Barrier Islands
From NSwiki, the NationStates encyclopedia.
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| Flag of Barrier Islands | |
| Motto: Iunctus per Providentia (Latin: "Unity through Providence") | |
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| Region | Caribbean |
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| Capital | Ship Island |
| Official Language(s) | English (de facto), Gaelic (de jure) |
| Leader | Governor-General Thomas Phillips |
| Population | 14 million |
| Currency | Stater (CKS) |
| NS NSTracker Sunset XML | |
Having the only deep-water harbor between Cuba and the Gulf Coast of the United States, the Barrier Islands served as a vital anchorage for ships bearing explorers, colonists, sailors, soldiers, defenders and invaders. Miles of preserves offer a wealth of opportunities for hiking, kayaking, and bird watching. Dolphin watch excursions and sailing tours are popular with tourists, as are moonlight cruises on the bay.
The Barrier Islands have long stretches of sugar-white sand, dunes punctuated with sea oats, tall pines on small groves, and a few inland lagoons. They are home to varied wildlife including alligators, ospreys, pelicans, ducks, tern, herons, and other migratory birds. The Sound and the Gulf host innumerable species of sea life.
[edit] History
The islands served as the principle port of entry from Europe for colonists from 1720 until 1724. The island was given to Great Britain by France at the end of the Seven Years' War in 1763 and in 1783, at the end of the American Revolution, Great Britain ceded the island back to France.
The islands were purchased by Denmark in 1810. After a brief period of independence following Norway's withdrawal from Denmark in 1814, the Barrier Islands became part of the Personal Union of Sweden and Norway in 1820, and later the Kingdom of Norway in 1910 following its withdrawal from Personal Union with Sweden.
Following World War II and Skallvia's Declaration of Independence from Norway in 1945, the Barrier Islands became a colony of the Confederated Kingdoms of Skallvia in 1953.
Today the Commonwealth of Barrier Islands serves as a tourist destination for Skallvians, and as a Tax Haven, as well as producing the majority of the Confederated Kingdoms' Oil production.
[edit] Government
See: Confederated Kingdoms of Skallvia
The Commonwealth of Barrier Islands is a Colonial Territory of Skallvia and as such, the government is largely based off that of the Confederated Kingdoms.
Whereas the Government operates with in the framework of a unitary federal constitutional monarchy, whereby the Head of State is the monarch, who appoints the Governor-General as vice-regal representative.
Executive power is exercised by the Governor-General. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the Parliament. The bicameral Parliament consists of the High Council (seventeen-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (seventeen seats; members are elected by first past the post to serve five-year terms) and is presided over by the Prime Minister.
Barrier Islanders are also considered Skallvian Subjects upon birth as well as Barrier Island Citizens, and have all the rights associated with Skallvian Citizenship. Barrier Islanders may join the Skallvian Military and retain Right of Abode within mainland Skallvia.
