Changes: Tropico (Nation)

Revision as of 23:15, 17 May 2015

Tropico is a fictional Caribbean nation in the Tropico series and serves as the main setting of the game.

History

Ancient ruins give evidence that aboriginal people (most likely the Mayans) may have been the first inhabitants of the Tropican islands.

Sometime during the 19th century, a small colonial settlement is built on the islands, an unknown governor had been tasked on establishing the basic infrastructure prior to the appointment of another one. The responsible European monarchy is likely to be Spanish, due to the fact of it being the colony's official language.

Shortly after the appointment of the new Governor the settlement experiences a sudden productive, populational, infrastructural and societal boom on the few following years prior to it developing it's own national identity and finally proclaiming its independence from the Crown.

The independence of Tropico allows it's governor to become their first president, solidifying the establishment of a dynasty that continues to influence the country to this day.

Between it's independence and the beginning of the 20th century not much is known about Tropico's progress, the only known advancements are minor infrastructure modernization through road pavimentation and the introduction of cars and trucks by private importation.

In the 1910s, El Presidente becomes friends with the President of the United States, Rudolf Thompson, helps him through the Great War as a part of the Allies (but with some contacts in the Central Powers) and during the Great Depression. In this time, Tropico gets involved in a conflict with Isla Rojo, in which emerges victorious.

During World War 2, Tropico sides with The Axis.

It is also during this era that the country experiences it's second and definitive growth spurt in the form of a more advanced industrialization, the introduction of electricity, advanced public services and military advancements.

At the beginning of the Cold War, Tropico becomes a strategic nation in the Caribbean zone, and it suffers some tension because of the tentative of a nuclear attack by the USA.

During the 1950s, Tropico becomes a tourist paradise, although it's a ploy to cover up a shady murder case of a powerful person.

Also during this time the country continues with it's growth in the form of advanced public services, advanced military additions, expansion of entertainment services (mostly due to tourism) and minor additions to industry.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and subsequent end of the Cold War, Tropico supports the War on Terror.

Politics

Tropico's government is largely autocratic, with all power held by the presidente. Recently, the country has developed a parliament of five ministers that the presidente appoints. However, these positions don't debate over, choose, or pass laws themselves so much as they assist the presidente in passing laws they want enacted.

Tropico is officially classified as a democracy, but elections - when allowed - are held at varying times and only take place between the current presidente and a single opposing member of the public. There are apparently some political parties, such as the Communist Party and the Nationalist Front, but they seem to have no effect in elections. However, certain voting groups are very tight-knit and vocal in their demands. There's no term limits on being the presidente, allowing a very successful (or corrupt) leader to remain in power for life.

Tropico has no laws about politicians being natural-born Tropican citizens; even first-generation immigrants and foreign experts can become ministers or run for the presidency.

Since it's independence, Tropico has had a written constitution, which is often amended and altered by El Presidente as he sees fit.

Culture

Most culture in Tropico is imported and appropriated from American or European sources. It's hard to tell whether the island's "natives" are actually representing indigenous Tropican culture or merely putting on a show for tourists. However, some purely Tropican cultural artifacts and events do exist; Tropican-made art is sometimes displayed in museums and the island has been known to celebrate a national day, around which its not unusual for fireworks to be set off by patriotic Tropicans weeks before or after the actual day of celebration.

Economy

During colonial times Tropico has a majorly agrarian economy, with varied plantations and ranchs forming the bulk of the settlement's employment, though mining and logging operations are also performed. Industry is very basic.

During both World Wars Tropico industrializes, allowing the establishment of a more advanced economy, and during the Cold War the Tourist Sector is introduced along with the modernization of the Entertainment Sector, allowing the country to experience relatively massive income for the first time.

In Modern Times the Service Sector is introduced with the addition of offices.

Due to the Tropican economy being completely state-controlled there is no private sector, requiring Tropico to rely heavily on exports and tourism to mantain a positive treasury.

None-the-less the country often recieves external aid from the developed world, be it the United States, the Soviet Union, the European Union, among others.

Tropico's exports include:

Advanced industry goods like canned goods, cheese, attires, furniture, pharmaceuticals, chocolate, cigars, electronics, jewelry, automotives and rum.
Basic industry goods like clothes, planks, and steel.
Raw resources like bananas, cocoa, coffee, corn, cotton, pineapple, sugar, tobacco, meat, milk, wool, logs, pearls, oil, natural gas, fish, coal, bauxite, iron, gold and uranium.

Education

Education in Tropico is free and backed by the State, but non-compulsory.

High School education is available to the populace and it instructs the people with subjects like:

Natonal history (ruins)
Basic aestethic design (fashion company)
Commerce, Math (grocery, supermarket)
Computing (casino, cinema)
Military doctrine, Military subjects (professional army)
Religion (church, mission)
Teaching (school)
Technical education (general industries)

University education also exists in Tropico, with colleges offering a wide variety of careers:

Accounting, Economic sciences (bank)
Astronomy (observatory)
Audiovisual careers (TV station)
Aviation (airport, aerodrome)
Bibliography, Literature (library)
Biology (dolphinarium)
Electronic engineering (electronics factory)
Engineering careers (power plant, geothermal PP, oil refinery)
Fashion design (fashion company)
Geology (geothermal PP, tidal PP)
History (museums)
Jewelry (jewelry workshop)
Medicine (clinic, hospital)
Nuclear engineering, Nuclear physics (NPP, nuclear program)
Periodism (newspaper)
Pharmacology, Chemistry (pharmaceutical company)
Proffesorship (college)
Psychology, Psychiatry (asylum)
Science careers (science lab)
Space engineering (space program)
Theater (opera house)
Theology (cathedral)

However, Tropican standards often lag behind those of developed nations; there exists some evidence of academic dishonesty and nepotism.

Health

While Tropicans used to use traditional folk methods of curing illness, Tropico has a long history of providing universal healthcare since the times of the Great War in the form of small Clinics. From the half of the 20th century onward reforms are carried out to establish modern and qualified facilities with capacitated personnel on the cities.

Tropico has recently been experimenting with for-profit healthcare and reforms.

Language

The official language of Tropico is Spanish, which is automatically spoken by all immigrants to the island. English may be a secondary language to a part of the population due to the tourist sector. Tourists speak in their native language.

Law

File:Tropican Police Insignia.png

Tropico's judicial system is very streamlined; El Presidente can put arrest warrants out on anyone they wish and the police will capture and detain the person without a trial, sometimes in labor camps. Once in prison,El Presidente is unable to pardon or free a prisoner until his sentence is over.

Police don't necessarily need an order to capture anyone they actually see committing a crime, such as known criminals, crime lords and resistance leaders. Though Tropico lacks facilities for capital punishment, El Presidente can have anyone they wish executed by the military.

Tropico also has a national Intelligence Service that uses Police Stations as bases, the agency reveals information about rebel activities, active crime lords, political leaders, and who they all are. Their activities can be expanded by establishing a Secret Police and putting hidden cameras.

Tropican police officers are armed and will handle violent situations such as uprisings with Tropico's SWAT teams.

Media

Tropico's Media is often factional and biased, though there are cases of specific stations being truly unbiased. Access is free and baked by the State.

Since colonial times Tropico has it's own Newspaper called "El Correo Tropical" with branches varying in factionalization and education requirements, granting relative freedom of opinion and liberty.

There are also Radio Stations and TV Stations, both with high requirements to work in and are introduced to Tropico through the Cold War. Radio also tends to be factionalized like the newspaper. TV signals are not as biased as the other media, instead focusing on telemarketing and entertainment channels.

Notably, every island has a 24 hour radio station either run out of the palace called Tropico News Today (or TNT) or out of a specific tabern called "The Jolly Roger" (hosted by Lulu).

On the turn of the 21st Century the Internet is brought to the country, though acces is often limited to the urban areas. There is the possibility of a Free Wi-Fi network being in the works.

Military

Main article: Armed Forces of Tropico

Tropico's military is a self-defense force intended to protect the island from the threat of rebels and foreign invasion. The military consists of an army of infantry, tanks, a nuclear submarine and a small air force stationed on an aircraft carrier. Typically, Tropican soldiers are paid professionals, though the country sometimes conscripts civilians or allows them to organize into reserves of militias.

The structure of the military is very simple, with soldiers being lead by generals (or SWAT members, who are given the same power) who take orders from the presidente. No other military ranks are known, though El Presidente occasionally awards military officers with medals. These medals are largely meaningless and meant just to boost military morale.

There are rumors that Tropico has or is developing nuclear weapons as a deterrent against foreign invasion.

Relations

Trough the ages Tropico's international connections vary greatly, it's first contact being The Crown until gaining independence, then establishing formal diplomatic relations with both the Allies and the Axis. Then most of the Cold War is spent with international connections with the USA and the USSR, both of whom hotly contest the nation for its resources and location. In the turn of the 21th century Tropico maintains formal ties with the United States, along with Russia, with the addition of the European Union, the Middle East and China.

Climate

The Tropican islands enjoy tropical weather, warm temperatures are present all year, but usually not so extreme as to experience scorching hot weather. Precipitations are common enough to ensure good productivity for crops and fertile pastures for livestock.

Still, there are also times where precipitations slow down enough to permit very hot temperatures, leading to droughts.

The territory is also located in a zone where tornadoes are likely to occur.

Religion

Tropico's official religion is Catholic Christianism, catholic missions, churches and cathedrals attest to this. Tropican Catholicism is unique in that the Catholic church has a special ruling that allows Tropican clergy to marry.

According to references to local shamans and buildings, Voodoo is also a minor faith in Tropico.

@@ Line 134: / Line 134: @@
 On the turn of the 21st Century the Internet is brought to the country, though acces is often limited to the urban areas. There is the possibility of a [[Edict (Tropico 5)#Free Wi-Fi|Free Wi-Fi]] network being in the works.
 ==Military==
-[[File:Military_Combat.png|thumb]]Tropico's military is a self-defense force intended to protect the island from the threat of [[rebel]]s and foreign invasion. The military consists of an army of infantry, tanks, a nuclear submarine and a small air force stationed on an aircraft carrier. Typically, Tropican soldiers are paid professionals, though the country sometimes conscripts civilians or allows them to organize into reserves of militias.
+<blockquote>''Main article: [[Armed Forces of Tropico]]''</blockquote>[[File:Military_Combat.png|thumb]]Tropico's military is a self-defense force intended to protect the island from the threat of [[rebel]]s and foreign invasion. The military consists of an army of infantry, tanks, a nuclear submarine and a small air force stationed on an aircraft carrier. Typically, Tropican soldiers are paid professionals, though the country sometimes conscripts civilians or allows them to organize into reserves of militias.
 The structure of the military is very simple, with [[soldier]]s being lead by [[general]]s (or [[SWAT Member|SWAT members]], who are given the same power) who take orders from the presidente. No other military ranks are known, though El Presidente occasionally awards military officers with medals. These medals are largely meaningless and meant just to boost military morale.