Surrow

Republic of Surrow Tipenimeumitshetinanutessit (Chequan) Nunagijatta Saqqitaukkannirninga (Itchalnu)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Munus splendidum mox explebitur Our splendid task will soon be fulfilled
Anthem: O Plough of the Heavens
Map of Surrow (green) Map of Surrow (green)
Capital and largest city	Holcot Inlet
Official languages	Rythenean
Recognised regional languages	Chequan Itchalnu
Ethnic groups (2021)	Auressian-Surrowese (91.1%) Other (9.9%)
Religion (2021)	Perendism (89.4%) Irreligion (10%) Other (0.6%)
Demonym(s)	Surrowese
Government	Unitary parliamentary republic with an executive presidency
• President	Dwight Timbrell
Independence
• From Rythene	June 24, 1950
Area
• Total	28,188.84 km2 (10,883.77 sq mi)
Population
• 2021 census	171,550
• Density	6.09/km2 (15.8/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	$5,498,005,950
• Per capita	$32,049
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	$9,378,981,600
• Per capita	$54,672
Gini (2021)	30.6 medium
HDI (2021)	0.894 very high
Currency	Albrennian guilder (ALG)
Time zone	-4
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	TBD
ISO 3166 code	SW
Internet TLD	.sw

Surrow is a country located in northeastern Maurceania Major, and is the second northernmost country in the world after Pelemia. Situated on the Surrowese archipelago between the Breuvician Ocean to the west and north, Rowland Bay to the south and east, it shares maritime borders with TBA to the south via the Talbot Strait. Sixty-four percent of the country's population lives in the capital city, Holcot Inlet, making it by far the primate city in the country.

Prior to colonisation, Surrow was inhabited by indigenous peoples, beginning from around 3000 BP: at the time of colonisation, the Surrowese archipelago was inhabited by Chequan and Itchalnu. However, after Avery Holcot discovered the archipelago in 1486, and noted that its waters were abundant with fish, Auressian nations sought to rule over the archipelago, with the two most prominent ones being Rythene and Tyrnica. Competition between the two countries over the Surrowese archipelago and its abundant fishing grounds would last until the end of the Eleven Years War in 1759 between Rythene and Tyrnica, which concluded with Rythene assuming sole control over the archipelago.

During the Great Upheaval, Surrow was neglected by the Rytheneans, which led to the beginning of Surrowese self-government. Although after the Great Upheaval, Rythenean control was restored, the Surrowese would desire a greater say in their affairs, and would chafe under continued Rythenean rule. Despite this, Surrow would maintain its position as part of the Rythenean Empire until it gained independence in 1950.

In 1951, palladium was discovered on Great Island, leading to increased interest in the Surrowese archipelago by General Armaments. This led to substantial economic investment, with the Tulaktarvik mine becoming the primary economic engine of Surrow, especially after the cod fisheries in Surrow began to decline. Today, Surrow is a part of the invisible empire, with Surrow maintaining good relations with the invisible empire and the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia, and is a full member of the Assembly of Marceaunian States.

Etymology

The name Surrow comes from the Principean phrase Îles sur la baie de Rowland, meaning islands over the Rowland Bay. The phrase first appears on a map published by (some Principean dude) in 1498, with the phrase being shortened into the Principean Îles Surro by 1539. The Rythenean form Surrow would first appear in 1547, although Surro was also common in Rythenean until the early 19th century when Rythenean spelling standardised into Surrow.

In the indigenous languages spoken on Surrow, the Itchalnu word for Surrow is Nunagijavut, meaning our country, while the Chequan word for Surrow is Utessit, which means on this land here.

History

Pre-colonisation

Armin carving of a polar bear

The first humans arrived on Holcot Island around 3,000 years BP from mainland Maurceania Major, marking the beginning of human habitation of the Surrowese archipelago. The earliest inhabitants of the archipelago were known as the Pre-Armin culture, with the Pre-Armin culture spreading to Great Island and Kikik Island by 2,000 years before present. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Pre-Armin culture had stone tools, lived in settlements no larger than 50 people, and subsisted primarily on land mammals.

Beginning around 500 BCE, the Armin culture emerged in Holcot Island. Unlike the Pre-Armin culture, the Armin culture lived in settlements ranging from 100 to 200 people, subsisted on sea mammals and fish, and made many miniature stone carvings, suggesting that the Armin were shamanist. The Armin would spread into Great Island and Kikik Island by around 50 CE, although some Pre-Armin artefacts can continue to be found as late as 500 CE.

By around 500 CE, the proto-Itchalnu arrived on Holcot Island, and would spread across the archipelago by 600 CE, although Armin artefacts can continue to be found as late as 1400 CE. The proto-Itchalnu had larger boats, and more advanced stone tools than either the pre-Armin or Armin cultures, and relied almost entirely on sea mammals, such as whales, and later, fish, to survive in the Surrowese archipelago. Proto-Itchalnu settlements ranged in size from 100 to 600 people. By around 1000 CE, regional variations began to emerge among the proto-Itchalnu, and by the time of the discovery of the Surrowese archipelago by Auressians, the proto-Itchalnu became the Itchalnu.

Around 1300 CE, a branch of the Ayisiyinowak from present-day Rosalia migrated to Holcot Island, where they would settle and become the ancestors of the Chequan. Unlike the proto-Itchalnu who lived on Holcot Island, the Chequan relied more on land mammals and plants than marine life, and the Chequan's artefacts were closer to the Ayisiyinowak than the Itchalnu. Furthermore, while the Chequan traded with the Itchanlu and neighbouring peoples on mainland Maurceania Major, the Chequan never established permanent settlements on Great Island and Kikik Island.

Auressian settlement

Perspective view of the Battle of Klinerhaven, 1758

Although it is speculated that earlier explorers who used the Sherborn Loop from the time Rufus Albren discovered Albrennia in 1460 may have sighted the Surrowese archipelago, the first comfirmed Auressian to sight and to land on the Surrowese archipelago was Avery Holcot in 1486, when he landed on Holcot Island. Avery Holcot noted the existence of a "great harbour" in what is today Holcot Inlet that was excellent for "wintering over." Kikik Island was discovered by Josias Broughton in 1511, and Great Island was discovered by Konrad Vorgrimler in 1554.

From the early 1490s onward, fishermen from Auressia began flocking to the Surrowese Archipelago, attracted to the rich fishing grounds that surrounded it. Most of the fishermen came from Rythene and Tyrnica, who over the next century would increase their presence in the archipelago: by 1563, Rythene established its first permanent settlement at present-day Holcot Inlet, with Tyrnica establishing its first permanent settlement, Kleinerhafen, in 1568 at the present-day Holcot Inlet neighbourhood of Klinerhaven.

By the seventeenth century, both Rythene and Tyrnica had permanent settlements scattered throughout the Surrowese archipelago, although only three settlements: Holcot Inlet, Kleinerhafen, and Týrhafen (present-day Tern Harbour) had a permanent year-round population of more than 50 people, with the rest being little more than fishing stages with a couple of houses near the fishing stage. The close presence of Rythenean and Tyrnican settlements in the archipelago led to growing conflict between fishermen, and to skirmishes between settlements.

When the Eleven Years War broke out in 1748, Tyrnica took full control of the archipelago in the first Battle of Holcot Inlet in 1750. However, Rytheneans were able to retake Holcot Inlet in 1758 with the second Battle of Holcot Inlet, and then defeated the Tyrnicans at the Battle of Klinerhaven that same year, permanently ending Tyrnican rule over the Surrowese archipelago, and placing the archipelago under full Rythenean control.

Rythenean rule

Holcot Inlet, 1863

In the aftermath of the Eleven Years War, Surrow's population grew as Rythene now had exclusive control over the archipelago. This led to an influx of fishermen moving to the archipelago from Rythene, which helped increase the profitability of the islands' fishing industry. However, its distance from Rythene meant that the colonial government had relatively free rein over day-to-day administration: by 1790, the Surrowese population had reached a year-round of population of around 5,000 people.

During the Rythenean Revolution and the Great Upheaval, the colonial government effectively functioned as an independent state, with Governor Constant Sample leading Surrow from 1789 until his death in 1811. During the 1790s and 1800s, Surrow increased its ties with Albrennia, with some Surrowese political figures during the Great Upheaval, such as Abraham Suitor, advocating for Surrow to become part of Albrennia. However, Governor Sample and his successor, Salmon Edmundson, managed to maintain Surrow's colonial institutions and its relative independence.

In 1816, with the Congress of Vedayen allowing Rythene to maintain control over the Surrowese archipelago, Governor Edmundson was replaced by Phineas Whitelock under the orders of King John VII. As Governor, Whitelock faced significant challenges in his attempts to "restore law and order" to the archipelago as people like Frank Altermann and Robert Stalsworth advocated for increased autonomy within Rythene. In addition, the de-jure independence of Albrennia led to the emergence of smuggling as merchants smuggled goods from Albrennia into Surrow, which led to tensions against Whitelock's rule.

Following the Second Rythenean Revolution in 1824, Whitelock was dismissed in 1825, and was succeeded as Governor by Abner Stedman. Stedman, although sympathetic to calls for self-government, did not believe Surrow had "the population needed to form a sustainable government." However, to placate Altermann and Stalsworth's movement, Stedman established a Legislative Council in 1829 that would "advise the Governor on issues facing the island." While the Legislative Council initially had very little power compared to the Governor, by the mid-19th century, the Legislative Council gained powers over the budget, education, road maintenance, and day-to-day governance as successive Governors deferred to the Legislative Council.

However, as the power of merchants grew, fishermen led by Ian Huber formed the Fishermen's Protective Union in 1878 to challenge the power of the merchants and to advocate for better conditions among the fishermen. During the 1880s, the FPU would grow as many fishermen, particularly in the outports wanted to reform Surrowese society: by the late 1880s, despite accusations that one of its members caused the Great Fire of 1886 that destroyed Holcot Inlet's central business district, the FPU became a significant political force as it advocated for greater autonomy in Surrow and for establishing stores to bypass merchant-controlled stores in the outports. It would continue growing in strength throughout the 1890s, leading to tensions between the colonial government and the FPU.

During the First Great War, Surrow saw almost no fighting, although its fisheries helped supply the Coalition's food supply, and soldiers from Surow were deployed to fight in Auressia against the Tyrnicans. Thus, in 1915, following the end of the war, Surrow was granted significant autonomy by the Rythenean government, with the Rythenean government maintaining control over foreign policy, defence, and monetary and trade policies.

Thus, in the 1915 elections, the FPU, led by Clarence Bradley, became the first democratically-elected government. Under Bradley's premiership, Bradley introduced a basic form of welfare, began investing in roads to connect communities on Holcot Island, and curtailed the powers of the merchants by introducing a minimum wage and establishing regulations on pricing, leading to his re-election in 1919, 1923, 1927, and 1931. However, after Bradley died in 1932, the FPU was succeeded by Eddie Hammond. Hammond sought to greatly reform the fisheries to end the power of the merchants, leading to apprehension among the party right, led by Ted Fisher.

In 1934, after significant infighting between Hammond and Fisher, Fisher and six MPs created the United People's Party. With many in the FPU blaming Hammond for the split, Hammond was removed as Prime Minister later that year, and was replaced with Gilbert Bray. Bray attempted a more moderate course than Hammond and to bring Fisher back into the fold, but it was seen as "too little, too late." In the 1935 elections, Bray was defeated by Ted Fisher, who formed a majority government.

Under Ted Fisher's premiership, he engaged in compromise with the merchants, with Fisher reversing Hammond's reforms to the fisheries, while ensuring that fishermen would be able to buy their equipment at a fare price. Fisher also heavily invested in the outports, with schools and clinics being built during this time, and during the Second Great War, an international airport north of Holcot Inlet in what is today Gateway. This enabled Fisher to be re-elected with increasing majorities in 1939, 1943, and 1947.

In the war's aftermath, Rythene was no longer able to support its colonial empire. This, combined with growing calls for full independence by Surrowese led to Fisher negotiating Surrowese independence from Rythene, leading to Surrow becoming an independent republic on 24 June, 1950.

Independence

palladium discovered near present-day Tulaktarvik in 1951, Surrow grows rich, economy moves away from fishing and towards the palladium mine, eternal UPP dominance with only a couple of interludes

Geography

A stuffed Surrowese wolf at the Surrowese Museum of Natural Science, 2014

Surrow is situated on the Surrowese archipelago, comprising of three islands: from south to north, the three islands are Holcot Island (Chequan: Tshiuanakau), Kikik Island (Itchalnu: Qikiqtakuluk), and Great Island (Itchalnu: Qikiqtarjuaq). The islands are rocky and hilly, with both Great Island and Kikik Island lacking trees. However, Holcot Island has some scattered forests, particularly south of the Breuvician Circle, in protected inlets.

The largest island, Great Island, is the second most populous island in the archipelago, despite its size, with 32,235 living on the island as of the 2021 census. Due to the harsh geography, extensive permafrost, and lack of tree cover, Great Island is predominantly tundra, with animals inhabiting Great Island including polar bears. Like Holcot Island, the interior of Great Island is dominated by the Kakayit Mountains, with it being home to the 2,147 metre high Pingasut Najangit (known as Mount Mortan until 2017), the highest point in all of Surrow. Pingasut Najangit is located in Stoney County.

Holcot Island is the most populous island in the Surrowese archipelago, despite it only being the second-largest island in the archipelago, as it is the only portion of the Surrowese archipelago with areas below the Breuvician Circle. As of the 2021 census, 139,047 lived on Holcot Island. Much of the interior regions of Holcot Inlet is dominated by the Elser Hills, with the highest point in the range being Mount Takutat, at 814 metres above sea level and located on the tripoint between Bodmer County, Disappointment County, and Grafton County. The Elser Hills mean that while tundra is prevalent to the north and the west of the island, in the eastern and southern regions of Holcot Island, a boreal forest can exist on the island. This forest has traditionally supported numerous fauna, including the national animal of Surrow, the Surrowese wolf, which went extinct in 1911.

Finally, the smallest island, Kikik Island, is similar to Great Island in terms of climate, biome, and environment, although due to Kikik Island's small size, there is only a single mountain, known as Lombelon Hill, rising to only 125 metres above sea level.

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  Apitumiss Beach in Apitumiss

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  Chequan Cliffs near Holcot Inlet

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  Mount Takutat

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  Pingasut Najangit

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  Tern Harbour

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  Polar bear near Tulaktarvik

Climate

Due to Surrow's geographic position in the Breuvician, and the insular nature of the Surrowese archipelago, Surrow's climate tends to be cold. Most of the archipelago is described as a tundra climate, with long and cold winters and short and cool summers, while in the southern regions of Holcot Island, a humid continental climate exists, with long and cold winters, but with short and warm summers.

The highest temperature recorded in Surrow was 38.5°C on 3 July, 2021 in Holcot Inlet, while the coldest temperature recorded in Surrow was -58 °C on December 29, 1958 in Arvittiavak.

Government and politics

Surrow is a unitary parliamentary republic, with an executive president. It is governed by the Constitution of Surrow, which declares that the head of state and the head of government is the President of Surrow, currently Dwight Timbrell since the 2018 general election, with his deputy being Mariam Banks, Deputy Prime Minister of Surrow.

The legislature of Surrow is the unicameral Parliament of Surrow, comprising of 66 seats. Since the 2018 election, the governing party is the centre-right United People's Party, with 46 seats, while the opposition party is the socialist Alliance of Cooperativists and Trade Unionists, with 17 seats. The remaining three seats are part of the centrist Our Surrow.

(TBC)

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Surrow

Surrow is divided into five counties (Chequan: kanti, Itchalnu: naasainiqut) and two districts (Itchalnu: aviktuqsimajut). The counties are situated on Holcot Island, Kikik Island and Great Island, while all of the districts (formerly improvement districts until 2015) are on Great Island.

Map	Name	Seat	Population (2021)	Area
Disp. South. Tuck. Iqittiniq Kikik Stoney Ukiuqtaqtuq Breuvician Ocean Rowlands Bay	Disappointment County	Apitumiss	1,314	TBD
	Iqittiniq District	Port Lochlan	662	TBD
	Kikik County	Lombelon Bay	268	423.74
	Southland County	Holcot Inlet	134,316	TBD
	Stoney County	Tulaktarvik	31,146	TBD
	Tuckamore County	Tern Harbour	3,417	TBD
	Ukiuqtaqtuq District	Arvittiavak	427	TBD

Foreign relations

Albrennian embassy in Holcot Inlet, 2013

Surrow's diplomatic relations is largely informed by its geography, which places Surrow firmly within the Albrennian invisible empire. Relations with Albrennia are seen as an important part of Surrow's diplomacy, with even Wyatt Martel's presidency maintaining close ties with Albrennia, despite Martel vowing an "arms-length relationship," in part because relations between Albrennia and Surrow are largely handled by General Armaments, instead of direct state-to-state relations, as is normal with other countries. Albrennia itself is the largest trade partner of Surrow, with Surrow receiving most of its imports from, and exporting most of its goods to Albrennia, with Albrennia's allies being major partners.

Due to Surrow's colonial history, it maintains especially strong relations with Rythene, with one of Surrow's main foreign policy goals being to have good relations with the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia. Although due to geography and small population, trade with the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia is not as large as trade with Albrennia and the rest of the invisible empire, the Commonwealth is still Surrow's second-largest trade partner after the invisible empire.

Surrow is also a full member of the Assembly of Marceaunian States, joining in 1974 during Isaac Rosenhain's presidency in order to strengthen ties with the rest of Marecaunia.

Military

Surrowese soldiers at Government House, 2014

Due to Surrow's small population, Surrow has a small military, divided into three branches: the Surrowese Air Force, the Surrowese Army, and the Surrowese Navy. As of 2021, there are 858 personnel in the entirety of the Surrowese Armed Forces.

The Surrowese Air Force is comprised of five helicopters, of which two are based in Gateway, and three are based in Tulaktarvik. As of 2021, there are 108 personnel in the Surrowese Air Force, with most of the personnel responsible for maintenance of the helicopters and helipads owned by the Surrowese Air Force.

The Surrowese Army is made up of 240 personnel, and divided into three companies, with one based in Gateway, one in Holcot Inlet, and one in Tulaktarvik. The Surrowese Army is primarily ceremonial, although it can function as a gendarmerie in cases where the Surrowese Constabulary needs assistance in dealing with high-risk situations.

Finally, the largest branch of the Surrowese Armed Forces is the Surrowese Navy, with 510 personnel serving in the Navy as of 2021, with four naval bases in Apitumiss, Holcot Inlet, Port Lochlan, and Tulaktarvik. The Surrowese Navy serves as a coast guard, with its fleet being entirely comprised of patrol boats and lifeboats.

Beyond the Surrowese Armed Forces, Surrow also has security guarantees from Albrennia that in the event of an attack on Surrow, the Albrennian military will come to Surrow's aid. However, due to both its location close to Albrennia, and the absence of hostile states in its immediate region, Surrow does not host any Albrennian military base.

Law

Supreme Courthouse in Holcot Inlet, 2006

Due to Surrow being colonised by Rythene, Surrow's legal system is heavily based off of the Rythenean legal system. Thus, like Rythene, Surrow uses common law as the basis for the Surrowese legal system.

The criminal justice system in Surrow is organized into three tiers, with trial courts in county towns (as well as Bagshaw Cove), appellate courts based in Holcot Inlet and Tulaktarvik, and the Supreme Court in Holcot Inlet, with the Supreme Court comprised of five justices, and headed by a Chief Justice. In addition to the criminal justice system, administrative courts exist that can be appealed to the Supreme Court, which deal with administrative issues as opposed to criminal issues.

Surrow has six prisons: two juvenile prisons in Holcot Inlet and Tulaktarvik, two low-security facilities in Holcot Inlet and Tulaktarvik, a medium-security prison in Holcot Inlet, and a high-security facility in Holcot Inlet.

Policing is handled by the Surrowese Constabulary, although it can be augmented by the Surrowese Army in situations where the Surrowese Constabulary needs assistance with policing, primarily in "high-risk" situations.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Surrow

Tulaktarvik mine, 1983

As of 2021, Surrow's nominal gross domestic product is $9,378,981,600, with its nominal GDP per capita being at $54,672, while its purchasing power parity is at $5,498,005,950, with a PPP per capita at $32,049.

Historically, the largest industry in Surrow was the cod fisheries, as due to the terrain of the Surrowese Archipelago that precluded the development of agriculture, and the rich fishing waters surrounding it, it incentivised people to work in the fisheries. Until the late 1940s, cod was the primary export of Surrow, with a small timber industry helping to supplant incomes. The cod fisheries peaked in 1968, and since that point, cod production has been in decline, although shellfish production has been increasing since the 1990s, and cod exports still make up a quarter of Surrow's fish exports.

However, with the discovery of palladium in 1951 near Tulaktarvik on Great Island, Surrow's economy became increasingly reliant on palladium mining, and today, the Tulaktarvik mine, owned by General Armaments, produces 45% of the world's palladium supply, with the country being dependent on the Tulaktarvik mine for economic stability.

Outside of the primary sector, the tertiary sector is the largest part of the Surrowese economy, with public administration and healthcare being the largest industries in Surrow's tertiary sector, with the next largest being the retail sector, with major retail companies being Harris-Wiseman, which operates most of Surrow's supermarkets, and Surrowese Co-Op, a cooperative. In addition, a small secondary sector exists in Surrow, with major industries in that sector being food processing (primarily of shellfish and cod) and brewing.

Transportation

Midnight sun over the Surrowese Highway in Apitumiss, 2015

Due to the geography of the Surrowese archipelago, and Surrow's sparse population, most transportation between communities is done by boat, with Surrow Government Ships providing daily service to and from most coastal communities in Surrow during the summer months, with some private companies like Stalwart Shipping offering passenger services to more remote outports, and others providing more frequent service between coastal towns.

In addition to maritime transportation, there are two major airports on Surrow: Surrow International Airport, situated in Gateway, Southland County, which serves as Surrow's primary international airport, and Tulaktarvik International Airport, situated near Tulaktarvik in Stoney County. Beyond these two airports, many smaller communities, particularly on Great Island have airstrips, although these airstrips only handle small propeller planes. The only airline based in Surrow is NorthAir.

For intra-island travel, Holcot Island has the most developed road network, with the Surrowese Highway connecting interior communities between Holcot Inlet to Apitumiss, as well as coastal communities along its route. However, many roads outside the settlements, excluding the Surrowese Highway, and connections from communities to the highway are not paved, with an estimate that only around 45% of all roads on Hoclot Island are paved.

However, Great Island's and Kikik Island's geography and permafrost effectively preclude significant road construction between communities, with the only inter-community road being the road between Tulaktarvik and Uangnaq. Thus, the only year-round means of transportation on these islands is sailing or hiking, although in the winter, winter roads are constructed to connect some of the major communities, particularly Tulaktarvik to Port Lochlan, with an ice road connecting it to the Surrowese Highway in Apitumiss.

Demographics

As of the 2021 census, 171,550 people lived in Surrow. Of the total population, 139,047 people, or around 81% of the Surrowese population live on Holcot Island, 32,235 people, or around 19% of the Surrowese population live on Great Island, and only 268 people, or almost zero percent of the Surrowese population, live on Kikik Island.

Education

TBD Library and Memorial Clock Tower at the Surrow National University, 2020

Education in Surrow is heavily influenced by the Albrennian education system, due to Surrow's proximity to Albrennia and its friendly relations with Albrennia, with some structural influence from Rythene due to Surrow's past as a Rythenean colony. Most schools in Surrow are public, although some private schools exist, primarily to serve Albrennian expatriate students, but some exist for religious reasons.

Education in Surrow starts with preschool, with formal education only starting in the year students turn 6. Students continue attending primary school until they turn 11, and then move on to secondary schools, where they will attend until they turn 16, when compulsory education ends. However, most students continue attending school until finishing Sixth Form when they turn 18, after which they take exams to determine if they will attend university or a polytechnic.

The only university in Surrow is Surrow National University, with two campuses: the main campus in Holcot Inlet, and a satellite campus in Tulaktarvik, with Surrow National University structured like an Albrennian university. Most high-achieving Surrowese students study at Albrennia's major universities, leading to only around 9,000 students attending Surrow National University.

There are two Surrowese polytechnics: Holcot Inlet Polytechnic in Holcot Inlet, and Tulaktarvik Polytechnic in Tulaktarvik. As of 2021, there are 11,000 students at both Surrowese polytechnics.

Ethnicity

As of the 2021 census, 91.1% of the Surrowese population, or 156,282 people, are of Auressian descent. Of these, it is estimated that 50% of the Auressian-Surrowese are of Rythene descent (which includes those from Sovar), 30% being descended from Tyrnicans, and the remaining 20% coming from other groups of Auressian descent, predominantly workers from Albrennia.

The next largest racial group are Native Surrowese, which comprise 6.2% of the population, or 10,636 people. The Native Surrowese can be split into two groups: the Chequan, who traditionally inhabit Holcot Island, and the Itchalnu, who traditionally inhabit Great Island and Kikik Island. It is estimated that around 80% of Native Surrowese are Itchalnu, and the remainder are Chequan.

Finally, other races make up 2.7% of Surrow's population, or 4,632 people. These are primarily immigrants from other countries, such as (TBC).

Religion

As of the 2021 census, 89.4% of Surrow's population, or 152,851 people, are Perendist. The dominant sects of Perendism followed in Surrow include (TBC).

After Perendism, 0.6% of the population, or 1,029 people, follow other religions. These include religions from immigrant communities, such as TBC, Itchalnu religion, Chequan religion, and neopaganism.

Finally, 10% of the population of Surrow, or 17,155 people, are irreligious. This category includes atheism or agnosticism.

Language

The sole official language in Surrow is Rythenean, with 97% of the population, or 166,404 speaking it as a first language, and with 99.1% of the population, or 170,006 reporting that they are fluent to some degree in Rythenean.

The two indigenous languages still spoken in Surrow are Itchalnu and Chequan. Of the two, Itchalnu is the most widely spoken, with 1.1% of the population, or 1,887 people, speaking it as a first language, and 15% of the population, or 25,733 people being fluent to some degree in it, while Chequan is only spoken by 0.4% of the population, or 686 people as a first language, and understood by only 6% of the population, or 10,293 people.

Foreign languages spoken in Surrow include Tyrnican, which historically had a sizable presence in Surrow to the point of having its own dialect, (TBC).

Largest cities

As of the 2021 census, around 94.2% of the Surrowese population live in the seven cities or towns of Surrow, with around 98.3% living in the top twenty settlements in Surrow. Of this figure, around 82% of the Surrowese population live in the two cities of Surrow: Holcot Inlet, which alone comprises 64.4% of the country's population, and Tulaktarvik.

Until the 1960s, more people lived in the smaller settlements, commonly known as outports, but as economic opportunities grew in Holcot Inlet and Tulaktarvik, many moved towards those two cities, leading to a declining and aging population in the outports of Surrow. This rural flight peaked in the 1990s, but has declined significantly since then, due to higher prices in Holcot Inlet forcing people to commute from communities outside of Holcot Inlet, and because of most of those remaining choosing to stay in the outports.

Culture

Cuisine

Fish and brewis with scrunchions

Surrowese cuisine is primarily influenced by its settlement by Aurressian fishermen from the sixteenth century onward, with heavy Rythenean influence due to Surrow having been primarily settled by Rytheneans.

Due to the abundant marine life surrounding the Surrowese archipelago, seafood has always been a major component of mainstream Surrowese cuisine. One of the best known examples of seafood in Surrowese cuisine is fish and brewis, comprising of cod and hardtack, and served along a side of scrunchions, or fried pork rind, with fish and brewis traditionally consumed at lunch and at dinner. Other seafood dishes, like fishcake with summer savory, fisherman's pie, and fish and chips, are also commonly consumed at lunch and dinner in Surrow, while flipper pie, a meat pie made from harp seal flippers, is often consumed on special occasions, primarily Independence Day.

Other dishes common in mainstream Surrowese cuisine include baked beans, commonly consumed at breakfast; blueberry pie, commonly consumed as a dessert; sausages and mash, commonly consumed at breakfast, and sea lettuce, commonly consumed as a snack. Furthermore, Albrennian cuisine has exerted a significant influence on Surrowese cuisine, due to Surrow's extensive connections with Albrennia over the centuries, leading to most dishes popular in Albrennia becoming common in Surrow.

In contrast, indigenous cuisines have generally remained unknown among the general Surrowese population, although pemmican, ptarmigan, and seal are traditionally associated with the Chequan, while whale meat, great willowherb, polar bear, and seals are associated with the Itchalnu.

Besides food, Surrowese beverage traditions have largely been informed by Albrennian and Rythenean influences, with beer being by the far the most popular alcoholic beverage, followed by whiskey. While most alcoholic beverages in Surrow are imported, primarily from Albrennia and Rythene, there are some brewers based in Surrow, with the largest being Whitlock Brewing Company, which produces ales and lagers, while since the 1990s, a small but thriving microbrewery scene has emerged in Surrow.

Media

Former telegraph station at Guardian Promentory in Holcot Inlet, 2015

Due to Surrow's small population, Surrowese media is generally limited, with the few domestic media outlets largely concentrated in Holcot Inlet, and most of these being either owned by the Surrowese government, by the Altman Media Group, or by the Arnarson Press.

The only daily newspaper on Surrow is the Altman Media Group-owned Daily Fisherman, based in Holcot Inlet. The most prominent competitor to the Daily Fisherman is the Arnarson Press-owned Holcot Inlet Herald, published thrice a week, and owned by, and the Altman Media Group-owned Tulaktarvik Times, published once weekly.

There are eighteen radio stations in Surrow, with the largest networks being the government-owned Surrow Broadcasting Corporation, which operates nine radio stations, serving Apitumiss, Arvittiavak, Davers Harbour, Gisborne Reed, Hairings Harbour, Holcot Inlet, Lombelon Bay, Port Lochlan, and Tulaktarvik, and the Altman Media Group-owned Altman Radio, operating six stations, with four in Holcot Inlet, and two in Tulaktarvik. Arnarson Press operates two talk radio stations, with one each in Holcot Inlet and Tulaktarvik, and the Surrow National University operates a radio station in Holcot Inlet.

There is only one domestically-run television network, with the government-owned Surrow Broadcasting Corporation operating television stations in Holcot Inlet and Tulaktarvik, with transmitters in nearly every community. However, an independent television station exists in Holcot Inlet, and most Surrowese have access to foreign television networks by cable or satellite.

Sports

Indoor football match at Ted Fisher Centre in Gateway, 2013

Despite Surrow's northerly location and small population, Surrow has a vibrant sporting culture, with the two most popular sports in Surrow are football and curling, with football being designated the national summer sport, and curling the national winter sport.

Football is popular in Surrow, with the Surrowese national football team playing their home games at the 5,000 seat Surrowese National Stadium in Holcot Inlet, with the Surrowese national football team making its first appearance in the World Cup at the 2022 World Cup in Audonia. However, due to the geography and weather precluding outdoor football from being played for most of the year in most of Surrow, most football activity is done indoors, with an indoor league, the Surrowese Football League being the primary football league in Surrow, comprising of seven teams, and smaller communities often having teams of their own.

Likewise, curling is popular in Surrow, with most communities in Surrow featuring their own curling rinks and curling clubs. The Surrowese Curling Association plays every winter, with it comprised of eleven teams from across the Surrowese archipelago. Curling in Surrow is traditionally mixed, with two men and two women, including at the Surrowese Curling Association.

Other sports that are popular among the Surrowese include sailing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, and sport fishing. In addition, some traditional sports among indigenous peoples, such as the high kick and the blanket toss are still commonly practiced among the Itchalnu, although these traditional sports are not as popular among the non-Itchalnu population of Surrow.

Public holidays

Date	Rythenean name	Description
January 1	New Year's Day	Celebrates the new year
Third Monday of February	Family Day	Celebrates the family
April 28	Memorial Day	Commemorates fishermen who died at sea
May 1	Labour Day	Commemorates the sacrifices made by workers to advance their rights
June 21	Indigenous People's Day	Celebrates the culture and resilience of indigenous peoples in Surrow
June 24	Discovery Day	Celebrates the discovery of the Surrowese islands, national day
First Monday of August	County Day	Celebrates the culture of the counties
October 28	Remembrance Day	Commemorates all victims of war
December 21	Tribulation Day	Commemorates the Tribulation at Micantium
December 31	New Year's Eve	Celebrates the end of the year