Simha City is a city within a small sovereign nation on the Obsidian Peninsula. It is also the informal name for the Simhalan Republic, the liberal-democratic republic of which Simha City is the capital and largest city. This article will discuss both but refer to the nation exclusively as the Simhalan Republic for clarity.

The population of the Simhalan Republic is about 4 million, with about 3.2 million in Simha City, 400 thousand in Banda Town, and 250 thousand in Kottai City. The rest live in rural areas and small towns. This gives the Simhalan Republic an Urban Primacy Index of 8.

The Simhalan Republic's "continental" territory is on the Obsidian Peninsula, but it also includes a number of small islands and the much larger Erimalai Island, which is separated from the mainland by the Uyarntatu Straits. Formerly, the territory of the Republic included Rat Island, but it was sold to the Coiné Union for use as a coaling station and military base. This functions have been abandoned and it is now officially an uninhabited nature preserve and naval gunnery reservation. In real world terms, the territory of the nation outside of Erimalai County is similar in areal size to the state of Rhode Island in the US, or somewhat larger than Luxembourg.

Divisions

The territory of the Simhalan Republic is divided into three Cities, two of which are divided administratively into urban districts, and five rural Counties.

The cities are Simha City, comprising 18 urban districts, Banda town, comprising 3 urban districts, and Kottai City, which is a unified urban district-city. Simha City's districts consist of the highly-urbanized core districts (of which there are ten) and the incorporated suburbs of Lena Park, Cirrotai Village, Anil Malai, Mara Malai, Pleasant Hills, Simha Heights, and Yew River. What parts of the territory remain parts of the counties and which become, or are annexed into, urban districts is a political matter, so some of the outlying "urban" districts are partially rural with ongoing agricultural activity, whereas parts of the "rural" counties contain unincorporated towns and transit suburbs of the cities.

The districts and counties are subdivided into wards, which are arranged for the administrative convenience of the government, and informally into neighborhoods with various names. Although wards are used in arranging elections, local government officers are appointed for them at the district or county level and not by ward-specific elections.

Government

The Simhalan Republic is a democracy with a two-round runoff voting system used in National, City, and District elections with single winners, such as for mayors and the president. Since more than one member is elected to most parliamentary constituencies, plurality voting determines the first winner, and any additional winners being drawn from party lists in proportion to the party preferences of the voters. Elections are generally free and reasonably fair. The current major parties are the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a center-right classical liberal party which governs in coalition with the right-wing Civic Nationalist party (CNP). The largest opposition party is the Simhalan Workers' Party (WP), a social democratic party, with minor opposition parties including the Communist Party of Simha City (CP) and the Royalist Party (RP). The Workers' Party was in government before the war, and a Civic Unity Front (with the cabinet ministers coming from the LDP and WP) governed the city during the war.

The Simhalan Republic has a unicameral parliament lead by a prime minister, and an elected President. Parliament has 65 members including a Speaker who is not popularly elected, and hence cannot vote, but is rather selected by the members of the house and is typically a respected former member or respected retired jurist.

The LDP+CNP coalition holds 34 seats, controlling parliament but with no margin for defections. A WP+CNP+CP coallition is considered impossible as the CNP has ruled out working with communists; the possibility of a CNP+WP coallition has been discussed a little more seriously but would likely face a great deal of difficulty developing a mutually acceptable platform. A more realistic possibility would be a WP+CP coalition if the zeitgeist shifts in favor of the Left, which would likely result in both of these parties gaining seats. As it stands, most pundits predict the LDP+CNP governing coalition will continue past the next elections.

Constituencies, number, and parties of MPs:

The at-large constituencies are only drawn from party lists, and are used to fine-tune party proportionality based on the votes cast within several related districts (Simha City or Banda Town.)

Judges in the Simhalan Republic face mandatory retirement at age 60.