Mayapan (offic. The Mayapan Federation) is a sovereign state in Central America. It is one of only two states in the Americas with a majority indigenous population, and the only indingenous state not conquered by Europeans.
Founded as a response to Spanish incursions in 1510, it is the second state to bear the name “Mayapan.” Although it has experienced severe turmoil, from multiple civil wars, foreign occupation and devastating plague, it has never been fully subjected, and has retained some level of independence since its founding. Many invaders: first the Spanish, then the Mexicans, then the Centroamericans, and finally the Scots found fighting in the Yucatan jungles close to impossible, withdrawing before even reaching the deep interior.
Although it is still fundamentally a Mayan state, it has borrowed much from the outside world during its five century long existence. The country has been majority Christian since the 17th century, although some thinly-veiled Mayan gods are venerated as saints. Governmental systems are modeled after Europe, and the formerly rural and poor country has adopted much technology, especially since the tourism boom of the 60s.
The country is governed as a federation of fifteen (or fourteen, depending on who you ask) kingdoms, who are each accorded five representatives to the one-hundred and fifty member strong Maya Council, the remaining representatives doled out based on population. The council is popularly elected, and decides most national policy, although day to day governance is devolved to the local kingdoms. The Ajaws (kings), although mostly powerless, still are proud reminders of the country’s ancient past and are prominent in ceremonies especially the popular spring equinox rituals at Chichen Itza.
Although a formerly agrarian and poverty-stricken nation, its political stability, tropical location and free markets have made it one of the fastest growing economies in the world, fueled by a robust services and tourism industry. Chinese-built high speed rail cuts through the jungle Xel-Ha’s lagoons, cenotes and ancient temples attract millions of tourists yearly, and Mayapán has seen one of the largest building booms in Latin America.
Nevertheless, the country still struggles with income inequality and degradation of its rich natural and cultural heritage from overdevelopment. Although friendly with neighboring Belize and the FRCA, Mexico and Mayapan have no diplomatic relations since Mayapan bloodlessly annexed Campeche in 1978 during the 2nd Mexican Civil War. Additionally, Mayapan diplomatically and militarily supports the internationally unrecognized Petén Republic, which Mexico considers an illegal rebellion.
