Kurona

The Principality of Kurona
Family is What Unites!

Flag of Kurona
Official Language	Kurma Japanese Sign Language
Capital	Sonomi
Head of State	Princess Tomoyo Mikanu
Foreign Advisor	Thomas Black
Internal Advisor	Momichi Soma
Population	Nearing 4 Billion
Founding	Colonization, After the first World War
Government Type	Monarchy
National Animal	Raven
Currency	Kuromian
National Map	Poltical Map Physical Map
Naval Craft Classification	HMS (His/Her Majestic Steamer)
Internet TLD
Calling Code
Major Religions	Catholicism Shinto

The Principality of Kurona is a large island country located in the middle of the region of Xanadou

History

Kurona was founded about the early 1900's by a mass of various refugees. Mostly fleeing from War, Famine, poverty, corruption, or immoral nations, many came seeking religous freedom, or safty. Some just came because of it's rich soil, it's protection by the large and often stormy Xanadouien Sea. But by late 1910 the nation entered into a power struggle. As a Royal Government organized it, more and more power was seized. The first Prince of the Country Prince Koichi Nozaki took the title as Prince and most of the wealth to do so. However the Government was generally unopprssive, and really matched the ideals of the people. Soon enough elections were no more, and the Princes had all controll.

Up untill 1950 all ruling Princes had been male. But soon a Female Princess took over, as Keija Albin took the throne. She was the first to be selected by her father with cooperation of the Raven Order, and at that time the only. Sadly she died of the flu about 14 months after she took office. After that a Male came back into the order, he had very diffrent ideas on how to run the nation. He came from a fiercley religious family, and was very conservative. "This nation needs not to deal with the corrupted outside world." Soon enough the borders we're sealed, and no one except certian refugees we're allowed in.

For A Long time Kurona remained in isolationism. Untill Prince Mako Mikanu took the throne. He felt Kurona was struggling for too long and sought to end the isolationsim. Not fully embraced by others. As a compromise to the RAVEN ORDER, and the wishes of his people he agreed to do it very slowly. Sadly death strikend him and his wife, as Mason's Syndrome was spreading. Because his only daughter Tomoyo was 12, the R.O. Took controll of the country untill she would reach the age of 13, in which she could rule. (That was order to only give to the heir or heriss, is part of the Kurona Delceration of 1947)

Kurona's clostes ally is Kanami. But as Kanami is a more modern nation, this proves to have some barriers to their relationship. They have a complex relationship with eachother, especially when it comes to how the country is ruled. Many in both Kurona and Kanami have saught to break relations. But nither Tomoyo or Prime Minister Romney of Kanami want that.

The national bird was chosen from a verse in the bible. 1 Kings 17:6 where the ravens brought food to Elija.

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The flag change as well as the choice of national bird have been a bit on the controversial side amongst older generations of Kuronas and the big guys. The current flag was orginally a show flag. As for the bird, many but few secularlists dislike the idea of this close association of religion and government. However their voices remain unheard in the deeply conservative nation.

Culture

Life in Kuorona is diffrent. While the rest of the world continues to move ahead with the times, Kurona has always stayed behind. This is to keep their stirct moral intact, and their country free from scourges of greedy capitalism. This is also why they like to keep to theme selves, but they do interact with the international community. The major industry is agriculture, 1800-1900 style farms are spread out all over the nation. Ligthed by lantenrs, candles and fireplaces, electricity. So few Kuronan homes have any electricity, though oddly enough they have running water and proper sanitation. How this was accoplished is still unkown.

Kurona's earliest days were split straight down the middle: 50% were Shinto 50% Were Catholic. Thoes were the only cencus data. However Kurona's religious landscape is chaning. In a recent survey the numbers have dramatically spaced out:

• 47% Are Still Roman Catholic
• 37% Are still Shinto
• 12% are Main Stream Christian (Luthern, Episcopellian etc)
• 4% Are Mormon (Because of the rate that this is growing in Kurona, it's been counted as a category all it's own, as opposed to being included with Christianity or Christian off shoots)

There are reported no atheists because Atheists aren't identified under any faith category. The status of Atheists/Agonists is unknown but it's by popular belife that there are non and that Kurona is a 100% spiratual state. It's rare to fine an atheist or someone of anyother religion. Public schools are competly intergraded, and acedemics are taught to life. Crime is almost nonexistant in most areas, but the weak economy often get's people desperate. With Transportation, you are most likely to sail, or horse pull your self to your destination. Large wooden sail ships sail the high and often stormy seas. There have been incidents where large ships sink in storms, or wind up limping into the nearest port. Small passanger boats also take to the highseas. The major emphasis is on Family, and Family bond. The Divorce Rate is really low.

Public schools are competly intergraded, and acedemics are taught to life. Crime is almost nonexistant in most areas, but the weak economy often get's people desperate. With Transportation, you are most likely to sail, or horse pull your self to your destination. Large wooden sail ships sail the high and often stormy seas. There have been incidents where large ships sink in storms, or wind up limping into the nearest port. Small passanger boats also take to the highseas.

The major emphasis is on Family, and Family bond. The Divorce Rate is really low. Capitalism is not encouraged, and is more fround upon. With prisons, even though crime rates are low, you are still likely to get a very sever punishment, for sever crimes. Failure to pay taxes, murder, rape, or any other crimes of can land you in jail for lengthy periods of time. This has led to overcrowded prisons, which has led the Government resorting to shipping you off to deserted islands.

Homosexuality is very rare. Kurona is a very conservative nation east and west. Even thoes with such sexual prefrences rarley act on their impulses to do so. Most will marry the opposite sex, or not reamary if their spouse leaves or dies, fearing persecution.

However this doesn't mean people don't. Homosexuality is only legal out west. (See bellow)

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A strange habbit that has recently formed are unusuall sleeping habbits. The fact of sleeping half or fully naked is becoming a growing trend among girls. While it's been very common among men for years. More and more girls and women are foresaking nightgowns in favor of the freeness of underwear. While this is found mostly among farmers and ranchers or people in rural areas. It's also been found to quite common for girls to go about in overalls without shirts, , something not usually done among girls. Overalls are almost considered a lasting trend among farmers as many people commonly wear them. But thse clothes are usually associated with farming thus not usually worn by the general public. </div>

Hotsprings have been a long trend in the country. The lax restrictions on nudity in the privacy of a spring or in ones home is the liberal privladge Kuroans pridley take advantage of. Onsen is a very popular hotspring attraction in the northwest near Sonomi. Many go there to relax or bathe in the natural hot water. While this is the hotspring attraction it isn't the only hot-spring result in Kurona. There are several hotsprings private and public. Kuronan's hotsprings are known to be completely absent of sulfur.

A Kuronan Psychologist felt it was with the strict conservative aura constantly on the people, has made them seeking this kind of liberty. Regardless it's a part commonly found in Kuronan life.

Another unusual statistic forming is the rate of children especially young girls with astraphobia the fear of thunder and lighting. It's been a growing phobia more so than any other phobia in the country, especially ironically amongst farmers. It's mostly common in young females and an estimated 85% grow out of the phobia.

Climate

Under normal circumstances Kurona's climate is a wide buffet of conditions. It's stratigic location right dead center in the Xanadouien Sea makes it subjected to all weather conditions. In the North, winters are cold and snowy. Summers are generally mild and cool. In the south summers are hot and wet and dry and winters are mild and rainy. The center region generally receives both ends of the stick. It's not uncomon for large storm systems to pass through the entire nation. However this proved to be a frighthing thing when Kurona became Nature's Shooting Gallery. Terrible weather bashed the nation for so long, things we're only getting worse. Finally the storm cleared, and the weather calmed down. (See Kuronan Storm Crisis) Kurona has a heavy frequency of thunderstorms in late spring-early fall, (usually end of October or start of November. Ocasionally Mid November) The frequency usually breaks in late fall through early spring. Kurona is vulnerable to tornadoes with an average of 35 occurring annually, which puts much of the state at around 5 tornadoes per 10,000 square miles annually. These conditions only double during El Nino. There usually is never a peak time of which a storm may occure, they can occure any time day or night with little to no warning. Kurona usually isn't overly subjected to Hurricanes even during hurricane season.

Government

The Government is run by the Princess and her Cabinate. There are no elections, you are elected by bloodline, family, and the RAVEN ORDER. The Government tries to balance Democracy with Morality which can prove for some tight laws. The Government usually likes to keep to it's self, but is willing to get into international affairs, if they feel they must. It was Tomoyo that emphazized joining the Leauge of Nations, and Small Regions.

Tansportaion

Transportation is pretty limited. In the country it's self biking is the common method for city wide travel, horse for country wide travel. Though many brave the stormy Xanadouien Seas and travel by boat in and out of the country, or around the Xanadou Sea.

</div> Many boats are still sail powered, very few are powerd by steam or other sources. The only exception are most Kuronan Navy Ships which have since modernized with contributions from other countries. Though some classic ships of the old Kurona Era still remain active in the Navy as practice tours in Xanadou or piracy controlls in Xanadou.

Military

(Main Article: Kurona Military)

Kurona's force exists mainly for Defense of the Nation. The Military has some pretty modern stuff, like Machine Guns, artillary shells, and other weapons. But nothing extreemly fancy.

Her Royal Highness

(Main Article Tomoyo Mikanu)

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Princess Tomoyo is the daughter of Prince Mako Mikanu. Taking the throne when she was 13, she was very blown back by the Order and running things. Finally she got the grasp of it. She is constantly in a power struggle with the Order, over many things including foreing policey. She can become strong headed and disobey the order, in complete disregard to her own life. Although there have never been mysterious assasinations.

She has a mild fear of thunder and lightning, but loves rain. She's classy elegant, and traditional. Devout Shinto, but tolerant.

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65th Line

(Main article: Homosexuality in Kurona)

The 65th line is a literal latitude cut in the nation at about 65 degres Longitude. It was declared in the early 80's Homosexuality would be legal beyond this point only. As homosexuality started to emerge from the cloak of the previous decades, it became a heavy issue. The Cabiante we're heavily devided on the topic, as well as Prince Mako. Half wanted homosexuality outlawed, others wanted it lawful. Days of deleberation turned to weaks, and finally the Prince ordered a compromise, to return to important legislation. And the 65th line came about. Thoes that moved to do it, would be arrested. And only justices beyond this line can wed a same sex couple. Many are trying to remove this line so it becomse less oppresive. Crossing this line with the intent to do homosexual acts is strictly prohibited and can result in death