Republic of Metradan

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Nation Name (long): Republic of Metradan
Nation Name (short): Metradan

Motto: “For the Republic! For us all!”
National Animal: Jaguar
National Flower/Plant: Fuschia blossom
National Anthem: “By the Light of the Moon”

Capitol: Akrons
Largest City: Nežendrís

Demonym: Metradani
Language: Tavari
Species: 76% Orc, 19% Human, 5% All Others
Population: 14,203,907

Government type: Presidential Republic
Leader(s): President Shtonar Talakar
Legislature: National Diet
Formation: Independence from Tavaris in 1905 as Kingdom of Metradan with the Tavari monarch on the Metradani throne. Monarchy abolished in 1956.

Total GDP: $308,414,662,528
GDP per capita: $21,713.37

Currency: Metradani Našdat (ŋ) (MEN)
Calling Code: +43
ISO 3166 code: ME, MET
Internet TLD: .me

Map: (please note that Metradan only consists of the southern portion, herein labeled “MET.” The border is only approximate. Please mark Akrons as the national capital.) 
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Historical Summary:

Metradan was initially settled by Tavaris in the mid 17th century, a few decades after settling Rodoka. Beginning along the far southeastern coast, Tavari settlers first established a fort at Nežendrís and then began to expand further. While at first, Metradan was settled primarily by traditionalist Tavari who felt excluded as the Akronist population on Rodoka increased, eventually the Akronists would begin settling in Metradan as well, and by the turn of the 18th century, Akronists already outnumbered traditionalist Tavari settlers.

At the time, the land was sparsely populated, with human populations on both the far eastern and far western borders of modern Metradan that came from Lapinumbia and Cescolia respectively. As Tavari settlers expanded—and especially as Akronists began to engage in missionary work—tensions rose, and across the 18th century there were several outbreaks of violence between the Tavari and the humans who had been living there already. In 1738, outright war broke out between Tavaris and Cescolia as religious tensions caused violence along the de facto border. Cescolian Lucerites believed Akronism, which they associated with moon worship, was heresy. This combined with Akronist encroachment on land they considered to be theirs caused tension and ultimately violence. [NOTE: “Cescolia” is a future claim in planning by Tuva.]

After the question of borders became largely settled, the Metradani economy began to grow in earnest. Metradan reached far north enough that it was capable of producing agricultural goods that could not be grown on Avnatra, and in the far north of Metradan, a number of traditionalist Tavari were even able to establish animal agriculture industries such as chicken, beef, and dairy, though primarily for export. Mineral wealth also existed in the north, especially silver.  In fact, Metradan became the most economically powerful Tavari possession, eclipsing Rodoka and Elatana, due in large part to its mineral wealth. However, as the economy grew, so did pressure for Metradan to be able to make more of its own decisions. The first Tavari-Cescolian War lasted from 1738 to 1742 and largely ended in stalemate. The Second Tavari-Cescolian War, from 1822 to 1827, ended with Cescolia taking a portion of coastline south of the Artesia Peninsula in modern day Lapinumbia from Tavaris, but with Tavaris holding on to claims further inland.

Constitutional monarchy came to Tavaris in 1793, but overseas territories were still governed directly by government-appointed Administrators with no local oversight well into the 19th century. Metradan did not have even an appointed legislature until 1842, and elections would not be held until 1864. The central Tavari government resisted a more democratic government specifically because they feared losing control of the Metradani economy, but their delay only served to aggravate the Metradani public, especially because by then, Metradan was overwhelmingly Akronist and people felt discriminated against by the national government for their religion.

In 1904, the Metradan Legislative Council elections were won by a faction known as the Metradani Coalition, which was a big-tent movement consisting of people from various other political movements who had united only on the cause of independence. This was also the year that the Great War broke out, which among many other problems, significantly increased the cost and risk of transporting goods across the Pacific between Gondwana and Novaris. When the Legislative Council called for independence, the Tavari government was willing to grant it so long as the country maintained the Tavari monarch on the throne in what was essentially a personal union. Metradani independence became effective in 1905. Notably, while Tavaris would eventually join the Great War, Metradan remained neutral throughout the entire conflict.

The Tavari government had presumed that Metradan would be incapable of operating independently and would seek to return to Tavaris. And while there were political movements in both countries advocating such a move, pro-independence Metradani maintained political control of the government solidly throughout the war and for some decades after. In 1956, Metradan held a Constitutional convention and, in a national referendum, removed the Tavari monarch from the throne and became a republic. This generated significant blowback in both Metradan and Tavaris, but especially among the Tavari far right. Outrage at seeing Akronists shun the Tavari monarch is part of what fueled the rise of nationalism in Tavaris in the late 50s and early 60s that caused the crematorium crisis.

Decades of single party rule by the Metradani Coalition had, by the 1960s, resulted in a national government that was absolutely riddled with corruption. By that time even the local Akronist Church—the Church of Metradan—had become involved in paying political officials to see outcomes it desired. When the Metradani Coalition collapsed in 1971 due to a public scandal, the Church of Metradan became the only major political actor in the country capable of exerting its will over the national political establishment. This served only to increase corruption rather than ameliorate it. Since then, while a number of various political parties have served in government, most of them were involved with the Church of Metradan in some fashion or another. In the year 2022, the Church of Akrona excommunicated the entire Church of Metradan in response to this corruption.

Following a vote on 17th August 2022, this nation claim has been APPROVED by a vote of 6-0-0.  Further votes will be amended to this post as they come in.