Surrow
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Republic of Surrow | |
|---|---|
| Motto: Munus splendidum mox explebitur Our splendid task will soon be fulfilled | |
Anthem: O Plough of the Heavens | |
| Map of Surrow (green) Map of Surrow (green) | |
| Capital and largest city | Holcot Inlet |
| Official languages | Rythenean |
| Recognised regional languages | Chequan Itchalnu |
| Ethnic groups (2021) | Auressian-Surrowese (90.8%) Other (9.2%) |
| Religion (2021) | Perendism (89.4%) Irreligion (10%) Other (0.6%) |
| Demonym(s) | Surrowese |
| Government | Unitary parliamentary republic with an executive presidency |
| Dwight Timbrell | |
| Independence | |
• From Rythene | June 24, 1950 |
| Area | |
• Total | 28,188.84 km2 (10,883.77 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2021 census | 171,550 |
• Density | 6.09/km2 (15.8/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | estimate |
• Total | $5,498,005,950 |
• Per capita | $32,049 |
| GDP (nominal) | estimate |
• Total | $9,378,981,600 |
• Per capita | $54,672 |
| Gini (2021) | 30.6 medium |
| HDI (2021) | 0.894 very high |
| Currency | Albrennian guilder (ALG) |
| Time zone | -4 |
| Date format | dd-mm-yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | TBD |
| ISO 3166 code | SW |
| Internet TLD | .sw |
Surrow is a country located in northeastern Maurceania Major, and is the second northernmost country in the world after Pelemia. Situated on the Surrowese archipelago between the Breuvician Ocean to the west and north, Rowland Bay to the south and east, it shares maritime borders with TBA to the south via the Talbot Strait. Sixty-four percent of the country's population lives in the capital city, Holcot Inlet, making it by far the primate city in the country.
Prior to colonisation, Surrow was inhabited by indigenous peoples, beginning from around 3000 BP: at the time of colonisation, the Surrowese archipelago was inhabited by Chequan and Itchalnu. However, after Avery Holcot discovered the archipelago in 1486, and noted that its waters were abundant with fish, Auressian nations sought to rule over the archipelago, with the two most prominent ones being Rythene and Tyrnica. Competition between the two countries over the Surrowese archipelago and its abundant fishing grounds would last until the end of the Eleven Years War in 1759 between Rythene and Tyrnica, which concluded with Rythene assuming sole control over the archipelago.
During the Great Upheaval, Surrow was neglected by the Rytheneans, which led to the beginning of Surrowese self-government. Although after the Great Upheaval, Rythenean control was restored, the Surrowese would desire a greater say in their affairs, and would chafe under continued Rythenean rule. Despite this, Surrow would maintain its position as part of the Rythenean Empire until it gained independence in 1950.
In 1951, palladium was discovered on Great Island, leading to increased interest in the Surrowese archipelago by General Armaments. This led to substantial economic investment, with the Tulaktarvik mine becoming the primary economic engine of Surrow, especially after the cod fisheries in Surrow began to decline. Today, Surrow is a part of the invisible empire, with Surrow maintaining good relations with the invisible empire and the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia, and is a full member of the Assembly of Marceaunian States.
Etymology
The name Surrow comes from the Principean phrase Îles sur la baie de Rowland, meaning islands over the Rowland Bay. The phrase first appears on a map published by (some Principean dude) in 1498, with the phrase being shortened into the Principean Îles Surro by 1539. The Rythenean form Surrow would first appear in 1547, although Surro was also common in Rythenean until the early 19th century when Rythenean spelling standardised into Surrow.
In the indigenous languages spoken on Surrow, the Itchalnu word for Surrow is Nunagijavut, meaning our country, while the Chequan word for Surrow is Utessit, which means on this land here.
History
Pre-colonisation
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The first humans arrived on Holcot Island around 3,000 years BP from mainland Maurceania Major, marking the beginning of human habitation of the Surrowese archipelago. The earliest inhabitants of the archipelago were known as the Pre-Armin culture, with the Pre-Armin culture spreading to Great Island and Kikik Island by 2,000 years before present. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Pre-Armin culture had stone tools, lived in settlements no larger than 50 people, and subsisted primarily on land mammals.
Beginning around 500 BCE, the Armin culture emerged in Holcot Island. Unlike the Pre-Armin culture, the Armin culture lived in settlements ranging from 100 to 200 people, subsisted on sea mammals and fish, and made many miniature stone carvings, suggesting that the Armin were shamanist. The Armin would spread into Great Island and Kikik Island by around 50 CE, although some Pre-Armin artefacts can continue to be found as late as 500 CE.
By around 500 CE, the proto-Itchalnu arrived on Holcot Island, and would spread across the archipelago by 600 CE, although Armin artefacts can continue to be found as late as 1400 CE. The proto-Itchalnu had larger boats, and more advanced stone tools than either the pre-Armin or Armin cultures, and relied almost entirely on sea mammals, such as whales, and later, fish, to survive in the Surrowese archipelago. Proto-Itchalnu settlements ranged in size from 100 to 600 people. By around 1000 CE, regional variations began to emerge among the proto-Itchalnu, and by the time of the discovery of the Surrowese archipelago by Auressians, the proto-Itchalnu became the Itchalnu.
Around 1300 CE, a branch of the Ayisiyinowak from present-day Rosalia migrated to Holcot Island, where they would settle and become the ancestors of the Chequan. Unlike the proto-Itchalnu who lived on Holcot Island, the Chequan relied more on land mammals and plants than marine life, and the Chequan's artefacts were closer to the Ayisiyinowak than the Itchalnu. Furthermore, while the Chequan traded with the Itchanlu and neighbouring peoples on mainland Maurceania Major, the Chequan never established permanent settlements on Great Island and Kikik Island.
Auressian settlement
Although it is speculated that earlier explorers who used the Sherborn Loop from the time Rufus Albren discovered Albrennia in 1460 may have sighted the Surrowese archipelago, the first comfirmed Auressian to sight and to land on the Surrowese archipelago was Avery Holcot in 1486, when he landed on Holcot Island. Avery Holcot noted the existence of a "great harbour" in what is today Holcot Inlet that was excellent for "wintering over." Kikik Island was discovered by Josias Broughton in 1511, and Great Island was discovered by Konrad Vorgrimler in 1554.
From the early 1490s onward, fishermen from Auressia began flocking to the Surrowese Archipelago, attracted to the rich fishing grounds that surrounded it. Most of the fishermen came from Rythene and Tyrnica, who over the next century would increase their presence in the archipelago: by 1563, Rythene established its first permanent settlement at present-day Holcot Inlet, with Tyrnica establishing its first permanent settlement, Kleinerhafen, in 1568 at the present-day Holcot Inlet neighbourhood of Klinerhaven.
By the seventeenth century, both Rythene and Tyrnica had permanent settlements scattered throughout the Surrowese archipelago, although only three settlements: Holcot Inlet, Kleinerhafen, and Týrhafen (present-day Tern Harbour) had a permanent year-round population of more than 50 people, with the rest being little more than fishing stages with a couple of houses near the fishing stage. The close presence of Rythenean and Tyrnican settlements in the archipelago led to growing conflict between fishermen, and to skirmishes between settlements.
When the Eleven Years War broke out in 1748, Tyrnica took full control of the archipelago in the first Battle of Holcot Inlet in 1750. However, Rytheneans were able to retake Holcot Inlet in 1758 with the second Battle of Holcot Inlet, and then defeated the Tyrnicans at the Battle of Klinerhaven that same year, permanently ending Tyrnican rule over the Surrowese archipelago, and placing the archipelago under full Rythenean control.
Rythenean rule
In the aftermath of the Eleven Years War, Surrow's population grew as Rythene now had exclusive control over the archipelago. This led to an influx of fishermen moving to the archipelago from Rythene, which helped increase the profitability of the islands' fishing industry. However, its distance from Rythene meant that the colonial government had relatively free rein over day-to-day administration: by 1790, the Surrowese population had reached a year-round of population of around 5,000 people.
During the Rythenean Revolution and the Great Upheaval, the colonial government effectively functioned as an independent state, with Governor Constant Sample leading Surrow from 1789 until his death in 1811. During the 1790s and 1800s, Surrow increased its ties with Albrennia, with some Surrowese political figures during the Great Upheaval, such as Abraham Suitor, advocating for Surrow to become part of Albrennia. However, Governor Sample and his successor, Salmon Edmundson, managed to maintain Surrow's colonial institutions and its relative independence.
In 1816, with the Congress of Vedayen allowing Rythene to maintain control over the Surrowese archipelago, Governor Edmundson was replaced by Phineas Whitelock under the orders of King John VII. As Governor, Whitelock faced significant challenges in his attempts to "restore law and order" to the archipelago as people like Frank Altermann and Robert Stalsworth advocated for increased autonomy within Rythene. In addition, the de-jure independence of Albrennia led to the emergence of smuggling as merchants smuggled goods from Albrennia into Surrow, which led to tensions against Whitelock's rule.
Following the Second Rythenean Revolution in 1824, Whitelock was dismissed in 1825, and was succeeded as Governor by Abner Stedman. Stedman, although sympathetic to calls for self-government, did not believe Surrow had "the population needed to form a sustainable government." However, to placate Altermann and Stalsworth's movement, Stedman established a Legislative Council in 1829 that would "advise the Governor on issues facing the island." While the Legislative Council initially had very little power compared to the Governor, by the mid-19th century, the Legislative Council gained powers over the budget, education, road maintenance, and day-to-day governance as successive Governors deferred to the Legislative Council.
However, as the power of merchants grew, fishermen led by Ian Huber formed the Fishermen's Protective Union in 1878 to challenge the power of the merchants and to advocate for better conditions among the fishermen. During the 1880s, the FPU would grow as many fishermen, particularly in the outports wanted to reform Surrowese society: by the late 1880s, despite accusations that one of its members caused the Great Fire of 1886 that destroyed Holcot Inlet's central business district, the FPU became a significant political force as it advocated for greater autonomy in Surrow and for establishing stores to bypass merchant-controlled stores in the outports. It would continue growing in strength throughout the 1890s, leading to tensions between the colonial government and the FPU.
During the First Great War, Surrow saw almost no fighting, although its fisheries helped supply the Coalition's food supply, soldiers from Surow were deployed to fight in Auressia against the Tyrnicans, and Surrowese Tyrnican was cracked down due to its association with Tyrnica, leading to the dialect entering an irreversible decline. Thus, in 1915, following the end of the war, Surrow was granted significant autonomy by the Rythenean government, with the Rythenean government maintaining control over foreign policy, defence, and monetary and trade policies.
Thus, in the 1915 elections, the FPU, led by Clarence Bradley, became the first democratically-elected government. Under Bradley's premiership, Bradley introduced a basic form of welfare, began investing in roads to connect communities on Holcot Island, and curtailed the powers of the merchants by introducing a minimum wage and establishing regulations on pricing, leading to his re-election in 1919, 1923, 1927, and 1931. However, after Bradley died in 1932, the FPU was succeeded by Eddie Hammond. Hammond sought to greatly reform the fisheries to end the power of the merchants, leading to apprehension among the party right, led by Ted Fisher.
In 1934, after significant infighting between Hammond and Fisher, Fisher and six MPs created the United People's Party. With many in the FPU blaming Hammond for the split, Hammond was removed as Prime Minister later that year, and was replaced with Gilbert Bray. Bray attempted a more moderate course than Hammond and to bring Fisher back into the fold, but it was seen as "too little, too late." In the 1935 elections, Bray was defeated by Ted Fisher, who formed a majority government.
Under Ted Fisher's premiership, he engaged in compromise with the merchants, with Fisher reversing Hammond's reforms to the fisheries, while ensuring that fishermen would be able to buy their equipment at a fare price. Fisher also heavily invested in the outports, with schools and clinics being built during this time, and during the Second Great War, an international airport north of Holcot Inlet in what is today Gateway. This enabled Fisher to be re-elected with increasing majorities in 1939, 1943, and 1947.
In the war's aftermath, Rythene was no longer able to support its colonial empire. This, combined with growing calls for full independence by Surrowese led to Fisher negotiating Surrowese independence from Rythene, leading to Surrow becoming an independent republic on 24 June, 1950.
Independence
Shortly after Surrowese independence, palladium was discovered near Stoney Harbour (present-day Tulaktarvik) in 1951 by General Armaments prospectors. The discovery of palladium led to concerns by the Surrowese government that it lacked full control over Great Island, leading to President Ted Fisher instituting the Northern Integration Scheme in 1953, which would settle Itchalnu into "modern settlements" along the coast of Great Island, with the intention of assimilating the Itchalnu population into the "Surrowese body politic" and to assert Surrowese control over Great Island.
The discovery of palladium and the growing influence of General Armaments would lead to an economic boom in the 1950s and 1960s, causing the standard of living to rise for most Surrowese. Palladium would overtake cod as Surrow's largest export in 1962, and by the late 1960s, the service sector began to develop on Surrow as Surrowese had more disposable income. However, Ted Fisher's rule over Surrow was challenged by factions inside the United People's Party, and by the Alliance of Cooperativists and Trade Unionists, which was formed in 1965 by a merger of the Fisherman's Protection Union and the Worker's Party, due to Fisher's perceived autocratic nature.
In the 1970 elections, although the United People's Party was the largest party in Parliament, the Alliance of Cooperativists and Trade Unionists and the Alliance Party would form a coalition government, allowing for Ian Withers to become Surrow's second President. However, the coalition fell apart due to ideological differences, and due to Ted Fisher being forced out of the leadership of the United People's Party, leading to the United People's Party forming government again in 1971 under the leadership of Isaac Rosenhain.
Roseinhain's presidency was marked by a concerted effort to relocate people from the outports to more centralised towns like Gateway. Although this program was relatively uncontroversial on Great Island, it was very controversial on Holcot and Kikik Islands, leading to Rosenhain being forced out in a caucus revolt in 1976, and to Griffin Davidson becoming President. In 1978, Davidson would declare the Northern Integration Scheme completed, saying that it had "accomplished its aims at integrating Great Island into Surrow." Davidson resigned in 1982, and was succeeded as President by Deacon Parker, who instituted the first economic diversification program in 1984 during an economic downturn in order to reduce Surrow's dependency on the fisheries and on palladium mining. Parker would serve as President until his death in 1987 in a boating accident, leading to Gordon Hoffman serving as Acting President before Michael Chambers won the UPP nomination.
While Chambers continued Parker's economic diversification policies, his proposals in 1992 to reform Surrow's administrative divisions into a set of regions led to significant opposition, with five UPP MPs forming the Anti-Merger Party, and to Chambers' own ouster in 1993. Trevor Morrow would succeed Chambers, but Morrow was seen as being too leftist for the UPP, leading to Morrow's ouster in 1995, with Edgar Stirner becoming President.
Stirner's presidency would be marked by "common sense reforms" which vastly "simplified the tax system" to a flat tax of 3%, reduced regulations, and reformed the welfare system to encourage "personal responsibility," as well as an investment into Surrow's transportation network. However, Stirner's turn to the right led to Morrow splitting from the United People's Party in 1998 to create Our Surrow. After being re-elected in 1999, Stirner would retire in 2003, and was succeeded by his deputy, Damian Shirley. Shirley was seen as a moderate, and would strike a balanced path between Stirner and Morrow. After being re-elected in 2007, Shirley would retire in 2011.
Shirley's successor, Felicity Irving, was the first woman to be President of Surrow. Although initially continuing Shirley's policies, by 2013, Irving would begin instituting socially conservative policies, which would lead to another caucus revolt in 2014 that saw Charles Menton become President. Menton would call a snap election, but was defeated by the ACTU, who for the first time would be the largest party in Parliament. However, ACTU lacked a majority, forcing it to form a coalition with Our Surrow.
Under the presidency of Wyatt Martel, he would create a "strong welfare state" in Withers' vision, and would focus his efforts on improving relations with the Native Surrowese. In 2015, he would apologize for the Northern Integration Scheme, and would designate Chequan and Itchalnu as recognised languages in 2016. However, Martel would become unpopular as he was seen as an incompetent President, and in 2018, the ACTU-Our Surrow coalition would lose power, with Dwight Timbrell becoming President of Surrow.
Timbrell's Presidency has been marked by efforts to diversify the Surrowese economy away from mining and fishing, for reducing access to Martel's welfare state, and to reduce the prominence of indigenous languages in Surrow that had been implemented under his predecessor. In 2022, Timbrell was re-elected for a second term.
Geography
Surrow is situated on the Surrowese archipelago, comprising of three islands: from south to north, the three islands are Holcot Island (Chequan: Tshiuanakau), Kikik Island (Itchalnu: Qikiqtakuluk), and Great Island (Itchalnu: Qikiqtarjuaq). The islands are rocky and hilly, with both Great Island and Kikik Island lacking trees. However, Holcot Island has some scattered forests, particularly south of the Breuvician Circle, in protected inlets.
The largest island, Great Island, is the second most populous island in the archipelago, despite its size, with 32,235 living on the island as of the 2021 census. Due to the harsh geography, extensive permafrost, and lack of tree cover, Great Island is predominantly tundra, with animals inhabiting Great Island including polar bears. Like Holcot Island, the interior of Great Island is dominated by the Kakayit Mountains, with it being home to the 2,147 metre high Pingasut Najangit (known as Mount Mortan until 2017), the highest point in all of Surrow. Pingasut Najangit is located in Stoney County.
Holcot Island is the most populous island in the Surrowese archipelago, despite it only being the second-largest island in the archipelago, as it is the only portion of the Surrowese archipelago with areas below the Breuvician Circle. As of the 2021 census, 139,047 lived on Holcot Island. Much of the interior regions of Holcot Inlet is dominated by the Elser Hills, with the highest point in the range being Mount Takutat, at 814 metres above sea level and located in central Disappointment County. The Elser Hills mean that while tundra is prevalent to the north and the west of the island, in the eastern and southern regions of Holcot Island, a boreal forest can exist on the island. This forest has traditionally supported numerous fauna, including the national animal of Surrow, the Surrowese wolf, which went extinct in 1911.
Finally, the smallest island, Kikik Island, is similar to Great Island in terms of climate, biome, and environment, although due to Kikik Island's small size, there is only a single mountain, known as Lombelon Hill, rising to only 125 metres above sea level.
Polar bear near Tulaktarvik
Climate
Due to Surrow's geographic position in the Breuvician, and the insular nature of the Surrowese archipelago, Surrow's climate tends to be cold. Most of the archipelago is described as a tundra climate, with long and cold winters and short and cool summers, while in the southern regions of Holcot Island, a humid continental climate exists, with long and cold winters, but with short and warm summers.
The highest temperature recorded in Surrow was 38.5°C on 3 July, 2021 in Holcot Inlet, while the coldest temperature recorded in Surrow was -58 °C on December 29, 1958 in Arvittiavak.
Government and politics
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Surrow is a unitary parliamentary republic, with an executive president. It is governed by the Constitution of Surrow, which declares that the head of state and the head of government is the President of Surrow, currently Dwight Timbrell since the 2018 general election, with his deputy being Mariam Banks, Deputy Prime Minister of Surrow.
The legislature of Surrow is the unicameral Parliament of Surrow, comprising of 66 seats. Since the 2018 election, the governing party is the centre-right United People's Party, with 46 seats, while the opposition party is the socialist Alliance of Cooperativists and Trade Unionists, with 17 seats. The remaining three seats are part of the centrist Our Surrow. Historically, the dominant party of Surrowese politics was the United People's Party, having formed government almost-continuously since 1935, with only two interruptions: an ACTU-Alliance government led by Ian Withers from 1970 until its defeat in a vote of no confidence in 1971, and an ACT-Our Surrow coalition led by Wyatt Martel from 2014 until 2018.
Besides the three parties represented in Parliament, Surrow has four other parties that are registered with Elections Surrow.
Administrative divisions
Surrow is divided into five counties (Chequan: assi, Itchalnu: naasainiqut) and two districts (Itchalnu: aviktuqsimajut). The counties are situated on Holcot Island, Kikik Island and Great Island, while all of the districts (formerly improvement districts until 2015) are on Great Island.
| Map | Name | Seat | Population (2021) | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disappointment County | Apitumiss | 1,314 | 2,022.73 | |
| Iqittiniq District | Port Lochlan | 662 | 6,079.95 | |
| Kikik County | Lombelon Bay | 268 | 390.21 | |
| Southland County | Holcot Inlet | 122,628 | 1,511.90 | |
| Stoney County | Tulaktarvik | 31,146 | 9,079.49 | |
| Tuckamore County | Tern Harbour | 15,105 | 2,765.82 | |
| Ukiuqtaqtuq District | Arvittiavak | 427 | 6,338.67 |
Foreign relations
Surrow's diplomatic relations is largely informed by its geography, which places Surrow firmly within the Albrennian invisible empire. Relations with Albrennia are seen as an important part of Surrow's diplomacy, with even Wyatt Martel's presidency maintaining close ties with Albrennia, despite Martel vowing an "arms-length relationship," in part because relations between Albrennia and Surrow are largely handled by General Armaments, instead of direct state-to-state relations, as is normal with other countries. Albrennia itself is the largest trade partner of Surrow, with Surrow receiving most of its imports from, and exporting most of its goods to Albrennia, with Albrennia's allies being major partners.
Due to Surrow's colonial history, it maintains especially strong relations with Rythene, with one of Surrow's main foreign policy goals being to have good relations with the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia. Although due to geography and small population, trade with the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia is not as large as trade with Albrennia and the rest of the invisible empire, the Commonwealth is still Surrow's second-largest trade partner after the invisible empire.
Surrow is also a full member of the Assembly of Marceaunian States, joining in 1974 during Isaac Rosenhain's presidency in order to strengthen ties with the rest of Marecaunia.
Military
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Due to Surrow's small population, Surrow has a small military, divided into three branches: the Surrowese Air Force, the Surrowese Army, and the Surrowese Navy. As of 2021, there are 858 personnel in the entirety of the Surrowese Armed Forces.
The Surrowese Air Force is comprised of five helicopters, of which two are based in Gateway, and three are based in Tulaktarvik. As of 2021, there are 108 personnel in the Surrowese Air Force, with most of the personnel responsible for maintenance of the helicopters and helipads owned by the Surrowese Air Force.
The Surrowese Army is made up of 240 personnel, and divided into three companies, with one based in Gateway, one in Holcot Inlet, and one in Tulaktarvik. The Surrowese Army is primarily ceremonial, although it can function as a gendarmerie in cases where the Surrowese Constabulary needs assistance in dealing with high-risk situations.
Finally, the largest branch of the Surrowese Armed Forces is the Surrowese Navy, with 510 personnel serving in the Navy as of 2021, with four naval bases in Apitumiss, Holcot Inlet, Port Lochlan, and Tulaktarvik. The Surrowese Navy serves as a coast guard, with its fleet being entirely comprised of patrol boats and lifeboats.
Beyond the Surrowese Armed Forces, Surrow also has security guarantees from Albrennia that in the event of an attack on Surrow, the Albrennian military will come to Surrow's aid. However, due to both its location close to Albrennia, and the absence of hostile states in its immediate region, Surrow does not host any Albrennian military base.
Law
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Due to Surrow being colonised by Rythene, Surrow's legal system is heavily based off of the Rythenean legal system. Thus, like Rythene, Surrow uses common law as the basis for the Surrowese legal system.
The criminal justice system in Surrow is organized into three tiers, with trial courts in county towns (as well as Bagshaw Cove), appellate courts based in Holcot Inlet and Tulaktarvik, and the Supreme Court in Holcot Inlet, with the Supreme Court comprised of five justices, and headed by a Chief Justice. In addition to the criminal justice system, administrative courts exist that can be appealed to the Supreme Court, which deal with administrative issues as opposed to criminal issues.
Surrow has six prisons: two juvenile prisons in Holcot Inlet and Tulaktarvik, two low-security facilities in Holcot Inlet and Tulaktarvik, a medium-security prison in Holcot Inlet, and a high-security facility in Holcot Inlet.
Policing is handled by the Surrowese Constabulary, although it can be augmented by the Surrowese Army in situations where the Surrowese Constabulary needs assistance with policing, primarily in "high-risk" situations.
Economy
As of 2021, Surrow's nominal gross domestic product is $9,378,981,600, with its nominal GDP per capita being at $54,672, while its purchasing power parity is at $5,498,005,950, with a PPP per capita at $32,049.
Historically, the largest industry in Surrow was the cod fisheries, as due to the terrain of the Surrowese Archipelago that precluded the development of agriculture, and the rich fishing waters surrounding it, it incentivised people to work in the fisheries. Until the late 1940s, cod was the primary export of Surrow, with a small timber industry helping to supplant incomes. The cod fisheries peaked in 1968, and since that point, cod production has been in decline, although shellfish production has been increasing since the 1990s, and cod exports still make up a quarter of Surrow's fish exports.
However, with the discovery of palladium in 1951 near Tulaktarvik on Great Island, Surrow's economy became increasingly reliant on palladium mining, and today, the Tulaktarvik mine, owned by General Armaments, produces 45% of the world's palladium supply, with the country being dependent on the Tulaktarvik mine for economic stability.
Outside of the primary sector, the tertiary sector is the largest part of the Surrowese economy, with public administration and healthcare being the largest industries in Surrow's tertiary sector, with the next largest being the retail sector, with major retail companies being Harris-Wiseman, which operates most of Surrow's supermarkets, and Surrowese Co-Op, a cooperative. In addition, a small secondary sector exists in Surrow, with major industries in that sector being food processing (primarily of shellfish and cod) and brewing.
Transportation
Due to the geography of the Surrowese archipelago, and Surrow's sparse population, most transportation between communities is done by boat, with Surrow Government Ships providing daily service to and from most coastal communities in Surrow during the summer months, with some private companies like Stalwart Shipping offering passenger services to more remote outports, and others providing more frequent service between coastal towns.
In addition to maritime transportation, there are two major airports on Surrow: Surrow International Airport, situated in Gateway, Tuckamore County, which serves as Surrow's primary international airport, and Tulaktarvik International Airport, situated near Tulaktarvik in Stoney County. Beyond these two airports, many smaller communities, particularly on Great Island have airstrips, although these airstrips only handle small propeller planes. The only airline based in Surrow is NorthAir.
For intra-island travel, Holcot Island has the most developed road network, with the Surrowese Highway connecting interior communities between Holcot Inlet to Apitumiss, as well as coastal communities along its route. However, many roads outside the settlements, excluding the Surrowese Highway, and connections from communities to the highway are not paved, with an estimate that only around 45% of all roads on Hoclot Island are paved.
However, Great Island's and Kikik Island's geography and permafrost effectively preclude significant road construction between communities, with the only inter-community road being the road between Tulaktarvik and Uangnaq. Thus, the only year-round means of transportation on these islands is sailing or hiking, although in the winter, winter roads are constructed to connect some of the major communities, particularly Tulaktarvik to Port Lochlan, with an ice road connecting it to the Surrowese Highway in Apitumiss.
Demographics
As of the 2021 census, 171,550 people lived in Surrow. Of the total population, 139,047 people, or around 81% of the Surrowese population live on Holcot Island, 32,235 people, or around 19% of the Surrowese population live on Great Island, and only 268 people, or almost zero percent of the Surrowese population, live on Kikik Island.
Education
Education in Surrow is heavily influenced by the Albrennian education system, due to Surrow's proximity to Albrennia and its friendly relations with Albrennia, with some structural influence from Rythene due to Surrow's past as a Rythenean colony. Most schools in Surrow are public, although some private schools exist, primarily to serve Albrennian expatriate students, but some exist for religious reasons.
Education in Surrow starts with preschool, with formal education only starting in the year students turn 6. Students continue attending primary school until they turn 11, and then move on to secondary schools, where they will attend until they turn 16, when compulsory education ends. However, most students continue attending school until finishing Sixth Form when they turn 18, after which they take exams to determine if they will attend university or a polytechnic.
The only university in Surrow is Surrow National University, with two campuses: the main campus in Holcot Inlet, and a satellite campus in Tulaktarvik, with Surrow National University structured like an Albrennian university. Most high-achieving Surrowese students study at Albrennia's major universities, leading to only around 9,000 students attending Surrow National University.
There are two Surrowese polytechnics: Holcot Inlet Polytechnic in Holcot Inlet, and Tulaktarvik Polytechnic in Tulaktarvik. As of 2021, there are 11,000 students at both Surrowese polytechnics.
Ethnicity
As of the 2021 census, around 90.8% of the Surrowese population, or 155,816 people, are of Auressian descent. Of these, it is estimated that 50% of the Auressian-Surrowese are of Rythene descent (which includes those from Sovar), 30% being descended from Tyrnicans, and the remaining 20% coming from other groups of Auressian descent, predominantly workers from Albrennia.
The next largest racial group are Native Surrowese, which comprise around 6.5% of the population, or 11,102 people. The Native Surrowese can be split into two groups: the Chequan, who traditionally inhabit Holcot Island, and the Itchalnu, who traditionally inhabit Great Island and Kikik Island. It is estimated that around 80% of Native Surrowese are Itchalnu, and the remainder are Chequan.
Finally, other races make up 2.7% of Surrow's population, or 4,632 people. These are primarily immigrants from other countries, such as (TBC).
Religion
As of the 2021 census, 89.4% of Surrow's population, or 153,366 people, are Perendist. The dominant sects of Perendism followed in Surrow include (TBC).
After Perendism, 0.6% of the population, or 1,029 people, follow other religions. These include religions from immigrant communities, such as TBC, Itchalnu religion, Chequan religion, and neopaganism.
Finally, 10% of the population of Surrow, or 17,155 people, are irreligious. This category includes atheism or agnosticism.
Language
The sole official language in Surrow is Rythenean, with 97% of the population, or 166,404 speaking it as a first language, and with 99.1% of the population, or 170,006 reporting that they are fluent to some degree in Rythenean.
The two indigenous languages still spoken in Surrow are Itchalnu and Chequan. Of the two, Itchalnu is the most widely spoken, with 1.1% of the population, or 1,887 people, speaking it as a first language, and 15% of the population, or 25,733 people being fluent to some degree in it, while Chequan is only spoken by 0.4% of the population, or 686 people as a first language, and understood by only 6% of the population, or 10,293 people.
Foreign languages spoken in Surrow include Tyrnican, which historically had a sizable presence in Surrow to the point of having its own dialect, (TBC).
Largest cities
Largest cities or towns in Surrow
2021 census | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Administrative division | Pop. | Rank | Administrative division | Pop. | ||||
.jpg) Holcot Inlet  Tulaktarvik |
1 | Holcot Inlet | Southland County | 110,525 | 11 | Port Lochlan | Iqittiniq District | 634 | .jpg) Gateway  Bagshaw Cove |
| 2 | Tulaktarvik | Stoney County | 30,129 | 12 | Hairings Harbour | Tuckamore County | 581 | ||
| 3 | Gateway | Tuckamore County | 11,688 | 13 | Arvittiavak | Ukiuqtaqtuq District | 413 | ||
| 4 | Bagshaw Cove | Southland County | 6,419 | 14 | Apitumiss | Disappointment County | 381 | ||
| 5 | Bowman Inlet | Southland County | 1,733 | 15 | Gisborne Reed | Tuckamore County | 354 | ||
| 6 | Carsten | Southland County | 1,028 | 16 | Port Bodmer | Disappointment County | 308 | ||
| 7 | Uangnaq | Stoney County | 997 | 17 | New Grafton | Disappointment County | 292 | ||
| 8 | Tern Harbour | Tuckamore County | 872 | 18 | Port Carter | Southland County | 275 | ||
| 9 | Davers Harbour | Southland County | 775 | 19 | Lombelon Bay | Kikik County | 258 | ||
| 10 | Pimikashu | Southland County | 697 | 20 | Armin's Reed | Southland County | 232 | ||
As of the 2021 census, around 94.2% of the Surrowese population live in the seven cities or towns of Surrow, with around 98.3% living in the top twenty settlements in Surrow. Of this figure, around 82% of the Surrowese population live in the two cities of Surrow: Holcot Inlet, which alone comprises 64.4% of the country's population, and Tulaktarvik.
Until the 1960s, more people lived in the smaller settlements, commonly known as outports, but as economic opportunities grew in Holcot Inlet and Tulaktarvik, many moved towards those two cities, leading to a declining and aging population in the outports of Surrow. This rural flight peaked in the 1990s, but has declined significantly since then, due to higher prices in Holcot Inlet forcing people to commute from communities outside of Holcot Inlet, and because of most of those remaining choosing to stay in the outports.
Culture
Art
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Until the early twentieth century, visual arts in Surrow were a minor phenomenon, with most paintings depicting Surrow until the early twentieth century being painted by visiting artists from Albrennia, Rythene, or Sovar. However, sculptures were a very common form of art, with Native Surrowese sculptures dating back all the way to the Pre-Armin culture, although most sculptures in Surrow are today heavily influenced by Auressian trends.
Beginning in the 1920s, Surrow would develop a strong visual arts scene, with the Surrow National University opening an art school in 1929, and led by Cecil Gatrell, who studied art in Albrennia and was influenced by the Highlands School. Gatrell's students would come to dominate the Surrowese art scene from the 1930s until the 1970s, such as Elias Brecher, Otto Frisch, Audrey Morrow, Alfie Stafford, and Lonnie Herman.
From the 1960s onward, the Surrowese art scene was transformed, as painters such as Betty Buckler, Jeffrey Herman, Douglas Mortan, and Shaun Shaffer introduced modernist art to Surrow, with these artists moving away from depicting the Surrowese landscape and its rugged terrain towards depicting an "aspirational future" for Surrow, with the aspirational future seeing Surrow as an equal to Albrennia. These artists would introduce elements of surrealism and cubism into their works during the 1970s and 1980s, influencing current artists like Lila Arbour, Kendra Mayer, Trevor Magnusson, and Winnie Simmons.
Literature has been influenced by Rythenean and Albrennian trends, with some historical influence from Tyrnican literature, although unlike visual arts, literature in both Rythenean and Tyrnican has been prevalent since the early seventeenth century. Until the early twentieth century, literature was widely published in both Rythenean and Tyrnican, with literature depicting the harsh environment of Surrow and people's efforts to survive. Since the early twentieth century, virtually all literature in Surrow is published in Rythenean, while authors such as Annie Clipperton, Sebastian Grafton and Peter Danielsson have written books that are heavily influenced by Albrennian genre conventions. However, most Surrowese-produced literature exhibit aspects of garrison mentality.
However, the most important art form in Surrow has traditionally been performing arts, with folk dancing, both by Native Surrowese and by settlers, and theatre being the two most prominent performing arts in Surrow.
Theatre was the first to become professional, with the oldest still-active theatrical troupe in Surrow being the Holcot Inlet Theatrical Troupe, established in 1887. Traditionally, Surrowese theatrical troupes would travel from town to town during the summer months, and stay in Holcot Inlet during the winter, although in recent decades, most theatrical troupes have become theatrical companies based in either Holcot Inlet or Tulaktarvik.
The dominant folk dance style in Surrow is country dancing, introduced by Rythenean settlers. In 1974, interest in country dancing led to the establishment of a dance company, the Holcot Inlet Dance Company, which has inspired six other clubs across Surrow. This was followed up by a revival in Tyrnican folk dances, such as the Tyrnican country dance and waltz, leading to the Klinerhaven Dance Company being formed in 1981.
Cuisine
Surrowese cuisine is primarily influenced by its settlement by Aurressian fishermen from the sixteenth century onward, with heavy Rythenean influence due to Surrow having been primarily settled by Rytheneans.
Due to the abundant marine life surrounding the Surrowese archipelago, seafood has always been a major component of mainstream Surrowese cuisine. One of the best known examples of seafood in Surrowese cuisine is fish and brewis, comprising of cod and hardtack, and served along a side of scrunchions, or fried pork rind, with fish and brewis traditionally consumed at lunch and at dinner. Other seafood dishes, like fishcake with summer savory, fisherman's pie, and fish and chips, are also commonly consumed at lunch and dinner in Surrow, while flipper pie, a meat pie made from harp seal flippers, is often consumed on special occasions, primarily Discovery Day and Thanksgiving.
Other dishes common in mainstream Surrowese cuisine include baked beans, commonly consumed at breakfast; blueberry pie, commonly consumed as a dessert; sausages and mash, commonly consumed at breakfast, and sea lettuce, commonly consumed as a snack. Furthermore, Albrennian cuisine has exerted a significant influence on Surrowese cuisine, due to Surrow's extensive connections with Albrennia over the centuries, leading to most dishes popular in Albrennia becoming common in Surrow.
In contrast, indigenous cuisines have generally remained unknown among the general Surrowese population, although pemmican, ptarmigan, and seal are traditionally associated with the Chequan, while whale meat, great willowherb, polar bear, and seals are associated with the Itchalnu.
Besides food, Surrowese beverage traditions have largely been informed by Albrennian and Rythenean influences, with beer being by the far the most popular alcoholic beverage, followed by whiskey. While most alcoholic beverages in Surrow are imported, primarily from Albrennia and Rythene, there are some brewers based in Surrow, with the largest being Whitlock Brewing Company, which produces ales and lagers, while since the 1990s, a small but thriving microbrewery scene has emerged in Surrow.
Media
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Due to Surrow's small population, Surrowese media is generally limited, with the few domestic media outlets largely concentrated in Holcot Inlet, and most of these being either owned by the Surrowese government, by the Altman Media Group, or by the Arnarson Press.
The only daily newspaper on Surrow is the Altman Media Group-owned Daily Fisherman, based in Holcot Inlet. The most prominent competitor to the Daily Fisherman is the Arnarson Press-owned Holcot Inlet Herald, published thrice a week, and owned by, and the Altman Media Group-owned Tulaktarvik Times, published once weekly.
There are eighteen radio stations in Surrow, with the largest networks being the government-owned Surrow Broadcasting Corporation, which operates nine radio stations, serving Apitumiss, Arvittiavak, Davers Harbour, Gisborne Reed, Hairings Harbour, Holcot Inlet, Lombelon Bay, Port Lochlan, and Tulaktarvik, and the Altman Media Group-owned Altman Radio, operating six stations, with four in Holcot Inlet, and two in Tulaktarvik. Arnarson Press operates two talk radio stations, with one each in Holcot Inlet and Tulaktarvik, and the Surrow National University operates a radio station in Holcot Inlet.
There is only one domestically-run television network, with the government-owned Surrow Broadcasting Corporation operating television stations in Holcot Inlet and Tulaktarvik, with transmitters in nearly every community. However, an independent television station exists in Holcot Inlet, and most Surrowese have access to foreign television networks by cable or satellite.
Music
Traditional Surrowese music is marked by extensive Rythenean and Tyrnican influences, with some influences from Sovarese music. Most of the music associated with traditional Surrowese music are based on sea shanties and sailing songs, due to the maritime nature of Surrowese society, with work songs being very common among fishermen. However, marching bands and Perendist hymns contributed significantly to the development of traditional Surrowese music. In additional, traditional folk songs from Rythene, Sovar, and Tyrnica were given new lyrics to reflect Surrowese conditions and Surowese life.
One of the most notable traditional Surowese composers was Thaddeus Tabiner, who wrote many songs during the early twentieth century, such as Excursion Around The Bay and The Bowman Inlet Soiree. However, traditional Surrowese music declined in popularity from the 1940s onward as other styles of music, such as Albrennian rhythm and Albrennian pop music made their way into Surrow, and it was only in the 1980s that traditional Surrowese music would see a revival, driven by traditional Surrowese bands such as Great Big Sea, Reisenden, The Fleck Sisters, and The Whalers, and by individual artists like Ethan Bond and Rowan Fechter, who is frequently considered to be one of Surrow's most prominent artists.
Non-traditional Surrowese music, in contrast, has been heavily influenced by Albrennian music trends, with the George Greenhill Company greatly influencing the development of non-traditional Surrowese music as virtually all non-traditional musicians and bands are affiliated with George Greenhill-owned labels. The dominant genres in non-traditional Surrowese music are pop, rock-and-roll, and rhythm music. Prominent non-traditional Surrowese musicians include Jacob Clarkson, Timmy Kellerman, Evelyn Martell, Lars Nolsoe, Irena Paulsen, and Amber Wall, while prominent non-traditional Surrowese bands include Around the Bay, the Hoefner Trio, Mercy, the Sexton, and Sunrise.
Indigenous music has generally been neglected, although Itchalnu music is still common among the Itchalnu, and elements of it, such as katajjaq, have made it into some contemporary music. However, Itchalnu music has been receiving more influence from both traditional and non-traditional Surrowese music, with one band, Aputaijainiq, producing pop music with elements of traditional Itchalnu music.
Sports
Despite Surrow's northerly location and small population, Surrow has a vibrant sporting culture, with the two most popular sports in Surrow are football and curling, with football being designated the national summer sport, and curling the national winter sport.
Football is popular in Surrow, with the Surrowese national football team playing their home games at the 5,000 seat Surrowese National Stadium in Holcot Inlet, with the Surrowese national football team making its first appearance in the World Cup at the 2022 World Cup in Audonia. However, due to the geography and weather precluding outdoor football from being played for most of the year in most of Surrow, most football activity is done indoors, with an indoor league, the Surrowese Football League being the primary football league in Surrow, comprising of seven teams, and smaller communities often having teams of their own.
Likewise, curling is popular in Surrow, with most communities in Surrow featuring their own curling rinks and curling clubs. The Surrowese Curling Association plays every winter, with it comprised of eleven teams from across the Surrowese archipelago. Curling in Surrow is traditionally mixed, with two men and two women, including at the Surrowese Curling Association.
Other sports that are popular among the Surrowese include sailing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, and sport fishing. In addition, some traditional sports among indigenous peoples, such as the high kick and the blanket toss are still commonly practiced among the Itchalnu, although these traditional sports are not as popular among the non-Itchalnu population of Surrow.
Public holidays
| Date | Rythenean name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day | Celebrates the new year |
| Third Monday of February | Family Day | Celebrates the family |
| April 28 | Memorial Day | Commemorates fishermen who died at sea |
| May 1 | Labour Day | Commemorates the sacrifices made by workers to advance their rights |
| June 21 | Indigenous People's Day | Celebrates the culture and resilience of indigenous peoples in Surrow |
| June 24 | Discovery Day | Celebrates the discovery of the Surrowese islands, national day |
| First Monday of August | County Day | Celebrates the culture of the counties |
| Second Monday of October | Thanksgiving | Celebrates the catch made over the preceding fishing season |
| October 28 | Remembrance Day | Commemorates all victims of war |
| December 21 | Tribulation Day | Commemorates the Tribulation at Micantium |
| December 31 | New Year's Eve | Celebrates the end of the year |