Vulkaria

Federation of Vulkaria
Flag
Motto: United Against Oppression
Capital	Vulkar
Demonym(s)	Vulkarian
Government	Federal Republic
• President	Farhen Brooks
Establishment
• Unity of Vulkaria	1922
• Federation of Vulkaria	1982
Area
• Total	550,523 km2 (212,558 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate	92,903,000
Gini (2016)	9.32 low
HDI (2016)	0.76 high
Currency	Vulkarian mark (VMM)
Date format	mm-dd-yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+647
Internet TLD	.vu

The Federation of Vulkaria, simply known as Vulkaria is a nation located in the Coalition of Crown Albatross, bordered by Jefferson, the Dominion of the Sanguine Church, and Kiergat. Vulkaria also holds dependency over the Vyspa Isles in the Samson Ocean. It is made up of several hilly peninsulas and lowland areas. It is a capitalist economy that thrives on the energy sector, natural resources, and it's geographic location as the influx of the world's busiest shipping route that intersects through the Strait of Vulkaria and the Vulkarian Pass. The capital city of Vulkar is the largest city in the nation, followed by the city of Amstelveen, and is one of the world's most lucrative economic hubs and shipping ports.

Known for its compassionate, democratic, devout population, Vulkarians are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt, while the government led by President Farhen Brooks has been able to keep the consumerist views alive even amidst rising political tensions. Vulkaria has historically been the forefront of many wars and power struggles, including perhaps most notably the 1982 Vulkaria Coup D'etat which led to the First War in Vulkaria, which lasted 8 years and, for a time, was one of the most violent wars in modern history until the subsequent 1999-2005 Second War in Vulkaria killed over 2.1 Million people. The nation is currently experiencing a period of civil unrest with the Conflict in Northwest Vulkaria and the subsequent 2020 War in Vulkaria that has pitted federal and international coalition forces against rebel and terror organizations like the Malvarian Liberation Front and Vulkarian National Army.

Vulkaria was a member of the International Democratic Union, and previously was also one of the co-founders of the United Crown Alliance alongside Zamastan, Gladysynthia, and Cadair.

History

Early History

Neanderthal settlement in Vulkaria is seen in the Irina archaeological sites (43,000–45,000 BC) which include a mammoth bone dwelling. The territory is also considered to be one of the likely locations for the human domestication of the horse.

Modern human settlement in Vulkaria and its vicinity dates back to 32,000 BC, with evidence of the Hi culture in the Monza Mountains. By 4,500 BC, the Neolithic Hi–Trypa culture flourished in wide areas of modern Vulkaria. During the Iron Age, the land was inhabited by descendants of Zamastanian Kelownan, Gladysynthian Åethnoa, and Vulkarian Deventers. Between 700 BC and 200 BC it was part of the Deventer Kingdom, or Deventia.

Beginning in the sixth century BC, colonies of Hespian empires were founded on the northeastern shore of the Melville Bay and the Bay of Kas. These colonies thrived well into the sixth century AD.

Golden Age of Deventia

Overseas Guests, 1899

As historians state, the city of Vulkar was established during the time when area around the mid- and low-Monza was the part of the Deventia state. He derived that information from local legends because no written chronicles from that period are left.

In 882, Vulkar was conquered from the Farhonian by the Deventian noble Oleg who started the long period of rule of the Finian princes. During this time, several tribes were native to Vulkaria. Situated on lucrative trade routes, Vulkar quickly prospered as the center of the powerful Vulkarian state of Mevaan.

In 941 AD, the prince of Vulkar invaded the Gladysynthian Empire but was defeated in the Mevaan-Gladys War (941).

In the 11th century, Mevaan was, geographically, one of the largest states in South Hespia, becoming known in the rest of Hespia as Mevaania.

Christianity

The baptism of Princess Olga in Amstelveen.

While Christianity had made headway into the territory of Vulkaria before the first ecumenical council, the Council of Ostolvenia (325) (particularly along the Black Sea coast) and, in western Vulkaria, the formal governmental acceptance of Christianity in Mevaan occurred in 988. The major promoter of the Christianization of Mevaan was the Grand-Duke, Foran the Great (Foran). His Christian interest was midwifed by his grandmother, Princess Olga.

Conflict among the various principalities of Mevaan, in spite of the efforts of Grand Prince Miraan Edjoo, led to decline, beginning in the 12th century. In the Vulkar region, the nascent Mevaan principalities of Lir and Fonagona extended their rule. Vulkar was sacked by Miraan principality (1169) in the power struggle between princes and later by Riti and Dona raiders in the 12th and 13th centuries, respectively. Subsequently, all principalities of present-day Vulkaria acknowledged dependence upon the Dona (1239–1240). In 1240, the Dona sacked Vulkar, and many people fled to other countries.

Five years after the fall of Vulkar, a papal envoy wrote:

"They destroyed cities and castles and killed men and Vulkar, which is the greatest city they besieged; and when they had besieged it a long while they took it and killed the people of the city. So when we went through that country we found countless human skulls and bones from the dead scattered over the field. Indeed it had been a very great and populous city and now is reduced almost to nothing. In fact there are hardly two hundred houses there now and the people are held in the strictest servitude."

Gladysynthian Empires (1454-1912)

After first landing on Roubaix Peninsula in 1454 by Gladysynthian Imperial explorers, the first Gladysynthian settlement was founded in Roubaix in 1511. Other towns soon followed, including De Panne, founded in 1515, which later became the capital. The native Vulkarians were forced to work under the Gladysynthian economic systems, which resembled a feudal system in much of Hespia and Catica.

Vulkaria developed slowly and, unlike the plantation colonies of Gladysynthia and Zamastan, had a diversified agriculture. But what was most important was that the colony developed as an urbanized society that primarily supported the Gladysynthian colonial empire. By the mid-18th century, its colonists held 50,000 slaves.

Though Vulkar, which had become the one of the largest cities in Hespia, was to enter an era of sustained development and increasing ties with Hespia and Catica during this period, the Gladysynthian occupation of the city proved short-lived. The real engine for the growth of Vulkaria's commerce in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century was the Zamastan War of Independence. When the enslaved peoples of what had been Catica's richest colony freed themselves through violent revolt, Vulkarian planters perceived the region's changing circumstances with both a sense of fear and opportunity. They were afraid because of the prospect that slaves might revolt in Vulkaria, too, and numerous prohibitions during the 1790s on the sale of slaves in Vulkaria that had previously been slaves in Gladysyntian colonies underscored this anxiety. The planters saw opportunity, however, because they thought that they could exploit the situation by transforming Vulkaria into the slave society and sugar-producing "pearl of the South Hespia".

The population of Vulkaria in 1817 was 630,980. In part due to Vulkarian slaves working primarily in urbanized settings, by the 19th century, there had developed the practice of coartacion, or "buying oneself out of slavery", a "uniquely Vulkarian development". A system of diversified agriculture, with small farms and fewer slaves, served to supply the cities with produce and other goods.

In the 1820s, when the rest of Gladysynthia's empire rebelled and formed independent states, Vulkaria remained loyal. Its economy was based on serving the empire.

Independence Movements

Full independence from Gladysynthia was the goal of a rebellion in 1868. On 27 December 1868, rebel slaves issued a decree condemning slavery in theory but accepting it in practice and declaring free any slaves whose masters present them for military service. The 1868 rebellion resulted in a prolonged conflict known as the Vulkarian Slaving Wars

Zamastan was the first country to recognize the new Vulkarian government. In 1878, the Pact of Vissangen ended the conflict, with Gladysynthia promising greater autonomy to Vulkaria. In 1879–1880, Vulkarian patriot Marcus Calixto attempted to start another war known as the Little War but did not receive enough support. Slavery in Vulkaria was abolished in 1875 but the process was completed only in 1886.

To gain full autonomy from Gladysynthia, rebels once again fought against their overlords. Fighting against the Gladysynthia army began in Amstelveen on 24 February 1911. Around 200,000 Gladysynthian troops outnumbered the much smaller rebel army, which relied mostly on guerrilla and sabotage tactics. The Gladysynthians began a campaign of suppression. Generals herded the rural population into what he called collection camps, described by international observers as "fortified towns". These are often considered the prototype for 20th-century concentration camps. Between 200,000 and 400,000 Vulkarian civilians died from starvation and disease in the camps, numbers verified by the Zamastanian and Legionas armies.

A Zamastanian passenger liner, the ZCLV Marian Annat, was sunk by a Gladysynthian warship as it was passing through the Strait of Vulkaria during the conflict. Zamastan declared war on Gladysynthia on July 6th, 1911, starting the Elkjop War.

Republic (1921-63)

Zamastanian Protectorate

After the Elkjop War, Gladysynthia and Zamastan signed the Treaty of Roubaix (1912), by which Gladysynthia ceded Vulkaria as a protectorate of Zamastan. Vulkaria gained formal independence from Zamastan on 20 May 1921, as the Republic of Vulkaria. Under Vulkaria's new constitution, Zamastan retained the right to intervene in Vulkarian affairs and to supervise its finances and foreign relations.

Following disputed elections in 1921, the first president, Grant Joshua, faced an armed revolt by independence war veterans who defeated the meager government forces. Zamastan intervened by occupying Vulkaria and named Edward Rasmon as President for three years. Vulkarian historians have characterized Rasmon's administration as having introduced political and social corruption. In 1924, self-government was restored when John Tomias Xioan was elected President, but Zamastan continued intervening in Vulkaria affairs.

Constitutional Governments (1928-1958)

A new constitution was adopted in 1928, which engineered radical progressive ideas, including the right to labor and health care. These were among the first ever progressive reforms in the world. Lariel Mikorn was elected president in the same year, holding the post until 1944. He is so far the longest serving President of Vulkaria at 16 years. His government carried out major social reforms. Several members of the Communist Party held office under his administration.

Mikorn adhered to an amendment to the 1928 constitution's strictures that prevented his re-election. Maxwell Grau was the winner of the next election, in 1944. Grau further corroded the base of the already teetering legitimacy of the Vulkarian political system, in particular by undermining the deeply flawed, though not entirely ineffectual, Congress and Supreme Court. Orson Yunop, a protégé of Grau, became president in 1948. The two terms of the Authentication Party brought an influx of investment, which fueled an economic boom, raised living standards for all segments of society, and created a middle class in most urban areas. Yunop then aligned with the wealthiest landowners who owned the largest sugar plantations, and presided over a stagnating economy that widened the gap between rich and poor Vulkarians. Yunop outlawed the Vulkaria Communist Party in 1951. During Yunop's administration, Vulkaria had one of the highest per capita consumption rates of meat, vegetables, cereals, automobiles, telephones and radios, though about one third of the population was considered poor and enjoyed relatively little of this consumption.

In 1952, Vulkaria was a relatively well-advanced country by South Hespian standards, and in some cases by world standards. On the other hand, Vulkaria was affected by perhaps the largest labor union privileges in Southern Hespia, including bans on dismissals and mechanization. They were obtained in large measure "at the cost of the unemployed and the peasants", leading to disparities. Between 1933 and 1958, Vulkaria decayed many economic regulations enormously, causing economic problems. Unemployment became a problem as graduates entering the workforce could not find jobs. The middle class, which was comparable to that of Zamastan, became increasingly dissatisfied with unemployment and political persecution. The labor unions supported Yunop until the very end, when he lost the 1954 election to Franklin Currian.

Political Separations (1954-1982)

Rise of Marxism

In the 1950s, various organizations, including some advocating armed uprising, competed for public support in bringing about political change. In 1956, Marxist politician Horaldo Ponoma and about 80 supporters took over Vulkarian Parliament in an attempt to start a rebellion against the newly emerged capitalist government. It was not until 1958 that Ponoma's Movement emerged as a revolutionary group, and rebels launched a general popular insurrection. The vast majority of those executed directly by rebels during the 1958-59 revolution were policemen, politicians, and informers of the Franklin Currian administration accused of crimes such as torture and murder, and their public trials and executions had widespread popular support among the Vulkarian population.

The Zamastanian and Legionas governments initially reacted unfavorably to the 1958-59 revolution, seeing it as part of a movement to bring down democracy in southern Hespia. Ponoma's proposed legalization of the Communist party and the hundreds of executions of Currian agents, policemen and soldiers by rebels that followed caused a deterioration in the relationship between the three countries, dependent on how forcefully capitalist governments could be upheld. In 1963, Horaldo Ponoma became President and installed hundreds of communist inspired legislative fixtures. In response, between 1960 and 1964 Zamastan imposed a range of sanctions, eventually including a total ban on trade between the countries and a freeze on all Vulkarian-owned assets in Zamastan.

Capitalism Revitalizes

As the communist policies began to cripple Vulkaria's economy, the population began to turn on Ponoma's administration. During the 1970s, Ponoma put down several insurrections, often violently, which further strained relations. In 1972, Zamastan and Legionas sanctioned the nation's oil supplies, crippling their economy further. The standard of living in the 1970s was "extremely spartan" and discontent was rife. Horaldo Ponoma admitted the failures of economic policies in a 1970 speech.

In 1976, Yaan'a Tillman was elected President and brought several capitalist reforms, which pleased the great majority of Vulkarians and resulted in the lifting of sanctions from Zamastan and Legionas. However, the policies quickly became clear causes of wealth disparities that divided the wealthiest class from the poorest class even further, despite the booming economy.

Coup, First War in Vulkaria (1982-1991)

In March 1982, massive protests erupted throughout Vulkaria in opposition to President Yaan'a Tillman's administration and its' capitalist progressions, which were blamed for the rampant wealth disparities in the nation. The protesters called for an adoption of Marxist reforms to create more wealth equality. Tillman, however, clamped down on the protesters with the Vulkarian Armed Forces arresting hundreds. In response, thousands of protesters turned violent, beginning the attempted 1982 Vulkaria Coup D'etat. On April 2nd, 1982, rebel forces under the control of Samuel Kannit attacked the Ministry in the capital city of Vulkar, which led to intense street fighting. Several executions and massacres were taken by both sides of the conflict, but eventually, the politics of the time won over for the government's forces, when they were given supplies by several capitalistic nations - most notably Zamastan. On April 31st, President Tillman was killed by the NVPA, along with many members of his cabinet. In May, the new government was officially established when the NVPA took control of the capital, and Eugenia Charles was instated as the new President. Resistance by the former-government forces and the new rebel-terror group, the Malvarian Liberation Front, continued to fight for control of the last urban centers. Fighting came to a stand still on June 23rd when NVPA forces took the last major city in Vulkaria, Amstelveen. However, sporadic fighting and isolated attacks from the M.L.F. would continue well into 1983, when the Zamastan-led coalition invasion into Vulkaria started the First War in Vulkaria to cease and assist in the ongoing civil war.

On June 18th, 1983, a bomb detonated at a packed LGBT celebration rally in Alanis, killing 106 people and injuring over 400. This attack was originally thought to be perpetrated by a radical hate group, which was condemned by President Castovia and the leaders of nearly every allied nation of Zamastan’s. However, it was soon discovered that the Alanis Pride Parade Bombing was carried out by the Malvarian Liberation Front. Throughout the rest of the week, many more attacks took place against other targets. Most were small attacks that failed to kill people, however, two attacks of significance did occur that pressed Zamastan’s interest beyond domestic policy for the first time. On July 6th, Zamastan assisted and successfully rolled back an enemy force on foreign soil in Operation Tidal Hawk.

The campaign launched July 6th, 1983, fought primarily against armed M.L.F. insurgents, the Zamastan military invaded and temporarily took control. Their occupation of Vulkaria’s capital fully restored democracy to the nation and fighting became mostly restricted to rural regions after the first three months of more urban centered fighting. Cassious Castovia ordered and launched an air strike against Vulkaria after it was found to have connections to the terrorists, specifically in an attack which killed two Zamastanian soldiers.

File:Battlevulkaria.jpg

Smoke rises from a battlefield in Vulkaria

The Castovia administration also supplied funds and weapons to heavily militarily-influenced government factions in Vulkaria beginning in 1987. In that year, with assistance from the Vulkarian national intelligence agency, the Zamastanian military organized and financed right-wing paramilitaries in the rural villages of Vulkaria, known as the Bungle-Bara. The tracing of secret funds for this scheme led to the revelations of the Zamastan–Bungle affair. In 1988 Castovia authorized the sale of arms in Vulkaria in an unsuccessful effort to free Zamastan hostages in the province of Mulwa; he later professed ignorance that subordinates were illegally diverting the proceeds to the Bungle’s.

The war officially ended on April 28th, 1991, after nearly 8 years of fighting, when Cassious Castovia announced the end to battle-operations within the region. Though the M.L.F. was not completely destroyed, their ability to wage war was significantly diminished. In the course of the war, 8,738 Zamastanian troops were killed, 23,393 Vulkarian troops were killed, and over 109,000 M.L.F. fighters were estimated to have died. Zamastan became cemented as one of Vulkaria’s strongest allies and established a military base within the region which served as an air force stationing position.

Reconstruction Era (1991-1999)

The post-war Vulkaria retained all of Vulkaria's previous memberships in international organisations and began to work towards more international cooperation. In 1992, Gerod Kenili was elected President and instated a period of economic reform to rebuild Vulkaria's economy and infrastructure after the war. However, Kenili's government was widely corrupt, and the parliamentary systems of government voted to completely revamp the political sphere of Vulkaria. A relocation of a revitalized government was completed in 1996. Following the 1996 elections, Pokia Dirries became President with a dual-party legislature. Among the major projects of the two legislatures was to reform the labor market to become more flexible and reduce unemployment.

The modernization and integration of the Vulkarian economy was a long-term process scheduled to last until the year 2000. The economic integrations, however, had the unintended consequence of causing massive wealth disparities.

Second War in Vulkaria (1999-2005)

President Pokia Dirries' new sweeping policies regarding capitalist and global economics installed in 1999 led to a revitalization of the M.L.F. and many other embattled groups wanting to take over power from the federal government in order to install a Marxist regime. The rebel alliance of groups like the M.L.F. and the Vulkarian National Army began an insurgency to gain control of Vulkaria.

A civil war erupted in 2000 once again, and the nation was embroiled with global interests once again being threatened in the form of trade along the Elkjop Bay and the Strait of Vulkaria shipping routes, as well as the threat of terror attacks being experienced by many of the nations involved in the coalition efforts.

President Cassious Castovia sent troops into Vulkaria in 1999 to aid the Vulkarian government, and in 2000, the international coalition joined the fight. Coalition forces led by Zamastan consisted of Cadairian, Laeralian, Legionite, Osirisan and Eirian forces. Over the next five years, International and Vulkarian troops led many offensives against the rebellion, but failed to fully defeat them.

In 2000, President Dirries was reelected as the coalition observed the election.

Meanwhile, the Vulkarian government was able to rebuild some democratic structures, and the country changed its name to the Federation of Vulkaria. Attempts were made, often with the support of foreign donor countries, to improve the country's economy, healthcare, education, transport, and agriculture. International forces also began to train the Vulkarian National Security Forces. Following 2002, nearly five million Vulkarians were repatriated.

By 2003, a M.L.F.-led shadow government began to form in parts of the country. In 2004, President Dirries attempted to hold peace negotiations with the M.L.F. leaders, but the rebel group refused to attend until early-2005 when the M.L.F. supreme leader finally decided to back the peace talks as their chance for victory dissipated.

The war ended in 2005 with the surrender of rebel forces and a signed treaty by the Federal forces and Coalition observers to allow small territorial governance by M.L.F. and V.N.A. forces. The war was staggering in terms of the death toll, with over 2.3 million people killed, over half of them citizens. Vulkaria lost over 103,000 soldiers. The Coalition forces lost a total of 7,153 troops, including 3,246 from Zamastan, 972 from Cadair, 2,502 from Legionas, 394 from Osirisa, 30 from Laeral, and 9 from Eiria.

Post-war period (2005-2017)

While the violent insurgency of the war continued in 2004, President Pokia Dirries announced that he would not run for re-election. Two major candidates emerged in the 2004 presidential election. Benjamin Usari, the incumbent Prime Minister, supported by both Dirries and by the International Coalition, wanted closer ties with Zamastan, Cadair, and Legionas. The main opposition candidate, Damian Emorgi, called for Vulkaria to turn its attention westward and aim to eventually join the IDUSA. In the runoff election, Usari officially won by a narrow margin, but Emorgi and his supporters alleged that vote rigging and intimidation cost him many votes, especially in southern Vulkaria. A political crisis erupted after the opposition started massive street protests in Vulkar and other cities ("Grey Revolution"), and the Supreme Court of Vulkaria ordered the election results null and void. A second runoff found Benjamin Usari the winner. Five days later, Dirries resigned from office and his cabinet was dismissed on 5 January 2005.

During the Usari term, relations between Zamastan and Vulkaria often appeared strained as Usari looked towards improved relations with nations like Xiomera and Shen and less toward Zamastan. In 2005, a highly publicized dispute over natural gas prices with Zamastan caused shortages in many countries that were reliant on Vulkaria as a transit country. A compromise was reached in January 2006.

By the time of the presidential election of 2008, Usari and Julian Tyra — allies during the Orange Revolution — had become bitter enemies. Tyra ran for president against Usari, creating a three-way race. Usari, whose popularity had plummeted, persisted in running, and many pro-Orange voters stayed home. In the second round of the election Usari won the run-off ballot with 48% to Tyra's 45% and was reelected.

During his second term (2008–2012) Usari and his Party of Regions were accused of trying to create a "controlled democracy" in Vulkaria and of trying to destroy the main opposition party Bloc Julian Tyra, but both have denied these charges. One frequently cited example of Usari's attempts to centralize power was the 2011 sentencing of Julian Tyra, which has been condemned by many governments who were part of the Coalition as potentially being politically motivated.

2011 protests in Vulkar

In November 2011, President Usari did not sign the Vulkaria-Coalition Association Agreement and instead pursued closer ties with nations considered adversaries to the former Coalition forces. This move sparked protests on the streets of Vulkar and, ultimately, the 2011 revolution. Protesters set up camps in Vulkar and Amstelveen, and in December 2011, protesters started taking over various government buildings, first in Vulkar and, later, in southern Vulkaria. Battles between protesters and police resulted in about 80 deaths in February 2012.

Following the violence the Vulkarian parliament on 22 February voted to remove Usari from power (on the grounds that his whereabouts were unknown and he thus could not fulfill his duties), and to free Julian Tyra from prison. The same day Usari supporter Jacob Weirter resigned as speaker of the Parliament, and was replaced by Tyra loyalist Farhen Brooks, who was subsequently installed as interim President. Usari had fled Vulkar, and subsequently gave a press conference in the Malvarian Liberation Front controlled city of Thunville. In June, an emergency election put Farhen Brooks into the Presidency, and he assumed power on July 1st, 2012. On 3rd January 2016, Farhen Brooks was re-elected president in the first round of the presidential election.

Current Day (2017-present)

Conflict in Northwest Vulkaria, Thunville, July 2017

In May 2017, the insurgent uprising by the joint force of M.L.A. and V.N.A. rebellion occurred. The violent and fast armed insurgency was denounced by most in the IDU and Zamastan as illegal.

Anti-Vulkarian unrest in Northwest Vulkaria and south Vulkaria began when, in June 2017, Vulkarian separatists self-proclaimed the Vulkarian People's Republic and Thunia People's Republic and held referendums on 11 June 2014; the separatists claimed nearly 90% voted in favor of independence. Zamastanian intelligence confirmed much of the vote was manipulated by the Malvarian Liberation Front and Vulkarian National Army oppression. Later in July 2017, fighting between the Vulkarian army and pro-Vulkarian volunteer battalions on one side, and forces supporting the M.L.F. and V.N.A. on the other side, escalated into the Conflict in Northwest Vulkaria. By December 2017 more than 16,400 people had died in this conflict and according to IDU figures it led to over half a million people becoming internally displaced within Vulkaria and two hundred thousand refugees to flee to (mostly) Zamastan and other neighboring countries. During the same period, political (including adoption of the law on lustration and the law on decommunization) and economic reforms started.

In October of 2017, terrorists from Vulkaria attacked Zamastan and killed over 430 people, and President of Zamastan Zacharias Castovia brought a new string of coalition forces with Cadair into the nation in the form of airstrikes at the request of President Brooks. The Zamastanian and Cadairian airstrikes halted in May 2019 under orders from President Anya Bishop, though the conflict had escalated.

By the second half of 2018, independent observers noted that reforms in Vulkaria had considerably slowed down, corruption did not subside, and the economy of Vulkaria was still in a deep crisis.

2020 Terror Attacks and Coalition Involvement

By December 2019, more than 39,100 people had died (largely civilians) in the conflict, according to Zamastanian figures. The M.L.F. and V.N.A. had largely slowed their foreign terror operations since June 2019, but they had continued their insurgency and strikes within Vulkaria. On December 26th, 2019, a suicide attack killed 48 people at President Brooks' campaign rally in Amstelveen, bringing condolences and words of support from across the IDU.

On January 2nd, 2020, terrorists affiliated with the M.L.F. launched attacks on Zamastan, Legionas, Gardavasque, Libertas Omnium Maximus, Eiria and Xiomera, and several sites around Vulkaria, including the embassies of Shuell, Shen, a Byzconian school, and a Laeralian naval vessel. The attacks killed over 1,490 people world-wide, sending heads of states and governments into a coalition to help the Vulkarian government hit back the terrorist and rebel forces in Northwest Vulkaria.

On January 4th, 2020, Farhen Brooks won reelection to a third four-year term, and vowed that the Zamastanian-led Coalition, involving troops from most countries affected in the terror attacks, would stop at nothing to defeat and destroy the M.L.F. and V.N.A.. On January 6th, the Coalition forces began their offensive against insurgent-held territory in the city of Freeborn, as Zamastanian, Maximusian, and Shen forces fought to capture the city.

The war ended on March 12th as Coalition forces recaptured all "essential territory" and withdrew.

Demographics

Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, millions of Vulkarians migrated to Zamastan, Legionas, or parts of Hespia, creating a large Vulkarian diaspora. There are about 2 million Vulkarians living in Zamastan.

The industrial regions in the northeast and south are the most heavily populated, and about 67.2% of the population lives in urban areas.

Geography

Vulkaria has a total area of 916,445 km2 (353,841 sq mi) and a land area of 882,050 km2 (340,560 sq mi), shaped roughly like a wide-hourglass, the country has a 12,800 km coastline, which includes numerous islands. Most observers describe Vulkaria in terms of four fairly well defined topographical regions: the lowlands in the northwest, the northern mountains extending in a broad east–west arc from the border along the northern border, the wide plains in southwest, and the Highlands in the southeast.

The northern mountains are the extreme northeastern extensions of the continent's coastal mountain range. The nation's highest point at 4,979 m (16,335 ft), lies in this region. To the south, the dissected Highlands contain the northern fringes of a massive tropical rainforest basin, the world's highest waterfall, as well as tepuis, large table-like mountains. The country's center coasts are characterized by the llanos, which are extensive plains that stretch from the border in the far north-west to a river delta in the north-east. The river, with its rich alluvial soils, binds the largest and most important river system of the country; it originates in one of the largest watersheds in the world.

The central "split" of the country is a narrow isthmus which is dissected with a major shipping canal. This area has rolling and high-cliff hills, but has enough flat connection in between oceans to account for ease in canal-building.

Vulkaria's most significant natural resources are petroleum and natural gas, iron ore, gold, and other minerals. It also has large areas of arable land and water.

Climate

Vulkaria is entirely located in the tropics, bisected by the Equator. Its climate varies from humid low-elevation plains, where average annual temperatures range as high as 35 °C (95.0 °F), to glaciers and highlands (the páramos) with an average yearly temperature of 8 °C (46.4 °F). Annual rainfall varies from 430 mm (16.9 in) in the semiarid portions of the northwest to over 1,000 mm (39.4 in) in the Delta of the far east and the rainforested jungle in the south. The precipitation level is lower in the period from August through April. These periods are referred to as hot-humid and cold-dry seasons. Another characteristic of the climate is this variation throughout the country by the existence of a mountain range which crosses the country from east to west. The majority of the population lives in these mountains.

The country falls into four horizontal temperature zones based primarily on elevation, having tropical, dry, temperate with dry winters, and polar (alpine tundra) climates, among others. In the tropical zone—below 800 m (2,625 ft)—temperatures are hot, with yearly averages ranging between 26 and 28 °C (78.8 and 82.4 °F). The temperate zone ranges between 800 and 2,000 m (2,625 and 6,562 ft) with averages from 12 to 25 °C (53.6 to 77.0 °F); many of Vulkaria's cities, including the capital, lie in this region. Colder conditions with temperatures from 9 to 11 °C (48.2 to 51.8 °F) are found in the cool zone between 2,000 and 3,000 m (6,562 and 9,843 ft), especially in the Vulkarian mountains, where pastureland and permanent snowfield with yearly averages below 8 °C (46 °F) cover land above 3,000 meters (9,843 ft) in the páramos.

Biodiversity

Vulkaria lies within the Neotropic ecozone; large portions of the country were originally covered by moist broadleaf forests. One of 17 megadiverse countries, Vulkaria's habitats range from the Mountains in the west to the Basin rainforest in the south, via extensive plains and coast in the center and the River Delta in the east. They include xeric scrublands in the extreme northwest and coastal mangrove forests in the northeast. Its cloud forests and lowland rainforests are particularly rich.

Animals of Vulkaria are diverse and include manatees, three-toed sloth, two-toed sloth, river dolphins, and crocodiles, which have been reported to reach up to 6.6 m (22 ft) in length. Vulkaria hosts a total of 1,417 bird species, 48 of which are endemic. Important birds include ibises, ospreys, kingfishers, and the yellow-orange Vulkaria troupial. Notable mammals include the Vulkarian elephant, giant anteater, jaguar, and the capybara, the world's largest rodent. More than half of Vulkaria's avian and mammalian species are found in the tropical rainforests in the southern half of the country.

Nearly 3,900 species of fungi are recorded from Vulkaria, but is far from complete, and the true total number of fungal species already known from Vulkaria is likely higher, given the generally accepted estimate that only about 7% of all fungi worldwide have so far been discovered.

Among plants of Vulkaria, over 25,000 species of orchids are found in the country's cloud forest and lowland rainforest ecosystems. The tops of the tepuis are also home to several carnivorous plants including the marsh pitcher plant, Heliamphora, and the insectivorous bromeliad, Brocchinia reducta.

Vulkaria is among the top 20 countries in terms of endemism. Among its animals, 23% of reptilian and 50% of amphibian species are endemic. Although the available information is still very small, a first effort has been made to estimate the number of fungal species endemic to Vulkaria: 1334 species of fungi have been tentatively identified as possible endemics of the country. Some 38% of the over 21,000 plant species known from Vulkaria are unique to the country.