Independent State of Glaw

The Independent State of Glaw, simply known as Glaw, is a small parliamentary monarchy located to the north of Ed Island. The country regained its independence from Frankterre in 2017 after a referendum was held under international pressure.

History

 * Main articles: Royal Monarchy of Glaw and Glaçou Francterran

Glaw was discovered in 2000 by Fum Pie and his family who founded the country as a monarchy in 2002. In 2013, Glaw sided with the Kingdom of Yow in the Great Yowien War, where the country ultimately lost its independence to Frankterre. A colonial government was established and the former government was sent into exile.

While Frankterran governance of the nation was welcomed by penguins of Frankterran and Castillan descent, it was shunned by Ed Islandian immigrants who made up a considerable part of the population. After four years of Frankterre's control of the island, during which living standards across the island were vastly improved while organized crime became almost nonexistent, protests broke out almost entirely by portions of the Ed Islandian populations. Chants of "Heim ins Edsland" (meaning "back home to Ed Island") were heard, meant politically by most but with a very small amount wishing for direct annexation. In the end, Frankterre was forced to hold an independence referendum on February 17th. The referendum (nicknamed Glawxit by some) concluded with 56.4% of the population voting for independence, the vast majority of which made up of the Ed Islandian population. Despite accusations by Frankterre, the United Provinces, and several other nations that the vote was rigged by Ed Island, independent poll watchers from the United States of Antarctica and United Penguin Islands determined that the referendum was legitimate and was not manipulated.

By February 21st, Frankterre had removed nearly all of its military presence from the island and was in the process of dismantling the colonial government. King Fum Pie and the Glowus monarchy returned from exile in Antarctica to resume the throne, although with vastly diminished power than before. A new Glowus parliament was formed with three main political parties, and a functioning court system was established.

Today, Glaw remains a peaceful and prosperous nation free from much of its historical crime and corruption. The country has seen an increase in immigration from Ed Island, Culldrome, and the former Yowien territories allowing Glaw to grow its small but respectable economy.

Future
During the 2027 Scramble for Power, Glaw provided small amounts of relief aid to Shopper refugees and admitted several thousand to permanently reside.

Geography and Climate
Glaw shares Ed Island's warm, temperate climate. Several forests and swamps exist throughout the island that are broken up by small rivers.

Economy
The primary industries of Glaw are agrarian in nature. Farming, fishing, and other related economic sectors make up nearly 70% of Glaw's total GDP. In recent years, small amounts of manufacturing and production have been introduced, though Glaw's few natural resources mean these industries are limited.

Currency
Glaw has used the Club Penguin Gold Coin as its official currency since 2006, replacing the Pebble in use since 2002. This was continued through Frankterran occupation and maintained after independence, although Glaw is no longer a member of the Gold Coin Alliance. Post-independence, use of the Gold Coin has continued while Ed Islandian Thalers have begun to be accepted as legal tender within the country.

Government
Glaw is a parliamentary monarchy, although the Glowus monarchy holds almost no political power. Glaw possesses three main political parties: the Conservative Party, the Glowus Penguin's Party, and the Freedom Party.

Although often accused of being a puppet state of Ed Island, the country has little influence over Glaw's internal affairs. In international politics, however, it is rare for the two countries to have differing positions on a subject.

Law Enforcement
The primary Glowus law enforcement entity is known as the Corps of Carabineers. Named after the gendarmerie force of Liguria, Glaw's Carabineers act as a military police force.

The Carabineers were part of the Glowus Army until mid-2017 when it was established as a separate law enforcement body by Ed Islandian officials.

Flag
The flag of Glaw is a red-blue-white nordic cross, similar in design to Glaw's previous flag. The former national flag has been retained as the personal standard of the Glowus royalty.

National Motto
"Indivisible and inseparable"

Population
Glaw has an approximate population of 250,000. The largest city, Pufaire, has nearly half of this population at 110,000.

Language
The official language of Glaw is English, with French and German recognized as minority languages. All official documents in the country are distributed in English, with these other languages being available by request.

Military
Prior to Frankterran annexation of Glaw, the nation's military was an incapable, under-equipped, and under-trained defense force. Post independence, however, the entire military force was reconstructed under the watchful eye of the Ed Island Military. The reformed Glowus Defense Force was modeled after Ed Island's own and possesses three main branches: the Glowus Army, Glowus Navy, and Glowus Air Force.

Unlike other nations closely allied with Ed Island such as Magyaria or pre-annexation Osterreach, only the Glowus Army's field tunic generally resembles their Ed Islandian counterparts. The army utilizes its former service weaponry (although with vastly superior manufacturing techniques), helmet design, rank system, and awards. The Navy and Air Force, however, have been completely equipped with Ed Islandian aircraft and patrol ships as their past incarnations were considered jokes.

Glowus Army
The majority of the Glowus Army is dedicated to peacekeeping efforts.

Glowus Navy
Glaw possesses a small navy of 35 vessels, mostly a series of frigates and destroyers used for little more than coast guard duties. Additionally, two land-based naval air force squadrons exist for interdiction and anti-shipping purposes.

The Glowus Navy has no force projection capabilities and does not operate aircraft carriers or other capital ships, although briefly showed interest in purchasing a modernized Wulfen War-era Hrönn-class aircraft carrier from Ed Island's naval reserve.

Glowus Air Force
Glaw's air force operates 72 combat aircraft as well as an additional number of transports, tankers, and early warning radar. As with the other service branches, all of Glaw's military aircraft are sourced from Ed Island.

Only one dedicated air force base exists on Glaw, although both of the country's international airports can be used for military purposes if the need arises.

Südstern
As a condition of Glaw's independence, the former Frankterran military base Port Victoire near the city of Ketappe was indefinitely leased to the Ed Island Military. Almost immediately after Ed Islandian ships arrived in Glaw, construction began on the town of Südstern to house military personnel and to act as a buffer between Glaw and the base.

Südstern essentially acts as an exclave of Ed Island, and is not subject to Glowus laws or authority.

Antarctica

 * East Pengolia image flag.png East Pengolia - Good -- Despite its allies' relations with East Pengolia, the two nations still maintain a positive trade relationship.
 * USA flag.PNG United States of Antarctica - Good --
 * AcadiaFlag.png Acadia - Poor -- Acadia refuses to recognize Glaw, seeing it as an illegitimate state that only exists to be a puppet state of Ed Island, and instead recognizes Glaw as an integral part of Frankterre according to an official statement.

Ninja Archipelago

 * Pengvaria Flag.png Batavia - Mixed --
 * Frankterre Flag.png Frankterre - Poor -- Only Glaw's Frankterran population holds a positive view on the nation
 * Magyaria Flag.png Magyaria - Excellent --
 * UK Flag 2.png Puffle'and - Mixed --
 * Ruscoe Federation Flag.png Ruscoe Federation - Mixed --
 * Snozerland Flag 2 edited-1.png Snowzerland - Poor --

Asiapelago

 * ShopsIslandFlag2013.png Shops Island - Mixed -- Although currently friendly with Shops Island, many Glawiens still hold resentment towards Shops' involvement in the Great Yowien War.

Sub-Antarctica

 * AchadiaFlag.png Achadia - Good -- Many Glowus-Ed Islandians are avid fans of Hockey Manlet and the Electric Shocktopi.
 * Culldromeislesflag.png Culldrome Isles - Mixed -- As with Shops, Glawiens are one of the strongest voices for Yow's independence, although this typically falls on deaf ears.
 * Ed Island Flag.png Ed Island - Excellent --

Other

 * NewUnitedProvincesFlag.png United Provinces - Poor -- Glaw has adopted Ed Island's distrust of the United Provinces, although the current UP government's slightly vocal support of Yowien independence had improved the Glowus opinion of them.
 * CandviaFlag.png Candvia - Great -- The Candvian active opposition to the Great Yowien War and constant support, in spite of foreign, especially Shopper and Snowinn, pressure, for Yowien and Glowus independence led to a rather good relationship being forged between the two countries, and the Candvian government recognizes Glaw as a close ally despite the fact Glaw is very close friends with Ed Island, a rival of the UP and sometimes, by extension, of the Western Union, which Candvia is member of.