Fojsatan

Sheep in the countryside of Fojsatan

Fojsatan (IPA: /foʝəʂatan/) is one of the fifteen states of Gfiewistan. It names derives from ‘fojsa’, to tend to sheep and ‘tan’, land. Fojsatan is a more centrally located state, traditionally seen as belonging to Gfiewistan’s heartland, bordering the state of Wrofatan in the northwest, the state of Kebbzol in the northeast, the river Ersaj in the east, the state of Kauslat in the south and the state of Tanla in the west.

Geography and economy

Forests are sparse, and the landscape is flat, although rugged at times, and hilly in the southwest. There are no major rivers flowing through the state, only two smaller tributaries of the Ersaj in the west, the countryside is dominated by grassland that sheep graze on. As a result, Fojsatan has historically always been associated with sheep and wool in particular, which still forms the backbone of the local economy. About two thirds of the inhabitants are employed in either sheep raising or an associated industry. Thanks to modern innovations, it has managed to remain affordable to almost all Gfiewians while largely retaining its quality and is valued for that reason in some other countries as well. Spiced warm sheepmilk is a local specialty found in all cafes and bars in the state capital, Gfojkio (/gʷoʝəkɪʊ/, population 41,829, literally "at the shepherds"), and many dairy products from all over Gfiewistan often come from this state as well. Aside from sheep, buckwheat is a second pillar of the economy, with fields existing all over the state, particularly in the west. Together with the states of Wrofatan and Tanla it forms the breadbasket of the country.

Demographics

Fojsatan has a population of just 89,221 people, with most of it living in towns and only about ten percent in the countryside. Emigration to other states further decreases that number, as the state has the second highest negative net migration rate after Ghaklmbu. The death rate is also the second highest, again after the state of Ghaklmbu, however offset by the above-average birth rate. Still, the total growth rate is negative, ranked 14th out of 15.

Transport and smaller urban centers

The most important connection to the rest of the country is the the eastern national highway, which splits up near Gfojkio into a road going southeast in the direction of Weishriew (Kauslat) passing the smaller town of Wexumalne (/ʍɛxɯmaɭnə/, 5,054 people, literally “cider/liquor place”) and a southwestern route going towards Dillariewis in the state of Hemmswill, as well as a western route to Tanlariewis (/ʈɐnɭaɹɪəʍɪʂ/, 125,286 people, named after the region ‘Tanla’ it is situated in and ‘riewis’ town) in Tanla. Aside from that, the Hatariew–Weishriew river ferry line has a single stop in the town of Retsamka (/ɹɛtʂamka/, 7,402 people, etym.: after an influential landowner in the 18th century), and the Hatariew–Weishriew railway stops in four tiny towns, Welgonuur (/ʍɛɭgonɯʷɯɹ/, 1,107 people, from ‘welgo’ a commercially used forest and ‘nuur’ road), Kusframt (/kɯʂʷɹant/, 2,394 people, from ‘kusfra’ ford and a suffix denoting a place), Sesgo (/ʂɛʂgo/, 2,061 people, from ‘ses’ sunflower and ‘go’ farm) and Enwuj (/ɛnʍɯʝə/, 1,893 people, named after the word in the local dialect for the kind of pines typical for the area).