Genovia is a small principality between France and Italy, often compared to Monaco.
History
in the year 568 Alboin, a Visigoth warlord, killed the king of Italy and made himself king. He decided to marry Rosagunde, the daughter of one of the former king's generals. Alboin forced Rosagunde to drink wine out of her deceased father's skull, so on their wedding night she strangled him to death with her braids. With Alboin dead the original king's son took up the throne of Italy and as a reward to Rosagunde he made her the princess of a region now known as Genovia. Rosagunde implemented a highly sophisticated (for the time) system of checks and balances and did away with the death penalty.[1]
Nazi and Italian troops most likely entered Genovia between the invasions of France and Monaco, in 1940 and 1942 respectively.
Prince Artur Renaldo made a historic pledge after Mussolini’s forces invaded in 1939 to exercise the rights of the sovereignty in accordance with the political and economic interests of neighboring France in exchange for military and naval protection in the event of war. Prince Phillipe has worked around that agreement.[2]
Genovia is a member of the European Union.[3]
Government
Genovia is a principality, with Prince Artur Christoff Phillipe Gerard Grimaldi Renaldo as the reigning prince. His heir apparent is Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo.[2]
Though initially an absolute monarchy, after the discovery of an order drafted by Princess Amelie Virginie by Princess Mia Thermopolis, Genovia transitions to a constitutional monarchy.[4] The article was proven valid by the Genovian Parliament in the spring of 2006 and an election was held the following spring. Prince Phillipe was elected the first Prime Minister of Genovia in a landslide election, to the surprise of his opponent, Prince René, after a surge in the polls due to the donation of a CardioArm by Pavlov Surgical to the Royal Genovian Hospital.[5]
Genovia has a parliament with multiple members, called ministers, in charge of different departments.[6] Parliament is in session in the spring.[7]
The Royal Colors of Genovia are blue and white,[8] with green occasionally used as an accent color.[9]
Genovia has a supreme court as their highest level of their judicial system.[10]
Armed Forces
Genovia has a national guard, but no army or navy.[2] Genovia does have a Royal Naval Cruiser, the Prince Phillipe.[6] Genovia is later stated to have both a Royal Genovian Air Force[8] and a Royal Genovian Navy.[11] Genovia also has a Royal Genovian Scuba Squad and a Ministry of Defense.[3] Genovia has a Royal Genovian Coast Guard.[12]
Geography
Genovia is located between France and Italy with a mile long Mediterranean coastline and the Alps at the other border of the country. The country has many hills, for growing olives, the agricultural crop.[2] The coastline has the only naturally white sand on the riviera - whereas Monaco's is imported.[1] Genovia is on Central European Time.[6]
Genovia is roughly 2 miles long and 4 miles wide.[9]
Architecture
Unfortunately, due to tourism, the infrastructure is Genovia has begun to suffer.[6]
Pont des Vierges (Bridge of the Virgins)
The Pont des Vierges is named after Agnes, a princess of Genovia whose father wanted her to become a nun. She threw herself off the bridge rather than go to a convent, but was rescued by the Royal Navy. She eloped with the ship’s captain, much to her father’s chagrin.[6]
Palais du Genovia
The Palais du Genovia, or Genovian Palace, was built in the 1600s.[6] The palace has 32 bedrooms, a ballroom, an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, a home theater, and a bowling alley.[12] The palace doors are made of wood that is over 1,000 years old.[13] The dungeon of the palace has been converted by Prince Phillipe to a wine cellar[9] and gym.[10] The hall of portraits in the Great Hall has portraits of the royal family dating back as far as the 1300s.[13] There is a museum within the palace[14] where the Royal Crown and Robe of State are stored behind bulletproof glass.[10]
Tours of the palace are available to the public for 8€ for adults and 4€ for children, students, and seniors.[10]
There is also a summer palace that is over 500 years old.[9]
Climate
Genovia has a temperate climate - it is nearly always sunny.[2] The temperature is 75º year round.[13]
Economy
Genovia's currency is the Genovian Franc.[13] Though Genovia is a member of the European Union and would presumably use Euros, it is possible they received an exemption and instead as they continue to issue their own currency.[3] The currency of Genovia has the reigning monarch on them.[15] The currency with Prince Phillipe has a portrait of him when he first took the throne, with hair and a mustache.[15]
Genovia has one of the highest Gross National Products in the European Union.[10]
Genovia has some of the lowest rates of inflation and unemployment in the Western Hemisphere.[2] Genovia has the lowest unemployment rate in the world and has a zero percent poverty rate.[13]
Genovians pay no income tax and low business taxes. The Royal Family is entirely financially independent and not funded by taxpayers.[13]
Tourism
Genovia's main income is from tourists and the tourism industry.[2] Because of the significant income from the tourist industry and moderate business taxes the individual citizens of Genovia pay no income taxes.[2] Income from tourism took a dip after cruise ships were banned from docking in the bay.[1] Genovia also has multiple casinos which thrive due to the tourists.[6] Much of the tourism income comes from casinos.[12] Genovia's tourism website is Visit Genovia![5] The global recession of 2008 hit Genovia hard, reducing tourism, which lead to Princess Mia converting the Prince Christoffe Casino and Hotel into the Royal Genovian Health and Wellness Center (see below).[16] While this helps, Genovia continues to have lower tourism than it did before the recession.
Agriculture
The main export from Genovia is Olive Oil.[2] In 2005 the Genovian Olive Farmers protested after E.U. regulations gave too much influence over prices to grocery stores.[17]
Genovia later begins cultivating Genovian oranges, which are a genetically modified to be drought-resistant. The use of a GMO product, even though they could be useful to eradicate world hunger, causes protests from some environmentalists.[13]
Genovia also has many fisherman who have depended on fishing the bay for centuries.[3] Part of traditional Genovian wedding vows and coronation vows include a segment on not throwing fish heads into Genovian waters as it pollutes them.[9][10]
Population
The population of Genovia is around 50,000.[2]
In 2015 Genovia experienced an uptick in illegal immigration and began offering humanitarian visas to refugees from Qalif, angering their citizens.[13]
Transportation
Genovia has an international airport.[9]
Genovia has a train station with 3 platforms.[14]
Sports and Culture
A film about the 3 Musketeers was filmed at the Genovian Palace.[2]
There is a Royal Genovian Ballet, Royal Genovian Symphony, and Royal Genovian Opera,[6] and a Royal Genovian Choir.[15]
Genovia has a Genovian Herpetology Rescue Society.[9]
Genovia has a Genovian Orphan Society.[18]
The patron saint of Genovia is St. Amelie.[3]
Genovia has a National Organization of Women of Genovia, called NOWG, of which Prince Phillipe and the Dowager Princess Clarisse Renaldo are members.[5]
Genovia legalized same-sex marriage in 2013.[13]
Genovia has their own television program, Genovia Can Dance![13]
Jet skis are banned in Genovian water.[13]
"All Roads Lead to Genovia" is a traditional Genovian folk song, originally written in medieval Genovian (a mix between French and Italian), and performed in traditional Genovian costume - a drindl for girls and lederhosen for boys.[9]
Royal Genovian Lobster Festival occurs in December.[14]
Christmas in Genovia
The palace mails out handwritten Christmas cards every year.[15]
On Christmas Eve the Christmas Tree at the Royal Palace is revealed.[15]
Traditionally, Christmas Eve in Genovia is accompanied with a humble meal before mass.[15]
Genovia has a traditional Rite of the Olive Branch around Christmastime where the youngest of the family takes an olive oil soaked branch[12] or an olive branch soaked in grappa and then pokes it in the fire and burns it while wishing the family health and happiness for the new year (and saying nice things about olives).[15]
Health
Genovia has some of the lowest rates of infant mortality.[2]
Genovia has the lowest violence rate in the world.[13]
Genovia has a hospital, Genovian General Hospital,[8] sometimes called the Royal Genovian Hospital.[5] The hospital received the donation of a state-of-the-art CardioArm from Pavlov Surgical in the spring of 2007.[5]
In the wake of declining tourism income due to the global recession, Princess Mia converted the Prince Christoffe Casino and Hotel into the Royal Genovian Health and Wellness Center in 2009. All of the medical equipment was supplied by Pavlov Surgical. The opening of the Health and Wellness Center made Genovia a health destination with visitors traveling there to receive healthcare in a relaxing, vacation-like environment rather than in a traditional hospital as well as engage in spa activities. Princess Mia insisted on allowing 50 low-income families to use the clinic free of charge in addition to the many wealthier clients.[16]
Education
Genovia has the highest literacy rate in Europe and some of the best educational attainment rates.[2]
The University of Genovia is the main university, though it does not have a high level of respect and is mostly regarded as a school for the children of celebrity plastic surgeons and dentists who could not get in elsewhere to attend.[5]
Genovia believes that younger children do not need as much time in school as older children so the elementary schools let out a half hour earlier than the middle schools.[14]
Genovia has a Royal Genovian Academy, a K-12 school for international regents to attend school and be educated.[19]
Relations with Other Countries
Italy
Genovia was created as a result of the king of Italy gifting the country to Rosagunde as a reward for her defeat of Alboin.[20]
Monaco
Genovia has a generally good relationship with Monaco, sharing much of its structure with the family. The royal family of Genovia is also deeply connected to the Grimaldi family, the royal family of Monaco.
Algae and Snail Incident
In an attempt to clean up South American algae that had been dumped into the Mediterranean by Monaco, Princess Amelia of Genovia ordered 10,000 snails from South America that are the snails only natural predator. Her actions caused Monaco and France to call for the expulsion of Genovia from the European Union, as the snails initially did not do anything. A few weeks after they were dumped however the snails began to eat the algae en masse, preventing Monaco or France from calling for a vote for expulsion. Prince Phillipe of Genovia arranged to order more snails in subsequent years to prevent the algae from strangling the marine life in the bay.[3]
Qalif
After an OpEd was published in the newspaper by Princess Mia supporting the people of Qalif against their dictator who stripped the female population of their rights and threatened to behead his son for attempting to marry a commoner, Qalifi refugees began flocking to Genovia. Genovia offered them all humanitarian visas, angering the citizens of Genovia.[13]
The refugees are held in the port but quickly run out of beds and portable toilets, as well as having some TB tests come back positive. On the suggestion of Princess Olivia, Prime Minister Dupris and Princess Mia arrange to have former-candidate for Prime Minister Count Ivan donate 3 cruise ships to house the refugees. The refugee children thrown Princess Mia a tea party on the deck of one of the ships to thank her for finding them a temporary home.[13]
Genovia orders all the school to take in refugee students for the 2015-2016 school year or face fines and closure.[9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Princess Diaries, Vol. II: Princess in the Spotlight
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 The Princess Diaries
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 The Princess Diaries, Vol. VI: Princess in Training
- ↑ The Princess Diaries, Vol. IX: Princess Mia
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 The Princess Diaries, Vol. X: Forever Princess
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 The Princess Diaries, Vol. IV: Princess in Waiting
- ↑ The Princess Diaries, Vol. VII and a Half: Sweet Sixteen Princess
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 The Princess Diaries, Vol. III: Princess in Love
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess: Royal Wedding Disaster
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess: Royal Crown
- ↑ The Princess Diaries, Vol. V: Princess in Pink
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 The Princess Diaries, Vol. VI and a Half: The Princess Present
- ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 Royal Wedding: A Princess Diaries Novel
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess: Royal Crush
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 Holiday Princess: A Princess Diaries Book
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 MiaThermopolis.com
- ↑ The Princess Diaries, Vol. VII: Party Princess
- ↑ From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess: Royal Day Out
- ↑ From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess
- ↑ The Princess Diaries, Vol. II: Princess in the Spotlight