Social: Olvana

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Social Overview

Olvanan culture spans more than 4,500 years. Olvana is notable for its religious diversity, with Hinduism, Traditional Folk Religions, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity among the nation’s major religions. For much of the country’s history, families could obtain social advancement by high performance in the prestigious imperial examinations, and a culture of merit remains greatly valued in Olvana today. Some observers see the period following the establishment of the People's Republic of Olvana as a continuation of traditional Olvanese dynastic history, while others claim that the Communist Party's rule damaged the foundations of Olvanan culture, thanks to political movements that destroyed many aspects of traditional culture. Today, the Olvanan Communist Party (OCP) seeks to change some traditional aspects such as rural land tenure, sexism, and the Confucian system of education, while preserving others, such as the family structure and culture of obedience to the state as being integral to society.

Brief History

After three millennia of imperial dynastic rule, the Republic of Olvana was declared in 1912 and consolidated over the next two decades. While there was no longer a royal family, much of the Olvanan culture continued just as before the republic. Internal battles often occurred over the next two decades. 

In 1950, the Olvanan Civil War began with the support of the world major communist powers. On 1 November 1951, the People’s Republic of Olvana (PRO) was declared by Olvanan Communist Party (OCP) Chairman Cheng Ze, establishing the present-day political body that rules Olvana. Cheng was an enthusiastic communist and began immediately to remodel the Olvanan government and economy based on the Donovian model. 

Many of the reforms Cheng tried to initiate actually hurt the poorest of the Olvanese population. It was only after Cheng’s death and modern reforms began that the lives of the Olvanese common people began to improve. The improvements were gradual, but most of the Olvanese are better off now there a half-century ago. Still, the culture underlying most of the people is based on traditions that date back centuries, if not longer. 

Demographics

Languages

Primary language in Olvana by region (Placeholder)

The official spoken language in Olvana is Mandarin-Olvanese, based on the Shanghai dialect of Eastern Olvana. Efforts to make Mandarin-Olvanese the official national language were met with opposition from minority populations. While the majority of the ethnic Olvan group population speaks Mandarin-Olvanese as their primary language, there are pockets of ethnic Olvans who speak other dialects of Olvanese. The Olvan population in the southeastern portion of Olvana speak a variety of regionally based Olvanese dialects. This has resulted in the establishment of regional and provincial “official” languages, including other Olvanese dialects such as Wu, Min, Yue, Xiang, Gan and Hakka. Non-Olvanese languages spoken widely by ethnic minorities include other Sino-Tibetic languages, some from the Lolo-Burmese family of languages, Hmongic Languages, a variety of Tai-Kadai languages, and Vietnamese. English is used as the second official language, used for many administrative, business, and higher education purposes. There are 292 living languages in Olvana, with over 1,652 dialects. Most of these are mutually unintelligible, even within dialect groups. Social groups are generally classified based on linguistic differences and, in some cases, variations in dialect are so large that subcultures speaking variations of the same language cannot communicate with each other in their mother tongues.

Ethnicities

Primary ethnic groups in Olvana (Placeholder)

Olvana has more than two thousand unique ethnic groups and subcultures, and representation from every major religion. Only the continent of Africa exceeds the linguistic, genetic, and cultural diversity of the nation of Olvana. In Olvana, the cultural difference between adjacent provinces—or even within the same province—is often as big as that between adjacent European nations.

The OCP officially recognizes 56 distinct ethnic groups within the PRO. The largest of these are the Olvan, which comprises about 91.51% of the total population. Within the Olvan ethnicity, there are numerous subcultures that stem largely from the uneven intermingling of two divergent and heterogeneous populations: the Ancestral North Olvanese and Ancestral South Olvanese. The world’s largest single ethnic group, the Olvan outnumber all of the ethnic minorities within Olvana combined. Olvana’s 55 minority ethnic groups account for about 8.49% of the population. However, the latest national census reported that while the Olvan population increased by 5.74%, the population of the 55 national minorities combined increased by 6.92%. Some minority groups are widely dispersed in small concentrations across Olvana, while others are heavily concentrated in regions or even single provinces.

During the Olvanese dynastic era divided the Olvanese population into a caste system, a practice dating to at least 221 BCE. The list of scheduled castes stemmed from an original classification of landlord, peasant, artisan, and merchant. Theoretically, except for the position of the Emperor, nothing was hereditary. Elimination of these class divisions was a root cause of the Olvanan Civil War following World War II. However, despite official claims that the caste system is gone and numerous laws that theoretically prevent class discrimination, the social stratification related to the caste system is still present throughout much of Olvan society, particularly in Hindu majority areas.  That said, continued urbanization and affirmative action programs are leading to a decline in discriminatory practices.

While innumerable tensions and conflicts between the ethnic Olvans and minority groups were common throughout Olvana's history, today many of the minority communities have either been integrated or assimilated into Olvan society. That said, attempts to preserve minority cultures and languages have been successful. Those minority groups who have rejected Olvan efforts of acculturation often find themselves at an economic disadvantage. Though it is not part of any official policy, many Olvan people have migrated from Olvan majority areas into regions with larger minority populations. This has resulted in a demographic shift, and increased acculturation simply due to the fact that the minority population is exposed to more Olvan influence.

The following table lists some of the larger minority ethnicities found within Olvana:

Bai	Kam (Dong)	Muong	Thai
Dongxiang	Kinh (Vietnamese)	Nùng	Tibetan
Hani	Li	Nùng	Yi
Hui	Miao (Hmung/Mong)	Tày	Zhuang

Religions

Olvana Religions (Placeholder)

A diversity of religious beliefs and practices combined with a predominant Hindu majority characterizes religion in Olvana. Olvana is a secular state in accordance with the Constitution and the government of Olvana is officially atheist. However, religion plays a central and definitive role in the daily life of the population. While the Constitution theoretically guarantees freedom of religion, religious organizations that lack official approval can be subject to state persecution. The State Administration for Religious Affairs oversees religious affairs and issues in the country and frequently takes a very biased pro-Hindu stance, reflecting the religious makeup of the country.

Religious Distribution in Olvana (Placeholder)

The OCP officially banned religion following the revolution, both as a standard Communist precept and as part of the effort to remove the Hindu-based caste system. Initially, there was widespread suppression and persecution of religious leaders. Over time, the Party recognized the unlikelihood of the people abandoning Hinduism altogether and have slowly become more tolerant of religious activities. However, it continues to use its officially atheistic status to suppress non-Hindus in certain provinces.

Excluding party officials, whom the government bans from belonging to a religious organization, 74.8% of Olvanans are religious, while roughly 25.2% of Olvanans are unaffiliated. Atheism and agnostics have visible influence in Olvana, often taking a Confucian bent, along with a self-ascribed tolerance to other faiths. Nationally, the Olvanan religious population comprises 34% Hindus, 32% Olvan Folk Religion, 2.5% Muslims, 2.3% Christians, , 1.0% Buddhists, Less than 2.0% of the population practices some form of indigenous ethnically folk religion, with the Kinh Folk Religion found near Hanoi being the largest. Hinduism and the Olvan Folk Religion are the predominant belief systems within Olvana. Both faiths are closely linked to the Olvan identity.

The vast majority of Olvanans engage in religious rituals on a daily basis whether they are actually religious or not. While many Olvanans are not adherents to any particular faith, many religious practices have become highly engrained throughout their community and personal life. These rituals, however, are widely diverse specific not only their belief system, but also region, village, and individual.

Historically, conflict has stemmed from the competing ideologies of Hindu nationalism and Olvan Folk Traditions. Additional faith based friction can be seen in the relationship between the government’s stance of secularism and the Muslim minority in the northwest, and the regional suppression of Buddhism and Christianity. One of the major contributing factors to religious conflicts in Olvana was a previous lack of education among the masses and the ease with which corrupt politicians could take advantage of the same. Even though freedom of religion is an integral part of the Olvanan constitution, the inability to hold communal mobs accountable has accentuated the occasional religious conflicts.

Education

Education is considered extremely important in Olvana by both the government and by families. For most families in the middle class and above, there is pressure to do well academically in school. Families will often sacrifice to obtain a good education for their child.

Literacy Rate

The official overall literacy rate as declared by the PRO government is 96.4%. This is 98.3% for males and 94.4% for females.

Educational System

Compulsory education in Olvana is comprised of primary and junior secondary schools, which together cover the nine years between the ages of 6 and 15. The government pledges to provide this education completely free, including textbooks and fees. However, while annual education investment has increased fivefold over the past decade, there remains an inequality in education spending. Annual education expenditure per secondary school student in the capital totals $3,395, while the poorest provinces spend only $543 per student. There are 311,588 primary schools, 73,948 secondary schools, and 1,756 higher education institutions in Olvana. In 1949, only 20% of the population could read, compared to 94% today. Within the last decade, Olvanan students achieved the world's best results in mathematics, science, and literacy, as tested in a worldwide evaluation of 15-year-old school pupils' scholastic performance.

Educational Attainment

Despite the impressive results in literacy improvement since 1950, Olvanan education faces both native and international criticism for its emphasis on rote memorization and its gap in quality from rural to urban areas. Although the rural-urban literacy gap has dropped from 21.2% to 16.1% over the last decade, the difference between most literate province (93.9%) and least (63.8%) is still vast. Students without political connections are frequently barred from higher education because educational administrative departments and local authorities hold the right of admission to a large number of universities.

Population Density

Overview

Olvana Population Density (Placeholder)

The official population of Olvana is 1,123,348,142. Eastern coastal provinces are much more densely populated than the western interior. About 16.60% of the population is 14 years old or younger, 70.14% is between 15 and 59 years old, and 13.26% is over 60 years old, with a median age of 37.4. The population growth rate is an annual average of 0.59% and the human gender ratio is 940 females per 1,000 males. The urban/rural split is 87% urban and 13% rural, with 13% residing within megacities. The five largest cities in Olvana are: 1) Shanghai; 2) Chongqing; 3) Guangzhou; 4) Wuhan; and 5) Hong Kong.

Urban Areas

Olvana is one of the most populated countries in the world and its national population density is 310 per square kilometer. The overall national density, however, does not account for major variations by region. Broadly speaking, the vast majority of the population lives in and around coastal cities and river deltas. In the east, the population density is 482/sq. km, while the southwest averages 116/sq. km. Population crowding in urban areas raises concerns within the government that there will be widespread unemployment and political instability. The population of Olvana is projected to continue growing, reaching 1.5 billion within ten years, and peak of 1.65 billion within 25 years. However, the population is then projected to decline heavily, falling below 1 billion by the next century. This is decline is due to socioeconomic factors, not Olvanan government policy.

• Shanghai: pop. 29,870,751 (Metropolitan Area 53,137,280)
• Chongqing: pop. 17,539,169 (Metropolitan Area 37,180,905)
• Guangzhou: pop. 15,722,194 (Metropolitan Area 65,443,039
• Wuhan: pop. 11,142,260 (Metropolitan Area 29,225,020)
• Hong Kong: pop. 10,423,553 (Metropolitan Area 10,423,553)

Rural Areas

Discounting urban dwellers, sections of the western portions of the country rarely achieving density greater than 4/sq. km.

Population Movement

Internal Migration

Most internal migration is movement from the rural areas to urban areas as people seek jobs as the local farming practices continue to modernize and reduce the manpower required to farm.

Urbanization

The current urban population is 87% with an annual urbanization rate of 0.7%. Internal migration in Olvana is one of the most extensive in the world. Over the last forty years, the urban population has grown 242%, three-fourths of which was attributable to net migration and urban reclassification—the largest such volume of urban migration in history. Olvana has also undertaken a policy of forced urbanization, wherein rather than relying on economic drivers to push/pull rural populations toward cities in an uncontrolled manner, the government is systematically selecting and moving entire villages at a time. While controversial to western governments, this process has enabled Olvana to ensure that its infrastructure is prepared for population growth before-hand, rather than trying to update failing infrastructure after the population has already exceeded its capacity. The Olvanan population seems split on whether they approve or disprove of this policy.  Many enjoy the immediate benefit of modern housing that surpasses anything they could have encountered in their rural setting. However some, particularly those from minority groups, view the forced urbanization as the government’s attempt to separate them from their past, their culture, and their community.

Displacement

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

The population within Olvana is so vast, that small groups of IDPs can go almost unnoticed to outside observers. Olvanans can become displaced for a wide range of reasons, both natural and man-made. Displacement due to natural disasters is perhaps the most common occurrence.  At any given time, different regions within Olvana may be experiencing different extremes. The impact of a drought or a heavy monsoon season may destroy a community’s local economy, forcing many to relocate. Floods, though less common than in the [null paston] [PHDCUU1] the major rivers thanks to the construction of large dams, are an ever present risk. The summer monsoon season has been known to create stationary fronts that produce extremely heavy rainfall, and can cause significant damage to infrastructure. In some cases, poverty can be a driver of displacement, with some of the poorest Olvanans being forced from their homes due to economically driven development. 

Waves of Olvanan emigration occurred from the 19th century through the mid-20th century, primarily as a result of internal conflict, starvation, invasion from various foreign countries, and problems resulting from political corruption. Most immigrants were unskilled laborers, and often illiterate.  The diaspora has spread all over the world, but is perhaps most heavily focused in the Americas, southern Africa, and other parts of Asia. After the Communist revolution, the government enacted strict controls to prevent large numbers of people from leaving the country.

Stateless Personnel

There are an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 children in Olvana that were born to North Torbian mothers who had fled their homeland during the Torbian War. While the mothers are technically citizens of North Torbia, they often did not want to return, and many times they wound up becoming victims of human trafficking. The children who were born in Olvana, are not given a nationality, and often lack access to education, healthcare, and basic rights.

Migration Cycles and Transhumance

Transhumance occurs throughout Olvana in rural regions where the availability of fodder for livestock might vary depending on the season. The practice has become less common as food production in more heavily populated areas has become more modernized. That said, in northwestern Olvana, there remains groups of nomadic and seminomadic peoples that raise cattle, sheep, goats, and horses that travel from place to place based on the seasons. These populations are primarily found in arid regions associated with the Tibetan Plateau and the Mongolian Steppe. For those peoples living in Olvana, it is not uncommon for them to cross the borders with neighboring nations, however their movements are strictly monitored by the Olvanan authorities. These are very small numbers compared to the overall Olvanan population and are usually at great distances from any major city.

External Migration

Most external migration in Olvana is economically related, but there are some cases of forced migration. This is not unexpected in the case of such a large country such as Olvana and the number of countries neighboring it.

Inbound

Most inbound migration is related to the economic situation in Olvana. With its huge population, many companies in foreign countries see Olvana as the next boom site for their consumer goods.

Economic Migration

Migrant workers account for 36% of the total workforce in Olvana. Two-thirds of these workers are male. Current government estimates indicate that within the next ten years, this number will grow to 40% of the urban population. In general, while urbanization provides Olvanan workers with more opportunity, it also constrains them, since the government excludes rural-urban migrant workers from local educational resources, citywide social welfare programs and many jobs. Additionally, potential employers view migrant workers—especially females—as replaceable labor, and generally offer much lower wages. Furthermore, the government will forcibly move migrant workers out of the coastal urban areas and into the rural interior based on agricultural labor needs, irrespective of the migrant workers’ origins. Relatively small levels of immigration came as the result of government-offered various incentives intended to repatriate part of the Olvanan diaspora. The government settled many of those returning on various islands in the South China Sea. In order to obtain hard currency, North Torbia actually provides manual labor to Olvana and opened Torbian restaurants in most major Olvanan cities. Many countries conduct business in Olvana and some of these representatives live in the country on an almost permanent basis.

Forced Migration

Over the last decade, Olvana has accepted over 300,000 refugees from Africa and Asia displaced due to natural disasters, famine, disease outbreak, and war. The term refugee, however, is not used by the Olvanan government. Instead, their official position is that these migrants were accepted as part of a work program sponsorship; these individuals are expected to return to their homeland.

Outbound

Most modern outbound emigrants are temporary. The Olvanan government often reinforces a national narrative that emphasizes the cultural link between the history of the ethnic Olvan people and the Olvanan government. This effort intended to ensure that ex-patriot Olvanans maintain a close personal connection to their homeland. These efforts are aimed at both contemporary migrants, as the broader diaspora who may have fled following the revolution.

Economic Migration

Liberalized emigration policies enacted in the 1980s, facilitated the legal departure of increasing numbers of Olvanans, who joined their overseas relatives. Additionally, a modernization program allowed Olvanan students and scholars—especially engineers—to attend foreign education and research institutions, bringing increased contact with industrialized nations. These students are expected to return home to Olvana, however, and share their education and skills to improve Olvana for its people.

Forced Migration

Shortly after the revolution, the communist party often forced minority groups to flee the country (e.g., many Tibetans), however modern Olvana has moved away from forcibly expelling populations, and instead has adopted a policy of reeducation, acculturation, and assimilation.

Culture

Due to the fact that Olvana’s population is so diverse, it is difficult to identify national traits that cover the entire population. The following section focuses solely on ethnic Olvans, who make up the majority of the population within Olvana, and whose culture has played the most formative role on the modern state. There may be a high degree of variance between the majority Olvans and other ethnic minorities.

Dimensions of National Culture

There are studies that show that there are six basic cultural traits, or dimensions, that can be used to better understand a national culture. While these studies are not encompassing they can provide a foundational understanding of how populations may differ. Power distance is whether the society accepts unequal distribution of power or they seek to more evenly distribute the power. Individualism is whether the society desires each person to be a separate entity or if the individual is just a cog in the societal wheel. Uncertainty avoidance is whether the society tolerates ambiguity in life or wants life to be more certain. Some societies look long-term and save while others do not see the need because the future planned may never arrive.. Restrained societies live to work while indulgent societies work to live. Some societies encourage individuals to be competitive and do their best while other societies value cooperation over individual success.

Power Distance

Olvana’s long history with a caste system has imprinted a social belief that individuals should not have aspirations beyond their social status. With a score of 82 on the Hofstede scale, Olvanans believe that inequalities amongst the people are acceptable despite the communist origins of the government. Typically authority figures have almost total control over their subordinates and for the most part, the people do not question directives from an authority. While this trait has its foundation in the ethnic Olvan culture, the Communist Party of Olvana has made every effort to emphasize and promote a higher degree of power distance, in part to suppress dissident ideas.

Individualism vs. Collectivism

With an Hofstede score of 18, Olvana is collectivist culture where the needs of the group outweigh any individual preferences. In business and social groups, while there is commitment to the internal group, there is hostility to any outsiders. Personal relationships are more important than the task or even the success of the business as long as the group prospers in the long-term. Though not unheard of in northern Olvana, southern Olvanans are who adhere to Olvan Folk religious beliefs are known for viewing their community not just in terms of spatial relativity but also with relation to time. This temporal view reinforces the importance of the role of one’s ancestors in day to day life, and can impact the factors that an individual may take into account when they are making a decision.

Uncertainty Avoidance (Tolerance for Ambiguity)

Olvana has a score of 28 on the Hofstede scale making it a country is comfortable with ambiguity. Olvanans believe that rules must be followed, but that does not always mean that the laws will be obeyed. Most Olvanans are comfortable with ambiguity in most situations. This comfort with ambiguity can be observed in the inherent ambiguity of meanings found within Olvan languages.

Long-Term Orientation vs. Short-Term Orientation

Olvana is a very pragmatic culture score an 85 in the Hofstede scoring system. High scores indicate the country encourages thrift and efforts to create a modern education system. Olvanans are pragmatic people and that the truth depends very much on the situation, time, and the context of the event. Olvanans are willing to adapt old traditions to changing conditions and possess a strong desire to save, invest, be thrifty, and persevere through difficult times.

Indulgence vs. Restraint

With a score of 22, Olvana is a very restrained society. Countries with this score tend to cynicism and pessimism. There is little emphasis on leisure time and gratification of desires in Olvana, but that may be changing as some people are being more affluent. Most Olvanans are restrained by societal norms and feel that overindulgence is wrong.

Competitiveness vs. Consensus

Despite the collective attitude of the people, the Hofstede score of 68 makes Olvana a competitive society. Olvanans will put the priorities of the work and state above their own leisure and even the families. The students care about their test scores and workers will take jobs in distant places if it means better pay. Leisure time is not important to most Olvanans.

Cultural Norms and Values

Olvana with its rich history dating back over two millennia and separatism from most of the rest of the world until about 500 years ago, has developed several core concepts in its culture:

Restraint

Most Olvanans are usually very modest people. They do not like to stand out from others in dress or in their actions.

Filial Piety

Olvanans believe that someone older than oneself should be honored for their experience and wisdom. This is a Confucian idea where elders are honored in the family, work, and the public.

Networking

Olvanans cultivate relationships to get ahead—both in society and in business. This networking is important to move up in society—even if it is just within the group, office, or business that the individual is a member.

Interdependence

This is almost a sub-category of the previous value where people rely on other people to succeed. The success of the group depends on this interdependence and individuals are to play their role in creating this success.

Fortitude

Olvanans are very serious people. It is rare that Olvanans will let outsiders see them laughing and having a good time. Years of marginal living have made Olvanans somber, but will adjust to any new adversities.

Saving Face

Olvanans hate humiliation or embarrassment. They will often do things that outsiders do not understand because they do not wish to embarrass others or their selves.

Unamity

The Olvanan people are a much unified people who want to make their country great again. For many years, Olvana was at the mercy of European colonial powers and now that Olvana’s economic performance has pushed them to the top of the world stage, the people want to help the country stay there.

Centers of Social Power

Olvana’s social structure stems from an intermingling of acceptance and revolution against the feudal society of Imperial Olvana. This resulted in the ancient caste system evolving into a de facto four-class system, despite Olvana being officially a “classless” society. Prior to the Olvanan Civil War, traditional Olvanese society was organized into a hierarchic system of socio-economic classes known as the four castes, based on occupations, all under an umbrella of the monarchy. These castes were scholars and priests, administrators and warriors, artisans and merchants, and peasants and laboring classes. Within this system were thousands of additional sub-categories, both formal and informal, generally based on perceived cleanliness of the profession. For example, those who worked with the land ranked higher than those who worked with animals. At the bottom of the social structure, although not an official caste, were the casteless or untouchables. Movement with the castes was possible through the Imperial examinations, with the highest achievers becoming elite scholar-officials. However, true success was available only to males who could afford test preparation.

A major factor inducing the Cheng Revolution was an effort to remove the economic oppression facing the peasantry and the untouchables. While the Civil War theoretically ended the caste system, in practice, it replaced it with a different class structure, while informally retaining much of the old caste system. Under this new class structure, OCP members were the top social stratum, essentially replacing the religious and scholarly class. The status of the caste system today is somewhat muddled. The Revolutionary Manifesto and subsequent Constitution officially disregarded class distinction and eliminated the untouchable “class.” In practice, however, the social distinctions, stigmas, and advantages remained.

The oldest male member is typically the head in the Olvanan family system. He makes important family decisions and rules, which other family members are likely to abide by. Several generations of extended family historically lived under one roof, or on the same land. However, urbanization and economic development, led to a breakup of this traditional multi-family model into a single-family structure. In rural settings, the male typically holds all or most of the authority and youth are less likely to leave the household. In urban environments, the husband and wife usually share authority, with the wife having more authority in the home while the husband handles finances. An overwhelming majority of Olvanan marriages are arranged by parents or elders in the family. In a sign of changing times, however, these arranged marriages today are generally consensual. The divorce rate is extremely low: only 1.6% of marriages end in divorce. This figure is rising, with increases in female education and economic independence. Child marriages are common in the most rural areas, with many women informally marrying prior to the legal marriageable age of 18.

Olvanan lineage—or clan—is a patrilineal line of people with a common surname, who share a common ancestor and, in many cases, an ancestral home. Olvanan kinship tends to be strong in southern, northwestern, and many rural areas throughout Olvana In the rural areas, clans influence local politics, and positioning themselves within the OCP, and among committees. .. Clan structures tend to be weaker in areas closer to Olvana’s coast, and they do not seem to play much of a role in the day to day lives of urban Olvanans. This reduction in influence is likely the result of greater population densities, the OCP’s education policies, and the central government’s need to industrialize.

Mimicking traditional dynastic power structures, political elites within the OCP hold a level of hereditary power. Recent anti-corruption reformations, however, began breaking down these political dynasties. Though party elites retain a significant level of social power, there is longer a guarantee of familial succession. Instead, the OCP is developing a new political elite that is more of a meritocracy, comprised of those with both party loyalty and business acumen.

Communication

Traditional Methods and Symbolism

The Olvanan family of languages uses symbols and characters to represent words and meanings (as opposed to a western alphabet in which characters represent sounds to form words). It takes years to learn the language. To graduate from high school, an Olvanan student usually has to know at least 30,000 different symbols. It is one of the most difficult languages in the world. Most students begin learning English in elementary school. Students that study abroad in English speaking countries are usually very good English speakers. Those that spend several years in the U.S. usually go home even more confident in their language abilities. Minority communities that have their own languages will often use the appropriate form of Olvanan when in public (especially around government figures), but when they are at home or in the relative privacy of their ethnic community they will use their native language.

Role of Technology and Media

Olvana has embraced the computer generation and the information age setting up 5G technology towers throughout the country. Most Olvanans have cell phones and can access the Internet. Many Olvanans went directly from no telephone access to a cellular model bypassing the landline stage. Olvana is not adverse to stealing patents from other countries and reverse engineering equipment in order to reproduce it in their own country. 

The media is controlled by the PRO government. The government has a message to put out and they will go to great links to make sure that message is received not only by the internal audience in Olvana, but the rest of the world as well. All the construction that Olvana does in the region and the rest of the world is put out in positive messages that Olvana is helping the other country out. It makes Olvana look benevolent and hides any ulterior motives.

Social Impacts of OE Hazards

Disease

There are six major diseases in Olvana. Since the country is so large, some of these diseases may only affect a small portion of the country. These six diseases are bacterial diarrhea, COVID, hepatitis A, hantaviral hemorrhagic fever, Japanese encephalitis, and typhoid fever (see Physical Environment variable for more information on these diseases). Many of these diseases are related to poor water purification methods and occur more frequently in rural communities than in the urban areas. Some of these diseases have no known cure or vaccination and/or are very expensive for treatment. Poor Olvanans often cannot afford modern care, and instead resort to care offered by under-supplied local government-approved doctors that have few resources to combat the diseases. Some communities will also practice traditional forms of medicine.

Bacterial Diarrhea

There are many different types of bacteria that can cause diarrhea and most enter the body through contaminated food or water. This disease is more prevalent in the rural areas of Olvana, the country’s larger cities are not immune to it. Most of those affected in the urban areas are under five years old and in the poorest sections of the cities, often because they cannot afford to seek out treatment.

COVID

This is an infectious disease caused by the worlds’ most recently discovered coronavirus. It is believed to have started in Olvana, but the government denies these claims. Symptoms are fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headaches; loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; and diarrhea. COVID victims should seek medical help if they have trouble breathing; persistent pain or pressure in the chest; new confusion; inability to wake up or stay awake; or bluish lips or face. Symptoms may occur from two to fourteen days after exposure to the virus. COVID can be deadly for those over the age of 70 or those with pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease. Many people may have COVID and be asymptomatic. Self-isolation is important if one has the disease or if exposed to someone with the disease. In most modern countries, the survival rate of those affected are above 98%. Treatment is rest, fluids, and use of a ventilator if it is necessary.

Hepatitis A

Most Hepatitis A cases are linked to the poor hygiene of food handlers in Olvana’s open air markets. Hepatitis A normally is found in shellfish, uncooked vegetables, or raw fruit. More cases are found in the rural areas of the country as the government does a better job of inspecting the markets in larger cities. About 10 years ago, the Olvana government began immunizing children for Hepatitis A and thus the average age for those affected by the disease continues to increase just as the overall numbers have decreased in the same time period. Males are more likely to get the disease than females due to their occupation. Manual laborers usually account for about 70% of the Hepatitis A cases each year, probably due to poor hygiene practices when eating.

Hantaviral Hemorrhagic Fever

Usually carried by rodents, hemorrhagic fever is caused by a family of Hantaviruses. Symptoms occur one to two weeks after exposure, but could take up to eight weeks to develop. Symptoms include intense headaches; back and abdominal pain; fever; chills; nausea; and blurred vision. Some individuals may have a flushing of the face, redness around the eyes, or a rash. Complete recovery can take weeks or months. The virus is treated by managing the patient’s fluid levels (proper hydration) and their electrolyte (sodium, potassium, & chloride) levels; maintenance of proper oxygen and blood pressure levels; and appropriate treatment of any secondary infections. The fatality rate can reach up to 15% of those infected.  Prevention is the best medicine by avoiding rodent urine, droppings, saliva, and nesting materials.

Japanese Encephalitis

This is a leading cause of encephalitis in Asia and the Western Pacific with about one in four cases being fatal for those that develop a clinical illness. People get Japanese Encephalitis from infected mosquitoes so prevention is key. Wear insect repellent, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants. Most importantly, there is a vaccine to prevent it. Less than 1% of people infected with JE develop a clinical illness. The incubation time from exposure to displaying symptoms is about five to fifteen days. Symptoms include fever, headache, and vomiting. Children often suffer seizures. There are no specific treatment for JE, but supportive care and close observation is required. The patient needs to rest, drink lots of fluid, and use pain relievers to reduce the fever. About 30% to 50% that survive JE will continue to have neurologic, cognitive, or psychiatric symptoms related to the disease.

Typhoid Fever

Poor water purification is the standard cause of typhoid fever as it normally enters the body from drinking water contaminated with the feces of an infected person. The death rate for typhoid fever without antibiotics is about 20%, but most Olvanans survive if they are diagnosed properly. The Olvana government continues to improve the drinking water cleanliness in the rural areas and this has created a downward trend in the number of typhoid fever cases over the last decade.

Natural Disaster

Due to its large size, Olvana is susceptible to all every type of major natural disaster except volcanic eruptions. These include the following:

Earthquakes

Almost annually, there is a major earthquake in some part of Olvana. The government usually responds rapidly to take care of the situation. The government usually helps the affected people rebuild their houses. While most have occurred on or near the Tibetan Plateau in the western portion of the country, they have been known to occur on the coastline as well. Earthquakes occurring in the South China Sea or the East China Sea have been known to produce Tsunami.

Typhoons

Olvana is affected by typhoons that usually come from the south. Rarely, the typhoons will come from the east, but the prevailing winds usually prevent this type of path.

Floods

Flooding occurs throughout Olvana due to the summer monsoon season, and by typhoons in coastal areas. There are several major rivers in Olvana that have large dams that can control river levels, however the majority of tributaries are not dammed to prevent downstream flowing.  While these dams have helped Olvana stave off potential floods like those seen in the early 20^th century, without a large investment in continued upkeep, it is only a matter of time until flood waters overtake a dam. Typically when floods occur, the military is often brought in to help sandbag areas and to help in the relief recovery efforts.

Droughts

The reverse is also true that some parts of Olvana, particular in the west, are susceptible to seasonal droughts. When the droughts come at the wrong time of the year, these can have a devastating effect on the local farmers. Northwestern Olvana in particular, is dependent upon the freshwater flowing from melting mountain snows in the spring. When this source of freshwater is limited, it can have a devastating impact on the local economies and communities.

Sandstorms/Dust Storms

Sandstorms, or dust-storms, can occur during any part of the year within Olvana, however they are more common during the spring months. In the drier parts of Olvana, especially the more west one travels, there are sandstorms that can cause problems for travelers and locals. Usually these sandstorms are of short duration, but there have been instances of them lasting for several days. While smaller sandstorms are fairly common in the northwestern region of Olvana, large storms are capable of depositing dust and sand as far east as Shanghai. The impact of these storms is not as immediately evident as the impact of the monsoon season, instead, these dust-storms are believed to have a significant impact on the population’s health, particularly those with respiratory issues.

Social Volatility/Fragility

Social Fault Lines and Friction Points

Social issues in Olvana are significant and wide-ranging. They are a combined result of vestiges from the Cheng Revolution, Olvana’s political and cultural history, and Olvana’s immense population. Because of the vast number of social problems that exist, Olvana’s government faces considerable difficulty in trying to remedy the issues. The Olvanan media exposes some of these issues, while in other cases, the government censors politically sensitive issues. The combination of social issues and unsustainable economic growth has the potential, in the long term, to destabilize the nation and threaten the dominance of the OCP.

Many of the potential fissures within Olvanan society are the result of historical socio-cultural preferences and/or differences. Caste-related violence in central Olvana has been on the rise despite the government’s official position banning the practice of caste discrimination. Last year, there were a reported 31,440 cases of violent acts committed against the so-called “untouchable” caste. These equate to approximately 50.4 violent acts per 10,000 people, up from 1.3 cases a decade earlier.  Historically, despite the fact that they are both from the Olvan ethnicity, the Hindu populations in central Olvana have had tensions with the non-Hindu Olvan populations to the east, particularly in the Central Plains. The land set between the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, part of the Henan Province to the north and Hubei Province to the south has been a historical point of tension between the two populations. Believed to be the birthplace of Olvan civilization, this area holds great significance to practitioners of both faiths. The communist government has sought to reduce tensions, often mediating disputes, and in some cases even turning a blind eye to practices that would otherwise be illegal, all in order to avoid the outbreak of violence.

While the communist party has been able to keep a lid on religious tensions within the Central Plains of Olvana, it has struggled to make inroads with the Muslim populations in the northwest of the country. These populations tend to have significant reactions to overly secular, or as they see it anti-Islamic laws. The Islamic population in Olvana is also struggling to come to terms with the growing influence of extremely conservative forms of Islam being imported from the Middle East, which has led to some radicalization among disenfranchised youth.

Southwestern Olvana, particularly the areas around Hanoi and within the watershed of the Red River (Hong River), has perhaps been the most challenging area for the OCP to gain influence. Grounded in historical animosity between the diverse peoples of the Red River basin and the Olvan empires, the area has a fierce independence streak. The Red River basin is by no means a homogenous population, with a variety of ethnic and linguistic groups living in close proximity. The population closer to the delta typically speaks Vietnamese (an Austroasiatic language), while the more inland populations speak a variety of Kra-dai family of languages.

Modern fault lines also exist as a result of what some people perceive as overreach by the OCP and government. Sources of unrest within the nation include resistance to media censorship, dissatisfaction with corrupt government officials, unfair treatment by local governments and businesses due to land and expropriation issues, and political persecution following expressions of dissent. The OCP attempts a balancing act by allowing limited forms of dissent, seeking to lessen political tension by offering mild protest as a release valve. Government officials and intellectual elites both have greater access to non-government approved sources of information; they can publish dissenting works that the ordinary citizen would not be allowed to do. However, authorities silence debates that begin to take on a life of their own, and refuse to recognize the right of the average Olvanan citizens to publish their opinions on political issues free from government censorship. Therefore, while the government encourages the state-controlled media to engage in targeted reporting on corruption, it will not tolerate similar criticisms from private individuals.

Despite significant barriers to publication access and the inherent dangers of criticizing a totalitarian regime, members of Olvana’s "free-speech elite" can express concerns and criticism regarding the government with less fear of punishment than the average citizen. This group is composed of senior government and OCP leaders, those with the patronage of such leaders, the professional and financial elite and—to a lesser extent—academics and journalism professionals. Olvanan authorities recognize that limited freedom of expression enables the government to better monitor potentially problematic social issues and thus tolerate limited criticism, but only from the aforementioned categories of people, and only in government-controlled forums. Doing this serves to lessen political tension by serving as a release valve for discontent, deflects criticism that citizens of Olvana do not enjoy freedom of expression, and enables government authorities to monitor the mood of the people. Government authorities track who is inclined to express discontent, and then work to keep such expression from being forced underground where authorities can neither monitor nor control it. The government tolerates such debates only if they occur in private discussions, closed academic conferences, government-authorized publishing outlets, or other forums where the government does not feel there is any threat of greater public participation that it cannot control. Certain groups and individuals who are unable to obtain government authorization do publish books and periodicals on a small scale, but this is possible only through subterfuge and violation of Olvanan law. These private publishers are, therefore, subject to the threat of closure and arrest.

While Olvana often violently and publicly quells civil unrest, the amount of dissatisfaction has risen dramatically in recent years. The recorded incidents of mass unrest rose form 8,700 twenty years ago to more than 90,000 each in the last three years. Reasons cited include: an aggrieved class of dispossessed migrants and unemployed workers, a deep loss of faith in the Olvanan system, and a weakening in the traditional means of state control. Corruption, state monopolies, the yawning wealth gap, and the rising cost of housing, education, and medical care all contribute significantly to unrest, with property/business seizures and the widening wealth gap as the two top factors. Unemployment, unpaid wages, and police misconduct are additional sources of grievances.

Criminal Activity

Common crime in Olvana includes corruption, drug and human trafficking, money laundering, and fraud. An early focus of the OCP was work to reduce the prevalence of narcotics and gambling and decrease the influence of criminal gangs. These efforts led to a decrease in many violent crimes including larceny, arson, rape, murder, and robbery. However, there was a corresponding increase in economic crimes, including tax evasion, theft of public property, and bribery. Additionally, government officials engaged in improperly taking public property and accepting bribes. Regionally, there are large differences in crime in Olvana, with rural areas reporting lower overall crime rates, but higher violent crimes per capita. Government corruption is similar between urban and rural areas.

The relaxation of numerous economic and social restrictions over 40 years ago resulted in a resurgence in certain criminal activities and elements. The youth crime rate skyrocketed from 24.7 to 74.2% of all crime conducted. This surge was, in large part, associated with the return of the Black Societies, a historically significant organized crime element from Olvana. Following the Cheng Revolution, large segments of the Black Societies fled to Olvanese communities around the world. Following Olvana’s recent economic liberalization, the Societies began to re-establish in Olvana, bringing with them crimes associated with narcotics, prostitution, and money laundering.

The majority of human trafficking in Olvana is internal, though it often includes trafficking of individuals from other countries within the region. This domestic trafficking is the most significant human trafficking problem in the country. Criminal elements lure women and children through false promises of legitimate employment into forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation both in Olvana and throughout Asia. Men are smuggled to countries throughout the world for exploitative labor.

Olvana also has a high rate of domestic violence, with an estimated thirty percent of Olvanan households experiencing some form of domestic violence. Additional trends in crime include an increase in white-collar crime, closer ties between organized crime and government corruption, and extensive allegations of counterfeiting.

Cultural Approach to Punishment

Olvana believes in swift and punitive punishment. Trials occur rapidly. Olvana still practices capital punishment; it is mostly often employed with murder and drug trafficking convictions. Executions are carried out by lethal injection or shooting. There is widespread public support or capital punishment. Olvana executes more prisoners annually than any other nation, although other nations have much higher rates on a per capita basis. Official Olvanan capital punishment statistics do not include those prisoners put to death for crimes against the state or terrorism.

Human Rights

Despite tremendous economic development since liberalizing its economy, in many ways Olvana remains a developing nation. Its per capita income is still a fraction of advanced countries, and its market reforms are incomplete. There are still substantial regional variations in poverty, infrastructure, and socioeconomic development. Most notably, wages in the Dongguan province are as high as three times that of the overall national average. Inequity also exists in land ownership: 10% of population owns 61.5% of non-state owned land. Olvanans do not conduct typical Western economic expressions of dissatisfaction, such as strikes and boycotts, as the OCP typically responds to these activities by imposing even stricter use of military force. This discourages—but does not eliminate—the possibility of boycotts and picketing. While the country has made some positive developments, including lowering the number of crimes eligible for capital punishment and greater accessibility for students with disabilities, Olvana remains an authoritarian state that systematically curtails a wide range of fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression, association, assembly, and religion.

OCP elites view the universal application of human rights as a threat to their power, and decry it as a foreign influence. The government recently passed a wide array of laws regarding state security, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, subversion, and the management of NGOs, conflating criticism with national security. The President’s domestically popular anti-corruption campaign often violates the right to a fair trial, and frequently involves months or years of secret detention. 

Olvana faces significant issues with gender equality. Currently, 43.8% of Olvanan women work outside the home. While the OCP theoretically commits to gender equality, the overall lack of respect for human rights means that women continue to face systemic discrimination. The country faces an imbalance of unmarried males, a historically high rate of domestic violence, and sexual harassment in the workplace. Arrests and police harassment have led to the closure of numerous Women’s Rights Centers across Olvana. Laws aimed at reducing domestic violence fall far short of what the international community considers acceptable.

Although decades of double-digit economic growth lifted more than 600 million people out of poverty, slowing growth rates are adding a sense of urgency to ensuring that the population remains healthy and productive, especially as the economy gradually becomes more service-based. The lower economic growth rate requires reforms in the health sector, as the high growth rates of health expenditure in the past years may be difficult to sustain. Government expenditures on health and long-term care in Olvana will increase three-fold as percent of GDP over the next four decades if adequate reforms are not undertaken. Olvana was a pioneer in primary care, prevention of infectious diseases, and universal insurance coverage; these same programs resulted in a huge decline in mortality and a massive demographic shift towards an older population. Olvana now the challenges associated with a rapidly aging society and the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases, which now account for over 80 percent of annual deaths. Also contributing to this trend are unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, poor diets, sedentary lifestyles, and alcohol consumption, as well as environmental factors such as air pollution and traffic safety.

Freedom House gives Olvana one of the worse Global Freedom Score with a total score of only 12 out of a possible 100 points. This is a score of 11 in civil liberties and only a single point in political rights. With only one political party allowed in the country, almost all political rights of the people are repressed. Civil liberties are not much better. The Olvana government uses facial recognition software extensively to locate criminals and those that fight against the regime. The Olvanan people cannot refuse to be photographed for the facial recognition data base and the government is well on their way to putting its entire population into the electronic system.

Demographic Statistics Chart

Social Statistic	Country X
Primary Languages (%)	Olvan-Mandarin 70% Non-Mandarin Olvan: 22% Non-Olvanese languages: 7%
Ethnic Groups (%)	Olvan: 90% Zhuang: 2.0% Hui: 2.0% Kam (Dong): <1.0% Miao (Hmong): <1.0% Kinh (Vietnamese): <1.0% Muong <0.5% Thai (Dai): <0.5% Hani:  <0.5% Bai: <0.5% Tibetan: <0.5% Yi: <0.5% Dongxiang: <0.3% Other: <.3%
Major Religions (%)	Unaffiliated: 25.2% Hinduism: 34% Olvan Folk Religion: 32% Islam: 2.5% (primarily in the west) Christian: 2.3% Buddhist: 1.0% Misc. Indigenous Folk Religions: <1.0% Kinh Folk Religion: <1.0% Other: <1.0%
Literacy Rate (Older Than 15 in %)	Overall: 96.4% Male: 98.3% Female: 94.4%
Age Distribution (%)	Age 0-14 15-24 25-54 55-64 65+	Male 17.39 11.48 46.80 12.08 12.34	Female 16.79 11.29 45.70 12.02 14.20
Median Age	Overall: 37.4 Males: 36.5 Females: 38.4
Population	1,123,348,142
Annual Growth Rate	0.59%
Birth Rate Per 1,000 People	16.5
Death Rate Per 1,000 People	12.2
Urban Population (%)	87.0%
Annual Urbanization Rate	0.7%
Infant Mortality Rate Per 1000 Live Births	12.2
Life Expectancy At Birth (Years)	Overall: 72.6 Male: 70.5 Female: 76.0
Major Diseases In OE	Bacterial diarrhea Hepatitis A Typhoid Fever