Lacoria

The Republic of Lacoria is a nation that sits along the west coast of the Red Continent. It is possibly the most powerful nation on earth. It is powerful in almost every respect. In government, sport, military, and economy.

History
Main Article: History of Lacoria

Foreign Relations
Lacoria is a member of the League of Nations and maintains very good relations with all its members. It's strongest alliances are with Northland, Morca, Tikal, and Maalgaar.

Lacoria used to be strong enemies with Abudar, especially during Abudar's long-running communist regime during the 1900s. The two countries fought each other in vicous wars almost thirty times, half of which were fought throughout the twentieth century. Since the end of the Abudarian Civil War and the beginning of democracy in Abudar, the two countries have been of very friendly terms.

Another strong enemy of Lacoria for a short time was Bodvar. After the Bodvaran War of Independence, the Bodvaran government under Paul Vadukan wouldn't allow any Lacorians to enter or leave the country. The ban was lifted in 1979. The two are friendly in terms of government, but the citizens of each country feel distrust for each other, while Bodvar is racked with ethnic violence between ethnic Lacorians and Bodvarans.

Military
The Grand Army of Lacoria is the most advanced, well trained, and well armed military force in the world. It numbers with 750,000 full times soldiers and 1,000,000 reservists. It also has 50,000 mercenaries from Northland, Morca, and Maalgaar under employment. It also has force of 200,000 men, called the Home Guard. The current military is based mainly off the Republican Army of the Lacorian Civil War.

Sport
Main Article: Sport in Lacoria

Sport is an important part of Lacoria's culture. Football is the most popular sport, along with ice hockey, and rugby union. The Lacorian Premier League is top league in the Lacorian Football Association System. The national football team is the most successful team in the World Cup, having won it six times. Other popular spectator sports are ice hockey, rugby union, and hookball.

Government and Politics
Main Article: Politics of Lacoria 

Lacoria has a multi-party system, which is largely dominated by the Republican and Democratic parties. The Colonial Union, National Santhall Alliance and National People's Union are three other prominent parties. The Santhallen Liberation Army did hold public office, but was kicked out because of their radicalist views in 2001. In response, they launched an uprising in 2002, which turned into a terrorism campaign that lasted until 2005. This officialy changed it from a political party to a terrorist movement under the L.N. Regislation Number Five.

The legislature is the Grand Lacorian Senate, which contains 300 seats. Each seat represents a riding somewhere in the country. If the winning party wins under 150 seats, it forms a minority government. In turn, if the winning party wins over 150 seats, it forms a majority government.

Demographics and Language
The 2010 National Census reported the national population to be at 67,952,316 people. Most of this is from natural growth, but also a good part of it comes from immigration, mainly from Maalgaar and Northland. The majority of people are Lacorian or Santhallen. There is also a large population of Bodvaran Lacorians, who left during the Bodvaran War of Independence and after the two-year travel ban between the two nations was lifted in 1979. Many live along the northern end of the coast in towns like Tana and Langford. They speak a form of English-creole, called Karisykan (Mixed-blood in Bodvaran).

Both English and Santhallen are the two officials languages of the country, and are both spoken in the Grand Lacorian Senate. 13% of the Santhalleners call Santhallen their mother tongue. The use of Santhallen has caused many ethnic and sectarian problems in Lacoria that has risen since the Lacorian Civil War.

Culture
While farely diverse, Lacoria is for the most part staunchly Lacorian, Westenthalers and Santhallaners making up that single entity. The Santhallen people consider their culture to be vastly different then that of the Westenthalers, and for the most part don't even consider themselves to be totally Lacorian, if at all.

National symbols are influenced by mostly historic sources. The Red Lion, though not featured on the national flag, is the national symbol of Lacoria, and it featured on the royal emblem and that of various national sports teams. The Red Star is also widely popular as a symbol of freedom, stemming from the Lacorian Civil War. For the Santhallen people, the White Eagle is a symbol of independence.

The Lacorian music industry has produced many internationally renowned musicians, bands, and composers. Achievements in Lacorian music are celebrated at the Nelson Awards. Lacorian music has the distinction of not being dominated by one single genre. But equally though, Lacorian music has produced some highly controversial bands and musicians, like We Are The Titans and The Ghettos. Traditional music usually involves guitars and the tyldrwm, a traditional drum, used more in the south then anywhere else.

The film and television industry has made billions of dollars, and has produced world reknowned actors, actresses, directors, and producers. The film Pain of Many is the highest grossing film in history, making over two billion dollars in revenues. Lacoria's most successful actor and director is Jonathan Gwyno.

Religion, while important, doesn't play a major role in day-to-day life. It played a major role in the Seperation Act of 1526, in which Lacoria and various other nations became Protestant and seperate from the Terran Church. Catholicism stands at only fifteen percent, and is largely based in the south and the nation's capital, Lacorcita. It's mostly frowned upon, due to it's association with extremism, such as in Northland and Abudar.