Tihama
Socialist Federal People's Republic of Tihama جمهورية تهامة الفيدرالية الشعبية الاشتراكية Jumhuriat Tihamat Alfidraliat Alshaebiat Aliashtirakia | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
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Anthem: "Glory to the Tihaman Nation" | |
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Map of Tihaman Regions | |
| Capital | Nitra |
| Largest City | Al-Kharaf |
| Official languages | Tihaman |
| Religion | Shehari |
| Demonym(s) | Tihaman |
| Government | Federal one-party Socialist Presidential Republic under a Military Stratocracy |
| Rasheeq al-Hashmi | |
| Muhsin el-Nazir | |
| Legislature | Federal Assembly |
| Chamber of Republics | |
| Federal Chamber | |
| Establishment | |
| 1927-1928 | |
| 1967 | |
| 1993-Present | |
| 2004 | |
| Area | |
• | 634,530 km2 (244,990 sq mi) |
• Water (%) | 4.3 (2007) |
| Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 115,500,000 |
• 2022 census | 115,897,423 |
| GDP (PPP) | estimate |
• Total |
 7.329T |
| GDP (nominal) | estimate |
• Total |
7.627T |
| HDI |
.752 high |
| Currency | Tihaman Dinar (₣) (TAM) |
| Date format | MM/DD/YYYY |
Tihama, officially the Socialist Federal People's Republic of Tihama, is a country situated on the northern tip of the greater Al-Karabakhal Peninsula. It is bordered to the north by the International Legations of Al'Artadal and to the south by the People's Republic of Irashan and the Al'Adiz Socialist Republic, both of which are Tihaman "puppet states". Since the conclusion of the Shehari War in 2004, the former Republic of Yehosa was annexed into Tihaman territory.
The country first achieved independence from it's colonial master, Secrazchak, in 1928, following the Tihaman Revolution of 1927-1928. During this period, the weak nation was attacked by Al-Mezreh in a land grab which lead to Mezrehi control over the region of Irashan, the cause of the prolonged conflict between the two states. Since it's establishment, Tihama's economic and domestic political policies have put it in confrontation with the democratic powers of the world, including Khraelyia and Mestra. Conversely, the state has pursued a close relationship with the nations of the FRB, in particular the UFRR, with which Tihama has signed extensive military and economic exchange agreements. Tihama officially joined the FRB in 1955 and has since become one of its most prominent members. Furthermore, Tihama enjoys good relations with non-FRB states such as the Sofíae Commonwealth, Nurmandria, Vohylt-Tvahorner, and Remania, despite the latters membership in the OFSN. Tihama is also the host of the largest military maneuvers in the world, with military units from every nation in the FRB present as well as formations from the Sofíae Commonwealth, which are held every two years. The country is also a member of the World Peace Organization (WPO).
Tihama is a one-party state in which the President, widely referred to as the Supreme Leader, and the party, the Worker's and Peasant's Party of Tihama, exercise total control of the political system. While officially a democratic republic which holds regular elections, foreign experts and commentators have widely condemned them as "sham elections", though this is dismissed as enemy propaganda by the government. Since 1965, the al-Hashmi political dynasty has provided the nation's supreme leaders, with the current President being Rasheeq al-Hashmi. Foreign political rights agencies and activist groups have accused the nation of having one of the world's poorest human and political rights records, as opposition parties are totally banned and speech contrary to party directives can be met with legal action, including imprisonment. Tihama operates a large, state-capitalist economy in which key sectors such as heavy industries and utilities are controlled by the state, while privately-owned enterprise operates on a large-scale basis across other sectors. Public services, including transportation, education, healthcare, and housing are extensively state-funded or subsidized. The country has seen a significant degree of economic liberalization and privatization since at least 2005, and foreign investors have furnished the country with a significant amount of capital with which to develop both it's natural resources and a significant tourism industry. Chief among these foreign investors has been Remania, whose ANMP Corporation has been granted significant mining and oil drilling rights by the Tihaman government, albeit with Tihaman oversight of all operations.
The country follows a practice called "Al'awlawiat Aleaskaria" or "Military Primacy", in which the armed forces are heavily prioritized in state affairs and resource allocation. Extensive conscription and a large military budget have transformed the Tihaman People's Army into one of the largest in the world, with nearly 2 million active service members. Additionally, the country is a recognized nuclear weapon state after first achieving nuclear capability in 1975, and possesses a large and well-developed civilian nuclear energy grid as well as one of the world's largest nuclear arsenals. The country remains a member of the FRB pact into the present day.
Etymology
History
Government and politics
Tihama functions as a one-party state governed by the Workers and Peasant's Party of Tihama (WPPT). According to the Tihaman constitution, the nation is a democracy with regular elections but follows the principles of "Direct People's Democracy" or "Single-Party Democracy" which states that the defining feature of Tihaman democracy is the leadership of the WPPT. Despite it's self-designation as a democracy, the country consistently ranks poorly on global freedom and democracy indexes. The government limits freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, reproductive rights, internet access, and the right to assemble and organize.
Another defining feature of Tihaman government and politics is the prominence of the Tihaman People's Army. Tihama follows a principle that it referrs to as "Military Primacy" in which the military is prioritized in resource and funding allocation. In order to streamline this, during the 1970's the state was reorganized to allow military officers to chair major government agencies and offices, transforming the country into what is effectively a stratocracy. Though officially this move was intended to increase streamlining and efficiency in the government, it has been described as a power move by the Al-Hashmi political family who sought to replace civil servants and those deemed "unreliable" with loyal military personnel following the 1967 Tihaman Coup D'etat attempt. Since then, major offices and agencies of the government including the Ministries of the Interior, Trade, Foreign Affairs, as well as Police and Intelligence agencies have been headed by the military, and citizens are barred from entering politics if they haven't completed a term of military service or made other contributions to the nation that have deemed them worthy of political participation.
Law
Foreign Relations
The early years of Tihaman independence were dominated by a popular desire to remain free of foreign influence and interference, and as a result the country remained largely neutral in global affairs. However, following a period of intense global conflict throughout the first half of the 20th century, it became clear that Tihama could benefit greatly from alliances with foreign powers. Due to ideological and political similarities, Tihama gravitated toward the UFRR, who officially invited Tihama to the FRB (Federal Rationalist Bloc) in 1955. Following the acceptance of this invitation, Tihama became a player in world affairs for the first time. The first military units from FRB states arrived in Tihama for joint training exercises in 1956, and the country has continued a practice of hosting large military maneuvers with FRB allies and friendly nations ever since. Membership in the FRB allowed the country access to modern technology and methods, and in the following years experts from the FRB helped revolutionize the healthcare system, agriculture, and industry in Tihama. To date, Tihama boasts a high Human Development Index score and is considered one of the most developed countries on the continent of Colytheus, a position many experts attribute to the assistance given by FRB advisors during the second half of the 20th century.
Today, Tihama maintains regular and cordial relations with many states globally, and Tihaman military and economic advisors and investors occupy powerful positions in many states around the developing world. Tihaman technicians and advisors are reportedly active in states such as Mbumbara, Daehan, Baclia, and Bilorusniya working to foster economic cooperation and the development of facilties such as uranium enrichment plants and nuclear generator stations. Tihama has remained committed to assisting developing states build their own nuclear energy grids as part of its drive to bolster its image amongst the international community and forge alliances with unaligned states and to bring them into its sphere of influence. Tihama has been accused of election interference and meddling in the politics of both neutral and OFSN-aligned states, including backing a military coup in Mbumbara in 2017 as well as supporting the Mirasani nationalists in the ongoing civil war there. Furthermore, Tihaman military intelligence has reportedly attempted to influence the votes of citizens in Khraelyi and Mestran elections in recent years by disseminating propaganda supporting candidates perceived to be "friendly" to Tihama, though all allegations of this have been denied and investigations are ongoing.
Tihama has become an increasingly powerful player in the developing nations of the world, particularly through its Global Infrastructure Initiative (GII) program, in which Tihama has invested billions in the development of infrastructure globally. Nations such as Bilorusniya, Mbumbara, Virlannia, as well as most of Tihama's Colythean neighbors, have benefitted from this program. Most of the investment has been targeted towards the development of highways, rail lines, digital infrastructure, and renewable energy sites. In 2023, Tihama also launched the Colythean Economic Prosperity Caucus, a geopolitical partnership group of Colythean nations focused on coordinating economic development. Lingala and North Mirasan were deliberately excluded from participating, but Al Mezreh, Al Adiz, Irashan, Nurmandria, Mbumbara, South Mirasan, Syphaxia, and Al Artadal are all members.
Military
The Tihaman armed forces, officially referred to as the Tihaman People's Army, is one of the largest armed forces in the world with over 1.2 million active service personnel. Tihama also has one of the largest military budgets, spending an estimated 5% of the national GDP on defense. The armed forces are divided into five branches: the Ground Force, Air and Air Defense Force, Strategic Rocket Forces, Navy, and the Workers and Peasants Militia (Red Guards.) In addition to these branches, the Tihaman Ministry of the Interior also has its owned armed service personnel, the Border Guards who are tasked with securing and patrolling the nation's frontiers. Overall command of the armed forces rests with the Central Military Commission of Tihama, which is presided over directly by the Supreme Leader.
The Ground Force is by far the largest of the service branches, fielding some 850,000 men during peacetime conditions which are organized into 2 Field Armies and 6 Army Corps as of 2024. There is an estimated 67 divisions, 18 independent brigades, and 5 independent regiments in the Ground Force. Combat divisions are composed of the following unit types: 37 Motorized Rifle Divisions, 12 Tank Divisions, 4 Mountain Rifle Divisions, 2 Independent Artillery Divisions, 4 Guards Motorized Rifle Divisions, 2 Guards Tank Divisions, 3 Cavalry Divisions, and 3 Coastal Defense Infantry Divisions. Of the army’s 18 independent brigades, there are 5 Mountain Rifle Brigades, 3 Airborne Infantry Brigades, 4 Independent Air Defense Brigades, 2 Independent Artillery Brigades, 3 Independent Infantry Brigades, and 1 Independent Tank Brigade. The 5 regiments are composed of 2 Presidential Guards Infantry regiments, 1 Presidential Guards Cavalry regiment, an Independent Anti-Tank Artillery regiment, and an Independent Machine Gun Artillery regiment. As of 2023, the army maintains an arsenal of some 5,100 tanks, 4,700 IFVs/APCs, 7,400 towed artillery pieces, 2,200 self-propelled artillery pieces, 4,500 multiple rocket launchers, and over 10,000 MANPADs and ATGMs.
The Tihaman People's Air and Air Defense force is responsible for the defense of Tihaman airspace and numbers over 600 combat aircraft with thousands of surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery installations around the country. Tihama is one of the few nations of the world which operates a dedicated strategic bomber force.
The Tihaman People's Navy is one of the largest fleets in the world, and the second-largest fleet of all FRB states after the UFRR. It operates two aircraft carriers, with one under construction, as well two missile cruisers with two more under construction, in addition to dozens of destroyers and smaller combat vessels. Tihama operates one of the largest submarine forces in the world (OFSN analysts estimate anywhere between 24-32 boats are active as of 2024) and is currently expanding, with eight nuclear submarines under construction, four of which will be intended for the deployment of ballistic missiles and another four which will be classified as attack submarines.
Tihama is a nuclear-armed state, having first achieved nuclear weapons capability in 1978 following assistance from the UFRR. Though the nature and size of the Tihaman nuclear arsenal is unknown, OFSN analysts estimate anywhere between 100-200 warheads are currently stockpiled, capable of being deployed either by land-based ballistic missiles or air-dropped gravity bombs. Recently, this dynamic has changed since OFSN intelligence revealed four large nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines under construction at the Tihaman State Shipyards in Al-Kharaf, indicating that Tihama has probably developed a workable submarine-launched nuclear ballistic missile. The longest-ranged Tihaman ballistic missiles are believed to have a range of over 7,500 miles, making them capable of hitting most OFSN nations. Tihama is also believed to be in possession of a stockpile ranging between 2,000-5,000 tons of chemical and biological agents, with the capability to produce more. These agents include sarin nerve gas and mustard gas, as well as blood and blister agents and biological weapons such as anthrax and smallpox.
Tihama has also developed a substantial arms industry geared towards supplying its needs, which has grown into one of the largest employers in the nation. Most of this production is based in underground, hardened factories hidden from enemy recon satellites and is scattered throughout Tihama, though there are several large arms factories and shipyards in the country's major cities. Tihama has also develop a skilled electronic warfare division and elite special forces in an effort to keep parity with the nations of the OFSN, and Tihaman hackers and cyber warfare units have repeatedly infiltrated major infrastructure and security databases in opponent nations. Major hacking attacks occurred in Khraelyia in 2016, in which Tihama is a main suspect, and in Lingala in 2019, which involved the leak of classified military documents.
In Tihama can also be found a large and well-developed domestic arms manufacturing industry. One of the largest economic sectors and employers, the arms business in Tihama is directed almost entirely by the state, and the Tihaman People's Army is supplied with mostly indigenous equipment. The development of the Tihaman arms industry has been aided extensively by the UFRR and other FRB states, who assisted with the construction of manufacturing complexes and the organization of labor and factories. An estimated 2,000 underground manufacturing plants scattered throughout the country are controlled by several large arms consortium groups, as well as huge arms manufactories and shipyards in the major cities. The industry is capable of producing a wide range of equipment including small arms, explosives, artillery, missiles, helicopters, aircraft, as well as both surface and submarine naval assets. Tihama is the world's third-largest arms exporter after the UFRR and Khraelyia (in that order.)
Economy
The Socialist Federal People's Republic of Tihama boasts a large and well-developed centrally-planned economy based largely on the exploitation of the nation's vast natural resources. The country has the largest national economy on the continent of Colytheus and the sixth-largest in the world. After a period of rapid growth following mass industrialization and land reform throughout the 1930's, the country's economy slumped in the years following the Second World War, but experienced a recovery throughout the 1970's when exploitation of the countries natural resources was opened to foreign investors. Though the invasion by Al-Mezreh in 1993 severely damaged the national economy and cost Tihama dearly, the country has since experienced what many foreign observers have described as an "economic miracle", and has maintained an increasingly advanced and profitable economy since the end of the war in 2004. Following economic reforms after the war which enabled a significant degree of privatization and economic mobility, the country's economic growth has maintained a consistent rate of over 6% ever since.
Since the post-invasion reforms, the economy of the country has been largely diversified which consequently has given Tihama a prominent place in international trade. Major economic sectors include agriculture, mining and refining, retail, textiles, automobiles, energy generation, green energy, e-commerce, banking, electronics, telecommunications, and tourism. Both the capital city of Nitra and the largest city, Al-Kharaf, boast highly competitive commercial and financial sectors which increasingly rank among the global top 10. Since the opening of the first Tihaman stock exchange in Nitra in 2006, it has become the most active stock exchange in Colytheus and ranks among the busiest in the world.
The Tihaman economic model has been described-following it's post-2004 shift, as "state-capitalist" or "party-state capitalist" in nature, as state-owned enterprise dominates strategic sectors such as heavy industries and energy generation, while private enterprise has expanded greatly in other sectors, with over 25 million private businesses opened since 2004. The country is the largest manufacturer of automobiles and electronics on the Colythean continent, and the largest importer of foreign goods. Additionally, Tihama generates the bulk of the continent's power, boasting the fifth-largest power grid in the world.
Tihama consistently has performed well in the areas of healthcare and life expectancy, particularly in the past 50 years, thanks to a state-subsidized healthcare system with access to modern medical technology and practices. Much of this medical technology and procedures were acquired through collaboration with the UFRR and other states ideologically aligned to Tihama, whose healthcare systems served as a basis for the nation's own. Another area in which Tihama reportedly performs well is education, over 90% of the population can read and write (in contrast to many of the nation's neighbors), which again is widely attributed to the country's extensive state-subsidized education system. A downside of state-controlled education in Tihama is that Tihaman children receive extensive political indoctrination training, which has been criticized as "brainwashing" by many of the country's democratic opponents.
Tihama has boasted a consistently low unemployment rate both among adult citizens and it's youth, staying around the 3-4% mark at the highest. This is largely attributed to mandatory conscription and the state's extensive involvement in managing production and the labor force. Tihama does suffer from internal socioeconomic divisions, with the more northerly and coastal areas holding the bulk of the nation's wealth, while the more southerly areas (particularly those which were most impacted by the war with Al-Mezreh) have demonstrated lower GDP per capita, literacy rate, and economic development. This has been a persistent issue for which the Tihaman government has faced substantial foreign criticism. However, the state has repeatedly launched drives to improve these areas, particularly since the end of the war, including mass hiring of administrative staff, the creation of various public works programs, and tax breaks/paycheck bonuses to stimulate economic growth in the region, which-according to the Tihaman government-has been overall successful.
Agriculture
According to the latest national census, there are an estimated 1.4 million farms in Tihama. Though the bulk of agriculture since independence has been conducted by collective farms organized by the state, in the last 15-20 years there has been a major surge in privatized farming owing to land and economic reforms since the start of the 21st. century. The bulk of farms in Tihama are small (under 100 acres) and family operated. Owing to Tihama's warm and often wet climate, the nation ranks among the top five global exporters of fruit, rice, and sugar. Roughly a quarter of Tihaman farmland is devoted to pasture space for animals. Traditional Tihaman foods and food-related goods are consistently highly sought after on the global market.
Infrastructure
Development of Tihaman infrastructure began as early as 1930, following the Tihaman Revolution of 1928. As part of the new government's effort to bring the country from a colonial backwater to a modern industrial state, massive investment of funds and manpower was made towards infrastructure development. Hundreds of new schools, hospitals, and bridges were erected as part of a drive to improve the living standards of millions of Tihamans. However, serious development of infrastructure has really been in the last 30 years. Today, Tihama possesses the largest high speed and conventional railway systems in Colytheus, with double the amount of track found in any of its neighboring states. Additionally, the country has three times as many power plants as any other Colythean state, and the only civilian nuclear energy grid on the continent. The state also possesses the sixth-largest satellite network in the world.
Telecommunications
Despite a nationwide firewall and censorship program put into place by the government, Tihama has experienced increasing growth in both the size of it's national telecommunications network and number of cellular phones owned by Tihaman citizens. 2024 estimates from TiCom, the Tihaman state communications provider, have shown that an estimated 83% of Tihaman adult citizens now own a cell phone of some description, well over half of which are smart phones. The government has launched increasingly intensive drives to manufacture smart phones and other high-technology products domestically, largely due to a desire to control the supply of such devices to ensure foreign software cannot be easily manipulated to circumvent the nation's tight restrictions on the internet and social media.
As Tihaman telecommunications and technology companies gain an increasing global presence, several of them have been accused of spying for the Tihaman military. Though no concrete evidence of this has been produced, many OFSN nations including Khraelyia and Mestra have placed restrictions on Tihaman technology firms operating within their borders. TiCom opened it's satellite communications branch in 2014, which initially offered services in Colytheus only, but since 2020 has expanded to global operations. Furthermore, Tihama's close economic and technological partnership with the UFRR has given Tihaman markets and companies access to advanced technology such as the personal quantum computer, which has seen widespread success in the Tihaman market and several versions are now manufactured domestically under license from the UFRR.
Transportation
Infrastructure and roadways in Tihama were critically underdeveloped by the Secrazchaki colonial government, and as a result one of the foremost goals of the new government in the years following the revolution was the expansion and modernization of the Tihaman transportation system. Throughout the second half of the 20th century, a national highway system was established which has grown into one of the world's largest. As of 2018, Tihama boasts over 60,000 miles of paved highways, one of the largest networks in the world. The country buys and sells more automobiles than any other Colythean nation, and has more than three times the number of registered automobile owners than Nurmandria. As a result of the massive expansion of the highway system in recent years and the resulting urban congestion due to an exploding population, Tihama has also seen a huge surge in bicycle ownership and production, with an estimated 34 million bicycles in-country as of 2024.
Tihama's railway network is managed by the state-owned Tihaman Railways Holding Corporation, and manages the busiest railway network in Colytheus, totaling 36,233 miles of track which handle over half the continent's rail traffic. Over 2/3 of the railway network is electrified and over 1/3 is dedicated to high-speed locomotive usage. There are 5 railway border crossing points and 126 railway bridges in the country.
The country also handles the bulk of the continent's aerial passenger traffic, ranking 8th in the world, with over 130 million passengers/year in 2018. There are 57 civil airports in Tihama. The Tihaman state-owned flag carrier airline is AirTihama, and the country has a fleet of over 400,000 civil aircraft, the fifth-largest in the world. There are over 500 Tihaman-flagged merchant ships operating globally. With more deep water ports than any other Colythean state, Tihama handles the majority of the continent's trade, particularly from destinations in the north such as Estry, the Sofíae Commonwealth, and the Southern Republic.
Energy
Energy production has been a major focus of infrastructure and economic development in Tihama, particularly in the past 50 years, with a major goal of the state being "autarchy" or national self-sufficiency in energy production. To this end, Tihama operates one of the largest networks of power plants in the world, including the 4th-largest nuclear power network on the planet. Over half of Tihama's electricity needs are met by fossil fuel power stations, a fact that has garnered much negative attention for the country and it's government from environmentalist and climate groups worldwide. The Tihaman government maintains that it's primary goal is to provide the people of Tihama with reliable and efficient power, but has acquiesed to the demands of some environmetal groups and begun a drive towards green energy, particularly the development of biofuel power plants and wind/hyrdoelectric power facilities. Since the climate-friendly energy initiative began in 2015, 17 biofuel power plants and 23 wind and solar energy sites have been established. Furthermore, the country has the highest number of hydroelectric dam generator stations in Colytheus, with an estimated 31 power-generating dams nationwide.
Much of Tihama's reliance on fossil-fuel energy can be attributed to the country's large reserves of both petroleum and coal, as well as substantial supplies of natural gas. Fossil fuels and associated products remain chief among Tihama's national exports, an industry which the government guards jealously from climate groups. One of the largest investors in Tihaman fossil fuel and petroleum production has been Remania, whose ANMP corporation has invested huge amounts of capital into turning the Tihaman oil and gas industry into a world leader. Combined with generous government subsidies and a lack of accountability for environmental missteps, this foreign investment has created a cutting edge, rapidly growing fossil fuel industry that dominates much of the global market.
Tihama has been a recognized nuclear state since as early as 1970, when it's first nuclear reactor was declared fully operational after a joint development effort guided by the UFRR. Since then, the Tihaman nuclear energy grid has expanded into the largest on Colytheus, and Tihama has been known to export enriched nuclear materials to nations such as Baclia and Bilorusniya, much to the protest of OFSN leaders in Khraelyia and Mestra. Tihaman government spokesman Rafiq Kharzai stated in 2018 that Tihama was "committed to elevating developing nations struggling against OFSN imperialism by assisting them in achieving energy self-sufficiency by establishing peaceful nuclear energy programs of their own." To this end, it is believed that Tihaman engineers and advisors are operating in multiple foreign nations assisting in the development of their nuclear energy programs. OFSN intelligence has suggested that as of 2024, Tihaman engineers are assisting to develop nuclear reactors and technology in Mbumbara, Virlannia, and Bilorusniya. Tihaman energy is also sold to neighboring countries such as South Mirasan, Al-Mezreh, and Nurmandria.