New Switzerland

New Switzerland Nay Schwaiz (Hunsrik)
Autonomous Region
Principality of New Switzerland
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:  Zwei Sprachen, ein Volk (English: "Two peoples, one people")
Anthem: "Far Horizons"
Sovereign state	Ebenthal
Settlement	2 February 2011
Inc. Roschfallen	28 January 2014
Inc. Ebenthal	13 August 2014
Autonomous status	1 January 2023
Official languages	Hunsrik
Demonym(s)	Neo-Swiss
Government	Devolved absolute monarchy
• Prince	Antônio I
Legislature	None Rule by decree
National representation
• House of Councillors	2 MPs (of 15)
Area
• Total	0.6 km2 (0.23 sq mi)
Highest elevation	0,846 m (2,776 ft)
Lowest elevation (Atlantic Ocean)	0 m (0 ft)
Population
• Census	16
GDP (PPP)	2023 estimate
• Total	To be calculated
• Per capita	To be calculated
Currency	Kupfermark (𝕮)
Time zone	UTC−03:00
• Summer (DST)	UTC−02:00
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy (AD)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+55
Internet TLD	.eb
Usual abbreviation	NS
Website	azores.gov.pt

New Switzerland, officialy Principality of New Switzerland (Hunsirk: Prinzpaat Nay Schwaiz, Portuguese: Principado da Nova Suíça) is one of the two special autonomous regions of Ebenthal. The principality is encrusted in the montainous region of the Brazilian State of Rio de Janeiro, entirely surrounded by the former Swiss colony and town of Nova Friburgo. With an area of 0.6 km² and a population of 16 permanent residents, New Switzerland is the country's fourth most populated administrative division. Previously bilingual, the principality currently adopts only Hunsrik, a German dialect of southern Brazilian origin, as its official language, while it recognizes Portuguese and English as working languages. The region has a unique arrangement within Ebenthal, being the administrative division with the most autonomy, governed through an hereditary absolute monarchy by the House of Scherer-Arrais which dominates the politics of the principality. New Switzerland is represented in the House of Councillors by two democratically elected councillors. Historically, the principality has been a steady conservative stronghold, represented in the national parliament almost exclusively by members of the Conservative Party and its successor, the National Party.

New Switzerland's history predates its micronational existence, with the region serving as a route for Amerindians from the interior to reach the Atlantic coast. The region remained largely uninhabited, with the exception of a few outposts, until the early 19th century, when immigrants Swiss, German and Austrians established a colony at the invitation of the King John I of Brazil, accompanying the arrival in Brazil of the Archduchess Maria Leopoldina of Austria. In the first decade of the 21st century, the territories that would form New Switzerland were settled by the Santos, Scherer-Arrais and Beato families. In early 2014, when Arthur van der Bruyn founded the Kingdom of Roschfallen, he merged his stepfather's lands into Magé with the of the Beato family in Petrópolis and with those of the Scherer-Arrais family in Nova Friburgo, establishing the Department of Gros Morne. Later that year, in the midst of a serious political conflict, Arthur Beato, 1st Duke of Gallar, followed by Antônio Scherer-Arrais, proclaimed independence of their lands in relation to Roschfallen. For two days, Beato ruled his lands under the name Most Serene Republic of Gallar until his acclamation as King of Ebenthal. Subsequently, his and Scherer-Arrais' estates were merged to form the Principality of New Switzerland within the Kingdom of Ebenthal. Eventually, in 2013, the Beato family's properties in Petrópolis were sold and the principality was reduced to a few enclaves in Nova Friburgo.

On February 5, 2022 the Neo-Swiss monarchy was abolished through the Unitary Act generating a constitutional crisis that became known as the 2022 Neo-Swiss crisis, in which the Neo-Swiss government refused to obey the force of law of the act, keeping its reigning prince on the throne and threatening independence. Ten days later, the Neo-Swiss monarchy was formally restored by the central government, but pressure for greater autonomy and secessionist nationalism remained strong sources of pressure. The crisis was definitively resolved only with the granting of greater autonomy to the principality and its change of status from province to special autonomous region.

New Switzerland is the wealthiest and most developed Ebenthaler administatrive division, with its entire population belonging to the upper-middle class. The principality's economy derives mainly from knowledge-based economy, services and tourism. It is home to the Princely Neo-Swiss Academy of Social Sciences and the principality is the largest national producer of scientific research in the field of social sciences, in addition to being the lowest carbon emitter among Ebenthal's administrative divisions.

Etymology

The name of the principality, "New Switzerland", originates from its history of colonization. The region was colonized throughout the 19th century by Germanic immigrants, especially of Swiss origin, due to similarities with the lower and less icy regions of Switzerland. During the colonization process, the Brazilian municipality of Nova Fribrugo, in which the principality is enclaved, and which received its name in reference to the Swiss canton of Fribourg, became known as "The Brazilian Switzerland" and is sometimes also referred to as "New Switzerland".