The Imperial Confederation of Galadhion

The Imperial Confederation of Galadhion, commonly referred to as the Imperial Confederation (IC or ICG) or Galadhion, is an Imperial Confederation located in the north-west of the Albarkhand region. The Confederation consists of 29 tribal administrations, the largest and most populous of which is the Shiite Galadh tribe, whose territory dominates the west coast of the country. The Galadh also dominate the nation politically, with the Imperial throne having been passed down through the Galkhon dynasty for over 5 centuries. The ICG shares a complicated southern border with the Kingdom of Lysandus, with many enclaves and exclaves riddling the divide. On the east it borders Shinovaresh, a vast and irradiated mountain nation. The Imperial Confederation of Galadhion maintains cordial relations with its neighbours.
The head of state is Emperor Parush II, who holds unlimited authority over the entire nation. The Emperor is supported by a fully democratic parliament called the Uulzakh, as well as the many local governments.

The population of nearly 130 million Galadh lives on the nation's mostly steppe-covered landscape, with large concentrations of people inhabiting the fertile coastline and vast river valleys. The ICG also governs over 14 islands, all of which are mainly covered in lush forests. The grand steppes are home to over two dozen vast industrial cities, which are sustained through intensive agriculture focusing on cattle. The country mainly exports metals, arms, cars, horses, foodstuffs, cheese and various other products.

The history of the Ikh Tal Kheer steppe goes back thousands of years to 2000 BCE, when people of Mongoloid ancestry migrated onto Albarkhand from the west. Most theories seem to agree that the lower sea level of the ancient world caused Albarkhand to be connected with Asia to the west via a series of landbridges, through which the Kheerians and other peoples most likely migrated. Even though the steppe people and the Andalovians share their Western migration, they do not share an ancestry, and the steppe nomads arrived many centuries earlier.

The Imperial Confederation of Galadhion is a major military and political entity in Albarkhand, and the region's leading arms manufacturer. Galadh weaponry is often praised for its lightweight and reliable nature.
The ICG has the largest population and second largest economy in the region, as well as the largest army. The Galadh Commissioner in the Union of Albarkhandian States, the supranational entity in the region, holds the portfolio of Prime Commissioner, making him the de facto manager of the Grand Commission.

## Etymology

The exact origin of the word Galadh is unknown, although many theories are upheld by various experts. One such theory is that in the ancient language on the steppe, Gal meant north, and Ladagh meant warband. The tribe to later conquer the other tribes would have then been called Gal Ladagh, leading eventually to the shorter version Galadh. Another equally popular theory is that the original founder of the tribe was simply a Khan called Galad, and when it became an ethnicity the H was added to aid with pronunciation, leading to the term Galadh.

The name Galadhion originates from a combination of the Galadh name with the modern Galadh word "Hion", which means empire. Galadhion can be roughly translated to "Galadh Empire".

The standard way to refer to a citizen of the Imperial Confederation of Galadhion is "Galadh", even though in many cases this is considered in poor taste as it refers purely to the dominant tribe. The collective demonym for all the races on and around the steppe is "Kheerian". Citizens of the autonomous tribes often refer to be addressed by their tribal demonym, for example "Sikhturese" or "Loph".

## History

### **Early history**

The universally acknowledged origin of the people of the Ikh Tal Kheer is the crossing theory. According to this theory, thousands of years ago the sea level on earth was much lower, causing Albarkhand to be connected to the many isles to its west. Around 2000 BC the Kheerian migration occurred, with many nomads migrating across it from west to east. This theory is supported by archaeological evidence, showing remains of Kheerian-like primitive settlements across the islands in almost a straight line from west to east. After these early Kheerians, most likely of Asian and European descent, arrived on Albarkhand, they committed to a mostly nomadic way of life and sustained themselves through hunting and gathering.

Evidence suggest that around 1300 BCE, the nomads discovered how to herd cattle. Upon this a major shift occurred in the Kheerian culture and location. Massive amounts of them migrated from the fertile coastline to the endless grassland of the Ikh Tal Kheer, bringing with them horses, cows, goats and other animals to ride and herd. They would herd the animals across the steppes, keeping them fed with the plentiful grass.

### **Fragmentation**

These nomadic practices continued for nearly 2,000 years, well into the 15th century. After the Great Migration to the steppes, the Kheerians started becoming more territorial. Cultural differences had developed steadily, and the build-up came to an explosive climax in the "Emkh Zambaraag", or "Age of Chaos". A surge of cultural pride occurred across the steppes around 900 BCE, causing the previously homogeneous mass of shepherds to unite into tribes and clans. These tribes proceeded to lay claim to the grasslands they claimed to be best and many fought over obtaining the "best" land. From this point onward the we can no longer speak of a single Kheerian culture, with the people fragmenting into hundreds of subcultures and tribes, many of which fought constantly.
One mistake often made is that this era is viewed as one of organised warfare, where tribes would muster their men and march on another. This was not the case however. Instead, the Age of Chaos was mostly conducted through countless skirmishes; whenever a group of nomads from one tribe ran into another, they would rush to arms and fight them. There were a scarce few large scale battles between warlords, but no notable battles or invasions occurred.

### **Formation and Migration**

Throughout the Age of Chaos the steppe folk migrated east further and further to escape the violence. Out of this migration many new tribes formed, most notably the Galadh, Deltam and Sikhturm. All these tribes proved powerful and war-like which brought them into large-scale conflicts with eachother. The Paplam, a small nomadic tribe from the southern fringes of the steppe, got into contact with the early Duchy of Lysan and adopted Christianity as their religion, further alienating the tribes from each other and feeding the conflict.

Historically, the Age of Chaos ends in 400 CE, when most of the major contemporary tribes had been formed. However, this process of formation slowly developed throughout the entire Age. In the constant fighting and hostility, certain tribes won more battles than others and got more organised, thus eventually giving them the opportunity to wipe out or integrate other tribes. Tribes slowly grew and united over time, with the cultures of the defeated merging with that of the victor. 400 CE was marked by the founding of the city of Korimbu by the Sikhturm, and the establishment of a court for their Khan. This sedentary behaviour was one of the first steps towards the formation of a social order on the steppe. As the Sikhturmese formed their state, many other tribes had formed large unions as well: The Galadh and Kur Lukh controlled vast steppes and fertile areas, and the Galadh were the first of the tribes to discover agriculture, which they conducted near the great rivers of the vanquished Deltam tribe, who they forcibly integrated in 520 CE.

By the 9th century CE, all of the large tribes had established some form of government and implemented agriculture. The Sikhturmese still had their Khan, the Galadh had declared themselves a Great Khanate, the Monthem had placed a Tengri High Priest at the head of their tribal state and most tribes had established some form of social order. As the agricultural revolution took a hold of the tribes, their economies became a split between nomadic herding and small-field agriculture. Khans and despots established large castles and forts, and started taxing their populace to draft riders into their hordes. The Galadh tribe, with their earlier legacy of organised agriculture and plethora of rivers to irrigate from, formed an extremely efficient system of taxation based on grain, salt and horse meat. Through this taxation the Galadh could support a vast army of riders, which paved the way for the Unification Era.

### **Unification**

The 14th century CE marks the start of the Unification Era, where the tribes started wars of conquest to unite their lands into powerful khanates. In the west, the Galadh pioneered the conquest by using their newly formed army of tens of thousands of riders to subjugate the Paplam and Parwhe tribes in a matter of years, executing their khans and degrading the tribes to Chiefdoms, awarding them to lowly local noble families to ensure gratitude and loyalty.
In the west, Sikhturm went to war with the Kurlukh. This conquest proved less swift, with the battles and sieges lasting well over three decades before the last Kurlukh settlement dipped its banners in surrender. The Sikhturmese, rather than establishing a local family as rulers, took personal control of their acquired lands and employed men from their own lands as administrators to control and tax the local populace. This caused for mixed results, with some settlements being efficiently exploited for grain and silver while others rioted at every attempt to squeeze a single bundle of grain out of the locals.

In 1415 CE the Galkhon dynasty came into power over the Galadh tribe, the dynasty that rules over the ICG today. The Galkhon Great Khan, Timor I, proclaimed an age of prosperity. He declared the Galadh to be the purest and most adept tribe of the entire steppe and conscripted thousands of shepherds and Helbrectian mercenaries into his armies, raising his horde to an estimated strength of 75,000. Using this vast army, Timor I Galkhon subjugated the Hild, Loph and Dakh tribes over the course of 20 years, as well as displacing thousands of refugees into Lysan. Upon reaching Sikhturm's outer marches, the horde ground to a halt. The Sikhturmese had conquered the Suuji at this point, and their Khan appeared on the steppe before Timor I at the head of a horde of 60,000 men, half of which were on foot wielding spears and bows, the rest horse archers and lancers. Timor's horde was worn out and victory was no longer guaranteed. Thus, in a moment of joint rationality, the two rulers signed a treaty. On that day in 1440, the Agreement of Equality was issued. This agreement curtailed Galadh expansion to their border with Sikhturm and declared the Khan of Sikhturm a Great Khan, equal to Timor I.

Thanks to the agreement, the border between these two Great Khanates became a place of trade and prosperity rather than chaos and strife. To keep his people pleased after Timor I's death, his successor, Great Khan Timor II, declared the Duchy of Lysan a target for Galadh raids, a practice that continued until 1700, when Lysan became a British Protectorate. The Galadh would burn down and loot Lysan's frontier villages and besiege their outermost castles, causing strife. Beyond this, they also declared several wars of conquest to increase their living spaces, and the makeshift peace treaties with the Lysandians caused both the chaotic enclave and exclave ridden border of the two nations as well as Lysan English becoming the diplomatic language of the Galadh.

### **The Union of Korimbu**

In 1680 the Great Khan of Sikhturm sailed from his capital of Korimbu for the Helbrectian peninsula, to pay a visit to the newly formed republic that had united the tribes there. In the meeting the two nations decided upon several trade agreements and shipping treaties, as well as a joint declaration of alliance if the Galadh were to ever start a new conquest. Successful the Great Khan and his family sailed back to Korimbu, only to be caught in a storm off the coast of the Galadh city of Khot Mont. The storm sunk the Great Khan's ship and left only one of the Sikhturmian escort vessels seaworthy. Right there and then, the entire royal dynasty with any claim to the Sikhturmian throne drowned in the salt water.

After the news of this tragedy reached Korimbu, potential chaos loomed over Sikhturm. Nobody with a valid claim to the throne of the Great Khan remained and many local rulers were mustering their levies and riders in preparation for the succession war that would surely follow. Cities assembled their militias and farmers fled in a mass exodus for any nearby holdfasts or castles.
After hearing about the tragic death and inevitable chaos, Great Khan Parush I of Galadhion took matters into his own hands. He recalled the raiding parties from Lysandus and assembled the Horde. In under a week he had assembled 37,000 footmen and 30,000 riders, enough to fulfil his goal. He marched on Korimbu and arrived a month later, when the first clashes had already broken out between the Sikhturmian Lords. Parush I personally rode for the gates of Korimbu, which the local militia opened without resistance. The 67,000-man army seized control of the capital and garrisoned the walls and farmland surrounding it. No houses were raided and all women remained untouched; Parush intended to occupy rather than reave.

Great Khan Parush I sent an envoy to every noble in Sikhturm, informing them of his occupation of the capital. He stated that his intent was to keep the peace in Sikhturm and suggested that he be declared the new Khan of Sikhturm.

*"...for your warfare and fighting, which ensued after the untimely demise of your Great Khan, clearly shows that you intend to declare the strongest of you ruler, rather than the one with the most valid claim. Therefore I suggest you support the best course of action for both intentions: 70,000 men hold your capital, none of your armies will be vast enough to dislodge me from it. Make me your Great Khan, and I swear upon the God of the Sky that all your titles shall be upheld, all your traditions remain unscathed and all your land left unharmed. Refuse, and I shall raze Korimbu to the ground and return home, leaving you to your own destruction."*

On the 2nd of January 1681, the Union of Korimbu was declared in the Great Sikhturmese hall. The lords and magnates of Sikhturm almost unanimously declared Parush the Great Khan of Sikhturm, thus uniting the two Great Khanates into a single one, strong and unwavering. From this point onward the steppe tribes became a single group once again; a confederation of many different tribes ruled by a single Galkhon Great Khan.

### **Colonial Era and Recent History**

In 1700, Great Britain accepted Lysan as its protectorate, giving British Lysandia safety from future Spanish invasions as well as Galadh raids. This protectorate formed the basis for the events that transpired in 1820.
In 1820 the British Empire declared the Great Khanate of Galadhion and Sikhturm part of their Empire, and started building settlements along the fertile coast under the protection of the Royal Army. The Galadh actively opposed this subjugation and the Great Khan raised an army of 100,000 men to fight the British. The attack succeeded overwhelmingly and the British, regardless of their muskets, were pushed off the coast. For several months the Galadh army remained encamped along the coast to prevent any British landings, a mistake that was severely punished. A Royal Navy squadron, which had been docked in British Lysandia, sailed for the Galadh coast and initiated a 9-day bombardment of the Galadh encampment. The Galadh army took impressive losses, with approximately 45,000 men dying during the prolonged shelling. After the 9th day the Galadh army broke beyond the Great Khan's influence and scattered to the wind, with soldiers fleeing the coast and returning home or raiding villages.

Having successfully beaten the Great Khan's army, the British continued their subjugation of British Kheeria. However, the colonisation was less profitable than they had hoped, and persistent lightning raids by musket-armed horseback Galadh resistance groups, as well as a failure to administrate the heterogeneous tribes well made it impossible to sustain. Under the combined pressure of the constant raids and the Red River Rebellion in Canada straining their resources, the British Empire released Kheeria on the 18th of July 1870. Two years later, on the 18th of August 1872, the Imperial Confederation of Galadhion was declared by Emperor Markhand I Galkhon, establishing the nation that exists until the present day.
The ICG has since then modernised, starting to industrialise in 1895 and modernising their horde army into a more organised one in 1921. Today the Imperial Confederation of Galadhion is one of the mightiest entities in the region, with their army being the largest in Albarkhand and their arms industry being highly capable and profitable. Emperor Parush II, the current ruler, inherited the Imperial Throne on the 7th of November 1991, upon the death of his father Emperor Chuluun I.

## Geography

Galadhion is a nation of two very distinct terrain types: steppe and highlands. These can be found in the inner and outer-areas respectively, with the highest point of the nation being north of the city of Khot Mont, a popular site of pilgrimage for the remaining Tengri in the country. The coastal regions are dominated by largely rough, uneven terrain, with much of the land still being forested. However, a lot of the fertile woods have made way for agriculture, with vast farms and plantations stretching over many kilometres. Just over half the Galadh coast can be considered a beach, with natural sandy dunes, while the remaining coastline consists of sheer cliffs and sharp rocks.
The steppes of Galadhion, known as the Ikh Tal Kheer, are vast and flat, stretching over hundreds of miles without any major changes in relief. The majority of the steppe is entirely empty, with small villages and cattle farms occurring in favourable areas. There are also several tens of thousands of vegetable farms, although these generally appear in unusually fertile low ground and near the steppe rivers.

The climate and Galadhion is similarly divided as the terrain, steppe climate and temperate. The coastlines and highlands enjoy a temperate climate, with warm summers, chilly winters and enough rain to sustain agriculture and support many small rivers and lakes. On the contrary, the Galadh steppes endure a climate of extremes. The steppe climate is known for its boiling hot days and freezing nights, which is also reflected in its seasons. The summers are hot and dry, while the winters are cold and often come with heavy snow. This climate is what chiselled the people of the Confederation into hardened warriors over the millennia, something one can still observe today. However, many of the steppes have been tamed by the fires of industry.

The environment in Galadhion is horrid. Heavy industry and energy production combined with minimal regulations cause large amounts of air pollution. Ground pollution is rather high as well, mainly in cities that host heavy factories, most notably the industrial metropolises in the steppes. Water pollution is highest in the sea near Korimbu, where the Grand Shipyard causes for a high amount of spillage.

## Demographics

### **Population**

The Imperial Bureau for Development and Population has estimated the population of the ICG at 123,500,000, as per the 2014 estimate. The last official census, where administrators would visit every city, town, farm and hamlet was done in 2011, resulted in a population of 117,279,799 being counted. Since this census there has been a rather small increase to the birth rate, as well as a larger increase in immigration, both of which form the basis for the new estimate. The Imperial Confederation is the most populous country in Albarkhand.

The birth rate in the Imperial Confederation is 25,2 per 1000 population, 29% higher than the worldwide average. The yearly population growth rate is 0.9328%. According to an anonymous survey conducted by a Lysandian newspaper, 2,75% of the population identifies itself as LGBT. Immigration is slightly above the regional average, mostly due to Islamic minorities moving to the ICG due to its acceptance towards Muslims.

76% of the Galadh population lives in urban areas (Cities and suburbs), with 80% of those citizens living in cities with a population over 350,000. The remaining 24% of the population lives in small villages, most of them along the fertile coasts. Of this 24%, about 45% lives on the steppes, where they make a living either as farmers or shepherds.

### **Religion**

Religion is an odd thing in the Imperial Confederation. Just under 80% of the population is religious, with the dominant religion being Shiite Islam. However, no religion is considered dominant or superior. Over the centuries Galadh culture has developed to a point where all religions are embraced as equals. When a tribe was conquered in the past, its customs would remain intact and respected, with conquest purely being viewed as a change of management. Over time this tolerance has developed to total acceptance, with every religion being tolerated and recognised in the ICG.

When the first Kheerians arrived in 2000 BC, they brought with them an early from of the Tengri faith. The Tengri religion basically consists of the worship of the sky as a deity, with mountains and high locations being considered sacred. Following this philosophy, when the nomads found the 5 kilometre high mountain near modern-day Khot Mont, many settled around it and it was eventually declared the most holy site in the ICG for Tengriism.
The next major religion to influence the tribes was Christianity, a religion that was introduced through trade with the Duchy of Lysandus. The Paplam tribe of the east abandoned Tengriism and embraced the bible, to the anger of their neighbouring tribes. When the Paplam were conquered by the Galadh, they got to keep their religious traditions. However, recently the conflict has heated up once again, with the Paplam tribe declaring illegal independence from the Imperial Confederation after a civil war in the UKGL.

In the early 1700's Islam was introduced to the Galadh and Sikhturm Khanate. After the UKGL was embraced as a protectorate by Great Britain, travelling to it became possible for Europeans. A large amount of zealous Sunni and Shiites travelled for the UKGL by boat upon hearing of the mysterious steppes beyond the Lysandian border in a bid to convert the "primitives". In a stroke of genius the Shiite missionaries stated to the Galadh Emperor that Allah was the true form of the unnamed sky God worshipped in Tengriism. Viewing this as a religious revelation, the Emperor declared Shia the new state religion of the Great Khanate of Galadhion, with Shiite Islam largely replacing Tengriism in all tribes but those of Khot Mont, who remained true to their High Priest. Similarly, Sikhturm came into contact with Sunni merchants through extensive trade with Helbrectia, and in Sikhturm the dominant religion became Sunni Islam through this.
Atheism and Animism also exist in the ICG, with the former arising through influence from the fully secular UKGL. The latter is mostly due to immigration from Pequa Renush and Betucky, where Animism is still considered a valid faith.

### **Races**

The Imperial Confederation is inhabited by many tribes, each of which has developed a distinct ethnicity. The first migration waves into the steppes that occurred around 2000 BC consisted mostly of early Asian and European migrants, who crossed the land bridge. The Asians mostly settled in the west of the landmass, where eventually Sikhturm was formed, while nearly all Europeans migrated west. Due to this the Galadh tribe is mostly Caucasian, although their culture is a mostly steppe Asian as the rest of the nation.

## Government

### **Emperor**

The Emperor of the Imperial Confederation of Galadhion is the nation's supreme ruler, despot and highest politician. The Galadh Emperor has unlimited power over everything in the nation on all

levels. However, this power is largely unused, as traditionally the Emperor allows his people to enjoy great freedom and civil rights. In essence, the Emperor's authority is a fail-safe. If a tribe fails to represent the interests of the nation or mistreats its people, the Emperor can order an immediate cease and desist to the Chief involved. Furthermore, the Emperor's authority allows for the ICG's foreign policy to be strong and consistent, while in many nations foreign policy gets stuck behind bureaucratic walls and opposition parties purely intent on being obtrusive.
The current Emperor is Emperor Parush II. Parush is known as a calm and passionate Emperor, who does not shy away to share his personality and hobbies with his people. On the political front he is passive but resolute; he will leave the tribes and Uulzakh to their own devices most of them time, but when something goes wrong he will interfere immediately. An example of this is the Paplam Issue, where Parush II immediately ordered the Chief of the Paplam to cease his military activities in the UKGL. When the Chief got killed by terrorists and his successor ignored the Emperor, Parush II sent several armoured and motorised divisions to pacify the Paplam rebels. The official titles of the Emperor are: *Emperor Parush II Galkhon, Great Khan of Galadh, Great Khan of Sihkturm, High Chief of the Confederation and Emperor of the Imperial Confederation of Galadhion*

### **Uulzakh**

The Uulzakh is the lower house of Galadhion and the main lawgiving body. The Uulzakh is responsible for creating, managing and changing the laws

and constitution of the Confederation. It convenes in the aptly named Uulzakh in Khot Galadh, a modern stone building architecturally inspired by the old palaces of the Great Khanate. The Uulzakh meets every weekday to discuss issues and revise existing laws in the nation. Any citizen of the ICG can submit an issue to the Uulzakh, most of which are handled by them provided they are appropriate for parliamentary discussion. The Uulzakh is a democratic body that can act freely within their responsibilities, but answers to the authority of the Emperor.
Uulzakh parliamentarians are called UMs, which stands for "Uulzakh Members". UMs are elected via a fully proportional universal voting system. The Uulzakh elections are conducted across the entire Imperial Confederation, where every citizen gets to vote for a party that represents his or her interests. Once this election is finished, the 300 seats of the Uulzakh are proportionally divided between the parties based on the amount of votes received. The Emperor then selects the Imperial Ministers, who will serve as his cabinet. Even though the Emperor has the final say in who holds what ministerial position, the coalition in the Uulzakh has the ability to nominate certain people for positions, which are usually accepted.

### **Grand Hall**

All laws passed by the Uulzakh have to be approved by the Grand Hall before becoming a full-fledged law. The Grand Hall is an appointed body with a total of 59 members. Of this number, 30 are appointed by the Emperor and 29 by the tribes, 1 coming from each tribe. For a law to be passed an absolute 2/3rds majority has to be reached in the Grand Hall and failure to reach this majority will result in a law not being implemented.

### **Tribes**

The Tribes of the ICG are the nation's equivalent of provinces. However, Tribes are not just administrative divisions, but often also represent the living space of distinct ethnic and religious groups. In the Imperial Confederation the Tribes enjoy an extremely high degree of autonomy, with tribes being allowed to manage their own taxation, development and many other responsibilities. Tribes also have the freedom to determine their own system of self-government, with Tribal governments varying from hereditary Chiefdoms to democratic Uulzakh-clones.
Tribes can be influenced by the Uulzakh to a certain degree, in the sense that the Tribes have to follow the laws and constitution set out by the Uulzakh. However, tribes can also instate their own laws around and beyond the Uulzakh laws, giving many tribes distinct judicial climates. The Tribes are subject to the unlimited authority of the Emperor, and if a Tribe acts immorally or erratically, the Emperor is likely to step in and correct the local authority.

## Military

The Galadh Defence Horde, or GDH, is the main military body of the Imperial Confederation of Galadhion. The GDH consists of three parts: The Galadh Imperial Guard Rangers (Army), or GIGR, The Imperial Navy (Navy) and the Imperial Pegasus Air Force (Air), or IPAF. The mandate of the GDH is "Protecting the Imperial Confederation of Galadhion and its interests with minimal casualties by using ground, sea and air assets.".

The Galadh Imperial Guard Rangers is the Galadh land military and employs infantry, tanks, motorised and many other ground warfare methods. The GIGR has around 455,000 active personnel throughout the country, with an additional 350,000 in GIGR Reserves. With this, the GIGR is the largest army in the Albarkhand region. The main arms supplier of the GIGR is Stallion Arms, the semi-privatised Galadh arms manufacturer. Its vehicles and ground assets are either produced in governmental factories or imported from abroad. The GIGR is renowned for its swiftness and efficiency, and its tactics and strategy revolve around fast and tactical strikes with minimal casualties.
A special regiment of the GIGR is the KhKh, or the Khaany Kharuul. The Khaany Kharuul is charged with the personal security of the Galkhon emperors and are in many aspects even more traditional than the main body of the GIGR. The KhKh wear traditional Kheerian metal armour, carry longer sabres than normal soldiers and often prefer wielding revolvers over conventional modern firearms.

The Imperial Navy is the Galadh Defence Horde's naval warfare branch. It possesses the second largest navy in Albarkhand, with 202 active vessels. Additionally, there are 4 new vessels under construction in the Korimbu Grand Shipyard with 6 more planned.

The Imperial Pegasus Air Force is the GDH's aerial branch. The IPAF was formed in 1947 using aircraft supplied by the Kingdom of Lysandus, and has since then grown to a self-sufficient and effective air force. The IPAF provides air support for surface forces and aids in the recovery of troops in the field. As of 2014, the service operates more than 1,200 aircraft, 50 ICBMs and 2 satellites. An exceptional branch of the IPAF is the Galadh Aerial Special Attack Team, or GASAT. It fulfils the role of special forces in many situations, and can deploy swiftly to most locations to perform special operations.

## Economy

The Imperial Confederation of Galadhion has a capitalist mixed economy which is fueled by abundant natural resources and a large industry. The ICG has the third largest economy in the Region of Albarkhand, after the UKGL and Radostan. Its currency, the Sukhe, is maintained at the silver standard, with 1 Sukhe equalling 1 gram of silver. The ICG has a GDP at PPP of $5,674,640,122,300 and a GDP per Capita at PPP of $12,679.91

The Galadh economy is mostly based on the secondary and tertiary sector, with a large industry and many services. Its industry is mostly export-based, with the largest export market being the Galadh arms industry. The largest arms manufacturer in Galadhion is the semi-privatised Stallions Arms, the main supplier of the GDH. Beyond the arms industry various other industries thrive in the ICG, such as car manufacturing and textile.

Consumer spending comprises 66% of the ICG economy in 2013. In August 2011, the Galadh labor force consisted of 80.2 million people, about 65% of the population. The largest private employment sector is arms manufacturing, which employs 8,2% of all Galadh workers. The average income is around 50,000 Sukhe.

## Culture

The Imperial Confederation has a very diverse culture, even more diverse than its religions. Every Tribe, of which there are dozens, has its own traditions and customs. Most cultures of the ICG developed from very early Asian steppe culture, of which most Tribes share the most basic traits. The Galadh culture is one of the main factors in the large tourism industry in the ICG. The ICG attracts millions of tourists from around the world every year. People visit the ICG for many different reasons, ranging from city trips to stargazing and even pilgrimages. There are many museums, including the famous Khot Galadh Museum of Historical Warfare, a museum that collects and displays weaponry and tactics from the rich past of Albarkhand.

### **Language**

Many languages are officially recognised in the Imperial Confederation. The most-spoken recognised languages are: Galadh, Sikhturese, Parwe, Dak, Paplam, Lop, Deltam and English. In school all children are taught Galadh alongside their regional language and schools have the option to teach English. University courses are taught in English as well, with some minor courses still being taught in Galadh. The diplomatic language of the ICG is English as well, with all ministers and politicians being required to have an adequate mastery of the English language to communicate with dignitaries all over the world.

## Infrastructure

Galadh infrastructure consists almost entirely of public organisations, each of which are denoted by the term "Imperial" in their name (I.E. The Imperial Postal Service). The ICG has a well-regulated infrastructure, with the most money being spent on transportation. The extensive highway systems, which run around the coast of the nation and connect all the steppe cites from east to west, are well-kept and repaved every 5 years.

Healthcare is public, with the government offering a low cost health insurance to all citizens. It is impossible to receive medical treatment without this insurance, and thus 92% of all Galadh citizens possess this insurance. Galadh Healthcare is slightly below average, with some equipment and hospitals being outdated and doctors being trained insufficiently to international standards. However, the Uulzakh has expressed its intent to improve the situation and the next projection of government spending will most likely include more money for Galadh healthcare.

Public services are widespread, with all cities having access to electricity and sewerage. About 70% of all small towns and villages have full access to electricity, sewerage and other services. The remaining 30% are mostly steppe villages and hamlets, which do not receive public infrastructure due to their remote nature.

### **References**

1. ↑ 2014 Annual Balance of Payments, *composed by the Imperial Ministry of Economy and Commerce.*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 ARKHON, MZINCHAL, *The Kheerian Migration*, Haughten Milkoth, Khot Parwhe 1972
3. ↑ Union of Albarkhandian States Yearly Commission Transcript, Issue #445
4. ↑ LOPHUN, JUHS, *Galadh Etymology*, Abrahamic Literature, Khot Paplam 1971
5. ↑ STOV, MIKHAIL, *Kheerian History*, Strait Crossing, Khot Suuji 1984
6. ↑ The Declaration of Galadhion - The Imperial Library