Arvor

Arvorian Democratic Republic Арворийская Демократическая Республика (Arvorian)
Flag	Coat of arms
Motto: Свобода, Демократия, Продвижение “Freedom, Democracy, Progress” (official) Слава Арвору! ”Glory to Arvor!” (military)
Anthem: Знамена Красного "Banners of Red"
Locator map
Capital city	Cherenovsk
Largest city	Sevestroma
Official language	Arvorian
Other languages	Anisoran, Auresian, Hallish
Ethnic group
Religion	Peratolian Orkanan
Demonym(s)	Arvorian
Government
Government Type	Unitary socialist republic
President	Ekaterina V. Popova
Premier	Mikhail G. Larionov
Legislature	Congress of People's Deputies
Establishment
Departure from Medovenia	7202 RH
Area
Total	4,246,155.41 km2 km2
Water %	5.1%
Population
Total	179,754,195
Density	42.33/km2
Economy
Economy type	Consumer socialist
GDP (total)	Ꞡ ₽4,365,330,639,273
GDP per capita	Ꞡ ₽24,285
Currency	()
Inequality index	98.1
Development index	0.965
Other information
Time zone	+6, +7
Driving side	left
Calling code
Internet code	.arv
Nation number	{{{nation number}}}

The Arvorian Democratic Republic (Arvorian: Арворийская Демократическая Республика), also referred to colloquially as Arvor (Арвор) or the ADR (АДР), is a country in western D’Runia. It is situated in the northwestern region of the continent, with coastlines on the waters of the Minor Vitherian Sea, Vitherian Sea, and Minor Himarian Sea. Its territory encompasses the entirety of the Vitherrean Peninsula, the Verge Plains, the northern Chuillu coast, the Abarsk Islands, and the Doneyevka Islands. Cherenovsk is the nation's capital and third largest city; Sevestroma is its largest city and financial centre.

Arvor is one of the world's Great Powers and the first of the Nuclear Five. It has the fourth largest economy in the world and was a prominent part of the Industrial Revolution. It also has one of Gotha's most technologically advanced and capable militaries, with a large air force and one of the largest navies in the world. The nation is also a prominent part of a number of international organisations, being a founder member of ICoN, the Restoration Coalition, and the International Socialist League. It is the birthplace of socialism and is the first and oldest socialist state in the world.

The nation is known for being stable and orderly, and its municipalities clean and safe, reflecting the Arvorian cultural mindset. Under the socialist system, the republic maintains low unemployment rates and a high gross domestic product. Poverty is nearly nonexistent, crime is low, and the people enjoy a high standard of living. While the government does not "export" its socialism to other lands, it does hold up its successes as a positive example to the rest of the world.

Etymology

The name of the nation, and the people themselves, is derived from a corruption of the old Medovenian word besedka (беседка, meaning "arbor"), which was the name for the Batakala River Delta in Medovenia on the Settant coast in Anaria Major. When they first arrived in that land, the Dakhani could not pronounce it properly in Hallish, and it was corrupted into "Arvor", and gradually stuck. Wishing to start anew, the Dakhani adopted it as their own, and have called themselves the "Arvorians" ever since.

History

Early history

The modern Arvorian nation has its roots in the Great Migrations of the late 72nd and early 73rd centuries, when several Anarian powers began to encourage their minority populations to move into their colonies, but their cultural history reaches back much further than that. Originally known as the Dakhani, they hailed from the Ashamas Highlands of eastern Tharna, where they had lived since at least the 40th century. There they established a chain of prosperous communities along the coast known as Dakhan-Yar. Their society was built upon concepts of communal support and co-operation, where those in need found aid from their neighbours and family members and vital supplies were carefully managed and shared. The ruins of several small cities, believed to have been destroyed during the Tahani genocide campaign, can still be found in the valley. Some of these ruins date back as far as the early 40th century. Throughout their time in the region, the Dakhani came into regular conflict with their Tahani neighbours but were able to beat them back through a combination of cunning and fierce fighting spirit. Repeated wars throughout the late fifth millennium led to a tense peace which was established in the 51st century.

This peace was broken and re-established several times but endured until the Night of One Thousand Fires of 6911 RH, when a new emperor in Anat Tahan launched a series of wars against smaller states along its borders to the east and south. A full-scale invasion of Dakhan-Yar gradually overwhelmed the defending forces, despite valiant efforts, and over the following days and weeks, “A thousand fires burned as a thousand tears were shed, and our spirit was forever rent by flame and sword.” A merciless ethnic cleansing ensued, in which the majority of the Dakhani people were slaughtered.

Flight from Tharna

Forced from their land, the survivors migrated east, passing over the Straits of Afti and making their way across Anaria Major. By the end of the 70th century, they had traveled through the Errea Plains and through the Ros River Valley, ultimately settling in the Batakala River Valley of Medovenia along the shores of the Settant Sea, in the river delta region called Besedka, or "the Arbor", for its lush, forested environment. At the time, their Dakhani language made pronouncing the word in Medovenian difficult, and when attemping the Hallish word, it sounded as if they were saying "Arvor". This became the corrupted version of the term everyone misunderstood them to be saying. The nickname stuck, however, and the Dakhani adopted it as their new name in their new home.

During their travels across Anaria Major, the Dakhani made a name for themselves as a highly capable and dependable mercenary force, providing their services to a wide range of polities and organisations. The name "Dakhani" became synonymous with a fierce fighting spirit and deadly effective style of combat, which in some situations was more than enough to diffuse a situation without open hostility being required. This enabled the Dakhani to acquire wealth and the means to sustain themselves and enabled them to live relatively well when they reached Medovenia at the end of the 70th century. Small groups of the people broke off along the way, with some ending up in Auresia, where they found similarities between their culture and the warrior traditions of the Janessari subculture within the ruling elite.

The Dakhani lived in Medovenia as a minority group for the next 291 years, forming their own communities in towns and cities in the Nisit Valley and on the coast. During that time, they gradually learned the Medovenian language and found a place for themselves into their host country's society, and enjoyed stability, being by and large accepted and gaining a reputation for diligence, honesty, and strong work ethic even as the Medovenians were often curious towards their co-operative cultural practices and tradition of communal support but tended to overlook them. Sentiments within political circles began to shift, however, as long-brewing tensions in the late 7190s erupted into the Medovenian Civil War.

Moving into D'Runia

After the Medovenian government under A. A. Vetochkin attempted to launch the short-lived "Silent Knives" pogrom against the neighbouring Ba-Ni people to their northwest, who had come to Anaria nearly a century earlier from Chenla Island in the Shangti, the Arvorians, keen to avoid a repeat of the past, decided the time had come to move on. Taking advantage of the wealth they had made during their migration, and the contacts they had made within the greater Anaria Major region in their time in Medovenia, they were able to secure ships to travel to D'Runia, having heard of unclaimed and sparsely populated land there which offered them a chance to build a new home for themselves in a new land, where they would be able to finally be "masters of their own destinty once more". The first twelve ships would ultimately set out from Beryovda in the first weeks of 7202 CE, arriving nearly three months later. Over the course of that year, and into the next several years, the rest of their people would join them, totaling some 75,000 in all.

Initially, the Medovenian colonial authorities, having received cursory notice that the Arvorians were coming, were unsure how to handle their arrival. But as time went on, the authorities there realised they could put the old Dakhani reputation as effective mercenaries to good use and employed them as a sort of "protective force" to help defend the colonies and keep the native Pequatl people in line. Almost from the beginning, the Arvorians did not approve of this arrangement, but couldn't afford to fight the Medovenians at that point if they wished to eventually build their own home in this new land. They did take steps to mitigate the more unscrupulous aspects of their purpose, though, by sheltering some of the local native people within their own communities (which they did not allow the Medovenian authorities access to), teaching them the Arvorian language, and sharing food and labour with them.

Expelling the Medovenians

Starting in 7208 RH, the Arvorians began to secretly set up a network of committees within their communities, linked with the local Pequatl tribes, which gradually took control of the colonies away from the Medovenians. Known as "committees of correspondence" (комитеты по переписке), these groups became localised government bodies and helped to keep the various communities informed about the activities of the colonial authorities and to help mitigate the damage done by punitive actions. Paralleling these were the committees of inspection (инспекционные комитеты) which worked behind the scenes to impede the inflow of imported goods from Anaria to certain groups and people, aimed at causing shortages and problems for the colony's government. In many cases, the intercepted goods and supplies were re-routed to help the Arvorians and Pequatl improve their own communities.

Things came to a head in 7261 RH when the Medovenian colonial authorities, angered by the riots at the Yelechny mines, ordered the Arvorians to surround the nearby village and suppress the riot by any means necessary. Having shared this information with the Pequatl, the Arvorians smuggled all but a small number of the locals out of the village under cover of darkness to maintain appearances before doing as told and surrounding the settlement. When the prefect and his entourage arrived to oversee the action, the Arvorians turned their weapons on his party and took him captive. Traveling to the colonial headquarters in Usolovsk, the Arvorians demanded the Medovenians surrender control of the colonies to them and leave, or there would be violence. While many among the colonial council were willing to accede to the demand, keenly aware of the fact that their own peacekeepers were outnumbered by armed Arvorians by a considerable margin, the governor himself refused, and fighting broke out in short order. Having prevailed upon the Pequatl to retreat to safety under the protection of the Arvorian defenders which stayed behind and continued to protect their settlements, the Arvorians subdued or killed several hundred Medovenian guards and gendarmes while leaving civilians unharmed.

Fighting spread into the other Medovenians settlements and continued into early 7262 RH, with the governor and his loyalists ultimately taking shelter in the fortress at Achilovka. A two-month siege ensued, with the Arvorians bringing up several demi-cannon that had been seized in the fighting at Kulkovo and using them to pound the Medovenians positions. The fighting finally ended when the governor and most of his advisers were killed by a well-placed artillery strike. Calling for parley and signaling their surrender, the Medovenians met with the Arvorian commanders and were confronted with the original demands - leave now and never return, or there will be further violence. The Arvorians promised the Medovenians safe passage to the ports at Koronyev and Noyaskoye, where their ships would carry them back to Anaria. Pressured by the merchant and noble families present, the colonial officers agreed.

Over the course of 7263 RH, ships coming and going returned nearly 15,000 Medovenians to their homeland, and the government there, distracted by a major maritime dispute with Auresia, were forced to accept the circumstances as they didn't have the strength to spare to attempt to re-take the colonies. Ultimately, the matter was rendered moot by the collapse of the

Commonwealth to Republic

Almost immediately after the Medovenian withdrawal, the Arvorians and Pequatl set about establishing their own government and beginning to repair the damage done by the fighting. What emerged was the beginnings of the modern ADR - the Arvorians and Pequatl, having lived and worked together for some time, agreed to inegrate into a single community and work together for common interests. Ultimately, the two peoples formed what they called the Commonwealth of Free Peoples (Содружество свободных народов). Political structures in place since the early years of the Arvorian presence in the region were preserved and expanded. Each town and village had a popularly elected committee of correspondence which provided general governance and maintained contact with their neighbours, a committee of safety which ensured local militia and law enforcement, and a committee of inspection which facilitated trade, collaboration, and exchanges for needed goods and services. This structure was duplicated at the provincial (oblast) level. Once every month, an over-arching body known as the Council of the People (Совет народа) would meet, gathering representatives of every town and village together to discuss important matters and agree on common issues, setting a uniform code of law, commerce, and defence. A smaller body known as the Council of the Work (Совет работы) attended to important national necessities, such as roads and canals, as well as mediating trade and support issues, and operated in the periods between sessions of the Council of the People.

The territory that is now the ADR had been fully expanded into by the end of 7317 RH, as the new Commonwealth moved into new lands and the Pequatl and Ir'duma peoples in those lands were welcomed into the state and gradually assimilated. By that year, several major roads had been established to connect the growing cities and expanding economy. The youngest of the modern cities of the nation, Lyrmansk, was founded in 7298 RH.

This system would endure by and large throughout the expansion of the Commonwealth until 7566 RH, when influenced by the writings of political theorist, economist and historian Aleksandr Antonovich Belikov, now remembered as the "Father of Socialism", the Commonwealth decided to expand upon their current system and build a truly socialist state. Belikov, alongside his contemporaries - economists Galina Andreevna Pomelova and Vasiliy Fyodorovich Kalinin, engineer Kazimir Yanovich Rogozin and physician Ivana Valerievna Ustinova - became the foremost voices of this movement and would be responsible for drawing together the Constitutional Convention of 7566. In their nearly four months (Thrimil to Suna) of meetings and discussions with representatives from throughout the land, a more robust government was established and named the Arvorian Democratic Republic. All people within the nation agreed in popular mandate to accept the name "Arvorian" and were granted full and unrestricted citizenship within the new state. The Common Charter was formally ratified on 28 Suna 7566 and the first elections were held on 1 Halyga. All aspects of the Charter took full effect on 1 Vetrun 7567 when the new government was seated.

Geography

Geographically, Arvor is divided between six general geographic regions: Northwestern Arvor, Northeastern Arvor, Central Arvor, Southern Arvor, the Western Islands, and the Southern Islands.

Northwestern Arvor (Северо-западный Арвор) consists primarily of the Troipul Plains (Троипульские равнины), also known as the Verge Plains. The verdant plains gradually transition into low rolling hills in the north, before transitioning into the foothills of the Aziland Mountains. The farms of the region are River Lynza and the River Rossovaya, which together form the boundaries of the Nizhelma Valley, which is one of the most fertile areas of the country, allowing it to serve as one of the breadbasket regions of the ADR. A wide array of warm weather fruits (including sweet cherries, strawberries, apples, pears, plums, apricots, grapes, melons, and peaches) and vegetables (including tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, radish, and cabbage) are grown, as well as quinoa. Farms here also raise goats and sheep.

Northeastern Arvor (Северо-Восточный Арвор) is divided between three primary areas: the Depetsk Forest and Lower Troipul Plains in the west, the Suyana Mountains in the north, and the Yekaski Coast in the east, divided by the low mountains of the Polesta range, which branches south-southwest from the Suyana Mountains and terminate at the Vitherean coast in the Roslanovo Massif, within which lies the highest point in the republic, Mount Bezymianny. The forest and plains are a continuation of the agriculturally rich and bio-diverse land of the Nizhelma Valley and Troipul Plains of Northeastern Arvor, where more common fruits and vegetables are grown, where carefully regulated tree farms are maintained, and where several of the nation's best-known horse farms are located. It is within the Suyana Mountains and upper Polesta Mountains that extensive mining is carried out. The Yekaski Coast is one of the most active areas of the nation in terms of aquaculture and mariculture, where fishing boats regularly bring in the rich bounties of the Vitherian Sea.

Central Arvor (Центральный Арвор) is a blend of low rolling hills, plains, and dense deciduous forests, most prominently the Chernovski Forest and the Solnekan Plains. The eastern and western coast of Central Arvor, respectively, are a major part of the nation's aquaculture and import-export activity. It is along the western coast of this region that one finds the cities of Cherenovsk and Sevestroma, which stand on the northeastern and southwestern shores of the Topol Bay, respectively. The bay is also known by the Arvorians as the Home Water (Домашняя вода).

Southern Arvor (Южный Арвор) is vast swaths of coastal plain divided almost down the centre by the low peaks of the Polepovets Mountains and the rolling foothills around them, where some of the country's smaller-scale mining operations are maintained. Much cooler-weather agriculture is found here, producing yearly crops of beets, carrots, turnips, radishes, cabbage, collards, and potatoes. The southernmost part of the region is the home to the dense evergreen of the Roshin Forest and the picturesque Lidovo Cliffs. It is within Southern Arvor that one finds the second-highest point in the entire republic, Mount Ilyinsky, as well as the southernmost point in mainland Arvor, Nazantsy Point.

The Western Islands (Западные острова), properly known as the Doneyevka Islands (Донеевские острова) are known for their relatively mild weather, the low peaks some have within their interiors, and the verdancy of the coastal plains in from their sandy shores. Many of these islands are home to modest regular populations but are very popular among mainland Arvorians as holiday destinations. The Doneyevka Islands are particularly prominent for their fishing, bringing in tuna, yellowfin tuna, grouper, and anchovy. Among the Western Islands, two are of particular note: Gelenovo (Геленово), which is home to the town of Dobruchi, a seaside community popular for its idyllic atmosphere and boating, and Vozrozhdeniya (Возрождения), where visitors can spend a holiday at the Lyogkaya Sanitorium and enjoy the beaches, swimming, fishing, spa treatments, a varied daily schedule of entertainment and other recreation options. The town of Chelyazov, just three kilometres away, offers shopping, local restaurants, and other entertainment and tourism options, including island hiking tours.

The Southern Islands (Южные острова), properly known as the Abarsk Islands (Абарские острова) are of much milder clime than their northwesterly neighbours, and are better known for being the source from which boats ply the Himarian Sea for cold water fish, lobster, and crab. These islands are also home to some sheep farming, and their wool is valued for quality sweaters and other clothing for cold-weather use.

Government and politics

Main article: Government of Arvor

The government of the ADR is unitary, functioning with the consent of the people and operating within the framework of socialism. It is known formally as the People's Government and is composed of three distinct branches - executive, legislative, and judicial, whose powers and responsibilities are vested by the Common Charter in the president and premier, the Congress, and the national courts, respectively. All citizens aged 18 years and older have the right of universal political suffrage and can vote in the elections held at regular intervals for national, provincial, district and municipal officials.

Executive

The President (Президент) serves as head of state. They have far-reaching ceremonial obligations, but also the right and duty to act politically. They can give direction to general political and societal debates and have very important "reserve powers" in case of political instability. They sign all legislation passed by the Congress into law and in certain circumstances have the power to veto legislation. Their role is integrative and includes the control function of upholding the law and the Common Charter. Through their actions and public appearances, they represent the state itself, its existence, legitimacy, and unity. It is a matter of tradition, though not law, that the president generally does not comment on issues in the news, particularly when there may be some disagreement within the government upon said issues. They maintain a constant connection to the affairs of state, even as they remain separate from them, and always receive intelligence and diplomatic reports before the premier does. This distance from day-to-day politics and daily governmental issues allows the president to be a source of clarification, to influence public debate, voice criticism, offer suggestions and make proposals. They have some discretion about how they exercise their official duties and have absolute discretion how to exercise their limited political power. As Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, they also have considerable influence over military operations and can override the premier's decisions in certain circumstances. The president is popularly elected by national ballot to a five-year term, renewable once, using the two-round system. The current president is Ekaterina Vladimirovna Popova, whose term began in 7682 and was re-elected in 7686.

The Premier (Премьер) serves as head of government. They are responsible for initiating and co-ordinating government policy, determining the priorities of the government, presiding over the Council of Ministers, and managing any conflicts of competency which arise between ministries. They also represent the government both at home and abroad, submit proposals to the president on a variety of matters for their consideration, lead sessions of the Congress in its daily work, and provide regular reports to the legislature on government activities. They maintain contact with the president, keeping them informed of ongoing concerns, and work with the Congress to formulate and pass legislation. They select the membership of the Council of Ministers, and nominate members of the Central Court, magistrates for the oblast-level courts as well as other high offices of state, which require the approval of Congress before being passed to the president for their formal consent. While the president serves de jure as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, it is the premier who exercises de facto daily control over military operations. They are nominated and elected by their fellow deputies from among the membership of the Congress after every general election to a five-year term, renewable once, via secret ballot using the two-round system. The current premier is Mikhail Grigorievich Larionov, whose term began in 7687.

The Council of Ministers (Совет министров) is the top decision-making body of the republic. It is made up of senior officials who hold the title of minister. Each government ministry, under the direction of its minister, has competence in specific designated areas of governance. Working in conjunction with the premier and Congress, the Council operates on two key constitutional conventions - collective responsibility (members of the Council make major decisions collectively and are therefore collectively responsible for the consequences of these decisions) and individual ministerial responsibility (in their capacity as head of ministry, a minister is personally responsible for the actions and failings of that ministry). Each minister, like the premier, is also a deputy of Congress and is nominated from among its membership by the head of government.

Legislative

The Congress of People's Deputies (Конгресс народных депутатов) is the national unicameral legislature of the republic. It is defined in the Common Charter as "the highest organ of state power". It serves to draw up and amend laws, legislate and implement state plans and budgets, establish the regulations which govern the functions of the government and armed forces, and ratify treaties. The Congress must also approve all oblast-level court magistrates, general directors of major agencies and state firms, and the promotion of all military officers to admiral or general rank. All active programmes are brought up before the Congress for review every five years, by law, with the exception of welfare, OAP, veteran's benefits, and key national security operations. Those found to be functioning as intended and within budget are re-approved for continuation, while those that are not will be terminated and their funding re-assigned. It also has the sole power to declare or conclude wars - the premier must request a formal declaration of war, which the Congress must approve by a majority vote. If approved, the declaration is passed on to the president for their signature, after which they will announce the state of war in an address to the nation.

The legislature has 864 members, known as deputies, each of whom represents a single raion of the nation. They are elected using the two-round system by constituency, for a five-year mandate, subject to dissolution and are not term limited. Without exception, the full membership stands in every general election. Every citizen who would stand for election must register with, and be a member of, the Association for Democracy and Socialism (Ассоциация за демократию и социализм), the national political agency through which a formalised structure ensures the qualifications and credentials of every would-be deputy of Congress.

The Congress is led by a speaker, who is assisted by a chief clerk and chief teller.

Judicial

The Central Court of Justice (Центральный суд) is the highest court in the republic and sits at the top of the multi-tiered court system. It has ultimate (and largely discretionary) jurisdiction over all legal proceedings within the nation and acts as the judicial segment of the three-branch structure of the government. It consists of nine assessors. New assessors are selected as vacancies occur. Each is nominated by the premier, approved by the Congress, and sworn into office by the president. They serve for a maximum of 25 years or until they turn 75, whichever happens first.

While the Court has discretionary jurisdiction over all other matters which may come before it - any time a case appealed to it is refused no explanation or reasons are given - it cannot turn away a matter involving constitutional law. While only a handful of such cases have ever been argued before it, the Court serves as the final arbiter of any such disagreements between the executive and legislative branches. Similarly, if there is disagreement about the validity of a law, these arguments must be heard and ruled upon by the Court. Any matter which the Court does pick up, once ruled upon, is considered closed and its decision final. If the Court rejects an appeal on a case, the ruling of the previous court is maintained and likewise considered final.

Administrative divisions

Arvor is subdivided into 48 oblasts (область, provinces), each of which is divided into eighteen raions (райо́н, districts), within which one can find a varying number of gorods (города, municipalities) - cities, towns, and villages. Each level is administered by a committee. The number of seats on the oblast committees (обком, obkoms) and raion committees (райком, raikoms) are fixed, while those of the municipal committees (городком, gorodkoms) are determined by population. These committees serve to oversee and administer all state concerns, such as infrastructure upkeep, utility services, and social care, within their area in accordance with national policy. In the case of all three levels of committees, their members are popularly elected to a five-year term, renewable once, using the two-round system.

Every gorod in the nation has structures in common, though their size varies commensurate with the size of the municipality. These include the hall of administration (city/town/village hall in other nations), the hall of justice (where the police are based, and court is held), the hall of records (where municipal records are maintained), and the hall of works (where utility services are monitored and maintained).

Law and justice

Main article: Criminal justice in Arvor

Main article: Law enforcement in Arvor

The ADR has a single, unified legal system. The courts of the nation are designed to ensure five key societal needs are met - that the law and courts address all cases and all citizens equally, that crime is deterred at every opportunity, that correctional discipline is delivered upon those guilty of crimes, that those with social or familial difficulties receive the counseling and/or support they need, and that those with serious psychological distress or difficulties receive the care and treatment they need. All relevant matters are regulated via oversight from the Ministry of Justice.

Arvor uses a civil legal system, wherein law arises primarily from written statutes. Judges in the ADR are known as assessors. They are not to make law, but merely to interpret it using statue, precedent, and common sense to give explanatory judgments of the relevant legal principles. These decisions are then reported and binding in future similar cases. The basic principles of the rule of law are established in the National Book of Codes (Национальная книга кодов). In agreement with the principles of the Declaration of Rights, law should only prohibit actions detrimental to society. As Ilya Kharlamov, the first chief assessor of the Central Court of Justice wrote about the management of detention centres: "Freedom is the rule, and its restriction is the exception; any restriction of Freedom must be provided for by Law and must follow the principles of necessity and proportionality." That is, law should lay out prohibitions only if they are needed, and if the inconveniences caused by this restriction do not exceed the inconveniences that the prohibition is supposed to remedy.

Beneath the Central Court itself are the oblast courts, raion courts, and gorod courts. Courts at these levels are split into the common courts (handling civil and chancery matters) and criminal courts (handling all criminal matters). All courts are bound by statute as passed by Congress, and it is only via the legislature that changes to judicial procedure or rules may be made.

Law enforcement is divided into four tiers of jurisdiction: national, oblasts, raions, and gorods. As of 1.1.7690 RH, the incarceration rate in the ADR stands at approximately 37 per 100,000 citizens. The current inmate population of the nation is reported as 66,509.

Military

Main article: Armed Forces of Arvor

The Armed Forces of Arvor (Вооружённые силы Арвора, ВсА or VsA) consist of four professional service branches: the Arvorian Air Force (Арворианские ВВС), Arvorian Ground Forces (Арворианские сухопутные войска), Arvorian Marines (Арворианские морские пехотинцы), and Arvorian Navy (Арворианский флот). Defence policy emphasises speed, maneuverability, and the ability to bring maximum firepower to bear on a target in the shortest time possible when and where required. The nation's defence expenditure for 7689 RH was ₽178 billion, or 4.0% of its GDP, making it one of the world's largest military spenders.

The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (Верховный Главнокомандующий Вооружёнными Силами) is the President, who has de jure authority, while the Premier holds de facto control of day-to-day military operations. The armed forces are overseen by the Ministry of Defence and controlled by the Defence Council (Совет обороны), chaired by the Minister of Defence. Day-to-day operational direction is the responsibility of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (Генеральный штаб Вооружённых Сил), which consists of a chair, deputy chair, and the four service chiefs. The armed forces are charged with defending the republic, promoting its security interests, and supporting international peacekeeping and sapientarian efforts.

A general conscription programme remains in place, but is in abeyance unless required, such as during times of war or major national emergency. Arvorian citizens are eligible to enlist in the services when they reach the age of eighteen. A minimum of two years of tertiary education in a relevant field is required for any individual who wishes to qualify for officer training. Whether or not they decide to join the military, all Arvorian males must register for the conscription list and remain on it if they do not join until they turn 35.

Arvor was the first of the Nuclear Five, as the first state to successfully develop and manufacture nuclear weaponry. It is also, as of current date, the only nation to have used them in combat with the successive bombings of Wolgos forces on the Waringa Plains at the Coalition Shield Front in southern Ephesus and at Hregskopos Island in 7664 during the last weeks of the Second Coalition War. It would later become one of the foremost proponents and first signatories to the International Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (INNPT) and is a party to the Accord for Restrained Arms and International Harmony (ARAIH). The nation's supersonic bomber fleet and its navy are nuclear-powered, granting its ships and aircraft considerable range and greatly reduced fuel needs.

The domestic and foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, and internal security concerns of the nation are the responsibility of the Central Directorate of State Security, commonly referred to as the GUGB (ГУГБ).

In the event of a national emergency, natural disaster, or other potentially dangerous situation, the people of the republic will receive important information and instructions via the All-Republic Comprehensive System for Information and Warning (Общереспубликанская комплексная система информации и оповещения, ОКСИО or OKSIO). This network is maintained through the Main Communications Directorate of the Ministry of Defence.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Arvor

The ADR has fourth largest economy in the world and operates as a consumer socialist system. Some sectors are more strictly regulated than others, but in ways designed to protect consumer wellbeing, preserve safety and ensure quality, and maximise opportunities for firms to develop and grow their markets in an open and equitable fashion. Domestic firms are co-operative owned, and fall into one of several subtypes, but all are subject to specific regulations and standards. Emphasis is placed on the availability of goods and services, and the country boasts a wide array of both which are available for its citizens. Businesses, especially larger ones, operate according to the Pomelova Model.

There are two types of shares in co-operative firms, according to Arvorian tradition: membership shares, which give the worker ownership in the co-op and the right to vote at members’ meetings as well as the right to receive a share of the co-op’s profits. Each membership share is assigned a par value, and workers purchase a set number of shares but can buy more as they are able; and investment shares, which are used to raise additional capital but do not give their purchasers the same rights as workers’ shares. The quantity of membership shares vastly outnumber the quantity of investment shares. Investment shares are available through the Sevestroma Exchange.

All citizens in the ADR are subject to a range of taxes which provide the funding for the various programmes the government maintains. Foremost of these is the income tax, which all working citizens must pay. Every employer is required, by law, to deduct the tax from each worker's weekly pay packet. The tax is progressive; the more one earns, the more tax one pays, with all income levels divided into five earning brackets. Depending on income, a citizen will pay as little as 10% or as much as 25% of their annual earnings. All purchases are subject to Нндс (Налог на добавленную стоимость, value added tax) which is added to the listed price in stores. Then, all businesses are subject to the business tax, which charges 15% on annual takings. These taxes are then divided between various trusts which fund the different categories of national needs and programmes. Taxation is extended to all entities within the ADR which draw in funding, be it through donation or business earnings, with the sole exceptions being duly registered charitable organisations. Despite this exception, these organisations are required by law to maintain accurate and up-to-date accounts of their operations which are scrutinised on a regular basis. This exemption is only sparingly given and is not available for any foreign entities operating within the republic. The State Taxation Service (Государственная налоговая служба, Gosnalo) is the arm of the Ministry of Finance responsible for the collection of taxes and administering the Arvorian Tax Code (Арворианский налоговый кодекс), the national statutory tax law. Management and disbursement of funds to the various trusts which maintain state activities is handleds by the State Fiscal Service (Государственная фискальная служба, Gosfisk). Information on all aspects of socioeconomic activity is tracked and maintained by the Central Statistical Directorate (Центральное статистическое управление, TsSU).

The national currency is the rezat (Резать), which uses the symbol ₽. The State Bank of Arvor (Gosbank), the country's central bank, issues currency in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100. ₽1 and ₽2 coins are used in lieu of paper notes. The rezat divides into 100 delits in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50. Gosbank sets the value of the rezat based on a currency band influenced by various international market data sources.

Banking

Banking in the ADR is defined by principles similarly found in the tenets of the consumer socialist system upon which the national economy functions. These prioritise the importance of the rights and protections afforded to the consumer, equal access to available services, strict limits on interest rates where they apply, and a universal standard of ethical and open operations. The vast majority of banks in the republic are co-operative banks (known in some nations as credit unions), which are owned jointly by their members and offer savings, checking, and loan services. There are also development banks (known in other nations as land development banks), which help fund development projects of varying scale, and savings banks, dedicated entirely to allowing citizens to deposit and save their money and supporting small businesses.

Central banking services within the ADR are provided by the State Bank of Arvor (Gosbank). A branch of Gosbank is responsible for maintaining the nation's bullion reserves, which as of 1.1.7690 RH are reported as 7,533.5 metric tons of gold and 21,049.2 metric tons of silver.

Mining

Historically, iron ore mining is a staple industry in the Arvorian economy. The iron ore mines of the nation are located in the north and northwest and are a large part of the regional economic structure, as are the associated steel producers and other connected industries. Coal has been mined at rapidly decreasing levels since the mid-7600s, when biodiesel was developed and refined and became the fuel of choice but is still extracted in limited quantities for various industrial, chemical, and other needs. Vesium is mined in the northeast of the nation. All active mining operations within the ADR are done in accordance with strict environmental and health and safety regulations.

Science & technology

Arvor was a participant in the Scientific Revolution, as well as the later Industrial Revolution. Since then, the ADR has continued to produce scientists and engineers credited with important advances. The nation continues to contribute extensively to the collective entirety of the world's scientific research papers and scientific citations. Scientific journals produced in the ADR include the Chemistry Letters (Химия Письма), the Journal of Materials Chemistry (Журнал химии материалов) the Applied Physics Letters (Письма по прикладной физике), the Archive of Applied Mechanics (Архив прикладной механики), and the Biometrica (Биометрика).

Scientific research and development remain important cornerstones of the Arvorian university system, with many establishing science parks to facilitate production and co-operation with industry. From these universities many graduates go on to enter their respective fields, with the best and brightest being tapped to join the ranks of one of the numerous scientific research institutes (нау́чно-иссле́довательский институ́т or НИИ) which comprise the core of Arvorian science.

At the centre of the Arvorian research community is the Central Research Administration (Центральное научное управление, TsNU), an independent state agency that serves as the national think tank, is the hub of government-funded research and development. It is divided into sixteen subordinate research bureaus, each of which focuses on a specific sphere of scientific research. The agency has been responsible for fostering the development of many groundbreaking technologies and innovations, many of which have ultimately become widely used in civilian life. A well-known example of such innovations is Setka (Сетка, “Grid”), the nationwide network of linked terminals allowing for quick communication and data transmission.

Prominent firms within the scientific and technological sphere include A-Pharm (А-Фарм), the largest pharmaceutical combine in the nation and one of the largest globally; Arvoelectronica (Арвоэлектроника) a leading manufacturer of electronics, software, semiconductors, vacuum tubes and other technologies; and SK Energia (СК Энергия), which manufactures nuclear power technology for domestic and international clients.

Transport

The national roads network of the ADR totals TBD kilometres (TBD miles) of motorways (автомагистраль, avtomagistral, A roads) and TBD kilometres (TBD miles) of provincial roads (областные дороги, oblastnyye dorogi, O-roads) and local roads (местные дороги, mestnyye dorogi, M-roads). The M15, which arcs around Cherenovsk, is one of the largest and busiest bypasses in D'Runia, and links into the M1, which runs the full north-south length of the nation from Belekarino on the Arvor-TBD border to Gelevgrad on the southern peninsular coast. As of 7690 RH, there were a total of TBD licensed vehicles in the country.

The Arvorian rail network is one of the world's most extensive and consists of 201,168 kilometres (125,000 miles) of high-speed lines. It remains the most popular means of national travel for citizens. The network, known as National Rail (Gosdoroga), holds high ranks for quality of service and safety, and has a worldwide reputation for cleanliness, efficiency, and timeliness. In 7690 RH, TBD passengers were carried. There are around 100 freight trains in daily operation. The network runs high-speed trains that provide two classes of service, with routes running long-distance including amenities such as club and dining cars. Intercity routes call on all of the major and mid-sized cities, which each have their own municipal lines. Towns and villages have access via local stations through connecting local service. Long and mid-distance services offer hot and cold meal options, snacks and beverages. Rail transit is free for pregnant women and those with disabilities, while discounted service is available for combat-wounded veterans, the elderly, and passengers with children. Recipients of certain high military and civil honours likewise travel for free. All trains are powered by compact nuclear reactors which can operate 25 years between fuel assembly replacement.

In the year 7689-7690, ADR airports handled a total of TBD passengers. In that period the three busiest airports were Ishinovo Airport (Sevestroma), Komsoryol Airport (Cherenovsk), and Tagaskoye Airport (Belekarino). Komsoryol, located 16 kilometres (10 mi) southeast of the capital, is one of the region's busiest international airports, and is the hub for the ADR flag carrier Aerofleet (Аэрофлот). Additionally, Joint Ground-Air Base Geleretsk, north of the capital, is both responsible for defence of Cherenovsk and the route through which the president and premier travel outside the capital.

Energy

In 7689 RH, the ADR was the largest producer and consumer of energy in D'Runia. The nation's power network, known as the National Grid (Gosvlast), provides power throughout the country via a mix of nuclear, hydro, and solar. Of those, the largest portion (81%) of the nation's energy is provided by nuclear generating stations. Every two years, one-quarter of the fuel assemblies within reactors are replaced, and the spent fuel sent for recycling and reuse. Gosvlast is maintained and operated by the Ministry of Energy. The nation is a world leader in nuclear technology, both in the military and civilian fields, and was responsible for the development of the first civilian nuclear reactor, the first nuclear-powered surface warship, the first nuclear-powered submarine, and possesses one of the world's largest nuclear power networks.

Gosvlast is divided into four wide-area synchronous networks - the Northern Interconnect, the North-Central Interconnect, the South-Central Interconnect, and the Southern Interconnect - which encompass twelve oblasts each. Within these interconnects, each oblast is an individual network comprising part of the larger whole. Each region delivers power at a nominal 240 V. The interconnects, and their component oblasts, are directly linked to one another by a series of HVDC relays, which can be used in case of extreme situations to send emergency transmissions between the regions, though this has yet to happen. Generating stations throughout the ADR maintain reserve production, which can be brought online when needed to provide additional power, in both emergency and non-emergency situations.

Gosvlast serves to link the generating stations of the ADR together, and the entire nation is serviced by a single, interconnected network, designed and built to be as unobtrusive to the surrounding landscape as possible while maximising security and efficiency. This system is co-ordinated via numerous monitoring stations throughout the country, with each major municipality and every oblast having a dedicated station that keeps track of power flow, consumption, and trouble spots. These monitoring stations are linked through direct telephone and computer lines that ensure a steady flow of data and communication. These all work together to allow the quick and efficient transmission of power to meet the nation's needs. Likewise, there is a national monitoring station located at the Ministry of Energy building in Cherenovsk.

Within the last few decades, a massive nationwide effort has been undertaken to switch out less efficient heating and cooking systems. Currently, heating is done in most homes via either liquid radiators or infrared panels, which are typically wall mounted, while cooking is done via appliances equipped with induction cooktops and convection ovens. Both are considerably more efficient, and likewise designed to save on energy costs.

Manufacturing

Numerous firms in Arvor manufacture goods and equipment to support and serve other industries. Machinery, industrial equipment, and automobiles are among the top sectors in manufacturing. In addition, several concerns produce consumer goods, such as home appliances, televisions and radios, furniture, and pharmaceuticals. Some firms are state enterprises, nationalised and maintained under government oversight.

Several major industrial concerns within the ADR are known worldwide for their products and services, many of which offer their goods on the international market. These include the Salarinsk Metallurgical Combine (Саларинский металлургический комбинат, Смк or SMK), which produces iron and steel products; the Lorsk Electrolysis Chemical Combine (Лорский электролизный химический комбинат, Лэхк or LEKK), which manufactures uranium hexafluoride, triflic acid, niobium oxide, tantalum oxide, radiation detectors, automated personnel monitoring systems for use in nuclear power plants, and a variety of chemicals; the Beryortsy Instrument-Making Combine (Берёрцовский приборостроительный комбинат, Бпк or BPK), which manufactures optical instruments, automation equipment for industry, miscellaneous equipment and spare parts for agriculture and consumer products; the Kirivo Electrical Components Production Association (Киривское производственное объединение электрокомпонентов, Кпоэ or KPOE), which produces appliances, electrical equipment, and electrical supplies; and, Arvorian Machines (Арворианские машины, АРВОМАШ or ARVOMASH), which produces automotive components, railway engineering equipment, aircraft manufacturing equipment, road construction machinery, and agricultural machinery.

Agriculture

The ADR prioritises agricultural self-sufficiency, with the nation producing most of the food it consumes (87% on average) every year. Approximately 7.5% of the population is engaged in agriculture. The northwestern and southern plains of Arvor are its breadbasket, with the former producing quinoa, millet and rice and the latter producing wheat, barley, corn, and rapeseed. Produce grown in large quantities in the latter include potatoes, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, turnips, lettuce, green beans, and more. Orchards in the northwest and hothouses throughout the nation grow extensive levels of pecans, walnuts, strawberries, apples, pears, and other fruits. Farms employ organic, sustainable methods for producing their crops and caring for the lands they operate. In the north, the country raises quinoa, citrus fruit, olives, grapes, and dates.

The majority of livestock farms are located in the south, and raise cattle, pigs, chickens, and lambs. These farms produce large quantities of meat, milk, cheese, and other animal products such as wool and fats for cooking or other needs. In the north, sheep and goats are the main livestock. Horses are also and bred primarily in the north and are commonly used in racing and other luxury pursuits, through a number of organisations responsible for raising and caring for them. Agriculture in the ADR is extensively mechanised. All animals are cared for using carefully regulated, free range, organic methods. Humane treatment is not simply a preference, it is required by law.

Demographics

Gender

While ancient Dakhani culture was known for being particularly egalitarian prior to their migration out of Tharna, gender relations and rights became an important cause in the socialist movement in Arvor. Socialism advocates for a society where men and women have the same rights, including what the Founders referred to as "equality of opportunity", whereby all Arvorians, regardless of gender or background, are free to pursue the same goals and dreams in both work and life. The leadership of the Founders in this regard saw the elimination of gender pay gaps, making childcare a right for working families, and the abolition of any remaining rules and standards by which one gender was precluded from activities engaged in by the other. As a result of these efforts, women are as prevalent as men in the corporate world, holding high posts within firms both major and minor, serving in both support and combat roles in the armed forces, and receiving the same levels of compensation, benefits and opportunity as their male counterparts.

Ethnic groups

While Arvorians, who are considered a part of the Maloric ethno-linguistic group, account for the vast majority (89%) of the populace within the ADR, minority groups of other ethnicities have made their way into the country primarily via strictly regulated immigration. These include the Cheltai, Emther, Karsk, and Tragoni. The Pequatl, who sparsely populated the Vitherrean Peninslua at the time of the Arvorian exodus from Anaria Major, were accepted into Arvorian society and gradually assimilated. While some limited exceptions remain, the ADR does not currently operate an open immigrations policy.

Languages

The official language used in the ADR is Arvorian, which was for nearly three centuries a dialect of the Medovenian language, now commonly referred to as Medovo-Arvorian. Arvorian is, as of present date, the most prevalent Maloric dialect by the number of native speakers. Additionally, the immigrant communities within the republic add Auresian, Hallish, and others to the list of languages spoken within the country. Nearly three-quarters of all Arvorian adults speak two or more languages. The Dakhani tongue, originally spoke by the ancestors of the Arvorians, has been considered a "dead language" for nearly six centuries. Those surviving records in that language, from that historical period, are held in the Hall of Historical Documents in the Gosarkhiv building, where tourists and citizens can view them.

Religion

Under the strictures of the Bill of Guarantees, all Arvorian citizens are free to worship as they please. Simultaneously, the Common Charter establishes the government as a secular entity that is forbidden from showing preference to any faith, with the sole caveat that action may be required if a faith demonstrates danger to the citizens or to the community. The most common faith practised within the ADR is Peratolian Orkanan, embodied within the country by the National Orkanan Congregation of Arvor (Национальная Оркананская конгрегация Арвора, НОКА or NOKA). The Congregation is led by the Presiding Cleric, an office which since 7672 RH has been occupied by Kiril Mikhailovich Yermakov.

Education

Education in the ADR is the purview of the Ministry of Education. All primary and secondary schools in the nation teach a standardised curriculum as laid out by the ministry. Every young boy and girl in the nation is required by law to attend common school from age six to age sixteen, for a total of ten years of general education - six years of primary and four years of secondary. Attendance of polytechnic or university is known as tertiary education. Primary education school focuses initially on physical fitness and all of the basic subjects - writing, reading, language, history, mathematics, and general science. Secondary focuses on advanced sciences, advanced mathematics, political science and economics, as well as various other important "life skills", such as driving, home economics, personal accounting, and more. In the event a student is struggling with a particular subject, they are paired with two or three of their peers who tutor them and help them work through the topics they face difficulty in. Literacy in the nation is 100%.

All students whose grades qualify them for tertiary education have access to two years of free university or polytechnic education, where they can pursue courses in the subject of their choice. The curricula for these degrees, like primary and secondary education, is regulated by the Ministry of Education. After these first two years, additional years can be acquired via scholarships or through the financing provided by family or employers encouraging their personnel to pursue higher education. The cost of these years of education are strictly regulated to maintain affordability, but simultaneously the standards for students to remain actively enrolled at university are high. All certifications are specifically regulated, and students must meet certain minimums of competency to acquire the relevant licenses for their particular field.

Health

Main article: Healthcare in Arvor

The ADR operates one of the foremost healthcare systems in the world. The quality of care and high life expectancy of the nation are derived from the focus on preventive care and early care for children, which contributes significantly to more positive health in later life. All doctors, nurses, and support staff are a part of the State Medical Service (Государственная медицинская служба, Gosmed), a non-ministerial arm of the government, that co-ordinates the medical services of the nation via the four Gosmed regions. All general healthcare services are provided at no charge to citizens. Some specialised or extended services do incur modest fees, which can be repaid all at once or in installments, as the citizen prefers. Tourists and non-citizens in the ADR will receive any emergency care without cost and will only pay a small fee for any necessary medications. Laws and standards are in place to discourage and prevent medical tourism. Gosmed is one of the largest organisations of its kind in the world.

The expenses of Gosmed are funded through the general taxation scheme maintained by the national government, with necessary disbursements handled through the national health trust. The system operates on a code of compassionate, efficient care, designed to maximise patient care and recovery and ensure a greater quality of life. Because of the priority placed on the importance of a healthy populace, the ADR is a world leader in medical research and development, and has produced some of the most advanced techniques, tools, and treatments available today.

Large-scale healthcare facilities in the ADR are known as a medical centre (Медицинский центр). Each one is divided into five main units, each focusing on specific services - general medical care (Общая медицинская помощь), providing outpatient and non-critical care and specialist services; emergency medical care (Скорая медицинская помощь), providing accident and emergency and critical care services; surgical services (хирургические услуги), providing all surgery and surgical support services; rehabilitation (Реабилитация), providing physical, speech, occupational and substance abuse therapy services; and, psychiatric care (Психиатрическая помощь), providing mental health services.

Larger towns and some smaller cities have polyclinics (поликлиника), which combine the services of multiple general doctors (врач общей практики, known as general practitioners in other countries) with specialist doctors (врач-специалист) who focus on areas such as pain management, audiology, cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, podiatry, and other fields. Polyclinics will be equipped with a small accident and emergency department and have the capacity to do minor surgery and some more serious surgical procedures without the need for a medical centre's support. Community clinics (общественная клиника) across the country will consist of as few as one or as many as six general doctors who provide primary care for all basic medical needs.

All aspects of the operations of a medical centre, polyclinic, or community clinic are governed by the codified rules and standards of the Handbook of Standardised Transaction Protocols in Healthcare (Справочник по стандартизированным протоколам операций в здравоохранении).

Ambulances in the ADR are painted solid yellow with a green checkerboard pattern down the sides and across the bonnet and rear doors. No other vehicles in the nation can have this specific paint scheme. In very serious situations, such as a person who has suffered severe trauma, an extremely ill child, or a priority organ transport, emergency dispatch can request an ambulance be escorted by a special team of three motorcycle constables, whose bikes are likewise painted yellow with red stripes. When on this duty, the constables of this team also wear helmets and jackets that are solid yellow. They will move in advance of the ambulance and restrict traffic flow at junctions and intersections and keep the road ahead of it clear to allow the ambulance unrestricted movement to its destination.

The average life expectancy at birth in the ADR as of 7690 RH is 84 years. Healthy life expectancy at birth as of the same year is 79 years.

It has been over forty years since the ADR reported a case of several dangerous conditions, including smallpox, tetanus, pertussis, polio, mumps, diphtheria, pneumococcal disease, rabies, malaria, and rubella. Precautionary vaccinations for several of these conditions are still administered at specific ages. The Centre for Infectious Diseases (Центр инфекционных заболеваний) is the agency responsible for disease and pandemic monitoring and prevention, studying viruses and bacteria, and for setting the standards for innoculations, safety, and management of such situations.

Culture

Arvor is a high-trust society built around the common values of social nationalism, community, and co-operation. The backdrop of their Dakhani roots, combined with the influence of their growth into a Malorski people, have seen the development of a stable and peaceful nation with safe, clean communities where personal discipline, hard work, dependability, and the value of family and friends in daily life and the strength of unity and common purpose are the cornerstones. While some immigration was permitted early in the republic's history, it was exclusively Anarian in origin, and immigration has been almost completely closed off for the last sixty years with strictly limited exceptions.

Holidays

Arvorians celebrate numerous holidays throughout the year, each of which holds a different significance to national tradition. During every calendar year, there are twelve bank holidays during which most businesses and non-essential services close, there is limited or no trading at the Sevestroma Exchange, and families are able to enjoy extended weekends.

The Festival of Blossoms is a celebration of the vernal equinox, in keeping with traditions started centuries ago. It is a time to commemorate the beginning of spring, and the start of the annual open-air markets common in many communities. It also is a celebration of the nation's long-standing cultural pastimes of gardening and horticulture, as well as the agricultural sector.

One of the nation's most important holidays is the Festival of the Republic, which takes place in early autumn. It commemorates the date of the founding of the modern socialist state, when the Common Charter was ratified. It is a patriotic celebration commonly associated with fireworks, parades, fairs, picnics, and concerts. A variety of public events also take place during the holiday week.

The last week of Autumn is the Festival of the Harvest, which celebrates the autumnal equinox and the bounty of the fields and the change of seasons. The last day of this festival period is known as Witches' Day, when children wear colourful fancy dress and go door to door, receiving a few pieces of candy and/or fruit from their neighbours. People will also carve elaborate faces into pumpkins to make hollowjack lanterns which they'll set on their porch with a candle inside at night which, according to folk legend, "scares off unfriendly spirits".

Another of the most important holidays celebrated is Winterfest, which celebrates the winter solstice. It is one of the three holidays most closely intertwined between national and Orkanan tradition. The bank holiday for Winterfest is the last two weekdays of its second week.

Literature

"Arvorian literature" refers to literature associated with the nation throughout its history. In 7689 RH, some 106,000 books were published in the ADR.

The playwright and poet Andrei Andreivich Kalinin is widely regarded as one of the nation's greatest dramatists. The crime writer Valentina Mangadlina Koreneva is one of the nation's three all-time best-selling novelists. Other prominent contributions include Nikolai Nikitovich Ilyushin (the creator of Darkstorm), Yegor (Jora) Vladimirovich Shulgin, Pyotr Antonovich Krylov, Lavro Vasilievich Komolov and the poet Yuliana (Yulia) Yelizarova. More recently Miron Georgiyevich Bazarov and Pyotr (Petya) Alliluyev have contributed to the the extensive works of Arvorian mystery and fantasy, as well as children's literature. Other, grimmer works from authors like Sergey Sergeyevich Chernov and Elizavetta Yermolayevna Balandina have reached the shelves in recent years.

Arvor's oldest known poem, Fields of Gold (Поля золота), was composed in the mid-45th century. It was first written by a highly revered wise man of the time, and was considered a prophecy of sorts after the tragedy of the 68th century - "Tears would be shed and loved ones lost, homes destroyed and lives into tempest tossed. Long roads ahead and a future unclear, fret not and to your heart hold this truth dear. In a land far away with wonders untold, we would build our home anew amidst fields of gold."

Particular works by prominent social and political activists, including those of the Founding Father of Arvor, Aleksandr Belikov, are required reading for all secondary school students. Most prominent among them are In the Cause of the People and Labour and Dignity.

A copy of every literary work produced in the nation is held by the State Archives (Gosarkhiv).

Music

Various genres of music are popular in the ADR, including jazz, smooth jazz, and jazz fusion. Experimental music has also gained a strong popularity within the country, which saw a rise in the popularity of synthesisers and harmonisers and led to the rise of synthpop.

Visual art

A wide range of artistic styles are popular within the ADR. Realism and socialist realism, used to create inspiring and uplifting imagery, are preeminent within the artistic community and common in posters and signage throughout the republic, designed to convey important messages, public announcements, and other information. Other widely popular genres currently prevalent include environmental art, photorealism, cybernetic art, pop art, conceptual art, minimalism, performance art, pattern and decoration, neo-expressionism, telematic art, and retrofuturism art.

Cinema

The first moving picture in the country was shot in Sevestroma by Kliment Flippovich Smerikov in 7583 RH and the first moving pictures developed on celluloid film were made in there in 7584 RH by inventor Leonid Viktorovich Peregozhin, who patented the process later that same year. The first people to build and run a working 35 mm camera were engineers Kazimir Andreevich Katayev and Gaspar Nikolayevich Yelagin. They made the first Arvorian film, Mystery at Kamedar (Тайна в Камедаре), in 7590 EP.

Cuisine

Arvorian cuisine encompasses a variety of cooking styles, traditions and recipes. It has many distinctive attributes of its own but has a variety of dishes sharing much with wider cuisines, partly through the importation of ingredients and ideas since the time of Dakhan-Yar, while also blending the influences of the time spent in Medovenia. Some traditional meals have long been staples. Fresh fruits are popular at breakfast or as dessert, while extensive choice enables citizens many options when preparing meals.

An everyday Arvorian full-course meal (dinner or supper) consists of three courses, typically referred to as "first", "second", and "third". An optional salad isn't included in the numbered options and is instead part of the separate zakuski course. The first course is typically a soup, the second an entree (a meat, fish, or poultry dish with a side), and the third a dessert. This is typical both in meals prepared at home as well as school and work canteens. Holiday meals typically make greater use of rich sauces, marinated meats, and melted cheeses. The richness of the holiday table is considered just as important as the gathering of loved ones on these special occasions. Luncheonettes, self-service cafeterias, and restaurants offer a variety of "set meals", which consist of a salad, soup, entree, and drink.

Green vegetables and salads are fairly readily available year-round, thanks to different regions of the country being able to grow the different types of produce despite changes in the seasons, to meet demand. While some spices and seasonings are used in preparing dishes, every table will have a variety of choices for the diner to add additional flavour to suit their tastes, such as salt or black peppercorn, mustard, and dill.

Some dishes in Arvorian cuisine are more widely known than others. These include rassolnik (soup made with pickled cucumber, pearl barley and pork or beef kidney), borscht (meat or bone stock with vegetables and beet sour), golubtsy (cooked cabbage wrapped around different fillings), pelmeni (dumplings with meat filling), blini (thick pancakes made of different ingredients), and pirozhki (small pies with various fillings). The coastal regions and the Abarsk and Doneyevka Islands are known for their seafood options, such as rasstegai (pies with a fish filling), ukha (a soup made with cooked fish, potatoes, and carrots in a rich broth), mimosa salad (cheese, eggs, fish, onion, and mayonnaise), and kulyebyaka (a fish loaf with rice, hard-boiled eggs, mushrooms, and dill).

A wide range of beverages are enjoyed in the ADR, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Most times, alcoholic beverages are typically found at parties, casual gatherings, and at special occasions. Among these are vodka (made from distilling the liquid from cereal grains that have fermented), nastoiki (flavoured vodkas), medovukha (a honeyed beverage similar to mead), and beer. The republic produces several types of beer, both dark and light, which are likewise enjoyed at home or at social occasions. Examples of non-alcoholic beverages include kompot (a sweet beverage made by cooking fruit in water, adding sugar or raisins as sweetener), mors (a fruit drink), ryazhenka (made from baked milk by lactic acid fermentation), sbiten (a honey-based drink with herbs and spices), and varenets (a fermented milk beverage made by adding sour cream to baked milk).

Media

Arvor maintains a time honoured tradition that emphasises the importance of providing up-to-date, accurate news. This tradition is predicated on the belief that the responsibility of the press is to share the news without bias or favour, and let the citizenry draw their own conclusions. In this vein, numerous newspaper services are operated in the ADR. Among the most leading daily broadsheets are Do Tell! (Скажи!), Morning Star (Утренняя звезда), Daily Herald (Ежедневный вестник), and National Telegraph (Национальный телеграф). Specialist broadsheets include Arvorian Worker (Арворианский рабочий), Daily News (Ежедневные новости), and The Echo (Эхо). Popular tabloids in print currently include Daily Chronicle (Ежедневная хроника), The Independent (Независимый), The Inquirer (Исследователь), and The Observer (Наблюдатель).

The ADR also has an extensive magazine publishing industry, with numerous periodicals produced. Some are geared towards specific interests or industries. Others are more general, providing a mix of recent events, popular topics, and useful extras such as recipes or home improvement tips. Examples of popular domestic niche publications include The Commodore (Коммодор), for boating enthusiasts; Fixing Things (Исправление вещей), aimed at home improvement and do-it-yourself work; Lad's Life (Жизнь парня), popular with boys and young men; Detective Weekly (Детектив еженедельно), for crime and mystery fiction enthusiasts; and Programmer's Digest (Дайджест программиста), a favourite with programming and computing interests. Publications popular among specific industries include Co-Op Monthly (Совместная игра ежемесячно), a periodical focused on co-operative business news; Salesman's Weekly (Еженедельник продавца), which is popular in the retail industry; and Tailor & Cutter (Портной и закройщик), read by clothiers and outfitters. There are also services which market these periodicals among other products, prominent among them the Thriftwise Programme.

As most Arvorian households have a telescreen, broadcast media is likewise a popular form of entertainment, typically in the afternoons and evenings. Broadcast media in the nation is provided by the Information Telegraph Organisation of Arvor (Информационная телеграфная организация Арвора, ИтоА or ITOA). There is a wide variety of popular programmes available, from every category imaginable. These include sitcoms like Gas and Garters (Весь газ и подвязки), Good Grief (Печаль во благо), and Old Man's Brigade (Бригада старика); mystery and action drama serials like Possum Gallows (Опоссум виселица), Secret Agent (Секретный агент), Department Zero (Нулевой отдел) and Black Chamber (Черная палата); science fiction serials like Armour Ace (Броня Туз) and Commstar (Коммстар); soap operas such as Basincreek (Басинкрик), Turnip Hill (Репа Хилл), and Worlds Apart (Бесконечно далеки); police and medical procedurals such as Metro (метро), and Trauma One (Травма первая), and current events and commentary shows such as Speak Your Mind! (Говорить откровенно!) and Hard Talk (Трудный разговор); educational and informational shows such as This World (Этот мир), Technology & Tomorrow (Технологии и будущее), and Discovery Today (Открытие сегодня); and game shows such as Whodunit? (Детектив?), Scrambie! (скрембл!), and Blockbusters (Блокбастеры). Various news reports are broadcast throughout the day, featuring segments on national events, international events, the weather, and sports.

The databases of Gosarkhiv hold copies of every telescreen programme and film ever produced in the nation.

Philosophy

The ADR became famous for the tradition of "Arvorian Empiricism", a branch of the philosophy of knowledge that states that only knowledge verified by experience is valid. The best-known philosophers of Arvorian Empiricism are Vyacheslav Kurochkin, Anatoliy Antonovich Grafov, and Boris Larionovich Gorokhin. Two Arvorians - Nikita Danilovich Abramov and Georgiy Stanislavovich Prazdnikov - are notable for the ethical theory of utilitarianism.

Various philosophical contributions over the years have expressed the deepest tenets of the Arvorian mindset - working hard, earning an honest wage for honest labour, being sensible with what one has, and not living beyond ones means. These beliefs have become known within the ADR as "the Arvorian way".

Humanitarianism

Arvorian culture, like Dakhani culture, continues to place a societal importance on the duty of those who are prosperous and well-established supporting efforts to aid the less fortunate and those afflicted by disaster. While many of the issues that afflict the less fortunate worldwide are mitigated by a combination of laws, the social safety net, and communal support within the republic, this allows Arvor to maintain a long-standing reputation as a nation known for contributions to humanitarian efforts. The Peace Brigade, founded in Sevestroma in 7585 RH, is a successful non-governmental organisation which provides aid, relief, and development support for worthy causes worldwide. While not supported in any way by the People's Government, it is one of the very few entities that has taxation exemption certification.

Sport

Association football, tennis, table tennis, badminton, rugby union, rugby league, rugby sevens, golf, boxing, netball, water polo, field hockey, billiards, darts, rowing, rounders and cricket originated or were substantially developed in Arvor, with the rules and codes of many modern sports invented and codified over a century ago.

In 7690 RH, football was ranked the most popular sport in the ADR. Arvor is widely known for its vigorous club football scene, and the National Football Association is among the oldest of its kind. In the same year, rugby union was ranked the second most popular sport in the nation, with annual competitions at Lenirino. Cricket is among the most widely played sports between municipalities, and while there are teams at the oblast level, there is also a spirited and active competition between teams formed by various municipalities within every oblast, and competitions are a regular part of the season. Tennis in the nation was first played at Zheledovo.

The ADR is also closely associated with motorsport. Many teams and drivers in Formula One (F1) are based in the country, and clubs can be found in communities across the nation, with tracks for weekend races and shows are common in numerous larger towns and cities.

By participation, golf is the fifth most popular sport in the ADR. The oldest golf course in the country is located at Kemeyarsk, located in northern central Arvor. Chebodnoye in central Arvor is the nation's second-oldest course.

Symbols

Two of the most prominent symbols of the ADR are the Red Star and the Red Wolf. The former is jointly the symbol of both the state and socialism, and the latter is the traditional symbol of the Arvorian people and nation, adapted to the new system.