Asophania

The Antarctic Technocratic Republic, formerly the Serene Republic of the South, colloquially Asophania, is a sovereign polity covering specific locations in Antarctica and on the planet Narakam.
Asophania is unique in that it only has small designated pockets of extrajudicial (not sovereign) territory which it owns on behalf of the Ministry of Research and Development, one of Denasola's ministries. Interestingly, citizenship is not granted by birthright, but on the Ministry's accord, usually extended to its employees. As a result, science is by far the biggest employer of Asophanian citizens. This makes Asophania one of only three extant sovereign technocratic republics on Yata, with Alyphia and Islandia being the others. Prior to Denasola's establishment and Pandaland's independence, Asophania was the sole country across all of Antarctica. However, following a cataclysmic containment failure at the primary research facilities that led to the countries' overthrow by an alien race, Denasola emerged as the primate state that wished to distance itself from technocracy, and Asophania agreed to function as its' research ministry. Despite this, Asophanian sovereignty was never revoked, leading to the ongoing extrajudicial situation.
Asophania is particularly notable for controlling Yata's foremost research facility - the Joint Asophanian-Denasolin-Islandian Research and Development Facility, and colloquially known as Asolab, (a portmanteau of Asophania and Laboratory.) The Asolab is known for it's dark secrets and hidden technologies, which were a major factor in the establishment of Denasola. It's dark history is relatively unmatched by other countries; marked by decades of torture and unethical experiments, for example the Hybrites, (not created by Asophania as such, but rather hidden in the Asolab beforehand) and the Iujado biomass. Asophania sits above one of the largest primordial void energy reserves other than Eastern Europe, which made it a valuable place to do research, having originally attracted Yetian scientists that constructed the Asolab long before Asophania was founded. It's horrifying nature contributed to the Yetian scientists to abandon their laboratories, which paved the way for new owners.
Asophania is highly influential on the scientific stage of the world, having pioneered modern localised teleportation, and inventing technologies such as the laser-reflector (a derivative of the laser-relay,) and the tear device. Economically, however, Asophania has been known to falter. Denasola, out of principle, does not provide funding to the Ministry, and by extension Asophania. A majority of Asophania's income therefore comes from foreign research grants as well as selling power to the Denasolin grid. At one point, 75% of Asophanians and Denasolins had a vitamin-D deficiency, as Asophania could not afford to import any medicines during the winter months.
Asophania is a leading member of the Rus Alliance, and is also a member of the UN.
== History ==
Category:Countries
Category:Peter's Countries
Category:Yatan Countries
Category:Spacefaring Countries
Category:Antarctic Countries