Bettia

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The Blessed Realm of
Bettia

Flag of Bettia
National motto: Bettia am byth
National anthem: Brothers of Bettia
Bettia's location within the Atlantian Oceania region. Full map of Bettia (557 KB)
Region	Atlantian Oceania
Capital	Gabalfa
Largest City	Gabalfa
Population	10 billion
Suffrage	All nationals aged 18+
Official Language(s)	English, Welsh, Indonesian, Arabic
Government President	Islamic Republic, with devolved assemblies Hanabi Brooks
Independent Ahlil-Kitab Revolution	1374 AH / 1956 CE
ISO Nation Code	BTAO
Currency	Groat (BTGR)
Time Zone	AOTC +00
• Summer (DST)	None
Internet TLD	.bet
Calling Code	+28
National Symbols  • Sport  • Animal  • Fruit  • Flower	Football Arora Pineapple Lavender
WA Status	Non-member
Info: NationStates NSEconomy Pipian NS Tracker XML

Bettia (pronounced bɛtiˈə; Arabic: Al-Batiyah; French: la Bettie) is a nation situated in the centre of the small continent of Luciterra, which is located to the south of Atlantian Oceania. Bettia shares land borders with its puppet nation Northern Bettia to the north, and with the area to the north-east formerly known as Cockbill Street. Elsewhere, it shares land borders with Hypocria to the east and the former nation of Nedalia to the west, with the Crystalikere Channel and Secocia Sea providing maritime borders to the north and south respectively. Bettia is renowned for its natural beauty (in particular its large rainforests and mountainous highland regions), and this is preserved as much as possible by the environmentally-friendly policies of the local governments.

The country consists of seven provinces, with the capital Gabalfa located in the centre. The majority of Bettians are Muslim and the country operates as a decentralised Islamic democracy. Bettia was the Regional Delegate for Atlantian Oceania on two separate occasions, and is a member of the Atlantian Oceania Regional Defense Organisation (AORDO). It has also become known as a sporting nation, with its national football team becoming noted for their playing style and winning the World Cup on two occasions.

[edit] History

Main article: History of Bettia

The earliest evidence of human occupation within what is now Bettia are human remains dated from around 15000 years ago, found on the central parts of Gwlad Teg. A number of cave paintings depicting men and what appear to be domesticated Aroras hunting Woolly Mammoths have been found in this area. Numerous primitive artefacts have also been discovered in the Banastran rainforests.

Sultan Amir of Gabalfa, the man regarded as the father of Bettia

Islam is first recorded being practised in the country in 247 AH (861 Common Era). Society gradually developed in all parts of the country as a number of small kingdoms and sultanates until 624 AH (1227 CE) when Sultan Amir of Gabalfa and his western allies triumphed in a war against King James III of Clodien and conquered his lands. A royal charter was drawn up to combine these conquered lands with their own to effectively create a single nation, the nation of Bettia, albeit with smaller borders than today.

Bettia was largely peaceful in the centuries which immediately followed and began to open up trade routes with its neighbours, but it became increasingly apparent to the general populace that that the ruling classes and many of the country's imams were becoming more decadent and ruthless in their suppression of any opposition. A turning point in Bettia's history came in 1316 AH (1899 CE) when a number of citizens were executed without trial in Downton for supposedly hatching a treacherous plot against the Sultan, although later evidence showed that they were in fact planning a peaceful protest against excessive taxes. Riots broke out as news spread of these killings, first in Downton and a number of smaller rural towns in the area such as Emcorn and Thymeford, then into the poorer suburbs of Gabalfa, then eventually into the centre itself. Eventually, lower-ranked elements of the army turned against their superior officers and the monarch himself, resulting in the toppling of the old Islamic Sultanate.

A new secular democratic state was set up, emphasising the separation of masjid and state and replacing the Islamic Hijri calendar with the Gregorian calendar in line with neighbouring countries. Although all seemed well to the general public, history later showed that a slow and discreet campaign was running in a bid to quash all religious entities within the country, mainly through the placing of religious buildings and institutions under strict state control. The anti-religious campaign gradually became more and more brazen. Mosques and synagogues were shut down on the premise that attendances were too low and that seditious elements were being formed. The more vocal elements (such as Rabbi Yaniv Kamdi, leader of the largest synagogue in Butetown) were arrested and were never seen again. Eventually, the leadership attempted to pass through legislation banning the promotion of all religion, the Way Forward Act of 1955, effectively making Bettia an atheist dictatorship.

Violent clashes such as these shook Gabalfa and many other cities throughout Bettia during the Ahlil-Kitab Revolution

This prompted the main Muslim and Jewish communities in Gabalfa to organise an official opposition movement named the Bettian Religious Freedom Party, aimed at establishing a true democracy with the freedom to worship as its central doctrine. The ruling establishment responded by sending armed troops out onto the street en masse, starting a series of armed raids on mosques, synagogues, churches, temples, and the homes of anyone associated with them. This led to an outpouring of public anger and resulted in weeks of rioting and armed conflict throughout the country as the police and army tried to contain the resistance. However, overwhelming public support for the resistance meant that, for the second time in just over half a century, the nation's government was overthrown in a bloody revolution and a new Islamic Republic was established. This revolution came to be known as the Ahlil-Kitab (People of the Book) Revolution, a reference to the co-operation between the Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities.

Hundreds of giant ants were used during the failed coup by the Paramilitary Instigators of Secular Society.

Following the revolution, Bettia had a more stable existence thanks to its more democratic approach. It officially entered the region of Atlantian Oceania and cultivated a number of strong alliances and friendships, particularly with its immediate neighbours Nedalia and Hypocria. However, remnants of the old regime remained active as the Paramilitary Instigators of Secular Society (PISS) and attempted a coup during World Cup 31 using an army of genetically-engineered giant ants. However, this plot was thwarted and many of PISS's members were known to have been captured, although some remained at large. Another major event occurred a few years later when a vast number of Jinn were evacuated to Bettia during the qualification campaign of World Cup 34 due to a civil war in their home realm.^[1] Many of these Jinn chose to stay largely in remote parts of the country, with only a few choosing to live in populated areas.

Life in Bettia remained relatively uneventful in the decades that followed until an epidemic of Arora flu affected a large proportion of the population, resulting in the deaths of millions of people and forcing the government to place the country under quarantine for twelve years. International travel was banned and domestic travel was heavily restricted, resulting in the nation's sports leagues being suspended. Despite this disruption, the nation was still able to act as the regional delegate in the World Assembly. It was only after the disease was finally under control to an acceptable degree that the quarantine was officially lifted by the president and Bettia was able to re-establish its international links, both sporting and diplomatic.

[edit] National symbols

The national animal of Bettia is the Arora and the national motto is "Bettia am byth", which is translated from Welsh as "Bettia for ever".

[edit] Flag

The flag of Bettia is green and yellow quarters, with a white crescent imposed on a green circle in the centre. The quarters and central circle represent the five original provinces of Bettia (at the time of Bettia's present-day formation, Bahagia was part of Al Maghrib and Lorha was part of Clodien). The crescent represents Islam, the dominant religion. The green is said to represent the grasslands and forests, and the yellow either represents the golden sands of its beaches, the tropical climate, or the striking yellow heather which grows in the highlands - the exact reason is still a matter for debate.

The white crescent and star imposed on a green circle is usually taken as Bettia's national symbol, and forms a prominent and distinctive part of all of Bettia's national sports kits (save for the national football team's second-choice kit, where a blue circle is used instead.

[edit] National anthem

Main article: Brothers of Bettia

Shortly after its formation, the government commissioned a nationwide study to find out exactly what the Bettian people would want in a tune to represent them. By far the most popular response was that it should be jaunty and uplifting, the sort of song that could be sung with plenty of gusto before a major sporting occasion. With this in mind, the songwriter Arthur Nasser Hamid was entrusted with the task of producing Bettia's anthem. After a period of composition lasting more than a month, the result was "Brothers of Bettia", which was quickly given official recognition as Bettia's national anthem.

[edit] Calendar & public holidays

As an Islamic nation, Bettia has used the Hijri calendar for large parts of its history, with the exception of the period between 1327 (1899 Common Era) and 1375 (1955 CE), where the secular government switched the country over to the Gregorian calendar. The Hijri calendar is based on cycles of the moon (with the new moon marking the start of each month), and is comprised of 354 or 355 days split into 12 months of 29 or 30 days.

In addition to various religious and local observances, the following days are officially recognised as public holidays within Bettia: -

6th Safar: Bettia Day

A celebration of the foundation and independence of Bettia.

30th Rabi' al-awwal: Courtship Day

Known to have been observed since before the country's formation, this is the traditional day for declarations of love, proposals and weddings.

18th Jumada al-awwal: Jubilation Day

A celebration of all things good, this day is marked by street parties and parades throughout the country.

20th Ramadan to 3rd Shawwal: Last ten days of Ramadan and Eid Ul-Fitr

The holiest days of the Bettian calendar, totalling 13 days. Most of the Muslim population take this opportunity to take time off work and reflect on their spirituality, with many shops and businesses closing during this time.

[edit] Government and law

The Grand Shura Debating Chamber is the seat of Bettia's government and its associated administration

Being an Islamic state, Bettia is run by a Shura or elected council which makes all major decisions jointly. The Shura is made up of twelve members elected every five years, although emergency by-elections may be held at any time. The Shura is chaired by a President, who is directly elected by the people of Bettia from the twelve Shura members. The President has tie-breaking powers within the council and mainly performs an ambassadorial role. The Shura meets in the Grand Shura Debating Chamber, located in Gabalfa's civic centre.

Bettia operates a legal system based around the Islamic Shariah law. This is generally approved of by the population due to the extremely low crime levels.^[2] Crimes such as treason and murder can be punished by death at the discretion of the victim's family (where applicable). Adultery can be punished by flogging (but only if sufficient evidence is presented)—rapists can expect double this punishment plus a long spell in prison. Theft can be punished by cutting off the criminal's right hand, but only in extreme circumstances (for example, they seriously harmed someone in the robbery, or a substantial amount was stolen) - again, this is at the discretion of the victim, where applicable. In most cases of theft, and most other crimes, the punishment is restitution (unpaid labour for the victim) or imprisonment if the guilty party is thought to be dangerous.

[edit] Subdivisions

Bettia is divided into seven provinces:

• Al Maghrib
• Bahagia
• Banastra
• Clodien
• Gabalfa
• Gwlad Teg
• Lorha

Each province has its own regional assembly based in the provincial capital which handles most day-to-day affairs, such as setting taxation levels and public spending. Like the Shura, their members are elected every five years with emergency by-elections held whenever needed. These seven provinces are subdivided into counties for local government administration.

[edit] Foreign Affairs

After joining Atlantian Oceania, the Bettian government took steps to befriend their new neighbours. Bettia currently has embassies in Abattoir, Bears Armed, Hypocria, Lamoni, Napoleons Paris, Pacitalia, Starblaydia and Xile. Bettia has been a member of the World Assembly (formerly the United Nations) since the revolution, and has been been a long-serving Regional Delegate for Atlantian Oceania. As the Regional Delegate, Bettia held a place as one of AORDO's three chief members – although it is no longer the regional delegate, Bettia remains a member of AORDO.

[edit] Geography

Topographical map of Bettia and Northern Bettia

The geography of Bettia varies greatly, especially between the north and south of the country.

The southern parts of Clodien reaching in from the coast are relatively flat with a few rolling hills and a well-draining chalk subsoil, resulting in fertile soils and good crop-production. The topography gradually rises as it reaches further inland into Banastra, culminating in a spine of dormant volcanoes which helped to produce the fertile soils upon which the rainforest now grows. Lorha's landscape is generally marked with rolling hills and shallow valleys, gradually rising in altitude as they approach Gabalfa further inland.

In contrast, the northern parts of Bettia are very mountainous. The highest peak is Mynydd Fawr (literally 'Large Mountain') which stands at just under 6500 metres and upon which the city of Pen-y-Bydd was built. The northern highlands dip down quite sharply into the the Balfa Valley to the east, from where the River Balfa runs from the capital Gabalfa towards the port city of Porthbalfa.

The two western provinces, Al Maghrib and Bahagia, are relatively flat in their centres, but quite hilly at their edges where they meet the Gwlad Teg highlands to the north and the Shark Mountains along the south-western border with Nedalia. As a result, flash-flooding used to occur frequently in these areas due to heavy rainfall washing down from higher altitudes, although this has now been alleviated by the construction of canals.

A number of rainforests are located throughout Bettia, with the largest of these forests covering almost all of Banastra. The forests support a wide variety of plant and animal life, including many species of arora, and as such development in these areas is heavily restricted by national and provincial legislation.

[edit] Climate

Bettia has a largely tropical climate, with plentiful rainfall at certain parts of the year depending on the location. There are basically two seasons — wet and dry — with temperatures remaining fairly constant throughout the year. The prevailing wind is mainly from the south, bringing warm and moist air to Bettia regularly from the Socacia Sea, although precipitation rarely occurs at the coasts. Conditions are driest and warmest along the south coast, with most precipitation occurring in the Banastran rainforest and Gwlad Teg highlands. Bettia features highly in periodic WA reports regarding the best weather conditions, with a recent report ranking the country 111th in the world.^[3]

[edit] Environment

Bettia's environment benefits from the government's favourable policies aimed at preserving it. Urban pollution is relatively low when compared to other similar sized towns, due mainly to the ban on most private motor vehicles in urban centres and the extensive public transport systems which serve them. These systems are particularly well-developed in Gabalfa, Tamrida, Subarnas-Rumnasih, Lorshill, Akani Sands and Grappenhall. The Bettian government has invested millions of Groats into developing alternative fuel sources for motor vehicles, such as electric cars, hybrid engine systems and fuel cell technology, with the aim of eliminating the consumption of fossil fuels by road and rail vehicles.

The intra-city road and rail network within Banastra province were moved underground as part of a massive tunnel-building project—this was facilitated by the use of giant ants, meaning that construction was considerably faster and cheaper than using conventional tunnelling machinery. The result of this scheme is that formerly-paved areas of the Banastra rainforest have been able to regenerate, with benefits including more freedom of movement for indigenous wildlife and a reduction in airborne pollution, although some detrimental effects on the local economy were noted.

All new houses and buildings are required to use solar panels with storage batteries, with government grants available to owners of existing buildings who wish to incorporate these features. All buildings (old and new) are connected to the centrally-generated mains as a back-up. Mains electricity is currently generated by a combination of natural gas fired power stations, wind farms and Combined Heat and Power plant installed on large industrial sites. A space-based solar power scheme, involving the use of a geostationary satellite to convert solar power to microwave power which is then transmitted to a receiver for conversion to electricity, was conceived as one of the first projects of the Bettian Agency of Space Travel and Advanced Research & Development in order to phase out the use of fossil fuels for the purpose of power generation.

[edit] Major conurbations

Although the majority of Bettia's urban population reside in small-to-medium sized towns, a number of large conurbations have sprung up over the years. By far the largest is the Gabalfa province, which contains the capital city along with a number of relatively smaller (but still large in their own right) towns and cities such as Fortuna Bettialis, Roath and Tremwsa, all of which have been incorporated into the larger urban area. Due to recent expansion, the coastal town of Porthbalfa has now merged with the Northern Bettian capital city of Viagra.

Another major urban area is the Akani Sands conurbation, which encompasses a number of neighbouring resort towns and stretches across the border with Nedalia. The third major concentration is what is unofficially known as the M1 Corridor, which stretches between Sukatra in the east to the country's western border, taking in towns such as Tamari, Irmah, Fiilghud, Dhur Tihari and Tamrida.

[edit] Economics

Bettia has a fairly strong economy which is mostly based around an agricultural base together with its two major industries, Information Technology and tourism. However, the country has a relatively high unemployment rate of approximately 10%, and a GDP of less than half of the regional average.^[4]

Since the nation's independence, the government has developed its tourist industry, making it one of the world's most popular holiday destinations.^[5] The most popular destination is the south coast, which attracts millions of tourists every year. Other major destinations are the Banastran Rainforest (especially Sweeney Falls and its environs), the Gwlad Teg highlands, Lorshill and Gabalfa.

The Information Technology industry is centred around Fortuna Bettialis, a large city just to the south-east of Gabalfa. Here, a number of companies have established themselves, such as Impeccable Computers, Zenit Tecnasi, Brace-Ellisa, and Touchstone Design. In particular, Bettian research companies are concerned in the development of robotics and artificial intelligence, with varying degrees of success.

Bettia's agricultural sector is well-developed due to its favourable climate and good soil conditions in the south and east, together with good grazing conditions in the northern highlands. Major exports in this sector are beef, lamb, dairy produce, citrus fruits, nuts, dates, tea, herbs and spices.

In keeping with Islamic shariah law in force in Bettia, riba (interest earned on money) is strictly forbidden. Mortgages and loans are usually handled using the Murabaha method, whereby the bank purchases the item to be bought (for example, a house or car) and the customer buys this back over the course of a predetermined period at an agreed monthly rate which incorporates a small margin for profit and administration. All banking is strictly regulated by the Bettian government.

Bettia's official currency is the Groat, which was first used in the ancient province of Lorhashire and was officially adopted as Bettia's currency in 676 AH / 1227 CE following the signing of the Treaty of Lorshill.

[edit] People

Bettia is the second most populous nation on Luciterra after Falcania, and one the most ethnically diverse in the region. The majority of its population are of white Anglo-Cymric origin, with large Arab and Asian communities in the west. In addition, large numbers of Jews and immigrants from neighbouring countries (mostly from Nedalia, Hypocria and Falcania) call Bettia home. However, not all Bettians are human. A large number of young and elderly Jinn and Ifrit were evacuated to Bettia due to a civil war in their home realm. Although it is impossible to tell exactly how many came to Bettia and how many remain at present, it is estimated that they number over a billion.

The people of Bettia have a reputation for being compassionate and tolerant as well as being keen on spectator sports, especially football and gridiron. However, many are also known to have a deep-seated hatred of the colour red. This seems to have a extreme psycho- and physiological effect, so much so that when faced with any red-coloured object, a Bettian suffering from this condition (officially termed Rhuddophobia) will experience adverse effects such as convulsions, vomiting and panic attacks which, in extreme cases, can lead to a fatal heart attack. The effects of rhuddophobia can be countered by wearing specially-designed blue-tinted sunglasses or lenses.

[edit] Religion

Religion plays a very important part of Bettian life, with nearly all professing to belief in God. Around 98% of Bettians are Muslim, with most of the other 2% following Judaism. The remainder of the population are either atheist or follow local pagan faiths. Because of the vast Muslim majority, the shariah legal system is used throughout the entire country. Out of all of Bettia's Muslims, almost all are by definition Sunni although the government prefers to distance itself from sectarian issues. Islam was first introduced around 1000 years ago by Arab traders who settled in what is now Al Maghrib province. Bettia's oldest mosques can be found in the city of Tamrida, the provincial capital, and their architectural style and serene atmosphere draw in many worshippers and tourists.

There has been a Jewish community in Bettia for many centuries, preceding the introduction of Islam. Although their population has decreased in recent centuries, they have played an important role in shaping the current-day nation and and so enjoy a special protected status in recognition of this. The once-strong Christian population has all but vanished (mainly through conversion to Islam), and very few churches remain outside of Lorshill.

[edit] Culture

Main article: Culture of Bettia

Bettia has a large number of ethnic groups, both long-established natives and more recent immigrants. As such, the country has quite a vast culture which takes in all of its indigenous people, although many cultural elements play a secondary role in Bettian society to religion (with the notable exception of sport).

Bettian cuisine varies considerably by region and is often influenced by that area's primary produce. For instance, the western regions of Al Maghrib and Bahagia are the country's main producers of chilli, tamarind, nutmeg and other spices, and as such dishes from these provinces tend to be colourful, hot and spicy. In contrast, the eastern provinces of Banastra and Clodien are the leading producers of fruit and therefore many of their dishes are fruit-based and sweet, so much so that it has been a long-standing joke in the country that in these areas, there is no such thing as a main course.

The central Mosque in Tamrida is one of many in the city, showing the traditional architectural style typical of such buildings in the area

As with cuisine, architectural styles vary throughout, reflecting the history, demographics and environmental conditions of each particular region. Modern buildings tend to show expressionist or high-tech stylings, whilst many buildings in large cities such as Gabalfa show the simpler utilitarian forms favoured by the previous regime. Housing in the south of the country, where ambient temperatures are often hotter than other regions, are traditionally built using climate-modifying techniques such as thick walls and roofs, bright coloured surfaces and central courtyards. Banastran houses are often raised using stilts in order to enhance ventilation and also the prevent the ingress of water from the ground or from flooding due to the rainy conditions. Buildings in Al Maghrib province, and especially in the capital Tamrida, are typically built using decorative arabesque features.

Music is fairly popular in Bettia, although it isn't the mega-industry that it is in other nations. This is mainly for religious reasons, whereby music is seen purely as a source of entertainment rather than a means of making money. Any music which is to be released into the public domain is vetted by government censors and must comply with strict criteria—any music which encourages any negative actions such as hatred or lust, or any which contains bad language, is banned. Also, any music videos which are deemed too provocative are also forbidden.

[edit] Sport

Bettia's Peri Busilanta celebrates his team's triumph in World Cup 33

See also: Football in Bettia

Even before the formation of the first formal sports leagues in the country, the people of Bettia have had a long history of sports participation. Football is especially popular, and this popularity was strengthened further when the Bettia national football team won their début international competition after a 7–0 win in the Baptism of Fire final.

The national football team (nicknamed the Aroras after the national animal) gradually rose up the world rankings and became noted for their all-out attacking style of play.^[6] The peak of Bettian footballing achievement was their triumph in World Cup 33, where they defeated the co-host Az-cz 3–1 in the final. This victory saw Bettia climb to the top of the world rankings, although this tenure at the top was short-lived following a second-round exit in World Cup 34 to eventual champions Ariddia. However, the Aroras gained their revenge by defeating Ariddia in the final of World Cup 35 to become two-time champions. Since then, their ranking has dropped, and the team briefly pulled out of international competition following the outbreak of arora flu and subsequent national quarantine.

Bettia's domestic football is played out in the Apex League, a large league which consists of six professional divisions of 18 teams which are fed by regional leagues from each of Bettia's seven provinces. A knockout competition known as the FAB Cup is contested between these teams and a number of qualifying non-league teams.

Although football is the main sport in Bettia, other sports also enjoy a degree of popularity. A gridiron competition named the Bettian League Of Gridiron (BLOG) was set up to nurture the sport in its opening stages of professionalism. The league consists of 32 teams (having expanded from the 16 teams which originally competed), and is played in eight conferences of four teams each. The national team has entered a small number of international tournaments, their best performance to date coming in the NS Gridiron Cup held in Virginia Nova where they narrowly lost the final by a single touchdown.

[edit] Language

The main official languages of Bettia are English and Welsh. English is universally spoken throughout the country, and is virtually the sole language spoken in the south of the country. Welsh is mainly spoken in the northern and central provinces, and is spoken as a first language in many highland areas. Arabic is spoken as an everyday language in the Al-Maghrib region and in particular suburbs of Gabalfa, as well as throughout the whole nation for religious purposes, whilst Indonesian is spoken primarily in Bahagia, and Banast (an ancient tribal language) is regaining popularity in many parts of Banastra.

English and Welsh are taught to all children from nursery school up to the school-leaving age of sixteen as part of the national curriculum. Secondary languages, such as Arabic and Indonesian, are taught in their respective provinces as a part of the regional curriculum, with other languages taught as an option. In addition, Arabic is taught in religious institutions attended outside of school.

A number of other languages are spoken by minorities and immigrants in Bettia, most notably Hebrew in Gabalfa's southern suburbs, and Nedalian around the Akani Sands area. Other languages originating from nearby countries, such as Vephra and Pacitalian, are also spoken by immigrants and widely understood by the local population.

[edit] Education

Education in Bettia is overseen by the Ministry of Education, and is administered at a provincial levelby the education departments of the country's seven provinces. Attendance at school is compulsory for children between the ages of five and sixteen. The education is split into two main types; state schools which are funded through taxation and free to all, and private schools, which provide a paid-for education (also known as "Public" or "Independent" schools). State and private education is the responsibility of provincial governments. The schooling system is structured as follows: -

Nursery school

This is an optional preliminary stage of education equivalent to kindergarten attended by children of three and four years of age. The primary areas taught at this level are personal and communication skills, basic creative arts and physical development.

First school

The first stage of compulsory formal education, attended by children from five to nine years of age. Mathematics, English, Information Technology and science form the core of the statutory curriculum, together with history, arts, religious education and physical education. According to location, the province's secondary language is also taught.

Middle school

The second stage of compulsory formal education, attended by children from nine to thirteen years of age. The core subjects started in first school are elaborated upon and specialised subjects are introduced, which may either be academic or vocational in nature.

Upper school

The final stage of compulsory formal education, attended by children from thirteen to sixteen years of age. At the end of this stage, pupils develop the skills and knowledge needed for pursuing their chosen career and graduate after sitting their final exams.

After completing upper school, and providing they have gained the required standards, students may choose to continue their formal education in tertiary college in order to gain advanced qualifications. They may then attend university to gain one or more degree-level qualifications, a process which can take up to ten years depending on the level and complexity of the subject. There are more than ninety universities in Bettia, the most famous of these located in Grappenhall.

[edit] Transport

[edit] Road

Bettia has an extensive road network based around six major motorways which is used primarily to link the capital Gabalfa to major towns and cities, and also to neighbouring countries such as Northern Bettia and Hypocria.

• The M1 connects Gabalfa with the former nation of Nedalia to the west, heading southwards to Akani Sands before heading east to Pylos, Hypocrium and Thraxus in Hypocria.
• The M2 connects Gabalfa with Ceffinton to the north, turning eastwards towards the port city of Porthbalfa, before turning north again to connect to Northern Bettia.
• The M3 was originally built as Gabalfa's main ring road, and was later extended south-west to Sukatra and Subarnas.
• The M4 is the northbound link from Rumnasih and Subarnas to the M1, joining the main motorway near Dhur Tihari and Tamrida.
• The M5 is a coastal route connecting Akani Sands to Nedalia's south and west coasts.
• The M25 serves as Gabalfa's orbital motorway. It was built in order to relieve the inner roads of Gabalfa, in particular the M1 as it ran through the southern suburbs.

In contrast to the rest of the country, the road network of Banastra is much less developed, with the regional government scrapping many inter-city roads and investing heavily in public transport and a vast underground road and rail network as part of an environmental drive aimed at conserving the local rainforests. Development of the road network in parts of Gwlad Teg is inhibited by the mountainous terrain, often forcing roads to follow longer routes in order to avoid excessively steep gradients.

In Gabalfa and many other towns and cities, personal motor transport (cars, motorbikes etc.) is prohibited from entering many central areas except for residential access or trade. This was done as part of a major investment aimed at improving public transportation systems and urban air quality.

[edit] Rail

Urban monorail systems, such as the one operating in Gabalfa, are used in many cities throughout Bettia as part of a larger environmental strategy

Gabalfa is the main hub of the Bettian railway network, with branches running to Ceffinton and Portbalfa to the north and Grappenhall and Ryoga Bay to the east. An international railway links Bettia with Nedalia and Hypocria, and undersea tunnels were constructed to provide direct rail links from Gabalfa and Hypocria to the island nation of Spruitland.

The railways running within Banastra were moved underground as part of the same scheme involving the provincial road network in order to preserve the local rainforests.

In addition to the conventional railway network, underground railway systems have been constructed in a number of towns and cities as part of the national public transport scheme. The most extensive of these is the Gabalfa Underground Transport System (GUTS), which was originally built to link Gabalfa's Central Station to the airport situated to the north of the city, but now extends to all parts of the wider conurbation including the outlying cities of Sukatra, Huwbridge and Fortuna Bettialis. A number of above-ground monorail systems are also employed in the centre of larger cities to further relieve traffic congestion.

[edit] Air

There are two major airports situated in Bettia, located in Gabalfa and Akani Sands. Gabalfa International Airport provides regular flights to Nedalia, Hypocria and Lamoni. Smaller provincial airports are located at Grappenhall, Subarnas, Ryoga Bay and Porthbalfa.

[edit] Water

There are many miles of navigable waterways in Bettia, the majority of which are man-made. The River Balfa is navigable from the coast all the way up to Gabalfa itself; this played a major part in the city's early industrial development and still plays a role in its economy, but it also serves as a popular tourist attraction offering river cruises from the capital down through to the north coast. The River Fernley is also navigable in large parts, although the presence of Sweeney Falls prevents full passage along its entire length.

Networks of old canals (some dating back over 200 years) can be found throughout Bettia, especially in Al Maghrib province. These were previously used to transport goods from inland areas to the more easily navigable River Balfa or to the south coast for export via sea. Nowadays they are used primarily as a tourist attraction, although there have been calls for some of these to be upgraded so that they can once again be used for their original purpose. The most famous of Bettia's canals is the Great Western Waterway, which runs from Tamrida to Gabalfa and incorporates a number of smaller branch canals running northwards.

Bettia has three main ports; Porthbalfa in the north (which is also home to the Bettian navy), and Akani Sands and Ryoga Bay on the south coast.

[edit] Armed forces

Main article: Military of Bettia

Bettia's military forces are governed by the Ministry of Defence, and consist of the Bettian Ground Self-Defence Force (BGSDF), the Bettian Air Self-Defence Force (BASDF), and the Bettian Naval Self-Defence Force (BNSDF). As their names imply, their primary function is to defend Bettia, in accordance with Islamic laws prohibiting military aggression. However, as a member of the Atlantian Oceania Regional Defense Organisation, Bettia's military can also be used to defend Northern Bettia and their allies should the need arise.

The country's military strategy was conceived to nullify and repel any form of invasion or attack. Anti-aircraft and anti-missile batteries are deployed around major cities, with longer-range batteries deployed in strategic locations to defend the nation's borders from long-range missile attacks and first wave air-strikes. In addition, Bettia's defence is strengthened to a massive degree by its arsenal of giant ants, which were left over by the failed terrorist campaign by the Paramilitary Instigators of Secular Society (PISS). Since the formation of the present-day country, this has been the only occasion which the Bettian military has been actively involved in combat.

The total number of people serving in some capacity within Bettia's armed forces is around 1.17 million (approximately 0.01% of the population). All Muslim citizens must complete one year of compulsory military service – this duty is optional for non-Muslims. The most notable aspect of Bettia's military capability is the ban on weapons of mass destruction – these were deemed by the Grand Shura to be illegal under Islamic law due to their indiscriminate nature.

[edit] References

	The Blessed Realm of Bettia
History of Bettia • Culture of Bettia • "Brothers of Bettia" • Arora • Military of Bettia • Northern Bettia
Provinces: Al Maghrib • Bahagia • Banastra • Clodien • Gwlad Teg • Lorha
Major Cities: Gabalfa • Akani Sands • Ceffinton • Lorshill • Grappenhall • Pen-y-Bydd • Porthbalfa • Ryoga Bay • Subarnas • Tamrida
Waterways & Natural Features: Mynydd Fawr • River Balfa • River Fernley • River Raya • River Layla • Great Western Waterway • Sweeney Falls
Sports: Football in Bettia • Bettia national football team • Apex League • FAB Cup • Bettian League Of Gridiron

Atlantian Oceania on NSwiki

Main articles: Atlantian Oceania, AO QuickInfo

Nation pages: 95X, Abattoir, Akbarabad, An Blascaod Mór, Andossa Se Mitrin Vega, Arroza, Bazalonia, Bettia, Cafundéu, Callistea, Carpathia and Ruthenia (The Citadel of Cittàgazze), Delaclava, Delesa, Demot, Dorian and Sonya, Edward City, Eristicea, Falcania, Geisenfried, Hockey Canada, Hypocria, Jesselton, Kagdazka and Pazhujebu, Koseli Cumhuriyetler, Kosovoe, Krytenia, Kryosis, Kura-Pelland, Mantwenic, Maraque, Milchama, Nellietopia, Nojika, Northern Bettia, Nova Britannicus, Nova Prosperitas, NSWC Signups, Osarius, Pacific_a, Pacitalia, Quakmybush, Sarzonia, Scandonia, Schiavonia, Sorthern Northland, Sportgirls, Stafnea, Starblaydia, The Islands of Qutar, Unified Capitalizt States, Valanora, Vephrall, Vilita, Xile

Regional info: Atlantian Oceania Regional Defence Organisation, Atlantian Oceania Regional Free Trade Organisation, Atlantian Oceania UN Voting, Lake Bekk, Major airports in Atlantian Oceania

Sports-related: AO Bowl, AO Champions League, Atlantian Oceania Cup of Association Football (AOCAF)

For more information or to see non-listed pages, please see Category:Atlantian Oceania.