Overview (W.I.P.)

COUNTRY

Short Form: Cardinal Isles

Term for Citizen(s): Cardinnic (Karadinnic)

Capital: Ţasawar

Major Cities: Ţasawar (259,000 inhabitants), Bilin (130,500), 'adan A lmusţas 'ay (114,000), Aydru Ṟisamilia B (105,000), Yuju (99,500), Bib Milir Ṟuḻumibinsia (63,500) and Miknuliriḻ (60,000) are among Cardinal Isles' most populous cities - these seven are the only townships to have more than fifty thousand inhabitants!

Independence: The banished Sanaţisu Raeiz led other impoverished regions in the country of Unimon to rebellion, but only secured the isle's freedom on July 14th, 5990, after the jus ad bellum which Unimon and it's naval branch sent was nullified. Independence Day is observed on July the Twelfth, when Unimon was declared by all nations which practiced in the still-existing Justifiable Conflict Treaty and which had existing governments in the Kwandoan continent as ineligible to conquer Islas Cardinales for Unimon's violation of the terms that state they weren't allowed to initiate war with two countries at the same time.

Public Holidays: Eve of Relaxation (October 31); Eid ul-Fitr (whenever Allah wills it); Abacination Ceremony and Celebration of Maturation (every week Monday thru Thursday; months of August to December [practiced in La Kaḻbis 'ii Alţardaḻsirsu one day after child reaches four years]); Independence Day (July 12); Founding of Ţasawar (May 18); Thwarting of Abirabishnu (July 22); Battle of Bilin (April 3); Imam of Karṟubs Day (January 23); Ramadan (month-long, depending on lunar calendar); Al-Hijra (July 29)

Flag: The Cardinnic flag has one unequal band which takes up half of the flag as well as two equal, vertical bands of orange and blue. The national emblem is centered in the middle band on the hoist side.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Centuries before boats, ships, and galleons were imperial methods of commute, nomadic tribes of Kwandoan Berbers populated the rugged landscapes of Kardinulsuḻus. Near the declination and extinction of these tribes, some Berbers from the Cardinal Isles location would settle in and occupy the once empty areas of present-day Islamic countries Burur caq Noaqsi and Lardsty- this is why Cardinal Isles is titled "The First Islamic Republic" and their ancient peoples the "Water Walkers". Although few relics or physical evidence remain from these tribes, the fact that nearly forty-five percent of Cardinnics still understand the indigenous variant of the modern Islasashur dialect is a testament to the Isle's Berber lineage. The Unimonite "Sarditisiqinik" arrived in 5040, then built and founded Ţasawar in 5083 (with the help of more welcoming Cardinnics). Cardinal Isle's colonial experience with Unimon did differ somewhat from that of other islands which were closer to Unimon, such as Heheehuha and Olgatoto because it did not have what the Unimonites were searching for: mineral deposits and goldmanite. Because of the lack of mineral wealth and its remoteness, Kardinulsuḻus was still an economically underdeveloped and underpopulated investment for its colonizers. Noaqsian-born governor Kiţab Alnanii wed a Berber wife counting his taking of concubines and encouraged Kwandoan settlers to do likewise. Interracial marriage amalgamated Berber culture and mannerisms with that of the Kwandoan grouping of Islamic countries, creating the neo-Karadinnic class that dominates Kardinulsuḻus today. However, from the beginning, Berbers retained their more ancient Islasashur language, even as Kwandoan influence was accepted and embraced in other aspects of society.

Although Kwandoan fortune seekers headed elsewhere in uncolonized lands of mainland Kwandoa that would later be occupied by two Confucianist empires in the Chinese Congo and Sainterris, as well as one Protestant republic in Kings Gate, a breakaway of Sufi Muslims from the agriculturally undevelopable island cluster that was of Fawriţh descended on Bisiţ and, over some many generations, transformed the lives of the common Berber/Islamic Karadinnic citizens. By the end of the 5200s, around 50,000 of the once skeptical citizens who hadn't a thought about purifying their inner selves to have an experience with Allah had converted to this branch and settled land which hadn't been expanded beyond the main island. This theocratic society flourished until 5844, when Unimonite Sarditisiqinik banished the Sufis from Kardinulsuḻus, fearing that they couldn't dawdle around for much longer and let Cardinnics get too friendly with the theocratic Muslims, for they wouldn't just share their superb mind and body cultivation secrets amongst themselves, but with the lowly islanders! In the vacuum left by the Sufi riddance, the Cardinnics experienced for the first time direct disputations with a colonial power. Ultimately, however, these military and administrative tactics of imperious control would prove far less palatable and successful than those of the Sufis. Tensions past 5920 grew steadily between the colonists from Kwandoa and the natives.

In this period, Unimon was also a warring colonial state fighting two battles at a time. The great genius Noaqsian commander Nsuţanmar Ṟ A's invasion of the Bath Salt Flats on the northern edge of the country severely undermined the militaristic legitimacy of the already-stumbling Unimonite Khanate. Because the Sarditisiqinik naval forces that were sent to the Cardinal Isles were so direly needed for another ambitious military venture against Burur Cak Noaqsi and their capital, Sultan 'iidnukinrisija called the fleet of two thousand ships and galleons back. This not only invalidated one jus ad bellum which was sent a week prior, but let Kardinulsuḻus become the first and only island chain outside of Kwandoa to achieve independence, despite her dearth of economic resources and small population. The Isles were left with the prospect of building a country having thrown off the Eaj-based imperialists.

GEOGRAPHY

Location: The Cardinal Isles are a completely open group of seventeen islands, made up of one hundred and seventy one cities and townships. On a map, one would find that Lardsty lies to the west a few hundred miles, Unimon to the north-west, and Burur caq Noaqsi to the southwest. Where it won't look like it on a map, geographically Geektopia and Aimena lay east of Kardinulsuḻus.

Size: The islands encompass 271,473 kilometers. If one pairs this up with the federal unit of Mukladrue in Geektopia, they will see that it is approximately the same size. Kardinulsuḻus gave significant territory away to Lardsty and Unimon as a result of the War of The Two Pronged Crown (6153-6168). The country gained territory off the coast of Burur Cak Noaqsi from the Chohn-Singh Abirabishnu pirate fleet in the Thwarting of Abirabishnu (6369-6378), finalizing it's current borders.

Land Boundaries: Kardinulsuḻus shares a border with Burur Cak Noaqsi (20 kilometers).

Length of Coastline: Kardinulsuḻus' total coastline is 3,782 kilometers in length, which comprises 1,858 kilometers for the main island (Bisiţ), 66 kilometers for the Fawriţh cluster (fourteen islands [Raiţon, Seţgarov, Agoum, Rak, Byrran, Spherim, and Hubai]; seven are yet to be named), 981 kilometers for the Jaras and Jalafna islands, and 20 kilometers if you count the cliffs of the coastal city Malidat Ḻi Danal in Burur Cak Noaqsi.

Maritime Claims: Continuous zone extending twenty-four nautical miles from baseline of all ports on island Bisiţ, and twelve nautical miles from all other islands. Governance of Burur Cak Noaqsi determined cont. zone to be four and a half nautical miles from all ports on Malidat Ḻi Danal.

Topography: The northwestern coastline of the main island is rocky and hilly, as is the southeastern portion. The eastern coastline is mostly sandy. The northeastern part of the main island is covered with fauna and flora, while the southwestern portion is largely industrial and has few green areas.

Principal Rivers: The principal river, Aţajasafi, begins in the northwest of the main island and flows west for the first 4 kilometers. The Aţajasafi flows through a residential area and briefly runs through the city of E Bilisaeiḻ 'akdab, before it falls off of the North Cardinnic Coast and then becomes the 'iibmaţh, flowing south-west for a short distance. It then cuts across the country's main market city of Birkabinu, running into the Iitqusihaţit, which flows south-east for a few kilometers before joining the Aţajasafi on the west coast of the country. The Aţajasafi remains the biggest river of Kardinulsuḻus.

Climate: There are three distinct climate zones on the main island: Lowland is a semi-arid steppe in the northern reaches of the main island, the Middle Cane is a semi-humid forest in the northeastern regions, High Cane covers the central portion of the island and High Cane covers the southern portion of the island. Lowland and High Cane are divided by the west coast. The westerly portion of Lowland is covered in salt marshes and is prone to high winds. The low lands (of Lowland) are coastal, with some of the larger cities inland. The south-eastern coast is mainly dominated by the 'iibmaţh, which rises in the mountains near the misty encampment of La Kaḻbis 'ii Alţardaḻsirsu and flows west along the coast.

Natural Resources: The country's natural resources are sparse. Three elements are used in Kardinulsuḻus' non-carbonated beverages: salt, alum, and lanolin. Solar energy is still used in the manufacture of a small portion of all manufactured goods, but oil is used mostly for transport and as fuel in industry. The country also has rich veins of tungsten, copper, zinc, iron ore, and gold. Kardinulsuḻus is a trade hub, but still the Isles possess a relatively low standard of living.

Land Use: A vast majority of the land in and throughout the Isles is undeveloped. Although agriculture is a vital part of the Karadinnic economy, only 3.8% of the country which isn't barraged by on-and-off monsoons is arable, and only 0.115 percent is planted to permanent crops. The Cardinal Isles has roughly 14,189 hectares of arable land, where fifteen percent of this land is cultivated. Reform of the land or land reform has failed in Kardinulsuḻus, thus the top one percent of landowners own more than two-thirds of agricultural land in the country. The mostly arid region of High Cane, makes up nearly thirty percent of Kardinsulus' land overall, but supports less than one and a half percent of national economic activity and holds less than one percent of the population. The Lowland region cradles both a huge economic activity preponderance and the majority of the nation's populace.

Environmental Factors: For Kardinulsuḻus, deforestation is a concern. Experts estimate that the Isles lost 0.25 percent of it's forest cover each year out of thirty from 6528-6558. A growing pollution problem also exists inside The Cardinal Isles. Toxic dumping plagues many of the country's more prominently used rivers. Tanneries near bodies of water and are particularly harmful, releasing chromium and mercury into streams and rivers. Runoff from toxic chemicals spilt over by farmers also bleeds into Cardinnic waters, but not enough in certain areas for most citizens to notice. The salinization of already arid land in High Cane makes farming even more arduous. Moreover, poachers have almost free rein on the main island and the stomping out of exotic species is waved away by government in all other areas bar the highly-populated Lowland. This entrapment of species from the island is let off to the point of an exclusively poacher populated commune's existence within the strategically placed city of La Kaḻbis 'ii Altardaḻsiṟsu. These huntsmen continue to foster the illegal trade in crocodile skins and anteaters.

SOCIETY

Population: The Cardinal Isles have a population of about four point one five million people, with a population growth rate of one point two five percent projected for the year of 6905. A sizable two thirds of this population live in urban areas, while nearly one fifth live in the northern branch of the main island which houses cities such as the capital of the country in Ţasawar, as well as Bilin, Aydru Ṟisamilia B, Yuju, Miknuliriḻ, and Bib Milir Ṟulumibinsia. The fastest growth rates within the country are near Malidat Ḻi Danal as well as in the general vicinity of the capital.

Demographics: Kardinulsuḻus' population is relatively young, with a median age of sixteen years. Roughly fourty one point nine percent of the population is fourteen years or younger, fifty three percent is aged fifteen to sixty four, and under seven percent of the population is aged sixty five or older. According to estimates from this year, Islas Cardinales' birthrate stands at fifty eight point eight births per one thousand live births. The Isles' population growth results exclusively from it's own people. The average Cardinnic woman delivers six children, and as of current year, the nation has a calculated net migration rate of negative oh point three three five per one thousand. The Isles also have an average life expectancy of fifty one years as of current year (forty seven years for men and fifty three years for women), ranking the geo-state indubitably below standards as far as living fruitfully is concerned.

Ethnic Groups: The Cardinal Isles have a population which is almost of the same kind. Roughly ninety five percent of the local population specifies themselves as Naţhur (a mix of Berber and Kardinnic ethnicity), although an unremarkably small population of beings coined "chakra creatures" live off of the land themselves in the modern day beaches to the southern reaches of the High Cane. These take on a human shape, and their fighting prowess is piqued when in specific areas — such as a spacious abandoned sweets market one and a half kilometers west of Ayid Biţasjiwnithina, a nuclear power plant two miles east of Bilin, and the aptly named Aeroport Haeţala (in Haeţala). As a matter of fact, there isn't one chakra creature who's fighting prowess is increased in the same area when compared to another. Interactions with Cardinnic people have been marked by the entities losing a significant portion of their killing intent and fighting prowess when ushered out of these locations. What's more, the population includes unassimilated peoples from Valentine Z and more of the other nations that separate the fourteen countries of the continent Kwandoa in the Kwandoerth planet by a multiversal mirror.

Languages: The Cardinal Isles have two official languages, that of English and Islasashur. About ninety percent speak Modern Unimonite, forty-five percent of the population speak Islasashur, while thirty two and a half percent speak English. More than half of the population is trilingual.

Religion: Religious life in Kardinulsuḻus centers around Islamic doctrines. Nearly ninety percent adheres to the Shia variant of Islam, with Sufism having lost the beguiling reactions and rapid interest it used to invoke centuries ago. Sunni still exists in pockets; having been brought over by Aimenan economist millionaires who live in the country a day out of 365, view it as an offshore tax haven, and inspire reveling modicums of religious confidence in themselves by only teaching the natives one side of it. Additionally, a sizable Christian minority has sprung up after only having heard of or emigrating from the nation which is said to house most religions of the Western region on Earth; that of Chica Saw. They exist in the eastern department of Namirmis Aymae, which has provided space for thirteen cities.

The constitution of Islas Cardinales plights religious freedom as well as an outstanding lack of separation, division, or segregation among its citizens. In the country's history, there's been no symptoms or evidence pointing to non-Muslims enduring agony for practicing Islam. The government requires all religious groups to register through it. The Isles remain a secular state, though a majority of the population still observes religious holidays and other more occult ceremonies.

Education and Mental Wellness: The Rabibulka's teaching of students by instructors and retaining of those same teachings from instructors by students has been a known weakness that Kardinulsuḻus' people at the top have acknowledged but rarely tried to solve, though it has not been a documented issue until now. In the sultanship of Monasţersky Saeawanani, a lack of standard for education was one of the greatest issues that Cardinnics had faced and from these internal lacks one did not have the time to teach or the money to pay for their child's learning. First sultan Dreana Ṟamawawţ, in recognizing that this was a problem, professed that it would be hard to choose whether this or the economy was more important a thing to stabilize. The population's sole consolation from the affirmation they listened to was of whether Dreana's assurance that he'd focus on having every person's responsibilities weigh less than they did before in regards to schooling would come to fruition or not. Simplified, Dreana's stab at an educational reform designated to the population, more specifically each township's school district, a certain amount of children per teacher, and the township would pay for that child's schooling, though members of the township would continue to have an obligation to take care of their children and make sure that they did not cause property damage. In the sunrise years of his sultanship, Ṟamawawţ showed a genuine interest in improving this aspect of life but soon after his first reform, the focus began to shift from education (not that the previously mentioned reform still wasn't being as strictly followed as possible) to spheres that had more to do with controlling political counterparts and centralizing imports and exports. Under the time that Dreana was sultan, teacher wages middled out for a few decades and then arrowed down towards the brink of insolvency. It is believed that the only reason why the population's educational level is now not so low is because: (1) the constitution of 6587 introduced a second educational reform that only kept a few assertions from the first in place and, (2) newer generations of the Isles' have shown an ability to raise their own children in times of famine and economic chaos occurring well before, after, or not at all in said times of famine.

An article of the aforementioned constitution designates that on odd years, government expenditure with regards to education be kept low at fifteen percent whereas on even years, twenty percent will be spent on education. The following of this measure's stipulation has been forced on to townships and also forces more regular interaction between regulators of the national government and regulators of townships, though it has not demonstrated itself as a fruitful system for either party.

Be that as it may, it would seem that the country's citizens have not become less inquisitive about the world outside of their township or even their department. Recently, Kardinulsuḻus has fostered a reputation positively reinforced by it's strong ties with the westerly regions of the Kwandoan continent, or "Waţhatarn Ṟaeshas". Regulators of the national government know that a majority of funding for education went and is still going to the advertising of 9-12th grade graduation exams and stimulation of curriculum. Still, teacher salaries are not to reach the same heights as they once did until 9200. As well as this, in most other island countries (Amoresierra and Campo de Ervas), children enter schooling at the age of nine after being educated by their parents for a period of time whereas for the Cardinal Isles, schooling starts at the early formative period of four years old, taking away attention given from the child onto the parents and from the parents onto the child. Indiscriminately, scholars above or below the age of eighteen in the country who commit one crime face the same punishment on a "fair is not equal" basis: suspension from school for a year and two months, fined a maximum of five thousand muayidana, and a loss of three hundred school credits.

• City and region names are in italic.

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