Mekabiri

State of Mekabiri
Flag Emblem
Motto: Somnium vita est Life is a dream
Map of Mekabiri
Capital	Piri
Largest	Mi‘irabi
Official languages	Oharic
Recognised regional languages	Mahanan, Tosyrai
Government	Presidential Republic
• President	Rahaēli Sērafīmi
• Vice President	Richard Haller
Area
•	522,586 km2 (201,772 sq mi)
Population
• 2022 estimate	9,149,522
Antipodes	Bexshaw, Eulycea, Oyussa
Driving side	right
Internet TLD	.me

Mekabiri, officially known as the State of Mek'abiri, is a sovereign state in Europa on Eurth. It is bordered by Mahana to the north, Tamurin and Orioni in the east, and Miiros in the southwest.

(1st paragraph. Name. Location. Borders. Approx population and size. Capital city.)

(2nd paragraph. Political system. Short history in 1 sentence. Link with present in 1 sentence. Head of state.)

(3rd paragraph. Economy in 2 sentences. International relations in 1 sentence.)

Etymology

The name of Mekabiri is an exonym, originating as the Oharic word Mek’abiri (መቃብር, "grave"), and is a reference to the relative position of where the Sun sets or "goes to die" when viewed from Orioni. During the colonial period (1349-1822) the country was called Birlini.

WIP. Also nearby is Mi'irabi ("west"), which I wanted to use as an explanation for Miiros. See also Mishiti ("evening"), Meshe ("dusk"), Moti ("death", ~sunset). Also reminds me of Mecca and Macabre. There is also the word Merikebi ("ship" or "vessel").

Geography

WIP

• Landscape. Mekabiri is characterized by its mountains and dry climate, and its lack of major rivers. There are many small forests along the southern coast, whose trees grow big and strong because of the righ soil.
• Climate
• Southern coast is habitable. Rest is desert.
• Capital at an estuary, in a well-defensible position. Natural harbor? Ancient dock of the Pearl Road?
• Keep Emakera as a border province. Influence from nearby authoritarian Mantella, who attempted to detach this territory from Mekabiri by emphasising the north-south differences and exploit cultural differences.

History

Pre-colonial era

Caption.

• Early population comes from Azania and Amutia in the west. Land used to be much greener, but after the last ice age ended the climate became warmer with increased desertification.
• Prehistory: This leads to more diversity in the cultures: fishermen along the coast, heders in the highlands, nomads in the desert.
• 1000-0 BCE: Small pockets of agriculture, mostly subsistence farming.
• 0-500s CE: Tie into the Pearl Road. Crossroads for many other historic nations.
• 500-1000s: Borderland against the Sacred Aroman Realm.

Colonial period

Colonial flag of Birlini.

• 1000-1500s: Tie into the Orinese colonial expansion. First forts along the coast. Later on more defensive lines inland. Mostly extraction economy.
• 1349-1822: Official colonial period of Birlini.
• Area gives Orioni control of the Menelassar Sea.
• Colonial flag with a tower refers to the typical colonial-era forts along the coast. These could also be further inland. From a strategic point of view, there need to be at least two "choke points" along each side of the northern mountain range.

Independence

• Re-use later history from Pirilao and Emakera.

Politics

WIP

• Government.
  • Separation of Powers: Legislative, Judiciary, and Executive
  • Federalist system. 7 provinces and the Capital district.
  • Bicameral legistlative system. The Càmara dos Deputados has 100 members, directly elected by the people, which makes law projects and propositions. The Càmara dos Senadores has 100 members, also elected by the people, which vote for or against the law projects made by the deputados.
• Political parties.
• Foreign relations. Mekabiri is a member of the Assembled Nations and the Entente of Oriental States. Previously a member of the Europan Commercial Alliance.
• Military.

Economy

WIP

• Looking into the economy of RL Morocco, which is also a mostly coastal country with a dry hinterland.
• Exports.
• Currency. Wanna use the Orinese Phi, but might also go with Miiros just to snub the old coloniser.
• Employment. Might opt for Moroccan unemployment numbers, so as no to overpower any neighbours.
• Energy.
• Transport.
• Media.

Demographics

WIP

Mekabiri's population consists mostly of Orinese settlers and native peoples, the Emakeran being the most known of them. Since intermarriage between the settlers and the natives is very usual in Emakera, most of the people have mixed ancestry in some degree. Everyone born in the country is treated as emakeran, independent of heritage, and racism is a unbailable crime.

• Ethnic groups. All people born in Emakera are considered to be ethnically Emakeran. Major Minorities: Alentejanos , Algarvios and Alfacinhas
• Language. Portuguese is the only official language of Emakera, and there are few regional variances. It is virtually the only language used in schools, newspapers, radio and TV, and for all business and administrative purposes. The language spoken in Brazil (and thus, in Emakera too) is slightly different from that spoken in Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries. Brazilian Portuguese is more archaic than European Portuguese, and has some phonological and orthographic differences, although mutual comprehension is not affected.

• Religion. Mekabiri is an secular state. Evangelical Protestant (45%), Roman Catholic (30%), Orinese faiths (15%), Islam (5%), Other Faiths (3%), No religion (2%).
• Health.

Education.

• Mixture of Pirilao and Emakera. Adopt culture from both. Previously these two separate countries. But now they are a mixture of both. This forced colocation purposely undermines Mekabiri's internal stability. This is comparable to how Iraq was constructed out of 3 large, competing groups.
• Continue to build a shared lore with Mahana.

Cultures

WIP

• Literature.
• Visual arts.
• Music.
• Cuisine.
• Sport.