Doggerland

Doggerland is the country in which the Imaginary Elections Mock Elections are held. It is located in the middle of the North Sea centred between the British Isles and the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark. It consists of 15 provinces and 233 municipalities as subdivisions. The country has several official languages consisting of English (the lingua franca), Doggish (the native language), and Dutch. Other minority languages are also recognised due to prominence of the ethnic groups.

The largest city and capital is Port Nandels, being the seat of government and the National Assembly, the legislative organ of the country. The country is also a member of the European Union joining after a referendum in 2021. Though the country has been relatively obscure from the international scene, through its political reforms and establishment of foreign relations it began gaining increased notoriety in Europe and gradually the world.

Doggerland has a similar topography to that of England and the Netherlands often being referred to as a mix of the two countries. The country is mainly divided into four major divisions being: urban, suburban, post-industrial, affluent rural, and traditional rural with most of the country being traditional rural with pockets of suburban or urban cities, except in the province of Centra. This has made Doggerland a nation with a strong tradition of agriculture but also industrial output.

Doggerland is a parliamentary republic, however, the Republican Protector exercises identical powers to that of a constitutional monarch. The country is also a unitary state, albeit, with the actual status of devolution remaining unclear. Doggerland also has a notably high LGBTQ+ population with a high level of social tolerance and there remains a strong trend of progressivism. There is a high level of political division within the country between the left and right. A north-south divide has also ensued partly due to the previously mentioned divide. Doggerland does remain a country with a high human development and GDP per capita and has rarely lagged behind its neighbours in development.

Geography
Doggerland is located in the North Sea, about halfway between the United Kingdom and Denmark. There exists the Vikingland Islands, which is to the north of the main Doggerland island, east of the Shetlands. The tallest mountain is Mt. Arda, standing at 1142 metres tall. The longest river in Doggerland is the River Anglae

Timezone
Doggerland uses Central European Time (Doggish: Sintrel Tiyd Europeinse).

Rail Transport
Main article: Rail Transport in Doggerland

Ferry Lines
Port Nandels - Hoovsted - Mistlân - Hull (UK)

Midtte - Voostkreek - Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Fort Åleselle - Aberdeen (UK) - Dråbenfjord (Vikingland Islands) - Bergen (Norway)

History
The modern day Kingdom of Doggerland was established in 865 AD however there have been disputed and temporary settlements set up since the late 6th century. The land has been continually inhabited since the mid-700s, being populated largely by Germanic (Scandanavian, English, Dutch), and Celtic peoples. For as long as Doggerland has existed, administrative duties have been delegated to Lords and other nobles, but the first mention of a "County" wasnt until 1703 when the original counties of Ostland, Scuvell, Brunland, Centra, Nieuw Frisia and Zuiland were established. From 1755 to 1761, a large migration of Brits occurred, many of them settling in Zuiland province and formally establishing the city of Kensingston in 1759. Whereas this did not make up a large amount of the population initially, the size of their settlement gradually grew, and their descendants make up the majority of the modern population of the entire main island. The city of Nivelford formed after a brief wave of German immigration during the Franco-Prussian War in the early 1870s. The city of Hoovsted was founded in the 1690s and became the largest city by 1800. Port Nandels became the largest city in 1947 after a surge in immigration and birth rates.

Capital Cities
Although there was not an official capital city until 1778, Kensingston is considered to have been the de facto capital until that point, due to its population and being the main trading point in the early days of the country.

In 1777, the monarchy began to choose an official capital city. On January 1, 1778, Hoovsted was officially declared the capital city of Doggerland, as it was becoming the main port of the country.. In the mid-20th century, the port and communities further down the Nandels Bay in Port Nandels grew largely, and on February 3, 1992, the capital was officially changed to Port Nandels. On January 25, 2021, due to the political crisis of 2021, Port Nandels was stripped of its title. A new capital has yet to be decided.

Languages
Main languages: Languages of Doggerland The official language of Doggerland is English. Doggish, Dutch, and Quebecois are recognized secondary languages. A recent rise in French-Canadian immigrants had steadily increased the popularity of Quebecois in the country.

Doggish
Main article: Doggish

Doggish is the most popular of the languages spoken in Doggerland. Doggish takes its roots primarily from Celtic languages, particularly Irish and Scottish. It's the native language of Doggerland

Subdivisions
Each province and municipality have their own unique devolved legislatures using different voting systems and methods of governance.

Provinces
Main article: Provinces of Doggerland

Municipalities
Main article: Municipalities of Doggerland

Cities
Main article: Cities of Doggerland

Military
During WWI, Doggerland took a neutral stance, however, various German and English Doggers did volunteer to fight for the armies of their original nations.

During WWII, Doggerland opted to also take a neutral stance. However, after the Blitz in nearby London, much fear was sent into the Dogger population. Doggerland officially joined the Allies in 1942, had a military draft, though they did not have a major presence on account of their relatively small military. Their location was very convenient and strategic to the British forces especially, as it was close to both the United Kingdom and Germany. Doggerland was used as a place for care and supply storage for the Allies (especially Britain) during the remainder of the war.

As of 2021, the military size is 11,000. The military is currently dormant as Doggerland is not participating in any active wars.

Culture
See also: Sworicks, LGBT rights in Doggerland

Doggerland has a mixture of Doggish, Dutch, English and Scandinavian cultures. It is home to a diverse array of cultures all throughout its borders, which is especially evident in cultural regions like Zuiland and Brunland, which have very distinct cultures despite being just kilometers away.

Sport
Doggerland has two national football leagues, the Premier Divisie, the top Doggerland league and the Tweede Divisie, the second tier Dogger league.

Politics
Until 1923, Doggerland had been governed by an absolute monarchy. On January 25, 1923, the country decided to adopt a democracy as well as maintaining their monarchy.

Denonym referendum
On January 29, 2021 at 00:34 STE, King Moose held a referendum to decide the status of Doggerland's denonym, the results are as follows:

Legislative Elections
On the 28th of the month, unless called earlier by the sitting Prime Minister or Monarch, or delayed by a parliamentary vote, a legislative election is held to determine the Prime Minister. A party needs 50% of available seats to win. If any party fails to obtain this, a period of negotiation is entered until a party successfully forms a coalition with enough other parties to achieve a combined 76 seats. The leader of the most populous party wins, however, this government can be dissolved at any time by a vote of no confidence.