Lindenholt

The Kingdom of Lindenholt, commonly referred to as just Lindenholt ( pronounced ), is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy located in Western Ventismar. It is a medium-sized country with a population of around 73 million people, most of which live in the country's thirteen provinces in Ventismar. Around a hundred thousand Lindians live on the Maximilian Islands off the coast of Corentia, giving Lindenholt a maritime border with Ispanza and Sunrisia. Lindenholt proper borders Ripuaria to the east. To the north, separated by the Amica Channel, lies Capsland, which is connected to Lindenholt through the Guildelew Tunnel.

The country's capital and largest city is Artwingen, with the second largest city being Stokfort. The third largest city, Dorningen, hosts the world's largest sea port. This port, along with the Sonnae-Kreugel river system is the lifeline of Western Ventismar, as goods flow from and to the hinterland via Dorningen.

Lindenholt has had a long history of trade, with the Guldebond and Zilverbond starting a trade network in the 13th century, to traders laying the foundations of international trade in the Arnholm Sea trade and merchants sailing the world's oceans during the 17th and 18th centuries. Lindenholt also has a history of tolerance, and has even fought a war to practice their religion freely during the reformation period. This war resulted in the unification of Lindenholt in 1599. Today this tolerance is reflected in Lindenholt's fully legalised prostitution, abortion, euthanasia, same sex marriage, its liberal drug policy and extensive civil rights and liberties.

Lindenholt is one of the founding members of the United Sunalayan Assembly. It is also a founding member of the Ventismar Union, and its currency the Aurei.

Lindenholt has a free market economy, and ranks in the top ten GDP per capitas in the world. It is one of the 10 largest economies in Sunalaya, and is ranked 4th in the human development index with a very high standard of living.

Etymology
The area that is modern-day eastern Lindenholt was known in as Tilia Silvestris. This name, coined by the Ilyesians referred to an area in North Western Ventismar that compromised Western Ripuaria and Eastern Lindenholt. This area was inhabited by Celtic tribes that predominantly lived in forests that are recorded in history to be rich in.

The Latin name for the area was used during the early middle ages exclusively to refer to Germanic language speaking areas west of French speaking Ripuaria. By this time most of the linden forests had been cut down to make way for pastures and farmland. Regardless of the change in landscape, the area still retained its old name.

The name Lindenholt, which was translated from Latin, would not appear in literature until 1341. It is believed that before this record Guldebond traders would introduce themselves as hailing from the "linden forest" (linden holt in Old Dutch).

Demographics
According to Linfo's 2017 census, Lindenholt has a population of 73,453,603, of those 33,610,652 people live in the country's thirty largest cities. Lindenholt's population density is around 179 people per square kilometre, although this figure is an average for the entire country. In reality the eastern part of Lindenholt is much more densely populated than the west, which is largely rural.

In 1900 the country had a population of around 34 million people. Over the past 100 years the population had almost doubled, as in 2000 Lindenholt reached a population of almost 70 million. In 2015 Linfo registered a birth rate of 13 births per 1000 inhabitants. Coupled with a positive migration rate, Lindenholt's population has an annual growth rate of 0.6%.

According to Linfo there are 7,811,114 people in Lindenholt of whom at least one parent was not born in Lindenholt. According to estimates of the Lindian LGBTQ movement, there are around 3.8 million self-proclaimed members of the LGBTQ community.

Language
Lindenholt's national language is. Schools nationwide teach the language and use it for instructions. Standard Dutch is predominantly spoken in urbanised areas of the country. Informal communication in rural areas is usually conducted in what is collectively referred to as plat (lit. "flat"), which are local dialects. Despite the vast majority of rural inhabitants being proficient in Standard Dutch the day to day language in the countryside is plat.

In the province of Frêsland the has a special status. Along with standard Dutch, all government services and school instructions are offered in Frisian as well. Additionally schools in the province are required to teach the Frisian language together with Dutch.

Around 96% of the Lindian population is at least fluent in the Dutch language. With the remaining 4% consisting mostly out of foreigners.

Linfo conducted a survey in 2012, finding that around 38% of Lindians above the age of 18 were conversationally proficient in and around 85% were sufficient in. This high English proficiency can be attributed to the Lindian education system teaching English as a second language from primary school through the end of secondary education, combined with high every day exposure to the English language.

Religion
Religion in Lindian culture is often regarded as a private matter. Those who adhere to a religion often only practice it at home, or a place of worship. Lindenholt is a secular state, with strong influences from. While the Lindian constitution guarantees freedom of religion, institutions funded or operated by the state act with a strict neutral religious character. Government employees are not allowed to display or otherwise disclose their religious affiliation. A similar situation exists in publicly funded education, where students and teachers may not visibly display their religious affiliation through wearing religious symbols such as necklaces with a cross, headscarves or a.

Irreligiousness, atheism and agnosticism are on the rise in Lindenholt, and form the largest religious group with nearly 56% of the population declaring themselves as one of the three aforementioned groups. Historically, up until the 1960's, the vast majority of Lindians were either or. Traditionally, the Kreugel, Sonnae and Waads rivers formed a rough border between the Calvinist north and Catholic south, although pockets of both denominations can be found far from the "border". Large cities are usually a roughly equal mix between Catholics and Calvinists as during the industrial revolution people migrated from throughout the country to cities. Similarly, provinces wholly or at least partially reclaimed from the sea are also roughly equally mixed. Here the government made an active effort to populate these newly created lands as diversely as possible.

Starting during the industrialisation period, the urbanisation of Lindenholt led to cities with mixed religious and political backgrounds. Generally, the main zuilen (lit. "") of Lindian society were recognised to be the socialists, liberals, Catholics and Calvinists. Each pillar created their own social institutions such as schools, universities, news papers, radio and television channels, political parties, stores, sport and hobby clubs, and trade unions. Despite often living in mixed neighbourhoods, members of each pillar made use of their own pillar's social institutions. Marriages outside of one's own pillar were taboo, and there was little social interaction between members of differing pillars. This voluntary segregation is the pillarisation of Lindian society.

During the Second World War, members of each pillar had fought and died side-by-side to defend their country. This, along with a new generation of post-war Lindians being wealthier, better educated and more outspoken than their parents made it more likely for them to no longer identify with a specific pillar. The rise of irreligiousness, the rebellious character of youth in the 1960's, a sense of unity instilled during the war and the coming of immigrants eventually brought an end to pillarisation during the 1960's.

Health
Lindenholt boasts a healthcare system renown for its standards and quality. The healthcare system is a mixed market system where adults are required by law to obtain private insurance. Children and students are are covered under a tax-payer funded system, although they can obtain extra insurance policies through private insurers as well.

The health insurance industry is well-regulated and government oversight is widespread. Since all Lindians are required by law to obtain basic health insurance via a private insurer, these private insurers are not allowed to discriminate on existing conditions or any other factors. Such distinctions are allowed to be made when it comes to supplementary insurance policies, something which has led to controversies in the past.

Prices for basic health insurance are set by the government, whilst the private sector can decide prices for additional services, coverage and benefits. For instance, basic health insurance only covers care within the Ventismar Union; insurers offer world-wide insurance plans separately for a higher price.

Lindenholt has an average life expectancy of almost 82 years, which ranks it as one of the highest in the world. Conversely, the infant mortality rate is one of the lowest in the world, with 4 deaths in 1000 live births. Currently the principle cause of death is due to malignant tumours and cancers, with cardiovascular diseases being a close second. Obesity, while a serious problem in most of the developed world, has not seen as big a rise in Lindenholt over the past twenty years. In part due to an active culture and successful government programmes encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

Education
The Lindian constitution describes education as a "fundamental right to every person". All forms of education in Lindenholt are free of charge for students, and students from ages four to sixteen are required to attend school. Lindian schools not only focus on theoretical knowledge and students mastering practical skills, schools are also regarded as a place where children become well rounded adults that are capable of functioning in Lindian society.

The concept of learning at one's own pace and level is central to the Lindian education system. From age twelve, students that will attend middle school are separated in to one of three differing academic levels. Praktijk provides practically skilled students with a pre-vocational education for four years. Lyceum prepares students to attend college after five years. Atheneum takes six years to complete and is meant to prepare gifted students for university.

Most universities are open to the public, however all of them require an atheneum diploma or an equivalent to enrol. Universities usually put their focus on academic achievements and research, whilst colleges are of a more practical character. Whereas a university student will graduate university through a thesis, college students usually graduate on the basis of an internship. Despite the differences, both institutions award graduates with internationally recognised Bachelor's and Master's degrees.

On average Lindian students spend around eighteen to nineteen years in school. On average these years will be divided as follows: two years in kindergarten (ages 2-4), eight years in primary school (4-12), four, five or six years in middle school (12-16, 17 or 18) and three to four years in university, college or vocational education.

Prehistoric Lindenholt
Archaeological records show that the area that is modern-day Lindenholt has been inhabited by humans for at least 40,000 years. It is evident that  groups roamed the country during the last ice age, and settled the land around 8000 BC. These groups built canoes to fish and traverse marshlands and rivers. Lindenholt's geography required canoes for travel, as sediments left by glaciers during previous ice ages left a flat, low-lying landscape dotted with shallow lakes and bogs.

Modern humans were not the only inhabitants of Lindenholt however. The first recorded humans in Lindenholt were the . They inhabited Lindenholt during the late. Evidence suggests they intermingled with the later arriving modern humans and died out somewhere between the end of the ice ages and the introduction of agriculture. It is widely believed that the overwhelming competition from modern humans is what drove the Homo Tilialis to their extinction.

Around 5000 BC members of Central Ventismarien tribes migrated to modern-day Lindenholt. They brought agriculture and animal husbandry, which was quickly adopted by local tribes and cultures. The advent of agriculture led to an increase in pottery. Different cultures were distinguished by patterns applied to pottery used to store grain, other crops and fluids. Prehistoric Lindians were milk drinkers and brewed alcoholic drinks such as beer. These cultures were the so-called Beakercultures, they include the Spike, Dent, Line, Spiral, and Bundle groups.



Between 4100 and 3200 BC the Vrezen-culture started burying wealthy tribesmen in. These grave monuments were constructed mainly on what is today the island of Sonnemonde due to the solid ground in comparison with peatlands surrounding it. Evidence exists of early dolmen whose heavy megaliths had sunk in to the soft ground. Around fifty dolmen remain on the island, mainly as tourist attractions.

Around 2000 BC an important trade route along the Sonae river brought to Lindenholt, ushering in the. During the bronze age the country also saw a significant increase in population. The introduction of the oxen plough made cultivating the heavy clay soils possible which increased the food supply.

Pre-Ilyesian period
The expansion that took place across Ventismar reached Lindenholt around 1000 BCE. Celtic tribes settled the in the modern day province of Uilenbergen. Archaeological excavations in the Uilenberger Heath show that the so-called Heath-culture introduced iron to Lindenholt, this marked the start of the.

Newly introduced metalworking allowed for the creation of higher quality tools; which in turn led to increased crop yields. This allowed for a rise in population but also allowed for the number of people not involved in agriculture to increase. From 800 BC onward trade and crafts developed, which led to the creation of the first urban centres. These urban centres were usually situated in areas beneficial for trade with other settlements and the countryside. The earliest urban centres usually evolved from being market places and areas of commerce in to fully fledged settlements. Around 700 BCE several of these settlements had reached a population of around a thousand. As attacks from raiders and hostile tribes were frequent, most urban areas were protected with wooden and earth fortifications.

Settlements around the areas of Seigerberg, Beutrecht and Elkenstad were founded by in the east of the country. Celtic groups lay the foundations for cities such as Reurink in the north east. Archaeologists have identified the remains of all the previously named settlements being completely or at least partially destroyed multiple times before the start of the Ilyesian Empire, after which the settlements survived in to the modern era.

Despite Germanic tribes being in the majority, up until 450 BC most wealth was in de hands of Celtic aristocrats. Attracted by their relative prosperity, Germanic tribes moved north to emigrate in to Celtic controlled territories. After several generations, Germanic tribesmen had taken over previously Celtic settlements. Effectively ending significant Celtic influence in pre-Ilyesian Lindenholt two centuries before the arrival of the Ilyesians.

High middle ages
As tribes in Allentyr were  and assimilated, the past centuries saw the decline of the Vikings. This had brought about a steady increase in economic activity and population growth in Lindenholt and the broader Nordismar region. As the threat of Vikings was completely subdued in the 11th century, the seas and estuaries of northern Ventismar were once again safe for trade ships. The start of the saw a brief period of peace. In Lindenholt, the powerful class of warriors and mercenaries that had risen to combat the threat of Viking invasion now found themselves without much of a job. As such they were integrated as in to the Lindian court culture, the so-called . Around this time, serfs which had been placed in positions of power and responsibility, the so-called, were also integrated in to the court; often serving as knights.

The period of peace led to an increase in economic activity which in turn led to a large and rapid growth in population. This growth would prove unsustainable however, as farmland available for new serfs was running out and demand for food, trade goods and employment was growing. Largely unsettled bog lands, collectively called hoogveen, found primarily in the centre and north east of the country provided the answer to these problems. While work on reclaiming these areas for settlement and agriculture had started in the 9th century, the reclamation process was accelerated considerably in the 11th century. This was by and large due to the introduction of the modern iron plough. The iron plough, which replaced the ancient wooden, allowed farmers to plough the heavier clay and peat soils of the hoogveen deeper than was possible with the ard. Ploughing deeper improved the poor soil conditions and fertility of the reclaimed areas.

While the introduction of the modern plough and adoption of the made the reclaimed lands more habitable and fertile for select crops, it had still not increased soil fertility to the point where it could support the widespread cultivation of "bread grains", such as  and. Most reclaimed areas were suitable for the growing of, weeds, grass and. As a result, most of the hoogveen were primarily used for animal husbandry.

As the reclaimed lands had no native population to speak of, a colonisation effort to populate these areas was necessary. Since the introduction of feudalism, serfs had been bound to the land where they were born. It was a common courtesy among fiefs and lords to extradite serfs that had moved or fled from the land they were bound to. Many hoogveen fiefs would break this tradition, as they pledged that new settlers would not be extradited to their previous lord, in addition to promising more liberties and a decreased tax burden. This was done in order to persuade serfs to settle the newly reclaimed parts of the country. The favourable laws in the hoogveen led to a mass exodus of farmers and serfs from all across the country to the reclaimed hoogveen. Presented with the threat of losing their able bodied men, several lords and fiefs called for standardisation of feudal practices. This led to the Treaty of Elkenstad, where all the fiefdoms of the Lindian Realm standardised their feudal practices. It did not bring much more liberty to the serfs as they were still bound to their lands. It did however universally abolish feudal practices such as corvée and socage.

During the high middle ages other practices would also be standardised, the most notable of which were the establishment of the landscapes to collectively manage water defence works and the establishments of the Guldebond and Zilverbond to manage trade.

The Kreugel-Beutrecht war (1131-1143) saw both parties destroy water management infrastructure around the Kreugel and Sonnae rivers. An already high water level and a storm coupled with weak water defences as a result of the war led to thousands drowning and extensive damage being done all along the path of the rivers. The worst victims of the flood were fiefdoms that had declared themselves neutral in the war. The aftermath of the war and flood saw the creation of the landscapes. Instead of each of the fiefdoms being responsible for the maintenance of their own water defences, this responsibility would from now on lie in the hands of (at first) 27 landscapes that encompassed the entire Lindian realm. Each had a collectively run council that was politically neutral and received contributions provided by the fiefs.

Age of reformation
Years of discontent with the Catholic church would prompt, a member of the clergy, to write and post his on the door of the cathedral of Ellijn in 1517. This event is widely recognised as the start of the reformation in Ventismar. Throughout the 16th century Lindenholt would be a the centre of the reformation, being the home of religious groups such as and. Despite being a large world-wide Christian sect, Lutheranism never caught on in Lindenholt. Reformatory ideas however did survive, and led to the establishment of Calvinism several decades later which did take hold, especially in the north of the country.

Fed up with the discrimination that Calvinists had to endure, in 1576 the first took place. Calvinists and other Protestants rose up in Lindenholt's major cities and defaced church property such as statues, murals and paintings. Several days after the first beeldenstorm, groups of Protestants organised and moved to the countryside to continue the destruction of church property there. What is notable about the first beeldenstorm is that a significant minority of rioters were well-off merchants primarily working in the lucrative textile trade. The fact that influential merchants participated in these events put mayors of major cities in a dilemma, as punishing rich traders would significantly hurt the economy of many cities which were dependent on the textile trade. In the end, rioters in cities such as Artwingen, Beutrecht and Stokfort went without punishment. These cities' tolerance towards Protestant sects also made them a hotbed for Protestant refugees from around the world, which led to an influx of successful non-Catholic merchants, scientists and artists.

In other cities, particularly in the south, Protestants (regardless of whether or not they had participated in the beeldenstorm) were sentenced to death, most commonly by burning on the stake. These harsh punishments were directly ordered by the Fleuvien Emperor, who would also go to establish the Conseil des Troubles (lit. Council of Troubles). This special tribunal convicted and punished heretics and their supporters. As they operated on direct orders of the Fleuvien Emperor, the council believed they had jurisdiction over the entirety of the Lindian Realm. In 1581 however members of the council were denied entry in to the city of Artwingen by the city's mayor. That same year the Guldebond unanimously decided that none of its member cities within the Lindian Realm would allow for the persecution of religious groups by the. The events of 1568 resulted in the Fleuvien Emperor sending an army to Lindenholt in an effort to enforce the sentences of the council. This act was seen as a breach of sovereignty by many of the Lindian states, and led to a diplomatic quarrel between the Empire and the Realm.

In 1584 however Imperial troops besieged Artwingen after being denied entry in to the city. This siege resulted in an actual heated battle, where the defenders of the city fired upon the besieging Imperial army. The Siege of Artwingen lasted for two months, during which Guldebond states assembled an army of mercenaries that would liberate the city on 18 April of that year. Achttien april (lit. "Eighteenth of April") is celebrated in Lindenholt as a  with festivities around the country.

Upon the surrender of the Fleuvien army, the leaders of the Guldebond states convened in Beutrecht. There they collectively declared their independence from the Fleuvien Empire. This declaration of independence, the Forswearing of Beutrecht, launched the Fifteen Years' War that would lead to the creation of a united Lindian nation state.

Cappo-Lindian Union
The period from 1691 to 1732 is characterised by the stadtholdership of Charles V of Guildelew, known in Dutch as Karel Guldeleeuw. He was a member of a Lindian trader family that had familial connections to the throne of Capsland. Guildelew was the youngest elected stadtholder in the Republic's existence, at 32 years of age. Five years in to his term as stadtholder, in 1691, the King of Capsland had died without leaving a suitable heir to the throne. After a short period, lasting several months, the Capslandian parliament had decided to invite Karel Guldeleeuw to the Capslandian throne, citing his familial ties to the previous monarch and hoping to establish an alliance with the Lindian Republic to gain access to the Ophionese spice trade.

Guldeleeuw accepted the invitation, and was crowned King on July 8th 1691. He assumed the Anglicised name of Charles V of Guildelew, and formally founded the House of Guildelew, whose descendants have reigned over Capsland until the modern day.

Guildelew being crowned King of Capsland during his term as stadtholder of the Lindian Republic meant that effectively both nations were in a personal union.

Guildelew's reign was a difficult one from the start, as his opponents in Capsland saw him as a foreigner. His legitimacy was put to question continuously throughout his time on the throne. Guildelew's lacking English further reinforced these sentiments. In his native Lindenholt numerous attempts were made to remove him from his position. All these attempts failed however, as the trader and merchant blocs within the States General would veto his removal on grounds of the beneficial trade relationship between the two countries.

Despite the insubordinate, and sometimes even mutinous, behaviour of both Lindian and Capslandian rulers, the Cappo-Lindian Union would last until the death of Charles V of Guildelew in 1732. After his death, during the stadtholder elections of 1733, Willem Verbeek was elected. As he was unrelated to Guildelew he had no rights to the Capslandian throne; ending the Cappo-Lindian Union. Directly after becoming stadtholder, Verbeek instituted reforms that would no longer allow a stadtholder to hold a foreign royal title.

In many ways Lindenholt saw advancements during the the Cappo-Lindian Union. The establishment of the Artwingen-Louis Investment Bank, one of the oldest and still operating commercial banks in the world is often hailed as a great success of the period. Despite successes, scholars largely agree that split leadership and the opportunistic politics that developed during the Cappo-Lindian Union times eventually led to the decline of the Republic throughout the rest of the 18th century. Notwithstanding, Charles V Guildelew is remembered for bringing together Lindenholt and Capsland and forging an alliance that would last until the modern era.

Geography
The geography of Lindenholt is predominantly flat, with the only discrepancies being in the south east part of the country, where the Ripuarian border area contains the foothills of the Horns mountain range. Here the hilly landscape is home to Sonnae river and Lindenholt's highest peak at 467 metres. Hills can also be found in Fresia and Heelde. These hills, not much higher than 100 metres were formed by the ice sheets of the most recent ice age pushing on the land.

Similar geographic features can be found in the province of Uilenbergen in the east of the country. Here the Uilenberger Heaths were formed by push moraines of the second to last ice age. An other reminder of this event is the Uilenberger lake, which sits in the middle of the heath. The formation of this lake can also be credited to movement of glaciers in the distant past.

Most other areas of Lindenholt are low lying flat lands that rarely exceed 20 metres above sea level. The majority of areas situated under sea level are areas drained from bodies of water; so-called. During the middle ages many lakes were drained in the eastern part of the country through the use of iconic windmill pumps. The advent of steam powered pumps allowed for land reclamation in the west of the country. Here an formed a shallow body of water called the Westersea, with tidal flats and wetlands. Over the course of a century, nearly 80,000 square kilometres of land was won, destined for agriculture; making Lindenholt an agricultural powerhouse.



Land reclamation was not limited to lakes and marshes however. The entire province of Meijerwaard is land completely drained over the course of fifty years. This massive project, starting after the first great war, was only finished in 1986. It added a further 40,000 square kilometres of land destined for agriculture.

As is referenced by its name, the country used to be covered in woodlands and forests. However, in modern times the country is much less forested than in its past. Most of the forests were cleared to make way for pastures and fields throughout the ages, the bulk of which happened during the industrial revolution.

In order to relieve and help the unemployed during the 1930's the government planned a great reforestation of the country, using the labour of the newly unemployed men. The plan was to plant three million hectares of forest on pastures and fields that were no longer in use due to the economic downturn. Although the plans never fully came to fruition, as around 1 million hectares of forest was planted. The vast majority of forests present in the country today were planted during that time, and are thus artificial.

Climate
Lindenholt has a mild where extreme conditions are either non-existent or very rare. Temperatures seldom rise above thirty degrees and rarely drop below -10 degrees Celsius. Rain is very frequent in all seasons, and snow is often a rare sight during winters, even if temperatures are frigid. The geographical latitude of Lindenholt plays a role in the amount of sunlight received which varies by month. In December the nation receives about seven hours of sunlight whilst in the summer months it can receive up to seventeen hours of sunlight.

Administrative divisions
The Kingdom of Lindenholt is divided in to thirteen provinces, each of which is divided in to a varying number of landscapes. In total there are 86 landscapes with an additional governing body (over-sea-scape) for the Maximillian Islands, raising the number to 87. In turn, each landscape is divided in to a differing amount of municipalities. In total there are 764 municipalities in Lindenholt.

Parliament
Lindenholt is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, meaning that the main legislative powers fall in to the hands of the parliament, which is called the States General (Dutch: Staten Generaal). It is a assembly with 623 representatives that are elected via. The States General convenes at the Bewindshof in Artwingen. Members of parliament can all propose and vote on proposed legislation and motions, which pass voting when a simple majority is reached.

Parliamentary elections are held every four years, when a sitting cabinet resigns or when a cabinet is removed through a. Candidates for a parliamentary seat are put on a ballot list, and elected according to the. After elections, the largest party can choose to form a coalition and a cabinet in a process called formatie in order to form a government. Lindenholt has a multiparty system, and an outright majority by any party has never occurred in Lindian parliamentary history.

Once a new parliament goes in to session, members of parliament can vote to elect members to the Presidium, which includes the speaker. Each party can put forward two candidates for each of the eighteen available positions, after which members of parliament can vote until there are only two candidates left for each of the eighteen positions. At this point, a decides which candidate will be awarded the position. Unlike in other countries, members of the parliamentary Presidium retain their status as member of parliament, however they are barred from taking a part in debates whilst exercising their Presidium duties.

Political parties
Currently, there are seven parties represented in the Lindian parliament. These parties range from the left to the right in their political ideologies, with their position in parliament symbolising their political stance. While Lindenholt has always been a multiparty democracy, it was only after the pillarisation of Lindian society that such a wide variety of political ideologies were represented in the States General. After the war, Lindian politics made a restart; where the largest and most influential players were the Calvinist (GSP) and Catholic (UVK) Christian democratic parties alongside the social democratic Lindian Labourers Party. A small, yet adequately represented party was the Liberal People's Party which, at the time, was a classical liberal party. During pillarisation, all parties had a loyal and well entrenched voting base, meaning that election results were always roughly the same.

The first large shift in Lindian politics happened in 1964, when members from the Liberal People's Party split off to form their own, centrist political party, the Union of Democrats. They found that the continuous cooperation of the LVP with the conservative UVK and USP had pushed their party to the right. In the subsequent elections the UVD managed to rally students and other social liberals to take part in the elections. During the 1964 elections the UVD became the larger than the LVP, making them kingmakers for the next cabinet. UVD leadership decided to form a government with the left wing Lindian Labourers Party.

Up until the 1980's, Lindenholt would be led by coalition governments of the Lindian Labourers Party and the Union of Democrats. The time period from 1964-1980 is known as the Steegmans-era, where LAP prime minister Albert Steegmans was the longest serving prime minister in Lindian history. It was during this time that the LAP switched from being a traditional social democratic party, campaigning solely for worker's rights and left wing economics, to being a contemporary social democratic party that also fought for civil rights and socially left wing ideals.

Another major shift in the political landscape came in 1980, when the two largest Christian democratic parties (UVK and GSP) merged to form a united Christian democratic party. Lindian society had gotten less religious since the 1960's, when both Christian democratic parties were in charge, and the leaderships of both parties realised that a single party had a greater chance of winning elections. This tactic worked, as the United Ecumenistic Alliance (VOA) saw large successes during the 1980's and 1990's.

In 2004 a fraction of the LVP split off from the party to form Change '04 (V'04). This party, frustrated by the LVP's cooperation with the LAP and UVD, which they deemed to be too left wing, aimed to be a right wing counter movement.

In 2010, when the UVD government decided they would increase the retirement age from 65 to 67, the V'04 party split. While some fiscal conservatives within the party deemed it to be a necessary step in austerity, a somewhat more populist wing of the party decided to split off to form the United Seniors (VS) party, which evolved from a one-issue political movement to a fully fledged right wing populist party.

Cabinet
Officially the Council of Ministers, or simply the cabinet, is the main executive body of the Lindian government. Its members consist out of ministers, secretaries, the vice premier and the prime minister. In most circumstances members of the cabinet are elected members of parliament, however the separation of powers in the Lindian constitution prevents MPs from holding cabinet positions. Thus, members of the cabinet temporarily cede their seat to their political party, which selects a member from the party list to fill the minister's seat.

The current cabinet has a total of x ministries that are headed by an equal number of ministers. In addition to the ministers, there are also secretaries which are the head of a secretariat. They take over certain portfolios from their overarching ministry. With the vice premier and prime minister taken in to account, the currently sitting Tulpen I cabinet has x members from three parties.

Royal house
Lindenholt is a constitutional monarchy were the role of the monarch is described by the constitution. The constitution stipulates that the monarch enjoys individual ministerial responsibility, meaning that they cannot be held responsible for their actions. While the government operates in name of the monarch, neither the King nor any member of the royal house hold any political power. In fact, members of the royal house are bound to political neutrality by law.

Nowadays the monarchy functions as a national symbol with the aim of playing a unifying role within Lindian society. Members of the royal house often participate in charity events and represent Lindenholt in international gatherings. The current King's brother is the chairman of the Lindian Cancer Society, while his mother has been a long time member of the World Autism Fund.

The current monarch is King Maximilian IV of Stokfort, and his heir apparent is Prince Maximilian V.

Local politics
Lindenholt is a unitary state made up of thirteen provinces. The provinces are an administrative layer between the national government and landscapes. The provincial governments deal with matters such as spatial planning, energy, environmental protection, the regional economy and cultural affairs. Elections for provincial councils are held every four years, with political parties represented on the national level being the most represented.

The 86 landscapes of Lindenholt provide areas of the country with more local governance. Where the provinces deal with broad affairs, the landscapes are tasked with issues such as public transport, water management, welfare, agriculture, waste collection, and regional infrastructure. Landscapes have an executive board consisting out of a fixed number of experts (anywhere from 10-50%), with the rest of its members being indirectly elected officials.

The administrative layer closest to the national government in the Maximilian Islands is the so-called Governing Body, though often colloquially named the "Over-sea-scape" (Overzeeschap), as the body functions indistinguishably from a landscape. With the exception that it also takes over roles normally assigned to a provincial government.

Municipalities are the most local public body of Lindenholt. Most urban areas fall under a single municipality, with larger cities consisting out of multiple. In rural areas several villages may band together as a municipality. Every four years inhabitants of a municipality can elect members to their municipal council. Local parties form the backbones of municipal councils, as their knowledge of what themes play locally wins them votes.

The municipal councils elect mayors and aldermen, who in turn form the municipal board. Members of all municipal boards in a landscape in turn elect members to the landscape's executive council.

Foreign relations
Lindenholt maintains diplomatic relations with nearly all countries in Sunalaya, hosting diplomatic missions from all over the world. While Lindenholt pursues a semi-neutral role in diplomacy, it aims to promote democracy world-wide and acts on the world stage to maintain peace and stability. Especially in flashpoint areas in Ventismar such as Eikangaard.

Lindenholt is a founding member of the United Sunalayan Assembly and the Ventismar Union. The relations that Lindenholt maintains with their VU neighbours can be described as the closest diplomatic ties Lindenholt has. Especially considering the VU's common defence, free trade and often common foreign policy aspects. Other than the VU, Lindenholt maintains close relations with MDAA member states such as Sunrisia and the Seven United.

Military
Lindenholt's military consist of four service branches, including the Royal Lindian Land Forces, Royal Lindian Sea Forces, Royal Lindian Air Forces and Royal Lindian Realm Guard. The Realm Guard is tasked with police, security, coast guard and border patrol duties. The Rijkswacht, as it is called in Dutch, does not possess heavy equipment like other branches of the military as it deals mainly with civilian affairs. Although the Rijkswacht has access to assault rifles and armoured personnel carriers it uses them rarely, and units are often equipped with jeeps or SUVs and small machine guns.

Lindenholt's armed forces are effectively an all volunteer force, however military service is still in effect. All men age 17 through 27 are conscripted, however attendance has been suspended until a state of emergency is declared. Those between ages 17 and 27 who willingly report for duty are put through training and assigned to the national reserves. Reservists are compensated for when they are called to preform duties, however once they are demobilised they are not paid. Thus, reservists will have to attend other jobs to make a living.

The Royal Army, Koninklijke Landmacht, is Lindenholt's main defence force on the ground. The Lindian Royal Army is primarily made up out of air mobile and mechanised infantry units, and has a sizeable tank force to back up the mechanised infantry. The Lindian army is well trained and is equipped with modern materiel. It operates within Ventismar and currently is involved in keeping the Umbrelliet border safe from intrusion by Eikengaardan armed groups.

The Lindian army is one of the oldest standing armies in the world, and has been in existence in various forms since the formation of Lindenholt as a country. Although large parts of it still depended on mercenaries, some units were permanent. The largest of which was the Lindian Marine Corps who were tasked with protecting trade ships that sailed to the orient. After the establishment of the Kingdom of Lindenholt the army was wholly transformed in to being a conscription based army. In 1940 the Lindian army was beaten by invading forces of the Second World War and the only surviving units were volunteers who escaped to Capsland, or expeditionary forces in countries that were not occupied. In 2003 the army was reformed yet again to be a professional army and to no longer rely on conscripts.

The navy, Koninklijke Zeemacht, is Lindenholt's main defence force on the seas. Its primary duties are the defence of Lindenholt's territorial waters and the defence of Lindian trade shipping. Lindenholt has a sizeable fleet, with modern equipment. The navy mainly employs guided missile destroyers and maintains a fleet of frigates. The first modern Maximilian Class corvettes have also been commissioned in 2015 to assist the ageing fleet stationed in the Maximilian Islands.

The air force, Koninklijke Luchtmacht provides air to air, air to ground and other air related capabilities, such as logistics for the Lindian military. Lindenholt's air force was founded after the Second World War, when the army's Air Reconnaissance Service (Lucht Verkennings Dienst), Air Combat Unit (Luchtgevechtseenheid) and the navy's Nautical Air Service (Maritieme Lucht Dienst) were merged.

Lindenholt, next to developing their own weaponry, also imports military equipment from other countries. Allentyr being the largest supplier; followed by Aznazia. Domestic suppliers include Aerobus, Dekkers and Bouwer.

Economy
The Lindian economy is a developed Western Ventismarien economy, with its largest sectors being the services and manufacturing industries. Lindenholt boasts a high-tech agrochemical industry and easily cultivated polder areas in the west and centre of the country. These conditions allow Lindenholt to be, when ranked by exported value, the largest agricultural exporter in the world.

Lindenholt's membership to the VU grants it access to the Union's single market, allowing for seamless export to its neighbours. Marques and brands based in Lindenholt such as Dekkers, not!Miele and not!Bosch produce industrial machinery and household appliances, whilst multinational Multilever is a globally active producer of foodstuffs and consumer products. In addition to those industries, Lindenholt is also home to major automotive manufacturers such as Rijksautowerken, DAME and Jager.

Major industrial areas include the Kernstad, Stokfort and the port city of Dorningen. The latter of which hosts the world's largest port that is at the mouth of the Sonnae river system, which runs from Dorningen all the way to North Rukonia. Through canals the river system also allows for links to Umbrellya and Felsinia. In addition to being a major logistics hub, Dorningen is also home to a sizeable petroleum refining and aluminium refining industry.

Most of Lindenholt's services industry can be found in its three major cities, Artwingen, Stokfort and Dorningen, although Artwingen can be regarded as Lindenholt's undisputed financial capital. The city hosts Lindenholt's largest stock exchange, the Artwinger Stock Exchange (ASX), and the Artwingen-Louis Investment Bank's headquarters. An up and coming IT industry, which is currently experiencing large growth, is mainly centred in Stokfort.

Lindenholt uses the Aurei as their currency, which next to being the de facto currency of the Ventismar Union and being the second most traded currency in the world, is also the currency of VU member states Felsinia and Ripuaria.

Media
Freedom of the press and media is guaranteed by the Constitution of Lindenholt. This has allowed for the development of a free, diverse and sometimes assertive media landscape. Despite ending in the 1970's, its effects are still visible in newspapers, television and radio broadcasters.

The government finances, but exerts no direct influence over, the Lindian public broadcaster (Rijksomroep, often shortened to RO). The public broadcaster has three main television channels (RO1, RO2 and RO3) that are freely available to all households with access to television (>99% of Lindian households). RO1 is reserved for bi-hourly news broadcasts, talkshows and sports. RO2 is primarily used for series, documentaries and has a more varied broadcasting schedule. RO3 is aimed at younger audiences, with its own news broadcast aimed at children and programming whose audience ranges from toddlers to adolescents.

With the exception of the public news broadcasts (journaal), no television or radio programmes are produced by the public broadcaster. Instead, television and radio programmes are wholly produced by private (though often government subsidised) broadcasters and aired on the RO channels. Airing time is dictated by the amount of members this broadcaster has. These broadcasters are a leftover from the pillarisation of Lindenholt with each pillar having their own broadcaster.

Completely private broadcasters that do not receive government funding also exist. Private broadcasters make up about 40% of the audience share on television. Despite public TV having the majority of audience share, around 70% of the radio audiences listens primarily to private radio stations.

Similarly to television and radio, news papers are still influenced by their pillarised past. Just as is the case elsewhere in the world, interest in printed newspaper issues are declining. In recent years this has led to the end or fusion of several prominent newspapers. While most newspapers continue to print their paper editions, some of them have made a complete switch to digital issues, the most notable example of which is the Artwinger Courant, which is the most subscribed newspaper in Lindenholt and the most popular source of English-language Lindian news in the world. News collecting and summarising news sites, such as Vandaag.lin have also gained popularity. They source their news from several sources and condense it for their audience. Satirical and often controversial news sites such as De Azijnbode and the rebellious satirical right wing news site Nieuw.lin have also seen a rise in popularity.

Sport
There is no officially defined national sport of Lindenholt, however according to a survey conducted by Vandaag.lin the most popular practised sport is. Football is also the sport that is most watched on television. Around 18% of respondents claiming to practice a sport at least weekly reported they play hockey, whereas 52% of answers on the survey were for football. 10% of respondents play tennis on a weekly basis. The remaining 30% was split between a multitude of different sports.

The Lindian Secretariat for Sports estimates that around 53% of Lindians between the ages of 18 and 24 are part of some sort of sports association. This number is even higher for ages 12 through 18, with a percentage of 68%. This can be attributed to the Lindian education system taking great measures to promote sports, especially team sports, seeing them as an important instrument for a healthy body and a healthy mind.

Sports usually associated with Lindenholt are, and. Korfball was a popular sport until it lost its popularity over the course of the 20th century, in favour of football. Ice skating and cycling are still widely practised in their respective seasons.

Professional sports are dominated by. Lindenholt's premier football league, the Rijksliga consists out of eighteen football clubs from around the country. All football matches of the Rijksliga are broadcast by public broadcaster RO1. While football has the largest audience share of all televised sports other sports with significant audiences include cycling, ice skating, tennis and swimming.

During the Sunalympic season there is an increased interest in. Lindenholt has competed in the Sunalympics since the start of the modern Sunalympics. Lindian athletes have been successful contenders during the Sunalympics ranking [x] in the world for Sunalaympic medals.

Cuisine
Lindian cuisine is best described as rustic, largely shaped from its location and the historical needs of labourers and farmers. Lindenholt's location makes it so that grains, potatoes, dairy, fish and meats play a large role in the kitchen as ingredients. are known around the world to be typically Lindian, though the choice of pastries and desserts is not limited to just that. Ingredients for desserts are largely based on Lindenholt's location, with puddings being a common dessert as well as dairy based. pies from Heintsbergen province are also commonly eaten.

Vast pastures have allowed a well-ingrained dairy culture to develop. On average a single Lindian drinks 50 litres of milk eats around 20 kilograms of cheese on a yearly basis. Lindian cheeses, popular across the globe are a large part of culinary culture. Cheese is traditionally eaten on a sandwich (boterham) or as a snack in the form of small cubes; usually accompanied by sausages such as.

Fried foods enjoy large amounts of popularity among Lindians. , and  being the most iconic. Chips are thicker than the international standard, and can be eaten with a multitude of sauces, the most popular of which being mayonnaise. Lindenholt's colonial empire has also brought oriental styles of food, such as satay, to the dinner table. A patat oorlog, chips served with satay sauce, is a good example of this mix of east and west. Being surrounded by ocean also made fish a food for the masses. Battered and fried fish like and  are traditional snacks, usually eaten and served at marketplaces.

Other popular dishes with fish range from simple snacks like, raw brined herring served with onions, to somewhat more complicated dishes such as Oldeniel's traditional mussels, oysters and smoked eels.

Breakfasts are simple and usually only involve whole grain bread (volkoren) topped with cold cuts, cheese or sweet toppings such as, chocolate spreads, peanut butter or thick apple syrup. Gingerbread, called, and  (krentenbol) are also a common sight on breakfast tables. Both are usually topped with butter before eating. In recent years eating corn flakes or other breakfast cereals has gained popularity as well. Common breakfast drinks include milk, tea, coffee and fruit juices.

Lunch is more diverse as it can include similar items eaten during breakfast like whole grain bread topped with cheese, cold cuts or sweet toppings. However it can also be of a more caloric character and include fried snacks like, fried fish and chips. Soups are also often served as lunch.

Dinner, served around 6 PM in most cases, is a lot less intricate than other Ventismarien cultures. Traditional home dinners only have a main course, omitting any appetisers and dessert. Although tea, coffee and something that would typically be considered dessert is usually served several hours after dinner. This simplicity is part of Calvinist culture that most of Lindenholt adhered to. Southern areas that were more influenced by Catholicism have a more elaborate style of eating that does involve multiple courses.

Main courses are mostly season based, with foods usually eaten around the time that they would be harvested. Winters feature pea soup called and dishes like, whilst spring usually features a lot of asparagus dishes. Stereotypically the Lindian main course consists out of boiled potatoes (whole or mashed), any type of meat (beef, pork, poultry, less often mutton or lamb), a sauce or gravy and boiled vegetables.