Columbia

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Firm, united let us be! Rallying 'round our liberty! As a band of brothers joined, peace and safety we shall find.

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Not to be confused with Colombia.

Columbia, officially called the Columbian Federal Republic, is a country located in North America and the Pacific. It consists of 22 states and various other possessions. Columbia shares land and maritime borders with Canada, Russia, Mexico, and the Confederate States of America. With a growing population of 183 million, Columbia is one of the most populous countries in the world. Springfield is the capital of Columbia, while Los Angeles is the largest city. Chicago is the second-largest city and the country's cultural center.

Founded as a successor to the United States, Columbia is a highly-developed country, with a free-market economy and a democratic government. Throughout history, Columbia has stood in defense of freedom, liberty, and individual rights. The country maintains a moderately powerful military and close diplomatic ties with several other Western nations. Columbian war efforts were crucial in bringing about the downfall of Imperial Japan during the Second World War. Columbia is a member of the United Nations.

Etymology

Prior to 1869, the namesake of Christopher Columbus was used often in early poetry and place names, including Columbia, South Carolina. "Columbia" became a popular name for the national personification of the United States of America. Following the collapse of the United States in 1868, "Columbia" was chosen as the name for the free western remnant of the old republic. The term "Columbian Federal Republic" was coined to describe the new federal union between the twelve western states.

The namesake of Christopher Columbus can be seen throughout the country as well. Some examples include the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest and Columbus, the capital of Ohio and the first national capital. The name Columbia is also shared with Colombia, a Spanish-speaking republic in South America, although the spelling differs.

A citizen of Columbia is commonly referred to as a "Columbian" (plural "Columbians") in English.

History

Main article: History of Columbia

Geography

_{Fall in Interior Alaska}

Columbia is the second-largest country in North America. The country is popularly associated with empty, windswept plains and vast expanses of uncharted wilderness. In the easternmost state of Ohio, deciduous woodlands meet the fertile grasslands and coniferous forests of the Midwest. Beyond the Midwest, the windswept Great Plains are located at the heart of the country, sloping gradually up and up before reaching the great Rocky Mountains in the West. The lush temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest are located beyond the Cascades Range. Alaska, the northernmost state in the Union, is largely remote subarctic wilderness.

The climate is usually quite continental, except for some areas on the wide Pacific coast which are more maritime. Dry summers are normal in the West, while precipitation is more uniform year-round in the Midwest.

Mt. McKinley in Alaska is the country's highest peak, at 20,310 feet above sea level. It is also one of the highest mountains in the world. By contrast, Death Valley in California descends 282 feet below sea level.

Columbia occupies several islands and island groups in the Pacific, including the Hawaiian Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and Columbian Samoa. There are also many minor, usually uninhabited Pacific possessions, which are collectively grouped together as the Minor Outlying Islands. A few of these are Wake Island, Baker Island, Howland Island, and Jarvis Island.

Demographics

According to the 2020 national census, Columbia has a population of 183,898,562. Ethnic (White) Columbians, descendants of settlers of European origin, comprise 92.1% of the population. The remaining 7.9% is made up of racial minorities, including Hispanics, Asians, Africans, Pacific Islanders, and indigenous tribes. American English is the national language of Columbia. There is no official language at federal level, but most states have declared English their official language and fluency in English is required for citizenship.

Approximately 79% of all Columbians reside in urban or suburban areas. The remaining 21%, virtually all of whom are ethnic Columbians, live in rural areas. Two cities (Los Angeles, California and Chicago, Illinois) have populations of over 2 million, while several states (nicknamed "flyover areas") have total populations of under 2 million. Around 30% of the entire national population lives in the state of California.

Columbia is an overwhelmingly Christian country. It has one of the largest Christian populations in the world, at well over 90% of the total national population. This includes both fully-practicing Christians and semi-practicing Christians who still identify themselves with the faith. Important branches of Christianity include Catholics, Protestants, and Latter-Day Saints. Christianity has a leading spiritual, cultural, historical, and political influence in Columbia. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Constitution.

Government

Columbia is a federal republic and a successful representative democracy in which individual rights and freedoms are held dear. It has a stable, relatively small central government and is often described as a federal presidential constitutional republic. Some parts of Columbian democracy, such as the Senate, were inspired by earlier Roman examples. There are three types of government in Columbia: federal, state, and local.

The Columbian federal government consists of three branches: the legislative branch, which includes Congress; the executive branch, which includes the President, the Vice President, and the Cabinet; and the judicial branch, which includes the Supreme Court. Congress is further divided into two sub-branches or Houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each state contributes two senators, while the number of representatives varies from state to state based on population.

A system of "checks and balances" is practiced in the federal government, where no one branch has complete power. Congress passes federal law, approves treaties, declares war, and has the power of the purse and of impeachment. The President appoints members of the Cabinet, wields a veto that can be overridden by Congress, and is Commander-In-Chief of the military. The Vice President is also president of the Senate and can cast a tiebreaker vote if needed. In addition to being the highest court in the nation, the Supreme Court reviews legislation and overturns laws it finds to be unconstitutional.

Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate are elected by residents of their states to two- and six-year terms, respectively. The President serves a four-year term. The President is chosen by an Electoral College, where each state has a certain number of votes based on population. Justices of the Supreme Court serve for life. They are nominated by the President and confirmed or rejected by Congress.

Columbia is divided into numerous self-governing entities called states. Currently, there are 22 states in the Union. The states are themselves comprised of smaller, self-governing areas, usually called counties. Each state has a constitution and a state legislature of its own. The states are allowed to maintain and enforce their own laws, and to manage their own economies, but they are not allowed to secede from the Union.

Territories are not fully autonomous as states are. They are managed by Congress and may eventually become States in their own right. Currently, there are five major unincorporated territories: Hawaii, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands, and Columbian Samoa. Citizens of all territories, except for Columbian Samoa and the Marshall Islands, are also citizens of Columbia.

Politics

The 24th and current President of Columbia is Republican Mike Pence of Indiana, who has served since 2017. The current Vice President is John Kasich of Ohio, while the current Secretary of State is Mike Pompeo of Kansas. Mike Pence's presidency has emphasized liberty, small government, patriotism, law and order, spirituality, global independence, and economic growth. President Pence was re-elected in 2020, soundly defeating Progressive candidate Kamala Harris.

_{President Pence}

More information: Presidents of Columbia

The right-wing Republican Party has all but dominated Columbian politics during two periods of history: between 1869 and 1908, and again since 1981. Prior to the 1908 election, only one non-Republican presidential candidate gained over 30% of the popular vote running against a Republican: Adlai E. Stevenson, who ran against incumbent James A. Garfield in 1884. Nevertheless, Columbia does have an active opposition party, the left-wing Progressive Party, which has controlled the executive branch during four periods of the country's history. Since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, the Republican Party has seen a strong resurgence in power.

The Republican Party was founded as a conservative, patriotic, anti-slavery party in 1854. Abraham Lincoln, Columbia's national hero, was the first and only Republican president of the United States. The Republican Party has maintained the same basic core values since its creation. The Progressive Party was founded in 1908 by presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan. The last Progressive president was Walter Mondale, who served one term between 1977 and 1981.

Partisan support is very regionalized in Columbia. The Plains and Mountain states, Alaska, and all Midwestern states except for Minnesota and Michigan are overwhelmingly Republican, along with other sparsely-inhabited rural regions like eastern Oregon. Coastal areas and the Twin Cities of Minnesota largely identify as Progressive. Nevada is considered a battleground state between the two political parties, while Michigan also has a decently large Progressive base.

While there are currently no term limits for the President, the Vice President, or members of Congress, this is a growing controversy in Columbian politics. Some have suggested implementing term limits to check the power of the congressional elite.

Foreign Relations and Military

While isolationism has prevailed in Columbia since the early-mid 1990s, the country does have a sizeable diplomatic network. Some especially close allies outside the American continent include Japan and Australia. Columbia has also signed a Compact of Free Association with two small Pacific nations (Palau and the Micronesian Federal Republic) and guarantees full defensive protection for these countries. Columbian foreign policy generally combines the national interests with an emphasis on supporting liberty and democracy.

The Secretary of State, a member of the presidential cabinet, is in charge of conducting international diplomacy on the President's behalf.

More information: Foreign Relations of Columbia

Relations with the Confederate States of America, Columbia's sister nation, have changed significantly over the years. In the mid-late 1800s, especially during the 12-year presidency of Alexander H. Stephens, the two nations had several serious disagreements, most notably during the Navassa Island debacle of 1872. The first meeting between the Columbian and Confederate presidents took place in 1892, when Benjamin Harrison met with James Z. George and discussed forming friendly relations between the two nations.

With the establishment of embassies and trade ties that same year, the old enmity slowly died away as relations softened. The thaw continued throughout the early 1900s, partially made possible by the fact that the two countries had coasts on two different oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific, and were therefore rarely involved in direct economic or territorial competition. Columbia acquired colonies such as Hawaii and Columbian Samoa during this time, while the Confederacy simultaneously wrested Puerto Rico from Spain.

The two countries fought on the same side, although on different fronts and against different enemies, during the Second World War, also known in Columbia as the Great Pacific War. In the year 1953, newly-inaugurated President Thomas Dewey met with Southern leader Strom Thurmond in Washington, the old capital of the United States of America, and agreed to form a close military and diplomatic alliance with the South, partially to prevent communism from spreading to the Americas. Ever since the Treaty of Washington, the two countries have been considered allies. Today, they also enjoy a close cultural and economic friendship.

_{Aircraft Carrier}

Columbia maintains a reasonably strong national defense. There are three main branches of service within the Columbian Armed Forces: the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. Other, smaller branches include the Columbian Maritime Corps, who specialize as commandos, as shock troops, and in rescue operations; and the Space Force, a new branch in charge of defending the country from nuclear warheads, ICBMs, and other spaceborne weapons. The Coast Guard, a sixth branch, is administered by the Department of Homeland Security and is charged with safeguarding the national waters. The National Guard is made up of reserves from the various branches and is in charge of keeping the peace at home.

Columbia operates a small force of strategic bombers and four aircraft carriers. The country also has a small stockpile of nuclear weapons. Currently, military service is voluntary, although there has been a draft in the past, most notably during the Great Pacific War and the Vietnam War. Columbia has around 420,000 active-duty military personnel, with the reserves and the National Guard increasing total personnel numbers to 672,000. Known for their quick deployment capabilities, the Columbian Armed Forces are considered one of the top five most powerful military forces in the world. Some notable wars Columbia has engaged in include the Great Pacific War and the Vietnam War.

Intelligence operations are managed by the IIA (Investigation and Intelligence Agency) which was created in 1949 as a successor to the earlier Federal Investigation Agency. The IIA has jurisdiction over federal investigations into organized and unorganized crime and works closely with state and local law enforcement in apprehending federal fugitives. It also handles intelligence, espionage, and counter-espionage efforts at home and abroad. The IIA is the largest government intelligence service in the world.

_{Sears Tower, Chicago}

Economy

Columbia is a capitalist country with a free-market economy and a huge private sector. It has a large and vibrant economy, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of around $7.5 trillion. It contains approximately 10% of all global wealth, despite having less than 3% of the global population. It has a huge automobile market and the highest rate of vehicle ownership per capita in the world. Agriculture is another important industry. The most important crop is corn. The country is also famous for its efficient Union Pacific railroads and has one of the longest rail networks. The city of Chicago, Illinois, is a major global financial center. With wide coasts along the Pacific Ocean, the country has many ports and is a major importer and exporter of goods.

Tourism is a rapidly-growing industry in Columbia. Some notable tourist sites include Hollywood, Chicago, Mt. McKinley in Alaska, and Yellowstone National Park.

The capitalist system creates a strong, stable, and wealthy economic base. While wealth is highly concentrated in the top 10% of the population, Columbia also has a large and very influential middle class. Rates of homelessness and unemployment are relatively low, while Columbia also has the highest number of self-made millionaires worldwide. Small businesses are very important to the Columbian economy. Columbians are known for being exceptionally charitable, contributing over 1.5% of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to charity causes every year.

Columbia has a sizeable energy market. Around 81% of the country's energy is derived from coal, petroleum, and natural gas. An additional 19% comes from nuclear and renewable sources. President Pence has announced the beginning of oil and natural gas operations in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. As a result, Columbia is expected to achieve energy independence by the year 2025. This will have an extremely positive effect on foreign policy, since the country will no longer have to rely on Middle Eastern and Arab countries for imported oil, thus preventing disasters like the Energy Crisis of the 1970s from happening in the future.

Culture

Columbia is exceptional in history as a nation founded entirely on the ideas of freedom, liberty, individual rights, and democracy. Renowned for her longstanding resistance towards communism, socialism, and other forms of authoritarianism, Columbia has often been called a "city on a hill" because of her example as a beacon of freedom and hope. Columbians are known for their fervent patriotism, as well as their emotional openness, hospitality, individuality, and their strong work ethic. The capitalist system of Columbian life guarantees success for those willing to work hard.

Cinema

The Columbian film industry has been based in and around Hollywood, a northern district of Los Angeles, California, since the early 20th century. The Western film genre, based on a romantic view of life in the Old West, has had an immeasurable impact on national culture. George Lucas's Star Wars trilogy unexpectedly became one of the highest-earning and most popular franchises in history after the first motion picture was released in 1977. Philo T. Farnsworth, a Columbian inventor in the early 1900s, has been credited with inventing the television.

_Baseball

Food

Traditional and popular Columbian foods include apple pie, hamburgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, and ice cream. Most of these were adapted from recipes of European origin. Columbia also has a sizeable fast food industry. In recent years, Mexican food has become popular as well. Thanksgiving, a holiday first recognized by President Abraham Lincoln, has become an important national celebration and includes eating traditional food like pumpkin pie. Corn, the country's main crop, has been used to make cornbread since pioneer times.

Sports

Baseball has been described as the national sport of Columbia, having gained importance in the early 1900s and contributing billions of dollars to the national economy. There are over twenty major teams, all of which belong to the national league. The sport is of huge cultural significance and is considered part of the national identity. The national anthem, Hail Columbia, is traditionally played before every baseball game. A unique feature of baseball is the ability of spectators to keep balls they catch.

Another popular sport of national and cultural significance is the rodeo, which is especially important in Western states like Wyoming. American football has also increased in popularity recently, especially since the joint creation of an American national league with the Confederate States of America.