North Point

Republic of North Point
Republic of North Point
	Flag
	Motto: "Sic Semper Tyrannis"
	Anthem: "Anchors Aweigh";
	North Point's location in Haven
Capital; (and largest city)	Jacksonville
Official languages	English
Ethnic groups (2008)	Anglo-Saxon, Black African, Japanese, Hispanic
Government	Constitutional Republic
Establishment
Area
Population
GDP (nominal)	2008 estimate
Gini	51.2
HDI	0.982 (high)
Currency	North Point Dollar (NPD)
Internet TLD	.np
Calling code	+1276

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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.

North Point is known for its status as an incredibly non-interventionist and libertarian nation which does not meddle in other countries' affairs. It exercises no major political, economic, or cultural influence in the region.

Etymology

North Point is so named because it was the northern-most area visited by a surveying team in 1773. It has kept this name ever since.

Geography and environment

Main article: Geography of North Point

Map of North Point

North Point is a collection of islands, ranging in size 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 past led to the nation's current geography. Most of the territory is comprised of small sand and coral islets. The larger islands, such as North Point Proper, Wellington Island, Lauderdale Island, and Greenford Island, are mountainous, with large piedmont areas leading to even larger coastal plains. The interiors of Wellington Island and North Point Proper are largely savanna, which has attracted big game hunters on safari for many years.

Climate

In general, North Point's climate is tropical for most of the year. Summer highs are usually in the upper 80s°F during the day and mid 70s°F at night. Winter temperatures during the day are usually in the low to mid 60s°F, seldom dipping below the mid 40s°F at night.

Local climates vary considerably on each island.

History

Out of Character Disclaimer (Read this First)

Like the Questers article, some of the history written here might be offensive to some people. I'm not a racist or an imperialist bastard in real life, so please don't get the wrong ideas here (I'm a libertarian non-interventionist). North Point (after about 1900) is my idealized nation, but anything before that is subject to the usual Anglocentrism and occasional tongue-in-cheek racism. North Point is a combination of the United States, the British Empire (not today's Britain which is lulzy fail), Rhodesia, Switzerland and South Africa. If anything here offends you then seriously get a life and stop assuming that everyone is trying to insult you.

Discovery and Early History

Early settlers

In 1773, a Praetonian surveying team visited the area while mapping the continent. The surveyors, whose leader was Sir David Jackson, deemed the area feasible for colonization. In 1801, the first colonists began to arrive, founding the city of Nelspruit Station around a large ranch station on the landmass now known as North Point Proper. Over the years, colonization expanded until settlements appeared all over the many islands that comprise the nation. Praetonia never demanded sovereignty over the small collection of towns and villages, preferring to simply leave it alone.

In 1802, the country adopted its Constitution, becoming a constitutional republic. A period of steady growth and prosperity set in. North Point's status as a frontier nation meant that its citizens gained a distrust in government. The many small islands in the nation became pirate and smuggler havens.

Farm station commando

Throughout the 1800s, North Point's many farms and ranch stations developed the Commando system. Recognizing that the military and police could not be omnipresent, the Commando system was created in order to more properly protect and secure its farms from criminals and other scum. The system is still in use today, normally to handle events that aren't serious enough to warrant calling up militia forces.

Foreign Relations and Military

Main articles: Foreign policy of North Point and Military of North Point

Special Forces members

North Point does not exercise any major regional political, economic, cultural, or military influence. North Point does, however, retain strong ties with Praetonia, Prestonia, Chevrokia and Questers, as well as most of the Anglosphere.

North Point maintains a strong military, but does not partake in aggressive actions as per the country's Constitution. It exists purely as a self-defense force, maintained only to safeguard the sovereignty of the country. The War Department administers the different service branches, consisting of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Military service is voluntary, though conscription is an option in wartime.

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 is required to own at least one L1A1 SLR or Lee-Enfield No.4 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.

Economy

Tourism

Brochure put out by a travel agency

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, which have made North Point a desirable tourist location for less-affluent foreigners. Some tourists are put off by the omnipresence of weapons in the country, however, and have expressed concerns over North Point's policy of open carry of firearms. Hotels consistently receive complaints about hearing small-arms fire in the distance. North Point's government and citizens dismiss these concerns.

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 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.

Import/Export

Exports: timber, fish, naval stores, rubber, coffee, copra, petroleum products, firearms, ammunition, trucks, foodstuffs, ships, helicopters

Imports: electronics, textiles, microchips

Demographics

North Point is a mostly white society, but there is a sizable population of black Africans and Japanese. The average citizen is of the middle-class and usually makes around $90,000-$120,000 NPD a year. The majority of people identify themselves as conservatives or libertarians.

Ethnicity & Nationality

Ethnic group¹	Percentage*
White	75.3%
Japanese	10.5%
Black African	9.8%
Hispanic	3.1%
Mixed race	1.2%
Other	0.1%
* Percentage of population as of the 2008 census.

Language

The formal and official language of North Point is English. Most speakers have an American accent, but British, Australian, and Afrikaner accents are also fairly common. Regional languages include Spanish and Afrikaans. Most citizens of North Point are fluent in at least two languages.

Language¹	Percentage*
Afrikaans	38.2%
Spanish	31.7%
French	15.1%
German	14.9%
Other	0.2%

Religion

Religion is not of much importance in North Point. Most people would, if asked, identify themselves as Christians, but there are very few churches. Worshipping is done in private.

Largest cities of North Point								view • talk • edit
	City	State	Population	Jacksonville Anchor Point City		City	State	Population
1	Jacksonville	North Point Proper	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 Proper	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 Proper	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	New Samoa	513,149
7	Nelspruit Station	North Point Proper	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

Culture

North Point has always been considered a rather traditional society. While not a particularly religious nation, surveys have revealed that most citizens of North Point follow a relatively strict moral code, based mainly on personal responsibility, resourcefulness, integrity and honour. Citizens tend to keep to themselves, and there is not a large market for celebrity-related magazines and invasive TV programming. People are usually friendly and the nation is known for its hospitality. Children are polite and well-mannered; youthful rebellion is looked down upon. The pillars of society are the mother and father, who instill their children with their core values and teach them to be responsible.

Redmond Island.

For men, personal honour is a highly important part of life. Historically, North Point's government has always turned a blind-eye to duelling, though the practice has fallen out of favor with the introduction of semi-automatic pistols.

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs

Whereas other countries have huge alcohol, tobacco and drug-related problems, these issues are fairly uncommon in North Point, since most children are taught how to enjoy these things responsibly at a young age. Most adults will have a glass of wine at dinner. Alcoholism is rare, and drug addiction rarer still. Chewing tobacco is popular among teenagers and adults. There is no legal drinking age, and drugs are readily available, mostly imported from Questers. Methamphetamines, Heroin, and Cocaine are not popular due to the dangers associated with their use.

Education

North Point's public high schools are government-funded, but held to a very high standard. Private schools also exist, but they are mostly religion-oriented. There is no stigma associated with not attending a university. Many young adults will simply finish high school, take up a trade and start a family. Eighteen-year-old males are socially expected to serve at least two years in the military after high school, but this is not mandatory. College is important for those wanting a job in North Point's Fortune 500.

Firearms

Firearms are a part of life in North Point; most households own at least one L1A1 rifle, and most people own more. Citizens are expected to fulfill their duty as part of the civilian militia during a time of crisis. 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 L1A1 rifle by the ROTC instructors at their high school. The rifle itself is somewhat of a cultural icon in North Point, and it is well-respected for its durability, reliability, hard-hitting caliber, and accuracy.

Don't Tread On Me; militia slogan

North Point's status as a mostly armed society means that crime is rare. Accidents involving firearms are also rare, because children are taught from an early age how to be responsible with a gun. Children are brought up respecting firearms as tools for self-defense and warfare and not toys. There is not a very large anti-gun lobby in North Point.

Health

North Point does not have an obesity epidemic like so many other countries. Outdoors activities and outdoor lifestyles are encouraged. High-activity sports such as tennis, soccer and track and field are very popular. Many adults work in blue-collar jobs which require physical fitness. Cardiovascular exercise is common, but weight-lifting is not. Physical stamina and strength are valued attributes in North Point.

Race

Most people in North Point do not specifically identify themselves as racists. Most whites feel more comfortable with their Asian neighbors rather than with blacks. Standards of living seem to be color blind, though, as non-European ethnic groups are only 1-2% less well-off than their white brethren. Ideological groups that preach the doctrine of racial segregation are looked down upon, and race is not usually a determining factor in anything. Several black presidents have been elected. Most whites identify more with the ideology of racialism rather than racism.

Cuisine

Most families will prepare their own meals, but eating out is very common. Some families will eat at a restaurant every night of the week. Mexican food is highly popular in North Point. Soft drink consumption is on the rise. The national non-alcoholic beverage is sweet tea.

Sports

Sports are very popular in North Point. Most children are raised playing at least tennis or soccer, but baseball and lacrosse are also widely popular. Practical sports, such as marksmanship, martial arts, and equestrian are highly important in North Point. Most children are raised participating in at least one of the three. Action sports, such as paintball and airsoft, are growing in popularity.

External Links

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