Mars

Mars is the fourth planet in the Sol system and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System after Mercury. Unmanned exploration of the surface of Mars began on 4 July 1997 when The United States landed the Pathfinder rover. Mars is the first planet, and second heavenly body to be permanently colonized outside of earth. In 2036 the first colony was established on Mars in a joint venture between SpaceX and Blue Origin in Hellas Basin. Terraforming began in earnest in 2046 when the Hellas Basin Colony began sending expeditions into Noachis Terra and Hesperia Planum. The initial failures of these colonies along with mounting political tensions on Earth led to the realization that for Mars to survive Martian sustainability was paramount. By 2049 terraforming plants had been set up in the North Pole. By the 22nd century the Northern Lowlands had been transformed into the Northern Ocean, the largest body of fresh water in the solar system. Today the ecology of Mars is made up of imported species from Old Earth. Mars is now the second most populated planet in all of humanity sitting at 8.6 Trillion (Estimate; Kepler and George 2217).

Early History:
The Martian Compact was signed on 9 May 2066 as a declaration of neutrality during the Third World War and officially established the Martian League as a safe guard against earth encroachment on Martian sovereignty.

Notable Locations:
Olympus (Capital), Hellas Basin, Nova Italia, Alba, Elysium Bay, Argyre, Noachis Terra, Hesperia Planum

Martian League:
Before the Civil War, Mars was made up of 2331 individual colonies unified by a loose governing structure known as the Martian League. Under the League each colony was permitted to function autonomously as long as in the event an emergency, such as an internal conflict or extra planetary invasion, troops and other resources would be provided to the Hegemon of Mars, a representative who would be elected by the Martian Parliament. The League had no standing army of its own and although the Martian Parliament would made laws and request taxes individual colonies were under no obligation to enforce said laws or provide said taxes. Each colony was allotted a chair for one MP although many colonies chose not to send one.

The Frontier Period:
A period of rapid expansion that lasted from the mid 2080s to the beginning of the Civil War. The Terraforming of Mars had progressed at a faster rate than predicted. Imported gene-modified flora and fauna were spreading through the environment very quickly to the point that, as of a 2090 Estimate by Independent Surveyors, almost 3/4 of all unexplored land had been covered in new forests. As this was a major obstacle to colonial development on 28 September 2092 the Martian Parliament passed the Frontier Land Act which granted unclaimed land in the newly forested regions to anyone who was willing to maintain it. This attracted many would be refugees fleeing the war on Earth mainly coming from German conquered lands in Europe, Africa and Asia. Although the largest group by far were Italians who began arriving after Order 276. Notable colonies founded during this time were Nova Italia and Argyre.

Martian Civil War:
The Martian Civil War was a conflict that lasted from 10 April 2104 to 18 January 2110 and consisted of a five-way conflict between Martian Loyalists, Martian Nationalists, Martian Socialists, Anti-German Settlers, and Pro-German Unionists and ended in a Martian Nationalist victory and the establishment of the Free Republic of Mars.