Easway

Easway (/i:s.weɪ/), or officially the Realm of Easway on Bear Island and the Pomor's Strait, is an island micronation in Svalbard that claims Bear Island (Bjørnøya), Hopen, locally known as Noodle Island, the The Pomor's Isles, formally known as Kong Karls Land, and Reike Eisoux (Ryke Yseøyane), four island chains also claimed by Norway, as its territory. The nation declared successful independence on 14th December 2017, solely as Bear Island, with annexation of Hopen taking place on May 24th 2020, and the Annexation of Kong Karls Land taking place on December 31st 2020. An annexation of Ryke Yseøyane was successfully completed on July 21st 2021.

Located in the outskirts of Southern and Eastern Svalbard, Easway covers only 569 square kilometres with only approximately 225 square kilometres of sustainable liveable land, the other 342 kilometres located on the Pomor's Isles is classified as a national park.

The population of Easway is incredibly small but is projected in a report produced by the Imperial Council to be ideal for 4500 permanent citizens excluding tourists.

Its capital municipality is Boriopa City on Bear Island, the largest non-national park island in Easway. The capital is located in the North on the flattest and lowest terrain of the island, containing the Government Palace and national radio station. The official languages of Easway are Easwegian, Norwegian and English.

Etymology
The name of the country in English is split up into two parts. Eas- & -way.

The Eas derives from "eastern", referring to both its geographical location directionally east of the Atlantic as well as its culture which is more orientated to the east than traditional western customs. The name was coined by the Emizerri as one of the driving points for "a new Realm with a restored Easwegian national identity", and is derived from the English translation of the old Norse "Austrvegr", the name for eastern portion of what the Icelandic vikings called Svalbarði, "cold shores", modern day Svalbard. The Icelandic Vikings once residents of Bear Island called the Zerri peod "Austmenn" and their language "Auska", before they eventually assimilated forming middle Easwegian.

The name Ezerrye literally means "The Rich Realm." The name for Easwegian people in Easwegian is Zerri and the name of the language is Ezerryen.

The name Jarneg comes from the Norwegian word "jarn" meaning iron and "eg" a derivative of Noreg (Norway). The name originally comes from Icelandic Járnsland (Iron land), which the Icelandic vikings in the 12th century named modern day Bear Island, the island in Svalbard they settled on after crashing their boat trying to find harbour.

Mythology
In Easwegian mythology, Easway was settled during the 12th century from people of the White Sea as well as sailors of the Viking era. Originally called Essrinans; those who stayed, later became known as Easwegians, and due to their isolation, a language isolate formed known as Easwegian, which although not having a specific language family parent, has many Germanic, Saami and Russian loan words, which were borrowed from the people that Easwegians traded with.

Documented History
Modern Europeans first visited the Island in 1596 when Willem Barentsz sighted the Island on June 10th 1596. Thomas Edge later visited the Island in 1609 on the Paul, and claimed it for the British Crown. This claim was later released when mass walruss-Hunting, mainly in modern day Urdport had driven the remaining alive Walruses from the Island.

Modern History
Bear Island had long been under sovereign control of the Kingdom of Norway, but with special laws in the Svalbard treaty which upon many things allowed any foreign national to visit the Island (and the archipelago). This over the past two centuries had led many to come to the Island, squander the natural resources, toxify the important lakes with dangerous compounds, and become of complete privatisation give nothing back to the Island in development.

As response to this problem, the Kingdom of Norway in 2002 declared the entire island of Bear Island a nature reserve in 2002, except one mile reserved for their own people and their administrative centres. The natives who did not immigrate to mainland Norway were left in land they could not legally develop, and the Norwegian administration did nothing to purge the lakes of the toxicity left behind, therefore in the view of the natives keeping the island stuck in the Dark Ages.

In October 2015, the "Cyber Council" was created with one of the Bear Island resident's, a young teenager Emiliaazei's involvement, as a front to explore both future independence avenues but also was used as a forum to discuss how an independent nation of "Zerri" or "Ezerrua" could build. There was no set leader in the Cyber Council just people, but other actions that were taken in the Cyber Council involved communal fishing responsibilities, intelligence gathering, and ore extraction.

The Cyber Council gained its name from being a non recognised entity of the Norwegian government which employed the Internet and technology for organising meetings and conferring with members.

In 2017, now with Emiliaazei going by the Emizerri calling himself part of the growing movement of the "Easwegian people", (or Zerri) a distinction from Norwegian thought it was ready after underground work to seek the land for the Easwegian people, and the people that wanted to permanently live on the island. He wanted to take back control of the island and create a new Realm, restore Easwegian as a nationally spoken language, and form the national identity for the people of Easway, creating a constitution which would ensure equal partnership and a dream of development. His friend Desourrë agreed, & so using the Ouroboros Party, Emizerri and Desourrë on November 24th 2017 began preparation for the overtaking of Bear Island. This event is known as the Easwegian Revolution and included the appointment of the Emizerri as Grand Marshal, and Desourrë as Commissar of Bear Island. The armed departments of the Bear Island Commissariat were collectively known as Emando; Easwegian for protection. The new Commissar Desourrë, nickname Maximus; Latin for Greatest, was tasked with securing the integrity of the Realm during the coming take over of the Island by organising troop structure and securing key targets. Two main military districts were set up; one around Liyvazun in the historical Easwegian region of Essrina, and one around the mountain of Miseryfjellet, with the region given the placeholder name Saamellye; land of the Saami.

The following month once positions were secured, Grand Marshal Emizerri ordered the March on Herwighamna, which led to the Easwegian Militia securing all strategic districts of Bear Island.

Once the bloodless revolution was successful, Norway didn't respond with any force, allowing the takeover of the Island but enacting a policy of not recognising Easway's sovereignty. The Emizerri predicted this beforehand, and winning this gamble allowed him to create a provisional government and announce the independence of Easway, then known as the Mainland of Easway on Bear Island on December 14th 2021. With much work to do in creating a successful state, the people voted in the Emizerri as Emperor on December 19th, in order for someone to hold an all encompassing role that would allow mass change to be carried out. The Emizerri appointed Desourrë as the second Grand Marshal the same day with his new powers.

Provisional Capital
From independence until October 7th 2019, the Provisional capital of Easway was set in the centre of Bear Island between modern day Essrina and Urdport. Its centrum, where the ad hoc government centre for matters of the people was in the modern day Lordship Gardens, (Liyvazun) whilst the main neighbourhoods were in Greater Steinflya. It included Lake Emizerri, which is now part of Chuoscharni Prefecture. The capital was simply known as Niyvezun in Easwegian (the capital town).

During the end of 2017 until the end of 2019 the new Emperor's main task was standardising and creating a new script for the Easwegian Language. Many scripts were considered with the Emizerri finally deciding on a simplified phonetic adaption of the Latin script for Easwegian, based on Germanic spellings and with the optional "ç" and "ë" letters. Easwegian became the national spoken language of Easway at the beginning of the new year, January 1st 2017 and remained the only national language until May 31st 2019 when the Emperor in reviewing the Constitution decided that an equal and egalitarian nation should not shut out the Norwegians from their voice within the settling state. On this date in an effort to decentralise the Island, the new Eastern region of Bear Island was renamed from Saamellye to Urdport, meaning "Gates of the Urd."

As the priorities of the Emperor became more complex, a second leader for the Nation was decided who would manage internal affairs related to the economy and to the people, aswell as fully managing the state militia. The office of President was created in the constitution on June 11th 2018, with the new President Aleksou Maximus Desourrë being sworn in in the early hours of the morning June 12th. "I will be a president obsessed with only one thing....the survival, preservation and prosperity of our ppl above all." The President's first act was recommending to the Emperor a new flag based on the Ouroboros that would instill pride within the nation, and this was created during the day with adjustments by the Emizerri, and then made official.

Throughout the rest of the couple of years that the President position was open many economical decisions were considered for Easway which aimed to create a successful living for the people of Easway with the harder natural circumstances of the country being in the Arctic circle. Initially, market socialism was experimented on as a policy before it was switched to social democracy through wants to attract foreign businesses with a capitalist system. The balance was seen as necessary to gain the best quality of life for Easwegian citizens, as Easway was advancing from a previously semi-feudalist society.

On May 31st 2019, Bear Island in a new effort to decentralise the Islands with the 2019 Constitution of Easway being made through an emerging Directorial push was split between the Western Easwegian-majority Essrina the Eastern Norwegian-majority speaking Saamellye (quickly renamed Urdport). From the beginning of June 2019 due to circumstances out of the Emizerri's control, he has to handle internal matters with his extended family, travelling to the United Kingdom for three months. During this period, the President of Easway, Maximus took charge of affairs and continued handling government matters, but did not wish to touch state matters without the presence of the Emperor. During this time the soon to be Director Csyeigo liasoned with the Emperor and acted as his crown representative. With co-operation between the Emperor and Csyeigo whilst still away, Csyeigo created the official flag of Essrina, which highlighted the fishing culture of the region. For this, the Emperor made Csyeigo the first Director on August 10th 2019, managing the Easwegian Committee for Language and Culture. This established the National Directorate and was the first major signs of a shift towards a Directorial Realm which lasts until this day.

The period of the Emizerri's absence saw the citizens of Easway miss him greatly and as such as is termed "the great absence" (Easwegian: "Stillëgraich).

Later on in the year on October 7th a third province was chartered and named Boriopa City, after the Easwegians historical name of the continent. This would be a linguistically neutral region with its own Governor and would also adopt English as a lingua franca between the two languages.

An Annexation of Kvitøya took place on March 20th 2021, but was retaken by Norwegian forces on June 2nd, the same year. There was serious doubt in the Council of the need for the island, one much larger than Bear Island and the cost and resources of sending opposing forces (a circumnavigation can take up to two weeks) and so jurisdiction was handed back to the Norwegian government. Easway ceased to claim the island on June 21st 2021.

Politics
The politics of Easway is governed by the 2019 Constitution which guarantees fundamental democracy, freedom of expression, and local autonomy under a separation of powers. This constitution is a mix between anarchistic, statist and socially democratic principles, taking inspiration from the Swiss and Sammarinese directorial systems. Four Marquis - one from each Municipality are elected to the Council once per year to serve in interchanging three months terms as the joint heads of state. The general public elect the Emperor, who serves for life until challenged by a Marquis, former Marquis, or elected representative heading a party.

Ten Directors are elected every six months between two islands to serve in the National Directorate, under a vast and dominating multi-party system.

Geography


Easway is separated up into two Island Regions with similar terrains; Bear Island & the Pomor's Strait, lying roughly 250km from both mainland Norway & Svalbard. These regions are made up of only Islands, which are mostly defined by their steep rocky cliffs on the outskirts which protect the rest of the island from the rough Barents seas waves.

Bear Island
The island's outline is an approximate triangle pointing south with a greatest north-south extension of 20 kilometres (12 mi) and a greatest east-west extension of 15.5 kilometres (9.6 mi). Its surface area is 178 square kilometres (69 sq mi). The southern part of Bjørnøya is mountainous, the highest top being Miseryfjellet on the southeast coast at about 536 metres (1,759 ft) above sea level.

Other notable mountains are Antarcticfjellet in the southeast, and Fuglefjellet, Hambergfjellet and Alfredfjellet in the southwest. The northern part of the island forms a lowland plain that covers some two thirds of the surface area.

The Government defines the Island into three main regions; the "Region of Many Lakes" in Essrina, the "Region of Steep Mountains" in Urdport, and the "Region of Low Beaches & Tributaries" in Boriopa. The island also has many small islets dotting all corners of its shores.

Flora & Fauna
Bear Island was the site of a pioneering ecological study by Victor Summerhayes and Charles Elton in the early 1920s, which produced one of the first food web diagrams. Before the plans made by the Easwegian government, there was a little plant growth, which consisted mostly of moss and some scurvy grass. Easway has no natural trees although research is being done by the Imperial Council's development Ministry to see if there can be certain species of trees imported and survive.

The only indigenous land mammals are a few Arctic foxes. Despite its name, Bear Island is not a permanent residence of polar bears, although many arrive with the expanding pack ice in the winter. Occasionally, a bear will stay behind when the ice retreats in spring and remain through the summer months. Moreover, the sub-population of Ursus maritimus polar bears found here is a genetically distinct set of polar bears associated with the Barents Sea region. In the Pomor's Strait, there are a vast amount of Polar Bears, with The Pomor's Isles being one of the most concentrated locations of Polar Bears in all of Svalbard.

Ringed seal and bearded seal, prey of the polar bear, live in the waters near Bjørnøya, but the formerly common walruses have nowadays become guests, partly due to overhunting by colonial businesses in the past. Bear Island's freshwater lakes are the home of some arctic fish species like the Arctic char, such as in Ella's Lake, and Lake Ecaalouç, which is named after the fish in Easwegian.

The only land birds are snow buntings and rock ptarmigans, but the island is rich in seabirds that nest on the southern cliffs. Other species visit the island during their seasonal migration between Svalbard's northern islands and mainland Europe.

Bear island has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. It supports breeding populations of northern fulmars (50,000–60,000 pairs), purple sandpipers, red phalaropes (10 pairs), glaucous gulls (2000 pairs), black-legged kittiwakes (100,000 pairs), little auks (10,000–100,000 pairs), common guillemots (50,000 pairs), thick-billed guillemots (190,000 individuals) and black guillemots (1000 pairs).

It also supports migratory populations of pink-footed geese (30,000 individuals), barnacle geese and long-tailed ducks.

Hopen Island has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. It supports breeding populations of black-legged kittiwakes (40,000 pairs), thick-billed guillemots (150,000 individuals) and black guillemots (1000 pairs).

Cuisine
The cuisine of Easway is heavily based on the food that can be cultivated or hunted due to the arctic climate, and the surrounding countries that companies can trade with. Although despite Easway being wholly within the Arctic circle, the selection of food is quite diverse due to the unusually moderate climates that Easway usually experiences, especially during the summer, and the long standing trade routes which the Easwegian people used which introduced them to new dishes and new ways of cooking and making do within tougher conditions.

Easway is best known infamously for its National Dessert; Garlic Ice cream. The dessert which is made up of vanilla ice cream (sometimes made from Sheep's Milk, sometimes Cow's milk) and baked and blended garlics, is described to have a delicious savoury taste.

Tea; especially mint tea is a popular hot beverage among Easwegians.

Easway has many co-operative brewing industries which specialise around ale.