Kingdom of Palmares

The Kingdom of Palmares is a sovereign nation located in the Amazon Basin of South America. It is made up of four provinces (Amazonas Leste, Amazonas Oeste, Roraima, and Essequibo)and has a total area of 2, 010, 013 km2 occupied by a population of approximately 8,577,000. Palmares is an oligarchic constitutional monarchy governed according to deep ecological principles. Currently, the King is Tavares I.

History
The area now occupied by the Kingdom has been occupied by humans since before recorded history. Migration over the Bering land bridge, possibly in stages, populated the area around 8,000 years ago. At some point, the area supported relatively complex cultures, as demonstrated by their unique pottery. However, these indigenous peoples neither wrote nor constructed stone monuments. Therefore, almost no traces are to be found of ancient peoples in the area.

Portugese explorers arrived and claimed the area in 1500. Originally divided into twelve Captaincy Colonies, the new colony of Brazil (so named for the brasilwood tree) was brought under firm Portugese control as the Governor Generalship of Brazil in 1549. The Portugese gradually pressed inland, forming opportunistic alliances with native groups. Devastated by disease, the natives gradually lost ground.

The Portugese also beat off Dutch and French attempts to establish colonies in the area. Both nations gained control of parts of the coast further north (the eventual French Guiana and Suriname). Sugarcane was introduced, and became a major crop. To fulfill demand for labour, slaves were imported. Many escaped to the interior. Led by itinerant adventurers known as bandeirantes, the Portugese continued to expand the boundaries of their colony at the expense of natives and other European colonies.

During the Peninsular War, the Portugese royalty remained in Brazil. Prince Pedro was left as Regent of Brazil after the war, while the other royals returned. He proclaimed an Empire of Brazil, launching a successful War of Independence. Amazonia remained, however, largely inhabited by semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes. However, Brazilian efforts to claim the Amazon, in the face of rival Peruvian and Colombian claims, gradually began to colonize the region. The sudden increase in the value of natural rubber (1879) caused a sudden flood of fortune-seekers to the region. Enslaving the inhabitants, they began to launch massive operations to extract rubber. Exports reached 10,000 tons almost immediately. The swift construction of railroads expedited this massive eruption of wealth, although the human cost grew ever greater, as malaria and yellow fever devastated workers. So-called rubber barons used gangs of enforcers to make workers - or slaves - meet rubber quotas. Manaus experienced a boom, resulting in the construction of fabulously luxurious houses, theatres and markets. However, an English botanist managed to smuggle some seeds out of the country. These were successfully germinated and planted in Malaysia and Sri Lanka.Asian rubber proved cheaper than Brazilian, smashing the monopoly. The boom collapsed, and interest in the region fell.

This remained true for much of the nineteenth century. However, interest in the Amazon began to grow with the realization of the potential of the Amazon's vast natural resources. Bauxite mining and large-scale growing of coffee and soybeans became important. So did logging, which began to destroy the Amazon Rainforest at a great rate. The rainforest was largely replaced by cattle pasture, as the soil was too infertile for the growing of crops.

The longtime inhabitants of the region, many of whom were partly descended from escaped slaves, lived in communities known as quilombos, often built on stilts, along rivers, mostly in the Upper Amazon Basin. As these communities occupied land which controlled access to the interior, they began to lose out as their land was seized as unclaimed (since most had no title for it). Additionally, the carefully tended Amazon ecosystem, in many places made up of complex human-made agroforests and their chief source of livelihood, was being destroyed.

The Hurian conquest of Brazil only caused increased worry. As the Brazilian Liberation Army withdrew into the Amazon, Hurian forces followed, engaging in a series of destructive battles. Civilian casualties were heavy due to the use of chemical weapons and anthrax. All in the region began to resent the fact that most of the fighting was happening on their land. However, some saw the sudden loss of Brazilian power as an opportunity.

==Independence== Leaders of these communities began to meet in secret. They hired a Chechen mercenary named Semyon Darkhan to act as their military adviser. He began to stockpile modern arms in concealed camps within the Amazon Basin, train troops, and prepare detailed plans for an armed rebellion. As the Amazon Campaign and resultant destruction reached a head, they decided to strike. On December 24th, 2008, militant forces seized control of the state of Amazonas in a series of armed uprisings. Troops captured Manaus three days later, and advanced into the state of Roraima, which they occupied, expelling BLA forces. They declared neutrality in the ongoing Amazon Campaign, assuring both sides that troops of neither group would be tolerated on the territory of the new state. Making full use of their momentum, the rebels invaded eastern Venezuela/Guyana, seizing the disputed area east of the Essequibo River. This secured an outlet to the sea.

The new state was named the Republic of Palmares, after a state made up of escaped slaves and natives from the 16th century. However, Darkhan and several other extremist leaders opposed a republic, They believed that, to ensure protection of the Amazon Basin, the government would need to adhere to deep ecological principles. Accordingly, they executed a coup, proclaiming the Kingdom of Palmares on November 1st, 2009 and instating the present system of rule. The previous republican government was merged into the new system, with several leading republicans settling for positions in the Council. The King was randomly selected at a public speech.

The new government set about reorganizing the military, instituting compulsory military service and building up the arms industry. They also launched a massive tree planting program in deforested areas, which were to be transformed into massive agroforests. They also instituted a nationwide ideology of deep ecology, basing the new state's law system off of this. Accordingly, vegetarianism was mandated by law, animal cruelty made a crime equal to murder, cars and logging declared illegal, and so forth. Protests at this in the cities of Manaus and Tabatinga were put down with the assistance of conscripted tribesmen from the Central Amazon, creating an ongoing controversy. Regardless, the government transferred itself to Manaus, as the best location from which to govern the nation and the largest city.

The government's refusal to allow environmentally damaging methods of mining, harvesting, or logging caused the economy to take a severe downturn, causing a rise in dissatisfaction and unemployment. However, after two years, the nation became more successful. Its success in genetic engineering and the creation of artificial islands brought the Kingdom both relative international prominence and a highly necessary influx of wealth. Additionally, the replanted agroforests in the South began to prove surprisingly profitable, remaining both ecologically healthy and producing a considerable amount of foods and valuable materials. Exports of these began to rise, helped by the government's authorization of severely limited mining.

Government
King The ostensible head of government is the King, who appoints municipal and provincial leaders and possesses some veto powers. Otherwise, his only responsibilities are appearing at public occasions and overseeing the Parliament. The King lives in the Palacio Real, (the old Opera House) in Manaus. Parliament The Parliament of Palmares is composed of 70 members elected from each province. Legally, it makes all decisions in the country, excepting those judged to be too trivial, which are left to provincial or municipal leaders. The Parliament holds weekly meetings in which any menber can make a proposition for a new law, which will then be voted on. It is overseen by the King, who can veto any bill the Parliament attempts to pass. Also, most bills are sent to the Council, who dictate how each Member of Parliament will vote. This ensures that blame can be deflected onto scapegoats chosen by the Council. Council In fact, however, the government is controlled by the ten-man Council, each of whom has responsibility for a different aspect of the nation's government. The Palmarista government has not yet acknowledged the existence of the Council, but it is generally known nonetheless. All decisions are made by this group without consultation. Important army officers automatically gain posts on the council. Otherwise, the posts only change hands at the death of a councillor, who can select their successor. The council can opt to put decisions up for a general vote, but has done so only three times. Provincial At a lower level, provincial and municipal leaders are selected by the King on recommendation of the inhabitants of the area. They hold their position for life, or until the King or council sees fit to remove them. They control some affairs in their provinces, but otherwise play a relatively small role in the governance of the nation. All decisions made by them are subject to review and modification by the Council. Judiciary The Parliament doubles as the Supreme Court, making all final decisions in regard to law. All major cases are reviewed and, if necessary, overturned by them. This enables the Council to control interpretation of the constitution and prevent embarrassing precedents. Many lower courts also exist to handle cases considered unimportant.

Military
The Military of Palmares compromises all branches of the Palmarista Armed Forces except the Strategic Missile Command. This includes the infantry, air force and navy. The Kingdom imposes compulsory military service on all people between the ages of 20 and 24, excepting the unhealthy. These people are also subject to reserve duty for a further ten years, according to the will of the government. Due to the difficult terrain of Amazonia, the military includes very little armour. Virtually the entire army operates as infantry or some variation thereof. The largest arm is the Palmarista Infantry, which numbers 8 million and operates as the general soldiery and police force of the nation. The Palmarista Commando Forces is the most highly trained, especially to operate in conjunction with the Air Force, and numbers 100,000. The air force is also a large arm, with about 5,000 combat aircraft and 2 million personnel. Its most important plane is the S3 Anaconda, a high-speed transport used to move troops from place to place at speeds of Mach 3. It also has a large air-to-ground arm. The navy is made up almost entirely of remote-controlled midget submarines, which number in the thousands, although it does maintain several Mobile Airfields to provide planes with landing spots. It has about 17,000 personnel. The Strategic Weapon Command consists of an unknown number of miniature robots containing tiny thermonuclear devices. Concealed in multiple spots on various continents, these robots can deploy into the sewers of foreign cities, where they then detonate their devices. As yet, this capability is purely theoretical, as these robots have never been used.

Culture
Culture in the Kingdom is largely based off of Brazilian culture. However, various immigrant groups also have cultural influence. The most populous language is Palmarista Portugese, a dialect of Portugese with a large number of Tupi-Guarani loanwords. English and Spanish are also spoken in Essequibo Province, previously part of Guyana or Venezuela. The met populous religion is Christianity (Catholicism), with 40% of the population as adherents. Various Afro-Brazilian religions (some of which use the hallucinogenic plant ayahuasca) are second, at 15%, with another 15% practicing indigenous religion (there is no easily defined boundary between Afro-Brazilian, indigenous, and folk religions; many overlap in both teachings and disciples). Hinduism, mainly in Essequibo, is the smallest religion, at 10%. 20% are irreligious, or "spiritual but not religious".

Vegetarianismis mandated by law in the Kingdom. However, many still eat animals or fish, especially in remote areas where fishing is an important part of their livelihood. The government generally does not enforce this too strongly, although there are plans in place to totally weed out meat-eating by 2020. Pets are very common. Dogs, cats, moas, thylacines and koala lemurs are among the most popular. All animals have a set of guaranteed rights, while monkeys, cetaceans, apes and pigs have a more extensive set. The penalty for killing an animal is the same as that for killing a human (life imprisonment), unless proof can be provided that it was "ethically necessary or in self-defence".

All inhabitants are required to keep their carbon footprint below a certain level. Those who keep it especially low receive tax cuts, while those with high carbon footprints suffer greatly increased taxes. Also, they are required to prevent "environmental damage" and respect the "inalienable right of the natural environment to flourish free from human interference". Firearms are highly illegal, except for members of the military. Cars are also (although the military is allowed to use jeep-type trucks for transport), along with wooden furniture and gas/coal power.

Soccer is the most popular sport, followed by. The Amazonian Football League (AFL) has 30 teams and a viewership of 7 million. Other popular entertainment includes films (largely foreign and dubbed, as there is little to no native Palmarista film industry) and television (likewise). Capoeira, both as a dance and martial art, is popular. Literature is also largely translated, although an increasing native literature is growing.

The government has tried to reduce dependence on environmentally damaging forms of technology, with the result that technological use and familiarity is much lower than in other countries. While most Palmaristas own computers, televisions, and phones, the ban on cars and gas power has resulted in, as one foreign journalist said, "total unfamiliarity with the internal combustion engine". Additionally, the additional expense of producing appliances with as little environmental impact as possible has tripled the cost of such things. The Kingdom is notable for having one of the world's lowest marriage rates, with approximately 45% of the population being unmarried.

Cuisine
Palmarista cuisine is vegetarian by requirement. Rice and beans is a popular dish, sometimes substituted with pasta. Salgadinhos, small snacks similar to Spanish tapas, are also eaten. Tapioca and other cassava products also make up a significant part of the local diet.

Technology
The Kingdom is a world leader in some types of technology, but very backward in others. It is most successful in genetic engineering and cloning. It has successfully cloned the Wooly Mammoth, several varieties of moa, thylacine, solendon, Iberian ibex, Caspian, Javan and Bali tiger, Great Auk, Mauritius Pigeon, Laughing Owl, ]Puerto Rican Barn Owl], [[wikipedia:Auroch|Auroch and Caribbean Monk Seal. Many genetically engineered plants have also been created, mostly modified to increase productivity and nutritional benefits. The most successful include coffee (increased caffeine content). Genetically modified trees have also been created, with growing speed and carbon dioxide absorption rates increased. The government has limited the creation of new genetically engineered species for fear of wiping out non-modified species, who would be unable to compete.

Another technology is the creation of artificial islands, which has been put to use in the Arctic and the Indian Ocean. These are generally created by drilling into magma using a laser. The resultant lava flow is directed to form an island. Ships are then scuttled to create breakwaters, followed by the application of tons of dredged sand and dirt. Grasses and trees are then planted to prevent erosion. These are usually used to claim mineral resources or achieve strategic objectives in international waters.

Strategic Deterrent Weapons (SDWs) consist of small robots with miniaturized thermonuclear devices. Controlled at long range, these can be deployed into the sewers of foreign cities where they can detonate their bombs. These robots are also fitted with incendiaries or conventional bombs. These robots have, as yet, never actually been used, but tests have been, according to the government "extremely encouraging".

Economy
The Palmarista economy is heavily based on the export of raw materials, especially minerals, and food. Industry generates slightly above 30% of the gross national product, stemming primarily from mineral exploitation. Industrial enterprises are concentrated in the capital Manaus. The bauxite, gold, iron and tin ore mining industries are the major focus of this section of the economy. Major efforts are underway to reduce the environmental impact of these mining operations; however, they still do considerable damage. Energy is important also, with major hydroelectric and solar power plants located throughout the nation. Wind power is also important. The Kingdom's sole nuclear plant focuses on providing enriched uranium for the production of nuclear weapons. Recently, the government has tried to implement an "economic self-sufficiency" plan to reduce dependence on foreign countries for manufactured products. Accordingly, production of these things has been increased. However, strict environmental regulations mean that technological use has to be minimized, making production much more expensivee, and the plans' effects - and results - are still questionable.

Agriculture
Agriculture is common, with soybeans, sugar cane and rice being grown. Agroforestry is extremely popular, with farmers growing large numbers of trees and plants of various species together in an attempt to create a functioning ecosystem which nonetheless supplies valuable food and resources. This uses the seven-layer system, which greatly increases production (see agroforestry in the Kingdom of Palmares). The most common plants grown are coffee, tea, rubber, cashews, pequi, oranges, lemons, brazil nuts, acai, peach palms, guarana and pataua palms. Many GM plants are grown, for example; the highly addictive Ultracoffee, with its caffeine content tripled. Domestic animals are also common. Water buffalo, capybaras, llamas and Asian elephants are to be found throughout the Kingdom, where they are kept for milk and for labour, due to the restriction on cars.

Finance
The Palmarista currency is the amazona. Its GDP was, as of 2012, approximately $2 trillion. The Kingdom has no paper currency; its currency is entirely fiat money. Payments are made exclusively electronically. The government carefully regulates the stock market and controls the ability of foreign nations or interests to purchase land, mineral concessions, or Palmarista companies. Banking is a major interest in the nation, as the Act for the Security of Financial Interests made the Palmarista bank system one of the most secure in the world, banning "freezing of assets" or releasing funds to anyone except the original depositor. This makes the nation a major centre for money laundering, as well as the concealing of profits from crime. Beneficiaries of this system include Yakuza, Mafia, and Somali pirates.

Education
Education is run by the government, and is compulsory for all citizens between the ages of 6 and 16. Children aged 1–5 years old are guaranteed a place in a public kindergarten. Between the ages of 6 and 16, children attend compulsory school. After completing the 9th grade, most of the students continue with a 3-year upper secondary school, which can lead to both a job qualification or eligibility to enter a university. This includes political indoctrination and basic military training.

There are many prestigious secondary institutions in Palmares. These include the University of Manaos, the University of Amazonas, Essequibo University, and many other schools, including colleges which offer less academic programs. There are also many officer schools for those who decide to remain in the army after completing their military service. University/college students are exempted from compulsory military service so long as they maintain a certain average. This is thought to motivate academic success and ensure a good supply of university-qualified people.

Environment
Since the entire machinery of the state is directed to minimize environmental impact and damage, Palmares is perhaps the most environmentally-friendly country in the world. The country's carbon dioxide emissions were 4,118 tons in 2012, one of the lowest in the developed world. Additionally, Palmares has been estimated to absorb the most carbon dioxide (60,000 tons) of any nation, due to the predominance of genetically modified trees which absorb huge amounts of CO2. Large areas of the country are national parks. Being centred around the Amazon River, Palmares has an extremely strict water-quality policy. Sewage is largely used as fertilizer rather than being reintroduced to the water supply. Chemical fertilizers are entirely illegal, along with pesticides. Instead, crops are usually genetically modified to resist pests.