Old El Paso Factfile

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The Holy Empire of Old El Paso

Short name: El Paso
Local name: Che'El

Official language(s): Enchiladin
Other language(s): No Recognised Second Language
Capital: Sporados
Currency: The Taco (Decimal - 100 Nachos to a Taco)
National animal: The Llama
Motto: If We Want Your Opinion, We'll Tell You What It Is
National Anthem: Undecided.

Government

(Head of State)
High Llama - Armando El Paso

(Head of Government):
Chief of Chiefs - Grundo Skub

Government:

Recent political changes within Old El Paso have seen the previous tribal parliament government dissolved and replaced by a single dictatorial ruler. Grundo Skub, thanks in no small part to his position as Commander in Chief of the Armies of Old El Paso, took hold of the reigns of the nation in a highly covert coup.

The populace have not been too put out by this change however, a slight reduction in taxes and some bizarre new religious conventions including the government legislation for the branding of human flesh for human consumption and legalised human sacrifice.

While taxes have decreased military spending has risen, and several highly secretive projects have drained huge amounts of the nations budget. The oddly named 'Project Mole' is supposedly Grundo Skubbs pride and joy, though the number of people who are fully aware of it could be counted on two hands.

However, with global terrorism becoming a clear and present threat to even peaceful little nations like OeP the residents agree that it does no harm to be adequately prepared to defent oneself, and with the entire nation having done military service the country certainly is that.

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Society
Ethnicities:

Old El Paso is fairly isolated, indeed it is only fairly recently that the scientists of the nation determined the planet to be an orb as opposed to a flat disk. As such the inhabitants are all of the same ethnic origin, which can only be described as 'of Old El Paso'

Religions:

The inhabitants of this nation are not overly religious, the Llama is considered Semi-Sacred simply due to its status as the main source of meat and milk for the inhabitants. There are some 'backwards' religious beliefs, but these vary from villiage to villiage. The people are more practical than theological.

Languages:

As a relative newcomer to the internation scene Old El Paso has not yet instigated any foreign language courses in any of its education establishments. While many of the more well to-do know some foreign languages these days, it cannot be said that anything other than Enchiladin is commonly spoken.

Economy:

Old El Paso has only recently become an international presence. Previously the nation only had to worry about itself. Recent expansion saw an early influx of cash from overseas as foreigners purchased the newly available (and cheap!) exports but as the money arrived the inhabitants demanded access to expensive foreign imports, though recent trade agreements with the likes of the Empire of Porcu are lowering the previously crippling tax rates imposed on import and export.

As such the nation now exports a goodly portion of its goods and subsequent income to ensure it does not appear to be backwards. The nation desires very strongly to be regarded as 'modern' and is taking drastic steps, such as planning for a major international airport (the first on the Island), to ensure it can be.

Geography and Climate
Highest point: Mount Faita 1289m
Lowest point: Ginzu Valley -14m

Avg. summer tempurature: 22c
Avg. winter tempurature: 2c

temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds ; more than one-quarter of the days are overcast

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Nation Map



Cultural Overview

Old El Paso is a nation in flux. It's major cities are gleaming new and vibrant, with great glass skyscrapers and exceptional traffic control. The nations major highways are also well tended and the large scale underground railways are in fine working order, despite using machinery that is considered dated at best.

Beyond the cities lie the majority of the population, villiages and towns ranging from modern looking developments with transportation links to tribal villiages with a muddled mass of mud huts.

Local law is the rule, and a few years in the national guard teach the youngsters of El Paso how to behave themselves as well as look after the community so civil disorder is at a minimum. It is perfectly safe for foreigners to wander into a villiage in the middle of nowhere, of course they may be robbed and few laxatives, but they would be safe.

The people are still backwards in the eyes of many, indulging in practices many would consider barbaric (such as the annual Gladiatorial Games to celebrate the High Llamas birthday) and mingling modern technology with their ancient ways (such as the prectice of teaching the Home Guard to throw a javelin before picking up a rifle) though this makes much of the country appear to be unspoilt.


Just don't be surprised when you enter a mudhut in Innigo Villiage and find the owner busy watching a DVD.


Military Information

The government of Old El Paso has determined that in the current globo-political climate it is not prudent to have information on the nations military made freely available to all and sundry.

The majority of publically available information currently concerns the newly unveiled 'Mole' systems that the Old El Paso government has been working on for the past however long. These subterranean transport devices named Moles and Termites, along with their smaller direct assaut vehicles and underground missile systems (Hellbore, Mole Mortar) were unveiled as a supposed show of strength against what emerged as a sudden arms race in the region.

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Update - 31.03.2006

<General Information>

The Free Land of Old El Paso is a small, socially progressive nation, remarkable for its barren, inhospitable landscape. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 18 million are rabid consumers, partly through choice and partly because the government tells them to and dissenters tend to vanish from their homes at night.

The enormous, corrupt, pro-business government is mainly concerned with Law & Order, although Defence and Commerce are on the agenda. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 23%. A large private sector is led by the Furniture Restoration, Information Technology, and Cheese Exports industries.

Meat-eating is frowned upon, employers may fire workers without giving any reason, the streets are increasingly clogged with poverty-stricken beggars, and the government's religious works are headed by a New Age guru. Crime is a serious problem. Old El Paso's national animal is the Llama, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the Taco.

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Update 20/04/06


Political Upheaval

Old El Paso has recently instigated a series of political reforms. The structure of the government has not changed, however the political freedoms of the populace have been drastically reduced. Chief of Chiefs Skub has been instrumental in this and many fear he is setting himself up for singular rulership of the nation, giving himself overall rule with the Moot becoming nothing more than an advisory body.

The recently formed Old El Paso National Security Burea has been decidedly harsh upon those challenging any of the new laws and restrictions opposed, with imprisonment one of the least harsh penalties for dissenters.

While tourists are still more than welcome and if anything the funds being poured from the government coffers into the military and police are not only creating jobs for the locals but making the counrty a far safer place to be, it appears the country is lurching away from being Free Peoples and towards a Dictatorship.

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Update 10/05/06

Chief of Chief Grundo Skub has officially revised the standing of the Moot to an advisory body for the government, and has announced that elections are no longer to be held to appoint a Chief of Chiefs but that instead he shall remain head of Government and the High Llama shall be granted the power to select and dismiss the Chief of Chiefs as he sees fit.

This change was inacted with great speed and surprising subterfuge - the peoples of Old El Paso were hardly aware of the change. By the time information ahd filtered through some substantial crowd pleasing ammendmends to governmental policy had been enacted which pacified the populace, though worries remain given the governments recent support for ancient and notoriously sectarian religious groups.

The Empire of Old El Paso

Short name: El Paso
Local name: Che'El

Official language(s): Enchiladin
Other language(s): No Recognised Second Language
Capital: Sporados
Currency: The Taco (Decimal - 100 Nachos to a Taco)
National animal: The Llama
Motto: If We Want Your Opinion, We'll Tell You What It Is
National Anthem: New Anthem To Be Decided

Government

(Head of State)
High Llama - Armando El Paso

(Head of Government):
Chief of Chiefs - Grundo Skub