The Economy
Despite its isolation, the Pandoran economy is quite
vibrant. Fishing, farming and textiles are key industries. Most everyday staple goods are produced on the
island, however luxury and specialty goods are imported quite often. Oddly
enough, most of these goods are not brought in by the Pandoran Ferry, but
emerge from the Underground. Exactly where and how the King of the Underground
sources these goods remains a mystery.
The unit of currency in Pandora is the humble rho. The rho
refers to both paper money and coinage.
The smallest denomination is the half-rho coin, then the one rho bill
and coin, the two rho bill, the four rho bill, the eight rho bill and the
sixteen rho bill. The coins are silver while the paper bills are pink and blue.
Pandoran businesses do not take credit or debit cards, but
personal checks drawn on a local bank are commonly accepted.
Visitors and newcomers to the island are surprised at the
excellent rate when exchanging foreign currency for rhos. The exchange rate is
set by the Ministry of Finance, which is responsible for the printing and
minting of money, as wel as overseeing the Pandoran economy. The Minister of Finance is appointed by the
monarch and usually serves for life or until they retire, are replaced by a new
monarch or become mentally incompetant.
Pandoran exports are mostly high-quality textiles, which are
shipped out via the Underground. Clothing made from Pandoran wool commands a
high price overseas.
Tourism is a fairly new industry in Pandora and, to date,
extremely limited. Tourists are usually wealthy individuals attracted to
Pandora by the rumors surrounding the island.
Given the limited space on the Pandoran Ferry (and the recalcitrance of
the Captain), mass tourism is simply not feasible. There has been some discussion of adding a
second ferry that would handle the tourist trade, but this idea was immediately
vetoed by the Ferry Captain and the King of the Underground. No reason was given as to why this idea would
be unfeasable, or why the Ferry Captain would have any input in the matter.
Pandora has a high literacy rate. Approximately 98% of the
population can read and write and about 58% of the population speaks more than
one language.
Pandorans value education and children begin attending
preschool at the age of five, and regular school at age six. The Pandoran school day, however, starts at
10:00 AM and ends at 2:00 PM. From grades one through four, the Pandoran
curriculum focuses on English, Mathematics, Art and Sport. At the start of grade five, the curriculum
shifts to Civics, History, Science and an elective class of the student's
choice.
At the end of grade eight, the student's overall academic
interest and ability is assessed by the Ministry of Education. This is an
important moment in a student's life. Those who have not displayed academic
interest are directed toward trade school and practical apprenticeships. Those
who have displayed academic interest and ability are directed toward a course
of study to prepare them for higher education in grades nine through twelve.
It should be noted that Pandoran children attend school year
round with week long breaks in March, June, September and December.
Upon graduating from secondary school, Pandorans may attend
one of three institutes of higher learning in the country.
The Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences - established in 895
AD, they currently offer courses in Fine Arts, Cultural Studies, History,
Environmental Science and Psychology.
The Pandoran Institute for Commerice & Industry -
established in 1478 AD, they currently offer courses in Business Studies,
Marketing, Sustainable Practices, International Trade and Culinary Arts.
Queen Gwendolin College - established in 1617 AD by 'Good
Queen Gwen', one of Pandora's most beloved monarchs, they currently offer
courses in Literature, Performing Arts, Social Work, Urban Studies and Design
& Architecture.
Pandorans seldom leave the island to attend higher education
and when they do they often have difficulty establishing their academic
credentials.
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