Odessa
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| State Motto | The whole is more than its parts. | ||||
| • Ingliz | {{{nation_motto_ingliz}}} | ||||
| State Anthem | Odessa is My Strength | ||||
| • Ingliz | {{{nation_anthem_ingliz}}} | ||||
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| Official language | Ingliz | ||||
| Founding Date | 20 June 1956 | ||||
| Government • Type • President |
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| Capital | Firston | ||||
| Administrative Divisions | 13 Prefectures: Broadmoor, Demesne, Granmark, Hizon, Leeland, Lopatch, Midland, Norpen, Overvist, Solpeer, Thritson, Westland, and Winward plus National Capital Region | ||||
| Largest City | |||||
| Area • Total • % water |
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| Population • Total • Growth Rate • Density |
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| GDP • Total • GDP/capita • Growth Rate |
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| Currency | |||||
| Time Zones | CLT (Central Lusitierran Time) (AMT -9) | ||||
| Trigraph | PRO | ||||
| Calling Code | +46 | ||||
Odessa, officially the Plenary Republic of Odessa, is located in the north and center of the Lusitierran continent. The country stretches from 141° 56′ to 137° 0′ West and between 8° 37′ to 64° 19′ North. To Odessa's west lie the Cidalian Ocean and Bontera while the Sea of Miereles, Lenorme Gulf, and Lusitierran Torentine are the country's eastern frontiers. Anahuac, Fernandina, and territory 81 lie across Odessa's southern borders.
Contents |
History
A former colony of both Aspenia and Translithania, Odessa gained its independence in 1956 and celebrates Independence Day on 20 June.
Government and Politics
A strong central government is the key element of the Odessan political system. Although it is a parliamentary republic, most authority is exercised by the executive branch. The President is both head of state and head of government. As such, he chairs the Presidium, the cabinet-level council which sets general policy. Members of the Presidium include the Superintendents of the Officia, Odessa's ministries of state.
The single house of parliament, the Concilium, oversees the workings of governance in that it approves the state budget and has authority to convene Commissions of Inquiry. The 135 Deputies also make and review drafts of legislation and have the authority to grant amnesties. The Concilium ratifies treaties and may amend the Constitution.
Of the dozens of political parties in Odessa, only about five are serious contenders for power. Not surprisingly, the President is a member of the largest of these, the Progressive Odessa Party (POP). About half of the Concilium's elected deputies belong to POP. The next largest party is the Party of Unity and Progress (PUP), comprising about 20% of elected deputies.
Subdivisions
Odessa is divided into thirteen Prefectures plus the National Capital Region. The prefectures and their capitals are:
- Broadmoor—Gulfton
- Demesne—Westbay
- Granmark—Granton
- Hizon—Grand Rapids
- Leeland—Eastbay
- Lopatch—Portage
- Midland—Midvale
- Norpen—Northampton
- Overvist—Riverview
- Solpeer—Solmanton
- Thritson—Lanton
- Westland—West Point
- Winward—Portsmuth
Military
- Main article: Militaria
Called the Militaria, the Odessan military is strong enough to defend the state from pretty much any attacker. The Navy is designed to safeguard Odessan interests abroad and is capable of breaking all but the most intensive blockade. The land, air, and sea forces are structured for maximum combat power which makes them a respected force. On the other hand, the Odessan military is not prepared to wage extended operations on distant shores. It is, thus, regionally significant and globally known, but does not present any real threat to Aurora's "super powers."
Foreign Relations
- Main article: Foreign Relations of Odessa
Odessa sees itself as a key player on the world stage, yet realizes it's not a first world power. It tends to take a rather arrogant stand in most matters and it's position is usually based on what's best for Odessa, regardless of any larger implications. While Odessa will often speak of global harmony, it often takes a position adversarial to it's former colonial "occupiers." It is not unusual for Odessa to try to play the world's leading powers off each other. A major objective of Odessan foreign policy seems to be the furtherance and expansion of its arms trade.
Despite its somewhat chaotic approach, Odessa actually has a foreign policy viewpoint for all nations. Regarding foreign relations, Odessa actively seeks to maintain formal ties with all countries.
Geography and Climate
Topography in Odessa consists of coastal plains, the northern highlands, and the southern mountains. Elevations range from sea level (0 meters) to the summit of Mount Ceuportao at 7,023 meters (23,040 feet).
Odessa's climate is primarily tropical along the coast plains and tends toward mild temperate in the northern highlands. The southern mountains experience climates ranging from temperate to boreal to alpine, depending on elevation.
Economy
- Main article: Economy of Odessa
The stockist economy in Odessa is subject to considerable central direction, exercised primarily through the Commodity Organization and Resource Economics (CORE) Commission. Oriented primarily on heavy industry, Odessans are the world's leading supplier of small arms, artillery, armored vehicles, and combat aircraft. Although Odessans manufacture a wide range of consumer goods, they are not known for high quality. Luxury goods, affordable only to a small number of Odessans, are almost all imported.
Odessa is rich in resources, especially bauxite and iron ore, both critical to its heavy industries. As a result, Odessa exports very little of either ore except in the form of finished goods. On the other hand, Odessa does export quantities of grain and moderate amounts of fish, wood, and precious metals. Although Odessan stone is high quality and abundantly available, the CORE Commission has not attempted to cultivate a market for it except as aggregate, a byproduct of the country's mining operations. It's not clear if Odessa will expand its capabilities to exploit its moderate oil reserves.
Transport is well-developed in Odessa, consisting of excellent waterways, including the Trans-Odessan Ship Canal, and complementary railways. Recent developments to the transport system involve the building of Autoroutes to expand on the national highway and local roadway system. Air transport is also growing with new aerodromes added regularly to serve ever-expanding domestic and international services.
Demographics
Because of it's location as a crossroads of trade, nearly every ethnic group is represented in Odessan society. It is nearly impossible to find a "typical Odessan." Among this amalgamation of cultures, there is little that stands out or that is distinctly Odessan. Despite their rather generic demography, however, Odessans are fiercely nationalistic.
Language
The official language in Odessa is Ingliz. Although speaking other languages is permissible, it is considered rude and, generally, not done. Aspenish is the most common foreign language spoken by Odessans, followed by Etrurian and then Antaran.
Religion
Religious beliefs have no special standing under the law and there is no state-sanctioned religion. Nonetheless, most Odessans profess a faith, primarily within Cruisian denominations.
Health
- Main article: Health in Odessa
An elaborate provisioning and delivery system provides public health care in Odessa. The system is state subsidised and freely available to all Odessans. So-called "gratitude payments" are common, however, to obtain access to quicker or better treatments.
The country's medical service providers and hospitals are subordinate to the Health Officium, which provides oversight and scrutiny of general medical practice and has responsibility for the day to day administration of the healthcare system. Odessa operates four separate healthcare systems, funded either in whole by government subsidy or partially with employer and employee allotments. All citizens have access to healthcare facilities operating under auspises of the Secretariat of Health. Employed citizens, their dependents, and pensioners may also use healthcare facilities administered by the Odessan Health Service. Similarly, the National Health Service provides healthcare for government employees, dependents, and retirees, including veterans and military retirees. Military personnel and their dependents receive healthcare from facilities operated by the military, which may also provide services to veterans and military retirees. In addition, there are a number of private medical facilities nationwide, but the government provides no subsidies to those institutions. People who use them must pay themselves or subscribe to a private insurance scheme.
Most towns have their own hospital. Hospitals in Odessa are generally modern and well-equipped, with adequate staff for emergent, life-threatening situations. Each prefecture has a number of major hospitals able to handle almost all routine and emergency medical problems. Larger and more specialized medical complexes tend only to be found in major cities, however.
Life expectancy in Odessa is 66.1 years for males and 70.7 years for females, with an average of 67.9 years. Odessa has 1.27 physicians and 7.27 hospital beds per 1,000 residents.
Cardiovascular diseases account for the bulk of Odessa's deaths at 60% of all fatalities. Cancers, at 12%, and external causes, such as accidents and suicides, at 11%, are the next leading causes of death. Other significant causes of death include digestive diseases (5%), ill-defined causes (4.5%), and respiratory diseases (3.9%).
A controversial aspect of Odessa's healthcare are its Eugenism practices. Those who are deviant or considered a source of social turmoil may be considered for sterilization or euthanasia (mercy killings). In large part, those subject to Eugenism policies are the mentally ill, those with congenital diseases, the severely physically handicapped, and deviant criminals.
Education
- Main article: Education in Odessa
Practical education is highly prized in Odessa. Attendance at school through twelve years(generally age 16 or 17) is obligatory and provided at no charge to citizens. As a result, the country enjoys a 96.7% literacy rate. Following compulsory education and mandatory military service for males, most attend higher education at university or, more commonly, a polytechnic (vocational) institute or technicum, also paid for by the state.
Exceptional students may attend post-graduate studies at their own expense. While attaining a masters degree is relatively common, there is little interest in doctoral candidacy except in the fields of medicine, physics, and engineering.
Culture and Society
The cosmopolitan mix in Odessan society makes for a rich and diverse culture.
Sports
Sports, particularly football (soccer), are the Odessan national pastime. While most Odessan cities of any consequence have theaters and museums, average Odessans have little interest in such passive activities. Ironically, few Odessans actually participate in sports but demand always exceeds supply for season tickets to watch the local teams.
Because of Odessa's lengthy coastline, sailing and other water sports are popular pastimes.
See Also
- Commodity Organization and Resource Economics (CORE) Commission
- Flags of Odessa
- Resources of Odessa
- Transport in Odessa
