Unkerlantum
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| Motto: Such is Life | ||||
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| Region | Starways Congress | |||
| Capital | Kuzov | |||
| Established | Monarchy- January 1, 1955
NS Recognition- October 17, 2006 Republic- February 3, 2007 | |||
| Official language(s) | English | |||
| Population | 1,000,000,000 | |||
| Currency | Mark | |||
| Stats: | ||||
Unkerlantum is a newly formed nation located in the Starways Congress.
Contents
Geography
Unkerlantum is on a relatively large island with a total land area that is currently unknown. In the far north and south run two parallel mountain ranges. The mountains in the south have been shown to contain high amounts of coal and, most recently, uranium, making mining one of Unkerlantum's chief industries.
In between the two mountains the terrain is much more flat, and therefore more densely populated. In the central plains agricultural products are grown and to the east lies a vast forest of conifer trees surrounding the capital city of Kuzov.
Due to its sheer size, Unkerlantum has a wide variety of climates depending on the location. The areas along the southern coast have a uniform subtropical climate. The mountainous regions in the North and South are alpine, with the northeast and northwest being tundra. But the majority of Unkerlantum has a continental climate, located in the central steppe valley between the mountains.
History
Early History
Little is known about the first inhabitants of Unkerlantum, but it is speculated that its original settlers took a wrong turn at the equator and stumbled across it purely by accident. It was largely isolated from the rest of the world until around the 1100s, when even more settlers --most likely due to another navigation error at the equator-- began arriving on its eastern shores and forming their own colonies under King Unkel.
The most heavily studied time period takes place during the Steppe Wars from 1160 to 1180, which were chronicled by Rimdalv the Historian. Over the course of twenty years the settlers of present-day Unkerlantum waged a war of expansion to the west against the native Traxans. By the end of the conflict an estimated 30 million natives had been killed, establishing the settlers' undisputed control over the island for the next 750 years.
20th Century History
In 1950 tensions between the west and east broke into civil war, with the west seceding to form the Republic of Traxa. The Traxans then launched an invasion against Unkerlantum to reclaim lands it had taken during the Steppe Wars. Despite initial setbacks in the beginning, the strength of numbers and amount of resources in the east, along with the superior leadership of General Vokhuz, allowed for a complete victory. As the war had shown the government to be too weak and ineffective, a new administration for Unkerlantum was founded in the ensuing years.
Formation of the Republic
On February 3, 2007 the Emperor of Unkerlantum resigned from his position. Along with finding the job too tiring in his old age, the Emperor felt that with the population now at over 600 million, the nation had become too large for any one man to rule. His last official act as Emperor was to establish the Republic of Unkerlantum, with a 10-member High Council replacing the monarchy.
Culture
Until the last years of the 1950 War, only nobles and those with government titles could possess surnames. After the war, all registered citizens were granted the right to two names. The millions of un-named citizens typically styled their own names, and have created a lasting impact on Unker culture. Those of Traxan descent often have names that describe their profession, personality, or interests, while the majority with Unker heritage have surnames that are entirely made up.
There has been much public debate as to what term should be used to describe inhabitants of Unkerlantum. Some of the most popular names posited have been "Unkerlantumers", "Unkerlantums", and "Unkerlantumians". Finally, in 2007, the Emperor of Unkerlantum declared in a public announcement that the official name for all citizens would simply be "Unkers", arguing that anything else "just takes up too much damn paper."
Due to Unkerlantum's overall militaristic history, its people have developed something of a stolid, indifferent attitude. As such, Unkers live a very isolated life-style and have little interaction with other nations. Although it once showed signs of beginning to establish relations with foreign nations through its involvement in the UN and participation in the West Pacific Liberation Force, Unkerlantum has since departed the region and resigned from the UN. Its main relations now lie primarily with being on good terms with Zwangzug via Ambassador Votol Rimgalv and Malachor III through Ambassador Krotz Kromlon.
Unkerlantum has no professional sports, although outdoor games of football and wrestling are common. Unkers show a much stronger affinity towards outdoor activities. A 2006 survey showed the most common leisurely activities to be hunting/using recreational firearms, paintballing, rock climbing, and horseback riding.
Military
The armed forces of Unkerlantum compose the Continental Guard. They are divided into two branches: the Army and the Navy. Both sexes may serve in either branch.
Presently, the Continental Guard is classed into two sections: career soldiers and service(wo)men. The career soldiers are those who have enlisted voluntarily and are to serve for at least 10 years. Service(wo)men are those who are serving their compulsory minimum 5 years after turning 18 years of age.
Religion
There have been no signs of a majority religion in Unkerlantum for decades. Historians theorize that through the numerous wars fought on their soil, Unkers eventually cast out religion in favor of more practical beliefs that would keep them alive. Ironically, this has culminated over the years into something of a "religion of science", with logic, truth, and reasoning being revered almost as much as deities.
Religious sects still exist. However, they are a minority and their influence is further dimminished by their divisions and separate branches. Because of this, no one religious faction receives any support by the government for fear of alienating the others.
