New Republic of Kafuristan

Kafuristan, officially the Republic of Kafuristan (Arabic: al-Jumhuriyyah al-Qafuristaniyyah / افوريستان جمهورية) is a nation located on the north-eastern tip of the continent of Majatra. It often fluctuates between being a middle and a great power on Terra depending on who is and what are the policies of the government of Kafuristan at the time.

Kafuristan is bordered by Solentia to the south and Kalopia (formerly Wantuni) to the south-west, with the islands of Badara off the coast and to the North.

It is also the home of Abadiism (a form of Queranzariah) as well as the holy city of Helem which receives many pilgrimages from across Terra as well as the wider Majatran continent.

History
Main article: History of Kafuristan

Pre-colonialism
As Kafuristan hails from a shared Majatran culture and background, well before the days of Artanian influence the country largely operated from within thousands of tribes who would compete and sometimes war over resources. Modern political boundaries were not formed until after the days of colonialism where tribes were forced to fight a common enemy, and issues were largely dominated by early forms of Abadism with laws and customs varying widely across regions. As this formed a shared cultural identity across many Majatrans, according to some evidence it was also known that although they sometimes would compete over territories and resources, there was common heritage among them.

Colonialism and early conflict
By approximately 1500 CE, Artanian explorers started to appear and with them came settlers. The Artanians who were superior in technology at the time were originally welcomed by the Majatrans but it was soon that their differences became known. For one thing, new people who had arrived did not share similar cultural values and customs that the Majatrans had grown to appreciate as a common factor among them, another was that with their culture came the formation of cities on coastal regions, homogenizing the Majatran tribes nearby Artanian settlements into their own cultures and customs.

This practice continued for around 100 years until the demand for land and more resources by the Artanians pushed them further inland and into the territory of more early Kafuristani tribes, resulting in a rise of conflict between settlers and locals. When the Artanians began to bring with them weapons to use against local Majatran communities, battlelines were drawn and the tribes found themselves unified across regions for their survival.

Drought across Kafuristan and tribal fightback
These conditions continued for many years while Artanians and Majatrans came into conflict with one another sporadically but almost always with Artanian dominance. Local tribes learned the value of appropriate weaponry including guns and were able to arm themselves accordingly by raiding Artanian settlements and through trading with other Majatran tribes across the continent. In circa 1700, a massive drought is recorded to have fallen across the land resulting in the devegetation of lands as well as Artanian crop failures and sandstorms. Of course the tribes were not immune to the effects of the drought and both Artanians and Majatrans suffered alike from hunger, malnutrition, disease, and a lacking of water.

Many new settlers withdrew from inland areas during this time while tribes sought to capitalise on their advantage with the use of camels and their knowledge of local terrain.

The Republic of Kafuristan is formed
It is difficult to acertain the exact timing as to when the first Republic was formed, but documents have it that with it came Infrastructure improvement and somewhat of an understanding between Artanian and Majatran locals. Some tensions remained while the Majatrans stuck with their customs and Abadi cultural and religious identity while the Artanians stuck with their Christianity, but at least for the meanwhile any fighting was minimal and kept localised and somewhat of a national identity was formed.

Kafuristan held regular democratic elections (Majatrans were not allowed to vote yet), but it did not take too long before the young nation encountered its first threat when Deltaria decided to place peacekeepers nearby to observe small conflicts between the Artanians and Majatran tribes which later became known as a precursor to an attempted invasion which was resisted by all cultures alike who found common ground among themselves as Kafuristani. This was an important step toward reconcilliation between the Artanians and tribespeople.

The rise of Islam in government
After some time of peace, Kafuristan once again found itself at the mercy of conflict but this time the people were unified. Apatheid had ended, Majatrans were given the right to vote and government business began to become inflluenced by traditional customs born out of Abadism. By this stage Artanian nations maintained minimal influence over Kafuristan while the nation forged its own path as a nation with strongly Majatran as well as Abadi values, and the economy was prosperious as they established trading links with nations across Terra. There was some debate for a while as to whether the nation would forge ahead with either market-based or socialist values but an overall theme was that wherever you went Islamism would more and more dominate the country's agenda.

Whitewash and the establishment of the Kingdom
The Islamification of Kafuristan led to more serious conflict when the Knights of Saint James in 2874 attempted to christianize Kafuristan, invading them in all corners and committing many atrocoties while Abadism became oppressed under agents of the Terran Catholic Church. In some ways this action was welcomed by people of Artanian descent and heratige as the Christians held largely similar values, but native Kafur formed resistance groups who forced their influence out of the nation were able to organise themselves going as far to form the Almharbun min Aliman who went on to become heroes in Kafuristan after armed groups who identified with them were able to successfully purge the knights from their lands.

After the Kafur were able to take back their country from the influence of a whitewash it took many years of rebuilding before the Kingdom of Kafuristan, commonly referred to locals as Al-Emmelkh al-Qafuristaniyyah was formed. King Abdullah who is a member of the House of Al-Shabab considered holy by local Kafur, was made the new head of state. As his role in Kafuristan largely represents the foundation of Abadism and Majatran culture, his formal title is 'His Royal Majesty, King Abdullah of Kafuristan, Custodian of the Holy City of Helem and Holder of the Holy Code of Law, Defender of the Abadi Faith, Commander of the Faithful, Sword of Justice, Guardian of the Opal and Sapphire Emirates, Father of the Nation.'

Minority rule, republicanism, and war
In the 3320s, following the disintegration of a minority-ruled republic, Kafuristan briefly returned to the monarchy led by the House of Al-Majali. However the monarchy never became fully functional and eventually, in 3333, Kafuristan established a new republic.

Geography
Kafuristan is located on the north-eastern tip of the continent of Majatra, has a relatively green outside with access to rivers as well as the coast, as well as a large desert mid-interior which leads to rocky mountains the further inland and south you travel. North lies the islands nation of Badara which Kafuristan shares much of its cultural and religious heritage with. It is believed that early Majatrans would travel between the main continent and these islands often for trading and other religious and cultural reasons.

Climate
Most of Kafuristan's rain fall in the winter months. The country used to experience quite a lot more rain in the distant past but these days rainfall averages only around 2 to 5 mm (0.1 to 0.2 in) per year and at intervals of many years. Snow has been known to occasionally fall in the most mountainous regions to the south at high altitudes. Summers are generally hot and dry where temperatures tend to range between 90 °F (32 °C) and 109 °F (43 °C). These are particularly pronounced the further inland you go as coastal breezes become less efficient at cooling the land from around 1pm onwards in the day.

Prior to the great droughts which started to begin in recorded history not long before the first Republic was formed, it was common that inland areas could be used for harvesting, but due to the concentration of humidity in the north and rainfall in coastal areas farming and other food production has either had to become more efficient at adapting to a low rainfall environment or be moved to the outermost regions of the nation's political and physical restrictions.

Politics
Kafuristan is a currently presidential republic with a President as Head of State. The Head of State is the leading representative of the nation and hold much control over the government. The President is responsible for forming a cabinet, usually led by the largest party of the parliament. Within parliament there have been many political movements represented, formed out of differing ideologies and stated objectives. Currently, though, only two parties operate nationally. Citizens are afforded the political right to discuss topics pertaining to their government as well as nation. Elections for parliament are held every 36 months (3 years).

Government
The governing institutions of Kafuristan have several main components.

Cabinet
The cabinet of Kafuristan is a body of the government's highest-ranking officials. The Cabinet is appointed by the President and approved by the parliament.

The head of cabinet is the Chief Minister. It is the duty of the Chief Minister to assist the President in the execution of governance.

Parliament
The parliament, known as the Majlis al-Umma, is elected for three year terms, although an election can be called early if a majority of parties agree to it. The parliament is responsible for the legislative arm of government as laws are proposed, modified, or removed with a vote requiring a majority of all members. The parliament also is responsible for approving the cabinet of the President.

Parliament currently has 201 seats in it with political parties competing to either win a majority via elections in their own right, or try to form majorities via a coalition.

Active Parties

 * National Democratic Party
 * Nationalist Party for the Kafuri Resurrection

Supreme Military Council
Main article: Supreme Military Council

The Majlis al-A'la lil-Quwwat al-Musallahah, or Supreme Military Council, is the highest military organ in Kafuristan. The Council consists of a body of 10 senior officers in the Kafuri military and are led by the President.

Language
The major language in Kafuristan is Modern Standard Majatran. Since this is the lingua franca it is spoken by all citizens.

There are minority groups that speak other languages in their own communities. Minority languages include Kafuri Majatran, Badaran Majatran, Asli Majatran, Wantuni, Solentian, and Delic.

Ethnicity
Most citizens of Kafuristan are Majatran. They form a base of around ninety percent of the overall population.

There are numerous minorities including Badaran Bedouins, Asli, Delic, Solentian, and Wantuni.

Religion
Abadi is the official religion in Kafuristan and is practiced by ninety-four percent of the population. Kafuristan is home to the Abadi holy city of Helem.