Acadia

Acadia (French: Acadie; Swedish: Akadien), officially the Republic of Acadia (French: République Acadie; Swedish: Republiken Akadien), or sometimes referred to as the Acadian Republic (French: République Acadienne; Swedish: Akadien Republiken) is a country located in the Sub-Antarctic. The country's territory is separated from the United States of Antarctica, its neighbor to the north and east, by the Strait of Shiverpool. Acadia consists of the main island of Acadia and a few islands off the coast of the country. The capital and largest city in the mainland of the country is Delphi, and the second largest city is Rochelle. Acadia is a member of the Delphi Pact, Free Republic Union, Western Union, South Antarctic Treaty Organization, and United Antarctic Nations.

The first Acadian state, the Principality of Acadia, was founded in the 600s by a group of High Penguins, and was a vassal state of the High Penguin Confederacy, which meant that it was under the protection of the more powerful High Penguin Confederacy, but was still an independent state. After a marriage between the eldest daughter of the Prince of Acadia and a son of the King of Francterre in the 1600s, the Principality was incorporated into Francterre, and it was during this time that Acadia gained most of its cultural influence. Acadia was then conquered by the Puffish in a war between Francterre and Puffle'and, and was ceded to Puffle'and. In the 1800s, Puffle'and granted Acadia some autonomy, but Puffle'and still controlled Acadia's military and foreign affairs, until Acadia gained complete independence from Puffle'and in 1999 during the Acadian Revolution.

Acadia is a developed country that maintains many social programs, including free post secondary education, universal healthcare, and welfare. The country ranks highly in terms of education, income equality, healthcare, overall happiness, and quality of life, and has a low crime rate despite high gun ownership, and a low unemployment rate. Acadia also has a large economy, owing to the many oil and natural gas reserves that exist in the seas around Acadia and the colonies. However, despite many other countries that have ranked similarly on those categories, Acadia is considered a flawed democracy by independent observers due to its restricted freedoms of assembly, the press, and speech, and allegations of abuse of power by many politicians, though that has changed in recent years, particularly with the latest reforms passed in 2019 under President Brant Esser.

Prehistory
The historical borders of Acadia were settled by many different groups over the years, including High Penguins and Viking Penguins, who lived in small villages and communities along the coast and inland. Beginning around the 600s, tribes of High Penguins from present day Freezeland began migrating into the area and settled there. The High Penguin tribes by led by a lord named Brandir, who united the tribes under one banner, and is usually considered the founder of the first Acadian state according to Acadian traditions. This state, the Principality of Acadia, existed as a powerful state in the region in the years before the High Penguin Confederacy came to rule the continent, exerting its influence onto local tribes and states.

High Penguin Confederacy rule
After the High Penguin Confederacy was founded in 742, the Principality of Acadia accepted High Penguin suzerainty, as the High Penguin Confederacy was much more powerful than it. Acadia then became a vassal of the High Penguin Confederacy, but was allowed to maintain control over its internal affairs, while its foreign affairs and military were heavily influenced by the High Penguin Confederacy. Thus, Acadia enjoyed being under the protection of the much larger and much more powerful High Penguin Confederacy while still being an independent state, and the fact that the High Penguin Confederacy capital was located thousands of miles away from Acadia itself meant that there was little High Penguin Confederacy interference in Acadia.

The Principality of Acadia prospered during the middle ages, as Delphi, the capital of the Principality, was a major port for merchants traveling between the Ninja Archipelago and Asiapelago. Many merchants stopped in Delphi temporarily on the route between the Ninja Archipelago and Asiapelago, while many also began selling their goods in the markets of Delphi as well. The revenue gained from trade enriched the ruling families of the Principality of Acadia and made the Principality one of the wealthiest nations for its size at the time, allowing them to maintain a large merchant fleet of their own for trade across Antarctica and a large and powerful navy to protect the trade routes on the surrounding waters from pirates.

The large amounts of revenue gained from trade also meant that the ruling families of the Principality were able to invest in public works. Many streets in Delphi and the other cities of the Principality were paved, the markets were expanded while many others were built, and taverns and inns for the merchants were also built as well. Eyewitness accounts from the time show that Delphi was not only one of the largest cities in the region at the time, but was also incredibly clean compared to many medieval cities, owing to its grid pattern and regulations dedicated to sanitation. The large and skilled City Guard of Delphi was also able to keep crime low in the city as well.

Francterran Acadia
After the death of the Prince of Acadia in 1611, who had died without an heir, an assembly of the Acadian nobles elected the King of Francterre to be the next Prince of Acadia, due to the fact the the Prince's mother was a member of the Francterran royal family. Acadia was then integrated into the Kingdom of Francterre, and it was during this period of Francterran rule that most of the cultural elements of modern Acadia were formed. The French language was introduced to Acadia, eventually replacing Swedish as both the official language in government, and began to be a part of the speech of every day life over the next few hundred years.

Under Francterran rule, Acadia continued to prosper due to its strategic location on the trade routes between the Asiapelago and Ninja Archipelago, especially since trade dramatically increased between the two regions of Antarctica, owing to the new technologies in maritime travel that had been developed in the previous two centuries. Delphi, the capital of Acadia, underwent a massive expansion under the period of Francterran rule, expanding beyond the medieval walls of the city. With the large amounts of money gained from trade, the Francterran crown and Acadian nobles built many more houses and other buildings, including many large palaces, theaters, and opera houses in the city. These buildings, built in the Francterran style, led many to call Delphi the "Parie of Antarctica".

In 1758, during the war being Francterre and Puffle'and, a large Puffish army and navy landed in Acadia, and after a series of battles, defeated the outnumbered Francterran soldiers and local soldiers who were stationed in the Principality. However, remaining pockets of resistance in the territory remained for as long as until 1760, when they were finally defeated by Puffish reinforcements to the Principality. In the Treaty of Parie in 1763, after the war ended, Francterre was forced to cede the Principality of Acadia to Puffle'and, and the Principality became a part of Puffle'and.

Puffish Acadia and Dominion of Acadia
Puffish rule was unpopular with both the nobility and the population, as they had gained a lot of cultural influence from Francterre during the period of Francterran rule. At the recommendation of the Governor-General of Acadia, the Puffish government passed the Acadia Act in 1779, which recognized French as the official language of Acadia and stated that Francterran civil law would be used in Acadian courts rather than the Puffish common law. Though the Puffish kept the old nobility in power, most Acadians were still unhappy with Puffish rule, and the nobility secretly met in 1844 to decide the next course of action. The nobles chose Adrian Esser, the Duke of Delphi, as their leader, and decided to start a rebellion against Puffish rule in Acadia. The militia was secretly trained and weapons were secretly stockpiled around the territory in preparation for the rebellion.

The rebellion first started in Delphi in 1845, but was swiftly crushed by the Puffish soldiers stationed in the city. Meanwhile, rebellions broke out in the other towns and cities in Puffish Acadia, and those towns and cities came under rebel control. Rebel leaders attempted to declare independence from Puffle'and once more, declaring an independent Kingdom of Acadia from the Puffish Empire. However, by late 1845, newly arrived Puffish reinforcements to the colony began to push back the rebels, and the rebellion was defeated by 1846, with the nobles and others involved in it forced to flee across the border into the neutral High Penguin Confederacy.

After the rebellion, the Puffish began giving more autonomy to Acadia, including more authority to the colonial legislature, which was elected by the population. Acadia was granted the status of a dominion in the Puffish Empire in 1877, meaning that it now had a high degree of autonomy, similar to the status of Calada, another Puffish colony, at the time, but Puffle'and still controlled Acadia's foreign affairs and military, and still had authority in Acadia's domestic affairs as well. Elections were held later that year, electing the first Prime Minister of Acadia, while the former colonial legislature became the Acadian Parliament.

Acadia joined the side of Puffle'and during the Khanzem War, and about 520,000 Acadian soldiers participated on the war on many fronts, particularly in Antarctica and the Osloven Empire. The country maintained close ties with Puffle'and during the False War, as it was a dominion of Puffle'and, and built up its military during in case of war with the communist powers and their allies. During this time, many fortifications were built around Acadia to protect from a possible invasion, many of which still exist today. A foreign observer noted that Acadia became one of the most heavily fortified places in the Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic continent during the war, and that it was near impossible to invade. Acadia remained on high alert throughout most of the war as it was bordered with the Water Kingdom, which was affiliated with the communist powers, and thousands of Puffish soldiers were stationed in Acadia throughout the war.

After STINC overthrew Olde Antarctica and established a communist regime in 1990, Acadia was a crucial point from which the Puffish launched their invasion, with the Acadians assisting Puffle'and and its other dominions as well. Acadian intelligence was crucial in sabotaging important STINC bases and weapons facilities on the Antarctic Peninsula before the invasion. The country was an important launching point for the Allied Forces during the invasion of Antarctica, with around 200,000 soldiers invading the peninsula from Acadia. Before the invasion, the STINC air force carried out several bombing raids across Acadia, mostly in Acadian territories on the mainland and on the island provinces of Tourane and Orleans, killing around 300 Acadian civilians and several hundred soldiers. This began a deep resentment of communism by Acadians that continues today and influences the country's policies and attitudes towards communism and communist countries.

Independence and Aftermath
The Acadian military underwent a reduction after the STINC War, as a large military was no longer needed since there was no longer any threat of an invasion from the communist countries. Unlike Colonial Antarctica, which was ruled directly by Puffle'and, Acadia enjoyed more autonomy under the Puffish Empire and was able to handle most of its domestic affairs, though Acadians became more and more disgruntled by the increasing Puffish interference in Acadian domestic affairs during the 1990s. During the late 1990s, there was talk of complete independence from Puffle'and, and a group of nationalists began to plan a campaign for peaceful separation.

In 1997, a campaign was launched for Acadia to leave the Puffish Empire through a referendum, and peaceful protests broke out across the dominion, though they were shut down by Puffish police, sometimes violently. Nevertheless, the local government in Acadia scheduled an illegal referendum in 1999, in which 74% of those who voted in the referendum voted for independence from Puffle'and. The Puffish government ordered the arrest of the government members involved in the referendum, accusing them of "treason", but when Puffish soldiers prepared to arrest the government members, the local Acadian soldiers mutinied and took control of the Governor-General's Palace and Puffish police headquarters, forcing the Governor-General to flee Acadia.

Over the next few months, fighting occurred in the dominion between Puffish soldiers and a mix of Acadian soldiers and militiamen. By the middle of 1999, Acadian forces had taken the entirety of Acadia island, where the capital, Delphi, was located, and other parts of the dominion, including many of the major cities and towns and large areas of the countryside. The rebels, led by Tyler Aberdeen, Prime Minister of Acadia, declared the founding of the Republic of Acadia in 1999, abolishing the titles of the nobility and Puffish crown in Acadia. The Puffish attempted to launch another offensive against the rebels in early 2000, starting with an invasion of Delphi, but were decisively defeated by the new Republic. After its founding in 1999, the Republic of Acadia provided aid to the rebels on the Antarctic continent, and around 10,000 Acadian soldiers fought on the side of Antarctican rebels at the height of the war, including all three future presidents Greg Cleanington, Dominic Smith, Brant Esser, and future prime minister Ryan Crosby.

Acadia was officially granted independence by Puffle'and in 2000 in a treaty after the war, and the new Republic of Acadia was recognized by nations across Antarctica. A new Acadian Constitution was written that same year, and among the changes made in it, the position of President was created to serve as the new head of state. Greg Cleanington was elected as the first President of Acadia in 2000, defeating his opponent in a landslide victory. After the new republic was established, the new Acadian government began to rebuild the country after the destruction of the country's war of independence. The new country began to form alliances with other countries around Antarctica after the war, formalizing alliances with Batavia and Castilla in 2000. Many Acadians also wished to annex the neighboring Westmoreland Islands, which was occupied by the United States of Antarctica, and Lautrec and Palme Island, which both remained under Puffish rule.

Even after the official end of the Antarctic Revolution in 2000, Acadia continued to fight a guerrilla war in New Syrmia against the Snowinn minority that wanted independence from Acadia, in what came to be known as the New Syrmian insurgency, which had lasted since 1999. The Snowinns were backed by Puffle'and, which supported New Syrmian independence in order to weaken Acadia. Puffish support for the rebels angered the Acadians, and Acadia launched an invasion of Puffish territories of Lautrec Island and Palme Island to stop the flow of aid to the New Syrmian insurgents, which led to war between the two countries. Puffle'and had been weakened by the Antarctic Revolution and was in debt from the war, and therefore sought a peace agreement with the Acadians soon after. The Treaty of Shiverpool, signed in 2001, resulted in the Lautrec and Palme Islands being ceded to Acadia.

War of 2002 and Snowinn Civil War
Two years after the country gained its independence, Acadia joined Freezeland and Puffle'and to declare war on its former ally, the United States of Antarctica, during the War of 2002. Acadian military experts believed that the United States of Antarctica would eventually attack and annex the small neutral country in the chaos of the war, and therefore planned a preemptive attack by Acadia and catch the Antarctican forces off guard. Other reasons for a declaration of war included solidarity with Acadia's High Penguin brethren in Freezeland, and to reclaim former territories that had been annexed into the United States of Antarctica already. Thus, in August 2002, the Acadian Parliament declared war on the United States of Antarctica, and Acadian forces attacked Shiverpool within a few hours of the declaration, and eventually took the city. From Shiverpool, the main Acadian force marched northwards to conquer previous territories and to meet up with the Freezelandians and Puffish, while smaller Acadian forces were landing elsewhere along the Antarctic Peninsular coast, occupying many important port cities.

The peace treaty that ended the War of 2002 was disappointing to Acadia, at it was forced to cede back most of its previously occupied territories to the United States of Antarctica, with the exception of the Westmoreland Islands, which were ceded to Acadia. However, during the peace treaty, Acadia signed an agreement with the United States of Antarctica for use of the ports of East Bank City, Lincon Port, and Shiverpool as free trade zones. Acadia also became one of the first ten signatories of the Treaty of Dorkugal which created the Free Republic Union, alongside nations such as Dorkugal and Freezeland, among others. The treaty created a defense pact between the United States of Antarctica and the member states of Free Republic Union, and solidified the friendship between Acadia and the United States of Antarctica.

Acadia had also begun providing support for the democratic Snowinian rebels during the Snowinn Civil War since 2000, but from 2002, shortly after the War of 2002 ended, Acadia began sending volunteers to fight in the war as well. Many ethnic Snowinns in Acadia and New Syrmia, estimated at around 15,000, had already volunteered in Snowiny as early as 1997. Though by 2002, the rebels had already made significant advances against the forces of Nationalist Snowiny, the arrival of new reinforcements from Acadia was still of major help to the rebel forces, and hastened the total defeat of Nationalist Snowiny. After the war, Acadia provided millions of Francs to the new Republic of Snowiny for it to rebuild and recover its economy, which played a role in Snowiny's recovery after the war. Acadia signed a mutual defense pact with Snowiny in 2004, beginning what would become an extremely close alliance between the two countries.

After the War of 2002
The country pursued a policy of non-interventionism in the years after the War of 2002, staying neutral in the many Antarctican conflicts that took place afterwards. However, in 2010, Acadia sent a small force of soldiers to support Triskelle's government during the Freezelandian Civil War, and the Acadian navy was engaged in small scale clashes with the Freezelandian rebels at sea. In 2012, Acadia supported Snowiny in the Ed-Snowinn War based on an alleged piece of Snowinian intelligence that stated that Ed Island would invade and annex Acadia after they won the war against Snowiny. As the war progressed, Acadian and Snowinian forces began to retreat from Ed Island, with a number of Ed Islandian High Penguins, fearing they would be targeted as retribution for the Acadian involvement in the war, also evacuating with the soldiers.

Acadia remained neutral in five of the six Great Snowzerland Wars that took place, but an Acadian force was stationed in South Pole City during the Great Snowzerland War VI, and was involved in the battle there. When the Frosian War broke out a year later, Acadia planned to remain neutral, as Puffalia and Zhou could've threatened two of its colonies, but became involved after the Puffalians attacked the Acadian colony of New Caseusopolis and Zhou attacked the Acadian colonies in the Asiapelago. The reserve forces were mobilized for the second time since the country's founding, but conscription was never implemented. With the help of Antarctican forces, who were heavily involved in both fronts, the Acadians were able to achieve victory, though the war left the country significantly in debt.

Future
While the fall of Shops Island, which by then was the second most powerful country in Antarctica, in 2026, sent shockwaves across Antarctica and resulted in both economic and political instability, Acadia was less affected economically than most other countries around Antarctica, as trade with Shops Island was minimal, although Acadia was still affected to an extent by its close trading partners who did trade with Shops Island. However, as the country was less affected economically than other countries by the fall of Shops Island, the Acadian economy was able to recover quickly. Acadia hoped to be able to annex a former Shopper colony or another nation in the chaos of the 2027 Scramble for Power to further Acadian colonialism, but the Acadian government decided that it would be too risky, fearing the provocation of another major power.

After the independence of the Republic of Moon Island in 2026, Acadia signed an agreement with Moon Island, which at that point still had a small newly created military, to station 10,000 Acadian soldiers in Moon Island. Though the Acadian military presence was welcomed at first by many Moon Islanders, many began to fear that the Acadian military would consolidate its power over Moon Island, and that the country would become a client state or even a territory of Acadia. This led to many politicians and people in the country to oppose the Acadian military presence in the country, with some Moon Islanders beginning to push for an "end to the Acadian occupation of Moon Island". The last Acadian soldiers withdrew from Moon Island in the 2040s, years after the country's military was fully able to defend the country.

Government
Acadia is a parliamentary republic, with the President as the head of state and the Prime Minister as the head of government. The country's legislature is the Acadian Parliament, which has 100 seats. The President is mostly a ceremonial role, but serves as the Commander-in-chief of the armed forces, has veto power, and the authority to appoint justices for the Supreme Court, ministers of the cabinet, and the Prime Minister with approval from Parliament. Elections for the Presidency are held every five years, and there are no term limits set in place. The Prime Minister usually sets most foreign and domestic policies and the budget, and can propose new legislation as well.

The Acadian Parliament is the legislative body of the country, and elections for Member of Parliament are held every five years with no term limits. Members of Parliament are elected from the country's eleven provinces, with the number of Members of Parliament being proportional to a province's population. Parliament has the ability to pass laws, approve the budget set by the Prime Minister, declare war, ratify international treaties, and impeach the President or the Prime Minister, or both. The Acadian territories and overseas territories of Alexandria, Alinor, Gilneas, New Caseusopolis, and Westmoreland all have one non-voting seat in Parliament each, meaning that they are allowed to propose legislation and state their opinion on it, but are not allowed to vote. On the other hand, the Acadian colonies don't have any representation in Parliament.

Unlike the former Puffish colonies, Acadia uses Francterran civil law in its civil law code rather than Puffish common law, something that was first enacted during the period of Francterran rule and remained in place after Puffish rule due to the Acadia Act that was passed in 1779 by the Puffish Parliament. The court system in Acadia is divided into two courts, district courts and the supreme court, the highest court of appeal in the country, which is located in Delphi. The Acadian Supreme Court is in charge of civil law cases, and also is in charge of interpreting whether the government has violated the Acadian Constitution.

Acadia is considered a "flawed democracy" by independent observers due to the government's arrest of dissidents and crackdown on unauthorized protests throughout the years. The Acadian Constitution notably omitted the rights of freedom of assembly, the press, and speech, leaving those rights to be left at the discretion of each Acadian President and Prime Minister. Protests often need a permit from the local government before they can take place, and the Acadian police have been known to shut down unauthorized protests throughout the years. In 2018, the Acadian Parliament passed the 8th amendment to the Acadian Constitution, which guaranteed the rights of freedom of the press and speech, while still leaving out freedom of assembly.

Foreign Relations
Main Article: Foreign Relations of Acadia

Acadia is a member of the Delphi Pact, Free Republic Union, South Antarctic Treaty Organization, United Antarctic Nations, and Western Union. The country has diplomatic relations with nearly every country in Antarctica, and maintains embassies in dozens of countries. The Diplomatic Protection Service is the agency responsible for protection of Acadia's embassies and diplomatic personnel in foreign countries. Many countries maintain embassies in Acadia as well, with nearly all embassies being in Delphi, the capital of Acadia, while many consulates also exist around the country and in the colonies. The Acadian passport also allows its holder access to nearly every country across Antarctica as well, and Acadian citizens have visa-free access into dozens of countries.

The country has a policy of cooperation with countries in the Sub-Antarctic and on the Antarctic mainland, which Acadia attempts to achieve through participation in the Free Republic Union. After the end of the Bow Tie War, when Acadia invaded the Dorkugese protectorate of Macradonia, Acadia was suspended from the Free Republic Union for aggression towards some of its member states and the United States of Antarctica, but the country has attempted to open dialogue between those countries. Relations between Acadia and the United States of Antarctica were strengthened in 2018 after a free trade agreement between the two countries, which led to Acadia's suspension in the Free Republic Union to be revoked in March 2019.

Acadia maintains close military ties with the member states of the Free Republic Union and Western Union, organizations which it is a member of, along with the United States of Antarctica, one of its oldest allies. Aside from the mutual defense agreement between member states of the Western Union, Acadia has separate mutual defense pacts with many member states, including two agreements between the Terra Federation and United Provinces, respectively, that allows both nations to station troops in Acadia. Both countries operate several air force, army, and navy installations in Acadia, with a total of around 20,000 United Provinces and 50,000 Terra Federation troops being stationed in the country.

Acadia has also been involved in Antarctic affairs, participating in many peacekeeping missions, through sending troops to conflict zones, and humanitarian missions, such as sending aid after conflicts and natural disasters, and many conflicts throughout the years. The country participated in the War of 2002, Snowinn Civil War, Great Snowzerland War VI, Frosian War, and Antarctic War on Terrorism, among many other conflicts as well. Acadia also sends millions of Fish in foreign aid each year to its allies, particularly Free Republics such as Okan and Poshia, but also its allies in the Western Union, such as Caseusopolis and Duck Island.

Military
Main Article: Acadian Defense Forces

The military of Acadia, the Acadian Defense Forces, is made up of the Acadian Air Force, the Acadian Army, the Acadian Gendarmerie, and the Acadian Navy. The President of Acadia is the Commander-in-chief of the Acadian Defense Forces, and the country's armed forces are under the authority of the Ministry of Defense. Conscription was in place from the founding of the country until its abolition in 2018, and every adult Acadian was required to do at least six months of compulsory service in either the military or police. However, there were exceptions to this, such as study, or health or moral reasons. Acadia's military budget is around 2.5% of its GDP, which is high compared to many other nations in the region.

As a dominion of Puffle'and, the Acadian military participated in many conflicts around Antarctica, including the Khanzem War and STINC War. The country's military remained on high alert during the False War in case of a possible attack from the communist countries. At the height of the False War, as a Puffish dominion, Acadia had one of the largest armies and navies in Antarctica, and dominated some parts of the Sub-Antarctic. Since independence, the Acadian Defense Forces has participated in many combined military and peacekeeping operations as a member of the Free Republic Union, South Antarctic Treaty Organization, United Antarctic Nations, and Western Union. There are about 83,000 active personnel in the Acadian Defense Forces, along with 165,000 reserve personnel and 41,000 home guard personnel in the armed forces as well.

The Acadian military also has another branch known as the Acadian Foreign Legion, modeled after the Francterran Foreign Legion, which consists of foreign nationals who wish to serve in the Acadian Defense Forces. Acadian citizenship is given to members of the foreign legion after two years of service. Founded in 1999, shortly after the founding of the Republic of Acadia, and it has since developed into one of the most elite forces in Antarctica, in part due to their training and often years of experience. The Acadian Foreign Legion has seen combat in many wars, including, but not limited to, the War of 2002, the Snowinian Civil War, the Ed-Snowinn War, the Frosian War, and the Bow Tie War. There are around 35,000 active members in the legion.

Economy


Acadia has a highly developed market economy based around arms exporting, banking, shipping, and trade, which have been the main sectors of the Acadian economy since the middle ages. The country has one of the largest economies in Antarctica, at around 6.543 trillion Fish, and a high GDP per capita, and is considered to be one of the freest and most competitive economies around Antarctica as well. Many multinational corporations operate headquarters or offices or do business in Acadia and the country has received a lot of foreign investment due to the economic freedom and location of the country.

Due to the abundance of large multinational corporations in Acadia, particularly in Delphi, the city is one of the most expensive cities in Antarctica to live in. The Port of Delphi is one of the largest ports in Antarctica and the second largest port in Sub-Antarctica, after Club Penguin, and is also one of the busiest ports in Antarctica and the second busiest port in the Sub-Antarctic as well. In recent years, the technological industry has greatly expanded in Acadia, and Delphi is considered by many to be the technological center of Sub-Antarctica due to the technological companies with headquarters or offices there. Delphi is also home to the Delphi Stock Exchange, the second largest stock exchange in the Sub-Antarctica and Antarctic Peninsula, after the Club Penguin Stock Exchange.

The economy of Acadia grows at an average rate of about 5% each year. The unemployment rate is at around 4%, and poverty is near nonexistent, as the government maintains a welfare state to provide benefits to those who need it and unemployment benefits to those who are unemployed. There is also paid maternity and paternity leave in the country, with both paid maternity leave and paternity leave being at six months. The minimum wage is at 18 Fish, and income inequality is low in the country while the quality of life is high. Acadia's tax rate is at 20%, and it is a flat tax, meaning that all taxpayers pay the same percentage, though lower income citizens pay less taxes.

Agriculture


The agricultural sector of the Acadian economy is highly mechanized and plays a smaller role in the country's economy, and only employs around 2% of the labor force. There is a large percentage of arable land in the country, which has allowed for further development of the agricultural sector. Agricultural development was somewhat neglected in the past in favor of other sectors such as industry, but the Acadian government has attempted to increase agricultural production in recent years to catch up to other countries in the Western Union. The Acadian agricultural sector on the mainland is known for producing Cream Soda; Acadian cream soda can be extremely expensive due to its rarity and quality, and Acadian cream soda production is among the most famed around Antarctica due to this. Additionally, some crops are also grown in greenhouses, "vertical gardens", and the backyards and rooftops of those living in houses or apartments, respectively.

Energy
Most of Acadia's energy is provided through combustion power plants, mostly through petroleum and natural gas, both of which are abundant in Acadia, and also through coal. No nuclear power plants have been built in Acadia due to its heavily urbanized nature, which has led to fears of accidents. The Acadian Parliament officially banned the construction of nuclear power plants in 2011. In recent years, a large proportion of Acadia's energy has also been provided through renewable sources, such as solar and wind power, due to environmental concerns. Solar farms were built in the small uninhabited islands located south of the main island during the 2000s under the administration of Greg Cleanington, and the Acadian government has incentivized the installation of solar panels on the rooftops of Acadian homes. Under the administration of Brant Esser, a large offshore wind farm was built a few miles southeast of the main island as well.

Industry
The main sectors of the Acadian economy are arms production, financial services, oil refining, and shipping, and most of the largest Acadian companies belong to one of those three sectors. Acadia is a major arms producer, with the country being one of the main arms suppliers for the member states of the Free Republic Union, and other states such as Caseusopolis, among others. The Acadian arms industry saw a large amount of grow after the 2017 Acadian Rearmament Program, which cemented Acadia's position as a major arms producer despite its small size. Oil refinery is also a major sector of the economy due to the abundance of oil in the sea surrounding mainland Acadia.

The country is also considered to be a major Antarctic hub for banking and other financial services, and Delphi, the capital, is considered to be one of the major financial centers of Antarctica, alongside cities such as Club Penguin, Margate City, Shops City, and South Pole City. Another major sector of the economy is transportation, and companies such as Air Acadia, the flag carrier airline of Acadia, are some of the largest companies in Acadia and Antarctica as a whole. Air Acadia has been rated as one of the best airlines in Antarctica, and flies to dozens of major cities across Antarctica, which has allowed ease of travel to Acadia, which has aided Acadia's economic growth over the years.

Natural Resources
The main island of Acadia has few natural resources aside from small reserves of gold, silver, and some other precious minerals, but they are only a small part of the economy. However, major natural gas and oil fields were discovered in the Sub-Antarctic Sea around Acadia in the 1990s, and many platforms have been built on the sea since then to harvest the resources. The abundance of natural gas and oil in Acadia led to the economic boom in Acadia in the 1990s and 2000s, and has also led to decreased energy dependence on other countries. This abundance has also led to imperialist countries such as Shops Island and others wanting to have influence over the Acadian oil fields. Aside from natural gas and oil, Acadia has few other natural resources.

Transportation


Acadia's road system consists of about 1,900 miles of roads, of which there are about 1,200 miles of divided highways. The Acadian highway system, also known as the Autoroute System, was originally built in the 1980s when Acadia was a dominion of Puffle'and and significantly expanded during the Cleanington administration in the 2000s. There are many bridges connecting the four main islands in the country, and another bridge connecting one of the islands, Tourane, to the Antarctic mainland. Additionally, there is one car for every three inhabitants in Acadia; car ownership remains at an average amount since congestion on Acadian roads often makes it impractical to own a car. Instead, many Acadians own motor scooters and bicycles for easier transportation through the crowded streets of the country, but car ownership still remains high.

The Acadian national train network consists of about 1,250 miles of rail, with hundreds of stations in the entire train system. There are two rail lines connecting the Acadian train network with the Antarctican train network, allowing for commute between the United States of Antarctica and Acadian cities closest to it. In 2019, construction on the country's first high speed rail was finished, which allowed for much faster travel between Delphi and Shiverpool. Around 1 million Acadians use the train system each day, including many students, of which travel on the train system is free, who use the train system to get to and from school. The three largest Acadian cities also have their own metro systems, with the Delphi Metro having the largest metro system in the country.

The main airport in the country is Delphi International Airport, which has around 60 million passengers each year, making it one of the busiest airports in the region. Due to its status as a major financial center in Antarctica, millions travel to Delphi each year to do business, and as such, Delphi International Airport has been expanded multiple times over the years to accomodate the ever growing amount of people entering the country. The airport is one of the most highly ranked airports in Antarctica, a ranking that has been achieved in part due to the major expansions of the airport over the years that have added many new services to the airport. Including Delphi International Airport, there are a total of 47 airports and 6 heliports in the country.

The Port of Delphi is one of the busiest ports in Antarctica, receiving millions of tons of shipment each year. Though the Port of Delphi was already an important port in the past, the opening of SABER in 1998 further contributed to the port's traffic, with more ships docking at the port than before. Since then, ships from other foreign nations, connected to Acadia through SABER, often dock in Delphi to unload or load goods, and also to refuel and rest before continuing their journey. Due to Acadia's location next to the United States of Antarctica, the Port of Delphi is an important point for goods entering the United States of Antarctica, with the Port of Delphi overshadowing the smaller Port of Shiverpool in this regard. Ports in the other major cities in Acadia are also some of the busiest in the region as well.

Culture
Acadia's culture is rooted in Freezelandian culture, but has been significantly influenced by the cultures of Francterre and Puffle'and, countries that both owned Acadia in the past, along with the culture of the United States of Antarctica, which is located right next to Acadia. Most Acadians see their country's independence as important, but also note that Acadia's connections with the rest of Antarctica are extremely important as well, and crucial to the country's prosperity and survival. Acadian nationalist movements have been prevalent in the country since before independence in the 1800s, and remain mainstream today after Acadian independence, with an emphasis on the preservation of Acadian culture and values. This has led to Acadia being extremely conservative culturally, but that has begun to change in recent years in part due to the Acadian youth, who, according to a poll, are more culturally liberal than older generations.

Architecture


During the middle ages, most of the buildings in Acadia were half timbered buildings, with only some major buildings such as Delphi Castle and other important buildings being built out of stone. Many of these half timbered buildings have remained in the neighborhood of Old Delphi in the Acadian capital and other parts of Acadia after extensive maintainance and renovation over the years. However, during the 1500s and 1600s, as Acadia began to expand, the Princes of Acadia hired architects from Batavia to design new buildings to be built, and the architects designed many houses in the Batavian style that have left an enduring mark in Delphi today. Despite Acadia having never been a part of Batavia, most of the buildings in Delphi and some other parts of Acadia resemble buildings in Batavia.

After Acadia became a part of Francterre in the 1600s, some major important buildings in Acadia, such as palaces, opera houses, and theaters, were built in the Francterran style for the nobility and other wealthy classes, resembling buildings that were constructed in Parie. Both of the Presidential Palace and the old Governor's Palace in Delphi, which now serves as a tourist site, were built under the period of Francterran rule in the Francterran style. Though the Francterran architectural influence in Delphi is mostly limited to major landmarks, the Francterran architecture is most prevalent in Rochelle, the country's second largest city, since it was built during the era of Francterran rule. Although Acadia was a part of Puffle'and for hundreds of years from the 1700s until the late 1990s when it gained independence, the Puffish architectural influence in Delphi is minimal, but is more prevalent in some parts of the country. As Acadia began to develop and expand in the 1980s and 1990s, large skyscrapers were built in Delphi in the modern architectural style, and other buildings were built in other cities around Acadia in that style as well.

Cuisine
Acadian cuisine shares many similarities with Freezelandian cuisine, as the first settlers of Acadia were from Freezeland, and also the cuisine of the United Penguin Islands as well due to the similar culture between the countries. Staples in Acadian cuisine include, fish, which are found in abundance in the surrounding sea, various fruits and vegetables, various dairy products, and bread. Spices have also been used in Acadian cuisine since the 1500s, when trade between Acadia and the countries of the Asiapelago meant that more spices entered Acadia than before, which allowed spices to be more available for use in cuisine. The period of Puffish colonization meant that some Puffish foods, such as fish and chips, Puffish breakfast, and shepherd's pie, became an important part of Acadian cuisine as well.

The traditional variant of cream soda in Acadia is Acadian cream soda, which is made primarily from grapes and raspberries grown in Acadia. Acadian cream soda is famed around Antarctica and is also somewhat expensive in comparison to other variants of cream soda due to the limited space available in Acadia to grow the fruits necessary for the creation of the cream soda. Francterran cream soda, imported from Francterre, has become somewhat more popular than Acadian cream soda due to its availability, and is most commonly drank by Acadians. Puffish and Candvian cream sodas have also been popular in Acadia, but not as popular as Francterran cream soda is.

Music
Traditional Acadian music is related to the traditional music of Freezeland and the United Penguin Islands due to the similar culture of those countries. The cultural influence of Francterre and Puffle'and in Acadia over the years has meant that later Acadian songs have been performed primarily in French, with some English songs. There are some music groups that perform medieval Acadian music in Swedish, the old language in Acadia, rather than English or French. Rock music and pop music, originating from the Ninja Archipelago and Olde Antarctica, began to be popular in Acadia during the 1970s and 1980s, especially among the youth, and continue to remain popular today. There are some Acadian music groups who perform pop music, mostly in English or French, and many music groups across Antarctica also come to Acadia to perform as well.

Sports
Sports is a major part of Acadian culture, and the most popular sports in the country are basketball and football, which is sometimes referred to as soccer, after Antarctica. Due to cultural influence from neighboring Antarctica, baseball and Antarctican football, not to be confused to football, have also become popular sports as well. Acadia participated in The Olympics, including placing a bid to host the Olympics, with the Acadian team winning multiple medals in sports such as basketball and shooting. The Acadian national football team also participated in the UGFA world cup many times, and won second place during the 2018 UGFA World Cup, which was the Acadian national football team's best performance.

Demographics
Not counting the colonies, Acadia is the most densely populated country on the Antarctic mainland, and one of the most densely populated countries in Antarctica. According to the 2015 census, the population is around 65% Acadian-Freezelandian, or simply referred to as Acadian, 15% Francterran, 10% Alemanian, 5% Puffish, and 5% other ethnicities, mostly consisting of Candvians, Snowinns, and Yowiens. Many Acadian-Freezelandians and Francterran Acadians are of mixed Francterran and Freezelandian ancestry, but it is not known what percentage of the population is of both Francterran and Freezelandian descent. Around 5% of Acadia's population consists of foreigners born in a different country, mostly consisting of Alemanians, Batavians, Candvians, Ligurians, and Snowinns.

A large amount of Acadians have immigrated from Acadia throughout the years, and there are sizable Acadian communities in Calada, Francterre, Freezeland, the United Provinces, and the United States of Antarctica. The first waves of Acadian immigration were in the 1800s, and there were minor waves of Acadian immigration in the aftermath of the Antarctic Revolution. There are around 7.8 million ethnic Acadians living in the United States of Antarctica, with large Acadian communities in the Antarctic Peninsula, Eastshield, and Trans-Antarctica. The United States of Antarctica is home to the largest population of ethnic Acadians, while Freezeland is home to the second largest population, at 2.6 million ethnic Acadians. While this large number is mostly due to Acadian immigration, a small number of ethnic Acadians were separated from Acadia after the United States of Antarctica occupied the mainland territories of the new Republic of Acadia during the Antarctic Revolution.

Education
The Acadian education system is modeled after the Antarctican education system, and is under the control of the Ministry of Education, which provides funding to the public schools. Acadian students are required to attend school from the age of five to the age of eighteen, from the beginning of primary school to the end of secondary school. Post secondary education, such as colleges and universities, are optional, though universities are tuition-free. The Acadian education system is divided into elementary school, which goes from kindergarten to fifth grade; middle school, which goes from sixth grade to eighth grade; and high school, which goes from ninth grade to twelfth grade. The majority of Acadian students are enrolled in public school, while a small minority is enrolled in private school or is homeschooled.

Health
Acadia maintains a universal healthcare system under the administration of the Ministry of Health, and is mostly funded by taxes, with a small minority of the costs coming from service fees paid for by patients. Patients have a choice as to what healthcare service provider they would like, but there are fines for not being covered by health insurance. The country's healthcare system has been ranked as one of the highest quality systems in Antarctica, and many from foreign countries have been known to seek medical treatment in Acadia. Concerns have been made about costs and wait times, but the Acadian government has attempted to remedy these problems in recent years, and as such, Acadia has lower wait times than some other countries with universal healthcare.

Languages
The official languages of Acadia are English, French, and Swedish, with English and French being the more commonly used official languages in the country, and nearly the entire population is fluent in both English and French. French is by far the most commonly used language in Acadia, being used in courts, the government, business deals, and is the primary language in schools as the language of instruction. Due to Acadia's nature as a major Antarctic business and financial center, English has begun to grow in use especially in business in order to make doing business easier.

Swedish, a language that is similar to Norwegian, the official language of Freezeland, is only spoken by a minority in the country, mostly from the Acadian-Freezelandian ethnic group. Still, there are many newspapers published in Swedish, and radio stations and television channels in Swedish as well. The language evolved from Old Norse, the common ancestor of both Norwegian and Swedish, which was spoken by the original settlers of Acadia. The language is offered as a course in all Acadian schools, but is not mandatory, though many Acadian students still choose to take it. However, many Acadian nationalists who wish for a return to what they see as "the country's true High Penguin roots" have often campaigned for Swedish to be made mandatory in schools and for Swedish to be the official language of government.

Administrative divisions
Acadia is a unitary state, and Metropolitan Acadia is divided into eleven provinces, Auvergne, Beaufort, Bourbon, Capitale, Lafayette, Laurentides, Nord-Est, Orleans, Sud-Est, and Tourane, along with two territories, Alexandria and Westmoreland. The provinces and territories are each divided into several arrondissements as well. Elections are held in each province for governor and seats in the provincial parliaments every five years, with the seats in the provincial parliaments being elected by arrondissement. The territories also hold elections for seats in the territorial parliaments, but the territorial governors are appointed by the Acadian president with approval from Parliament. The Acadian Parliament also exerts more control over the territories than the provinces.



Acadia also has three overseas territories, Alinor, Gilneas, and New Caseusopolis, which have relatively the same status as territories, but aren't located in Metropolitan Acadia, along with two dominions, New Syrmia and Orientalia. The overseas territories hold elections for seats in their respective territorial parliaments like territories in Metropolitan Acadia, and the governor is appointed by the Acadian president. Acadia's two dominions, on the other hand, are relatively self-governing, having control of most aspects of the country with the exception of foreign relations, which are handled by the Acadian government. The dominions were previously considered colonies until 2012, when they were granted self rule by the Acadian Parliament.

Climate
Despite being located right next to mainland Antarctica, Acadia has a temperate climate, with more mild weather throughout the year than in mainland Antarctica. There are four distinct seasons, and the summers are somewhat warm while the winters are cool. The country receives snow during the months of December, January, and February, but there has sometimes been snow as early as November or as late as March. Acadia also receives a lot of rain around the summer time, though the period of rainfall could start as early as late spring. Cloudy weather can also be common in Acadia, mostly during the fall and winter months.