Corraile

Corraile, officially the Federal Republic of Corraile is a North American country consisting of 5 states and has a total land area of 50,919 sq km. As of 2011, the population stood at just over 16.3 million. It has a total of 9 islands spread out over a total water area of 64,003sq km. It is totally surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the closest neighbour being Canada. The capital of Corraile is Centreburg, also its second largest city (after Solando ). Corraile is a member of the Alliance of Independent Nations and an observer state of the European Defence Alliance.

Corraile was founded as a separate colony from Canada in 1803, when it had officially become a part of the British Empire, after its cessation from the colonies of New France. The first major settlement, Duvail, became an important North American trading post for British War and Merchant Fleets. It was a point of departure for all war exports to Great Britain during both the First and Second World War. Under the British, Corraile was developed as a centre for North American-European entrepot trade, as well as an agricultural hub to support Britain's food supply. After independence in 1970, Corraile shifted from an agriculturally-based economy to that of an industrialised one, resulting in sharp increases in GDP and national wealth. Today, Corraile is the 22nd-richest country in the world by GDP per capita, and is a major exporter of consumer products.

Corraile is a federal republic governed as a parliamentary democracy, with President Kelvin Chuan as it's head of state and head of government. Besides being a member of the Alliance of Independent Nations, Corraile is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, OECD, Atlantic Commonwealth and the WTO, as well as La Francophonie.

History

 * Main article: History of Corraile

Corraile was initially founded as L'ile a l'ouest, literally meaning The Island to the West. The original permanent residents of the island were French colonists, which, under the rule of New France, had been obliged to spread the culture and language of France overseas.

In 1803, when the rest of New France had been sold to the British, Corraile was administered differently compared to the other territories that had been ceded to the British. Instead of the indirect rule practiced by the British over the rest of Canada, Corraile was placed under direct rule, where the British imposed its own political hierarchy and structure, comprising of a Governor-general appointed by the British Colonial Office back in London. Despite this, a majority of all government servants were locally employed and most government positions (such as advisers to the Governor-General) were filled by Corrailites and not Britons. Development of a port, and the expansion of the population led to the growth of Highvale, Corraile's first large permanent settlement. Protected by Fort High, which overlooked the sea, the city proved to be a good harbour for ships, which further fuelled its rapid expansion.

From 1830-1890, Corraile saw a huge influx in immigrants from both Ireland and the United Kingdom. The large amount of fertile land present on the island made it attractive for Irish Farmers, which had been displaced by the Potato Famine in Ireland. This farming boom was also further encouraged by large land grants given to both local farmers and companies seeking to set up plantations on the island. As a result, agricultural produce within this period grew exponentially, as a favourable climate, increased farming activities and increased capital worked to increase crop yield. This large base of food produce enabled it to reach food self-sufficiency by 1889, and it became a net exporter of foodstuffs soon after. The support Corraile provided to Great Britain in terms of food production was invaluable during both World Wars.

In the 1920s, Agriculture and other primary industries, such as mining and logging, had overtaken entrepot trade as the primary driver of the local economy. Development of these industries was due to the introduction of land grants by the colonial Government, which allocated small-scale farmers large parcels of arable land for agricultural purposes. Furthermore, the construction boom during the period also saw the demand for processed timber skyrocket, which greatly benefited the logging and timber processing industries. Further factors included the much-needed increase in railway systems, which began to directly serve logging camps and mines, allowing for the improved transportation of raw goods to processing factories or ports. Much of this growth was cut as a result of the Great Depression. As demand for these raw goods reached their lowest levels in decades, many of the industries, particularly mining and lumber, were adversely affected when their export profits were completely wiped out. As a result of this, as well as belt-tightening by the Government, many Corrailites found themselves jobless.

During this period of time, increasing financial pressures at home forced the British to begin the process of democratisation and eventual handover of power to local authorities. In the immediate post-war climate, the Treaty of Goodman-Marshalls was signed, which resulted in the formation of the Crown dependency of Corraile, a first step in Corrailite autonomy. This consisted of a legislative assembly to discuss and enact laws within Corraile pertaining to local affairs, such as education and healthcare, and the rule of law. Hower, many of these decisions were overseen by the British Governor-General, and Foreign defence was still within the control of the British. The British also began a centralisation process to unify all Atlantic posessions into a central and single entity to simplify governance.

In 1939, Corraile, alongside the British Empire, declared war on Germany. Corrailite forces arrived on the British isles just 6 days later. They played minor roles in major Allied action, such as the Normandy landings and the Battle of the Bulge. Meanwhile, the Corrailite economy boomed during the war as its industries manufactured military materiel for Canada, Britain, China, and the Soviet Union.

From 1953, the country began to see better times due to an influx of European and American investment in industry. Consumer electronics such as radios and televisions were from then manufactured in Corraile, where labour costs were significantly lower compared to other areas in the region. Furthermore, a local Governmental initiatives encouraged the growth of many indigenous industries, such as shipbuilding and aviation engineering. These factors allowed the Corrailite economy to grow rapidly throughout the decade. 1957 saw the creation of the Atlantic Union, a loose federation of the 4 Atlantic Territories that were dependencies of the British Crown, namely British Corraile, Territory of Stanraer Island, Fairman Island and Colganston. This was led by a central government, and each territory was still administered by it's own individual state governments. This loose union was dissolved in 1969 following a bill passed by the AU Parliament, unifying all 4 states into the Republic of Corraile. This bill passed with a slim majority of 13-12.

After Independence in 1970, the "Pioneer Government", led by President Darren McGhurry (1919-2010) continued to speed up the process of industrialisation to other, more rural areas as well as to established industrial bases in the major cities of Centreburg, Highvale, Colganston and Freedo. GDP rose significantly during this period, the standard of living rose dramatically as well and it became known as the "Atlantic Tiger". The rural economy also so improved growth and productivity as a result of the Rural Revitalisation Programme, which brought mechanisation and modern farming techniques to the majority of Corrailte farmers for the first time.

In January 2010, Corraile joined the Alliance of Independent Nations, and later in the year, controversially merged the Republic of Lanaya into the Federal Republic of Corraile, as it had become known after the adoption of the Hunterberg Consititution. Furthermore, Corraile, along with the Atlantic Federation, Llithustania and Galbadia, formed the Atlantic Commonwealth.

Government
Corraile is a democratic country in which government is based largely on the British Westminster system. Corraile's parliament is unicameral and consists of Parliament House. The President is both the head of state and the head of government in parliament, and is filled by the leader of the majority party in parliament. General elections are bound by the constitution to be held once every 4 years, in which Corraile practices a "First-past-the-post" system. Members of Parliament, which represent a constituency, are voted into power directly by their constituents to represent their view in Parliament.

Corraile's ruling party as of 2004 has been the Liberal Party of Corraile, who hold 59.8% of the vote since the last general election held in 2008. Opposition is largely held by the Worker's Party of Corraile, who garnered 29.1% of the vote in 2008.

In the event of major, sweeping laws being passed, a direct referendum is held, in which every citizen is given the right to vote whether the bill shall be passed. These referendums may only be called if the president has deemed such a move necessary, and if the bill has already been passed in Parliament. Votes for these referendums, as well as for General elections, are overseen by the Corraile Commission for Elections (CCE), which presides over the ballots and is responsible for the counting of votes. Votes can only be made through paper ballots, although foreign voters may vote through the internet via the CCE's internet ballot system.

Bills and acts which the Federal Government pass will be enacted throughout the entire country, overriding the state government's policies and authority.

Military
Corraile has an advanced military, with sophisticated and modern weaponry in all three fields of defence, air, sea and land. The Republic of Corraile Air Force (RCAF) is responsible for the defence of Corrailite Airspace and comprises of modern air superiority fighters, such as the F-16D Fighting Falcon and the F-15E Eagle. Other modern aircraft support other roles, such as air-to-air refuelling, transport and air defence. It is also responsible for maintaining anti-aircraft defences throughout the country, and operates RCAF One, the presidential jet.

The Republic of Corraile Navy (RCN) is responsible for defence of the seas. It maintains a large and potent fleet throughout the Northwester Atlantic, keeping patrol over Corraile's vast water space between islands. A total of 199 ships are in active service, including the flagship CNV Solando, a Solando-Class aircraft carrier and a total of 20 frigates. It works with the Corrailite Coast Guard in protecting Corraile's coasts.

The Corraile Ground Force is the main component force of the combined Corraile Armed Forces. With an active standing force of over 140,000 (inclusive of the Lanayan military, of which is expected to be fully integrated in 2012), it is stationed in all states of the country. The CGF is a professional army, and no conscription is practiced. It's predecessor, the Royal British Corraile Army, was heavily involve in the D-Day invasion of Normandy in 1944. 23,000 volunteer forces were sent to Europe to fight. Of these, only 18,000 returned.

The current Chief of Army is Lt. Gen Harry MacMillan.

Geography
Corraile generally lies in the mid-temperate zone and being an island chain, has a climate that is generally maritime, with extreme continental weather being moderated by the ocean. The climate throughout the five main islands is diverse, owing to their different positions at different latitudes.

The sea is a major influence on Corraile's climate. Nova Scotia's cold winters and warm summers are modified and generally moderated by ocean influences. The province is surrounded by two major bodies of water, the Straits of Centreburg to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, north and east.

While the constant temperature of the Atlantic Ocean moderates the climate in the Federal Territories and in Lanaya, this effect is seen less so in Stanraer Island and Fairman Island, where the average temperatures throughout the year are more polar than temperate, although mild summers still do exist. Summer officially lasts from the first Sunday in April to the Saturday before the last Sunday in August. Although Corraile in general has a somewhat moderated climate, there have been some very intense heatwaves and cold snaps recorded over the past 160 years.

Because Corraile is situated in the Atlantic, it is prone to tropical storms and hurricanes in the summer and autumn. However due to the relatively cooler waters off the coast of Corraile, tropical storms are usually weak by the time they reach Corraile.

Economy

 * Main article: Economy of Corraile



Corraile has a diversified and well-developed economy, with a strong emphasis on a Tri-sectorial approach to economic growth. This has resulted in strong growth in all 3 major sectors of the economy since independence. The currency of Corraile is the Corraile Dollar, one of the most traded currencies in the world.

Agricultural sector
The Agricultural sector is considered one of the primary movers of the Corrailite economy, as well as the backbone of the country's economic growth. In 1970, the government initiated the Rural Revitalisation Programme, creating a series of initiatives and policies to encourage the growth of the agricultural sector. In the pre-independence period, much of Corrailite agriculture was made up on small, independent farmers, who lacked the capital and the drive necessary to undertake major reform of the agricultural sector. In tandem with the RRP, the Public Savings Bank of Corraile (PSBC) was set up for the purpose of providing these farmers with financing and credit necessary for the procurement of farming equipment such as tractors and combine harvesters. Furthermore, the government began to open up swathes of land for agricultural purposes, allowing farmers to expand the total size and therefore the total output of their farms. This, when combined with modern farming technologies and methods such as fertilisers and irrigation systems, revolutionised the countryside and resulted in massive increases in the total output of the Corrailite agricultural sector.



By 1988, when the RRP was official ended by the government, Corrailite farmers had seen a 66% increase in their total farming output, and also saw their total incomes more than double. More modern farming methods, such as aeroponics and hydroponics, have made significant inroads into the rural regions, further increasing the productive output of Corrailite agriculture in general. Today, Corraile is a leading exporter of certain agricultural products, such as wheat, corn, potatoes, milk and apples. Increasing interest and demand for crop-derived biofuels has also led to the growth of the biofuels sector in Corraile, and highly-productive plants such as rapeseed and soybean are seeing increased harvests on a yearly basis.

Both mining and logging were major contributors to the Corrailite economy, representing some 22.9% of GDP in 1970. However, both sectors have seen a rapid decline in the post-independence period, with the mining sector having been controversially shut down completely by 1986 when the last mine shuttered operations. Today logging continues only in certain designated locations, and reforestation of logged areas is mandatory procedure for logging companies operating in Corraile. The sector contributed a paltry 0.12% towards GDP in 2011, representing the massive decline in the logging industry in Corraile.

Manufacturing sector
Manufacturing in Corraile is done primarily on an export basis, with 62% of all factories and industrial complexes in the country being foreign-owned or operated. Massive industrial growth within the country traces its origins to the pro-business and pro-investment policies put in place by the Corrailite government in the early 1970s, attracting foreign companies into the country. Due to relatively low wages (compared to both the United States and Canada) and low industrial tax rates, the manufacturing sector in Corraile boomed, providing tens of thousands of new jobs to the country, and promoting the migration of rural citizens into the cities.

The government has also sponsored the growth of major Corrailite companies, of which most are involved in the manufacturing sector. Both the United Cannery Company and the Franklin Motor Company were set up with government investment to further promote Corrailite industrial development and bolster the national economy. Corraile is the 11th largest exporter and the 23rd largest importer in the world. The country has a high trade-to-GDP ratio in the world at 103.6%, signifying the importance of trade to its economy.Furthermore, Corraile continues to attracts a significant amount of foreign direct investment because of its location, stable governance, skilled workforce, low tax rates and advanced infrastructure.

The Corrailite economy depends heavily on exports and refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing, which constituted 22.6% of GDP in 2011 and includes significant consumer electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and aeronautical engineering. This is further compounded by the fact that Corraile is one of the most strategic ports of call for transatlantic freight shipping, further boosting the country's attractiveness to corporations as a centre for manufacturing and refining of raw materials. As a result of this, the Port of Centreburg is one of the busiest ports in North America.

Service sector
The service sector is currently the largest contributor towards the Corrailite economy, accounting for some 59.1% of the country's GDP. Major sectors include the finance industry and the hospitality sector. Much of this is concentrated in Centreburg, the country's financial hub. Most major international banks, including Standard Chartered, Bank of America and UBS have regional offices in Centreburg. In addition, the Centreburg Stock Exchange is the 13th largest stock exchange market int he world, with a total market capitalisation value of US$1.044 trillion as of 2011.

Tourism is also a major contributor to the Corrailite economy. In 2011, an estimated 12.6 million tourists visited the country, allowing the tourism sector to generate more than CR$2.5 billion that same year. Major events, such as the III AIN Summer Games 2010, as well as AINVision also helped to propel the tourism and hospitality sector further. Expansion of tourism and tourism-related businesses, such as the hospitality sector, in other Corrailite cities is expected to boost the country's tourist numbers further.

Road
Corraile has a relatively well developed National Highway System, although the fact is that Corraile is a chain of island. Majority of the highways exist on the Federal Territory and on Lanaya. The Corraile Highway Agency (CHA) and the Bureau Des Autoroutes (BDA) are responsible for the maintenance of highways in each respective region. The Highway numbering system is denoted with a single prefix, determining which state it is in (e.g "F" for the Federal Territory, "C" for Colganston), followed by the highway's respective number. There are a total of 73 highways covering 882km of roadway.

Rail
All railway tracks (with the exception of intracity subway/light rail systems) are owned by the state through the state-owned Corraile Rail Systems (CRS). Private companies are given licenses to run trains through the tracks, which are separated into regions. The schedules are solely the responsibility of the private train operators, which include CoRail and InterRail. These companies are expected to run both commuter and intercity routes. Freight trains are also run privately on a similar contractual basis. Several lines on the network are solely for use by the freight rail system, such as the rail line running from the main Centreburg line to the Port of Centreburg.

Separate intracity rapid transit systems run in most major cities. One such example is the Centreburg Metro

Sea
The Port of Centreburg is Corraile's main commercial port, and is one of the busiest container ports in the Atlantic, with an annual handling capacity of 4.3 million TEUs. The Maplesport Crusie Ship Terminal provides a berth for transatlantic cruise ships, and handled over 2 million travellers in 2009. Other significant ports in the country include Freedo Port, the Port of Colganston and the Port of Stanraer Island. These ports are crucial to the economic well-being of the territories they serve.

In addition to freight shipping, ferries are also a popular and effective way for travelling between the many islands that dot Corraile's geography. All states have some form of ferry service, connecting major settlements such as Freedo and Colganston to nearby offshore settlements. In addition, Centreburg maintains a ferry service between the transit towns and suburbs with access to the sea and the city centre. Despite being slower than alternative forms of mass transit, such as the commuter rail and the Centreburg Metro, it is still a relatively popular means of commuting for many Centreburgians.

Air
Centreburg Gateway International Airport is the main gateway by air into Corraile, and was the 16th busiest airport in the world in 2010 with a total number of 46,778,950 passengers travelling through the airport. Other smaller, international airports include Colganston International Airport, Highvale Carlaken International Airport and Freedo Cityside Airport, with Freedo's airport slated to be replaced by the Freedo-Grand Fairman International Airport, which will be opened in 2013.

Corraile Airlines and Islandfly are the two main international carriers based in Corraile, and together carried 27% of all international passengers from Corraile in 2010. Both airlines are based in Centreburg Gateway International Airport. Other foreign carriers, such as North American legacy carriers and European national carriers, also operate regular scheduled flights to the country. A multitude of other domestic carriers, mainly LCCs, operate within Corraile. One such example is Centreburg Express.

Air routes also serve a different purpose in more rural areas in Corraile, especially in Stanraer Island and Fairman Island, where air routes are seen as essential to the daily functions of more remote towns and settlements. Carriers such as Air Freedo and Air Stanraer help to provide essential goods for the survival of small, rural communities such as Victoria island in Fairman Island, and St. Elizabeth in Stanraer Island. They also help provide a much faster alternative route for passengers heading towards these small towns as opposed to more traditional methods such as buses, trains or ferries.

Language
English is the main medium of communication within Corraile, with the notable exception of Lanaya, which uses mainly French. English is compulsory in schools accross the whole country, with French also being compulsory, but only in Lanaya. Both English and French are recognised as official languages, while the sole national language is English. As a result of pro-immigration policies, Corraile has become increasingly cosmopolitan, and other languages, predominantly German, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese, as well as Tamil are also spoken in Corraile.

Religion
Corraile is a secular state, which respects "the free practice of religion without inteference of the state", as bound by the Consitution of the Federal Republic of Corraile. According to the 2010 census, 65% of Corrailites are Christians, 11% are Muslim and 8% are Jewish. A further 6% are Buddhists, 4% are Hindu and 3% answering as having "No religion". The final 3% answered as having "Other" religions.

Education

 * Main article: Education in Corraile

Education in Corraile is compulsory for all citizens aged between 6 to 18. Although not compulsory, the government also provides pre-school education, which begin 2 years before official school begins and this pre-school education will last for until the age of 6, when the student is required to attend elementary school. For a period of 6 years, the student will study at the elementary school before graduating to a high school, where students attend school for 3 years before finally graduating to tertiary institutes, either that of colleges or technical institutes. Throughout the first 9 years of education, a student's performance is based largely on progressive assessment, minimising the requirement for examinations. At the end of the first 9 years, students will sit for GCE 'O' level examinations which will be tallied with the student's results over his 9 years in school. this set of results will affect his admission into tertiary institutes. Colleges continue to follow a school format, with fixed courses. Techincal Institutes, on the other hand, practice a varsity-style education format, with all subject becoming electives and the student attending tutorials and lectures rather than lessons and classes. College students will be able to progress to universities based only on progressive assessment, while TI students are required to take entrance exams before being admitted into universities. However, TI students do not necessarily need to enter universities, since upon graduation, TI students receive a diploma, which already allows them to work.

Public education (responsible for educating 96% of all youths in Corraile) is heavily subsidised, but not free. The Corrailite Government subsidises up to 95% of all education costs. For varsity students, loans are available at a low interest rate that is adjusted every year, but hovers around the region of 0.5-0.75% p.a.

Majority of students are admitted into Colleges, and a large majority (77%) of students advance and graduate out of university, with the rest diploma holders.

Corraile has a published literacy rate of 99.9%

Health

 * Main article: Healthcare in Corraile

Healthcare is not free of charge in Corraile. Rather, the Ministry of Health ensures that healthcare remains affordable by subsidising healthcare costs at all government run hospitals. Healthcare costs are also partially subsidised by way of the Ministry's control of costs at hospitals, requiring these privately run hospitals to conform to government-mandated prices for particular treatments. These prices are adjusted every 5 years, by a committee formed by both representatives of the MoH and that of the Union of Medical Corporations (UMC), which represent these hospitals.

Furthermore, a national insurance policy, NatProtect Health, is in place, having been passed by government in 1995. Under the policy, citizens are required to pay a minimal fee (CRD20 p.a) into a central government-controlled fund, which will then be used to help pay for hospital bills should the need arise.

The average life expectancy in Corraile 79.4 years.