Montendría Information Thread

[Holdac]

Montendría, officially the Republic of Montendría, is a small nation on Craviter-Collandris. It compromises of nine states and one federal city as well as various unorganized territories. A former colony of Caselania with a population of 16.8 million, Montendría is an ethnically-diverse nation with many backgrounds and cultures intermingling with one another, mostly from external immigration, historical foreign influence such as that of the Empire of Syrixia, and a history which stems from centuries of migrations, conquests and the rule of multicultural empires, injecting faraway traditions, customs and cuisines into the society of Montendría. Corte-Real, the capital of Montendría, boasts a population of 2.5 million, situated on the coast of the Monte Sea. It's described as a center of culture, entertainment and industry, characterized by its vibrant and colorful architecture, sleek skyscrapers which litter the surrounding tropical landscape and distinct identity which is unique to the metropolis. The Republic, nominally, is administered as a federation and a representative democracy, possessing a constitution and a bicameral legislature; however, the country is a de facto narco-state, home to a vast criminal underworld and black market which has international smuggling networks for illegal contraband. Montendría has been experiencing a crippling recession since 2005 due to the collapse of its oil industry and spiraling military spending in the post-colonial era, driving the economy into the ground. It currently has a GDP of $141.3 billion, making it one of the smallest economies in the world. Montendría is often considered the breadbasket of its region, hosting an impressive and diverse agricultural sector for its size which farms a variety of vegetables and fruit from avocados, mangoes, and coca to maize, rice and wheat. ​

 

[Holdac]

Fun Facts about Montendría
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1. Montendría's illegal cocaine market accounts for around 2% of the entire nation's GDP, or around $2.82 billion annually. The Federal Government has undertaken efforts to curtail the spread of this underground industry; however, its profitability and necessity to the economy of Montendría has made many higher-ups hesitant.

2. The Federal Government has attempted to export the pop culture of Montendría abroad, utilizing funds from the lucrative oil industry to expand the entertainment industry of the nation, especially music.

3. Montendría's largest energy conglomerate, PetróMont, is indirectly owned by the state due to several affluent congressmen owning considerable shares of the company's assets. PetróMont's close relationship with the Federal Government has been consistently under attack by critics, who often compare the nation to a kleptocracy.

4. Despite the Republic's energy industry, Corte-Real and surrounding counties are still subject to regular electrical shortages from bad weather or deteriorating infrastructure.

5. The Montendrían Independence War was the bloodiest conflict in the history of the Republic, with civilian casualties estimated to be around 640,000 or 15% of the entire population at the time. The Federal Government, to this day, still faces hardships when managing the population of the nation; the scars of the Independence War still echo. A demographic crisis caused by the loss of life in the war, exacerbated by a poor economic situation, looms over Montendría, threatening to destroy what little progress the nation has made. President Durán remains hopeful for a brighter future.