Sombrandia

Sombrandia is a unique nation, and one of the leading advancers in technology. It has been through some rough times in history, but has now established itself as a stable and flourishing country.
== Government ==
The Sombrandian government consits of these 5 political parties:
# Progress Party: Advocates for social progress, economic development, and technological innovation.
# Unity Party: Focuses on national unity, social cohesion, and inclusive policies.
# Freedom Alliance: Stresses individual liberties, free-market principles, and limited government intervention.
# Green Movement: Promotes environmental sustainability, conservation, and renewable energy.
# Heritage Party: Emphasizes the preservation of cultural heritage, traditions, and national identity.
The current party in power is the Progress Party, gaining 68 out of 108 seats inthe vote in the most recent elections in 2020, with the Green Movement party coming second with 25 out of the 108 seats inthe vote. National elections take place every four years, whilst local elections occur every two years.
=== Political Structure - In More Detail ===
== The Monarchy ==
The Sombrandian monarchy has been ruled by the family of Sombrathum since it's early origins in the 13th century. After the great fallout of 1382, our ancestor nation, The Kingdom of Sombrathum fell to it's knees, with all it's history dying with it. However, in 1872, the Sombrathum family revealed themselves, and the nation begun to grow in the shadows, until 1965 when The Kingdom of Sombrandium was recognised by other European countries, and Cornwall (originally from the United Kingdom) voted to become a part of the country. In the Great Sombrandian Reform, the country we now know and love was born, with it's title becoming Sombrandia (Kingdom Of) and our current monarchy reign was established (currently the reign of the Sombra).
== Location ==
Sombrandia controls Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset (UK) and Brittany (France). It has controlled these areas since the Great Sombrandian Reform in 1996, when modern day Sombrandia was established . Since then the people who voted to be a part of Sombrandia have thrived as the country has reached new heights in it's journey to becoming the number one technological power in the world.
== Mappervision ==
Sombrandia made their debut into Mappervision in the June 2023 edition of the competition, held in Latin Africa, in the host city of Libreville. The broadcasting agency called STA organises Sombrandia's entry into the competition. The song chosen to represent the nation was Saudade,saudade by Maro, a Portuguese artist who finished in 9th place at Eurovision 2022, taking place in Italy.
In the July 2023 edition, Sombrandia finished a dismal 16th place with the afrobeats song "Calm Down" by Rema and Selena Gomez. Something had to change.
In the August 2023 edition, hosted by Ijanusky, Sombrandia called upon ABBA for thier song "Voulez-Vouz" in a bid to finally win the competition, and they did. August marked Sombrandia's first win of the Mappervision Song Contest.
In the September 2023 edition, Sombrandia hosted their first Mappervision Song Contest, held in Roazhon Park, Rennes, where Holstija won the 97th edition of the competition. Sombrandia finished 12th place with "Bassa Sababa" by the Israeli artist Netta. Sombrandia were only just able to host the competition due to the great internet blackout of November 2023, caused by enemy underground Norwegian hackers who seemingly still hold grudges against our country.
Sombrandia was unable to participate in the October 2023 and November 2023 editions due to the ongoing conflict with Norwegian Extremists, leading to the country being forced to pull out of the competition.
Sombrandia returned in the December 2023 edition upon the conclusion of the conflict with the Norwegian Extremists. Dua Lipa represented Sombrandia for the first time with her song "Houdini", with her previously being in talks with the country to represent them previously with her song "Dance The Night Away", however she was persuaded by another country to represent them instead. Despite that, Dua Lipa was able to acheive Sombrandia's second ever Mappervision Song Contest victory, providing the country with the opportunity to host the centurion edition of the Mappervision Song Contest in the Hall XXL, situated in Nantes.
=== Possible Mappervision Venues ===
Possible Mappervision Venues
City 	Venue 	Hosted Editions
Rennes 	Roazhon Park (Stade Rennes FC) 	September 2023
Nantes 	Hall XXL 	January 2024 (Centurion edition)
Bournemouth	The Vitality Stadium (AFC Bournemouth)	N/A
Brighton 	Brighton Centre 	N/A
Birmingham 	Utilita Arena 	N/A
Liverpool 	M&S Bank Arena 	N/A
Southampton	Mayflower Park Arena (In Construction)	N/A
== Religion ==
Sombrandia has always been a country of one religion, however in recent times, other religins (such as Christianity and Islam) have begun to grow in popularity since the Religion Freedom Act of 2006 was made official, allowing those living in the nation to freely choose which religion they followed. However, the main and official religion of Sombrandia is Propagandalasyusis, a religion based off the Great Lords of Technomania, which is the underground society which welcomed Sombrandia's first citizens into their walls, giving them a home, and a family. Technomania fell in the Bretagne Purge of 1534, alongside the remaining descendents of the Great Lords of Technomania. Since then, the people of Sombardia made it their life's mission to continue their great legacy and to show grattitude for their huge role in the survival of our great society and nation.
=== The Exact percentage figures of religion are as follows: ===
* Propagandalasyusis - 94.3% of population
* Christianity - 4.7% of population
* Islam - 0.8% of population
* Other - 0.2% of population
== History of Sombrandia ==
=== Early History ===
==== Prehistric and Ancient Sombrandia ====
The land occupied by Sombrandia in the present day has been previously occupied by many other civillisations throughout history, most famously the Roman Empire owned all current day Sombrandian land during the peak of their existance. Based of certain historical records, the Romans became particularly interested in artifacts found in Sombrandia, which linked to the Lords of Technomania. Certain Roman citizens are even said to have defected to the Sombrandian ancient society to join the Propagandalasyusis religion, instead of both Roman religion and Christianity. The founders of Sombrandia first arrived on the shores of Bretagne at around 5000 BCE. These early inhabitants are said to have migrated from Cornwall, which is why Cornwall was the firts part of the UK to vote to join Sombrandia. These early settlers were quick to form small, basic communities and developed a basic form of writing, which at the time was a mix of early celtic and french language. In modern times, the official language of Sombrandia is English, however French is also a recognised official language. This early form of writing and langauge developed made Sombrandia one of the earliest advanced literate societies in Europe.
By 1000 BCE Sombrandia had evolved into multiple tribal kingdoms, all hiding in the shadows of the Roman Empire. However, despite their need to remain secret, the tribes frequently engaged in ceremonies with one another, with the tribes being brought together via various different unions, such as arranged marriages and issues concerning the dominance of the Roman Empire. Early Somnbrandian society around this period of time was also frequently associated with Sombrandian Mythology, with many of the myths originating from this time. This time period has very few historical records that have been discovered. This is most likely due to the fact that Sombrandia had to remain a secret society, therefore they didn't want to risk writing anything which may have exposed themselves to the Romans, who would have then subsequently wiped them out.
At around 800 BCE, the introduction of ironworking marked a significant technological advancement, allowing the Sombrandians to create superior tools and weapons, which in turn facilitated the consolidation of power and the formation of larger political entities. It was during this period where the early Sombrandian society started fighting the Romans in small pockets, slowly grinding them down. By around 650 BCE, the Romans evacuated the area surrounding the early Sombrandian nation, leaving Sombrandia to develop without any troubles from the Romans.
==== The Rise of The Sombrandian Kingdom ====
The unification of all the Sombrandian tribes happened at around 400 CE under King Sarath the Uniter (as known by legend), who established the first centralised monarchy. Sarath's reign is often seen as the golden age of early Sombrandian culture, with great innovation within society happening during this period, as Sombrandia further established themselves as a European power, and certainly a looming threat for the Roman Empire, which was already beginning to crumble by this time. Sombrandia eventually became an independent nation upons the collapse of the Roman Empire, and due to it's costal location, Sombrandia became a hub for maritime trade, fostering connections with other European societies, and also some early African tribal nations.
During the early medieval period, the Sombrandian Kingdom expanded its influence, developing a formidable navy and establishing a settlement on the Isle of Wight, previously owned by England. It was seized during the Viking takeover of England. However, the introduction of Christianity in the 7th century disrupted the kingdom, as it meant that many people left Sombrandia due to the teachings of christ spread throughout their mind persuading them to follow Christianity and leave to other Christian Countries. Sombrandia built large temples to compete with the increasing number of cathedrals throughout the rest of Europe. The difficulty for Sombrandia at the time was that they had remained secret for so long that no one outside the country had the opportunity to convert to the Propagandalasyusis religion, therefore they were unable to compete with the other religions, and Propagandalasyusis soon became a minority religion
=== Rejuvenation ===
==== The Great Fallout of 1382-1384 ====
The Great Fallout, a pivotal event in Sombrandian histroy, began in 1382 when a group of Sombrandian scouts set sail in search of potential trade routes and alliances. Eventually, they arrived on the shores of Norway. However, like Sombrandia, the tribe based in Norway was an isolationist nation, so they treated the Sombrandian visitors no differently to how they would treat invaders, and killed every last one of them. The deaths of the Sombrandian explorers sparked outrage throughout Sombrandia, leaving King Baptiste III with no other choice but the retaliate against Norway with an invasion of Norway. Norway, not aware of the doings of the isolationist tribe, was completely unaware of the reason of the Sombrandian invasion. Fueled with rage, the Norwegians retaliated by wiping out the rather small Sombrandian invasion force in comparison to the Norwegian army, and then proceeding to arrive on Sombrandian soil and destroy all of Sombrandian civilisation. The battle lasted 5 months of Norwegian soil, before the 1 year battle on Sombrandian soil happened. By 1384, the Sombrandian military was decimated, and the Kingdom's infrastructure lay in ruins. The war not only resulted in a significant loss of life, but also purged the nation of all its infrastructure and money, causing Sombrandia to collapse into anarchy, bringing forth a period known as the Sombrandian Cannibalism Era.
==== The Sombrandian Cannibalism Era ====
After the Great Fallout, the estimated 156 remaing Sombrandians fought against one another for resources. The cannibalism that this era is notoroius for is not in the sense of eating one another, but instead that brothers and sisters would kill each other to steal money and food from one another to survive. After 20 years of suffering, the population reached critical numbers of around 30 people, with most young people being the result of incestral breeding. Just as the Sombrandian civilisation seemed on the brink of extinction, Lord Tyranis and his divine flame appeared, reigniting the passion to innovate within the Sombrandian population. With this newfound strength, the Sombrandian population found it's feet again, and rebuilt itself slowly.
==== The Road To Recovery ====
During the Tyranis industrial revolution, a series of Sombrandian monarchs, known as the Rejuvenators, came into power in the 15th and 16th century. They prioritised rebuilding the nation's infrastructure, revitalising agricultural processes, and generating trade with other nearby smaller nations. During this period, Sombrandia started to develop lots of new and quite advanced technology for the time period, such as the wind powered infiniti symbol on top of the Vortex Temple. By the 17th century, Sombrandia has regained much of its former stability. The establishment of small higher education centres around the country slowly increased the level of education within the nation, and laid the groundwork for further advancements in technology and science in the coming years. Sombrandia's unique blend of isolation and cultural exchange led to a distinct identity, marked by innovative approaches to art, governance and technology.
=== Modern History - 1800 onwards ===
==== Modern Industrialisation Period ====
The 19th century was a period of rapid industrialisation for Sombrandia. The discovery of rich mineral deposits and the development of advanced machinery propelled Sombrandia into a modern industrial age, far earlier than even the likes of the British Empire. Railways, factories, and urban centres sprang up across the country, transforming Sombrandia into a small, but powerful industrial force. However, Sombrandia still wasn't an officially recognised nation, and was instead recognised as a part of the French Republic. As a result of this, France stole the credit for most of Sombrandia's technological and scientific breakthroughs, which until recent years still weren't recognised as Sombrandian discoveries. Sombrandian inventors and scientists made significant contributions to various fields, including medicine, such as the early research into cancer, engineering, such as the development of the first locomotive engines, which the plans for were stolen for the British Empire (which is why they were the first ones to build a full working locomotive), and communication, such as lots of research into the development of satellites in secret, in alliance with the United States of America (USA). The establishment of the National Institute of Technology in 1852 became a key organisation in the development of Sombrandia, attracting brilliant minds from all over Europe, and the rest of the world in recent times.
==== Political and Social Reforms ====
The 20th century brought profound changes to Sombrandia's political system. The monarch at the time, Queen Sombra I, decided that the monarchy would be redeveloped into a more democratic constitutional monarchy, which brought forth the current political system. Social reforms at the time also improved education, with the establishment of free education for everyone up to the age of 16, improved healthcare with the introduction of the Sombrandian Health Service (SHS), which offers free healthcare for all citizens (paid for by taxes), and better workers' rights, with the Sombrandian Workers' Party being established in 1934, ensuring all workers worked in safe conditions, and earned a living wage. In the mid to late 20th century, Sombrandia also became one of the leading countries in climate research, and became one of the leading environmental defence countries in the world, with Sombrandia aiming to become a net zero country by 2028, with the country expected to reach this target ahead of schedule. The Sombrandian Environmental Fund was founded in 1987, and it consists of a small tax income (around 2%) and donations from other people/countries. This has enabled Sonmbrandia to invest heavily in environmentally friendly infrastructure, such as renewable energy, as well as regenerate damaged habitats not only in Sombrandia, but also in the rest of the world. The Sombrandia Investment Fund (SOIF) was also established in the late 20th century, in the year 1996. Due to Sombrandia's community like nature, everyone is willing to pay higher taxes to better support the welfare of the nation, alongside the fact that Sombrandian's earn much higher average wages than the rest of the world. The SOIF taxes 20% of people's incomes, and cumulates the money in one pool, which is then used by top Sombrandian investors to invest in businesses and projects around the world which will benefit Sombrandia one way or another, similar to the Saudi Investment Fund.
Relations with Norway
Sombrandia has had a troubled history with Norway. It all started when a group of Sombrandian's, who were sent on a scouting mission, arrived on the shores of Norway. The Norweigen locals instantly saw them as a threat, and proceded to kill every single one of them. The Sombrandian monarch (King Baptiste III) was enraged by this and begun an immediate invasion of Norway. This war is now known to be called the Great Fallout of 1384, due to the Sombrandian's losing the war, virtually destroying the entire civilisation. Since then, Norway has been voted by the Sombrandian people the most disliked country in the world, as shown by the quarterly national census data. Norway is one of only 3 countries in Europe who has not yet established Sombrandia as an official country, the others being Belarus and Serbia.
=== Great Fallout of 1384 - Number of People ===
* Total population - 11,621
* Soldiers - 8,732
* Military Casualties - 8,712
* Civillian Casualties - 2,713
* Civillian Population - 2,869
* Deserters - 20
* Survivors (including deserters) - 176
* Remaining Population - 156
== New Flag Referendum ==
In July 2024, a referendum was held in Sombrandia about whether or not they wanted to change their flag to a new design. Here are the 2 designs in question:
The new flag design won the vote, with 72.4% of the vote being for the new design.
== Major Cities ==
* Plymouth
* Bournemouth
* Exeter
* Weymouth
* Bristol
* Bath
* Caen
* Rennes
* Brest
* Lorient
* Nantes
* Quimper
* Liverpool
* Sombrathum City - Capital City
* Birmingham
* Wrexham
* Swansea
* Cardiff
* Brighton
* Southampton
* Portsmouth
=== Major Tourist Attractions ===
* Rennes Super Park
* Lorient Aquapark
* Lorient Tower
* Sombrandia National Museum (Bristol)
* Wrexham Super Park
== Sombrandian Currency ==
The currency of Sombrandia is known as Nanocash. It’s an all digital currency that was invented by Queen Sombra, using her incredible technology descended from the great lords of Technomania and their wisdom used as guidance. Nanocash is an extremely valuable currency in comparison to the Great British Pound (£), where £1 is the same as 0.22 Nanocash. This is due to Sombrandia’s relatively new economy, combined with the wealthy population, with Sombrandia having one of the largest GDP per capita’s in the world, at US$92,320, resulting in one of the lowest levels of poverty in comparison to the overall population. However, there are certain pockets of poverty in the country, which are as a result of hidden communities known as Techno Remnants.
== Techno Remnants ==
Techno Remnants are communities in Sombrandia which have lived isolated from the rest of the world for centuries. They are made up of the survivors of the great fallout who did not found the new Sombrandian Kingdom. Instead they remained in isolation, due to the threat of being decimated once more. Rumour has it that Techno Remnant communities actually have some of the most powerful Sombrandian ancient Nanotechnology in the world, with certain communities rumoured to be hoarding the technology which was not destroyed by the Norwegian raiders. Techno Remnant communities are extremely poor, despite their rumoured access to powerful technology, and they have all rejected any form of aid from the mainland Sombrandian Kingdom. Also, after many attempts to contact the remnants, we received no return message, and no sign of any acknowledgment that our message actually reached them, as we are unaware of their availability of communication technology. Most Techno Remnant communities are extremely vulnerable to an ancient disease, which is only present in these communities. Sombrandian scientists ran an autopsy of one of the dead bodies found to have contracted the disease, and found that only people with a specific gene can contract this virus. By researching multiple Techno Remnant people’s dead bodies, Sombrandian scientists discovered that all the people contained this gene. This is believed to be as a result of many years of inbreeding after the population numbers plummeted after the Great Fallout of 1382, resulting in the population of certain Techno Remnant communities to develop faulty genes, such as the gene which enables someone to contract this deadly disease. In the past, entire Techno Remnant communities have been known to be wiped out within a few weeks by the virus, which Sombrandian scientists have named TCH-84, meaning Techno 1384, with the date representing the year of the Great Fallout of 1384, and the beginning of the supposed inbreeding within the populations.
=== Archaic Sombrandian Language ===
Techno Remnants still use the archaic Sombrandian Language in the present day, with all their words being written in the ancient language. The archaic Sombrandian Language is starting to be taught in Sombrandian schools once more, as part of an increasingly growing culture movement, first introduced by the Heritage Party, with the need to preserve Sombrandia’s history, and pass on the ancient language to our ancestors for many generations to come. Also, the archaic Sombrandian language is the main language used in many Propagandalasyisis religious texts, further emphasising the importance of knowing at least the basics of the language. Please click the link for more detail about the archaic Sombrandian language 
== Sombrandian Myhtology ==
Sombrandia has rich mythology lore based off the Lords of Technomania. The mythology is still a core part of the Propagandalasyusis religion in the present day, so the mythology may be thought as more of the fables of the most popular religion in Sombrandia. For more detailed information about all of the Sombrandian Mythology lore, please click this link.
== Sombrandian Folklore ==
Sombrandian folklore consists of many mysterious creatures, including real ones, as well as historical events, such as wars and natural disasters. To discover more about this rich history, click here
== SombranFest - National Festival ==
Duration: Three days, starting from the first full moon of the summer solstice.
=== Day 1: Harmony Day ===
Morning:
* Tree Planting Ceremony: Locals and visitors gather to plant trees symbolizing growth, unity, and sustainability. Each tree represents a different community within Sombrandia.
* Community Breakfast: A feast of local delicacies, where people from different regions share their culinary traditions.
Afternoon:
* Craft Fair: Artisans from all over Sombrandia showcase their traditional crafts, from intricate woodcarvings to vibrant textiles.
* Unity Parade: Colorful floats and performers from various cultural groups parade through the streets, celebrating the country's diversity.
Evening:
* Cultural Performances: Traditional music, dance, and storytelling performances highlight the rich tapestry of Sombrandian culture.
* Community Bonfires: People gather around bonfires to share stories, sing songs, and forge new friendships.
=== Day 2: Discovery Day ===
Morning:
* Outdoor Workshops: Experts lead workshops on traditional skills such as pottery, weaving, and herbal medicine.
* Nature Walks: Guided hikes through Sombrandia's breathtaking landscapes, led by knowledgeable local guides.
Afternoon:
* Cooking Classes: Learn to prepare classic Sombrandian dishes using fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
* Adventure Sports: Thrill-seekers can try their hand at activities like rock climbing, zip-lining, and kayaking.
Evening:
* Stargazing Party: Away from the city lights, participants gather to marvel at the beauty of the night sky and listen to stories about Sombrandia's celestial myths.
* Outdoor Film Screenings: Movie screenings under the stars, featuring both classic Sombrandian films and international favorites.
=== Day 3: Celebration Day ===
Morning:
* Farmers' Market: A bustling market where farmers sell their organic produce, alongside local artisans offering handmade goods.
* Community Service Projects: Volunteers come together to work on projects that benefit the local community, such as building playgrounds or cleaning up parks.
Afternoon:
* Feast of Friendship: A grand feast featuring dishes from all over Sombrandia, where everyone is welcome to share a meal and celebrate their shared humanity.
* Art Installation: Local artists unveil a collaborative art installation representing the spirit of unity and cooperation.
Evening:
* Closing Ceremony: A ceremonial closing to SombranFest, with music, dance, and fireworks lighting up the night sky.
* Community Dance: A lively dance party where people of all ages come together to celebrate the bonds of friendship and unity forged during the festival.
== Sombrandian Club Football ==
=== Sombrandian Premier League ===
The SPL is the national football league of Sombrandia, being at the highest tier in the Sombrandian Football Pyramid. For more information, please click this link.
=== STA Sombrandian Championship ===
This is the second tier of Sombrandian club football. For more information, please click this link
List of Stadiums
City 	Stadium 	Stadium Capcity	Image of Stadium
Liverpool 	Anfield 	60,725 	
Bournemouth 	The Vitality Stadium 	11,307 	
Rennes 	Roazhon Park 	29,778 	
Nantes 	Stade de la Beaujoire 	35,322 	
Cardiff 	Cardiff City Stadium 	33,280 	
Swansea 	Swansea.com Stadium 	21,088 	
Bristol 	Ashton Gate Stadium 	27,000 	
Lorient 	Stade du Moustoir 	18,110 	
Brest 	Stade Francis-Le Blé 	15,931 	
Birmingham 	Birmingham Community Stadium 	40,000 	
Birmingham 	St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park	29,409 	
Birmingham 	Molineux 	31,750 	
Birmingham 	Villa Park 	42,640 	
Birmingham 	The Hawthorns 	26,688 	
Southampton 	St Mary’s Stadium 	32,384 	
Liverpool (Everton)	Everton Stadium 	52,888 	
Plymouth 	Home Park 	17,000 	
Wrexham 	The Racecourse Ground 	12,600 	
Bath 	Neostadio 	48,350 	
Sombrathum City 	Sombrathum City Stadium 	72,000 	
Sombrathum City 	Sombrandian National Stadium 	82,000 	
== Memberships ==
=== Mapperdonian International Football Federation ===
WIP
=== Mapperdonian International Rugby Federation ===
Sombrandia joined MIRF in July 2024 and has currently submitted a bid to host the 2024 MIRF World Cup
=== Formula M ===
Sombrandia were the first nation to join Formula M, with their drivers being Lando Norris (United Kingdom) and Leo Summerville (Sombrandia)
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Category:Official Nations
Category:Official Nations in Europe
Category:Nations in the British Isles