Gabal
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Gabal is the smallest and youngest nation in the DATE Pacific region. Its people are tied ethnically and linguistically to its island neighbors, mostly those on Luzon. Gabal is one of the poorest nations in the region, however, its ideal locale and abundant natural resources enable the population to enjoy a contented if austere lifestyle. Consequently, they are wary of large investment or development initiatives that threaten their traditional lifestyle. They are heavily dependent on maritime commerce and good relations with Belesia, particularly with the regional government on Palawan, the island directly southwest of Gabal.
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| Demonym | Gabalian |
Contents
Political
The Republic of Gabal is a relatively new democracy, having emerged from joint rule by two Western European countries in 1977. Gabal faces numerous political and economic challenges that have undercut the effectiveness and legitimacy of its government since independence was declared. Tribal politics run deep within the government and the country is deeply federalized among tribal lines. Issues associated with climate change, however, have largely united the country in recent years, as Gabal, along with many other small island nations, seek to influence global climate change politics.
Military
The Republic of Gabal’s military serves more as a symbol of the country’s independence from its neighbors than it serves as any true fighting force. Due to its small size, the Gabal military possesses little offensive capabilities and is no threat to any of its neighboring countries. The Gabal military also lacks the ability to defend itself against any major external threat. The military’s main purpose is the prevention of illegal fishing activities in the country’s territorial waters.
Economic
Gabal is a nation that faces serious economic stress. Once a wealthy and prosperous nation, it is now reliant on other nations for survival. This includes not only trade and economic aid, but also global trends in both commodity pricing and climate change. Gabal will continue to attempt and exploit whatever resources are available to it, while also looking to expand its economic diversity and sources of funding.
Social
The Republic of Gabal has a strong cultural identity which is consistent amongst the broader Pacific Island archipelago. The Gabalian indigenous population is one of the most heterogeneous in the world with several thousand separate communities, most with only a few hundred people; divided by language, customs, and tradition. Some of these communities have engaged in low-scale tribal conflict with their neighbors for millennia; the advent of modern weapons and modern migrants into urban areas has greatly magnified the impact of this lawlessness.
Information
The Republic of Gabal is a small island within the South Pacific that is a liberal democracy and neutral to other regional countries, depending on the issue. Gabal understands the importance of the security guarantees in its relationship with the Republic of Torbia, but will readily accept money or capabilities from foreign influences. The government respects the freedom of media in telecommunications.
Infrastructure
The Island Nation has concentrated converting infrastructure that supports chromite mining and timber logging to support tourism, farm to market agriculture and fishing. Much of the infrastructure is dated and is in need of repair. The deforestation of the inner island of Coron has decimated the numbers of trees and many of the prior loggers have been out of work, thus lessening the revenue to repair infrastructure. Much of the resources that supported chromite farming have been repurposed by locals to assist with their agricultural demand.
Much of the infrastructure was initiated and maintained by companies that had interest in mining and logging and since the depletion of both, little has been invested on the islands.
Physical Environment
Gabal is a small island nation located in an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean. It shares water borders with Belesia and South Torbia—with whom it has friendly relations. The country’s terrain consists of craggy mountains interspersed with flat lowland plains, limiting its agricultural potential and creating transportation challenges. Both vegetation and climate are tropical in nature. Troops must deal with extreme temperatures and humidity throughout the country. Frequent rains will hamper operations and maneuverability, as will seasonal cloud cover. Multiple natural hazards exist, resulting from the country’s geology, weather, native wildlife, and human activity. The lack of land borders and prevalence of natural disasters—such as typhoons and landslides—will complicate missions.
Time
Gabal's approach to time can best be described as polychronic; the tendency to perform several tasks concurrently as opposed to monochronic, like the USA, where the preference is to perform tasks in sequence. On Gabal they have a word for their approach to time, it is Madalang, roughly translated it means leisurely or slowly. Gabal sits within the the South Torbia Time Zone (STTZ) which is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)/Coordinated Universal Time (UTC); they do not observe Daylight Saving Time (DST).
Significant Non-State Threat Actors and Conditions
| Group Name | Type | Country | Description |
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| Tantoco Cartel | Criminal | Multiple | The Tantoco Cartel was founded in the Republic of Torbia, it also operates in the largest cities of Olvana. The Tantoco Cartel is involved in almost every type of criminal activity imaginable: drug and weapons smuggling, extortion, motor vehicle theft, illegal gambling, money laundering, counterfeiting, and murder-for-hire The Olvana government is serious about bribery as some senior government leaders have been forced to resign or imprisoned when caught taking bribes. |
| Gabal Forever) | Insurgency | Gabal | "Gabal Forever" is a very small group (less than 100) of boisterous people who do not like the way the government and business leaders are catering to foreigners in attempt to chase the tourist dollar. Many of these are 85%-95% ethnically native to the local islands and trace their ancestry back beyond written history through the oral history tradition of their ancestors. These people are upset about the change in their island’s life and would like it to return to what it was 200 years ago before Westerners arrived. |
| Kumpulan | Criminal | Gabal | Kumpulan is the major criminal organization in Gabal. Its leader owns a local import/export business with warehouses in several cities and towns in Gabal, from which it can hide illegal goods among legitimate imports. It is highly likely that the group has agents scattered throughout the National Police as well as any local governmental officials. |
| DATE Pacific Quick Links . | |
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| Belesia | Political • Military • Economic • Social • Information • Infrastructure • Physical Environment • Time |
| Gabal | Political • Military • Economic • Social • Information • Infrastructure • Physical Environment • Time |
| North Torbia | Political • Military • Economic • Social • Information • Infrastructure • Physical Environment • Time |
| Olvana | Political • Military • Economic • Social • Information • Infrastructure • Physical Environment • Time |
| South Torbia | Political • Military • Economic • Social • Information • Infrastructure • Physical Environment • Time |
| Other | Non-State Threat Actors and Conditions |