Pyhävala

The Republic of Pyhävala (commonly known as Pyhävala) is a country in Naurussia, within the Helios. The country borders Votaria and Azelite via the country's southern regions. Pyhävala has a population of 6.3 million inhabitants, where 65% of population lives in urban areas, due to the large amount of business opportunities in these areas. In order, the most densely populated cities are Nasadorei, which is also the first city of the nation, then the country's capital Belviita and finally the cities of Paijärvi, Tüpa and Csonka.

The countries culture is based on the principles of discipline and self-governance, as well as the principles of egalitarianism. This was originally rooted in country's roots in Christianity. However in recent years, the country is becoming more secular. Despite this, these key principles remain within the culture of Pyhävala. Another major principle held by the nation is to "protect nature", where their exports including timber, rye bread, fish, meatballs and saunas are produced sustainably.

Due to these sustainable principles, the country is known for their environmental influence. They are also seen as one of the key contributors in tackling the issue of climate change within the Helios. The country is also seen as well developed, due to their high economy, universal healthcare and free education, from early years to university, for its citizens. Pyhävala has made known contributions within sporting industries, particularly cycling, skiing, snowboarding and climbing, as well as other contributions in ethical trade, music, arts, science and literature. Citizens are also known to enjoy attending both music concerts and live theatrical performances.

Tourism is also increasing in the country, as their tourism rank within Naurussia is increasing every year since 2016. The country is currently sixth position in the tourism rankings in the continent, with revenue equally generated from both urban and rural areas in the country. Cities including Nasadorei and Belviita are known tourist hotspots, due to their unique architecture, tourist attractions and histories. For instance, there is a whole museum in Belviita dedicated to saunas, which is also the only one within Naurussia. On the opposite end, some of the country's rural areas are seen as ski resort and outdoor adventure hotspots. They are also two commercial lagoons in these areas, one in the Võhsuu region and the other in Paivi region.

Politics
Pyhävala is a presidential republic. The current President in office is Tilda Järvenpää and the current Vice President is Tomi Heikkinen.

General

 * You become a legal adult at age 18.
 * You can obtain a driver's license at age 18. However, you can learn to drive aged 17, unless if you have a disability that affects your ability to drive, which is 16.
 * The age of consent is 18.
 * The legal age of marriage is 18.
 * The legal age of adoption is 20.
 * Capital punishment is illegal.
 * Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide are legal.
 * Pornography is legal with heavy restriction, only allowing 18 year olds or above to access it.
 * Gambling is legal with an age restriction of 18.

Suffrage

 * The legal voting age is 16. Unless you have unspent convictions or recently served a conviction within the last 3 months.
 * You can run for office, aged 24 or above and you must be a citizen of that country.

Gun laws

 * In Pyhävala, only members of the police force and military can obtain a weapons license at an age of 18.
 * Police and military apprentices are allowed a gun license aged 16, but only with supervision with a higher member of the military or police force, aged 25 or above.
 * Unsupervised age is 18 or above.

Drug laws

 * Alcohol (<15% by volume) is legal and restricted for those 18 years and older.
 * Alcohol (>15% by volume) is legal and restricted for those 18 years and older.
 * Nicotine and Tobacco products are legal and restricted for those 21 years and older.
 * Cannabis is legal for those 21 years and older on the grounds of medical and recreational use.

Abortion laws

 * In Pyhävala, abortion is completely legal and there is little stigma towards abortion. The remaining stigma behind abortion is often held among older citizens.
 * Costs are covered by the state.
 * Abortion is legal up to 20 weeks after conception.
 * Abortion is legal in the case of fetal defects, unless the sole purpose is the fetus has Down's Syndrome.
 * Abortion is legal in all cases, except from the sole purpose of it being sex-selective.
 * Abortion is regulated by the state.

LGBT rights

 * Same sex activity is legal in Pyhävala, with no stigma towards them by the public.
 * The age of consent for same sex intercourse is the same as heterosexual intercourse.
 * The LGBT community are allowed to serve in the armed forces.
 * The LGBT community has the freedom of expression.
 * The LGBT community are protected by law from discrimination.
 * The LGBT community has the right to marry and can adopt children.
 * Changing one's gender is legal. There is no set limits on the number of genders.
 * Xenogenders and Neopronouns are recognised by the state.

Military

 * Approximately 2 to 2.9% of Pyhävala's GDP is spent on the military annually.
 * Women are permitted to serve in the armed forces.
 * Conscription is only enforced during wartime.

Freedom of Speech

 * Freedom of speech is granted to all citizens constitutionally.
 * It is legal to criticize the government.
 * Online speech falls under Freedom of Speech.
 * Laws concerning hate speech do exist.
 * Laws concerning the incitement of violence do exist.
 * The press is considered as almost completely free, however they cannot be far left or right.
 * There is strict censorship online by the government for hateful, violent and pornographic content.

Environmental Rights

 * Any farms must have a license, where farmers have to be sustainable with their resources and if they are an animal-based farm, they must hold and kill animals in an ethical fashion.
 * Using animals for entertainment purposes (e.g. zoos and circus) are prohibited. However, citizens are allowed to open public conservation centres, where it is highly regulated.
 * Any farming that is unethical and insights cruelty towards animals is illegal.
 * It is illegal for endangered animals to be farmed for meat and/or products. However, they are allowed to be conserved for breeding purposes only.
 * Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) products are highly regulated and must be tested in a lab first.

Notable People from Pyhävala

 * Jesse Markin - Singer and rapper, known for being the country's first representative in the Helios Festival.
 * Danielle Brooks - Actress and singer.
 * Ts Madison - Internet personality.
 * Dawn French - Comedian, TV presenter, actress and writer