Port Balaine
Commonwealth of Port Balaine
| |||
| |||
| Motto: "In posterum cum felicitas" (la) "Into the future with good fortune" | |||
| Anthem: | |||
| [[File:]] | |||
| Map versions | tba– | ||
| Capital city | The Promenade | ||
| Largest bailiwick | Wells | ||
| Official languages | Istvanistani · Alexandrian | ||
| Ethnic groups | 97.7% Balainish 2.3% Other | ||
| Religious affiliation | 67.9% Albigensian 27.3% Irreligious 4.8% Other | ||
| Demonym | Balainish | ||
| Government | Unitary one-party dominant assembly-independent directorial republic | ||
| Council of Ministers | Jonah Scrivenor (Chief Minister) Clare Cockburn (Deputy Chief Minister) Randell Benton Monique Mac-an-Ghoill Jules McCrae | ||
| Assembly Speaker | Crawford Fairchild | ||
| Chief Justicar | Magdalen McRae | ||
| Legislature | Assembly of Keys | ||
| Formation (Norton) | |||
| Foundation date | c. 1100 | ||
| Current regime date | 1674 | ||
| Admitted to the Micronational Cartography Society | TBA | ||
| Area | |||
| Total | 20,206 km2 (7,802 sq mi) | ||
| Water | negligible | ||
| Population | |||
| 1685 census | 1,900,490 | ||
| Density | 96.9/km2 (251.0/sq mi) | ||
| Currency | Port Balaine sovereign (£) (PBP) | ||
| Time zone | CMT+0:10 (PBT) | ||
| Calendar | Norton Calendar | ||
| Date format | dd-MMM yyyy yyyy.mm.dd | ||
| Mains electricity | 120 V–60 Hz | ||
| Driving side | left | ||
| Calling code | +17 | ||
| Abbreviation | PBN | ||
| Internet TLD | .pb | ||
Port Balaine (/pɔɹt baleɪn/ Port Bal-ayn; Alexandrian: Port-Balaine), officially the Commonwealth of Port Balaine, is an equatorial, island country on Micras, located in an archipelago at the southern end of Apollonia on the North Raynor Sea. It is an authoritarian one-party-dominant assembly-independent directorial republic.
Etymology
The name of the commonwealth comes from the Old Alexandrian word "Balaine" for "whale." Port Balaine in its early history was a significant commercial center for whaling and served as a whaling port into early modern times.
History
Geography
Port Balaine consists of small archipelago of three islands in the North Raynor Sea, at the southern end of the Apollonia continent. The smallest island, Herm, is home to the capital city, The Promenade. The middle island, but only somewhat larger than Herm, is the Island of St. Peter. The largest island, dwarfing both Herm and St. Peter combined by six times, is Wells.
Politics
Port Balaine is a one-party dominant system, with the Justice & Harmony Party being the super-majority party in the Assembly of Keys and holding all executive offices since 1674. Membership in Justice & Harmony is de facto required for significant government and political posts. Justice & Harmony is notable for its centrist political stance. The few left- and right-wing detractors in the commonwealth belong to the People's Action Party and New Balanish Party respectively, the only other parties represented in the Assembly of Keys.
Administrative divisions
The commonwealth is divided into three bailiwicks, corresponding to the three islands of Port Balaine. The City & Bailiwick of The Promenade administers Herm, the City & Bailiwick of St. Peter administers St. Peter, and the Bailiwick of Wells administers Wells. Each bailiwick is headed by a bailiff, appointed by the Council of Ministers. The City of Wellingdon is headed by the only independent city mayor in Port Balaine, comprising only a portion of Wells overall.
Government
Executive
The executive of Port Balaine is directorial, yet retains significant enshrined power. The Council of Ministers is responsible for appointing all political offices throughout the commonwealth, appointing all judges, and managing the various ministries of the central government. The seven ministers are elected to staggered seven-year terms by the Assembly of Keys, but are not subject to votes of confidence. The Chief Minister, the effective head of state and government, is elected by the council from amongst its ranks.
Legislature
Judiciary
Port Balaine is administered by a unitary judiciary, hearing cases in both law and equity. The commonwealth follows a system of common law.
Four district courts of general jurisdiction manage most criminal and civil cases in the commonwealth: the District of The Promenade (D. Prom.), the District of St. Peter (D. St. P.), the District of Wellingdon (D. Wlldn.), and the District of Wells (D. Wells). Beneath the District of Wells, magistrate courts sit in many towns, as Wells consists of the much more populous and spread-out inhabitants of Wells, outside of Wellingdon.
The District of Specialties (D. Spec.) manages cases involving maritime law, intellectual property, claims against the government, and other specialty cases.
Two appellate courts manage appeals as of right in Port Balaine. The 1st Circuit Court of Errors & Appeals (1st Cir.) hears cases from The Promenade, St. Peter, and Specialties. The 2nd Circuit (2nd Cir.) hears cases from Wellingdon and Wells. The Supreme Judicial Court (S. J. Ct.) is the court of last resort, and only hears appeals of its own selection after petition from the appeals courts.
The judges of the magistrate and district courts and the justices of the appeals and supreme courts must all be licensed lawyers, since the abolition of lay judges in 1674.
