User:Brant/Lys

Lys, officially the Republic of Lys, is a city-state located on the Antarctic Peninsula. Originally founded as one of the nine colonies of the Penguin Empire, Lys and the other eight cities became independent city-states after the fall of the Penguin Empire. Today, Lys is a relatively powerful country with a fast growing and stable economy, high GPD per capita, good military, and a decent education system.

Foundation
Lys was founded as a colony of the Penguin Empire, built to establish influence in the area and to trade with the Peninsulan Slav'ens. Due to its location and deep natural harbor that favored large ships, Lys grew rich and powerful. In addition, low taxes and favorable weather made Lys a favorite destination of many merchants. By the time the Empire collapsed in 450, Lys, along with the other eight cities that were colonies of the Empire, managed to become independent city-states due to their power and riches.

Medieval Times
During the medieval times, to protect themselves from the rising power of the High Penguin Confederacy and Ninja Archipelago nations, Lys united with two other Free Cities, Myr, and Tyrosh, to form the Peninsula Confederation, which was a close alliance rather than an actual county. The Confederation, in addition to the three cities, also controlled a strip of land along the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, stretching from Lys in the north to Tyrosh in the south. Because of this alliance, the three cities each experienced an era of prosperity.

Khanzem
When the High Penguin Confederacy fell in 1913, leaders of the city-states felt that the Confederation was no longer needed, as the reason why they even formed in the first place was because of that. However, they soon learned that the new nation, Khanzem, was even a bigger threat to their sovereignty than the High Penguin Confederacy. Because of this, the Confederation was one of the biggest supporters of the Good Guys during the war, sending soldiers, ships, supplies, and financial aid to them. In the end, the Confederation stayed.

Colonial Antarctica
In 1990, after Puffle'and took Antarctica as a colony in the aftermath of the STINC War, the Puffish wanted all of Antarctica as their own. Thus, they felt that the Confederation was a threat to their colonies, since the Confederation held a chunk of the Peninsula. During the brief but deadly Peninsula War, Puffle'and was able to conquer all of the city-states. To make the citizens less likely to rebel, the Puffish established the previous Confederation as the Province of Eastern Peninsula, a separate colony of Puffle'and that had more rights than the Colonial Antarctican citizens did.

However, by the time tensions were at an all time high in 1999 across Antarctica, the Eastern Peninsula had seen their rights slowly chipped away over the years, with the Puffish introducing more taxes and laws that took away many freedoms. In fact, the Puffish even planned to join the Eastern Peninsula with the rest of Colonial Antarctica. By early 1999, after the first shots were fired at Acadia and Penguin Town, rebellions were also started in Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh. The three cities also aided the rebels during the Colonial Antarctica War, winning their independence in 2000.

Government
The government of Lys consists of three branches, the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial, who are represented by the Presidential Cabinet, Parliament, and the Judicial Council. The president has the power to make bills into law, and can also repeal the bills, while Parliament can pass new laws and can overrule the president's veto, while the Judicial Council is responsible for interpreting the law, and controls most things law related.

Politics
Lys considers itself a republic, which most countries recognize. However, the country is part of the Free Republic Union, so countries and leaders also refer to Lys as a free republic. The current president is Brandon Stark, who holds the executive power. Elections, presidential and legislative, are every 5 years, while Judicial positions are appointed to by the President and agreed to by Parliament.

Government Departments
There are many departments in the Lysene government, each catering to different needs and issues. Many departments have smaller child agencies. Each department has a representative in the cabinet. Below are each of the main departments.


 * Department of Education
 * Department of the Treasury
 * Department of Defense
 * Department of Customs and Immigration
 * Department of Justice
 * Department of Infrastructure
 * Department of Trade
 * Department of Labor
 * Department of Health
 * Department of Energy
 * Department of Social Services
 * Department of Housing
 * Department of Natural Resources
 * Department of Foreign Interests
 * Department of Economics
 * Department of Transportation
 * Department of Agriculture
 * Department of Environment

Presidents
The President of the Republic of Lys is the head of state, government, and also the the commander-in-chief of the Lysene Armed Forces, and thus has to have some military knowledge or experience. The president has the power to create an executive order, which are rare, and are usually only used in times of emergency for decisions and orders to be made faster. The president can also veto bills by Parliament. In addition, the president is usually the representative in some political organizations.

In addition to military knowledge and/or experience, the President of Lys is also required to hold a previous government position, be a natural born citizen, and live in the country since birth for at least 10 years. The president must have economic, political, international knowledge. Terms are 5 years with no limits, and to be impeached, a 2/3 vote of no confidence must pass through Parliament, then a vote by the citizens.

Economy
While not as large as the economies of other countries, Lys has a stable, strong, and growing economy. The economy is mostly made of manufacturing and exporting goods. Lys often produces military and household items, though materials such as metal, oil, etc, have become a growing part of the economy.

Agriculture
Like most city-states, agriculture is nearly nonexistent in Lys, due to the few places to farm. However, recently, the Lysene government has leased a small strip of land that was part of Lys during the days of the Confederation for 99 years, until they can find better solutions. Besides that, food is grown in greenhouses, or exported, though home grown food and rooftop gardens on high rises have become a trend in recent years.

Natural Resources
Mining in Lys is a minor part of the economy, since there are no mineral deposits in Acadia. However, Lys does own many oil drills across Antarctica. The timber industry is also very small, since there are so few trees in Lys. However, since Lys has leased the Farmlands, as the place is called, not to be confused with the Shopper Farmlands, the timber industry has gotten quite larger, though as a law, for every tree cut, another must be planted.

Food
Lys is home to many restaurants, though not as many as other countries. There are few fast food restaurants, and the few that exist have to follow strict government guidelines. Recently, many Antarctican restaurants have managed to open in Lys, creating a new food culture.

Services
The government of Lys offers many services, such as those in health, financial aid, etc. However, most government focus is on protection, as the many wars that have or are occurring in Antarctica has worried government officials and citizens alike about their safety. One of the largest protection agencies is the official one, the Lysene Intelligence Agency.

Manufacturing
Like said earlier, manufacturing is a large part of the economy, as many companies like to open factories on the island due to better working conditions. According to studies, about 25% of factories are military related, 20% is textile and clothing related, 25% produces oil, metal, plastic, and other materials, and 25% produce miscellaneous items, such as toys, vehicles, and tools. There are also many oil refineries in Lys.

Employment Rates
Lys has a really high employment rate, and has just about as many jobs as its able workforce. However, in recent years, the Department of Technology has been building robots to do jobs that are undesired, dangerous, or difficult, taking away some jobs.

Currency
The currency of Lys is the Lysene Dollar, which is worth about 2 Club Penguin Coins or 2 Fish, a number that stays relatively stable. The currency is controlled, distributed, and printed by the Department of the Treasury. Since 2015, when Lys joined the CP Gold Coin Alliance, the Club Penguin Coin has been a legal tender, in order to make it easier to trade and for tourists.

Outside of Lys, the Lysene Dollar is commonly used between most of the Free Republics and other close trading partners of Lys. Besides that, the Lysene Dollar is not as commonly used on Antarctic markets, since Lys is not a large economic power. This makes the value of the currency less likely to change along with the economies of other countries.

Culture
While the Free Cities often boast for being the last remnant of the old Penguin Empire, in truth, the Free Cities actually have few reminders of the Penguin Empire. Instead over the years, the people that have settled the the cities have each brought a different culture to the city. Lys, for the matter, was settled by Francterrans, and is thus the center of Francterran culture in the Antarctic.

Sports
The main sport of Lys is soccer, with Lys having some of the best football teams in Antarctica. Like in Acadia, the term soccer and football can be used interchangeably. The second most popular sport is hockey, though it is nowhere close in popularity to soccer. There are national and international teams for all major sports, and are controlled by the Lysene Sports Association (LSA), which controls sub-associations such as the Lysene Football League (LFL). Lys has also competed in the Olympics, and plans to host one in 2016.

Music
Lysene music is often called "old", with much of its music sounding "medieval". Due to the large High Penguin population, which lives very long, even the new music that comes out is often very classical and medieval sounding to fit the needs of the population. However, the growing population of young people coming from the Ninja Archipelago and the USA has brought a newer genre of music, pop music, to the city-state.

Demographics
The population of Lys is quite homogeneous, with most of the population being either Batavi or Francterran High Penguins. In fact, Lys is quite racist when it comes to immigration, and usually only accepts High Penguins, in order to "keep the blood pure", as the High Penguin population is dwindling. While the government denies this, it is pretty much an open secret. Fat is also very rare, since fast food restaurants few in number and the few that exist follow strict government guidelines. The literacy rate is 99%, and most of the population speaks both English and French.

Immigration
According to the Department of Immigration, most immigrants to Lys come from Ninja Archipelago countries, and a small handful from Freezeland. Since the Colonial Antarctica War ended, Lys has been the favorite place for immigrants due to it being "the land of opportunity." However, due to Lys being a small city-state, immigration is rare, and takes a long time. It is also known that the Department of Immigration usually only accepts High Penguins, which has received much criticism. Supporters of this say that the High Penguin population is dwindling, and that if nothing is done, High Penguins will go extinct in a few decades. The government denies this, but everyone knows.

Species
The native species on Lys are penguins and puffles. Due to the island's close proximity to Club Penguin, most puffle species are similar. Most puffles on the island are pets, and free puffles are almost nonexistent, as they are frowned upon. There is actually no law forbidding free puffles, but because of Mabel, people don't really like free puffles. There are also a lot of imported pets from all over Antarctica, and since there is no member and non-member system like in Club Penguin, everyone is free to buy a puffle. This annoys EBUL, as non-members often go to Lys to buy different color puffles to take them back. Since they are not EBUL property, nothing can be done about it.

Education
Like most countries, Lys has a law that says young penguins must attend at least five years of elementary school, two years of middle school, four years of high school, and two years of college, though most people go to college for four years. Final exams average at 95%, which is close to the top of Antarctica. Students spend around 180 days in school, though it differs from Lys's colonies.

Colleges and Universities
Below are the main universities in Lys. There are smaller ones not listed.
 * National University of Lys
 * Lys Institute of Technology
 * Lys University of Trades
 * Lys Management University

Welfare
Since well paying jobs are common, welfare handouts are rare. The government usually only gives welfare to disabled or wounded veterans, refugees, recent immigrants, or the unemployed to get welfare. Cheating the system is long and hard, which deters most people. However, even if they managed to cheat the system, they are forced to pay the entire amount they cheated, and a 30% fine. Repeat offenders can face up to 15 years in prison. Healthcare, like welfare, is only offered to those listed above, and dentistry is included. Everyone else has to pay for their healthcare.

Geography
Lys consists of 5 islands, including the main and largest one, a 250 mile² island that most of the population resides in. The group islands is located in the Sub-Antarctic Sea, a few miles off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. The main island has a curvy shape, and is somewhat narrow. All the islands relatively flat, and because of that, there are no rivers.

Climate
Though so close to the South Pole, Lys actually has quite warmer seasons than the rest of Antarctica. Scientists have found out that this is because of an ozone hole above the area. Lys also tends to get rain a lot, which allows much vegetation to grow on the island.

Environmental Policy
The Lysene Environmental policy is small. One of the only laws it has is a law forbidding any tree from being cut on the island. Lys's conservatism believes in a free, unregulated economy, and therefore, most of nature and the environment in the newly leased Farmlands, along with the three colonies of Lys are left unprotected. Thus, Lys is the target of many environmental terrorists and protesters.

Territories and Colonies

 * Dragonstone

Transportation
There are many modes of transportation in Lys. Because the country is part of the Free Republic Union, the Lysene Department of Transportation has connections with the Land Transport Ministry of Antarctica, and the two have collaborated to build many new roads, trains, etc.

Air Travel
Air travel is a common form of transport in Lys, since flights are very inexpensive. In addition to that, Lysene Airline companies have a very good safety records, with some of them being known for never having in accident in their history. Because of this, the Lys International Airport is one of the largest and busiest of airports, accommodating large amounts of passengers. However, the breakout of the Antarctic War on Terrorism and the numerous terrorist attacks that have occurred has significantly decreased travel.

Airlines

 * Air Lys
 * Virgin Lys

Well-Known Airports

 * Lys International Airport

Cars
Cars are common in Lys, and many car companies own large factories on the island. Cars are a common mode of transport in Lys, with most families owning one. The only reason why they don't own two is because of population density, the government restricts buying cars. To buy a car, a person must get a permit and also have a good driving record. Lys exports many cars, but also receives imports from Alemania, South Joseon, and Japaland.

Space
Lys has a modest space program, the Lysene Space Administration, which has managed to open a space station. Though Lys is not a member of the organization, Lys is collaborating with the Western Union to build a space colony on the moon, which they plan to do by 2018. As of now, space travel is limited to Lysene astronauts and is restricted to the general public.

Ships
Due to Lys being an island, ships are a common form of transportation. The Lysene Navy also makes sure the waters around Lys are safe, which contributes to the common sea travel. The Port of Lys is the fourth largest in Antarctica, and is very complex and high tech.

Public Transport
Public transport is very common is Lys, especially for tourists, since it is known for having a good safety and cleanliness record. Most major roads and highways in Lys also have a bus lane, which allows for buses to speed past traffic jams during rush hour. The Lys Subway System is also very popular, and has around 3,000,000 people who use it every day.

Trains
Due to the Lys Subway System's popularity, trains are a common form of transport on Lys. Train travel is very inexpensive, and is also very clean and safe. Most Lysene trains run on steam, diesel, or electricity. The Department of Transportation also collaborates with the Land Transport Ministry of Antarctica to build trains that connect to the mainland.

Infrastructure
Lys has some of the most advanced infrastructure in Antarctica, from energy to their roads and highways. In addition, Lysene infrastructure is well-maintained and developed, and are known across Antarctica for that, in addition to being one of the country's pride sources.

Energy
Most of Lysene energy comes from petroleum and natural gas, which is common due to the multiple oil and natural gas wells. The purchase of the Farmlands has also allowed solar panels and windmills to be built. However, those two sources of power are not as popular since most citizens believe that solar and wind cannot be as powerful as petroleum of natural gas. Cars are also powered by petroleum, due to its higher power and ability to travel longer distances than electricity or solar power.

Roads and Highways
The Lysene Highway System is backed and funded by the government and is well maintained, safe, effective for travel. The highway system goes all around the island, covering around 150 miles, and also connects with the USA Interstate Highway System. It has expanded to all of the Lysene colonies, and also to the recently purchased Farmlands.

Electricity
Like most countries, Lys does business with the Governance, who is their largest provider of electricity. Because the city-state is relatively small, the price of electricity is the same, even in the Farmlands, where it is far away from most power plants.

Water
Water in Lys is valued, due to the lack of reservoirs and aquifers on the small island. Thus, though independent businesses control the water supply, they are watched closely by the government to make sure nothing goes wrong. The recent lease of the Farmlands have provided aquifers and reservoirs to Lys. Besides those two sources, Lys also gets their water from their colonies.

Communications
All communications are controlled by independent corporations, though the Governance is still the biggest provider. In recent years however, the corporations have grown, and a competitive market has allowed for lower prices.

Military
Compared to many countries, Lys has a formidable military for being such a small city-state. Because the Lysene military isn't very large, the Lysene Armed Forces instead relies on strategy to defeat their enemies, rather than brute force. However, Lys has barely involved itself in any conflicts since its founding, so they lack combat experience. Being a city-state, Lys excels in urban warfare.

Lys has also proven to be sufficient in all theaters of war with the help of hi-tech weaponry bought from the United Provinces and USA. Their aerial strength is supported by bombers, fighter jets, and helicopters. Their land strength, is supported by a artillery, a professional army, tanks, and other armored vehicles. Their sea strength is supported by a fleet of aircraft carriers, destroyers, dreadnoughts, warships, and submarines.

Trade
Lys imports and exports many goods, with Acadia, Caseusopolis, Francterre, the United Provinces, and the USA, their best trading partners. Lys mostly imports raw materials, to be converted into different types of items to be exported or sold in Lysene markets. Thus, many factories are built on the island to make the items, leading to an abundance of jobs.

Imports

 * Electronics
 * Metals
 * Minerals
 * Foods

Exports

 * Metals
 * Oil
 * Minerals
 * Textiles
 * Weapons

Relationships with other Nations
Mainland


 * USA flag.PNG USA - Excellent - The USA and Acadia are best allies, since the were one of the first to recognize each other after the Antarctic Revolution. The USA also promised to defend Lys from attack. Lys is also a Free Republic, meaning it is influenced by the USA in many ways.


 * Freezelandflag.jpg Freezeland - Excellent - Like with the USA, Lys and Freezeland fought for independence from Puffle'and together, and afterwards were one of the first to recognize each other. Both countries are in the Free Republic Union.


 * East Pengolia image flag.png East Pengolia - Horrible - Lys constantly criticizes East Pengolia's communist government and poor penguin rights, which EP criticizes Lys for its capitalist government.


 * PolarisFlag.png Polaris - Poor - The two countries never interacted much before the Polarian Revolution, but after the Revolution, relations between the two countries were ruined.

Ninja Archipelago


 * Snozerland Flag 2 edited-1.png Snowzerland - Fair- Lys is good trading partners with Snowzerland, but they do not interact much outside of that.


 * Alemania Flag.png Alemania - Fair - Lys doesn't have much interaction with Alemania. Most interactions are done through Snowzerland, Alemania's ruler.


 * Flag of Castilla.png Castilla - Fair - Lys has good relations with Castilla, as the country helped them during the Antarctic Revolution. Lys also sided with Castilla during the Goveruan - Antarctican War.


 * UK Flag 2.png Puffle'and - Excellent - Being their former colonial master, Lys has good relations with Puffle'and, which trades with them and protects them. Puffle'and was also one of the first to recognize Lys.


 * Flag of Calada.png Calada - Great - Since Lys has good relations with Puffle'and, Calada's colonial ruler, the two are allies. There is much trade between the two countries.


 * Liguria Flag.png Liguria - Fair - Lys and Liguria don't interact much outside of trade.

Asiapelago


 * Asaina flag.png Zhou - Poor - Lys disagree's with Zhou's communist government. Zhou is also strongly opposed to Lys joining their enemy, the Western Union.


 * ShopsIslandFlag2013.png Shops Island - Fair - Shops Island usually ignores Lys, but the two trade a lot.


 * Flag of North Joseon.png North Joseon - Horrible. - As with most countries, Lys dislikes North Joseon's poor penguin rights and communist government and has, like many other countries, installed sanctions.


 * Amataria Flag.png Amataria - Fair - The two barely interact outside of trade.

Other


 * AcadiaFlag.png Acadia - Excellent. Acadia and Lys are good trading partners. They also helped each other gain independence during the Antarctican Revolution.


 * MAI.png Margate- Excellent. The two are good allies, and trade a lot.


 * Ed Island Flag.png Ed Island - Neutral - Ed Island tends to ignore the city-state, rarely interacting outside of trade.


 * NewUnitedProvincesFlag.png United Provinces - Excellent - United Provinces and Lys trade a lot. The United Provinces is also thinking about allowing Lys to join the Western Union.


 * Cheeese.png Caseusopolis - Good - The two trade a lot. In 2016, Lys swore to protect Caseusopolis.

View from other nations
Most nations started to recognize Lys in 2000, when it earned its independence. For years, it was viewed as a weak country, which the government tried to fix by joining political and economic unions such as the CP Gold Coin Alliance, Free Republic Union, and UAN. By 2005, it became known across Antartica as a powerful country due to their involvement in the War of 2002, and acquisition of multiple colonies.