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Draft Territory Application

UL03a -

[General Project Plan]

Physical Geography

Climate

Located at the southern tip of Liberán Island, and among the southernmost countries of Uletha, UL03a roughly straddles the equator, spanning from 4.2°S to 1.5°N latitude. The country experiences a predominantly tropical climate, with consistently warm temperatures and seasonal rainfall. Its diverse landscape, ranging from coastal plains to montane, fosters four distinct Köppen climate classifications:

• Af (Tropical Rainforest): On the windward slopes of the coastal plains, lowlands, and foothills, with average temperatures ranging from 26–29°C. Annual rainfall exceeds 1,500 mm.
• Aw (Tropical Savanna): On the leeward slopes of the coastal plains, lowlands, and foothills, with average temperatures ranging from 23–27°C. Annual rainfall totals 1,000–1,400 mm.
• Cfb (Temperate Oceanic): On the windward slopes of the highlands and montane, with average temperatures ranging from 10–23°C. Annual rainfall exceeds 1,200 mm.
• Cwb (Subtropical Highland): On the leeward slopes of the highlands and montane, with average temperatures ranging from 8–20°C. Annual rainfall totals 1,000–1,500 mm.

The country's windward slopes receive heavy rainfall year-round from moist southeasterly winds, supporting fertile floodplains and deltas. This region, classified as Af and Cfb, does not experience a dry season. The leeward slopes are relatively drier due to the rain shadow and northwesterly winds, with savanna-like conditions and more drought-tolerant vegetation. These areas, classified as Aw and Cwb, experience a distinct dry season. The highlands and montane experience cooler temperatures and heavier rainfall overall, with frequent cloud cover and mist at higher elevations. Due to its position along the equator, tropical cyclones are rare; however, thunderstorms are a regular occurrence in the lowlands and foothills during the wet seasons.

Region	Prevailing Winds	Coastal Waters	Ocean Currents
Cabo Bonito	Variable (SE/E)	Sea of Uthyra & Asperic Ocean	Warm Transition; Southward & Northward
West Coast	Northeasterly	Sea of Uthyra	Warm; Northward
East Coast	Southeasterly	Asperic Ocean	Warm; Southward

Topography and Landscape

The landscape is dominated by the South Liberán Range, which extends from the north and divides the country in half. The highest point is Monte Ita, a stratovolcano rising to 3,456 meters on the border with Xochimalta (formerly). Nearby peaks, including Gervasio, range from 2,000 to 2,500 meters, and form part of a small volcanic cluster, most of which have been dormant for over 1,000 years. The mountain range includes several distinct elevation zones:

Zone	Elevation (m)	Climate
Coastal Plains	0–200	Aw / Af
Lowlands	200–500	Aw / Af
Foothills	500–1,000	Aw / Af
Highlands	1,000–2,000	Cwb / Cfb
Montane	2,000–3,500	Cwb / Cfb

In the northwest, the terrain becomes gentler as the range moves inland, transitioning to rolling hills, valleys, and fertile plains near the coast. The southwest is more rugged, where the mountains are closer to the coast, creating steeper slopes and narrower coastal areas. Since the east receives more rainfall, broad river valleys, floodplains, and fertile deltas that support agriculture and settlements are more prevalent. The east coast features a larger coastal plain, though the terrain becomes more varied near river mouths and in the foothills. In the south of the country is Cabo Bonito, which is marked by a rocky promontory that rises sharply from the surrounding coastal plain. Strong ocean currents around the cape shape the region, with shoals and sandbars extend offshore from the tip, adding to its distinct geography.

Human Geography

Territory Demographics

UL03a has a population of 12 million spread across an area of 89,543 km², with a population density of 134 inhabitants per km². The population is highly urbanized, with over 75% living in cities and 25% in rural areas. The three largest cities account for 7.5 million inhabitants: A1, Cabo Bonito (capital) with 4 million, B1 (leeward) with 2 million, and B2 (windward) with 1.5 million. Seven secondary cities (C1–C7), ranging in size from 50,000 to 750,000, are home to 1.75 million inhabitants. The remaining 2.75 million reside in rural areas, where no settlement exceeds 50,000 inhabitants. Migration to urban areas occurred in two major waves. After independence, rural populations moved to the primary cities due to economic opportunity and the end of colonial restrictions on mobility. As the country continued to develop, later migration followed economic booms in the secondary cities, which are each driven by a specialized industry.

A majority of the population is mestizo, reflecting a mixed indigenous Mayan and West Ulethan heritage. Castellanese is the dominant language, with indigenous Mayan languages spoken as a second language and especially present in rural areas. A small number of Valonnaise settlements still exist, a remnant of the early colonial period.

Economic Development

UL03a’s development is characterized by diverse, agglomeration economies in the capital (A1) and two primary cities (B1–B2), which were the colonial centers of trade, as well as specialized economies in its seven secondary cities (C1–C7). Nicknamed Las Siete Hermanas (the Seven Sisters), these secondary cities play a critical role in UL03a’s development through their industrial specialization. A defense and logistics hub near the capital supports naval operations, shipping, and air transport logistics, contributing to national security. An agroforestry and agriculture center on the eastern coast produces cocoa, coffee, vanilla, medicinal plants, and sustainable timber, serving both international and domestic markets. Another city on the southwest coast focuses on eco tourism, attracting sustainably-minded visitors to its protected natural areas and promoting biodiversity conservation. A center of cultural heritage and archaeology, in the mountains, highlights Mayan traditions, drawing tourists to its archaeological sites. A mining and natural resources city, in the mountains, extracts valuable resources, including gold, gems, and rare earth minerals like neodymium, vital for technology and renewable energy. Renewable energy production is centered in another city in the mountains, which develops small and micro hydropower, as well as geothermal energy from nearby volcanoes. Lastly, a pharmaceuticals and biotechnology hub, in the northwest, focuses on drug manufacturing and biotechnology research, leveraging compounds derived from the country’s tropical rainforest plants.

Code	Region	Primary Industry	Population
A1	Cape	Government, Trade, Finance	4,000,000
B1	Leeward	Trade, Human Services, Technology	2,000,000
B2	Windward	Trade, Manufacturing, Professional Services	1,500,000
C1	Cape	Defense and Logistics	100,000
C2	Windward	Agroforestry and Agriculture	700,000
C3	Leeward	Eco and Sustainable Tourism	125,000
C4	Mountain	Indigenous Cultural Heritage	175,000
C5	Mountain	Mining and Natural Resources	50,000
C6	Mountain	Renewable Energy	150,000
C7	Leeward	Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals	450,000
		Urban Population Total	9,250,000
		Rural Population Total	2,750,000
		Total Population	12,000,000

Land Occupation

UL03a's historical settlement patterns were shaped by Castellanese colonial land grants and the cabildo (municipal council) system of governance, which granted semi-autonomy to towns outside of Cabo Bonito, the capital and main port of trade. Today the country operates under a parliamentary democracy, with significant power still delegated to the three primary cities via home rule. These cities function as hubs, collaboratively overseeing planning and development on a regional scale. They hold authority over land use, service delivery, public safety, education, healthcare, and economic development, while the national government retains control over international trade, human rights, foreign relations, defense, environmental regulation, and monetary policy. The national government relies on a system of fiscal transfers for social programs, which each region is responsible for administering. Fundamental human and civil rights are guaranteed by the UL03a constitution. This system promotes collaboration and preserves the unique identity of each region.

Infrastructure

A ring road encircles Liberán Island, connecting its coastal cities and serving as a backbone of the national highway system. This highway, a result of a multinational effort, facilitates the movement of goods and people round the coastline. Inland areas, however, face challenges due to the mountainous terrain, leading to more limited road networks. To address these gaps, a second national highway runs east-west through the mountains, connecting key secondary cities and providing vital access to remote communities. Additionally, a third highway spur through Cabo Bonito links the capital region to the ring road. Given the separation of the three largest cities by both mountains and distance, a robust long-distance ferry service complements the national highway system. These ferries not only link the primary cities, but also provide connections to neighboring countries in Tarephia. For more distant or isolated areas, air service plays a crucial role, supporting both international and domestic flights. Ports are another critical component of UL03a's infrastructure, with major coastal cities such as Cabo Bonito hosting large port facilities. These ports, historically significant as colonial trading hubs, continue to facilitate trade through the Asperic Ocean and the Sea of Uthyra. Rail infrastructure is still developing. Intercity rail networks are limited due to the dense jungles and protected environmental areas. However, each of the three primary cities have metro systems, and the secondary cities are developing light rail and bus rapid transit systems to reduce sprawl.

Mapping Style

UL03a’s mapping style reflects mostly Castellanese colonial influences. Some minor elements of Valonian colonial influences still exist, mainly in smaller settlements along the northeast coast, where Valony had established trading posts. These cities are centered on a large plaza, which serves as the commercial and administrative hub Streets follow a strict grid pattern radiating outward, with major thoroughfares connecting the city center with the periphery. Fortifications are found in the older coastal cities. Maya-influenced cities, located in the interior, exhibit more organic street layouts, but are still organized around a central ceremonial core. Archaeological sites include ancient temples and pyramids.

History & Culture

Culture

In UL03a, Castellanese influence predominates, with traces of Valonian and Mayan roots still evident due to the region's layered colonial and indigenous history. Liberán Island broadly represents a futuristic Latin America. The country has recently prioritized addressing the scars of its colonial legacy by promoting mestizo and indigenous representation in governance and society. Efforts have also focused on supporting Mayan traditions, preserving their language, and protecting cultural sites. Additionally, the country has worked to embrace its natural resources through conservation and climate change planning.

History

Although Liberán Island was known to the Hellanesians as early as 600 BCE and the Romantians by 100 CE, no permanent settlements by classical world civilizations existed in its southern regions. However, these cultures established contact with indigenous groups in the north, who gradually drifted throughout the island, bringing advancements in technology through trade networks like those of the Romantish Empire. Prior to the arrival of Ulethan explorers, UL03a's dominant culture was Mayan, with tribes having migrated from nearby Xdzonca and Xochimalta. These indigenous populations primarily settled along the northeast coast and in the region's lowlands and foothills, forming small city-states. No unified Mayan imperial structure emerged in UL03a, leaving it largely decentralized.

Valonian explorers made initial contact with the eastern coast of Liberán Island by the mid-1100s. These early expeditions focused on mapping and establishing trade relations with indigenous groups. Sporadic expeditions continued through the end of the century, as temporary trading posts were set up. However, logistical challenges and limited interest slowed the establishment of any permanent settlements. By the early 1200s, renewed efforts by Valonian explorers resulted in more sustained contact. Basic outposts were established, focusing on the exchange of goods such as precious metals, timber, and exotic fauna. Over the next 100 years, permanent Valonian trading posts and small villages began to emerge on the eastern coast. The settlements remained modest, as Valony prioritized efforts elsewhere in Tarephia, such as the Lycene region. Their influence gradually expanded along the region’s river systems, focusing on trade rather than conquest. However, geographical and logistical difficulties prevented any significant inroads into the interior.

Starting in the mid-1200s, Castellanese scouts, seeking to expand their influence and trade networks, began to reach the middle and southern regions of Liberán Island's west coast after establishing successful stopping points in the north. The explorers arrived at the southern tip of Liberán Island by the end of the century, naming it Cabo Bonito. They established a fortified settlement, claiming the entirety of the southern region of the island in the name of Castellán. Their efforts marked the beginning of Castellanese long-term colonial activity in UL03a.

Throughout the 1300s, Castellanese explorers ventured into the interior, encountering indigenous communities as well as Valonian trading posts established along the eastern coast. Cabo Bonito became the administrative and cultural center of the growing colony. By the late-1300s, the Castellanese began aggressive colonization efforts, sending settlers and missionaries deeper inland. Skirmishes with Valonian traders over territorial claims were a regular occurrence, with indigenous groups caught between the two powers. The Castellanese consolidated control over the cape and central regions through a combination of military campaigns and alliances with local Mayan leaders. Over the next 100 years, the Castellanese conquistadores continued to outmaneuver the Valonian presence, forcing them to abandon their settlements on the eastern coast and retreat to smaller enclaves in the north. By the early-1400s, the Valonians were expelled and Castellán effectively dominated the territory.

Throughout the 1500s, the Castellanese formalized the territorial government, integrating it into their growing colonial empire. The colony became a key maritime hub for Castellanese trade and a critical stopping point for wealth and goods brought back from its colonies in Tarephia. Cabo Bonito served as the primary launching point for further conquests. Authorities introduced land grants and cabildo systems to incentivize settlement from the Castellán homeland, particularly in the coastal lowlands and foothills, as the dense jungle of the interior was deemed of little value. These grants allowed settlers to claim land and establish semi-autonomous communities governed by local councils, with minimal interference from the colonial capital in Cabo Bonito, which continued to focus on further exploration. This system solidified Castellán's claim over the territory while fostering loyalty through economic opportunity. Many settlers intermarried with indigenous populations, forming mestizo communities with distinct cultural identities that blended indigenous and Castellanese traditions. Economic prosperity, driven by trade through Cabo Bonito, accelerated the growth of these settlements into the 1600s. Although the cabildo system gave settlers a sense of local autonomy, this freedom became a source of tension when Castellanese authorities implemented a series of reforms. Increased taxation, restrictions on local trade and settlement, and growing centralization fueled resentment, particularly as wealth from UL03a was funneled back to Castellán with declining reinvestment in the colony. The mestizo communities, having developed limited ties to the Castellán homeland as time progressed, became increasingly alienated. Social stratification deepened, with a coastal criollo (creole) elite emerging in parallel with the disenfranchisement of rural settlers.

By the mid-1600s, colonial power in UL03a reached its peak as growing dissatisfaction with Castellanese policies laid the foundation for revolutionary ideas. Discontent reached a breaking point, and a series of uprisings in the late-1600s were met with a swift and brutal response, as Castellán sought to maintain control over one of its most profitable colonial holdings. However, the dense terrain, in combination with an overextended imperial apparatus in the Tarephias, made it difficult for authorities to suppress resistance entirely.

The revolution gained momentum in the early-1700s, as criollo leaders formed alliances with rural mestizo communities, drawing on a shared desire to expel Castellanese authority. Cabo Bonito, once a symbol of Castellanese power, became a key target for revolutionary forces. Independence was declared in 1726, kicking off a slow war of attrition as guerrilla tactics employed by mestizo and indigenous communities in the interior proved effective in undermining Castellanese military control.

The turning point came in 1733 when the Castellanese colony of Tierra Redimida in southern Tarephia signed the Free Reedemia Compact, beginning its War for Peace. Castellán, realizing that it could not support simultaneous military campaigns on two continents, declared a ceasefire with UL03a the following year. A peace treaty was signed in 1735, marking an official end to the war and the beginning of modern democracy for the country.

Past Mapping

I have been mapping on OGF for several years, most significantly the southeast portion of Tierra Nueva^∈⊾, where I created la ciudad de Jaraquén^∈⊾. If possible, I would like to move some of my mapping to UL03a.

Extent of contributions to Tierra Nueva

(Please note that Arlhac, Antigo, and Santa Inés de los Ángeles were done by other mappers.)

Natural

mountain range Encanto, mountain range Cayená, mountain range Mictlán, mountain range Ricardito, mountain range Santana, mountain range San Andrés, and mountain range Caiquín

river delta, river delta, and river delta

lake

volcano and volcano

Rural

rural town

Urban

Jaraquén (Another mapper recently put in the rail and a few streets.)

airport (unfinished)

port

fort

buildings

Although I could not find any information describing Tierra Nueva as a whole, I believe the general theme is that of a former Castellanese colony, which fits my mapping style and proposal for UL03a.