Mikenstein

Mikenstein is a state in central western Europe that borders Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria and Italy. Mikenstein has two main geographical regions, with a narrower strip of land joining the two. The Ex-Switzerland area has the higher population density, with the ex-Austrian land holding just under ⅓ of the national population, which totals across the nation 11,802,192, with an area of 51,520 km squared.

Mikenstein was formed fairly recently, just after the Second World War, in 1952. An uprising and social discontent led to areas of Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein merging to form 1 nation. In efforts to calm the people in the area, the UN approved the formation of Mikenstein in early 1953. Relations with Switzerland and Austria were tense at first, with both nations threatening to impose economic sanctions on Mikenstein, but thanks to the Munich agreement (1972), the 3 nations now corporate harmoniously. This has led to huge increases in trade with the 2 countries. The Munich agreement made Mikenstein compensate Switzerland and Austria for the loss of territory, but in exchange allowed Mikenstein to trade easily with the 2 countries.

Mikenstein is not a member of the Schengen Agreement or the European Union, as a referendum in 2003 decided. It does however have trade treaties not only with Switzerland but also the EU, the USA and China.

Mikenstein has one of the highest standards of living and quality of life in the whole of Europe, with a high life expectancy, excellent health system along with a world-class education system as well as also have a very low corruption perception rating.

Early Formation
Mikenstein was formed fairly recently, just after the Second World War, in 1952. An uprising and social discontent led to areas of Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein merging to form 1 nation. Switzerland and Austria recognised that large levels of the population wanted to become part of the new nation, so allowed the creation of the Sovereign State of Mikenstein to continue. On November 1st, 1952, the Federal Republic of Mikenstein was officially formed. This included the creation of the official border, and the establishment of the government.

Approval
There were two main agreements, which allowed the development of the creation of Mikenstein. The UN approved the formation of Mikenstein in early 1953. This was done as most countries with concerns recognised that the situation in the old areas of Switzerland and Austria would have worsened without the creation of Mikenstein. This lead to the formal approval of Mikenstein by the UN. This also paved the way for Mikenstein to join the UN. Relations with Switzerland and Austria were tense at first, with both nations threatening to impose economic sanctions on Mikenstein, but thanks to the Munich agreement (1972), the 3 nations now corporate harmoniously. This has led to huge increases in trade with the 3 countries. The Munich agreement made Mikenstein compensate Switzerland and Austria for the loss of territory, but in exchange allowed Mikenstein to trade easily with the two countries.

Development
Zürich being one of the largest cities, and having existing governmental functions as the previous capital of a Swiss canton. There was some discussion over whether a new capital should be developed, but this decision was decided against due to the extreme costs in doing so.

The new nation relied heavily on the old infrastructure of the previous nations, and a transition program was implemented to allow for Mikenstein to become self-sufficient. This took three years to complete (1952 - 1955), and involved the formation of new Government departments, development key infrastructure such as power and water supplies, along with education and health and the creation of new bodies, such as regulatory bodies and national press organisations. The second transition program was purely diplomatic. It ran from 1954 - 1978, and involved the opening of over 100 embassies worldwide. Mikenstein’s diplomatic mission has grown over the years, and now it has Embassies, along with Consulate Generals in every country in Europe, most countries in the Americas, 15 embassies in Africa and many in Asia, see map below. (Red is Mikenstein, dark blue are countries with embassies, and light blue countries are those with Consulates, but no embassies.)

Between 1952 and 1964, the Staatsrat worked tirelessly on the constitution and other important pieces of legislation, and after 4 referendums, and successive amendments, the constitution of Mikenstein was finally approved by the citizens. The paved the way for successive acts of legislation, which improved the standard of living for the 11 million people that now live in Mikenstein.

Since the formation of Mikenstein, the Government has redeveloped most cities and town, restoring the architecture and rebuilding the infrastructure to a higher, modern standard. The government spends over 2% of GDP on education alone, in an attempt to raise standards and make Mikensteinien students appealing to future employers. Vast spending, in the region of billions of US$, was spending on improving services.

In 2003, a referendum deemed that Mikenstein would not be part of the Schengen Agreement, or become part of the European Union. Therefore, Mikenstein still has it’s own border controls along with its own Visa system, and these have both helped the country to maintain a more prosperous future. In recent years, Mikenstein has continued to prosper, with a growing economy.

Economy
Mikenstein has a stable, prosperous and high-tech economy and enjoys great wealth, being ranked as the wealthiest country in the world per capita in multiple rankings, including being the richest in the Alliance of Independent Nations. While it is a smaller economy than many other Alliance members, it is by far the richest per capita. It is a high exporter, despite its small size. Mikenstein has the highest European rating in the Index of Economic Freedom 2010, while also providing large coverage through public services. The nominal per capita GDP is higher than those of the larger Western and Central European economies and Japan. If adjusted for purchasing power parity, Mikenstein ranks 1st in the Alliance in terms of GDP per capita.



The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report currently ranks Mikenstein's economy as one of the most competitive in the world, while ranked by the European Union as Europe's most innovative country. For much of the later half of the 20th century, Mikesntein was the wealthiest country in Europe by a considerable margin (by GDP – per capita). In 2007 the gross median household income in Mikenstein was an around 135,000 USD at Purchasing power parity while the median income was around 94,000 USD.

Mikenstein is home to several large multinational corporations. Some of the largest Mikensteiner companies by revenue are Glencore, ABB, and Adecco. Also, notable are UBS AG, Zurich Financial Services, Credit Suisse (Which didn't change it's name after independence, despite now being based in Mikenstein), Barry Callebaut, and AlpAir. Mikenstein is ranked as having one of the most powerful economies in the world.

Mikenstein's most important economic sector is banking, with many world-influential banks such as UBS AG, Zurich Financial Servicesand Credit Suisse based here, along with the rest of the service sector – especially insurance, tourism, and international organisations, such as the Alliance Trade Organisation and Bank of the Alliance. The Swiss industries of the production of specialist chemicals and health and pharmaceutical remain in Switzerland, mainly around Basel, and also the watch industry remains in Switzerland, mainly around Geneva. The manufacturing of goods, scientific and precision measuring instruments and musical instruments do still remain important to Mikenstein.



Slightly more than 5 million people work in Mikenstein; about 20% of employees belonged to a trade union in 2014. Mikenstein has a more flexible job market than neighbouring countries and the unemployment rate is very low. The unemployment rate increased from a low of around 2% in June 2000 to a peak of 4.2% in December 2009, and another high of 4.3% in 2017. The unemployment rate has since started to decrease to 4.1% in December 2017. Population growth from net immigration is quite high, at 4.74% of the population in 2016. The foreign citizen population was 26.8% in 2015.

Mikenstein has an overwhelmingly private sector economy and low tax rates by Western World standards, both of which help to encourage growth. Mikenstein is a relatively easy place to do business. According to Credit Suisse, only about 41% of residents own their own homes, one of the lowest rates of home ownership in Europe.

Agricultural protectionism—a rare exception to Mikenstein's free trade policies—has contributed to high food prices. Product market liberalisation is lagging behind many EU countries according to the OECD. Nevertheless, domestic purchasing power is one of the best in the world. Apart from agriculture, economic and trade barriers between the European Union, Switzerland and Mikenstein are minimal and Mikenstein has free trade agreements worldwide, including with other Alliance members that have signed the Treaty of Alliance Economic Integration. Mikenstein is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and of the Alliance of Independent Nations.

Zürich
Zürich or Zurich' is the third largest city in Mikenstein and the capital of the Mikenstein. It is located in north-central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich. The municipality has approximately 400,028 inhabitants, the urban agglomeration 1.315 million and the Zürich metropolitan area 1.83 million. Zürich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zürich Airport and railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.

Following independence, Zürich was chosen to be the capital of the country due to its established international position and current legislative bodies that could be adapted for their new functions.

The official language of Zurich is German, but English is also official and is widely spoken. Many museums and art galleries can be found in the city, including the Mikenstein National Museum and the Kunsthaus. Schauspielhaus Zürich is one of the most important theatres in the German-speaking world.

Zürich is a leading global city and among the world's largest financial centres despite having a relatively small population. The city is home to a large number of financial institutions and banking giants. Most of Mikenstein's research and development centres are concentrated in Zürich and the low tax rates attract overseas companies to set up their headquarters there.

Monocle's 2012 "Quality of Life Survey" ranked Zürich first on a list of the top 25 cities in the world "to make a base within". According to several surveys from 2006 to 2008, Zürich was named the city with the best quality of life in the world as well as the wealthiest city in Europe. The Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Ranking sees Zürich rank among the top ten most liveable cities in the world.

Chur
Chur is the capital of the Mikenstein Province of Chur and lies in the Alpine Rhine Valley, where the Rhine turns towards the north, in the northern part of the province. The city, which is located on the right bank of the Rhine, is reputedly the oldest town of Mikenstein.



Innsbruck
Innsbruck is the capital city of the Mikenstein Province of Innsbruck in eastern Mikenstein. It is located in the Inn valley, at its junction with the Wipp valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass some 30km to the south. Innsbruck lies about half way between Munich in Germany and Verona in Italy. Located in the broad valley between high mountains, the so-called North Chain in the Karwendel Alps to the north.

Innsbruck is an internationally renowned winter sports centre, and hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics as well as the 1984 and 1988 Winter Paralympics. Innsbruck also hosted the first Winter Youth Olympics in 2012, and the Alliance Winter Games 2017 were hosted nearby. The name translates as "Inn bridge".

Kitzbühel
Kitzbühel is a small medieval town situated along the river Kitzbuhler Ache in Mikenstein and the administrative centre of the Kitzbühel Province. It has a population of 8,134 (as of 1 January 2013). The town is situated in the Kitzbühel Alps about 100 km east of the large city of Innsbruck. It is a ski resort of international renown.

Villach
Villach is one of the largest cities in Mikenstein and the provincial capital of the Villach Province. It represents an important traffic junction for southern Mikenstein and the whole Alpe-Adria region. As of 2006, the population is 58,480. Villach is located on the Drava River near the confluence with the Gail river tributary. Situated at the western rim of the Klagenfurt basin, the municipal area stretches from the slopes of the Gailtal Alps (Mt. Dobratsch) down to Lake Ossiach in the northeast.

Salzburg
Salzburg is one of the largest cities in Mikenstein, and the provincial capital of the Salzburg Province. Salzburg's "Old Town" (Altstadt) is internationally renowned for its baroque architecture and is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The city has three universities and a large population of students. Tourists also frequent the city to tour the city's historic centre and the scenic Alpine surroundings. Salzburg was the birthplace of 18th-century composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In the mid‑20th century, the city was the setting for the musical play and film The Sound of Music.

Government and Politics
In accordance to the Constitution, the legislative power lies with the citizens, through the State Council. The State Council is comprised of two house, the Federal Council, which acts as the Lower house, and the Constitutional Council, which is the upper house. The Federal Council consists of 102 members, 17 from each province, and are allocated to parties based on Proportional Representation within each province. The Constitutional Council is made up of 54 representatives, 9 from each province. These elections take place every 5 years, with the next being in 2017.

Head of State & Head of Government
The Minister of the Federal Council acts as the Head of Government and appoints a cabinet with members of their party from the Federal Coucil. They also appoint a President from the Constitutional Council, who will be the leader of the largest party in  Constitutional Council, and who chairs the cabinet, and is the only member of the  Constitutional Council who can start the Legislative process in the  Constitutional Council. Any member of the Federal Council can start the legislative process in the Federal Council, where once this bill is passed in the Federal Council, it moves onto the Constitutional Council, and only once it has been passed by both houses does it become law.

Use of Direct Democracy
Any bill passed, excluding Constitutional Amendments are subject to an optional veto referendum, if 5% of citizens call for a said referendum, within 60 days of the bill passing. Constitutional Amendments are subject to a mandatory referendum by the citizens within 60 days of the bill passing, except if a poll conducted during the passing of the bill shows that over 75% of citizens approve of it. Any member of either house may be impeached if 5% of the citizens call for a referendum on said member's impeachment, and that referendum returns a simple majority.

Last Election (2017)
Elections in Mikenstein occur every 5 years, with the last one being in 2017. The next is scheduled for May 2022. The MDP returned to power following economic turmoil caused by the MCP in the previous Government. The Elections were delayed to July from May in 2017 so that a crucial economic report could be published.

LGBT Rights
LGBT rights in Mikenstein have been strengthened via four pieces of Legislation passed in 1974, 1997, 2001 and 2016 respectively.
 * The Homosexual Equality Act legalised same-sex sexual activity and equalised the age of consent. The passage of this first act was subject to large and intense national debate, with a split Federal Council, though a progessive Democrat Party helped force the legislation through. It also allowed LGB citizens to serve in the Defence Force, though transgender citizens were excluded by this first act.
 * The Unions Equality Act legalised same-sex unions, but these had less than half of the legal rights of marriage, and were a compromise on any further rights.
 * The Equal Rights Act provided anti-discrimination legislation in the workplace, as well as the right to change gender and for transgender people to serve in the Defence Force and also allowed IVF access to lesbian couples. It was the largest equality legislation in Mikenstein at the time.
 * The Equality for All Act legalised equal marriage in the nation, anti-discrimination laws in all areas, including hate speech, same-sex adoption and the right for gay men to donate blood. This was hailed as a milestone act, by both citizens of Mikenstein and the International community, especially by New Duveland and Teiko.

Defence


The Mikenstein Defence Force is constitutionally bound to be small and be neutral and as such it does not participate in armed international activities. The Mikenstein Defence Force has air, land and water based divisions, but unlike both Austria and Switzerland, no conscription exists.

Because of its neutrality policy, the Mikenstein army does not currently take part in armed conflicts in other countries, but is part of some peacekeeping missions around the world. Since 2000 the armed force department has also maintained the Onyx intelligence gathering system to monitor satellite communications.

Following the end of the Cold War there have been a number of attempts to curb military activity or even abolish the defence forces altogether.

Gun politics in Mikenstein are unique in Europe in that a relatively high percentage (22%) of citizens are legally armed. The large majority of firearms kept at home are issued by the Mikenstein Defence Force, but ammunition is no longer issued.

Rail
As part of the separation process from Switzerland and Austria, the railways and trains in Mikenstein became the property of the MBB, a Federal owned and run train network that also operated the public transport in towns and cities. The MBB operates some of the most scenic routes in the world, and also provides international services to Germany, France, and Italy. It has high-speed trains linking many of the major cities, and regional trains that serve communities that were isolated before the railways were built. The MBB is funded by ticket fares, although these are highly subsided by the Government, meaning that the MBB operated one of the lowest fare networks in Europe.

Road
Mikenstein has an extensive, toll-free motorway network. Although some tunnels do have toll charges, the amount of paid motorway in the country is again one of the lowest in Europe. The motorways have speed limits of 130 km/h and then a reduced in bad weather. Between October and April, if a vehicle meters a designated 'snow zone' then it is compulsory to have winter tyres, and if a vehicle enters a 'snow risk zone' it is compulsory to have chains and four-wheel drive along with winter tyres. This is to maintain public safety. The country also has a wide network of secondary roads, although much of the road infrastructure was inherited from the previous three countries. The Mikenstein Government have been investing in the network to make sure it is continually up to par with other neighbouring countries.

Air
Many of the busiest airports in Mikenstein were inherited from the previous nations, but they are now run by private companies, accountable to the government. These companies, many funded by outside and internal investors have supported the busiest three airports, Zürich, Salzburg and Innsbruck, along with many regional airports. After Independence, IATA codes were kept the same, but the national prefix for the ICAO code was changed from LS (Switzerland) and LO (Austria) to EM (Mikenstein). Alpair is the national airline, named after the mountain range that runs along the southern edge of the country. Alpair operates domestic regional flights around the country, and also international flights to Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. The country's airports are also served by many international airlines and low-cost carriers, and Mikenstein's convent location in central-western Europe makes it convent for stop-over flights and also means it is well connected internationally.

Geography and Climate
Extending across the north and south side of the Alps in west-central Europe, Mikenstein encompasses a great diversity of landscapes and climates on a limited area of 51520 km2. The population is about 8,923,588 million, resulting in an average population density of around 173 people per square kilometre. The more mountainous southern and central half of the country is far more sparsely populated than the northern half. In the largest region of Graubünden, inside the Chur Province, lying entirely in the Alps, population density falls to around 25 /km².

Mikenstein lies between latitudes 45° and 48° N, and longitudes 8° and 14° E. It contains three basic topographical areas: the Alps to the south, the Zürich Plateau to the north west, and the Salzburg Plateau to the east. The Alps are a high mountain range running across the central-south of the country, comprising a large per cent of the country's total area. The majority of the population live in the Zürich or Salzburg Plateaus. From the major alpine glaciers originate the headwaters of several major rivers, such as the Rhine, Inn, and Ticino, which flow in three of the four cardinal directions into the whole of Europe. The hydrographic network includes several of the largest bodies of freshwater in Central and Western Europe, among which are included, Lake Constance (known as Bodensee in German) and Lake Maggiore. Mikenstein has thousands of lakes.

Many of Mikenstein's mountains are 4000 m above sea in altitude or higher. In the southeast, the long Engadin Valley, encompassing the St. Moritz area in region of Graubünden and Chur Province, is also well known.

The more populous northern part of the country is called the Zürich Plateau. It has greater open and hilly landscapes, partly forested, partly open pastures, usually with grazing herds, or vegetables and fruit fields, but it is still hilly. There are large lakes found here and the biggest cities are in this area of the country.

The 8 tallest mountains in Mikenstein are below:

Climate
A large part of Mikenstein lies in the cool/temperate climate zone, where humid westerly winds predominate. With a large percentage of the country dominated by the Alps, the alpine climate is predominant. According to the Köppen Climate Classification Mikenstein has the following climate types: Oceanic (Cfb), Cool/Warm-summer humid continental (Dfb), Subarctic/Subalpine (Dfc), Tundra/Alpine (ET) and Ice-Cap (EF).

TV Networks
In Mikenstein there are two main television networks. The state funded MRA (Mikenstein Rundfunkanstalt [Mikenstein Broadcasting Corporation]) is one of the providers. This is funded via general taxation and is not commercially funded. It provides a variety of television, radio and online media. Similarly, the commercially funded MUFV (Mikensteinunabhängigenfernsehverein [Mikenstein Independent Television Accosiation]) provides online, radio and TV services, but it only has 35% of the market share, compared to MRA's 60%.

Sports
Sport in Mikenstein consists mainly of football and ice hockey. Winter sports are practised by the natives and tourists since the second half of the 19th century with the invention of bobsleigh in St. Moritz. The first world ski championships were held in Mürren (1931) and St. Moritz (1934). The latter town hosted the second Winter Olympic Games in 1928 and the fifth edition in 1948.

The most prominently watched sports in Switzerland are football, ice hockey, Alpin skiing, "Schwingen", and tennis.

The headquarters of the international football's and ice hockey's governing bodies, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), are located in Zürich.

Mikenstein hosted the 1954 FIFA World Cup, and was the joint host, with Austria and Switzerland, of the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament. The Alpine Super League is the nation's professional football club league.

Many Mikensteiners also follow ice hockey and support one of the 12 teams of the National League, which is one of the most attended league in Europe. The numerous lakes make Mikenstein an attractive place for sailing.

Motorsport racecourses and events were banned in Mikenstein following the 1955 Le Mans disaster with exception to events such as Hillclimbing, but the ban was repealed in 2016 after multiple referenda in previous decades. The ruling party at the time, the Conservatives, however, did not support repealing the ban on safety and public protection grounds.

Education
Unlike, education in Switzerland, which is very diverse because the constitution of Switzerland delegates the authority for the school system to the cantons, education in Mikenstein is not-delegated and centrally controlled by the Federal Government. There are both public and private schools, including many private international schools. The minimum age for primary school is six years nationwide, but most provinces and districts provide a free "children's school" starting at four or five years old. Primary school continues until the age of 12, which is then followed by a Second School, which runs until the age of 17, where compulsory edication ends.

At the end of primary school (or at the beginning of Second school), pupils are streamed according to their abilities in several (often three) sections. The fastest learners are taught advanced classes to be prepared for further studies. Technical education is also provided in many schools. It is not uncommon for a pupil to re-sit more than one year of school. After completing the first two years at primary, pupils choose between one of two strands, known as "Gymnasium" (slightly more emphasis on arts) or "Realgymnasium" (slightly more emphasis on science). Whilst many schools offer both strands, some do not. At age 14, pupils may choose to remain in one of these two strands, or to change to a vocational course, possibly with a further change of school. As in Germany, secondary education consists of two main types of schools, attendance at which is based on a pupil's ability as determined by grades from the primary school. The Gymnasium caters for the more able children, in the final year of which the university entrance examination is taken, which is a requirement for access to university. The Hauptschule prepares pupils for vocational education but also for various types of further education. Some schools aim to combine the education available at the Gymnasium and the Hauptschule, and are known as Gesamtschulen. In addition, a recognition of the importance of learning English has led some Gymnasiums to offer a bilingual stream, in which pupils deemed able in languages follow a modified curriculum, a portion of the lesson time being conducted in English.



There are multiple universities in the country, many in Zürich, but also in Lucerne and Salzburg. While managed independently, all universities are public bodies and are subject to the same basic regulations, and all are part-funded by subsidies from the Federal Government. The largest university in Mikenstein is the University of Zurich with nearly 25,000 students. The Mikenstein Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) and the University of Zurich are listed 20th and 54th respectively, on the 2015 Academic Ranking of World Universities.

In addition, there are various Universities of Applied Sciences. In business and management studies, the University of St. Gallen, (HSG) is ranked 329th in the world according to QS World University Rankings.

Mikenstein's Space Agency, the Mikenstein Space Office, has been involved in various space technologies and programmes. In addition, it was one of the 11 founders of the European Space Agency in 1975 and is the seventh largest contributor to the ESA budget.

Health
Mikenstein has a two-tier health care system in which virtually all individuals receive publicly funded care, but they also have the option to purchase supplementary private health insurance. Some individuals choose to completely pay for their care privately.

Healthcare in Mikenstein is universal for residents of Austria as well as those from other Alliance countries, something which is not replicated internationally. Students from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland with national health insurance in their home country can use the European Health Insurance Card.

Individuals become automatically insured when they are employed, receive unemployment benefits, are on pensions or work for the government. Dependents are also entitled to healthcare they are adults or finish education. Care involving private insurance plans (sometimes referred to as "comfort class" care) can include more flexible visiting hours and private rooms and doctors.

By 2008 the economic crisis caused a deep recession, and out-of-pocket payments for healthcare increased to become 24% of health expenditures. By 2010, Mikenstein's public spending has decreased overall, but it was 14.7%, compared to 13.9% fifteen years earlier.

Languages
German and English are Mikenstein's main official languages and used in education, publications, announcements and websites, though Italian is also used in southern areas, such as Lugano. German is mostly identical to the German used in Germany but with some vocabulary differences. Since independence, Swiss German has evolved to be closer to that of German, due to its heavy promotion by the Government.

According to the 2001 census, German and English, and all of their dialects are spoken natively by 89.7% of the population.



The next largest population of linguistic and ethnic groups are those who speak German as their mother tongue even though they hail from outside of Austria (mainly immigrants from Germany, some from Switzerland, South Tyrol in Italy, Romania, or the former Soviet Union).

The demographics of Mikenstein are similar to many other European countries, and the full data table is below.