Astronea

The Parliamentary Republic of Astronea (commonly called Astronea) is a country located on the south western coast of the continent of Vesperia in Atlas. Home to 98 million citizens, the nation shares land borders with the Volgaria to the west, Ordia to the east and Vazandia to the north. Its territorial waters lay claim to part of the Achelian sea.

With an area of 542,652‬ square kilometres, Astronea is divided into four administrative divisions, Kiril, Pirklys, Atliekos and Iontach, each with its own regional capital and administrative council. Astronea is governed as a and    with a democratically elected government and head of state.

The largest city of Astronea is Feldrum, the nation's capital and a megacity with an urban population of 11.5 million people. Despite a number of sprawling urban centres, countryside makes up over 80% of the land, with large swathes of farmland contributing to Astronea's enormous agriculture industry.

The many carnifrous forests and rivers supply timber and fresh water throughout the country. The climate is considered to be temperate, with high levels of both sun and rainfal making the land very green and fertile. The northeastern region is flanked by mountains, rivers cutting across the western coast inland. Its southern islands are more temperate, with a more Mediterranean climate on its largest shared holding, Atliekos, with Lyonia.

Astronea is a highly developed country with a strong, diversified economy dominated by the agriculture, defence and energy sectors. The nation maintains a large, well funded professional military and is a recognized nuclear state. It is considered a regional power and maintains a large naval presence on the island of Atielkos and a token rotating task force in Altsea.

Astronea's origins can be traced back to the protohistoric era, when the first Germanic tribes began to settle the region's fertile farmlands along the Iontach. Some time later, nomadic Celtic groups wandered across the Kiril mountains into the nation's riverlands. It was not until the 3rd century that the first kingdoms grew, as feudalism became the dominant system of governance among the Germanic settlements.

National identity can be traced to the 10th century with the Finnic monarchy of House Paarvo] first referring to its domain as "Astronea", or "a land under the stars". The Celtic peoples were largely conquered by the Germanic peoples in the [[Kiril Capitulation|Kiril capitulation of 1596, united under the Paarvo crown, by that time the Astronean kingdom.

Astronean expansionism began in 1612 with the dawn of sail. With several overseas possessions by the 17th century, it became the Astronean Empire. This period of colonialism is considered the golden age of Astronean technological advancement. The Kingdom came to an end as ideals of republicanism took hold of the populace during civil unrest among economic downturn the late 19th century. Armed revolt in 1903 led to a transition to a constitutional monarchy with a newly established parliament. The Astronean Revolution of 1910 exiled the royal family entirely, and the Astronean Republic was declared.

The new government overruled the proposed constitution, which guaranteed a representative democratic system, and instead abolished all other parties, with previously elected Sigriid Tarmo as president of the new totalitarian regime. The Astronean Empire remained, and was not abolished until the Astronean Civil War of 1993.