Endson

Federacy of Endson
Flag
Capital	Achirovsk
Largest city	Kirimyra
Government
• President	Novak Danylovych
Population
• 2024 estimate	11,165,000
Date format	mm-dd-yyyy

The Federacy of Endson is a country in northeast Euronia, with its two main islands of East and West Endson being located between the Northern Ocean and the Vasilin Sea, with maritime borders shared with Sateroc, Rettoa, and the Slavic Union. It has a population of 11.2 million, with the largest city being Kirimyra and the capital being Achirovsk. Other major cities include Vladistk, Alagotiy, Verevsk, Vybotlas, Arseniki, Buryol, and Havarotov. The country's varied topography and sharp mountain peaks owe much to tectonic uplift.

The territory of Endson was previously home to several ancient cultures and has been ruled by numerous empires and dynasties, including the Parabocan Empire, Kandson Kingdoms, and the Slavic Union. For a time, Endson was a protectorate division of the Slavic Union until 1911 as a result of purposeful abandonment following the Ledyanaya War. For decades, political turmoil engulfed the islands until they united under federation in 1930. Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, Endson was caught in tensions of the Vasilin Sea crisis but steered out of armed conflicts. The government centralized under a new constitution in 1958, consolidating power in a central committee. In 2024, Endson directly supported the Rettoan-led invasion of North Kandson.

Endson is headed by a highly centralized authoritarian government. Endson ranks low in international measurements of freedom of the press and civil liberties, and has state ownership of large sections of the economy. It is a non-voting observer state of the ACES organization and has close political ties with Sateroc and Rettoa. It is a member of multiple international organizations, including the CCA and CTO.

Geography

Endson is comprised of two main islands, named East Endson and West Endson, and hundreds of smaller islands and rocky outcroppings. It is located between the Northern Ocean and the Vasilin Sea. The Vasi Strait separates West Endson Island from mainland Euronia. The Yetake Strait separates West and East Endson Islands. The Vorsatel Strait separates East Endson Island from Sateroc.

The interior of both of the main islands are hilly or mountainous, heavily forested in lower lying areas, with the coastal regions being the main populated areas and few interior river valley settlements. The Western Island Mountains peak in Mount Dryni, 1,481 m (4,859 ft), while the Eastern Island Mountains's highest peak, Mount Sakhal, 1,609 m (5,279 ft).

Crystalline rocks crop out at several capes; Cretaceous limestones, containing an abundant and specific fauna of gigantic ammonites, occur on the west coast; and Tertiary conglomerates, sandstones, marls, and clays, folded by subsequent upheavals, are found in many parts of the island.

Climate

The Vasilin Sea and Northern Ocean currents ensures that Endson has a cold and humid climate, ranging from humid continental (Köppen Dfb) in the south to subarctic (Dfc) in the center and north. The maritime influence makes summers much cooler than in similar-latitude inland areas, but makes the winters much snowier and a few degrees warmer than in interior north-Euronian cities. Summers are foggy with little sunshine.

Precipitation is heavy, owing to the strong onshore winds in summer and the high frequency of Northern Ocean storms affecting the island in the autumn. It ranges from around 500 millimetres (20 in) on the northwest coast to over 1,200 millimetres (47 in) in southern mountainous regions. In contrast to interior Northeast Euronia with its pronounced summer maximum, onshore winds ensure Endson has year-round precipitation with a peak in the autumn.

Flora and fauna

Endson musk deer

The islands are covered with dense forests, mostly coniferous. Spruce, fir, and larch are the chief trees; on the upper parts of the mountains are the Endson dwarf pine. Birches, poplar, elm, bird cherry, yew, and several willows are mixed with the conifers; while farther south the maple, rowan, and oak make their appearance. The underwoods abound in berry-bearing plants (e.g. cloudberry, cranberry, crowberry, red whortleberry), red-berried elder, and wild raspberry.

Brown bear, Euronian river otter, red fox, Euronian lynx, leopard cat and sable are fairly numerous (as are reindeer in the north); rarely seen, but still present, is the elusive Endson musk deer, a subspecies of Euronian musk deer. Smaller mammals include hare, squirrels, and various rodents (including rats and mice) nearly everywhere. The bird population is made-up of mostly the common eastern Euronian forms, but there are some endemic or near-endemic breeding species. The rivers swarm with fish, especially species of salmon. Numerous cetaceans visit the sea coast, including the endangered gray whale. Other cetaceans known to occur in this area are the right whale, the bowhead whale, and the beluga whale, the latter two generally preferring icy waters and colder conditions to the north. All are potential prey species for the highly social killer whale, or orca. The once-common Endson sea lion and Endson sea otter, both hunted to extinction, formerly ranged from Endson's coastline to Sateroc, North Kandson, and Lissatha; however, over-harvesting depleted their numbers in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Today, ringed seals and the giant sea lion can be spotted around Endson.

Politics and government

Endson, by the constitution, is a semi-presidential republic with separation of powers, governed by a president and the National Assembly. However, Endson has been led by a highly centralized and authoritarian government since its formation. The term for each presidency is five years. Under the original constitution, the president could serve for only two terms as president, but a change in the constitution in 2004 eliminated term limits. Novak Danylovych has been president since 2009.

Military

The Armed Forces of Endson are comprised of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Federal Police. Roughly 110,000 personnel comprise all branches, with the ability for the government to mobilize up to 190,000 additional personnel. The military, though one of the largest in the Vasilin Sea region, had not participated in direct conflict with any state until the Roca War, with the unexperienced forces struggling in operations led by the superior-trained Rettoan Armed Forces and Saterocian Armed Forces. Most of the Endson military's equipment was supplied by the UCSS.

Economy

Endson is a classic "primary sector of the economy" area, relying on oil and gas exports, coal mining, forestry, and fishing. Limited quantities of rye, wheat, oats, barley and vegetables grow there, although the growing season averages less than 100 days.