Ivalice

The Republic of Ivalice (commonly referred to as Ivalice) is a federal constitutional republic consisting of three states and an additional state-level federal district. Located off the eastern coast of the United States of America, Ivalice is an island country, consisting of two main islands and several smaller islands. Ivalice is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. After its discovery by errant British explorers in an expedition prior to major European travels during the Age of Discovery, it was settled after the expedition's ships were shipwrecked on rocks, off what is now Ivalion, Califia, in the 14th century. Following a seven year civil war in the 17th century, the unified Republic of Ivalice was founded. Its national capital and largest city is Koiwai.

Etymology
The name of the Republic of Ivalice is derived from the Kingdom of Saint Ivalice, one of the two predecessor states. The origin of the name Saint Ivalice is unknown. The long form "Republic of Ivalice" is rarely used to describe the nation, except in the most formal of occasions and in government application.

Geography
The Republic of Ivalice consists of two main islands and several smaller islands off of the eastern coast of North America. The largest island, named Ivalice, is large, and roughly diamond-shaped. The total area of the main island is 652,334 km2. The second largest island, called Luna, is to the north of the main island, and is a part of the state of Califia. There are several natural harbors on the east coast of Ivalice, two of which, Ivalion Harbor and the Bay of Saint James, were among the first landing points for colonists to the island, and remain important to this day.

The island is divided north to south by a large mountain chain, the Ordero Mountains. The highest mountain, Mount Eh, in Forriedor, is also the highest point on the island.

Climate
With the exception of Luna and some other more northern parts of Califia, Ivalice is subject to a subtropical climate. Along the coasts, winters are very mild, and snowfall is rare. Summers are hot and humid with warm evenings. In the interior, winters are less mild, and large snowfall is possible, though not frequent. The highest recorded temperature in the nation is 107 degrees Fahrenheit, recorded in Vail, Califia on July 27, 1962. The lowest recorded temperature in the nation is -12 degrees Fahrenheit, recorded in Gardenia, Gallia, on March 12, 1993, during the 1993 Storm of the Century.

Colonization
In November 1353, a large group of explorers left Great Britain for Spain to pick up supplies and crew, intending to explore the western ocean for settlement and the promise of a New World with vast natural resources. Leaving London with a year's worth of food on six ships, and skilled fishermen aboard, the expeditionary group was lost at sea for 10 weeks before landing on the island of Ivalice in the Western Atlantic at modern day Ivalion, with nearly no food remaining. Upon landing on the island, they decided to settle there, seeing little to no chance of surviving a return voyage. The group immediately split into two factions, one wanting to replicate the monarchy typical of the time, and the other wanting a more 'united' system, where the people were involved in making the decisions. The democratic faction left the monarchists for the south, eventually settling into a village that would become Randgriz City. The monarchists and the democrats were out of contact with each other for one hundred and fifty years. By that time, the two groups had prospered into small nations, and having re-established contact with the major European powers, been recognized as independent states.

Unification War
By 1609, however relations between the two group became cold once again, with the northern monarchists, styled The Kingdom of Saint Ivalice, looking at expanding into the southeastern territories of the democrats, the Gallian Republic. King Marche II of the northern kingdom authorized an invasion of the southern republic with his army of one thousand men, sparking what would be known in the future as the Unification War. The Republic, having a vastly outnumbered army, instead asked for the support of King Philip III of Spain. Spain sent 8,000 prisoners, and weapons to equip them to the Republic as support, in exchange for giving the prisoners permanent residence in the Republic. The war waged on for three years in a series of bloody stalemates until both sides were lacking in resources to continue a war. The two states then came together to share resources under one nation, modern day Ivalice, with a national capital at Koiwai, a small neutral city sited at the far southern point of the island.

An island to the north of the main island of Ivalice, sparsely populated with natives, but claimed by Ivalice, was granted to the Spanish ex-prisoners to settle, and became a part of the state of Califia, named Luna.

European Colonization of the Americas
For the next two centuries, Ivalice became a resupplying stop on colonial expeditions from Europe to the New World. In particular, Ivalician traders became particularly close to British colonists destined for the mid-Atlantic coast, who would eventually become Ivalice's large neighbor, the United States. Many colonists decided to settle in Ivalice, rather than continue to the mainland, contributing to the island nation's early population growth. During the American Revolution, many of Ivalice's citizens supported the Americans' independence movement, but no official support was provided to the American cause from the government, to avoid spoiling relations with the British.

As the slave trade with Africa continued into the 1800s, Ivalice was a major point of trade between Europe, the Americas, and Africa. In 1894, the Diet adopted a law forbidding lifetime slavery; Slaves imported to Ivalice were to either be set free or paid wages after twenty-five years of unpaid labor. This measure proved to be unpopular with former slaveowners, and as a unity compromise, the Diet set a very low minimum wage of for slaves, half of the lowest average wage in the freedman's county of residence. However, the new policy was very popular with the Africans themselves, and slaves from America attempted to escape to Ivalice to seek freedom.

19th Century
The Industrial Revolution led to economic changes for Ivalice. The arrival of steam-powered engines heralded the arrival of factories, and rampant pollution to the island nation. Industrialization, and its consequences, in turn, led to chronic health problems, conditions which plague parts of the country to this day, particularly in the northwest.

Politics and Government
Ivalice is a constitutional republic and representative democracy. The government is divided into three main branches, each designed to have no more power than any other branch as defined by the Ivalician Constitution, which is the highest word of law in the nation. There are three levels of government, Federal, State, and Regional. The nation is divided into several single-representative sectors. The federal government is composed of three branches, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.

Legislative
Ivalice's legislative organ is the National Diet, a bicameral parliament. The Diet consists of a House of Representatives, containing 200 seats, elected directly by popular vote every four years and a Senate of 80 seats, whose popularly elected members serve six-year terms. The Vice President of Ivalice serves as the leader and moderator of the Senate for debates, and can vote in the event of an even split. The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the equivalent position in the House, and is chosen by its members at the start of a new term of congress from amongst its members. The legislature meets at the National Capitol Building in Koiwai.

Executive
The President of Ivalice is both the head of state and head of government. The position is elected popularly by the people and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office. The President is the head of the Cabinet and appoints and dismisses the Secretaries of State. The current president is John Martin, and his vice president is Shi Johnson-Williams. The president appoints a cabinet of advisors, called secretaries, to lead the government's various executive departments. Each secretary must be approved by the Senate before serving on the cabinet.

Judicial
The supreme judicial body of Ivalice is the High Court. It is led by the Chief Justice of Ivalice, and also consists of six associate justices. Justices to the court are appointed by the President, and must be confirmed by the Senate. Justices serve a life term, terminable only in death, retirement, or impeachment.

Elections
There is universal suffrage for adults over 18 years of age, with a secret ballot for all elective offices. All executive and legislative officials are elected by plurality vote by eligible citizens by voting district. Ivalice is classified as a three-party system state, with the main parties being the liberal Rights Party, the moderate Unity Party, and the conservative Conservative Party.