State of Annam

South Annam is a state in the State Union of Annam and Dragonstone located in the Asiapelago, between the Finipines and Duck Island. The capital and largest city in the territory is Bai Gau, with a population of around 2 million as of 2019. The official languages in the territory are French and Vietnamese, while other languages such as Cambodian, Cantonese, Lao, and Mandarin are recognized languages. South Annam is divided into forty-four provinces (French: provinces, Vietnamese: tỉnh), including the capital, which is a separate province on its own.

The territory of what is now South Annam was originally a territory of the neighboring Kingdom of Funan, but was eventually conquered by Annam during the late middle ages and incorporated into Annam. During the 1800s, Annam managed to resist Francterran colonization and remained as an independent state, but there was a lot of Francterran influence in the country. The country was invaded by Japaland during the Khanzem War, and then divided into Dragonstonian and Snowviet occupation zones after the war, which later became the independent North Annam and the semi-independent South Annam.

History
The area that is now South Annam was originally settled thousands of years ago, who farmed rice along the many rivers in the region. Eventually, many fiefdoms and small states were formed in the diverse region, which was populated by many different ethnic groups. The region was never under the rule of any major power, although both the neighboring Kingdoms of Annam and Funan attempted to influence the many fiefdoms that existed in the area. Many of the small states often feuded with each other for greater control, with Annam or Funan supporting one side or another during these many wars.

The Kingdom of Annam began to expand outwards in the 1600s, and attempted to conquer many of the smaller states on the island. Annam began invading the small states in the region, exploiting the rivalries between the many states for its own gain. Despite some major resistance and aid from the Kingdom of Funan, who didn't want Annam to become more powerful, the states fell one by one and came under the rule of the Annamese Empire. After the invasion, thousands of Annamese began to migrate south and settle the area, changing the demographics of the region over the next few hundred years.

In the 1800s, Francterre, which was continuing to colonize other nations around Antarctica, attempted to colonize Annam, but was defeated by the Kingdom of Annam in a series of battles in the 1860s and 1870s. Though the Francterrans had failed to conquer Annam and make it their territory, Francterre began to influence Annam culturally in the years after the war, with French beginning to be used. Francterre was a major trade partner of Annam, providing the country with many Ninja Archipelagoan goods, and thousands of Francterrans settled in Annam as well.

During the Khanzem War, Japaland launched an invasion of Annam, and despite resistance from the Annamese, eventually won due to their superior numbers and technological advantage. However, many Annamese continued to resist the Japalandese forces, hiding in the jungle and carrying out ambushes against the Japalandese army. After Japaland's surrender in 1918, the country was divided into Dragonstonian and Snowviet occupation zones, with the Snowviets occupying the north while the Dragonstonians occupied the south. There were plans to reunite the country soon after, but they were never carried out.

The Snowviets eventually pulled out its forces from their occupation zone in 1954, but the Dragonstonian government didn't, instead choosing to elevate South Annam to a status equal to it within a State Union of Annam and Dragonstone. North Annam was a communist regime, owing to its period of Snowviet occupation, while South Annam was a capitalist regime, owing to its period of Francterran colonization. Both sides wanted to go to war with each other soon after, but neither country was willing nor able to defeat the other side, and thus war was never declared on either side.

However, in 1965, having built up its military with aid from the Snowviet Union and Zhou, North Annam launched a massive invasion into South Annam, eventually occupying most of the northern regions of the country. Worried that the north would conquer the rest of the country and establish a more powerful communist regime, both Olde Antarctica and Francterre sent troops to aid the south. With aid from the two countries, South Annam pushed back the North Annamese forces, forcing them back to the border between the two countries, and a peace treaty was signed between the two countries.

After peace was established, South Annam began to develop its military further in case the north tried to invade again, but also began developing its economy as well with large amounts of aid from Olde Antarctica. By the 1980s, South Annam had become a more powerful country than before, and its economy was also growing rapidly. The outbreak of the STINC War in 1990 worried South Annam, however, as it meant that they lost their protector, Olde Antarctica, but the country was still defended by Francterre, and its own strength meant that North Annam was deterred from invading the country.

Government
The territory's head of state is technically the King of Dragonstone, though he has little power in the territory, with the population overall barely noticing the government of Dragonstone. Dragonstone and South Annam are treated more as two countries united as one country rather than one country being ruled by another, and thus both citizens consider each other as equals within the State Union. Though the capital of the State Union is located in Dragonstone, some have wanted to make the country have two capitals, in Dragonport and Baigao, with both cities having certain government branches.

The President of South Annam is technically considered the head of state despite South Annam not being an independent country, while the head of government is the Prime Minister. The President is elected every five years, and appoints the Prime Minister, who is approved by Parliament. South Annam's Parliament consists of the upper Senate, which has 120 seats, and the lower National Assembly, which has 150 seats. Elections for the Senate are held every five years, while elections for the National Assembly are held every three years.

Economy
South Annam has a developed economy, with the territory being somewhat economically powerful while it was a country, and continues to be economically powerful today as well. The unemployment rate is at around 7%, and the poverty rate is quite low, with economic reforms in the 1970s and 1980s contributing to a decline in extreme poverty, especially in the countryside. Since the economic reforms by the government in the 1970s and 1980s, South Annam became more wealthy than before, and slowly became a minor technological and financial hub in the Asiapelago.

The country was previously primarily dependent on agriculture, mostly with rice farming along the major rivers of the country, but it has shifted more to manufacturing after large scale reforms were enacted in the 1970s, though agriculture is still a major part of the economy, and the territory provides most of the State Union's food. South Annam is also a minor technology hub, not on the scale of South Joseon, but is nevertheless an important hub for technology in the Asiapelago, and some South Annamese companies have been formed over the years making many electronic devices.

Culture
South Annam's culture has been largely influenced by Zhou due to its proximity to the country and the occasional Zhouese occupation of the country, with the Vietnamese language today having a large amount of Chinese loanwords. Like many other countries in the Asiapelago, South Annam also celebrates Lunar New Year (Vietnamese: Tết), but with many uniquely Annamese customs being incorporated into the main traditions of the holiday. However, there are many other distinct Annamese customs, such as áo dài, a type of formal attire that is common in the country.

Annamese cuisine is also extremely prevalent around Antarctica due to the large South Annamese diaspora, with one of the most popular Annamese foods being phở, a noodle soup that is eaten by both Annamese and non-Annamese alike. Other Annamese foods, such as bún bò Huế, also a noodle soup, cơm tấm, a special rice with meat, and bánh cuốn, a roll filled with rice, vegetables, and meat, also being popular. Like with culture in general, Annamese cuisine has been influenced by other countries such as Zhou, but also Francterre to some degree.