Helvasia Republic

Helvasia is a constituent republic of Arctic Commonwealth.

Helvasia Republic
Island of Svalbard
Constituent Republic of Vekllei
Part of the Arctic Commonwealth
Accession	1836, as part of the British Atlantic Territories
Area	62,045 km²
Capital	Romsa
Languages	Northern Sami, English, Norwegian
Population	32,400

The Helvasia Republic is a constituent republic of Vekllei in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Arctic Circle, nearly 1000km north of Norway. It comprises an archipelago of nine main islands, the largest of which is nearly 40,000 km² and is home to most of the republic’s small population. It is the northernmost Vekllei republic, and holds several records for its latitude, including its capital of Romsa as the northernmost permanent settlement in the world.

According to sagas in Oslola, Helvasia was discovered by Scandinavians in the 12th Century, who observed tribespeople living there – most likely arctic Sami. After the island was rediscovered by Europeans in the 17th Century, whaling stations were established on Bear Island in its south. After quarrels over whaling rights resulted in conflict between Dutch and English settlers, the UK effectively exercised control over Svalbard thereafter, though a small Russian settlement on the main island remained uncontested throughout the 18th Century. In 1836, the archipelago was absorbed into the British Atlantic Territories and later acceded to Vekllei after the Atomic War.

Because the whale oil industry was largely confined to Bear Island, the indigenous Sami peoples of Helvasia have retained relative independence from foreign powers for over a thousand years. They remain the predominant ethnic and linguistic group on Helvasia, and Northern Sami and English are taught in schools. Sami culture characterises life in Helvasia, and many traditional and animistic practices remain commonplace. Sami culture and language is distinct from both Scandinavian and Algic languages spoken elsewhere in Veklllei.

Life on Helvasia is cold and harsh, and pack ice in its surrounding shallows prohibit access by sea in the winter months to all vessels except nuclear icebreakers. Its climate is Arctic and ranges from around 15 °C in summer to -40 °C in winter. Its extreme latitude means Helvasia experiences midnight sun and polar night for nearly a hundred days in both summer and winter respectively. Polar Bears remain dangerous there and many Helvasians carry rifles outdoors. Outside of company towns and nomads nearly all Helvasians live in the capital of Romsa.

Helvasia has economic zone disputes with Norway and the Soviet Union, and confrontation between the Vekllei Littoral Service and the navies of those countries occur periodically. The country exploits coal, oil and gas reserves on and around the archipelago. Minor industries include domestic tourism, trapping, fishing and municipal goods. The republic also serves as a base for Vekllei polar research and expeditions, and its isolation has encouraged the establishment of initiatives like the Federal Vault and the International Knowledge Vault.