Vespasia

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**Vespasia**, officially known as the **United Republic of Vespasia** (Vespasian: Repubblica Unita di Vespasia) is one of the three constitutional states of the United Transetrurian Federation. It is the largest state in terms of population (84 million) and territory. Its capital, Poveglia, is also the federal capital of Etruria.

Vespasia shares a border with the two other constituent states, Novalia and Carinthia, is surrounds three federal autonomous regions; Ossuccio, Torrazza and Cavagna, all three are political subordinate to Vespasia - and shares an international border with Temuair and Tiperyn.

Vespasia, like the rest of Etruria has a largely temperate seasonal climate and Mediterranean climate, it's geography is dominated by a central mountain range that runs from the south to the north, which meets the Etrurian Mountain range which is apline in nature. The northern regions of Vespasia are apline to temperate with large forests and snow-capped peaks, the remainder of the country is identified by its Mediterranean climate.

What is now Vespasia was first settled by various Vespasic and Etrurian peoples before coming under the domination of one Vespasic group out of Poveglia, who would later come to conquer modern day Etruria (including the two other constituent states) and a large portion of XcontinentX, however the Vespasian Empire would later collapse in the 5th century AD and modern Vespasia became divided between multiple city states until the early renaissance period; when Vespasia was unified under the Ecclesiastical States.

Vespasia would become one of the greatest cultural hubs of XcontinentX during the renaissance, whilst also becoming a key trading hub between X and X. During the early 19th century, economic stagnation and rising Vespasian nationalism led to the overthrow of the Papacy and the creation of the Kingdom of Vespasia under the House of XXX, which centralised control of the country and that over Novalia and Carinthia. The Kingdom began to industrialise the country by the 1860s and led the country in an effort to gain a colonial empire in XcontinentX, the Kingdom would solidify Vespasia's domination of the two smaller states both economically and politically, a reality that would be transferred over to the Federation. By the late 1910s, economic stagnation, socialist agitations and ultranationalist movements in the northern areas of Vespasia greatly undermined the monarchy, culminating in the massacre of the royal family and the emergence of the federation. The institution of the federation saw Vespasia official dominant positions evaporate over night, however it remains the economic and political centre of the federation.

## Geography

Vespasia is the largest state in Etrura in area, followed by Novalia and Carinthia. Vespasia is often geographically bisected into two regions, Northern Vespasia, comprising the 10 northernmost comuni, and Southern Vespasia, comprising the 48 southernmost comuni.

Vespasia being the largest state covers most of Vespasia's geographical diversity. Vespasia borders Tiperyn and Sea/Lake XX to the north and Temuair to the west, to the east is shares federal borders with Novalia and Carinthia. Internally it surrounds the autonomous region of Ossuccio and shares borders with the autonomous regions of Carvagna and Torrazza. The Etrurian Mountains that run north along the border with Tiperyn are met in the north by the Aventine Mountains which run through roughly centrally through the country to the south, flanked on both sides by wide plains, which however are marked by hilly regions, before dropping in altitude along the coasts. Vespasia also covers the major lakes, including Lake Imperia, Polvese, San Paolo, San Pietro and Balestra.

 File:VespasiaTerrain.png
Vespasia is also includes four large islands; Aeolia, Asinara, Pantelleria and Gianutri, and numerous smaller islands, which are located to the east.

A majority of Vespasia's cities are located along the coastal plains, the river plains or valleys on the western and eastern sides of the Aventine Mountains. The largest metropolitan areas are; the Poveglian Basin, the Bay of Accadia, the Avalian plain or the Bay of Tarrella.

### Flora and fauna

Vespasia has the highest level of faunal biodiversity in Etruria and XcontinentX, with over 57,000 species recorded. Etruria also receives species from the X, X, the X. Etruria's varied geological structure, including the Etrurians and the Aventines, Central Etrurian woodlands, and Southern Etrurian Garigue and Maquis shrubland, also contribute to high climate and habitat diversity.

 File:Collage fauna italiana.jpg
The flora was traditionally estimated to comprise about 5,500 vascular plant species. Geobotanically, the Etrurian flora is shared between the Circumboreal Region and Mediterranean Region.

### Climate

In most of the inland northern and central regions, the climate ranges from humid subtropical to humid continental and oceanic. In particular, the climate of the north-east geographical region is mostly continental, with harsh winters and hot summers.

The coastal areas of the remainder of the country generally fit the Mediterranean climate stereotype (Köppen climate classification Csa). Conditions along coastal areas can be very different from the interior's higher ground and valleys, particularly during the winter months when the higher altitudes tend to be cold, wet, and often snowy. The coastal regions have mild winters and warm and generally dry summers, although lowland valleys can be quite hot in summer. Average winter temperatures vary from 0 °C (32 °F) on the Etrurians to 12 °C (54 °F) in the south, like so the average summer temperatures range from 20 °C (68 °F) to over 25 °C (77 °F).

## Government and politics

Vespasia is governed through a parliamentary system of representative democracy, a feature the state shares with other Etrurian states. Universal suffrage is granted to residents. There are two branches of government. The legislature, the Senate of Vespasia, consists of elected members and special office bearers such as the President of the Senate and Vice President, that are elected by the members. Senate meetings are presided over by the President or the Vice President in the former's absence.

The judiciary is composed of the Supreme Tribunal of Vespasia and a system of lower courts. Executive authority is vested in the Council of Ministers headed by the President of the State. The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Senate is appointed as the President of the State by the Pope, and the Council of Ministers are appointed by the Pope on the advice of the President. The Council of Ministers reports to the Senate.

The current President of Vespasia is Francesco Mandarini of the Etrurian Way.

The Senate is unicameral with 290 members. Terms of office run for 5 years (in parallel to the federal government), unless the Senate is dissolved prior to the completion of the term. Secondary authorities known as the Comuni, for which local body elections are regularly held, govern local affairs. The state contributes 300 seats to the Senate of the Federation and 84 (same amount as the other two constituent states) seats to the State Council of the Federation of the United Congress.

The dominant political parties in the state are the Etrurian Way (Modo Etruriano) and the Citizens Alliance. Unlike in many of the neighbouring states, the small or regional parties have not had much success in the state elections, however the autonomous federal regions subordinate to Vespasia have seen dramatic electoral gains by their regional parties.

## Economy

The economy of Vespasia is large enough to be comparable to that of some large countries. As of 2016, the gross state product (GSP) is about $935 billion, the largest in Etruria. Vespasia is responsible for 74.5 percent of Etruria's approximate $1.4 trillion gross domestic product (GDP).

 File:VespasianVineyard.jpg
The five largest sectors of employment in Vespasia are trade, transportation, and utilities; government; professional and business services; education and health services; and leisure and hospitality. In output, the five largest sectors are financial services, followed by trade, transportation, and utilities; education and health services; government; and manufacturing. As of September 2016, Vespasia has an unemployment rate of 4.5%.

Vespasia's economy is dependent on trade and international related commerce accounts for about one-quarter of the state's economy. In 2008, Vespasia exported $144 billion worth of goods. Automobiles, heavy machinery and electronic products are Vespasia's top export, accounting for 42 percent of all the state's exports in 2014.

 File:VespasiaCoal.jpg
Agriculture is an important sector in Vespasia's economy. Farming-related sales more than quadrupled over the past three decades, from $7.3 billion in 1974 to nearly $31 billion in 2004. Factors contributing to the growth in sales-per-acre include more intensive use of active farmlands and technological improvements in crop production. In 2014, Vespasia's 81,500 farms and vineyards generated $36.2 billion products revenue. In 2016, that number grew to $43.5 billion products revenue. The Agriculture sector accounts for two percent of the state's GDP and employs around three percent of its total workforce. According to the Etrurian Trade Ministry in 2011, the six largest Vespasian agricultural products by value were sugar beets, wheat, corn, olives, lemons and grapes.

Per capita GDP in 2016 was $11,107, ranking top within Etruria. Per capita income varies widely by geographic region and profession. The coastal and rural south is the most impoverished, with migrant farm workers making less than minimum wage. Mountainous regions in the north dependent on seasonal trade, such as skiing are also impoverished with limited investment. Vespasia has a poverty rate of 23.5%, the highest of any state in the country. Many coastal cities include some of the wealthiest per-capita areas in Etruria.