Northumbria

Northumbria (officially the Federal Republic of Northumbria) is a federal parliamentary republic of 16 constituent states in northern Europe. It has an area of 38,177 square kilometres, and a population of almost 15 million. The capital of Northumbria is York, whilst its largest city is Manchester. Other major cities include Leeds, Liverpool and Newcastle.

After the Industrial Revolution of the early 19th century led to rapid economic growth in Northumbria, the region broke away from the United Kingdom in 1872, following almost two years of hostilities with the British government. In 1923, John Formby oversaw a Marxist revolution within Northumbria, and ruled for thirty years, before being replaced by his son Edward, and later his political ally Richard McKinnon. After almost sixty years of Marxist rule, social democrat Patrick Strickland and his allies took control of Northumbria, overseeing a gradual transition to democracy. At the first democratic elections in 1988, a centrist government was formed, and a period of economic liberalisation followed, marked by free market reforms and closer relations with the United Kingdom and its European allies. Northumbria joined the European Union in 1995, and later became a member of both the Schengen Area and the Eurozone.

Northumbria is now renowned as an important cultural and economic power within northern Europe. It has a developed economy, with a high standard of living.