Palmira

The Commonwealth Realm of Palmira, commonly known as Palmira, is an insular nation off the western coast of North America. With maritime borders with Poemia to the southeast, the United States and Lower Columbia to the east, Kingston and Boyce to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west, Palmira is the world's 59th largest country at almost 550,000 km2. Palmira consists of the central span of an archipelago that includes Poemia to the south and Kingston and Boyce to the north. While there are four principle islands making up Palmira, the island of Palmira, the third largest island in the Pacific and the country's namesake, contains the country's political and economic centers, including the capital, Monterosa, and the country's largest city, San Sebastián. The majority of Palmira enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate, giving it a reputation of a desirable destination for tourists.

Originally inhabited by indigenous people speaking Athabaskan languages since 10,000 BC, Palmira was discovered by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Spanish explorer, in 1542. The islands were subsequently claimed and colonized by Spain. In 1803, Palmira was occupied by the British, kick starting the establishment of the modern country. The late 19th century saw variable waves of immigration from Europe, changing the demographic landscape of the country. The country soon became a powerhouse in the region, rivaling the US state of California for much of its modern history. The first half of the 20th century saw significant development of Palmira's economy, as well as its political and cultural identity. Palmira also saw decentralized British power during the time period, culminating in its independence during World War II. After the war, Palmira continued to see high development, taking advantage of its strategic position between East Asia and North America.

Today, Palmira is a highly developed country, enjoying the world's 18th largest economy by purchasing power parity and among the highest average incomes per capita in the world. The economy of Palmira is largely post industrial, with the service sector dominating economic output. While dwarfed by the neighboring United States, Palmira is considered a middle power, holding a moderate degree of military and, in particular, economic power projection over the north Pacific region. Palmira holds a record of being very socially and economically liberal, boasting high ranks on account of LGBT and human rights and is highly ranked among countries enjoying high economic freedom. Palmira is a signatory of the Trans Pacific Partnership and is a member of the OECD, NAFTA, and is a founding member of the United Nations.

Etymology
After Spain subsequently claimed the island for themselves, the first Spanish missions to the regions were sent in 1608, naming the land “La Tierra de Palmira”, or the “land of Palmyra” in Spanish, named after the desert city of Palmyra in modern-day Syria, whose name itself is thought to be based off the date palms growing in the region. Sailors and settlers viewed the land as mystical, auric, and were mesmerized by the bright, spring-like green foliage, towering redwoods, beautiful natives, and the bountiful palms growing along the coast. While the similarities between the ancient city and the islands are few, it is theorized that the country was so named due to the limited historical and geographic knowledge of the early settlers, perhaps merely hearing of the name in the context of the Renaissance's view of the Classical era. Nevertheless, the name remained and the British also adopted this name after occupying the islands.

The native Ki'huatla called Palmira "Sokeyah", which means "big land". Sometimes Sokeyah is translated as "mainland". Early Spanish missionaries took note of what the natives called the land, but didn't refer to the land as such themselves. In fact, even Palmira has became the name for the country in contemporary Ki'hautla while Sokeyah has been reserved to referring to pre-European Palmira.

Pre-European history
The territory of Palmira had been inhabited by indigenous people since at least 10,000 BC. These people crossed onto the islands from mainland North America through the Golden Strait. All the original natives spoke languages in the Athabaskan family group and most lived in the central plains of mainland Palmira. These natives tended to live nomadic or hunter-gatherer lifestyles, supplemented by Palmira's early megafauna but switched to smaller mammals after the end of the last ice age. Many native tribes along the various river systems began engaging in agriculture some five thousand years ago, mainly cultivating various species of maize.

Notable tribes along the eastern coast of the island of Palmira developed state organization beginning around 1000 AD, or some six centuries before Europeans began settling Palmira. The Ki'huatla had sizable permanent settlements in the Rioja River's delta region centered around the capital, Ki'pitlatan. The Ki'huatla had an organized religion and had an advanced understanding of the movement of the stars, in some aspects trailing closely behind the Aztecs and Inca of Mexico and Peru, respectively. However, possibly due to a drought, the Ki'huatla fell into decline in the 15th century and many settlements were abandoned. Remaining Ki'huatlas either assimilated into neighboring tribes or attempted to preserve the culture of their ancestors and tried to continue the culture and traditions of the golden age of the Ki'huatla.

European colonization, however, led to the greater rate of dwindling of the native population, largely due to the transfer of diseases. As much as 80% of Palmira's indigenous population was eradicated by disease. Remaining Ki'huatla settlements were largely abandoned after the sudden demographic loss and other progressing native societies were also subsequently destroyed. Many surviving Ki'huatla were able to help Spanish missionaries document the history of their culture and helped develop an almost complete understanding of their culture and history. The introduction of various domesticated animals, especially the horse, and European technologies such as the firearm led to a massive societal change in the surviving indigenous population. Many surviving native tribes adopted the use of the horse and firearm in hunting and in interactions with other tribes. The expansion of European settlements led to the assimilation of many natives, but many natives to this day are allowed free practice of traditions and laws, behaving as sovereigns within the Palmiran state.

Spanish era
The first European sightings of the islands were performed by Spanish conquistador and explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who named the land across the Golden Strait (Spanish: Estrecho Dorado) ”San Xavier” in 1542, thinking it was a small island. Spain subsequently claimed the island for themselves, and the first Spanish missions to the regions were sent in 1608, renaming the land “La Tierra de Palmira”, or the “land of Palmyra” in Spanish. The first two missions, “La Cuidad de la Monterosa Palmirada” (The city of the Palmiran rose mountain) on a peninsula on the east coast and “La Misión de Todos los Santos” (the mission of all of the saints) on the Rioja River, were established as an influx of Asturian settlers sought to find a new home far away from Spain. The two were the longest lasting Catholic missions in Palmira.



The Spanish government’s presence in Palmira was limited due to its remote location from New Spain, but, due to the favorable climate and friendly natives, proved to be successful and permanent, and the Spanish settlers managed to develop self-sufficiency relatively easily. Spanish presence was mostly limited to Spanish missions, of which there were 14 in Palmira, compared to 21 in California. These missions consisted of Jesuit missionaries and many soon became surrounded by minor settlements composed of settlers from Mexico and Spain. Unlike in California, the natives of Palmira were comparatively well treated. This is believed to be because of the position of Palmira compared to the rest of the Spanish Empire. It's possible the Spanish in Palmira attempted to befriend the natives in order to prevent a native-led expulsion of the Spaniards from Palmira. Nevertheless, skirmishes were relatively frequent and many missions in Palmira were abandoned due to soured relations between the natives and the settlers. European relations with the natives were further complicated with the growth of a mestizo population in the colony, resulting from intermarriages between Europeans and natives. The poor treatment of this mestizo population, who were viewed as tainted or otherwise inferior, proved to the native population that Europeans in fact had a more malignant view of the natives, who were blamed for the negative attributes credited to the mestizos.

The largest individual settlement before British Occupation amounted to 750 people, in the developing city of Monterosa, while the estimated European population of preoccupation Palmira was around 80,000, comprising of mostly rural clusters of vineyards and Jesuit missions as well as minor port settlements along the southern coast, and the estimated native population was around twice that. By the late 1700s, many settlers viewed themselves as "Palmiros", and it also became an exonym for the settlers as well. The distance between Spain and Palmira helped establish a distinct Palmiran identity that made it ripe for British conquest. The news of Napoleon's invasion of Spain in 1807 made the Palmiros fully accept British rule, viewing the Spanish as weak leaders and admired the British for their fierce stance against Napoleon. Early British rule saw the participation of many Palmiros in government.

Early British era
After George Vancouver sent a minor expedition to map the coast of Palmira in 1791, led by Joseph Oberton, the land was effectively claimed by Great Britain. British settlers began arriving in the area in 1794, and a British expedition in 1796 arriving with some of the settlers claiming the Spanish settlements in the south with little to no resistance by the existing Spanish settlers. Due to the remoteness of the area, the Spanish government's resistance amounted to little more than cries of foul play. The Treaty of San Sebastián, signed in 1803, relinquished all claims of the islands to Great Britain. In 1809, a Russian expedition established Fort Kalina and Fort Aleksandr on the coast of the San Xavier Mountains, meant to defend supply routes to a potential settlement in Northern California, eventually the 1812 establishment of Fort Ross. Due to focus on the Napoleonic Wars and the remoteness of the region, Great Britain did little to prevent these Russian settlements. These were eventually abandoned by the Russian government in 1842 after a long period of tensions on the island, leaving many Russian colonists within a foreign colony. Soon afterwards, these forts were occupied by the British and further maintained for decades afterward. These forts became centers of several cities along the western coast of mainland Palmira.



The territory’s first governor, Thomas Adelard, arrived in Monterosa in 1805, marking the beginning of Anglo-Saxon settlement. The nomenclature and culture of the Spanish already in place stuck, mixing in with English, Russian, and eventually American cultures. The new British territory soon evolved as this new culture developed an identity more unique than many of Britain’s other colonies. Palmira became widely regarded as a remote paradise far from Europe, but this idea only attracted more immigrants to the region to establish a new home and grab a piece of the so-claimed paradise themselves. This view was further influenced by similar views of California, especially after the California Gold Rush. While no gold was discovered in Palmira, the territory nevertheless capitalized by an early influx of American settlers.



Before the Great Irish Famine began in 1845, the total population of Palmira was less than 220,000. After the famine began, large waves of Irish immigrants flooded onto the islands, later joined by Germans fleeing Europe after the failure of the 1848 Revolutions. In 1850, the population of Palmira was 500,000. By 1880, it had doubled to 1 million inhabitants. A great number of immigrants from Europe traveled to Palmira around either South America, or Africa. Large groups of immigrants also arrived from Siberia, many of whom were escapees after being exiled there, stowing away on migrant ships. Before 1890, passage was mostly free as long as identification was provided. After the Chinese Exclusion Act came into effect in the United States in 1882, many rejected Chinese immigrants chose to go to Palmira instead of returning back to China. However, growing numbers of Chinese immigrants led to backlash by the citizens of Palmira. Eventually, Chinese immigration was limited into Palmira as well. After 1890 with the Restricted Immigration Act passed by the Palmiran Parliament, further documentation was required for new immigrants into Palmira, although these laws tended to be stricter toward non-European immigrants.



The development of Palmira under British rule was closely correlated to the immigrant rush. After the initial occupation, the British were more concerned about maintaining Palmira as an outpost in the Pacific Northwest and protect its interests in the region, especially with Lower Columbia growing in power. The ports of Monterosa and other seaside cities were upgraded in order to accommodate ships of the British Royal Navy. Once the population began to grow, the British began to see Palmira as a colony. Much investment poured into Palmira in order to develop it as a potential center for the Pacific Northwest market. In the 1840s, the cities of Palmira began to gradually industrialize. The rate of industrialization skyrocketed with the growing immigrant population. The governing British opened schools and established a firm governance that facilitate further growth in the colony.

Much like in the US, the late 1800s market significance social unrest in the industrialized colony. The British allowed for the establishment of the Parliament of Palmira to help govern the colony. Some of the earliest legislation of the parliament concerned social matters with regards to factory work and citizen rights. The sizable American population helped introduce American values in Palmira. Property rights and freedom of expression and speech were officially guaranteed by the Parliament for the Palmiran people. The Palmiran Bill of Rights became the precursor of the Palmiran Constitution.

Early 20th century
The population of Palmira grew significantly during the beginning of the 20th century, especially with the opening of the Panama Canal and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. The social reforms begun in the late 1800s led to increased confidence in the Palmiran industrial complex as a workplace. In the 1910s, the beginnings of Palmira's financial sector began to be seen. While the Monterosa Stock Exchange was opened in the 1860s, it didn't see any significance until the early 20th century as the Palmiran middle class increased in size and individual wealth increased. Palmiran corporations began to be notable even outside of Palmira.

By the outbreak of World War I, Palmira was able to send three divisions to fight in France. After the Allied victory in the war, Palmira experienced a great economic boom that helped bring it into the Roaring Twenties. Monterosa rivaled the great cities on the Pacific Coast, especially San Francisco in the United States and Nyhavn in Lower Columbia in terms of economic significance, and became a flourishing, wealthy capital rivaling that of Washington D.C. and likened poetically to Versailles in France. During this period, Palmira saw one of its greatest waves of immigration, mainly consisting of Germans fleeing the failing Weimar Republic, some of whom fearing anti-German sentiment in the US, and fleeing Russians from the Russian Civil War and subsequent economic reforms of the early USSR.

Economic opportunity in San Sebastian led to a population boom in the city, and San Sebastian overtook Monterosa as the country's largest city by 1925. Other coastal cities also began to see major growth, especially Santa Barbara and Belleza. Monterosa remained the richest city in Palmira by per capita income wealth, a title it claims to this day. The 1920s also saw significant movement into suburbs surrounding the growing cities. Monterosa experienced a 5 year net population decrease as surrounding suburbs began to increase in population as wealthier citizens chose to move to quieter neighborhoods. This prompted the development of rapid transit in cities across Palmira. The first long-range light rail was opened in 1924 in Monterosa with the Sea Line opened as an extension to Jericho.



When the Great Depression hit Palmira, a rise of nationalism arose among the people of Palmira, and the social democratic New Palmira Union party was elected into power in 1936. The party instigated protectionist policies and socialist reforms, modeled after the New Deal in the US, which helped alleviate the issues of the Great Depression. The Palmiran government engaged in numerous super projects throughout Palmira to stimulate the economy. A massive highway super project, modeled after the Autobahn system in Germany, also helped lower unemployment significantly.

The Great Depression also effected Palmiran culture. The low-morale of the Palmiran population prompted the Palmiran government to fund the small film studios of Santa Barbara. Much like in Hollywood in the United States, Santa Barbara became the cinematic and cultural capital of Palmira. While not comparable to Hollywood itself, Santa Barbara continues to be a major producer of films globally. Palmira also saw a rise in artistic expression. Palmiran artists, both musical and otherwise, became much more active than in previous years. Some of the most notable Palmiran works were produced in the 1930s.

Late 20th century
After the breakout of World War II, nearly 50,000 people volunteered to fight with the Allies, participating primarily in the D-Day landings. At the end of the war, Palmira experienced a massive revitalization in patriotic fervor. The return of the Palmiran soldiers prompted the rise of the Baby Boomer generation, as an increased number of births followed in the years after the end of World War II.

During the Cold War, Palmira sided with the United States in most manners. This allowed the United States to establish military bases on Palmiran soil, especially naval bases. The largest US naval base in Palmira is near Port Biscay, built in 1958. While Palmira was traditionally seen to be particularly vulnerable to Soviet attack, it mostly relied on America's presence as a deterrent. The New Palmira Union fell into decline during the beginning stages of the Cold War and the party was disestablished in 1952. The conservative Constitutional Democratic Party, lead by Thomas Jensen, who was Prime Minister from 1958 to 1970, lifted the protectionist and anti-immigrant policies that began to lead the Palmiran economy into stagnation and pushed for more free trade policies.



The reforms of the Constitutional Democratic Party led to another large boom in Palmira’s economy, leading to a high standard of living considered on the same level as that of Lower Columbia, Canada, and the United States. The new room for growth allowed for the development of Palmira's financial and technological sectors. Monterosa, Santa Barbara, and San Sebastian all became centers of technological advancement in Palmira. This growth allowed Palmira to become a major player in the world's shift into the Information Age. This corridor is often jokingly referred to as "Palmiricon Valley", named after Silicon Valley in California. This boom is attributed to Jensen's Jensenomics policy, wherein he incentivized foreign investment in Palmira while also encouraging the risky move of decreasing interest rates and removing various regulations in order to help foster a competitive spirit in growing Palmiran industries.

In 1976, the left-leaning Labour Party under Prime Minister Randall Irving came into power, which reformed health care and social security, with Palmira eventually becoming a welfare state on the same level as many European nations. After losing power in 1984, the result of a failure to properly deal with the Oil Crisis of 1979, the Labour Party lost significant influence as a major party, though coming back to pre-Crisis popularity levels after a change in leadership and agenda after 1992. During this period, Palmira's economy went through a small period of decline as the shock of the Crisis and increased social spending required the economy to readjust to the changes, especially as foreign investment in Palmira decreased. Nevertheless, the 1990s saw another period of growth that saw a revival of strong economic activity in Palmira, this time primarily as a result of successes among domestic corporations and the growth of capital led to Palmira seeking to invest in other countries, especially in South America.

After winning the 1988 election, the Constitutional Democratic Party under Jason Lee increased military expenditures, helping stimulate Palmira's military-industrial complex. The military buildup saw an increase in the size of the navy and air force in particular, and the first small aircraft carrier of Palmira was launched in 1989. In 1991, Palmira saw its most recent immigration wave as many immigrants fleeing the deteriorating economies and political situations of the post-Soviet Republics migrated to the country. These new immigrants helped solidify economic liberal influence in Palmiran politics to this day, as a result of their experiences in their homelands.

The post-9/11 era saw Palmira's limited participation in the US-led War on Terror and a restrengthening of Palmiran identity. Since 2004, the Constitutional Democratic Party has seen uninterrupted rule. Efforts by Prime Ministers Perry Urbine and Alejandra Morzana saw an increased presence of Palmiran soft power projection in South America and the North Pacific, strengthening ties with various countries in both regions.

Geography


Palmira's total area is 496,406 square kilometers, 1.8% of which is water. The mainland island of Palmira, known simply as "Palmira proper" is approximately 198,562 square kilometers, roughly 40% of the total area of Palmira. The second largest island, New Avalon, is 68,323 square kilometers, and the remaining islands are smaller. Palmira's total area is 52nd, just ahead of Turkmenistan.

While most of archipelago that Palmira consists of is mountainous, Palmira proper is characterized by a central valley bounded to the west by the Pivot Mountains and the south by the Santa Barbara Range. The central valley, known as the Belleza Valley, is drained by two major rivers, the Rioja River and the Big Belleza River. The Belleza Valley is extremely fertile, allowing for the cultivation of many crops and produces 95% of Palmira's agricultural output. 55% of Palmira's population lives within the valley. The Pivot Mountains are the highest mountains in Palmira, and include the Los Tranquilos volcanic range. The Los Tranquilos are a group of four volcanoes, two of which are now dormant. The southern Santa Barbara Range is a coastal mountain range straddling the southeastern coast of Palmira proper.

The islands of Palmira were developed fairly recently in the geological history of Earth, with interactions between the ancient Farallon plate and the Pacific and North American Plates. The friction and diverging points between the Farallon and Pacific plates allowed the uplifting of significant amounts of igneous rock and existing seabed, igniting significant volcanic activity. The landmass saw its origins 157-162 million years ago with the Farallon-Kula spreading ridge (the Farallon Plate eventually becoming increasingly subducted into the North American Plate, with the Juan de Fuca Plate being the remnant). Palmira is theorized to be the remainder of the Siletzia island chain, the remaining islands having been completely subducted into the North American Plate, possibly being the catalysts for the Cascadian and Coastal ranges of the North American Pacific Coast. The Pivot Mountains were formed by a ridge between within the Farallon plate during the same period. It's possible that a third plate, named the "Palmiran plate", was a subplate of the Farallon plate, and moved east at a faster pace than the rest of the plate, pushing rock upwards and formed the mountain range. 75 million years ago, the Palmiran plate’s pace matched that of the remainder of the Farallon plate, halting the process that raised the mountain range. Until 10 million year ago, Palmira was very active seismically, but since then seismic activity has declined relatively. Most seismic activity around Palmira results from interactions between the North American plate and the Juan de Fuca and Pacific plates to the east of the islands. Only two volcanos, Los Tranquilos, see any volcanic activity. In the distant future, Palmira is theorized to be completely subducted under the North American Plate.

Climate
The climate of Palmira is dominated by hot and warm-Mediterranean climate zones. Much like California to the east, Palmira tends to enjoy warm, dry weather during the summers, but winters tend to be wetter than on the US West Coast on average.

Fauna and Flora


The fauna and foliage of Palmira are nearly identical to that of California and the US West Coast. This is theorized to be the result of an ancient land bridge that closed relatively recently. The newly introduced species likely out competed any native Palmiran plants and animals. Just as in California, much of the modern-day fauna and flora was introduced by Europeans as invasive species.

Plant life in Palmira is usually grouped into four distinct groups: the more-cold tolerating plants of the northern islands, the more persistent plants of the outlying minor islands, the Mediterranean flora of Palmira proper, and the desert plants of southern Palmira. The Mediterranean flora includes some of the most iconic plants growing on the islands, especially the redwoods that grow along the coastlines of the Santa Barbara Coast. These redwoods are the same species as those growing in central and northern California, where they underwent large scale deforestation. Palmira boasts the largest groves of redwoods in the world by quantity of individual trees.

Governance


The government of the Commonwealth Realm of Palmira is officially a Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Palmira is officially considered part of the the Commonwealth and considers the monarch of the United Kingdom as its head of state. The Prime Minister of Palmira is the head of government. Officially, there are three branches of government in Palmira:




 * The Executive Branch of Palmira consists of the monarch of the United Kingdom as head of state by name only. In practice, the Council of Palmira functions as the surrogate of the British monarchy in Palmira. All laws passed by Parliament must be signed in by the Council in order to become law. Additionally, all forms of bureaucracy, such as the United Health Service and the United Transportation System fall under the executive branch. The Council has constitutional authority to be able to appoint heads of these departments, although the Parliament also has this right. The power of the Council is checked by the legislative branch of Palmira, especially as the members of Council are chosen by the Prime Minister.


 * The Legislative Branch of Palmira consists primarily of the Parliament of Palmira. The Parliament is bicameral, with the Senate and the House of Commons, with 50 and 435 seats, respectively. Most laws must be go through the Parliament before it can become law, which is ultimately approved by the Council. The Prime Minister of Palmira and his cabinet are officially considered part of the legislative branch, as he is appointed by Parliament, but, in power, can be considered part of the executive branch, with the Prime Minister choosing the members of the Council of Palmira.


 * The Judicial Branch consists mainly of the Supreme Court of Palmira and lower courts in Palmira's federalist system. The main power of the Supreme Court is to ensure that laws and actions of the government abide to the Constitution.

Parliamentary elections in Palmira occur every 4 years, when the people of Palmira vote for a representative in the House of Commons, with every directorate having a proportional amount of seats in the House of Commons depending on population. Since the Prime Minister is usually the head of the party they are a member of, the party with the most amount of seats accede their head to become Prime Minister, thus making the Prime Minister's election indirect. Elections in the Senate are conducted every 6 years, specifically in order not to coincide with the election of the representatives in the House of Commons. Every directorate is represented by 2 members each in the Senate and are usually the final voice on a law before being passed on to the Council of Palmira.

Administrative divisions
Palmira is split into 14 provinces. These provinces are split into counties, and counties are split into municipal districts, usually unincoporated districts and settlements. Palmiran provinces are typically named after historical names for the regions they occupy.

Foreign Relations
Palmira has an established structure of foreign relations. Palmira is an official founding member of the United Nations and has relations with almost every country in the world. Most countries have embassies in Monterosa and consulates around the country. Likewise, most countries host Palmiran embassies. Notable exceptions include the Taiwan, North Korea, Sudan, and Venezuela, whose Palmiran embassy was closed in 2017.

Palmira is in the Commonwealth and holds a special relationship with the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and holds very close ties with the United States, Mexico, Poemia, Spain and Arriola. As a member of NAFTA and the TPP, Palmira has close relations with all countries in North American and the Pacific Rim.

Palmira is considered a middle power and has deployed its military forces worldwide, most notably in Afghanistan and Iraq as part of the War on Terror, in collaboration with the United States. Palmira currently wields around 300,000 active military personnel, almost 1% of Palmira's population. 43% of Palmiran active military personnel are in the Palmiran Navy. Around 1% of Palmira's GDP is dedicated to defense spending. Much of Palmiran defense is relegated to the United States, who holds a strong military presence in the country.

Military


The Palmiran Armed Forces has approximately 000,000 active personnel, of which 000,000 are in the army, 00,000 in the navy, 00,000 in the air force, and 00,000 in the marine corp. Overall, around 1% of Palmira's population serves in the armed forces. Another 000,000 serve in the Palmiran Domestic Guard, which is tasked at protecting Palmira's internation borders and is split among the directorates of Palmira.

The Palmiran Armed Forces are highly ranked in training and efficiency. Having participated in Iraq and Afghanistan in the War on Terror, Palmiran forces have been involved in various military operations in recent history. Most recently, Palmira has participated in the anti-ISIS coalition until early 2018. As a middle power, Palmira has limited power projection, especially in the north Pacific region, and is able to effectively protect itself against foreign invasion and intervention.

Population
Palmira's population, according to a 2018 estimate, is 32,658,485, a 1.2% increase over the estimate of the population in 2017. Much of Palmira's growth is due to immigration, which in recent years been mostly from east and southeast Asia. As much as 60% of Palmira's recent growth is attributed to immigration, the remaining 40% is due to natural growth. Palmira's population is almost exclusively composed of immigrants and descendants of immigrants. Native American populations only amount to 1.1% of Palmira's population, not counting Mestizo populations. The country also holds a significant number of expatriate populations from Canada, the United States, and Lower Columbia, who were attracted to Palmira likely due to its mild weather and exceptional preservation of nature. In fact, 30% of immigrants from 2000 to 2010 have been expatriates from these countries who moved to Palmira as part of the general population shift to the so-called "Sun Belt", of which Palmira is unofficially included within.

70% of Palmira's population is found in urban areas, a statistic that has been fluctuating in the last years. It is theorized that the number fluctuates due to the tendency for older citizens to move into rural areas during retirement. Nevertheless, urban growth continues as young people and immigrants move into large cities. As with much of the developed world, Palmira's population is making a gradual shift in age. In 1990, the number of retirees in Palmira was around 13% of the total population. The same demographic is estimated to be around 20% of the population in 2017, according to the Bureau of Statistics. In 2050, the proportion is estimated to rise to 30-40%. This is primarily due to low birth rates in the country and due to the decreasing rate of immigration into the country.

National origins
According to the 2018 estimate by the Palmira Bureau of Statistics, Palmira's population is roughly split into these racial categories:


 * 82.1% European
 * 8.4% Mestizo
 * 4.6% Asian
 * 4.9% Other

The European population of Palmira is split into these national and ethnic categories as counted towards Palmira's total population:


 * 29.1% English
 * 24.8% Hispanic
 * 8.3% East Slavic
 * 6.1% Scottish
 * 4.8% Irish
 * 4.3% Italian
 * 1.9% Scandinavian
 * 1.2% French
 * 1.6% Other

Palmira's population is predominantly white, with smaller groups of mestizos, Asians, and other groups, including African Americans. Traditionally, people from Latin America, the Iberian peninsula, and Spanish-speaking Palmiros are considered part of the Hispanic category. Most Hispanics hail from Mexico with smaller groups of Columbian, Chilean, and Argentinian people. As of the last decade, however, immigration of Hispanics into Palmira has subsided, and immigration of Asian peoples has since become Palmira's fastest growing immigrant group.

According to a 2010 estimate, 40% of Palmira's population was born in a country outside of Palmira, down from 47% in 1990. The number is expected to decline as immigration into Palmira dwindles. Much of the demographic makeup of Palmira is still influenced by past immigration. For example, immigration from Ireland in the 1850s is still apparent in the current population of Palmira, even though immigrants from Ireland are no longer a significant part of immigration into Palmira. Over half of Palmira's East Slavic population was born in the Former USSR. First, second, and even third generation populations of East Slavs make up the remainder. Most established populations are descendants of settlers in Russia's past colonies to the north of Palmira. Kalina and Fort Alexander still contain sizable populations of Russians and Ukrainians.

Language
English serves as Palmira's de jure and de facto official language. In 2010, the Palmiran Bureau of Statistics estimated that 67.4% of Palmira residents age 5 and older spoke only English at home, while 32.6% spoke another primary language at home. According to the Bureau of Statistics, 82% of people who speak a language other than English at home are able to speak English well or very well, with 4.2% not speaking English at all. In total, 16 languages other than English were spoken as primary languages at home by more than 100,000 persons. Spanish is also widely spoken, with around 35% of all Palmirans speaking Spanish as a native, second, or third language.

As a result of the state's increasing diversity and migration from other areas across the country and around the globe, linguists began noticing a noteworthy set of emerging characteristics of spoken English in Palmira since the late 19th century. This variety, known as Palmira English, has a vowel shift and several other phonological processes that are different from varieties of American English and other varieties of English spoken in other parts of the British Commonwealth. Palmiran English is widely regarded to be similar to both Canadian English, American English, and is even believed to have certain aspects shared by Australian English.

Economy
Palmira has a capitalist mixed economy primarily fueled by extraction of natural resources and high productivity in output. Palmira's economy is the 18th largest economy by purchasing power parity while the nominal GDP of Palmira is estimated to be the 12th largest as of 2018.

Palmira is one of the world's primary importer of goods, accounting for a large share of imports in the North Pacific market. Palmira is also a exporter of various goods, especially automobiles, electronics, agricultural products, and metal ores. Since Palmira has limited reserves of oil and natural gas, it has to import energy resources, primarily from the United States and Canada.

In 2010, the private sector was estimated to constitute 86.6% of the economy, with federal government activity accounting for 3.8% and state and local government activity (including federal transfers) the remaining 9.6%. Despite Palmira's shift towards a post industrial economy, Palmira still has a sizable manufacturing sector, although this sector has become mostly automated. Retail trade in Palmira is a significant part of the country's economy, with various companies such as <>, <>, and <> enjoying worldwide recognition.



Processing natural resources is a major part of Palmira's manufacturing sector. Processing of metal alloys, especially zinc, copper, and titanium, makes up the plurality of Palmira's manufacturing sector. Agriculture accounts for just under 1% of GDP, but much of Palmira's exports are agricultural products. Palmira is a major cultivator of wheat, maize, soy, cotton, and oilseeds, among other crops, as well as of livestock, especially beef, pork, and chicken. Most of these cultivated goods are used in food processing and then exported to other parts of the world. Palmira agricultural products are primarily exported to the East Asian market.

Consumer spending comprises 71% of the Palmiran economy in 2015. Since Palmira holds a substantial welfare state, the Palmiran government employs, either directly or indirectly, almost 10% of the total workforce in the country and the country spends much of its budget to maintain social programs. 24% of Palmiran workers are unionized, compared to 12% in the United States and 30% in Europe.

The Great Recession left the Palmiran economy in a sharp decline, with historic unemployment rates and output lows. However, the economy has largely recovered from the recession and is currently experiencing a bull economy. The recovery is in large part attributed to an adequate response by the Palmiran Central Bank which is responsible for monetary policies in the country. The Bank held responsible parties up to scrutiny and attempted to combat unstable prices and inflation in order to prevent a large economic crash.

Science and technology
Palmira holds a leading role in the progress of science and technology in the world. Around 31% of all college students studying full time in the 2017-2018 academic year are pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. As such, STEM-related industries flourish and, coupled with the economic freedom in Palmira, maintain healthy environments for innovation. Many tech field companies in Palmira work closely with US and Chinese partners to develop new technologies, especially related to electronics and other consumer and commercial-use products.

Historically, Palmira served as an important testbed in the popularization of the widespread use of electricity, telephones, and later in the development of the personal computer. Companies such as Pacifitech, Microworks, and Qalspec all continue to lead leading roles in the development of phone and computer technologies.

Energy
Palmira has a comparatively large energy market, estimated to be about 3,000 terawatt hours a year. After a push towards more renewable energy, as much as 20% of Palmira's energy comes from hydroelectric power, 60% from nuclear power, 10% from wind energy, and only 10% of Palmira's power is generated using fossil fuels, a statistic undergoing decline. Despite global fears of nuclear power, Palmira has actively pursued the use of nuclear power as a safe, reliable power source that does not pollute the environment. Spent nuclear fuel is stored in underground bunkers or refined to be reused.

Resources such as coal and natural gas are found in moderate reserves in Palmira, but the country is a net importer of petroleum. The dearth of crude oil reserves in Palmira after the exhaustion of several oilfields in southern Palmira has led to investment in several developing countries to facilitate the import of oil into Palmira, while also providing an incentive to limit the use of fossil fuels, especially in electrical energy production.

Transportation


The level of economic prosperity in Palmira has largely been achieved through the country's efficient transportation networks, especially in the forms of railroads, road networks, airports, and seaports. Public funded transportation is administered by the Palmiran Department of Transportation, nicknamed "PalDOT". Through Palmira's federal system, PalDOT delegated much of its services to province-level departments. This ensures an efficient administration of Palmira's relatively vast transportation needs.

Personal transportation in Palmira is almost entirely dominated by the use of automobiles. While dense inner cities are more geared towards the use of public transportation, most Palmirans use automobiles to travel in the country, which has been encouraged by Palmira's car culture. This is evident in that Palmira has nearly 400,000 miles of road. Much of Palmira's varied terrain is traversed by a dedicated highway system. Much of the current highway system, the Interprovincial System, was constructed during the Great Depression and has been upgraded and maintained ever since. The 1970s saw an expansion of the highway system, with the construction of tolled highways, mostly in urban centers to accommodate the increasing rate of suburbanization. Palmira's vast highway network is patrolled by the Palmiran Highway Corp, a federal umbrella of law enforcement that operate primarily on the highway network.

Palmira also hosts many airports integrated into the global air transportation network. Monterosa International Airport and Santa Barbara International Airport are global hubs for air transport and serve as Palmira's busiest airports. Most cities in the country host smaller airports that feed primarily into Monterosa and Santa Barbara. Palmira's flag airline, MOSANT Airways, is one of the busiest airlines in North America, with destinations as far reaching as Moscow or Cape Town.



While Palmira has a sizable network of railroads, passenger transport on railroads is half of that in 1970, which itself is half of what it was in 1930. Due to the prevalence of personal automobiles, relatively more economical airline tickets, and outdated passenger train locomotives, the railroads of Palmira are primarily used to transport goods and raw materials for industrial use. An ongoing government project, however, seeks to upgrade passenger rail lines and locomotives to popularize high speed rail to make rail travel cheaper for Palmiran passengers.

Light rail and other forms of rapid transit are fairly popular in Palmira's bigger cities. As much as 18% of Palmiran workers travel to their workplace on inner-city public transportation networks. Many typically drive from the suburbs to rapid transit hubs in order to bypass rush hour traffic. Revitalization projects in several cities seek to increase the rate of public transportation use in Palmira.

Palmira has one major seaport, the Port of Santa Barbara, that handles nearly 70% of all Palmiran imports and exports transported by sea. Smaller ports in Humboldt, York, Alston, and Lieth help transport goods between Palmira's peripheral islands. Palmira's ports also help in the transport of goods between North America and East Asia, with many goods eventually transported to the United States or Lower Columbia.

Culture
The culture of Palmira is a Western culture and most clearly has its modern roots in the cultures of the United States and, historically, many Hispanic Palmiro and Mexican influences. As a coastal immigrant nation, Palmiran culture has been greatly influenced by several large immigrant populations, especially those from Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Much of Palmira’s religious culture is also influenced by a syncretic Catholicism with influences of native religions. The most notable example is the significance of Easter and the Lent as a result of native celebration of spring as a time of renewal. Much of the population claiming northern European heritage is more Protestant.

Religion
Palmira is officially a secular country. While 13% of Palmirans label themselves atheist, many consider themselves to be religious while not being very active in adherence. Many such people attend church only during major holidays. 84.6% of Palmirans that consider themselves religious are Christians, 60% of which are Catholic, a number closely correlated to the population of Palmirans with ancestry from Catholic countries in Europe. Around 35% are some form of Protestant and the remaining 5% adhere to some other form of Christianity.

Catholicism was introduced to Palmira with the arrival of Spanish Jesuit missionaries in the 15th and 16th centuries. Many natives were converted and, as the native and European populations coalesced, a slight syncretic version of Catholicism was formed as pre-European native traditions were combined with the newly introduced Christian traditions. This is especially evident in the celebration of Easter, which is of higher value in Palmira as a remnant of the pre-European celebration of the spring equinox, which was perhaps the most significant holiday of pre-European native Palmirans.