Bahia

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Republic of Bahia
Flag of Sunshine Coast.png
Information
Anthem
My Bahia
CapitalPretoria
Largest CitySunshine Coast
LanguagesEnglish, Spanish, Malay, Arabic
Demonym(s)Bahian
GovernmentFederal representative absolute monarchy.
Supreme Chancellor: Echohue
President: sesese9
AreaTotal 3.2 km2
Water(%) 13.3
Population2018 Estimate 58,539,301
Density 37.2/km2
GDPTotal $2.723 trillion
Per Capita $39,201
Gini40.0
medium
HDI0.784
high
CurrencyBahia Dollar
Time ZoneCCT +10.5
Driving SideRight

Bahia (officially the Republic of Bahia) is an large country situated on the northwest coast of the Coral Sea. It comprises the Bahian mainland, the islands of Caledonia and Kish, and multiple other small islands. A volcanic region that was formed around 112 million years ago, Bahia's long geographical isolation and harsh environment led it to develop an array of unique animal and plant life found nowhere else.

Bahia was first inhabited approximately 15,000 to 20,000 years ago during a time when the region was far wetter then it is today. The many indigenous groups present-day Bahia descended from these first people. After discovery by explorers from the Gamma region in the early 17th century, the nation was first settled by pioneers from the center of the world in 1794. In 1822, Mojanger settlers founded the city of Mojangsburg across the Bay of Thanos from Sunshine Coast, and the Gauteng today is one of the largest Mojanger communities in the world. Today, its 53.9 million inhabitants are mostly composed of Gammans and Mojangers, along with a sizable immigrant population and small pockets of indigenous minorities.

Bahia is a developed country that ranks highly in most key health, educational and economic indicators. Legislative authority is vested within an elected, bicameral legislature, whilst executive power is exercised by the President. Bahia is divided into twelve provinces, two local territories with limited autonomy, and two external territories. Bahia is the founding member of Montego, one of the founding members of Epsilon, and the headquarters of many multinational corporations, functioning as the economic hub of the Southeast region of the world.

Name and etymology

The name Bahia is a Spanish term literally meaning "bay", named after the Bay of Thanos, one of the world's largest bays. Most places in the nation are named in either English, Spanish, Afrikaans, or any one of various indigenous languages.

Lore

Indigenous inhabitation

Bahia was first inhabited around 15,000 to 20,000 years ago during the a wetter period, when Indigenous peoples from the north traversed large stretches of rainforest to reach the Bahian region. They initially led a hunter-gatherer existence, but later developed horticultural and aquacultural practices along with weaponry and sophisticated social hierarchies. Numerous clans formed that competed against each other for land, water sources and crops, often leading to brutal fighting and, in some instances, genocide of entire clans. Storytelling was developed through carvings, rock paintings and oral traditions.

Gamman settlement

In 1779, explorers from the Gamma region of the world set their eyes upon Bahia for the first time. The first explorers reported a fertile land, abundant with natural resources and safe harbours. The region was heavily inhabited by indigenous people, and the first settlers decided to build a fort on Singlwurst Island, which was protected on all sides by the Bay of Thanos. This first fort soon grew into a small city, and a hub of the southwestern region. Singlwurst became an important port for spices and natural resources from the surrounding region, and it was declared the capital of the Colony of Bahia in 1803.

Sunshine Coast region in 1879

Growth and Expansion

In 1853, a party of Mojangers founded the city of Mojangsburg on the eastern shore of the bay, and soon the city of Mojangsburg grew to surpass Singlwurst as the region's largest city. Mojanger culture began to dominate the region, and Mojangsburg became the capital of the nation of Gauteng. Gauteng became the dominant force in the region as its strategic location on the mainland and ready access to the Gauteng Plain made transport of agricultural goods easy and plentiful. In 1880, overcrowding on the island of Singlwurst led to a migration of English speaking people to the western coast of the Bay of Thanos, founding the city of Sunshine Coast. Sunshine Coast's location on a sheltered bay led to it becoming a far larger port then Mojangsburg, and soon the city was the largest hub of the region.

In 1894, after over a decade and a half of economic stagnation, Gauteng agreed to enter into the Republic of Bahia, becoming the nation's third province. In order to stay neutral, a new capital city was plotted to the east of Mojangsburg. The inland city, which was named Pretoria, grew to become a large hub in its own right, with its wide streets and impressive buildings. Later that decade, the nation expanded its borders to encompass the entire shore of Lake Thanos, and annexed multiple territories to the north and in the Coral Sea.

Early 20th century

During the early 20th century, the nation continued to industrialize, and with the discovery of oil north of Torres River in 1929, an oil boom took place that led to rapid development on the north coast of the Bay of Thanos. By this point, Sunshine Coast had grown to be the largest city in the entire world outside of Gamma, and was a major trading hub and port for ships travelling through the Coral Sea. Much of Bahia's economy had came to be based on its large banking systems, and the Sunshine Coast Stock Exchange became the largest in the world by 1933. Not all was great during the industrial revolution however, as working conditions in the nation's factories were absolutely abysmal. In 1939, workers in factories across the country revolted, and the central government called in the military to quell the factory rebellion, which led to the deaths of over 2,000 workers. This event, referred to as the Massacres of 1939, led to mass rioting during an already economically unstable time, and soon the nation's stock markets crashed into a large depression. The depression dramatically worsened conditions, and in 1946, the Worker's Party of Bahia took control of the government and declared the nation a socialist state.

Sunshine Coast skyline in 1971

People's Republic of Bahia

During the middle of the century, Bahia reinvented itself as a powerful player in world politics, becoming the premier purveyor of socialist ideologies across the world. During the height of the nation's reign, it had overthrown the governments of multiple states around the world, and established puppet governments, the most notable of which was Deadbush, one of the world's largest cities and the homeland of the Mojangers who had also established Mojangsburg in Bahia proper.

By the early 1980s, a process of liberalisation led to the nation releasing its grip on many of its colonial possessions, and privatization of many corporations. The turn to capitalism slowly rolled on until 1991, when the Worker's Party was dissolved, and the nation was renamed to the Republic of Bahia. The massive infrastructure developed during the socialist period was put to use to create new advanced technologies, and soon the nation became one of the world's largest hubs for technology and manufacturing.

Contemporary History

At the turn of the millenia, Bahia had become a world superpower, with a strong economy and far-reaching military. Bahia today is a cosmopolitan and diverse nation characterised by its very high quality of life and stable government. Its Gross Domestic Product (PPP) per capita ranks highly at US$39,201 (2020), with its economy driven primarily by agriculture services, and natural resources. Its egalitarian ethos is underpinned by free healthcare and education for all citizens and permanent residents, whilst same-sex marriage was legalised in 2014. 26% of its population is foreign-born, highlighting its firm political and social commitment to multiculturalism, even though "turnback" refugee policies in the form of Operation Deterrance continue to attract criticism.

Sunshine Coast skyline in 2020

Geography and climate

Detailed map of Bahia

Bahia is located in southeastern Epsilon, on the northwestern side of the Coral Sea. The nation comprises about half of the Wagtail Subcontinent, a massive, mostly dry landmass south of Kanto. Surrounded by ocean in the southeast and land in the northwest, it has a large landmass that is mostly contained within the mainland, with an assortment of islands, the largest being Caledonia and Kish, comprising the rest of the nation's land area.

Bahia itself is a volcanic plateau that was formed approximately 95 million years ago after separating from the mainland of Gamma, creating the Equinox Ocean. Much of the nation's east coast is mountainous and contains multiple fault lines due to the compression of tectonic plates as the entire landmass moves to the east.

Topographically, much of the western region of the country is flat, with the exception of some large plateaus which dot the savannah landscape. The undulating Northern Alps in the north-eastern corner of the nation contain most of the highest peaks in the country, and reach high enough to have year-round snowfall. The mountains of Jagappa National Park are renowned for their extremely steep cliffs and landforms, with multiple high mountains, although due to this region's location in the central desert belt the mountains generally do not get snow. The nation's highest point is the volcanic Cerro Tronador, in Nahuel Huapi National Park, north of Torres River.

Climate

Bahia has a varied climate due to its location across the tropical and temperate zones. Rainfall patterns very greatly across the country, with the northern and southern regions of the country receiving relatively high rainfall, whereas the center belt of the country is dry due to the subtropical desert belt. Average annual temperatures range from roughly 3°C in the Northern Alps to 26°C on the island of Kish, whilst historical maxima and minima are 53.3°C at Desertside, Parrigo and -24°C at Mount Yuwack in the Northern Alps.

The Danakil Desert, one of Bahia's two main deserts
A climate map of Bahia

Land use

Throughout large areas of Bahia, fertile soil and rich natural resources have enabled land to be used extensively for agriculture and to a lesser extent mining. The country has thriving grain, dairy, cattle and wool industries that are largely confined to its south-center region. Natural gas and coal reserves feature, but are mostly limited to select areas. The country possesses a significant amount of oil, mostly produced in the province of Torres. Although significant areas of natural landscape have been cleared since Gamman arrival to construct towns and cities, the designation of numerous National Parks has preserved much of the land’s natural beauty.

Farmland in the Gauteng province

Around half of the country’s wool, 70% of dairy and three quarters of grain is produced in the Gauteng Great Plain, where rich volcanic soil and temperate weather ensure highly fertile land. The region is by far the most fertile in Bahia, and is crossed by rivers for easy irrigation.

The Wiyumarra Valley region in Parrigo experiences dry but stable conditions that allow some of Bahia's most important agriculture to take place. Whilst comparatively little beef or dairy is produced here, the area is a key player in the country’s wool and wheat industry.

The province of Darwin is home to significant mining operations, especially in its northernmost regions, and represents about half of Bahia's total mining output. The rest is mainly located in Torres, home to large coal and iron mines, Gauteng, known for its diamonds and rare earth metals, and Kish, which is home to almost all of Bahia's immense gold deposits.

Forestry is prevalent in the regions of the country containing vast swaths of forestland. Caledonia produces by far the most timber in Bahia, followed by Sierra. Deforestation has became a serious issue in Caledonia in recent years, and in 1999 environmental groups led the creation of Caledonia Coast National Park, which takes up about one third of the island of Caledonia. Major timber mills are mostly located in Caledonia, with a small operation located in Mount Yuwack in Sierra as well.

Flora and fauna

Spruce Forests such as this one are common on the island of Caledonia and, to a lesser extent, in Sierra

Bahia’s long geographical isolation has given rise to numerous species of unique plants and animals. The majority are descended from organisms which migrated from the bulk of Epsilon, with a smaller number deriving from animals that flew and swam there from the Zeta regions across the Coral Sea. It is estimated that approximately 75,000 different species of both plants and animals inhabit the land, with around 70% of these endemic. Many, however, still remain undiscovered.

Indigenous settlement around 15,000 to 20,000 years ago marked the beginning of mass reductions to species numbers, including the extinction of the Kish crocodile and southern hooped hawk. Hunting and slash-and-burn agriculture widely decimated habitats, a predicament further accentuated by Gamman arrival in the late 18th century. Here, the clearing of extensive tracts of native vegetation for logging, settlements and pastures reduced forest cover by a further two-fifths. Today, significant parts of the native landscape have been preserved and restored, with almost 1/5th of the country's land area located within national parks.

With Gamman settlement, rabbits, rats, feral cats and numerous other mammals were also introduced. Due to a lack of predators, these consumed native animals and vegetation, greatly reducing food sources and disrupting ecosystems. Noxious weeds and grasses encroached upon forests and pastures, further denying native plants the opportunity to grow. This spread of invasive organisms thus incurred additional losses to native species.

Despite this, many native animals continue to thrive. The country’s ecology is dominated by mammals and marsupials and, to a lesser extent, native birds and reptiles. The endemic Bahian Blue Parrot is widely regarded as a national symbol, whilst other mammals, marsupials, possums, waterfowl and flightless birds are widespread. An overwhelming majority of plants are native and vary greatly in genus according to location. Acacia is predominant in the southern portions of the country, with desert vegetation in the center and large spruce forests on Caledonia and in the province of Sierra.

Government and politics

Bahia is a mostly representative democracy with Echohue as its unelected Supreme Chancellor. The second highest position, the President, is elected every four years by majority vote.

Division of powers

The country has two levels of government - national and provincial. It is a federal state where provinces have a high degree of legislative power within themselves. The constitution expressly prohibits provinces from legislating with respect to currency, foreign affairs, defense, telecommunications and international treaties.

The national congress's law-making responsibilities, known as national powers, are wide-reaching and include:

  • Military affairs
  • Currency and coining money
  • International trade
  • Conditional funding to provincial governments
  • Major infrastructure projects
  • Telecommunications and broadcasting laws
  • Hospitals, BNHS and emergency services (except fire authorities)
  • Social security and child welfare
  • Railways
  • National roads, vehicle registration, most road laws

The provinces exercise regional responsibilities affecting citizens at a local level. These are known as provincial powers and encompass:

  • Provincial, district and magistrates’ courts
  • Health inspections, sanitation and waste disposal
  • Childcare and community health services
  • Libraries
  • Provincial and local roads
  • Fire services
  • Official provincial languages
  • Electricity, gas, water and fuel
  • Education and childcare

Some powers are concurrent and may be exercised by both national and provincial governments. However, in the event of conflict between the laws of both, the national law always prevails. Examples of concurrent powers include:

  • Taxation
  • Electoral boundaries
  • Environmental regulations
  • Indigenous affairs
  • Disability and aged care services
  • Planning regulations and building controls
  • Sporting, art and cultural facilities
  • Marriage, divorce and family law
  • Consumer and workplace laws

The Capital District is not afforded the same legislative abilities as the provinces. Its courts, roads, taxation, environmental laws, planning regulations and sports facilities are partially administered by the national government and partially administered by the City of Pretoria.

The constitution allows provinces to refer their legislative powers to the national congress where they see fit, making them concurrent. This typically only occurs on matters of national concern, a recent example being the referral of disability service regulation from all provinces in 2014 to create the National Disability Services Authority. Additionally, governments can, and often do, delegate their legislative power in certain areas to independent statutory bodies - for example the Indigenous Reservations Authority, which oversees the management of Indigenous lands in liaison with clans and their chiefs.

Congressional structure, codes and conventions

Seats in Bahia's National Congress
Bahia's Congressional Districts as of the 2018 election

Bahia’s national parliament is unicameral, containing a single population adjusted house. The National Congress is currently composed of 84 seats distributed by population, each seat representing a Congressional District. Currently, the most districts per province is in Sunshine Coast, which contains 15, and the least amount of districts is a tie between Wagtail and the Coral Sea Islands, which both are represented by two Congresspeople.

Each province’s congress is comprised of a unicameral Provincial Assembly. In Pretoria, this takes the form of the Capital Assembly. The number of seats in these vary according to provincial population and members are all elected to three-year terms. The party with a majority forms government (its leader is termed the Premier) - mostly either of the two major parties due to the use of the first-past-the post system, which does not require an absolute majority. All congressional districts are single-member at both national and provincial level.

Several prominent legal codes establish the parameters that the Bahian government must operate within. The most pertinent of these is the Bahian Constitution, an entrenched document that acts as the country’s supreme law. Its wording may only be altered in two ways: by referendum where a majority of voters nationwide (51% or more) endorse a proposed change, or implicitly by the Constitutional Division of the High Court whose role is to determine its application and meaning.

Parties and elections

All elections in Bahia, across both houses in the national congress and at provincial level, are held every four years. Voting is compulsory and open to citizens aged 18 years and over in all elections, with turnout at 88.2 percent for the most recent national election held in 2018.

Bahia has a fairly unique two-party system where either the Labor Party (economic left, socially conservative), or the National Party (economically centrist, socially liberal) control the majority of congressional seats.

The results of the 2018 Bahian Federal Election by Census District

There is a strong urban-rural divide between parties, with Labor winning in large margins in rural regions and in poor districts of the cities, whereas the National Party is popular with more well off, urban Bahians.

Foreign relations and military

Bahia’s formative years were marked by a close relationship with major Gamman powers in relation to trade, military and foreign policy. Since the various revolutions in the 20th century, Bahia has gradually restored relations with many of the same powers. Relations have generally been tense with Pearl Coast, and Bahia maintains a close, but shaky, relationship with its neighbor, Arcadia.

The country’s armed forces are known as the Royal Bahian Defense Force and comprise three arms - the Royal Bahian Navy (RBN), the Royal Bahian Army (RBA) and the Royal Bahian Air Force (RBAF). The Supreme Chancellor is responsible for appointing top military officials, and around 200 billion dollars are dedicated to the Royal Bahian Defense Force every year. The nation has one of the largest armed forces in the world, and is one of the few countries to possess multiple aircraft carriers.

Provinces

Province name Abrv Province Population % of total population Capital Largest City
Bracanna BCA 1,412,276 2.4% Bracanna City Bracanna City
Caledonia CAL 2,482,298 4.2% Royston Noumea
Capital District CAP 4,663,487 7.9% Pretoria Pretoria
Coral Sea Islands COR 933,247 1.5% Port Kabainia Port Kabainia
Dampier DAM 1,692,144 2.8% Coberg Coberg
Darwin DAR 984,553 1.6% Tuangula Tuangula
Gauteng GAU 8,981,277 15.3% Mojangsburg Mojangsburg
Jade Coast JAD 7,297,934 12.4% Tangletree Tarkenton
Kish KSH 1,092,384 1.8% Perroa Perroa
Parrigo PAR 1,044,002 1.7% Parrigo Cessaby
Sierra SRA 5,267,492 8.9% Richmond Derby
Sunshine Coast SSC 15,244,057 26% Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast
Torres TOR 6,724,398 11.4% Torres River Torres River
Wagtail WAG 654,553 1.1% Walvis Bay Walvis Bay

Overseas Territories

Territory name Abrv Territory Population % of total population Capital
Eep EEP 14,474 0.02% Eep
Iqaluit IQU 3,387 0.005% Iqaluit

Economy

Bahia has a developed market economy with a GDP of US$2.723 trillion in 2020. Traditionally relying primarily on agriculture, the economy has modernised in recent decades and is becoming increasingly concentrated within the service sector, which now accounts for roughly two-thirds of its GDP. Main industries include food processing, industrial and transportation equipment, oil and gas, agriculture, finance and tourism. Public debt, currently at 34% of GDP, has been reduced in recent years due to cuts in government spending, and its credit rating is currently AA.

Trade

Bahia mostly exports oil and gas products (53% of total exports in 2019), which has left it susceptible to fluctuations in global commodity prices. Other significant exports are mining products such as diamonds and gold, various industrial and manufacturing products, and agricultural products such as wheat and beef.

A tree map of Bahia's Exports in 2019

The total value of its exports in 2019 was US$450.29 billion. Key export partners include:

  • Mojang State (19.5%)
  • Republic of Formosa (16.2%)
  • Storalia (13.5%)
  • People's Republic Of Zimbobwica (11.4%)
  • Arcadia (10.6%)

Foreign land ownership has been a highly contentious issue in Bahia. The Foreign Investment and Franchising Act, created in 2020 to waive newly created international franchise rules, stipulates that every foreign owned franchise must agree to waive all rights afforded to them by the 2020 MRT franchise rule. This act has been highly controversial among the political elite, and has been a punching bag for the National Party ever since it was introduced, but polling shows it still has wide support.

Infrastructure

80% of Bahia's energy is produced via oil, gas and coal, with only 20% generated from renewable sources. Although the country possesses large brown coal reserves, its heavy reliance on these has attracted criticism, leading the national government in 2010 to set an ambitious target of doubling renewable energy production by 2020. The state-owned National Energy Authority overseas all energy production and distribution. Water supply is coordinated at a national level, and sanitation is the responsibility of provincial governments.

Postal services are largely provided by the Bahia Postal Service (BPS). Whilst it remains state-owned as a statutory authority, deregulation has enabled private companies to operate postal services alongside it. Significant budget cuts, however, have impacted the BPS in recent years, and the current National Party's government has floated the possibility of a private merger.

Transportation throughout the country comprises a comprehensive network of roads and railway lines. Roads are classified into N-routes (national highways), P-routes (provincial roads) and U-routes (urban routes, found in the cities of Sunshine Coast, Mojangsburg, Torres River, Pretoria, Tarkenton and Derby) whilst numerous undesignated local routes can also be found in rural and suburban areas.

Although private car ownership is high, train and bus services are used extensively and link most major towns. With the exception of services in Sunshine Coast, Mojangsburg, Tarkenton and Derby, some freight lines, and country routes operated by BahiaRail, rail and bus services are managed by the state-owned National Transit Authority (NTA). Recent governments have proposed various high-speed rail options linking Sunshine Coast, Mojangsburg and Derby along the center and east coast, although it is estimated such an investment could cost as much as B$40 billion.

Demographics

Urban Areas

Largest cities or towns in Bahia
Statistics Bahia (2020)
Rank Name Province/Territorys of Bahia Pop. Rank Name Province/Territorys of Bahia Pop.
Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast

Mojangsburg
Mojangsburg

1 Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast 9,448,928 11 Royston Caledonia 801,299
2 Mojangsburg Gauteng 5,298,388 12 Perroa Kish 747,458
3 Tarkenton Jade Coast 4,709,377 13 Sahelia Torres 733,872
4 Pretoria Capital District 4,663,487 14 Cessaby Parrigo 678,983
5 Derby Sierra 2,994,837 15 Wooridge Sunshine Coast 654,249
6 Torres River Torres 1,443,228 16 Bracanna Bracanna 619,347
7 Noumea Caledonia 1,009,330 17 Walvis Bay Wagtail 572,333
8 Tangletree Jade Coast 972,487 18 Port Kabainia Coral Sea Islands 356,267
9 Richmond Sierra 940,298 19 Parrigo Parrigo 104,992
10 Coberg Dampier 842,998 20 Tuangula Darwin 97,882
A map of population density by Census District in Bahia in 2020

Language

Bahia is a highly multilingual country, with various languages being spoken depending on region. The most widely spoken language in Bahia is English, with 86% of Bahians having at least a basic understanding of the language, with Afrikaans coming in second and Spanish in third.

Culture

Bahian culture is a heavy mix of Gamman and Mojanger culture, with many Mojanger traditions mixed in to typical everyday life. Rural and natural themes feature prominently in local art, literature and entertainment, owing heavily to the country’s environmental uniqueness and diversity. Indigenous peoples depicted this through a variety of forms - particularly rock paintings, carvings, storytelling, music and dance - until Gamman settlement introduced a Western lens to the country’s natural landscapes. Although recent immigration, urbanisation and technological advancements have seen Bahian society become more cosmopolitan, it still retains its conservative, agrarian roots in many respects.

Media and entertainment

Bahia is home to one of the world's largest television audiences, and its entertainment industry has been booming since the 1980s. Media is mostly state owned, although in recent years private companies such as MBS have been making in-roads into Bahian life. 96% of Bahians own at least one electronic device, and 89% have access to the internet, making Bahian society one of the most connected in the world.