Argos

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Republic of Argos
Ἄργος Δημοκρατία
Flag of Argos Coat of Arms of Argos
Flag COA
Motto: "Η φωνή του λαού είναι η φωνή των θεών"
The Voice of the People is the Voice of the Gods
Anthem: "Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν"
Hymn to Liberty
Location of Argos in Neridea
CapitalKavala
Largest city (same as above)
Official languages Sinopian
Ethnic groups 55% Neridean
35% Mulatto
5% Sinopian
5% other
Demonym Argosian
Government Unitary parliamentary constitutional republic
 -  President Antonis Samaras
 -  Prime Minister Karolos Papoulias
Establishment
 -  Colony of Argos April 17, 1820 (1820-04-17) 
 -  Independence from Sinope December 23, 1953 (1953-12-23) 
Area
 -  Total TBC km2
TBC sq mi
Population
 -  2013 estimate 19,598,817
 -  2012 census 19,582,196
GDP (PPP) estimate
 -  Total $129,183,747,012
 -  Per capita $6,597
Currency Drachma (D) (DRA)
Time zone AUT+6
Date format dd.mm.yyyy CE
Drives on the right
Internet TLD .ar

Argos (Sinopian: Ἄργος), officially the Republic of Argos (Sinopian: Ἄργος Δημοκρατία) is a country in East Neridea. According to the 2012 census, Argos' population is around 19.5 million. Kavala is the nation's capital and largest city.

Etymology

The name Árgos apparently signified an agricultural plain and was applied to several districts in ancient Sinope. When discovering this large relatively flat and fertile island, Sinopian explorers baptised it Argos.

History

Early period

Kingdom of Maribas

Sinopian colonisation

Old Sinopian Theatre in Kavala

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Independent state

Geography

At ??? square kilometres (??? sq mi),Argos is the world's ??th largest country and the ??-largest island. The nearest mainland state is Mnopa, located to the north and Septentria to the east. Along the length of the eastern coast runs a narrow and steep escarpment containing much of the island's remaining tropical lowland forest. To the west of this ridge lies a plateau in the center of the island ranging in altitude from 750 to 1,500 m (2,460 to 4,920 ft) above sea level. These central highlands, traditionally the homeland of the Mariba people and the location of their historic capital at M'solo, are the most densely populated part of the island and are characterized by terraced, rice-growing valleys lying between grassy hills and patches of the subhumid forests that formerly covered the highland region. To the west of the highlands, the increasingly arid terrain gradually slopes down to the Nontana Sea and mangrove swamps along the coast.

Climate

The combination of northeastern trade winds and southwestern monsoons produces a hot rainy season (May–October) with frequently destructive cyclones, and a relatively cooler dry season (November–April). Rain clouds originating over the Solvanese Ocean discharge much of their moisture over the island's soutern coast; the heavy precipitation supports the area's rain forest ecosystem. The central highlands are both drier and cooler while the southeast and southwest are drier still, and a semi-arid climate prevails in the northeast interior of the island. Tropical cyclones annually cause damage to infrastructure and local economies as well as loss of life. In 2007, Cyclone Sharqueena became the strongest cyclone ever recorded to hit Argos. The storm killed 456 people, left 174,260 homeless and caused more than US$250 million in damage.

Ecology

As a result of the island's long isolation from neighboring continents, Argos is home to an abundance of plants and animals found nowhere else on Adonia. Approximately 90 percent of all plant and animal species found in Argos are endemic, including the lemurs (a type of prosimian primate), the carnivorous fossa and many birds. This distinctive ecology has led some ecologists to refer to Argos as the "eighth continent", and the island has been classified by Conservation International as a biodiversity hotspot.

Argos's varied fauna and flora are endangered by human activity. Since the arrival of humans around 2,350 years ago, Argos has lost more than 60 percent of its original forest. This forest loss is largely fueled by tavy ("fat"), a traditional slash-and-burn agricultural practice imported to Argos by the earliest settlers. Mariba farmers embrace and perpetuate the practice not only for its practical benefits as an agricultural technique, but for its cultural associations with prosperity, health and venerated ancestral custom (fomba maribosi). As human population density rose on the island, deforestation accelerated beginning around 1400 years ago. By the 16th century, the central highlands had been largely cleared of their original forests. In recent years, the government of Argos has started several forestation plans and slowed down deforestation.

Government

Structure

Administrative divisions

Politics

Military

Economy

Demographics

Ethnic diversity

Language

Religion

Culture