The Antarctican Collective is a country in Cyberpunk 2020.
Background[]
In 1992 a civil war occurred in Argentina which resulted in the exiled General Enrique Harrad overthrowing the government and taking complete dictatorial control of the country. In 1995, after Argentina annexed Uruguay, the people of Argentina attempted a coup against Harrad which failed, but provided a distraction which allowed a large amount of Argentina's citizens (most of them scientists and other intellectuals, whom had been policed specifically under Harrad's rule) to escape the country with the help of sea nomads from New Zealand.
Pursued by Harrad's forces, which used nuclear weapons to obliterate the small islands they tried to land on, the refugees eventually made it to Antarctica to seek asylum at the Australian outpost there, which was in the middle of constructing an arcology there to serve as a genetics testing facility.
Harrad's forces follow them to Antarctica, but elect not to use nuclear weapons in fear of causing a tsunami. The Australian government refused to send backup to assist the research station, but the scientists and refugees were eventually able to overpower the soldiers due to being better equipped for handling both the cold weather and the continent-sized hole in the ozone.
The Collapse occurred only a few weeks after, leaving the research station fully cut off from funding. Undeterred, the scientists and refugees completed construction on the arcology themselves.
In 1999, Argentina sent a second fleet of ships to invade Antarctica which succeeds in completely destroying the outpost and surrounding buildings, but left the Pangaea Arcology unharmed as it was concealed within a large snow bank. For years, the world would assume the scientists and refugees had perished until 2016, when spy satellites picked up telltale energy signatures in Antarctica and an American-European joint surveillance team was sent to investigate.
The surveillance team would not return from Antarctica until a year later when they arrived in Australia via cargo VTOL to deliver a message from the new president of the Antarctican Collective inviting foreign dignitaries to the Pangaean Arcology to begin to have relations with the outside world again. In 2020 it opened its borders, accepting refugees and asylum seekers from all parts of the world.[1]
Culture[]
The people of the Antarctican Collective are in general patriotic, if slightly xenophobic, though are accepting of others that can contribute to Antarctican society. While outwardly extremely generous, the government of the Antarctican Collective does not hesitate in capturing and interrogating people who pose a threat to them and have negotiated contracts with Arasaka to train and arm their police force.
Antarcticans greatly value intelligence, and from the ages of 2 to 16 tutor their children in a variety of subjects. At the age of 17 they enter into a 2-year course of job training or apprenticeship, and once complete are expected to also undergo a year of military service before entering into their chosen profession.
The most significant trait shared by Antarcticans is their purple-coloured skin, which is the result of genetic engineering to lessen the effects of UV radiation on them from the tattered ozone layer, and are also engineered to process energy more efficiently. The Antarctican Collective is as a whole known for its genetic engineering, as they possess the highest amount of genetically-adapted beings out of any country. Revolution Genetics, an Antarctican company, has quickly emerged as a leading supplier of bioware able to rival Biotechnica.[1]
International Relationships[]
After revealing themselves to the world in 2017, the Antarctican Collective maintains steady political and trade relations with several countries. They still have a rocky relationship with Argentina, which has long-since deposed Enrique Harrad.
The Antarctican Collective has a lot to trade with the outside world with Antarctica's abundance in iridium, iron, petroleum, silver, titanium, uranium, and zinc, as well as biotechnology and mining rights.
Their main imports from other countries are computers, medical equipment, construction supplies, and weaponry.[1]
Reference[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 HOWZE, T. et al, Interface Magazine Vol. 1, No. 3, Prometheus Press, Inc., Alameda, CA, 1991. (pp.4–9)