Veinte Mil Islas

= Archipelago by Nonong =

Summary
Veinte Mil Islas is an archipelagic nation in Asia. The official language is Spanish, but some Asiatic languages prevail. The country boasts more than twenty thousand islands. There are several large cities. Many still live in the countryside.

The total population is about 230 million, having achieved ZPG, zero population growth. The country prohibits the smoking of cigarettes and the drinking of alcohol. No dogs are allowed anywhere on the islands. The government tolerates organized religions, but discourages them. Popular Animism prevails in the countryside. In the cities, Buddhism and Catholicism are more common. There are other minority religions.

Seventy percent of the population are Mestizos. Some twenty percent are Asiatics. Ten percent are Europeans.

Islands
Diez Torres | El Gato | Milflores | San Blas | San Lorenzo

Climate
The islands stretch from the warm tropical south to the cool temperate north to the colder subarctic as they encompass a variety of biomes.

Geography
The islands are volcanic in origin. There are several active volcanoes. The archipelago forms a wide and long crescent between the Asian mainland and the Pacific Ocean.

History
In early history, the islands were engulfed in Buddhistic and Hinduistic kingdoms in a mostly Animistic substratum. Catholicism arrived with the Spanish in the Exploration Age. The islands became a Spanish colony, which then gained independence in the early twentieth century.

Government
In Veinte Mil Islas, there is a form of Democratic State Capitalism. It is a one-party system, in which the leaders are elected by the people.

Tourism
Tourism in the islands is limited to intellectuals, who must undergo a health check. Preferably, adult tourists would have a university degree. Visas are required for all foreign countries.

Languages
Spanish is the interethnic and interinsular language, being the sole official language. There are over a thousand ethnic languages, which are Austronesian, Nipponic, and Sinitic. The minority people who speak these languages are bilingual with Spanish.

Education
The standards of education are high. The curriculum for elementary school through high school is simple and efficient. University is free tuition for all those students who pass entrance examinations.

Transportation
Ferries run to many islands. There are trains on the bigger islands. Zeppelins, airships, regularly transit between islands. Calèche rides, calesas, with horses are common in towns. Also, boating and sailing are regular transportation where there is water.

Family
Both heterosexual and homosexual marriages are officially recognized. The replacement rate coincides with ZPG, zero population growth. A Certificate of Procreation must be obtained for having a child. There is an efficient health care system. Circumcision is practically universal for men.

Agriculture
Various crops, tropical as well as temperate, are grown in vast yields.

Industry
Fishing is very popular. Ceramic wares are of the highest quality.