Koivumata

Koivumata, officially the People's Republic of Koivumata (Koivumatan: Kansantasavalta Koivumata), is a Tvennic country located in Northern Artopa,. As of 1930, the population is approximately 26 million. It is bordered by Lassau to the west, Vadeerjyk to the south, and Vostochnia to the southeast, and is defined by Lake Dorocona in the south-center, the Bay of Kivi on the Avedoran Sea to the south-west, and the jagged coast of the Vihic Ocean to the north. Vamartariki is the country's capital and by far its largest city, forming a large metropolitan area throughout the Valo region. The climate of Koivumata varies greatly by latitude, from warm, humid continental in the south to subarctic taiga and tundra in the north. The country is generally defined by gentle, marshy terrain and thick boreal forests, due to the low altitude; although the topography gets increasingly rough throughout the northern region.

"Koivumata"
Koivumata probably comes from a word used by the earliest Tvennic inhabitants to refer to the Valo region. Translating to "Place of the birch trees", it has been garbled over time so as to not have a literal meaning in modern Koivumatan. "Koivu" thus translates roughly to "Of the birch", although it is not used literally. Koivumatans say "Koivubuu" (Birchwood) to make the distinction.

Concept
Koivumata was used to refer to the coastal Valo region until the Theodarian church established missionary orders there in the 1300s and used the term to refer to the whole region northwest of the Dorocona.

Prehistory (!)
Central Koivumata was first settled by humans 12,000-11,000 years ago, at the end of the last glacial period. These people, the Torm culture, most likely originated from the central (TBA) Plateau. They developed pottery and agriculture but remained mainly hunter-gatherers until the arrival of the Tvenno-Kaimian people from Kovria around 3000 BC.

The Tvenno-Kaimians were reindeer-herding nomads who brought with them iron tools and animal husbandry technology. They settled first in the northern taiga region, and spread south into the central (TBA) plain, merging with the Torm and developing the culture that would become the Koivu. A large population developed along the Avedoran coast, where agriculture flourished. Further north, the Tvenno-Kaimians remained nomadic hunter-gatherers and developed fewer West Artopan genetic characteristics.

By 2000 BC, a common Tvennic language was spoken around the Gulf of Kivi. Commercial contacts throughout the Avedoran existed, and bronze artifacts were imported from the Ildoa region. Local metallurgy began in 1000 BT, with iron from the Yegopous region at the top of the (TBA), and with locally-mined silver. By the 9th century BT, indigenous artifacts had developed many common characteristics in the south, indicating the formation of a unified Koivu culture.

Middle Ages
The period of 500-800 was a time of relative prosperity. Trade with Theodarians in (TBA) developed extensively, and the first examples of writing appeared in the form of trade ledgers. Koivu tribes expanded northward, warring with the Tvennic nomads in the area.

Geography
Koivumata lies approximately between the latitudes 55° and 80° N, and the longitudes 20° and 60° E, making it one of the northernmost countries of Mytas.

Koivumata's geography was shaped by long periods of being covered by glaciers. Their erosion made the landscape mostly flat and low. A few highland regions escaped their effect, and rugged hills and mountain ranges can thus still be observed in parts of Koivumata. The retreating glaciers left the surface marshy and punctuated by small bodies of freshwater, as well as massive glacial erratics (chunks of foreign stone carried by the ice and deposited). In fact, there are over 180,000 separate lakes in Koivumata, giving it the name "Land of Scattered Pearls".

The landscape is covered mostly by coniferous forests and fens. In the southwestern plains, these forests are temperate and scattered between areas of plains. This is where almost all of the cultivated land is, which becomes very sparse farther north, where there is a vast band of taiga spanning the country. Here the soil is thin and the water table is high, leading to the greatest concentration of lakes, as well as huge granite outcroppings. In areas where drainage is hindered, the forest opens onto vast bogs. Further beyond, the taiga becomes more sparse and the terrain rises steeply to form a granite plateau dotted with low inselbergs. Patches of dry heath and cold scrubland abound.

Climate
Koivumata's geography gives it a unique climate. Because of the profusion of lakes and marshes that have a moderating effect on the temperature, all of Koivumata receives a warm, humid summer. Because of this, Koivumata is the country with the most arable land above 60° north. Every region also experiences a harsh winter, amplified by winds carrying moisture off of the Arctic Ocean and Lake Dorocona. The country generally exhibits characteristics of a continental climate despite being positioned between 3 bodies of water. The reason is the presence of glaciers in the Arctic Ocean and the string of islands circumscribing the Avedoran which shield north-west Artopa from strong oceanic weather systems.

There are 4 main climate regions in Koivumata: The hot, humid southwestern plains; the thick band of warm, humid, and extremely dense forests around it; the expansive northern Taiga, mostly boreal forest, (the largest region); and patches of inhospitable tundra along the Arctic coast also present as fells in the largest mountain ranges.

Politics
Koivumata is a semi-presidential republic within the system of representative democracy. Power is balanced between the legislative Federal Congress, overseen by the Chairperson, and the President and their executive Secretariat, with a separate system of 2 supreme courts: the Supreme Civil Court and the Supreme Administrative Court. Being a socialist state, much of Koivumata's state ideology is enforced by its constitution, rather than a political party.

Constitution
The Constitution of Koivumata defines the political system and separation of powers. It was ratified on 1 March 1881, and has been amended several times. The current version was enacted on January 22, 1928. The Constitution includes a series of guarantees of rights, contingency measures, and precautions against discord and stagnancy. Koivumata is not officially a one-party state due to the non-partisan-ism policy. However, political power is effectively concentrated in the military cadre.

The Constitution ensures that the state adheres to a socialist ideal by entwining social policy through all legality, in a section notoriously titled "Guidelines". Therein, on one hand, this helps prevent corruption because "socialist" policy is not defined by politicians subject to changing circumstances. But on the other hand, this ensures that the state will cease to function legally if ever the legislature wavers from the ideology set out by the authors of the document. As such, the Constitution acts as an arbitrator for all other legislation.

President
The head of state of Koivumata is the President of the Republic. The Presidency is represents the ceremonial figurehead of Koivumata, but also has many powers. The President's responsibilities are directing foreign policy in cooperation with the Secretariat, being the top commander of the armed forces, and directing the nation in emergencies. The position also has some appointive and veto powers. The President is appointed by popular vote from amongst the ranks of the acting and former generals of the Koivumata Defense Forces. The President acts for a 4-year term.

Federal Congress
The legislative branch of Koivumata is run by the Federal Congress, which is overseen by the Chairperson of the Federal Congress, who is the head of government. The 200-person Congress has the power to alter the Constitution, introduce new federal laws, and dismiss the Secretariat or President. The Chairperson appoints the Secretariat, oversees proceedings, and has extensive veto powers throughout the government. The Chairperson also the only person in government who can officiate changes in "Guidelines", after a unanimous vote from the Congress.

MPs are elected for a term of 4 years by regional popular election, each member Region submitting a number of delegates proportional to their population.

Secretariat
The Secretariat constitutes the executive branch of the government. It is overseen by the Chairperson and the President working in tandem. It is composed of 20 members who are the head of the various Executive Ministries, each of whom appoint a number of experts to advise them. The Secretariat deliberates on important state decisions and submits bills to the Federal Congress to be ratified. The Secretariat is answerable to the Congress, although this hierarchy can be overridden by the President's and the Chairperson's consent.

The Secretariat serves 10-year terms, although they may be appointed and dismissed by the Chairperson.

Law
The judicial system of Koivumata is a civil law system divided between courts with regular civil and criminal jurisdiction and administrative courts with jurisdiction over litigation between individuals and the public administration. There are 2 separate court hierarchies for each field, with a dual Supreme Court system at the top. Both are comprised of 9 members who serve for life unless dismissed by the Federal Congress. The SCC is appointed by the Chairperson, whereas the SAC is appointed by the President.

The Law of Koivumata is based on classical civil law but also a system designed to achieve a state of socialism in society.

Foreign Relations
Foreign relations are lead by the President who works with the Secretariat to make diplomatic decisions. Ambassadors are appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Koivumata has a policy of non-alignment, maintaining a neutral disposition to global power blocs combined with regional non-aggression policies. It is officially anti-imperialist, not participating in military or economic interventions on peaceful nations.

Military
The Koivumata Defense Forces consists of a cadre of senior commissioned officers, a readiness force of NCOs and junior COs, and a large reserve. As of 1929, the readiness strength is about 184,000 personnel, over half of which are professional. The reason for this distribution is the wide range of government positions for which military service is a prerequisite. There is a universal conscription in place in which all male citizens of age 18 receive basic training, and serve for 12 months either in or out of uniform. Women are permitted to serve as either commissioned or recruited, and receive the same training as men.

The army consists of a highly mobile expeditionary force supported by local territorial defense units. The express purpose of the army is to defend national territory, and it focuses on employing asymmetrical warfare using the heavily forested and unpredictable terrain of the nation to wear down aggressors rather than pushing outward. The military also incorporates a strategy of air superiority to ensure the defense of civilian centers.

The KDF is built on the doctrine of Total Defense, meaning every sector of the government and economy may be mobilized toward the defense of the nation. For example, municipal police forces and the Frontier Guard become subordinate to the Army during wartime. The armed forces are commanded by the Chief of Defense, who is an observing member of the Secretariat, and is directly answerable to the President. The branches of the KDF are the army, the navy, and air force.

Social Security
Koivumata has an extensive welfare system that guarantees decent living standards for all residents. It was constructed largely between 1900 and 1920 as part of the defense infrastructure to ensure the stability and loyalty of communities throughout the region following the civil war, and continues to be expanded to this day.

Tourism (!)
Tourist attractions include those in the natural landscape as well as urban attractions. Outdoor activities include fishing, yachting, backpacking, kayaking, and many more. In the winter, skating and cross-country skiing is very popular.

The Vamartariki metropolitan region is of particularly rich cultural heritage, known for the medieval, walled Old City district and the massive Koivulinna complex of sea fortresses.

Throughout the 20s the liberal government extensively expanded the tourism industry. This has been rolled back somewhat; although the infrastructure largely remains and has been converted for public use in some places. In particular, there are many former world-class spas and resorts along the southwestern coast of Lake Dorocona that now operate as civil service buildings while a few remain open for foreign tourists.

Demographics (!)
The population of Koivumata is currently around 14 million. To do: population density, birth rate, age distribution, population of cities.

The population is highly concentrated in the south of the country, in cities such as Vamartariki, Rika, and Paidama that have continued to grow rapidly in the 20th century due to urbanization.

Culture (!)
The culture of Koivumata is a combination of indigenous heritage and influences from the rest of Western Artopa. At the crossroads between Vostochnia, the Avedoran, the [TBA] Peninsula, and the Tvennic lands of [TBA], it has developed a complex and unique identity, though not without delineating values. Koivumatan culture is defined by ascetic closeness with the natural world, a strong sense of community and family, values of egalitarianism and humanism, and most of all, the ubiquitous ideal of self-sufficiency and grit (A philosophy known as Sisu colloquially).

There are many cultural differences across regions of central Koivumata, as well as a variety of Tvennic minorities that maintain a distinct culture and language, tribal or contemporary. However cultural tensions are generally not present due to the common origins of these groups, and the government's careful legal protection. There are also a number of foreign minorities within Koivumata, especially Vostocks, who adhere to their own culture, although they are generally well-integrated into Koivu society.

Koivumatan culture was partly shaped by the Romantic movement that occurred primarily in the 1880s when a strong movement for independence from Vostochnia promoted the creation of a strong Koivu identity. It was ended by the civil war but it left a strong heritage of visual arts and music, and an interest in Koivumatan history and folklore.

Gender Roles
Koivumata is generally known as a relatively equitable society for women. Koivumata was the first state in Artopa to grant universal suffrage. Many women are still housewives, but almost half are employed, most in the service industry. By law, all public universities are open to women. A small minority of women hold a degree. Women have extensive legal protections concerning marriage, property, and crime. In general, women have been legally equal to men since the revolution and the establishment of the Congress, but social standards are only slowly catching up. Women receive significantly less pay and are promoted less than men in the same workplace situations. For these reasons, and because of the high quality of public education women receive along with men, there is a substantial feminist movement in the country.

Family Structure
Koivumatan society is centered on the nuclear family, rather than the extended family. There are usually 1 or 2 children in each household. People tend to move out early and marry young, and become independent of their parents. This reflects the social value of self-sufficiency as well as a high degree of economic mobility in Koivumatan society.

Etiquette
Koivumatan people are usually stereotyped as being introverted and brusque with strangers, and being private and protective of personal space. They are also conversely seen as very warm and open with those they trust. A popular Koivumatan proverb is: "Vakka kantessa valisi.", which means; "The box chooses its lid", characterizing the care with which Koivus choose their friends. Either way, they known to be frank, unpretentious, and honest.

Economic Equality
Koivumatan society encourages both equality and liberalism, which is sometimes at odds with the ideology of the government. A commitment

Cuisine
Koivumatan cuisine remains largely based on traditional country fare, with some outside influences. As a rule, it is hearty, unpretentious, and often sweet. Many regions have their own specialties and delicacies, especially in the north where people hold onto their tribal ties.

Fish feature very prominently, as does beef and venison; and in some areas, horse meat. Turnips, potatoes and other root vegetables are staples throughout the country. Milk products are also very important in the cuisine, with butter being a ubiquitous ingredient. Wholemeal grains are used to make puddings and pastries. Koivumata is also known for its berries. Strawberries and lingonberries are traditionally cultivated throughout the country and widely used in cooking.

Koivumata is also known for having the highest per-capita consumption of coffee in the world.