Gulbistan

Federation Of Gulbistan د ګلبستان فدراسیون (Mershi) Da Gulbistān Federāsion
Flag National Emblem
Motto:  عرفان او وطن "Erfān aw Watan"   "Irfan and Homeland"
Anthem:  د روان ـنازوشان Da Ravān Zazošān" "Spirit Of Zaxosios"
Location of Gulbistan(dark blue) in Coius(light blue)
Capital	Dostak
Largest City	Thyropinia
Official languages	Mershi
Recognised regional languages	Abali Zubadi Sindhi and others
Demonym(s)	Gulbistani
Government	Federal Presidential Republic
• President	Omar Sherzai
Legislature	Federal Congress
• Upper house	Tribal Jirga
• Lower house	People's Jirga
Establishment
• Independence	1946
• Federation Established	1995
Population
• 2020 census	64,992,804
GDP (PPP)	2020 estimate
• Total
• Per capita	$4,519.87
GDP (nominal)	2020 estimate
• Total
• Per capita	$4,375.99
Gini (2020)	41.5 medium
HDI (2020)	0.642 medium
Currency	Wazen (WZN (وزن))
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+109
Internet TLD	.pa

Gulbistan (Mershi: ګلبستان; Gulbistān ), officially the Federation Of Gulbistan (Mershi: د ګلبستان فدراسیون; Da Gulbistān Federāsion): is a Federal Presidential Republic located in northeast Satria on the continent of Coius. It is bordered by Rajyaghar to the west, Ajahadya to the south, and Zorasan to the east.

Gulbistan was settled by humans over 60,000 years, but the first major settlement was the ancient city of Amtes, today known as Hamtash. By the year 2500BC Satro-Eucleans arrived in the region from the east, and dominated the region. Amstia would be the largest of several small states that were built on being trade hubs between Satria, Rahelia, and Euclea. Ancient Piraeans even settled and founded numerous settlements on Gulbistan's shores, the largest being the city of Thyropinia, which eventually became its own state that would mix with Amstians and other ancient peoples until their fall. The ancient Amtsians would eventually be conquered by early Pardarian Heavenly Dominions and would Gulbistan would be turn into a land inhabited by the Mershi people. These Mershi would establish several medieval dynasties such as the Hunzad and Pafdari Empires. The region would also be settled by Togotis, Satrians, and Pardarians during this period and resulted in the rise of a multilinguistic and multicultural society arose.The Pardarians would reconquer Gulbstian under the Third Dominion, but after its collapse the Rahelian-Mershi Muhab clan would take control of the power vacuum left and formed the Muhabid Empire, who would eventually be overthrown by a clan native to Khandaffi who formed the Khandaffid Empire.

During the 16th century, the Khandaffid Empire was invaded by the Togoti Khaganate. The Togotis would rule the region until its split, when Gulbistan became part of the Khardarid Khanate. During there rule many Mershi clerics and scholars began the groundwork for Mershi nationalism, promoting a Mershi-based independence movement. This independence would eventually come in 1706 with the Zemani Uprising and the capture of the Dostak Fortress, this would establish the Zemani Empire. The Zemani Empire grew slowly at first, but would eventually form an unlikely relationship with Paretia, who would supply the Zemani with Euclean weaponry and military advisors in turn for trading and commercial control as well as the selling of Thyropinia to Paretia. The Zemani would expand across Gulbistan and find itself in conflict with all of its neighbors. They would specifically target the Naratha Confederacy of modern-day Rajyaghar. A series of bloody wars between the two would weaken Gulbistan as well as the dwindling support from Paretia and the rise of Etrurian influence. The Zemani Empire would also establish Edgamic Law, in which the non-Mershi peoples of Gulbistan were tobe assimilated into the dominant culture as well, it also promoted literacy and Irfan. Gulbistan would eventually fall to Etrurian colonial rule in 18XX and would be transformed into the Dominion Of Galbaterra. During Etrurian rule, the Mershi ruling class would continue to propogate Edgam with very little intervention.

During the Great War, Gulbistan would be swept with ideas of independence, and so several independence groups arose and allied with the Ajahadyans during the war. During the Great War, the Spear Of Khoda, Wolekhoda, and Gulbi State Army. However, with Etruria winning the war, Gulbistan would remain Etrurian for another decade. During the Solarian War, The SOK and GSA would lead rebellion with the support of many nations. The SOK would be given support by Euclea and in particular Paretia, and the GSA would become the Gulbistani wing of the Green Pardal movement during the war and the two groups would become enemies. This led to the Gulbistani War Of Independence following the war which would occur in conjunction with the First Satrian War. The SOK would eventually come out on top and would establish would place Mershi nobleman Ishmael Khurnan as the new Emir of the Emirate Of Gulbistan. The Emirate was unstable and numerous forces influenced policy, including Irfanic extremists in the clergy who would influence Asfand Emir to impose religious extremist ideology. In 1959, the Emir would be overthrown by former GSA members led by Pason Paywastun, who would establish the Republic Of Gulbistan. Paywastun would force Paretia to return Thyropinia in the Thyropinian Crisis of 1959. The Republic would reform much of Gulbistan but would lose popularity in the 70s and 80s due to secular laws being passed, which eventually led to the rise of the Gulbistani Tribal Confederation and conflict would intensify into the Gulbistani Civil War, which would last from 1985 to 1995 and led to the establishment of Gulbistan's modern government.

Gulbistan would slowly recover form the war during the 90s and the new leadership would be opposed by many minorities, especially those in Tobadad and Abalistan, leading to the Tobadad and Abalistan Insurgency which began to rise in 2000. This new threat would lead to the rise of the GNP and Omar Sherzai, who would become president in 2007 and has remained president ever since. Recently the Jirgas have agreed to give Sherzai emergency powers due to the rise in insurgents in Tobadad, leading to him effectively becoming president for life until the situation is over. Between 2004 and today, the Gulbistani economy saw a massive boom due to the new relationship forged with COMDEV and Senria after the civil war .

Today, Gulbistan is a growing nation with an economy that has been rising since the turn of the century. It is considered by many to be a Southern Democracy or a flawed democracy due to the vast power of the presidency and the massive focus on military spending and economic stability. Gulbistan is a nation heavily dominated by Mershi culture, although there is still a massive population of other ethnic groups across the country. Gulbistan is also a member of COMDEV and Community of Nations.

Etymology

The name "Gulbistan" was first used in the era of the Pafdari Dynasty. The "stan" part of the name is derived from the Pardarian suffix "ستان" -stan, meaning "land of". The term "Gulbi" is most widely believed to be derives from the Pardarian words "گل" Gul, meaning flower, and "اب" Ab, meaning water. The term "Gulabi" has been seen in medieval Pardarian and Mershi texts to describe the region. Another common theory is the belief it comes from the Mershi word for pink, "ګلابي" Golabi, for the pink poppy plants that are commonly found in the mountains.

History

Prehistory

-Amstian Culture

Antiquity

-Amstian Culture

-Piraean Settlement

-Irfan arrives with First Dominion

-Akanlid Dynasty

-Second Dominion

Medieval Period

-Pardarian Settlement -Mershi Culture

-Hunzad Empire

-Pafdari and Thyropinian Sultanates

-Pafdari Empire

-Third Dominion Conquers Gulbistan

-Muhabids take over, Muhabid Empire

-Khandaffi nobles establish their own nation, war ends with Khandaffid Victory, Khandaffid Sultanate

Togoti Invasions

-Togoti Empire invades Khandaffid Empire

-Togoti splits, Gulbistan becomes part of the Khardarids

-Zemani Clan leads Mershi rebellion against Khardarids and succeeds

Zemani Empire

-Zemani Empire established, quick expansion across Gulbistan

-Zemani sell Thyropinia and trade rights to Paretia in turn to military support in their wars

-Zemani Empire expands into neighboring regions, namely Rajyaghar(Naratha), Pardaran(Gorsanids), and Ajahadya.

-Mershi assimilation law put in place

-Etrurian influence begins to rise as Paretians lose power in region

Colonization

-Etruria colonized the Zemani Empire and establishes the Dominion of Galbaterra

-Clergy becomes a powerful upper class during this period and promote Mershi assimilation and nationalist ideologies

Great War and Solarian War

-SOK is formed and attempts a revolt against Eturia

-Alliance wins the war and SOK goes underground

-SOK, WK, and GSA rebel again during the Solarian War

-SOK and GSA win, but ideological differences lead to conflict during the Gulbistani Independence War

-Gulbistan loses territory to Satrians during the First Satrian War, but keep Tobadad and Dakpesh

Emirate

-Ishmael Khurnan becomes Emir of Gulbistan

-Emirate corrupt and quickly falls into the hands of the clergy and nobles

-Extremist clergy influence Asfand Emir enough for him to impose extremist laws

-Former GSA members led by Pason Paywastun lead coup against Asfand Emir in the name of peace

Republic

-Leftist republic of Gulbistan formed by Pason Paywastun

-Paretians refuse to give up Thyropinia, Paywastun surrounds the city with military forces, Paretia eventually gives in

-Early Republic under Paywastun modernizes Gulbistan and expands literacy

-Paywastun grows old and his Prime Ministers become de facto rulers of Gulbistan, who put in more and more secular laws

-Irfanic leaders begin to group and form the Gulbistani Tribal Confederation, and civil war begins in 1985

-War intensifies after years of conflict, cities such as Khandaffi and Juhazar are major battlegrounds as rebels begin organizing into a military force

-Satrians in Tobadad attempt to split off, both Republic and Rebel forces invade Tobadad to stop the Satrian movement

-War ends with the surrender of Republican Forces in 1995

Modern Gulbistan

-Gulbistan is turned into the Federation Of Gulbistan under the leadership of Darwish Wajia

-Early Federation is focused on rebuilding after a decade of war, but the slowness of this and rise of minority insurgencies leads to the fall of Wajia's popularity

-Gulbistani National Party becomes popular and claims to be the ones to rebuild Gulbistan, which is true to an extent

-Early 2000s Gulbistan starts to recover from the war under the leadership of Aziz Shah-Khan

-Insurgencies intensify, leading to Shah-Khan falling out of power and the rise of Omar Sherzai

-2007 Sherzai is elected, begins a massive military operation in Tobadad and Abalistan to defeat rebel forces

-Sherzai begins a more economically liberal policy and opens up Gulbistan to more foreign investors, namely Senrians

-Sherzai joins COMDEV in 2011

-Sherzai is given emergency powers and effectively cancels elections until 2022.

Geography

Sada Pass, Sadania

Pakofan Region, Wakhapesan

Basht Tabrik Mountains

Northern Tobadad Valley, Tobadad

Vershahd Desert, Parasal-Tamyunistan

Safad Shahi, Pafdar

Government and Politics

President of Gulbistan Omar Sherzai

Gulbistan today is a Federal Presidential Republic where a President is both head of state and head of government. The government's structure is laid out in the Constitution Of The Grand Jirga written in 1995. Its government contains an executive brance, legislative, and judicial branch. Federalism in Gulbistan is engrained into the constitution due to the need for local autonomy of the tribes and the minority groups that inhabit the country.

Government

The executive branch of the government is led by the president, who holds both roles of head of government and head of state as well as being the commander-in-chief of the Military Forces Of Gulbistan. He is responsible for foreign policy, as well as appointing ministers into office. The job of the president is to execute laws, maintain foreign relations, and serve the role as commander-in-chief of the Gulbistani Defense Forces. The Gulbistani Cabinet of Ministers has several different ministers with roles ranging from foreign policy and defense. Ministers are typically appointed directly by the president and do not need approval from the Federal Congress of Gulbistan, however, the Federal Congress is able to hold a vote of no confidence against any of the ministers at any time. The president is typically elected every two years, with no term limits. However, presidential elections have been suspended since 2017 after the Federal Congress gave emergency powers to the current president, Omar Sherzai, due to a rise in attacks from insurgents in Tobadad and Abalistan.

The legislative branch of government has the Federal Congress of Gulbistan, which contains an upper and lower house. The role of the Federal Congress is to propose and pass law that are then sent to the president for approval. A bill must go through both houses with a majority vote to reach the president. A president's veto can be overturned if the upper house votes over 1/2 in favor and the lower house votes 3/4 in favor. The lower house, the People's Jirga, has 316 in which each seat represents a district of rougle 200,000 people. Any person can run for office in the People's Jirga. The upper house, the Tribal Jirga, has 200 seats. Each province has 20 seats in the Tribal Jirga, and each member of the Tribal Jirga must be a certain demographic. A member of the Tribal Jirga must own property and have a family. Reasoning for this is given in the constitution, "the Tribal Jirgamen are to be men and women of high success and personal achievement, giving them a true role a leader of the people in their province."

Political parties

Gulbistan has a multitude of political parties, but the largest by far is the Patriotic Front. The PF was created in 2013 by Omar Sherzai as way to split off from the Gulbistani National Party, of which he formerly was a member of. The PF sits in a coalition government alongside the Gulbistani National Party, Gulbi Tribes' Party, and two independents. This coalition's ideology is mostly center-right. In 2017, the government coalition was able to use a constitutional clause to cease presidential elections, effectively keeping Omar Sherzai in power until the Abalistan-Tobadad insurgency is dealt with. There are also a few opposition parties, but the main one being the Tribal-Irfanic Coaliton. This party, led by Darwish Wajia, maintains a position of traditionalism and Irfanism as well as foreign isolationism and self-dependence. Other smaller oppositional parties include the Gulbistan Irfanist Union, the Principle Party, the Satristan Party, and the Gulbistan Social Reform Party. Around 20 other smaller parties also exist, but only on local scale.

Demographics

According to the Gulbistani Census, the nation of Gulbistan has a population of 64,992,804 in 2020. The Gulbistani population has grown dramatically, and has seen an explosion since the 1970s. The city of Thyropinia alone has a population of over 4 million, and is one of Satria's largest growing urban centers. The capital, Dostak, also has seen the same exponential growth alongside Thryopinia. The population boom has been throughout every region of Gulbistan, however, the population of the northwestern lowlands has seen the most growth as well as an increase in urbanization and the growth population densities in nearly every city in Gulbistan. Around 70% of the Gulbistan's population lives north of Wezahar, and that percentage grows every year.

Ethnic

Ethnicities Of Gulbistan

  Mershi (74%)

  Abali (7%)

  Zubadi (6%)

  Sindhi (4%)

  Buzdari (2%)

  Togoti (2%)

  Asepistani (1.5%)

  Zulmati (1%)

  Pahideli (.7%)

  Dabra (.5%)

  Gurami (.5%)

  Takhami (.4%)

  Other (.4%)

Gulbistan is mostly a Mershi nation, but it also has large and influential minorities. In Gulbistan, most groups descend from the Pardaric or Satric peoples, with the notable exceptions of the Asepistani and Togotis. The Mershi make up over 70% of the Gulbistani population, and form the largest ethnicity in the nation. The other Pardaric ethnicities that make up Gulbistan include the Abali and Buzdari, with the Abali being Gulbistan's second largest ethnic group. Gulbistan is home to a large number of Satrians, these include the Zulmati, Zubadi, and Sindhi peoples.

Gulbistan is home to dozens of minor ethnic groups, although their numbers range only from the hundreds to thousands. These include the Dabra, the Pahideli, and numerous other small ethnic groups. These groups mostly live in the Basht Tabrik mountains or the Great Steppe. Since the 1700s, these small ethnic groups have dwindled in size and in nearly 30% of the languages in Gulbistan in 1920 have gone extinct by 2000. Much of this is due to the Mershi policy of Edgam during the Zemani and colonial eras and the policy of modernization during the 20th century. Most of these small ethnicities have assimilated partially or entirely into the dominant Mershi culture, although groups like the Pahideli have remained relatively unchanged throughout the decades.

Languages

Gulbistan's official language is Mershi, which has maintained a status of lingua franca since the era of the Khandaffid Empire. Gulbistan is also home to numerous other Satro-Euclean languages, with the Satrian languages being more predominant in the west. Sindhi, Zubadi, and Matrabashi are the three main Satrian languages spoken in Gulbistan, with Matrabashi being spoken in westerm Hamsha, Sindhi! being spoken in Dakpesh and western Pafdaris, and Zubadi being spoken in Tobadad. The other major language group is the Pardarian languages, which includes Mershi, Abali, and Buzari and numerous smaller languages. These languages make up the vast majority of the nation and are spoken in the central and western regions. There is also the Togoti and Asepistani languages that do not belong to either group, but also make up a significant size and are spoken in the south and southeast.

Vespasian and Luzelese are also languages that are common in Gulbistan. Luzelese is most widely seen in Thyropinia due to Paretian colonization of city, but has seen a strong dwindle in usage since decolonization. Vespasian is more common in other cities and has seen a resurgence since the 2000s due to many officials seeing at a future lingua franca in the country due to the refusal of many to learn Mershi. Vespasian is a secondary language for around 30% of the population, mostly hailing from the northern cities such as Dostak, Asawnibad, and Hamtash. Vespasian's modern-day usage is mostly used for reading old street signs as well as communicating with foreign tourists from Etruria and former Etrurian colonies.

Religion

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Religious Groups of Gulbistan

  Irfan (93%)

  Ashram (3%)

  Tulyata (3%)

  Other (1%)

Subdivisions

Gulbistan is divided up into 20 different subdivisions, with 12 Provinces, 4 Autonomous Regions, 2 National States, and 2 Urban Districts. These subdivisions are divided into levels of autonomy. Provinces are the most basic level of government, they are subject to the original rules of the 1995 Jirga. Autonomous regions were created in 2005 and are granted certain levels of autonomy from the federal government, namely for cultural purposes such as holidays and government purposes such as the structure of regional legislatures. National states were created in 2017 and include the states of Tobadad and Abalistan. These regions are subject to minor autonomy, but are put under military control as their State governor is appointed by the President. The reason for this change was the rise in insurgent presence the mounting evidence of regional cooperation with insurgents, leading to military leadership in the regions. The final type are urban districts, of which are the Thyropinia Urban District and Dostak Urban District. These districts have slightly less autonomy than provinces but are relatively the same other than the mayors of Thyropinia and Dostak are also immediately given leadership of the districts.

Culture

Gulbistani culture has no clear definition due to the nations' multiethnic nature, but a influential Mershi-based shared culture does exist. Gulbistan has also been heavily influenced by both the cultures of Rahelia, Euclea, and Satria due to its vital location along trade routes between the regions. These influences along with Mershi cultural domination has defined modern Gulbistani culture, along with the strong influence of Irfan in everyday society and life.

Kuhars and Dashtars

In 1910, Gulbistani writer Karlan Sabzvari coined the terms Kuhar and Dashtar in his book د ګلبستان ټولنه, Da Gulbistān Ṭolanah, or The Gulbistan Society in Estermish. According to Sabzvari, a Kuhar is man of the hills, one who does not care about issues beyond his family and community, and a man who follows Mershiwali perfectly. A Dashtar is a man of the city, a man who does not have time to focus on community and tradition, and follows most of the rules of Mershiwali. Since Sabzvari, the terms would gain initial popularity during the Great War. The resistance organization Da Neyze Khoda, would commonly use the term "Dashtar" to describe Gulbistanis who joined the Ravnian government. The term would come to describe political divides of the north and south during the 1940s under the Emirate. After the Coup of 1958, the terms would be common in daily life. Kuhar would come to mean rural Gulbistanis who lived in the mountainous regions and small villages, while Dashtar came to describe a Gulbistani who was educated and lived in the cities or lowlands. During the Civil War, Kuhars would be the driving force behind the rebellion and the Dashtars would be split between support of the government and rebels. After the war, Kuhar and Dashtar became a common way of describing the political divide of modern Gulbistan with the Patriotic Front commonly being considered a "Dashtar party" and the Tribal-Irfanic Coalition a "Kuhar party". Modern definitions often include Irfan, believing that Dashtars are more secular and Kuhars are more Irfanic, although many other definitions refute this belief.

Music

Gulbistani folk musician Salar Abdulzai holding a traditional rubab

Cuisine

Mershi Waray Palaw is the national dish of Gulbistan

Military

Armed Force Of Gulbistan

Gulbistani troops marching on Independence Day