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 52nd largest country at almost 500,000 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, serving as an extension of the fauna and flora of the US West Coast, especially California.

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 lightly colonized by Spain. In 1803, Palmira was occupied by the British, kickstarting 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, with a sizable military compared to its neighbors. 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.

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, though it is theorized by many indigenous historians that many tribes along the eastern coast of the island of Palmira began to show signs of developing state organization, as suggested by archeological finds of rudimentary written language and first-settler accounts of urban societies existing along the coast. However, European colonization led to the destruction of these native societies largely due to the transfer of diseases.

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. The largest individual settlement before British Occupation amounted to 7,500 thousand, 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. Many settlers viewed themselves as "Palmiros", and it also became an exonym for the settlers as well.

Early British era
After George Vancouver sent a minor expedition to map the coast of Palmira in 1791, 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 soon 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.

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.

Early 20th century
The population of Palmira grew significantly during the beginning of the 20th century, especially with the opening of the Panama Canal. 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 soon 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.

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. A massive highway super project, modeled after the Autobahn system in Germany, also helped lower unemployment significantly.

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 New Palmira Union fell into decline until 1952, when the party was disestablished. The Constitutional Democratic Party lifted the protectionist and anti-immigrant policies that led to a stagnant economy and pushed for more free trade policies. This 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. In 1976, the leftist Labour Party came into power, which reformed health care and social security, 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 [[wikipedia:Oil Crisis of 1979|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.

After winning the 1984 election, the Constitutional Democratic Party increased military expenditures that helped stimulate the economy. 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.

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 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.

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 Kalinova, 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 25 directorates. These directorates are split into counties, counties are split into municipal districts, and raions are split into municipal districts. U/C