Groland

Groland (full name: Presipality of Groland, F.: "Présipauté du Groland") is a fictional country featured in various humorous programs on French television channel Canal Plus. It is a vague parody of France and of European microstates. The show associated with the country ("Bienvenue au Groland").

The landlocked nation is described as a ‘presipality’ (a pun on "principality" and "president"), and its main regions are: Upper Groland ("le Groland-du-Haut"), Side Groland ("le Groland-de-Côté"), Lower Groland ("le Groland-du-bas"), and Other Side Groland ("Groland-de-l'Autre-Côté"). The capital is Groville, the main river is the Gro, and the main prefectures are Grugny, Mufflins, Maroufle and Vichumes. The placenames, certain elements of Grolandais speech (e.g. the use of "ch'" instead of "le" or "la"), and the generally crass and unintelligent character of the Grolandais themselves, reflect popular stereotypes about rural northern France.

The motto of the country is "Joie, hospitalité, lâcheté" ("Joy, hospitality, cowardice"). The country remained neutral during World War I, and was famous for being a haven for soldiers on leave, with its cheap alcohol and prostitutes. During World War II, the country's leadership collaborated with the Nazi occupier; the government engaged in policies of persecution and deportation of Jews and homosexuals. After American troops liberated the country, a sudden change of mood happened, and alleged former collaborators were murdered.

The most recent elections, the presipential, took place in 2001. There was one candidate, President Christophe Salengro; and one elector, again the president. The president was elected with 100% of the votes. President Salengro is the heir of a dynasty of feudal lords.

Groland Police Department is known as GROPD which means approximatively big faggot in French "(gros pédé)".

Groland has a continuous news television channel, CANAL International, a clear parody of CNN.

Notable Groland citizens: President Salengro; news anchor Jules-Édouard Moustic; journalist Francis Kuntz; former investigative journalist Michael Kael.

Notable honorary Groland citizens: José Bové; Valérie Lemercier; Aki Kaurismäki; Noël Godin; the puppet of Jacques Chirac from the Canal+ show "Les Guignols de l'info"; Yannick Jolin; and Michael Moore.

External links

* [http://www.canalplus.fr/c-humour/pid1787-c-groland.html Groland] on Canal Plus
* [http://www.groland-vidz.com Groland Vidz] , to see the most recent "7 jours au groland" show (in .wmv format) (French)
* [http://www.ministeredudedans.com/ Ministry of the inside]
* [http://www.grogueule.fr/ Grogueule.fr (google groland)]
* [http://www.grolandforum.com/ Groland Forum]
* [http://www.theodocle-fion.com Théodocle Fion] , Groland citizen & philosopher (French)