Columbia

The Empire of Columbia is a sovereign nation located deep in the Northwestern quadrant. It is governed primarily by a Chancellor with sweeping authority and jurisdiction, representing a hereditary monarch, the Sovereign. The pride of Columbia comes from its beautiful capital city, Rotterdam, its smaller side communities, and its unique culture and national spirit.

The Empire of Columbia was founded in its current form on October 7th, 2017, and its current constitution was ratified on February 11th, 2018, however there were several versions of Columbia before that.

Devoted 3.0
The early history of Columbia begins in May of Devoted 3.0, when leaders of the (then) Empire of Caledonia, United Federation of Normandy, Kingdom of Jyrssa, and Free State of Astronya, came together to form the First Columbian Empire. This was the result of a few weeks of scheming between Chancellor kdeeks of Normandy and Emperor Onederful of Caledonia. Leaders of the United Federation, such as Hamboy_Jr, were also consulted about the unification of Northwestern territories to form Columbia, but did not all desire to join. Serious planning for the country began around April 25th, including the submittal of ideas for the capital city and the formation of a government. The Columbian Empire was based on a council of Grand Princes, who would elect amongst themselves one Emperor in a cycle of elections which occurred once every two months. Grand Princes would transfer the title to one another depending on the results of the vote. Columbia was further expanded when the empire's leaders offered a position as the third Grand Prince to King Zebra of Jyrrsa, who accepted the position and annexation of his kingdom's territory into the Columbian Empire. Additionally, the three leaders plotted to annex the Free State of Astronya, headed by Supreme Leader shadedoom, into the empire by means of coercion or military force. After several days of debate, shadedoom agreed to join Columbia as the fourth Grand Prince and allowed Astronya to become an autonomous district. Once fully united, the Columbian Empire was quick to declare independence from Chanada, who claimed much of its land, and invade the small state of Olympus which refused to be subjugated. The war began on May 3rd, as the volunteer Two Minute Militia formed of Astronyan citizens, and marched on the capital city of the Olympians. Coming only two days after the May 1st Conflict, in which Astronya had previously occupied the capital of Olympus and seized its colors, Astronyans were delighted to have another shot at their Southern rivals. The force was quick to act, and pearled three Olympian leaders within five minutes, then continuing to drive all other citizens away from the country until the city-state was fully occupied. After this, Columbia declined on Devoted 3.0 due to a lack of activity, not having a national Discord server until late in its existence, and the emergence of CivEx 3.0 as a server.

CivEx 3.0
The story of Columbia continued on the CivEx 3.0 server as the core population of Columbia reorganized, created a Discord server, and moved over. While the Columbian Empire on Devoted 3.0 was intended to resemble an imperialistic model of the United States of America, the leaders of Columbia decided to change directions a bit and model the new Columbian state on the Confederate States of America, installing a government which was much more tolerant of local autonomy over national power. Thus began the Confederate States of Columbia, alternatively known as the Columbian Confederacy. The leaders of this Columbian state were the same four oligarchs as from Devoted 3.0, now also adding Hamboy_Jr officially to their ranks, however this time they decided to rebrand themselves as Councilors and abolish the system of rotating authority, making a five way council of equal members. Upon joining the server, Columbians rallied to the center of the map, gathered basic resources, and made a long hike West to claim lands that would eventually become the Syndicate of Co-Prosperity. The key tool Columbians used to recruit new members was to tell them simply, "You have been annexed by the Confederate States of Columbia," and many new citizens willingly joined as a result of this. After a few days of living in the Southwest of the map, the Syndicate settlers in the region became aggravated that we were on what they considered their land, and seeing the complete lack of resources and fertility of the area, Columbia decided to move to the Northwest and settle a long peninsula in the area. There was a brief border dispute with the neighboring state of Arcation, but it was resolved quickly and in Columbia's favor. The oligarchs then divided land and responsibilities, founding the states of: Tennessee, Carolina, Louisiana, and Virginia. A nearby ice mountains continent was also annexed and dubbed Alaska, leadership of it being awarded to NeoTide_, as was the inactive nation of Icenia which became a colony of Columbia, and the far-flung colony of Pasadena led by wittle_wubzy. More autonomous territories were carved out of existing states, including the Autonomous Island of Seminole, and the Leylin Farmers. By then, the population was booming to a height of 34 citizens, but it also proved to be problematic in terms of national supplies and infrastructure. During all of this time of internal political change and restructuring, the nation's infrastructure struggled to be erected, essentially being limited to a large mining pit under Tennessee, a couple small buildings in Nashville, Tennessee, a couple buildings in Alaska, and a sizable but limited farm in Carolina. Additionally, members struggled to get allegiance, and to get materials like clay and melons because of badmin crimes. The struggle for allegiance was particularly troublesome, because Columbia had decided to align itself with the Consulate of Varsany, a state in dispute with Arcation. Arcation, being a very powerful militaristic state, was able to easily overrun Varsany and the limited Columbian aid that was sent due to the PvP restrictions of non-allegiant players.

Eventually, Columbian unity would fall out of the frying pan and into the fire, with the betrayal of Councilor Onederful and Provincial Administrator wittle_wubzy. For quite a while Onederful had been being coached by inactive Channer lunatic bgbba about why he thought Columbia was a horrible nation and why he should betray the state. Onederful took his advice one day, stole all of Columbia's most precious items that the players had all grinded for, including many stacks of obsidian acquired by Herr_Speer, and secretly dropchested it far away. He proceeded to lock everyone out of the national citadel groups, delete the national discord, and go inactive after that. wittle_wubzy then announced the illegal secession of Pasadena from the country. What they thought would destroy Columbia forever only made it rally together stronger. The country quickly made a response via the national news service BOX News, and began an ultimately unsuccessful hunt for Onederful and wittle_wubzy. A few days later wittle_wubzy begged to be allowed back in Columbia, but was rejected for his treasonous acts. Although national spirits were high at the time, a growing movement for reformation sprouted from the base of non-government citizens, advocating for a democratic form of government in which they would get a say and be able to elect a President of Columbia, because the history of Columbia on CivEx 3.0 had proven that the council of five oligarchs, who constantly disagreed and formed voting blocks which vetoed anything from happening, was not a well-functioning form of government. The population and oligarchy agreed to a compromise after much debate, and thus began the drafting of the first ever Constitution of Columbia. This process was promising, however CivEx 3.0 quickly died due to the release of CivClassics 2.0 and the rampant badmin crimes from the CivEx team. Columbia did not move over to CivClassics 2.0 when it came out because of a lack of citizen spirit to continue with the nation.

History of the Grand Duchy and First Empire of Columbia on CivClassics 2.0 to be written.

History of the Unitary Federation of Columbia on Expand to be written.

History of the Lusitan Occupation on CivClassics 2.0 to be written.

History of the restoration and Second Empire of Columbia on CivClassics 2.0 to be written.

Current Structure
To Be Written

Geography
Columbia in general consists of primarily mountainous terrain, with various coastal plains and lowland areas surrounding in all directions. There is a large inland lake, known as Lake Columbia, which is fed by the Sisters River which runs adjacent to the City of Rotterdam. Additionally, there are several smaller islands scattered around the empire, as well as a small marshland exclave bordering Southern Coventhia and Impasse.

The heart of the empire is the capital City of Rotterdam, which boasts grand, imperial architecture, the Columbian national government, and the Columbian monarchy. There are several smaller settlements and unique regions of Columbia as well, with varying architectural and cultural standards of their own.

Greater Rotterdam Area
Motto: Jewel of the Empire.

Capital: Rotterdam

Region consists of all urban development associated with the city of Rotterdam including the urban core, suburbs, and outlying zones.

Rottoschoss
Motto: For king, god and fatherland, shalt I serve.

Capital: N/A (Rural District of Rotterdam)

Region consists of the mountainous area North of Rotterdam, notable for being the only region to lack any major urban centre due to its primary role being the resource support of the national capital, and as a place for overflow population settlement.

Grosskaseland
Motto: Known by their crafts.

Capital: Lenze

Grosskaseland is a topographically diverse, rural county, stretching from the Sisterian River and Lake Columbia to vast infertile expanse of the northern coastal plain. It's hoped that the steady advance of infrastructure should eventually allow the region to properly irrigate this land, thus allowing it to fully support both the increasing population of Lenze.

Lëtzebuerg
Motto: Pride in unity.

Capital: Shiedstad

Originally an autonomous fiefdom, Lëtzebuerg was reincorporated as a normal region of Columbia following early reforms in Chancellor shadedoom's first term, which aimed at unifying the nation's population by abolishing the noble class of citizens.

Zeeland (Apoland/Lemurland)
Motto: Long Live the Apolish Isles!

Capital: Apoland

Originally another autonomous fiefdom, Zeeland was reincorporated as a normal region of Columbia following the inactivity and removal of Aposii and Green_Trump, its primary overseers. Its capital of Apoland has since been given standard township status, and granted as a personal estate to lemuractionnews, who serves as its Lord-Mayor.

Marshton (Colony)
Motto: How bad can this possibly be?

Capital: HaecCorp

Marshton was first acquired in the early days of Columbia under the absolute government of Emperor kdeeks, which preceded the Chancellery system Columbia now enjoys, as a means of producing cocoa beans, pumpkins, and vines, which are all essential ingredients to some EXP recipes. It has since been repurchased from Coventhia, and used as an agricultural area to support modern Columbian EXP production efforts.

Augska (Colony)
Motto: R.I.P. Augska. Robokaiser, please come back.

Capital: Spideria

Augska was formerly an independent nation in the earlier days of the server, based around lands Southeast of Columbia's heartland. It had since gone inactive, and was annexed in full into the First Empire of Columbia. When the First Empire dissolved for a period of two months, Augskan lands remained unclaimed by foreign powers until the Columbian Homeward Migration saw the reestablishment of Columbia's claim over select Augskan lands under the Second Empire. Later on, Coventhia partitioned much of what remained of Augskan territory, including their old capital city, Augska City. The Columbian colony of Augska now consists of solely the large mesa island in the Southeast of Columbia.

Xylvania
Motto: A land of myth; a people of legend.

Capital: Cammanberg

Formerly an illegal colony of Columbia's infamous and expansionist far-northern rival Kaiserreich, Xylvania is an old, mountainous province stretching from the relatively fertile Cammanberg plateau to the poorly charted and almost inhospitable lands far to the north; which are empty aside from the odd village of shepherds, woodcutters and fishermen. Cammanberg itself is an ancient city, boasting a single central road running its length and many old medieval houses and taverns. It is also home to the world renowned University of Cammanberg which has been educating Columbia's best and brightest since its establishment by Xylvanian monks some 600 years ago.

The university is divided into three colleges (Spire: Arts, Theology, and Humanities; Lindendorff: Sciences and Mathematics; Fritz Junker: Post-Graduate Studies), each of which boasts their own mascot, bar, library, and sports teams. The rivalry between the colleges has always been fierce, especially between the two undergraduate colleges. It isn't unheard of for riots to occur at the end of the termly cricket match or yacht race, although this is far from the worst college riot 200 years ago, when Spire's main dining hall was burned to the ground by a group of Lindendorff students, angry at alleged cheating during the final term's match.