Tapfer Aeterna

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Natopian demesne Tapfer
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: "Ab Actu Ad Posse Valet Illatio"
Map versions
Capital	Chancellorsport
Largest cities	Frenzyville Cape Cran Port-du-Meir Guaynabo Nea Lindstrom
Official language(s)	Nats Alexandrian Martino Klaasiyan
Official religion(s)	Bovinism Alexandrian Nazarenism Melusinianism
Demonym	Tapferian
- Adjective	Tapferite
Official full name	Federation of Tapfer Aeterna
Government under the Constitution of Natopia	Constitutional monarchy with a representative democracy
- Demesnial Charter	{{{demesnialcharter}}}
- Empress of the Natopians	Vadoma I
- Duchess of Frenzyville	Maria Meir
- President	Robert Tallavert (UDM)
- Demesnial Legislature	Tapferite Congress
- Part of (Demesnial Union)	Most Serene Union of Dos Gardenias
Key Historical Dates	1577 AN (reconstituted as Thalassa)1609 AN
- Establishment	1711 AN
Area
Population	83,477,198 (1732 AN
Key Landmarks	{{{landmarks}}}
Abbreviation	TAP
Administrative divisions of Natopia

Tapfer Aeterna, officially the Federation of Tapfer Aeterna, is a Natopian demesne in the continent of Tapfer. Its capital is the city of Chancellorsport, and its most populous city is Frenzyville. The Tapfer Aeterna demesne is known for being considered as the "Natopian holy land", due to Nett Opaegh, the mythic founder of Natopia, who was believed to have been born and lived near the city of Nettivity. It borders the demesnes of Arboria del Sur and Transegale to the south; the demesnes of Klaasiya, Ptia and Ziegeland to the east, and Dos Gardenias to its north, and the nation of Calbion to its west. As of 1732 AN, it has a population of 83,477,198 residents, making it one of the most populated demesnes of Natopia. The demesne contains 6 of Natopia's largest urban centers alone, the cities of Frenzyville, Chancellorsport (its capital),Cape Cran, Port-du-Meir, Guaynabo, and Nea Lindstrom.

The Federation of Tapfer Aeterna is subdivided into six counties: Frenyzville, Thalassa, Massat, Opagheia, Auban, and Guaynabo. The County of Frenyzville is known for being the ancestral home of the House of Meir, the ruling demesnial house of Tapfer Aeterna and related to the Imperial House of Natopia, House of Waffel-Paine. The 1709 Tapfer Aeterna Charter, which establishes the government of the demesne, defines the responsibilities of county governments, which serve as agents of the demesne. Most cities in the demesne, those over 5,000 in population, have home-rule governments. The vast majority of these have charters for council-manager forms of government, by which voters elect council members, who hire a professional city manager as an operating officer.

Historically, four major industries shaped the economy of Tapfer Aeterna have been: spices, silver, timber, cattle and bison, cotton, oil, natural gas, and fruit. The cattle and agriculture industries were a major economic driver through out much of the demesne's history and created the traditional image of the "Tapfer cowboy". Later on, cotton and lumber grew to be major industries as the cattle industry became less lucrative. Ultimately, the discovery of major petroleum and natural gas deposits initiated an economic boom that became the driving force behind the economy. Tapfer Aeterna has a developed, diversified economy and high tech industry. With a growing base of industry, the desmesne leads in many industries, including tourism, agriculture, petrochemicals, energy, computers and electronics, aerospace, and biomedical sciences.

Tapfer Aeterna was also known as Thalassa, which was the name of a demesne constituted from Tapfer Aeterna's territory in 1609 AN. The counties of Massat and Opagheia formed part of the West Tapfer Federation prior to the division of the Natopian Empire in 1707 AN.

Etymology

The name of Tapfer comes from the name of the continent in which the demesne of Tapfer Aeterna is located. The continent is named after the country of Tapfer, founded by Bill Dusch in 1443 AN (April 2000). The country of Tapfer came to occupy much of the continent and was later annexed by foreign powers, becoming part of Jasonia (originating from the Aeronesian Archipelago) and Menelmacar. Later on, the nations on Tapfer united in an treaty called the Novasolum Agreement, after which the continent was briefly renamed Novasolum. The name changed was short-lived, and the continent name reverted back to Tapfer as Natopia, Alexandria, and Stormark came to grow and dominate the continent. During this time, the nation of Rio Grande also rose, as a descendant nation of San Martin. The demesne of Tapfer Aeterna was initially founded in 1577 AN. The name was chosen in response to the collapse of the Novasolum Agreement and the reversion of the continent's name to Tapfer.

Geography

Counties of Tapfer Aeterna

Map of the Federation of Tapfer Aeterna and its subdivisions, the counties.

Counties of Tapfer Aeterna

County Name	Capital	Largest Cities	Population	County Executive
Frenyzville	Frenzyville	Frenzyville Vadomia Lutece	XX,XXX,XXX	Name
Thalassa	Nea Lindstrom	Chancellorsport Nea Lindström Denada	XX,XXX,XXX	Name
Massat	Riashil	Riashil Beauchamps Avrons	XX,XXX,XXX	Name
Opagheia	Cape Cran	Cape Cran Port-du-Meir Nettivity	XX,XXX,XXX	Name
Auban	Auban	Tapfer City Port Terrenoire Auban	XX,XXX,XXX	Name
Guaynabo	Guaynabo	Guaynabo Le Havre Egaleo	XX,XXX,XXX	Name

Government

The current 1709 Tapfer Aeterna Charter was adopted in 1709 AN. Like many other nations and demesnes, it explicitly provides for a separation of powers. The 1709 Tapfer Aeterna Charter defines the responsibilities of county and city governments, which serve as agents of the demesne. Most cities in the state, those over 5,000 in population, have home-rule governments. The vast majority of these have charters for council-manager forms of government, by which voters elect council members, who hire a professional city manager as an operating officer.

Demesnial government

The Federation of Tapfer Aeterna has a plural executive branch system limiting the power of the Demesnial President of the Federation, generally considered a weak executive. Except for the secretary of state, voters elect executive officers independently; candidates are directly answerable to the public, not the demesnial president. This election system has led to some executive branches split between parties and reduced the ability of the governor to carry out a program. The executive branch positions consist of the demesnial president, demesnial chancellor, comptroller of public accounts, land commissioner, attorney general, agriculture commissioner, the three-member Tapfer Railroad Commission, the State Board of Education, and the secretary of state.

The demesnial legislature of Tapfer Aeterna is called the Tapferite Congress. The Tapferite Congress is bicameral, and consists of the House of Representatives, with 245 members, and a Senate, with 37 members. The Speaker of the House leads the House, and the demesnial chancellor, the Senate. The Legislature meets in regular session biennially for a minimum of one hundred days, but the demesnial president can call for special sessions as often as desired.

The judiciary of Tapfer Aeterna is among the most complex in the Natopia, with many layers and overlapping jurisdictions. Tapfer Aeterna has two courts of last resort: the Demesnial Supreme Court of Tapfer Aeterna, for civil cases, and the Tapfer Aeterna Court of Criminal Appeals. Except for some municipal benches, partisan elections select judges at all levels of the judiciary; the demesnial president fills vacancies by appointment.

Current demesnial government

Current Officeholders of Tapfer Aeterna (1732)

Office	Name	Party
Demesnial President	Robert Tallavert	Union Democratic Movement (UDM)
Demesnial Chancellor	Maria Sanchez	Union Democratic Movement (UDM)
Comptroller of Public Accounts	James Everhart	Union Democratic Movement (UDM)
Land Commissioner	Patricia Miles	Union Democratic Movement (UDM)
Attorney General	David Rosenthal	Free Juice and Bagels Party (FJBP)
Agriculture Commissioner	Evangeline Gardner	Nationalist & Humanist Party (N&H)
Tapfer Railroad Commission	Alain Fisher Christos Andropov-Valgert Michelle Stone	Union Democratic Movement (UDM)
Secretary of State	Victoria Blake	Union Democratic Movement (UDM)
State Board of Education	William Turner	Union Democratic Movement (UDM)
Speaker of the House	Richard Moore	Union Democratic Movement (UDM)
Demesnial Supreme Court of Tapfer Aeterna	Chief Justice Helen Murray	Non-Partisan
Tapfer Aeterna Court of Criminal Appeals	Chief Judge Samuel Hayes	Non-Partisan

Economy

Demesnial Finances

Taxation

Tapfer Aeterna has a reputation for generally being a low tax demesne. According to its government statistics agencies, demesnial and local taxes cost ₦3,580 per capita, or 8.4 percent of resident incomes. Tapfer Aeterna collects revenues from a low flat tax on income taxes, from property taxes, and from sales taxes. The demesnial government may create local taxing jurisdictions (cities, counties, special purpose districts, and transit authorities) which may also impose sales and use tax up to 2 percent for a total maximum combined rate of 8.25 percent.

See also

• Administrative divisions of Natopia
• Demesne