Republic of Nofoaga
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General information
Capital: Port Beauharnais
Largest city: Royaume-de-FranceOfficial languages: French, French sign language
Ethnic groups: White (58%), Black (34%), Nofoagan (8%)
Demonym's: Nofoagan, NofoaganeseGovernment: Unitary non-partisan parliamentary democracy
President: Lula Namatatiki
Head of government: Lula Namatatiki
Legislature: Parliament (17 seats)Independence (from France): 1st of january 1995
National day: 24 july
National Anthem: Here has Justice erected its ThroneArea: 8.831 km² (98,4% inhabitle)
Population: 11.751 (2021)Native GDP: 681,015,476.02
Native GDP PC: 6,362Currency: Caribbean Dollar (CD) - 1 CD = 0.75 EURO
Time zone: -5
Driving side: Right
Calling code: 2 407
ISO 3166 CODE: NOF
Internet TLD: .GI -
The national flag of the Republic of Nofoaga consists of a vivid blue field holding a yellow hummingbird at the upper fly-side corner. Several other flags has been used by the country since its independence in 1995. The flag has a ratio of 1:2.
Symbolism
The blue of the field symbolizes the sky above the island nation. The golden hummingbird, as it officialy is, is a sacred symbol of the native tribes. The people of these tribes belief that through the hummingbird, dead ancestors are present in the current life of people. Blue and yellow are also the traditional colours of the Nofoagan people, rooted in their history and customs.The official colors used for the flag are described as 'deep sky blue' and 'gold'.
Colonial and first flag
The first flag of the independent island nation was the same that has been used for the French Overseas Territory of the Gentilles Islands. The flag consisted of a blue field with the French tricolore in the upper-left canton. A golden stylized palmleaf served as the symbol of the island.This flag is still in use by the pro-French mouvements and the political party Mouvement des Gentilles.
Coat of arms
Nofoaga has no official Coat of Arms. The flag is used as the sole official symbol of the nation. Before 2022 Nofoaga had an official Coat of arms; depicting a pillar in natural color on a silver shield.National Motto
Tha national motto of the Republic of Nofoaga is 'Non iudicabis' meaning 'You shall not judge' in Latin. -
Nofoaga, officialy known as the Republic of Nofoaga and formerly known as Gentille Island, is an island country in America, in the Caribbean Sea. The country is east from Gadalland & Aspern and west from the archipelago of the Unnamend Islands. With 8.831 km² area, Nofoaga is the smallest country in the European Union. It's population of almost 12.000 is also the smallest of the European Union of which the country has been a part since July 2020.Nofoaga was claimed and annexed by the kingdom of France in the late 1700's. In the 20th century the island gained more autonomy as the Overseas Territory of the Gentille Island. Nofoaga became independent as a Republic in 1995.
The country mainly consists of volcanic rock layers, which makes the land extremely barren. A large part of the island collapsed during the last volcanic eruption. As a result, about 98% of the total land surface is uninhabitable. The narrow coastlines are green and are home to an exceptional diversity of flora.
As a result of heavy dependence on Spain, some nations have identified Nofoaga as a client state of Spain. The Republic of Nofoaga is a member of the European Union and the Caribbean Common Community.
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Etymology
Upon the arrival of the French in the late 1700's, the island was given the name 'Gentille' which derives from 'Strange' in Latin. The French monk Marquette, who accompanied the French marines and was responsible for morality during the mission, noted that the islanders referred to themselves as Nofoeaga Tiki. Marquette tried to figure out the meaning of Nofoeaga.
According to Marquette, Nofoaga would be derived from A-nofoe-aga what 'meeting place' would mean. This name never got a foothold. It was not until the beginning of the 20th century that Anofoeaga came into use again.
Following independence, it was decided to no longer use 'Gentille'. Anofoeaga was resolutely chosen to designate the island and the new young republic. For practical reasons, the name Anofoeaga was changed to Nofoaga.
The country code of Nofoaga is NOF. But the internet TLD and number plate designation is GI, referring to Gentille. Among the originally French population (58% of the total population), 'Gentillese' is still used instead of 'Nofoagan' to refer to themselves.
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PoliticsNofoaga is a Republic and officially has no party systems, with the exception of Nofoeaga Aoma. The National Assembly, as the parliament is officially called, has 17 seats and is divided by constituency. The country has a president as head of state. The president is also the head of government and is elected by the MPs.
The distribution of seats per constituency is based on the population of the constituencies:
- Royaume-de-France: 7
- Tuagavale: 3
- Moine Marquette: 3
- Joséphine and Barama: 2
- Port Beauharnais: 1
- Fort d'Espagne: 1 (Spanish citizen)
Elections are held every three years for the 17 seats. Until August 2021, the parliament automatically gave two seats to the indigenous tribes of the island. Since january 2022 this allocation has been restored under Lula Namatatiki. 1 seat is automatically given to a representative of the Territories under Spanish jurisdiction in Nofoaga.
Presidency
The presidency in Nofoaga is conferred by a two-thirds majority vote in the National Assembly. All representatives of the people can nominate one or more candidates. Officially, there is no term for the presidency, but because parliamentary elections are held every three years, the island will de facto receive a new head of state every three years.The political system in Nofoaga has no vice-presidency. When the president is unable to perform his or her duties, the presidency passes temporary to the president of the National Assembly.
In recent years, no president has lasted more than a year and a half. That's because of a law that states that if a legal complaint is filed, the president must resign. The last three presidents came to power this way. Work is underway to repeal this law and establish immunity as long as a head of state or member of parliament exercises his or her public function.
Government
The government of the Republic of Nofoaga consists of the President and the ministers designated by him or her. These ministers must also be accepted by a majority in parliament.The cabinet consists of 5 to 7 ministers and the president. The president can also take up ministerial posts. Nofoaga has 18 ministries:
- Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Resources
- Ministry of Civil Aviation
- Ministry of Culture & Tourism
- Ministry of Customs & Caribbean Cooperation
- Ministry of Finance and Sustainable Development
- Ministry of Fisheries & Marine Resources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and European Affairs
- Ministry of Health
- Ministry of Home Affairs
- Ministry of Island Development & Industry
- Ministry of Justice
- Ministry of Public Service
- Ministry of Public Works
- Ministry of Sports
- Ministry of Telecommunications
- Ministry of Transport
- Ministry of Women's Affairs
- Ministry of Youth Affairs
Association with the Kingdom of Spain and the Caribbean Common Community Commission
Nofoaga is dependent on another country for its defense. The constitution prohibits the possession of a military force. Since 2020, the defense of the island and its inhabitants is the responsibility of the Kingdom of Spain. For this purpose, the agreement of the "Free Military Association" was signed between the two countries. Nofoaga offers in exchange several hectares of land that Spain uses as a military base. These pieces of land fall under Spanish law but are an integral part of the territory of Nofoaga. Nofoaganese can therefore also be part of the Spanish army. These territories have 1 representative in the National Assembly.Nofoaga works closely with neighboring Gadalland & Aspern through the Caribbean Common Community Commission. For example, the two countries have no de facto borders with each other, citizens of both countries can reside in both countries without further ado, there is a unified economic space, they jointly regulate immigration to the region and speak with one voice when it comes to the European Union, on issues such as climate. Nofoaga and Gadalland & Aspern will also use the same currency in the near future, under a common monetary policy with one central bank.
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National Anthem of Nofoaga
The national anthem of Nofoaga was adopted shortly after the island's independence. The lyrics were written by poet Joseph Aloé. His brother Gabriel composed the music. The song is also known as 'Here has Justice erected its Throne', referring to the first line of the national anthem. The national anthem is only played on national day and during diplomatic visits by government leaders.
Here has Justice erected its Throne - National anthem of the Republic of Nofoaga
Text
Here has Justice erected its Throne
which vile oppression ignores
and, on its glorious stamp let us rejoice
Freedom, freedom, freedom
This innocent and beautiful land,
which owes its name to Joséphine,
is the happy homeland where mankind
enjoys the benefits of bliss and peace.
Is the happy homeland where mankind
enjoys the benefits of bliss and peace.Let us keep the lofty name of our Fatherland in glorious splendor.
And, on its altars, once more we must swear:
to die before we would live as slaves!
To die before we would live as slaves!
To die before we would live as slaves! -
Administrative division
Nofoaga had municipalities and cities until mid-2021. After the volcanic eruption, which reshaped the country, this classification was abolished.
Today Nofoaga is subdivided into three departments independent of habitation, population and history. These are:
- Département d'Ola (Department of Ola): The entire east and south coast of the island with almost all settlements (Tuagavale, Port Beauharnais, Barama, Joséphine, Moine Marquette and Royaume-de-France).
- Département du Plateau Volcanique (Department of the volcanic plate): 95% of the total surface of the country.
- Département des territoires de jurisdiction Espagnole en Nofoaga (Department of the territories under spanish jurisdiction in Nofoaga): Military bases of the Kingdom of Spain in Nofoaga.
The departments have no headquarters and only exist on paper and play a minimal role in administrative matters. The departments are not the same as the constituencies, which are organized per settlement (see politics).
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Mobility and transport
Nofoaga has a small road network that mainly consists of unpaved roads. The main roads are the RP1 from Tuagavale to the capital Port Beauharnais, the RP2 from Royaume-de-France to the capital and the RP3 on the west coast passing Fort d'Espagne.
Like every country, Nofoaga issues its own license plates for motorized transport. Within Nofoaga, such a license plate is only mandatory on vehicles with at least 4 wheels. Scooters and motorcycles therefore do not have a license plate on the territory.
Nofoaga's license plate consists of an iron plate in yellow with a blue-coloured code. The first two characters are the letters that indicate which settlement the owner lives in. The four digits are a unique sequence.
A Nofoagan license plate from the settlement of Royaume-de-FranceTrains
Nofoaga has no rail network.Air traffic
Royaume-de-France Airport is the only civilian airport on the island. The airport has 1 runway. Royaume-de-France International Airport is home to the national airline Nofoaga Airlines, which flies to Montenbourg and Spain, among others.Traffic at sea
Until August 2020, cruise ships docked several times a day. A cruise stop was introduced for the sake of nature conservation and the protection of the environment. To this day, cruise ships cannot dock in Nofoaga. These ships must also remain at a minimum distance of 2 km from the coastline because of the brittle coral and the special giant tortoise colonies.A ferry service between Nofoaga and neighboring Gadalland & Aspern is under investigation by the government.
Nofoaga has a relatively small seaport. The main activity of this port, south of the island, is mainly the import of foodstuffs for the population. To a lesser extent, there is also export.
The port of Royaume-de-France, in the South of the country. -
Geography, geology and climate
Geography
Nofoaga is located in the Caribbean Sea, 80 kilometers west of Gadalland & Aspern, and is one of the four Caribbean island groups. The island is quite arid with little of the typical lush tropical vegetation found elsewhere in the region.Geology
The island was created by volcanic activity several million years ago. There is a lot of volcanic activity underground, without a high risk of erupting. Mauga'fi volcano erupted in 2021. Much of the island is a wasteland of lava flows and cinder cones. The East Coast does have some vegetation and is also known as the 'green belt' on the island. you will find, among other things, the hummingbird, the national symbol of the island state.
Inland landscape: Nofoaga is a wasteland of lava flows and cinder cones.From the North-east to North-west, the island is surrounded by coral belts, which makes diving possible. In and around the coral belts live the endangered Nofoaganese giant sea turtle. On the north side of the island, it is strongly advised not to enter the water through dangerous depths.
The so-called Green belt along the coastline of the island.Climate
Nofoaga has a tropical steppe to desert climate with little rainfall. During the cyclone season, there can be long and heavy rain showers and large thunderstorms. The average temperature is 29 degrees Celsius.
