| The United Democratic Republic of Utania | |
|---|---|
| Conventional short name: | |
| Local: | Utania |
| Ingallish: | Utania |
| Data codes: | UT, UTA |
| |
| Languages: | |
| Official: | Ingallish, Utameyas |
| Others: | Numerous, incl. Lendian, Tarqvisi, Zartanian, Armatirian |
| Cities: | |
| Capital: | Utan Krysaror |
| Other: | Luka, Vela Luka, Agraam, Shecker, Mulgrave, Navoomi |
| Government type: | Democratic Republic |
| President: | Samuel Artos |
| Area: | (T.B.A.) |
| Population: | est. 64 million (314ap) Utanians |
| Ethnic groups: | Utani (~51.4m), Ingallish, Lendian, Armatirian, Zartanian, Meritean |
| Currency: | Pund (symbol: U) |
| Organizations: | United Nations of Vexillium |
The United Democratic Republic of Utania (commonly referred to as just Utania) is located in southeast-most corner of Eras, in a region known as Ishrakan. It has only one land-based neighbour, South Bay, and is near to Ptica Island, Guwimith and Armatirion.
Utania won her independence from the Guwimithian Empire on June 1st, 300ap, after the Empire's collapse the previous year, and it remains the most stable and prosperous of the former colonies. With good reason. Luka, the country's second city, was the main trading port between the Guwimithian Dependencies and the Imperial island, and was the centre of the non-indigenous population of the so-called dependencies.
Utania is a middle-income nation, rating about 40 in the VexBank's Human Development Index, with a relatively prosperous and well-educated eastern sea-board, and poor interior overwhelmingly populated by the majority Utani people. Millions of poor Utani have since taken advantage of the end of racist laws preventing their involvement in anything other than agriculture and flooded into the big cities of the east coast, adding strain to infrastructure there. The capital, Utan Krysaror has received an estimated two million immigrants since 300ap.
As a result of the dire poverty of the majority, the wealth of the minority, and the in-flux into cities, and the consequent decline of manufacturing wages, Utania faces substantial social issues, not least resentment by the poor of the rich and visa versa. Incidents of violence have been very rare, and the rise of the United Nationalist Coalition, which brought together Utani nationalist and non-Utani nationalist parties, is believed to be a sign that no one wants the situation to deteriorate.
Utania's President is Edward Hope, former Governor of Lasanne state, and leader of the Utanian Conservative Party. The Parliament is presently dominated by the United Nationalists who have over 40% of the seats.
Utania is a strongly internationalist nation, seeking to expand liberal democracy worldwide, and a strong advocate of greater and freer international trade. Utania has the world's largest Peacekeeping force deployed to Dignania, maintaining peace along the thousand kilometre border with 22,000 soldiers.