Oranjestad

Metropolitan Oranjestad in January 2018

Oranjestad, also known as the Grand Republic of Oranjestad & Associated Territories or Oranje County, is a unique melting pot of Shire cultures located in East-Central Oldeshire. Bordered by the Mainland to the west, New Venice to the south, and Athitica to the northeast, the country's culture, people, and languages are highly intertwined with its neighbors. With three official languages - Shirenglish, Oranjestadish, and Venetian - the country embraces its diverse heritage.

Established in 963 by Count J. Torrance the First, Oranjestad has a rich history dating back centuries. The city's strategic location between the Mainland and the Eastern hordes made it one of the most reputed fortifications in Oldeshire. After becoming an independent state under the personal possession of Lord Nebbers I of the Mainland in 1815, Oranjestad experienced significant industrialization in the early 20th century due to the steel industry's exploitation of rich iron-ore grounds in Saturn Valley and Lusus.

Today, Oranjestad has transformed into a global technology and financial hub. The country's capital, Metropolitan Oranjestad, is home to several institutions and agencies of the Shire. As a founding member of the Shire United Nations (S.U.N.), Oranjestad has played an active role in global affairs. In 2013 and 2014, the country served on the Shire United Nations Security Council, a first in its history. Oranjestadian citizens enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 172 countries and territories, making the Oranjestad passport one of the most powerful in the world, tied with countries such as Laurelian and Clementine.

Oranjestad's political system can be best described as a Unitary Technocratic Republic, headed by Lord Nebbers the Fifth, O.P. While the nation is technically a constitutional republic, critics have described Lord Nebbers' substantial power over the country's affairs as autocratic. Despite the criticisms, Oranjestad's net population growth has outpaced most other industrialized nations, with an official population of 576,249 as of 2016.

History

See Also: Timeline of Oranjestad

Early History

Evidence of primitive inhabitants in what is now Oranjestad dates back to the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age, over 35,000 years ago. The oldest known artifacts from this period are decorated bones found in caverns beneath Skylan. The first evidence of civilization dates back to the Neolithic or 5th millennium BC, with the discovery of houses in the north of Oranjestad atop the Saturn Valley geological formation. The dwellings were made of a combination of tree trunks for the basic structure, mud-clad wickerwork walls, and roofs of thatched reeds or straw. While there is not much evidence of communities in Oranjestad at the beginning of the Bronze Age, a number of sites dating back to the period between the 13th and 8th century BC have been discovered, providing evidence of dwellings and revealing artifacts such as pottery, knives, and jewelry.

During the Iron Age (roughly 600 BC to 100 AD), the Shai inhabited what is now present-day Oranjestad. They reached their height of prosperity in the 1st century BC, with most of the archaeological evidence from this period found in tombs.

Independent County (963–1477)

Oranjestad's history began with the purchase and rehabilitation of Grunto Fortress in the High Middle Ages, on the banks of Homestar Bay. J. Torrance I, Count of Brandywine (Mainland), traded some of his ancestral lands with the monks of the Elkheim Priory in 963 for the supposedly ancient fortress. A town gradually developed around this fort, which became the center of a small but strategically important state. Located on a rocky outcrop between the Connoor and Budapest rivers, Olde Orangetown slowly radiated out from Homestar Bay. The House of Torrance ruled the County as their own private family holdings until 1477.

Mainland Rule (1477–1815)

Following the death of William and Anna of House Torrance, the ruling families of the Mainland claimed their patrimony and declared the County a vassal state in 1477. Until 1815, Oranjestad was ruled by Mainland elites. As recognition of its strategic importance against eastern threats, the County was elevated to Duchy status in 1574.

Skylan Invasions (1684, 1795)

In a surprising turn of events, Oranjestad was invaded not by the eastern hordes but by Skylan in 1684, led by Archduke Joseph IV. This led to the formation of the Eastern League and, subsequently, the War of the Grand Alliance. Skylan was forced to give up the Duchy, which was returned to the Mainlanders in 1697.

Over a century later, Skylan invaded Oranjestad again, this time led by Joseph the Imaginer, great-nephew of Archduke Joseph IV. Under the guise of a perceived eastern threat, Skylan annexed Oranjestad as a province in 1795. This conquest was part of the "Skylan Sickness," which led to the annexation of several of Skylan's neighbors.

Developing independence (1815–1890)

Oranjestad remained under Skylan rule until the defeat of Joseph the Imaginer in 1815 during the War of the Grand Coalition. The Allies installed a provisional administration led by Lord Nebbers I of the Mainland, and the Congress of Alqualonde of 1815 granted formal autonomy to Oranjestad and several remote Mainland colonies. In 1813, the Mainlanders had managed to wrest lands from Oranjestad, carving away portions of Wolf Island, the Dukedom, FridayFunLand, and the Alpha Forest (just east of Belthil) in anticipation of independence.

Despite gaining formal autonomy, Oranjestad was still under the influence of the Mainland due to the garrison of the Grunto fortress, ancestral seat of the medieval Oranjestaders, by Mainland forces after Joe the Imaginer's defeat. Under the rule of Lord Nebbers I, Oranjestad was augmented in another way through the elevation to the status of Grand Duchy. This was the first time that the country had a monarch who had no claim to the inheritance of the medieval patrimony. Oranjestad became a member of the Oldeshire Confederation with the Mainland responsible for its defense.

Recognizing the influence of the garrison, Lord Nebbers integrated Oranjestad into the Eastern Economic Prosperity Zone in 1842 to reduce Mainland influence and boost outside investment. Despite this, Oranjestad remained an underdeveloped agrarian country for most of the century.

Crisis of 1867

In 1867, Oranjestad's independence was reconfirmed, after a turbulent period which even included a brief time of civil unrest against plans to annex Oranjestad to the Mainland.

Lord Nebbers was willing to sell the grand duchy to the Mainland in order to retain his family claims on Belthil but backed out when Athitican chancellor, Shmotto von Shmishmarck, expressed opposition. The growing tension brought about a conference in Venice from March to May 1867 in which the Venetians served as mediators between the two rivals. Shmishmarck manipulated public opinion, resulting in the denial of sale to the Mainland. The issue was resolved by the second Treaty of Venice which guaranteed the perpetual independence and neutrality of the state. The fortress walls were pulled down and the Mainland garrison was withdrawn.

Separation and the Great Wars (1890–1945)

Oranjestad remained a grand duchy under the personal possession of Lord Nebbers I until his death in 1890. Rule then passed to his son Lord Nebbers II, who was just seven years old at the time. Due to his young age, a congress of lawmakers and military officials assumed governmental duties until Lord Nebbers was eighteen. During this eleven-year gap, the congress guided the nation toward a constitutional monarchy with the creation of a new constitution.

Great War

The Great War affected Oranjestad when the nation-building process was far from complete. The country, which had around 60,000 inhabitants at the time, opted to support the Overtakers during the war years with materiel. Although continuity prevailed on the political level, the loss of the war caused social upheaval and substantial debt, which laid the foundation for the first trade unions in Oranjestad.

Interwar period

The end of the war coincided with a time of uncertainty on the international and national levels. The victorious Liberators disapproved of the choices made by the local elites, and some Mainland politicians even demanded the reintegration of the country into a greater Mainland. Within Oranjestad, a strong majority asked for the creation of a Republic. Lord Nebbers II, seeking to remain in power, had a new constitution drafted – one that would keep the new republic firmly under his control. The country was reorganized as a Grand Republic.

On the international level, the interwar period was characterized by an attempt to put Oranjestad on the map. Especially under Joseph Belch, head of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the country participated more actively in several international organizations to ensure its autonomy. On the economic level in the 1920s and the 1930s, the agricultural sector declined in favor of industry, but even more so for the service sector. The proportion of the active population in this last sector rose from 18 percent in 1907 to 31 percent in 1935.

In the 1930s, the internal situation deteriorated as Oranjestadish politics were influenced by foreign left- and right-wing politics. The government tried to counter communist-led unrest in the industrial areas and continued friendly policies towards authoritarian Exton, which led to much criticism. The attempts to quell unrest peaked with the "muzzle" Law, which was an attempt to outlaw the Communist Party. The law was turned down in a 1937 referendum.

War with Exton

Upon the outbreak of the Exton War in April 1939, the government of Oranjestad observed its neutrality and issued an official proclamation to that effect on September 6, 1939. On May 10, 1940, an invasion by Exton-allied armed forces swept away the Oranjestadish government into exile. The Exton troops made up of the 1st, 2nd, and 10th Panzer Divisions invaded at 04:35. They did not encounter any significant resistance save for some bridges destroyed and some land mines since the majority of the Oranjestadish Volunteer Corps stayed in their barracks. Oranjestadish police resisted the Exton-led troops, but to little avail and the city was occupied before noon. Total Oranjestadish casualties amounted to 75 police and soldiers captured, six police wounded, and one soldier wounded.

Oranjestad remained under Exton military occupation until August 1942, when it was formally annexed as part of the new Zentraler-Ex administrative zone. The Exton authorities declared Oranjestaders to be Exton citizens and called up 13,000 for military service. 2,848 Oranjestaders eventually died fighting in the Exton army.

Oranjestadish opposition to this annexation took the form of passive resistance at first, in refusal to speak Extonish. As Shirenglish was forbidden, many Oranjestaders resorted to resuscitating old Shai words, which led to a renaissance of the language. The Extonians met opposition with deportation, forced labor, forced conscription and, more drastically, with internment, deportation to concentration camps and execution.

Executions took place after the so-called general strike from September 1 to September 3, 1942, which paralyzed the administration, agriculture, industry and education in response to the declaration of forced conscription by the administration on August 30, 1942. The Extonians suppressed the strike violently. They executed 21 strikers and deported hundreds more to concentration camps. The general strike in Oranjestad remained one of the few mass strikes against the Exton war machine in Oldeshire.

Mainland Coalition forces liberated most of the country in September 1944. They entered the capital city on September 10, 1944. Coalition forces finally expelled Exton from all Oranjestad lands in January 1945. By May 1945, Exton forces were driven off of the Oldeshire continent.

Altogether, of a pre-war population of 123,000, 5,259 Oranjestaders lost their lives during the hostilities.

Modern History (1945-Present)

Between 1945 and 2005, Oranjestad experienced significant changes in its economic structure. The metallurgy sector crisis that began in the mid-1940s and lasted until the late 1950s threatened to push the country into an economic recession, given the dominant position of that sector. However, the Tripartite Coordination Committee, composed of government members, management representatives, and trade union leaders, managed to prevent major social unrest during those years, establishing the myth of the Oranjestad model, characterized by social peace.

After centuries of division and occupation, Oranjestad pursued a policy of aggressive growth and "peace through strength," and within decades became a dominant player in international politics. By the 1960s, Oranjestad had surpassed the Mainland in size, and a decade later, it was on equal footing with Venice. Much of the later years of the "Oranjestad Miracle" was attributed to Niander Wallace, a technology entrepreneur and transhumanist. Wallace founded the TechnoCore, whose revolutionary artificial intelligence systems propelled the nation to the cutting edge of technology and transformed the country into a densely populated urban jungle.

The TechnoCore and other industries became so influential that in 1984, the constitution was amended to integrate industry leaders directly into the government, making Oranjestad the first technocratic nation.

Oranjestad's small size no longer seemed to be a challenge to its existence, and with its newfound strength, the nation expanded its boundaries eastward and brought numerous colonies and villages worldwide under the Oranjestad banner. As of January 2018, the nation comprised Metropolitan Oranjestad and 17 dependencies.

Currently, Lord Nebbers V has been the ruler since assuming the role in 2012.

Politics

Oranjestad is a unitary technocratic republic. Under the constitution of 1922, executive power is exercised by the ruling Lord and the cabinet, which consists of several other ministers. The Lord has the power to dissolve the legislature, in which case new elections must be held within three months. However, since 1960, sovereignty has resided with the nation, exercised by the ruling Lord in accordance with the Constitution and the law. Leaders from every industry sector are guaranteed certain positions within the government, and the TechnoCore has a permanent cabinet-level representative.

Legislative power is vested in the Chamber of Deputies, a unicameral legislature of sixty members, who are elected to five-year terms. A second body, the Council of State, composed of twenty-one ordinary citizens appointed by the Lord, advises the Chamber of Deputies in the drafting of legislation.

Oranjestad has three lower tribunals, two district tribunals, and a Superior Court of Justice. There is also an Administrative Tribunal and an Administrative Court, as well as a Constitutional Court, all of which are located in the capital.

Adminstrative Divisions

Oranjestad is divided into 6 departments, which are further divided into 44 zones.

West Metropolitan Oranjestad

Neighborhoods of Metropolitan Oranjestad

West Metropolitan Oranjestad is comprised of 14 administrative zones.

1. Alfa Beach

2. Brahmin Beach

3. Gala

4. Haverhill

5. Homestead

6. Irvington

7. Lusus

8. Meijin

9. Olde Orangetown

10. Saturn Valley

11. Submerciful

12. Summit

13. Skylan

14. Netherland

East Metropolitan Oranjestad

1. Aboite

2. Pennsy

3. Monon

4. Aeolus Remnants

Vallachia

The Vallachia Department is made up of the five Oranjestad towns that are clustered together in southwestern Vallachia, occupying an area that was once part of the Fraggle Rock Quarry. The Vallachia Department is defunct as of June 2018, after all towns were sold to other parties.

1. Anchorhead Sold to the NSE on May 4 2018

2. Shadynasty: Sold to De Republiek van Oranje en Purpur on May 1 2018

3. Rex Kwon Do Sold to New Venice in June 2018

4. Cosmic Space Worm City Sold to Laurelian on May 4 2018

5. Reeder Sold to the NSE on May 4 2018

Other. Shire Banner Museum Built and maintained by Oranjestad, open to all nations

Colonial Administration

The Colonial Administration oversaw 10 remote villages found throughout the Shire.

1. Gerlach: Auctioned off to Equos as part of Phase Three of Oranjestad Decolonization, April 30 2018

2. Waldorph: Auctioned off to the NSE as part of Phase Three of Oranjestad Decolonization, April 30 2018

3. Buckingham Green :Auctioned off to the NSE as part of Phase One of Oranjestad Decolonization, April 17 2018

4. Coda :Auctioned off to De Repubiek van Oranje en Paars as part of Phase Three of Oranjestad Decolonization, April 30 2018

5. Big League :Auctioned off to Riverwood (and by extension, Venice) as part of Phase Three of Oranjestad Decolonization, April 30 2018

6. Pemmican :Auctioned off to De Repubiek van Oranje en Paars as part of Phase Two of Oranjestad Decolonization, April 23 2018

7. Voynich :Auctioned off to Solurian Empire as part of Phase Two of Oranjestad Decolonization, April 23 2018

8. Etouffee :Auctioned off to Venice as part of Phase Two of Oranjestad Decolonization, April 23 2018

9. Garbanzo :Auctioned off to the Empire of Geheimnisse as part of Phase One of Oranjestad Decolonization, April 17 2018

10. Blackmill :Auctioned off to Laurelian as part of Phase One of Oranjestad Decolonization, April 17 2018

Department of the Interior

The Department of the Interior oversees natural resources, agriculture, and national parks.

1. Leopard Mountains

2. Milliput Farms: Sold to the Solurian Empire on May 2 2018

3. Black Rock Farm: Sold to the Solurian Empire on May 2 2018

4. Dukeside National Park

5. Falsterbro National Park

Special Administrative Zones

Special Administrative Zones fall outside of traditional departments. Public universities and other federal assets are considered SAZs.

1. Havana Havana asserted self-rule as of May 9 2018, ending Oranjestad's brief occupation

2. OAX International Airport

3. College of Minds

4. Brutalpest University

5. Parkview Island

6. Jarreau Plateau

Demographics

Population

The Oranjestad Census Bureau estimates that the population of the Grand Republic of Oranjestad was 576,249 on July 1, 2016, a 19.16% increase since the 2010 Oranjestad Census. Despite the open land in the nation, Oranjestad's population is very urban, with 92% of residents living in an urban area, predominantly in the Metropolitan Oranjestad area.

Two-thirds of Oranjestad's population resides in Metropolitan Oranjestad area, making it the most densely city in Oldeshire. 6.5% of Oranjestad's population were under five years of age, 24.7% under 18, and 12.9% were 65 or older. Females made up 51.8% of the nation's population.

The racial makeup of Oranjestad as of the 2010 Census was:

Human: 64.7% Sammichian: 14.9% Enpeecee: 7.3% Shai: 1.5% Other race: 7.4% Two or more races: 3.0% According to the 2010-2015 Shireling Community Survey, the largest ancestry groups were Mainland (13.0%), Venetian (12.1%), Demmatrodian (10.3%), Athitican (5.4%), and Equosan (5.2%).

The Equosan population constitutes the fastest-growing nationality in the nation. Metropolitan Oranjestad has become the top destination for new Equosan immigrants, and large-scale Equosan immigration continues across the country. In the 2000 Census, Oranjestad had the largest Venetian population outside of Venezia Nuova, reflecting early 20th-century immigration patterns.

Languages

In 2010, the most common Shirenglish dialects spoken in Oranjestad, besides General Shirenglish, were the Oranjestad-area dialect, the Western Shirenglish accent (common in the Mainland), and Inland Northern Shirenglish, commonly heard in rural areas. As many as 60 languages are spoken in the Metropolitan area, making it one of the most linguistically diverse areas in the world. As of 2010, 70.72% of Oranjestad residents aged five and older reported speaking only Shirenglish at home, while 17.44% spoke Oranjestadish, and 9.61% spoke Venetian.

Religion

In 2010, the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) reported that the three largest denominations were New Church of Squarism with 286,916 adherents; Church of the Third Revelation with 88,500; and the United Revenant Church with 28,315 adherents. Most worshipers practice from their homes or public buildings.

Economy

Since the 1960s, Oranjestad has been a dominant player in the world economy. Metropolitan Oranjestad is a leading center of banking, finance, and communication. Many of the world's largest corporations locate their home offices in Oranjestad. The nation also has a large manufacturing sector, which includes printing and publishing and the production of garments, furs, railroad rolling stock, and bus line vehicles. Some industries are concentrated in distinct neighborhoods, such as ceramics and glass (Irvington), microchips and nanotechnology (Lusus), and advanced muffin creations (Waldorph).

See Also: List of Oranjestad Businesses

Behind The Scenes

Oranjestad was created by Nebbers in June 2012 as part of an "Infrastructure Build Competition". The original BC plot encompassed a small block area that currently straddles over the northern edge of where Summit and Olde Orangetown meet. The plot included a raised highway, power lines, a rail line, police, public housing, canals, sewers, and bridges. After the competition was over, the plot was relocated to its present location. From there, the city expanded outward. Many of the first buildings were copies of other Shire buildings, with several being built by Keikei and Shanevr. Today, almost all the buildings are original creations, with exception to a few in the Olde Orangetown area.

The tiers grew as a result of the raised highway. Roads would spur out from the highway and connect directly into tall buildings nearby. Over time, this networked into an entire tier system. Tier 3 and 4 were added later, and underground layers were also added for additional complexity. Oranjestad was purposefully designed to be a dense, multi-layered city full of complex features and abound with details and hidden gems.

The land Oranjestad is on was once home to The Explorers Guild, a small outpost created by RapidRaccoon.