Swania

Swania (: Suania) officially the Swanian Federation (Italian: Federazione Suaniana) is a country in, situated along the. Bordered by Campidano and to the north-west, as well as  to the north-east.

The country has population of approximately 13 million people, making it the in Europe and  in the world. It has an area of 92,864 km2.

Swania is a   divided into 10 administrative subdivisions (9 states and a capital region). The largest city of the country is, followed by and. The biggest metropolitan area in the country is located around Palazzo, the national capital.

Swania has a . The country maintains a  along with high ,, safety, education, and . Alongside a developed educational system, the state also provides free university education, social security, and a universal health care system. Member of the, , , and multiple other organisations. Observer state of the Seven Stars Council.

Byzantine Italia
In early Medieval Era, Byzantine Empire conquered South Italian regions of Puglia and Calabria, as well as the Isle of Sicily. New regions quickly became a target of massive immigration from the whole empire. People seek new opportunities to gain wealth, as well as create a new subculture on the peninsula. They were called the Swans by other nations in Europe and seen as peaceful and kind.

So-called Swania was endangered mostly by Normans. After their defeat in Battle of Cannae, they weren't seen as much of a threat anymore. The region was also unsuccessfully invaded by the Arabs. As centuries passed, Byzantine Italia became more and more developed. New Constantinople was establised as regional trade centre.

After fall of Constantinople in 1453 and death of Constantine XI Palaiologos, Swania was the last free Byzantine region. Due to its relative wekaness, Swania was influenced and then annexed by Aragon. New king - Alfonso V of Aragon - was crowned in New Constantinople.

Aragonese Dynasty
After annexation of Swania, Aragon expanded north into Naples. Several wars with France were fought over the region. In 1502, during one of the Franco-Spanish Wars, Swania proclaimed its independence and formed a Republic based on Venetian model. Nation's capital, New Constantinople, was renamed to Palazzo.

Venetian ties
Swania formed a strong trade alliance with Venice, which also strengthened military connection between the two countries. This was the key to secure Swanian independence after decades of Spanish occupation. Over next centuries the country significantly developed itself and became one of the key players on the peninsula. Both Italian and Latein were considered official languages.

Swania was mostly neutral during the next couple centuries. It didn't gain any lands and fought very few wars, mostly on behalf of Venice. The country also improved its relations with the Pope, which was very prestigious in the era.

Alliance with Venice was weakened in late 18th century. With Papal support, the country announced its full neutrality in 1797, after Austrian annexation of Venice.

Reconquest of Greece
As anti-Ottoman movements were rising in Greece, it was more than certain the independence war will break out. Some of the most important Greek activists were invited to Palazzo to discuss Swanian assistance in the war. At last both sides agreeded on forming a new union, a successor of the Byzantine Empire.

In 1821 first battles took place all over Greece. Swania officially joined the war, supported by France, United Kingdom and the Russian Empire. In the first stages of the uprising, various areas elected their own regional governing councils. These were replaced by a Greco-Swanian central administration in early 1822, which also adopted the first Constitution.

By 1827 the Greek revolution had almost been extinguished on the mainland. The Great Powers had agreed to form an autonomous Greek state under Ottoman suzerainty, betraying Swania. Ottoman refusal to accept these terms led to the Battle of Navarino, which effectively secured forming of the Swanian Union.

Swanian rule in Greece was considered unsuccessful and, as most of Greeks believed, led to another occupation. New Greek government was formed in Nafplio, however it was unrecognized by Palazzo. London Conference of 1832 established new borders in the area. Swania gained historically connected regions of Nova Suania-Ionia and Isle of Crete. Kingdom of Greece, with capital in Larissa, was established with the Bavarian Prince Otto of Wittelsbach as king. Attica, together with Athens and Nafplio, was created a buffer state between the two nations.

Tsakonian Plebiscite
Shortly after the London Conference had ended, Tsakonian population living in the eastern part of the Peloponnese found itself under an unstable government of Attica. Tsakonians opposed the idea of integration with the country and instead asked the government in Athens to hold a plebiscite. Despite the fact the response was negative, plebiscite was held, with about 80% of Tsakonians voting to join Swania as an autonomous state. The results were supported by Swania and Swanian politicians in Athens.

On April 1st, 1833, Tsakonia was officially proclaimed the 8th state of Swania.

Swanian Peloponnese
London Conference required Swania to reform into a federation in order to expand east. In following years Swanian lands in the Peloponnese Peninsula were largely latinised, making Latin the official language in the area. Massive migration era has began, with thousands of Greeks leaving the peninsula and settling in Attica or Greece itself.

Poorly developed Swanian lands in the Peloponnese were struggling from high poverty and low development. The goverment in Palermo came up with a plan to build an entire new city, that would become the major economic center in the area. Moreapolis was established in the center of the peninsula, just 2 km south of Tripoli. Thanks to its position, the city was supposed to be accessible from every part of Peloponnese. The construction of Moreapolis kicked off in early 1850s and was completed by 1858.

In the following years, Swanian government focused on improving infrastructure between Moreapolis and coastal city of Kalamata, as well as developing the trade port in Kalamata itself.

Risorgimento
In 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Kingdom of Naples, just to the north of Swania. Great Powers were determined to solve the crisis peacefully, as both Italy and Swania were allied to the United Kingdom and France. Turin Conference was held in 1862, guaranteeing independence and restoration of neutrality of Swania for following hundred years.

The Attica crisis
The government of Attica was a diarchy, controlled by two princes: one of them was the current monarch of Greece, while the other one was the current president of Swania. With growing tensions on the Balkan Peninsula in early 20th century, the Greek majority launched a series of strikes in Athens, with the most violent one taking place at the night of June 28th, 1807. At 11pm a major fire in the residence of the President of Swania in Athens was detected, with the president himself getting injured during the evacuation. The fire lasted until the early morning, with 80% of the palace getting destroyed.

In July, Swanian and Greek side agreed to hold a referendum in the state. It took place three months later, in October, with overwhelming 75% of Attican citizens voting on joining Greece. Swania honoured the results of the referendum and fully withdrew from Athens under the condition that Attica will receive autonomy within the kingdom and that the Greek capital will remain in Larissa.

Modern history
City of Messina, just to the south of Palazzo, was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake and associated tsunami on the morning of 28 December 1908, killing about 100,000 people and destroying most of city's ancient architecture. Due to such severe damage, government moved to Palermo. In 1912 a constitutional amendment was implemented, officially switching the capital. 50 years later, government moved back to Palazzo, creating capital region consisted of 7 cities.

Swania remained neutral during both Balkan and World Wars thanks to act of neutrality of 1862. When it terminated in 1962, Swania strenghthened its ties with the West by joining NATO, and then European Economic Community in 1981.

On September 24th, 1967 Malta held a referendum of joining Swania after separation from the United Kingdom. Over 76% of Maltese people voted in favour. On January 1st, 1971 Malta officially became the 9th state of Swanian Federation.

Geography
Swania is located in the Mediterranean region of Europe between latitudes 35° and 41° N and longitudes 8° and 26° E. Most of its territories are situated on large islands, including Sardinia, Sicily and Crete. The country also controlls southern Appenine Peninsula and Peloponnese.

The Swanian landscape is mostly associated with the sea, however the country also owns territiories with mountainous nature, with the highest point of Mount Etna (3,326 m), just outside Metropolitan City of Catania.

Climate
Swania is located in area of pleasant  with mild, rainy winters and hot, sunny summers.

Government
Swania is a, similar to Germany or Austria. Current president of the federation is Giuseppe Falcomatà, elected in 2020 for his first 5-year presidency.

The parliament is perfectly bicameral: the two houses, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate have the same powers. Both Prime Minister and the cabinet are appointed by the President. Michele Emiliano has been Swanian Prime Minister since 2014.

Swania has a, in which two major political parties dominate the political landscape.

Mapperdonian relations
Swania's most recent and closest Mapperdonian allies are Ijanusky and  Moneava. The nation is also allied to Aneto,  Biscasia,  Orkojin and  Tavakareluu. It also keeps close ties with Mazoverse nations, including Kingdom of Inkami and  Nortminhia.

Swania is an observer state of the Seven Stars Council.

Administrative divisions
Swania is mainly located on the Isle of Sicily and southern Italy. It has some lands in Peloponnese and Crete. The country is divided into nine administrative divisions - 9 states and a capital region.

LGBTQ+ rights
LGBTQ+ rights have improved significantly in recent years. Same-sex civil unions are legally recognized in the country and same-sex marriage is legal in regions of Malta and Sardegna. In 2016 hate speech towards the community was officially prohibited by the constitution, as well as multiple anti-discrimination laws were adapted.

Multiple pride parades are organised in Swania every year, with Palermo Pride and Bari Pride being the most attended.

Immigration
In 2019, Swania had about a million foreign residents, making up 7.6% of the total population. Ever since Swania joined the European Union and Schengen Area, most immigrants are citizens of Greece, Cyprus and Balkan countries, such as Croatia or Montenegro. In recent years, Swania suffered from massive illegal migration from neighbouring North Africa, with soaring arrivals as a consequence of the Arab Spring.

Internal migration is also very typical. It is estimated, that up to 15% East Swans migrate to the Western regions, while only 2% of West Swans migrate to the East. In recent years, several EU and government grans were sent to the region in order to develop it and avoid economic recession.

Languages
A wide variety of languages from several linguistic branches is spoken in Swania. Most popular language is, with over half of the Swanian population using it as their first language. It is most popular in Sicily, Calabria, Basilicata and northern part of Puglia. The other official language - - is widely used as the first language of communities in Nova Suania, Crete and southern part of Puglia.

Swanian government recognizes three other regional languages in three states: in Sardegna,  in Malta and  in Tsakonia. The most popular national minority language is Ijanuskian.

Religion
Christians make up 84% of the Swanian population. Most Swans are members of Greek Othodox Church due to major Byzantine influence in Swania in Early Medieval era. Catholic community of Swania is present in Sardegna, as well as in regions bordering Italy - mostly Basilicata and northern part of Puglia. In addition to the Christian communities, there are also minor Jewish and Muslim groups. About 15% of the population is Atheist - the number has been constantly growing over last couple of years.

Education
Education in Swania is free and mandatory from ages six to eighteen, and consists of four stages: scuola dell'infanzia, scuola primaria, scuola secondaria and università. Swania is well-known for its public and private universities, with Universities of Palermo and Bari being ones of the most prestigious in Europe.

Healthcare
Swania runs a universal public healthcare system. Healthcare spending in Swania accounted for 10% of the national GDP in 2019, which is higher than the OECD countries' average of 9.3%. Life expectancy in the country is 77 for males and 82 for females.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms of the Republic of Swania is described in nation's constitution. It was adapted in 1835, after the country expanded eastwards thanks to the London Conference.

Turquoise, Byzantine inspired cross in a symbol of West Swania, while the navy blue cross on the white backgrond symbolises the East.

Anthem
Ritornati dal passato (Back from the Past) is the national anthem of Swania. It was composed by Giovanni Paisiello in 1787, with modern lyrics written by Riccardo Pazzaglia.



Art
Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini was a major figure in the world of architecture and the leading sculptor of his age, credited with creating the Baroque style of sculpture. Born in Naples, he travelled through Italy and eventually settled in Messina, where he created his most prominent masterpieces, such as marble sculpture of mythological or.

Giorgio de Chirico, founder of the "scuola metafisica" art movement, which profoundly influenced the surrealists, is a Swanian artist born in Greece. His most well-known works often feature Roman arcades, long shadows, mannequins, trains, and illogical perspective. In later life, he became a critic of modern art, studied traditional painting techniques, and worked in a neoclassical or neo-Baroque style, while frequently revisiting the metaphysical themes of his earlier work.

Besides Swanian artists, others have also left a mark in country's culture. Caravaggio, famous Italian painter, made an oil painting of for St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta, Malta.

Television
Main article: Radiotelevisione Suaniana

Radiotelevisione Suaniana is a Swanian public service broadcaster and the largest television network in the country. It consists of 6 channels, including 2 main channels broadcasted in Italian and Latein, 2 regional channels and 2 specialty channels.

RAS is a member of Mapperdonian Broadcasting Union.

Festival di Villanova
Festival di Villanova is the most popular Swanian song contest and awards ceremony, held in the district of Villanova, Cagliari. The festival is used as a way of choosing the Swanian entry to the Linguavision Song Contest and Mappervision Song Contest (once - May 2020). Festival di Villanova has launched the careers of some of Swania's most successful singers. Most recognizable winners of the contest are Francesca Michielin, Francesco Gabbani and Mahmood.

Linguavision Song Contest
Swania announced its first prticipation in February 2017. The country was represented by the winner of Festival di Villanova - Francesca Michielin, and here song "Lontano". She defeated Marija Šerifović from Ijanusky by 1 point and became the winner of Linguavision Song Contest VI with 93 points.

Next month's contest was held in Swania's capital - Palermo. A new venue in the city was built to host Linguavision in March 2017. It's located just by the sea, on the coast of Sicily. Architect who had designed the building decided to name it "Crystal Arena" because of its big, glass windows.

Francesco Gabbani won the following Festival di Villanova and represented Swania with song "Occidentali's Karma". He gained the second highest score of 128 points and took the second place in the competition, losing by 11 points to Ijanusky. Gabbani's participation was considered a huge success, as he gained second highest score (by points) in whole history of the contest.

In the following week Swanian broadcaster announced that Swania will withdraw from the next month's edition in Sarajevo.

On May 9th, 2020 Swania announced its interest to host 25th edition of Linguavision. EXPO Cagliari won the venue contest. Swanian broadcaster then confirmed nation's return to the contest. It was later announced that the winner of Festival di Villanova is once again Mahmood. Together with Massimo Pericolo, he chose "Moonlight Popolare" as the song they performed in Cagliari. Swania ended up at 4th place, scoring 79 points. In the following edition, Irama repeated duo's success, also reaching 4th place with 74 points.

Swania recently returned to the contest and was once again represented by Mahmood, with his song "Rapide". He brought second win to the nation, scoring 74 points. Golden Eye Arena was chosen the host of the 32nd edition.

Mappervision Song Contest
On April 27th, 2020 Swanian broadcaster confirmed nation's first ever participation in the 56th edition of the contest, replacing Kingdom of Inkami as participating Mazoverse nation. Festival di Villanova was held for the first time in three years to choose the best song. Mahmood won the contest with his song "Barrio" and thus became the first Swanian representative to be sent on Mappervision stage.

This song is special - stated Mahmood - it's not only deep in meaning, but also - it's the first song in Italian to represent a Mazoverse nation in MSC.

On May 24th it turned out that Mahmood won the contest, defeating Ina Wroldsen from Pannonia by 5 points. Swania was asked to provide host city and venue for the 57th edition - Etna Arena in Catania was chosen. Swania was the first country in history to host both Mappervision and Linguavision in one month (June 2020).

On June 1st, Swanian broadcaster announced that the country will be represented by a foreign singer Troye Sivan with his song "HEAVEN". The song was chosen apart from Festival di Villanova, which winner - Mahmood - represented the country in Linguavision. Troye Sivan won the contest with 120 points, bringing special, 5 year anniversary edition, to Bari.

Swanian broadcaster chose Beyoncé to represent Swania in the 58th edition in Bari, with her song "Run the World". The song brings important message of women empowerment in modern society.

Public holidays
Suania