Vyvlanders

Vyvlanders
Vyvlander people
Vyvers (archaic)

Total population
ca. 30 million
Regions with significant populations
Vyvland: 25,900,000 Feel free to add your nation's Vyvlander population
Luziyca	1,304,532
Template:Country data Iglesiantis	1,029,601
Nevanmaa	416,168
Vjaarland	380,130
Template:Country data Geadland	302,907
Template:Country data Arkiasis	113,452
Languages
Vyvlander, Helish
Religion
Irreligion, Lutheranism, Methodism, Lutheran Catholicism

Vyvlanders are a predominantly Germanic ethnic group originating from and resident in Vyvland, where the majority of Vyvlanders still live. They are characterised by pale skin, above-average (10-15%) prevalence of red hair, knowledge of the Vyvlander language, and often Vyvlander citizenship. Vyvlanders often use the Flag of Vyvland as a national or ethnic symbol, in addition to the colour orange. The colour orange has been used to represent Vyvlanders and Vyvland for hundreds of years, and originated due to Vyvlanders’ stereotypical red hair.

History

Commonly accepted beliefs state that modern Vyvlanders are related to or descended from the Germanic Geads and Zokorians, in addition to the northern Esquarian Swedes resident in Pegerm in Vyvland, Leghel in Geadland, Inleda in Luziyca, and Marianmaa in Nevanmaa. However, some geneticists have challenged these assumptions in recent times, suggesting that Vyvlanders are descended from a very small distant population, pointing to the anomalously large prevalence of the R1b haplogroup in Vyvlanders compared to other (especially North) Germanic populations. This would therefore suggest a closer genetic relationship with the Helish/Hedish (Dutch) people inhabiting eastern Vyvland and Hedland.

Before modern times, few groups of Vyvlanders moved away from their homeland in any significant quantity - Vyvlander culture emphasises connection with Vyvland and one’s origins. On the occasions when Vyvlander groups have emigrated, they have tended to settle relatively quickly into their new cultures. Historically, Vyvlanders have been evidenced to have travelled and traded widely, with multiple historical references to and reports of Vyvlanders from places as far afield as Iglesiantis and Koyro. One of few exclusively Vyvlander settlements overseas is Albavia (known in Vyvland as Vysel) in Astoria, Iglesiantis.

Helish Vyvlanders

Although genetically and featurally indistinguishable from Vyvlander speakers, a minority of Vyvlanders (around 5%) speak Helish, and the majority of these people consider themselves to be Helish Vyvlanders (Helse Foellanders) or Hellanders. This Helish community is centred in Helland and the city of Heersduik, which historically were territories of Helish-speaking royals. Some evidence suggests that these royals and Helish settlers were descendants of Hedish people from Hedland in Nevanmaa.