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Etymology

On its own, the Samundrese word अर्थ (ártha) is defined as "meaning", "aim", and "purpose", but when placed into various compound words its definition can vary considerably. The Samundrese word स्थान (sthān) refers to "place", "site", and "location". When this suffix is added, ártha means "wealth" and "prosperity" so the compound word árthasthān literally means "place of wealth" or more figuratively "land of wealth". The first known use of the name "Árthasthān" dates to the 10th century during the High Period of the Sangma Dynasty, where the term appeared in official documents to refer to the Bashurat River Delta as a "place of wealth". As the name first appeared in the record of imperial administrators instead of local ones, it appears that the name originated as an exonym, rather than an endonym.

Geography

Topographic map of Chanda:

  +4000 meters

  3500-4000 meters

  3000-3500 meters

  2500-3000 meters

  2000-2500 meters

  1500-2000 meters

  1000-1500 meters

  500-1000 meters

  250-500 meters

Arthasthan’s geography is diverse, varying from low coastal plains to tall mountain ranges. The southern region of the country is characterised by flat plains with large slow moving rivers. Its most prominent feature is the Bashurat River Delta in the southeast. The country is divided by the Pavitra Mountain Range, which runs through the center of the country. The southern slopes of the mountain range features gently sloping foothills compared to the steeper northern slopes. As a result, the northern coast generally has rugged and steeper coasts than the southern coast.

The country can be divided into five distinct geographical regions, the Bashurat River Delta, the Southern Coast, the Interior Plain, the Highlands , and the Northern Coast. The River Delta is a maze of channels, swamps, lakes, and floodplain sediments. As it is the main drainage point for the entire Bashurat River, it makes the region extremely fertile. The southern coastal region’s flat shorelines merge into the Interior Plain, a large flat region in the center of the country. While not as fertile as the river delta, the floodplains formed by the region’s many small rivers provide fertile land. This region makes up the majority of the country and is where most of Arthasthan’s population lives.

The Highlands consist of the Pavitra Mountain Range and its surrounding foothills. It contains the country's highest point, at 2,621 meters above sea level. The mountain divide traditionally marks the boundary between Northern Arthasthan and Central Arthasthan. The mountains also mark the northern boundary of the Sura River’s drainage basin. Due to the high altitude few Arthanis live in this region. The western end of the mountain range descends in altitude to an elevated plateau and foothill near the border with Padaratha. The steeper slope in the north creates a rockier and steeper shoreline in the north; it is common to find small cliffs and bluffs.

Climate

Climate map of Chanda

Chanda's climate is largely determined by elevation. In the Lowlands, with the border with Ajahadya, the climate is a hot semi-arid climate. In the Plateau, which covers a majority of the country, it is a cool semi-arid climate. In the Highlands there are a Solarian climates and various humid continental climates. In the mountain peaks, there is a icy mountain climate, with snow almost year round. In the South Region on the mountain slopes, there is a more mild oceanic and humid subtropical climates. However eventually gives way to more cool semi-arid climates.

The majority of precipitation arrives between from December to June as the remnants of storms from Ajahadya. Most of the precipitation from these storms falls in the mountains as snow. Temperatures across most of Chanda swing wildly throughout the year, with cold temperatures in winter due to its elevation, and hot summers. The only exceptions are in the mountain areas and high mountain valleys where it remains consistently cold or the southern slopes of the mountains at lower elevation which experiences more moderate temperatures.

Biodiversity

Corsac fox

Manoel

Coian lynx

Snow leopard

Argali

Goitered gazelle

Despite its largely dry climate, Chanda is home to diverse floral and fauna, espeically within the mountainous regions. There are ten nature reserves and nine national parks in Chanda that provide safe haven for many rare and endangered plants and animals. Chanda is commonly divided into into the Plateau biome and the Mountain biome, although each biome can be easily divided into a number of different biotic zones.

The Plateau biome is characterised by a semi-arid steppe that is generally considered to cover the Plateau itself and the Lowlands. Grassland and shrubland covers a majority of the biome as well as some desert vegetation, although some hardy trees make up sparse forests. The grassland steppe is a defining characteristic of the biome and the country's ecosystem as a whole. Due to the dry conditions the region, wildlife is most commonly found around the rivers that flow from the mountains into the Bashurat River Basin in the north. Common wildlife in this area include foxes, gazelle, deer,and the manoel cat.

The Mountain biome is characterised by colder and wetter weather with most of the precipitation falling as snow. As a result, the region forms the southern watershed for the Bashurat River Basin. Furthermore the rain shadow of the Shalegho causes the southern slope of the mountain to be warmer and drier. The biome is covered by forests at the lower elevations before the trees eventually give way to an subalpine zone. Above the tree line, is an alpine tundra devoid of large vegitation because of its elevation. Common wildlife in the region are suited to the mountainous terrain, which include the Snow Leopard, the Coian Lynx, and Argali.