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Republic of Ashburnham |
IntroductionThe Republic of Ashburnham is an island state completely surrounded by Ontario, Canada, bounded to the West by the Otonabee river, and to the East by the Trent-Severn Waterway. Ashburnham is one of the smallest of the NAFTA trading group, with a population of less than 5,000 people. The economy is service-based, relying on tourism and commuters from the neighboring city of Peterborough, Ontario. However, with the recent opening of a Tim Horton's, we are confident that Ashburnham is poised for rapid economic growth. Government & International RelationsAshburnham has a bi-cameral legislature, with the lower house meeting regularly at Tim Horton's and the upper house located in the Armour Heights Observatory.International relations are excellent, with no current disputes with other countries. Ashburnham has implicit diplomatic relationships with all major countries, none of whom have refused requests for bi-lateral treaty arrangements (although North Korea and some others have failed to respond to requests to open negotiations). Ashburnham enjoys especially close relations with our largest neighbour, Canada, with whom we have close economic, cultural and historical ties (Ashburnham was the first municipality to separate from Canada under the terms of the March, 2000 Clarity Act). The government of Ashburnham lets Canadian citizens freely live and work in the Republic, and the government of Canada implicitly recognises that this relationship is bilateral. The border crossings are unmanned, with no customs or immigration formalities required.
Tourism & Points of InterestAshburnham has many points of interest for tourists, who come from all over south-eastern Ontario to view the spectacular Lift Locks.
Ashburnham Lift Locks - The largest in the world! Other attractions include the annual Duck's Unlimited Greenwings Fishing Derby, the Armour Heights Olympic Bobsled Training Center and the Trent Canal Speed-Skating Track, both open throughout the winter; the Little Lake Boating and Fishing Center; the Centennial Museum and Archives located on top of the Armour Drumlin, with spectacular views in all directions; and of course, Tim Horton's. Economic PolicyAshburnham emulates other successful city states such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Venice. To encourage trade and economic growth, Ashburnham is a free-trade area, with no tarrifs, no taxation, and no restrictions on foreign ownership of any kind. However, under a unilateral arrangement, the government of Canada does impose various taxes and restrictions in return for providing services such as water, power, policing etc.Ashburnham is currently establishing the legislative framework required to start negotiations over membership in the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organization (WTO), and the World Curling Federation (WCF), CitizenshipCitizenship is open to all people who have resided in Ashburnham for more than two consecutive weeks regardless of age, sex, fishing ability etc. However, all citizens of the Republic of Ashburnham are required to hold Canadian Resident status. Geography & ClimateAshburnham is approximately four miles long, and nearly one mile wide in the central plain. The island republic is bounded to the west by the Otanabee river, with spectacular bluffs. On a clear day it is possible to see the imposing Quaker Oats factory in nearby Canada. On the East, the most important topographical feature is the Armour Drumlin, an almost perfectly tear-shaped hill formed by glacial action. Located on the same latitude as Marseilles, Ashburnham enjoys a continental interior climate, with temperatures suitable for backyard barbecues in the summer and cross-country skiing on the Otonabee River Trail in the winter. | .
Links
Quaker Oats - A major international investor in Ashburnham |
Under-recognized Nations Organization