Kongerikøen Islands
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Kongerikøen Islands | |
|---|---|
| Anthem: Nordmarch ("Northern March") | |
 Location of the Kongerikøen Islands in the Galanic Ocean | |
| Sovereign state |  Rosland-Iskrell |
| First settlement | 1781 |
| Roskan-Iskronish rule asserted | 5 July 1807 |
| Current constitution | 10 November 1999 |
| Capital and settlement | Gregershavn |
| Official languages | Roskan Iskron |
| Leaders | |
• Monarch | Gregers VI |
• Governor | Leif Thøgersen |
| Legislature | Legislative Council |
| Area | |
• Total | 11,214 km2 (4,330 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2020 census | 2,449 |
| Currency | Pund (£) (RIP) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 |
| Driving side | left |
| Internet TLD | .kr |
The Kongerikøen Islands (ˈkɔŋəˌriːˌkøːˀn/ KONG-uh-REE-kurn; Ruthish: Königreichsinseln) are an archipelago in the East Galanic Ocean. The islands consist of two main islands, Storø and Lilleø, as well as over 300 smaller islands, together covering about 11,200 square miles. Kongerikøen is situated in an extremely remote location, with the nearest land being Lÿndow Island, approximately 300 kilometers away. The capital is Gregershavn ("Gregory's harbour"), located on Lilleø, and the population is around 2,400 people, mostly of Iskron descent. The islands are a self-governing overseas territory of the Kingdom of Rosland-Iskrell.
Indigenous tribes from Elia Australis had been aware of the islands' existence for thousands of years, yet the islands remained uninhabited until they were discovered by Ruthish explorer Ludeke von Lÿndow in 1691. Von Lÿndow claimed the islands for Ruthen, naming them Königreichsinsel, which translates to "Kingdom Island." Despite this claim, no settlements were established, and the islands remained untouched for nearly a century until the Iskronish explorer Ejvind Jacobsen arrived on the shores of Lilleø in June 1787. There, he founded the settlement of Gregershavn, centered around sheep farming and fishing. During the Great War, Ruthish forces landed on Storø on October 8, 1934, quickly occupying the islands. Control was returned to Rosland-Iskrell in 1940. When decolonization efforts gained momentum in the 1950s, the islands expressed strong support for remaining under Roskan-Iskron governance.
The neighboring Süd-Hylasia achieved independence in 1944 and soon became an apartheid state. In 1974, Stig Brøndum, the Prime Minister of Rosland-Iskrell, was the first leader in Calesia to publicly condemn Süd-Hylasia and sever all diplomatic ties with the nation. In response to this, Süd-Hylasia engaged in highly provocative naval maneuvers around the islands and asserted ownership of them based on Von Lÿndow's 1691 claim. This escalation resulted in the diplomatic isolation of Süd-Hylasia by most Calesian nations, a factor widely regarded as contributing to the collapse of the apartheid regime seven years later.
The islands are known for their rugged, windswept terrain, with rolling hills and dramatic coastlines. The islands have a subpolar oceanic climate, meaning cool, windy, and wet conditions year-round, with temperatures rarely exceeding 24°C (75°F) in summer or dropping much below freezing in winter. Their natural landscapes include peat bogs, grasslands, and unique rock formations, supporting diverse wildlife such as penguins, sea lions, albatrosses, and a range of marine life. The islands are also a popular destination for birdwatching and wildlife tourism. The Kongerikøen Islands' economy is primarily based on fishing, particularly squid, and seal hunting, which accounts for the majority of its revenue. Agriculture, especially sheep farming, was once dominant but has declined in recent years. Tourism has grown, especially with the influx of cruise ships, driven by the appeal of the islands' wildlife and natural beauty. Oil exploration has also been underway in the waters around the islands, though its economic impact remains modest due to challenges in production.