Kelekona

Kelekona, officially the Union of Kelekona, is a country on the northern coast of the Songun in central Crona. It is bordered on the north by Varshan, on the east by Titechaxha, and on the west by Ehemo, Riena Levsa, Kartejya, and Porlos. It covers 2.2 million km2 and has a population of over 97 million people. The capital and largest city is Maktalin, on the Mediterranean coast.

Kelekona has been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times, and was the core region of the North Songun civilization. It was home to many different polities over the course of that civilization's existence, which all met their end by Varshan in 1500. During most of the 16th century, the territory was functionally a warzone due to rival claims to its territory, neo-Songunite uprisings, and the ever-present condition of the Hunts. The chaos eventually stymied Varshani exploitation in the area and presented instability on its borders, leading to Varshan invading the territory in 1592. It reorganized the various borderlands into a single tributary. Its governance more or less remained tied to Anzo for the next four centuries until its independence in 1975. In that year, the country was plunged into a devastating civil war between the ruling United Front for the Independence of Kelekona, supported by Urcea, Burgundie, and other anti-communist Occidental powers, and the socialist insurgent People's Front of Kelekona. The victory of the People's Front led to a short-lived socialist republic, until it was overthrown by right-wing military elements. The country remained a junta until the Yellow Revolution of 2002 - which was partially triggered by the junta's heavy oppression of the minority Minshimintig peoples. A migrant crisis that occurred during the Final War of the Deluge would lead to the collapse of the Kelekonan economy and the minarchist state, bringing forth another coup that has returned the military to power.

The Union of Kelekona is a  containing both elements of a  and military. While in theory a democratic republic, the current government is led by Chenoa Aponi in her unelected position as Marshal of the Union and as Chair of the National Council - a legislative and executive body which has yet to have its first direct election. The Union of Kelekona is therefore described as an state, although one fairly benevolent to its minority populations and ambivalent towards the opposition. It is a member of the League of Nations.

Kelekona is rich in, although its economy has remained stagnant due to political instability, a lack of infrastructure, and societal tensions discouraging wide-scale development. What little development had mainly occurred during the first years of the minarchist government, although this growth was extremely uneven. Standards of living remain low for most Kelekonans - even more so as the country handles a migrant crisis on the scale of millions, triggered by the Final War of the Deluge. The control of the Union government in Maktalin is therefore fractured and weak outside of the capital, with much of the nation under the purview of warlords loyal to the government or local, civilian "defence committees" that serve as de-facto provincial governments.

Etymology
Kelekona is an exonym with it's origins coming from a bastardization by the Anglish settlers of the Songun Sea. The original is from the Varshani term for the tributary kingdom they established on the Innis river, Kelezuno.

Despite multiple attempts by various domestic political movements to change the name to any one of a dozen native names for the region, the exonym remains an officially accepted exonym to this day.

Geography
Kelekona is a nation mostly centered on the Pakariy (Dawn) river (Called the Innis by Anglish speakers). Mainly it's western section. Historically they claimed ownership to the Tutaray (Dusk) river (Anglish: Cochrane) but every attempt to regain control of their ancestral lands has met with failure.

Most of Kelekonas territories are flatlands stretching across most of the the western Innis river basin. These plain are inhabited by a small group of varying ethnic tribes although most are quite closely related. The main one of these is the Kelekonese (Kuchua: Kimsakuna)

In the northern borderlands of the nation they do hold onto small sections of the mountains. The city in these mountains, Machaku, is a vital center of Kelekonese culture as it holds the largest intact Nahibian temple in the nation. It is seen as the final holdout of the North Songun in Kelekona and as the starting point of the modern Kelekonese nation.

Importantly there is the island chain of the Ruphakou islands (Burning Sands) which is both strategically and economically vital to the nation for various agricultural products both terrestrial and aquatic.

Center of the North Songun
Ca 900-1400. Claims heritage from the largest North Songun nation. Mainly through the Telekona minority. Used to control the entire Innis-Cochrane river basins, with cities upriver serving as tributes to the much more powerful near-coastal cities.

Maktalin was one of the major cities of the North Songun civilization.

Destruction of the Sister Cities
Ca 1400-1500. Central cities of Tutayopakayu and it's twin Churumayka at the mouth of the Innis river returned to the earth by Arzali slave raiders.

Tributary state of Kelezuno
Ca 1500-1975.

In the 1590s, Varshan established Kelekona as a new stable tributary state.

Modern period
Fourth Bush War (independent government)

Telekonese Conflict (1986 with socialist government)

1988 coup d'etat sponsored by OPSNS

1991 telekonese conflict

2002 OPSNS sponsored revolution

2007 telekonese conflict

201? civil war

Regions
Kelekona has 11 federal districts divided somewhat based on the division of the 7 different ethnic groups within the country. This division was done with the idea that each group should have a similar say in stately affairs.

Mayusuyu (Most of east) Akuphsuyu (Most of Coastline) Ruphakoutara (Islands) Kinchu'pikchuyu (Northern area centered around mountain territories) Gokanusuyu (Lakes area) Atirkarisuyu (West) ... ... ... ... ...

Cities
Maktalin - Located at west Innis fork

Culture
Kelekona is quite culturally diverse thanks to the variety of peoples that live within the nations borders.

Cuisine
Varios Yams, Corn, freshwater fish, crustaceans etc.

Linguistic Demographics
Kelekonese, native name Mayukimsapi essentially meaning Tri-river people.

Telekonese, native name Tarachurupi essentially meaning Island settlers.

Kinichuyupi, inspired by the War god Kinichzo of Nahibism. Name is usually translated as "War blessed".

Gokanuoa, essentially means Lakelanders.

Antisuyupi, essentially means westerners.

Anchichaysuyupi, essentially means north-of-westerners.

Azstranipi, common phrase to describe Varshani migrants and refugees. Has essentially become a slur in the post-deluge era.

Whites, mostly Ænglish but a few others as well. Usually quite wealthy and separate themselves from the rest of the populace by necessity. Most are from Arcerion or Malentina.

Religious Demographics
Few Catholics, mostly in the east. Decent amount of Anglicans, mostly in the south west. Lots of Nahibians. A few Maalit Wakabiis. Lots of Irreligious. a few Arzalis (from migrants). Number is most likely higher as admitted followers are persecuted.

Economy
Lots of agriculture

excessive resource wealth for some rare metals and other mining resources such as lithium and copper. Lacking the investment to extract it however although it has increased in recent years. Still a lot of resistance among populace for foreign companies leading partially to a few successful local companies starting to sprout up.

GDP growth since 2002 : 1166 -> 2439 (2012) -> 4912 (2022) -> 5440 (2032)