Việt Quốc

Viet Quoc, officially the Democratic Republic of Viet Quoc (: Cộng hòa Dân chủ Việt Quốc), is a sovereign state in Jungju, consists of the Dong Dau peninsula and the island of Tien Tieu. It shares land borders with Minh Dai, Wa Muong and Ratanakiri to the west, while facing Bac Hai Sea to the north and east, and Nam Duong Sea to the south. Home to more than 83 million people, the nation is divided into 25 provinces. Its capital and largest city is Dai Hoa.

started inhabiting Viet Quoc as early as 600,000 years ago during the. A confederation of tribes living along the Mau River formed around 3000 BC, and the first Viet state might have formed around 2850 BC according to the origin legend. Recorded history started in 485 BC when King Công Tùng formed the state Lạc Tiên. The ancient Viet nation was defeated and annexed by Tianqi in 113, which incorporated the land into their empire. In the 7th century, the first independent Viet broke away from Tianqi. Successive long dynasties ruled the country, with several periods of instability occurred inbetween. The country gradually expanded to the southeast and south, encompassing the entire Dong Dau peninsula. The 14th century saw the country expanding its regional influence by making Wa Muong and Preah Phnom its tributary states, as well as establishing settlements on Tien Tieu island and eastern Gaya (modern day Lagaip). Due to the country's importance in the regional and global spice trade, its landowners and merchant classes grew more powerful during the 16th and 17th century. The monarchy was finally ended in 1855 when a coalition of nationalist republicans, funded by wealthy merchants and industrialists, forced the last emperor to abdicate and proclaimed Viet Quoc a republic.

Modern Viet Quoc is a unitary parliamentary republic. Possessing a strong agriculture sector and a developed industrial base, Viet Quoc has enjoyed some of the highest economic growth rates in the world. Although less powerful than many northern Jungju states, Viet Quoc still maintains an efficient and balanced economy. Viet Quoc is one of the modern states to have a subsidized education system, and its citizens enjoy universal healthcare of excellent standards. Despite the high standards of living, modern Viet Quoc is experiencing increasing income inequality and overpopulation in major urban areas. Viet Quoc has established diplomatic relationships with most states and is a member of all major international organizations.

Names


The name Việt Quốc (越國) literally translates to "Country of the Viet". The word "Viet" was found in the records of the Tianqi Empire to describe the people living to the south of Thai Son Mountain and along the Mau River. Tianqi historians initially used the characters 戉族 (axe people), pointing to the Viet's heavy use of both common and elaborate axes in daily lives and ceremonies. The ancient name of the pre-occupation Viet kingdom was "Lạc Tiên", which translates to "the origin of Lac (bird)". During more than 500 years of Tianqi occupation, the land correspond to modern-day Minh Dai and northwestern Viet Quoc was made into Pingzhou (平州) imperial province, further divided into 3 commanderies: Mingdeng (明燈), Taizhong (臺中), Gaoyuan (高原). After gaining independence in the 7th century, Emperor Mạc Thái Tổ named his country "Thái Hùng Việt". This was the longest-used name for the country. Other names such as "Đại Lạc" and "Vạn Xuân" were used for brief periods. The name "Việt Quốc" was first used officially by the last imperial dynasty, the Le Dynasty. It was made the official name of the new republic in 1856 when the first Constitution for the country was adopted.

Prehistory
Earliest fossils found in Viet Quoc suggested Homo erectus settled in the region of modern-day Tây Sơn Province around 600,000 years ago. Crude stone tools found in Cổ Tuế Cave share many similarities with those found across Jungju, which suggests some degree of common ancestry between the ancient hominin groups of Jungju. Teeth and stone tools attributed to dated back to 31,000 years ago. Most early Homo sapiens sites were found within or near caves with access to nearby fresh water sources. Sites with signs of semi-sedentism were dated to about 10,000 years ago, where the inhabitants followed a pattern of moving between locations in accordance with the feeding habits of games and the growing cycles of wild plants. The first fully sedentary settlements were dated to about 8,500 years ago. Congregated in several areas along the west bank of the Mau River in Tây Xuyên Province, these settlements contained as many as 10 round huts and showed clear signs of advanced lithic technology and elaborate burial practices. Widespread rice cultivation appeared between 6,000 - 5,000 BC, and the domestication of pigs and cows happened around the same time. The appearance of agriculture and domestication allowed settlements to increase in size and social complexity. By the end of 5,000 BC, the area was home to a flourishing Lương Thủy culture.

Ancient era
The first recorded Bronze Age culture in Viet Quoc was the Đình Lộc culture, which started to flourish around 3,500 BC. Expanded from the earlier Lương Thủy culture, Đình Lộc culture encompassed a large portion of modern-day Tây Xuyên and Kinh Tây Province. People of Đình Lộc culture used bronze for a variety of objects and tools; among which the two most prominent were axe heads and ceremonial drums. The image of Lac birds originally appeared on these drums, as the creature was sacred in early Viet beliefs. The height of Đình Lộc culture was marked by the formation of Thượng Tổ, a semi-mythical Viet state along the Mẫu River. Legends claim the leadership was passed down through 20 kings. Somewhere between 1,000 BC and 600 BC, an exiled chief founded a separate Viet kingdom and competed with Thượng Tổ for control over the rich farmland along the Mẫu River. Thượng Tổ was finally conquered by the neighboring Viet kingdom led by King Công Tùng in 485 BC. He then named the unified Viet state Lạc Tiên in honor of the sacred bird.

Lạc Tiên lasted through almost 600 years to 113 AD, consisted of 3 ruling families. During this period, the people developed their writing system and refined their first code of law. The kingdom expanded from their native region to encompass modern-day Minh Dai and much of Viet Quoc's northwestern region.

Geography
Viet Quoc is located on the Đông Đầu peninsula and covers an area of approximately 599,232 km2. Viet Quoc's terrain is highly variable, with 35% of the land covered by mountains and hills, about 40% is low-level plains and lakes, while the rest is made up of valleys and plateaus. The northwestern region features very mountainous and forested terrain around the Thái Sơn range, of which the highest mountain in Viet Quoc - Mt. Cả - is a part. The Central Plain is a vast expanse of relatively flat, arable land coupled with a number of important river system, making it one of the most suitable areas on the peninsula for agricultural development. The southwest region is divided into coastal lowlands, the mountains of the Long Vĩ range, and extensive forests. The Trang Đài bay on the southern coast is among the largest bay in Jungju. Most major urban areas are concentrated in the Central Plain region and the northern coastline.

Climate
Viet Quoc has a number of climate region. Much of the coastal regions north and south of the country are under heavy tropical influence: from late May to September, the southwest monsoon brings heavy precipitation and moisture from the sea to the southern coast, while the northern coast experience particularly dry weather due to the wind ; starting from November, the northeast monsoon reverses the weather for the two areas, bringing cold air and precipitation to the northern coast, while the south experience its dry season. The annual average temperature in the northern region is 23°C while the southern region's is 27°C.

The majority of the Central Plain and Southeast Region exhibits patterns. There are two distinct seasons, with the wet season relatively longer than the dry season due to the position between the two coasts that receive seasonal precipitation: the wet season spans from April to October and dry season from November to March next year. The annual average temperature in this climate region is 25°C

The third climate region in Viet Quoc is located on the highland of the Northwest region. This area shows climate patterns similar to the, with mild and pleasant temperature year-round at about 21°C. Precipitation follows the influence of the monsoon seasons. Overall the region receives less total annual precipitation than the Central Plain, but enough to develop certain species of crops and sustain small to medium urban areas.

Biodiversity
Viet Quoc is one of the countries considered to possess a uniquely high level of biodiversity. It is home to approximately 16% of the world's species. 15,986 species of flora have been identified in the country, of which 10% are endemic. Viet Quoc's fauna includes: 307 species, 200, 145 , 113 , 7,750 , 260 , and 120. 840 birds and 310 mammals are found in Viet Quoc, of which 100 birds and 78 mammals are endemic. Viet Quoc has 16 biosphere reserves and more than 43 national parks, account for about 8% of the country's total area.

Viet Quoc is also home to 1,438 species of freshwater, as well as 794 aquatic invertebrates and 2,458 species of sea fish. Several rare mammal species, including the, and  are endemic to Viet Quoc. In the late 1980s, a small population of, thought to have gone extinct in the 1800s, was found in Hồ Chàm National Park. The National Cultivar Gene Bank preserves 12,300 cultivars of 115 species. The Viet government in average spend 7% of its GDP on the preservation of biodiversity and has established many protected reserves and parks in order to preserve its biodiversity.

Government
Viet Quoc is a unitary, parliamentary, representative democratic republic. The Viet political system operates under a framework laid out in the 1876 Constitution. Amendments to the Constitution require a two-thirds majority of both the Chamber of Representatives and the Chamber of Councilors. The amendments, however, cannot change the fundamental principles of the Constitution, as expressed in the articles, that guarantee fundamental rights, the separation of powers, the national structure, and the rule of law.

The President is the head of state and invested primarily with representative responsibilities and powers. He is elected by the Chamber of Councillors. The second-highest official in the Viet order of precedence is the Chair of the Chamber of Representatives, who is appointed by the majority party/coalition, and responsible for overseeing the daily sessions of the body. The third-highest official and the head of government is the Chancellor, who is appointed by the President after being elected by the Chamber of Representatives.

The Chancellor is the head of government and exercises executive power through the Cabinet, similar to the role of a prime minister in other parliamentary democracies. Legislative power is vested in the National Council consisting of the Chamber of Representatives (lower chamber) and the Chamber of Councillors (upper chamber). Both of the Chambers are elected through popular elections. The Chamber of Representatives uses the system to decide its 328 seats, which are distributed to provinces in proportion to their population. The Chamber of Councilors uses the system to select 3 councilors for each province, regardless of population.

[[File:Viet Quoc Chamber of Representatives (diagram only).png|thumb|200px|right| Viet Quoc's 36th Chamber of Representatives

Government

{{legend|#66c5cc|Nationalist Party (136)}} {{legend|#f6cf71|Constitution Preservation Party (55)}} Opposition

{{legend|#f89c74|Social Egalitarian Party (103)}} {{legend|#dcb0f2|People's Progress Party (24)}} Others

{{legend|#87c55f|Independents (6)}}]]

[[File:Viet Quoc Chamber of Councillors (diagram only).png|thumb|200px|right| Viet Quoc's 36th Chamber of Councillors

{{legend|#66c5cc|Nationalist Party (22)}} {{legend|#f6cf71|Constitution Preservation Party (15)}} {{legend|#f89c74|Social Egalitarian Party (24)}} {{legend|#dcb0f2|People's Progress Party (14)}} {{legend|#808080|Independents (3)}}]]

Administrative divisions


Officially, Viet Quoc is divided into 3 administrative tiers, with different types of administrative unit on each tier:


 * First Tier: 4 Municipalities (centrally-controlled cities - thành phố trung ương) and 25 Provinces (tỉnh)
 * Second Tier:
 * Under Municipalities: urban district (quận)
 * Under Provinces: city (thành phố thuộc tỉnh) and provincial district (huyện)
 * Third Tier:
 * Under Urban Districs: ward (phường)
 * Under Provincial District: town (thị trấn) and commune (xã)

An unofficial Fourth Tier also exists in primarily rural provinces as Hamlet (xóm, ấp) or Village (làng, thôn, bản).

Foreign relations
Viet Quoc is one of the founding members of the Congress of Nations and maintain diplomatic relations with most of the existing nations. Due to its prominent role on the global stage, Viet Quoc is usually considered to be a Sinju nation, despite not geographically positioned in the proper Sinju area. Nevertheless, trade and diplomatic exchanges happen frequently between Viet Quoc and the Sinju powers, especially Jeongmi and Fusen, two of Viet Quoc's closest allies. Viet Quoc is also a member of the Global Threat Discussion Forum.

Due to historical territorial claims and recent conflicts, Viet Quoc have strained relations with its neighbor Minh Dai. Normal diplomatic relations have not been reestablished after the Six Years' War from 1935 to 1941. Although no further large-scale wars have been fought since, sporadic border clashes have occurred, with the latest one happened in 2007. The border between the two countries remains closed in the present, with only limited trade and diplomatic exchanges conducted.

As an ex-colonizer nation, Viet Quoc remains connected to its former colonies through organizations such as Vietophone Council and East-West Cooperation Forum. Many critics view these organizations as a front for Viet Quoc to retain its influence and imperial benefits within its former colonies.

Military
The National Armed Forces of Viet Quoc (NAF) is organised into Lục quân (Army), Hải quân (Navy), Không quân (Air Force), Biên phòng (Border) and Tuần duyên (Coast Guard) branches. In 2019, military spending was about 2.3% of the country's GDP.

As of 2019, the NAF employed roughly 400,000 active service members. Reservists are available to the Armed Forces and participate in defence exercises and deployments abroad. Since 2000, women may serve in all functions of service without restriction. Viet Quoc is the fourth largest exporter of major arms in the world.

In peacetime, the NAF is commanded by the Minister of Defense. In a state of emergency, the Chancellor would become commander-in-chief of the NAF.

Today, the NAF's doctrine is based on the concepts of national independence, deterrence, and military self-sufficiency. Its role is restricted to defensive operations. However, the National Council passed an national security directive in 1994 allowing the NAF to expand the interpretation of the term "defense" to include crisis reaction and conflict prevention, or more broadly as guarding the security of Viet Quoc anywhere in the world.

Until 1951, military service was compulsory for men 18-25 years old with only a few grounds for exception or postponement. Eligible men are required to report to their local National Service Office no later than 1 year after their 18th birthday. During the Six Years' War, conscription age was expanded from 18-27 for brief period from 1940 to the end of the war in 1941. Drafted conscripts served for 2 years. In 1951, conscription was officially suspended and replaced with a voluntary service.

Agriculture
Agriculture is fading as the most important economic sector in Viet Quoc. Agriculture accounts for about 4.7 percent of the total employment in 2019 and is the main source of raw materials for the processing industries as well as a major contributor to exports. Permanent cultivation covers large areas of the country’s lowlands and smaller portions of the highlands. The primary agricultural areas are the Central Plain, the Mau River delta, and parts of the Southwest region. The Northwest region, due to mountainous terrains and infertile soils, are regions of low productivity. The Southeast region, while traditionally one of low productivity, has been intensively cultivated with mixed results.

Rice is the most important crop. It is grown principally in the river deltas and southern plains. Other major food crops are sugarcane, cassava (manioc), corn (maize), sweet potatoes, and nuts. Compared to the past, modern agriculture in Viet Quoc has been highly mechanized, although some traditional activities are still being preserved, especially in rice growing. There are many plantations of banana, coconut, and citrus trees, most of them found in the southern terrace regions. Coffee and tea are grown in the southeast and northwest highlands. The production of rubber is concentrated in the southeast and southwest highlands. Fields, groves, and kitchen gardens throughout Viet Quoc include a wide variety of fruit trees (banana, orange, mango, jackfruit, and coconut) and vegetables. Kapok trees are found in many villages, and the Viet cultivate areca palms and betel peppers for their nuts and leaves and mulberry bushes to feed silkworms.

Viet Quoc exports many types of spice that are cultivated and produced on a large scale, including black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric and cloves. Due to a wide variety of climate available across the country, spice production has been a specialty of the Viet since ancient time. The revenue from these highly sought after commodities contributed to the rise of Viet Quoc as a maritime power and a major player in the global spice trade.

The export of seafood such as shrimp, squid, crab, and lobster is also a major source of foreign exchange. There also has been an increase in the number of commercial shrimp, fish and lobster farms in recent time due to high demand from other countries. The most important freshwater fisheries are located on the plains of the Mau and other large rivers.

Science and Technology
Science and technology in Viet Quoc has a long history of development. Scientific methods, inventions and technology brought to Viet Quoc through the network of the Cheonje Empire left a strong impression in the development of Viet Quoc's own scientific fields. State-sponsored scientific researches started in Viet Quoc from the 9th century during the Trịnh dynasty, but didn't blossom until the early 11th century during the reign of Emperor Nguyễn Thánh Tông, when the Institute for Natural Inquiry was founded, paving the way for a strong native tradition in learning and innovation. From the 16th to the 19th century, the country produced a large number of notable scientists and inventors.

The 20th century was marked by stagnation in the scientific fields due to decreased funding for research institutions and wars. In the 2000s, stability and economic prosperity improved the situation in the Viet science and technology field. The government launched a campaign to encourage modernisation and innovation. In 2000, Viet Chancellor Bui Hoang Quan formulated the top five priorities for the country's technological development: electronics, IT, communication, pharmaceuticals and space technology.

Viet Quoc produced many notable scientists, making important contributions in physics, astronomy, mathematics, computing, chemistry, biology, geology and geography. Viet inventors and engineers excelled in areas such as mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, aerospace, weaponry, communications, nuclear technology and space technology.