User:Lyonsland/sandbox3

Demographics

Hennehouwe has an estimated population of 12,632,000 as of April 2022, according to Central Statistics Office (CSB) estimates. As of the 2018 census, the population was recorded at 12,424,398. Hennehouwe is thus described as a 'medium small' country, and is the sevent most populous of the twelve member states of the Euclean Community. It is among the most densely populated countries in Euclea, with a density of 163.85 per square kilometre (424.40/sq mi). Since the end of the Great War in 1935, the country's population roughly doubled from 6.3 to 12.4 million. Much of the country's population is concentrated in the south and the east of the country, with the Kustland, a region encompassing the area near the Hennish Gulf including eastern Flamia, southern Lower Stegeren, s'Holle and Zilverzee, containing around 6 million people, or around half of Hennehouwe's population.

Hennehouwe does not record official figures relating to ethnicity or race; the CSB is forbidden from collecting such information following a 1996 federal court ruling. The country has five recognised native ethnic groups: Hennish, Petois, Estmerish, Dellish, and Lowland travellers. The distinction made between ethnic Henns, Hennish nationals and Hennish citizens in defining Hennish identity is ambiguous at an administrative level, owing to historical patterns of segmentation, the country's very own history, and the constitutional guarantee of 'self-identification' with relation to ethnicity. Rather, official data distinguishes those who are foreign citizens (i.e. born outside of Hennehouwe and without Hennish citizenship), as well as those who have a foreign or multi-national background (i.e. had at least one parent of non-native origin). As of the 2018 census, there were 1,396,349 (11.2%) foreign citizens in Hennehouwe, whilst 2,950,826 (23.7%) had a foreign or multi-national background.

The total fertility rate in Hennehouwe is 1.78 per woman according to 2020 CSB estimates, which is higher than the Euclean average, though still well below the population replacement rate of 2.1 per woman, and about a third of the rate of 5.38 per woman in 1887. The total fertility rate is higher among foreign citizens and those with a foreign or multi-national background compared with the rest of the population. Life expectancy in Hennehouwe is among the highest in the world, at 84.0 for females and 81.1 for males, with an average life expectancy rate of 82.5 according to CSB esimates in 2020.

Religion

Religion in Hennehouwe (2018)

  Amendist (33.2%)

  Solarian Catholic (31.3%)

  No affiliation (27.0%)

  Irfanic (3.8%)

  Atudaist (1.3%)

  Other Sotirian (1.0%)

  Badist (0.9%)

  Zohist (0.7%)

  Other (0.8%)

Hennehouwe is a religiously diverse nation. Officially, Hennehouwe is a secular state, with freedom of religion and the right to non-affiliation guaranteed by the 1935 constitution.

The Basilica of the Holy Virgin Mother in Herxen is the largest Catholic church in Hennehouwe.

As of the 2018 census, 65.5% of the population identified as Sotirianity, with the dominant denominations being Amendism at 33.2% and Solarian Catholicism at 31.3%. With regard to the Amendist population, 22.5% belong to the United Hennish Church, an amalgamation of a number of Kasperist and Gospelite churches; a further 5.8% belong to the Reformed Confessional Church, a conservative Kasperist church; with 4.9% belonging to a number of other Amendist churches, including the Embrian Commonwealth, Witterite churches and others. Of the 1.0% who identify as other Sotirian, denominations represented include Episemialism and Amicablism.

The sectarian divide between Amendists and Catholics in Hennehouwe is informally defined by the river Zwarte, splitting the country into the predominantly Amendist north and the Catholic south. The split dates back to the Amendist Reaction in the 16th century, in which Hennehouwe was one of the number of epicentres. It was during this period that the teachings of Stegeren-born Johan Kasper took hold in northern areas of the country, whose theologic doctrine developed into Kasperism. Other Amendist movements from further north also spread, most notably Gospelism. The spread of Amendism to the south of Hennehouwe was largely halted by the power and influence of the Flamish Duchy and its allies, which remained loyal to the Solarian Church and the Gaullican monarchy. The growing divisions and tension between the two sides culminated in the Hennish Civil War, which sealed the split via partition. Once Hennehouwe regained its full independence as a unified state, efforts to maintain peace between the two sides as well as to ensure respective continuity of the churches' dominion resulted in the adoption of sphere sovereignty and segmentation, which lasted until after the Great War. Decades of political, social and economic co-operation, combined wth the global trend of ecumenism, led to the collapse of the segmentation system and closer integration between people of the two faiths in the post-War era.

Whilst the country remains geographically divided on the basis of religious denomination to this today, there is little impact of this on societal interaction or mobility. Historically, Amendism has been the dominant religion by number of adherents, though the number of Amendists is roughly equal to that of Catholics as of the 2018 census, and is expected to be surpassed by the latter in 2030. However, the overall number of adherents to both Sotirian branches has been in decline since the 1960's. Increasing secularism amongst the general public has led to a decline in church attendance across both denominations, as well as a decline in the numbers of those who view religion as an important part of their daily lives. The exception is in the Confessional Belt, a stretch of land reaching from Geeland and Upper Stegeren to Lower Stegeren, where predominantly conservative Kasperist beliefs remain dominant in daily life.

Sint Johannus Cathedral in Zilverzee was a former Catholic church before being seized by Amendists in 1536. It is the largest Amendist church in Hennehouwe.

As of 2018, Amendists make up a majority in Geeland, Reekland and Upper Stegeren, and a plurality in Grotevlakte and Lower Stegeren. Catholics are a majority in Flamia, Molenburg and Oudkessel-Witburg, and a plurality in s'Holle. Catholics are also the plurality religion in Zilverzee, though the total number of non-affiliated or irreligious are the plurality in terms of overall affiliation in that region. Catholicism is the dominant religion among the Petois population in the south of the country, as well as among the large Etrurian diaspora.

The numbers of those who classify themselves as non-affiliated, irreligious or atheist stands at 3,356,784 (27.0%) following the 2018 census. This number has seen particular growth over the last century, and is in line with a growing trend of religious disaffiliation across Euclea. Those without an affiliation are expected to make up a plurality of the population by 2035.

Irfan is the third-largest religion in Hennehouwe, and a relatively new religion to the country. 472,131 people (3.8%) identified as Irfan in the 2018 census, a number that has increased exponentially since the 1970's. Most Irfan in Hennehouwe are of a Coian migrant background, particularly from Irvadistan, Tsabara and Yemet. Much of the Irfan population is concentrated in urban cities, particularly Zilverzee and s'Holle. The Noordmazar, located in Zilverzee, is one of the largest mazars in Euclea.

Atudism is the fourth-largest religion in the country, with 160,958 people recorded as adherents as of the 2018 census. Atudism has a long history in Hennehouwe, dating back to the forced migrations of the early second millenium. Initially dispersed in pockets of the country, Atudites came to settle in larger urban areas in the southern half of the country, including in s'Holle which became a sanctuary to those fleeing from the oppression of the Sotirian Commonwealth, and later those from neighbouring countries. The largest Atudite community today is located in s'Holle, where some 57,000 people live.

Other religions with significant populations in Hennehouwe include Badi at 0.9%, and Zohism at 0.7%. The growth of both groups has been as a result of migration from Coius. Another 0.8% identify as 'other' religious, including those who are spiritual but do not express ties to a specific religion or movement.

Language

Hennish is the sole official language of Hennehouwe. It is the working language of the federal government and the domestic lingua franca in most of the country. Hennish is the first language of 76.1% of the population as of the 2018 census, with a further 13.8% having proficiency in the language, ranging from fluency as a second language to basic proficiency. Government statistics include in these numbers Hoeltish, which is considered a dialect of Hennish (it is classified as a seperate language in Kesselbourg). The Hennish language is regulated by the Hennish Language Institute (Hennse Taleninstituut).

Gaullican is the second most-spoken language in the country, with 14.4% having it as their first language as of the 2018 census. A further 51.0% have varying proficiency in Gaullican as a second or third language. Gaullican is the native language of the Petois, a group of more than one million people who live in the south of country, along the Gaullican border. Native Gaullican speakers also include immigrants from Gaullica and other Gaullican-speaking countries. It is a co-official language in Molenburg and Oudkessel-Witburg, and is the most-spoken language in the former. It also has regional language status in Flamia.

The Gaullican language has a complex history in Hennehouwe, and its status at the national level remains a point of controversy to this day. During the various periods of Gaullican rule, the language was imposed on the native Hennish, whose own language was subject to repression and forced Gaullicanisation. In the post-independence period, the use of Gaullican became largely restricted to the Petois segment of society, who were freely allowed to integrate the language into their own institutions, education and day-to-day lives. Gaullican occupation of southern Hennehouwe, and later of the entire country during the Great War, brought about a renewed attempt at rapid Gaullicanisation and the relegation of the Hennish language, which contributed to the stigma around the official status of Gaullican in the post-War period. In the decades since, there have been numerous attempts to re-introduce Gaullican as a co-working language at the federal level. This is supported by the Party for the Petois, and opposed by Hennish nationalists.

Estmerish is the third most-spoken language in the country, with 4.2% declaring it as their first language in the 2018 census. It is a native language in areas near the Estmerish border in Reekland, where it is a co-official language, and in Lower Stegeren, where it has regional language status. Estmerish is also the first language of many expats from Estmere, Nuvania and Satavia who have settled in Hennehouwe. Dellish is also a co-official or regional language in a number of Reekish and Lower Stegerener municipalities, and is the first language of 0.8% of the population as of 2018. Other languages recognised as native, but without official status at the federal, regional, or local level include Reekish, Netherkant and Hennish sign language.

A further 4.5% of the population speak another language as their first language. These are mostly made up of immigrants and those of a foreign background who continue speak their mother tongue at home. The most common of these are the Etrurian diaspora: Vespasian and Novalian are among the most common 'foreign' languages spoken in Hennehouwe. Other prominent languages spoken by immigrants in Hennehouwe include Rahelian, Luzelese, Ziba and Shangean.

Language education in Hennish schools vary greatly by region. Hennish is a compulsory teaching language in all schools, though seperate curriculums exist for those who speak it as a first language and those who speak it as an additional language. Gaullican is a compulsory language in five regions; in Molenburg it is the basic teaching language for the majority of schools. Estmerish is compulsory in all schools in Reekland, and is the third most-taught language nationally. Other commonly-taught languages in Hennish schools include Weranic, Vespasian, Dellish, Shangean and Soravian.