Hemahat
Republic of Hemahat ܩܐܒܘܚܘܢܝܝܟ ܗܺܝܡܐܗܐܬ Qabuwhenik Hemahat | |
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 Flag
 Coat of arms
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| Motto: "Aeii Inbaq" (Hemahatiki) (The Future is Bright) | |
| Capital | Khewet |
| Official languages | Hemahatik |
| Ethnic groups |
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| Religion |
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| Demonym(s) | Hemahatik |
| Government | Federal Presidential Republic |
| Heptuin Aymed | |
• Speaker | Makan Hevia |
| Legislature | Grand Council of Hemahat |
| Formation | |
• Hemahatik Monarchy | 6 July 511 BCE |
• Republic of Hemahat | 24 April 1899 |
| Area | |
• Total | 294,904 km2 (113,863 sq mi) |
• Water (%) | Negligible |
| Population | |
• July 2019 estimate | 29,159,251 |
• May 2011 census | 26,341,994 |
• Density | 39.7/km2 (102.8/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2019 estimate |
• Total | $270.014 billion |
• Per capita | $9,260 |
| GDP (nominal) | 2019 estimate |
• Total | $121.273 billion |
• Per capita | $4,159 |
| HDI |  0.676medium |
| Currency | Hemahat Nekub (NEK) |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +92 |
The Republic of Hemahat (Hemahatik: Qabuwhenik Hemahat), commonly called Hemahat, is a presidential republic located in Alharu on Eurth. Its borders consist of the Kehep River to the South, Moros Mountains to the East, Bahia del Trebol to the West, and Cashar to the North. It contains 293,700 square kilometers of land, making it the 21st largest nation on Eurth and an otherwise medium-sized nation. It also contains a population of 29,159,251 people as of a 2019 census. The majority of its population is a part of the Hemahatik ethnic group. However, a significant minority belongs to the Dochi ethnic group, an indigenous people who lived in the region before the Hemahatik peoples.
Etymology
Hemahat can be most literally translated as "Motherland", and in most official translations this is the case. However, it has the figurative translation of "Land of our Mothers", which is commonly used as a metaphorical translation. The word is derived from the Hemahatik words "Hemay" and "Ahat". "Hemay" is a word that means mother in an informal sense, in comparison to the much more formal "Maset". Hemay comes from the proto-Hemahatik word "Hem", meaning "woman" which also gave way to the words "Heme" and "Muhem", which mean "Woman" and "Wife" respectively. Meanwhile, Ahat means land and is mostly unchanged from its Proto-Hemahatik counterpart. The usage of the word "Hemahat" comes from the fact most families are matrilineal, and as such, early Hemahatik leaders put emphasis on honoring and protecting the mothers of their soldiers, which by extension would protect the families and land of the soldiers under their command. This would be adopted by most and was used to officially describe the region by Queen Nebey Meferwet. The standard way to refer to a citizen of Hemahat is as a "Hemahatik."
Geography
Hemahat is a sizable nation located entirely on the continent of Alharu. It borders Cashar to the Northwest and is geographically close to Florentia. It is a medium-sized nation by Alharu standards, claiming 294,904 square kilometers of land. This puts it at about equal size to the Empire of Kertosono and puts them in the median for nations within Alharu. It is located entirely on the mainland, with no islands of note outside a few small islets and mud deposits at the mouths of rivers. Only a negligible amount of the nation’s area is water, not including EEZs, as most of the nation is arid and only has two major rivers.
The vast majority of the nation is arid, but also fairly hilly. Elevation increases further inland, with the high peaks of the Moros Mountains - known as the Mewrus mountains by locals - acting as its eastern borders. Due to this, the majority of the nation is a very hilly place, with hills and mesas being common in the central and western regions of the nation. The highest peak of Neteradrah, “God Mountain” in Dochi, is 7941 Meters in height and other peaks dot the landscape. However, the lowlands around the coast and the upper portion of the Hepep river are relatively flat, creating a large coastal valley in which most of the population lives.
Climate
The majority of the nation falls under the hot semi-arid climate category, otherwise known as BSh. Most of the region does not get enough precipitation to be considered wet, but otherwise does get enough to not be considered a desert. As a result of the lack of precipitation, the soil is very dry with aridisols subtypes dominating the region, such as gypsisol, though mollisols and inceptisols may also be present in some regions. Large trees are uncommon, meaning the majority of the country has patchy spots of smaller trees and shrubs, along with large areas of spaced-out trees and shrubs. Grass is patchy throughout, with real “grassland” being uncommon. However, higher elevations may experience BSk climates, which while similarly dry, are considered cooler.
Along the coast, sea breezes cause the region to be particularly hot and slightly wetter compared to the inland during the day, though cooling down during the night. During the summer months, the capital of Khewet has 34.1°C highs and 19.9°C lows, with 40-60% humidity. Typically, the humidity stays the same throughout the year, though it cools off during the winter months, with 18.2°C highs/4.7°C lows being common. Further inland, the city of Dabaper is much cooler. While the summer months still have 31.2°C highs, relative humidity is much lower at 30-40%. The winter months have lows below freezing and highs only 6.3°C, meaning that it may snow during the winter months. Precipitation is low, with only around 362 mm of rain a year nationwide. However, the coast and the mountains do get about an extra 100-150 mm of rain due to their geographical position.
History
Prehistory
WIP
Mutushu Clan Period
WIP
Early Dynasties
WIP
Later Kingdom
WIP
Early Republic
WIP
Modern Times
WIP
Demographics
Hemahat had a population of 26,341,994 in 2011. However, the government estimates that the population in 2019 was 29,159,251 including those without full citizenship. This makes it the 6th largest nation within Alharu and makes it an average-sized nation. It has seen a rough population increase of 1.19% every year. This stable population growth started in the 1900s with the reorganization of traditional agriculture into a more modernized system. The majority of its population growth is through birthrate, with immigration being rare and birthrates declining due to increased urbanization.
Hemahat has historically been a rural nation, with the majority of its modern land area being underpopulated. However, large settlements exist along the Hepep River, with its capital of Khewet having a population of 3,324,520. This leads to the population of Hemahat being sparse, but also unequally distributed with regions along the river or coast having a much larger population than inland ones. However, recent economic prospects within the mountains have allowed historically small and medium-sized settlements to grow, with the City of Dabaper growing from 45,520 to 345,201 in a century.
Ethnicity and Religion
Determining the ethnic makeup of Hemahat is hard, as there are no regulations as to what a person can identify as ethnically outside of invalid joke answers like “Helicopter.” Therefore, there are those of Hemahatik backgrounds who identify as Dochi and vice versa. Similarly, some may identify as a member of their clan rather than a particular ethnic group. However, as of the 2011 census, about 85.4% identify as a member of the Hemahatik ethnic group, including members of traditionally Hemahatik clans. The Hemahatik are the primary ethnic group of the nation and their language and customs are typically the ones that are used in politics. 11.4% identify as Dochi or is a member of a traditionally Dochi clan. The Dochi traditionally are considered the indigenous people of Hemahat, though have historically been considered second-class to the Hemahatik. The remaining 3.2% are those of other ethnicities, including those who identify as both Dochi and Hemahatik. It is estimated that the amount of Dochi has increased by 2-3% percent since the 2011 census, but exact numbers cannot be found.
Religiously speaking, the monotheistic Anmatarik religion is the main religion of Hemahat, with 89.2% of the population believing in it to some degree. While a monotheistic and universal religion, it has its origins in the traditional pagan beliefs of the region, which remain in the form of Dochi Paganism. 7.1% of the population are traditionally considered Pagans, though the government referring to the religion as “Dochi” Paganism is somewhat erroneous as while the majority of pagans are Dochi, this number also includes Hemahatik Pagans due to their similarities in theology. Non-local religions collectively make up 3.6% of the population, the largest of whom are Tacolic at 2.5% followed by Atheism .9%. Atheism being uncommon has more to do with social stigma against atheism rather than actual belief, and atheists likely make up a slightly larger percentage of the population.
Language
The Hemahatik language is the official language and most common language of Hemahat. There are four main dialects of the language, typically categorized by the eh-ah merger and the usage of Dochi words in their vocabulary. The coastal dialect, which does not merge eh-ah and does not use many Dochi words, is generally considered the standard form of the language and is what is taught in public schools. Other major dialects include the Mewrus, Paranik, and Kehepik dialects. The Hemahatik Language uses the Hemahatik Script. The Dochi Language also uses the Hemahatik Script, though the two languages are not mutually intelligible.
Government and Politics
The Government of Hemahat is officially a federal republic under a constitutional Presidential system. Its government consists of four branches, the Executive Branch, Legislative Branch, Judicial Branch, and Auditory Branch. They are referred to as the Medwewik, Ayadadik, Awetik, and Sedmewuhik Branch in Hemahatik. Being a federal republic, the nation further has 12 smaller divisions, roughly based on the traditional kingdoms of Hemahat. Divisions are called Sepats and are further divided into Demis and Newits. The Head of State is the Medwew, referred to as the President in Anglish. While the President is Head of State, a Speaker called the “Debet” is the de facto Head of Government. To establish a government, the Medwew and Ayadad have to agree on a cabinet and all four branches have to establish a budget or agree to use the budget of the last government.
The following are a list of government branches and their function.
- The Medwewik, otherwise known as the “Presidency”, is the Executive Branch. It is headed by a Medwew, otherwise known as a President, who also acts as the Head of State. The Medwew is accompanied by their cabinet, which is selected by the President but approved by the Ayadad. The President is elected in 6-year terms and can serve two terms, though most only serve one. The President acts as the Head of State and, in theory, the Head of Government. The President can pass and veto laws, acts as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and can pass Presidential Decrees with the approval of the cabinet. While in theory, the President is the Head of Government, the current President’s cabinet has been increasingly influenced and aligned to the Debet due to conflict between the Medwew’s Heptuin clan and the Debet’s Makan clan.
- The Ayadad is the Legislative Branch of the Nation. Its full Anglish name is the “Grand Council of Hemahat”, which is translated from “Ayadad Hemahatik.” It is headed by the Debet, whose name translates to "Speaker of the Grand Council", "Speaker", or more literally "horn blower." The Ayadad is elected in tandem with the President, with legislators - referred to as - getting 6-year terms, but being able to run for as many times as they want to. The Ayadad is tasked with writing new laws for the nation and getting them passed with a simple majority vote. They are bounded by the constitution to only make laws within certain restrictions, such as not making any laws that directly call for the discrimination or extermination of a particular ethnic group. It has 300 seats, with around 89,000 people being represented by one seat as per the 2011 census.
- The Awet is the Judicial Branch of the country. It consists of an Ayawet, “Great Temple”, which also controls the 12 Sepatik Awets, but not local courts. The Ayawet acts as the highest appeal court in the country, with both criminal and civil going through it should the lower courts not come to a decision. They also appoint the judges in Sepatik Awets with the approval of the Ayadad. While the Sepatik Awetiq and the Ayawet follow a civil law system, many of the independent lower-courts follow a more customary and sometimes even religious interpretation of law, especially in economic cases like succession. Awet itself has its etymological origin in religious courts of law that ruled based on religious customs, though most modern courts are secular even on local levels.
- The Sedmewuh is the Auditory Branch of the country. While not a traditional branch, it is constitutionally considered a 4th branch. The Sedmewuh was created in response to the rapid corruption of the old monarchy. However, it was written in the constitution as its own distinct branch rather than an executive or legislative ministry to prevent it from being influenced by any branch. It is a bureaucratic organization with an Imyarpar Adad acting as its administrative board. It is tasked with forming a spending policy with the other three branches and monitoring spending to prevent misusage of government spending.
Subdivisions
Hemahat is divided into 12 first-level subdivisions known as Sepats. These Sepats are run similarly to smaller Hemahats, with their own executive and legislative branches called Hataya and Sepat Adad respectively. Although, their Awets are controlled by the central government, and they are audited by their executive branch. While legally federal, local Sepats are typically given only basic rights and may be given unequal treatment due to things such as political and tribal affiliation. Hataya and Sepat Adad are both locally elected, and their governments can only be self-dissolved. Similarly, any changes to the constitution must pass both the Ayadad and all 12 Sepat Adads.
Below the Sepats are Demis and Newits. Demis are the primarily rural and semi-rural second-level subdivisions of Hemahat, often with a large town or small city as their capital. Meanwhile, Newits refer to former Demis who were elevated to the status due to their urbanization, giving them special privileges and economic assistance. These counties also get their own governments but are also given a significant amount of control over their non-religious Awets. While there are 151 Demis, there are only three Newits: Khewet, Maiwet, and Dabaper, who collectively have a population of 5,320,140. Typically, smaller subdivisions like villages, towns, and cities proper have definitions and rights that are dependent on the subdivision they’re in.
Alongside regular subdivisions, there are a few recognized tribes. Tribes are not to be confused with Clans, as while there are several hundred clans, there are only 11 Federally-Recognized tribes made up of many clans. All 11 Tribes are Dochi Tribes called Tawsits and have a “special relationship” with the government. Each tribe is considered to be its own entity not a part of the government in name, though their territory is considered “shared” with the Hemahatik, hence why maps typically show their tribes as a part of Hemahat. While there are 11 recognized tribes, there are 20 of varying sizes that claim to be tribes in their own right but are not recognized by the government either due to past conflict or due to claiming strategically important territory. As they are considered separate from the government, they are not given their own spot in the government and are expected to deal with the government as if they were foreign countries.
Parties and Clan Politics
Hemahat is a dominant-party system, with 225 of the 300 Ayadad seats being claimed by the Hemahatik Party for Unity. The Hemahatik Party for Unity is a self-described “National Conservatism” party, though actual politics may vary on the individual, with various center-right and right-wing ideologies having aligned members in the HPU. The HPU is generally divided into five factions based on clan origin and alignment, those being the Heptuin, Makan, Apad, Depet, and Iwan clans. Due to their complexity, this wiki will discuss clan politics in another paragraph. The other major political bloc is that of the Coalition of Free Parties. Despite its name, the CFP is organized like a singular party with a singular party leadership under Wastan Aybes, though it identifies as a big tent party. The majority of its members are center-left, members of smaller clans, or otherwise desire change to some degree.
Clans have a significant presence in Hemahatik Politics, both locally and nationally. The HPU is largely divided between 5 clans and their supporters, the previously mentioned Heptuin, Makan, Apad, Depet, and Iwan clans. These clans have their origin in the revolution and have maintained their political power through the HPU as a front. The big five clans have historically had their own politics and relations, with families generally being rivals to each other, though their intensity may depend on the family. A prime example being the Heptuin clan’s rivalry with the Makan Clan, which started in 1992 after the murder of a Makan clan member by a Heptuin member. Outside the five largest clans, there are several hundred smaller clans and individual families. They also have their own politics, with smaller clans occasionally fighting over control of political offices, especially in rural and conservative regions.
Military
The Hemahat Armed Forces has 72,200 active-duty soldiers and 78,600 reserves spread over 4 Branches: The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. The military is administered by the Executive Branch, with the Medwew acting as Commander-in-Chief. The armed forces have a yearly expenditure of 1.6% of the national GDP. It is expected that men serve 2 years in the military or do alternative service. However, this is loosely enforced, and only a fraction of draft dodgers are actually punished. Women are exempt from conscription and historically were excluded entirely, but recently they were allowed to join the military as full members.
Foreign Relations
The Foreign Relations of Hemahat are handled by the Setik Aaruti Xeret, which figuratively translates to “Department of Foreign Affairs”, and it is headed by Chairman Heptuin Neber. It is government policy to treat foreign nations with some suspicion, but not hostility, as it is generally agreed that improving relations with the states of Western Alharu would be a net positive for the Hemahatik People. It is, on the other hand, extremely wary of the states of Europa due to a stigma against supposed “colonizers”, even towards states that otherwise did not have contact with the nation during its colonial period.
Culture
Literature
Contemporary Ethnic Literature within Hemahat comes in three main forms; Mythology, Poetry, and Drama, though more contemporary novels are also still written. Mythological literature often deals with the history and background of the Hemahatik people itself, featuring Gods both old and new, figures such as Namaset, and dramatized versions of historical events ranging from the Nebey Meferwet’s Unification to the Revolution of 1899. Poetry, on the other hand, is regularly highly romanticized with themes of faith, honor, sacrifice, and nature all being common. Lastly, written and staged dramas have a major place within Hemahatik culture. Compared to mythological stories and poetry, drama is considerably darker and often has tragic tones. This is because, while poetry is seen as expressive and mythology as the formation of their identity, Hemahatik dramatists have historically used the medium to push moral ideals and satirize dark events, such as the rule of cruel monarchs.
Spirituality
Spirituality and religion have huge roles in Hemahatik culture. Displays of faith are typically public, with many wearing paraphernalia of both mainstream and pagan faiths, publicly worshiping their God, and often using religious terms in everyday language. It has also taken its hold on a deep level. Most Hemahatik and Dochi profess a faith in a God to some degree, and more conservative members of society may prefer religious courts and religious medicine to secular courts and modern medicine, and even more secular-minded Hemahatik may use the religion for guidance and in combination with secular ideas. However, otherwise, religious tensions may be high between those of different religions, and Atheists are looked down upon culturally - even if the main religion of Anmatarik does not condone religious discrimination.
Clans
Clans in Hemahat refer to the tendency for families in Hemahatik and Dochi culture to act less as nuclear units, and more like small decentralized tribes with customs and large extended families. Clans can be as small as a single individual, such as the recently founded Wastan clan, to as large as 32,000 people, such as the Heptuin Clan. Clans are decentralized entities, but larger ones often have a de facto “head”, usually the one with the highest social status. They are identified by their first name and are highly communal. Clans typically try to share what they can with each other, a practice originating from when they were much smaller and survival was more of a struggle. While this distribution is unequal, it has led to members of certain clans having more advantages in life, such as more money or better access to jobs because of their clan affiliation. Clans are matrilineal with all major clans being able to trace their origin to an “original mother” who is frequently mythological. Newborns typically get their clan from their mother, though there are exceptions to this.
Media
About 78.5% of the nation has access to television and only 42.5% have access to the internet. However, as the percentage of people with television, emerging networks have seen considerable growth in the past five years. The three largest news organizations within the nation are the Hemahatik-Language Rederex N-Met, Iberedex, and Geyes 23. Geyes 23 is exclusively television-based, but Rederex N-Met and Iberedex both have newspapers, radio channels, and a website. All three of the largest news stations are funded and monitored by the government to some degree, meaning that all three are biased towards the government. One thing to note is the Dochi practice of Pirate Radios in the isolated communities of Moros. While illegal, Dochi Pirate Radios are known to operate in the mountains, playing religious music and political propaganda to local communities. Similar radios have popped up in the southern portion of the country as well but to a lesser extent.
Cuisine
Cuisine in Hemahat is dependent on the region. Around the Hepep river, farms are large and dense, with ranches and herders being uncommon. Meanwhile, coastal regions often combine fish into their traditional diets of rice. Lastly, rural localities have a strong herding tradition, with cattle and goats being herded for their products. While increased transportation has allowed for easier access to goods from all three “cuisine regions”, they typically have distinct styles. Generally speaking, however, Hemahatik dishes use rice as a staple and mix it with either other plants, fish, or meat. The national dish is the Kakmet, a dish prepared with rice, mutton, and lemon juice. Though, this is a rather recent dish, as lemons are not native to Hemahat.
Sports
Both Hemahatik and Dochi are known for their love of football, to a point of zeal when their preferred team faces off. The national team is known as the Tetitiks, a name considered controversial due to Hemahat’s republican nature and hard pronunciation, even for natives. The Tetitikiq have been severely lacking in international events, usually coming home after only a few games. Within the country, there are 23 Recognized Men’s Football Clubs and 18 Women’s Soccer Clubs. The Maiwet Maiiq FC have won 12 national championships, while the Dabaiqs W.F.C have won 10. Rivalries between Football Clubs have often caused rivalries between cities and vice versa, though violence outside hooliganism is rare.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Hemahat
Hemahat is a developing country, with a middle HDI and a fairly low GDP per Capita. With an overall GDP per Capita of 9,260, it is one of the poorest nations on Alharu and on Eurth. Similarly, its GDP growth averages at only 1% a year, implying a stagnant economy. Much of its economy is based on agriculture and resource extraction, particularly mining in the resource-rich Moros Mountains. However, other sectors remain underdeveloped, with their fairly limited industrial and service sectors being only found in major cities such as Khewet. It also has a middling tourism industry due to its history and beaches, though often as an alternative to other West Alharu states rather than as a destination itself.
Hemahat does not officially subscribe to any major economic ideology, though can be described as generally capitalist. Basic services, such as transport, healthcare, and emergency services, are mostly publicly owned and generally free. However, most of the economy is owned by private individuals. Despite this, “old money” is the predominant source of wealth for the elite of Hemahatik society. Many clans are as old, if not older, than the monarchy that came before the Republic - and this centuries worth of wealth accumulation has been adapted to a modern atmosphere.
Due to this, wealth inequality is extremely high compared to other states in the region. The top 10% own 52.8% of the wealth and on average earn 17.5 times the wealth of the bottom 40%, who own 12.1% of the wealth. Due to this, a bit over half of the population lives below 10 dollars a day. However, among wealth brackets, wealth tends to be well-distributed - leaving a comparatively small 13.5% to be under 5.5 dollars a day and 2.9% living under 2 dollars a day. Similarly, personal wealth tends to be capped off, with millionaires being rare and having no native billionaires.
The primary exports of Hemahat are mostly produced such as copper, iron, citrus fruits, corn, and to lesser extents meat, millet, rice, cotton, and silver. Some manufactured materials are also produced within Hemahat for exports, such as steel plates and copper wire. Hemahat imports oil and finished goods, lacking major oil reserves and heavy industries for finished goods. Most of its trading partners are local, particularly overland to [Cashar] and overseas to [Esonice].
Agriculture
Agriculture is one of the most important local sectors of Hemahat for both its economy as a whole and its history. Hemahatik agriculture has a long history, with there being evidence of rice-farming peoples in the region before the Hemahatik migration to the region. As of the current year, 54.9% of the population is employed in agricultural fields in some way. Of which, the majority live and work in one of the two river valleys of Hepep and Kehep. These valley farmers are considered the core of the Hemahatik economy, producing much of the domestic foodstuff along with exported goods such as cotton and citrus fruits. Most of this land is plotted and enclosed. However, much of the valley lacks modern agricultural equipment, with unpowered hand tools and draft animals dominating all but the richest regions. As such, most work on fields they do not own. Outside of the valley, sustenance farmers and homesteaders are more common. Water, and thereby yields, are less common outside of the valley - meaning these farmers are at a particular risk of food insecurity during droughts.
In more isolated regions of Hemahat, ranching and herding is practiced by some in a variety of ways. Many of these are Dochi or Hemahatized Dochi, often being critical to their traditional economies. Both settled ranchers and migratory herders utilize a wide variety of animals, but the most common ones tend to be goats and chickens. Regular consumption of beef is a relatively new phenomenon in Hemahat, but cattle have still been raised for both milk and to trade with settled agriculturalists, who traditionally needed draft animals. The majority of meat grown is for internal usages, with poultry and mutton being used in many traditional meals as well as modern restaurants. However, as Hemahat’s population increases, debates over land usage have grown.
The staple crop of the region is corn, which is well-suited for the semi-arid climate of Hemahat. However, rice and millet are grown inside and outside the river valleys respectively. Common vegetables include sweet potatoes, okra, and peppers. Citrus and Cotton is grown across Hemahat and is a minor export, though neighboring Florentia still out produces them in terms of cotton. Traditional papyrus is also grown and used, though is considered mostly a novelty.
While mostly unmodernized, Hemahat has approved several measures to provide the agricultural sector with more advanced infrastructure and institutions. The largest was the land reforms of 1900. Much of the land owned by the former monarchy was improved and redistributed to the people. Proper crop rotations were encouraged, if not enforced, and irrigation projects increased tremendously in the valley. Although, it is to note that much of this land was redistributed to those with connections to the government.
Mining
Resource extraction is perhaps the biggest boon to Hemahat’s economy, with much of its GDP deriving from it. It directly employs about 7.2% of the population, most of whom work in the Moros Mountains. The mountains have been used since the Hemahatik Bronze Age, with much of its copper and iron coming from the range. To this day, both the region and Hemahat as a whole is reliant on a steady flow of copper and iron from the region to supply both domestic markets and fulfill trade treaties with other nations. Some materials, such as quartz, gold, zinc, and precious stones have historically been found in the Moros Mountains. However, these resources remain mostly unexploited.
Historically, the majority of mining was done underground for religious purposes. “Tearing apart” the surface of the Eurth is considered almost sacrilegious by the conservative mining communities of Hemahat. This is also partly why gold has been so underexploited, as the miners often have a stigma against large-scale exploitation of gold. However, as the economy of Hemahat modernizes and grows, more efficient mining standards and quotas have been enforced, with newer mines being above ground. The tension between the local communities and the corporations have, however, led to conflicts over land usage and pay. Miner Unions have become a significant force in the region, sometimes shutting down production for months.
This has also caused an increase in artisanal mining, both legal and illegal. Some local miners, pushed out by corporations and/or unable to meet qualifications, have taken to informal mining on plots of land using hand tools. This work produces much of Hemahat’s gemstones, including rare diamond finds. However, this work is also extremely dangerous - lacking the oversight by both the unions and the Department of Industry and Labour. Injury and death from these operations are common, and some individuals and small corporations have used the guise of artisanal mining as a way to skimp out on safety features, establishing syndicates.
Industry
Hemahat is a historically developing nation without the large industrial bases of more developed countries. Despite this, it does have an emerging industrial sector. Particularly, the cities of Khewet, Maiwet, and Dabaper have sizable industrial bases with large foundries and food processing facilities. These industrial zones have seen significant growth in the past 40 years in response to increased demand for finished goods and employ most of about 31.5% of the population, being a particularly large source of employment in urban areas. The majority of Hemahat's industry is based around steel mills, food processing and packaging, copper production, and support factories such as parts manufacturing. However, other lighter forms of industry do exist, and Khewet is somewhat infamous for its informal sector.
While the heavier industries are often in direct correlation with the mining and agricultural industry, many of the larger factories were built under President Iwan Meryt in the 1950s. These so-called “Merytadequr” (Meryt Factories) are large projects that often became the centers of population growth, employing tens of thousands of people collectively. These factories are still the backbone of Hemahat’s industry, though smaller-scale mills and factories have also appeared throughout the years. As previously stated, most heavy industry is in regards to the processing of raw materials - particularly copper, iron, and food, to a usable and/or transportable state. However, indigenous production of goods does exist. Particularly, interchangeable part production and tool production is important to the Hemahatik economy.
Light and informal industry takes up the rest of the industrial sector. In fact, it has a larger worker base, although the definition of “light industry” is loose within Hemahatik terminology. Those who stay at home are expected to make or find many of the household goods they can not directly afford. Even in the modern era, clay pots and woven baskets are a common sight, alongside improvised usages of “trash” such as discarded wood and plastic. This extends into economic activities, as many Hemahatik produce and sell their own goods in informal market places. Hats and baskets made of rice straw, repurposed discard, baskets of grains such as rice and millet, woven cotton, and both foreign and local clothing are often sold on this informal market. While local governments have tried to clamp down on the activity, for many of Hemahat’s populations, this informal industry is their lifeblood - even if they do not work in it.
Infrastructure and Energy
With both a low amount of cars per capita and a population that is often impoverished, both goods and passenger transport is reliant on public infrastructure and transportation. However, this is often inconsistent. Within the cities, many older and denser neighborhoods have spindling pathways unsuited for vehicles larger than a moped. Main roads are often dominated by buses, with most personal vehicles being small and compact. Outside the cities, road infrastructure is generally considered poor, with many isolated communities only connected by rail or dirt paths. As such, for intercommunity transport, many are reliant on trains, planes, and offroader taxi services for travel. The Department of Energy and Infrastructure manages most of Hemahat’s transport, those private options do exist in some cases.
Hemahat has only five public-use airports, and only one international Airport - Khewet International, meaning most people travel by train to their destinations. While train transportation is nominally free, rail tends to only connect major settlements, with more isolated communities being only traversable by offroader, by animalback, or by walking. This has led to shortages of goods, especially in eastern communities.
Goods transport within the country is dominated by the port of Khewet and the Hepep river. The port of Khewet is responsible for three quarters of Hemahat’s imports and exports. The Hepep river has historically also been of high importance to Hemahat’s economy, with barges and boats using the river as a highway. Even today, both traditional and mechanized boats can be found on the river transporting goods and people. However, as Hemahats economy modernizes, most of its goods transportation happens over rail. The “Heartland Rail Initiative” saw the construction of two railways stretching from Khewet to Dabaper, one on each side of the river. This railway is important for a good portion of Hemahat’s population and businesses, as it has transported millions of tonnes of goods up and down the river since its completion in 1974. Some have proposed a second track alongside the current one, but this has been debated on due to costs.
Energy in Hemahat is supplied solely by the Department of Energy and Infrastructure. Of which, the majority of energy is provided by coal and oil plants near major urban areas. Urban areas tend to have decent access to electricity, though brownouts are common in more rural communities. The current administration has proposed a move towards more green sources, such as solar and wind. Responses to this have been generally positive, although many believe the intention is to give Hemahat an indigenous power supply rather than be reliant on foreign exports. Several proposals to dam either the Hepep or Kehep Rivers have been proposed - but all shut down due to the severe effects they would have on the economy.
