User:SlenderXP/Azukri

Remark: There is an extremely high probability that this article will not be able to make it into the mainspace, with the fact that SlenderXP possesses an ego that barely fits into two planets being cited as the reason why. However, it can’t be denied that there is also likely one or more minor reasons why this article will not be able to make it into the mainspace.

Azukri, officially known as the Sublime State of Azukri, is a sovereign country that is located off the coast of the Antarctic mainland. The island of Azukri is located off the coast of eastern Eastshield. The sea surrounding it is geographically known as the Sea of Azu. Despite being almost one-third the size of Zhou, the country’s population of 23 million is small compared to it, which has often been attributed to Azukri’s stringent immigration policies and “semi-isolationism”. The country is mostly sparsely populated, with the Azukri City metropolitan area being home to over 5 million (roughly 21.7% of the population).

While English is the official language, languages such as Malay, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and French are also spoken and learned by the Azukrians, a reminder of its semi-colonial past when it received waves of immigrants. The populace enjoy a carefree yet productive lifestyle. The Sublime State’s isolated past allowed the nation to develop a self-sufficient mixed-market economy, which is further boosted by abundant blessings of natural resources, (such as rare earth metals, geothermal energy, platinum group metals, gold, iron, aluminium, copper, lithium, coal and fossil fuels). The nation also enjoys food security and food sovereignty as its sophisticated agricultural industry is capable of supplying the relatively small Azukrian populace with high-quality food products. An advanced and affordable education system also provides the nation with modern technology and skilled professionals.

Due to historical reasons and government policies, Azukri is considerably uninvolved in the international community despite its proximity to the Antarctic mainland. While the country has numerous trade partners (with Azukri primarily acting as the exporter), it only has limited diplomatic relationships with select countries. The Sublime State is currently ruled by Her Sublime Excellency Empress Katherine Chandos, whose ancestors have ruled the nation since as early as 1400. The former feudalistic government, which divided Azukrians into penguins of various subspecies, ruled the nation under a complex caste system that was among the last to exist in the 21st century. Luckily for the masses, this government and its backwards policies were overthrown during the popular Multicolour Revolution of 2017. The Sublime State continues to maintain its semi-isolationist stance till this day, with the only membership that the country holds being in the UAN (which it joined only as recently as 2004).

History
There is archaeological evidence that Azukri was settled as early as 180 BC. Several relatively small asteroids directly struck the small Azukrian settlement and mountainous areas of the island back then, instantly killing off the entire populace. The island would not be inhabited again until as late as 400 AD.

Establishment of the Chandos Dynasty
While there had been several dynasties that ruled the island prior to the Chandos Dynasty, not much information could be retrieved from official records as traces of the Chandos’ predecessors had been wiped clean by Edward Chandos. He was the extraordinarily brilliant yet brutal warlord who founded the Chandos Dynasty in 1400. During his campaign to unify the various city-states and petty kingdoms of the island, the island experienced a population drop ranging from 5% to as much as 25%. While his conquests were only limited to Azukri, the sheer brutality of his armies’ war crimes and the warlord’s penchant for massacres and atrocities were unspeakable even during modern times. So gruesome were his prisons, that he allegedly told a captive nobleman (who rebelled against him), “I know the definition for the Underworld before you are cast into it, because I built it myself”. The lucky few who somehow managed to escape to the Antarctic mainland from the genocidal tyrant described him as “The Lord of Evil”, which incidentally became the first time the Antarctic mainland heard of the island.

Emperor Edward’s descendants were comparatively mild. They focused on redeveloping the island’s culture and economy after the gargantuan cultural destruction and loss of lives that it had experienced. Merchants from the Antarctic mainland and other places (most notably Enclave Penguins and Zhouese-Peletonium Penguins) were attracted to this exotic land as it was a prime supplier of saffron, cloves, pepper and salt back then. Slowly but surely, Azukri was back on its feet as the prospering island that it was and even surpassed its former days of glory. The discovery of platinum and gold on the island further increased its wealth.

Semi-Colonial Era
Despite its prosperity, the advent of imperialism as the centuries passed also made Azukri a target for imperialist nations such as Francterre, Grand Permatan, the High Penguin Confederacy and other nations. Several Archipelagoan nations, notably Batavia, Lisboagal, Rusca, Francterre and Puffle’land, competed for the exclusive right to trade with Azukri. What started off as harmless competition soon turned ugly when these nations begin to fight naval wars off the coast of Azukri.

In the last of such wars, the Azukrian Emperor Philip II attempted to support the Ruscans when they offered him money. However, this greatly upset the Puffish and the Francterreans as the two countries launched a land invasion on Azukri. When it became apparent that the two technologically-superior invaders would win and potentially jeopardise the Chandos Dynasty’s ruling position, the Emperor’s brother, William, made a deal with the Francterreans and Puffish to offer them concessions and trading rights in exchange for helping him to overthrow his brother and guaranteeing Azukri’s independence. The move worked as William managed to overthrow his brother in a mostly bloodless coup (with the ex-Emperor being one of the few fatalities) and got crowned as William IV in 1854.

Later on, the High Penguin Confederacy also received concessions from the Sublime State, as did Japaland in 1906. While the deal William IV made with the imperialists managed to nominally preserve the country’s sovereignty and independence, foreigners often enjoyed more rights than the natives themselves as they followed their native countries’ laws instead of Azukrian laws. The foreign powers also actively intervened in the imperial court, going as far as to choosing their preferred candidates for heir apparent by bribing the emperors with money and modern weaponry. They were even accused to have partaken in the assassination of Emperor Andrew I, which didn’t work in their favour as the next Emperor (Edward III) immediately launched a war to kick the foreigners out in 1914. Two years later, the Azukrians managed to emerge victorious as the countries holding interests in the island were too busy fighting the Khanzem War. All foreign concessions and extraterritorial privileges were subsequently cancelled.

Era of Absolute Isolation
Following the exit of the colonial powers was the era of Absolute Isolation. Edward III, who was a fervent Azukrian nationalist, banned anyone from entering or exiting the nation. He also confiscated the properties and lands of merchants and aristocrats who were friendly to the colonial powers. These were distributed to those loyal to him, who utilised them as assets for their new enterprises. The island’s various minerals were mined as raw materials for the domestic manufacturing sector. Surplus ores were sold to merchants on Van Ryke’s Island (an island off the coast of the Azukrian mainland) in both refined and unrefined forms.

The Azukrian state managed to accumulate enough capital to continuously improve its economy, thanks to its vast reserves of gold and platinum. The discovery of large petroleum deposits near present-day Atalanta also also helped the nation to increase its foreign currency earnings. The government began to purchase the best technologies from other countries via proxies and sent its brightest minds overseas to study in prestigious universities (with their tuition fees being completely subsidised). Most of these prodigies ended up becoming top-level government officials or entrepreneurs in their own right. This helped Azukri to keep up with the latest happenings overseas without compromising its own information to other nations.

However, in 1978, Azukri became the first country to reach peak oil. The extraction of petroleum subsequently became very unprofitable, which ended up causing an economic recession. In order to cope with this, the government began making a switch to using geothermal energy to generate electricity. This was largely successful as the country stopped depending on fossil fuels to generate electricity. In the end, Azukri was forced to loosen its restrictions on foreign immigration and investments.

Multicolour Revolution
Despite the fact that all Azukrian nationals share the same culture and speak the same languages, prior to 2016, Azukrians were divided into 3 main classes - those who are pure Azukrians (Adelie Penguins), those who are mixed Azukrians (eg: Adelie-Enclave Penguins) and those who are not even partially Azukrians. The first category was at the top of the feudal class system as it was as the country’s ruling class. The House of Chandos, aristocrats, military generals and government officials came from this class. The second class, mixed Azukrians, made up a significant majority of the population. While they were allowed to enjoy rights, mixed Azukrians were not allowed to participate in the government at all. The third class was made up of blue-collar workers, serfs and slaves until 1987 when serfs and slaves were emancipated. While some non-Azukrians managed to rise from rags to riches, they often held less civil rights than subordinates who were pure or mixed Azukrians.

In 1996, the first serious revolt against the House of Chandos occurred. Displeased members of the third class (and several members of the second class) formed armed militias and took over some rural towns. The ease of gun ownership back then allowed this revolt to occur. When the Imperial Azukrian Military attempted to restore order, a bloody confrontation took place and caused over 12,000 fatalities. Upon gaining victory, the military demolished these towns and massacred their inhabitants under the order of Emperor Jospeh II. These atrocities were mostly unknown to the international community until 2007, when the imperial government finally declassified documents concerning the revolt and issued a formal apology for the atrocities committed.

The government’s suppression of the revolt multiplied the second and third classes’ dissatisfaction towards the xenophobic and feudal government. The last straw occurred in 2015, when a brilliant high school graduate was denied admission into the prestigious Imperial University because he was from the third class. There was widespread outrage when the applicant committed suicide and it was further revealed that some members of the aristocracy bribed the university’s administration to admit their under-qualified chicks. Public demonstrations broke out across the entire nation.

Emperor Edward V attempted to suppress the demonstrators by ordering the military to shoot at them. However, since the military was made up of members of the “oppressed” classes, it refused to comply with the Emperor’s order and mutinied. Things reached a climax when the military and government officials rallied up behind Princess Katherine Chandos and supported her ascension to the throne despite her mixed Azukrian ancrstry (her father, who is Edward V’s elder brother, secretly married an Enclave Penguin and was forced to forfeit his claim to the throne). What happened next was unclear, but it was alleged that Edward V was offered a lump sum of cash to abdicate from the throne as an exit gift. The Emperor knew that the odds were against him and abdicated. Katherine was then crowned as the first ever female ruler of Azukri. Following her ascension, the caste system was abolished and the country became a constitutional monarchy with its first ever constitution published in 2017.

Economy
Azukri has a mixed-market economic system. While important sectors such as defence, aerospace and telecommunications are state-owned, other industries are run by private enterprises, albeit sometimes with government-run companies competing in these industries. The country is self-sufficient as it doesn’t rely on much imports.

Abundant natural resources (such as fertile chernozem soil, rare earth metals, geothermal energy, platinum group metals, gold, iron, aluminium, copper, lithium, coal and fossil fuels), high education levels and modern technologies have all contributed to the Azukrian economy’s success.

Manufacturing
Manufacturing makes up roughly 14% of the nation’s GDP. Despite years of isolation, Azukri has managed to develop a broadly diversified manufacturing sector that makes just about any kind of goods. Many products found in the nation are uniquely Azukrian and aren’t exported to other nations. However, industrial machineries, semiconductors, robots, electronics and clothes are some of the nation’s produces that it exports to the international market. The nation’s biotechnology, pharmaceutical and nanotechnology industries are also well-known for being advanced. Government involvement in the manufacturing sector is high as it controls the defence, aerospace and pharmaceutical industries.

Some of the nation’s factories are advanced for its age as many of them are AI-operated. Production is determined based on demand in the market and runs at lower costs than their international peers. However, only companies with enormous capital can afford to build such factories. Other factories still depend on penguin labour, but many processes are increasingly automated and taken over by AI. Production techniques often emphasise improvements in a product’s quality and environmental friendliness instead of increasing the quantity produced from the same amount of raw materials.

Despite the fact that Azukrian workers are paid high wages (mandated by the government), Azukrian goods are competitive on the international stage as easy access to raw materials lowers the overheads for making them, while they are also known for their high-quality and stringent safety standards of these products.

Services
The services sector make up largely 73% of the nation’s GDP. Retail in Azukri is often conducted via e-commerce. Payment is often made using mobile wallet apps, such as PayAzu, BinaryPay and AzuPouch. Retail chains and supermarkets are dominant in the Azukri City metropolitan area and Marlborough, while “mom and pop” stores are prevalent in less densely populated areas.

The finance industry is subject to regulations by the government in order to prevent fraud and stock market crashes. The country is home to two government-run stock exchanges, namely Azukri Stock Exchange (AZSE) and Marlborough Stock Exchange (MBSX). The country’s largest domestic bank, Imperial Bank of Azukri, is owned by the government, while the largest foreign bank is the Avaritas Banking Group.

Mining
The mining sector makes up 7% of the nation’s GDP. The nation has a thriving mining sector as it is blessed with abundant resources of minerals, such as rare earth metals, platinum group metals, gold, iron, tin, aluminium, copper, lithium, coal and fossil fuels. Formerly a powerhouse in the Azukrian economy, the production of petroleum is now a former shell of itself as the nation had drained much of its oil reserves back in the 1980’s. However, the discovery of oil sands in the Marlborough region and Van Rykes Island has attracted the attention of several local entrepreneurs interested in extracting oil. While these unconventional petroleum sources are currently being exploited in Marlborough by a joint venture between local entrepreneurs and the government, attempts in Van Rykes Island have been blocked so far by the locals and the government as it is estimated that extracting them would cause huge environmental damage to the biologically diverse and environmentally beautiful Van Rykes Island.

Most of the minerals mined in Azukri are intended to serve as raw materials for domestic industries. However, some companies have started exporting to other countries in order to earn a quick profit. Some of the country’s largest mineral mines are located at the fertile West Azukrian Plains, which leads to legal disputes between miners and farmers over lands.

Agriculture
The agriculture sector consists of 5% of Azukri’s GDP. Major crops produced by Azukri include wheat, spices, barley, sorghum and rice. The fertile plains of the nation’s West and South Provinces allow the Azukrians to produce enough food to sustain the populace, giving the nation food security and food sovereignty. The use of drone technology in agriculture is also prevalent. Since 1973, farmers are only allowed to use natural fertilisers to increase their harvest. Rooftop farms are a common sight in cities like Azukri City, Atalanta and Marlborough, while geothermal greenhouses are prevalent in rural areas.

The Sublime State is home to some of the largest wild fisheries in the country. Catfish, mackerel, trout, cod and salmon are some of the most commonly traded fish in the nation. Azukrian cattle can be said to be around the same standard as Munian ones.

Currency
The Azukrian Dollar (AZD) is the sole legal tender of the country. The Central Bank of Azukri has the sole right to issue the Azukrian Dollar. As of 2018, 1 Azukrian Dollar is worth nearly 1.1 Club Penguin Coin.

Additionally, the government has also launched a cryptocurrency named eAZD (which stands for electronic-Azukrian Dollar). The eAZD’s value is based on the prices of rare earth metals. As of now, only Azukrian nationals aren’t given limits on how much eAZD they can own.

Government
Since 1400, Azukri has been a monarchy ruled by the House of Chandos. The 2017 Constitution grants significant political power to the Monarch, who is titled Emperor or Empress and styled as His/Her Sublime Excellency. The incumbent monarch is Empress Katherine Chandos, who has ruled since 2017. Formerly aided by an informal council of advisors that played dual roles as an advisory council and a de facto cabinet, the monarch is currently aided by the privy council and the cabinet when it comes to ruling the nation. All members of the privy council and the cabinet are appointed by the monarch.

The legislature of Azukri is the Parliament of Azukri. It is divided into an upper house House of Peers and a lower house House of Nationals. The House of Peers consists of two types of members, namely members who inherit their seat or members who are appointed by the Azukrian monarch (often for life). The Monarch may increase or decrease the number of seats in the House of Peers however they want. The House of Nationals currently consists of 260 members. They are elected every 5 years, or whenever the monarch dissolves Parliament. Elections are relatively new in the nation as they are only introduced in 1997. Prior to the Multicolour Revolution, the electorate could only elect for 40% of all House of Nationals members. However, this has been changed so that the electorate elects the entire House of Nationals. The monarch holds the power to initiate legislations and retains an absolute veto over legislations. Despite the fact that political parties have been legal since 2008,

Education
The Azukrian education system is overseen by the Ministry of Education. Primary school and lower-level secondary school education are compulsory for all Azukrian nationals. All schools are run by the Ministry of Education, with homeschooling and privately-run schools illegal. Azukrian nationals have the privilege of enjoying free education (which only covers tuition fees and books). Educational facilities are equipped with the latest technology in order to enhance the learning experience.

Many parents send their offsprings to kindergarten when they are around the age of 5. The average Azukrian begins primary school at the age of 7. Primary school usually lasts until the age of 12, although there are often opportunities available for students to skip a grade. Around 23% of all Azukrians graduates from primary school at the age of 11 or below (most of them graduate at the age of 11). Those who skip two grades or above are placed at schools for those who are gifted intellectually. This is done so in order to ensure that these prodigies are able to study in an environment more suitable for and to utilise their potential ability to the maximum level. These schools teach gifted chicks based on how much knowledge they could absorb. As a result, it is not uncommon for someone in such schools to be able to finish two years’ worth of primary education within a year. Primary school students are required to learn English, at least one language of their own choosing and several other subjects.

In secondary school, students are allowed to choose what subject they are interested in studying. They can choose streams such as science, arts, commerce and technical. Those who still do not have a preference for what they would like to study are allowed to take a general stream, which combines all subjects without being too in-depth. Generally, over 63% of all Azukrians select subjects of their liking upon entering secondary school. Only a small percentage (4%) of them has switched to other subjects. At Form 3 (by when the age of the average Azukrian student would be 15), students will sit for the LSEE (Lower-Secondary Education Examination). After that, a student has several options. If they aren’t from the general stream, they only have to study for another 2 years before they graduate from secondary school. If they are from the general stream, they will have to select a stream and study for 3 years. At the end of their upper-level secondary school years, students will have to sit for the USSE (Upper-Secondary Education). Those who do well academically in their upper-secondary years can have some of their credit hours in university deducted based on what they have studied.

Military and Defence Policy
The military of the Sublime State is the Imperial Azukrian Military. It consists of three branches, namely the Imperial Ground Force, the Imperial Naval Force and the Imperial Air Force. The IAM currently has 550,000 active troops and 8.2 million reserve troops. The Azukrian Empress is the Supreme Commander of the IAM and holds ultimate authority over it.

Every Azukrian national from the age of 12 to 50has to partake in the National Service for 18 months. This is because the state wants everyone to be able to defend the island in the event of an invasion. Those who have completed National Service are officially listed as reserve troops. After that, they are required to undertake military training once every month so that they can be prepared at any time. Guns issued to reserve troops are kept locked at their bases of origin. These monthly trainings help form strong camaraderie among Azukrians as they emphasise teamwork and discipline.

The defence-oriented Azukrian military has relatively modern military equipment, all of which are produced domestically. The IAM’s Technological Advancement Rating is around 64.7 (its closest equivalent being Polaris at 64.4). The country’s defence is very important to the Azukrian government, therefore measures are taken in order to ensure that it’s impossible to invade the island. It is common to see the island’s major cities having subterranean facilities built underneath them. They act as residential buildings, shopping malls, manufacturing plants and office buildings at peacetime, but they are converted into bunkers and shelters if the country ever finds itself at war. These bunkers and shelters are stocked with food, water and medical supplies. There are dozens of anti-aircraft installations spread out across the nation, many of which hide from plain sight. Almost all coastal cities have naval guns and long-range torpedo launchers installed in case hostile naval ships attempt to bombard the cities. Additionally, troops are also trained to conduct unconventional and guerrilla warfare in case the island is ever occupied by soldiers.