Imperium

The Empire (Hegemonian: Imperium [imˈpɛːrium]) is a confederated state primarily located in Central Arhet. Imperium covers an area of 13,658,000 km² and shares border with twenty seven countries. It has over 1.1 billion inhabitants within its 90 first-level entities: 52 republics, 32 kingdoms and 6 archipelagos. The Hegemonian institutions are seated in 3 different cities, which are Magium (Magonia), Orei (Egeia) and Balisipo (Boia); although Magium is the de facto capital, as it seats the official residence of the Emperor, the Senate, and all the executive ministries of the Epistalma, the country's chief executive body.

Due to its strategic geographic location in Arhet and its large extension, Imperium has been home to myriad peoples and civilizations. After thousands of years of human development in the area, the Phocaeans and Icarians emerged as the predominant civilizations in the modern-day Imperium, consolidating their power through the Res Publica Phocaeensis (Phocaean) and the poleis (Icarian). Both civilizations disputed the control of the area during years, until the intervention of Magius allowed both civilizations to consolidate their territories as the Ethereal Empire, the earliest stage of the modern-day Imperium.

The Ethereal Empire was governed by Magius itself for over 500 years, and by his direct descendants for 200 years after his ascent to heaven. The Dominate started in 221 when Titanius III became the first emperor without a direct bloodline to Magius, and established as an absolutist system in which the successors were direct or adopted descendants of the emperors. This system was superseded in 452 by the First Electivate, a system in which the emperor was elected by the High Council, composed of the regional, magical and religious leaders of Imperium. This system was reformed as the Second Electivate in 1072, with the creation of the state legislatures (elected by the population), who were responsible for appointing members of the Senate, a national legislative body responsible for formulating national laws and ratifying the election of the emperor by the High Council. Following significant reforms to the system, the Reformatio Rei Publici of 1720 concluded the transition to a parliamentary monarchy.

Administrative divisions
 Imperium is a confederated state and comprises 90 first-level entities which have a self-government, their own constitution and the power to determine its internal organization. According to their government type, which varies between each entity, they are grouped into 52 republics, 32 kingdoms and 6 archipelagos. The first-level entities are further subdivided into prefectures, which are, in turn, subdivided into municipalities.

The republics are the first-level entities of Imperium governed entirely by elected officers, where the head(s) of state and government is/are directly elected by the population (presidential republic) or by the state legislature  (parliamentary republic) to serve under terms defined by the state constitution. In parallel to the national system, most republics are governed by two officials, usually referred to as consuls.

The kingdoms are the first-level entities of Imperium governed by hereditary/life peers and elected officers, as required by the Second Imperial Law. Therefore, absolute monarchies don't exist within the first-level entities of Imperium. The heads of state are the monarchs, which are usually referred to as kings; while the heads of government are the prime ministers, which are usually elected by the state legislatures.

The archipelagos are the first-level entities of Imperium and groups of autonomous islands that as a whole have limited functions, but wherein the individual islands have a higher level of autonomy. The state government consists of a council of governments, composed of the leaders of the archipelago's islands, which convene to discuss measures that require the advice and consent of multiple islands; and the state legislature, responsible for formulating laws about collective issues of the archipelago's islands, such as commerce and security.