Montezuma

Montezuma, officially the Republic of Montezuma (: República de Monteçuma) is a country in . Bordered by the Republic of California to the north-west, the of to the north-east, and the of , , and to the south.
With population of over 16 million people, concentrated mostly around metropolitan city areas, Montezuma is the in North America and in the world. With area of 305,591 km2, mostly covered by vast deserts, it is one of the smallest and least densely populated countries of . Besides its mainland territory, Montezuma holds sovereignty over the exclave of Nova Saragossa i Caixém in the , as well as two islands: and .
The capital of Montezuma is Valldaurada. It has a population of approximately 1 mln people, making it the 4th largest city in the country. Together with cities such as and , it forms a megalopolis of 6 mln inhabitants, known as the Costa de la Victòria Metropolitan Area. 
Montezuma is a divided into 10 administrative subdivisions - 7 lands (terres), 2 autonomous countries (països), and an autonomous city - Valldaurada. Member of the .
==Etymology==
The name "Montezuma" comes from the name of a mythological heroic god of certain indigenous tribes living within modern-day borders of the country.
==History==
===Catalan settlements within New Spain===
The was established in 1521, following the collapse of the . The sparsely populated, remote area to the north of the was often used by the Castillian monarchs as a for the Catalan population of the former . It is estimated that in the 16th century alone, nearly 20% of Catalans living in the Iberian Peninsula was exiled to New Spain, thus becoming the biggest ethnic minority within the Kingdom.
In the northernmost areas of New Spain, the Catalan culture and language have begun to flourish like never before. By the 1800s, Catalans were the ethnic majority within the intendancies of Alta California and Nuevo México.
=== Path to statehood ===
Due to its geographical separation from the rest of New Spain, the Catalan-speaking population didn't engage in the . The transition from the Viceroy's administration to the happened peacefully, even though the Emperor didn't gain much popularity in the area. His abdication and subsequent confirmation of a republican government by the was met with great enthusiasm.
At this point, the Catalan-speaking population of Mexico was divided between (Western State, also known as Sonora y Sinaloa) and the territories of Alta California and Baja California. In 1825, local leaders convened a regional council in , where they signed la Declaració de la Unió (the Declaration of the Union). Consisting of 14 points, it called for the creation of a Catalan-speaking state within Mexico. The council has also chosen its delegates, who embarked to Mexico City for negotiations.
The government has accepted most postulates of the declaration and created the Territory of Central California on 24 October 1827. The petition for statehood was declined due to territory disputes with Estado de Occidente. Eventually, the issue was resolved on 14 October 1830, following the partition of the state. Central California was granted statehood on 24 July 1832.
In 1834, following an agreement with the bordering State of Chihuahua, Central California slightly expanded to its southeast. The state has united an area of nearly 300,000 km2, with borders corresponding to the modern-day mainland of Montezuma.
=== Call for independence ===
The local autonomy of Central California was revoked in 1835 when the Mexican conservatives adopted a new constitution, known as the , which altered the organizational structure of the country by removing the political and financial autonomy previously held by Mexican states. Centralised power strapped the Catalan-speaking population of all progress made in the last decade. The legality of Central Californian statehood was questioned by the new government, who intended to consolidate the three Californias into one territory.
Outraged by the upcoming changes, the local population launched a rebellion against the central government on 19 November 1835. Central California was the third region to revolt, following the and the . A provisional government has been formed in Valldaurada, seizing power over the coastal towns. The rebellion has started to move eastwards, towards the Sonoran Desert, however was quickly encountered by the army and pushed back to the Colorado River, where a stalemate began.
The provisional government lacked equipment and manpower. With the rebellion in Zacatecas crushed, the days of the rebellion in California were numbered. The President has embarked on a diplomatic mission to the Tohono Oʼodham people, hoping to secure an alliance. They agreed to join the rebellion in exchange for full citizenship after the independence. Indigenous partisans cut off the Mexican government's supply lines in the Sonoran Desert and compelled their forces to retreat. Meanwhile, shipments of American military equipment began to arrive in the port of .
Central Californian volunteers crossed the Colorado River and united with the Tohono Oʼodham, forming a united army, known as the Legion of Montezuma. The Legion faced the Mexican forces again in the Battle of Tucsó. Aided by the Apache, they liberated the city, ending the Centralist rule in Central California. Back in Valldaurada, the Declaration of Independence was signed on 15 September 1836. It stated, that the country was to be called Montezuma, commemorating a union of the Catalan-speaking population and the indigenous peoples under a single banner of the heroic Legion.
===Californian Wars===
During the mid-19th century, the Montezumese government sought to modernise the country in order to gain international recognition and increase economic spending. In this pursuit, followed by the guarantee of indigenous peoples' land ownership over their homelands in exchange for their military allegiance and labour, the Montezumese government hired the architects that had previously redeveloped Barcelona, the Catalan capital, and devised a plan to create uniform urban planning in the city of Valldaurada.
Despite the lack of official recognition of Montezumese independence by Mexico, the country has secured several trade agreements with European powers. Countries such as Great Britain or France sought to distance themselves from the unstable situation in neighbouring Mexico and were eager to invest in Montezuma. The efforts of modernisation were interrupted as soon as 1845, with President declaring his will to reincorporate Montezuma into Mexico. The invasion was condemned by the government of the United States.
The initial success of the Mexican offence ended in just a couple of months. The extended the American claims all the way to the Rio Grande, leading to a . Subsequent discontent of the Californios with the policies of their new governor resulted in a declaration of Californian independence. The largely disorganised rebellion has spread into the Montezumese territory, marching towards Valldaurada. Aided by the American troops, the Californios were pushed back from the city in the .
Despite the initial hostilities, the Montezumese government has reached an agreement with the Californios, securing its pre-war borders. In exchange for California denouncing its claims, Montezuma was the first country to officially recognise the . Occasional American-Californio clashes continued, due to failed negotiations between the two sides.
The war came to an end in 1848 with the . Both Montezumese and Californian independence were to be officially recognised by the Mexican government. Under international mediation, the Californian-American border was established on the 37th parallel north and the Colorado River, with the majority of Alta California annexed directly into the United States.
==Geography==
Montezuma is located in North America, with its mainland territory stretching between latitudes 30° and 35° N and longitudes 107° and 118° W. The Montezumese landscape has a vast and diverse geography famous for its deep canyons, high- and low-elevation deserts, numerous natural rock formations, volcanic mountain ranges, and sandy coasts. The highest peak of the country is (meaning "White Mountain"), located in País Apatxe, approximately 4 km away from the US border.
===Climate===
The majority of Montezumese territory lies within the hot desert climate (), characterized by arid conditions with intense sunshine. In the , covering the central part of the country, the temperatures can reach up to 50 °C. 
All major urban agglomerations of Montezuma are located either on the Pacific Coast or in the , which enjoy milder conditions of and climates.
====Climate data for Valldaurada====
===Wildlife===
Thanks to its desert landscape, mainland Montezuma is home to several unique animal species. Most notable are , , , , , , , and . However, the broadest range of species can be found on Illa de la Passió, which isn't permanently inhabited by human population. The island has been identified as an by because of the large breeding colony of . Other bird species include , , , , , , , , and .
==Politics==
===Administrative divisions===
Subdivision 	Capital
Victòria 	
Ciutat Autònoma de Valldaurada	Ciutat Autònoma de Valldaurada
Baixa Califòrnia 	
Roig-Trinitat 	
Ariçona 	
Xicahua-Tucsó 	
País Tohono O'odham 	
País Apatxe 	
Nova Saragossa 	
Caixém 	
===LGBTQ+ rights===
LGBTQ+ rights in Montezuma have expanded in recent years, in keeping with worldwide legal trends. Over last few decades, the country has been adapting several anti-discrimination laws and, after the 2021 constitutional amendment, Montezuma is one of the few countries in the world to contain a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation in its constitution. 
Montezuma became the first nation in Latin America to recognize in 2007. has been legal since 2015.
Cities of Fènix and Valldaurada are home to large LGBT communities. Valldaurada Pride was founded in 1977, as the first one in the country, and has taken place every year ever since. The first Fènix Pride parade took place in 1981, and is now the most attended pride event in the country.
==Demographics==
===Largest cities===
Due to extensive mountainous and desert areas of Montezuma, the population is mainly concentrated along the Pacific Coast and the . The country has one of the highest in the world, at approximately 85%.
The biggest in Montezuma are Costa de la Victòria Metropolitan Area and Ariçona Metropolitan Area.
===Ethnic groups===
Montezuma is a plurinational state of 16 million people. Its society comprises people of different ethnic backgrounds who are unified as a single nation - the Montezumese. Within this unified identity, the census distinguishes several smaller ethnic groups.
The largest ethnic group in the country are the Iberomonteçumesos, which account for around 53% of the population. This group consists of individuals of Iberian descent with no Indigenous roots. Their native languages are Catalan, Aragonese, or Torvellin. The second largest group are the Mestissos - a term used for people of mixed descent with both European and Indigenous roots. The Indigenous population accounts for 15% of the total population, with the biggest groups being the Apache, the Tohono Oʼodham, and the Kumeyaay.
The country has a small non-Montezumese population. The largest national minority are the Californios, who reside in Montezuma for educational or economic purposes.
===Religion===
Due to its diverse ethnic background, the population of Montezuma professes a variety of different beliefs. For the purposes of the census, a number of indigenous religions, as well as syncretic faiths, are grouped into a single category.
The biggest religious group in Montezuma are the Catholics, with nearly half of the population (48.1%) declaring itself as such. Christianity was first introduced to the area around the 16th century, along with the first European settlers. Nowadays, Catholicism is the religion with the biggest decline in the number of believers due to progressive secularization. As of 2024, a quarter of the Montezumese consider themselves atheists.
A significant number of citizens (21%) cultivate indigenous religions, with the biggest concentration in País Apatxe and País Tohono O'odham. In other parts of the country, Indigenous beliefs often have various syncretic elements due to staying in close contact with Christianity.
==National symbols==
===Flag===
The flag of Montezuma was first introduced in 1832, when the rank of Montezuma was raised from territory to a state within the . Initially, it consisted of four red stripes on a yellow field. Known by the Catalans as the , it was the same flag that had been used historically by the .
The current design was adopted upon the nation's declaration of independence in 1836. In addition to the previous design, it features a pattern inspired by the indigenous peoples of Montezuma.
===Coat of arms===
The coat of arms of Montezuma was adapted in 1836. It is simply the vertical version of the flag incorporated into a shield. 
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