Pacifica

Pacifica (/pəsɪfɪkə/), officially known as the Commonwealth of Pacifica, is a sovereign country in North America. Containing 29 districts plus a federal district, it is the nth largest country in land area and the nth largest in population. Its territory lies between the Pacific Coast of the United States to the northwest and southeast, Canada to the northeast, the El Kadsreian Islands to the south, and Magisteria to the north. The capital, Marquette, is within said federal district and is a port along the Pacific Ocean. Only Columbia, with 5 million people, is larger.

Being a former British colony, this nation is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is also a part of NATO, the UN, and the Organization of American States.

Etymology
The name Pacifica comes from the term Ferdinand Magellan used when he described the Pacific Ocean (i.e. Pacífico). When translated into English, it means "peaceful sea" in Portugese and Spanish.

Prehistory (to the 1600s)
When the Paleo Indians migrated from Asia, present-day Pacifica was once a peninsula. A certain amount of tribes settled in the northern part of the area, which was full of mountains at the time; however, it was not as arable and many tribes moved south to the tips of the island. Not much is known about these early tribes, but connection to the mainland was stopped once an eruption caused the land bridge to go underground. This had caused the Indigenous peoples of Pacifica to establish cultures completely different from those along the other side of the Pacific coast.

Colonial Rule (1623-1908)
See Protectorate of Pacifica for more information

European exploration of the Pacific Northwest began around the late 1570s after Francis Drake, a pirate from Britain, went away from what is now Oregon. It was soon followed by a group of unnamed men known as the Wiskln, who went around the Pacific coast two decades later. They never stepped foot on Pacifica, but a small portion of the island had been drawn as a part of mainland North America. Their discoveries were buried somewhere between Washington and British Columbia and were thus not seen until they were rediscovered in the 1920s.

Ektæó Colonial Rule (1623-1823)
Ektæózeruich found itself in the midst of colonising areas around the world after the country was documented heavily. The Ektæó Colonial Company was formed during the 1600s with intentions of sending hundreds of settlers to live in the lands they so desired. Their first exploration occurred once a ship known as the M.A.E. Barent was built in 1621; afterward, the plan was that the settlers were meant to colonise much of the Cascadia bioregion. Due to incorrect coordinates and bad mapping, the people of the ship found themselves on the coasts of Pacifica Island five months after they had left the country. The reason why they never navigated the Pacific Northwest like they anticipated to remains a mystery. One example of a popular theory was that their boat was burned and that travelling across laid a number of risks.

New Tæóich (now called Bedford) was the first settlement the Gold Coast Company made after resting for a few days. On the subject of how they should treat the indigenous peoples, many settlers were split between two factions: the Greens (intended to trade and perhaps assimilate) and the expansionists (desired to expand). A bloody conflict rose between the sides, with the Greens winning initially. For a few years, the expansionalists moved further in the island and started a separate colony; they consolidated New Tæóich during an unexpected attack and pillaged their native allies. Soon after, those who were still left attempted to assimilate with the settlers whilst keeping their traditions or headed north to be left alone. Despite this, intermarriage was considered uncommon (though this was slightly more common amongst the Greens) as there were as many men as women in many areas.

The Gold Coast Company's main industry was, like many colonies in present-day Canada and nearby areas, fur trading. Initial relations between the indigenous peoples and the Ektæóvi were soured following the Tree Wars. But soon after, they improved as they started to trade more often.

Due to a lack of communication, news sent to or from Pacifica came late, if it ever arrived. For the most part, they attempted to rule themselves under another system to compensate for the lack of things coming from Borea. In the 1820s, seeing that their colony was a lost cause, Pacifica was later transferred to the United States and the British Empire, albeit under vague wording.

British & American Rule (1823-1908)
After the Ektæó government left all their colonial holdings in North America, Pacifica was under disputed rule; while it was officially transferred to the Hudson's Bay Company and the United States, neither established firm control over the region until 1824. Much like the Oregon Country, it was placed under joint-occupation as a part of the Columbia District and Oregon Territory (Pacifica Territory after it had split from Oregon in 1833) respectfully. This lasted until 1845, when all of Pacifica came under British control as the Protectorate of Pacifica.

The residents of New Tæóich and the other places soon established before 1824 reacted to this transfer of power with hostility once they saw British and American ships surrounding the coastline. Thinking that this was an invasion, they decided to attack them by attempting to put the ships on fire. Even after they found out the truth, they were not the most cooperative; in fact, many rebellions came and went as late as the late 1830s.

Many started flocking to Pacifica after the 1830s, with the island's population increasing by as much as 1,700%. The reason behind this large growth was because of the extremely cheap yet fertile land and the gold in the area. Around the 1870s, there was a plan to make Pacifica a province of Canada, but it failed due to a lack of support from much of the population.

Transition period (1890s-1908)
Gradual autonomy was given to Pacifica before it became a dominion in 1871, thus ending any chance that Pacifica would join Canada. Many started desiring for independence by the 1880s, with peaceful gatherings being commenced to request independence. These demands were received with some resentment, initially, but negotiations regarding the protectorate were held between then and 1908. The 1907 Imperial Conference increased the status of Pacifica to a de facto dominion, though this would not be granted officially until February 23, 1908, when Pacifica's constitution passed in parliament.

First Decades of Independence (1908-1945)
The 1908 election had as many as 49 political parties that attempted to gain power. This was due to a number of frequent occasions where parties fragmented into multiple sections, with some resorting to violence to get rid of another party's dominance. Eventually, Pacifican National Party candidate Francis Burke won with only 35% of the vote; this was a lot considering that most gained less than 10%, some parties were consolidated, and others decided to give up altogether. Having been in power since 1901, Burke desired to remain close allies with their allies back in Britain while opening up to the United States - something that Canada, its neighbour, was more hesitant of doing. Due to his controversial stance, the National Party lost the election to the Conservatives, who installed New Tæóich native Gælijús Stæúrook as their prime minister.

Considering the domestic issues plaguing Pacifica, they were only able to send troops to serve in the British Empire after late 1915 (though some were sent as early as the time the latter started doing so). Stæúrook started to pass the Conscription Acts to bring more soldiers to serve in the war. Riots began to follow in certain areas with heavy populations of French and Ektæó Pacificans, but nevertheless, it still passed in Parliament.

Clarence Anderson was soon put to power after Burke retired in 1928. He is notorious for implementing the White Pacifica policy, which was modelled (and named) after the White Australia policy. This prevented non-whites from immigrating to Pacifica from 1929 to 1931. In addition, many minorities within the dominion were relocated to areas with larger populations of people of their own race. Anglo Pacificans became more prominent in Pacifican politics and society before Anderson was dismissed by the governor-general in 1931.

His sucessor, P.A. Pulaski, reversed all of the policies made by Anderson regarding race. Soon after, he also implimented the Civil Liberties Act of 1931; this act made it so that discrimination towards a person for race-motivated reasons would be declared illegal. He won the 1937 election and served until 1940, when Timothée Frémont became prime minister for only nine months before resigning on the 12th of December of that year. For the most part, he himself and many of his colleagues said he was dissatisfied with the job. Mihæl Cousteau of the Liberty Party (now the Labour Party) was successful during the second 1940 elections; he is well known for his proposal of the expansion of Pacifica's highways and boosting morale during the Second World War. After that, he became strongly anti-socialist and was the one who personally booted Reynold Davis out of the party he led in 1949. Cousteau would die in 1953 after his health deteriorated during the final years of his life.

Pacifica during the World Wars (1914-1945)
Pacifica supported the Entente during the First World War. Many troops were sent to the Pacific Theatre starting in late 1915, though some went to Europe with Canadian troops.

When Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939, they chose the allies though, once again, political turmoil still occurred on whether to declare war on the Axis powers or to be neutral. They never participated entirely until 1941, when the Attack on Pearl Harbor pulled the United States into the war as well.

Cold War Era (1945-1990s)
Post-war Pacifica was succeeding at building both a national highway and railway system that connected many of its regions. Following this, an economic boom diversified the economy of it even more; but at the same time, some of Pacifica's intercity regions had groups that would stir unrest with one that tried to start a communist rebellion in the heart of the country. While it had remained neutral in the Korean War, the Vietnam War and other operations to prevent communist governments from rising up, many of Pacifica's leaders at this time were hardline anti-communists. Despite this, a man by the name of Reynold Davis was a member of the Socialist Party, which was formed after the Liberty Party (now the Labour Party) considered his views to be "too sympathetic to the Soviets." This was denounced many times by Davis, who did not appeal to either the communist rebels. His main goal, according to him, was to "not to turn ourselves into enemies of the West, but to promote ideological neutrality."

Despite having a somewhat large opposition to him, Davis still won the election of 1953. During this era, the natives in Pacifica were given more autonomy over themselves. As of 1955, a change in the constitution allowed the three northernmost territories plus the western areas of the District of Mackenzie to prohibit construction projects in areas that are under the ruling of the Indigenous peoples of Pacifica without permission. He was disposed of once the Truth and Unity Party, a right-wing group, took over after a constitutional crisis between 1964 and 1965. This happened as a result of a number of districts that had votes that came extremely close after they were counted multiple times.

Ronald Middleton was became quite popular with the right; as a result, the Conservative Party was seen to many as a "loyalist group of yes-men." This was one of many examples where it appeared he wanted to abolish the monarchy, but according to him he said, "I do appreciate our nation's monarchy. It would be nice if I were the head of state, but our heritage cannot lie upon a person who holds office for a short amount of time and leaves."

Around 1967, Francine Bell was introduced to Middleton. The two would start to spark a peculiar friendship which turned into an affair after at least 1973. Many within their social circle often berated Middleton's wife, Kelly, whilst being around him and Bell. On the other hand, those who spoke out against him were often silenced through threats of kidnapping, murder, and other tactics. However, the quality of living began to decrease once the affair began to progress since it seemed like Ronald Middleton often focused on Bell during his free time. This would come to an end after 1977, when Kelly Middleton heard of this through an anonymous letter. They separated and later divorced in September 1979, but at that point, Francine Bell would soon distance herself from the affair by refusing to engage in conversations with Middleton. The Truth and Unity Party lost all but 3 seats following the appointment and was disbanded after Middleton was dismissed. On New Year's Day, he was found dead after falling from an 18-storey building. Having been alone by the time of his death, it was ruled as a suicide.

Reconstruction
Edouard Laurent became prime minister following an appointment from former governor-general Carter Jackson. This era in Pacifican history mostly emphasized on rebuilding areas that had experienced declines during the seventies and establishing relations with the Eastern bloc during the latter's decline. It started to collaborate with the Montarek Archipelago on reunifying South Barentia with Barentia proper during the early 90s.

Present Day (1993-)
After George Burke decided to retire from political life, Pacifica was introduced to two politicians from the Labour Party: Mackenzie White and Miranda Hancock. This marked a new era for Pacifica since the Labour Party was fractured following the Constitutional Crisis in 1965. While Laurent only intended on fixing the infrastructure in Pacifica, these two politicians made the country more friendlier towards left-wing politics. Same-sex marriages were gradually allowed over time, with White making it fully legal in 1998. Additional progressive laws were passed once Hancock became prime minister. As a result, the Conservative Party was a more moderate rival compared to its historic counterpart.

Economy
Pacifica has always had a market economy with large levels of development. While its industry was primarily limited to tourism, lumbering wood and mining, it had diversified rapidly throughout the late 19th and early 20th century. It does not have the highest GDP, net wealth or purchasing power parity, but it has been near the top for the past few decades.

Population
As of 2022, the current estimated population is at around 62,019,176 people. Racially, Caucasians make up 71% of the population, Blacks at 11%, Asians at around 10%, and Indigenous peoples and other races at 4% each. Hispanics of any race make up around 10% of the population.

Language
English is generally used as a language amongst the majority of Pacificans, though many can speak and/or understand French. The Ektæó language, despite making a prominent proportion in the past, has diminished over the last few decades.

Divisions
See Divisions of Pacifica for more information.

Education
The school systems in Pacifica are divided between each district, with the exception of the far-northern regions which still have a large indigenous population; in these areas, education is either provided by the national government or by a council. One can also make an exception if a person near one district lives near a school in another one. Public education is free and is required from the age of 4 to the age of 18, though some arrangements can allow a person to graduate when they are 16. Most schools are divided into four segments: preparatory, primary, lower secondary, and secondary. Tertiary education is provided in colleges around the country. The table below will explain how it is divided.

Generally, the school day lasts about 9 hours for the average student attending secondary school and 7.5 for a person attending primary or intermediate school. On average, Pacifican students are in school for 195 days of the school year, with mandatory breaks during all four seasons plus a few other ones scattered around the school year.

School buses in Pacifica are extremely similar to the ones Canadian and American children use while riding to school, though it has not been unheard of for a person to use public transportation. The most popular brands that many contractors and school boards buy are made from Blue Bird, IC Bus, and Thomas Built Buses. The Crown Supercoach and school buses made from Corbeil were also popular, though these companies went defunct years ago.

Climate & Landscape
The climate is generally a bit colder on the western and northern sides of Pacifica than the other regions. The lowest temperature ever recorded was in 1975, at around -91°C (-131.8°F) in Meyer Valley. The hottest was 47°C (117°F) in the aforementioned area in 1929.

The landscape around Pacifica is filled with valleys, plateaus, forests, and a few rainforests in the southern part of the country. The northeastern section is near the Juan de Fuca plate boundary and the Ring of Fire, which has caused it to become vulnerable to earthquakes.

Television
Most channels operate both in English and French, with certain ones around the New Tæóich region using the Ektæó language. There are no television stations that are state-owned. However, publicly funded television stations once dominated the way of broadcasting. Most television stations work similarly to their American and Canadian counterparts.

Under call sign PNT10WXB from Bedford, the first experimental television broadcasts started in 1929. A brief hiatus occurred following the destruction of the television station in 1935. It had broadcasted once again on an on-and-off basis until 1940, when Pacifica started to focus on World War II. For a certain time after the war, those with televisions in southern Pacifica received signals from areas such as Seattle and Portland despite the then-prominent Ektæó-speaking population. In 1949, stations PRTN, PFBX, PMHC, PGRP, PHXE, and PCQA started to broadcast; half of them had signals from Marquette and Columbia respectfully. By 1966, television stations were placed all around Pacifica in all three national languages.

The transition to digital television started around 1999 with the creation of the first DTT transmission in the country. Soon enough, the switch-over commenced in 2001, and it was completed in 2008.

Cinema
The cinema industry stated around the 1890s. The history of said industry did not progress any further about until around the 1910s.

Other Information

 * The currency is known as the Pacifican Dollar
 * Type A & B plug sockets are commonly used
 * The average life expectancy is 84.3 for men and 86 for women
 * The drinking age is 19
 * A marriage is only legal if each spouse is at least 18 years old
 * The driving age varies from district to district, but it is between the ages of 16 and 18
 * The Columbia Captiol District's driving age is at 18
 * The voting age is 16, though immigrants from any country have to stay in the country for 3 years in order to be allowed to vote
 * Same-sex marriage was decriminalised in 1932. In 1991, same-sex unions were recognized with same-sex marriages becoming legal after 1998; about 1 in 6.5 people identify themselves with the LGBTQ+ community

Religion
Through the constitution, Pacifica runs as a secular state with religious liberties. Most of the population is made up of atheists, but a large Christian population is still present with many declaring themselves as Protestant. The Roman Catholic denomination is a large minority due to Ektæó colonisation and French Canadian immigrants.

Crime
Pacifica has maintained a reputation for being one of the least crime-ridden countries in the world for several decades, though political violence and corruption had occurred during its early days.