| |||||
Anthem | "Let My Country Awake" | ||||
Capital (and largest city) |
Kamalata | ||||
Language official |
Rajutti Kalam | ||||
others | Hundreds of native languages | ||||
Demonym | Vascanian | ||||
Government | Federal constitutional monarchy | ||||
Emperor | Parekh | ||||
Prime Minister | Vijya Harish | ||||
Legislature | Parliament | ||||
Area | 8,224,000 km² | ||||
Population | 420,703,481 (5326 estimate) | ||||
Established | October 4441 | ||||
Currency | Vascanian rupee | ||||
Drives on the | Left | ||||
Calling Code | +97 | ||||
Internet TLD | .vk | ||||
Organizations | World Congress Dovani Pact |
Vascania (pronounced [vas'keɪ.ni:.ə] vass-KAY-nee-ah) (Rajutti language: Vāsakāna), officially known as the Vascanian Empire (Rajutti: Vāsakāni Sāmrāji; Kalam: Vācakanā Pēraracu), is a country in the eastern hemisphere composed of the entire continent of Vascania including several islands that surround it.
Vascania is the both most populous country in the world and the largest country by area. In recent history it has been the world's largest economy as measured by gross domestic product. Having no land borders, Vascania shares maritime borders with Kurageri to the north, Medina to the west and the outlying islands of Tropica in the south-west.
Historians estimate that modern humans arrived on the Vascanian continent around 30,000 years ago from Dovani. The first settlements in Vascania date back to around 6,000 BCE and the evolved into the Voras Valley Civilisation by at least 3,000 BCE. In the early human history of the continent, it was home to immense genetic and cultural diversity. By the common era, the continent was populated by various Daenist and Geraja kingdoms. Eventually these developed into two major kingdoms centred respectively in the northern and southern regions of the continent. Eventually the continent was the victim of colonisation by Luthori and several other major Western powers.
After independence from colonial rule, Vascania was partitioned into two states along perceived ethnic and national borders. In the northern portion of the continent, Vanakalam was established as a Vanashishu-majority state while the rest of the continent became Kalkalistan. In reality the nature of these borders was contested and neither country represented an ethnically homogenous population. Kalkalistan and Vanakalam existed for several centuries despite persistent attempts in both countries to unite the continent. Eventually a series of conflicts known as the Vascanian Wars resulted in the unification of the continent and the creation of the modern Vascanian state in the 45th century.
Founded as a constitutional monarchy in 4441, Vascania operated as a federal republic from 5105 to 5330 before returning to a monarchy again. The Emperor is sometimes considered by the Vascanian people to be divine. As a result of the country's federal nature, Vascanian states retain a number of specific powers under the Constitution and possess their own governments and court systems.
Vascania is a highly diverse country in ethnic and linguistic terms. Dozens of ethnic groups reside throughout the country however the largest (and historically most dominant) groups are the Rajutti and Kalam people. Despite its ethnic diversity, the overwhelming majority of the Vascanian population are adherents of Sundarat Dharma, a syncretic faith rooted in both Daenism and Geraja.
Aside from its human diversity, Vascania is among the most biologically diverse regions in the world. Natural wildlife have played a central role in shaping Vascanian culture and the Vascanian elephant- unique to the continent- is among the best-known national symbols of the country. Environmentalism is a central issue in Vascanian politics and continues to influence the domestic policy debate.
Etymology[]
There are numerous theories as to the etymology of the word 'Vascania', but it most likely comes from the ancient Ekalkit words 'vaśa', meaning power, and 'kanyā', the word for a virginal woman. The original meaning of the word is thus likely to be something like 'a powerful but pure woman', likely representing how the Ekalkit people viewed the land on which they lived.
Alternate theories stem from the word 'vaśaga', meaning an obedient partner, suggesting an opinion that the land was to be made obedient to the people who lived upon it - though this stem is widely discredited among current scholars. Further theories consider the lemma 'kanaka', which is the name for a type of plant.
History[]
Historians estimate that the Vascanian continent has been inhabited for approximately 30,000 years. The first known settlers in the region are thought to have been hunter-gatherer groups from the continent of Dovani before permanent settlers arrived around 6,000 BCE. By the year 3,000 BCE, the Voras Valley Civilisation had developed near to Lake Vora.
Several hundred years later, a group from the Majatran continent speaking an archaic form of Ekalkit migrated to the continent and settled on Kayal Island. The Vanashishu people were slowly pushed north into modern Vanakalam, while the new Kalkali people established caste-based kingdoms in the south and on the eastern coast.
By the dawn of the common era, Vascania was variously split into various Daenist and Geraja kingdoms, the most powerful of which was the eastern Ekalkit-speaking Kingdom of Shakthan. The Shakthan kings would later consolidate hegemony over the smaller princely states in the south, while the King of the Kalamese took control in the north. Both Kingdoms were shattered by foreign invasions and periods of colonisation during the early modern age. After the end of colonisation, the nation was split into a Vanashishu north and a Kalkali south, which existed for many hundreds of years before being united by a series of conflicts known as the Vascanian Wars.
After the Unification of Vascania, a brief presidential republic was created before the establishment of a religious monarchy which created the Vascanian Empire. The large union's religious and ethnolinguistic diversity created political divisions which influenced an increasingly federal form of government. The Empire invested heavily in its military, particularly its navy, which coincided with a period of expansion in oil production. Vascania during this time became an international power, annexing outlying islands. A combination of environmental destruction and defeat in the Rapa Pile War led to a period of decline culminating in the proclamation of a second Vascanian republic.
Geography[]
Vascania constitutes a continent in its own right, with its own tectonic plate. The entire continent is controlled by the Vascanian Empire. The continent is believeded to have split from Majatra up to 60 millions years ago, moving progressively towards Temania. The tectonic boundary with the Majatran plate is divergent and constructive, while the boundaries with its western counterparts are convergent and destructive. As the continent sits entirely upon a single plate, the country is relatively non-mountainous. The exception to this is Hamal Pradesh, which is mountainous due to its proximity to the south pole plate.
Around 50% of Vascania's coastline is made up of sandy beaches, especially in the north and east. Rocky shores, including cliffs, are more common on the western coast facing Dovani. Mudflats and marshy shores are found sporadically across the country, but are particularly common in the south-east and the coastlines tacing towards Temania and Tropica.
Major river systems in Vascania largely flow from Lake Panorisa and the Hamalese mountains. The River Bho flows from Lake Panorisa through Bhaporistan and Sanshtra, before meeting the sea along the border between Kalam Nadu and Utsal. The river provides nourishment for the rainforests of Utsal and much agricultural land is built around it. The River Vora flows south from Panorisa through Lake Vora and towards the coastline near the city of Vakavana, while the River Sura flows west towards Suras from a nearby point. The Rivers Kanadainni and Takulu flow from the hills of southern Kalam Nadu up through Thikkonagama and into Avidangana.
Surasa, Khond and Utsal have primarily tropical monsoon climates, with severe monsoon seasons. Tropical savannah dominates northern Rajavant, Paristan and south-west Bhapostian. The north-east of Bhaporistan, Sanashtra and much of northern Rajuttistan are considered arid, hot steppe. The south of Rajavant, Hamal Pradesh and southern Rajuttistan are all a mixture of tropical rainforest and temperate with dry winters and hot summers. The north of the country is largely temperate as well, though there are sporadic areas of steppe in Sakrandi Pradesh and southern Kalam Nadu.
Environment[]
Vascania is considered to be 'mega-diverse', referring to nations that have an exceptionally high degree of biological diversity and contain many species exclusively indigenous, or endemic, to them. Vascania is habitat to around a tenth of the world's animal species - even higher for birds and fish - and about 6% of its flowering plant species. Around 30% of the species existent in Vascania are endemic.
The Vascanian government operates an extensive system of wildlife reserves, national parks and animal sanctuaries - totaling to around 15% of the nation's total area. International organisations have also noted up to 42 special biosphere zones, such as several areas of registered wetlands in the states of Khond and Surasa.
Around 25% of Vascania's landmass is covered in forest. Highly dense forest is common in parts of southwestern states of Khond and Paristan, as well as Hamal Pradesh. Moderate density forest accounts for around 10% of Vascania's land area and is common in the central regions and parts of the north-east. A further 10% is classified as 'open forest' and generally dominates in areas of southern Rajuttistan and Rajavant - though is also found in central Kalam Nadu. Among the most notable indigenous plants are neem, a kind of mahogany used in traditional medicine, and peepul which is often used in religious symbology.
Vascania is also notable for its lush animalian diversity, with an exceptionally high percentage of endemic reptiles and amphibians - generally thought to both be over 50%. Many species that were once on the verge of extinction, such as the Utsal tiger and the Vora dolphin, have been brought back to stable levels due to long-standing, community-led approaches to fight habitat destruction and poaching. There has been less success in rescuing the nation's once mega-diverse primate population, as several species have gone extinct in recent centuries.
Government and politics[]
Elections and politics[]
Vascania is one of the world's largest democracies. As a parliamentary republic with a multi-party system, there are several major federal parties and several other interregional coalitions focusing on agrarianism, localism or other shared positions. The largest parties historically have been the right-wing Action Party and the centre-left Social Democratic Party - the latter of which has now reformed into the Progressive Alliance. Both groups have traced their history to the Democratic Forum that dominated politics post unification, led by T. Sagana.
For most of the mid to late 4400s, the right-wing Vascanian Alliance held successive majorites due to high support in the north and east. By the 4500s, politics had developed into a dichotomy of the right-wing Alliance, led by the Action Party, and the left-wing Union, led by the Social Democrats. With few exceptions, such as the victories of Amandara Adwani, the Alliance was able to continuously win majorities and major regional, local and federal positions. In the 4600s and early 4700s, the Social Democrats had more success, holding a number of small majorities but ultimately failing to make much political impact.
In the 4700s, political unrest in the region of Bhaporistan led to a decline in the Action Party's popularity, resulting in several successive governments under the leadership of moderniser and internationalist Subhas Luitail. This redefined national politics away from conservative versus liberal and towards an internationalist and an internalist dichotomy. The modernisation of Vascania has led to opposition from both cultural reactionaries and economically nationalist, socialist elements of society.
In the late 4700s and 4800, political discussion in Vascania has come to revolve around issues of environment, tradition and international affairs. The National Action Party is the country's primary right-of-centre political force, and generally supports a cultural traditionalism and pro-oil political viewpoint. The Democratic Socialist Party is the country's main left-of-centre party, with a more progressive view on social issues and an environmentalist platform.
Economy[]
Vascania has historically been one of the world's leading economies, in part because of the nation's size. Vascania has the largest labour force by size. Rural areas, especially in the south, are primarily economically centred around agriculture - particularly in rice, wheat, cotton, tea and sugarcane. Central regions are more industry-based, with an emphasis on textiles, mining and chemical production. Coastal cities tend to have more service-based economies with the software and biotechnology industries being crucial to areas like southern Rajuttistan.
Oil production has been a crucial - though controversial - sector in Vascania's economic history. Vascania has some of the largest oil reserves in the world, particularly around Lake Panisora and around the continent's many outlying islands.
Demography[]
Language[]
Vascania is home to two major language families: Vanashishu (spoken by around 25% of the population, mostly in the north) and Kalkali (spoken by around 75% of the population, mostly in the south. The largest single languages are Rajutti, spoken by about 25% of the population as a first language, and Kalam, spoken natively by about 15% of the population. These are the two official languages of government, although individual states recognise other languages. These include Khoni, Utsari, Bhapori, Hamali, Rajavanshi and minor Vanashishu languages.
Luthori was once widely spoken among the middle class and aristocracy, but this ability has been in decline in recent centuries. Ancient Ekalkit is sometimes used for religious purposes.
Religion[]
According to the most recent nationwide census, 67% of Vascanians identify as Daenists, mostly as followers of the Sundarata faith - which is the national religion and the religion of the Imperial Court. From research at the University of Kamalata, around 70% of these believers can be classified as following 'orthodox' beliefs as typified by the national religion. This is a polytheistic and syncretic faith mixing many Daenist teachings, dozens of Geraja deities and a great number of native customs.
16% of Vascanians are Hosian, particularly in coastal areas like western Rajavant and southern Rajuttistan. 8% are Geraja, particuarly in the north. A further 2% of Vascanians view themselves as Ahmadi, with this number having declined due to Amhadis being discriminated against. 6% view themselves as irreligious. There are significant minorities within each of these groups, however, that also follow very syncretic worship.