Hemahat

Republic of Hemahat ܩܐܒܘܚܘܢܝܝܟ ܗܺܝܡܐܗܐܬ Qabuwhenik Hemahat
Flag
Motto: "Aeii Inbaq" (Hemahatiki) (The Future is Bright)
Capital	Khewet
Official languages	Hemahatik
Ethnic groups	85.4% Hemahatik 11.4% Dochi 3.2% Other
Religion	89.2% Anmatarik 7.1% Dochi Paganism 3.6% Other
Demonym(s)	Hemahatik
Government	Federal Presidential Republic
• President	Heptuin Aymed
• Prime Minister	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	0.676 medium
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 the Paran Desert 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 does not border any nation. However, it does border the Paran Desert to the Northeast and is geographically close to Mauridiviah. 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 of 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

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Mutushu Clan Period

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Early Dynasties

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Later Kingdom

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Early Republic

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Modern Times

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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 million. 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 atheists at 2.5%. 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 [wp|Syriac_alphabet] Hemahatik Script. The Dochi Language also uses the Hemahatik Script, though the two languages are not mutually intelligible.

Government and Politics

Current Tribal Presence in the Hemahat Government:

  Heptuin: 56 seats

  Makan: 51 seats

  Apad: 41 seats

  Depet: 39 seats

  Iwan: 38 seats

  Independent: 10 seats

  CFP: 65 seats

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 Prime Minister 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 “Ayapad Hemahatik.” It is headed by the Debet, which while it technically translates to Prime Minister in English, has no legal authority over the cabinet. The Ayapad 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 Ayapad. 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. 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 generally 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 of 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 has 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

Main article: Hemahatik People

See also: Dochi People

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 often 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 often public, with many wearing paraphernalia of both mainstream and pagan faiths, publicly worshipping 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 as 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 individuals 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 usually mythological. Newborns typically get their clan from their mother, though there are exceptions to this.

Media

Optical fiber provides cheaper bandwidth for long distance communication.

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 often 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 of hooliganism is rare.

Economy

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