Cooperative Countries of a Shared World

[7,052,770]

Claiming Korea.

[7,052,770]

Official Name: Kingdom of Joseon
Common Name: Joseon
Territorial Description: OTL Korea, some of Manchuria, Ryukyu Islands, and other small military base islands south of Japan
Capital Hanyang [Seoul]
Government: Constitutional monarchy under King Heonyong, although the National Assembly has most of the power
Level of Freedom: Medium to high.  Civil liberties are generally allowed, but speaking out against the king or official government policy is frowned upon -- it won't get you jailed directly, but it will get you noticed.
Population: approximately 165,000,000
Languages: Hangungmal [Korean] is the official national language and is understood by over 99% of the population. Mandarian, Manchu, Ryukyuan, Jin, and Latin are common second languages, but with compulsory education in Hangungmal for children, and Hangungmal fluency required for citizenship, virtually no one speaks another language as their first language.
Religion: Buddhist 48%, Catholic 25%, Other 8%, Irreligious 19%
Level of Technology and Development: High.  Similar to OTL Korea.
History: Joseon's history unfolded similarly to OTL until the late 1600s. Joseon was always a rival of Zhōngguó, and always resented Zhōngguó for cutting deals with Europeans that sent the Europeans to meddle in Joseon. Joseon and Lithuania fought a minor war in the 1730s -- the war was generally a stalemate, but Lithuania withdrew anyway since it couldn't justify fighting it. Tensions remained high for nearly a century, though. Joseon formally entered an alliance with the HRE in 1823 and "joined" PE1 by attacking any remaining Lithuanian outposts in the area.
Joseon formally allied with [Chinese state south of Zhōngguó] in 1849, but the pair were defeated by Zhōngguó in the first of the East Asian Wars. Humiliated and forced to pay reparations, Joseon's culture completely moved toward a nationalistic military state, led by a king who was also a brilliant strategist.  With Latin support, Joseon launched an invasion of Zhōngguó and their Japanese ally in 1870 and forced an unconditional surrender by March 1871. Joseon and the HRE divided Zhōngguó and [Japanese state] and into military districts and executed the Zhōngguó's king.  Joseon also seized islands outside the main 4 islands of Japan, which they own to this day. Joseon and the HRE both benefited economically from this arrangement, but [Chinese state south of Zhōngguó], a former close ally of Joseon grew pretty uncomfortable with the occupation and withdrew from the alliance.
Joseon and the HRE withdrew from Zhōngguó in 1881 per the 1871 treaty, put the foolish new emperor of Zhōngguó (still only aged 16 by 1884) insisted on exacting vengeance, leading to another major East Asian War between Zhōngguó and Joseon (no other country actually committed troops this time). The war lasted for a few months in 1884 and ended when Zhōngguó's emperor was assassinated by his own generals. Joseon decided not enforce big reparations on Zhōngguó this time, partially because there just wasn't anything left for them to pay. Zhōngguó did get its revenge in the 1906-1911 Great Asian War, the last of the East Asian Wars (I'll let someone who creates another East Asian country tell that story.)
After the war, Joseon was confined to the Korean peninsula, but it did maintain the Ryukyu Islands, and the other islands south of Japan (which are exclusively owned by the military). Joseon did support its longtime ally the HRE in PE3, much to the chagrin of its population.  Since then, however, Joseon has not been involved in a war and has modernized its nation.  It boasts a robust infrastructure with high-speed trains, and has evolved into the major economic power of East Asia.
Interesting Fact 1: Joseon is not a member of the East Asian bloc due to its ongoing tension with Zhōngguó. Instead, Joseon is in the monarchical bloc and a close ally of the Holy Roman Empire.
Interesting Fact 2: Joseon has a space program which has sent up several satellites, but it has not sent up any astronauts itself, instead sending them on Latin space missions.  Joseon scientists tentatively reached an agreement to have veteran Joseon astronaut Seok Sung Han participate in Zhōngguó's 10th and final (for now?) lunar landing, only have the government of Zhōngguó publicly and vehemently reject the idea. Joseon is now collaborating with the Holy Roman government on their proposed aresian landing. Perhaps another space race is brewing?

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

You got the Gold Coast right .

[Franknburger]

I will do one. Could somebody post the link to the latest "official" map?

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

I will do one. Could somebody post the link to the latest "official" map?

It's in Harry's latest post.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

List of countries by population, rounded to the nearest 1,000 people:

Zhongguo: 975.184 million
India: 487 million
Persia: 370 million
Bengal: 325 million
New Caledonia: 260 million
Arabia: 250 million
ROR: 226.103 million
Crown of Aragon: 220 million
Joseon: 165 million
Gold Coast: 137.012 million
France-England: 88 million
Danish Kongo: 84 million
Jamestown: 45.3 million
Siberia: 43.5 million
Tawantinsuyu: 41.891 million
Castile: 39.125 million
Greater Denmark: 35 million
Elodie: 32.4 million
Jalissalia: 32 million
East Africa: 32 million
Sulu: 32 million
Lower Cascadia: 26 million
Caucasia: 20 million
Kreutzerstaat: 18.192 million
Sonola: 18 million
Bavaria: 12.6 million
Papal States: 12 million
Finland: 10.5 million
Celtic Union: 10 million
White Rus: 10 million
Bhruadair ar: 9.4 million
Estulur: 9.1 million
Baden: 8.5 million
Hokkaido: 7.891 million
Confederacio d'Indigines: 7.826 million
Venice: 7.281 million
Scotland: 6 million
Australia: 6 million
Breizh: 4.5 million
Tierra del Fuego: 4 million
Crown of Castile: 3.5 million
Zanzibar: 2.6 million
Choka: 316,000
St. Mark: <10,000

I added the parts of Nigeria west of the Niger River into the Gold Coast's total, as well as Sierra Leone and Liberia's.

[Franknburger]

Official Name: Düdesche un Nedderlandische Hanse
Common Name: Hanseatic League
Territorial Description: North Sea plains between Rhine and Elbe / Oder (including Cologne & Hamburg, which is difficult to see on the map); Baltic Sea shores of central Sweden, Prussia & Kurland, Coast of Virginia & NC, Lesser Antilles, Panama, mouth of the Rio de la Plata, Bight of Biafra, Cape Province RSA, East African coast south of Zanzibar, Sri Lanka,  Singapore / South Malaysia / Riau, Banten / Jakarta,  Honkong / Macau / Guangzhou
Capital Kleve
Government: Federation of independent city republics, which themselves are organised in regional quarters (originally Netherland quarter / Amsterdam; Rhinish quarter / Cologne, Saxon quarter / Magdeburg, Baltic quarter / Visby, later extended to include other members around the world). The League's authority restricts to military, monetary & trade policies & legislation, decisions require 2/3 majority among the quarters. Otherwise, the quarters and the city republics within them are fairly autonomous. The League parliament has certain legislative and budgetary rights, but is relatively powerless.
Level of Freedom: Very high. For its liberal legislation on drugs, the League is regularly being criticised by its neighbours (though individual members may tax marihuana and alcohol heavily). Amsterdam was the first city in the world to legalise gay marriage.
Population: approximately 190,000,000
Languages: Official languages are Low Saxon (Dütsch, 45%), Malay (17%), Mandarin (16%) and Kisuaheli (9%). Individual quarters may use additional languages like, e.g. Frisian (Dutch & Saxon quarters), Swedish & Prussian (Baltic quarter). Language policies are under the authority of the quarters & member republics.
Religion: Other Christian 33%, Catholic 8% Muslim 12%, Buddhist 4%, others 11%, none 32%. Conflicts between city councils and the ruling Bishops lead to several upheavals (Utrecht, Cologne, Munster, Bremen, Magdeburg) and ultimately rejection of papal authority by the League. There has, however, been considerable immigration from catholic countries into the League's European and American territories. The Muslim population is primarily found in East Africa and on the Malayan Archipelago.
Level of Technology and Development: Extremely high. The League controls 58% of the world's trade flows and 79% of the world's financial markets. While the League is strong in some technological fields, especially shipbuilding, electronics and ICT, its economy is mostly service-based. Investment and consumer goods are imported from all around the world.
History: In the 13th century, regional groups (=" hansa") of merchant cities formed around the North and Baltic Seas, primarily to combat piracy. Under the pressure of emerging territorial powers (England-France to the West, Denmark to the North, Lithuania to the South-East), these alliances intensified, especially as the Emperor of the HRE, pre-occupied with Mediterranean policies, showed little interest in the region. The fall of Antwerp to England-France convinced those Dutch cities that had so far been reluctant to join, especially Amsterdam, of the need for a broader alliance. The Danish-Lithuanian conquest of Riga had the same effect on Swedish coastal towns, notably Stockholm.
As Danish expansion in the Baltic Sea cut more and more into their eastward trade, the League was eager to open up new trade opportunities with the New World and Asia.  Early settlements (New Amsterdam on the Potomac, New Bremen / "Good Lücht" on the Rio de la Plata, Kapstadt, New Visby on the island of Sri Lanka, Batavia, Singapore, New Hamburg on the South Chinese Coast, etc.) were systematically colonised and developed into a trade network.
This expansion met little competition from other European countries. The Crown of Aragon and the UK of England and France were busy fighting over control of the Languedoc, and also did not want to risk conflict with the League. Cash-stripped Aragon relied heavily on Hanseatic credit (which later, in 1708, lead to the famous "Panama purchase"), while England-France was afraid the League might support the Flemish independence movement. In the Treaty of Trelleborg, the League,  Denmark and Lithuania agreed on their worldwide spheres of influence (south of 40 degrees latitude was League territory), and also came to an agreement on Baltic matters (special status and high autonomy for Pomeranian League members within the Danish Kingdom, free transit of Hanseatic merchants through Danish territory).
The League's policy was never geared towards gaining control of land territories. Its focus was major seaports and rivers, with some hinterland to ensure the colonists' local supply. This reduced conflicts with the indigenous population (the Gold Coast war, which led to the loss of Elmina, is an exception). The colonies had, as trading towns, similar structures and interests as the "homeland", and would as such easily become full League members when they had grown to a certain size. True to its original mission, the League has put massive effort in fighting piracy worldwide, and is often referred to  as "Police of the Seven Seas".
Interesting Fact: The Hanseatic Mark is not only the first currency that was guaranteed by a Central Bank (Bank of Hamburg), but still the world's dominating trade and reserve currency.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Official Name: Republica Libre de Marcella (Free Republic of Marcella)
Common Name: Marcella
Territorial Description: Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, New Caledonia, Jamestown, the Crown of Aragon, the Confederacio d'Indigines, and part of the Hanseatic League (that big blank space in between all of them)
Capital: Marcella City
Government: Modeled after the Castilian system, but with some changes - a unicameral Senate with 100 members and a President elected once every six years - the current President is
Level of Freedom: High
Population: 35.8 million
Languages: Castilian is the official language and the most widely spoken, followed by English, Latin, and then the various native languages.
Religion: Catholic (official) 82%, Jewish 5%, other Christian 2%, other/atheist 11%
Level of Technology and Development: High - Marcella City contains some of the world's top research universities
History: What is known today as Marcella was "discovered" and claimed for Castile in 1481 by Agostino Marcello, who being the brash explorer that he was named the whole goddamn place after himself. Castile enjoyed this addition to its rapidly growing empire very much (as well as the [South American] colony of Santa Cruz, as it allowed the Kingdom to compete with Aragon for imperial might. In 1757, however, Marcella and Santa Cruz independently rebelled against Mad King Alfonso VII, who was too weak to stop them. After finally winning the Revolutionary War (aka the Marcellan War for Independence), they celebrated in their newfound victory and quickly settled down to killing natives. Along with Jamestown and the Aragonese kingdom of New Burgundy, they hammered out a border and gave those pesky non-Europeans their own damn country where they wouldn't steal our Marcellan jobs! could live in peace and do their own native tradition thing - those that stayed in Marcella were rather forcibly converted to Catholicism and made to adopt European traditions in the policy of blanceado. Along with Jamestown, Marcella still had a heavy hand in the running of the CdI government until they withdrew from the Council of Overseers in 1899, and they only abolished slavery in 1882. Relations with the native community are still strained to this day. In the modern era, they don't really do much - staying out of PE3, siding with Castile on most things, all that jazz. The Marcellans are content to chug along and live happy lives.
Interesting Facts: While it remains an independent republic, Marcella continued to recognize the Castilian king as its monarch until the Republicans came to power in the mother country and abolished the position. It is envious of the New Caledonians, its bigger, sexier brother northern neighbor, and is among the world's leading producers of coal.

[7,052,770]

Well, this game is pretty much dead, but there's another similar one starting up here:
http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=289014