Lugida

Republic of Lugida Frakimara i-Lugida
Flag
Motto: Nem hainum delanum "In unity, a shine"
Capital and largest city		Natlia 32°26′N 1°0′E
Official languages		Lithian
Ethnic groups (2012)		44.2% Lenthirite 29.9% Melune 11.4% Kitrian 14.5% others
Religion		41.2% Avism 30.9% Irreligious 10.8% Orthodox 9.0% Native religions 8.1% others
Demonym		Lugid Lugia Lugidami
Government		Unitary presidential constitutional republic
-	President	Felufre Kirne
-	Vice President	Anithan Bremi
Legislature		Parliament
-	Upper house	Council
-	Lower house	National Assembly
Establishment
-	Early Lugid dynasties	1st millennium BCE
-	Avite Empire	188
-	Melune kingdoms	721
-	Forian Kingdom	1146
-	Kingdom of Melunair	1687
-	First constitution	1868
-	Current constitution	1949
Area
-	Total	431,933 km2 166,770 sq mi
Population
-	2017 estimate	73,860,543 (14th)
-	Density	171/km2 442.9/sq mi
GDP (nominal)		2016 estimate
-	Total	$2,594.1 billion (4th)
-	Per capita	$35,121
Gini (2016)		0.471 low
HDI (2016)		0.905 very high
Time zone		Sahar Coordinated Time (SCT+0)
Date format		yyyy-mm-dd
Drives on the		left
Calling code		+28
Internet TLD		.lg
a.	Coordinates of Lugida: 35°N 0°E

Lugida, officially the Republic of Lugida (Lithian: Frakimara i-Lugida), is a unitary sovereign state located in Southern Soltenna. Comprising the western half of the Sharkunen Gulf basin and briefly part of the Amiyant Sea basin, Lugida is bordered by Kadya and the Rietic Mountains to the west, Yerlan to the northeast, and Xynderland to the south.

Comprising an area of 431,933 km², Lugida's population is Sahar's 14th largest and Soltenna's 3rd largest. The capital Natlia is one of the leading global cities whose population ranks 1st in Lugida and 10th in the world. High levels of urbanization led to a distinctive urban lifestyle of the Lugids, concentrated in metropolitan areas such as Nagidan with 25 million residents.

Earliest permanent settlement in Lugida dates back to 2000 BCE in Mairastra. Civilization began to flourish during the Tigrate dynasty period from the 7th century BCE. Letsatian Empire conquered most of coastal Lugida from the Altha Dynasty on the 1st century CE, introducing more advanced technology and system of government along with significant Ekuosian influence. Its remains later grew to become the Avite Empire, bringing a Lugid form of Iovism known as Avism and spreading Ekuosian influence to parts of Soltenna. Forian Kingdom is founded in 1146 to later become the dominant naval power of Sahar in the mid 16th to early 18th centuries, before conquest of the Kingdom by Melunair in the 1730s led to the Forian Exodus and the subsequent fall of the Forian Kingdom. Lugid Revolution ended monarchy and started the first Republic of Lugida in 1868, initiating a period of rapid industrialization. In the 1930s Imperial Lugida led by Aten Kate seized power from the Republic, subsequently joining the Unity in the Great Ekuosian War until the Empire fell to the Republicans in 1948. Suffering from extensive war damages, Lugida is one of the largest recipients of the (something plan), marking the beginning of Lugida's rapid post-war economic growth.

Driven by the highly educated and skilled workforce, Lugida is a high-tech developed country with the world's 4th largest economy by nominal GDP, mainly as a result of the country's rapid post-war economic growth combined with a centralized and export-oriented economy. High personal freedoms led to the rise of Lugid popular culture such as L-pop and Mikau. Lugida is a founding member of Fordas and the Soltennan Council.

Etymology

The name "Lugida" comes from the Lithian words, Lugia and gaida, meaning "land of the blue". Lugia refers to the Lugid people in general, which ultimately derives from the word Lugi, meaning "blue".

Lugia includes both the Lenthirites and the Melunes, who are ethnically different but share common cultural traits with each other. The demonym's usage dates back from as early as the mid-18th century during the Melune period, when desire for Lugid unification arose, and became popular among the Lugids through Lugid revolutionist movements on the mid-19th century.

History

Main article: History of Lugida

Geography

Lugida is located in the south-central portion of Soltenna, by the Amiyant Sea to the south and the Gulf of Sharkunen to the east. It borders Yerlan at the northeast, Xynderland at the south separated by the Amiyant, and Kadya to the west and to the north. Also bordering the northern part of Lugida is part of the Rietic Mountains.

Geology

Lugida is situated near the borders of Soltennan and Akulanen plates. The Rietic Mountains was formed from the former Rietic plate which may have collided and eventually merged with the Soltennan plate around 32 million years ago.

The Rietic Mountains is a volcanic zone, home to all 16 known active volcanoes of Lugida. Among these, Mount Nidarum is both the most active and the most notable, famed through its series of eruptions, most notably the eruption of Mount Nidarum in 1860. It ultimately contributed to the Lugid Revolution and the succeeding collapse of Melunair. Much of Mount Lenthir was formed through its volcanic activity but lacks any historical records of major eruptions. Available geological evidence suggests Mount Lenthir's last major eruption taking place on around 3,000 BCE, predating the earliest of Qonklese civilizations.

Earthquakes in Lugida are a common sight, but are often low and harmless in magnitude and epicenters of these often take place off the Lugid coastline. Notable historical earthquakes include the 872 Kitlimis earthquake and the 1730 Lumine earthquake and tsunami, the latter of which is estimated to be a magnitude 7.2 earthquake and may have been one of the driving factors of the Forian Exodus.

Climate

Lugid climate is predominantly humid subtropical, with variations from north to south. The northern part of Lugida which includes the cities of Melunebet and Nizen experiences a continental climate. A patch of Mediterranean climate is present on the Lugid Amiyant Sea coastline, extending from Dalshabet to the coastal Lugi-Kadic border.

Lugida has an annual average precipitation of around 1100 mm, with higher values observed on the eastern portion of Natika near Mairastra. Conversely, the topmost parts of Mount Nidarum is the least precipitated region. 36 percent of Lugid lands are arable, most of which are located in the Mairune Plains and Lenthiri highlands which hold around 44 percent and 21 percent of the arable lands, respectively.

Economy

Lugida's mixed economy ranks 4th in world nominal GDP, identifying it as a high-tech developed country with an overall high-income economy. Its large economy is primarily attributed to the rapid economic recovery from the 1960s following the Great Ekuosian War, which saw significantly increased investment in education, trade, and industrialization partly through funding with the (something Plan), in conjunction with imposition of favorable policies. These conditions made Lugida one of the fastest growing economies in the world at the time, ultimately leading to its large modern-day economy.

Service sector contributes to the largest portion of Lugida's economy, followed by tourism and manufacturing. Adoption of new technology in Lugida goes at a rapid pace, placing Lugida as home to some of the largest and most technologically advanced producers of electronics, steel and nonferrous metals, and machinery, benefiting from the country's highly skilled and educated workforce. Industrialization superseded agricultural industry in coastal Lugida where economic growth is primarily centralized. Floral industry in Lugida is Soltenna's largest, driven by high domestic demand for use in Lugid gardens, Hvoirs, and religious ceremonies, with Mairastra and Melunebet hosting the country's largest flower markets.

Economic growth of Lugida is challenged by high centralization of growth to the highly densely populated capital city Natlia and its neighboring regions, alongside economic crises in 1990s and 2005 which severed the country's economic growth. Growth centralization is dissented by few presidential administrations, most notably by current president Felufre Kirne. He described centralization as promoting capitalism and neglecting infrastructural and economic development of cities located inland. In response, Felufre launched the Equalization Program to encourage decentralization of economy and "increase overall prosperity of the Lugids". This brought attention and concern from within the Lugid government whose majority party is mostly composed of right-wing socioeconomic elites.

Economic history

Lugida's economic prowess dates back to the 17th century during the Four Swords period. Amidst fierce economic competition by Veridia, the Bavkir Empire, and the Algazi League, the Four Swords secured its position as a global thalassocracy, dominating naval trade throughout Soltenna. Forian wealth is driven primarily through the kingdom's rich deposits of natural resources and control over some of the former Terminian trade routes.

Overall economy of Lugida was severed after Forian decline in 1731 after its conquest by the Kingdom of Melunair, in which a mass group of Forian economic elites fled the kingdom along with their wealth, draining local treasury and breaking down Forian trade routes. This stagnated Lugida's economic and technological progress until Shohuan assumed control over part of the Lugid coastline through conquest in (sometime near 1800s), initiating industrialization in Lugida. Economy of Lugida began to recover during this period.

Industrialization in Lugida remains mostly confined to the modern-day Nagidan region where Shohuan assumes control due to resistance by Melunair. Lugid Revolution and the formation of the first Republic of Lugida allowed easier and faster spread of industrialization along with market economy across the whole country. Enterprises and other organizations began to be founded in this period. Lugida's economy at this time grew at a steady rate before it slowed down in the 1930s and was heavily severed during imperial rule and the succeeding Great Ekuosian War. The war also severed Lugid infrastructure and part of Natlia and Kitlimis, opting Shohuanese funding for the country's rebuilding.

The rebuilding program came to be known as the (something) Plan, incorporated along with the Lugid government's massive reforms over government funding, education, and certain policies in order to rebuild the country's economy and overall infrastructure. Lugida recovered its economy rapidly and started a period of economic boom in the 1960s.

Demographics

Population

Lugida's population of 74 million is the world's 14th largest, concentrated along the Nagidan metropolitan area which spans along the coastline from the capital city Natlia to Kitlimis. Consisting the majority of Lugida's population are the three indigenous ethnic groups – Melunes, Kitrians, and Lenthirites, the latter being politically and culturally dominant. Riyans, Xynden, Yerlanis, and indigenous minorities such as ()s and ()s are among the significant minority groups of Lugida.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Lugida

An Iovic religion, Avism is Lugida's largest organized religion, being the de facto state religion adhered by 41.2% of the Lugid population according to a 2012 report. 30 percent of the population declared themselves not affiliated with any religious organizations or are irreligious in the same report. Out of (some number) religious buildings in Lugida, 68 percent are sermets, and 19 percent are (something) temples. Other Iovic religions such as Orthodox Iovism, Pauegism, and Pashaism compose a combined total of 12% of the population.

(something) is the Lugid native religion with 9% of the population declared themselves as affiliated with. Later surveys in 2015 suggested the number might be higher, estimating as much as half of the population who declared themselves unaffiliated as adherents of (something). Its history dates back as far as 3,000 years, historically being the state religion of pre-Letsatian Lugid dynasties, most notably the Altha Dynasty.

Avism was introduced to Lugida through Letsatian rule in the 2nd century CE as a form of Iovism, incorporating elements from native religions and cultures. Subsequently, the Avite Empire and the later Forian missionaries spread Avism throughout Lugida and parts of Soltenna, superseding the predominant native religions and thus making the religion dominant in Lugida ever since. Adherents began to stagnate and decline since the Melune rule, but numbers increased since the 1970s partly due to status of Avism as the de facto state religion since then. However, adherents are expected to decline in numbers for the following decades due to a steady growth of the amount of the religiously unaffiliated population.

Language

Main articles: Languages of Lugida and Lithian

Lugid society is overall linguistically homogeneous with Lithian being the dominant language spoken as the first language by around 91% of the population. A part of the Rietic language family, significant sister languages of Lithian include Kadic, Melune, and (some language). Lithian writing primarily uses (something) syllabary, derived from the Qonklese script. Forian alphabet is also widely used and is prevalent in international contexts.

Eight indigenous languages are listed by the Lugid Academy of Languages as endangered. In response, the institution instated a program known as (something), directed primarily to schools to increase awareness and to universities for scientific studies.

Foreign languages Riyan and Xynder are widely spoken as the second language, with Riyan proficiency reaching as high as 16% according to a 2015 report. Other spoken foreign languages include Shohuanese and Terminian, both of which were historically prevalent as trade languages.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Lugida

The culture of Lugida developed from the mix of native Lugid culture and various foreign influences. Historically, Lugid culture is heavily influenced by Qonklese culture through the (something) Dynasty, and later by Ekuosian culture through Letsatia and its succeeding states.

Lugida's rapid industrialization and urbanization in recent years brought significant changes on the lifestyle of the Lugids, leading to a concentration of the populace to major cities, particularly to the capital Natlia, with multi-generational households typically living as a nuclear family.

Art

Much of traditional Lugid art draws elements from Iovism, as seen in many traditional paintings, sculptures, and notably mosaics. These flourished especially during the Four Swords period, in which it began to draw numerous foreign influences acquired through trade. Interaction between foreign and local Lugid art has been significant, and Lugid art remains to flourish even after Melune conquests which severely hurt the economy of Lugida and other parts of the Four Swords at the time.

Late 19th century saw the earliest coining of the term (), which refers to an art style associated to and popular in Lugida. This would later establish the foundation to later, modern forms of Lugid art. Hana Futikata pioneered the Lugid animation industry on 1926, popularizing the term Mikau.

See also

• List of cities in Lugida
• List of countries in Miraria