Iquiq

**Iquiq** (Ick-yoo-wick) is a country on the continent of Arctic on Planet Titan. It is one of the most populated countries on the planet, being home to at least 220.6 million people. The country has 20 provinces as of 2020.

## History

### Early History (1987-2007)

In 1987, a man by the name of Erican Von Stouitizan sailed on a boat to go west from Venesilo. He and his crew were trying to get to Quaddo to get warmth and to get a special cloth. Stouitizan ended up in Iquiq instead. Over half of his crew died on the island from sub-zero temperatures. They built a settlement called Pon Pon, which is now the capital of the Rettinaro province. Stouitizan adapted to the temperatures and actually liked it. He claimed the area as the Iquiq Colony for Venesilo and became one of the wealthiest countries on the planet. On January 2, 1988, Venesilo granted Iquiq Colony independence. The original government that the country consisted of was considered a constitutional monarchy.

At the time, Iquiq was known as one of the best places to live. Iquiq lost at least 200,000 fields of crops in two years of time due to extremely cold weather in 1991. In 1992, Iquiq continued to steadily grow, eventually reaching a population of 2 million. On February 28, 1993, the second province was formed, Xerxces. It was formed out of the region that was geographically separated from Rettinaro by the Imalin Mountains. A few months later, on May 14, 1993, the third province was founded, Anaprent. Anaprent was founded by Jinto Anaprent, after a fleet of ships from Istan. They settled in an area that they called "Idelisi", which later became one of the largest cities in the province. No provinces were formed or founded between 1994 and 1996, until Edzanto was founded on December 31, 1996. It became the first of the Tri-Bay provinces to be formed. Just two weeks later, on January 13, 1997, Telestu was formed and created. In 1997, parliament insinuated the idea that a monarchy would not work for the people of Iquiq, forming the Abols Akt (Abolishment Act), which was voted on and passed through parliament by the mid-summer of that year. The bill proposed that the government would be changed to a democratic parliament, and the current king, Erican, would have the option to either step down or run for the title of Prime Minister of Iquiq.

In 1998, the first political election was held for the Prime Minister of Iquiq, and in that election, the unanimous vote was for Erican von Stouitizan, the founder of the country. Then, on September 21, 1999, the province of Salibini was founded. The early 2000s featured an explosion in economics, population, and industry, with a population boom of 110% in the 2001 census. In 2000, on January 1, the province of Rehutreolo was founded. Then on January 26, 2000, the province of Sorenatraba was founded. Some settlers began to tend to move to the Northern Fork of Iquiq, and in 2001, the population threshold for the Ynki Territory had been exceeded. A couple weeks later, on March 16, 2001, the province of Ynki was founded, the second of the Tri-Bay provinces founded. By 2002, Iquiq had become the fastest growing country in terms of economics, population, industry, and technology. On February 7, 2002, the province of Minno was founded. Then on November 22, 2003, the province of Messina was founded. On December 5, 2003, Tolonastra was founded. The final province in the early history of Iquiq to be founded was Odonoparo on November 24, 2006, becoming the final Tri-Bay province. In 2007, Iquiq had become the second-most advanced country on Titan, just behind the OUS.

### Arctic Crisis (2008-2010)

In early 2008, a war broke out between the countries on the Arctic Continent, when North Point wanted to take over Denia and the Coastal Areas of Georgia Bay around Messinaburgh. Every battle, except for three, happened within the country of Iquiq. On February 21, 2009, the most intense battle of the war occurred at Messinaburgh, with a victory for Denia and Iquiq. This was a turning point in the war, and North Point retreated after the Treaty of Sopralla was signed on January 1, 2010. During the war, on June 23, 2008, Makellan was formed out of Southern Rettinaro.

### Post-Crisis and Modern History (2010-present)

On the day that the Treaty of Sopralla was signed, Minnisto formed from East Rehutreolo on January 1, 2010, after feeling secluded culturally from the rest of Rehutreolo. A historical prime minister election took place in November 2010, after Erican Von Stouitizan turned down reelection. Menso Dreolo, of Ira-Dell, Rettinaro, was elected as the 2nd Prime Minister of Iquiq, serving from 2011-2015. With the addition of Tindawa on August 2, 2012, Iquiq became the largest country by land area on Titan. Another election occurred in 2014, which resulted in Jenna Hawaro, of Cawa, Messina, becoming the 3rd Prime Minister of Iquiq, and the first female prime minster. Two provinces were founded in 2015. The first, Osonaiwa, was founded on February 18, 2015. The second was Kamacachickira, which was founded on July 2, 2015. Another province, Zinnaron was founded on January 12, 2016. On January 26, 2017, the province of Yamkayari tried to separate from Northern Rettinaro, but ultimately failed and became part of Rettinaro again on March 6, 2017. In November 2018, Hawaro was elected to a second, and final term, per a term restriction bill that was passed in January 2014. The 20th, and final province, Nitro, was founded on January 22, 2019, forming from Odonoparo. On January 26, 2020, a flag was adopted by Iquiq's government.

On March 13, 2020, a pandemic, COVID-19, was first reported within the country of Iquiq, being the first report of planet-to-planet spread of a virus. The confirmed case came from a tourist, from Seattle, Washington, on Earth, who traveled to visit relatives in Minnoplainapolis. A relative became infected, and quickly spread through Minno. Schools were closed nationwide for 2 months in response, to prevent further spread. On March 16, 2020, the outbreak began to spread throughout Iquiq, with first reports of deaths related to this virus being reported. The epicenter of the outbreak, Minno, had reported 17 deaths over the course of three days, and Messina had reported 10 deaths due to the outbreak. By mid-day on March 16, Messina had cases in all divisions of the province. On March 17, every province in Iquiq, except for Kamacachickira, had a case of COVID-19. Kamacachickira eventually confirmed its first case on March 19, the following day. Increasing cases led to certain governors, including the Governor of Rettinaro, contracting the virus, and on March 25, Prime Minister Jenna Harawo tested positive for coronavirus.

With rising cases of COVID-19, the Iquiq Parliament elected to not reopen until past June, which was later updated to July 1. On April 26, 2020, the country voted to open in phases, starting May 1. The first phase, which was to shut down everything, with the exception of essential business. Phase one ended in all provinces by May 15, which then proceeded to phase two. In this phase, supermarkets could open up at half capacity, and parks and recreation would open back up at full capacity, with social distancing guidelines. On May 31, the country moved into phase three, and on July 1, 2020, the country officially reopened back up to normal status, with a flattened curve in cases. Cases at the end of Iquiq's quarantine had reached 902,526.

On August 23, 2020, Prime Minister Jenna Harawo was accused of battery against two minors during a drunken rage in Villorousa, Rettinaro. The two victims were 15-year-old girls, who had gotten into an argument with Harawo, and in result, Harawo violently beat them, and left one girl in critical condition at the Rettinaro Provincial Hospital. The following day, Jenna Harawo's approval ratings fell from 65% to 29%, and during an emergency news conference, she announced her resignation from prime minister, becoming the first to do so, in order to avoid impeachment. The leader of the Justice Party in parliament, Homini Olskin (J), was sworn in as the 4th prime minister of Iquiq at midnight on August 25, 2020. Olskin, closely following Harawo, kept most of Harawo's policies, which was unpopular with the public, with a noticeable swing to support of the Liberty Party in the general public during the latter half of 2020, going into 2021, with a much stronger push for the people to have a stronger representation in government, rather than the government appoint select people from the high-class populace to represent the public in parliament. A stronger battle against COVID-19 was also seen during this time, with a push to mandate vaccinations to stop the spread. Supporters of the Justice Party often argued that the Liberty Party was "a party of progression, not liberty and freedom."

The economy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iquiq struggled to get by, often cascading violently downhill, but racing upwards on other days. On one of these days, February 16, 2021, the stock market suffered from a 64% drop from its peak. PM Homini Olskin was often labeled as "too conservative" and often did not mess with the economy in fear with messing with the country's already worsened state. By spring 2021, Iquiq was in a textbook recession, and 20% of the population was unemployed on May 31, 2021. By June 2021, the country had been receiving booster shots for the COVID-19 inoculation, and roughly 50% of the country had received two of the shots. Most restrictions were letting up in the summer of 2021, with many schools dropping their mask requirements for the 2021-22 school year, and many cities were dropping their masking mandates for the fall of 2021.

In September 2021, Olskin's approval rating was down to 30% from 36% in June 2021. 99% of Liberty Party members disapproved of Olskin, while 1% approved, and in the Justice Party, 60% approved and 40% disapproved, showing a major division within his own party. Going into 2022, an election year, the Liberty Party was still gaining traction, even in rural areas, prepping for a landslide election victory, with its front runner, Iv Manzolel, announcing his campaign on January 3, 2022, with much support.

During 2022, continuing economic turmoil and critically disappointing responses to COVID-19 brought Olskin and the Justice Party's support to new lows, with many polls showing a more than 20% advantage going to the Liberty Party, with several provinces, such as Tolonastra and Osonaiwa looking to flip from Justice to Liberty for the first time since record books began. The election took place on October 28, 2022, with Iv Manzolel winning in a landslide over Olskin, making Olskin the first and only Prime Minister to not be elected. Manzolel assumed office on January 1, 2023, signing in over 50 new bills in his first five days in office. Manzolel also proposed the expansion of the Iquiq National Highway System, as improved infrastructure was gravely needed in the Lower Plains just outside of Minnoplainapolis, extending westward to the Rehutreolan Coast. Manzolel also adressed the urgency for bridge and tunnel repairs through the Imalin Mountains in Zinnaron and Messina, as well as preserving and protecting forested areas in Kamacachickira.

During the middle of 2023, Iquiq's economy had overtaken the OUS economy as the most powerful on Titan, with a GDP of $31.587 trillion (2023 USD). In June 2023, in a historic decision, the Iquiq Parliament ruled that transgender athletes were able to compete in their identifying gender, after fierce controversy over the topic for at least a decade. Gay marriage had been legalized in Iquiq in 2009, but there were still many discriminatory laws in place for LGBTQ+ individuals in the nation. During Manzolel's ministry in 2023, instances of reported hate crime were at an all-time low. On January 1, 2024, new laws regulating carbon emissions from factories were set in place to aid the climate crisis ongoing throughout most of the 2010s and 2020s. Prime Minister Manzolel also stated that Iquiq would move to all-electric vehicles by 2030.

## Geography

Iquiq is between the two countries Denia and Lomé. Iquiq has a mountain range called the Imalin Mountains. The Imalin Mountains run through Central Iquiq, including the provinces of Tindawa, Minno, Rettinaro, Zinnaron, and Edzanto. Mount Verzona, the second-highest point on Titan, is located in the Imalin Mountain Range, in central Zinnaron. The Tornado Alley of Iquiq is located above and below the mountain range, including parts of Osonaiwa, Rettinaro, Messina, and Odonoparo. Hurricanes often affect Southern Iquiq, along the coast of the Iquiq Sea. Provinces often affected are Rehutreolo, Minnisto, Salibini, Makellan, Rettinaro, Anaprent, Xerxces, Nitro, and Odonoparo. Iquiq contains the Prime Meridian of Titan, 0E/W, centered approximately over 60N, which means that Central Iquiq is on Universal Coordinated Time (UTC), while Western Iquiq is on West Iquiq Time (WIT/UTC -01), and Eastern Iquiq is on Eastern Iquiq Time (EIT/ UTC +01). It is part of the Arctic continent, and is the second-most populous country on the continent, behind North Point.

The country lies just north of the French Fault Zone, which is located between Lomé and Makellan. The fault zone produces a major earthquake on average every 25 years. The most recent extreme earthquake happened on May 31, 2020, which caused 92+ fatalities across the southern portion of the country, and was estimated as an M8.2 on the Richter Scale. A tsunami accompanied this earthquake, enhancing the effects of the earthquake in Makellan. The earthquake and tsunami caused $35 billion (2020 USD) in damages.

Iquiq's borders are almost entirely coastal, minus the border shared with Denia. Iquiq's coastline is shaped by the Tri-Bay Area, which includes Georgia Bay, Denia Bay, and the Edzanto Bay.

## Climate

Iquiq has a continental climate, at 60N on Titan (where the poles are at 120N/S), with hot, humid summers, and long, cold winters. Iquiq's hottest temperature recorded was 112°F (44°C) on July 13, 2004, at Welm, Minno, and the coldest temperature on record was -57°F (-49°C) on January 28, 2007 at the Zinnaroni Imalin Weather Observatory in Juglea, Zinnaron. During the summer and early autumn months, Iquiq often experiences tornadoes, as well as tropical and subtropical cyclones. However, rarely, hurricanes have struck Iquiq during the winter months, such as Hurricane Gerthensinaquaidasa, a Category 5 hurricane that made landfall in Edzanto in February 1997.

## Wildlife

Iquiq is megadiverse in ecology, meaning that it has a large amount of Titan's flora and fauna species. The magnolia is the national flower, while the Spectacled Eider is the national bird of Iquiq. The national tree of Iquiq is the Beech Tree.

## Language

The country's official language is Iquiqan, but Salibini and Makellan include French as a second official language due to its close proximity with the island country of Lomé. English is sometimes taught as a second language in elementary school.

## Religion

About a half of the country, mostly the older population, is Logornarn, the belief in one afterlife and that one must be good to achieve it. The other half of the country, mostly the youth, is non-religious, or practice other religions.

## Health

Iquiq has a life expectancy of 80.7 years at birth, being one of the highest on Titan.

## Education

Iquiq public education is operated by state and local governments, regulated by the Iquiq House of Education through restrictions on federal grants. In most states, children are required to attend school from the age of six or seven (generally, kindergarten or first grade) until they turn 18 (generally bringing them through twelfth grade, the end of high school); some provinces allow students to leave school at 16 or 17.

## Politics

Iquiq is a lean-left-wing country, often electing the Liberty Party into office. Rural areas have a tendency to be right-wing, often electing the Justice Party into office. There are other various parties in Iquiq that have some holding power, such as the Iquiq for Hope Party, which is quite unorganized and has varying beliefs among candidates. The French Iquiq Party only has some power in local offices in Makellan.

## Culture

Iquiq culture is defined by its geographically far-northern location on Titan, with its often cooler temperatures. Much of its media, cuisine, and fashion is heavily affected by this fact. Iquiq is home to one of the largest global folk music scenes in the world, with Telestu being a major cultural and musical center for not just Iquiq, but for the global population of Titan. Telestu is home to the Meranu School of Music, the globally top-ranked school for musical studies on Titan. Telestu is also one of the biggest fashion centers in the world, along with Lomé. Iquiq is very widely known for its soups, such as Cawaman, originating from Cawa, Messina, which contains tomatoes, pineapple, celery, carrots, pork, and beef.

### Mass media

The four major broadcasters in Iquiq are the Iquiq Broadcasting Service (IBS), Arctic Fox Newscasting (AFS), the Stouitizan Broadcasting Company (SBC), and the Fenn Broadcasting Service (FBS). The four major broadcast television networks are all commercial entities. Cable television offers hundreds of channels catering to a variety of niches. The Iquiq Public Broadcasting Service (IPBS), a branch of the IBS, is run under public funding. Newspapers are also a common form of mass media in Iquiq, much like the United States. The Iquiq Herald is the best-selling newspaper in the country, followed by the Yunoagin Times. Aside from web portals and search engines, the most popular websites are Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, Yahoo!, eBay, Amazon, and Twitter. The main technology hub in Iquiq is centered in Brettinarestarina.

## See also

* OUS
* Denia
* North Point
* Lomé