Hlenderia
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The Commonwealth of Hlenderia, officially the Hlenderian Commonwealth of Mūnim, Kwarim, and Vrotrim, is a country that occupies most of the island of Hayaneste, Gondwana, except for the most northwesternmost portion occupied by Joralesia. Hlenderia is a multiethnic state divided between the Mūni, Kwari, and Vrotri peoples. The majority of Hlenderia has a subarctic climate, dominated by boreal forest and wetland. The extreme southeast of the island, allocated to the Mūni people, is dominated by tundra. The western coast, mostly Vrotri ancestral land, has a milder oceanic climate. The capital, Pelachis, is located in the northwest of the country, near the border with Joralesia, along the Pela River. Hlenderia's largest city, Norrith, is located on the northern coast in ethnic Kwari land.
The Hlenderian Commonwealth of Mūnim, Kwarim, and Vrotrim | |
|---|---|
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Motto: Hlenderia's people are all alike in dignity. | |
National emblem:  | |
 (1) On Hayaneste (2) Ethnic map Yellow: Vrotrim Blue: Kwarim Gray: Mūnim | |
| Capital | Pelachis |
| Largest city | Norrith |
| Official languages | Hlenderian |
| Ethnic groups (2018) | 98.6% Human 0.8% Elf 0.6% other |
| Religion (2018) |
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| Demonym(s) | Hlenderian, Mūni, Kwari, Vrotri |
| Peoples of Hlenderia | Mūnim Kwarim Vrotrim |
| Government | Multiethnic, Constitutional elective monarchy |
• King | Yendrin Kwarrōth |
• President of the Grand Council | Marsilamat Indari |
| Legislature | Grand Council (unicameral) |
| Establishment | |
| 1687 | |
• Formation of the Grand Council | 1692 |
| 1908 | |
| Area | |
• Total | 461,300 km2 (178,100 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2018 census |  26,090,300 |
• Density | 56.3/km2 (145.8/sq mi) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2022 estimate |
• Total | $494.3 billion |
• Per capita | $18,945 |
| Gini (2022) | 0.53 low |
| SDI (2018) | 0.725 high |
| Currency | Hlenderian dina (Đ/HLD) |
| Time zone | UTC -5, -6 |
| Date format | mm/dd/yyyy |
| Driving side | the right |
| ISO 3166 code | HLE |
| Internet TLD | .hl |
Archaeological evidence indicates that Hayaneste was settled at least two thousand years ago, but the first written records describing the Mūni, Kwari, and Vrotri peoples dates to the 6th century. These ethnic groups would unite in the face of foreign threats, but would also often fight among themselves over farming and grazing rights, religious differences, or trade disputes. The modern state of Hlenderia was formed in the late 17th century, when tribal leaders from the three ethnic groups of the area united following settlement attempts by Auravas, Ethalria, and others. This first constitution of Hlenderia established political traditions that remain to this day, including its elective monarchy and legislature constructed and apportioned along ethnic lines.
Hlenderia is sparsely populated, and a large proportion of its people live in a few large cities along the coast. Hayaneste's interior is mostly taiga with cold, harsh winters and a short growing season. The Hlenderians that live away from the coast, mostly Mūni and Kwari, follow traditional ways of life and customary law. The Oramin Mountains, in the southwest interior of Hlenderia, are held as holy in the local folk religion and are designated a National Religious Preserve, one of the largest such preserves in the world. The Oramin preserve is off-limits to foreigners except on certain occasions scheduled by the Bureau of Culture.
The island's harsh climate, traditional way of life and secretive religion of the Mūni, Kwari, and Vrotri, as well as the historic hostility of Hlenderia to foreign colonization, have led to the country having an international reputation for isolationism and xenophobia. One political scientist observed in 2009 that "the Hlenderian government does little to dispel this notion, and indeed one could infer that it is a reputation they would like to cultivate". However, recent reform efforts by the national government and development intended to spur foreign investment has contributed to economic growth in the past decade.
Hlenderia is a middle-income country with a developing economy. The capital of Pelachis and large port city of Norrith are the largest contributors to the national economy, which remains focused on its fisheries, lumber industry, and manufacturing. In the extreme southeast of the country, the local Mūni people engage in small-scale subsistence whaling, but recent attempts to prepare whale products for foreign sale have resulted in controversy at home and abroad.
History
Politics
Hlenderia is a semi-constitutional monarchy, which has been called anocratic or a hybrid regime. External observers have been divided on the exact nature of the regime, which gives the King substantial political influence but does place some restrictions on his power. An elected legislature, the Grand Council of Hlenderia, chooses the King, who rules for life. In reality, Binational Agreement between Kwari and Vrotri parties in 1908 has ensured that the monarch has belonged to one of these two ethnic groups since then.
The current King, Yendrin Kwarrōth, was elected in 1991. Before his accession, Yendrin was an influential member of the right-wing party Traditionalist Kwarim, but since taking the throne he has moved to the center of the political spectrum and focused on modernizing efforts. His only child, Yendrina Kwarrōth, is a member of the centrist Liberal Party and sits in the Grand Council. Yendrin's wife, Queen Mera Kwarrōth, died in 1986 and he never remarried. Most political observers believe Yendrina is the most likely successor to the throne.
Legislature
The Grand Council of Hlenderia is elected at-large every five years, or earlier if the legislature is dissolved or votes to hold an early election. The King is given the power to suspend and dissolve the Council, but must call a new election within two months. The Council elects a President from among its members, whose position is analogous to that of a Prime Minister or Chancellor in other nations. The current President is Marsilamat Indari, an ethnic Vrotri.
The Grand Council has 187 seats. Of these, 144 are reserved seats divided between the Kwari, Vrotri, and Mūni people according to proportion of population. This arrangement, present since Hlenderia's founding, can cause census years to be times of heightened ethnic tensions. The census, which occurs every eight years, last occured in 2018 and is scheduled to occur again in 2026.
The remaining 43 seats are open to all candidates, and primarily represent districts in cities along the coast and the largest interior settlements. These seats are often key swing votes in major issues, and constitute an informal "upper house" in the unicameral Council.
Elections proceed according to party-list proportional representation. Seven parties are represented in the Grand Council. Five of these parties are "ethnic" parties, officially representing the issues of their ethnic groups, and two are officially "pan-national".
| Party name |
Political position |
Seats |
|---|---|---|
| United Vrotrim | Center-left to center-right | 57 |
| Kwari People's Party |
Center-right | 42 |
| Traditionalist Kwarim | Center-right to right-wing | 19 |
| Mūni Peoples Front |
Right-wing | 15 |
| United Southeastern Mūni Bands | Right-wing to far-right | 9 |
| Liberal Party | Centrist to left-wing | 31 |
| Hlenderian Workers Party | Left-wing to far-left | 14 |
The current ruling coalition is comprised of the United Vrotrim, Kwari People's Party, and Traditionalist Kwarim. The United Opposition is compromised of the Liberal Party and Hlenderian Workers Party. The two Mūni parties vote together on most issues.