The Gibbonese Realm

## **Overview**

The Gibbonese Realm is a collective term for the conglomerate of three independent nations ruled absolutely by the Gibbonara Family through the current sovereign, Helena Gibbonara. The Realm is comprised of **The Holy Gibbonese Empire of Thailaorma**, an *absolute arch-duchy*, **The Thailaorman Overseas Territories**, a *federation governed by an absolute monarch*, and **The Gibbonese Free Trade Area**, a *sovereign economic zone*. The Realm has a population of approximately 1.5 billion people.

## **History**

The Gibbonese Realm has been conceptualized as a result of the efforts of Thailaorma's Prime Minister, Rodrick Strand, and stakeholders from the Empire and the territories. The principles that governed its formulation, according to the transcript of the meetings of the Imperial Ad Hoc Advisory Council, are as follows:

* The need for a larger, more influential player in regional, and global, politics.
* The need for a governmental framework that suits the diverse cultures and norms of the peoples ruled by the Gibbonara Empire.
* The need for a compelling example of sound economic fundamentals anchored on the *single market, multiple governments* framework.
* The need for a larger nation, or multi-nation alliance that can thwart military and economic aggression.

With these principles laid, the Imperial Ad Hoc Advisory Council submitted its findings to Archduchess Helena Gibbonara, recommending the establishment of a *"realm of constituent states"* which shall include Thailaorma, the Thailaorman Overseas Territories, and a new nation to be carved from the new continent west of the Empire.

Her Majesty Helena Gibbonara has supplied her Sovereign Assent on the creation of a new nation, which she named **the Gibbonese Free Trade Area (GFTA)**. And on the 7th month of her reign, she has, in her capacity as sovereign of the Gibbonese People, created the **Gibbonese Realm** and declared that all sovereign nations to which she rules shall be part of such realm.

## **Constituent Nations of the Gibbonese Realm**

The Gibbonese Realm is currently composed of 3 constituent nations.

## *The Holy Gibbonese Empire of Thailaorma*

**Population: 1,127,000,000**

**Capital City: BangVienGon**

**Head of State: Rodrick Strand (Prime Minister)**

**Head of Government: Helena Gibbonara (in her capacity as Archduchess of Thailaorma)**

The Holy Royal Gibbonese Empire of Thailaorma is a massive, efficient nation, ruled by Archduchess Helena Gibbonara with an iron fist, and notable for its museums and concert halls, sprawling nuclear power plants, and ubiquitous missile silos. The hard-working, cynical, humorless, devout population of 1.127 billion Thailaormanese are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

The enormous, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Industry, and Spirituality. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of BangVienGon. The average income tax rate is 94.5%.

The frighteningly efficient Thailaorman economy, worth 140 trillion Kibahts a year, is fairly diversified and dominated by the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Automobile Manufacturing, Arms Manufacturing, and Basket Weaving. Average income is an impressive 125,054 Kibahts, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 3.1 times as much as the poorest.

Politicians are losing their jobs in a plan to make the government 'leaner and fitter', the government is spending billions of taxpayer Kibahts to support the Tourism industry, litter collection has replaced fast food as the most popular after-school job, and a well-funded social safety net protects the unfortunate. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Thailaorma's national animal is the Thailaorma Gibbon, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Thailaorman Woodism.

## *The Federation of Thailaorman Overseas Territories*

**Population: 478,000,000**

**Capital City: Le Flanderini**

**Head of State: Armenius Beddingfield (Territorial Governor)**

**Head of Government: Helena Gibbonara (in her capacity as Supreme Governor of the Territories)**

The Federation of Thailaorman Overseas Territories is a huge, safe nation, renowned for its unlimited-speed roads, compulsory military service, and ubiquitous missile silos. The cynical, devout population of 478 million Overseas Thailaormanese are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

The medium-sized, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Education, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Le Flanderini. The average income tax rate is 50.8%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The strong Thailaorman Overseas Territoriesian economy, worth 35.7 trillion TOT Kibahts a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing, Information Technology, and Furniture Restoration. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is 74,613 TOT Kibahts, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.4 times as much as the poorest.

A crusade against barbaric religious practices has begun, a niche industry catering to S&M enthusiasts has sprung up, polygamy is legal, and it's always rabbit season. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Thailaorman Overseas Territories's national animal is the Thailaorman Gorrilla, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

## *The Dominion of the Gibbonese Free Trade Area*

    **Population: 36,000,000**

**Capital City: ChiangTiane Bagan**

**Head of State: Sylvia Gatos (Chief Operating Officer)**

**Head of Government: Helena Gibbonara (in her capaciry as CEO of the Gibbonese Free Trade Area)**

The Dominion of The Gibbonese Free Trade Area is a small, efficient nation, renowned for its zero percent divorce rate and compulsory military service. The hard-working, cynical population of 36 million The Gibbonese Free Trade Areans are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

The relatively small government juggles the competing demands of Spirituality, Law & Order, and Welfare. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 11.3%.

The thriving The Gibbonese Free Trade Arean economy, worth 2.91 trillion GFTA Kibahts a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Automobile Manufacturing, Pizza Delivery, and Book Publishing. Average income is 80,753 GFTA Kibahts, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 277,046 per year while the poor average 17,275, a ratio of 16.0 to 1.

Airship use has soared while property values beneath their routes have plummeted, Pinkerton agents are called in to forcibly break up white collar strikes, billions are being spent on a new island airport, and graffiti graces every city's streets. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. The Gibbonese Free Trade Area's national animal is the Thailaorman Giraffe, which can occasionally be seen sifting through garbage in the nation's cities.