Asidama

Asidama (formally the Kingdom of Asidama) is an island country straddling the continents of Skephon and Osamia. It is situated in the Kunichi Sea, and bordered on its south by Gemurtrak and Mitruhmoer to its south across the Ornyenka-Sthulista Strait and Shemia to its west. The nation itself spans an archipelago containing hundreds of volcanic islands of thousands of square kilometers of sea, but has four primary islands: Nui in the north, Chikasi to the west, Baisu to the south, and the main island of Kuguni, by far the largest of the four and home to most of the nation's population. Asidama is a, boasting a line of rulers stretching back more than a millennium.

The first inhabitants of the islands are believed to have arrived around 14,000 BCE, although successive waves of migration occurred around 3,000 and 1,000 BCE. The islands birthed several tiny trader kingdoms which coalesced into the four major kingdoms of Duya, Chichi, Uchi, and Aya by the 4th century CE. By the 9th century, Chichi emerged victorious and united what is now Asidama under one flag. Expanding outward, Dama traders sailed as far north as Salia, as far west as Haksarad, and as far south as Tákjaana. By the 11th century, the Dama had established itself as a premier commercial and maritime power in the region, controlling passage through key straits to its north and south as well as itself serving as a major center of trade. However, due to internal stress and increasing encroachment by Salian traders, the kingdom withdrew from its previous position as a regional power and entered a period of isolation for nearly two centuries. The period was ended by the monarch known as Kōshaku the Great, who was instrumental in the re-opening of the country as well as its industrial and political modernization. Asidama continued to grow and develop, remaining neutral during the World Wars and becoming a prominent member of the international community.

Asidama has left a profound cultural, architectural, and linguistic influence across the world. It is a developed country with high living standards but increasingly glaring inequality of income. It ranks highly in stability, social progress, prosperity, and peacefulness, although it has drawn some criticisms due to instances of state censorship of the press. A member of the World Forum and Southern Prosperity League, Asidama enjoys good diplomatic relationships with its neighbors and the wider world.

Etymology
The name Asidama comes from the Dama for "rain mountain" (asi for rain, dama for mountain). The name first came into use around the 9th century with the unification of the islands under the Chichi Kingdom. Use of the term was spread by the Dama Treasure Fleets, which sailed across the hemisphere, bringing goods and ideas as well as the new etymology for the collective region within the Kunitchi Sea.

History
Humans first migrated to what is now Asidama around 14,000 BCE. These early inhabitants followed a semi-sedentary hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Rice is introduced in the third millennium BCE following a subsequent wave of migrations. Ideal agricultural conditions, the introduction of rice, and the subsequent mastering of wet-field rice cultivation as early as the third millennium BCE allowed large populations to grow into villages and towns by the thirteenth century BCE. The island’s strategic sea-lane position fostered the transfer of new crops, animals, people, and tools. Metalworking was introduced to the island around 1000 BCE, as well as new styles of pottery. Asidama's hot and even temperature, abundant rain and volcanic soil were perfect for wet rice cultivation. Such agriculture required a well-organized society, leading to the rise of various Rice Kings on the island. The Rice Kings warned frequently with one another and tapped into their massive labor reserves to construct massive monuments to their reigns. Eventually, however, power shifted to the island's coastal kingdoms as trade increased with neighboring peoples. The kingdoms' main exports initially included silver, copper, and iron ore, but soon its coastal port cities became hubs of trade in their own rights. To match, the islands' trade kingdoms developed powerful navies to defend against pirates and protect their assets.

Antiquity
Eventually the island settled into four primary kingdoms of varying size. These four eventually coalesce into two. One is larger but poorer, while the other is smaller and more developed. The developed one wins, and the island is united by the end of the medieval age. Eventually it gets slimmed down to Duya and Chichi. Two engage one another in three wars - the Pearl War, over sea trade routes, the Jade War, over inland territorial disputes, and finally the Obsidian War. In each conflict the Chichi are victorious, securing their dominance before finally becoming the undisputed rulers of the island.
 * Duya - largest kingdom in terms of land mass - large levies of peasant soldiers.
 * Chichi - wealthy thanks to trade with the outside world, and a powerful navy. Many mercenaries in their ranks, some foreign.
 * Uchi - detailed system of law and governance, mixing ancient caste system/shamanistic rituals with new ones.
 * Aya - smallest of the kingdoms, itself a confederacy of chiefdoms in the Sagi valley. The valley and surrounding regions are rich in iron ore, making the export of iron tools and weapons one of the kingdom's chief industries.  Eventually absorbed as a client state of Chichi.

Middle ages
Dama traders, in lavish trade fleets financed by the crown, establish trading posts/colonies across the known world. The Dama Treasure Fleets reach as far north as Salia, as far west as Haksarad, and as far south as Dayan. The kingdom allies with Mitru in its defense against the Gemurtrakian invasion, providing arms, ships, and supplies. The kingdom hopes to dispute Gemutrakian dominance over the straits by aiding Mitru. When Gemurtrak dissolved into civil war shortly after, the Dama were quick to step in and assume proprietorship over the old trade routes and shipping lanes. With Asidama at the crossroads of not one, but two major trade lanes (mouth to Abayadi Sea, Osamia), their wealth grows as the world grows more connected. With each successful mission, the wealth and prestige of the kingdom grows. Art, culture, and sciences enjoy a golden age thanks to these resources. However, it was not to last. Growing Salian influence in the region comes at the expense of the Dama. Indeed, Salian traders are successfully able to pit some Dama merchant missions against one another, allying with one and swooping in at the end for the lion’s share. These aggressive practices and the inability of the Dama merchant class to unite as effectively as the Salians leads to a sharp economic downturn, compounded by a tsunami in YEAR that destroys much of OLDCAPITAL. This begins a rapid period of decline in Dama society, marked by self-imposed isolation and rampant xenophobia.

Modern era
A few kings come and go before OPENGUY decides that Asidama has pouted enough, He lifts the restrictions on trade and transportation, declaring that his kingdom must step out from the shadows. Asidama is now half a century behind its rivals in terms of technology and trade, but a combination of careful diplomacy and some ample opportunities return the Dama to their place of former glory. OPENGUY invites numerous foreign scholars and artists to his court at his capital of NEWCAPITAL, encouraging them to teach as much as they can. Many foreign books are transliterated into the Dama language for the first time in this period. Although he struggles with the conservative nobility, he is able to successfully balance the interests of various groups for the most part. In a pattern repeated elsewhere in the region, the opening of the nation’s ports allowed for rapid industrialization at the expense of growing foreign influence (particularly that of Salian traders and the Huenarnoan Import Company). To minimize these effects, wise leaders played foreigners against one another; Ventorans, Edurans, Haksars, Salians, and others. The nation’s government underwent a period of reform at this time, with the establishment of a quadricameral legislature (commoners, tradesmen, merchants, nobility) which was later shored up to be only tricameral (bye bye artisans) and then bicameral (bye merchants). Asidama attempts to help prevent the overthrow of the Gemurtrakian monarchy but is unsuccessful. When the Gemurtrakian royal family flees the country, the Dama monarchy hosts them. Second World War – aligned with Concert Powers but remains neutral out of the desire to avoid being curb stomped. Allows Concert vessels to dock/refuel. It later plays a pivotal role in the restoration of the Gemurtrakian monarchy. More political reforms that more or less put it where it is now. The nation escapes the era of world wars relatively unscathed, placing it in an optimal place to develop into a regional power. It develops a heavily export-dependent economy, with major exports including computers, cars, electrical appliances, rice, textiles and footwear, fishery products, and jewelry. Today Asidama stands as a proud and ancient nation, with vibrant culture and history marking every street.

Geography
The land consisting of the Kingdom of Asidama consists of 176 islands, with a combined area of of 105,336.69 square kilometers. The main island, known as Kuguni, makes up the vast majority of this area. The Locufaric Ocean lies to the east, the Salian Sea to the north, and the Ornyenka-Sthulista Strait to the south. The body of water surrounding the nation itself is typically referred to as Kunichi, or the Kunichi Sea. Smaller islands include the island of Nui in the north, Baisu in the south, and the sacred island of Muni to the south-east.

The main island of Kuguni was formed through Mesozoic accretion of micro-continental fragments, ophiolite terranes, and island arc crust onto a Paleozoic continental core. At the beginning of the Cenozoic Kuguini formed a promontory which was separated from the Skephon mainland by the proto-Kunichi Sea. Today, Kunichi contains four terrestrial ecoregions: Northern monsoon rainforest, Southern tropical savanna, Subtropical evergreen highlands, and Highland humid subtropical forest. The eastern mountains are heavily forested and home to a diverse range of wildlife, while land use in the western and southern lowlands is intensive. Due to its proximity to several fault lines, there is a heavy volcanic presence in the region as well, with many submarine volcanoes as well as volcanic islands.

Climate
The vast majority of Asidama's islands and population lie just south of the equator. The northern and central-western regions of the island enjoy a tropical monsoon climate, whereas the south has a tropical savanna climate, and the mountainous east boasts a more temperate humid subtropical climate. The average rainfall is nearly 4,000 millimeters per year for the island proper. The rainy season is concurrent with the onset of the summer in May and June. The entire island experiences hot, humid weather from June through September. During the winter, the northern half of the island experiences steady rain, while the southern parts are mostly sunny.

Biodiversity and conservation
The Kuguni rainforest is estimated to be nearly 140 million years old, making it among the oldest in the world. It is the center of the evolution and distribution of many endemic species of plants and animals, including the REDACTED. Mangrove swamp forests cover much of the northern and eastern coastline of Kuguni. While its soil is comparatively infertile, it is known to be home to countless species of plants, birds, mammals, and fish. The fauna and flora of Kuguni as well as the minor islands are endangered by human activity. Since the arrival of humans more than 16,000 years ago, the islands are believed to have lost some 90 percent of its original forest. This forest loss is largely fueled by traditional slash and burn agricultural practices imported by migrants about 5,000 years ago. Dama farmers embrace the practice not only for its practical benefits as an agricultural technique, but for its cultural associations with prosperity, health, and venerated ancestral custom. As human population density rose on the island, deforestation accelerated beginning around 1,400 BCE. By the beginning of the modern era, the central highlands had been largely cleared of their original forests. Beginning in the 17th century, authorities on the island began taking measures to preserve the remaining wild places on the island. Today, the government of Asidama maintains a robust network of preserves, zoos, and other protected areas to "guard the biological inheritance of our children and legacy of our forebears."

Politics
Asidama is a unitary state and parliamentary constitutional monarchy, in which the power of the King is limited to a largely ceremonial role. Executive power is instead wielded by the Viceroy of Asidama, an elected executive whose role today largely resembles that of a President in other systems. Asidama's legislative organ is the National Presidium, a bicameral parliament consisting of a lower Peoples Chamber and an upper Nobles Chamber. There is universal suffrage for all adults 22 years old and over, with a secret ballot for all elected offices. The Prime Minister is the head of government, appoints and dismisses Ministers of State, and is appointed by the King upon the advice of the Viceroy. The National Presidium consists of more than a dozen political parties, but the two dominant parties are the ruling buff Constitutionalist Party and the light-blue Majority Community Party.

Historically most heavily influenced by its neighbors to the south, the Dama legal system developed largely independently followed the self imposition of isolation centuries ago. Even with the lifting of this curtain, the Dama legal system largely reflects a continuation of previous legal and political traditions going back centuries. The Constitution of Asidama, adopted in 1896, is the oldest unamended constitution in the world. Statutory law originates in the legislature, and the constitution requires that the Viceroy, on behalf of the King, promulgate legislation passed by the Presidium without giving him the power to oppose legislation. The main body of Dama statutory law is called the Seven Codes. Asidama's court system is divided into four basic tiers: the Supreme Court and three levels of lower courts.

Foreign relations
A member state of the World Forum since its founding in 1958, Asidama has been noted as being highly willing to partake in international cooperation, despite its conservative leanings. Asidama is also a member of the Southern Prosperity League, and enjoys particularly close political, economic, social, and cultural ties with its southern neighbors Gemurtrak and Mitruhmoer. As it sits at the convergence of two key global sea lanes, Asidama enjoys strong diplomatic relations with other nations not particularly close to it geographically. These include Ventora, Huenarno, and Vircazihm.

Military
Asidama's Armed Forces include the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The army has about 97,000 active duty personnel. Defense spending in the national budget was 0.7% of GDP in 2019. The Armed Forces as they exist today were formed in the response to the First World War. Although Asidama did not directly participate, its leaders saw the need for a modern, reformed military to maintain domestic stability and deter foreign threats. Although it began as an institution dominated by nobility in high offices, it has since become a less classist institution to a degree with focus instead placed on merit.

Economy
Asidama has a mixed economy in which the private and public sectors alike play vital roles. Services are the economy's largest sector and account for 43.4% of the GDP, followed by industry (39.7%) and agriculture (12.8%). Since 1990, the Services sector has employed more people than others, accounting for 47.7% of the labor force, followed by agriculture (30.2%) and industry (21.9%). Over time, the structure of the economy has changed considerably. Historically, Asidama's economy has been weighed heavily towards agriculture and trade. A gradual process of industrialization and urbanization began following the end of its cultural isolation and accelerated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This development, guided closely by the hand of the Dama state, continued well into the mid 20th century until the 1950 Dama Financial Crisis. Following a series of reforms and a reduction in trade barriers, the nation's economy became more globally integrated and recovered from this shock.

Steady inflation rates and an increase in GDP have contributed to strong economic growth in recent years. From 2008 to 2020, annual growth has accelerated between 4% and 6% as a result of improvement in the banking sector and domestic consumption. As of 2021, 6.8% of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line, and the official unemployment rate was is 5.28%. Asidama has abundant natural resources such as coal, tin, copper, gold, and nickel, while agriculture produces rice, palm oil, tea, coffee, cacao, medicinal plants, spices, and rubber. These commodities make up a large portion of the country's exports, with palm oil and coal briquettes as the leading export commodities. In addition to refined petroleum products as the primary imports, telephones, vehicle parts and foodstuffs (mainly corn and wheat) cover the majority of additional imports. Gemurtrak, Mitruhmoer, Tákjaana, Tefftan, and Yuchvan are the nation's principal export markets and import partners.