Nordhurlant
 | This article is incomplete because it is pending further input from participants, or it is a work-in-progress by one author. Please comment on this article's talk page to share your input, comments and questions. Note: To contribute to this article, you may need to seek help from the author(s) of this page. |
The Confederacy of Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki Nordhic: Konføderatten af Norðurlant-Elnumikmaki Tapetihan: Toqwékikalsusutiatmèt patāqmakamikḗw-èlnumikmaki | |
|---|---|
Coat of Arms
| |
Motto: « Toqwékik, milamuk » "Sammver, manfoldiygghett" "Unity, diversity" | |
Anthem: Kepitmetèk / Respekkt "Respect" | |
| Location of Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki (dark green) – in Vestrim (green & dark grey) – With neighbouring nations (green) Location of Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki (dark green) – in Vestrim (green & dark grey) – With neighbouring nations (green) | |
| Map of Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki. Map of Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki. | |
| Capital | Jakālesamān Nordhic: Hertiggjevand |
| Largest | Jakālesamān |
| Official languages | Nordhic, Tapetihan |
| Recognised regional languages | Ardaiman, Cuirpthean, Liidurian |
| Ethnic groups (2016) | 73.2% Tapetihan 18.1% Nordhic 3.1% Ardaiman 2.4% Cuirpthean 2.1% Liidurian 1.1% Other |
| Demonym(s) | Nordhurlandic; Elnumikmakian; Nordhurlantskt-Èlnumikmakīw |
| Government | Devolved Unitary State |
• Prime Minister | Jīklew Kāqujkaj |
| Establishment | |
• Colony established by United Kingdom of Lhedwin | 1713 |
• Dominion under Lhedwin | 1846 |
• Independence from Lhedwin | 1865 |
| 2018 | |
| Area | |
• | 236,976 km2 (91,497 sq mi) |
• Water (%) | 7.2% |
| Population | |
• 2017 estimate | 1,164,300 |
• 2016 census | 1,015,827 |
| GDP (PPP) | 2016 estimate |
• Total | $451 million |
• Per capita | $970.64 |
| GDP (nominal) | 2016 estimate |
• Total | $565 million |
• Per capita | $556.20 |
| Gini (2016) |  72.3very high |
| HDI (2016) |  0.543low |
| Currency | Siputaqankaj (sk) (NES) |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (Eastern Vestric Standard Time) |
| Date format | dd-mm-yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +86 |
| Internet TLD | .ne |
Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki, or simply Nordhurlant, officially The Confederacy of Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki (pronounced: /ðə ˌkənˈfɛdəɹəsi əv ˈnɔ:ɹðɻˌlɑnt ʊɫˈnumɪkmæki/; Nordhic: Konføderatten af Norðurlant-Elnumikmaki, pronounced: /kʰɑ̰̃ˀˈvøə̯ˌʁɑ̰ˀnˀ ɑ̰ʋ̥̩ˀ ˈnɔ̰ɐ̯l̥ɑ̰̃ˀ ʌ̃l̃n̥uˌmḭɣˈmɑ̰ɣi/; Tapetihan: Toqwékikalsusutiatmèt patāqmakamikḗw-èlnumikmaki, pronounced: /toxʷˈekikalsuˌsutiatmət paˈtaːqmakamiˌkeːw əlnuˌmikˈmaki/) is a devolved unitary state located on the eastern portion of the continent of Vestrim, in Aeia. Nordhurlant was founded sometime in the early 1700s, when Lhedwin started to colonize Vestrim. The nation was ruled exclusively by Grimmr Stefanson I Gryf as an absolute monarch until Decemer 2018, when a revolution overthrew the monarchy. Nordhurlant was one of the only nations in Vestrim to retain the ruling elite of colonial émigrés over a large majority of native peoples, even after its independence in 1865, until the revolution removed them from power. The last monarch of Nordhurlant was Grimmr Stefanson I Gryf, who ruled from 1983 to 2018 from the former capital city of Nordhurstadt. Nordhurlant borders the Lhaeraidh colony of Caer Dyf in the south across the bay of Ektanaskek, and Svandal to the west. Nordhurlant, from its independence in 1865 to the Twilight Revolution in 2018, had been an isolated country with very limited action with foreign entities.
Up until the 17th century, Nordhurlant was inhabited exclusively by the Tapetihan people, an indigenous Vestric group centred around Nordhurstadt and Siputaqaméten. In the 17th century, colonizers from Asura arrived, mainly from Ardaima, Liiduria, Cuirpthe and most prominently Lhedwin, who established the colony of Nordhurlant in 1713. Nordhurlant went through several periods of unrest and was granted self-governance in 1846 and eventual full independence in 1865. Nordhurlant is Vestrim's smallest economy, despite its wealth of mining and lumber resources. Centuries of mismanagement by the autocratic government had resulted in an impoverished people with the wealth having been tied up in the monarchy and the many monarchy-controlled corporations.
Etymology
The name Nordhurlant is a compound of Nordhic norður "north" and lant "land", meaning "north land". It is assumed that this is in reference to other Lhedwinic colonies to the south. The Tapetihan translation for this name is Patāqmakamikḗw, also meaning "north land". This, plus the word for "principality", was the official Tapetihan former name for the country, Saqamalkwīsalsusuti patāqmakamikḗw. However, the land the Tapetihans consider traditional territory (almost all of Nordhurlant) is referred to as Èlnumikmaki, meaning "[the] people['s] land", from èlnu, "people" and mikmaki, "country, territory". The Tapetihan transliteration for Nordhurlant is "Notulān". The Nordhic version of the name was Prinserigje af Norðurlant, simply using the title of Principality. Upon the government changing in 2018, the name of the country was also changed. Both languages' versions still incorporated Nordhurlant, but added the Tapetihan term Èlnumikmaki. The title of the nation was also changed, from Principality (Prinserigje / Saqamalkwīsalsusuti) to Confederacy, Konføderatten in Nordhic or Toqwékikalsusutiatmèt in Tapetihan, giving the names Konføderatten af Norðurlant-Elnumikmaki in Nordhic and Toqwékikalsusutiatmèt patāqmakamikḗw-èlnumikmaki in Tapetihan. There are also three recognized regional languages in Nordhurlant, Cuirpthean, Ardaiman and Liidurian. The name in Cuirpthean is In Chóphoédireacht in Thúaighigh Thallbhan na Túaich, the name in Ardaiman is La Confederazione della Terra del Nord e la Terra Popolare, and the name in Liidurian is Konföderatsioon Põhjamaa ja Rahva Maa. The official demonym of Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki is Norðurlantskt-Èlnumikmakīw, from the native adjectival forms of both Norðurlant and Èlnumikmaki. This is often transcribed as Nordhurlantskt-Elnumikmakiiw or Nordhurlantskt-Elnumikmakiw without special characters.
History
Prehistoric Nordhurlant (12 000 BCE - ca. 1500)
Not much is known about the history of Nordhurlant before Asurans arrived, as nothing was written down. It can be estimated using fossil records that the first people arrived in Nordhurlant around 12 000 BCE from the continent of Savai suing the navigational technique of island-hopping. These people were of a stone-age culture; many flint tools can be found in deeper soil. It is assumed that these people never grew above 5000 in number, and were confined to the area around Patāqmetasok and modern-day Nordhurstadt. These people hunted the red deer and wild hogs around the area of the Patāqmetasoksipu delta (near modern-day Nordhurstadt), comprised of the rivers Talipkijeksipu, Kīkesipu and Patāqmetasoksipu. The area here provided these early indigenous Vestric peoples with freshwater and a bountiful source of food.
These pre-Tapetihan Vestrics are known unto historians as the Spýd culture. They were practically the only recognizable collective culture in Nordhurlant until the arrival of a second wave of indigenous peoples from the south around 5000BCE. These were much more prolific, eventually growing to an estimated 7500 people in the area around Siputaqaméten. These new peoples figured out how to fashion crude implements from the easily-accessible copper deposits in the uppermost layers of the bedrock that exist in and around Siputaqaméten and are today continually used to mine copper. These people are today known as the Tapetihan people and eventually, due to their weaponry advantage, grew to encompass most of the area of modern-day Nordhurlant, and possibly even more. There is presently little contact with Tapetihan peoples outside of Nordhurlant, putting into question whether they even exist. Nordhurlandic influence extends only to the borders of the country, and it is far too dangerous and remote to explore further. As such, it is currently impossible to know whether there exist Tapetihan people in unclaimed Vestrim.
Before the arrival of the Asurans, the Tapetihans were probably a nomadic society, with no real settlements or permanent structures. These nomadic settlements normally followed caribou and wild hog migration patterns, so that they could be easily hunted. While chert was still easily accessible from the cliffs in Patāqmetasok, copper became an everyday material as it is more versatile and can be easily formed into multiple shapes. Tapetihan copper has been found as far south as Utamucanee indicating a possible trading network. These metallurgical skills were crucial in the survival of the Tapetihan people when the first Asurans arrived. While many cultures were simply extermiated by the newcomers, the Tapetihans were able to hold out to avoid being eradicated.
The Arrival of the Asurans (ca. 1500 - 1713)
When the Asurans arrived in the late 16th century, a cordial trading relationship began with the Tapetihans, who by this time had grown in number to over 70,000. The Asurans sought the precious beaver and muskrat pelts from deep within Nordhurlant. In return, the Tapetihans were given gunpowder-based armaments and food. However, by the start of the 17th century, the Asurans had started to claim Vestric territory as their own. The first person to found a city in the area of what is now Nordhurlant was Grimmr Grimmr Larsson Gryf, who was a Lhedwinic explorer from Kalgnat. His founding of Nordhurstadt saw the beginning of Lhedwin being a dominant colonial force in north-eastern Vestrim. Other nations soon also founded colonial outposts in Nordhurlant, most notably Cuirpthe, Ardaima and Liiduria. Cuirpthean explorers originally established Kīkkaj as their colony under the name Úr mBaille. Ardaima first established the town of Makamikaqalal by the name Paluzza, while Liiduria established a colony at Ektanaskek, then known as Vastabmerele.
However, due to Lhedwin's prominence in the region, they soon become the sole colonial power and drove out other nations whom they believed to be encroaching upon their territory. Others, mostly also from Lhedwin would soon immigrate themselves and found more cities for the United Kingdom. The most of these cities are now mostly inhabited by Tapetihans as the only colonial city that truly gained any Nordhic immigrants was Nordhurstadt. As a result, no cities are known today by their Nordhic names except for Nordhurstadt and are instead known by their Tapetihan name. However, there still exist prominent areas Nordhic speakers along the eastern coast of Nordhurlant. Initially, the encounters between colonizing Lhedwinic forces and Tapetihans were mostly peaceful, however they soon turned sour as Lhedwin grew greedy. This resulted in several outbreaks of violence. The largest, known as the "Sipu Massacre", killed over 1000 Tapetihans and was a large enough loss to the Tapetihans so as to incapacitate them. After this, Lhedwin took the opportunity to start colonizing Nordhurlant.
This resulted in an uneasy balance of power between the Nordhic people who controlled the power and the Tapetihan people who were subservient to them. This structure remains in place to this day. The oppression of the Tapetihans has caused rising tensions ever since the arrival of Asurans, with several outbreaks of war during this period. Because of the large technological advantage, the Asurans won almost every battle ever fought on Nordhurlandic soil, even when heavily outnumbered. Several of these wars we deemed consequential enough to the Asurans that they were given names. Most of the smaller wars and skirmishes do not have established names, and most of the wars are not remembered by the Tapetihans because of the Nordhurlandic monarchy's attempt to erase cultural history from the education curriculum in a deliberate attempt to ease dissent by removing any events that may case nationalist sentiments. A few of the more notable wars include War of the Mayflower, the Three Years' War and the Battles of Fastwater.
Sipu Massacre
The Sipu Massacre was a colonial atrocity committed by Lhedwinic colonial forces in the winter of 1699. This was not a single event of violence, being however a peak in tension that was marked by increased violence. Lhedwinic colonizers went around to Tapetihan villages and razed them to the ground, taking the resources for themselves. Most notably, the settlement of Elaskalalkaj was completely destroyed, leaving many people without homes during the harsh winter, many of whom eventually died due to the lack of food and shelter. A major orchestrator of these killings was Stefan Ornarson, whose name goes to the county that encompasses Elaskalalkaj as the Nordhic monarchy sees this killing as justified and an honourable part of history. These killings resulted in the mass migration of Tapetihan peoples to larger settlements like Patāqmetasok and Jakālesamān, one of the major factors in the outbreak of the War of the Mayflower.
War of the Mayflower
,_Locatie,_Tuinreservaat_Jonkervallei.jpg)
The War of the Mayflower was a pivotal war in Nordhurlandic-Lhedwinic colonization. The routing and destruction of most Tapetihan resistance allowed the colonizers free reign over the land. Many Tapetihans were killed in this war, in some sources as many as ten times the amount of colonial forces. The war officially started the twenty-third of October 1715, just two years after Nordhurlant became an official colony of Lhedwin. Tapetihan peoples driven to large settlements caused tension and then eventually led to the outbreak of this war. Colonial forces consisted of colonial Nordhurlandic forces in addition to Lhedwinic forces. The main theatres of the war took place around Jakālesamān and Patāqmetasok, where the two largest battles of the war took place. In the battle of Patāqmetasok, also known as the Grimmr's Battle, famed Nordhurlandic explorer Grimmr Grimmr Larsson Gryf led his troops into battle and famously routed the larger Tapetihan forces. This marked the beginning of Lhedwinic domination in the region and the start of the power gain by select colonizers, whose descendants would form the Old Nordhic elite. Another large battle, fought at Jakālesamān was fought and won by Hraupi Nemmrson, whose name was eventually given to the Nordhurlandic counties in which Jakālesamān resides. The war gets its name from the famous discovery of the Nordhurlandic (Patāqmetasok) mayflower, which although rare, gives a wonderful purple dye and is now considered a national symbol of Nordhurlant. The war resulted in the eradication of Tapetihan resistance in the largest Lhedwinic colonial outposts, ensuring Lhedwin could continue to dominate for centuries to come. The war ended on the fourth of January 1716 with the signing of a peace treaty at Jakālesamān.
Battles of Fastwater
The battles of Fastwater (Nordhic: Hertiggjevant, Tapetihan: Jakālesamān) were a series of battles fought in Jakālesamān by colonial Nordhurlandic forces against unorganized Tapetihan resistance in order to keep control of the settlement in early 1722. After the disastrous routing of Tapetihan forces at the battle of Jakālesamān in the War of the Mayflower, unified resistance was broken and hence resulted in fractured unrest throughout the settlement. In January 1722, many Tapetihans rose up in the south of the city, resulting in the first battle of Fastwater unrelated to a war. The second battle occurred in late February 1722 and this time the entire city revolted and troops had to be sent down from Nordhurstadt to quell the unrest. On of the major leaders of Nordhurlandic forces in the second battle of Fastwater was Kjeld Mosson, who himself has a county named after him. The final third battle of Fastwater was much smaller, occuring in early May 1722, however it was the one that caused the most damage as Tapetihans were able to overtake and destroy the grainhouse and governor's house in Jakālesamān.
Three Years' War
The Three Years' War is the longest war fought in colonial Nordhurlant and is largely responsible for the course of events that led to Nordhurlant becoming its own country. The war began on the thirteenth of December 1748 and was mostly fought in the near-interior of the country, in places like Jakalesipu and Mekepajisipu. In early 1748, the Tapetihan people once again showed signs of rebelling against the colonial government. By December of that year, things had reched a tipping point and large rebellions broke out across the country, in places like Ektanaskek, Espukwikuntew, Naskoqwatoksipu, Jakālesamān, Paqtatektān, Kespemeten, Maqamikaqalal, Jakalesipu, Paqtatesamqwan, Kīkkaj, Sipupemitmasit, Nordhurstadt and Elaskalalkaj. Owing to the large scale and ferocity of the rebellions, the Tapetihan offensive was able to be coordinated and they eventually formed a proper resistance army. This rebellion caused Lhedwin a lot of money and resources and prompted them to raise taxes on basic goods in Nordhurlant in late 1749 to help sustain the war effort. These high taxes eventually led to the resentment by the Nordhic people of Lhedwin itself and was one of the major factors in the formation of the Old Nordhic elite. The war eventually came to a conclusion in early 1751 with the eradication of the last pockets of Tapetihan resistance, mainly in the interior cities such as Sipupemitmasit and Jakalesipu.
Nordhurlant under the United Kingdom of Lhedwin (1713-1865)
The year 1713 marked the official beginning of Lhedwinic control over Nordhurlant. In 1713, Lhedwinic king Haakon V granted the colonial charter of suzerainty to Grimmr Grimmr Larsson Gryf, thereby officialy establishing the colony of Nordhurlant. In the years following the Lhedwinic takeover, many of the settlements established by other nations were either peacefully or forcefully taken by Lhedwinic forces. The first years of Lhedwinic Nordhurlant were very prosperous, due to the massive stocks of fish easily accessible on the Vestric continental shelf. This fishing boom provided the colony with fish and a large source of revenue in addition to the many other bountiful natural resources in the interior including plentiful lumber, fashionable beaver pelts, numerous caribou and hog herds, and elusive purple dye made from the rare Patāqmetasok mayflower.
These natural resources provided incentive for the Lhedwinic government to spend more money on the colony, in an effort to maximize profit. However, a problem soon arose when the Lhedwinic government started taxing basic goods such as fish and cheese to further increase profit. The Nordhurlandic peoples, both Nordhic and Tapetihan, grew to realize that the more profitable their own land became, the more Lhedwin would try to takw that profit away. It was at this time, around 1750, where the Nordhurlandic resentment of the Lhedwinic government began. A group of influential Nordhic families soon banded together and sought to protect their own interests in Nordhurlant. These families eventually became known as the Old Nordhic elite. This elite became a legitimate organization in 1796 with the adoption of their own charter and founding principles based on the betterment of Nordhic peoples' life. Dissent in Nordhurlant prompted Lhedwin to ship more soldiers over to Nordhurlant to help quell unrest. This did seem to work, at least at first. Lhedwinic and Nordhic explorers reached deeper into the interior of the colony with funds coming from Asuran Lhedwin. In 1813, the source of Tapetihan copper was discovered at Siputaqaméten. This only further aided the cause of the Nordhic elite, essentially proving that Lhedwin sought to take all profit Nordhurlant had for themselves.
The Fight for Independence (1840 - 1865)
For the entire duration of Nordhurlant's colonial history, the common people had been ruled by a minute minority of colonial overlords. The common people rarely got their way. However, in 1845 and 1846, the Tapetihans grew restless. The United Kingdom of Lhedwin had been involved in a costly war over control in Ashihara with Newrey, and the high costs of the war had caused the Lhedwinic government to put high taxes on everyday goods such as sugar, coffee, bread and milk. At first, this helped tighten restrictions and quell rebellion, however not long after the ruling elite sided with the Tapetihans in rising up against the United Kingdom of Lhedwin because of these taxes. After months of rioting and protest, the Lhedwinic government decided that they had had enough of it and wanted to sell the colony to another power for money. Nordhurlant was offered to Mascylla, Sarpory-Vemnia and Vvarden but they all turned the offer down as they saw Nordhurlant more of a liability than a means for profit. Eventually, Lhedwin decided to give Nordhurlant home rule, a step to planned independence. Upon the declaration of home rule and responsible government, there were attempts at a fair and representative government, but they ultimately failed. A prominent wealthy Nordhic family, the Gryfs, took control and created a quasi-monarchy that was composed of the Nordhic elite. Lhedwin turned a blind eye to the massive takeover of the elite using force, eliminating the chance of an eventual fair government.
However, the Nordhic monarchy recognized that, by disobeying the Lhedwinic government, they would lose their high status as Lhedwin would no longer turn that blind eye for fear of losing even more profit. Therefore, the monarchy opted to keep the taxes enforced. This only led to more public unrest as the new monarchy was seen as even more oppressive than the previous Lhedwinic government. It was made clear that Lhedwin did not appreciate the direction the colony was headed, and Nordhurlant was given independence on March 7, 1865, earlier than planned, most likely to rid Lhedwin of the issue. Some officials in Lhedwin advocated for a Nordhurlandic return to direct colonial rule from Lhedwin in the hopes of regaining lost profit, though it was soon found out that there was no profit left to be had. Therefore, Nordhurlant was allowed to remain independent as it was not financially viable to keep as a colony any longer, being that during their independence, the monarchy had taken over the natural resources.
Post-Independence Years (1865-1970)
Complete Isolation (1865-1946)
The first princes of Nordhurlant sought to heavily isolate the country from foreign influence, fearing another colonial power would try and take control over the fledgling state. The Nordhurlandic monarchy used only resources found inside Nordhurlant to help sustain an isolated economy, and continuing to use the framework of colonial infrastructure to grow the internal economy. Nordhurlant at this time was consequently very poor, even poorer than today. As the colonial framework was very poor, very little infrastructure could be built only with the resources found inside the country. The only way to get around the country was to use the one passenger rail line that ran from Jakālesamān to Nordhurstadt or to travel on foot or horse down the dirt paths. Information and goods travelled very slowly across the country.
A small effort in industrialization was attempted just before the turn of the century, however this was soon brought to an end by the outbreak the Great War and lack of resources thereby elsewhere in the world. Nordhurlant continued with its purely isolationist stance all throughout the war; therefore Nordhurlant was barely affected by not only the war itself but the depression that followed. Tapetihan resistance could continue to influence large areas of the country, as it was almost unnoticed by the monarchy and it could not be monitored based on how slow information got around. This all culminated in the brief Nordhurlandic Civil War, where the Tapetihans rose up against the monarchy but were ultimately unsuccessful in overthrowing it.
This led to the tightening of restrictions on the people and the creation of the Nordhurlandic secret police force under Prince Stefan Lars I Gryf (1870-1946). The country continued in its downward spiral by not opening up to foreign investment and massive internal corruption by the monarchy. In this period, the monarchy controlled at least ninety percent of the wealth of the nation, owning all large enterprises such as the rail lines and road systems, in addition to the copper mines and now-depleting cod fisheries. They sought only to make more money for themselves and expanded enterprise only for themselves. This resulted in the general people sinking further into poverty. With Stefan Lars I's death, his son Prince Stefan Lars II Gryf succeeded to the throne and brought an end to the complete isolation.
Nordhurlant during the Great War (1895-1899)
Wartime in Nordhurlant was, contrary to the rest of the world, a time of relative prosperity. The instability of the world outside Nordhurlant allowed the monarchy to unite the country in blaming foreign meddling for war, and taking pride in isolationism and Nordhurlant itself. The economy became relatively strong due to the stability and renewed exploitation of resources accompanied by a minor technological revolution. This minor technological revolution included newer mining techniques and technology that the government claimed as its own, however it is certain that these techniques were given to Nordhurlant by foreign nations in an effort to convince them to join the war. Some Tapetihans did end up fighting in the war for tir Lhaeraidd, having escaped across the Ikūn Bay to Caer Dyf, and upon arrival being pressured to join the Lhaeraidh army in the Coisitha Vestraidh.
Modernization & Industrialization (1946-1970)
Under Prince Stefan Lars II Gryf the country saw itself open up a little to foreign investment. The monarchy itself sponsored roads to be built to better connect the country and electricity generating stations outside of settlements. Most electricity generation stations were coal fired, however some took advantage of the country's large rivers to make hydroelectricity. Dams were built along the Patāqmetasoksipu and Jākalesipusipu to generate electricity for the grid in cities like Nordhurstadt and Jakālesamān.
New schools, housing and privately-funded medical facilities were built along with a few factories in the capital and Jakālesamān. This led to the enlightenment of the Tapetihan people and led to a movement called Tapetihan underground that once again sought to overthrow the monarchy based on what they had seen exists in other, more developed countries. The number of available jobs in the country almost quadrupled during this era, with the natural resources sector gaining almost 150,000 people. This period is known as the 1950s industrial revolution. New techniques and methods for production were brought to Nordhurlant, giving rise to a small but efficient private sector, drawing away some of the wealth from the monarchy, yet increasing the standards of living.
As a result, the unemployment rate dropped from 13% to 9% within three years. This was able to temporarily stave off resistance against the government, however it was apparent more changes needed to be made if the monarchy were to survive the 20th century. Not all was for the better though, as the government was still weary of too much foreign influence after remembering the insane control from Lhedwin. In this era, the government sought to control the people not by economical means, but by A new curriculum glorifying the regime was implemented, along with a major expansion of the secret police force. The end of this era was marked with the institution of Stefan Lars II's more lenient personal freedom policies that allowed for a greater amount of control of the Tapetihan people over themselves. The gradual implementation of these policies brought Nordhurlant into the modern era.
Contemporary Monarchist Nordhurlant (1970 - 2018)
.jpg)
In this era, Nordhurlant appeared to be fairly socially progressive. The monarchy, however, retained their tight grip on power. No form of democracy was allowed in Nordhurlant. The people of Nordhurlant were allowed many social freedoms but few political ones. Inequality between the classes in Nordhurlant was enormous. The elite, composed of the Nordhic monarchy, controlled the majority of the wealth in the nation, despite being only 2% of the population. This resulted in relatively low economic development: the poor remained poor, while the rich became richer. The population of Nordhurlant began to stagnate. Most people lived in rural areas, not urban centres. The result of this was that most people were employed in the agricultural or mining sector, with very few people involved in providing services such as teachers, firemen and police officers.
In all major urban centres, crime rates were fairly low due to the high police presence. In an attempt to improve the nation's economic standing, the monarchy attempted to bring in foreign businesses for the exploitation of the country's natural resources, including oil exploration, copper mining, forestry and animal farming. Dissent against the monarchy had been relatively low compared to post-independence years, with the institution of the Freedoms Act of 1976, which brought in large amounts of personal freedom onto the people of Nordhurlant. Still, many Tapetihans did not identify as being "Nordhurlandic", instead reporting that they were "Tapetihan" on the census. The last true monarch of Nordhurlant, Grimmr Stefanson I Gryf (1983-2018), took the same line as his predecessor in terms of personal freedom, also introducing the Popular Language Decree (1989).
A major topic of controversy in Nordhurlant centred around the systemic discrimination against Tapetihan people by the government. In 1992, the large chalk mining town of Patāqmetasok was mysteriously scrubbed from maps in the country, provoking many conspiracy theories about the subject. Many think that Patāqmetasok was destroyed and that many people were forcibly relocated or outright killed due to rumours of a rebellion involving the Tapetihan underground in the area. Various human rights groups across Aeia accused Nordhurlant of ethnic cleansing on a small scale and with various human rights abuses, such as the lack of safety regulations at an open-pit mine in Siputaqaméten, where in 2002 14 Tapetihan workers were killed.
Nordhurlant has been invited to both the Lhedwinic council and the UVR at various points in its modern history. It has refused these offers in an effort to maintain its isolationist stance under the monarchy, whose breaking could have resulted in the ridicule of Nordhurlant on an international stage and an inquisition into the various human rights and power abuses featured in Nordhurlant's history. Many Tapetihans continued to resent the government despite the many social reforms, and there blew a wind of change in the populace, especially in areas with a large Tapetihan underground presence. Amidst the red scare in Vestrim, the fear of a communist takeover unified government with people. It was suspected that, on the event of a Vestric communist collapse, Nordhurlant might have once again spiraled into civil war.
In the later years of Grimmr Stefanson I's reign, he took a tighter grip on power. He ruthlessly controlled the media to make sure that no information concerning foreign lands and their superb quality of life made it into Nordhurlant. However, many people in Nordhurlant figured out ways of receiving radio broadcasts from other countries, which sparked an enlightenment in the Tapetihan people. In 2003, the leader of the Tapetihan underground, Jīklew Kāqujkaj, was imprisoned in the notorious Pemkeksiswei prison under suspicion of conspiracy to sow dissent, a crime for which many Nordhurlanders are convicted and mostly executed.
Twilight Revolution and Democracy
On 8 December 2018, a deal was reached between the government and the remaining leaders of the Tapetihan Underground to release Kāqujkaj from prison and place him under house arrest with a strong security presence at his former home in Jakālesamān. Just a few days later, however, Kāqujkaj was released from his home following the assassination of Prince Grimmr Stefanson. One of the Prince's own bodyguards anonymously aimed his gun at the prince and single-handedly ended the rule of the monarchy. Rumours circulated at the time that Kāqujkaj had ordered the murder, although this was later proven not to be the case. It is extremely unlikely that any information could have made it outside the strong security presence around his home, and the timing of the assassination was merely coincidence. The assassination and ensuing political changes are known as the Pempiskiaq Sāsḗwasalsusuti, or Twilight Revolution.
Nevertheless, Kāqujkaj took advantage of the assassination to make his way to Nordhurstadt and proclaim a provisional government over the country. He deposed the son of Prince Grimmr, the uncoronated Prince Bjorn, and abolished the monarchy in favour of a democratic state. For the latter half of December 2018, Nordhurlant was placed under control of the military, under watch of various benevolent foreign powers, while a constitution could be written and a peaceful transition to a new government could be made. It was clear that the vast majority of people in Nordhurlant favoured the change in government, as even the Nordhics resented the monarchy for the direction in which the nation was going. Upon forming the provincial government, Kāqujkaj immediately instituted a number of changes, such as a flag change and name change for the entire nation: the Principality became a Confederacy, while the official name of the country was amended to include the Tapetihan name for their land, Èlnumikmaki. Kāqujkaj promised equal rights for all when drafting the consitution, and then campaigned on this promise in the first democratic elections in the country, which took place on December 30, 2018, upon the finishing of the constitution. Kāqujkaj and his Twilight Alliance Party garnered 68.2% of the vote, earning them a large majority in the new parliament located in Jakālesamān, which was proclaimed the new capital.
Geography
- 800px-Wheat Crops.jpg
Fields of wheat in the Siputaqméten-Kespekméten valley
The white chalk Patāqmetasok cliffs
- 800px-Marsh.jpg
The freshwater marshes near Samqwamakamikḗw
The characteristic coniferous forests of the Vestric Shield
.jpg)
The environment of Nordhurlant is mostly pristine. The lack of a substantial economy has left the vast forests untouched except for at the coasts, where settlement development has erased most traces of lush forests. Wild red deer, hogs, and moose roam the countryside, which the Tapetihan people use as a source of food and income. Recently, the forests of Nordhurlant have been explored for mining, forestry and agricultural exploitative purposes. Most of the population of Nordhurlant lives on the coast, on the Opal Ocean. The capital city, Nordhurlant, is located on the Nordhbygt, or 'North Bay'. The most populous city, Jakālesamān, is located on the confluence of the rivers Sipukaj and Sipujij, at the ocean. Most of the largest cities in Nordhurlant are located on the coast, however there is the notable exception of Siputaqméten, a rich mining town in the south-centre of the country which lies near the biggest copper, zinc and nickel deposits in the country. The total land area of Nordhurlant is 236,976 km2. The country's highest point is in the Patāqmetasok (3,345 metres), the northern cliffs that border the Nordhbygt. The longest river in Nordhurlant is the Sipukaj, which flows from the cliffs near Maqamikaqalal to the ocean at Jakālesamān.
The south of the country is considerably more rural than the north. The largest agrarian region of Nordhurlant lies in the valley between Siputaqaméten and Kespekméten. This region produces the country's wheat, canola, meat and dairy. The Sipukaj river is used in this area for irrigation and helps to sustain the isolated economy of Nordhurlant. The country's main road system connects most major towns and cities together to transport all the products made in the south to the more populous regions in the north. 78.9% of the population of Nordhurlant lives in the northern half of the country. A large majority of the country relies on the food produced in this valley to survive through the winter, though during the summer more varieties of food are available such as fish and fresh meat.
Climate
<imgur thumb=yes align=right w=300 comment="The snowy fields around Mekepajisipu.">QO8Nf8x.jpg</imgur> The climate of Nordhurlant is a cold, wet, yet continental climate. It is classified in the Köppen climate classification system as Dfb. Summers are warm, with highs ranging from 25 C to 30 C around the country. Humidity stays constantly above 80% during the summer months, though hardly any rain ever falls. The coasts of Nordhurlant are notoriously foggy in the summer. The winters are cold and dry, with lows ranging from -10 C at the coast to nearly -35 C in the interior. Nordhurlant receives on average 65 cm of snow and ice and 500 mm of rain a year. The south of the nation receives the most snow, with 75 cm on average in some cities per year. The north, by comparison, receives on average 30 cm per year. The optimal growing season is from late summer to early winter, when temperatures stay above freezing and there is plenty of rain. There is little variation between temperatures at the north and south of the country. The country, as a whole, receives on average 1800 hours of sunlight per year. This is enough to sustain a moderate growing season in the summer, however the cold winter temperatures make winter farming impossible. The interior Siputaqméten-Kespekméten valley, however, gets on average 2300 hours of sunlight per year, which makes it Nordhurlant's primary farming region. The climate, as with most regions in the northern hemisphere of Aeia, grows colder the more north one goes. Owing to this, there are different types of flora and fauna typically found within the north compared to the south.
Environment
.jpg)
Nordhurlant is primarily composed of a granite bedrock, being part of the physiographic region of the Vestric shield. This rock was formed approximately 3.5 billion years ago, making it some of the oldest rock on Aeia. The cliffs in the north-eastern region of the country, along the coast, are believed to have been formed only 500 million years ago. They are a major tourist attraction in Nordhurlant, being more than 150 metres tall and composed of white chalk, made from the remains of organisms from the ancient sea floor. Above ground, there are many species of vegetation that characterize Nordhurlant, and more generally the Vestric Shield. These include balsam fir, red maple, paper birch, black ash, tamarack, white and black spruces, jack pine, red pine, eastern white pine, balsam poplar, large-toothed aspen, trembling aspen and eastern white cedar. Various shrubs include the willow shrub, alder and mountain ash. The national flower of Nordhurlant, the Mayflower, can be found growing along the north-eatern cliffside. Animals native to Nordhurlant include moose, black bear, grizzly bear, wolves, foxes, beavers, minks, martens, wolverines, lynxes, wood buffalo, woodland caribou, shrews, weasels, hares, deer and hogs. Most of these animals make their home in the forest, however the endangered Nordhurlandic wood buffalo makes its home in the plains of the Siputaqaméten-Kespekmetén valley. Starting in the south, the forests of Nordhurlant are mixed forests that gradually grow to be dominated by conifers then become exclusively conifers around Naskoqwatoqméten. Nordhurlant can be divided into five rough ecozones: the Patāqmetasok ecozone comprising the Patāqmetasok cliffs and the surrounding coast, famous for its unique flora such as the purple mayflower; the Coastal Nordhurlandic ecozone comprising much of the coast south of the Patāqmetasok cliffs, notable for its special coastal wildlife; the Interior Valley ecozone, comprised of the Siputaqaméten-Kespekmetén valley, notable for its unique animals and sparsity of trees; the Inerior Marshlands, loacted around Samqwamakamikḗw, notable for its sparsity of trees and lush marsh wildlife and the Interior Forest ecozone, comprising much of the interior of Nordhurlant. This final ecozone can be further divided into north and south ecoregions due to the difference in tree composition.
Geology
The geology of Nordhurlant is somewhat complex, laying atop the Vestric shield in the Vestric continental plate. The Vestric continental shelf that extends eastwards out from Nordhurlant into the Opal Ocean is home to one of Aeia's largest fishing regions, though fish populations are currently in decline due to overfishing. Nordhurlant lies atop no current major areas of geological activity, the area having been geologically stable for at least five hundred million years. Nordhurlant's geology is unique in many ways and contributes to is wealth of natural resources, which in turn contributes to its survival as an isolated country for over two hundred years.
Lithology
Nordhurlant lies atop the geological formation of the Vestric shield, a large area of exposed igneous and metamorphic rock that forms the ancient geological base of the northern portion of the continent of Vestrim. These ancient rocks are thought to have been formed approximately 3 to 4 billion years ago, and are mostly made up of granite, schist and andesite. At one time, the Vestric sheield was composed of many tall spikes and volcanoes that were slowly eroded over time and flattened considerably, but still maintained relief and height. They were, over time, covered up by newer sedimentary rocks and soil, but this has all but been cleared away in Nordhurlant by glacial activity during the last glaciation around 12,000 years ago, except for near the coasts, where the lack of glaciation contributed to the continued existence of sedimentary rock cliffs and high points, including the entire Nordhurlandic cliff range, which begins with the Patāqmetasok cliffs in the north and ends with the disconnected but geologically related Ektanaskek cliffs in the south. An inland extension of these cliffs still remains at Pemkeksiswei, though these are considerably shorter in elevation due to the glacial activity. An ancient meteorite impact site at Siputaqaméten has left a characteristic crater-like impression in the earth that can still be seen on topographical maps regardless of its being worn down by successive glaciers. The majority of Nordhurlant's interior granite bedrock is believed to have come from the same source, likely a large series of eruptions in the crust of Aeia, in the middle of the Opal Ocean, around four billion years ago that erupted intermittently for a billion years following. However, there is one exception. The large plateau in the north of Grimmr Nemmrsons Fylk is much younger, being only about two billion years old. This rock is much harder and has consequently stood up better to glacial weathering, leaving it higher in the landscape. It is believed that this rock outcropping was another different, smaller volcanic eruption somewhere else, and by the virtue of plate tectonics it crashed into the Vestric continent around 600 million years ago. The marshes around Samqwamakamikḗw are believed to have formed relatively recently, being that the glaciers overtop of the land had pushed it down to create and area of lower elevation, which when the glaciers retreated filled with water and gave the marshes found there today.
Pedology
Soil types can vary across Nordhurlant. In most of the interior, the soils are a mix of luvisols, chernozems, brunisols and podzols. Luvisols, chernozems, brunisols and podzols are all types of soil formed under the forest floor, with a lot of decaying plant matter in the organic layers. Chernozems and podzols specifically are made most normally from decaying conifer needles, and therefore are found mostly in the north of the country, where conifers are dominant. All these forest soils are quite acidic, and do not lend themselves well to cultivation or farming. For this reason, most of the country is considered difficult to farm. The Siputaqaméten-Kespekmetén valley, conversely, is composed of vertisolic soils. These soils are rich in clay and made good soils for farming. These soils are formed underwater, so it is assumed that the Sipukaj river, which now runs down the middle of the valley, was once much larger and formed and inland lake over the area, allowing the right conditions for these soils to deposit. These vertisolic soils are the primary reason the Siputaqaméten-Kespekmetén valley is a good region in which to farm. On the coast, one finds greysols and solonetz soils. These soils are formed in marine environments and give the Patāqmetasok cliffs their distinctive composition, as well as the vast majority of the coast and coastal cliffs of Nordhurlant. It is probable that these types of soils would have covered Nordhurlant entirely in the periods before glaciation. The soils around Samqwamakamikḗw are mostly vertisolic, being that it is a wetland environment with a lot of clay. This area is not yet viable for farming due to the large amount of water, though due to isostatic rebound this area may become just like the Siputaqaméten-Kespekmetén valley in a few thousand years.
Politics and Government
Before the revolution, Nordhurlant was a unitary state operating under an absolute monarchy. From Nordhurlant's independence in 1865 to the Twilight Revolution in 2018, all business had been done by the Prince and his council of elites, thereby having made Nordhurlant known as a principality. Nordhurlant was run with only one all-encompassing branch of government, as most administrative powers were delegated to municipalities, with the federal and county governments playing relatively small roles. This left the federal monarchy free to control every other aspect of life and have it go practically unnoticed by the people. All federal legislation simply required the assent of the monarch to be passed.
The former monarch, Prince Grimmr Stefanson I Gryf (1983-2018), was a powerful figure who controls the people. Due to the rampant poverty and low education levels at the time, little resistance was brought forth against this system. The government allowed for many personal freedoms on topics such as abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, however no political freedoms were afforded. Citizens could not vote, ever. After significant freedoms were given to the people in the Freedoms Act of 1976, the threat of an overthrow of the government was been greatly reduced.
Once the revolution had taken place and the new democratic government had been installed, the threat of political violence in Nordhurlant was virtually eliminated. The people, now content with being able to choose who ran the country, became much more peaceful and turmoil died down. Jīklew Kāqujkaj assumed control first during the revolution and subsequently won the first democratic elections in Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki. The country was now turned into a devolved unitary state, with the Prime Minister, the leader of the party that wins the most seats, being both the head of state and of the legislature. The title of Confederacy in the formal name for the country alludes to the confederacies of native Vestric inhabitants against colonial invaders. Kāqujkaj's Twilight Alliance Party secured almost 75% of the seats in the newly formed Parliament, (Tapetihan: Metoqtoqwékik, Nordhic: Ráddet), thereby affirming his position as leader. Many parties have been established in addition to the Twilight Alliance Party, some of which ran against it in the 2019 Nordhurlandic-Elnumikmakiiw general election. For more information, see the full list of Nordhurlandic-Èlnumikmakīw parties.
The Parliament of Nordhurlant meets every four years in the new capital of Jakālesamān. Currently, the Parliament has 57 seats, each electing a representative through the First Past the Post system. The communal assemblies function much in the same way as the federal Parliament, albeit with different parties. Parties on the communal and federal level are allowed to be divisions of the same party, though this is not always the case. For both provinces and municipalities, the assemblies are nonpartisan, and all candidates must run as independents.
The new restructured government of Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki has a strong federal component, with provinces and regions playing smaller roles, making it a devolved unitary state. The government controls most public services such as transportation and healthcare, and manages most revenue services. The provincial administration, however, is free to legislate on matters such as education and public safety. The government legislates on most social problems, such as LGBTQ+ rights and abortion rights. The government of Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki has reaffirmed the oddly socially liberal policies of the previous administration, however it gives the populace even more freedom, such as the right to vote in elections and free, equal standard healthcare. Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki strives to be like an Asuran welfare state, with relativelty high taxes, a shift from the previous government. This will only be affordable if the government can get foreign countries to invest heavily in Nordhurlant's resource sector.
Law and Justice
The law in Nordhurlant was fundamentally based around the idea of Lhedwinic law, before the revolution. The Supreme Court of Nordhurlant handled only the most high-profile cases, while the others were handled either by the county or municipal courts. The Nordhurlandic Supreme Court (Nordhic: Heyggjurreþ, Tapetihan: Īkatoqmatnaljoqwālālasètespipiasèt) handled both civil and criminal cases in addition to appeal and inquisitorial cases. The Supreme Court handled fewer than 100 cases per year, with most cases having been faithfully resolved in the eyes of the monarch in the lower courts. The only entity that could overrule the Supreme Court, or any other court was the Prince of Nordhurlant.
Criminal and civil law were ill-defined in Nordhurlant, with the general consensus that whatever the Prince says went. The laws that were codified exist in the Civil Code (1949) and the Criminal Code (1992). Most, if not all crimes in Nordhurlant were tried before a single judge, due to the lack of solid travelling infrastructure and a general lack of judges. Many of the fundamental decisions that made up the law codes today are based off single decisions by past judges.
Post-revolution, the government established three separate branches, the legislative, administrative and judicial. The Supreme Court continues to be the head of the judicial branch, though it is now unbiased and impartial. Many rulings made during the monarchy's reign have been overturned in favour of newer, more just verdicts. In addition, more cases are being handled throughout Nordhurlant, as the lower courts now have the right to try people fairly. The new legal code makes it possible for the government to find out exactly what types of human rights abuses were committed by the monarchical regime.
Freedoms Act (1976)
The Freedoms Act of 1976 was a series of laws instituted by the Nordhurlandic government on the fourth of April 1976. For its time, it was very progressive in terms of social reforms, giving full rights to LGBTQ+ people and the right to practice one's own religion in Nordhurlant, which in turn helped create a revival of Tapetihan culture in the festivals of Kesasasètnēkaw and Pemitmasasètwastew, in addition to the construction of many Kelūnapo worship sites. However, this act did not give any political freedom to the people and the Nordhurlandic monarchy remained in full control. This gave the illusion that the Tapetihan people were freer at this time, and in some way they were, but all aspects of their lives were still closely monitored and controlled by the Nordhurlandic government. This act also coincided with an expansion of private companies in Nordhurlant, however these too were directly controlled by the government and only sought to divide and extort money from the Tapetihan people.
Popular Language Decree (1989)
The Popular Language Decree of 1989 was, in essence, a follow-up to the aforementioned Freedoms Act of 1976. This Popular Language Decree gave the Tapetihan people the right to use their native language in public and in schools, and to request municipal or country services in that language. This is still today limited to municipal and county services, while federal government business is still conducted in Nordhic. Before this act, Tapetihan people were punished by the secret police for using their language in any public place, including schools. This limited the Tapetihan language use to inside the home, where it was thought that it would stay and eventually die out. This tactic caused considerable tension between the Tapetihans and the government and ultimately failed because of the simple fact that the Tapetihan majority was too great. With the advent of this decree, whose writing is entirely attributed to the monarch himself, the Tapetihan people were given even more social freedoms in order ot ease dissent.
Administrative Divisions
Nordhurlant was formerly divided into 19 counties (Nordhic: Fylkor, Tapetihan: Matnasèt), which each had a head municipality. The counties were each named for an eminent historical elitist. The largest city in each municipality was the head municipality, though this was not a set rule. If any new counties were created, it is assumed that the largest municipality would have been chosen as the head municipality. Nordhurlant's counties had existed since before Nordhurlandic independence, under the United Kingdom of Lhedwin. However, once Nordhurlant got its independence the names were changed to members of the Old Nordhic elite in the Administrative Division Name Decree (1866).
|
After the Twilight Revolution, the provisional government headed by Kāqujkaj created new administrative divisions to better reflect the makeup of the country. There are four levels of government in the Confederacy of Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki. Topmost is the federal government whose jurisdiction is over the whole country, followed by the communal governments, of which there are five. The largest is the Tapetihan Ethnic Community (TEC) which has jurisdiction over most of the country, minus the region of Nordhurstadt and the cities of Kīkkaj, Maqamikaqalal and Ektanaskek. Nordhurstadt and the surrounding region make up the other large division of the communal government, the Nordhic Ethnic Community, or NEC. The city of Kīkkaj , or 'Úr mBaille' in Cuirpthean, is under the control of the Cuirpthean Autonomous Administrative Region, or CAAR. Similarly, Maqamikaqalal or 'Paluzza', forms the Ardaiman Autonomous Administrative Region, or AAAR. Further south, the city of Ektanaskek, or 'Vastabmerele', makes up the Liidurian Autonomous Administrative Region, the LAAR. These autonomous regions receive the same freedoms as the Ethnic Communities when it comes to language rights, though they are afforded less freedom over taxation and other necessary services as they are too small to survive on their own. One level of government down is the provincial government. Only the Tapetihan Economic Community has this level of government as it is far larger than the others. Currently, the TEC is divided into 9 provinces, each named for a resource traditionally important to that area. The lowest level of government in Nordhurlant-Èlnumikmaki is the municipal government, there being 380 municipalities in all of the country. While Nordhurlant is in name a Confederacy, it functions more like a devolved unitary state, with power invested in the federal government, some of which is devolved to lower governmental levels.
|
Military
The military of Nordhurlant is underdeveloped, though modernization efforts are being made by the new government. Before the revolution, it was comprised of at most 9000 active personnel. The navy of Nordhurlant counted 24 wooden frigates and 1 destroyer, though the new government is exploring possibilities of a naval arms deal with foreign powers. The navy counted 3000 of the 9000 total personnel. The air force of Nordhurlant counted only 1500, while having had a legion of 42 jet fighters and 4 attack helicopters. The army, mostly in the form of reserves, was undersupplied and underequipped. The monarchy paid barely any attention to the military. There was a significant role played by the secret police force in Nordhurlant in monitoring the populace and maintaining order in the times of the old regime, and it was this police force that was significant to its survival. At one point, almost 13,000 citizens were employed in the secret police force. The power of the police force was technically unlimited, and several foreign nations had raised concerns about abuses of power. Funding for the military by the monarchy was nearly cut off in 1992 because of a training accident that left the Prince with non life-threatening injuries and caused the destruction of a tugboat. The monarchy had since increased funding, realizing that to maintain their isolationist foreign policy, they must be able to somewhat defend themselves.
Nordhurlant played little to no role in either of the Aeian Great Wars, standing by its isolationist tactics even when the rest of the world fell into turmoil. However, many Tapetihan citizens who escaped Nordhurlant across the Ikūn Bay to the Lhaeraidh colony of Caer Dyf found themselves pressured to enlist in indigenous batallions, such as the Cosita Vestraidh. The new democratic government is currently seeking partners from whom to receive arms, vehicles, boats and planes to rekindle the lacklustre and failing armed forces. The government has promised that the acquisition of foreign arms is not a threat to the state, amidst fear that foreign governments may try to conquer Nordhurlant, the kind of fear the previous monarchist government's isolationist policies instilled.
Foreign Relations
Nordhurlant has historically been an isolationist country, only recently opening up to foreign investment after the revolution, with the government's hopes that it will help boost the economy and bring wealth into the country. Foreign relations with any country were previously viewed as dangerous and no embassies were ever been welcomed into Nordhurlant. Foreigners visiting Nordhurlant were viewed with hostility and most people were generally not welcoming. Similarly, the monarchy's policy on immigration followed the same pattern. Very few immigrants ever made it into Nordhurlant, and if they doid, they would have found it hard to live well. This policy of isolation had led to great issues with poverty and inequality in Nordhurlant, with the richest percent having controlled about 70% of the nation's wealth. Throughout the twentieth century, Nordhurlant had been invited to several organizations but has declined each time. These organizations included the communist UVR, the Lhedwin Council and the Ardaiman Heritage Community, in addition to many other less pertinent organizations. Nordhurlant had been sanctioned and embargoed by several countries around Aeia because of its blatant human rights abuses. The entirety of the Commonwealth of Democratic Nations, the Lhedwin Council and the Ardaiman Heritage Community in addition to various individual nations had condemned and sanctioned Nordhurlant. The country continued to survive despite a lack of foreign trade and imports.
After the revolution and subsequent elections and change of government, these policies were completely reversed. Tourists and immigrants are now welcomed and strongly encouraged to come to Nordhurlant. THe government hopes this opening of borders will have a boom effect on the economy, providing much needed money and wealth for the currently impoverished nation. In 2019, Nordhurlant applied to join both the CDN and the Ardaiman Heritage Community.
Economy
While Nordhurlant does not have the lowest nominal GDP in Vestrim, at $565 million, is it per capita the poorest nation in Vestrim, and in all of Aeia, with a GDP per capita of only $556.20. Nordhurlant maintained its isolationist stance economically unitl recently, which means it could not rely on exports, imports and foreign trade for income. The economy of Nordhurlant relied solely on the exploitation of the country's rich natural resources. Copper, lumber, wheat, tin, iron, hydroelectricity and canola are the main goods produced, however there is a small but lucrative furniture-building industry utilising the leftover lumber that is not exported. In fact, the exportation and importation of goods is the main way Nordhurlant as a state interacted with its neighbours, though this rarely ever happened. The economy is therefore mostly self-contained. The centre of the country produces the most agricultural goods, churning out 900,000 tonnes of canola products and 1.4 million tonnes of wheat in 2016. The north of the country is well-known for its forests, and produced 600,000 tonnes of lumber in 2017. The hydroelectric plants built by the monarchy provide enough power for the eastern half of Nordhurlant, however coal is used in the west. The main minerals mined in Nordhurlant are copper, tin, iron, some nickel and some coal. Some estimates put the amount of coal reserves as the 5th largest in Aeia, however the monarchy is wary of its exploitation fearing that it may bring foreigners into Nordhurlant. The mining sector is found primarily in the south of Nordhurlant. An ancient meteorite impact at Siputaqaméten has left large deposits of minerals. Agriculture is an important industry in Nordhurlant, as it provides for the food resources of much of the population. In the Siputaqaméten-Kespekmetén valley, the conditions are right for the large-scale cultivation of wheat and oats, which form an essential part of the cuisine of both Nordhics and Tapetihans.
Agriculture
The aforementioned Siputaqaméten-Kespekmetén valley is sometimes referred to as "the breadbasket of Nordhurlant". Without its grain production, it is unlikely the country would have survived on its own. This region produces the bulk of the country's grain, including wheat, oats and barley, in addition to the traditional "three sisters" of Tapetihan cultivation, squash, corn and beans. This region also has a small fruit and berries cultivation sector, with apples, pawpaw, chestnut and blueberries being the main goods produced. Elsewhere in Nordhurlant, near the Patāqmetasok cliffs, a small but lucrative mayflower cultivation industry exists. The mayflowers can be used for dye, though it takes many tonnes of petals to get a concentrated purple colour. The mayflowers can also be used in food products, as their petals and extract have a mildly sweet, herbal flavour. Mayflower flavouring is a traditional component of majblomvant, a slightly alcoholic Nordhic beverage. The main company responsible for the cultivation of grain in the Siputaqaméten-Kespekmetén valley was AgriCorp Norðurlant, a government-controlled corporation. The company responsible for fruit cultivation in the valley was FrujgtNorð, while the company responsible for mayflower cultivation was Patāqmetasok ewnekwaswek. Both of these companies were also heavily controlled and influenced by the monarchy. Farming techniques are sub-par in Nordhurlant. Nordhurlandic farmers tend to use too much water for what they need, therefore taxing rivers and affecting the environment, but their equipment is also old-fashioned and inefficient. Most farms in Nordhurlant do not have a mechanized harvester or tractor, so it must be all done by hand. This makes for a gross waste of time, energy and resources, while decreasing output drastically. In recent years before the revolution, the Nordhurlandic monarchy had attempted to bring the equipment and techniques of Nordhurlandic farms up to date in an effort to increase food production.
Lumbering & Mining
The largest deposits of copper in Vestrim are located in Siputaqaméten, whose name in Tapetihan means "land of metal". While this resource has been exploited by Tapetihans for thousands of years, it had also been instrumental in Nordhurlandic survival as an isolated country for over a hundred years. Discovered in 1813, these copper, zinc, iron and tin deposits form the backbone of the confined Nordhurlandic economy, providing jobs and finding its niche in making manufactured goods. This in turn created opportunity for processing plants and manufactories that themselves created jobs and opportunities for investment from the government. When it was discovered, geologists were brought in to determine how the deposit came to be. They determined that these metal deposits were formed when an asteroid hit Aeia around 170 million years ago, leaving a metal-rich crater. Evidence for this crater can still be seen today on a topographic map of Nordhurlant. The largest mining company in Nordhurlant was based in Nordhurstadt, Norðnám, and it controlled the largest open-pit mine in all of Nordhurlant. Nordhurlant had come under fire for human rights abuses at the mines in addition to a blatant disregard for worker safety. In 2002, 14 Tapetihan workers were killed at the Norðnám mine when a load of iron slag was accidentally dumped on them by a dump truck.
Nordhurlant also has a fairly large lumbering sector on account of its vast forests inland. The forests of Nordhurlant are mostly mixed lumber in the south, meaning both coniferous trees like pine, spruce or fir, and deciduous trees like white birch, ash and chestnut. The farther north one goes in Nordhurlant, the more the forests become dominated by these coniferous trees. This variety of trees allows Nordhurlant to have a variety of small lumber based industries, such as furniture manufacturing and paper production. The Siputaqaméten-Kespekmetén valley is famous for its perceived lack of tress, for this is the only place that grain can be cultivated. The largest Nordhurlandic lumber company is based in Nordhurstadt and is called Prinsentræ. This company directly owns a large portion of the countryside in Mylk Bjernesons Fylk.
Fishing
.jpg)
Nordhurlant has a long history of fishing, first started by the Tapetihans around seven thousand years ago. Nordhurlant's unique geology in terms of the Vestric continental shelf, whose relatively shallow waters provide the right conditions for large schools of fish, especially cod and mackerel. Tapetihans have taken advantage of this food source for thousands of years as a means of survival. Upon the arrival of the Asurans, whose boats were better suited to fishing far from land, a large lucrative fishing industry began. Fish were once so plentiful over the shelf that one could simply drag a net through the water and have it come up full of fish, rather than using a traditional fishing rod. This fishing industry was the backbone of the isolated Nordhurlandic economy until the industrial revolution of the 1950s, in which mining became the dominant industry. Fishing in Nordhurlant continues to this day, however fish stocks have begun to decline due to over fishing. Most fishing operations are small local fishing trawlers which go out and collect fish using nets. Most of these fishing trawler operations are directly owned or indirectly controlled by the monarchy-controlled corporation Norðfisk. The fishing techniques in Nordhurlant are relatively old-fashioned and outdated, closely resembling those used elsewhere in the 1950s. The plastic mesh nets used by Nordhurlandic fishermen are a major cause of pollution in the Opal Ocean, as they do not degrade and are often tossed into the Opal Ocean when ripped or otherwise broken.
Infrastructure & Transportation
The infrastructure in Nordhurlant is lacking compared to its neighbours. There are no established public transport systems anywhere except the former capital, where it is composed of a few sparse city buses, and roads all over the country are falling into disrepair. The lone airport in Nordhurstadt (Floghavm Nordhurstadt) was seldom used because of the lack of a tourism business, and it too shows signs of disuse, though the new government has promised renovations and possibly a second airport in Jakālesamān. The only paved routes are those that connect major cities and towns together, all others are unpaved or plain dirt roads or paths. Most of the nation has access to electricity, which was set up in the 1960s during the modernization era. Almost every town has a power generating station, where either water power is used or coal is burnt to produce electricity. Citizens were strictly forbidden to use the internet, as the monarchy feared it may give access to knowledge previously unknown in Nordhurlant, such as how bad living standards really are, and a way to ignite a revolution against the government. This was not enough to prevent an eventual revolution, however, and post-revolution the citizens of Nordhurlant are free to communicate with the outside world.
Demographics
Ethnicities in Nordhurlant (2016 census)
In 2016, Nordhurlant had a population of 1,105,827, with almost one hundred percent of the growth coming from natural population growth inside the country as almost no immigration or emigration was permitted. Nordhurlant, in terms of population, sits in the middle of rankings in Vestrim, being neither the most populous country nor the least populous, being somewhere in between. The country has an area of 236,976 square kilometres, giving it a population density of 4.29 people per square kilometre. The most populous regions are along the coast in large settlements such as Jakālesamān, Paqtatesamqwan and Nordhurstadt, with a smaller population inland, mostly concentrated around the town of Siputaqaméten. In all, the counties of Grimmrs Fylk, Bardda Hepnisons Fylk, Hraupi Nemmrsons Fylk and Ordnar Larsons Fylk were the most populated in the country, with their combined populations representing more than seventy-five percent of the total population of Nordhurlant. Life expectancy in Nordhurlant is around 71.1 years for men, and around 73.4 years for women. This number is relatively low for countries in Vestrim, especially former colonial nations. The fertility rate in Nordhurlant is around 2.1, which is average by colonial Vestric standards but if it follows its trend of dropping the population in Nordhurlant may soon fall into decline as there are not enough children being born as to replace the dying population.
Nordhurlant is composed of several ethnic groups, however the main ones are the Tapetihans and the Nordhics. Tapetihans make up a large majority of Nordhurlant, comprising almost seventy-five percent of the population while Nordhic peoples comprise a further eighteen percent. Other colonial peoples such as the Ardaimam, Liidurians and Cuirptheans still in Nordhurlant from when their respective countries held colonies in Nordhurlant make up the rest of the population. A very small portion of Nordhurlanders are described as "Other", making up only one percent of the population. These other peoples are foreign peoples who have evaded expulsion by the government thus far or have been granted residence in Nordhurlant. These peoples are variously Midrasian, Newreyan or Brillian. Shortly after independence, many Nordhurlanders went back to Lhedwin as they were loyal to the Lhedwinic government. The total Nordhurlandic diaspora is estimated to be only around 4000 people.
Education
Education in Nordhurlant was typically divided into four stages, all planned by the state. The first stage in the country was optional private preschool from the ages of three through five. Primary education was started from a young age, typically starting at around five. Primary school focused on readying the child to become subservient to the monarchist regime through methods such as history glorifying the regime and learning the children to become obedient to order. Primary school typically finished around the age of twelve years. Secondary education prepared the students for work in one of the natural resource industries. In 2016, only 58% of Nordhurlanders had completed secondary education. After secondary school, the new workers were assigned to a job for a minimum of 6 years. After that, they may have chosen whatever profession they wanted. The monarchy afforded special attention to the education system. Standard subjects included the Tapetihan language, natural sciences, mathematics & arithmetic, Nordhic history, Nordhurlandic geography and other, specified career-oriented subjects such as woodworking, agrarian studies and mining geology. The monarchy was careful to enforce a curriculum that intentionally leaves out details about the poor living standards in Nordhurlant and the spread of globalism and interconnectedness among wealthier nations. Use of the internet was strictly prohibited. Only the elite were allowed to pursue post-secondary education, unless the student was able to flee the country to receive higher education. Schools were exclusively private, though all school corporations are actively monitored by the monarchy if not outright under the control of it. Religion is not taught in school, as it can be a means of dividing the population, for the main ethnic groups in Nordhurlant practice essentially different religions and the government wishes to unite the people under their banner.
Religion
The official state religion was Truathism, however only Nordhics follow this. The majority of people (64%) follow an animistic religion. The Tapetihans call this belief "Kelūnapo", meaning 'the good side'. They believe everything has a spirit, and should be cared for as if it were alive. Demonstratively, all plants, animals and celestial beings are animate objects in Tapetihan. Worship centres consist of totem poles and a fire, carrying on the traditions of the pre-Asuran Tapetihan people. The animals and plants on the totem poles are specific to the local species in the area. A growing number of people in Nordhurlant identify as irreligious folk, agnostic or atheist, marking a new trend that follows the tendencies of other, wealthier countries. In 2016, 3% of people in Nordhurlant identified as following neither Kelūnapo nor Trúathi. Churches that practice Trúathi are sponsored by the government, however few are used. These churches are unwanted by the people, as they take up space in a community and they represent the continued oppression of the Tapetihan people. Kelūnapo followers usually go to these places of worship once a week, and some more often. Here, they use the poles and the fire to communicate with the natural spirits in the area who govern their lives. The totem poles represent the life and energy of the area and more broadly the world, while the fire represents the destruction and chaos of the world. The balance of these two forces in paramount to the Kelūnapo faith. A testament to this is the Tapetihan language itself, where all natural things that are not soil and rock itself, including fire, are believed to be animate, that is, these things are believed to have a conscience and a soul. During traditional festivals such as the festival of darkness before winter and the festival of renewal in the spring, the fire is extinguished to represent a hope for health and survival during the winter for the former, and a peaceful return to bountiful life in the spring for the latter. Although Truathism is not the majoritarian religion, it has had a profound effect on Nordhurlandic domestic policy in the past. The monarchy, having been strong adherents to the faith, had found guidance through their faith and had used this to make crucial decisions up until the 1970s.
Language
Nordhurlant's sole official language was the Nordhic language up until the revoltuion, while the large majority of the people spoke the Tapetihan language. Tapetihan was recognized only in schools but is used as the official language for business inside all municipalities excluding Nordhurstadt and at all county levels. Nordhic is used as the official language of the nation while it is the municipal language of Nordhurstadt. Nordhic is mostly spoken along the eastern coast and in the town of Siputaqaméten. Select households in former colonial towns speak Arday, Liidurian or Cuirpthean. Until 1989, with the advent of the Popular Language Decree, Nordhic was the sole language used in Nordhurlant and was enforced by the government. This practice sought to unify Nordhics and Tapetihans under one language as a means to defer resistance, however this was ineffective simply because the Tapetihan majority was too large. Tapetihans continued to speak their language at home and at school, and when tensions began to rise in the 1980s, it was more effective to allow the freedom of language than attempt to further restrict language use. Before the Popular Language Decree, Asuran minorities in Nordhurlant were allowed to speak their native languages at home without punishment.
Health
Nordhurlant has a fully privatized health system, though these companies were all controlled by the Nordhurlandic monarchy. Each company will offer different services at different prices, and the option between them serves to bleed the Nordhurlanders of their money. Ethnic divisions also played a role in this. Nordhics would be offered better quality services at a lower price, while Tapetihans would be charged a large sum for relatively minor procedures. This only resulted in more money going to the government. Many Nordhurlanders have called for the reform of the health system, although this never came to fruition until the overthrow of the government in 2018. The Nordhurlandic monarchy would spend only the bare minimum on providing services to keep both unrest, tension and costs low. In the past, just before independence, many had the idea of instituting a universal healthcare system, a radical idea for its time. However, upon independence and the cutting off of funds from Lhedwin, this idea was not realized and left Nordhurlant's health system in disrepair. In addition to the blatant racism carried out by the system, many hospitals are simply crumbling due to lack of infrastructure funding, raising concerns from outside advisors about an impending health crisis. Smoking-related diseases such as emphysema and lung cancer are the highest killers in the nation; it is estimated that almost forty percent of Nordhurlanders will die from a smoking-related illness. The Nordhurlandic government had done little to discourage smoking, however to keep population growth up the new government took drastic measures to reduce smoking rates over the next few years.
Culture
The dominant culture in Nordhurlant is Tapetihan culture. This is due to the fact that the ruling elite is a small minority so they cannot attempt to wipe out the native culture. In most schools, the Tapetihan language (Tapetihan: Tapétiqān) is taught instead of Nordhic, as a way of easing tension. This status quo has existed ever since the implementation of the Popular Language Decree (1989). Traditional Tapetihan song and dance are still very popular. Every year, a festival is held celebrating the Tapetihan culture, where almost all the services in the country are closed. Until 1976, this festival was determined illegal by the government, and attempted to be shut down. This prompted most Tapetihan people to celebrate inside their homes, until the Freedoms Act of 1976.
Architecture
Nordhurlandic architecture consists of two main styles that correspond to different periods in Nordhurlandic history. Both of these styles are somewhat influenced by traditional Tapetihan ideals. The period from before the industrial revolution makes up the colonial Nordhurlandic artchitectural period. It is characterized by heavy Asuran influence, specifically Lhedwinic and Newreyan architecture of the same period. Characterized by accentuated finials and details, wooden beam or stone construction and steep, straight symmetric lines, it is the main style of many colonial towns like Nordhurstadt, Paqtatesamqwan and others. Post-colonial architecture comprises Nordhurlandic architectural styles from the nineteen-sixties onwards. It shows considerable modernist influence from places like Motsvara and the UVSS. It is characterized by flat, square buildings with style sacrificed for uniformity and ease of construction.
The colonial Nordhurlandic style may be further broken down into two groups, city colonial architecture and rural colonial architecture. The city colonial style was used in high-density parts of a city and could be used to fit many buildings into a tight space. City colonial architecture is marked by bright coloured facades of buildings bordering on the street with steep roofs and symmetrical windows. These houses are usually very thin but long on the inside and are set back from the road only one or two metres. Several buildings are usually chained together giving a characteristic almost claustrophobic feel based on how close the buildings are packed. Rural colonial design is much more relaxed and fluid and can have curves instead of straight lines for the roof, something very atypical of the city colonial style. Roofs may be made of thatching or tiles and are also characteristically steep. As with the city colonial style, the windows on the facade of a rural colonial house are usually symmetric and follow the golden rule of rectangular design. Facades of rural colonial buildings are much less flashy than those of the city style, being almost exclusively white in colour. A prominent Nordhurlandic designer in the colonial style was Morgar Grimmrson, born in Jakalesipu. He was influential in developing the Nordhurlandic twist on the traditional Lhedwinic style and is credited with practically inventing the style. He is most famously known for the royal palace of Heyggjurberg, constructed in an elevated colonial style. Morgar was a member of the Old Nordhic elite and was given a county named after him.
The post-colonial style of Nordhurlandic architecture is very uniform. Buildings in this style tend to have multiple floors and have no slanted roof, instead having a flat top. These buildings were primarily constructed during the 1950s industrial boom and onwards. The main building materials characteristic to this style are concrete and steel. Buildings may remain grey, though they are sometimes whitewashed to give a sense of cleanliness. Windows go up in rows along the entire building, being very symmetrical. Post-colonial buildings are very rare to have curves and when they do, it is something small and detailed, like a rounded balcony coming off a structure. It is very rare to find single residences built in the post-colonial style, as most residential buildings constructed in the style take the form of apartment complexes. However, service buildings like fire stations, hospitals and schools are mostly constructed in this style. Post-colonial architecture dominates settlements outside of older cities, being most representative in towns that grew during or after the industrial revolution, such as Siputaqaméten. The most famous example of post-colonial Nordhurlandic architecture is probably Nordhurlant's only ariport, Floghavm Nordhurstadt in Nordhurstadt.
Cuisine
Nordhurlandic cuisine can be divided into two broad categories, colonial or Nordhic cuisine comprising the traditional foods brought over and currently eaten by ethnic Nordhics or more broadly all colonial Nordhurlanders. Tapetihan cuisine is considered to be more ancient and to carry more tradition of the land, though both styles are heavily infulenced by the lack of food-diverse resources in Nordhurlant and the harsh climate.
Traditional Nordhic fare is eaten most ties of day, including svinpelser, a pork sausage made with traditional Nordhic spices and hveðharr, a wheat-based porridge-like dish (literally "wheat-oat") for breakfast; syltede blending, a medley of pickled foods sometimes including eggs, pork, cucumbers and beets, harrbroð, an oat-based bread and rodsuppe, a mixed root vegetable soup consisting of carrots, beets, potatoes and cattail roots; stejgt gost, a dish of roast goose and gravy for Sunday suppers. Breakfast is normally eaten very soon after waking, usually within fifteen minutes to a half hour. However, high-paced modern life has proven this to be inconvenient, and more Nordhurlanders eat breakfast later, verging on ten o'clock or completely skipping breakfast entirely. Lunch is traditionally eaten at noon or shortly after, however following the modern trend of eating breakfast later, sometimes eating lunch as late as three o'clock post-meridiem. Supper can be comprised of many dishes, or most commonly simply cobbled together from food laying around with the exception of Sunday night supper. Sunday night supper is a big event and family members and friends are usually invited. Sunday supper can sometimes last until midnight, filled with many courses and traditional drinks, such as majblomvant "mayflower water", a slightly fermented beverage flavoured with mayflower extract and børrersøl "farmer's ale", a type of wheat beer.
Tapetihan cuisine represents a culture of thousands of years of survival in one climate before the arrival of the Asurans and many continue this tradition to this day. There are traditionally only two meals eaten during the day, one at mid-morning, around ten o'clock and one in the evening around five o'clock post-meridiem. The usual Tapetihan morning meal consists of an unleavened oat bread called pipnaqan, a couple chunks of pemmican, a variety of fresh or dried fruits and berries such as apples, pawpaw and blueberries, and a hot wheat beverage called juātat made by soaking wheat kernels in hot water. The second meal of the day consists normally of a piece of salted cod, called salasètatoq, more pemmican, roast hog or deer and a fermented wheat beer. Tapetihan-style pemmican is made from most commonly moose meat but can also be made with hog or deer meat pounded with dried blueberries and lard. Tapetihan food does not vary much across the year as the type of food eaten preserves well and can be stored throughout the harsh winter. In the winter, fresh fruits are substituted with dried or otherwise preserved fruits and berries. Once a year, to celebrate the coming of winter, a large feat is held in late October where the remnants of fresh food leftover are eaten to make sure they do not spoil. This festival is accompanied by traditional song and dance along with many fermented and alcoholic beverages. In Tapetihan, the feast is known as pemitmasasètwastew.
The Arts
While not being renowned today for its arts, Nordhurlant once had a thriving art scene in the years before its independence. There were many influential Nordhurlandic playwrights, painters and musicians, however most of the community fled back to Lhedwin when the monarchy took over. Nordhurlandic painters are most famous for having painted in the style of realism. Some famous Nordhurlandic paintings include Ejnn majblom by Lars Emmrson, Kynt með appelcatæjer by Nikolas Larsson and Danset by Edvar Helgesson. Kynt með appelcatæjer is arguably Nordhurlant's most famous artwork, and is currently housed in the royal palace. It is the portrait of a young woman in her twenties outside surrounded by leaves and hanging oranges. It shows Nikolas Larsson's excellent portrayal of a still-life blended with a portrait and his characteristic strong use of light contrast, specifically showing the light reflecting off the oranges. Nordhurlandic playwright Vilhjelm Ornarson is most famous for his portrayal of the War of the Mayflower in his play with the same name, Kriggjet af majblomen. He, although a celebrated person in Nordhurlant, fled back to Lhedwin in 1865 and continued to write plays there until his death in 1883. A statue of him is erected in his hometown, Paqtatektān.
Nordhurlant was once celebrated for its decorated musicians, most of whom also fled back to Lhedwin after independence. Arguably Nordhurlant's most famous composer, Sigurð Vilhjelmson is responsible for composing many works still heard around Nordhurlant today. Notable works include Oj smuggje majblom, Nordhurlant's national anthem, Flute Concerto in D major, Sonata in G minor - Norðurlænder and Min hjemm. Vilhjelmson is perhaps most recognizable for his romanticist and nationalistic style of composition, which poises his works as favourable to the Nordhurlandic government for their invigorating melodies and monarchy-glorfying lyrics and tone.
Nordhurlant had relatively few fiction authors during its time as a colony, with most of the works written in Nordhurlant at this time being oddly romanticist skewed histories of, variously, Asura, Lhedwin and Nordhurlant itself. Shortly after independence, writers were hired in Nordhurlant to help fabricate histories in order to purposefully mislead the populace. This tradition continues to this day, however in modern times the reach of these historical fabricators has been extended to school curricula in an attempt to achieve the blind allegiance of school children, and a glorification of the monarchist regime. It was not until recently that a fiction author has come about producing material that is not directly tied to the government, as this was not allowed before the 1976 Freedoms Act. Atoq Jīklewjij is a children's book writer who writes stories of the traditional Tapetihan oral legends with a modern twist. His most famous work is a modern adaptation of Kasātkiūl néāsnikekkal, the Tapetihan story of creation with the same name.
Public holidays and festivals
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Independence Day | 7 March |
| Kesasasètnēkaw | 20 - 26 March |
| Pemitmasasètwastew | 21 - 30 October |
| Yuletide | 20 December |
The Nordhic government recognizes holidays in association with Truathism, in addition to traditional Tapetihan holidays. On holidays, most services are closed, bar hospitals, police stations and fire stations. The most widely celebrated festival in Nordhurlant is the Tapetihan festival of kesasasètnēkaw, celebrating the renewal and arrival of light at the vernal equinox and the end of winter. During this festival, which can last for up to a week, traditional Tapetihan foods are eaten in excess throughout the day in preparation for the new food growth and harvest in the spring. Many alcoholic beverages are consumed, mainly traditional Tapetihan istuiasètsamqwan. This festival of renewal is the counter to the Tapetihan festival preparing for winter, pemitmasasètwastew, where the remnants of perishable food are eaten over a few days to avoid them going off during the winter months. Both of these festivals are accompanied by traditional Tapetihan song and dance, specifically music made using drums and rattles. Traditional hymns are sung that involve various religious connotations to Kelūnapo and the stories of creation. While mainly only Tapetihan people celebrate these occasions, Nordhic people normally do not have work as people will be home themselves. Nordhics in turn celebrate the traditional Truathi holiday of Yule. Like other festivals, a lot of food is eaten in addition to traditional beverages such as æjgøl, an alcoholic drink made with egg yolks, spirits and sugar, while children will drink majblom o appelvant, an apple and mayflower flavoured carbonated beverage. Gifts are given to others in and outside the family, to celebrate the presence of God in their lives. In addition to traditional festivals, the national independence day, the seventh of March, is observed as a holiday and many people simply relax at home and enjoy the day off.
Media
Media in Nordhurlant is privatized, though all private companies are heavily monitored by the state. They may only show material that is deemed appropriate by the government, while giving the illusion unto their viewers of something different or even the objective truth. While the internet is not allowed in Nordhurlant, television and written material remain dominant in terms of means of communication. Media is usually separated into languages, to target a specific audience.
There exist three main newspapers in Nordhurlant, the monolingual Nordhic Dagligje avisen ("The Daily News"), the bilingual Tapetihan-Nordhic Etalnuloqomoqwātaqeklusūaqan/Avis affenlig ("Public Newspaper") and the monolingual Liidurian Liiduriik ühenduse ajad ("Liidurian Community Times"). There exist many more radio and television stations, most of which broadcast both radio and television in conjunction with each other. There is the TV/Radio Nordhic station in Nordhurstadt, NRDTV, which has branches in Paqtatesamqwan, Jakalesipu, Jakālesamān and Ektanaskek. In addition, the mining town of Siputaqaméten has its own Nordhic language service, known as minneTV, "Mineworks TV".
The main Tapetihan language television service is Èlnu napuikik ("People Television"), or EN for short. EN has stations in all major cities across the country. An EN affiliate, Èlnu latīo ("People Radio") is responsible for Tapetihan language radio broadcasts. In addition to these widely-used services, there are weekly broadcasts on special networks for the Ardaiman, Cuirpthean and Liidurian minorities. The Ardaiman broadcast lasts three hours and is broadcast from noon until three o'clock post-meridiem from Maqamikaqalal every Thursday. This broadcast is called Tre ore da Paluzza, "Three hours from Paluzza (Maqamikaqalal)". The Cuirpthean broadcast lasts four hours from four o'clock post-meridiem to eight o'clock post-meridiem, broadcast from Kīkkaj. This broadcast is called Sliseág in Chuirpeidh, "A Slice of Cuirpthe". The Liidurian language broadcast comes from eight o'clock ante-meridiem through ten o'clock ante-meridiem and is broadcast from Ektanaskek. It is called Liiduriik kultuuri saateid, "The Liidurian Culture Broadcast".
Nordhurlant has a small but lucrative cinema scene. Various movies and TV shows have all been produced under the watchful eyes of the monarchy. Most of these productions directly glorify the monarchy in some way or another. One of the best selling movies in Nordhurlant of all time is an adaptation of Vilhjelm Ornarson's famous play "Kriggjet af majblomen". One of the biggest Nordhurlandic television series is the Tapetihan comedic drama Ula atasètkekinamātimkeweiajjēknīn, "This Here Fishing Book of Mine", for which actor Kāqujkaj Atoq has received high praise inside the country.
Population: 1,015,827 · Capital: Nordhurstadt · Languages: Nordhic | ||
| History | <imgur w="250px">lTXHImq.png</imgur> | |
| Monarchy & State | ||
| Law | ||
| Cities | ||
| Demographics | Tapetihan people · Tapetihan language (Tapetihan phrasebook) · Education · Health · Religion (Trúathi) · (Kelūnapo) | |
| Culture | ||
| Symbols | ||
