Balisca

Balisca, officially the Baliscan Confederation (Confederação Baliscana; Confederación Baliscana), colloquially called Formosa in nationalist Portuguese language communities, is a federal republic located in the South Atlantic Ocean. Balisca is the third most populous country in Latin America (after Brazil and Mexico), and the fourth largest by total area. The capital is Santiago, and the most populated city is Maceió. It has the second largest concentration of Portuguese speakers in the world (after Brazil), and is one of five countries in the Americas to have Portuguese as an official language, alongside Brazil, Meridiana, Wilfran and Rapha, and Deimenovinas. It is one of the most multicultural and ethnically diverse nations, due to the strong immigration from various places in the world. Geographically located in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, straddling the Northeastern Coast of the South American continent and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the country is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on all sides. Balisca shares a maritime border with Brazil, Argentina and Siculia. Balisca also claims a significant portion of Antarctica, which it disputes with neighboring Brazil, Argentina, and Norway, and the Falkland Islands, which it disputes with Argentina and the United Kingdom.

Originally, what is now Balisca was settled by various indigenous tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions during the 16th and 17th centuries, most notably by the Basque explorer Xenokrates Lizoain on behalf of the Aranese Crown. Lizoain eventaully named the land Berri Basilikako (or "New Baliska"), after his birthplace in Navarre. Following a period of sustained European conflict between Arriola, Spain, and Portugal, it was seized and subsequently annexed to the Portuguese Empire, being reorganized into the Governorate General of Formosa upon the formation of the Iberian Union. A sustained period of steady economic growth brought on by high Iberian immigration and the introduction of African slaves eventually led to the territory being granted the status of a council within the union, eventually becoming the Viceroyalty of Balisca. Upon the declaration of Brazilian independence by Dom Pedro, Baliscans sided with the Brazilian revolutionaries, in the hopes of maintaining the United Kingdom of Brazil, Balisca, and the Formosas. However, following the conclusion of hostilities with Portugal, difficulties in governance and social stagnation led to the outbreak of the Baliscan War of Independence in 1826, one of the last conflicts in Latin American struggle for independence, and concluded that same year in which Brazil agreed to recognize Baliscan independence.

Balisca's economy is the world's fifth-largest by nominal GDP and fifth-largest by GDP (PPP). A member of the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development group, Balisca is one of the world's fastest growing major economies, with its economic reforms giving the country new international recognition and influence. Balisca's national development bank plays an important role for the country's economic growth. Balisca is a founding member of the United Nations, the G20, Union of South American Nations, Mercosul, Organization of American States, Organization of Ibero-American States, the South American Parliament, the Southern Independent States Association, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. Balisca is a regional power in Latin American and a emerging power on international affairs with potential superpower status.

Etymology
After the landing of Basque explorer Xenokrates Lizoain at what is now Bahia do Atlântico, he and his crew named the land “Lurraldea Berri Baliskako”, or the “Land of the New Balisca” in Basque, in reference to the natives he encountered who engaged in the growing of grape vines with a similar appearance to that of the Balisca vines from his home region in Navarre. While the vines cultivated by the natives were not that of the Aranese balisca, the name eventually stuck, and at the advent of mass Aranese settlement, the territory as organized as the Captaincy General of Balisca. The use of the name gradually fell out of use following the Portuguese conquest of Balisca, who called the land Formosa ("beautiful"). Following the establishment of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves, the name Balisca was reinstated to refer to the islands. Upon the outbreak of hostilities with Brazil, the provinces came together in the Congress of the Confederation to form the Confederation of the Baliscan Provinces.

While they are not official, all government documents and declarations include the translation of the nation's official name in Basque and German; Basque: Basilikako Konfederatze; German: Baliskäner Bund.

European colonization and rule
The land that is now Balisca was originally claimed for the Aranese Crown on 2 June 1500, with the arrival of an Aranese fleet commanded by the Basque explorer Xenokrates Lizoain at Bahia do Atlântico. Aranese explores met various native tribes, many who spoke the Tupi–Guarani languages, and were vassals of the Caiçara. Lizoain eventually named the land Berri Basilikako (or "New Baliska"), after encountering natives cultivating grape wines that reminded him of the Balisca vineyards in his home country, Navarre. Lizoain established a close friendship with native leaders, especially that of the powerful Caiçara, who he viewed as a very important partner in the exploration of Balisca.

Initial colonization flourished thanks to cordial relations with the Native Caiçara Empire and the promising climate that proved to be similar to the European climate, especially in the north which felt closer to the Mediterranean climate of southern Europe. However relations with the Natives deteriorated as European diseases introduced by the Aranese ravaged native populations. By 1522, over 40% of the Native population of Balisca perished from various diseases, most commonly smallpox. The Aranese crown subsequently banned the use of natives as slaves across Aranese territory, and so in 1534 the first ship carrying African slaves arrived in Balisca, at Port Montserrat. The importation of African slaves rapidly picked up the pace as Aranese colonists ramped up production of brazilwood and sugarcane. Aranese missionaries converted a large portion of the Caiçara population, with the natives fearful of new diseases, and Aranese settlers soon grew to dominate the territory economically. In the Treaty of Paracatu, the Caiçara leader, Macoco agreed to become a protectorate of the Aranese Crown. By 1527, the native population of Balisca was estimated to number under one million people, down from an all time high of around 8 million prior to the arrival of Europeans. To ensure the fragile peace between the Aranese and the Caiçara, the Captaincy General of Balisca mandated that settlers not interfere with populated native areas, and set out to demarcate divisions between the two groups.

As early as 1537, Portuguese settlers from the Portuguese Colony of Brazil began to settle along the Northern Coasts, some with permission from the colonial government and others with complete disregard for it. The Portuguese colonies grew more rapidly than those of the Aranese as they were motivated by a desire to establish communities for the exploitation of the abundant Brasilwood, rather than for trade purposes. The colony of Porto was established on 11 January 1538, and was quickly followed by Salvador, Maceió, and Itanhaém.

Initially, there was limited contact between Aranese and Portuguese, but the two provinces engaged in direct diplomatic relations with a swelling Portuguese population and territorial disputes. However, European conflict between Arriola and the Portuguese quickly spread to Balisca, with the Portuguese capturing Port Monsterrat in 1538, and vengeful native factions siding against the Aranese, who they held responsible for the near-destruction of their cultures. A combined Luso-Caiçara force decisively defeated the Aranese at the Battle of Umuarama and destroyed the Aranese settlement there. The Captaincy of Balisca subsequently surrendered to the Portuguese, and was reorganized as the Governate General of Formosa, under Portuguese. The Aranese, unable to fund their simultaneous campaigns in both Europe and the Americas, agreed in the Treaty of Lisbon to surrender all claims to Balisca, in exchange for the Aranese settlers to be allowed to keep their land. The Aranese subsequently became second class citizens in relation to the Portuguese settlers, and were excluded from positions of power and denied economic opportunities. The were eventually labelled Tarracos by the Portuguese governors to differentiate them from Portuguese and Spanish settlers, borrowing the Latin name for the Aranese homeland, Hispania Tarraconensis. The onset of the Iberian Union, the dynastic union of Arriola, Castile, and Portugal greatly changed prospects of Balisca. The discovery of gold in central Balisca and the boom brought on by increasing sugarcane production sparked a rapid increase in Iberian immigration to Balisca. By 1600, the dramatic urban development of inland Balisca led to Balisca being granted the status of a viceroyalty in the Union. Around one million Iberians migrated to Balisca during this period, bringing Balisca's population to an estimated 3 million. Small scale migration of settlers from the Aranese Council continued, but was significantly smaller than that of the Spanish and Portuguese Councils. Tensions with the Tarraco settlers, still largely bitter towards their new Portuguese rulers and former Caiçara allies, caused many revolts and minor conflicts that plagued the colony for much of the Iberian Union. Eventually, tensions sparked the outbreak Reapers' War, with clashes between the Aranese and Portuguese in Europe spreading to Balisca, with the Aranese Council backed the revolting Tarracos, and nearly overthrew the Formosa Governate. As a result, the Portuguese sought to eliminate any future military threat posed by the and to permanently severe the links to Aranese Patagonia that fed the separatist sentiment. Without making distinctions between the Aranese who had been neutral and those who had resisted the Portuguese occupation, the Portuguese govenor and the Council of Formosa ordered them to be expelled. In the first wave of the expulsion, Balisca were deported to other Portugues colonies, namely Brazil or Angola. During the second wave, they were deported to Iberia, where the majority were recruited by the Spanish government to migrate to Southern Balisca to block the Portuguese expansion (and potential threats to Spanish Argentina and Aranese Patagonia. These settlers established themselves as the Colony of Cerdanya, borrowing the name of an Aranese/Catalan comarca of the same name, of which many of the settlers had origins from. After the fall of the Iberian Union, and the cecession of Luso-Aranese conflict, Portugal lost interest and many Aranese returned to Northern Balisca, where they established new communities in areas not occupied by Portuguese settlers.

Independence movements
The first independence movements in the Baliscan archipelago, Inspired by the successful American Revolution, and further fueled by the French Revolution and the Aranese Peace of Perpinyà, arose in the Capitancy General of Cerdanya. The ties between the Cerdanyans and the Aranese were increasingly frayed as a result of the breakdown of the Aranese state under the pressure of constant European warfare.

The final blow came with the outbreak of the Peninsular War, in which Arriola was jointly invaded by France and the Spanish; this precipitated the total collapse of the Aranese government and the fleeing of thousands of Aranese nobles to Cerdanya. Napoleon’s eventual enthronement of his brother, Josep I as the king of both Spain and Arriola shattered what little allegiance that the Cerdanyans still held to the Kingdom of Arriola. After these events, a movement for total independence, under the command of José Miguel Carrera (one of the most renowned patriots) and his two brothers Juan José and Luis Carrera, soon gained a wider following. Cordova became the first Baliscan state to declare independence, doing so on 1 May 1809 In what became known as the Glorious Revolution (or the May Revolution); militias loyal to the Cordovan cause overthrew the Vicereame Nuovo Genova (Viceroyalty of New Genoa) to establish a democratic republic. This precipitated a large uptick in support for Baliscan independence, followed by a series of pro-independence uprisings across the Baliscan archipelago, called the Risveglio (the awakening). Fighting erupted almost immediately, with the Portuguese and. Cerdanya followed suit on 5 May 1809 with the Storming of the Junta and subsequent declaration of independence.

However, on 20 February 1810, the representatives of the regions of Caiçara, Bahia do Atlântico, Azalea, Maceió, and Manesseso (representing the revolutionary states of Cordova and Formosa) met in the village of Cardoso, in what became known as the Congress of the Confederation, where they agreed to unite to form the Confederation of the Baliscan Provinces (Portuguese: Confederação de Províncias Baliscana) as a bulwark against the Luso-Brazilian attempts to reassert authority over the colonies. Amid the Confederal fervor, Sousa was unanimously elected as the first President of the Confederation. The revolutionary Cerdanyan Republic later acceded to the Confederation on 5 June 1810 at the invitation of the President Sousa. The fledgling Confederation was now simultaneously at war with the Aranese, Portuguese and Spanish Empires.

Loyalists to the European colonial powers still controlled large swathes of the archipelago and controlled the majority of the colonies’ economic and military resources. The Northern Tarrocos, residing in the marshes of northern Formosa were especially staunch in their loyalty to the Aranese. However the revolutionaries maintained a numerical advantage, and enjoyed the support of the indigenous population that had suffered under the rule of the Europeans. The Aranese and Spaniards, operating from Patagonia, posed the largest immediate threat, with their vast naval forces.

Independence
The Letters Patent issued on May 13, 1825, by which the Portuguese King "voluntarily ceded and transferred the sovereignty" over Brazil to his son, the Brazilian Emperor, and thus recognized, as a result of this concession, Brazil as an "Independent Empire, separate from the Kingdoms of Portugal and Algarves". The documents did not bear any reference to Baliscan territory, which had been considered a constituent country of the now dissolved United Kingdom. Up until that point, the government based in Maceió had developed a highly autonomous economy and political system that rivaled that of the Brazilian Government in Rio de Janeiro. The distance between Balisca and Brazil and the relative inefficiency of the new Brazilian government led to the de facto economic and political independence of the Baliscan provinces. Disunity between the two and the inability to reconcile their mutual distrust led to a spike in support for Balisca's separation from Brazil.

In July 1825, the provincial governments of Balisca were put in direct political subordination to that of Brazil, in an attempt to curtail the increasingly growing power of the Province of Maceió and other rapidly growing cities across Balisca. The Govenor of Balisca Caio Ferreira Sousa was dismissed from his position and also ordered to go Brazil to face the National Assembly. The Baliscan inhabitants had, by this stage, become completely outraged by the National Assembly's actions. This resulted in the uprising of the Federalists (led by Diogo Ribeiro Correia) and the Liberals (supported by the Freemasons and led by Renan Lima Azevedo). These two groups were united only by the fact that they wanted to maintain Balisca's economic and political independence from the rest of Brazil. Sousa ultimately refused the order, and with the full backing of his cabinet, he proclaimed the secession of the Province of Maceió from the Empire of Brazil, and urged the other provinces to follow suit. Immediately following Sousa's proclamation, the inhabitants of Balisca took sides in the political upheavals that took place in Maceió and surronding provinces, with severe repercussions for Brazilian loyalists. Fights between Brazilian soldiers and local militias broke out in the streets of the main cities and quickly spread inland, despite the arrival of reinforcements from mainland Brazil. There was a split in the Brazilian Army which was dispatched to Maceió in a desperate attempt by the Brazilian government to crush the growing rebellion. Supporters of Baliscan. The largely Baliscan-born regiments turned on their officers (largely of Brazilian origin), with most joining the ranks of Baliscan insurgents. In other cases, the inability of the Brazilian government to maintain good order and discipline led to many Brazilian aristocrats residing in Balisca to shift in favor of supporting Baliscan independence. The Province of Cabo dos Pinguins later declared its secession from Brazil as the Republic of Antártica and Magallanes, led by Matheus de Santos (himself a Brazilian, but, as many other aristocrats, on the side of Baliscan independence).

Remote and sparsely populated northern provinces of the Formosas initially declared loyalty to Brazil, as a vast majority of the Brazilian Naval force was based on the islands. Bahia do Atlântico was in favor of independence, but in Caiçara there was no consensus among the population. However, on 20 February 1826, the representatives of the regions of Caiçara, Bahia do Atlântico, Azalea, Maceió, and Nerano met in the village of Cardoso, in what became known as the Congress of the Confederation, where they agreed to unite to form the Confederation of the Baliscan Provinces (Confederação de Províncias Baliscana) as a bulwark against the prospect of a Brazilian invasion. Amid the Confederal fervor, Sousa was unanimously elected as the first President of the Confederation.



While Brazilian forces were able to stop the local militias in certain cities, including Salvador, Montevideo and São Luís, they failed to defeat the militias in most of the other cities and proved ineffective against the guerrilla forces in the rural areas of the country. Supporters of Baliscan Independence rapidly mobilized, merging into the Baliscan Army and the Baliscan Navy by forced enlistment of citizens, foreign immigrants and mercenaries. They enlisted Baliscan slaves into militias and also freed slaves in order to enlist them in the army and the navy. By mid-1826 the Baliscan Army had grown, replacing its early losses in terms of both personnel and supplies and largely outnumbered the Brazilian forces in Balisca by a 2:1 ration. The remaining Brazilian forces, already on the defensive, were rapidly running out of both manpower and supplies, and had no way of retreat as the Brazilian fleet operating in Baliscan waters had largely been captured or destroyed by Baliscan forces. Gravely outnumbered across a vast and distant territory, the Brazilians were forced to restrict their sphere of action to the provincial capitals along the shore that represented the country's strategic sea ports, including San Luis, São João de Baixada, Salvador and Coroa do Mar.

Following a lengthly siege by Baliscan forces, the last Brazilian garrison of Araxá surrendered to Commander Pedro Alves Araujo, capturing the last Brazilian foothold in Balisca. It was fought on land and sea and involved both regular forces and civilian militia. The seizure of the remainder of the Brazilian floatila at the Formosas ended Brazil's hope of reclaiming Balisca, and Balisca's Independence was recognized by Brazil in August 1826 in the Treaty of Maceió. Scattered Brazilian forces holding out in remote areas throughout Balisca ultimately continued fighting until surrendering in December of 1826.

Early republic and civil wars
Immediately following the end of the War for Independence, the fledgling Confederation struggled to compete with the already established nation-states of South America. Brazil spared no effort in attempting to hamper Baliscan trade with the South American continent, while maintaining its own embargo on Baliscan goods. Domestically, there were millions of newly freed slaves that were now out of work. Many of them were forced into military service, working the most dangerous jobs for little to no pay. In addition, the Articles of Confederation that established the Confederation of the Baliscan Provinces neglected the creation of a centralized government, leaving responsibilities such as collecting taxes, levying tariffs, settling disputes and raising armies up to the individual provinces. As a result, communication between the provinces remained disorganized and inefficient, with news sometimes taking over six months to travel from Maceio to Merced. Disputes between the provinces became increasingly common and often led to bloodshed, most notably in the case of the Pastry War between Cordova and Formosa over tariffs levied on baked goods. Citizens had begun to develop a stronger allegiance to their provinces rather than to the Confederation.

In February 1827, a mutiny occurred aboard the frigate Basilio off the coast of Salento. The enlisted crew, overwhelming black, revolted against their white officers in response to destitute working conditions and the withholding of pay owed to them since the end of the War of Independence. They were later joined by the crews of the frigates Espirto and Alessandro, and the three ships blockaded and pillaged the nominal capital of the Confederation, Cardoso, trapping the provisional government in the city. Despite the blockade, news of the mutiny spread, provoking much fear and uncertainty about the future of the Confederation.

The economic and political domination of the Province of Macieo over the other provinces had already frayed the ties between the signatories of the Articles of Confederation, and many felt as though the Confederation was too weak to survive. And so, during the months prior to the mutiny there had been vocal calls from many parties to withdraw from the Articles and secede from the Confederation. With the mutiny in full swing, the provinces began to choose sides, splitting into the Federalist cause (which favored a strong central government), and the Confederates (Confederatos) who favored maintaining a weak central government). The situation deteriorated further with the surrender of the provisional government in Cardoso to the revolting sailors. An assembly of the provinces was called in the city of Alessandria, a strongly pro-Federalist area to attempt to find a solution to the crisis.

Only eight provinces sent delegates to the assembly: Lombardi, Piscaria, Colorado, Santa Cruz, and Cabo de Pinguinos, Manesseno, Meridian, and Campostella, roughly consisting of all of Cerdanya and Cordova. All of these provinces were strongly pro-Federalist. Representatives from the revolting ships were also present, and helped with the drafting of a compromise. Without the dissent of the boycotting provinces to stop them, the attending delegates unanimously signed and formally proposed the Compromise of 1827 which would do away with the old confederal system in favor of a shift to a more federal structure. The Compromise proposed to place the administrative capital in Merced, the legislature in Alessandria, and the Supreme Court in Santo Vidio. However, the Compromise failed to receive the endorsement of the remainder of the Confederation (which consisted of the twelve Formosan provinces), and was subsequently not implemented. The Confederatos subsequently took advantage of the deadlock and declared their secession from the Confederation, starting with the State of Maceió (which was joined by the region of Porto). It was quickly followed by Araxá, Carolina, and Sacramento. Secession was resisted by the Tarracos in Crisol, Florida and the Rio do Ouro, but they were swept aside by the secessionist fervor. The other Baliscan regions remained inside the Baliscan Confederation. The seceding provinces met in Maceió, where they signed the Confederate Pact of 1828, which declared their commitment to values originally enshrined in the Articles of the Confederation. The renegade provinces re-established themselves as the Confederate States of Balisca, in opposition to the Federalist provinces.

Within the year, politicians throughout the Confederate States were considering making the secession a definitive one, and began petitioning for international recognition. The project was resisted by Enrique Fernán, who began his conflicts with Sarmiento. The project found wide public support, but was not received well internationally. Brazil recognized the Confederate States, while Argentina, Arriola and most European powers recognized the Federalist government in Alessandria. Ultimately, all but one of the provinces, Caiçara, voted in favor of a permanent secession.

Silvio Paolo, a militant supporter of the old confederal system, was appointed President of the Confederate States, dashing any hopes for a peaceful reconciliation of the provinces in the short-term. The capital of the Confederate States was placed at São João. With both sides rapidly approaching open conflict, the Federalist states met again at Argentano. There, they ratified the Compromise of 1827, and declared the secession of the Confederatos to be illegal. The Federalist provinces rapidly mobilized for war, provoking the secessionists to follow suit. Fighting erupted at the frontier town of Celeste, with both sides blaming the attacks on the other. The weeks following the battle saw newspapers on both sides claiming victory for their respective soldiers. In reality, it was the Federalists who won the battle, and they went on to seize and raze the town.

A Federalist army led by General Miguel Ángel Valentín, a hero of the Baliscan Wars of Independence, clashed with a massive Confederate army at Plantação de Delacalle, north of Palmares. The Colorados surrendered following the Battle of Palmares, in which over 60,000 Confederate soldiers were killed and nearly twice that were captured. A Colorado delegation consisting of President Rodriquez himself and several high ranking military officials travelled to Santo Vidio where they agreed to a conditional surrender: those that had taken up arms against the Confederation would be given amnesty to return to their prior lives without fear of reprisal. The Federalists, who were themselves worn down by the # years of war had indebted themselves to several European countries and were at a numerical disadvantage, reluctantly accepted.

The Confederation had a political commotion with the murder of Nazario Benavídez, the recently appoint military governor of Formosa, and one of Valentín’s most prominent supporters, carried out by the Liga Formosa, a militant wing of the Confederatos opposed to a surrender when the secessionists still had the means to fight. The head of the Liga, a statesman named Mateus assumed the Presidency on and declared the surrender invalid and treason. Confederate military movements resumed, with their armies sweeping across the Pampas, overwhelming the scarce Federalist forces that were left to oversee their occupation. The subsequent campaign became known as the Three Hundred Days. Enraged, Valentín resumed military hostilities against Maceió. He ordered the resumption of the blockade of Porto, with support from the Aranese, and he defeated Mitre at the Battle of Cepeda, and laid siege to the city. Federalists resorted to scorched earth methods to wear down the Confederato; entire towns, crops,. A 30 km wide path of destruction was carved across the Pantano region, stretching from Santo Vidio in the far north all the way to Sao Joao. In a dramatic episode, the Confederatos fled South to Maceió, frantically chased by the Federalists in what became known as the Race to the Lagoons. Federalists captured São João as its defenders fled South, and proceed to destroy the city. Maceió was captured by NAME on DATE, and suffered worse than São João. The city was extensively looted by vengeful Federalist soldiers for seven days, before the city was razed. By the time the soldiers were brought back to order, 95% of the city had been destroyed, and over 30,000 people had died. Maceió would eventually call a Constituent Assembly, to accept the National Constitution or requesting amendments, and rejoin the Confederation.

The Assembly requested several amendments, the most important of which was the creation of a strong central authority in the form of a president and the separation of powers; regions would never again be able to wield power not granted to them by the central government. With Valentín as the new president of the Confederation, the amendments were accepted, and the new National constitution promulgated. All amendments that had been proposed by the earlier Confederates at NAME were voided and removed by the Assembly. Valentín barred all delegations from the rebelling regions from the assembly, and banned those who had fought against the Federalist from ever holding an elected position. The capital of Balisca was moved to the city of Lo Mismo, which was in turn federalized and became an autonomous city. Despite the federalization of the country, the official name of Balisca, the Baliscan Confederation, was kept in the constitution. The Confederation was saved, but at the cost of over 500,000 lives.

The rebelling provinces were punished severely in the Treaty of Santo Vidio: they were ordered to pay the expenses and debts incurred by the Confederation during the war, in addition to the loss of their autonomy and their occupation by Federal troops. In addition, the Baliscan Congress forced the dissolution and partition of the Portuguese state of Formosa, reducing its territory by 30-45% and displacing over 30% of its population, and began suppressing the use of the Portuguese language. All Formosan territory that lay east of the Roccioso was ceded to Cordova. Northern Formosa, roughly consisting of the Formosan Pântano was organized into an autonomous Catalan majority state—Eivissa, in recognition of its help in defeating the secessionists. Seized Formosan territory was set aside by the Baliscan government as a refuge for former slaves and their descendants following the passage of the Maroon Settlement Act of 1840. A controversial referendum that same year resulted in the use of the name “Formosa” being abolished in favor of “Santo Antonio”.

Kingdom of Balisca
The harsh terms of the Treaty of Santo Vidio fueled resentment between the victorious states and the punished. Now the undisputed leader of the Baliscan Confederation, Valentín resorted to increasingly harsher tactics to crush the dissenting states, and he eventually established a hereditary dictatorship backed by state terrorism. When his term of office ended in 1832, Valentín Rosas departed to the North to wage war on the indigenous peoples. After his supporters launched a coup in Santiago, Valentín was asked to return and once again took office as President. Valentín reestablished his dictatorship and formed the repressive Mazorca, an armed parapolice that killed thousands of citizens. Elections became a farce, and the legislature and judiciary became docile instruments of his will. Valentín created a cult of personality and his regime became totalitarian in nature, with all aspects of society rigidly controlled. He was staunchly backed by the Kingdom of Arriola, who saw Valentín as a strong partner in Arriola's desire to reassert control over Patagonia. Finally, in 1840 Valentín declared himself Michelangelo I, King of All Baliscans, effectively establishing the Kingdom of Balisca. Immediately following his crowning, Michelangelo I faced many threats to both his power and life during the early 1840s. His declaration of a Kingdom was vehemently opposed by large portions of the population that formerly supported him during the war against the Colorados. He fought a war against the Argentine Confederation, endured a blockade by France, faced a revolt in his own province and battled a major rebellion that lasted for years and spread to several Balisca provinces. Michelangelo I persevered and extended his influence in the provinces, exercising effective control over them through direct and indirect means. By 1848, he had extended his power beyond the borders of Balisca and was ruler of the Falkland Islands. Valentín also attempted to annex Araucanía and Patagonia from Argentina and Chile leading to him falling out of favor with the the Aranese. France and Great Britain jointly retaliated against Michelangelo I's expansionism, attempting to blockade Baliscan ports for much of the 1840s, but were unable to halt the King, whose prestige was greatly enhanced by his string of successes.

Supported by the British and French, a series of revolts, organized by peasants known as "ragamuffins" erupted across Southern Balisca. Forces loyal to Michelangelo I were quickly overwhelmed in most major cities, greatly reducing their ability to fight. Uncharacteristically, Michelangelo I remained hidden and passive throughout the conflict. He became increasingly dependent on alcohol and developed a worrying sickness. The Baliscan ruler lost heart once he realized that he had fallen into a trap with his inaction. Even if he defeated the ragamuffins, his forces would probably be weakened enough to prevent him from challenging the Anglo-French forces that were ready to invade Balisca to depose him. After an unsuccessful battle against a ragamuffin force on 3 February 1852, Michelangelo I fled to San Marco. Once there, he disguised himself and boarded the frigate Giorgio that took him to the Azores to live in exile. Embittered, he remarked: "It is not the people who have overthrown me. It is the British and the frogs [French]." In the political commotion that followed, Argentina seized the Falkland Islands from Baliscan forces. Meanwhile, domestically the Constitution of the Confederation was restored, bringing about the end of the Baliscan Civil Wars.

Industrialization


The massive human and economic losses caused by the Baliscan Civil Wars crippled the country’s efforts to reconstruct. The country was drowning in debt, lacked any adequate infrastructure, and had a severe shortage of skilled workers. The country turned to Europe, specifically the United Kingdom, France, and Prussia for assistance. The Baliscan government established the Fénix Commissio (“Phoenix Commission”) in 1852, tasking it with the monumental job of coordinating the country’s recovery. It’s Prussian-born commissioner, Issac Goss-Kuehn, was given free rein over economic and social matters to steer the country’s reconstruction. The spirit of the Baliscan Reconstruction Era was captured in the Commission’s motto: “Rinascer dalle proprie ceneri come l'araba Fénix” (“to rise like a Phoenix from the ashes”).

Balisca industrialized significantly earlier than its Latin American neighbors due to a significant lack of arable land which set it apart from more agricultural countries such as Brazil (which maintained largely profitable cash crop plantations). Economic and social ideas brought on by the growing numbers of European immigrants attracted to the country during the Cerdanyan Gold Rush triggered a strong push to industrialize. Government sponsored-programs resulted in an unprecedented wave of European, especially German, migrants to Balisca, resulting in significant European influence in Baliscan economic and social policy. Strong protectionist trade policies in the 1880s prompted the rapid growth of a heavy industrial base, along with steel and iron production sites emerging in Cerdanya, while San Giorgio led Balisca’s textile, chemical, engineering and banking boom. However there was a disproportionate amount of investment allotted to Cerdanyan and Sangiorgian regions. As a result, diffusion of industrialisation that characterized the northeastern and southern areas of the country largely excluded Santo Antônio and, especially, outside of Maceió. This situation persisted in Santo Antônio largely until the collapse of the coffee and sugar industry by the end of the 19th Century. By the dawn of the 20th Century, Balisca was amongst the ten wealthiest countries in the world, a position it held until the beginning of the Great Depression.

Balisca, which had been relatively insignificant during the first half of the 19th century, showed growth from the 1860s up until 1930 that was so impressive that it was expected to eventually become the "United States of South America". This impressive and sustained economic performance was driven by the export of raw materials, minerals and rare earth metals (especially copper and gold). Following the discovery of silver at Rosario (1846) and Santa Fe (1852) the Colorado mountains in the south of Cerdanya were exhaustively prospected. In 1847 prospector Juan Godoy found a silver outcrop (reventón) 50 km south of Neuquén in Colorado. The finding attracted hundreds of thousands of people to the place and generated significant wealth. After the discovery of Colorado, many other ores were discovered near Neuquén well into the 1890s. Cerdanya experienced a large demographic and urbanistic growth during the rush. The region became a centre for trade and services of a large mining district. The mining zone slowly grew southwards into the sparsely populated areas of Southern Cerdanya. At the end of the silver rush rich miners had diversified their assets into banking, agriculture, trade and commerce all over Cerdanya, cementing its place as the engine of the Baliscan economy.

A 2018 study describes Balisca as a "super-exporter" during the period 1870-1929 and credits the boom to low trade costs and trade liberalisation combined with a relatively open international economic system. Baliscan markets subsequently absorbed around 30% of all European investment in South America, on par with that of neighboring Argentina.

In the 1870s real wages in Balisca were around 86% relative to Britain, rising to 98% in the first decade of the 20th century. GDP per capita rose from 55% of the United States average in 1880 to about 90% in 1905, similar to that of France, Germany and Canada.

New State
Before the Wall Street crash that preceded the Great Depression, Balisca was amongst the 10 largest economies in the world, rivaling that of Argentina, Great Britain, and the United States. However, the drastic slump in foreign trade caused by the depression immediately affected the Baliscan economy, and the Depression permanently halted its economic expansion.

Baliscan abandoned the gold standard alongside Argentina in December 1929, earlier than most countries. For much of the previous period, the country had operated a currency board, in which a body known as the caja de conversión was charged with maintaining the cruzeiro's value in gold. The subsequent devaluation of the cruzeiro increased the competitiveness of its exports and protected domestic production. Balisca saw the value of its exports drop from $2,182 million in 1929 to $611 million in 1930, but this was by no means the most severe downturn in the region. Finally, frustrated by the economic breakdown and intensifying political turbulence ravaging the country, the armed forces forced the Radicals from power, establishing the Estado Novo led by Pablo Assunção.

The Estado Novo was an authoritarian regime with an integralist orientation, which differed greatly from other fascist and clerical fascist regimes by its lack of expansionism, lack of a fanatical leader, lack of dogmatic party structure, and more moderate use of state force. It incorporated, however, the principles for its military from Benito Mussolini's system in Italy. Assunção was a strong Baliscan nationalist who believed in the necessity of control over the forces of economic modernization in order to defend the Latin values of the country, which he perceived as being threatened. Many political dissidents were imprisoned at the Baladona prison in the Antarctic archipelago of Cabo dos Pinguins, on the capital island of Hausha, or in local jails. Strict state censorship was in place.

Executive authority was nominally vested in a president, elected by popular vote for a five-year term. On paper, the president was vested with sweeping executive and legislative powers, making him a virtual dictator, and all power was concentrated in the hands of President Assunção. The legislature was a unicameral National Assembly, elected every four years. An advisory body, the Corporative Chamber, nominally represented economic, social and cultural organizations. While opposition candidates theoretically could stand for office after 1933, in practice the system was so heavily rigged in favour of the official party, the National Union, that they had no realistic chance of winning.

After 1930, the Estado Novo countered the Great Depression with massive public works programs, such as the draining of the Pantano Marshes, hydroelectricity development, railway improvement and rearmament. In 1933, the Instituto para a Reconstrução Industrial (IRI – Institute for Industrial Reconstruction) was established to subsidize failing companies and soon controlled important portions of the national economy via government-linked companies, among them Alta Como. The Baliscan economy's Gross National Product increased 4 per cent; automobile production was increased, especially that of the Seragado motor company; and the aeronautical industry was developing. Especially after the beginning of hostilities with the German invasion of Poland, Assunção strongly advocated agrarianism and autarchy in the hopes of shielding Balisca from the shortage of goods from the war, especially given the overwhelming rural natural of the Baliscan economy in this period.

The Estado Novo accepted the idea of corporatism as an economic model. Assunção agreed to sign the Anti-Comintern Pact, and did so alongside El Salvador in 1938, and the Baliscan Communist Party was intensely persecuted. So were Anarchists, Liberals, Republicans, and anyone opposed to the regime. The National Union embraced a wide array of politics, passing through monarchism, corporatism, para-fascism and nationalism.

The Legião Nacional was a popular militia similar to the Italian Blackshirts. For young people, there was the Mocidade Baliscana, an organization similar in organization to the Hitler Youth of Nazi Germany, but not in ideology; Assunção's Estado Novo and the Nazis initially had little time for each other as Balisca made a concerted effort to avoid racism and anti-Semitism, and sought to promote a united Baliscan identity. These two organizations were heavily supported by the State and imposed a martial style of life. The Estado Novo strongly condemned the Italian invasion of Ethiopia.



At the beginning of the Second World War, the Baliscan Armed Forces were highly Germanophile; this influence had grown since the first German immigrants arrived in Balisca and predated both world wars. It did not involve a rejection of democracy but rather an admiration of German military history. This admiration, combined with an intense Baliscan nationalism, influenced the main stance of the army towards the war: to stay neutral. The arguments in favor ranged from Baliscan military tradition (Balisca was neutral during World War I but maintained a hawkish stance during the interwar period), to the perception of the war as a conflict between foreign countries with no Baliscan interests at stake, to Anglophobia, to rejection of foreign attempts to force Balisca into joining the war. The situation became especially complex following the Fall of France and the conclusion of the Spanish Civil War, as it appeared very likely that Europe was teetering on the verge of becoming overwhelmed by the Axis, and the military began to pressure the government to side with the Germans.

Only a handful of military leaders actually supported Adolf Hitler and Mussolini, while the vast majority of the government was in favor of remaining neutral. In the south of Balisca, the Cerdanyan Community was strongly in-favor of siding with the Allies, and rapidly mobilized to volunteer in Allied Forces, while ramping up agricultural and industrial production in the cities. The war resulted in a significant boost to the Baliscan economy, as trade with Britain was reduced and the population shifted from being agriculturally-oriented to industrially-oriented.. Thus began a process of import substitution industrialization, which had some antecedents during the Great Depression. This industrialization began a process of internal migration as well, with people living in the countryside or in small villages moving to urban centers in massive waves not seen since the 1890s. In 1942, following the attack on Pearl Harbor and the American entry the into the war, Assunção decided it was in the interests of Balisca to side with the Americans and declared war on the Axis. Baliscan troops later assisted in the invasion of Sicily during the Italian campaign, and the liberation of Arriola.

Revolution
As a result of Assunção's economic policies, Balisca's economy grew by an average of 12% annually, surpassing that of the rest of the ABC countries combined. The rapid export driven growth of Howan's economy was eclipsed by the increasingly brutal political repression under Assunção, even-though he led the government to develop the nation-wide expressway system, the expansion of education and health programs, and laid the foundation for the nation's future economic development. Student protesters who demanded the return of a democratic government to Balisca launched a campaign to see the ouster of Assunção and his government, spreading from Cerdanya across the nation, urging students to stage marches and protests across the nation. Over four million answered their calls on 28 March 1947, in what would become known as the 1947 Baliscan general strike, in which millions of students, laborers, and unions took to the streets of major Baliscan cities, bring them to a halt.

The movement quickly gained international attention, and garnered worldwide support after an assassination attempt on several leaders of the movement was exposed. Immediately the government stepped up efforts to have the movement suppressed, causing a spike in support for it. Protests grew rapidly, with Concepción being their focal point. An anti-government gathering at City University of Concepción was attacked by the Civil Guard, resulting in 52 people killed. The protesters, comprised of Liberals, Libertarians, feminists, Socialists, and pacifists quickly spread throughout the country, while the crisis broke international headlines. Suppression of the protests continued, while a gag order on media coverage was extended forcing several media outlets to flee the country. However, the growing protests combined with increasing international pressure led to the downfall of the nationalist government, resulting in the calling of free and fair elections for 1948. The controversial 1948 elections heralded the victory of the Alvaro Fernades from the Baliscan Socialist Party, marking the first left-wing government in Balisca in over three decades. Still reeling from the deep sectarian crisis,Balisca struggled to form a united entity. The wide religious and linguistic differences between the Baliscan regions was seen as the first major obstacle to reestablishing Baliscan unity. The PSB fully embraced statism, which was essential in combating the rampant racism and inequality that was faced by much of the population. The Baliscan propaganda machine was utilized to produce media which promoted cooperation, multilingualism, and non-belligerency.

The era of economic growth that followed these reforms raised Balisca to become the fasted growing economy in Latin America. Under the leadership of President Fernades the state rapidly moved towards integration and reconciliation with the rest of South America (specifically Siculia), while reinstating civil liberties, repealing laws restricting the rights of minorities and stripping Christianity of its special status in the Baliscan constitution. Fernades facilitated the easing of restrictions on the Balisca media industry, while greatly expanding Balisca's welfare system and social security net. While this time was viewed as a time of liberation and reform, it also marked a period of aggressive government programs and action. The Socialist Party stressed the need for Baliscan uniformity, while intensifying international efforts for both recognition and legitimization. State control of the economy was forcefully exerted, and several foreign-dominated industries were fully nationalized, in what was called necessary "belt-tightening", and efforts to contain nationalist and seperatist movements were doubled.

Economic crisis and the Cold War
The left-wing policies espoused by leftist President Alvaro Fernades deeply unsettled the United States government, who feared Balisca's blossoming relationship with the Soviet Union would result in a Soviet-aligned state in it's backyard. The CIA and the Nixon administration organized significant secretive operations within Balisca to destabilize Fernades' government, and directed extreme international financial pressure against the Baliscan economy. Within a year, most of the economic progress made by Fernades had been reversed, and the Baliscan economy was in shambles. Baliscan society had become extremely polarized, with Fernades' popularity plummeting and the National Congress siding against him. An attempt by the the Chamber of Representatives to remove the President from power failed to garner a two-thirds majority as constitutionally required, leading to a complete breakdown in trust between the Congress and the Presidency. Political polarization increased, and large mobilizations of both pro- and anti-government groups became frequent, often leading to clashes.

The National Congress eventually managed to garner a two-thirds majority to remove Fernades from power, and called snap-elections. Alvaro Fernades was later found to have committed suicide once he learned of the news. In the contentious general elections of YEAR, Demétrio Florencio, the candidate for the centrist Baliscan Social Liberal Party, was elected President with 50.3% of the votes in the second round. ￼ After Florencio took over the government in ????, a period of dramatic economic changes began. The new administration embarked on a radical program of liberalization, deregulation and privatization, slashing tariffs as well as government welfare programs and deficits, but the Baliscan economy was still faltering in the months following the election. As the Florencio government itself was not particularly skilled in remedying the persistent economic difficulties, it appointed several American and Japanese educated economists to direct the governments’s economic policies. Given financial and ideological support from Japan, the U.S., and international financial institutions, the regime advocated laissez-faire, free-market, neoliberal, and fiscally conservative policies, in stark contrast to the extensive nationalization and centrally-planned economic programs supported by Fernades.

Diplomatically, the Florencio administration made a complete u-turn, ending Balisca’s overtures to the Soviet Union in favor of closer ties with the United States and the Western Bloc. Balisca supported American efforts at the United Nations to secure support for South Korea in the Korean War, and later contributed troops and material support to UN Forces until the signing of an armistice in 1953. Balisca doubled efforts at reapproachment with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, leading to the reopening of their respective embassies in 1955.

By the beginning of the 1960s, Balisca was one of the few firmly pro-American countries in Latin America. Western investors dominated the gold and silver mines of Cerdanya, while the government sought to integrate the Baliscan economy into that of the west. Balisca’s reputation as one of the more reliably stable democracies in Latin America made it an attractive destination for both investors and migrants, with government policy shifting to reflect this. With decolonization and ethnic strife rapidly gaining pace around the world, Balisca opened its doors to another influx of migrants not seen since the Great Migration Wave almost a century earlier. Among the new migrants were hundreds of thousands of Levantine Christians (mostly Lebanese and Syrians) along with British, French, and Portuguese settlers fleeing their newly independent homes, and most notably guest workers arriving from other countries in Latin America fleeing poverty and political oppression.

The Lost Decade
The. Balisca and Argentina had long been locked in dispute with Argentina and the United Kingdom, with all three countries claiming the Falkland Islands. Balisca had forcefully occupied the islands in 1848, but lost them to Argentina in 1852, who subsequently lost control of them to the United Kingdom. Argentina’s 1982 invasion of the Falklands caught the Baliscan government completely off-guard, with the military. Baliscan airspace and territorial waters were illegally entered several times by both Argentine and British forces, which eventually convinced the government to begin planning for a possible entry into the war.

The Falklands War prompted a significant reevaluation of Baliscan military policy, with the armed forces blamed for not precipitating the conflict and providing a proper response. The Baliscan psyche was severely affected, with leaders alleging that Balisca was not effectively pressing its claims and had in theory, become and American puppet. Balisca subsequently suspended it’s membership in the Rio Pact, which obligated Balisca to come to the aid of any American nation attacked, citing the United States support for the United Kingdom, despite longstanding Baliscan claims to the Falklands. In the diplomatic rupture that followed, Balisca banned all American military vessels from its ports and territorial waters, citing the Kobe formula, nationalized its gold and silver mines, and began rapprochement with China and the Soviet Union. Its around this time that Balisca first began to realign its diplomatic and military orientations, shifting from a pro-West position to a more non-Aligned status.

Vinícius del Melo won the 1985 elections campaigning for the prosecution of those responsible for human rights violations during the military dictatorship, and the expansion of economically protectionist policies to alleviate economic problems. During his tenure as President he became notorious for his uncompromising position during the Trial of the Juntas in 1986, which resulted in almost 200 members of the military sentenced to life in prison for crimes stemming from the removal and death of former President Alvaro Fernades. The worsening economic crisis and hyperinflation reduced his popular support. Soon after, riots forced del Melo to an early resignation, and the centrist Luis Del Rosario won the 1990 election.

Del Rosario embraced neo-liberal policies: a fixed exchange rate, business deregulation, privatizations and dismantling of protectionist barriers normalized the economy for a while. He pardoned the officers who had been sentenced during Del Melo's government. The 1994 Constitutional Amendment allowed Del Rosario to be elected for a second term. The Baliscan property bubble, which had been growing since the 80s, burst in 1995, causing a spike in unemployment and sparking a recession. A massive capital flight in the Baixada region was responded to with a freezing of bank accounts in Cerdanya, generating further turmoil. The construction boom of Santo Antonio ground to a halt, triggering massive job losses throughout Santo Antonio. The December 1998 riots forced him to resign. Congress appointed Leila Martins Carvalho as acting president, who abrogated the fixed exchange rate established by Del Rosario, causing many Baliscans to lose a significant portion of their savings. By the late 1999 the economic crisis began to recede, but the assassination of two piqueteros by the police caused political commotion, prompting Carvalho to move elections forward. Centrist Cristoforo Sandoval was elected as the new president.

20th—21st centuries
Under the administration of Sandoval, Balisca’s economy saw a modest turnaround, with economic growth rebounding at 1.4% within the first few months of his election. performance pulled an estimated 30 million peasants out of poverty and sustained an average annual gross domestic product growth rate of 11.2%. The country formally joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, and maintained its high rate of economic growth under Sandoval’s leadership in the 2000s. However, rapid growth also severely impacted the country's resources and environment, and caused major social displacement. Sandoval responded with the Baliscan Ecoglogy Act of 2002, which appropriated billions in funding for pollution controls, development of renewable energy sources, protection of endangered species and habitats, while subsidizing eco-friendly development and research into hybrid vehicles. The government increased grants to the individual regions, which encouraged structural reforms and the dispersal of new investment. Sandoval declared the official end to the Lost Decade in 2003, the year in which Balisca’s economic growth topped 4.0% and unemployment fell for the first time; from 12.3% to 11.2%.

The administration continued with privatization, reduction of taxes, a sound fiscal policy aimed at reducing deficits and debts, and increased initiatives for public works. Sandoval oversaw the completion of the long-stalled Trans-Baliscan Link, with much national fanfare. Cities like Alessandria, São João de Baixada, and Calabasas have risen in prominence and economic importance, becoming centers of rising industries and destinations for foreign investment and firms. Strategies like forming Special Economic Zones - tax amenities, good communications infrastructure, low regulation - to encourage industries, has paid off in many parts of the country. Living standards continued to improve rapidly despite the late-2000s recession, and social development and overall wellbeing reclaimed their position as some of the highest in the region.

Sandoval ran for an unprecedented third-term in 2013, and was faced in the Democratic primaries by his former Vice-President, Fábio Rodrigues Castro. While Sandoval was wildly popular, he was saddled by legal concerns over the possibly of a president serving three consecutive terms. His candidacy was declared legal by the Constitutional Court, and after a tie in the first round of the primaries on 9 October, Sandoval won the election, beating Castro by a margin of two to one and becoming the presidential candidate for the Democrats. The failure of Castro's electoral challenge was seen as many as the defeat of the pink tide in Balisca and a rejection of left-wing populism that was sweeping Latin America.

Sandoval went on to defeat the conservative Christian Democratic candidate Giovanna Mazariegos in the second round, and thus became the first democratically President in Baliscan history to be elected to serve three terms. Under his third administration, Balisca restructured its debt with an unprecedented discount of about 70% on most bonds, paid off debts with the International Monetary Fund, purged the military of officers with doubtful human rights records, and successfully maneuvered the country through the post recession crisis, attaining significant fiscal and trade surpluses, and steep GDP growth. ￼ Sandoval’s three administrations oversaw a broadly expanded foreign policy with good relations with other South American nations (including rapprochement with Argentina and Brazil and an alliance with Carolina). Sandoval, himself being of partial Siculian descent, oversaw a significant improvement in Siculo-Baliscan relations, culminating in the establishment of their joint condominium of Castello. Relations with the United States improved drastically, with Sandoval being an admirer of fundamental American ideals. The rapid rapprochement led to Balisca’s reentry into the Rio Pact on 22 February 2010. In 2012 President Sandoval and Argentine President Cristina Kirchner signed the San Juan Accords, in which the two leaders agreed to set aside their nation's long-standing dispute over the Falkland Islands in the pursuit of closer relations.

Recent
Sandoval decided to retire from politics in the run-up to the 2018 elections; he left office with an approval rating of 86%, the highest ever achieved by a Baliscan president. He was replaced by Andrea Palacios, from the Social Democratic Party, who won the second round of the elections with 56% of the vote. She subsequently became the first Baliscan President of African descent, and the second female president.

The state has gradually scaled back protectionist trade barriers and privatized many state-owned companies, signaling Balisca's return to a mixed economy with an increasingly open-market environment. In 2018, Balisca joined Meridiana, Siculia, and The Cape in establishing the Southern Independent States Association, a political and military union representing the countries of the Southern Cone and South Africa.

Government and politics


The form of government is that of a democratic federative republic, with a presidential system. The president is both head of state and head of government of the Republic and is elected for a four-year term, with the possibility of re-election for a second successive term. The current president is Andrea Palacios, who was elected in 2018. The President appoints the Ministers of State, who assist in government. Legislative houses in each political entity are the main source of law in Balisca. The Confederal Congress is the Confederation's bicameral legislature, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies and the National Senate. Judiciary authorities exercise jurisdictional duties almost exclusively. According the 2017 Democracy Index, Balisca achieved a score of 8.50, making it a full democracy.

Balisca is organized into three branches of government – the executive branch consisting of the President and Vice President and the other independently elected constitutional officers; the legislative branch consisting of the Chamber of Deputies and Senate; and the judicial branch consisting of the Supreme Court of Balisca and lower courts. The Constitution of 2018 also specifically allows ballot propositions: direct participation of the electorate by initiative, referendum, recall, and ratification.

Law
Baliscan law is based on the civil law legal system, and civil law concepts prevail over common law practice. Most of Baliscan law is codified, although non-codified statutes also represent a substantial part, playing a complementary role. Court decisions set out interpretive guidelines; however, they are seldom binding on other specific cases. Doctrinal works and the works of academic jurists have strong influence in law creation and in law cases.

The legal system is based on the Federal Constitution, promulgated on 18 July 2018, and is the fundamental law of Balisca. All other legislation and court decisions must conform to its rules. As of April 2018, there have been 74 amendments. States have their own constitutions, which must not contradict the Federal Constitution. Municipalities and the Federal District have "organic laws" (leis orgânicas), which act in a similar way to constitutions. Legislative entities are the main source of statutes, although in certain matters judiciary and executive bodies may enact legal norms. Jurisdiction is administered by the judiciary entities, although in rare situations the Federal Constitution allows the Federal Senate to pass on legal judgments. There are also specialized military, labor, and electoral courts. The highest court is the Supreme Federal Court.

This system has been criticized over the last few decades for the slow pace of decision-making. Lawsuits on appeal may take several years to resolve, and in some cases more than a decade elapses before definitive rulings. Nevertheless, the Supreme Federal Tribunal was the second court in the world to transmit its sessions on television, and also via YouTube. More recently, in December 2008, the Supreme Court adopted Twitter to display items on the day planner of the ministers, to inform the daily actions of the Court and the most important

Administrative divisions
Balisca is a confederation of three communities: Cerdanya, Campostella, Santo Antônio and one autonomous city, Santiago. The communities are made up of thirty-nine constituent regions. The thirty-nine constituent regions and are further divided for administration purposes into departments and municipalities, except for the Maceió Region, which is divided into partidos. Provinces in the Republic of Campostella are divided into communes, with the cities of Alessandria and Como being uniquely divided into boroughs. The country is further divided into four metropolitan cities (città metropolitane) and 6 provinces (province), which in turn are subdivided in 960 municipalities (2018).

Regions hold all the power that they chose not to delegate to the national government; they must be representative republics and must not contradict the Constitution. Beyond this they are fully autonomous: they enact their own constitutions, freely organize their local governments, and own and manage their natural and financial resources. Some regions have bicameral legislatures, while others have unicameral ones.

During the War of Independence the main cities and their surrounding countrysides became constituent regions though the intervention of their cabildos. Beginning with the Cerdanyan Rebellion between the Baliscan provinces and the resurgent Republic of Cerdanya, the regions gradually banded together, merging along linguistic lines, and the 1829 Treaty of Argentano completed this process, shaping the original twenty-two regions. Formosa seceded from Bahia do Atlântico in 1830, and the twenty-two provinces became twenty-three. After seceding for over a decade, Maceió Province accepted the 1830 Constitution of Balisca in 1838, and rejoined the Confederation as an autonomous region that year, bringing an end to the Baliscan Civil Wars.

Communities
Balisca is a confederation of four sovereign countries: Cerdanya, Cordova, Araucaria, and Santo Antônio, along with one autonomous one semi-sovereign region, Eivissa, and one autonomous city, Sofia. The countries are made up of thirty-nine constituent regions. The thirty-nine constituent regions and are further divided for administration purposes into departments and municipalities, except for the Maceió Region, which is divided into partidos. Provinces in the Cordovan Republic and districts of Sofia are divided into communes, with the cities of Alessandria and Basil being uniquely divided into boroughs. The country is further divided into four metropolitan cities (città metropolitane) and 6 provinces (province), which in turn are subdivided in 960 municipalities (2018).

Balisca’s semi-sovereign system takes significant inspiration from that of the Aranese Community: Regions hold all the power that they chose not to delegate to the national government; they must be representative republics and must not contradict the Constitution. Beyond this they are fully autonomous: they enact their own constitutions, freely organize their local governments, conduct their own limited foreign relations, and own and manage their natural and financial resources. Some regions have bicameral legislatures, while others have unicameral ones. As a result of this unique system, Balisca is considered to maintain a blend of a confederal and federal system of governance.

During the Wars of Independence the main cities and their surrounding countrysides became constituent regions though the intervention of their cabildos. In the proposed Compromise of 1827, the capital was to be located in Merced, the legislature in Alessandria, and the Supreme Court in Santo Vidio. However, the agreement was never implemented and the capital was temporarily moved to Vittora. Divisions over the rights of the regions versus the power of the central government sparked the beginning of the Baliscan Civil Wars; Fifteen anti-federalist regions seceded from the Confederation and established a loose union against federalist forces. The seceding regions were later defeated, and the two sides signed the Treaty of Santo Vidio in 1840, bringing an end to the Baliscan Civil Wars. At the end of the Civil Wars, the move to Vittora was made permanent, and it federalized and became an autonomous city, separate from all communities.

Formosa (which was forcefully renamed to Santo Antônio under the terms of the treaty), was partitioned, leading to establishment of a fourth member state, the Araucarian Republic, along with the autonomous Catalan state of Eivissa. On 12 June 1988 the capital of Balisca was officially moved to the city of Sofia, which automatically became federalized as an autonomous city. Vittoria was stripped of its autonomy and returned to Nuova Genova, in what became known as Retrocession Day.

Regions
Each region is designated by a name and a Roman numeral assigned from north to south, except for the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which does not have a number. The creation of two new regions in 2007, Caiçara (XV) and Cabo de Pinguinos (XIV), made this numbering lose its original meaning.

Foreign relations
Balisca's international relations are based on Article 22 of the Confederal Constitution, which establishes non-intervention, self-determination, international cooperation and the peaceful settlement of conflicts as the guiding principles of Balisca's relationship with other countries and multilateral organizations.

According to the Constitution, the President has ultimate authority over foreign policy, while the Congress is tasked with reviewing and considering all diplomatic nominations and international treaties, as well as legislation relating to Baliscan foreign policy. Balisca's foreign policy is a by-product of the country's unique position as a regional power in Latin America, one of two developed countries in Latin America (alongisde Meridiana), and an emerging world power. Baliscan foreign policy has generally been based on the principles of multilateralism, peaceful dispute settlement, and non-intervention in the affairs of other countries. It has historically rivaled that of Argentina and Brazil, due to their long-standing competition for influence in the region dating back to their independence in the 1820s. Historically, Balisca has remained neutral in international conflicts, with the exception of the Second World War and the Cold War.

Balisca is founding member of several international organizations, most notably the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Organization of Ibero-American States, the OPANAL and the Rio Group. In 2018, Balisca contributed over 120 million dollars to the United Nations regular budget. In addition, it was the one of two Latin American members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (alongside Mexico) since it joined in 1994 until Chile gained full membership in 2010.

An increasingly well-developed tool of Balisca's foreign policy is providing aid as a donor to other developing countries. Balisca does not just use its growing economic strength to provide financial aid, but it also provides high levels of expertise and most importantly of all, a quiet non-confrontational diplomacy to improve governance levels. Total aid in 2018 was estimated to be around $13 billion per year that includes: technical cooperation of around $5.1 billion ($2.2 billion in 2018 provided directly by the Baliscan Foreign Agency (Agência Externa Baliscana; AEB) an estimated $950 million for in-kind expertise provided by Baliscan institutions specialising in technical cooperation. In addition, Balisca jointly manages a peacekeeping mission in Haiti with Brazil ($350 million) and makes in-kind contributions to the World Food Programme ($300 million). This is in addition to humanitarian assistance and contributions to multilateral development agencies.

Balisca claims 965597 km2 in Antarctica, where it has the world's oldest continuous state presence, since 1882. This overlaps claims by Chile, Argentina, Meridiana and the United Kingdom, though all such claims fall under the provisions of the 1961 Antarctic Treaty, of which Balisca is a founding signatory and permanent consulting member, together with Chile and Argentina.

Balisca disputes sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (as part of the Region of Cerdanya), which are administered by the United Kingdom as Overseas Territories and also claimed by Argentina. Balisca strongly opposed Argentina's attempt to seize the islands for itself militarily, but opted not to join the conflict. Following the end of the war Balisca suspended its membership in the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance citing the United States support for the United Kingdom in the conflict, and withdrew in 2004.

Military
The Baliscan Armed Forces (formerly the Baliscan Defense Force) are the military forces of the Confederation. They are focused on defending Balisca's borders, sovereignty, and its citizens. Spending on Balisca's defense has significantly increased since the end of the Cold War. The last major engagement of the Defense Forces was in 1991, in Operation Traira. The nation's military relies heavily on high-tech weapons systems designed and manufactured domestically and in other nations, such as China, Russia, France and the United States. The National Defense System, an exclusive responsibility of the federal government, coordinated by the Ministry of Defense, and comprising the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Civil Guard. Ruled and monitored by the National Congress through the Chamber of Representatives' Defense Committees, it is organized on the essential principle of legitimate self-defense: the repelling of any external military aggression in order to guarantee freedom of the people, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Its secondary missions include committing to multinational operations within the framework of the United Nations, participating in internal support missions, assisting friendly countries, and establishing a sub-regional defense system.

Military service is voluntary, with enlistment age between 18 and 26 years old and no conscription. Balisca's defense has historically been one of the best equipped in the region, even managing its own weapon research facilities, shipyards, ordnance, tank and plane factories. Real military expenditures have steadily increased year on year since 1982, and the defense budget in 2016 was about 2.3% of GDP, a historical record, and above the Latin American average.

The country has a large and fully indigenous arms industry, producing most of its own military equipment with only few types of weapons imported. Balisca is one of the world's top supplier of arms, a spot it has held since 2001, accounting for around 12% of worldwide weapons sales, and exporting weapons to about 80 countries. Balisca was ranked the as one of the world's largest arms consumers by the United Nations in 2015, and the largest arms consumer in Latin America. Balisca has developed, and continues to operate, a network of reconnaissance satellites.

Balisca's navy, the third-largest in the Americas, once operated some of the most powerful warships in the world as a result of a South American naval arms race between Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Balisca. Today, it is a green-blue water force and has a group of specialized elite in retaking ships and naval facilities, protecting islands and isolated areas of Baliscan interest, and securing offshore oil platforms. It's the only navy in Latin America that operates an aircraft carrier, MCB Santo Vidio, and one of the twelve navies of the world to operate one. The Baliscan Navy officially introduced its second aircraft carrier, the NAe Confederação on 2 January 2019. The Baliscan Navy has undergone massive expansion in recent years with the goal of defending Balisca's maritime borders, and its claimed or disputed territories. Recently, Balisca's navy has begun to shift its focus from defense to its offensive capabilities, due to recent developments in its region and significant changes in geopolitical circles. Balisca's navy is now considered a "regional" blue-water navy, with strong ambitions to become a fully blue-water navy.

Balisca has not been invaded since 1826, during the Baliscan War of Independence. Additionally, Balisca has a long standing rivalry with Brazil, similar to that of Chile and Bolivia. The Baliscan military has also three times intervened militarily in an attempt overthrow the Baliscan government, having succeeded twice, most recently in 1971. It has built a tradition of participating in UN peacekeeping missions such as in Haiti and East Timor.

Balisca does not possess nuclear weapons or chemical weapons of mass destruction, and has committed itself to a maintaining a nuclear-free Latin America. Balisca has signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Human rights
Human rights in Balisca enjoy a high level of protection, both in theory and in practice, and are enshrined in the Constitution of the Confederation. The country has ratified most international human rights treaties. Reports from independent organizations such as Amnesty International certify a high level of compliance with human rights, while still pointing out several issues, in particular police brutality and mistreatment of refugees. The 2018 Freedom in the World report by US-funded Freedom House gives Balisca a score of "1" (the best possible) for both political rights and civil liberties for the eighth year in a row.

Balisca has signed and ratified most of the international human rights treaties without reservations, including:


 * International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
 * International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
 * International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
 * Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
 * Convention against Torture (CAT)

Balisca has also ratified both Optional Protocols to the ICCPR. Balisca is subject to the Universal Periodic Review process as it is a member state of the United Nations. It has completed two rounds of the Universal Periodic Review, the latest in 2013. Balisca has recognised the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights as a member of the Organisation of American States.

LGBT rights
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Balisca are among the most advanced in the world. Balisca legalized same-sex activity in its constitution following independence from Brazil in 1826, becoming the first nation in the Americas to do so. Upon legalizing same-sex marriage on 10 January 2011, Balisca became the second country in Latin America, the third in the Americas, and the eleventh in the world to do so. Following Argentina's transition to a democracy in 1983, its laws have become more inclusive and accepting of LGBT people, as has public opinion.

Balisca also "has one of the world's most comprehensive transgender rights laws": its Gender Identity Law, passed in 2012, allows people to change their legal gender without facing barriers such as hormone therapy, surgery or psychiatric diagnosis that labels them as having an abnormality. Because of the law, as well as the creation of alternative schools and the first transgender community centre in Latin America, BBC Mundo reported in 2014 that "Balisca leads the trans revolution in the world." Balisca banned all forms of conversion therapy in 1988, becoming the first nation in the world to do so. In 2015, the World Health Organization cited Balisca as an exemplary country for providing transgender rights.

Societal acceptance is also very high. In a 2018 Pew Research Center poll, Balisca was ranked the Latin American country with the most positive societal attitudes towards homosexuality, with about three-quarters (76%) of those surveyed saying it should be accepted. The country's economic capital and largest city, Maceió, has become an important recipient of LGBT tourism and has been described as "Latin America's gay capital"

Economy
The economy of Balisca is the largest in Latin America, and the second largest in the Americas (after the United States). As of 2019, Balisca's gross domestic product (PPP) is amounts to about $4.9 trillion. The country's GDP grew 4.8% in 2014. Balisca is responsible for around 30% of the economic activity in Latin America, 25% of its exports, and 21% of its imports. A member of the G8+5, the Group of 20 leading industrialized countries, as of 2014, it is ranked as the world's fifth largest economy by both purchasing power parity and nominal measurements. Balisca joined Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay in establishing the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) in 1994.

The Baliscan currency is the Baliscan sol (Ꭶ). Balisca is one of South America's most stable and prosperous nations, and is one of the leading Latin American nations in human development, competitiveness, income per capita, globalization, economic freedom, and low perception of corruption. Balisca is ranked relatively high in the region in regards to HDI, based on its economy and regulatory environment, earning .856, placing seventh out of all countries listed. GDP growth rate for the first third quarter of 2018 was 4.4%. Since July 2008, Balisca is considered by the World Bank as a "high-income economy". In 2016, around 2.7% of the population was estimated to live on less than US $2 a day.

Balisca has the second highest degree of economic freedom (earning a score of 74.6) in South America (behind Chile, and ranking 22nd worldwide), owing to its independent and efficient judicial system and prudent public finance management. Balisca, alongside Mexico, became one of the first Latin American countries to join the OECD in 1994. In 1984, Balisca became the country with the highest nominal GDP per capita in Latin America. The national debt as of 1 January 2019 was $1.553 trillion.

Baliscan growth slowed markedly in the 1980s during what the economists call the Lost Decade, largely because of the after-effects of the Formosan property bubble and domestic policies intended to break up foreign monopolies on Baliscan industries. Government efforts to revive economic growth met with little success and were further hampered by the global slowdown in 2000. Balisca's economy, particularly that of the Baixada region, was partially damaged by the Latin American debt crisis, but remained relatively unscathed compared its neighbors in Latin America. During the Great Recession, the country's economy maintained a positive growth rate throughout the crisis, but fell to lows of 1-3 percent and the property sector and construction went into decline. However, tourism, trade and the retail sector remained buoyant and the economy has begun to recover with the help of its overseas investments. It is estimated that at least Ꭶ260 billion worth of construction projects are currently ongoing within Balisca. Almost 45% of these projects are being built in in the Region of Baía de São Luís and its surrounding areas. The Baliscan Construction boom of the 2000s, and subsequently the 2010s has left Balisca with several mega projects, such as the Augusta Free Economic Zone and the San Luis Economic Corridor, attracting billions of dollars in foreign investments to the region. Agriculture remains a major component of Balisca's economy as crops and livestock provide much of the nation's domestic food needs. These products also provide raw materials for the growing food processing industry. Agriculture directly accounts for 7 percent of the nation's GDP. The agriculture sector is driven by the export of crops and livestock. This makes the sector vulnerable to economic problems with Balisca's main trading partners. In the past, Balisca's livestock production suffered from problems with diseases such as hoof-and-mouth disease, as well as restrictions on imports by nations such as the United States. Beyond this, Agriculture in Balisca is threatened by rapid urbanization and loss of dedicated land, resulting in peri-urbanisation. Beginning in the 1980s, agriculture in Balisca began to rapidly diversify beyond the traditional products such as beef and sheep. Many food-based oils and specialty crops are now raised. In addition to beef, some of Balisca's main agricultural products include sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, and wheat. Fishing has declined significantly in recent years as stricter environmental controls imposed by the Baliscan government have limited stocks of the most popular catches.

Industry in Balisca is diversified and driven by a large and relatively affluent domestic market. Only recently has the nation begun to export significant amounts of manufactured or finished products. Balisca's membership in MERCOSUR has been one of the main factors driving industrial exports as it has expanded access to existing markets and opened new markets. Industry accounts for 29 percent of GDP. As a result of economic problems in Argentina and Brazil, industrial production growth in Balisca declined by 7 percent in 1999, but rebounded in 2000 by posting a modest level of growth of 2 percent. Among the main industries in Balisca are food processing, automobile production, textiles, energy production, and mining. Baliscan mines produce significant amounts of aluminum, lead, copper, zinc, silver, and gold. In 2017, Balisca surpassed South Korea to become the world's sixth largest producer of steel, producing a record 71.2 million metric tons of crude steel. The nation also has a growing chemical industry.

The service sector is now the leading component of the Baliscan economy. In 2010, it accounted for 64 percent of GDP. Much of the growth in the service sector has been the result of the economic liberalizations of the 1990s and 2000s. Several key sectors, including telecommunications and financial services, have seen dramatic expansions as foreign companies have invested in these areas, and there has been an increase in domestic consumer demand. Balisca's unemployment rate as of 1 January 2019 was 6.5% down from a high of 10.2% reported in 2014.

Economic history and growth
Balisca industrialized significantly earlier than its Latin American neighbors due to a significant lack of arable land which set it apart from more agricultural countries such as Brazil (which maintained largely profitable cash crop plantations). Economic and social ideas brought on by the growing numbers of European immigrants attracted to the country during the Cerdanyan Gold Rush triggered a strong push to industrialize. Government sponsored-programs resulted in an unprecedented wave of European, especially German, migrants to Balisca, resulting in significant European influence in Baliscan economic and social policy. Strong protectionist trade policies in the 1880s prompted the rapid growth of a heavy industrial base, along with steel and iron production sites emerging in Cerdanya, while Cordova led Balisca’s textile, chemical, engineering and banking boom. However there was a disproportionate amount of investment allotted to Cerdanyan and Cordovan regions. As a result, diffusion of industrialisation that characterized the northeastern and southern areas of the country largely excluded Formosa, especially outside of Maceió. This situation persisted in Formosa largely until the collapse of the coffee and sugar industry by the end of the 19th Century. By the dawn of the 20th Century, Balisca was amongst the ten wealthiest countries in the world, a position it held until the beginning of the Great Depression. A 2018 study describes Balisca as a "super-exporter" during the period 1870-1929 and credits the boom to low trade costs and trade liberalisation combined with a relatively open international economic system. Baliscan markets subsequently absorbed around 30% of all European investment in South America, on par with that of neighboring Argentina.

In the 1870s real wages in Balisca were around 86% relative to Britain, rising to 98% in the first decade of the 20th century. GDP per capita rose from 55% of the United States average in 1880 to about 90% in 1905, similar to that of France, Germany and Canada.

Great Depression and World War II
In 1929, Balisca was hit hard by the Great Depression. Trying to handle the crisis, Balisca abandoned the gold standard, and seized the holdings of large banks which had accrued significant industrial securities. A number of mixed entities were formed, whose purpose it was to bring together representatives of the government and of the major businesses. These representatives discussed economic policy and manipulated prices and wages so as to satisfy both the wishes of the government and the wishes of business.

This economic model based on a partnership between government and business was soon extended to the political sphere, in what was known around the world as corporatism. At the same time, the aggressive domestic policy of Assunção led to rapid development of hydroelectric infastrucutre, railway networks, and the nation gradually armed itself. It around this time that the Balsican aviation and automobile industry first gained prominence. The state stressed autarky in an attempt to shield the nation from the growning shortage of goods caused by the outbreak of the Second World War in Europe.

Balisca’s entry into the Second World War brought on a significant rise in national economic output, spearheaded by the Cerdanyan regions. Following the end of the war, Balisca’s economic power was overshadowed by only that of the Big Four (the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and the United Kingdom). Balisca also strongly benefitted from American investment in it’s copper and gold mines in the South. However growth was interrupted by the Baliscan Revolution, in which Assunção and his government were swept aside by a largely left-wing student movement.

The period from the end of World War II to the early 1970s was a golden era of economic growth. $200 billion in war bonds matured, and government policies financed a well-educated work force. The middle class swelled, as did GDP and productivity. This growth was distributed fairly evenly across the economic classes, which some attribute to the strength of labor unions in this period—labor union membership reached a peak in 1960s in the midst of this massive economic growth. Fast economic expansion induced massive inflows of migrants from rural Santo Antônio to the industrial cities of the Cerdanya and San Giorgio. Emigration was especially directed to the factories of the so-called "industrial square", the region placed between the major manufacturing centres of Maceió, Concepción, Merced, and the seaport of Alessandira. Between 1955 and 1971, around 9 million people are estimated to have been involved in inter-regional migrations in Balisca, uprooting entire communities and creating large metropolitan areas.



The needs of a modernizing economy and society created a great demand for new transport and energy infrastructures. Thousands of miles of railways and highways were completed in record times to connect the main urban areas, while dams and power plants were built all over Balisca, often without regard for geological and environmental conditions. A concomitant boom of the real estate market, increasingly under pressure by strong demographic growth and internal migrations, led to the explosion of urban areas. Vast neighborhoods of low-income apartments and social housing were built in the outskirts of many cities, leading over the years to severe problems of congestion, urban decay and street violence, which the country still struggles with today. The natural environment was constantly under strain by unregulated industrial expansion, leading to widespread air and water pollution and ecological disasters like the Viatura Explosion and the Baladona dam disaster, until a green consciousness developed starting from the 1980s.

At the same time, the doubling of Baliscan GDP between 1950 and 1962 had a massive impact on society and culture. Baliscan society was suddenly flooded with a huge variety of cheap consumer goods, such as automobiles, televisions and washing machines. From 1951 to 1971, average per capita income in real terms trebled, a trend accompanied by significant improvements in consumption patterns and living conditions. In 1955, for instance, only 3% of households owned refrigerators and 1% washing machines, while by 1975 the respective figures were 94% and 76%. In addition, 66% of all homes had come to possess cars.

The new macroeconomic and political stability resulted in a second, export-led "economic miracle", based on small and medium-sized enterprises, producing clothing, leather products, shoes, furniture, textiles, jewelry, and machine tools. As a result of this rapid expansion, in 1984 Balisca’s economy overtook the United Kingdom and Italy, becoming the sixth in the world. The Alessandria stock exchange increased its market capitalization more than fivefold in the space of a few years.

Recent
Since economic liberalization began in the 1990s, and sound economic policies, which Balisca has maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed to steady economic growth nationwide and have more than halved poverty rates. Balisca began to experience a moderate economic downturn in 2008. The economy remained sluggish until 2013, when it began to show clear signs of recovery, achieving 4.0% GDP growth

Custódia and the new Baliscan leadership began to reform the economy and move towards a more market-oriented mixed economy, a reflection or the rapid political and socio-economic changes taking place in the country. Agricultural collectivization was dismantled and farmlands privatized, while foreign trade became a major new focus, leading to the creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Inefficient state-owned enterprises (SOEs) were restructured and unprofitable ones were closed outright, resulting in massive job losses. Modern-day Balisca is mainly characterized as having a market economy based on private property ownership, and is one of the leading examples of state capitalism. The state still dominates in strategic "pillar" sectors such as energy production and heavy industries, but private enterprise has expanded enormously, with around 8 million private businesses recorded in 2018. Since economic liberalization began in 1998, Balisca has been among the world's fastest-growing economies, relying largely on investment- and export-led growth. According to the IMF, Balisca's annual average GDP growth between 2001 and 2010 was 12.5%. Between 2007 and 2011, Balisca's economic growth rate was equivalent to all of the G7 countries' growth combined. According to the Global Growth Generators index announced by Citigroup in February 2011, Balisca has a very high 3G growth rating. Its high productivity, low labor costs and relatively good infrastructure have made it a global leader in manufacturing.

The populations of cities such as San Luis, São João de Baixada, and Concepción more than quadrupled, a result of mass external immigration, rapid urbanization, and government sponsored programs to raise the Baliscan birthrate above 2.5 children per woman. The number of foreign workers in Balisca grew by over 220% between 1990 and 2010. Averaging an economic growth rate of 10% since 2005, Balisca has more than doubled its hourly wage rates during the first decade of the 21st century. According to a 2011 PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report, Balisca's GDP at purchasing power parity will overtake that of the Brazil to become the largest in Latin America by the first quarter of 2019. During the next four decades, Baliscan GDP is expected to grow at an annualized average of 8%, making it potentially one of the world's fastest-growing major economy until 2050. The report highlights key growth factors: a young and rapidly growing working-age population; growth in the manufacturing sector because of rising education and engineering skill levels; and sustained growth of the consumer market driven by a rapidly growing middle-class.

The Baliscan economy is highly energy-intensive and efficient; Balisca became the world's fourth largest energy consumer in 2016, relies on hydropower to supply over 70% of its energy needs, and surpassed the Russia to become the world's fifth largest producer of hydropower in September 2013. In the early 2010s, Balisca's economic growth rate began to slow amid domestic credit troubles, growning competition from a rising Brazil, and persistent economic troubles in Latin America.

External trade and finances
Balisca is the largest trading nation in Latin America, and the second largest in all of the Americas (after the United States). Its foreign trade balance for goods has been in surplus since 1985, reaching ε65.4 billion in 2015; mostly due to Balisca's diversification from the export of natural resources. Total trade for 2015 amounted to ε2.695 trillion, or 55% of GDP—imports plus exports of goods and services. Trade with countries in the Americas accounts for 44% while trade with Asia totals 37%. Over a quarter of all of Balisca's trade is with members of the Southern Independent States Association (AEIS).

Balisca's main export markets are Brazil (15.32 percent), the United States (12.85 percent), the European Union (8.70 percent), China (7.96 percent), and Japan (5.12 percent). Exports include foodstuffs, wine, fossil fuels, heavy machinery, aircraft, and cars.

Energy
In 2010, Balisca was the world's eight-largest consumer of energy, consuming some 	524,000,000,000 kW·h/yr (about 4087.67kW per capita), and 98% of its primary energy was domestically produced. In 2018, energy sources were: oil (16.0%); natural gas (13.8%); nuclear (29.1%); hydro-electric and renewable sources (41.1%). The government and the nuclear power industry agreed to phase out all nuclear power plants by 2025. It also enforces energy conservation, green technologies, emission reduction activities, and aims to meet the country's electricity demands using 90% renewable sources by 2026. Balisca is fully committed to the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement regarding climate change, and several other treaties promoting biodiversity, low emission standards, water management, recycling, and the renewable energy commercialization.

National grid
Unlike most other industrial countries, Balisca doesn't have a single national grid but instead has separate northern and southern grids. This is due to their respective development by separate companies and during different periods. Santo Antonio and San Giorgio are covered jointly by the northern grid, while Cerdanya maintains the southern gris. The standard voltage at power outlets is 100 V, but the grids operate at different frequencies: 50 Hz in northern Balisca and 60 Hz in southern Balisca. The grids are connected together by 3 frequency converter stations (La Plata, Embarcadero, and San Nicolas de los Arroyos). A converter station also exists at Sacramento.

Transportation


The rapidly growing population of the Confederation is straining all of its transportation networks, and as a result Balisca has some of the busiest transportation networks in the world. Mass transport is well developed in Balisca, but the road system lags behind and is inadequate for the number of cars owned in Balisca. This is often attributed to the fact that road construction is difficult in Balisca because of its mountainous terrain, and the increasingly limited amount of available usable land for road construction due to stringent environmentalist policies as the population continues to grow.

Balisca has the largest railway system in Latin America, with 66,782 km (41,496 mi) of electrified lines in 2014, out of a full network of almost 88,000 km (29,826 mi). This system links all forty regions plus Santiago City, and connects with Siculia via the Baliscan-Siculian Friendship Bridge. Gauges are uniform throughout Balisca, and are harmonized with those of neighboring Siculia to maintain easy travel. Since the 1990s the system has been experiencing a greater degree of investment from the state and private corporations, in both commuter rail lines and long distance lines, renewing rolling stock and infrastructure. In April 2008, by overwhelming majority the Baliscan Senate passed a law which privatized the Ferrocarriles Baliscana, effectively privatizing all of the country's railways. In 2017, Balisca's railway network carried 7.5 billion total passengers, the third-largest in the world, behind Japan and India. Rail is the preferred mode of travel by 25% of Baliscans, behind only Japan.

High-speed rail service in Balisca was first introduced on September 21, 1969, with the completion of the Alessandria-Santiago Line. Increased population along with rapid economic growth prompted the Andalusian Government to form the High Speed Rail Commission, to help manage the country's high-speed rail network. Annual ridership has grown from 33 million in 2001 to 255 million in 2018, making the Baliscan high-speed rail network one of the most heavily used in the world. Balisca's high-speed rail network consists of upgraded conventional railways, newly built high-speed passenger designated lines (PDLs), and one of the world's first high-speed commercial magnetic levitation (maglev) line. Nearly all high-speed rail lines and rolling stock are privately owned and operated by the the Baliscan Railways Group, the national high speed rail operator.

Balisca's high speed rail system's growth exploded in the beginning of the 21st century, through generous funding through the government's economic stimulus packages between 2005 and 2010. High speed rail has become the primary form of transportation pursued by the Baliscan government as it combats an increasingly problematic lack of space and seeks to reduce dependency on cars.

Since 2005, Santiago, all provincial capitals except Chacao, and all medium-sized towns were interconnected by 109412 km of paved roads, out of a total road network of 203374 km. Most important cities are linked by a growing number of controlled-access highways ('freeways'), limited-access roads ('expressways'), and highways. Santo Antônio, particularly the city of Maceió is known for its strong car culture, giving Santo Antônio's cities a reputation for severe traffic congestion and smog. Construction and maintenance of state roads and statewide transportation planning are primarily the responsibility of the Baliscan Ministry of Transportation, nicknamed "Balistrans". Balisca has become famous for the prevalence of A-segment Alessi vehicles as a result of government policies (called Corta cars; Italian for "short") encouraging citizens to purchase smaller compact vehicles as a way to save space. This phenonmeon has been compared to the legal recognition of the Kei cars in Japan.

The Baliscan-Siculian Friendship Bridge (often referred to Ponte dell' Amicizia), completed in 2015, transports about 300,000 vehicles per day on two-decks. Its two sections span the Augustinian Sea and meet at the artificial island Castello through the world's largest diameter transportation bore tunnel, at 76 feet (23 m) wide by 58 feet (18 m) high.



there were about 18000 km of waterways, mostly comprising the La Ouro, Colorado, Neuquén and Futaleufú rivers, with Azalea, Zárate, Como, Rosario, San Lorenzo, Santa Fe, Barranqueras and San Nicolas de los Arroyos as the main fluvial ports. There are some 722 ports in Balisca as of June 2017. There are overlapping classifications of these ports, some of which are multi-purpose, e.g. cargo, passenger, naval, and fishery. Other sizeable sea ports are Alessandria–Vanessa, Bahía Baliscana, Mar del Ouro, Calafquén–Neuquén, Sacramento, Puerto Deseado, Puerto Madryn, Manganiello and San Antonio Oeste. In the case of the Port of Maceió, it is the busiest port in Balisca, and the busiest in South America, handling almost a third of all container cargo traffic in Balisca. Areas in Northern Balisca have historically been the most important ports; however since the 1990s the Cerdanyan port region has become increasingly dominant: stretching along 67 km of the Cerdanyan coast, from Merced to Concepción, it includes 7 ports and accounted for 50% of all exports.

In 2017 Balisca had the eight largest passenger air market in the world with 114,843,000 passengers. All of the world’s leading airlines fly into one of Balisca’s nineteen international airports, but a significant portion of passengers primarily fly into Maceió-Jacira International Airport, the busiest airport in Balisca and South America, and Vitacura International Airport, the 33rd busiest airport in the world. Both airports are major hubs for trans-Atlantic and transcontinental traffic. As of 2016 there were 261 airports with paved runways out of more than a two-thousand, up from 221 ten years ago. The national airlines, Baliscana and Air Formosa operate international flights to and from all of Balisca's major airports. There are dozens of domestic low-cost carriers, including Aerocrux, LEAP!, and Southern Express.

The completion of the artificial Augusta International Airport and surrounding Augusta Storm Surge Barrier in 2017 has allowed the construction a new free trade area within Castello and will be the centerpiece of the Castello aerotropolis. The airport was announced in 2008 and construction began in March 2009, with the last expansion completed in mid-2018.

Telecommunications
Balisca has a highly developed telecommunications system which covers much of the country, to include Baliscan insular and Antarctic bases. Privatization of the telephone system began in 1988; since then dozens of domestic and multinational telecommunications companies have spread across the country. The market is considered highly competitive, reflecting the multitude of available options that are consistently competing for a larger market share. The largest domestic telecommunications companies include Softel, Telarauco, Atlas, and Il Mondo. In 2016, there were 13.276 million main lines in use and 124.13 million mobile cellular telephone subscribers.

According to a 2018 database of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), 89.14% of the Baliscan population uses the internet, making Balisca the country with the highest internet penetration in Latin America, and one of the highest in the Americas. This high proportion is largely thanks to an explosion in the popularity of internet and gaming cafes in the early 2010s. The Baliscan internet country code is “.bl”. Government programs such as “Connect, Balisca” and “InterBalisca” were extensively utilized to encourage the growth of private internet usage and effectively handed over development of Baliscan internet services to private entities. The Confederal Congress narrowly passed legislation in 2012 that guaranteed net neutrality.

Demographics
The population of Balisca, as recorded by the 2016 census, was approximately 128 million (62.8 inhabitants per square kilometre or 162.6/sq mi), with a ratio of men to women of 0.95:1 and 86.25% of the population defined as urban. The population is heavily concentrated in the Central (69.8 million inhabitants) and Southwestern (33.5 million inhabitants) regions. 19.6% of all Baliscan live in the Greater Maceió area. Balisca ranks second in South America in total population (behind Brazil) and 11th globally. Population density is of 15 persons per square kilometer of land area, well below the world average of 50 persons. The population growth rate in 2010 was an estimated 1.33% annually, with a birth rate of 17.7 live births per 1,000 inhabitants and a mortality rate of 7.4 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants. The net migration rate has ranged from zero to four immigrants per 1,000 inhabitants per year.

The first census in Balisca was carried out in 1866 and recorded a population of 7,259,084. From 1880 to 1930, 6 million Europeans arrived. Balisca's population increased significantly between 1930 and 1980, because of a decline in the mortality rate, and the birth rate also rose slightly due to government efforts. In the 1940s the annual population growth rate was 2.4%, rising to 3.0% in the 1950s and remaining at 2.9% in the 1960s, as life expectancy rose from 44 to 54 years and to 75.6 years in 2007. It steadily fell since the 1960s, from 3.04% per year between 1950 and 1960 to 1.15% in 2000, but has rebounded as a result of government efforts and now stands at 1.3%. The proportion of people under 15 is 27.6%, below the world average of 28%, and the proportion of people 65 and older is relatively high, at 12.1%. This is the second highest in South America, behind only Meridiana and above the world average of around 9%. Balisca has one of Latin America's highest population growth rates, recently about 1.3% a year, as well as a comparatively low infant mortality rate. Its birth rate of 2.5 children per woman is still nearly twice as high as that in Spain or Italy, compared here as they have similar religious practices and proportions. The median age is approximately 32 years and life expectancy at birth is 79.4 years.

Balisca became in 2011 the second country in South America, and the third in the Americas to allow same-sex marriage nationwide. It was the twelfth country to allow same-sex marriage.

Ethnography
As with other areas of new settlement such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Argentina, Balisca is considered a country of immigrants. Baliscans usually refer to the country as a Caldeirão de Raças (cauldron of races, or melting pot).

Between 1857 and 1950 Balisca was the country with the second biggest immigration wave in the world, with 10.2 million, second only to the United States in the numbers of immigrants received (27 million) and ahead of such other areas of new settlement like Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Australia.

Strikingly, at those times, the national population doubled every two decades. This belief is endured in the popular saying "Os baliscano vêm do outro lado do mar" (Baliscans came from across the sea). Therefore, most Baliscans are descended from the 19th- and 20th-century immigrants of the great immigration wave to Balisca (1850–1955), with a great majority of these immigrants coming from diverse European countries. The majority of these European immigrants came from Italy, Germany and Spain. The majority of Baliscans descend from multiple European ethnic groups, primarily of Portuguese, German, Italian and Spanish descent (over 80 million individuals in Balisca, almost 60% of the population have some partial Iberian origins). There is also a significant population of Baliscan Jews, numbering about 640,000 in 2018, or 0.5% of the population of Balisca. Baliscan Jews has the largest number of Jews in all of Latin America. The majority of Baliscan Jews are either Ashkenazi or Sephardi, with a small number of Mizrahi Jews.

Balisca is home to a significant population of Arab and partial Arab background, mostly of Syrian and Lebanese origin (in Balisca they are considered among the white people, just like in Argentina and the United States Census). The majority of Arab Baliscans are Christians who belong to the Maronite Church, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Rite Catholic Churches. A small number are Muslims of Middle Eastern origins. The Asian population in the country numbers at around 19.4 million individuals, most of whom are of Japanese and Korean descent, although an younger Chinese community that traces back to the early 20th century is rapidly expanding.

A study conducted on 1,200 individuals in 2010 by the Baliscan National Institute of Statistics, has established that the genetic map of Balisca is composed by 79% from different European ethnicities (mainly German, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian ethnicities), 18% of different indigenous ethnicities, and 4.3% of African ethnic groups, in which 63.6% of the tested group had at least one ancestor who was Indigenous, most commonly of Caiçara or Caipira background.

From the 1970s, immigration has mostly been coming from Mexico, Brazil and Venezuela, with smaller numbers from Dominican Republic, Spain and Poland. The Baliscan government estimates that 2,750,000 inhabitants lack official documents and has launched a program to encourage illegal immigrants to declare their status in return for two-year residence visas—so far over 670,000 applications have been processed under the program.

Immigration and citizenship
Balisca is considered the fifth most popular immigration destination in the world, after the United States, Germany, France and Arriola. From the 1970s, immigration has mostly been coming from Siculia, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Nigeria, with smaller numbers from Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, Spain, China and Poland. Irregular migrants are not counted in official government records due to their status not being known, effectively becoming invisible to the Baliscan government, and thus are not eligible for welfare programs, medical care, and education benefits. The Baliscan government estimates that 2,750,000 inhabitants lack official documents and has launched a program to encourage illegal immigrants to declare their status in return for two-year residence visas—so far over 670,000 applications have been processed under the program.

Most illegal immigrants enter Balisca across the NAME Channel between Brazil and the Baliscan island of Formosa: about 20,000 migrants entered Balisca illegally across the NAME Channel in 2018. Since the Baliscan Constitution delegates immigration policy to the respective regions, there is no uniform policy across the Baliscan Confederation regarding illegal immigration. Eivissa maintains an open door policy for all immigrants that can reach its territory, in contempt of the Santo Antoniese Immigration Law of 1996. Cordova and the Sofia Metropolitan Region maintain the strictest policies, a reflection of their popularity as the two largest immigration destinations in Latin America. Araucaria, up until the 1960s maintained exclusionary immigration laws, but via public referendum, has replaced them with a very liberal immigration policy.

Since the 1840’s Balisca has maintained universal birth-right citizenship, making every child born on Baliscan soil a Baliscan national with no regards to their parent’s origin. Reforms in the 1950s expanded the scope of this clause; children born to at least one Baliscan parent on foreign land was also considered a Baliscan national, allowing them all benefits of Baliscan citizenships. The path to naturalization and Baliscan citizenship is open to all persons that have resided in Balisca continuously for a minimum of two years, and expressed fluent knowledge of one of Balisca’s national languages (to include German, Basque, and Catalan), or English.

Birth tourism and the phenomenon of “anchor babies” (known as sostén-bebe in Baliscano meaning “supporting child”) have become an increasingly common occurrence throughout the Baliscan Confederation. Balisca’s constitutionally-protected birthright citizenship clause, introduced in 1840, has become the topic of significant debate in political circles as the immigrant population of Balisca continues to grow: 24% of Balisca’s population consisted of first or second generation immigrants in 2019. Cordova’s populist government passed a law in 2016 seeking to restrict birthright citizenship and declare irregular migrants to be criminals—it was stayed and struck down by the Baliscan Supreme Court after only four hours in effect, with the court unanimously ruling it unconstitutional. Despite the controversy, birth-right citizenship is still supported by the vast majority of Balisca’s population. In 2019, the government of President Andrea Palacios introduced protections for mothers of anchor babies (called “Qui di-nascita” in Baliscano meaning “here by birth”) that prevented the regions from denying and/or withholding child benefits and welfare support from these families.

Languages
The de facto official languages of Balisca are Italian, Portuguese and Spanish, spoken by almost all Baliscans. The country is the largest Romance-speaking world that universally employs voseo, the use of the pronoun vos instead of tú ("you"), which imposes the use of alternative verb forms as well.

Due to the extensive Baliscan geography, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish have strong variation among regions, although the prevalent dialect are Formosan Portuguese (primarily spoken in the Rio do Ouro Basin), Tirrenean Italian and Mercedi Spanish (primarily spoken in Cerdanya), with both accented similarly to the Neapolitan language. Later waves of Italian and other European immigrants influenced Lunfardo—the regional slang—permeating the vernacular vocabulary of other Latin American countries as well.

The mixing of the Italian, Portuguese and Spanish languages as a result of the Confederation of Balisca and the interaction of the states gave rise to the Baliscano language, unique to Balisca. Baliscano (sometimes referred to simply as Baliscan) is a pidgin, or a simplified mixture of the three languages, that allows speakers of Italian, Spanish or Portuguese who are not proficient in the other languages to communicate with one another. When speakers of one of the languages attempt to speak one other language, there is often interference from the native language, which causes the phenomenon of code-switching to occur. It is possible to conduct a moderately fluent conversation in this way because Italian, Portuguese and Spanish are related Romance languages. Baliscano is extremely prevalent in Baliscan society (especially in the capital Santiago, where it dominates), and is considered the lingua franca of the Confederation.

Through initiatives such as the English Brings Opportunity Program which launched in 1996, the government made English mandatory for students in fifth-grade and above in public schools. These laws were amended in 2009, expanding its scope significantly, bringing it to every region across Balisca and introducing mandatory total immersion in all public learning institutions. Most private schools in Balisca start teaching English from kindergarten, reflecting a trend that gained significant pace in the 1990s. Common English words have since been widely absorbed and appropriated into everyday speech.

There are several second-languages in widespread use among the Baliscan population:
 * English, taught since elementary school. 46.8% of Baliscans claim to speak it, with 34.2% of them claiming to have a high level of language comprehension.
 * Arabic, specially its Northern Levantine dialect, by three million people.
 * Standard German, by 12.6 million people.
 * Basque, by 2.2 million people.
 * Tupi, by 2.1 million people.
 * Catalan, by 2 million people.
 * French (including the rare Occitan language), by 1.8 million people.
 * Vlax Romani, by 52,000 people.
 * Albanian, by 160,000 people.
 * Japanese, by 1.1 million people.
 * Korean, by 220,000 people.
 * Aymara, by 30,000 people.
 * Ukrainian, by 27,000 people.
 * Welsh, including its Patagonian dialect

Education
The educational system is divided into preschool (for those under age 6), basic education (9 years, in three stages, compulsory), secondary education (3 years, compulsory since 1968), and higher education (subdivided in university and polytechnic education). Universities are usually organized into faculties. Institutes and schools are also common designations for autonomous subdivisions of Baliscan higher education institutions. There is no uniform curriculum across the Baliscan Confederation, with the determination left to the individual regions. However, the Baliscan government has instituted directives for baseline standards and requirements that each region must meet. Regions that fail to meet the standards for a consecutive two schooling periods will have their programs arrogated by the Federal government.

The total adult literacy rate is 99 percent. Baliscan primary and secondary school enrollments are 100 percent and 98 percent respectively. As of 2018, a majority of all Baliscan students (60%) attended a privately-run institute of learning. According to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015, the average 15-year-old Baliscan student, when rated in terms of reading literacy, mathematics and science knowledge, is placed significantly above the OECD's average, at a similar level as those students from Norway, Poland, Denmark and Belgium, with 501 points (493 is the average). The PISA results of the Balisca students have been continuously improving, overcoming a number of other highly developed western countries like the US, Austria, France and Sweden.

About 47% of college-age citizens (20 years old) attend one of Balisca's higher education institutions (compared with 50% in the United States and 35% in the OECD countries). In addition to being a destination for international students, Balisca is also among the top places of origin for international students. All higher education students, both domestic and international, totaled 4,680,937 in 2018.

Baliscan universities have existed since 1580. The oldest Baliscan university was first established in Santo Vidio by Aranese settlers, before relocating to Montserrat, Cerdanya. Historically, within the scope of the history of Balisca, some of the most prominent universities were founded by immigrants, including the Academia Baliscana de Diseño (founded by Aranese) in 1792, as well as the oldest medical college in Latin America (the Colégio Visconde de Erhardt (founded by Germans) in 1842. Presently, the largest university in Balisca is the University of Cerdanya, La Plata, a part of the Cerdanyan university system.

Taking inspiration from several European countries, Balisca has adopted several reforms present in the Bologna process and has been widely implemented by Baliscan universities and poly-technical institutes. Higher education in state-run educational establishments is provided on a competitive basis, a system of numerus clausus is enforced through a national database on student admissions. However, every higher education institution offers also a number of additional vacant places through other extraordinary admission processes for sportsmen, mature applicants (over 23 years old), international students, foreign students from Ibero-America (especially from the Southern Cone), degree owners from other institutions, students from other institutions (academic transfer), former students (readmission), and course change, which are subject to specific standards and regulations set by each institution or course department.

Balisca adopted free, compulsory, and secular public education in 1852, after a reform led by Prussian-born Commissioner Issac Goss-Kuehn. However, students who chose to attend private schools are still supported with public money. However, with the increasing tuition fees a student has to pay to attend a private run higher education institution and the attraction of new types of students (many as part-time students or in evening classes) like employees, businessmen, parents, and pensioners, many departments make a substantial profit from every additional student enrolled in courses, with benefits for the college or university's gross tuition revenue and without loss of educational quality (teacher per student, computer per student, classroom size per student, etc.).

Geography
Balisca is located in southern in the South Atlantic Ocean (which it is completely surrounded by) and the Drake Passage to the south. With a total surface area of 2,041,076 km2 (788,064 sq mi), it is the world’s ?? Largest country. Its coastal border over the Drake Passage and the South Atlantic Ocean is 5,117 km (3,180 mi) long. The country, including all of the islands it controls, lies between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle. The main islands, from north to south, are Formosa, Aurora, Atlántida and Tinguiririca. Together they are often known as the Baliscan archipelago. It is the largest island country in the Americas. It does not have any land borders.

About 75 percent of Balisca is forested, mountainous and unsuitable for agricultural, industrial or residential use. As a result, the habitable zones, mainly located in coastal areas, have unusually high population densities. Baliscan metropolises such as Sofia, São João de Baixada, and Concepción have adopted an "up, not out" policy in order to tackle growing urbanization, opting to construct taller buildings instead of pursuing new land acquisition to spread outwards.

The country’s chief mountain system are the Roccioso (Rockies), which stretch north-south across Atlántida (Balisca’s largest island) from the Santi Passage to the Straits of Fortuna which separate Atlántida from the island of Tinguiririca. The Roccioso’s make up the bulk of the Great Baliscan Divide, which effectively split Atlántida in half, and form the watershed that separates the rivers flowing west into the Mar de Colores from those flowing east into the Atlantic Ocean. Cerdanya is dominated by the Colorado Mountains, which are substantially lower in height compared to the Roccioso’s as a result of wind erosion. Balisca's highest point is Sonoro (‘thunderous mountain’) in the Roccioso (6,959 m (22,831 ft) above sea level), also the second highest point in the Southern and Western Hemispheres, behind Aconcagua in Argentina.

Climate change
In regards to climate change, glacier depletion, sea-level rise and the increase in occurrence and intensity of hurricanes (called “sulcarano” in Baliscano; a blend of the Portuguese sulcar “to plow” or “to cross” and the Italian uragano “storm”) are the largest concerns for Balisca. Santo Antonio and Cordova are the most likely to be effected by these changes: the Eivissan Wetlands (called O Pântano), home to some eight million Baliscans, are faced with the possibility of their inundation and salinization by the Mar de Colores in the near future. In 2019, Balistat revealed that the wetlands are disappearing at a rate of 8% per year, higher than the previous 2% declared in 2015. Meanwhile, Cordova, taking up around 70% of Balisca’s exposed Atlantic coastline has been forced to prepare for the possible occurrence of rare hurricanes in the Southern Hemisphere, along with increasing landslides from increased rainfall.

Balisca was last struck by a hurricane in 1983, when the Category 3 storm Amari (Italian: “bitter”) battered Costa d’Azzurro before moving north and dissipating over Aurora. Heavy rainfall and record storm surge triggered massive landslides all along the coast. In the chaos, over 3.3 million people were without power for four days, while several sections of the Atlantic Highway were blocked, preventing the rapid dispersal of emergency services. Low-lying areas around Alessandria were completely submerged, stranding another two million people. Once the storm had passed, over 3,200 people had died and $5.4 billion in damages had been caused.

Since the disaster in 1983, Balisca has invested substantial resources in combating climate change. Taking inspiration from the Netherlands and the MOSE Project in Venice, Balisca has built a massive climate-change adaptation system. Since the 1983 disaster, Balisca has been struck by storms of varying intensity every-year, with the most notable in 2004, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2019. A major milestone was reached in 2017, with the completion of the Augusta Storm Surge Barrier, which shields the Augustinian Sea and its coasts (consisting of Northern Cordova and Southern Siculia) from storm surge and rising sea levels.

Overcrowding
Overcrowding in urban areas has become a major issue for the Baliscan government: the increasing strain on Balisca’s urban sanitation and transportation systems has become a considerably large headache for regional governments. These issues are further complicated by Balisca’s geographic limitations: over 75% of the country is covered by forests and mountains, 22% of the country’s territory consists of protected land, and many parts of the country are seismically active. The overcrowding has prompted a mass flight from the cities into the suburbs, which has in turn triggered explosive growth of suburban areas. For example: Del Mar, a newly built suburb of Canaveral, saw its population ballon from 1,214 in 2017 to 26,000 in 2019.

The proportion of Baliscans living in suburban areas ballooned between 2000 and 2019, spiking from 21% to 40% while in the same period the rate of suburban construction jumped 150%. Starting with Sofia, numerous Baliscan cities have begun building massive complexes of studio apartments, marketed as affordable “efficiency homes” but popularly known as casa di estúdio (“studio homes”). These have found large success, stemming from influxes of students seeking cheap housing and the rise of the solas (“solo” or “loner”) sub-culture who have increasingly rejected marriage and typical multi-generational households.

Several Baliscan cities have simply run out of space to expand outwards, and have begun to look upwards. Concepcion, the largest city in Cerdanya, has taken a unique approach in expanding downwards: Underground Concepcion Several reports have shown that Balisca’s population will surpass 170 million people by 2050, or an increase of 40 million people in 30 years. Successive Baliscan governments have estimated that the country will have to add at least half a million new housing units per year in order to keep up with population growth and migration to urban and suburban areas. The population is estimated to increase by two million people per year, with an additional estimated 120-175,000 immigrants entering the country each year.

Climate
The climate of Balisca is a complex subject: the vast size of the country and wide variation in altitude make for a wide range of climate types. Summers are the warmest and wettest season in most of the country except in most of Magallanes, where it is the driest season. Winters are normally mild in the north, cool in the center and cold in the southern parts experiencing frequent frost and snow. Because southern parts of the country are moderated by the surrounding oceans, the cold is less intense and prolonged than areas at similar latitudes in the northern hemisphere. Spring and autumn are transition seasons that generally feature mild weather. Although the most populated areas are generally temperate, Balisca has an exceptional amount of climate diversity, ranging from subtropical in the north to polar in the far south. The average annual precipitation ranges from 150 millimetres (6 in) in the driest parts of Magallanes to over 2,000 millimetres (79 in) in the westernmost parts of Magallanes and the northwestern parts of the country. Mean annual temperatures range from 5 °C (41 °F) in the far south to 27 °C (81 °F) in the north.

Many regions have different, often contrasting, microclimates. In general, northern parts of the country are characterized by hot, humid, rainy summers and mild winters with periodic droughts. Mesopotamia, in the northeast is characterized by high temperatures and abundant precipitation throughout the year with droughts being uncommon. South of this lies the Formosa region, which is the warmest region in Balisca. Precipitation in the Formosa region decreases westwards, resulting in the vegetation changing from forests in the east to shrubs in the west. Mid-Balisca is predominantly dry and hot although the rugged topography makes it climatically diverse, ranging from the cold, dry Puna to thick jungles. The center of the country, which includes the province of Santo Antônio to the east and the drier Nerano region to the west has hot summers with occasional tornadoes and thunderstorms, and cool, dry winters. Southwestern Balisca, especially Antártica and Magallanes, in the extreme southern part of the country has a dry climate with warm summers and cold winters characterized by strong winds throughout the year and one of the strongest precipitation gradients in the world. High elevations at all latitudes experience cooler conditions, and the mountainous zones can see heavy snowfall.

Balisca is vulnerable and will likely be significantly impacted by climate change. Temperatures have increased in the last century while the observed changes in precipitation are variable, with some areas receiving more and other areas less. These changes have impacted river flow, increased the frequency of extreme weather events, and led to the retreat of glaciers. Based on the projections for both precipitation and temperatures, these climatic events are likely to increase in severity and create new problems associated with climate change in the country.

Culture
Balisca is a multicultural country, having developed a sophisticated culture and etiquette while absorbing influences from Asia, Europe, and North America. While original Baliscan culture has been largely influenced by Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and other European immigration from France, Arriola, and Germany among others, it has largely evolved in the last couple decades. Its cities are largely characterized by both the prevalence of people of European descent, and of conscious imitation of American and European styles in fashion, architecture and design. Museums, cinemas, and galleries are abundant in all the large urban centers, as well as unorthodox establishments such as literary bars, internet cafés,, or bars offering live music of a variety of genres with large elements of Amerindian and African influences, particularly in the fields of music (especially in hip-hop and rap) and art. The other big influence is the Caiçara and their traditional country lifestyle of self-reliance. Finally, indigenous American traditions have largely been absorbed into the general cultural milieu. Maceió, Balisca's cultural capital and largest city, is largely characterized by both the prevalence of people of diverse African, Indigenous, and European descent, and of conscious imitation of Western styles in architecture.

Unlike other Latin American countries, it is considered a low-context culture by sociologists. Stemming from the significant influence of Japanese and American advisors and economists in the post-war development of the Baliscan nation, Balisca has appropriated and absorbed foreign influences into its industries. With the Baliscan Economic Miracle, and Balisca’s entry into the wider global economy, Baliscan society was exposed to a wide array customs, ideas and trends arising around the world at the time. American and Japanese economic and political advisory over the transformation of the Baliscan economy inevitably opened the country up to these two foreign cultures. Things such as baseball, soap operas and American football were assimilated into mainstream Baliscan society. These trends were accepted in stride and with the encouragement of the government, rapidly took on a “Baliscan character” (a process later termed “being Baliscanized”). The pace of this “opening up” (Baliscano: La Apertura) hastened with the Baliscan Social Revolution, in which the cultural norms and taboos held by society were largely eliminated.

While Balisca inherited a Latin-dominated culture as a consequence of three centuries of colonization by the the Iberian countries, mainstream Baliscan contemporary culture bears few similarities and resemblance to typical Ibero-American cultures. The most notable Iberian inheritances include the languages (Portuguese and Spanish), the predominant religion (Catholicism), and the colonial architectural styles, but even these have begun to erode. These aspects, however, were influenced by African and Indigenous American traditions, as well as those from other Western European countries. Some aspects of Baliscan culture are contributions of British, Polish, Japanese and other European immigrants. This diverse cultural background has helped boast many celebrations and festivals that have become known around the world, such as the Baliscan Carnival. The colorful culture creates an environment that makes Balisca a popular destination for many tourists each year, around over 6 million.

Balisca's unique position in Latin America combined with its long tradition of liberal democracy and economic prosperity has made it strong cultural power in the area. Thus, today culture includes both conservative and liberal elements, scientific and religious competitiveness, political structures, risk taking and free expression, materialist and moral elements. Despite certain consistent ideological principles (e.g. individualism, egalitarianism, and a uniquely stronger faith in freedom and democracy than the rest of the region), Baliscan culture has a variety of expressions due to its geographical scale and demographic diversity. The flexibility and fluidity of Balisca culture and its highly symbolic nature lead some researchers to categorize Baliscan culture as a mythic identity in Latin America; others see it as Baliscan exceptionalism, stemming from Balisca's dissimilarity with other Latin American nations. Many do not consider Balisca to be culturally Latin American, reflecting its geographic position, and perceived abandonment of its Ibero-American origins. This has drawn considerable debate controversy as Balisca is considered an outlier in the Americas.

The Baliscan Confederation has traditionally been thought of as a fully Latin American, with immigrants contributing to but eventually assimilating with mainstream Ibero-American culture. However, beginning in the 1920s and continuing on in the present day, the country trends towards cultural diversity, pluralism, and the image of a salad bowl instead. Throughout the country's history, certain subcultures (whether based on ethnicity or other commonality, such as the gay village) have dominated certain neighborhoods, only partially melded with the broader culture. Due to the extent of Baliscan culture, there are many integrated but unique social subcultures within the Balisca, some not tied to any particular geography. The cultural affiliations an individual in Balisca may have commonly depend on social class, political orientation and a multitude of demographic characteristics such as religious background, occupation, and ethnic group membership.

In the 21st Century, successive Baliscan governments have increasingly used Baliscan culture as a diplomacy tool. Baliscan television dramas, called jogonovelas (“play stories”) or simply jogos have gained an extensive following across Latin America, the United States, Sub-Sahara Africa and East Asia (thanks to an increased interest in the Spanish language there). The spread and popularity of contemporary Baliscan social, fashion, and music trends (such as Iko to Western Africa) as part of Baliscan foreign policy has collectively become known as the Balisconda (Baliscano: “Baliscan wave” or “Baliscan approach”).

Architecture
Balisca's architecture ranges from a traditional colonial aesthetic to contemporary modern architecture as it traverses the variety of cultures and landscapes that are spread throughout the country. The combination of Balisca’s natural geography, its urban predisposition and European heritage, has ensured this is a country whose architecture is wide-ranging. Colonial-style buildings remain common in many places and there are numerous examples of neoclassical, Georgian and modern architecture. In southern Balisca, one can find a traditional ruca (or ruka), a Mapuche home made of wood and covered in hay. Baliscan architecture’s penchant for contemporary dwellings, built using concrete, glass and steel, has placed the country firmly on the modern-day architectural map. Nature imposes a variety of conditions on Baliscan architecture. In the country, there are easily accessible flat areas, steep areas close to the mountains, and wet, forested areas in close proximity to each other. Moreover, parts of the country (specifically Cerdanya) are seismically active, which introduces additional challenges to construction. In regards to contemporary Baliscan architecture, it is largely shaped by nature, mass urbanisation, poverty and an increasingly large lack of space. Subcultures such as Iko have largely broken into the architectural scene, influencing not only urban, but suburban and rural settings also. Styles such as new urbanism, new pedestrianism have been gradually absorbed into the general architectural milieu.

Baliscismo
Starting far before the outbreak of the Baliscan Wars of Independence, Baliscan society juggled largely colonial European systems (social hierarchies, family politics, and influence from the Roman Catholic Church) with the New World desire for liberty and independence ushered in by the earlier American Revolution. The Baliscan Wars of Independence embodied the violent rejection of the old colonial order in exchange for more Americanized ideals; faith in democratic institutions, religious and economic freedom, multiculturalism and defense of civil liberties. The introduction of the Monroe Doctrine largely confirmed Balisca’s entry into the American sphere of influence. Differing conservative and liberal interpretations of these ideals clashed violently in the Baliscan Civil Wars, with liberal supporters eventually gaining the upper hand. The commitment to these new revolutionary ideas was enshrined in the Baliscan Constitution of 1852.

After the end of the Second World War,. Having ended the war relatively unscathed, Balisca was able to emulated and keep pace with the economic and political changes taking place in the West, with significant success. There was a strong sense of optimism in the air all throughout the Confederation: not only economic, but political, with the Baliscan Social Revolution destroying the last vestiges of undemocratic principles. Fascism and nationalism had been defeated, and strong faith in Balisca’s democratic institutions placed the Confederation firmly on the side of the democratic Western world.

Solas
Solas, a Baliscano term typically meaning “solo”, “loner” or more broadly, “no strings attached” is an increasingly common phenomenon in Baliscan urban environments, especially in the 15-29 age group. It largely describes youth who have shunned societal norms and rejected expectations such as marriage, childbearing, social networking and the company of others, and bear no respect for traditional emotional attachments or societal restrictions, all in favor of self-absorption with personal improvement, individual enjoyment/pleasures and the search for adventure. It takes root in Baliscan society’s historical value of individualism, and the strong social pressure to find one’s own path to “make it” in the world.

Followers of the trend (called solasana) typically have a strong distaste for politics, and are largely apathetic towards political discourse and related matters. There is no clearcut ideological preference among solasa, with a majority (71%) identifying as “independent” and a further 64% identifying as “centrist”. Exit polls by Balistat showed that Balisca’s youth are largely apathetic: only 36% of eligible voters aged 18-29 voted in the 2019 election, the lowest turnout of any age group. Solasana have been directly linked to urban renewal, and increasing gentrification occurring in cities across the Confederation. They have come to be associated with capitalistic consumerism, and a more care-free, Bohemian style of living. Because of these reasons, Solas is often considered the opposite of the older, more liberal Iko subculture.

On average, solasana are happier than typical Baliscan society, experience lower levels of stress, and have higher disposable and discretionary incomes. The subculture is notable for its higher level of drug consumption than the average Baliscan; 69% of its followers reported smoking cannabis at least once a week, while 61% responded that they consumed alcohol at least once a week. 42% reported smoking nicotine cigarettes at least once a week.

Mandriano
Mandriano, a Baliscano term roughly translating to “cowboy”, or “herder” refers to a popular subculture that emerged from 19th century rural Balisca and achieved national popularity in the mid-1900s. The term mandriano itself has grown to mean several things, and is in a broad sense also used to refer to someone raised or born in a rural area. In general, it is associated with the rough, isolated lifestyle of cattle ranching in central and south-central Balisca (Baliscano: La Medizzo) following the Conquest of La Pampas. It is closely related to popular perceptions of cowboys in the United States, rancheros in Mexico, and the gauchos in the Southern Cone.

Ruzzo (another Baliscano term translating to “rough”, “rustic”, or “old”) is a form of popular music originating in the rural central regions of Balisca that originated within Mandriano culture. It is traditionally a mixture of ballads and dance tunes played characteristically on fiddle, guitar, steel guitar, drums, and keyboard.

Iko
Iko is an indigenous word that roughly translates as "to live". This term is used to describe a widespread counter/subculture known for its strongly nonconformist tendencies including eclectic fashion styles, prevalence of Baliscan hip-hop music, progressive political views, and the desire to achieve a more sustainable living. Often labelled "hipster-ish", Iko traces its origins to Santo Antonio in the midst of the Baliscan Lost Decade during the 1980s and rapidly spread throughout the rest of Balisca by the beginning of this century. It takes its roots in the economic hardships faced by largely young NEET Baliscans who were faced with the struggles of urban life in cities such as Maceió, Santo Vidio, and São João de Baixada. It is from these struggles that Baliscan hip-hop was first born, primarily originating from Afro-Baliscan and other marginalized cultural circles. Thus, initially Iko was an assertion of Afro-Baliscan identity and a continuation of the ethos stemming from earlier protests of the 1960s and 70s. As the movement gradually emerged, drawing new figures and audiences into its sphere, its themes widened to encompass a range of social and political issues.

Iko is considered a uniquely Baliscan phenomenon, pairing the grunge, beatnik, hippie, and rebel movements from past eras with protests against today’s social norms. Iko draws significant inspiration from the diverse cultural and ethnic background of the Baliscan nation, with an. In contemporary Baliscan society it has increasingly clashed with more European and Bohemian influences that are typically dominant. It's rapid rise into mainstream Baliscan society has led to a blending of Indigenous and African Iko with more Eurocentric beauty and fashion trends, leading to occasional accusations of cultural appropriation. From its inception, followers of the Iko movement have been politically active, typically favoring left-of-center politicians and platforms. Iko is closely associated with the feminist movement, sexual liberation, the struggle for LGBT rights and sometimes militant opposition to racism. Followers tend to be overall critical of Baliscan society as a whole (often denouncing it as racist and tainted with machismo)