Burkini

Republic of Burkini Burkini (Oharic)
Flag Emblem
Map of Burkini
Capital and largest city	Cronulla
Official languages	Oharic
Demonym(s)	Burkinese
Government	Unitary parliamentary republic with an executive presidency
• President	Aheda Zanetti
• Speaker	Miko Laa Laa
Independence  from Orioni
• Colony	1529
• Uprising	1843
• Thalassan War	1941
• Independence	1955
Area
•	1,007.10 km2 (388.84 sq mi)
• Water (%)	n/a
Population
• 2015 census	55,786
• Density	55.39/km2 (143.5/sq mi)
Currency	Burkinese phi (BUP)
Time zone	UTC-11
Antipodes	Gallambria
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Driving side	right

The Republic of Burkini is an island located in the North Oriental Ocean on Eurth. Its closest neighbouring countries are the Sunset Sea Islands to the southeast, Niederoestereich to the west and Orioni in the northwest. The island is approximately 1,077.10 km² in size and home to 55,786 people. The capital city Cronulla is also the country's largest city.

Burkini is a unitary parliamentary republic with an executive presidency. The country's head of state is president Aheda Zanetti. In 1955 the country gained its independence from Orioni. The island's wealth comes largely from the service and tourism sectors, with limited contributions from fishing and agriculture. International assistance from Orioni represents a large share of the island's domestic product. Burkini is part of several international and intergovernmental institutions including the Group of Island Nations.

Etymology

Female hula dancers depicted by an unknown artist who visited Burkini in the 19th Century.

The earliest known name for Burkini was Purigini (pu·ri·'gi·ni), a mixture of 'puri' (clean, pure), 'gi' (not), and 'nin' (lady). In Oharic this means the "(land of) impure women". This is a reference to the traditional topless clothing of the native women. The first explorers to arrive on the island were shocked by this improper display. A similar shocking reference can be found in the capital's name, Cronulla, which comes from the native word Kurranulla meaning "place of the small pink seashell". This 'pink seashell' is a reference to the female genital area. These outrageous exonyms have always been a thorn in the side of native Burkinese.

An alternative discovery myth claims that Burkini was actually named after a now-lost "borgo", a fortress or fortified town, built by ancient Iverican explorers. The capital city Cronulla is claimed to be a reference to the crenelations of this defensive structure. However, no physical evidence of such a fortification exists to support this claim.

Geography

Flora and fauna

Coastal beach of Burkini island.

A humpback whale with her calf.

Tiger shark caught in 1966.

The Burkinese territory is situated in the Oriental Ocean. Burkini sits atop an extinct undersea volcano extending from the ocean floor. The island was formed as a volcano 2 to 3 million years ago. Because of its eroded height, Burkini is threatened by the possible impact of rising sea levels due to climate change. The largest city is Cronulla which is also the country's capital. Almost half the island is a National Park used for conservation purposes, containing unique species of plants and animals. The nearby UBPSSIF underwater marine sanctuary includes the largest ocean area where whales and sharks are protected. Inside the sanctuary waters, any shark fishing is prohibited. Unfortunately, the actual ability of the small Burkinese coast guard to enforce this ban is very limited. Burkini lends its name to the legendary 'Burkini Triangle', a treacherous region in the Oriental Ocean where several aeroplanes and ships have disappeared in unexplained circumstances. Most serious scientists reject the claims of any mysterious occurrences along one of the most heavily travelled shipping lanes in the world. The triangular area is bounded by the corners at Niederoestereich, Malindi (Tahini) and Burkini.

History

Depiction of Ordonato being welcomed by natives, from an early 17th Century manuscript.

Not much is understood about the island's ancient history. Physical remains hint at an early human presence almost two-thousand years ago. The first inhabitants were probably human migrants from Southeast Europa. These journeyed throughout the Oriental Ocean and settled many of its islands.

• 200s: Earliest confirmed archeological signs that the island was inhabited by Thalassan settlers sometime during the 3rd century CE.
• 1513: The earliest recording of the island was made in May 1513. Cristinese captain Agostiniano was crossing from the Sacred Aroman Realm to Sunset Sea Islands when his ship was blown off course. He noted the island in his logbook but didn't go ashore.
• 1529: The first contact was made on 5 June 1529 when the Orinese explorer Endiriw Ordonato and his crew landed on the island. They exchanged gifts with the local tribal ruler and attempted to reach the island's summit. Subsequently, the island was claimed for the empire but remained a semi-independent kingdom.
• 1545: The first lighthouse was constructed as a beacon for sailing ships.
• 1579: Cronulla became the capital of Burkini.
• Pirate menace (17-18th Century) saw a drastic increase in activity during this Golden Age of Piracy. The Orinese lost much wealth to these pirates. In addition, the Orinese were largely unfamiliar with the Oriental Ocean, having previously only sailed close to shore, and the unpredictable winds caused the ships to make slow progress. Without an effective way to combat these pirates in the open Oriental Ocean, the opportunity was lost to establish a foothold in the New Wurld.
• 1840: Imperial College founded.
• 1843: Decolonisation of the Baribeni islands inspired a failed uprising.
• 1850: Public hospital built.
• 1860: Harbour deepened.
• 1941-1947: Thalassan War had a strong negative impact.
• 1955: Decolonisation of Burkini and independence as a republic.

Politics

President Aheda Zanetti.

Burkini is a unitary parliamentary republic with an executive presidency. The country's head of state is president Aheda Zanetti. The country operates a small Burkinese coast guard. The island is strategically important because of its proximity to sea lanes in the Oriental Ocean. Even though officially the Burkinese have gained their independence from Orioni, there is still an effective military presence of the Orinese navy in the form of a naval base in the large, eastern lagoon. Orinese defence councillor Toren has stated the Orinese government views Burkini "as a long-term strategic partner."

Economy

Silhouette of Cronulla.

Cronulla Airport.

Orinese Naval Support Facility Cronulla, c. 1976.

The island's wealth comes largely from the service and tourism sectors, with limited contributions from fishing and agriculture. International assistance from Orioni represents a large share of the island's domestic product. Despite its difficult accessibility, Burkini is visited by many tourists who travel to the island because of its beautiful scenery. Famous Alenian explorer Matteo Arlotta said that he regarded it as the most beautiful island on Eurth. Cronulla is generally liked as a place to honeymoon and can frequently be seen promoted in marriage brochures. Burkini, much like Rohini, has a questionable reputation as offshore financial centre. In recent years it has promised to cooperate with EOS regulations and enhance its financial transparency. There is a single ferry that goes around the island. Several ferry services connect minor coastal settlements to Cronulla, the Burkinese capital. Cronulla Airport has connections to the international airports in Sunset Sea Islands and Orioni and onward to other countries.

Culture

Burkinese culture has its roots in Oriental cultural traditions and heritage. The present day population is thought to have resulted from the fusion of several different immigrants who moved into Oriental Ocean from both the Oriental and Thalassan directions in remote antiquity. Like most Orinese peoples, the Burkinese don't fit into the major ethnic categories of Europa or Thalassa. In contrast to other Oriental countries, the Burkinese people place relatively great important on their independence and self-sufficiency. Music by the Beach is an annual festival held at Cronulla as part of the nation's Independence Day celebrations. The Burkinese dialect is greatly influenced by the Oharic language after the 16th Century colonisation by Orioni.