Republic of Floresque

FLOREGASQUE INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT
WORLD FACTBOOK
ENTRY A: REPUBLIC OF FLORESQUE
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY

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INTRODUCTION


FIG 2.1: The Port of Floresque, with the skyline of the Business District in the background.

Floresque, officially known as the Republic of Floresque or the Floregasque Republic, is a global city and city-state situated north of the Imperium Augustum, on a natural harbor adjoining the delta of the Lis River. The City of Floresque, founded in the early 11th century, makes up the entirety of the nation's territory.

For most of its early history, Floresque was a vassal state of Alba Longa to the south - a powerful city that would later become the capital of the Imperium Augustum. The Floregasque Republic then controlled both sides of the Lis River and a substantial amount of area to the south, but, upon achieving independence from Alba Longa in the 1500s, was reduced in size to the city of Floresque and its immediate environs. Since then, the land area of the nation has grown slightly due to land reclamation and urban sprawl inland.

Historically, Floresque was a center of the wool and banking industries and was one of the birthplaces of the Renaissance. Today, Floresque is one of the world's leading financial and currency exchange centers, and one of the world's largest container ports. Its economy is highly globalized and diversified, and depends heavily on trade. The Republic's largest exports are in the electronics and service industries. The Floregasque Stock Exchange is one of the largest in the world, and hosts a multitude of companies both domestic and foreign.

Floresque has a population of about 3.1 million. The population is culturally diverse, and about 40% of Floregasque's residents are foreign-born. The most populous ethnicity in Floresque are the Floregasque, with citizens from the Imperium Augustum, Russians, McMasterdonians, and Syrixians being significantly-sized minorities. Most Floregasque are bilingual, speaking the common language of global business as well as their mother tongue. With a density of over 5,000 people per square kilometer, Floresque is the most densely populated nation in the world.

The nation's core principles are multiculturalism, secularism, and stability. Floresque's government system has changed little since the Renaissance - the Signoria, a 14-member legislature, serve as the nation's government and choose a head-of-state called the Gonfaloniere of Justice from among their number by lot. In reality, the nation has been ruled by the powerful Avelocci family for over two-hundred years. While elections for local government such as ward mayors and police commissioners are semi-open and fair, elections for the Signoria and the Gonfaloniere are widely seen as shams. Nominees for office are usually selected by the Avelocci family and win by large majorities, if their election is contested at all.

The human rights situation in the Floregasque Republic can be seen as mixed. While the rule of law is strong, and corruption at manageable levels, numerous liberties are curbed in the name of stability. Censorship is widespread and handled by the Undesirable Propagation Unit and other government bodies. The press is curtailed in its reporting on the government or crime, but in other aspects, such as the economy, is relatively free. The government's support of controversial figures such as McMasterdonia's King-Regent Albert has been criticized, and international observers have criticized the lax banking regulations in the nation that allow laundered money to be hidden in the city's financial institutions.

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