Liberta

 

Trinitarian Republic of Liberta Liberta
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:  Libertas scientiaque potentia est "Freedom and knowledge is power"
Anthem: The People of the Sea
Capital and largest city	Liberta proper 29°58′51.40″N 28°28′11.98″W
Official languages	English
National languages	Latin
Ethnic groups	By race: 97.4% White 93.1% White Libertan 4.3% Jewish 2.6% Others
Religion	72% No religion 24% Christianity 12% Protestant 9% Anglican 3% Catholic 3% Judaism 2% Reform 0.7% Conservative 0.3% Orthodox 1% Others
Demonym(s)	Libertan, Libertese
Government	Parliamentary triarchical republic with an executive presidency
• Consul and President	Kenneth Hoyer (P)
• Di-Consul	Ann McCarthy (C)
• Tri-Consul	Austin Clarence
• Vice-Consul and Vice President	Julia Moore (P)
Legislature	Senate
Establishment
• Founded	80 BC
• Decree of sovereignty	19 BC
• Trinitarian system founded	36 AD
• Trinitarian system fully executed	60 AD
• Libertan Empire	September 27th, 1011
• Modern Libertan republic	May 16th, 1707
Area
• Total	1,250 km2 (480 sq mi)
• Land	480 km2 (190 sq mi) Only mainland Liberta.
• Water (%)	61.6
Population
• Estimate	11,270,000
• 2020 census	11,259,852
GDP (PPP)	2020 estimate
• Total	$1.1 trillion (24th)
• Per capita	$97,692 (4th)
Gini (2008)	0.34 low
HDI (2015)	0.953 very high · 3rd
Currency	Libertan Trine (LRT)
Time zone	UTC-1 (UTC)
Date format	YY-MM-DD
Driving side	right
Calling code	+38
ISO 3166 code	LE
Website liberta.gov.le

Liberta (/lɪbərtɑː/; Elroy Libertan: /lɪbərdə/), officially the Trinitarian Republic of Liberta (Latin: Respublica Trinitaria Libertae) is a sovereign city state in the North Atlantic ocean. It lays on the Great Meteor Seamount, south of the Pirulian Islands, west of the Moroccan coast and north of Cape Verde. It is located roughly 29 degrees north of the equator and 28 degrees west of the prime meridian, generally considered a part of Macaronesia. It consists of mainland Liberta and 34 satellite islands known collectively as Liberta proper, along with six overseas protectorates, under the central administration of the government of Liberta. Although the official language remains Latin, of which a small portion of the population is fluent, the official language is English and is used in all parts of society and daily life. With a total area of 612 square kilometers, it is the 17th smallest country by land area and with its population of 11 million, resulting in a population density of 23,000 people per square kilometer, making it the most densely populated country on earth.

Liberta was founded in 80 BC by Roman patrician Aquarius, laying the first stones of Liberta proper. In 19 BC, his successor Aurelian formalized a decree of sovereignty, founding the short-lived Kingdom of Liberta (19 BC–36 AD). The Kingdom of Liberta gained several thousands of citizens through organized immigration schemes. The Kingdom ceased to exist as his son Cato proclaimed the Libertan republic, instating his trinitarian presidential system, based of off the Roman Senate. Throughout the 200s to the 500s, Liberta remained an insular country, as its national identity slowly formed during the Ancient era. Early technological breakthroughs allowed for more advanced infrastructure to be constructed, although the extreme lack of resources kept the republic impoverished. Following this, the Medieval era (500–1000) saw influences from the Islamic Golden Age through the Idrisid dynasty, as well as the first colonial expansion into West Africa through the establishment of the Ila protectorate. As estates inherited from Aquarius in both Cossura and Aigilia came to light, these two islands became wealthy entrepôts, enriching the Libertan state. With natural resoruces available, the Libertan trade network expanded and brought both wealth and diplomacy, firmly securing the republic as a thalassocracy in the Old World. By the Imperial era (1000–1600), Liberta had become an hub for higher education and medicine, cited by several medieval scholars as pertaining to the forefront of medical science. Lack of metals and highly competitive guild rivalries forged Libertan craftsmanship into a refined and internationally recognized art. Following the Industrial Revolution, the Libertan economy grew quickly, and continued to grow into the 20th century, with several multinational and Forbes 2000 listed corporations based in Liberta.

Liberta is the oldest republic and its government the world's oldest democratic institution. Liberta is a trinitarian parliamentary republic, a system unique to Liberta. The Metropolitan island, which hosts close to 100% of the total population, is universally recognized as the city-state, whilst the six protectorates fall under a different order, both domestically, and by international spectators. Liberta consists of twelve boroughs, as well as 201 neighborhoods. The six protectorates of Liberta, as well as its overseas territories, are administered by the government of Liberta and are administered under special judicial rights. Considered dependencies of the republic, they are remnants of the Libertan Empire, which following the Atlantic Charter, Liberta aligned itself to. Liberta operates one of the largest armed forces in the world by GDP percentage spending, and maintains a military presence in both hemispheres.

Liberta is considered both a regional and middle power. It is a global city, the 28th largest in the world by population, a financial, educational, and transportation center, ranked as an Alpha+ global city. The national currency of Liberta, the Libertan Trine, is among the stablest in the world and is heavily favored as a reserve currency internationally. Maintaining the third highest Gross Domestic Product per capita in the world, the Libertan industry is highly specialized and maintains its status as an idiom for high quality. Given its historically significant educational institutions, Liberta is often regarded as an educational center internationally, especially for higher education, with all of its universities holding international recognition. Maintaining close relations with most western countries, especially the United States and the United Kingdom, it is considered a critical actor within western democracies. Because of its multicultural origins, venerable institutions, and history as a melting pot, it is sometimes called "the heart of the world".

Etymology

The name Liberta is widely believed to have originated from the Aurelian era, as it was transitioning to nationhood. This is supported mainly by the title "King of Liberta", a role which Aurelian proclaimed himself with, according to various historical artifacts such as the Grand National History Encyclopedia, although earlier uses of the name may have occurred. Before this name, historical artifacts suggest that Liberta was simply referred to as "The Island", Insula, by the oldest surviving historical artifacts, and it was continuously used until the end of the Ancient era in place of Liberta. It is commonly believed that the name Liberta was exclusively used for international matters, and was therefore uncommon in popular speech. The meaning of the name is debated but is believed to either be a modification of the Latin Libertas (lit. Liberty), a reference to the national personification as a Liberta, which is Latin for an emancipated woman, or a portmanteau of Insula. Although the meaning behind the name is uncertain, it is likely a reference to Ace of Troy's enlightenment, after which he fled the Roman Empire and oversaw the construction of Liberta proper.

During the linguistic transitional period to the English language, changing of the name Liberta was frequently discussed. Language scholars of the time, such as John P. Sachi and Gable Valencia, argued that the name should not be anglicized, as that would be too drastic of an outward change. Among the suggested names were Livony, Libera, and Livera. It was however, decided that Liberta would keep its Latin name.

Between the 17th and 19th century, the English name for Liberta was instead Trinitaria and later Trinia. This was derived from the trinitarian system of government in Liberta. Traces of this still exist in the 21st century, the ship prefix for Liberta remains as "TRI". This is still prevalent in some languages, such as the German Trinien, and in the Scandinavian languages as Trinerien. These names are officially used by the embassies and consulates in those countries. Because of the resemblance of the name to "Trinidad", diplomatic missions to Trinidad and Tobago frequently make light of this in comedic ways. In all official matters, it is referred to as the Trinitarian Republic of Liberta, although its comprehensive official name is The Trinitarian Free City and Republic of the Island of Liberta, which it is referred to as in the decree of sovereignty. Its comprehensive name was later, however, put out of use for sake of convenience.

Nicknames

Liberta has been referred to as the Floating Castle due to its unique, entirely artificial geography. It has also been called the Heart of the World, named so for its historical importance as an international center for trade and commerce.

History

Early history

Main article: Kingdom of Liberta

The history of Liberta goes back at least two millennia. The mythical origin of the Libertan people is tied to the Mediterranean Sea Peoples, though there is no modern scientific nor historical support for this claim. Liberta is an artificial island, and the construction technique used to build the island, let alone how such a feat was made possible, remains unknown. Many historians and architects consider the construction of Liberta to have no comparison in sheer scale and complexity for its time. According to surviving documents, such as the Royal Scripts, and the Codex Liberta, as well as artifacts from abroad, such as remnants in Greece and Italy, the founder of Liberta was Aquarius of Liberta. Pertaining to a long line of wealthy noblemen, Aquarius was the son of the nobleman Argento. After inheriting his father's wealth, Aquarius experienced a religious enlightenment and fled the Roman Republic in order to pursue his newfound goal of establishing a new life for him and his followers. According to the Libertan national myth, he used his wealth to commission a large fleet of boats and traveled past Morocco, subsequently discovering the Pirulian Islands and settling there for ten years. Following a pattern in the sky, the convoy established Liberta on the Great Meteor Seamount. After a process in which some "more than 10 thousand" stone blocks were laid on top of the seamount, the center of the modern-day Metropolitan Island was finished. The process of finding the seamount, let alone the knowledge of it being there, is not entirely understood. The sea level at the time was not low enough for the seamount to be visible to the naked eye. Modern diving expeditions and extensive analyses have confirmed that the stones were indeed placed roughly two millennia ago, albeit with advanced layering patterns for its time. It is believed that initially, the island served to function more as private property, rather than an independent city-state during its early history, and before Aquarius could conceive Liberta as a nation he passed away in approximately 61 BC.

Facsimile of medieval artwork depicting the mythical Aurelian boatsmen immigrants traveling to Liberta.

After the death of Aquarius, Aurelian, his son, was appointed by his father as owner of the island. Aurelian proclaimed the island a nation in 19 BC. Naming the nation "Liberta", presumably from lībertās, the Latin word for liberty. As expansion continued, Aurelian set out to find citizens for his newly declared country. According to the Royal Scripts, he ordered a dozen orators to roam the Mediterranean coast to recruit citizens. After 2 years the men returned with around two thousand people, who were all given citizenship. Following this success, he promptly ordered 40 more men to find "no less than ten thousand" people from Europe. These men roamed throughout Europe and bribed commoners as well as aristocrats in order for them to leave for the dangerous journey to Liberta. Collectively, these 12,000 immigrants are referred to as the Aurelian immigrants or boatsmen, though their voyage and recruitment is largely considered mythical or heavily embellished. From these twelve thousand immigrants, 60 particularly influential families, often families who had helped convince others to migrate, were granted nobility status, into the Order of the Nobles (Ordo Patricorum). Many of these families oversaw and mandated the construction of basic societal functions and infrastructure, such as water treatment facilities and sanitary infrastructure. Starvation was a frequent issue on the island, scholars from Cato University estimate that more than half of the population died from starvation until the Catoan Era. The population was reliant on fishing, as roof gardens proved unable to produce sufficient amounts of food. Under his rule, Liberta transformed from a private island into a sovereign nation. Aurelian died in 9 BC for unknown reasons, most likely from leprosy.

Catoan era and the Libertan Republic

After Aurelian's passing, his son Cato inherited the national power at the age of nineteen. After his own enlightenment in the following years whilst visiting the Roman Republic, he entirely overhauled the Libertan government at his return. He transformed the de facto monarchy into a representative democracy, establishing the Senatus Libertae, where he instated the Trinitarian system of governance. This swift democratic change saw approval from the commoners, and protest from the upper echelon of society, primarily from the noble families. Despite the reluctance from the powerful noble factions, Cato continued implementing his democratic policies, such as equal suffrage and the implementation of unbiased courts. He continued these reforms until he fell in love with, and subsequently married, Ece of Paphlagonia, a noblewoman maiden.

Parts of this political change fell into action 4 years after the city hall was completed, Cato however, appointed himself ruler until he died. The Consules-Senators system was still running and working under Cato’s rule. He had left a son under his rule, Konstantin. Konstantin never had any political influence, however, he still owned all of the mines in Greece. Konstantin sold all of his father's mines to the Libertan State for "a fortune". He used the money to live in luxury. Konstantin was a poet, and never intended to follow his father’s passion for politics. At the age of 70, he died from a likely epilepsy attack.

As the population of Liberta grew, the national legislature, the Senate, increased its priority for the commoners, as opposed to the aristocratic class. This took many forms, the most historically significant of which was the expansion of the Metropolitan Island. The construction of the breakwaters, was instead an aristocratic interest. The breakwaters stood around 2 kilometers outside of the city and acted both as crop grounds, as well as a defense barrier. Their construction was pushed primarily by the aristocratic class, who sought to increase the security of the city, which in turn led to the creation of the Libertan Navy. The slanted walls on the breakwaters stood finished in 154 AD and gave the navy a significant upper hand in the case of an attack. Military pride between the aristocrats became widespread, and manifested itself as nationalism in the commoners. As self-sufficiency grew, so did Liberta's national identity. As a new and independent Libertan culture emerged, as did its distancing from the Roman social norms.

Ancient era 200–500)

By the 200s population of Liberta had increased to twenty thousand people, with the Metropolitan Island having an area of roughly 32 square kilometers. As institutions began to emerge, the culture of Liberta changed as well. The old Roman social norms were replaced in favor of the first "Civic Law", passed by the Grand National Hall in 204 AD. These set the foundation of many early western morals, and many which are not accepted in the western world today. The rapidly changing and increasingly independent Libertan culture laid the foundation for the contemporary national identity of the republic. As trade slowed in the third century, followed by the Plague of Cyprian spreading in the Roman Empire, the Senate enacted the Naeva Bill, effectively turning the national economy into an autarkical one. Closed off from the outside world, the Naeva bill and its proceedings laid the foundation of much of modern Libertan culture. As temporary food shortages led to the state-sanctioned roof-gardens becoming widespread, self-sufficiency culture increased, and given the food shortages, the Libertan fishing culture led to many fishing improvements. As primarily men and fathers, but also women and mothers left their families to work during the day, many young women and girls began working as nannies and nursemaids, leading to an increasing educational gap, which eventually manifested itself in Leah of Alba's speech to the Senate, that resulted in the obligatory primary education law in 251. The bill laid the foundation for Liberta as an educational center, as both lower and higher educational institutions sprung up across Liberta.

The Temple of Dea, an example of earlier Ancient architecture.

The Ancient era sparked Liberta's cultural identity, as well as its self-sufficiency, a landmark given their previous dependency on Roman supplies and trade. As raw materials like copper, iron, and gold skyrocketed in value, with little to no imports, Libertan society adapted quickly. Metals became a luxury product, the Libertan metal and forging industry adapted and developed less wasteful techniques in both its manufacturing as well as its forging techniques. This further progressed into advancements in weaponry, armor, and everyday items. As childbearing became increasingly important to sustain the population, extramarital sexual relations were encouraged and added into the Civic Law as permissible. This, along with the increased interest in increasing fertility among the general populous, sparked an increased understanding of the human sexual organs, along with the rest of the body, something which also gave rise to the Libertan medical institutions, whose work was by the sixth century several centuries ahead of other nations in terms of both knowledge and practical work. This caused a baby boom, the population density quickly exceeded that of sanitary conditions, which resulted in large-scale protests, prompting the government to increase the speed at which the Metropolitan Island was being expanded.

At the same time, the water supply of Liberta was being severely strained, nearly causing mass-parch. This prompted Laleh of Ionopolis to invent the first steam-powered compounded impulse turbine, an invention that allowed large amounts of potable water to be accessed throughout the city. Her water and sewage infrastructure systems allowed Liberta to become the first city with running water and sewage, which drastically improved quality of life, along with Apostates standardized, heated apartments. This, as well as the firm sanitation imposed by the government, resulted in few plagues effectively infecting the general populous. As potable water became widely available, the previously alcohol-based dependent populous began drinking water instead. This saw life expectancy increase significantly, whilst sparking an intellectual boom and birth of the Libertan intelligentsia circles. As both philosophical movements grew, medical knowledge and scientific advancements grew in number, Liberta began to assert itself as both cultural and scientific center on the global theater at that time. This, along with traditionalist ideas and norms being out phased, led to a sexual liberation culture spurred on by government-sanctioned natalistic ideals, finally resolving the concern over a declining birth rate. By the end of the fourth century, in 496, the Naeva Bill was formally recalled, and replaced with the significantly more liberal Aurelia Amendment, thus ending the Ancient Era.

Medieval era (500–1000)

As raw material continued to be high in price, the government took interest in the African coast and the possibilities of establishing a colony. These plans were quickly discarded, however, once it was clear that an establishment by force was neither economically nor militarily viable. Instead, small dependencies, Protectorates, were established on Ila Island and Imsouane. Being more akin to work camps with salaries, the Protectorates were extremely prosperous and provided many valuable raw resources to Liberta. The state-owned mines abroad also provided Liberta with stone, used for the continuous expansion of the island. However, whilst the liberally economic laws allowed for significantly more trade to happen in Liberta, it remained relatively unappealing to traders until the 600s, when improvements in boats allowed for more reliable journeys between the western Mediterranean and Liberta. Whilst trade grew the Libertan economy, it remained a mostly insular society.

"Woman of Passion", one of the more famous pieces of Libertan sculpture.

Given the recent transition from a closed economy into an open one, the Libertan state experienced increasing difficulty in both managing taxes and central control of economic fluctuations. This led to the creation of the official currency, the Libertan Solida, along with the Libertan Treasury, and notably, the Grand National Exchequer. The Exchequer was established in 524, with the purpose of collecting a percentage of all taxes, as well as the monetary objects of the state for spending. This proved highly effective, and by 576 it had collected more value than the state had earned in the first three centuries of existence. To appeal further to merchants the state stopped taxing exported goods, as well as weighing down crimes specifically targeting merchants and travelers. This, in turn, led to early reformation of the Incarceration in Liberta. Up until this point in history, convicted criminals in Liberta were sentenced to punishments such as flagellation, public humiliation, battery, and even rape. Forced disappearances (often leading to undisclosed drownings) were also common for more serious crimes. However, by the time merchants had begun to arrive in larger numbers, many of these punishments were seen as both abhorrent and in many times, also immoral. In 580 the Senate drafted and enabled the New Incarceration Act, prompting the construction of the first prison island, the Ancient Metropolitan Prison Island. The New Incarceration Act also provided new legislation regarding the treatment of prisoners, with an incarceration tactic of heavy and hard punishments, with long rehabilitation and reeducation. In reality, however, the Metropolitan Prison Island was more used as a scare tactic, with frequent prison rape (especially due to the mixed-sex layout) mistreatment by guards, as observed by visitors. Both infanticide and rape was rampant, which eventually manifested itself in Decimus play, The Devil's Island. A play that later gave way to public enlightenment about prison conditions as well as better legislation.

Culture during the Medieval era blossomed, as playwrights, music, and art became more available to the public, partially through the first public museums and cultural facilities, such as the Grandorian and the Grand National Theatre. As art quickly became widely accessible to the public, it became the main media, aside from the also recent widepapers, the precursor to both older and contemporary literary media. Widepapers were broadsheet-sized paper-based literary media, with articles and often detailed imagery around a variety of topics including, comedy, social commentary, eroticism, and finance. These quickly gained traction and sparked a new wave of the times contemporary media and culture of expression. It was also during this period at which the Libertan art separated into two different main forms, the classical, and the old-contemporary. Whilst classical art was centered around larger, extravagant, and expensive pieces of epics, old-contemporary often featured more risqué and taboo works of art, in smaller sizes, often with deliberate lower artistic skill due to the nature of the high production within the form. These works later became a staple of the Medieval Era and were featured in public museums. Whilst Libertan culture grew and blossomed, it also sparked a movement of cultural isolationism from the Old World, with many artists, such as Toya of Divitae and Eamon of Almeda. This soon also spread into a more general societal isolationist movement, advocating for cultural isolationism and cultural and national symbolic independence. Whilst Liberta remained highly liberal in terms of cultural values and norms, it remained deeply conservative of those values.

As increased unrest in Europe occurred during the late 800s to early 1000s, the Libertan isolationism had led to a relative stark stagnation, culturally. Romantic nationalism had spread in culture, and whilst this affected Liberta socially and culturally, it is often regarded today as a period of both a bland and culturally dry one, something which Octavian the Daring would proclaim in 921, "...[the] uninspired art of the now can be firmly blamed on Eamon of Almeda, for he has etched a foul ring onto the statues of the morrow.", something he would later be murdered for. It was also during this time that Liberta became known as a truly independent actor in the international theater, as both an important trading, as well as a medical hub. During the entire Medieval Era, Libertan medicine and general health understanding had improved significantly, leading to Liberta becoming a major exporter of medicine as well as an influx of wealthy clientele for both health sabbatical visits, hydrotherapy, and surgery.

The main quad of Elaine College, Gaius University

The first higher education institutions, such as the collegiate Gaius University (c. 986) were established during the later parts of the 900s, birthing a systemic academic interest within Liberta. The precursor to Renaissance humanism is frequently attributed to the higher educational institutions of this era, spreading through trade with the kingdoms of southern Europe. Both men and women participated in education as popular past-time. Because of the sudden economic freedom, many children were able to attend schools instead of financially supporting their parents. As Liberta quickly grew to an educational center, its national research blossomed, receiving large endowments from many international patrons. This, along with the National Exchequer and the general good treatment of state funds, led to an intelligentsia boom, with birthrates skyrocketing. Often considered a historical highlight, this period shaped the precursor of modern Liberta. Large infrastructure projects were undertaken, and the economy grew rapidly, as the state invested heavily in a variety of institutions, whilst also expanding upon the Libertan Naval Empire. This led to the creation of three additional Protectorates, which further increased the resource influx, further boosting the many businesses in Liberta. The economic miracle continued on, with large-scale exports suddenly turning immensely profitable. Industries such as shipbuilding and technological research put Liberta on the geopolitical stage. It became the quickest growing economy and society in the Old World.

Libertan Empire (1000–1600)

The high birthrate of the 900s proved difficult to maintain, especially due to Liberta's geographically isolated location, resulting in significant food insecurity. The food exports from Ila Protectorate quadrupled if only to supply the Metropolitan Island with enough food. Roof gardens became more widespread than before, with almost all apartments and houses having one. Closer maritime relations to the Pirulian Islands in 1011 led to more settlers farming in the fertile plains and exporting it, increasing food security to the mainland. Even protectorates whose primary role was exporting stone and masonry to support building on the Metropolitan island, such as the Cossura and Aigilia protectorates were subjected to strict and demanding food export requirements.

Composition of the Palace by Aegan Nostallier is often considered one of the best works of the Imperial Era.

Looking for new ways to increase riches and for Liberta to prosper, contemporary thinkers of the time, such as Eculius of Celestine, argued that using the intellectually disabled, petty criminals, and those unable to free themselves from their debts, should be used as slaves. This idea became popular with the middle and upper classes, who viewed it as a necessity, drawing inspiration from Greece. The Servosa system was introduced in 1056, where ten thousand men and women who were either convicted criminals of petty crime, intellectually disabled, or severely indebted, were made slaves. Slaves were rented out from the state, and were therefore considered property of the state. Some scholars and historians have disputed calling the practice slavery, and more akin to forced labor, as slaves were protected by most laws, and were compensated financially, albeit poorly. Unlike slavery in the United States and most of Europe, the Servosa system was not hereditary, and children of slaves were considered free both as children and adults. Many slaves were only slaves for a decade of their life, or depending on demand for slaves, acquitted from slavery. Heroic acts were also considered reason for acquittal, such as when Hinemos the Fearless rescued four children from a burning house, was afterwards emancipated and later taken care of in a hospital for his intellectual disability. At its greatest extent, between 4-6% of the inhabitants of the Metropolitan Island were enslaved. The Servosa system is in part credited to the intellectual renaissance that occurred in the 1100s, with new technologies emerging in both medicinal knowledge, architecture, and art. Libertan Nurses, women and men highly qualified in medicine, became a widespread phenomenon in the royal courts of Europe, medically attending to many of the most powerful individuals at the time, resulting in generous donations and improved relations with many nations in western Europe. Following the Fall of Constantinople, many Greek scholars migrated to Liberta, whilst some 40 years later, in 1492, the forced expulsion of Jews from the Iberian Peninsula and subsequent migration to Liberta, contributed to a significant brain gain in the middle-to-late 15th and early 16th century.

Simultaneously, Libertan nationalism in its early forms began to take shape. With greater public knowledge of the various nations in Europe, Libertan scholars developed a strong sense of national identity. Nationalistic and militaristic monuments were common throughout this time period, portraying a strong, unified Libertan nation. The Libertan Navy saw greater control over the Atlantic, as it frequently visited many coastal cities as a show of prowess. With the discovery of the Americas in 1492, Liberta suddenly became a strategically important trading port, with many ships to and from Africa stopping and trading. This spike in economic growth led to a large increase in the quality of life, with an elite whose wealth grew significantly. The Ila Protectorate became an important Slave trading center, with a locally secure political climate, and African inhabitants who frequently helped to hunt and sell slaves. As such, Liberta began to take fees for stopping by and trading within Ila. A large part of this accumulated wealth was distributed not only to the ethnic Libertans, but also toward the African workers, who were compensated generously for hunting and bringing slaves to sell. With the largest trading partners being the British and Portuguese, friendly relations were quickly established.

Age of Enlightenment

The 1717 Education Reformation saw children from all social classes attend school during the weekdays.

The Age of Enlightenment contributed significantly to a democratization of the Libertan state, which had up until 1707, despite its democratic aspects, retained an aristocratic class. Despite every person above the age of 20 being allowed to cast a vote in the elections, it is generally believed that a majority of people lacked the understanding of the complex political factions of the senate, and often voted on familiarity, not on political leanings. The Enlightenment saw not only political awareness in the lower classes increase, but also a rise in the standard of living, as children of the underclass attended schools in larger numbers following the 1717 Education Reformation. The reformation made public schooling for those between the ages of 6 and 12 mandatory, becoming the precursor to the 1870 compulsory state education reform in England.

The undermining of the monarchy and Catholic Church that in many ways defined the Age of Enlightenment, in Liberta instead translated to, due to an absence of both organizations in Liberta, undermining the political elite. The largest of these, the Order of the Nobles, had existed since early Libertan history. It was a historically powerful organization, and despite its removal of nobility privileges during the Catoan Era, many families maintained a great sphere of influence in politics and the economy. After growing public pressure, laws enacted to limit their influence greatly lowered their political standing and saw their reputation tarnished. The undermining of the Order has been attributed to by many historians, as the first example of organized Libertan populism.

After the birth of neoclassicism, often attributed to the writings of Johann Joachim Winckelmann, Liberta became one of the most prominent tourism destinations in Europe during the Grand Tour era. Due to the spark in interest of decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity, Liberta was thoroughly studied by art historians, historians and writers. This Libertophilia was prominent in many writings and arts in neoclassicism, which also shaped the romanticism and fictionalization of the provenance of Liberta, known as the Libertan Origin.

Arrival of Jewish Diaspora

Main article: Libertan Jews

The first known Jews arrived in Liberta after the forced expulsion of Jews from the Iberian Peninsula. After the assassination of Alexander II of Russia, for which some of the populous started a witch hunt blaming "the Jews", there was a vast increase in anti-Jewish pogroms – possibly with the support of the government – and numerous anti-Jewish laws were passed. Therefore, roughly 100 000 Jews fled to Liberta, after word spread from the small Jewish community in Liberta to the Ashkenazim communities in eastern Europe regarding how well the Jewish community was met.

Industrialization

Robert Hoe and Co was one of the first factories in Marima.

Pryce Iron Works became the largest employer in Liberta during the industrialization.

Despite the early discovery of steam's potential as a power by Libertan inventor Vergento of Lea in 742, it wasn't until the Industrial Revolution that Liberta industrialized through steam power. As the Metropolitan Island was expanding rapidly, it was decided that the southwestern coast, due to the strong southbound winds, would host most factories. In 1808, following the decision to separate the outer neighborhoods into seven outer boroughs, this coast became Marima borough. To the west was Eode, the south part of which became the locations of many headquarters of companies owning the factories. To the east of Marima was Montale, in which most factory workers began residing. This economic triangle would continue to the present day, heavily centering economic activity to the south of the island.

The industrialization of Liberta led to an extreme economic growth, and a new cultural emphasis on workmanship. Liberta continued to heavily rely on its Protectorates for raw resources, and built an economy on manufacturing, as opposed to extraction. Competition between neighborhood guilds since the Medieval Era had established Libertan products as pertaining to high quality, and this continued into the industrial revolution. Because of the limited number of raw materials that could be supplied, the industrial sector reacted by pushing for higher efficiency in all aspects of manufacturing. This practice would become known as disciplus, and in turn benefit Libertan product quality.

Language transition

Following the slow decline of Latin as a lingua franca in the 16th century, a growing and increasingly globalist Liberta led to several suggestions to adopt a new language as early as 1632. Initially, adopting the French language was proposed, though this was met with fierce local opposition. The closer contact with Great Britain following the industrial revolution brought with it many English and Welsh immigrants. As the British Empire firmly rooted its global hegemony through Pax Britannica, English grew into a globally dominant language in trade. The increasing trade between Liberta and the growing United States, further highlighted English as the language of trade and shipping. In 1781 the notably fastidious Gaius University began teaching English linguistics courses, and by 1829 the first anglophone university in Liberta, the University of Godiva, was inaugurated. As the possibility of a dual language state grew closer, nationalists and globalists, along with ethnic Libertans and Briton immigrants, frequently clashed in what erupted into violent street brawls. As the Briton immigrant population accounted for nearly a third of the population in the mid 1800s, they became politically organized and established the Anglican Party in 1860. The half-Libertan, half-English Augustus Pawley Flavius was elected president in 1866, and established a political doctrine attempting to bolster national unity and reconciliation. Because of this polarization, the Language Bill of 1867, as a compromise, awarded Latin the status of national language, and established English the official trade language. This would make Liberta a de facto bilingual nation. In 1868 the Senate narrowly approved the bill of 1867, ratifying it and requiring all government bodies to use both languages. Though de jure only enforcing an already established linguistic dichotomy, the Language Act of 1867 would set the precedent for the gradual shift toward a fully English speaking nation.

World War I, Great Depression, and World War II

The early availability of the radio led to high public awareness.

Liberta remained neutral throughout World War I, but supported the United Kingdom with arms through several covert operations and incentives. World War I also sparked a national debate regarding expansion of the Libertan military. Following the rapid journalism of the battlefield, public opinion swayed in favor of significantly enlarging military strength. As a direct result of this, rich incentives for military production led to the establishment of several large arms manufacturers like Cassowary, Seagirt, and Libertan Arms Corporation. In 1920, then president Abraham Verrucosus attended the Paris Peace Conference, and suggested joining the League of Nations. This was first rejected by the Senate, but approved just a month later.

The 1920s and 30s saw the rise of the radio for mass communication, and the invention of the early television. By 1925 virtually all homes in all boroughs had access to electricity. Throughout the Roaring Twenties, businesses experienced an incredibly large growth, along with a booming film industry. The Wall Street Crash of 1929, which started the Great Depression, severely strained the expanding Libertan economy, resulting in massive lay-offs and a spike in poverty. To combat this, the strong public confidence of the presidency was used by then president James Wellington to issue large-scale financial bonds in order to prevent major companies from declaring bankruptcy. Controversially he also used reserves from the Grand National Exchequer to mitigate the losses from the Great Depression. By 1937, Liberta had recovered from the Great Depression, being one of the faster countries to do so.

Aigilia was evacuated of civilians after repeated bombing runs by Axis forces.

Effectively neutral until 1940, Liberta was drawn World War II following the start of the Battle of Britain. Because of the mutual-defense pact signed with the United Kingdom in 1921, Liberta began supplying reserve arms to Britain. The military companies formed during World War I had suffered greatly under the Great Depression, and extremely large investments in "the big three" were made during a span of eight months. Johnson Floyd was provided with direct financial support from the Ministry of Defense to manufacture Supermarine Spitfires under license for the Royal Air Force, and to also develop a domestic fighter aircraft. Particularly of threatened were the protectorates in the Mediterranean, which also served as crucial stopping points for the Allies. When both the Cossura and Aigilia Protectorate were attacked by Italian and German forces, Liberta engaged in direct combat with Axis troops. On the 8th of June 1940, the Senate declared war on Germany and Italy, leading to a total civilian evacuation of both Mediterranean protectorates. They were were both however, successfully defended throughout the war. Though part of the war, few troops fought in mainland Europe. Instead, most of the war effort was directed at supplying the allies with arms and defending the protectorates. The Libertan Air Force engaged in several bomb raids on Greek air bases after the German invasion. The Cossura Protectorate was intensely bombarded and defended during the Siege of Malta. By 1943 several military aircraft, such as the Ruddeye Redtail, saw considerable use in the war. The war begun the close diplomacy and joint-research between Liberta and the United States, but atomic research between the two ceased after the Atomic Energy Act of 1946, which restricted access to information about nuclear weapons from the United States. Liberta instead joined the British High Explosive Research project, culminating in the covert supply of nuclear weapons from the UK in 1955.

Cold war and late 20th century

Following the start of the Cold War, the connection to the English-speaking world along with the liberal and democratic values in society, drew Liberta to the side of the Western Bloc. This was officially ratified after the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty, joining NATO as a founding member. The Second Red Scare rooted itself in Libertan politics following two key events; the Soviet Union's first nuclear weapons test in 1949, the RDS-1, and the 1951 presidential election electing Robert Senora. The Senora administration enacted a series of policy changes, including laws targeting leftist groups, witch hunts against communist sympathizers, and significant power increases for the NIA. This would later come to define the eponymous Senorism, analogous to American McCarthyism. The extensive medical industry of Liberta enabled it to develop biological weapons, maintaining the largest known biological weapons stockpile.

Throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s Liberta covertly engaged in several African wars against socialist and communist militias, so called "clean sweeps". This began in 1963 with the Guinea-Bissau War of Independence, aiding the Portuguese forces. Following the public uncovering of the clean sweep program in the late late 1960s, the pacifist flower power movement grew considerably. This largely coincided with the Vietnam War opposition movement in the United States. The Government of Liberta also secretly aided several ex-colonial states, such as financially aiding Rhodesia in the Rhodesian Bush War, which strained relations with the United Kingdom, as well as the Portuguese forces in the Mozambican War of Independence. The last clean sweep came to an end in 2002, following the end of the Angolan Civil War. As a hub for higher education, several domestic universities lobbied for Liberta to become cable connected to the Internet. This was achieved in 1994, following the completion of the LICAN CCable. The 1973 oil crisis launched a series of Libertan led oil exploration projects in Cameroon, a closely allied country. Following the economic expansion in the 80s, many Libertan companies and conglomerates multi-nationalized and entered international markets. The Libertan government continued to invest in Internet infrastructure until the year 2000, following the dot-com crash, which saw private companies take the lead in digital infrastructure investment.

21st century

Minutes following the September 11 attacks, in which al-Qaeda Islamic terrorist hijackers, under the leadership of Osama bin Laden, flew two passenger planes into the World Trade Center, the Libertan government temporarily shut down and grounded all flights at McGarrett International Airport, at the time the second largest airport in the world. Liberta joined the United States in the resulting War on Terror, in both the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War, providing both ground troops and intelligence. The participation in these wars saw domestic military spending increase, which was strongly criticized on many fronts, causing the conservative coalition to lose supermajority in the 2012 election.

The financial crisis of 2007–2008 greatly affected the Libertan industrial sector, resulting in a major controversy following president Laura Ignacio's decision to use funds from the National Exchequer to alleviate the financial losses of several conglomerates. Corporations such as Speedster received bailouts and major restructuring, with total job losses during those two years in the tens of thousands. This prompted the Invigoration Act of 2009, in which over 680 million trine were used to incentivize businesses.

Geography

Sheephead breem swimming in the Breakaways.

Liberta consists of Liberta proper, which includes the mainland Metropolitan Island, the Breakaways breakwater islands, and all 34 satellite islands sit atop the Great Meteor Seamount, formed some 11 to 16 million years ago, as a result of the North American continent slowly drifting to the west. Due to this, the seamount shows a strong resemblance to the geology in the White Mountains of New England. The Seamount belongs to the Seewarte Seamounts, and is a guyot, with a summit depth of 270 meters. Its shallow and flat summit suggests that it may have emerged sometime in the past. Covered by a 150 to 600 meter thick layer of limestone, pyroclastic rocks, and bioclastic sandstones, its ability to maintain the Libertan islands has been studied numerous times. Due to its shallowness compared to the rest of the Atlantic Ocean, it has many endemic species of copepods and nematodes. It is likely that humans introduced epipelagic fish to Liberta through boats, waste, and deliberate breeding colonies. Fishing does not appear to have substantially affected the movement of fish around the guyot, and considerable parts of the islands of Liberta have developed some form of coral reefs, although when this process first began is disputed.

Part of Macaronesia, the Libertan mainland has increased since its founding in 80 CE, up until 1951, and has remained at 480 km² since. Entirely man-made, older islands in Liberta have been constructed through hundreds of years of block laying. Instead of mortar, the Libertan rock foundation relies on weight to inhibit movement. In present times this lack of sealing has allowed many species of marine life to live in the open gaps of water, developing a unique ecosystem. Newer islands, built after 1900, have a more sophisticated construction, planning around the direction of ocean currents and optimizing stone use. The 34 satellite islands combined account for an area of another 140 km², and many are used for farming, as entertainment grounds, as nature reserves, or for military use.

Nature

A part of the Grand National Botanical Garden in Hyde.

Liberta has few to no wild areas, and most greenery exists on the Breakaways, in parks, or wildlife reserves on empty satellite islands. As a result of this, Libertan flora and fauna is limited, and has been highly protected by the Ministry of Surroundings. Common wildlife includes wildcats, red squirrels, great black-backed gulls, and robins. Cats are believed to have been introduced as early as the Ancient Era, primarily to rid the city of mice and rats. Due its role as a pest control, cats have been cemented into Libertan culture, and are a considerably large part of Libertan wildlife. Wildcats, who have become increasingly wild over thousands of generations, are common on both the Breakaways and a few wildlife reserves. Most introduced wildlife has been isolated on Liberta for such an extended period of time that they have become separate subspecies of their European counterparts. The Grand National Botanical Gardens, a 202-year-old garden park in Hyde, is the one of few designated spaces in mainland Liberta where wild animals are abundant.

Climate

The Mediterranean climate makes swimming in the ocean a popular year-round activity.

Liberta has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa), with the Gulf Stream contributing to its warmer climate. The stream also contributes to the sea temperature, which varies between 15 °C (59 °F) in February and March, and 23 °C (73 °F) in August and September. The Seasonal lag is extreme in the winter, with December being milder than April in terms of mean temperatures. During the summer the lag is considerably lower, with August being the warmest month, though September and sometimes October is warmer than July. Due to its isolation in the Atlantic, the warm weather is usually somewhat dampened by the strong, year-round winds. The warm summers have also shaped both Libertan culture and the cuisine, domestic beach tourism being a very popular pastime. Liberta follows the GMT-1 time zone, the same as the neighboring Azores and Cape Verde.

Liberta recognizes that climate change and rising sea levels in the decades ahead will affect its low-lying coastline. Due to its location and isolation in the Atlantic, the government of Liberta has often prioritized and funded climate change research since the 1950s. The government of Liberta is expected to spend nearly 20 billion trine on further research, coastline protection, and building elevation projects. Since the correlation between greenhouse gasses and rising sea levels has been further strengthened, Liberta has been among the first nations to launch incentives for companies to lower carbon-emissions, issuing additional taxes toward companies that produce more than 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year.

Government and politics

Front facia of the Hall of Decision, where the Senate meets.

Liberta is a parliamentary triarchical republic with an executive presidency, consisting of the Metropolitan Island, 34 satellite islands, and six protectorates. It is the world's oldest democracy, republic, and the world's only nation headed by a triumvirate. It is a representative democracy, with majority rule pertaining to some legislative restrains protecting minority rights. Over the past 20 years, Liberta has ranked among the top 5 nations in the world on the Democracy Index, and is described as a "full democracy". Its political transparency has at times been historically disputed, especially during the 1950s and 60s, but following the decline of the Cold War, favored well, and it retains a high rating on Transparency International's 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index, with a Number 8 rating, one point below Switzerland and one point above the Netherlands. Most Libertan citizens, those residing on the Metropolitan Island, are subject to three levels of government, national, regional (borough-level), and local (neighborhood-level). The local government is appointed either by a plurality vote or, less commonly, by a show of hands. The regional government is chosen by the representatives from the neighborhoods in the borough.

The Government of Liberta is regulated by separation of powers between the Senate, the Triumvirs, and the Supreme Court, all instituted in the Five National Creeds, the constitution of Liberta and its sole, supreme legal document. There are three levels of legislative laws in Liberta. The National Creeds are constitutional laws describing the basic principles of government, and are immune to alteration by any power. The Cardinal Codex is the second tier of constitutional set of laws, identical in significance, but may be altered with a three-quarters majority by two sets of cabinets. The third and lowest tier of laws are the Common Laws, regular laws on national, borough, and neighborhood-levels of government. All legislation proposals in the Senate are subject to judicial review by the Supreme Court before it is ratified into law. If the court finds that a suggestion violates the constitution, it is legally obligated to void the suggestion. The Common Board of Democratic Oversight oversees the democratic integrity of the national government.

Diagram of the government of Liberta

The primary triumvir, the Consul, colloquially referred to as the President, is the commander-in-chief of all Libertan military branches, and appoints the Ministers of all respective ministries (departments). The President has since 1707 been elected through a popular vote, but is still ratified by a Senate vote. The secondary triumvir acts as the leader of the opposition, whilst the third triumvir is the leader of the Supreme Court and must remain strictly apolitical throughout their career. Generally, the most popular senator, the majority party leader, is elected President, and the opposition leader is elected Di-Consul. The Consul and Di-Consul must themselves choose a deputy senator to act on their behalf. The decisions taken by the cabinet must first be approved through a 2–1 majority, the Tri-Consul generally votes in favor of the Consul unless they find it to violate the constitution. The Senate, situated in the Hall of Decision, creates legislative bills, declares war, approves treaties, and has the power of the purse. The Senate also posses the power to impeach sitting members of the government, and all triumvirs with a two-thirds majority. The Supreme Court interprets legislation proposals and overturns those which it deems are unconstitutional.

Liberta administers and enforces various governmental and societal functions through its eleven ministries, comparable to American federal executive departments. Ministers oversee and interpret the various roles and responsibilities of their respective ministries, and are appointed by the President. Ministers can be replaced at any time by the president, or by a two-thirds vote of confidence by the Senate. The largest ministry, the Ministry of Defense, is allotted a budget of 50 billion trine, whilst the smallest ministry, the Ministry of Commerce, is allotted a budget of 890 million trine. Ministries maintain a presence in all levels of government, with operating units on national, regional, and local levels. Ministries also maintain absolute control over their respective duties in Libertas provinces.

Parties and Elections

Kenneth Hoyer
President

Julia Moore
Vice President

since February 1st, 2022

The Senate has 201 voting members, one from each neighborhood, who are appointed by a direct vote by those residing in their respective neighborhoods. They are elected every four years, two years before the national triumvirate election. Residents stationed on any of the 34 satellite islands return to the neighborhood they have resided in for more than eight years. Libertan nationals who live in any of the six protectorates hold no ability to vote in the Senate election. They instead vote in separate, semi-autonomous elections for candidates in their protectorate neighborhood. The head of state of each protectorate is a Governor, and represents their protectorate in the Department of Protectorate Interests. The triumvirate is elected every four years, two years after the Senate election. Ahead of elections, each political party selects three candidates for the position of triumvir, vice-triumvir, and tri-tirumvir, usually by popular vote by members of the respective parties. The candidates chosen by popular vote. Although customary, neither representatives nor triumvir are legally bound to act their party's interests, as Libertan law does not officially recognize any parties, and only sees representatives and the triumvirate as independent politicians.

In Libertan political culture, the climate is dominated by three parties, the center-left Progressus, the center-right Conservative Coalition, and the centrist Democratia Nova. Together, these parties are referred to as "the big three", due to their relatively similar politics, interests, and roles as the three major parties in Libertan politics. Progressus and the Conservative Coalition originate from earlier iterations of political factions with the same name, tracing back to the Ancient era, although documentation shows that earlier, unofficial political alliances likely existed. Democratia Nova formed out of major splinter groups from the two aforementioned parties. Fringe parties include the nationalist and traditionalist Front, classical liberal Pro Populi, as well as the environmentalist-socialist Greens and Lefts. These minor parties do not operate in the six protectorates, where local parties are elected instead.

In the 496th Senate, elected in 2020, Progressus narrowly took control over the legislature, controlling 64 seats, the most out of any party, followed by the Conservative Coalition with 62 seats, and Democratia Nova with 60 seats. Progressus leader and former Mayor of Liberta Kenneth Hoyer, the winner of the 2022 presidential election, is serving as the 411th President of Liberta, along with Vice-President Julia Moore, Conservative Coalition leader Ann McCarthy serving as leader of the opposition and second triumvirate, and Austin Clarence as leader of the Supreme Court and third triumvirate. The coast-effect is largely prevalent, with most neighborhoods along the coastline voting more center-left, and central neighborhoods voting more center-right.

Protectorates

Protectorates are the overseas territories of the republic, and have since 1707 been autonomous, effectively replacing all three levels of government. However, the national government may override or revoke certain laws in protectorates if it deems them unconstitutional, as protectorates abide by the Libertan constitution. The autonomy of the protectorates varies greatly, larger territories such as Ila and the Pirulian Islands function similarly to sovereign nations, whilst the smaller Mediterranean territories receive significant funding from the national government. Mainland Liberta is responsible for diplomatic relations, as well as defense and currency.

Foreign Relations

Liberta has maintained foreign relations since the Ancient Era, having established principles for negotiation and diplomacy dating back to the 6th century CE. It is a founding member of the United Nations, along with a member of the G20, and OECD. It maintains embassies around the world, with additional consulates in closer partners, such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Almost all countries have embassies in or in close proximity to the specially designated Embassy Gardens part of Forea neighborhood in central Liberta. It does not have a formal diplomatic relation with Iran, Lesotho, Palestine, Eritrea, or China. Liberta maintains a special relationship with the United Kingdom, and close connections with the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, and South Korea, and is a member of several intelligence-sharing alliances with the US, UK, and Australia.

Liberta also maintains a unique diplomatic relationship with Taiwan, being the only western democracy and member of G20 to recognize Taiwan in favor of China. In practice it recognizes the sovereignty of both governments, but due to the one-China principle maintained by the People's Republic of China, official diplomatic relations have never been established. The official stance by the Libertan government is that Liberta maintains support for the self-determination of both nations. Relations with Taiwan commenced in the late 1960s, during which McCarthyism and anti-communism influenced national politics. Both countries have maintained this relation ever since, resulting in multiple trade agreements and cultural exchanges. As part of the Libertan pledge to protect and aid liberal democracies, it has sold domestically manufactured weapons and funded Taiwanese development of military equipment.

Sub-Divisions

Liberta is administered on three separate levels, national (or federal), regional (borough-level), and local (neighborhood-level). Its protectorates maintain their own separate judicial system, outside of the regional and local judicial levels. The protectorates' laws and taxation vary greatly, and are often a result of the differing interests, industries, and climates different provinces have. Protectorates were ruled directly by the senate until 1766, but today maintain a high level of autonomy. The 34 satellite islands surrounding Liberta proper, in terms of civilian islands, face only national government and the regional government of whichever borough it is geographically closest to. This excludes the islands with military bases, which are directly administered by the Ministry of Defense. The lack of local government and its taxes have led to a large entertainment and tourism industry on many satellite islands, like Disneyland Liberta and the Everglade Park.

Map of the twelve boroughs. Protopolis Romea Lyrestadea Piscepa Oriens Eode Montale Eccestrate Cassea Vernier Oria Marima

Surrounding the Libertan mainland are four breakwater islands, known as the Breakaways, surrounding and protecting the Metropolitan Island (or the mainland) from the rougher waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The Breakaways host a population of 11 thousand, with a large tourism industry centered around its long beaches and boardwalks, and maintains transport links with mainland Liberta through numerous ferries, some operated by the NTA. The Breakaways have a collective local government, and are represented as a neighborhood in the Hall of Decision.

The Libertan mainland, colloquially known as the Metropolitan Island, consists of twelve boroughs, all of which have separate, regional governments which oversee and address the interests of the borough. The boroughs vary massively in size, from the smallest, Piscepa, to the largest, Eode. Historically, Liberta was administered directly by the national government, until it had expanded to roughly the area of the inner five boroughs. At which point, in 1204, they were split up, in order to settle political polarization between the increasingly differing interests between boroughs. As the island continued to grow, it was eventually decided that, in 1808, new boroughs outside the inner five had to be created, as the size between the five had grown increasingly different. Following the language transition to English in 1868, along with the increasing speed of expansion, neighborhoods in the outer seven boroughs were renamed to various American and British inspired place names, whilst the inner five retained their Latin names. In contrast to this, all boroughs retained their Latin names.

Architecture, tourism, real estate, transportation, and age groups vary considerably between boroughs. Whilst the inner five boroughs retain much of the historical classical Romanesque and Parisian architecture, the outer boroughs feature a more relaxed planning, larger roads such as boulevards, and more contemporary architecture. The oldest and inner borough, Protopolis, contains many of the governmental buildings and historically significant complexes, such as the Grandorian Museum of Art. The stones laid under Protopolis are at least 1500 years old. The four surrounding boroughs, Lyrestadea, Romea, Piscepa, and Oriens, architectures are dominated by older roman apartments, with a significantly lower amount of houses compared to the outer seven boroughs. Due to the smaller streets and planning not designed around automotive transportation, the Liberta Metropolitan Subway's most trafficked stations all reside within these boroughs. Sports rivalries, especially in the Major Baseball League and the National Lacker League, are prominent between boroughs, as well as differing cultures and dialects, which have led to unique dynamics between the populations of different boroughs.

The outer seven boroughs were built between 1870 and 1951, and feature differing architecture, much of which was planned during the City Beautiful movement, with large pedestrian streets, many of which later refit for car transportation. Due to the amount of Parisian beautification Cassea has retained, it has the highest median income as well as the oldest population by average. Boroughs such as Oria, Montale, and parts of Eccestrate, feature Brooklyn inspired brownstone rowhouses and townhouses, along with larger brick apartments. Most of Vernier, parts of Cassea and Eccestrate instead have primarily English inspired cottage townhouses, built in the 1920s and 30s, and due to this they feature the majority of above-ground subway tracks. Whilst the outer boroughs host a large majority of the population, Eode, despite being the largest and most populated borough, also hosts most of the financial institutions, corporate headquarters, and entertainment venues. Montale, however, maintains the highest number of people per neighborhood. Marima, to the south, is the industrial center of Liberta, within it the Grand Harbor, the largest shipping port in the world by area.

Military

President Kenneth Hoyer at a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate soldiers of the Libertan Army who died in the Sierra Leone Civil War intervention.

The President is the commander-in-chief of the Copiae Militares Libertae (Libertan Armed Forces), and appoints its leaders, the minister of the Ministry of Defense. The Ministry of Defense administers all six service branches, which are made up of the Army, Marine Corps, Armada (Navy), Air Force, and Coast Guard. In 2019, all six branches of the Liberta Armed Forces reported a total of 150,000 personnel on active duty. The Reserves and National Guard brought the total number of troops to 365,000. The Ministry of Defense also employed about 60,000 civilians, excluding private contractors. Military service in Liberta is voluntary, although conscription may occur in wartime through the Conscription Office. In place of conscription, the Ministry of Defense instead manages the mandatory Amice week, wherein every third week of May, every 18-year old is called in for a one week basic combat training course. Today, Libertan forces can be rapidly deployed by both the Air Force's large fleet of transport aircraft and Navy's two active aircraft carriers. The Air Force can strike targets across the globe through its fleet of high altitude strategic bombers, High-Altitude Long Endurance UAVs, in combination with the Navy's submarine carried long-distance cruise missiles and two aircraft carriers. Its land-based warfare capabilities remain comparatively limited, relying on its Air Force and Navy for transport from Liberta proper. Substituting this the Ministry of Defense maintains bases in all six protectorates, primarily for the Army. Close to 80% of the Army remain stationed outside Liberta proper at all times. The Ministry of Defense maintains and operates the Atlantic World Positioning System, a satellite-based augmentation system to enhance the Global Positioning System's accuracy in the Atlantic and Africa, as well as both the National Threat Network and the National ICBM Deterrence Network. It does not operate any bases abroad, but instead relies on its close cooperation and ties with the United States and United Kingdom, often undertaking joint military exercises with both the U.S., UK, and NATO partners.

The Libertan military adheres to principles with a unique priority for the safety of civilians in the battlefield. Attacks such as night-time drone strikes are not utilized, as foreign forces and civilians cannot be reliably distinguished from one another. This, in combination with the Libertan tradition of supplying medical assistance in conflicts, has resulted in what the Libertan Armed Forces describe as a humane military approach (HMA).

Liberta spent over 50 billion trine on its military in 2019, 2.7% of global military spending. At 4.5% of GDP, the rate was the fourth-highest among the top 15 military spenders, after Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the United States. Defense spending plays a large role in the domestic arms and military industry of Liberta, with nearly 66% of funding coming from the Ministry of Defense. Domestic companies outside of the military industry, such as Medica, Fierre, and GERC also receive large investments through research agreements from the Ministry of Defense. The Military's importance to the economy rose swiftly throughout the 1930s to 60s, peaking at 10% of the GDP, before declining as the Cold War slowly ended. In recent times Liberta has continued maintaining its large military, primarily to protect its protectorates and interests abroad, as well as assisting its closer allies, such as its campaign in the Gulf War, or its military cooperation with Taiwan. In total number of military personnel, Liberta has the fourteenth largest combined armed forces forces in the world, after Brazil and before Thailand.

Liberta is one of six recognized nuclear weapons states, and one of ten countries to posses nuclear weapons. It maintains a stockpile of U.S.made Trident missiles carried on three Poseidon-class submarines, U.S. made Minuteman III Intercontinental ballistic missiles, domestic Charon IV ICBMs, and Interceptor II Anti-ballistic missiles, together numbering in excess of 60. It has also expressed interest in the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent system currently being developed by the United States. The necessity of maintaining its nuclear arsenal has come into question multiple times, across several decades.

Economy

Skyscrapers in behind of the Hollice esplande and pond, North Hollice, Eode. North Hollice is frequently labeled as one of the financial cores in Liberta proper.

Liberta has a highly developed market economy, which has existed in some form its since early history. With no natural resources excluding fish, it remained relatively impoverished and isolated until the Medieval era, in which Liberta expanded into an empire. Its protectorates of Cossura and Aigilia flourished with wealth as key Mediterranean entrepôts. It grew into an economic powerhouse in the 18th century, following the industrial revolution. The expense of domestic raw material import from both protectorates and international sources led to a culture of minimizing waste and optimizing both the supply chains and industrial design. Products pertaining to Liberta were eventually viewed as a guarantee of quality in international markets. The Gross Domestic Product of Liberta is the fourth highest in the world per capita, and among the most competitive economies in the world. It is frequently attributed to as an international center for banking, in part because of its historically rigid banking secrecy laws, venerable banking institutions, and low tax rate. Liberta is a founding member of the OECD, and is one of a few countries with an AAA credit rating from the big three. The Libertan trine, the descendant of the Libertan pars, considered a hard currency, is one of the most stable and highly valued legal tender in the world, being widely used as reserve currency.

Because of the exceedingly high amount of university graduates, the Libertan workforce is frequently assessed as highly skilled and internationally sought after. Libertan companies such as Fierre, Johnson Floyd, and Nautic, are respectively among the the largest automotive, aeronautical, and shipbuilding companies in the world. The most important economic sector is manufacturing. Manufacturing largely consists of chemicals, health and pharmaceutical goods, biotechnology, shipbuilding, metallurgical refinement, and heavy machinery. Both the automotive industry and aeronautical industry are particularly large. Shipping is a key industry in Liberta, both historically and contemporaneously, the Grand Harbor, located in Marima, is the largest shipping port in the world by area.

Employment

Liberta has a very low unemployment rate for a developed country, at just 1.9%, and has historically never risen above 4.5%. Following the financial crisis of 2008-2009, unemployment peaked at 2.4%, before slowly decreasing over the span of ten years. It has a high minimum wage, at $14 US dollars adjusted for purchasing power parity, per hour. However, this does not extend to adolescents, and it is therefore common practice by employers in to hire adolescents part-time for low skilled jobs. Poverty is seldom cohesively defined by Libertan statisticians, but it is estimated that around 2.4% of Libertans live below the poverty line. Most of those were unemployed, although 0.6% are perceived to be working poor.

Tourism

Tourism is a major industry in Liberta, and contributes significantly to the local population. In 2019, Liberta received over 48 million tourists, over four times of the total population. Because of the large amount of layovers that happen in Liberta, short-term vacations spanning less than three days are common. Protectorates, in particular the Pirulian Islands, Aigilia, Cossura, and Ila all have well established, widespread tourism infrastructure that attract both domestic and international tourists. Tourism is such a large industry that the Ministry of Interior allocates nearly half of its budget toward supporting and inspecting tourism infrastructure. Amusement parks, situated on satellite islands in Liberta proper, attract millions of visitors each year. The largest one, Disneyland Liberta, recieved over 6 million visitors annually in 2016. Everglade Park, a resort famed for its casinos and partying culture, attracts hundreds of thousands of young adults each year. Paradise Isle, the world's largest nudist resort, recieved several tens of thousands of visitors annually, catering to a primarily international audience.

The Libertan Board for Tourism, the official governing body for marketing tourism in Liberta, announced in cooperation with Air Liber, the "come together" brand and initiative in 2015. Eode, the largest borough, is also the hub for most tourism, with sights like the Inwood Studios Complex, Vineyard Boulevard, Empirical Park, and Liberty Spire.

Transportation

Libertas comprehensive transportation system is both complex and extensive, varying over different boroughs, neighborhoods, and across different islands. Car ownership rates are one of the lowest in Europe, but comparable to other city states. In 2017, car ownership rates were the lowest in Protopolis, where only 19% of household owned a car. In contrast, car ownership was the highest in Marima, were over 72% owned a car.

Public transportation

Ferries are a common mode of transport between the Libertan mainland and the Breakaways.

Public transport is essential in Liberta, as 2 in 3 Libertans use mass transit to commute to work, and nearly 90% using it every month to some extent. Almost all public mass transportation in Liberta is provided by the National Transport Authority (NTA) a public benefit corporation. Buses, rapid transit, ferries, funiculars, and cable cars are all services that are offered by the NTA. In protectorates, public transportation is instead offered by local subsidiaries to the NTA. Private competitors exist, but are more common in protectorates. Taxis, in contrast, are all operated by private companies. As traffic jams are common occurrence, especially within the inner five boroughs, along with a lack of parking spaces, car commuters spend an average of 7 hours and 22 minutes getting to work each week, a comparatively long time globally. In 2015 the bulk of all commuters using public transit some 74% used the subway exclusively, along with 19% who used the subway in conjunction with buses.

The Liberta Metropolitan Subway, often cited as an icon of the city, is the largest rapid transit system when measured by stations in operation, with 449, and one of the largest when measured by it's 340 kilometers of system length and over 800 kilometers of track length. Nearly the entire subway system is open 24 hours a day, similar to New York City's subway. It is also the busiest metropolitan rail transit system in Europe, with 2.2 billion passenger rides in 2018. The largest station on the network, the Grand National Station, directly connects four of the nine mainland lines together, and is the most trafficked nationally. Libertas subway system remains the only mass transit system on rail, as both the North Montale Personal Rapid Transit and the Staten Single Transit system use rubber tires. The subway features a total of nine mainland lines, including the Shuttles line and four Breakaways Railroad lines.

Buses, in contrast, are not operated by the NTA, instead being operated by several private contractors. Buses are more frequently used for shorter distances, usually within a neighborhood. Many students in Liberta rely upon school buses, as school adherence is not necessarily determined on a neighborhood-level. So much so, that buses are often considered synonymous with schools, more than two thirds of schools have one or several buses. Other popular public transport includes the various ferry systems that connect the Breakaways with the Libertan mainland, many of which have 24-hour schedules.

Private transportation

Liberta proper is a highly urbanized, artificial island. The public roads reflect this, and transportation via car is possible virtually everywhere on the island. As such, cars are a widely available, and three in five households own a car. Car ownership has remained relatively stable since the 1980s, with relatively high vehicle taxes preventing most young adults from owning cars, depending on the borough. Roads have shaped the borders that form the neighborhoods in Liberta, and major roads all divide neighborhoods into their respective areas. Roads were first made out of sett, with evidence of some roads having used asphalt as a remnant from Greek road building techniques. By the mid-1800s, asphalt began being used for road building on a bigger scale, and by the 1930s all major roads used asphalt. Minor roads in the inner five districts use a mix of both asphalt and sett, whilst Protopolis maintains as much of the ancient Libertan sett technique as possible. Road maintenance is administered on a neighborhood level, as a result of this, road construction techniques vary widely between neighborhoods. For example, patching is a more common method to fix potholes in Montale, Eode, and Marima, whilst complete removal and replace techniques are used for potholes in Cassea, Vernier, and Oria. Road markings and traffic signs are conversely, instead federally regulated.

Demographics

The 2020 census counted that Liberta has a population of 11,259,852 people, this excludes the population of the protectorates. In common with other developed countries, its population grew rapidly during the industrial era, leading to the expansion of the Libertan mainland. Unlike most developed countries, Liberta does not face a rapidly ageing population, maintaining a 2.2 children per family growth rate, as a result of incentives for parents first introduced in 1996. It has one of the oldest mean ages in the world, at 41 years. The retirement age is comparatively high, at 68 years minimum. Most seniors, however, continue to work low-strain part-time jobs voluntarily. Pensions, paradoxically, are one of the highest in the world, at a minimum monthly pension of $2,000 adjusted for purchasing power parity. According to the Global AgeWatch Index, Liberta is one of the best countries for seniors.

Liberta has a very low immigration rate compared to other developed nations, on par with Japan. In 2019, only 3,300 immigrants were granted citizenship. Most expats instead reported only working temporarily in Liberta, not aspiring to be granted citizenship. Roughly 500,000 people, or around 4.5% of the total population were expats or foreign workers. Ethnic minority groups in Liberta include Jewish Libertans, Americans, Britons, Indigenous Ila, and other Protectorate groups.

Languages

Latin and Ancient Greek language course at Godiva University.

English, specifically Elroy Libertan, is the official language of Liberta. Latin holds the status as a national language, which granted citizens the right to communicate with the state and for children to be taught in Latin. From the 20th century onward however, this was largely abandoned, and linguists have instead argued that the national language status holds more of a symbolic significance. Despite this Latin is still taught as a mandatory secondary language in all schools, excluding in Elementary School. In 2021, in people aged 18 or older, over 90% met the A1 criteria (basic understanding) for Latin, and over 60% the B1 criteria (advanced understanding). Over 40% met or exceeded the C1 criteria, being fluent in Latin. According to the Liberta Surveying Service, 90% reported speaking only English at home, whilst 2% reported also speaking Latin at home, another 2% reported also speaking Yiddish at home, the other 6% reported speaking various languages, primarily in combination with English. Liberta also hosts a small francophone community.

Religion

The constitution of Liberta guarantees religious freedom. However, a limited number of religious expressions or traditions have been subject to restriction. Meats made from the Jewish Shechita, or Kosher ritual slaughter, is only permitted to be sold if labeled as such. Covering of the face, regardless of religion, is not permitted under the anti-mask law. Liberta has a large non-religious population, an estimated or 9,683,473 people or 86% answered that they had no religious affiliation whatsoever. The largest religion is Christianity, at 10%, of which over 70% of people responded that they were of Protestant faith. Judaism is the second largest religion, roughly 4.3% of the population hold Jewish faith. Of these, more than half belong to Reform Judaism, roughly 20% reported as being Jewish secularists, 10% as Conservative Jews, and less than 10% as Orthodox Jews. Liberta also has a small Muslim community, which is primarily Liberal Sunni Muslim. The Muslim call to prayer through minarets is not permitted, but conversely, church ringing is allowed. The ringing of bells in churches have historically been used in Liberta for public timekeeping and do not serve an exclusively religious purpose.

Liberta has historically remained a nonreligious country. Before the middle of the Medieval Era, there was little to no national identity, and various religions, mostly Southern European folk religion, spread and amalgamated. During the Medieval Era, a strong national unity and emphasis on the importance of nationalism became common. The aftermath of this was the frequent denouncing of public expression of religion, it was instead considered a strictly private and intimate matter. The growth of the precursor to the scientific method among the Libertan academia led to the dismissal of many of the more oppressive elements of organized religion, criticizing the basis of faith. In the 13th century, scholars instead began to study humanism, along with the origin of various religious ideals. The academia of the time instead advocated for spiritualism, as it was considered what separated humans from other animals. By the Age of Enlightenment, these ideals had cemented themselves into Libertan society as a whole, excluding minor religious groups.

Health

A Libertan index from 1443 of the human organs.

The current life expectancy in Liberta is 82.5, second only to Japan. Many of the factors leading to higher life expectancy are found in Liberta, the Ministry of Health offers single-payer universal healthcare through private contractors, including dental care. Fish, wheat, and generally fatty foods are common ingredients in the Libertan cuisine, often toppled by vegetables and fruit, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives. Berries are also believed to have helped increase life expectancy, due to the early introduction of antioxidants. Health and the body’s fitness has been a common subject of debate in Liberta for hundreds of years, going to back to the 4th century, where physical fitness was considered a reflection of the soul. Generally, fitness plays an important role in Libertan society and has for centuries.

What is expected from not only us but the individuals around us, is manifested in our bodies. For, it’s evident that the embodiment of our souls are our bodies and the outer, descriptive key for the ones who do not know us.

For they see us only by the shells of our true selves, determined to determine what to expect of us, and before we know it, they believe they know us better than ourselves. It is no use fighting this, standing up, protesting, for why protest when the key is inside yourself?

It is therefore natural to be determined to have a fit, well, and healthy body, capable of humane tasks, the ones that were determined for us, by us, not by ourselves, but by the ones before us. Our bodies determine what we receive, and are expected to behave like. Our bodies determine not what we want to achieve, but what we can achieve. It is therefore obvious to metaphorically reach for the strong body, since you are at the same moment, building a stronger self.

—Chapter 2, Humans and how we control them, Eculio Maecius.

The medical and physiological understanding of the human body in Liberta originated from the Roman Empire but would evolve into a separate perception of the human body, its organs, and psychology. Health and healthcare in Liberta during the classical antiquity and middle ages is considered incredibly advanced for its time. Several of the early Libertan universities extensively sought to increase the understanding of the human body, often through surgery. Precision tools were commonly used in surgery and were often boiled before surgery, due to the belief that it made the metal stiffer and easier to cut with. Although an incorrect theory, this unintentionally made surgeries safer, as the boiling water killed bacteria and other harmful infectious agents. Later, in the 5th century started to use silk gloves boiled in water with soap, as it was believed that touching the subject would spread the disease to the surgeon. These advancements in medical technology led to the phenomenon of Libertan nurses, whom where frequently found in various European royal courts.

Education

Cheerleading is an American cultural import that has been widely popular in both Middle and High Schools in Liberta since the 1950s.

Education in Liberta is federally regulated by the Ministry of Education, but is administered on a borough level. In some boroughs preschool attendance from three years of age is mandatory, but students are federally required to attend to school from 6 to 18 years of age. Schools in Liberta are divided into three distinct stages, beginning with Elementary School through ages 6-10, followed by Middle School through ages 11-14, and ending with High School through ages 15-18. Most schools offer all three stages, some offering only Elementary level education.

Although all educational institutions in Liberta receive funding through the state, almost all schools are charter schools, run through local cooperatives, with less than 20% of schools in Liberta directly run by the government. Due to the ban on school tuition, private schools are de facto public schools, with stringent regulations on curriculum deviations of any kind. Roughly 3% of children attend parochial schools, but these must adhere to the same curriculum as all other schools, effectively negating any differences. Because of the historically cultural importance of education, Liberta maintains a high graduate level. Of Libertans 25 years and older, some 98% graduated from secondary school, 70% completed a university course, 56% earned a bachelor’s degree, and 37% earned graduate degrees. The literacy rate is estimated at 99.5%.

Liberta proper hosts a total of 23 Universities, six of which are listed among the worlds top universities by various ranking organizations. One university also exists on the Ila Protectorate. A total of six universities in Liberta are public, led by non-profit foundations relying on stipulated state grants. There are a total of two neighborhoods with Administration per University status, where the students and faculty account for more than 50% of the population.

Culture

Contemporary Libertan culture is a Western culture, primarily a mix of American, British, and ancient Roman influences. This influence began as early as the Age of Enlightenment, where English scholars traveled to Liberta in scientific exchanges. Evidence suggests, however, that the earliest contact with Britons occurred in the 1500s. Cultural exchanges continued throughout the 1700s, as interest in the Roman Empire, and in turn, Libertan culture, became popular. This deeply affected Libertan culture, which had until this point, remained largely isolated. Despite building a trading empire in the Mediterranean, Liberta proper was geographically isolated, and therefore, the culture and customs also remained insular. Georgian, but particularly Victorian era views on fashion, modesty, and politics became popular with the upper and middle class. Following the establishment and growth of the United States, American culture and architecture instead became the focal point around the cusp of the 20th century, and especially after the Second World War.

Libertans have traditionally been characterized as having a strong work ethic, emphasizing on the importance of education, along with a quasi-religious adherence to individual liberty, equality, and democratic institutions. Portrayals in international media frequently present Libertans as open and very sociable. Historically, in western cinema and literature, Libertans were often vilified as lacking sexual decency, due to the comparatively lax norms surrounding public nudity. With a culture often perceived as highly patriotic, and with a strong national identity, Libertan iconography frequently portrays either the Torch of Liberty, Libertan Wheel, or the female national personification Lady Liberty.

National mythos

The national mythos of Liberta is believed to have originated in the Ancient era, being rooted in explanatory folklore. According to the mythos, Libertans can trance their heritage back to either the boatsmen or the Aurelian immigrants. Aurelian, the founder of Liberta, is said to have made the men in his naval convoy the first citizens of Liberta, as a sign of honor. As the Libertan kingdom slowly grew, Aurelian enlisted orators to recruit a total of 12,000 immigrants from the Mediterranean. These are, according to legend, the common ancestors to the Libertan people. Despite a majority of Libertans claiming ancestry to either of these two groups, genetic confirmation is difficult to impossible, though several common haplogroups have been discovered, such as R-M269.

Art and architecture

An artpiece made in the Classical style (left), and another in the Aurelianesque style (right).

Libertan visual art began as early as the Ancient era, when sculpture was the primary art. Sculptures were common on houses, as symbols to ward off evil spirits or to merely make the building more visually appealing. Libertan paintings took inspiration primarily from Roman art. Initially, paintings were only commissioned by the upper class, as a status of wealth. By the beginning of the Medieval era, however, museums, such as the Grandorian Museum of Art, gave the public access to observing paintings. This prompted interest in visual art among the middle and lower classes. This led to many new artists rising from these classes, a few becoming wealthy off of their art, which was virtually impossible in Europe at the time. Libertan art split into two main forms, the classical, and the old-contemporary. Classical art remained extravagant in both scale and skill, commissioned by wealthy individuals. Old-contemporary, sometimes also referred to as Aurelianesque, deviated from this. It was instead largely, though not always, pursued by inexperienced or less talented artists. In smaller scale, these were often painted in series, and for the middle and lower classes. The themes were often risqué or blunt, more than not in attempt at attracting attention. A part of this movement was the precursor to comic strips, satirical and small drawings by selected artists, published in widepapers, the precursor to newspapers. By the Imperial Era, visual art became more popular to have in homes, and woodblock prints instead became common. Still, artists like Aegan Nostallier continued painting in classical style, with large, elaborate subjects. As Libertan art continued to evolve, it became popular during the 18th century with European royalty, and many works were commissioned by royal courts.

Libertan architecture was first standardized in the Ancient Era, by the architect Apostates, in what became known as Apostates standardized apartments. These buildings featured heating, and were scientifically designed to be cooler during the summer months. They proved immensely popular, and also increased the quality of life. As they were reliant on olive oil to create heating, Liberta became one of the first nations to import fossil fuels in large quantities. Libertan architecture was influenced primarily by Roman architecture, but it came to be affected and changed as to fit the lack of resources that Liberta faced as a geographically isolated nation. So much so, that Apostates claimed that "In Rome they need twice the [amount of] rock for half the structure". Facing food shortages, Libertan apartment buildings began to operate roof gardens to alleviate famines. This would become a staple of Libertan architecture, as many apartment buildings still maintain roof gardens as a local supply. During the Age of Enlightenment, as Liberta proper expanded rapidly in area, most of the inner five boroughs adopted Parisian architecture, later also adopting many of the styles and ideas of Georges-Eugène Haussmann. Beginning in 1870, as construction on the outer seven boroughs began, most boroughs instead took inspiration from the City Beautiful movement, and other American architecture. This is in turn, led to the close resemblance to Manhattan and Brooklyn in Eode, garnering it the name of "Little New York". Neighborhoods in northern Vernier instead took inspiration from the English and Swedish garden city movement.

Literature and philosophy

Libertan literature has existed throughout Libertan culture, going back as far as the founding of Liberta. Authors were more than often playwrights, rather than traditional writers. Playwrights like Decimus and Agrippa, and their subsequent plays spread throughout Liberta and garnered immense popularity, but would seldom spread to Europe during the Medieval era. By the Imperial era, as the first newspapers became popular, famous writers instead found their footing as journalists. Plays would continue to be popular, with authors like Gallus the Mad achieving massive success both domestically and in Europe. This would later change toward the end of the era, as the first printing presses became widely available for publishers, and as such, also books for the middle and lower classes. Libertan literature was frequently related to Universities and scholars, nonfiction literature was more common than fiction. Many authors were also professors within fields, usually pertaining to medicine or human psychology, as with Eculio Maecius. Literary fiction instead became common during the Age of Enlightenment, especially as the literacy rate improved among the lower classes. In the lower classes, books became the primary form of entertainment, rather than theaters. In contrast, theaters instead became the primary form of entertainment for the upper classes, as books had largely lost their status as a symbol of wealth.

Philosophy in Liberta is historically rooted in Roman and Greek philosophy, until the severance during the Ancient era, when Roman social norms were replaced in favor of Civic Law. Ideals that were prompted primarily by the philosopher Citrio, built on the ideas of Cato, during the late Ancient era, are often attributed to as the birth of Libertanism. This came to deeply influence Libertan society as a whole, from the social hierarchy to government functions. Traditional Libertan philosophy is centered around autarky, equity, familialism, individual liberty, and elements of stoicism. The Libertan state, along with its people, became a symbol of Libertan self-sufficiency against other empires, amplified by its geographic isolation. Both political analysts and behavioral analysts claim that Liberism strongly affects both policy-making and societal norms in the 21st century.

Food

A traditional Libertan salad, served with Taggiasca olives and tuna.

Libertan cuisine is generally homogeneous and does not vary significantly between boroughs and neighborhoods. Historically, Libertan cuisine has Mediterranean roots, but with significantly more fish involved. The geographical isolation of Liberta proper made beef a luxury, traditionally only being eaten around holidays. In place of this, fish is consumed. Both demersal and pelagic fish are consumed, though the latter is significantly more frequent. Vegetables and fruits such as European cucumber, cherry tomatoes, along with both Kalamata and Taggisaca olives are common in most Libertan foods. The Libertan cuisine has also been affected by its dependence on protectorates for food. Examples of this includes Zibibbo wine from Cossura, or Poyo palm wine from Ila.

Popular Libertan beverages include beer, which has been brewed since its early history, different assortments of wine, and, since the late 19th century, soda, both foreign, such as Coca-Cola, and also domestic, such as Lime and Cello. Teas, introduced by British traders in the late 17th century, quickly gained a foothold and immense popularity in all social classes.

Music

Music in Liberta has roots in Mediterranean musical traditions, but came to evolve into its own distinct genres and sub genres. Music, specifically that played by vagrant musicians, was popular at various social gatherings and bars. By the Imperial era, the Libertan upper class would often not pursue instruments themselves, as it was deemed meant for the lower classes. Instead, musicians became part of courts, and would often work and produce music under commission or through a steady salary. This changed during the Age of Enlightenment, when many musicians would band together in groups, splitting income amongst themselves, and becoming more independent of the upper class as a result. In the contemporary age, singers like Aevia and Bryan Ford have risen to critical acclaim for their vocal skills.

Liberta is home to a large live music scene, which began reaching international prominence in the 1990s. The city has among the highest number of nightclubs and entertainment venues per capita, indicative of the large entertainment industry on the island. The controversial Grand National Centennial Superstadium, finished in 2015 is the largest live music venue and stadium in the world. Liberta is a major center for punk, techno, and house music, often played at underground venues or dedicated nightclubs, such as Modisch. Local varieties of genres, such as Libertan pop, jazz, and rap also exist, and have achieved international recognition.

Cinema

The varied architecture of Liberta has resulted in the city being among the most common film production spots in the world. The Roman, Gothic, Parisian, and American architectural influences provide a plethora of filming locations, fitting for a wide variety of settings in close proximity to one another. During the middle of the 20th century, the film industry in Liberta consisted of local studios, which frequently assisted international productions, primarily American, for shoots in the city. Comparatively cheap labor incentivized international film studios to conduct both on-location and studio productions in Liberta. Styles such as Libertine Noir, a variant of film noir, are earmarked by the diverse Libertan cityscape. The geographic spread and variety of landscape of the Libertan protectorates have also contributed to making Liberta into a major international hub for film production. For example, productions set in the American West, such as Westerns have often been filmed in Ila or Imsouane.

The Libertan film industry has existed since the early 1910s, being the primary form of entertainment since the roaring twenties. Major early film studios include Stygian, Lodestar, and Imperial Pictures. Because of the early and widespread availability to electricity by 1925, due in most part to the highly urban cityscape, the television had already become a common phenomenon in the mid 1940s, following the Second World War. This prompted a large portion of the major film studios of the time to draw its focus from high budget epics and drama films, toward soap operas, game shows, sitcoms, talk shows, and other mainstream programming. The shift, largely coinciding with the American Golden Age of Television, lead to the rise of independent film productions, which in turn manifested itself as a wider imprint on Libertan entertainment as a whole. An example of this is the Festival d'Championnats, one of the largest and most prestigious independent film festivals in the world. Several of these early independent film companies have later turned into large, mainstream studios. Internationalization of Libertan television and film is common, shows and movies, such as the Tragedy trilogy, Conflict of Interest, and Rotten To The Core take place in the United States or other countries, despite being made by inland companies and sometimes also filmed domestically. Companies such as Astral Pictures and Lodestar are responsible for some of the highest-grossing and critically acclaimed movies and TV-series in the 21st century.

Theater

The National Theater in Divitae is cited as one of the most prestigious stages in the world of performing arts.

Libertan theater originates from the Roman theater tradition, which favored tragedy and comedy. In respect to these two genres, Libertan playwrights constructed both new stories and new storylines. Libertan theater would split off from the Roman theater tradition during the Ancient era, and truly evolve into a completely separate tradition during the Medieval era. The upper class generally came to prefer tragedies, whilst the general public preferred comedies. This led to many prominent comedy playwrights of the time being forgotten to history, only to be brought back into spotlight beginning in the late 19th century. Famous playwrights like Decimus often caused wide societal shifts and impacted Libertan culture, spearheaded by his play highlighting the tragic conditions prisoners faced at the Metropolitan Prison Island. The playwright Naha is frequently attributed to as laying the groundwork for modern feminism, with many of her plays featuring subtext calling the role of women in society into question. Many plays were passed down through generations and multiple eras, and are among the best preserved stories from ancient Europe. Several prestigious theatrical institutions are based in Liberta, such as the Grandorian Performing Arts Academy, the National Theater, and the Arclight Theater.

Sports

Sports in Liberta are dominated by lacker, a domestic sport originating from the Ancient era, and baseball, introduced from the United States in the 19th-century. The most popular sport in Liberta by several measures is lacker, often attributed to be in part because it is a mixed-sex sport, including on a professional level. Lacker is professionally played in the National Lacker League (NLL), the season finale, the Super Spectacle, is the most watched and attended event in Liberta, with nearly three in four people watching it each year. Baseball is played professionally in the Major Baseball League (MBL), and also serves as the sport with the most school teams, competing in the National School Championship Series. Both boys and girls play baseball as an official sport in school, unlike internationally, where girls are more likely to play softball. The Liberta Stock Car League (LISCAR), has existed since 1948, and is a popular spectator sport, especially in Ila.

Mass media

The largest television broadcaster in Liberta is the publicly funded National Television Corporation, which was founded in 1929. The other two major broadcasters are DAC and Rogue Media. All television is subject to regulation by the National Television Consortium. Radio is dominated by the publicly funded National Radio Corporation (NRC) and the Liberta Radiotelegraphy Association, the latter of which is an association of roughly 300 radio stations. Together, these two organizations include more than 90% of all radio stations in Liberta. Radio listenership decreased during the 70s through 90s, as most of the public focus was aimed toward television programming, but has experienced a rise since the early 2010s. The investment into podcasting has led to the both domestic and national fame of many early podcast hosts.

Journalism has a long history in Liberta. Widepapers, invented in Liberta during the Medieval era, are the predecessor to modern newspapers, and were widely distributed to all societal classes, although the literacy rate was lower among the lower classes. Libertan newspapers such as the Metropolitan Courier, Hollice Journal, and the Libertese Times have all received multiple awards for their journalism. The Stoneman is considered a newspaper of record, and is publicly available through information boards replaced on a daily basis. Since most Libertan newspapers are free, they must instead rely on offering advertising space in their newspapers. The Plackard Corporation, one of the largest wire services in the world, is based in Liberta and supplies over ten thousand newspapers per day with information.