Kara

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Flag of Kara United Republic of Kara
Fjörnåde Repúblikke Kåra (Karska)
Capital: Kara
Motto: Fjörnåde för Dämókrati (United for Democracy)
Anthem: Sjänge som än (Sing as One)

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Kara, officially known as the United Republic of Kara (Karska: Fjörnåde Repúblikke Kåra;Vezhek: Vorencka Republika Kyorja) is a country in East Uletha. It shares a border with Älved, Boscunis, Glaster, and UL22c.

The United Republic of Kara was established in 1934 with the signing of the Union Treaty of Kara, which united the independent states of Karskat, Vezhekja, and Yumerd under a federal democratic republic.

Initially a 3-state federal union with a very weak federal government, Kara's states remained relatively distinct culturally and linguistically. However, increased cultural mixing and growing demands for federal infrastructure and social programs led to the drafting of the United Kara Amendment of 1978, which passed with strong support from voters of all regions. The amendment, which took effect on 1 January 1979, created a new constitution that replaced the Union Treaty as the law of the land, replacing the initial 3-member national council that ruled with the current system of a national president and a 300-member legislature. It also abolished the 3-state system, replacing it with the current 17-state federal system.

Today, Kara is a modern, highly developed country with a regulated capitalist economy focused on modern agriculture, technology, and a rapidly-growing renewable energies sector. The government provides many benefits to citizens, especially to the socioeconomically disadvantaged. The national constitution guarantees significant freedoms to individuals and protection for ethnic minority groups.

Geographically, most of the country is in or around the valleys of the Tebbjet and Roving Rivers or their tributaries. Both rivers' valleys and the coastline between their mouths are highly populated, with their fertile soil and temperate climate providing an environment in which agriculture has flourished. Kara, the capital city, is located at the mouth of the Tebbjet River and is the center of a chain of urban areas stretching from Täbbjetsstad to Mynnestad. Much of the north of the country is covered in semi-mountainous forests, and the extreme north has a more tundra-like climate around the southern bit of the Boscunian Alps that reaches into the country.


Geography and Climate

Kara has a mixed temperate climate. The southern coast and Tebbjet River valley are particularly temperate, while the northern states are characterized by an alpine mountain climate.

History

Prior to the formation of the republic, Kara existed as three separate states: Karskat, Vezhekja, and Yumerd.

Karskat

The areas making up Karskat were once occupied by Yumerthic and Techerian peoples. Sometime during the late 11th or early 12th centuries, however, a large group of West Ulethan people known as Kjels migrated to the area surrounding the mouth of the Tebbjet River. Within a few centuries, Kjellic peoples had intermixed with the Yumerthic and Techerian peoples in the area, and Kjellic religion, culture, and language became dominant. The Kjellic language was influenced to some extent by Yumerthic and Techerian languages, creating the modern language of Karska.

The Kingdom of Karskat was a country that made up much of what is now southern coastal Kara, and it contained Kara City, which is now the capital. The kingdom was officially founded in 1309 by Eryk Johansson af Kåra when he declared himself king over the Duchy of Kara, which was founded by his grandfather, a Lord Birjer of Kara, 50 years prior. Within its first few centuries, the kingdom grew in size through conquest and treaty. Karskat was ruled by monarchs until unification into Kara in 1934; from 1782 to 1934 the monarch was limited by a constitution and eventually a parliament.

Monarchs

Monarchs of Karskat, 1309-1934
# Reign Regnal Name Birth & Death Photo Consort(s)
Years Length
1 1309 - 1330 19 yrs. Eryk I 1272 - 1330 ErykI.jpg Äddet Birjersdytter
2 1330 - 1354 24 yrs. Hans I 1309 - 1354 HansI.jpg Sara Söfje Haskfryrsdytter
3 1354 - 1380 26 yrs. Birjer II[1] 1336 - 1380 Mari Svänsdytter

Johánne Jöhansdytter

4 1380 - 1386 6 yrs. Birjer III 1365 - 1386 N/A
5 1386 - 1388 2 yrs. Eryk II 1372 - 1388 N/A
6 1388 - 1402 14 yrs. Haskfryr I 1342 - 1402 Kiri Byrman

Johánne Jöhansdytter

7 1402 - 1414 12 yrs. Johánnes I 1374 - 1414 Anna Kꝏvrœ
8 1414 - 1422 8 yrs. Birjer IV 1406 - 1422 N/A
9 1422 - 1425 3 yrs. Kiri I 1412 - 1425 N/A
10 1425 - 1440 15 yrs. Jönas I 1383 - 1440 N/A
11 1440 - 1458 18 yrs. Johánne I 1393 - 1458 Öskar Jösefsson
12 1458 - 1486 28 yrs. Jösef I 1430 - 1486 Svän Byrman[2]
13 1486 - 1515 29 yrs. Kristaf I 1457 - 1515 Sara Lisa Svänsdytter
14 1515 - 1530 15 yrs. Sara I 1486 - 1530 Franz Oskar Byrkamp
15 1530 - 1540 10 yrs. Johánne II 1513 - 1540 Ande Svänsson
16 1540 - 1570 30 yrs. Haskfryr II 1521 - 1570

Vezhekja

The Vezhek people appear to have differentiated as a distinct group during around the 15th century. Genetic testing has shown that most Vezheks descend from a thoroughly-mixed group of Yumerths and Techerians, with some Kjellic ancestry as well. The Vezhek language appears to have originated as a hybrid of Techerian and a now-extinct relative of Yumerth, but several centuries of contact with Karska have significantly influenced the language as well.

Government and Politics

Administrative Divisions


Government Data - The Noun Project.svg
Administrative divisions of Kara
First-level17 länär (states)
Second-level151 kommunär (municipalities)


Kara is divided into of 17 federal divisions, known as länär (LE-ner) or states, which have considerable governing power. Each state is further divided into municipalities, known as kommunär (CO-moon-eyr); each municipality administers public works and utilities as well as some local community programs. The capital city, Kara, is incorporated as its own state with the same privileges as the other states but is not split up into municipalities due to the impracticality of subdividing a single conurbation, and so the state government also carries out municipality-level responsibilities.

State Municipalities
Name (Native Name) Capital Area (km2) Names # in State
Bjergdals Län Kärrstad 2,967.40
Älfeslätts Kommun
Gaffets Kommun
Jånåjks Kommun
Johansbergs Kommun
Kärrstads Kommun
Kyrillebjörgs Kommun
Nådensteds Kommun
7
Bördäjgrådes Län Fjäjstelstad 1,587.68
Äjbsö Kommun
Åbbåkens Kommun
Dröfverdys Kommun
Fjäjstelstads Kommun
Hagalids Kommun
Johánneskvärns Kommun
Katädrálbjörgs Kommun
Kvöde Kommun
Lilskrufs Kommun
Mjölysse Kommun
Nåkla Kommun
Pjästurby Kommun
Skönkojpengs Kommun
Skryppe Kommun
Starkefjä Kommun
Störsökke Kommun
Stramsdeböde Kommun
Svänskärke Kommun
Västredåls Kommun
Viktórjäne Kommun
Vrudjála Kommun
21
Döretts Län

(Doreðs Læn)

Kiꝏlburg 3,246.80
Ꜳdœburgs Komꝏn
Elfbiods Komꝏn
Jonsrᵫds Komꝏn
Katrinshems Komꝏn
Kiꝏlburgs Komꝏn
Segrœtorps Komꝏn
Svenstats Komꝏn
Þovaks Komꝏn
Vestrœkopiuŋs Komꝏn
9
Förkedals Län

(Fourkedale State)

Saint Joseph 1,979.04
Grenfeld Municipality
Jacobsborough Municipality
Lystreham Municipality
Millhouse Municipality
Saint Joseph Municipality
5
Gränös Län Gröndälf 2,901.37
Flyveryds Kommun
Fjäjtorps Kommun
Gröndälfs Kommun
Haraldsbjörgs Kommun
Jåtténe Kommun
Kväränlänge Kommun
Måna Kommun
Onderyds Kommun
Sankta Söfíje Kommun
9
Gvajllåds Län Söjlestad 1,312.59
Andräjshäms Kommun
Ädrúnaby Kommun
Bladstrams Kommun
Brynderyds Kommun
Frydekärke Kommun
Fvilhävns Kommun
Gåvetorps Kommun
Hjäffeblums Kommun
Jusingå Kommun
Liljeryds Kommun
Måsséts Kommun
Sådabuls Kommun
Söjlestads Kommun
Stänhöge Kommun
Storkvärns Kommun
Vilhelmstads Kommun
Viskestads Kommun
Zakrisfjälds Kommun
18
Kåra Stads Län Kåra 174.79 Kåra Stads Län[3] 1
Kireks Län Öddeskryfve 2,262.32
Anderslyds Kommun
Ågresköns Kommun
Öddeskryfve Kommun
Svänbergs Kommung
4
Ljenbäkks Län Nykojpeng 1,111.98
Björnaryds Kommun
Märänétjårps Kommun
Nykojpengs Kommun
Tålle Kommun
4
Mittedålts Län Strammesdal 2,392.60
Ängeskögs Kommun
Dålby Kommun
Krökekjulle Kommun
Strammesdals Kommun
4
Murräs Län Väjtspläjt 2,246.27
Flödsdålts Kommun
Jystehjälms Kommun
Nilshage Kommun
Stärríngebjörgs Kommun
Väjtspläjts Kommun
5
Rövings Län Hjeplingåde 2,056.14
Bjurbo Kommun
Brövensby Kommun
Flugesåms Kommun
Hajdlmälms Kommun
Hjeplingåde Kommun
Johansjyns Kommun
Kållkärke Kommun
Kvajls Kommun
Låkulle Kommun
Lårreby Kommun
Mynnestads Kommun
Niklasbruks Kommun
Ollefjäjls Kommun
Pådelsteds Kommun
Rökkehytte Kommun
Sanktestads Kommun
Värnbäkks Kommun
18
Söjdrkösts Län Fyrans 1,180.22
Annasbjörgs Kommun
Bö Kommun
Dalóveskjons Kommun
Fräddekjufs Kommun
Fyrans Kommun
Hämsderyds Kommun
Ljunga Kommun
Manúve Kommun
Måndeskryfs Kommun
Pålykestads Kommun
Tränneskjö Kommun
Vättsbjörgs Kommun
Vikehamms Kommun
Vrylle Kommun
15
Täbbjets Län Täbbjetsstad 1,254.55
Älfesjyns Kommun
Äseryds Kommun
Böngovs Kommun
Bröby Kommun
Färgangs Kommun
Förstekjulle Kommun
Grassemarks Kommun
Jönslunds Kommun
Lilhage Kommun
Störkärke Kommun
Täbbjetstads Kommun
11
Tilshulls Län

(Thilshull State)

Thilshull 1,430.66
Bleistergough Municipality
Eylfegaurd Municipality
Haakanmyre Municipality
Hedgeley Municipality
Houton Municipality
Skarv-Haunley Municipality
Thilshull Municipality
Trirce Municipality
8
Upplandas Län Kvröndesbljum 1,627.67
Fjurve Kommun
Kvröndesbljums Kommun
Lillebjörgs Kommun
3
Vejeks Län

(Vèžèks Stot)

Vèžèkstot 1,823.56
Čëllèdebjorkejts Kommun
Kitš-Jʹapfijks Kommun
Mjelmstrums Kommun
Vèžèkstodts Kommun
4
Government icon (black).svg
Government of Kara
Federal presidential constitutional republic
CapitalKara
Head of state
• Präsident (President)Kiri-Anna Päjtersson-Årdl
• Legisatur-Tålare (Speaker of the Legislature)Æstred Marija Gabrælzen (ᛇᛊᛏᚱᛖᛞ ᛗᚨᚱᛁᛃᚨ ᚷᚨᛒᚱᛇᛚᛉᛖᚾ)
Legislature
• Upper houseNationallegislatur (National Legislature)
Kara legislature diagram.svg
JudiciaryHövda-Demstoll (High Court)
Öfverdeme (Chief Judge)Stefœn Ʒoð
Major political parties
  Socialist
  Green
  Kireki Advocates
  National Democrats
  Independent
  Centrist
  Conservative
  Christic
Assembly of Nations - member state • Association of South Ulethan Nations - observer state


Politics

The members of the legislature as well as the president are elected in partisan elections, although many candidates run (and win) without a party affiliation. Elections for the legislature are held every 2 years, with presidential elections occurring every 6 years. The legislature creates, debates, and passes federal laws with a simple (50% + 1) majority. Federal laws are subject to presidential veto, although this veto can be overridden with a 200-vote (or 2/3) majority in the legislature.

Several political parties have significant influence in the legislature, with the National Democratic, Centrist, and Conservative parties each holding significant power. Independent, non-party-affiliated representatives also hold a substantial number of seats in the legislature, but members do not vote as a group or in a bloc. The current president, Kiri-Anna Päjtersson-Årdl, is a member of the Centrist party.

Kåra Government Officials
President Kiri-Anna Päjtersson-Årdl
Speaker of the Legislature Æstred Marija Gabrælzen
Chief Judge Stefœn Ʒoð
Political Parties in Kara[4]
Name Current Leader Left/Right Ideology Core Ideologies Seats Held
National Democrats Æstred Marija Gabrælzen Center-left to left Social liberalism

Ulethanism

Liberal capitalism

92/300 (30.7%)
Conservative Jöns-Rudolf Björgman Center-right to right Classical liberalism

Conservatism

Ulethanism

54/300 (18.0%)
Centrist Ana Þorsun Center-left to center Third-way centrism

Regulated capitalism

Ulethanism

50/300 (16.7%)
Green Äve Gröndblad-Blaibax Left to far left Environmentalism

Social democracy

Ulethanism

15/300 (5.0%)
Kireki Advocates Þorsten-Sfæn Ottozen Varies Kireki nationalism

Karaskepticism

Ulethaskepticism

4/300 (1.3%)
Socialist Björn Andersson Far left Socialism

Isolationism

Populism

4/300 (1.3%)
Christic Jön Adam Bånövre Right to far right Social paleoconservatism

Christic nationalism

Antiliberalism

3/300 (1.0%)
Independent none Varies Varies 78/300 (26.0%)

Constitution

The current constitution took effect in 1979 after it passed a national referendum. The document can be changed with the support of the majority of the legislature and a 66% majority of voters in the next legislative election.

Individual Rights

The Indevídjalle-Frydhäter (Individual Freedoms) section of the Karska constitution guaranteed several liberties and rights in its original iteration, with some later additions:

Liberty or Right Year Added to Constitution
Freedoms of speech and press 1979 (part of original consitution)
Freedoms of peaceful assembly and peaceful protest
Freedom of religious belief and practice
Right to speedy, public trial by impartial jury
Right to vote for all Karska citizens over the age of 18
Right to refuse to testify against oneself
Freedom from invasive searches without a warrant or probable cause
Freedom from discrimination on the basis of race, color, class, sex, gender, ethnicity, or nationality
Right to citizenship for children born to at least one Karska citizen parent
Freedom from discrimination on the basis of religion or disability status 1980
Freedom from enslavement beyond the reasonable punishment of a crime
Right to own weapons for purposes of hunting or personal defense, subject to reasonable government regulation intended to preserve public safety 1984
Freedom from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or preference 1988
Right to vote for all legal, permanent-resident aliens over the age of 18 who have resided in Kara for at least 5 years 1994
Right to marry without regard to gender for all unmarried, consenting individuals over 18[5] 2002
Freedom from discrimination on the basis of being transgender or gender-nonconforming 2007
Right to citizenship for children born to at least one permanent-resident alien parent 2018

National Anthem

The official Karska choral version of the national anthem, Sjänge som Än.
The official Karska choral version of the national anthem, Sing as One.

Kara's national anthem, Sing as One, was written for the ratification ceremony of the United Kara Amendment; the first act of the National Legislature made it the official national anthem.


Audio

Karska Ingerish
Sjänge som Än Sing as One
Komme og sjänge som än

Komme, föräna vårt land

Vi kommer åt stå tillsamms

Vi kommer åt vår bara

Låt os stå för saningen

Låt os sjänge för rättvis


Vi är starka; vi är fräj

Vi älskar dämókrati

Vi ska hjälpe varandra

Vi ska sjänge för frädhät

Vi räspékterar andra

Vi räspékterar vårt häm


Utmaningar ställs inför

Utmaningar ställs öferfun

Örättvis attakkärar

Örättvis vi bäkämpa

Komme, vi vinner kampän

Komme og sjänge som än

Let us come and sing as one

Let us go unite our land

For we are united as one

We unite for all that's fair

Let us stand for what is true

Let us stand for what is just


We are strong and we are free

And we love democracy

We will lend each other aid

We will sue for lasting peace

We respect each human heart

We respect this land that's ours


Challenges will come our way

Challenges, they shall not stay

And injustice may molest

But we fight it to the end

Come, the battle must be won

Let us come and sing as one

Demographics

Noun project 288.svg
Demographics of Kara
DemonymKarskan
Official languagesKarska, Vezhek (Vèžèk), Yumerth (Jumяð)


Religion

Kara has not had an established state religion since the United Kara Amendment of 1979. Previous to that amendment, the government designated 5 state Christic churches (one for each ethnic/linguistic region). The 5 state churches have since united to form the People's Church of Kara.

Religious Identification in Kara, 2021

  People's Church of Kara (Christic) (51%)
  Holy Grace Church (Christic) (15%)
  Darcodian (Christic) (3%)
  Ortholic (Christic) (2%)
  Other Christic (2%)
  Judic (2%)
  Animist/Spiritualist (2%)
  General Spirituality (8%)
  Secular (14%)
  Other (1%)

Historically a Christic area, a significant majority of Karskans identify as Christic, although some other minority faiths have also gained traction, particularly through immigration. Religiously unaffiliated individuals also make up a substantial minority of the population.

People's Church of Kara

Initially founded in Kara city from a group of Christic groups in the area in the 15th century, the Church of Kara was under the leadership of the Karska monarch until the mid-18th century. It uses a traditional liturgical service, with a particular emphasis placed on music and collective prayer in services. The church continues to play a significant role in Karska society.

For its first several centuries of existence, the church's leadership exerted tight control on ideas and information within the faith, maintaining a strongly conservative belief and policy system, which continued to be very influential in society, although this influence did decrease in the 17th and 18th centuries with growing secularism and independent thought. However, the church's direction changed as a result of the 1784 secession of the Holy Grace Church in Nådensted in Bjergdals Län, which attracted many believers with its strong yet liberal belief system. In response to this crisis, the People's Church loosened control in many areas, allowing more liberal ideas to gain traction within the church.

In 1928, the church's general council elected Hans Jösef Zakrisson as Head Priest of the church. Zakrisson, the de facto leader of the church's liberal wing and a staunch proponent of liberalism and democracy in society, led several reforms in the church that ultimately were very influential in the formation of modern Kara under the Union Treaty of 1934. Within a decade, the People's Church became strongly liberal-leaning (ironically, some conservative detractors defected to the Holy Grace Church, steering it to become more conservative than the People's Church). Since the 1930s, the church has held to a strongly liberal, universalist theology and a cultural emphasis on inclusion. However, the church has also remained open to a variety of theological and political ideas, and so there are some significant conservative factions within the faith, although many conservative detractors have left for the Holy Grace denomination in recent years.

Nonetheless, the liberal majority has steered the church's policy in a strongly progressive direction, such as was seen in its 1963 resolution urging the Karska government to open the country to refugees and its calls for preservation of minority languages in the 1980s. More recently, the church moved in 1995 to allow same-sex couples to be married by the church in places where such marriage was legal, and this move is widely agreed to have been a key catalyst of the 1997 legislative decision and 2002 constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to same-sex marriage in Kara.

In 2011, Jöne Mäjbjerg became the first openly transgender and non-binary priest in the People's Church, and a 2016 council canonized them and renamed their local church (Sankte Jöne Mäjbjergs Folkes- og Domkärke Äjbsö) in their honor.

Languages

As a multinational state, several languages are used across Kara, and five languages (Karska, Reunthan, Vezhek, Kirek, and Ingerish) are federally recognized as official languages. Among them, Karska is the most commonly used.

The map below shows the distribution of dominant language across Kara: Karska (green), Ingerish (red), Reunthan (yellow), Vezhek (purple-blue), and Kirek (light pink-purple).

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Karska

Karska (Kårska) is a Gaermanic language that is spoken in areas Kara once part of Karskat. It uses a 26-letter Latinic alphabet.

Karska Pronunciation
Letter IPA Rough Federal States Ingerish Equivalence
Aa ⟨a⟩ got
⟨ə⟩ or ⟨ɜ⟩ when at the end of some words problem
Ää ⟨ɛ⟩ ever
Åå ⟨ɔ⟩ dawn
Bb ⟨b⟩ bake
Cc ⟨s⟩ center
⟨k⟩ cave
Dd ⟨d⟩ dote
Ee ⟨ə⟩ (schwa) problem
⟨ɛ⟩ (when the first letter of a word or with diacritic) ever
Ff ⟨f⟩ fee
Gg ⟨ɡ⟩ good
Hh ⟨h⟩ home
Ii ⟨i⟩ me
Jj ⟨j⟩ you
Kk ⟨k⟩ cave
Ll ⟨l⟩ low
Mm ⟨m⟩ mat
Nn ⟨n⟩ never
⟨ŋ⟩ (in some regions when before a "g") going
Oo ⟨ʊ⟩ look
⟨œ⟩
⟨o⟩ (when with a diacritic, uncommon otherwise) over
Öö ⟨o⟩ in theory, in practice often a ⟨oʊ⟩ diphthong/slide over
Pp ⟨p⟩ pine
Rr ⟨r⟩ or ⟨ɾ⟩ rolled or tapped r (no Ingerish equivalent)
Ss ⟨s⟩ so
Tt ⟨t⟩ too
Uu ⟨u⟩ clue
Vv ⟨v⟩ vow
Yy ⟨y⟩ no Ingerish equivalent, essentially an ⟨i⟩ in me with rounded lips
Zz ⟨z⟩ zoo
Accent Marks

In Karska, the first syllable of a word is always emphasized, except when otherwise marked with an accent on the vowel of the syllable to be emphasized. Áá, Íí, and Úú are prononced the same as their "core" letters (Aa, Ii, and Uu, respectively), while Éé and Óó are pronounced as Ää and Öö, respectively.

Example pronunciations of words/terms/names
Term/name IPA Rough Federal States Ingerish Equivalent
Ädrúnaby ɛdɾunaby Ed-run-ah-beu
Bördäjgrådes Län boɾdɛjgrɔdəs lɛn Bor-deyg-rawd-uhs Len
Fjörnåde Repúblikka Kåra fjornɔdə ɾəpublika kɔra Fyoor-nah-duh Ruh-poob-lee-kah Kaw-ra
Hjeplingåde hjəplingɔdə Hyuhp-leeng-ah-duh
Län lɛn Len
Märänétjårp mɛɾɛnɛttjɔrp Meh-reh-neht-tjaurp

Vezhek

Vezhek is one of Kara's official languages, and it is spoken in Vezheks Stot in the northwest portion of the country. It is generally considered to be a creole of Karska, Techerian, and other languages.


  1. When declaring himself king, Eryk posthumously crowned his grandfather and father as Birjer I and Johan I, respectively, and so the first living monarchs named Birjer and Johan ruled as Birjer II and Johan II.
  2. While same-sex marriages were not allowed at this time, unmarried but long-term same-sex partners (like Jösef and Svän) were usually accepted as being a valid (although less "important" than a marriage) relationship, especially for royalty and nobility. In fact, in some wealthy families, same-sex partners could even adopt children, as did Jösef and Svän with their son, King Kristaf I.
  3. The state government fills the role of municipal government and is considered a municipality for statistical purposes.
  4. Thanks to Timboh's article on Navenna for the inspiration for this table!
  5. The amendment was purely symbolic as the legislature guaranteed the right to same-sex marriage in 1997.