South Florida (1983: Doomsday)

The Republic of South Florida is an American survivor nation currently located near Big Cypress, the Everglades, and with territorial enclaves near Lake Okechobee. It is mainly a somewhat-strong confederation of towns and cities along the west coast of the Peninsula.

Pre-Doomsday
The current area of the Republic of South Florida is primarily made up of two National Parks: Big Cypress and the Everglades National Parks.

Post-Doomsday
The Cape Coral – Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area dodged a direct hit on Doomsday and soon became a mecca for refugees fleeing Tampa and Miami. After several years with no contact with the state or federal government the "Provisional Republic of South Florida" was proclaimed as a placeholder for the United States. The hope was that when the Federal or State government arrived in South Florida they would return to the United States. However that day never came.

In the 1990's it became clear that the Federal government would not be coming. The people of South Florida held a referendum and voted narrowly to secede from the United Sates. That summer a Constitutional convention was held in Naples to build the framework for a new government. What became of this convention was a constitution very similar to that of the United States with a few modifications to make it more suitable for the citizens of South Florida.

While the Cape Coral – Fort Myers Area managed to remain relatively stable in the aftermath of Doomsday, but in the mid 1990's gang raids from small communities in and around the Lake Okeechobee region like Belle Glade on the south and the town of Okeechobee on the north side of the lake began to increase in intensity. Upon conducting a fact finding mission into Belle Glade a fascist dictatorship was found. According to the local resistance group many of the city-state's citizens wanted a regime change but simply feared the government too much to even speak out against it.

Modern Times
Recently, the RSF had managed to unite all of the Western and Eastern Territories in hopes to create a more stabilized nation. It only took a few months for representatives to come from all of the communities along the Gulf Coast, Everglades, and Lake Okechobee, and vote on issues regarding political stability. Soon, they managed to even out the population in each city, using techniques such as awarding money to those moving from overcrowded cities to less populated ones. They also developed a great technique of urban farming, and by law every square block of land must have some way of producing at least a small amount of food in the case food supply is cut off, so that starvation can be delayed.

Economy
At this current moment the economy of the Republic of South Florida is a survival-based economy.It depends mainly on fishing and small urban farming to feed the masses. Trade is most commonly done through barter, and there are signs which indicate which stores accept money. Proposals are to start up some sort of tourist attractions, but as of now the governments main priority is to stablilize the population. Another source of income is the small deposits of oil along the coastline, as well as jobs on the proposed a highway I-93 to connect Naples to Evergladesland, a town in the center of the Everglades and a bridge going across to Okechobeeton, a residential area on an island in the north-west corner of the Lake.

Foreign Relations
South Florida has recently become aware of multiple survivor communities along the coastal parts of Miami, and with hopes of annexing the territory, have sent care packages to the area in need of desparate care.

South Florida is also thinking of applying for membership in the Leauge of Nations.

This summer Vice President Buchanan intends to tour other survivor nations in the Southern region of the former United States including Hattiesburg, West Texas, Kentucky, Virginia, Piedmont Republic, and Blue Ridge along with the PUSA.

Education
Education at pre-Doomsday standards is a very rare thing.After Doomsday, many families looted abandoned schools and continued to teach thier children, albeit through home-school. Once it was officially declared a nation, small schools began to open up in neighboorhoods, usually in someones home or in an abandoned building. However, in the areas near Collier County and the Everglades, illiteracy is somewhat common in several townships and villages. In those areas, with completely literate people come in at only 20 percent of the population, with another 50 percent who at least know basic words and letters, and the rest being completely illeterate. The only university in the entire country is Naples Elementary University or Florida, and teacher at a high-school standard of Pre-Doomsday schools. It is, however, government funded because many people in the area are either unemployed or fit into the working-class.

Newspapers
South Florida has two newspapers.

Radio
With help from the LoN the first radio station became operational in late 2009. A radio station called 97.3 "The Coast" was created for residents to listen to 60's, 70's and 80's music along with news, weather and sports.