North Point

Republic of North Point
Republic of North Point
Flag	Seal
	Motto: Sic Semper Tyrannis ; (Latin: Thus Always To Tyrants)
	Anthem: "Anchors Aweigh";
	North Point's location in Haven
Located in	Haven
Capital; (and largest city)	Jacksonville
Official languages	English
Ethnic groups (2010)	Anglo-Saxon, Hispanic, Black African
Demonym	North Pointer; Northpointan (antiquated)
Government	Constitutional Republic
Legislature	Congress
Establishment
Area
Population
GDP (nominal)	2010 estimate
Gini	35.8 (medium)
HDI	0.961 (high)
Currency	North Point Dollar (NP$) (NPD)
Time zone	KMT+5, +6
Date formats	m/d/yy (AD)
Drives on the	right
Internet TLD	.np, .gov.np, .mil.np
Calling code	+678

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North Point, officially the Republic of North Point, is a constitutional republic located within the region of Haven. It is bordered by Selonia, Cambridge, and the Chevrokian Hjeltland Islands. The entire country sits atop the remnants of a long-extinct supervolcano, and it is famous for its scenic beaches and tropical islands. Geographically, North Point is an especially small nation; with a land area of only 281,000 square miles, it is one of the smallest countries in Haven. Its capital city is Jacksonville.

The country itself was founded by Praetonian colonists, but was generally not considered a colony of Praetonia because of its small size and relative unimportance. The nation of North Point was born on February 10th, 1821, when the colonists declared their independence from Praetonia. Throughout the next hundred years, almost all of the thousands of islands in North Point were settled. The nation became a powerhouse in the production of timber and other forestry products. After independence, a bicameral system of government was created, and North Point has been governed peacefully by its Congress since 1822.

North Point has historically been a neutral state. It has never been in a state of declared war, and it has never joined the World Assembly. North Point exercises no major regional or worldwide influence. Its military, while considered by many a highly professional force, serves only as a self-defense force and is prohibited by North Point's Constitution from taking part in overseas aggressive action.

North Point's population is generally descended from Praetonians, though many citizens trace their heritage from other Havenic countries. Owing to its status as an English-speaking nation, citizens from the Anglosphere are especially well-represented. The official language in North Point is English, which is spoken by nearly all of North Point's population.

Etymology

In 1773, a Praetonian surveying team visited the area while mapping the continent. The disjointed collection of islands and atolls was simply circled and marked "N PT". Geographers in Praetonia eventually just started calling the entire area "The North Point" (of the continent). This name stuck, and no one saw the need to change it. It was soon afterwards shortened to "North Point", and it has kept this name ever since.

Geography

Main article: Geography of North Point

Map of North Point

North Point is located in central east Haven. It lies 280 miles off the east shores of Selonia, and 315 miles off the east coast of Ferrum Lupus. To the south, its closest neighbor is Hjeltland-Muncheria. It also lies 550 miles directly south of Vekhistan. The Cravanic colony of Cambridge lies 500 miles to the northwest, and Aurde lies 410 miles directly southwest of North Point. Overall, it claims 281,815 square miles of land territory, and its total sea territory (not including Exclusive Economic Zones) amounts to over 2.1 million square miles.

The country is a collection of offshore islands, ranging in sizes from hundreds of miles across to small sandbars. Volcanologists have so far determined that the nation sits atop the remnants of a long-extinct supervolcano, and that some catastrophic event millions of years in the past led to the nation's current disjointed geography. The majority of the country's land area comes from the two largest islands, North Point's mainland and Wellington Island. The larger islands are mountainous, composed mainly of large volcanic mountains with vast coastal plains. The smaller islands in the country are mostly comprised of sand, limestone and coral. There are hundreds of small islands and islets in North Point.

North Point's terrain varies with each island. The mainland and Wellington Island have large mountain ranges running through them, but also play host to thousands of square miles of jungle and savanna in their interiors. The coastal plains of the larger islands are covered with vast pine forests, with palm forests becoming more and more common towards the coast. Most of the smaller islands, on the other hand, are usually only populated with jungles and palm groves. Most of the islands are surrounded by large fringing reefs.

Climate

In general, North Point's climate is tropical for most of the year. Summer highs are usually in the upper 80s°F (~30°C) during the day and mid 70s°F (~23°C) at night. Winter temperatures during the day are usually in the low to mid 60s°F (~17°C), seldom dipping below the mid 40s°F (~7°C) at night. Most of the smaller islands are hot and humid, while the interiors of the mainland and Wellington Island can be very hot in the summer, with temperatures at or exceeding 100°F (37°C). On average, the rainiest month in North Point is June, and the hottest month is July. Rainfall is generally characterized by afternoon thundershowers. Snow has only been recorded once in the entire nation's history, when Mt. Stanley in Wellington Island's interior received two inches of light snowfall in 1947. North Point's Eastern Archipelago sometimes experiences tropical cyclones during the hurricane season, which can occasionally bring significant damage to the area. Overall, the country's climate is relatively pleasant, but the summer months can be uncomfortable to visitors who are used to a colder climate.

Topographical map of North Point

Wildlife

North Point is populated by a wide variety of flora and fauna. The vast forests that cover the mainland and the larger islands support a large number of mammal, reptile, and bird species, and the nation's jungles are even more populated with animal life. Fish and other sealife thrive in the nation's coral reefs. The inland savannas have always been populated with lions, elephants, and other large animals. Big game hunting, sportfishing, and safaris are very popular in North Point.

Natural resources

North Point's coastal regions have a strong timber industry, and the pine forests were once prized for their abundance of tar, timber, and resin, all of which were used for naval stores during the 19th century. Parts of the country's interior, especially the mountainous areas, have large reserves of minerals and raw materials. Mines on the larger islands produce precious and non-precious metals. There are large oilfields in the Wellington Gulf and the Southern Sea, with refining facilities in Salisbury, Anchor Point City, and San Salvacion. The nation's large amount of sea territory and over 11,000 miles of coastline support a booming fishing industry.

History

Discovery and Early History

A modern day coconut plantation on Redmond Island

The future nation of North Point was first visited by a Praetonian surveying team in the summer of 1773 while mapping the southern continent. Many of the islands were uninhabited at the time, but the surveying team made note of the vast palm and pine forests that covered them. A second surveying team returned to the islands in 1778 to determine the feasibility of building coconut plantations to harvest coconuts and copra. There was also considerable interest in the enormous pine forests that covered most of the main islands, leading several timber companies to set up sawmills and lumber yards around the country's large islands, mainly to provide lumber and naval stores for shipbuilding. North Point is still famous for exporting timber and other forestry products. By 1800, several large plantations and farm stations had been constructed on the main islands. The largest of these stations, owned by the explorer Peter Nel, eventually became the city of Nelspruit Station, the oldest city in North Point. Colonization picked up by the early 1800s, and by 1815 there were around 300,000 colonists on the main islands alone. The Praetonian Navy established a Royal Navy Station at Jacksonville in 1791, and this station served as the main Royal Navy outpost in the area until it was moved to New Britain island in 1899.

By 1820, many of the colonists had demanded local sovereignty. Praetonia made no move to keep North Point from declaring its independence, and February 10th, 1821 is celebrated as North Point's Independence Day. In 1822, after much deliberation, a Senate and House of Representatives were set up, as well as an Executive branch. North Point's Constitution was written shortly afterward. The country has been governed in a relatively peaceful manner by this political system since its founding in 1822.

Settlement

Up until about 1850, settlement and colonization had only taken place on the modern-day mainland and Wellington Island, the two largest landmasses in North Point. 1850 saw the creation of several exploration and survey companies, all of whom began to map the outer islands. Dalton Island was the first of the lesser islands to be colonized, with the town of Armstrong Station being established on the site of a relatively-new cattle station. Redmond Island, a landmass to the southeast of Wellington Island, was the next to be explored. The town of Robertson was founded on the island's west shores.

By 1875, Lauderdale Island had been fully mapped and settlements began to appear along its 480-mile length. The first of which, Palm Beach, shortly became North Point's shipbuilding capital. As the century drew to a close, the industrious citizens of North Point had established settlements on almost all of the country's islands. The last of North Point's regions to be colonized were the Landsdale Islands, which were only discovered in 1911.

Piracy in the late 19th century

The secluded bays and mountainous terrain of Lauderdale Island provided the perfect base for piracy

The relative indifference of North Point's government, coupled with the large amount of sea territory and hundreds of islands, led to a rise of lawlessness in some of the outlying islands. Lauderdale Island and Redmond Island, owing to their relative geographical and political isolation from the mainland, quickly became havens for smugglers and criminals of many different backgrounds. Many of the smaller islands, most famously San Lucas Island, became notorious pirate havens. North Point's government was slow to put a stop to the criminal activities taking place in the outlying islands, since the nation was concerned with other business; by 1885, North Point had become Haven's leading exporter of naval stores, which was where the majority of national attention was focused. Most citizens were not affected by piracy on the far-away barrier islands in the first place.

Settlers sight in their rifles after repeated criminal attacks

In response to the growing rise of lawlessness on the outer islands, especially in the Eastern Archipelago, North Point's farmers, settlers, and law-abiding colonists formed the Commando system. Under this new system, attacks by criminals on farm stations, supply stores, and homesteads could be responded to by armed citizens, usually led by a former Sergeant or other officer with military experience. Now that many of the civilian outposts on the barrier islands could and literally did shoot back, attacks by criminals and other lawbreakers dropped dramatically. Most of the criminal activity on the outer islands was reduced to common piracy and smuggling activities that took place far from organized settlements. The Commando system is still in use today, mainly in areas where a normal police response would take too long.

The rise of the Commando system alerted the North Point government that it was past time to take action against the pirates on the barrier islands, many of whom were growing quite wealthy and prosperous despite the resistance from armed citizen Commandos. In the spring of 1885, Congress authorized an expedition to Lauderdale Island that would attempt to cripple (or preferably destroy entirely) the pirate bases on the northeast side of the island. The expedition was led by Captain Roger Maynard, an experienced naval officer. Faced with a relatively strong force, the pirates were swiftly defeated. After this show of force, lawlessness generally declined in the outer islands, as criminal elements became more aware that large-scale operations would be met with force if they became too disruptive.

Pan-Havenic Twenty Years' War

Main article: Pan-Havenic Twenty Years' War

NPIF troops charge an enemy position during the Twenty Years' War

While most countries were heavily-involved in the Pan-Havenic Twenty Years' War, North Point was not. The nation itself was too small and relatively unimportant to be attacked, and it was not in a position that warranted any strategic involvement to begin with. Still, North Point aligned itself with the Allied Powers, mostly due to its strong political and economic ties with Praetonia, Questers, Cravan, and Willink, the main powers under the allied banner. While North Point's Army did not take part in the war itself, the period saw the strengthening of domestic self-defense measures and the expansion of North Point's navy. The nation served as a manufacturing base for producing arms and armaments, with North Point supplying millions of tons of ammunition to the allied powers.

The Twenty Years' War led to the establishment of the North Point Imperial Force, a short-lived but relatively successful citizen's volunteer force that fought overseas during the conflict. Since many North Pointers believed in the ideals of the war itself, and North Point's government would not officially intervene, the NPIF was designed to allow citizens of North Point to serve alongside their Anglosphere brethren in the fight against tyranny. At its peak, the Imperial Force had over 2,500 members, and it was led by the legendary Security Forces general Lord Roberts. Fighting mostly under Praetonian or Questerian command, the Imperial Force distinguished itself several times on the battlefields of the Twenty Years' War. With the cessation of hostilities in 1901, the Imperial Force gradually began to return home, with the last units arriving by 1903.

Army troops on Westlands Island

1970 Emergency

Main article: 1970 Emergency

June of 1970 saw the surprise invasion of Dalton Island by Vekhistani expeditionary forces. Within the next week, the Vekhistanis had also invaded Westlands Island. A prolonged holding action ensued, and the Security Forces were able to keep the Vekhistanis on the north side of the volcanic ridge that runs east to west along Westlands Island. The Vekhistanis' original goal had been to secure hydrophone array listening stations on Dalton and Westlands Island, so that their submarines could pass undetected into North Point's territorial waters. Since they had been unable to capture the facility on Westlands Island, they never gained the proper foothold in North Point. After the decisive Battle off Cape San Cristobal, in which the Vekhistani naval assets were wiped out, the war became a cleanup operation with North Point's military doing its best to push the remaining Vekhistanis off Dalton and Westlands Islands. By 1973, the final holdouts had capitulated, and the two northern islands were declared secure.

North Point's beautiful scenery attracts tourists from around the world

Contemporary era

Today, North Point is a stable republic. It remains one of the world's leading producers of timber and other forestry products. Recently, the country has experienced an economic boom to several large oil discoveries in the Southern Sea. Geologists estimate that the newly-discovered oilfields could provide for North Point's fossil fuel requirements for the next fifty years alone. The nation is still one of Haven's leading tourism destinations, drawing visitors to see its beautiful beaches, islands, and volcanic mountain ranges. A large industry exists around aerial tourism, often offering helicopter and seaplane trips around the country.

North Point maintains its strict policy of non-interventionism, though there have recently been calls from many advocacy groups that want the country to take a more active role in world affairs. North Point's government, however, has generally ignored these groups, preferring instead to maintain a policy of neutrality. Controversially, North Point joined the Organisation of Maritime Powers in July of 2010, though North Point's State Department has adamantly stated several times that its membership in the OMP is purely as an observer nation, and carries no binding political or military responsibilities.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Regions of North Point

North Point is a federal union of twelve regions. The original two regions (the mainland and Wellington Island) were once Praetonian colonies that declared independence in 1822. Throughout the late 1800s, as the outer islands of North Point were fully explored, more and more regions became part of the country. The last of the regions to become part of North Point were the Landsdale Islands, becoming an official administrative region on September 15th, 1912. The twelve regions account for all of the land territory in North Point.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of North Point

See also: Foreign policy of North Point

Owing to its stated policy of neutrality, as well as its relatively small size in the region, North Point exercises hardly any influence. The country's Constitution forbids it from joining any supra-national entities, such as the World Assembly. North Point is not a part of any treaty organizations or alliances with foreign powers.

North Point does, however, retain strong ties with Praetonia, the nation from which the vast majority of its citizens trace their heritage. North Point is considered part of the Anglosphere, and as such is closely-related on a political, social and cultural level to Questers, Willink, and Cravan, among others. The country has always been friendly towards two of its closest sovereign neighbors, the nations of Libersolum and Chevrokia.

Military

Main article: North Point Security Forces

Stick 7 of 38 Commando charges an enemy bunker

North Point's military is referred to as the North Point Security Forces. The name reflects the military's mission, which is to safeguard the sovereignty of the country and its citizens. Since North Point is a neutral country, it does not take part in overseas aggressive actions. The War Department administers the different service branches, consisting of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Service in an organized branch of the military is voluntary. North Point's citizens are not prohibited from serving in volunteer units overseas.

All able-bodied males aged 18-45 are considered part of the Militia, which may be called up in times of extreme danger by local and state governments. Every male citizen is required to own at least one FN FAL or comparable battle rifle in order to fulfill the requirements of the decentralized militia. Through the Civilian Marksmanship Authority (CMA), military surplus rifles and ammunition are offered to the public at discount prices.

North Point has always been a relatively "martial" society, owing mainly to its status as a frontier nation during its early years. The country is unique for its militia system. North Point's founders viewed large standing armies as a threat to liberty, and hence guaranteed (through the Constitution's Second Amendment) that North Point's armed forces would always be staffed by citizen-soldiers. Security Forces generals boast that, within 48 hours, North Point can have over a million fully-armed and equipped soldiers and militiamen mobilized.

Economy

North Point's beaches are a popular tourist destination

Tourism

North Point is a popular tourist destination because of its beaches and tropical scenery. It is especially popular among members of the Anglosphere, due to the shared language and cultural attributes. Citizens of North Point are known for their friendliness and hospitality, but it's not uncommon for a rude and obnoxious tourist to get thrown out of a building for disturbing the peace. Visitors comment on the country's cleanliness, scenery, and the fantastic exchange rates. Tourism accounts for 15% of North Point's economy.

Advertisement promoting the country

Commodities industry

There is a large industry devoted to the production and export of commodities. These commodities include timber, fish, naval stores, rubber, coffee, copra, foodstuffs, and petroleum products. The nation's vast forests provide a great source of timber, rubber, coffee, and copra, and as a result, North Point is one of the leading forestry products exporters in all of Haven. The hundreds of thousands of miles of coastlines support a booming fishing and shrimping industry. Oilfields off Wellington Island's outer banks and Greenford Island supply the country with petroleum products, and allow it to export millions of barrels of oil each year. The mountainous interiors of the country's largest islands are dotted with mines, which produce everything from sulfur to gold and platinum.

Helicopter tourism is a large industry in North Point

Transportation

Transportation has historically been quite important in North Point. The only way to reach many of the smaller islands is by boat, helicopter, or seaplane, since most of them are not large enough to house an airfield. The nation boasts a highly-developed interstate highway system as well as an expansive rail network, though trains are mostly used for moving freight around the country rather than passengers. Most of the coastal cities sport established sea ports. An Intracoastal waterway surrounds both the mainland and Wellington Island, allowing barge traffic to transit safely regardless of sea state. There are cruise ship terminals in the majority of the coastal cities as well.

Import/export

North Point has always maintained a trade surplus. The country mostly exports raw materials and military hardware, while it imports high-tech goods, such as microchips and computer software.

Exports: timber, fish, naval stores, rubber, coffee, petroleum products, copra, coconuts, firearms, small arms ammunition, trucks, foodstuffs, warships, helicopters

Imports: electronics, textiles, coal, microchips, fighter aircraft, tires, chemicals

Demographics

North Point has a population of 27,102,387 citizens. The country's population density of 27 people per square kilometer is fairly low, and reflects the large amount of rural territory in the nation. In some of North Point's rural areas, it is not uncommon to find population densities below 1 person per square kilometer. North Point has never had a problem with illegal immigration, largely due to the absence of strict immigration laws. In 2009, approximately 75,000 immigrants were granted citizenship.

Urban centers

The majority of North Point's population lives in the countryside, but the nation's cities are still mostly large and developed. Nine cities have a population above 1 million citizens. Approximately 45% of North Point's citizens live in urban centers (this includes each city's metro area and associated suburbs). The largest cities in North Point are Jacksonville, Anchor Point City, Houston, and Covington Point.

Largest cities of North Point								view • talk • edit
	City	Region	Population	Jacksonville Anchor Point City		City	Region	Population
1	Jacksonville	North Point Mainland	2,104,061		11	Armstrong Station	Dalton Island	809,861
2	Anchor Point City	Wellington Island	2,056,135		12	Robertson	Redmond Island	782,349
3	Houston	North Point Mainland	2,032,587		13	De Soto Station	San Loma Islands	745,681
4	Covington Point	Wellington Island	1,978,057		14	North Beach	North Point Mainland	734,091
5	Johnson City	Greenford Island	1,875,119		15	Lucaya	Admiralty Island	569,013
6	Salisbury	Wellington Island	1,305,042		16	Port Arthur	Westlands Island	513,149
7	Nelspruit Station	North Point Mainland	1,275,974		17	Landsdale City	Landsdale Islands	411,901
8	Sheridan Sands	Lauderdale Island	1,117,857		18	Weatherford	Windward Islands	308,901
9	San Salvacion	Wellington Island	1,014,711		19	Van Horn Station	Adams Island	245,019
10	Palm Beach	Lauderdale Island	978,015		20	Freeport	Out Islands	101,904

Ethnicity

North Point has a mostly-homogeneous society descended primarily from white Praetonian colonists. Despite this, many different ethnic groups have immigrated to the country throughout its history, and there is a sizable amount of Hispanics, black Africans, and Asians in North Point. The country's census bureau does not record a citizen's race, but recent estimates put the population at 71% white European, 19% Hispanic, 5% Asian, and 5% black African, though these figures are disputed.

Language

The official language of North Point is English, and the nation proudly considers itself a part of the Anglosphere. Almost 99% of North Point's citizens are fluent in English, with an estimated 80% having learned it as their first language. Second languages include Spanish, Portuguese, and German. Westlands Island is well known for its high population of Questarians, and as such is the only area in North Point where Afrikaans is spoken on an almost equal basis as English.

North Point uses a combination of American and British spelling, syntax and dialects. Most speakers have a American accent, though British accents, Australian accents, and South African accents are common as well.

Crime and law enforcement

Law enforcement is still provided by North Point's Colonial Police, recognizable by their trademark khaki drill uniform, Sam Browne belt, and pith helmet. The Colonial Police itself is a remnant of the nation's days as a Praetonian colony, but the police force was so highly respected after independence that North Point chose to keep the force as its full-time law-enforcement agency. Colonial Policemen are armed, but they generally only carry a revolver.

North Point has never had a large crime rate, simply because most citizens are armed and the majority of court rulings support the home owner and not the home invader. Castle law is on the books in every region of North Point. The use of deadly force, within reason, is legal in the country. North Point's jails are routinely filled with slightly-disabled criminals, the result of armed citizens using too light a caliber.

In the rural areas, where police response time is too long, North Point's Commando System fills the gap.

Culture

North Point has always been viewed as a rather traditional society. Most citizens are not particularly religious, but polls have shown that the majority of people follow a relatively strict moral code descended from Judeo-Christian values. Personal responsibility, integrity, honour, and resourcefulness are highly-valued attributes in North Point. The family is seen as an important part of society, and it is expected that the mother and father teach their children responsibility from an early age. Most people tend to keep to themselves. The national character is fairly upbeat, and citizens are generally friendly. The nation is known for its hospitality.

Personal Freedom

Due to its status as a frontier nation during its early history, North Point's citizens have always respected the idea of personal freedom. Since (during most of the country's history) its government was relatively absent from many areas, the people of North Point gained a distrust towards big government in general. Many people, especially those living outside areas that were pacified by the government, quickly realized that they were the only ones responsible for their own well-being. This attitude permeates North Point's society. The government has usually taken a very libertarian stance towards most contentious political issues. Drugs, alcohol, firearms, and many other items considered "dangerous" in other nations are mostly left unregulated in North Point, since the government views it as the citizen's responsibility to choose for himself what he should or should not do.

Despite liberal drug laws, North Point has never had a large problem with drug consumption. A relatively small amount of the population uses narcotics (sometimes estimated at about 10%), but the practice is generally frowned-upon, though in no way illegal.

"Martial Society"

Since it is such a small nation, North Point has often found itself in a precarious position in international politics. Directly to the north lies Vekhistan, a country whose leaders have publicly stated that the complete destruction of North Point is a priority. The country maintains a high state of military readiness, which has permeated the culture, leading many to describe North Point as a "martial society". It is generally expected that every male will serve two years in the military service branch of his choice after high school.

North Point's militia and Commando systems require that every male owns a military-issue or comparable rifle. Since most males have previous military training, most households are armed, and marksmanship is stressed, North Point's militia is an effective force. At age seventeen, all males receive mandatory instruction on the operation of the FN service rifle by the ROTC instructors at their high school. Military surplus uniforms and webbing equipment are regularly sold off by the War Department at discount prices in order to encourage people to arm and equip themselves properly. The government also regularly sells off surplus ammunition to civilian buyers.

The surprise attack on Dalton Island during the 1970 Emergency caused most civilians to adopt a doctrine of preparedness. Most homes have a CB radio base station, an arms and ammunition locker, and a small stockpile of food and water.

Health and Cuisine

Unlike many countries, North Point does not have an obesity epidemic. Many people work in blue-collar jobs which require physical fitness. Outdoor activities and lifestyles are encouraged.

Mainstream North Point cuisine is similar to that of many other Western countries. Wheat is the primary cereal grain. People generally prefer coffee to tea, but oddly the national non-alcoholic beverage is sweet tea. Tex-Mex is highly popular in North Point.

Sports

Sports are quite popular in North Point. The two most-played sports are soccer and tennis. Practical sports, such as marksmanship, martial arts, equestrian, fencing, and hiking are practiced widely. With its high amount of coastline and water territory, the nation is famous for its skill at competitive sailing. Sport fishing and hunting are popular as well. The national sport is shooting.

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