Nations and their size.

	
	Recently John Atkinson and myself were discussing how to base a
GZG
Universe nation on the 10th century Byzatine empire. This upset some of
you
I know but there are wider implications for all those using the GZG
background that have been missed. John said that the Nea Rhomanoi Empire
had 47 worlds. Problem.
	From the background so far we have only the size of three
nations, New
Israel, the Salfeed Caliphate and Free Cal-Tex. We also know the names
of
45 planets. Now if New Israel and the Caliphate are minor powers then
having 1 or 2 worlds seems ok. Free Cal-Tex however also has only 2
worlds
and is yet rated as a major power due to it's economy. You can see the
implications if the Rhomanoi have 47 worlds.
	I have no problems with the Rhomanoi having an empire of 47
continents
because taking Earth as an average this would mean the empire is 4-6
worlds. Even a place like Mars can be divided up into continents due to
its
rift valleys and mountain ranges even though it is no longer
tectonically
active. Also a size of 4 to 6 worlds would mean that the Rhomanoi were a
minor power and thus would not upset the background.
	But what does this mean for the other nations? Well if we say
that a minor
power has up to 6 worlds under it's control, PAU and LLAR being slightly
larger say 12 worlds but under developed mostly. Major powers might then
have a dozen to 15 worlds in their domains but far more developed than
those of the PAU and LLAR, Cal-Tex being very highly developed
economically
and thus smaller, perhaps Austin and New Pasadena have multiple moons or
thick asteroid belts that are economically valuable, besides having
industry on a moon means that you dont have to worry about pollution.
For
the super power I think we are looking at 20 to 30 worlds each with the
ESU
perhaps being slightly larger.
	I am making the assumtion that by world we do mean a realatively
Earth
like planet that has been heavily settled and industrially developed and
that these worlds would make the major contributions to the economy.
This
still leaves open the possiblity of mining operations, start up colonies
and military bases on planets or moons that are not settled. Obviously
the
super powers would have more of these, probably proportional to the
number
of worlds controled although Cal-Tex might be expanding very rapidly.
	Just some ideas and thoughts.

	Tony.
	twilko@ozemail.com.au