Effiland

Effiland, officially the United Kingdom of Effiland, is a country whose territory is located in TBD. Effiland's capital and biggest city is Sillhammer where 2/5th of the population lives.

Etymology
The name Effiland means "Land of the Effi people" in English. The oldest usage of Effiland is recorded on an almost seven hundred years old peace agreement between feudal states, as the Mid-Effinsk word Yfðýrlandt (literally where Yfðý [ye-ph-dh-ueh] people or Yfðýr [ye-ph-dh-uerh] live). Scholars are generally of the same mind that the word Yfðýr directly derives from the Proto-Effinsk word Æħþýr [Ai-ch-th-ue-rr], which is believed to be the name given by the local people to the mythological fairies that ruled the world before humans arrived.

Since the literacy has commonized in the later periods, it is known that the land was called Efdhiland, as in where Efdhi people or Efdhir live. Though the link between the words Yfðýr and Efdhir is missing, it's easy to see the both words are related phonetically. Effiland as a place name is proven to be a direct descendant of Efdhiland, grammatically and phonetically; the transition is well documented in an abundance of writings of rulers and public.

Prehistoric and middle ages
There is little information about Yfðýr, the ancient people of Effiland. Due to harsh nature conditions and several big scale natural disasters, most of the artifact from earlier ages have not survived. A selection of artifiacts can be seen in the country's National Museum (Natjónalmuseum Effiland, Sillhammer) exhibit. These artifacts indicate that Yfðýr generally were hunter-gatherers, mainly lived scarcely throughout the land in the mountainous areas where geographical elements (such as caves, rich forests) allowed them to be protected from wildlife and natural conditions.

As a long period of warmer climate had emerged into the middle ages and food sources had expended, population also grew. Yfðýr left the mountainous areas to live in wide pastures and for the first time in their history, they started living in larger groups and a tribal society formed. More people living in close proximity required a system of laws and protection which resulted in a feudal-like societal structure in order to be protected from other groups or tribes. When the warm period ended, Yfðýr quickly realised that it was not possible to survive without a more structured, centralized system of administration. Feudal middle age society thus had been a short lived period, leaving its place to the newly founded Kingdom of Efdhiland.

Kingdom of Effiland
Kingdom of Efdhiland (or later Kingdom of Effiland) was one of the earliest nations that successfully unificated. King Efan I the Founder was Effiland's first monarch who reigned the country for long and prosperous years. In the later periods it became a tradition to take an oath in the coronation ceremonies to ''"solemnly swear an alligience to the principles set by Efan the Founder, to serve and lead the country with honour, dignity, responsibility, and prosperity that Motherland deserves." Though there has been a number of incompetent monarchs, this traditional vow is widely believed to be the cornerstone of monarchy and guiding principle that resulted in peaceful and bountiful administration for centuries.Ironically, following the coronation of King Efan XI the Defiler'', Kingdom of Effiland's last monarch, a general election was held and the leader of Radical Republican Party Rimi Rimileysson was elected the prime minister. In just a few days after the election. King Efan XI forsake the traditional oath and granted Rimileysson the first exceptional right of many that was eventually going to drag the country into a situation of misery.

Effinsk Republikken
While NSC 53 was taking place, political tension rised as it never did before and right before the 53th edition was over, Rimileysson and his devout state police took complete control of the country, announcing a new republic. After the revolution of rebuplicans in Kingdom of Effiland, a new state has been founded and the monarchy was abolished. The first act of the new government was withdrawing Effiland from NSC.

For some time the republicans run the country smoothly with overwhelming support from the public, which is nowadays widely considered as a plot fed by totalitarian government to shut down opposition.

Great Distress Period
When the news about corrupt politicians who drained country's treasury finally surfaced, people of Effiland rioted and the government fell. The shock was immense and for the following years, no government was able to lead to country more than a year. People fed up with politicians and their incompetence. A long dark period followed the last cabinet, no party or president was able to lead the country. As a result, anarchy erupted and widened throughout the country. People with similar politic mindsets grouped together and created their own microstates, most of which weren't able to last long.

A handful of microstates were strong enough to live and lead their people, provide them with their needs and create a new society. However, the opportunist and power hungry tyrant leaders of these states started wars with each other in order to have control of the land, which in the end was the reason why microstates couldn't survive for long.

Protektorienen Morlands
Some radical fanatics militarized themselves and annointed themselves as the protectors of the country, Protektorienen Morlands (ProMo for short, literal translation: Motherland's Protectors). ProMo was convinced the unrest in the country was caused by foreign elements that was trying to assimilate Effiland. ProMo did not meddle with interior politics and civil unrest; instead they stationed along Effiland's borders, letting no one in or out. It was ProMo's belief that the anarchy and the turbulance would end by guarding the borders and stopping foreign effect. This appeared to be a false notion and ProMo disintegrated in time. However the presence of ProMo made more harm than good, preventing any help from any other nations to reach to people of Effiland.

United Kingdom of Effiland
Towards the end of Great Distress Period, Effiland was infected with famine and disease, largely caused by human intervention, and a small portion of natural disasters, making a greater effect due to lack of governance.Casualties grew by the day.

Some bright minded history nerd from the ancient capital of Effiland had an idea to track down the long gone dynasty members. The idea of reviving monarchy gained some momentum amongst people, who were desperately looking for a leader to end Effiland's misery and bring back the glorious days. Royal family members were found and once again, Effiland's capital had a king on the throne.

The new Capital State became the first part of new Effiland where law and order flourished again. With the news spreading that there's a king on the throne, some states organized around this idea and supported Capital State. Antimonarchists tried to suffocate the monarchist wildfire, but people of Effiland wanted one thing and one thing only: to unite again. After some politically tricky years (some states falled down with antimonarchist effort, some states grew stronger and attempted to take the monarchy down) Effiland united became a whole nation as United Kingdom of Effiland.

New constitution was prepared and the flag was changed. White background of the new flag represents the ever pure land of Effiland​, hence it stayed. Green lines represent the youthful, productive, great people of the country and also stayed. Red lines represents the monarchy, and the royal family's lineage and is an additon.

When the stability was achieved, one of the first acts of the monarchy was declairing Effiland's return to Natia Song Contests.

Administrative Division
United Kingdom of Effiland is comprises six different states which are administered by one central government and parliament, and the sovereign king or queen as head of state. The large number of small principalities and republics emerged following the Great Distress Period. As the central kingdom gained power and support from the public, these small states unified around five culturally and geographically similar states, hence the name United Kingdom of Effiland.

All of these six states have some level of independence and their own constitution. The central state is ruled by the sovereign, while the other three of them administered by their elected governor and under the full jurisdiction of the monarchy and the government. The fourth is a semi-autonomous state also governed by their own elected governor and integrated with the crown's and central government's jurisdiction. While the fifth state is an autonomous duchy, governed by the duke or duchess in their internal affairs and tied directly to the crown (not the central government) in their external affairs.

Peerage as a way of governing continues on the local level; its power never exceeds the size of a municipality and are in small numbers. Members of the royal family are granted a dukedom or a lesser peerage as a symbol of crown's authorative and unifying power over the country.

Krönastun
Krönastun (literally the Crown's Town) is the immediate neighbourhood around the royal palace grounds. Though engulfed in the city of Sillhammer, Krönastun is administered by the Royal Office and guarded by the Royal Guardsmen. Neither the municipal nor the central government has no jurisdiction over Krönastun.

Harmanddur
Harmanddur is the most central state where the country is administered. Sillhammer, the capital of the country is also the capital of the state and home to the high governmental offices. Harmanddur is the most densely populated state and also the most industrial and the metropolitan one. There are only a few small towns or villages in Harmanddur which are located in the border with other states. The rest of the residential areas are mostly mid level cities consisting of a highly diverted demographic.

Væstturland
Væstturland is the state located in the western border of Harmanddur, hence the name western-land. There are some big cities scattered around Væstturland; however the state is covered with fruitful plains and supplies the main livestock and agricultural needs of the country with many mid-to-small towns and villages. The climate in Væstturland is generally mild and warm with some exceptions, which is the reason why farming is the number one occupation throughout the state. Higher areas have some light coloured forests but the most of the state are covered with rolling hills of meadows.

Torvur
Torvur has the smallest land are and the most mountainous region of Effiland. The high mountain ranges all around the state makes it harder for farming and therefore habitation. The population mainly lives in small cities in the lower parts of the region or the villages scattered around the deep valleys. Forestation is thick and dark which provided the fuel for the industrial towns of the region for centruies before the steam power was introduced. The climate is harsh and cold, with a mean annual temperature of 4.1°C. Bolvangar peak, the highest point in Effiland (6,793 meters) is located here in Skarptünne mountain ridges.

Stor-Herzigdömmet Breiðdalsbar
Stor-Herzigdömmet Breiðdalsbar (Grand Duchy of Breiðdalsbar) is the only autonomous state in Effiland. Currently governed by Her Grace The Grand Duchess Dægmar II, Breiðdalsbarhas a long history with regards to its relationship with Effiland. Seperatist factions have emerged from time to time and Breiðdalsbar was one of the firsts to support the republican revolution. When the seperatist duke died with his ideas, his daughter Duchess Ysauldr advocated for unification and seperatist factions lost power since then. Breiðdalsbar is a self sustaining state with industrial, metropolitan and rural ares and has its own unique culture. A quarter of the population lives in the capital city Braedstadt, one of the oldest cities in Effiland.

Freierland
Freierland is a semi autonomous state in Effiland, famous for its natural beauty and most importantly wines. The climate in Frierland creates good conditions for vinery and wine making. Although the state covers the second biggest land area, the population is loosely scattered around in the rural areas. The capital city Ørmund is the most diverse and the biggest city, attracting emigration from surrounding areas.

Effilands Television
Effilands Television (EfT), Effiland's Television, is Effiland's national public television broadcaster, funded by a public service tax on personal income set by the national parliament. EfT broadcasts four national TV channels (EfT1, EfT2, EfT3, and EfT Nyhetr), one international TV channel (EfT Internatjónal), and three national radio channels (EfR1, EfR2 and EFR) on digital terrestrial television, digital terrestrial radio and subscription television.

Until the republican revolution EfT was one of the biggest broadcasting stations (a total of 14) in the country. During the Effiland Republic, EfT became a propaganda device for the corrupt government and the only broadcasting corporation of the country. During the anarchy period EfT kept on broadcasting as an independent radio station under the name of Effilands Folkradio (EFR) in order to inform people of Effiland. After the reformation of monarchy, EfT continued the free thinking public broadcasting and remains the most popular broadcasting situation. Though funded by the public (hence the state itself), EfT has a reputation of solely seeking the benefit of the people of Effiland, being a harsh critic of government and even the royal family, which explains the reason why the broadcaster is so popular between the public, due to country's recent painful history caused by corrupt politicians.
 * EfT1: Mostly broadcasts in a large spectrum of programs ranging from news, music, entertainment, drama, sports to education and arts along with commercial breaks and is the country's most popular TV channel.
 * EfT2: A TV channel dedicated to arts and culture broadcasting. Documentaries, critically acclaimed mini series and movies mostly produced in Effiland, concerts, ballet and opera, traditional and modern music from all around Natia are commonly commonly broadcasted on EfT2.
 * EfT3: Mostly broadcasts sporting events and sport related programming.
 * EfT Nyhetr: A 24 hour news channel. On weekdays financial programming is also available.
 * EfT Internatjónal: First founded as a TV channel for Effinsk diaspora living in foreign countries, EfTi also became a cultural ambassador, intorducing Effiland's culture to all over Natia. All programming on EfTi is also available with closed caption subtitles and dubbing in many of Natia's languages.
 * EfT-Br: As Grand Duchy of Breiðdalsbar's regional broadcaster, Eft-Br is similar to EfT1 in function. The channel has its own programs and productions mostly broadcasted Breiðdalsbarian dialect with subtitles in Effinsk.
 * EfR1: Just like its TV counterpart, EfR1 broadcasts a variety of programs ranging from news, music, entertainment and sports.
 * EfR2: Public broadcaster's second radio station has a more refined cultural programming with live concerts and such. Radio plays are a long time tradtion on EfR2 and is still attracting a big number of listeners.
 * EFR: Effilands Folkradio is a widely respected radio station throughout the whole nation. Since it was the only reliable, truthful and free broadcasting element of the country during the Republic and the Great Distress Period, Folksradio was not shut down after the reformation of monarchy. Nowadays EFR has a news and educational programming and is a symbol of free thinking.

Beside its national duties, EfT is responsible for representing Effiland on international affairs such as song contests held throughout the continents.

Effiland in Natia Song Contests
The nation debuted in NSC 8 and after a long run of almost 50 editions, withdrawed in NSC 54. After many years of political turbulance, Effiland returned to participate in the contests and had its debut in WLSC 201. Effiland holds the record for most number of 21th place in NSC with 9 times (2 semifinal and 7 final results). *Needs citation.

Nation Song Contest
Effiland participated in NSC through a consecutive 46 editions. *Disqualified - Did not vote

NSC Spin-Offs
* Disappeared with the old forum

Effifestivalen
Effifestivalen was the national final of Effiland, hosted to decide Effiland's entry for NSC, in which most of the songs were chosen by the public broadcaster and other nations could also participate with a song. After Effiland's withdrawal due to the political disturbance in the country, the format was adopted as a spin off for NSC, where each participant send songs for other participants to vote from.

According to the statement released by EfT, Effifestivalen or any other form of a national final is not in the plans for the foreseeable future.

Effinsk Låttävling
Effinsk Låttävling is the newly announced, semi-regular national final to determine the representative of Effiland for Waiting List Song Contest. It is planned to be held every ten edition and five songs for five pricipalities/states to compete, excluding Krönastun. First edition is to be held in Sjarnbörg, a ski resort close to the capital Sillhammer.

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This page is created under the permission and per request of Effilands Kultürministren.