Cauncia

**Cauncia**, formally the **United Provinces of Cauncia** (Province-Unie de Cauncie) also known colloqially as the United Provinces, is a country and former colony in South Martria.

One of the world's youngest independent nations, the United Provinces gained independence in 1821 following the Cauncian Revolutionary War, inwhich rebel militias supported by Trébolaise officers which defected to the rebellion defeated the Trébolaise garrison at the Siege of Saint Denis.

Today the nation has begun to thrive, with the traditional marshy jungle terrain of the South East drained to create fertile agricultural land and the advent of the steam engine leading to a growing cotton sector.

## Etymology

The name 'Cauncia' comes from the Trébolaise personification of Martria, "Cauncianne". She is a national symbol of Cauncia, representing liberty and the victory of the Republican ideal during the Revolutionary War.

## History

*Main article: History of Cauncia*
    The 8 colonies of Cauncia were founded on the orders of Emperor Louis IV of Trébole in 1681 as part of the Trébolaise conquest of Martria. Louis, instituted the formation of a holy order, the Order of Martria, to proselytise the native population.

Following a native revolt in 1792, the Trébolaise Army increased its presence in Martria and began to impose direct rule on the territory, much to the despair of the Cauncian population.

In 1810, a popular revolt began to take hold in the Capital Saint Denis, demanding home rule and the end of military occupation of the colonies. The rebels, inspired by the growing Republican movement back in Trébole, were quickly repulsed. However, in 1819 a subsequent revolt, decisively supported by military officials, overthrew the colonial government in Saint Denis and proclaimed a Republic. In 1821, the United Provinces signed the Treaty of Saint Denis, officially seceding from the Trébolaise Empire.

## Geography and Environment

*Main article: Geography of Cauncia*
        Cauncia occupies a large area of the eastern coast of Central Martria, sharing land boarders with the colonial territories of Yutian to the west, Torresa to the south and Alexandria to the north.

Cauncia lies south of the equator but includes a variety of different climates due to its large longitudinal length. Cauncian topography is also diverse and includes hills, mountains, plains, highlands, and scrublands. Much of the terrain lies between 200 metres (660 ft) and 800 metres (2,600 ft) in elevation.

The main upland area occupies most of the North and western half of the country along the BLANK RANGE. The south eastern parts of the plateau consist of broad, rolling terrain broken by low, rounded hills. The northwestern section is more rugged, with a complex mass of ridges and mountain ranges reaching elevations of up to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft).

### Climate

The climate of Cauncia is mainly temperate along the eastern coastline, with drier terrain to the west. In the North West, temperatures remain high throughout the year, with with only a 5 °C (9 °F) difference between winter and summer median temperatures. Although low-lying areas in the South East are hot and humid during the summer, they generally have lower yearly temperature averages (from 20 to 24 °C or 68.0 to 75.2 °F) because of more moderate conditions during the winter.

### Biodiversity

With over 200,000 different species, Cauncia is home of 10–12% of the world's biodiversity. Cauncia ranks first in biodiversity in reptiles with 707 known species, second in mammals with 438 species, fourth in amphibians with 290 species, and fourth in flora, with 26,000 different species. Cauncia is also considered the second country in the world in ecosystems and fourth in overall species.

## Politics

*Main article: Politics of Cauncia*
The United Provinces of Cauncia is a Federal Presidential Constitutional Republic. Its government consists of three equally powerful components, the Executive branch, the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch.

The Executive Branch consists of the President of the United Provinces and the Council of Ministers. The Executive Branch runs the daily operation of the state and has the power to vito specific proposals of the Legislative Branch as par the Constitution. The President is elected by popular vote and appoints each Minister in the Council.

The Legislative Branch is the branch of the government which creates and implements laws and which declares war, consisting of the Provinces General. The Provinces General consists of two houses, the Chamber of Deputies which is proportional to the general population and the Senate which represents the different provinces. The Legislative Branch has the power to impeach the President, as well as to change the constitution with a super majority in both chambers.

The Judicial Branch consists of the Constitutional Court of Cauncia. The Judicial Branch reviews each law proposed by the Legislative Branch in order to determine whether the law proposed is constitutional. Each Judge on the Constitutional Court is appointed by the President and elected by a vote in both houses of the Provinces General. Each judge has a life term on the Constitutional Court.

## Culture

*Main article: Culture of Cauncia*
The United Provinces is home to many cultures and a wide variety of ethnic groups, traditions, and values. Aside from the Native Martrians, nearly all Cauncians or their ancestors settled or immigrated within the past 2 centuries. The vast majority of the non-native population are of Trebolaise origin, mostly from Angoussons, Lourenne, Vierbéliard and Vinarelis, although there are many migrants from other regions in Telepha such as Hetheland and Sturien.

Many migrants were drawn to Cauncia following the Revolution due to the liberal and secular nature of the government, or to find fortune in the untamed and largely unmapped West. Hence the culture of Cauncia has been one of individuality, secularism, republicanism and entrepreneurship.

## Economy

*Main article: Economy of Cauncia*
The economy of Cauncia is highly centralized to the coastal regions, with the West remaining largely underpopulated and wild. Agriculture is the most significant industry, with the fruit, sugar and cotton serving as major exports. Mining is also a major industry, with current western expansion leading to increased findings of iron, coal and oil to fuel the small yet growing secondary industrial centers of Denais and Béarn.

Although slavery has been illegal in Cauncia since 1822, there is still a highly segregated industrial sector with native labourers serving in effective serfdom on plantations or toiling in mines or factories. Monopolization is rampant within the economy with conglomerates such as Premier Petrol, Western Mining and United Steel controlling vast sections of primary and secondary sector industry, owning much of the land west of the core Provinces.

Cauncia's arms industry is state owned, with private contractors paid handsomely in exchange for arms development secrecy. The state owned Béarn Arsenal is the main arms manufacturer with several plants throughout Béarnville and Port de Croix.

## Major cities

* Saint Denis (Denais)
* Port de Croix (Péninsule Sacrée)
* Jadeville (Côte de Jade)