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Zealandia
Zealandia ( /ziːˈlændiə/; Axipaal: Sjællandia) is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. The country is comprised of two major landmasses - the North Island and the South Island. Zealandia is situated some 1,500 kilometers (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometers (600 mi) south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Thanks to its remoteness, it was one of the last places to be settled by humans, with the indigenous Zealandian people not arriving to the islands until roughly 100 BCE. Due to this extreme isolation, Zealandia developed many species of endemic flora and fauna that are found nowhere else on earth. Zealandia is a country of coastal plains, high mountain peaks on the South Island and impressive volcanic cones - some of which are active - on the North Island. It has splendid beaches all along its coastline, where over three quarters of the population lives.

The first Zealandian people arrived on the North and South Islands between 200 and 100 BCE. These ancient people, the ancestors of today's Zealandians, originated in the North Caucasus mountains in West Asia, and have genetic and linguistic ties to the Northern Germanic tribes present in the region at the time. At some point in their history, these ancient peoples were forced out of their home and entered a period of nomadic existence, wandering through Asia as unwelcome guests. Eventually, these people found the unsettled islands of New Zealand. From roughly 1200 CE through 1700 CE, Zealandia experienced a feudal period much like that of Japan and Western Europe. The first Europeans arrived in large numbers with the expeditions of English Captain James Cook, and with the introduction of European weapons, the country was united not long after in 1780 CE by the country's first king, Aleksander I.

Today, Zealandia is a highly developed country with a high standard of living. The country ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as health, education, economic freedom and quality of life. Long a rural, agrarian society, over the 20th century the country has transformed into a diverse market economy. Though the country is largely post-industrial, many heavy industries continue to thrive in Zealandia, such as the shipbuilding and manufacturing industries. Legislative authority is vested in both the Presidency and the Legislative branch, or Parliament. Zealandia is divided into 9 provinces and 1 territory, with 5 overseas dependencies as well. Zealandia is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, G20, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Pacific Islands Forum, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and other intergovernmental organizations.

Etymology
The name Zealandia comes from the Axipaal word sjael, meaning soul, and the suffix -land. The origin of this name is thought to lie with the special nature the land holds in Zealandian culture and traditional religion. Before the arrival of Christianity, Zealandian popular religion viewed nature as an essential part of the human soul, and this has carried over into both modern religion and attitudes as well as the name of the country itself.

History
Archaeological evidence shows that the first people of Zealandia came around 100 BCE. Though no record exist about these people, genetic research and linguistic history have explained a lot about the history of the Zealandian people.

The First Zealandians
The first Zealandians originated in the Southern Caucusus Mountains alongside other pre-caucusus groups such as the Indo-Aryans which they would move with to North India later. The cause of this move is still unknown. During their time in the Caucusus, the ancient Axipaal were dominated by Germanic tribes in the region, which is probably how the people got their Germanic language that was so different from their counterparts speaking proto-Sanskrit. For reasons unknown, these people fled their homes and moved eastward, with the majority of other Caucasian groups settling in the Northern Indian subcontinent. The Zealandians, however, pressed eastward, eventually arriving in Indonesia. After being forced out by native peoples, the Axipaal took to the seas and eventually found the islands known as New Zealand. The language of the Axipaal shares a common ancestor with many of the Scandinavian languages, as well as some now extinct East Germanic languages. Even though it is far removed from today’s Germanic languages, this linguistic connection helps identify where the Axipaal people originated from. Recent research by geneticists have yielded remarkable results into the history and origins of the Axipaal people and have established connections genetically with other ethnic groups in Southern and Western Asia. Axipaal people have a high prevalence of Haplogroup U7 in their Y-DNA groups, among the highest in the world. Since Persians and people from Pakistan and North India also have this characteristic, geneticists have been able to conclude with certainty that the people of modern-day Zealandia share close biological ties to the peoples of the Caucasus and Southern Asia. Today, the Axipaal people's closest relatives are people from the northern part of India and Pakistan, which they share many features with.

Ancient History
The Zealandians brought with them rice, which had been cultivated in the areas they had previously passed through before arriving in Zealandia. In the wet, temperate climate of the islands, rice grew well and became the staple grain for the civilization. Pottery dated to the last century BCE are some of the first examples of evidence to agrarian and communal lifestyles found in Zealandia. The migrants brought with them metallurgy and archery learned in Asia, and by the 2nd century CE were established into various small states. Zealandia, due to its isolation, had little contact with the outside world, and occasional expeditions to Australia and interactions with Aboriginal peoples there as well as visits from wayward Polynesian seafarers were the limit to outside human contact the Zealandians had. Throughout the ancient period, the people had domesticated the native pheasants, and these animals joined the sheep, donkeys, and horses Zealandians had brought to the island. Otherwise, no new fauna had been introduced by the arrival of the Zealandians, as many had been too poor before their arrival to afford other animals.

Religion played an important role in the daily lives of people in these early city states. Axipaal indigenous religion was heavily influenced by interactions with the faiths of south and east Asia. Temples, great and small appeared throughout the land, dedicated to the worship of countless nature spirits and deities. Zealandian religion is often compared to that of Shinto in Japan or Native American religions, due to its focus on nature and natural phenomena. By the 500s CE Axipaal indigenous culture had really began to take off. With writing systems borrowed from India, nascent Zealandian literature began to develop, as well as religiously inspired art and architecture. Poetry and art further advanced through the 700s CE.

The Feudal Period
Zealandia’s feudal period began around 1000CE, in a similar time frame to Japan and Europe’s feudal period. This time was characterized by the predominance of warrior-nobles – called Kreiger – who served the ruling class in the various Zealandian city-states. The Kreiger led peasant armies to war and defended the territory ruled by the nobleman they served. Like in other feudal systems, the Kreiger was rewarded with land and rice farms worked by serfs in exchange for his service. Wooden and some stone fortresses proliferated at this time, as the nobility sought to protect their fiefdoms from conquest by other lords. Literature and art continued to develop, and grand novels and epics about Zealandian history, folklore, and religious stories proliferated. Encouraged and funded by the nobility, or Holdanjel, as well as the Kreiger, a cultural flowering took place by specialists protected by their masters. It was also during the feudal period that the cities of Zealandia that exist today started to take off. Cities like Moynaq, Auckland and Vaalburg became important trading centers, and their lords became powerful and ruled over large areas. Farming techniques improved some during this period, and better yokes for donkeys enabled peasants to more easily till the land to plant Potatoes, taro, rice, and vegetables.

First contact with the outside world (other than the limited encounters Zealandians had with Australian Aboriginals) came when Dutch explorer Abel Tasman stopped briefly at the North Island in 1642. At the time, Zealandia was divided into numerous territories that were engaged in constant warfare. Tasman did not stay long, and the next visit by Europeans would not come until 1769 with the arrival of James Cook. By 1769, many of the smaller states had been absorbed into larger territories of roughly 6 large kingdoms (whose territories roughly correspond to the Provinces of the North Island). Cook established good relations with the Kingdom of Moynaq, where he first landed. Trade initiated soon after and British legations were allowed to set up an embassy in Moynaq. Other kingdoms resisted European influence (despite cultural similarities and similarities between the people themselves) and thus did not establish relations with the British. By 1780, the Holdanjel of Moynaq – Aleksander I -  had conquered all but the most remote Kingdoms thanks to the acquisition of British muskets and artillery, and declared himself Emperor of Zealandia. The European gunpowder weapons far overpowered the bows, arrows, longswords, and spears other kingdoms used and allowed Moynaq to easily unite the country. In 1790, the first Christian missionaries began arriving in Zealandia from England, and as a result of the British influence, the Anglican Church became the overwhelmingly predominant denomination in the country. In addition to religion, these missionaries brought with them the Latin Alphabet, which was quickly adopted by the government and population due to its ease of writing as compared to the older Indic script used earlier. A period of isolation came after the country's unification until 1858, when the British forced open Zealandian doors to the rest of the world through the threat of the military.

The Christian history of Zealandia is much like that of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Rather than replacing the existing religious tradition, Christianity formed a synthesis with the indigenous religion – similar to what happened with Buddhism and Shinto in Japan. Nature worship continued to be the defining aspect of Zealandian Christianity, but incorporated Christian theology by making the former nature deities into messengers from God, akin to prophets and saints. The Emperor was seen as the head of the Church, which by 1800 was recognized as an province of the wider Anglican Christian world.

The Modern Period
With unification and increased global contact following isolation, Zealandia plunged into an active process of westernization, similar to what Japan and Turkey were experiencing at the same time. Zealandia adopted western judicial and military institutions while some western cultural influences integrated with its traditional culture for modern industrialization. Throughout the late 19th century Zealandia emerged as a industrialized society, but much of the economy was still based on agriculture and the population rural. Rather than peasant society however, Zealandian farming was state of the art, and mimicked agricultural advances in Western Europe and America. WWI saw Zealandia join Britain as an allied power, and the country sent troops to the Middle East, fighting notably alongside Australians in their ANZAC alliance at Gallipolis. Zealandia suffered through the Great Depression alongside the rest of the world, but by 1939 the economy had recovered. Zealandia, per its alliance with Britain, declared war on Germany and Italy and entered WWII in 1939. Though Zealandian troops fought in North Africa and Iraq, once Japan entered the war in 1941, most Zealandian fighting was concentrated in the Pacific, far closer to their homeland. This participation in the Pacific brought the country closer to the United States, an alliance that continues to this day. In the 1960s until 1970 Zealandia provided military support alongside the US in Vietnam, the British in Malaysia, and also has assisted greatly by sending troops to Afghanistan in the global war on terror. From the end of the war to the present, Zealandia experienced great economic growth. In 1949, the monarchy was transformed into a presidency, who served for life, but was elected by the people when he or she died or resigned. Along with the monarchy, the holdanjels and the kreigers were abolished as well, and the nobility were then forced to find work as tradesmen or farmers and landowners like the rest of the country's people. The president, unlike some monarchies, exercises great political power, but can be restricted at times by the legislature. A parliament was also established to be the governing elected body of the country. Though today Zealandia is criticized for the undemocratic nature of its presidency, the country enjoys great democratic success and regular and free elections.

Geography
Zealandia is centered on two main islands, so geography will cover that of the islands. All coastal regions, from north to south, enjoy a Marine climate, with cooler (70s) summers and mild (50s), rainy winters. This climate region which bears resemblance to that of Britain, Australia, and Washington, is where 80% of the population lives. Toward the interior, high mountains immediately appear. The two main mountain ranges—the Southern Alps and Ozara Mountains—have almost no foothills and seemingly rise directly out of the coastal plain. The Ozara mountains are more populated than the wild Southern Alps in the South Island, but the large majority of the Ozara mountains remain untamed. The Ozara Mountains contain many volcanoes, which makes Zealandia one of the most volcanically active places on earth. Additionally, the mountains in these ranges are also some of the tallest, rising to heights of 13,000 feet. Many lakes dot the interior of the country, and most are exceptionally deep, reaching 1000 feet in some places. The high mountains create many deep, sometimes isolated valleys, most of which are covered in dense cloud forest. These valleys are some of the most isolated places on earth, and very few people visit them due to their inaccessibility and harsh terrain.

Flora and Fauna
Zealandia has many endemic species of plants and animals. In fact 80% of all plants and animals can only be found in Zealandia. Forests of ferns and cedar as well as pine cover the coastal plain, often alongside farmland, though large tracts of forest are quite common. The interior of the islands are very wild. This region contains forests of maple, beech, ferns, pines, cedar and subtropical plants that often grow in high rainforests. The animals of Zealandia are almost all endemic. As you move inland, animal life begins to resemble subalpine life, with leopards roaming dense cloud forests. In forested and mountainous parts of the country, it is not uncommon for large wildlife to be found in large numbers.

Climate
The far north of the country has subtropical weather year-round, and inland alpine areas of the South Island can be as cold as -10°C (14°F) in winter. Most of the country lies close to the coast, which means mild temperatures. Much of Zealandia receives lots of sunshine, but average rainfall is high and distributed throughout the year. Snow typically appears during the months of June through October, though cold snaps can occur outside these months. Most snow in Zealandia falls in the mountainous areas, like the Ozara Mountains in the north, and the Southern Alps in the south.

Government & Politics
Zealandia is a mixed parliamentary republic, with the president of the country holding the highest office and power. The government is defined and regulated by the nation's constitution, which sets out the roles and powers the government (Presidency and Legislature) may exercise. The constitution serves as the country's supreme legal document, and was adopted in 1949. The country ranks moderately on the Democracy Index near Bosnia, Turkey, and Ukraine, due to its strong presidency, lack of term limits for executives, and weak judiciary that is subject to executive and legislative interference. The National Government is separated into 3 branches, listed from most to least powerful:

The Executive Branch: Comprised of the President of the Republic. The president is the chief commander of the Armed Forces of Zealandia, Head of the Government and State, holds supreme power to veto, may appoint some officials as well as an executive Cabinet, create federal agencies, and determine court rulings should he or she choose to do so. The president can propose and unilaterally pass legislation (though this is subject to much legislative regulation) as well as send troops into war, though he or she cannot unilaterally declare war, only make a recommendation to do so. The President is the country's chief diplomat, and may unilaterally sign treaties between Zealandia and other nations.

The Legislative Branch: The Legislative Branch of Zealandia is comprised of the Senate of the Republic, which is unicameral and contains a single house, the Senate. The Senate is elected through a first-past-the-post voting system similar to that of the United States and Canada. Representatives to the Senate (MPs) are elected to represent geographic regions based on population called Ridings and serve until an election is called and Parliament is dissolved. There are 178 seats in the Senate, of which each riding elects only one member who garners the most votes in an election. When an election is called by the Prime Minister with consultation from his or her party, a nationwide general parliamentary election takes place. The Prime Minister is the sole position who may call forth elections. Alongside parliamentary calls for elections, General Elections must take place at least once every 8 years, to ensure that no one party can effectively create a one-party state. The Senate passes and proposes laws and is the primary lawmaking body in the country. The Senate may make national decisions, wage war, levy taxes and regulate other branches of government through legislature-wide voting in which every MP's vote counts as one vote. The leader of the Senate is the leader of the majority party in the Senate, and is called the Prime Minister. The PM has similar duties to the president, and is the leader of the country that makes most of the decisions and works with the Senate to govern the nation. Every 6 years, a popular vote is taken to see who the leader of each party will be, similar to a presidential race, just without pitting parties against each other (more like a national primary). The Senate also has the ability to regulate the executive and judiciary branches. The Senate may override presidential vetos, block presidential legislation, and override Judicial decisions, each through a 2/3s majority vote. Additionally, the Senate may impeach the President through a 3/4th majority vote. Though the Senate and the PM do much of the legislating, many laws, bills and other ideas to become laws, are put up for popular vote in different provinces for the people to directly vote on.

The Judiciary: The Federal Zealandian Judiciary is by far the weakest branch of government, and some of the law enforcement and judicial decisions on the national level may be determined by the legislature or executive rather than the Supreme Court. This, however, does not apply to local or provincial court systems, which have powers and autonomy similar to judiciaries in many other liberal democracies. Zealandia is a Civil law nation, with its legal system ultimately derived from Roman Civil Law. Rather than English Common Law, which is based on precedence and previous legal decisions, Civil Law involves a highly codified constitution and body of legislation. All three branches are obligated to follow, protect, and enforce the laws and codes set out through the Civil Law system through the Constitution and various other legal documents.

Provinces & Territories
Zealandia is composed of 9 provinces, all of which are located on the North or South Islands of the country's main landmass. Under the Zealandian constitution, provinces elect their own legislatures, known as the Myndighet. These provincial governments may govern their citizens much in the same way the national parliament does, though the national government always takes precedent over local governments, and has the right to repeal any and all legislation passed by provincial governments. Under the current legal system, provincial governments may legislate only in the fields of education, state police, health, local government, taxation, public works, and some aspects of resource management.

Zealandia also controls several outlying areas not included with the provinces of the mainland. These territories are governed directly by the national government, and have limited local governmental organizations past county offices. The Zealandian territories include: Tokelau, Niue, the Cook Islands, the Chatham Islands, the Kermadec Islands and the Antarctic Ross Dependency. The people of these territories are Zealandian citizens, given they fulfill the citizenship policy of Zealandia.

Foreign Relations
Since WWII, Zealandian foreign policy has been defined by its association and alliance with the United States through the ANZUS Treaty as well as the involvement and integration with Asia. Zealandia is involved in the East Asia Summit, and works closely with Japan and Korea - close allies - on Asian issues. Zealandia is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations thanks to close ties with Britain from early in the country's modern history, and this organization provides and important vehicle for cooperation with many countries worldwide. Zealandia has always maintained close relations with its close neighbor, Australia, and has recently pursued new trade deals and economic cooperation with the country. Zealandia is also a member of the 5 Power Agreement and alliance with Britain, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore. This alliance is a defense agreement between the members that states that an attack on one is an attack on all. Zealandia trades extensively with China, Japan and Korea, and is pursuing closer relations with these countries.

Zealandia is a founding member of the United Nations, and is committed to multilateral agreements. Zealandia is recognized as a middle power, alongside close allies Australia, Canada and Japan due to its role in international politics and tendency to pursue multilateral solutions to issues. Zealandia is famously hesitant to support international actions that violate a country's sovereignty, and values national sovereignty greatly. Zealandia routinely contributes many troops to UN peacekeeping missions, though supplies relatively little foreign aid, which garners criticism from other nations.

Military
The Zealandian Armed Forces includes three branches: the Zealandian Army, Zealandian Navy, and the Zealandian Air Force. The military is currently comprised of 50,380 active personnel, with an additional 19,870 reservists. The current military budget represents 1.86% of the national GDP, making the Zealandian military budget the 23rd largest in the world, just behind Taiwan and Pakistan. During its history, Zealandian troops have fought in WWI, WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War and the War on Terror in Afghanistan. In 2001 through the present, the country has committed troops to fight the Taliban and ISIS alongside Western Allies in the Near East and Central Asia, though it did not take part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, seeing this as an illegal violation of the country's sovereignty. It currently has roughly 2,000 troops deployed worldwide, the vast majority of these troops in Afghanistan or UN peacekeeping missions.

Demographics
The 2015 Zealandian Census listed a total population of 5,410,327, an increase of about 3% from the 2010 census. According to data from the census, Axipaal, the indigenous ethnic group of the country, made up 87.1% of the population. Other groups include Indians & Pakistanis (8.1%) and Asians (4.1%). Zealandia has a relatively low population density, at 35.1 people per square kilometer (about the same as the United States and Latvia). Nearly 86% of people live in urban areas in the country, up from just 55% in 1960. Approximately three quarters of the country's population lives on the country's North Island and the remaining quarter live on the larger, more rugged South Island. The most densely populated region of the country is the far northern province of Iatu, where 3 of Zealandia's largest cities can be found. The largest cities in the country include Moynaq, the capital, Auckland and Vrysdahl in the north, Killarney, Florianoplois and Randers in the central portion of the country and Vaalburg and Kiel in the far south.

Zealandia has generally low rates of immigration due to restrictive government policies and general public disinterest in large levels of immigration thanks to limited areas of land. Just over 10% of the country's population was born overseas. India and China are the country's biggest sources of immigration.

Language
Axipaal is the predominant language of Zealandia, spoken by 98.6% of the population, and is the only official language in the country. Axipaal is a language of Germanic origin, and thanks to the country's isolation for much of its history, the language has change little since antiquity. Axipaal's closest relative is the extinct variety of Old English, though it also closely resembles Norwegian and Swedish. Axipaal is the main language taught in schools, and the only language used by the government and business, as well as being the liturgical language for the Church of Zealandia.

English is the most commonly taught foreign language in Zealandia, and upwards of 80% of the population claim fluency in the language. Zealandian English closely resembles Australian English when spoken thanks to its proximity to the country, and many English speakers from the northern hemisphere cannot distinguish Zealandian English from Australian English. English knowledge is most widespread among younger generations, with more than 90% of people under 21 claiming competency in the language. Many schools offer other foreign languages as well, such as Japanese, Chinese, Spanish and Samoan.

Religion
Freedom of religion is constitutionally protected in Zealandia. Christianity is the predominant religion, though the society is among the most secular in the world. In 2015, 62% of the population identified as Christian, with nearly all of them being from the Anglican Church of Zealandia. The Anglican Church of Zealandia is the state church, though many of the ties have been eliminated between church and state as support for the church has dwindled over time. Many people are baptized and married in the Church and undergo confirmation, though church involvement generally ceases there. In a 2013 study, it was reported that only 2% of Zealandians attend church on a regular basis.

In 2015, 30.8% of the population reported that they were irreligious or unaffiliated. This accounts for the second largest group among Zealandians, and is largely confined to the ethnic Axipaal and Asian population. Sikh and Hinduism were the next largest religious groups comprising 3.8 and 1.4 % of the population respectively. These groups are largely confined to Indian immigrants. Jews, Muslims and Buddhists are found in small numbers, mostly in the large cities among immigrant populations.

Economy
Today, Zealandia has a high-income, advanced economy similar to many other western countries. With a nominal GDP of over $558 billion, Zealandia has the 23rd largest economy in the world according to the International Monetary Fund. Since the 1970s the economy has industrialized greatly. Before this, Zealandia was a heavily rural and agriculture-dependent society. During the 1960s and early 1970s, the economy performed very poorly, and many families in rural Zealandia bore the brunt of the transforming economy and poor world economic outlook. Many families in the countryside were forced to migrate to cities or even grow their own food on their farms to survive. Day to day life for the average Zealandian was a struggle as the agricultural market collapsed and runaway inflation drove up prices, and many people were forced to resort to the barter economy to get basic needs.

By the 1980s, the Zealandian economy had recovered. Though agriculture remained important, as it does to this day, the economy had shifted its basis to manufacturing, high tech industry, and service-based jobs. The average family income skyrocketed and economic output raced upwards, aided by increased trade with Europe, China and America. This growth continued through the 1990s and though the economy suffered during the 2008 recession, the country maintained slight growth during these years. Today, the economy is back to normal levels of growth for developed countries.

Zealandia's manufacturing industry is highly developed. High education attainment and literacy rates has taken Zealandia from a rural economy to a high tech competitor on world markets. High investment in free, public education starting in the 1960s and continuing emphasis on educational attainment has made the Zealandian workforce one of the best-educated in the world. Unusual among developed countries, however, is the importance of the primary and manufacturing secors. Thanks to restrictions on unions and generally low operation costs and tax rates for corporations, Zealandia can compete with countries like China, Taiwan and Korea, mimicking Japan's example of high tech manufacturing and preventing American and European type manufacturing crises.

Zealandia produces all kinds of manufactured products in the field of transportation. MZ Motors, the country's domestic vehicle manufacturer dominates the in-country car market and exports to Australia, Indonesia and the Pacific region. Space products is another important industry in the country. Zealandia has many self-made satellites and currently operates one spacecraft orbiting around Mars. The country continues to develop new space-related technology. Zealandia is also a major developer and maker of nuclear reactors, and exports them to many countries as well as for domestic use. Shipbuilding is a vital industry in Zealandia, and the country exports many ships to international customers. As much as 15% of ships on the sea today were built in Zealandia, similar production numbers to Korea and China, other shipbuilding powerhouses. The steel industry is also an important contributor to economic output and employment within the country. The agricultural market remains to this day one of Zealandia's most important industries. The country is a major producer of raw materials, such as natural gas, uranium, silver, iron ore and coal as well as lumber and aquaculture resources. Rice, cotton, and vegetable and fruit products are just a few of the crops Zealandia produces, thanks to its moderate maritime climate. Zealandia is a food exporter, and despite its small size, produces over 85% of the food consumed in the country domestically.

Energy
Zealandia is a net energy importer due to its location as a relatively small island nation with few petroleum reserves. To prevent dependencies on foreign oil from developing, however, the government has invested greatly in alternative energy sources. Hydroelectric power, though limited due to the lack of large rivers in the country, produces much of the country's energy. Wind power is highly productive, making up a third of the country's energy production. Nuclear energy is another important source of energy in the country, and nuclear energy accounts for another third of the country's energy output. The remaining energy consumption is supplemented through energy imports from Australia, Canada and Russia as well as the burning of domestically mined coal. By 2030, the government has set a goal for the country to be completely energy independent and to cut the reliance on non-renewable resources down to less than 5% of energy production.

Infrastructure
Zealandia has an extensive transportation system that many of its people utilize every day. By law, every city with a population of over 50,000 is required to provide a publicly available busing system (with government subsidized help), which can charge for tickets and other services, but not at exorbitant prices. The KiwiRail oversees city bus operations. KiwiRail also operates national passenger rail lines, which crisscross the nation and reach every corner of Zealandia. Rail travel is quick, efficient and saves time for passengers from driving. Rail travel is extremely popular in Zealandia, and many people utilize KiwiRail’s transportation systems every day. Many of the largest cities also have above ground rail systems. Moynaq, Vaalburg, Auckland, Killarney, and Vrysdahl have above ground light electric streetcar-train rail systems that provide similar services to buses, which they run alongside. Subway systems are also found in Moynaq, Vaalburg and Auckland. These subways transport people around the city quickly through efficient underground railway systems. Throughout Zealandia, Airports both large and small are found in the cities and the countryside. Zealandia has many small, private airfields, which are not allowed to have more than one airstrip. Moynaq, Vaalburg, Auckland, Vrysdahl, Killarney, Kiel, Tlaxcala and Trømso all have large airports that can take passengers overseas. These and only a few others are the only airports than can handle large, passenger jet traffic.

Culture
Zealandian Culture is unique, and is not often considered similar to western culture due to centuries of isolation. Axipaal is the official language of Zealandia, and is taught at all schools. Axipaal is a Germanic language that closely resembles Swedish, Norwegian and Old English. To become a Zealandian citizen, you must become knowledgeable in Axipaal.

Approximately 61% of Zealandians belong to the Anglican Church of Zealandia, a branch of the wider Anglican church. One of the major differences in the Church of Zealandia, however, is the amount of animistic influence it has. Many saints in the Church are often represented solely as animals, and one of the main ways to connect to God is to be one with nature. Most of the remaining population are irreligious.

General Attitudes & Personal Appearance
Zealandia is a clean country. There is a stiff fine for littering, and even petty vandalism can earn you heavy fines or even jail time. Zealandians are easygoing about most things in life, and social groups and clubs are popular. Zealandians are also comfortable with expressing feelings openly with each other and helping others, friends or otherwise, through their problems. Personal appearance is important in Zealandian society. Western clothing is popular, but traditional clothing is still the norm, especially in formal settings such as business, but also as casual clothing. Zealandian traditional clothes generally are robes made of cotton or wool. Hair styles are similar to those in the west. Women’s hair is generally kept long and worn up or down and men’s hair is kept short, and many have neatly trimmed facial hair like a mustache. Shorts and short sleeves are common due to the mild climate along the coasts, but they are not welcome in churches. Zealandians are also noted for their use of the “Cowboy hat.”

Greetings
Zealandians generally greet one another with a handshake and a friendly phrase, such as “Hei, hvordan har du det??” Informal greetings often involve two kisses on the side of the face, much like those in Europe. Zealandian eating styles are generally the same as the west, with a fork, knife and spoon accompanied with a napkin. Zealandian cuisine is heavily based on rice, poultry, lamb and seafood, with lots of fruits and vegetables. Water is generally not served with meals and must be requested alongside the served beveridge, which is often wine.

Family
Family is very important in Zealandia, and families generally operate as a nuclear family outside of large family gatherings. The average family has 2-3 children. Single parents are rare and divorce, especially due to the religion, is frowned upon. Women in the workplace are the norm, and are considered equal to men in many jobs. Zealandia was and remains to be a gender balanced society, and patriarchal ways have never been common. Although Zealandia is a 1st world country, the average age of marriage is 20-22 years old, young for many other modern countries. Marriage at a church is standard. Though the marriage age is young, the average age of having children is in line with the rest of the western world, around ages 28-29 Dating in Zealandia is like that in America. Nearly 80% of people own their own home.

Pets are common in Zealandia, though large pets like dogs are illegal in the country. The most common pets in the country are parakeets, guinea pigs, rabbits and cats. These animals are small and are legal to bring into Zealandia and they have been proven unable to survive in the wild. Dogs, possums, and especially weasels and ferrets are either highly regulated when being brought to the country, or in the case of possums and ferret relatives, completely illegal altogether. By number, Guinea Pigs are the most popular pets, with parakeets and chinchillas finishing a close second and third. Animals are very important to Axipaal culture, and pets are almost always considered members of the family rather than an animal companion, and are treated as such.

Diet and Food
Zealandian diet is based on fruits, vegetables, rice, poultry and lamb. Rice is the dominant grain in Zealandia, but wheat, rye and corn are also grown. Pork and beef play a minor role in Zealandian diet, making food very different from western cuisine. Instead of bread, tortillas made of rice are the main substitute, and tortillas take the place of bread in all areas of cooking. Additionally, rice noodles are used in many soups and stews. Zealandia’s three main sources of protein: lamb, seafood, and poultry, are important. Food is often compared to Greek and Middle Eastern diets. Gyros, Shish kebabs and other foods wrapped in rice tortillas are staple foods in Zealandia. Coffee is popular among most Zealandians, and cafes in cities are common. Ice cream is also a popular western import, though mostly made from goat milk. Alcohol distilled from rice is common, as is potato-based vodka and wine, which is domestically produced.

Sport and Recreation
Baseball, soccer (called fötbahl), cricket, basketball, and hockey are the main sports played in Zealandia. Running, boating, hiking, skiing, camping and outdoor activities are also very popular. Hockey is the most popular winter sport in the country, closely followed by baseball, the most popular summer sport. Basketball is also very popular. Zealandia has its own leagues for these sports, as well as cricket, of which are considered some of the best in the world. Zealandia has never hosted the Olympics, but always forms competitive teams for the event. Zealandia performs well in both the winter and summer Olympics, and the country has ranked highly on a medals-to-population ratio at recent Games. Zealandia has hosted the commonwealth games once in Moynaq, and periodically makes Soccer World Cup appearances. Extreme sports and outdoorsman sports are very popular as well.

Music & Film
Zealandia has an endemic music industry in Axipaal, but many young people who have a knowledge of English listen to English-language contemporary music. Zealandia has also produced several notable English-language artists, like Lorde, even though their native tongue may be Axipaal. Traditional Music is much more endemic, and remains popular in modern society. Zealandian music utilizes fiddles, sitars, lutes, flutes, koto, and recorders often, and is generally regarded as soft music. Zealandian Music is often described as a fusion of South Asian and East Asian musical traditions. Filmography is similar, with many movies produced in Zealandia. Both indigenously produced films and Japanese films are a popular genre. English language films from Hollywood are the most popular, and are shown in Axipaal and English. British and Australian film is also popular. Anime, an import of Japan, is extensively popular in filmography as well.

Literature & Media
Literature has been prevalent in Zealandia since ancient times, and as a society which achieved high literacy rates relatively quickly, literature has been popular for some time among nearly all people. Epics telling of nature spirits (ånder) and ancient heroes (helter) are found in medieval epics, as well as stories focused on the lives of feudal Kreiger (samurai-type figures) and peasants. Public radio was introduced in 1922. Televisions are commonplace in Zealandia, and private news networks broadcast information alongside TVZL, the state-owned news service (like BBC). Newspapers are slowly vanishing in the country, however, due to the negative environmental impacts the population perceives they have. Australian, British, Japanese and American TV is found alongside local and national programming on TV networks, though broadcasted in Axipaal.

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