Loughton Major Cities: Wolverton, Bletchley, Bradwell, Linford, Newport, Shenley Population (1945 Census): 12,520,156 Major Industries: Wood, paper, silver, minerals, steel, heavy manufacturing Religion/Faith: Anglican Protestant 72.3%, Roman Catholic 13.4%, Fem’dai 7.8%, Others 6.5% HISTORY Keyne Island was founded over nine hundred years ago, by settlers from a pair of trade ships. The commander of the fleet, Michael Keyne, named the island after him and proclaimed himself the first King, planting an acorn to mark the birth of the nation. This was proclaimed as “Year One Thousand”, and all dates in Keyne Island are worked from this day. As the years passed, farms and towns were built across the island, and within the population became self-sufficient. The Keyne family ruled benevolently, ensuring law was kept whilst keeping out of most affairs of the public. In the year 1231(KI), the last monarch of the original House of Keyne, Andrew II, died. His cousin, Peter, took the throne, taking as his surname Wolverton. Since then, every new line of the Crown has taken a surname after an island town. Among Peter’s first acts was to set up the Senate as elected advisors to his rule. Peter’s death, in 1272, saw a great outpouring of grief. The turn of the tenth century saw the island grow exponentially, as heavy industry has increased causing a population boom. The “Nation of Peace” continues to be unsullied by war, and every October, in the shadow of the ancient oak that still stands where that first acorn was planted an age ago, the people of the island celebrate their peace and patriotism with a huge festival. GOVERNMENT Keyne Island has a bicameral Parliament. The upper house, the Senate, is made up of representatives of all of the island’s boroughs, and is elected through the first-past-the-post system, with each borough represented by one Senate Member (SM). The lower house, the National Council, is elected nationally through proportional representation on a party list basis. Its goal is to provide a balance for the normally Government-biased Senate. Its members are known as National Councillors (NCs). The Monarch acts as both figurehead and executive head of state, and has power of veto on any Acts Parliamentary passed by the Senate and the National Council. In addition, the Monarch can also pass laws in certain cases, known as Acts Regal. LAW & ORDER The national police service is made up of an amalgamation of Borough Constabularies, which police local areas, and the Island Security Unit, which assists in cases of national importance and/or security. Both forces are answerable to the Ministry of Interior Affairs. The judiciary is independent of Parliament, and is selected by the Royal Judicial Caucus, a selection of independent advisors and former barristers and judges appointed by the Monarch. MILITARY Keyne Island has a small military force, intended for defence. Joining the armed forces is voluntary, though there are measures in place to allow conscription during times of war. (This, to date, has never been required.) The Royal Island Army has barely forty-five thousand members, with a reserve force of just 15,000. The Royal Naval Coastguard does the combined work of navy and coastguard, and is the largest service, whilst the Royal Air Command consists of just fourteen squadrons. INDUSTRY The gargantuan managed forests of Keyne Island lead to its greatest natural resource: wood. Wood and paper products are the staple of the nation’s economy; however in recent years, mineral deposits have been found in the hillsides in the southeast of the island. The “Silver Rush” of 1866 saw the creation of the town of Argent Lake, which is now the jewellery capital of the city. Coal and copper are also mined in the region. In the north, the birth of the railways has led to the creation of the island’s single largest employer; the National Locomotion Corporation, based in Wolverton. NLC have a monopoly on the rail infrastructure, making rails and trains alike, and recently expanded into the steel manufacture business, taking over IslandSteel, a Loughton-based company. NLC employ eighty thousand people in its various factories and offices. NATIONAL HOLIDAYS 1st January: New Year’s Day Various: Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras) Various: Easter Friday (Good Friday) Various: Easter Monday Third Monday in May: Spring Bank Holiday First Monday in July: Sun Festival (Summer Bank Holiday) 1st September: Labour Day 10th October: Island Festival (Flag Day) 24th December: Christmas Eve (half day) 25th December: Christmas Day 31st December: New Year’s Eve (half day) |